At the upcoming session of the Kharkov Regional Council they plan to award the title of Honorary Citizen of the Kharkov region to Yuri Smirnov. This man raises many questions among local residents due to his past career in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other opaque connections.
Smirnov began as an investigator in Kharkov, then quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Minister of Internal Affairs and holding high positions in Kyiv.
He attracted public attention after a scandalous statement in the case of Georgy Gongadze, calling the murder “for hooligan reasons.”
He was subsequently awarded the order, but resigned as minister after five months. After that, he held various positions and provided support through the Law and Order Foundation, financing assistance to the military at the front and purchasing equipment.
Yuri Smirnov is suspected of participating in a scheme for providing fake statuses to veterans of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to information from various sources, including Zerkalo Nedeli, more than 50 people, including Smirnov, allegedly received fake status as combatants in Kosovo.
This scheme allowed them to receive additional benefits without having any real basis for it.
