Robert Amsterdam, already known to SFUs\u2019 readers, launched another attack on Ukrainian parliament in an attempt to hinder the vote on Bill 8371 that would affectively ban Russia-affiliated religious organizations in Ukraine. We found signs that Amsterdam is doing it for the money of Vadym Novynskyi, a former Ukrainian MP who turned out to hold a Russian passport.<\/p>\n
Threats to Ukrainian lawmakers<\/strong><\/p>\n Amsterdam launched an attack on the Verkhovna Rada leadership and other people’s deputies. In his letter, published by LB.ua<\/a>, Amsterdam directly accuses Ukrainian parliamentarians (“your attack on the UOC is intensifying”) and threatens them (“this exposes you personally to legal responsibility in countries around the world”, “as well as possible criminal prosecution”) in case the Ukrainian Parliament passes Bill 8371.<\/a><\/p>\n The latest draft of the law on amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on the activities of religious organizations in Ukraine” (No. 8371) that passed the profile committee on March 5 and informally referred to as the law on the prohibition of the UOC (MP), requires an expert discussion of mechanisms it lays down. But this is purely a domestic Ukrainian matter, in which Amsterdam is therefore intervening, for the money provided by a Russian-Ukrainian oligarch, Vadym Novinsky.<\/p>\n Who hired whom for the “protection” of the UOC (MP)<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s recall how this all unfolded. Late September 2023, the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate) ruled to appeal for international legal assistance. In less than a month, “in compliance with the decision of the Holy Synod, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church turned to the international law firm AMSTERDAM & PARTNERS LLP for legal assistance, and the latter agreed to provide it on a charitable basis.” The said company has confirmed<\/a> the relevant retention.<\/p>\n And literally the next day, a large-scale campaign was launched targeting the Ukrainian government.<\/p>\n First, American lobbyist William Bjork-White published an op-ed, and in a week – Robert Amsterdam gave an interview to propagandist Tucker Carlson<\/a>, who just recently also interviewed Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n But prior to that, in August 2023, Vadym Novynskyi, a sanctioned Russian-Ukrainian oligarch, hired Robert Amsterdam and his company to protect his own interests. Lawyers claimed he was being persecuted in Ukraine on religious grounds.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s paying for the show?<\/strong><\/p>\n As stated above, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) officially declared it did not pay anything to Robert Amsterdam as his company was rendering services on a charitable basis. In fact, it\u2019s Vadym Novynskyi who is covering these rather hefty costs.<\/p>\n Sanctions imposed on Novynskyi in December 2022 did not prevent him from retaining control of at least part of his assets. This is Trading and Finance Firm Santis<\/a> LLC \u00a0(UA reg.No. 30603074), which is owned by a Cyprus-based company, with Novynskyi being its ultimate beneficiary.<\/p>\n