Putin and Berlusconi in Crimean wine row: Ukraine mulls action for gifting century-old precious wine to Putin’s guest

Ukraine has asked its prosecutors to frame charges against the head of a Crimean winery, who allegedly opened a 240-year-old bottle for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Italian guest Silvio Berlusconi recently.

The leaders had spent their mid September weekend touring the ancient ruins of Crimea. Ukraine’s prosecutors alleged that they drank at Crimea's renowned Massandra winery, which was the property of Ukrainian government, before Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014. Though Ukraine can frame charges, they will not be pursued in Crimea as it is under Russian control, BBC reported.

Famed wines

Russian television showed former Italian premier Berlusconi carefully surveying the dust-covered bottles of wine in the winery, during the visit. The Russian media said Berlusconi asked the director if he could taste the wine. The pro-Russian director Yanina Pavlenko said yes and uncorked a precious bottle of 1775 Jeres de la Frontera for her VIP guests. Massandra Sherry 1775 is one of the oldest wines in the world.

Ukraine prosecutors claimed that two bottles of the same vintage of what Burlusconi consumed, had fetched nearly US$49,700 (AU$69,316) at a London auction in 2001. According to a Sky News report , Massandra’s European wines are world famous and include the personal collection of Emperor Tsar and Prince Golitzin.

Embezzlement

Ukrainian prosecutors are taking offence at the 1775 bottle opened for Berlusconi by Pavlenko, and want to charge the director with embezzlement, citing a serious violation of rules. When Massandra was in Ukraine’s control, two presidential orders were required before any wine bottle could be sold.

According to Nazar Kholodnytsky, first deputy prosecutor for Crimea, the Ukrainian law prohibits presenting a bottle to someone without the presidential nod. Otherwise, it is considered a theft. “This is one of the five bottles that constitute not only Massandra's or Crimea's heritage, but the heritage of all Ukrainian people,” the prosecutor said.

Russia had replaced Massandra’s previous director Nikolay Boyko with the new incumbent, after filing fraud charges against him. The new governor is pro-Russian and is wanted in Ukraine for treason, for her actions in having voted in favour of Russian annexation in 2014. "Now she's added one more crime to high treason," Kholodnytsky said.

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