U.S. demands investigation of attempted murder of Odesa activist

Oleh Mykhaylyk, an Odesa civic activist and leader of
the local branch of the People’s Strength party, was shot the night of Sept. 22
and critically wounded. By morning, doctors reported that he regained
consciousness and his condition was stable, though a bullet remained lodged in
his chest. The same day of his attempted murder, Mykhalyk was protesting an
illegal construction, according to the regional head of the People’s Strength
party. Mykhaylyk was a consistent critic of Odesa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov, who
could be responsible for the attack, the regional head said. Recall, the BBC
reported that Trukhanov has a violent criminal background.

The attempted killing drew outrage from Ukraine’s NGO
leaders and reform activists, who complained of a pattern of violence against
Odesa activists. “Since the summer of 2017, 14 activists and journalist have
ended up on hospital beds broken heads, and knife or gunshot wounds,” wrote
Poroshenko Bloc MP Mustafa Nayyem on his Facebook page. “They represent various
organizations, political forces and mass media, but they share two facts. They
have systematically and for many years spoken about corruption and the
violations committed by the city government, led by Gennady Trukhanov. And they
hold pro-Ukrainian views.”

The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said it’s deeply concerned
about the attack on Mykhaylyk on Sept. 24. “Such attacks are becoming all too
common and must stop,” the embassy tweeted. “He and the people of Ukraine
deserve a quick, transparent and thorough investigation.” The same day, a
National Police spokesman said investigations have begun and a criminal case
will be opened. Ukrainian President Poroshenko discussed the attack with the
prosecutor general and interior minister, the president’s press-service
reported, stating that they agreed to add officers to the investigation, among
other measures. Mykhaylyk was also assigned a security guard the day after the
attack.

Zenon Zawada: Unfortunately, the Poroshenko administration has a poor record in
prosecuting similar crimes and convicting the perpetrators. This pattern of
crime in Odesa is merely contributing to the chaos and instability that has
become commonplace in Ukraine in recent years. We see a high potential for public
dissatisfaction with the government to erupt during the presidential elections
scheduled for late March, with a high potential for mass protests and even
armed conflicts throughout the country.