Ukraine’s Security Service finds fragments of guns used in Maidan killings
Ukrainians lay flowers to commemorate the Heavenly Hundred Heroes (UNIAN Photo)
It is the weapons used to kill the Heavenly Hundred Heroes
UNIAN: The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported it found 23 fragments of the weapons used in shootings at participants in the Revolution of Dignity on Kyiv’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square.
SBU Chief Vasyl Hrytsak and Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin on Friday (February 5) briefed Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko about new important circumstances revealed during the investigation into crimes committed against Maidan activists, the presidential press service reported.
Hrytsak and Shokin said that these had been the weapons used to kill the Heavenly Hundred Heroes.
Hrytsak in particular said that his service had conducted a number of searches and investigations into events related to the Revolution of Dignity of 2013-2014 and found fragments of 23 guns used against Maidan activists. The weapons were mechanically damaged, ID numbers were filed off. Twelve out of the 23 pieces of the weapons were identified during tests.
Read also ‘Police are ignoring new findings against Berkut’s role in Maidan killings’
“With a high degree of probability we can say that these are fragments of 22 Kalashnikov rifles, one Kalashnikov machine gun and one 12 gauge smooth bore barrel,” Hrytsak said.
Respective materials were submitted to the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry.
“The investigators have proven completely and beyond controversy that the weapons were used to kill Maidan activists,” Shokin confirmed.
Read also Video shows former riot police officer firing at protesters during Ukraine’s ‘Euromaidan’ uprising
He promised to elaborate shortly after on details, including what cases the guns had been used.
The president in turn emphasized that all those guilty of the execution of Maidan activists had to be brought to justice, inter alia, those who gave the criminal orders.
This information “increases the evidence base substantially and helps bring to justice not only those who killed Ukrainian heroes, but also those who ordered the murders and supplied the weapons,” he said.
The president also announced he would demand that parliament introduce amendments to the law on trial in absentia at the coming parliamentary session.
Open all references in tabs: [1 – 4]