British ex-MEP admits to taking bribes for pro-Russian stance, his liaison is MP from Opposition Platform – For Life

British former MEP Nathan Gill has admitted to taking bribes for his pro-Russian stance, the money was passed to him by former Ukrainian MP from the pro-Russian Opposition Platform – For Life party Oleh Voloshyn, Reuters reports.

“A British former member of the European parliament and ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales pleaded guilty on Friday to bribery charges relating to pro-Russian statements he had made,” the agency said.

Gill pleaded guilty to taking money for pro-Russian statements. The defendant, in particular, agreed in court that he received bribes for speaking in the EU legislative body with questions and statements “in support of pro-Russian parties” in the context of the war against Ukraine. At the same time, according to court documents, the money was paid to Gill from December 2018 to July 2019.

According to state prosecutor Mark Heywood, the bribery charges are related to WhatsApp messages recovered from Gill’s phone, when it was seized by police in 2021. These messages, as the prosecutor noted, indicate that the defendant agreed to receive money in return for certain activities, such as posing questions for consideration to the European Parliament, establishing contacts with senior officials, organizing events and making statements.

Gill’s contact was Oleh Voloshyn, a former MP of Ukraine from the Opposition Platform - For Life pro-Russian party. According to media reports, Voloshyn has tasked the Briton with making statements for money at least eight times. In particular, Gill has defended the 112 Ukraine and NewsOne television channels headed by former politician Viktor Medvedchuk. He has also invited members of the European Parliament to be interviewed on 112 Ukraine.