Ostap Doroshenko, son of jailed Russian businessman Nikolai Doroshenko and a police officer in Preah Sihanouk province, has been shifted to Phnom Penh by the Ministry of Interior.
While the move follows a series of high-profile conflicts between the Doroshenkos and since-deported tycoon Sergei Polonsky, Brigadier General Chuon Narin – sent to Preah Sihanouk two months ago in a widely touted cleanup effort – said the transfer was simply business as usual.
“I think it is a normal reshuffle of police officers. Like me, before I worked in Phnom Penh, and then I moved to work here,” said Narin. “But what [Doroshenko] has done previously, I did not know, as I have only been here for about two months.”
A copy of the transfer order obtained yesterday shows that the younger Doroshenko will be working at the ministry’s Department of Staff.
Reached yesterday, Doroshenko, who received Cambodian citizenship in 2007, brushed off the transfer. He said that the situation would likely be changed “soon”.
“I need to come back to Sihanoukville,” he said.
He added that while he did not yet know what his specific job would be in Phnom Penh, he would have to get used to working with more non-Russians.
Doroshenko’s father, Nikolai, was arrested on March 25 and remains in prison over a number of cases filed by Polonsky – deported earlier this month to Russia on embezzlement charges – with whom he feuded over ownership of several islands.
In late November, pictures emerged of a badly beaten Ostap, who attributed the attack to an attempted assassination by associates of Polonsky, allegations that were never proven.
