Andriy Antonenko, who was recently released under house arrest,  discussed the alleged role of Volodymyr Zelensky in investigation that saw him charged with murder of Pavlo Sheremet.

‘Volodymyr Oleskandrovych [Zelensky] precisely and clearly understands that neither of us was involved to this terrible story. Right from that shameful meet-up with Avakov, he was just not informed and somehow dragged into that, ‘ said Antonenko in an interview for Novoe Vremya.

Antonenko denied that the president reached out to him but suggested that two men meet.

‘I would love to meet him because we have things to talk about. As for him keeping touch with Yana [Dugar], I think, if some of us were really involved with that [murder], there would be no such correspondence.’

Commenting on Pavlo Sheremet case,  Antonenko drew attention to the Internal Mininster’s role in the flawed investigation.

‘At the press conference in 2019,  he (Zelensky) was presented the investigation materials. He came out and said that from what he had seen, the [investigation] results was coming soon. But what was it they showed him while I and Yuliya Kuzmenko were not wiretapped at the time and neither of us was on the suspects’ list? .. For how long can Avakov be looking  for masterminds [behind the murder], shifting blame to the people who were not involved.. and for how long  can he fool the president and people .. is he capable of finding any [of Sheremet murderers] with his [Anton] Gerashchenko?’ argued Antonenko.

In 2019,  Andriy Antonenko along with  volunteers Yana Dugar and Yuliya Kuzmenko were charged in murder in connection with 2016 terror act against the journalist Pavlo Sheremet.  Following the court appeals, all of the tree suspects were released from jail with Antonenko and Kuzmenko remaining under house arrest. The recently updated charges now cite ‘unidentified individuals’ who allegedly commissioned the murder reinstating involvement of Antonenko, Kuzmenko, and Dugar in the actual crime.