Yanukovych led Kyiv killings, Russian role suspected, Ukraine govt says

Ukraine’s key law enforcement leaders announced at an April 3 press conference the first results of their investigations of the killings of Ukrainian citizens by police forces during the EuroMaidan protests. “The planning of the anti-terrorist operation by its appearance, which was practically a mass murder of people, occurred under the direct leadership of former president (Viktor) Yanukovych,” declared Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), referring to the government’s declared anti-terrorist operation on Feb. 18-20.

Nalyvaychenko also implicated his predecessor, Oleksandr Yakymenko, for executing the anti-terrorist operation, and former Internal Affairs Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, who gave the criminal order to use firearms against demonstrators. The same day, Internal Affairs Ministry Arsen Avakov confirmed that 13 former Berkut special forces officers responsible for shooting civilians are in detention. The investigation has been slow because those committing the crimes burned the paper evidence and even clothing, he told the 5 Kanal television network. Investigations are still ongoing on those responsible for the killings.

Enough evidence exists to allege that Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents also played a role in the violent repressions of the EuroMaidan protests this winter, Nalyvaychenko told reporters. In December, 26 FSB agents were present on Ukrainian SBU bases, while six were present in January, he said. They were offered residency, protection and government access. “Yakymenko himself arrived to report to these groups several times,” Nalyvaychenko said, adding, “We have serious grounds to believe that these very groups, which were at one of the SBU’s bases, took part in planning and carrying out the so-called ‘anti-terrorist operations’,” he said. In addition, Russians planes transported in late January 5,100 kilograms of explosives and weapons to use against demonstrators. He said the Ukrainian government would be asking the Russian government for information about such incidents.

Zenon Zawada: It’s a relief for the Ukrainian public to finally have some minimal investigations performed and arrests made, unlike 2005, when no one was held responsible for election fraud or allegedly poisoning former President Viktor Yushchenko. It’s evidence that very slowly, Ukraine is moving towards rule of law, though many large obstacles remain in the way. The FSB’s dismissive response, refusing to comment on the accusations, was to be expected. Instead, its symmetric response consisted of arresting 25 Ukrainian citizens on April 3 for allegedly planning terrorist attacks on Russian territory, as reported by Russian television. They were allegedly instructed by Right Sector nationalists and the SBU.

Daily arrests by the Ukrainian government (the reports of which are credible) are confirming that Russian special forces operations are currently occurring on Ukrainian territory and will continue in the coming weeks, with the goal of undermining the current government. The more such evidence of Russian interference emerges however, the more Ukrainians will recognize that the Eurasian social and economic model that is being constructed by the Kremlin offers no prospects for a decent, dignified life for the average citizen and economic growth.