Suspicions over Black Sea Fleet agreement with Russia filed in absentia against Ukraine's former FM, justice minister

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - Ukrainian law enforcers have informed the country's former Foreign Minister Konstiantyn Hryshchenko and former Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych that they are suspected of high treason.

"The information available to investigators indicates that in April 2010, the suspects, acting to the detriment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability, and defense, state and economic security or Ukraine and in violation of the constitution of Ukraine and the law 'On the international treaties of Ukraine', colluded with the former president and prime minister and voted without remarks on the draft agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the territory of our state without this document being debated by the parties concerned and without holding a mandatory legal evacuation of it," Ukrainian media outlets quoted the press service for the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office as saying.

The steps taken by the ex-ministers and other suspects led to the signing and ratification in April 2010 of the aforementioned agreement, which extended the presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine for another 25 years, it said.

"It created favorable conditions for the subsequent rearmament of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and for the upgrade of its weapons, as well as for the growth of its size in the territory of the Crimean Autonomous Republic and Sevastopol instead of its withdrawal from Ukraine," the press service said.

The former ministers face high treason charges. The pre-trial inquiry in their case is being handled by investigators of Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation.

The information available to investigators shows that the suspects are hiding abroad, which is why the suspicions have been filed against them in absentia, the press service said.

Although the report does not name the ex-ministers in question, it is known that Kostiantyn Hryshchenko was Ukraine's foreign minister from March 2010 to December 2012, while Oleksandr Lavrynovych served as its justice minister from March 2010 to July 2013.