Associate Of Pro-Russian Ukrainian Politician Moves To Slovakia After Czech Sanctions

Artem Marchevskiy, a close associate of pro-Russia Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, has left Prague for Slovakia after Czech authorities imposed sanctions on him for attempts to carry out "influence operations" for Moscow's benefit on Czech territory. Media reports cited sources and Marchevskiy's lawyer on May 2 as saying Slovak authorities had provided Marchevskiy with temporary protection status. Marchevskiy holds Ukrainian and Israeli passports. Earlier, German publication Der Spiegel identified Medvedchuk and Marchevskiy as operators of the Prague-based pro-Moscow news website Voice Of Europe. The German publication said the website played a key role in financing pro-Kremlin European Parliament candidates. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.