Moscow Exchange director resigns amidst criticism over supporting EuroMaidan

Roman Sulzhyk, the managing director of the MICEX derivatives market, has resigned after facing criticisms for his support of the EuroMaidan movement in Ukraine.

“Unfortunately, my personal views and public profile have led to completely absurd, unfounded accusations in the yellow press that are now affecting the stock exchange. I don’t want my personal life or my beliefs harming any company or causing problems for the exchange, one of the most transparent in Russia, therefore I am resigning,” Sulzhyk wrote on Facebook.

Sulzhyk has been criticized for his support of the EuroMaidan movement in Ukraine. In December 2014, Duma deputy Evgeny Fedorov, famous for his conspiracy theories, called on police to investigate Sulzhyk’s Ukraine-related Facebook posts for illegal extremism. Ivzestia newspaper has also reported that Sulzhyk maintains US citizenship.

Duma deputy Anatoly Aksakov told Rusnovosti.ru, “the people working in these structures [the stock exchange], which affect our national security, should have the appropriate clearances and hold views aligned with the state. The appropriate personnel decisions need to be made.”

The MICEX press office later released a statement defending Roman Sulzhyk as a skilled manager. 

“I’m a Ukrainian. I don’t have, nor have I ever had, US citizenship. My parents, whom I love very much and for whose peace of mind I make this decision, have lived their entire lives in Kiev”.

Kirill Pestov, Sulzhyk’s deputy, will serve as his acting replacement. Pestov joined the Moscow Exchange in 2013, after working for five years as VTB Capital’s director of equity sales.