The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has completed a criminal investigation into 20 former police officers of the Berkut special forces company, who fired firearms at Euromaidan activists on February 20, 2014. Cases sent to court.
This is stated in the SBI message.
According to the investigation, the order to use weapons was given by former President Viktor Yanukovych, because he wanted to remain in power by any means.
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It is known that from his Mezhyhirya residence, through government communications, he gave a criminal order to the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vitaly Zakharchenko, for the Berkut members to use firearms against the protesters. The fighters of the special company of the Kyiv Berkut were given firearms and ammunition.
Police officers from a special company in cooperation with employees of other units on the street. Instytutskaya they shot at activists who only had helmets and shields as equipment. After which, on the instructions of the commander, the Berkut soldiers began to retreat to a pre-prepared position — concrete blocks that blocked the entrance to the government quarter.
From cover, the special forces continued to shoot to kill the protesters, although the latter did not commit any illegal actions.
The State Bureau of Investigation notes that then law enforcement officers killed 48 and injured 90 protest participants, including people who tried to help the victims. Only in the morning of the next day after the Verkhovna Rada made a decision, the special company soldiers retreated from their positions.
Subsequently, due to fears of prosecution for the crimes committed, the special forces stole and damaged the weapons. In particular, they drowned him in a pond in one of the districts of Kyiv. During the investigation, some of the weapons were found and identified, even despite attempts to destroy their numbering.
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The indictment against nine Berkut members was sent to court today for consideration under a special procedure, because the accused are hiding on the territory of the Russian Federation and managed to obtain Russian citizenship. Earlier, 11 more indictments were sent to court.
A preventive measure in the form of detention was chosen against the accused in absentia, and measures are being taken to search for and seize their property.
The State Bureau of Investigation notes that they have repeatedly sent requests to the Russian Federation to establish the location and detention of suspects. However, no answers.
It is also known that one of the Berkut members died in 2019 after joining the Wagner PMC.
