Cyprus is investigating an attempted kidnapping of Ukraineʼs former energy minister

Cyprus is investigating an attempted kidnapping of a businessman who told police he was previously Ukraineʼs energy minister.

This is reported by local media Philenews and Cyprus Times.

Although his name is not being released, his age is known to be 51. The Cyprus Times also reports that the man was a minister ten years ago. Judging by this, this is Volodymyr Demchyshyn, who headed the department in 2014-2016.

In Ukraine, he is suspected of the so-called “coal case” — possible purchases of coal from the temporarily occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014-2015. The case also involves the fifth president Petro Poroshenko and former MP and collaborator Viktor Medvedchuk. Since January 2022, Demchyshyn has been on the international wanted list.

According to police, the former minister, his partner, and her father were inside a house when they saw a suspicious car on the street. When the men went outside to inspect it, they were allegedly attacked by three unknown men, whose faces were covered by surgical masks, who tried to drag Demchyshyn inside the car. After resisting, the attackers fled on foot, abandoning the car.

Police say the license plates on the car belong to another vehicle. A gun with an empty magazine, a wig, and other evidence were found in the passenger compartment. Demchyshyn and the second man suffered minor injuries.

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