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Kirpa is Dead

Here's some big news for you. The police found the body of Georgiy Kirpa, the Ukrainian Minister of Transportation at his dacha last night. He was killed by a bullet wound to the head. Here is the Gala news article I'm referring to on this matter. (sorry folks, only got it in Russian for now)

The police aren't offering any suggestions about whether it was suicide or murder as of 12 noon today.

A quick thought now before I go home and ponder this: Kirpa was a pro-administration guy who toed the line up until late in the Orange Revolution. He broke with Yanukovych around the time of the Supreme Court ruling and the rumor was, when he tried to weasel out on Yanukovych, Yanu kicked him in the balls. (It is a rumor because Lesya and I heard about it on television, but it's not the kind of stuff print media puts down for reasons of decorum)

He is a figure of significance in a corrupt organization that recently lost an election, so there is a motive for suicide as well as murder. The Gala article dredged up a quote from him that sums up his personality nicely: "Do you know what rules the world? Fear and money. My money and your fear." Sounds like the older brother in Brat 2 to me. (Quote from the famous, if schlocky Russian action movie: "You know what's important in this world? Money, brother. He who has money controls the world." - "And if you had money what would you do with it?" - "Buy everything."

Kirpa was part of a nasty regime, so if that nasty regime starts running into troubles, lets hope they continue to turn their murderous intent inward, rather than outward on the brave protesters and on the citizens of Ukraine.

Posted on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 at 09:44AM by Registered CommenterDan McMinn in | Comments4 Comments

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Reader Comments (4)

There was more to Kirpa than just a low level functionary. He was from Lviv and was well known by friends of mine. Yes he was in the band, but during his reign the train system was upgraded to an almost European level. There is a rumor that there was a 260 mil loan to build a bridge over the Dnipro that disappeared. But he was a viable candidate for the Presidency, a confidant of Kuchma. With Lyach the banker dead due to an accident with a letter opener and the rumor that Tihipko was shot and Bakai enjoying the Sol in Spain today, stay tuned. As once was said "Verry Interesting".
December 28, 2004 | Unregistered CommenterBOHDAN
I seem to recall reading in the Ukrainian press after Ukraine's election Round #2 that Yanukovych punched Kirpa in the mouth, knocking out 2 teeth. My suspicion is that once Yanno knew he'd lost the third round, he needed to seal the lips of any folks who might later testify against him, once the investigations into election fraud began to kick in. The timing of those 2 events would *really* seem to indicate such a connection IMHO.
January 2, 2005 | Unregistered CommenterBerkut
Bohdan, I changed the descrip of Kirpa in my posting, because after more thought I believe you are right. I used the description in an attempt to allow the potential for distance between him and some of the more underhanded work of the administration. (i.e. he's not necessarily in the inner circle of conspirators)

But you're right, that doesn't make him a desk clerk or something.

I don't know how much he improved Ukraine's rail system personally, but his behavior from news reports during the protests sounded like classic rat-fleeing-a-sinking-ship stuff.

Berkut - heh, I'm hopefully going to put up a posting about conjecture in FSU political commentary tonight. Your theory sounds reasonable. But I could also believe Kuchma did it, or Medvedchuk, maybe somebody lower I don't even know much about like Klyuyev, (sp?), maybe he really did commit suicide (though some of the initial reports seem to describe multiple gunshot wounds), maybe even the Russians.

I just hope the new PGO under Yushchenko actually attempts to seek out evidence in its inquiries, rather than avoid all potential evidence, as it did during the Gongadze affair.
January 3, 2005 | Registered CommenterDan McMinn
While Kirpa was certainly an authoritative manager, his personality drove most of the improvements in Ukrainian transportation area, and they were significant in the last 5 years. The guy worked day and night, often only sleeping a few hours a day. He was akin to figures like Robert Moses in NY and Yuriy Luzhkov in Moscow, who could get huge public projects started, financed, and executed within a very short period of time and with an astonishing attention to detail. And yes, all of them made quick, authoritive and perhaps not very wise decisions, but they all delivered and at least believed that they work for the people. He was a master builder, and his legacy will far outlive the negative feelings from his involvement in Yanukovych affair (with whom, by the way, he was not the best friend. And while the rumours about the kick in the balls or lost teeth are just that, there were serious confrontations between them).
January 27, 2005 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

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