Poroshenko appoints controversial Yanukovych-era diplomat as Ambassador to Norway
The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, appointed Viacheslav Yatsiuk, the odious diplomat from the administration of the former President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, as the Ukrainian Ambassador to Norway, as indicated in an article by Sergei Sidorenko of EuroPravda. Norway is aware that "Yatsiuk was the third person assigned to the Ministry after Kozhara and his éminence grise Ruslan Demchenko, in the last years of Yanukovych’s presidency".
The signature of Yatsiuk is on some of the most odious directives for Ukrainian Embassies. In particular, the one directing Ambassadors to tell obvious lies about the "crimes of Maidan" in their capitals without making any compromises.
Yatsiuk was removed from his post as the Director of the Department after the Revolution of Dignity and "appointed as an Ambassador at large". “It is a form of diplomatic exile when person is given the hint that it is time to resign,” the publication states.
In addition, Russian influences can be observed throughout Yatsiuk’s career path. It is known among diplomats that Viacheslav Yatsiuk owes his career to Anatoly Orel, the former head of the Foreign Policy Bureau in President's Kuchma Administration. Orel doesn’t hide his relationship with Russia and he is there now.
“The opinion of other diplomats about Yatsiuk is unambiguous. This appointment is shameful,” summarized the author of the publication.