Sushchenko's lawyer to petition for his client's written testimony
MOSCOW. Oct 10 (Interfax) - Ukrainian citizen Roman Sushchenko, who is accused of espionage by the Russian authorities, is ready to give a written testimony, his lawyer Mark Feygin told Interfax on Monday.
"We will petition for giving a written testimony, which will be attached to the case. Sushchenko will write down his stance towards the charge," Feygin said.
He said that Sushchenko's defense team will make a decision on further actions following a consideration of this petition. "After giving a written testimony, if an investigator accepts it, we will probably be ready to participate in questioning," the lawyer said.
Feygin also said that he believes essential preconditions for Sushchenko's exchange exist.
"The fact that I took the Sushchenko case already shows that the preconditions for exchange exist. It means that they do not want to hush up this case. However, no one will hold negotiations on exchange with me, I can provide legal defense in accordance with the law," he said.
On October 3 the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that its officers in Moscow "arrested Col. Roman Sushchenko, an employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, during a spy operation." The FSB opened a criminal case under Article 276 (espionage) of the Russian Criminal Code, an inquiry is underway.
The Lefortovo court in Moscow placed Sushchenko under a two-month arrest. His defense team has appealed against the arrest.
On October 7, it emerged that Russian investigators had charged Sushchenko with espionage.
Kyiv called the arrest a provocation on trumped-up espionage charges.