Who is fugitive Putin ally captured by Ukrainian forces

Ukrainian authorities say they captured a prominent pro-Russia tycoon who escaped from house arrest after Moscow’s invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a picture online of a disheveled-looking Viktor Medvedchuk with his hands in cuffs and dressed in a Ukrainian army uniform. Zelensky wrote on Telegram that a special operation was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine.

Medvedchuk, one of the richest people in Ukraine, is a hugely controversial figure for his close ties to Moscow. The 67-year-old business tycoon counts Russian President Vladimir Putin among his personal friends and says the Kremlin leader is godfather to his youngest daughter Darya.

He was being held under house arrest since last year on treason charges over accusations of attempting to steal natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea and of handing Ukrainian military secrets to Moscow.

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Medvedchuk reportedly fled shortly after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Kyiv's crackdown on Medvedchuk had sparked anger in the Kremlin, with Putin vowing at one stage to "respond" to what he called a political persecution.