After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Poroshenko ordered the removal of gold and cash from the National Bank of Ukraine from the peninsula. According to the ex-president, he called Putin about this
Former Ukrainian president and leader of the European Solidarity party, Petro Poroshenko, speaking at the Kiev Court of Appeal, said that in 2014 he ordered the removal of gold and cash from the National Bank of Ukraine from Crimea.
According to Poroshenko, this happened after the peninsula became part of Russia (after March 2014).
“Yes, I gave direct instructions on the movement of cash across the line of contact with the occupied territories. Moreover, I gave instructions to the head of the National Bank, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the head of the SBU. Moreover, I called [президенту России Владимиру] Putin, and that was in 2014,” declared Poroshenko (quote from UNIAN).
“The amount of this cash is UAH 4 billion (about $142.3 million) plus gold, plus the assets of the Ukrainian National Bank, which, as a result of my diplomatic work, were brought to the NBU vaults from the occupied territories of Crimea,” the ex-president said.
Poroshenko responded to Putin’s offer of political asylum in Russia