Ukraine Security Service says "Slovyansk deputy mayor" detained
KYIV. April 29 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Security Service has announced the detention of the self-proclaimed "Slovyansk deputy mayor", Ukrainian citizen Ihor Perepechayenko.
Security Service spokeswoman Marina Ostapenko said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Monday that Perepechayenko was suspected of "involvement in organizing separatist actions and mass clashes in the Donetsk region that were accompanied by violence and resistance to representatives of the authorities."
It is known that Perepechayenko established contact "with members of reconnaissance and sabotage group led by "Strelok" and "helped the aforementioned persons mastermind terrorist acts in the Donetsk region", she said.
According to Ostapenko, these actions "resulted in the death of an officer of the Security Service of Ukraine."
On April 22, acting on orders given by the group's leader "Strelok", Perepechayenko left for Moscow, where he sought to receive money and instructions, Ostapenko said. The man was detained by Ukrainian Security Service officers at the Donetsk airport allegedly upon arrival from Moscow, she added.
Security Service investigators are currently interviewing Perepechayenko "in order to obtain evidence of his involvement in these crimes [mass disturbances , Part 1 of Article 294 of Ukraine's Criminal Code], as well as launch a pre-trial inquiry," she said.
