The Geneva prosecutor’s office has launched a money laundering investigation into ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and his son, Aleksander, according to a statement released on Friday.
On Thursday, Chief Prosecutor Yves Bertossa and police searched the premises of a company owned by Aleksander Yanukovych and removed documents. No further details on the investigation were immediately available.
On Wednesday, «the government made a decision of general principle to freeze any funds found in Switzerland linked to Mr Yanukovych,» the foreign ministry said.
Yanukovych has been on the run since he was driven out of Ukraine’s capital nearly a week ago following three months of protests over his pro-Russia stance. He is reportedly in Russia.
On Thursday, Ukraine’s new prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk accused the Yanukovych government of stripping state coffers bare, saying $37 billion (CHF33 billion) of credit it had received had disappeared. He warned that unpopular measures would be needed to save the economy.
The Swiss statement reminded banks that they should be more cautious in handling Ukraine funds in Switzerland.
The Swiss government made its decision without first receiving a request from the interim government in Kiev. The foreign ministry said it was too early to name a figure in relation to the assets.
Switzerland has not yet officially refused entry to Yanukovych and his entourage, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) told the Swiss news agency. But the country is sticking to its ban on the export of war munitions to Ukraine, it said.
OSCE in Crimea
Meanwhile, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chair and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter has expressed his serious concern at the ongoing developments in Crimea. Switzerland holds the OSCE chairmanship for 2014.
Western nations have called on Russia to ease tensions in Ukraine’s Crimea region after armed men seized the local parliament and raised the Russian flag.
In a statement on Thursday evening, Burkhalter announced a visit by his personal envoy, Swiss diplomat Tim Guldimann, and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Astrid Thors, within the coming days.
«I urge everyone concerned to exercise responsibility and caution in this precarious situation, and call on all sides to take all necessary measures to avoid further escalation and refrain from violence,» Burkhalter said.