ISTANBUL

In the latest tranche of more than 3 million pages of documents released by the US Department of Justice on the Jeffrey Epstein case, previously unseen communications touch on Russian political dynamics and include correspondence referencing Ukraine’s president.

The records, which consist largely of emails and other archived materials, include a January 2012 document involving Ilya Ponomarev, who was then a deputy in the lower house of the Russian parliament, or the State Duma.

In that document, Ponomarev is described as one of the main organizers of what the file calls an uprising against Vladimir Putin, and the record adds that “he might replace Putin and become president himself ... if he does not killed before.”

Ponomarev later obtained residency in Ukraine in 2016 and became a Ukrainian citizen in 2019, according to Russian media reports. He has been the subject of legal actions in Russia.

Another 2019 correspondence included in the release contains commentary about Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, written after he won the election but before he took office, stating: “Zelensky looking for help. Putin dismissive, saying he is run by Israelis.”

Epstein files

The US Department of Justice on Friday released a new batch of more than 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents.

Epstein was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He pleaded guilty in a court in Florida and was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008, but critics call the conviction a "sweetheart deal."

His victims have alleged that he operated a sprawling sex trafficking network that was used by members of the wealthy and political elite.

Epstein's case has remained a politically charged issue in the US, with lawmakers and victims’ advocates from across the spectrum demanding greater transparency about his network of associates and any individuals who may have facilitated his crimes.