Can justice be bought in the Ukraine; Oligarch father of Ukrainian road carnage heiress is willing to pay a £1.1 million compensation package to attempt to keep his daughter out of a 10 year prison sentence, a close friend of the Zaitseva family said: 'Everyone clearly understands that Alyona is guilty’

Dear All

One of the things that politicians love to talk about is rights and responsibilities, when it comes to driving, you have certain rights bestowed on you once you pass your test, but also you have responsibilities, not just to yourself but other people whether they are drivers or pedestrians. If you like youtube, you should watch Russian/ Ukrainian car crashes, these are quite interesting and frightening as many drivers use dashcams in Russia. If you think you know what carnage is check out our Russian cousins as they drive in conditions such as snow or blast through a red light.

When you look at some of the driving, you wonder how some people pass their test or why the Russians don’t lower the speed limit in winter conditions, here is a clip to watch, you have seen crashes until you see Russians and Ukrainians do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oUH8SzfqZo

In the press, one case as made headlines and that is the case of the daughter of an Oligarch, Alyona Zaitseva, 20, killed five people and injured six more by crashed her luxury black Lexus at 60mph. Her car skipping a red light and she plough into the helpless crowd. Why was she doing 60 mph in her luxury black Lexus, well because she wanted. If this wasn’t bad enough, it seems that Alyona Zaitseva has a history of bad driving and the paperwork to do with it, to her bad driving is something paid off with a fine, and not something to worry about.

Now, that she has killed five people and injured six more, she has plenty to worry about, she is facing 10 years in jail and such is the seriousness of the case, the judge has refused to grant her bail in case she is a flight risk. At present, lawyers of her oligarch father Vasily Zaitsev are now working on a compensation package which

Ukrainian state TV suggests could help Zaitseva avoid prison.

Does Alyona Zaitseva deserve prison after killing so many people and injuring others, well, if you look at the footage, and glance at the reports, prison seems to be a ‘given’ in this case.  According to reports, her father and mother say they are 'on our knees' begging victims' families to 'forgive' the 20 year old heiress. So, what kind of message does it send out that her rich family want to attempt to use a compensation package to help Zaitseva avoid prison?

I would say it sends out the wrong message and if there was a slim chance of avoiding prison, then that chance is gone, 10 years in a Russian or Ukrainian prison is no joke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGty3Pfgz7U

It seems that Alyona Zaitseva has been filmed by local media in Ukraine crying, well having experienced the very best in life, she now faces the very worst, is the £1.1million compensation package to buy off the victims and their enough?

Ask yourself, if it was your family member would you want the money or to see justice done, justice shouldn’t depend on how deep your pockets are, everyone in a court should treated fairly and equally.

Personally, the blood money would hold no sway with me, people who have done what Alyona Zaitseva has done deserve prison. Alyona Zaitseva has previous fines for speeding, she thinks the law doesn’t apply to her being rich, well the fact that she has been held in detention for two months pending a criminal investigation into the crash has woken her up to her situation.

And with her facing a 10 years stark reality has set in for her, she turned up at court wearing £1,055 Ceinture Ankle Boots by luxury Spanish brand Balenciaga. She will have found out the Ukrainian State spends considerably less, the accommodation will be less than comfortable, and the food will be less than the standard she was accustomed to at the best restaurants.

What is now being said by her energy tycoon father Vasily Zaitsev is that blames the driver of the car that his daughter collided with before her Lexus span out of control, smashing into the crowd and overturning. Given the footage and what is known at present, along with the fact the other driver has head injuries plus a close friend of the Zaitseva family said:

'Everyone clearly understands that Alyona is guilty’.

This type of statement by her father is rather unhelpful, in fact you could say best to keep quiet; he cannot rewrite history and shouldn’t even try.

This story is yet another tale of someone who had it all and by their own hand destroyed themselves, one thing is certain, if Alyona Zaitseva ends up doing a lengthy prison sentence, she wouldn’t be the same person who comes out of prison, she will find the experience soul destroying.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University