The commanders of "Berkut" from Lviv, Kharkiv and Sevastopol have been charged with dispersing protesters on the night of February 19, 2014.
Points of attention
- "Berkut" commanders from three regions received new suspicions for their participation in the Maidan crackdown in 2014.
- According to the investigation, the use of armored personnel carriers, water cannons and firearms during the dispersal resulted in the death and serious injuries of more than a dozen people.
- Courts have already handed down verdicts in the case of six people, sentencing them to life imprisonment, a term sentence and release.
- Other suspects, including high-ranking officials, are pending in the courts and may be prosecuted.
What is known about the new suspicions of "Berkut" commanders for dispersing the Maidan
As noted, the prosecutors of the General Prosecutor's Office informed the Berkut commanders from Lviv, Kharkiv and Sevastopol regions about the suspicions, as well as the assistant chief of staff of the Lviv unit.
They are accused of organizing the illegal dispersal of protesters in the center of Kyiv on the night of February 18-19, 2014.
According to the investigation, at that time "Berkut" was carrying out the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to disperse the Maidan, using armored personnel carriers, water cannons and firearms.
This resulted in the death of 12 people, 8 attempted murders, 16 serious injuries, 37 moderate injuries, 78 minor injuries, and other serious consequences.
Currently, the issue of preventive measures against the suspects is being resolved. The investigation is ongoing, and a number of high-ranking officials and law enforcement officers have already been brought to justice.
Indictments against 19 people, including 10 high-ranking officials, are pending in the courts.
Five Berkut residents received sentences
In October 2023, the Sviatoshyn District Court announced the verdicts in the Maidan case about the shootings of people in Kyiv on Instytutska Street on February 20, 2014.
Who received court verdicts:
The court sentenced Oleg Yanishevskyi, the deputy commander of the "Berkut" special unit, to life imprisonment. He is also stripped of all his titles.
The special officer Pavel Abroskin was sentenced to 15 years with the deprivation of the right to hold office for 3 years.
The former fighter of the unit, Serhii Zinchenko, was sentenced to 15 years for the totality of the crime, with the disqualification from holding office for 3 years. He was also stripped of his rank.
At the same time, we note that these three Berkut residents were released from custody in December 2019 as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia. They fled to the aggressor country.
Meanwhile, the court acquitted Serhiy Tamtura, who remained in Ukraine. Oleksandr Marychenko was sentenced to 5 years in prison for abuse of official authority, but the court included in his sentence the term of detention according to the scheme: 1 day of pre-trial detention for 2 days of deprivation of liberty. Therefore, it is considered that he has served his sentence. The prosecution will appeal the verdict
