Kyiv's week of gas dispute, shooting and oligarch law
A look back at the political developments around 28 September 2021, from a Hungarian gas deal to an attack on a presidential aide.
What was the state of Ukrainian politics on 28 September 2021? It was shaped by events of the preceding days, including a new law on oligarchs, an attack near Kyiv and a diplomatic quarrel with Budapest.
The attack near Lisnyky
On 22 September 2021, unknown gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying Serhiy Shefir, an official close to President Volodymyr Zelensky, near the village of Lisnyky outside Kyiv. The driver was wounded. The shooting was deemed an assassination attempt against Shefir.
The law on oligarchs
On 23 September 2021, a day after the shooting, Ukraine passed a law ordering oligarchs to stay out of politics. Officials said the attack could have been a response to the reform.
Dispute over Hungarian gas
On 27 September 2021, Hungary and Russia signed a natural gas supply deal. Under it, Gazprom would supply Hungary with 4.5 billion cubic metres of gas a year via Serbia and Austria for 15 years. Ukraine criticised the pact as a purely political and economically unreasonable decision. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó responded by accusing Ukraine of meddling in Hungary's internal affairs.
Taken together, these developments left Ukraine's government dealing with a domestic security incident, a newly passed reform and a public disagreement with a neighbouring country as the month drew to a close.
