On February 18-20 Ukraine commemorates the victims of the Maidan killings – deadliest events of the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine. Over these three days in 2014 91 persons were killed (including 78 protesters and 13 law enforcement staff). Currently 89 cases are investigated including proceedings on the February events in Kyiv. The overall number of victims is 1,973 persons, 9,500 are listed as witnesses. There are 193 suspects in the 89 cases, search warrants have been issued for 77 persons. Here are the updates on the loudest cases:
– On November 2013 protesters were beaten, 86 were wounded, 15 officials are suspects in this case, all are still on the wanted list (including former president Viktor Yanukovych);
– The only person who is currently serving his term in a Maidan case is Azis Tagirov, member of the pro-Russian organization “Oplot” sentenced to three years for beating the protesters on January 21, 2014. Five other “Oplot” members – suspects in the case are still on the wanted list;
– Pre-trial investigation continues in the death cases of protesters Serhiy Nigoyan, Roman Senyk and Mykhailo Zhyznevsky as well as in abduction cases of Ihor Lutsenko and Yuriy Verbytsky (died after being tortured) of January 22, 2014. No suspects have been identified;
– On February 18, the attack by Berkut special police unit caused 10 deaths of protesters, 500 were wounded. One Berkut staff member of the Kharkiv-based unit got a suspended sentence, his commander is on a pre-trial detention term, six Berkut officers are suspects in the case (two of them are commanders of the Kharkiv- and Lviv-based Berkut departments);
– At night between February 18 and 19 resulting from the Berkut attacks and from the fire at the Trade Unions House 10 protesters were killed. Among those charged is the former head of Ukraine’s Security Service department for Kyiv region as well as three “titushky” (thugs);
– On February 20, 48 protesters were killed and 157 were wounded on Instytutska street. Apart from the Berkut staff (18 of whom are still on the wanted list) are former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaliy Zakharchenko and fugitive president Viktor Yanukovych were charged in the case.
– 13 policemen and internal troops were killed during the Maidan events. Nine hundred more were wounded and 200 law enforcement staff got firearm wounds. There are no suspects in this case;
– 35 detectives of the Office of the Prosecutor’s General are investigating into the Maidan cases.
