Lack of reaction of Zelensky's office to attack on Poroshenko confirms version of political put-up job – attorney

KYIV. Aug 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Attorney-at-law for fifth president of Ukraine (2014-2019), leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko believes the perpetrator of the attack on their client is being hidden, which indicates a political put-up job, according to the political force’s website on Friday.

Attorney Ihor Holovan said the attacker on Poroshenko did not appear at Pechersky police department, where, as the police interrogators told them, he should come on Friday to report the suspicion. "The representatives of the inquiry […] stopped answering calls and messages. Our fears and confidence that it was the authorities who organized this attack are confirmed. It is the authorities who now protect and cover the executor," he said.

According to the defender, the striker is now at large, "most likely he is being held and processed somewhere, fearing that he will not betray his customers."

Attorney Illia Novikov believes the attack was due to Poroshenko’s political activities. "The police actually let the case down on the brakes […]. We see that at first the qualifications are deliberately understated, the case is passed off as hooliganism. Even now, the suspicion of hooliganism has not been handed over," he said.

The defense attorney believes the attacker is covered "at a level that allows coordinating the actions of the police, the prosecutor’s office, and we will not get ahead of ourselves, but according to the previous experience, perhaps, of the courts."

"There have already been comments from foreign partners and from most of the Ukrainian political forces. The president’s office remains silent […] This is a sign of what is happening," Novikov said.