Just speculating, but there is a connection that should be investigated.
Manchin and Rinat Akhmetov are coal oligarchs in West Virginia and Ukraine.
Akhmetov is also connected to West Virginia; How a Ukrainian Oligarch’s Companies Got Paycheck Protection Program Loans
Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov owns four coal mining operations sprinkled across Appalachia that received loans intended to help small businesses keep workers on payroll during the pandemic. They received a total of $21 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, according to a statement Akhmetov’s company provided to the Project On Government Oversight (POGO).
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Since Akhmetov bought United Coal in 2009, inspectors have uncovered 14,030 violations of federal health and safety standards worth $13.4 million in civil penalties across its mines, including some found after five miners died in accidents. One of the oligarch’s largest U.S. mines accused of chronic safety problems also benefited from a controversial act of alleged leniency by the Trump administration.
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Mueller’s probe scrutinized Manafort due to his role as Donald Trump’s presidential campaign chairman and chief strategist for several months in 2016. Prosecutors unearthed evidence leading to criminal charges against Manafort for secretly receiving more than $75 million from Yanukovych’s Party of Regions in offshore bank accounts. According to a Senate intelligence committee report published last week, Akhmetov was one of two oligarchs who provided much of that funding.
And then this;
United Coal’s parent company told POGO that United Coal’s “management is not aware of any contacts with Paul Manafort. UCC does not and has not played a part in any attempt to influence the US government or US politicians.” Manchin’s office did not respond to a query.
And the Putin connection; Ukraine’s president alleges coup attempt involving country’s richest man
KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is claiming there’s a danger of a Russia-backed coup against him next week involving one of Ukraine’s top oligarchs — Rinat Akhmetov.
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Zelenskiy’s claim comes in the context of high tensions with Russia. The U.S. and NATO warn Moscow may be planning a full-fledged invasion as it builds up troops on Ukraine’s war-torn eastern border and in Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would “in all probability” be speaking to Zelenskiy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin about the coup allegations.
Putin plays chess. He just sacrificed Manchin, his pawn, to check Biden’s BBB and promote his puppet, i.e. tRump, and the GQP.
I guess this falls into conspiracy theories, but we should follow the money.