Ukrainian prosecutors suspect Yanukovych, other ex-officials of setting up terrorist organization
KYIV. April 18 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office is investigating a criminal case against a number of former top-ranking officials under Ukrainian Criminal Code Article 258 Part 3 (a terrorist attack leading to people's deaths), Prosecutor General's Office acting spokesman Vasyl Zorya said.
"It has been determined, in particular, that Viktor Yanukovych, [former Security Service chief] Oleksandr Yakymenko, and [former Interior Minister] Vitaly Zakharchenko colluded to set up a terrorist organization, whose activity led to massive losses of life on Instytutska Street in Kyiv on February 20, 2014, and also recruited Security Service and Interior Ministry servicemen to its lineup," Zorya told Interfax on Friday.
Investigative procedures are under way to find out all circumstances of this case, he said.
It was reported earlier that acting Prosecutor General Oleh Mahnitsky had said on February 26 that former Ukrainian President Yanukovych and former Interior Minister Zakharchenko had been declared internationally wanted.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office information, Yanukovych and Zakharchenko had been indicted under Ukrainian Criminal Code Article 265 (abuse of office or powers, which carries correctional work for up 2 years, or limitation of freedom for up to 5 years, or prison time ranging from 2 to 5 years combined with a ban on occupying certain positions or being engaged in certain activities for up to 3 years) and Article 115 (premeditated murder, punishable by 7 to 15 years of prison time).
