Right Sector coordinator Muzhychko killed in shootout with police - Interior Ministry
KYIV. March 25 (Interfax) - Oleksandr Muzhychko, also known as Sashko Biliy, a member of an organized criminal group earlier placed on a wanted list, was gravely injured during his detention because he opened fire on law enforcement officers.
"While he was being detained, he was still alive and the ambulance, which was called, pronounced him dead," Ukrainian First Deputy Interior Minister Volodymyr Yevdokymov said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.
Late on March 24 employees of the main department for fighting organized crime, including the special-purpose unit Sokol, were holding a special operation in the Rivne region on detaining an organized criminal group. The detention was carried out in the Three Crucians cafe near Rivne, Yevdokymov said.
"Three people from the organized criminal group were detained and an assault rifle and a pistol were seized from them," Yevdokymov said.
According to Yevdokymov, during the detention, in response to the officers telling the suspects to "Freeze!", Muzhychko jumped from the window and then opened fire at a Sokol officer.
"The bullet Muzhychko fired hit the Sokol employee's goggles and then got stuck in his helmet, in response the injured policeman started shooting at the man. Then during the detention itself a fight occurred and more shots were fired," Yevdokymov said.
The three detained bandits have been brought to Kyiv and investigative proceedings are being held with them. "Signs of a crime stipulated in the Criminal Code Article 257, banditry, are seen in the actions of the organized criminal group members," Yevdokymov said.
Yevdokymov said he asked the region's residents for assistance for "a more detailed investigation of facts of this group's activities."
Sashko Biliy, suspected of creating an organized criminal group and resisting law enforcement authorities, has been placed on the wanted list. He has become known recently thanks to the informal communication with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities - local prosecutor and deputies, whom he taught how to behave and what decisions to make.
