Ukraine's Kravchuk: Russian Oligarch Funded Revolution

Boris Berezovskii (file photo) 14 September 2005 -- Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk said today that Viktor Yushchenko came to office with the financial assistance of renegade Russian businessman Boris Berezovskii.
Kravchuk said he had seen bank documents showing the transfer of more than $15 million from businesses owned by Berezovskii to the election campaign of President Yushchenko during the Orange Revolution.

Kravchuk cited conversations with Berezovskii and with unnamed Ukrainian intelligence agency officials as proof of the charge.

He called for an independent government investigation and impeachment proceedings against Yushchenko if the investigation confirmed the Berezovskii link.

Kravchuk is a member of a parliament faction hostile to Yushchenko.

(dpa)