Viktor Medvedchuk, a senior ally of Vladimir Putin, was apprehended by Ukrainian officials on Tuesday
(Picture: AP)Ukraine’s secret service have arrested a senior oligarch known as the “Prince of Darkness”.
President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested swapping their captive Viktor Medvedchuk, 67, with prisoners of war on Wednesday after the senior ally of Vladimir Putin was imprisoned by Ukrainian officials on Tuesday.
In an early morning address on Wednesday, Mr Zelensky said it was “important for our security forces and military forces to consider such a possibility”.
Medvedchuk, wealthy businessman and lawyer, describes the Russian president as a personal friend and says Mr Putin is the godfather to his youngest daughter Daryna.
In a post on social media, Ukraine’s security service SBU claimed Mr Medvedchuk was a “traitor” to his country.
“You can be a pro-Russian politician and work for the aggressor state for years. You may have been hiding from justice lately. You can even wear a Ukrainian military uniform for camouflage,” they wrote.
“But will it help you escape punishment? Not at all! Shackles are waiting for you and same goes for traitors to Ukraine like you.”
A picture posted online by Ukrainian authorities showed Viktor Medvedchuk with his hands in cuffs and dressed in a Ukrainian army uniform.
Ivan Bakanov, the head of the secret services, said his operatives had conducted a “lightning-fast and dangerous multi-level special operation” to arrest Medvedchuk but did not give details.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed swapping Medvedchuk for prisoners of war being held by Russian forces.
Mr Medvedchuk had been under house arrest in Kyiv to face treason charges but escaped shortly after Mr Putin invaded the country on February 24.
He is the leader of political party Opposition Platform – For Life, which Mr Zelensky last month branded Ukraine’s largest opposition movement.
Prior to becoming leader of the party, Mr Medvedchuk served as of staff of Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma from 2002-2005 and was an opponent of Mr Kuchma's pro-Western successor Viktor Yushchenko.
In 2014, the United States placed Medvedchuk on its sanctions list over his alleged role during the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.
Several political parties with ties to the Kremlin have already been suspended amid the war with Russia.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Mr Medvedchuk was a Ukrainian citizens and claimed there was no secret connection to Moscow.
