Murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet: Timeline (UPDATING)

July 25
10:00
Media outlet “Obozrevatel” published a video from the surveillance cameras, recorded a few hours prior to the explosion of “Subaru” that Pavel Sheremet was driving.

In the video a woman comes close and sits next to Subaru holding either a bag, or a purse in her hands. The car was parked at Ivana Franka street, in the downtown Kyiv. The Ministry of Interior verified the video. “The video was compiled by the investigation group. It was compiled from different surveillance cameras and was published with a sole motive – to help recognize potential perpetrators,” said the Advisor to the Interior Minister.

 

24 July
22:00 Journalists  of the “17th Channel”, who were the first to arrive to the crime scene of the Pavel Sheremet’s murder are questioned as witnesses in this case according to the version of the “Russian trace”.

“We are now revising a geopolitical version that suggests the “Russian trace”. This version triggers a lot of questions such as why was it the representatives of the “17th Channel” to be the first ones to appear at the crime scene, were they warned beforehand or did they know what was going to happen. Certainly, this can’t be missed out in the course of the investigation,” said Ivan Varchenko, Advisor to the Interior Minister.

21:30 The investigation looks into all the version of the Pavel Sheremet’s murder, still considering the main version a revenge for professional activity, informed Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko while on air at the 112 Ukraine TV channel. On Monday, [July 25] the FBI are expected to present first results of the investigation.

July 23
16:57 Funeral ceremony will start at 11:00 on July 22, 2016 at the Ukrainian House (Khreshchatyk st. 2, Kyiv). Sheremet will be burried in Minsk, Belarus, on July 23, 2016

14:00 The further investigation into the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet is leaning towards the conclusions that the target of the murder was, in fact, Pavel Sheremet.  According to ZN.UA source in law enforcement agencies, this conclusion was drawn from preliminary evidence from the body and the destroyed car.  “If there were any other passengers in the car, they would have survived.  This shows that the explosion was targeted at the driver’s seat, rather than the other spots in the car,” he added.  According to the source, medical examiners have already finished their examination of the body and determined the cause of death was fatal trauma and loss of blood.

July 22

07:00 FBI started providing assistance to the Ukrainian authorities in investigating the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kyiv, statement by John Kirby, Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs.

03:36 The investigation suggests six versions of motives for murder of Pavel Sheremet, informed Advisor to the Head of Security Service of Ukraine Yuri Tandyt. Although the Security Service has so far announced only four: professional activity, unfriendly relations or personal motives, the “Russian trace” (destabilization), attempt to murder Olena Prytula.

July 21

18:14  European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine will provide assistance in investigating the murder of journalist Shereme, informed Mariana Betsa, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

17:04 Law enforcement authorities are in process of verifying information regarding potential tracking the journalist Pavel Sheremet and the owner of media outlet “Ukrainska Pravda” Olena Prytula.

14:39 The investigation suggest professional activity and destabilization of situation in the capital of Ukraine as the main motives for murdering journalist Pavel Sheremet , claimed Prosecutor General Iuriy Lutsenko.

14:26 President Petro Poroshenko requests creating a taskforce to investigate the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet, informed Chief of the National Police Khatia Dekanoidze. The group will consist of the leading experts from the National Police, Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Video of the statement.

14:03 President Petro Poroshenko received agreement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), USA, to join the investigation on the case of journalist Sheremet murder.

13:36 President Petro Poroshenko requested to provide security to the head of “Ukrainska Pravda” Olena Prytula, owner of the car that Sheremet was driving when it exploded.

13:11 “Explosive device that detonated in the car was placed close to the driver’s seat” – Artem Shevchenko, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

12:52 “Pavel Sheremet will be buried in Minsk” – informed media outlet Beloruskyi Partizan, citing mother of the journalist.

12:13 “Currently the investigation looks into the following motives behind the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet: professional activities, unfriendly relations and the “Russian trace” – Zorian Shkiriak, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

12:03 “As a part of the investigation of Pavel Sheremet’s murder, the investigators also study the motive of attempt to murder head of the “Ukrainska Pravda” Olena Prytula, as Sheremet was driving her car when it exploded” – Nadia Maksymets, Spokesperson of the Prosecutor’s General Office in Kyiv.

11:31 “Perpetrators and mastermind behind this murder have to be brought before justice”- Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media on her Twitter account

11:07 “Murder of Pavel Sheremet is a deplorable attack media freedom and safety of journalists” – Pedro Agramunt, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on his Twitter

11:01 “Murder of online media “Ukrainska Pravda” journalist Pavel Sheremet is determined the crime as “murder committed in a manner threatening lives of many” – Roman Govda, Prosecutor of Kyiv informed from the site of the murder.

10:33 Journalist Pavel Sheremet dies as a result of a self-made explosive device with the force of blast equivalent to some 400-600 grams of TNT, stated Zorian Shkiriak, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs on his Facebook page. He also suggested it might have been a remote-controlled or delayed-action detonator.

10:10 Police intends to examine and remove all the videos from the security cameras in the area where the journalist was murdered.

08:50 Chief of the National Patrol Police Khatia Dekanoidze arrives to the site of explosion.

07:45 Today journalist Pavel Sheremet died from an explosion in a car. The car belonged to the head of “Ukrainska Pravda” Olena Prytula.

July 20

Pavel Sheremet was born and raised in Belarus. He came to journalism from the banking sector.

Sheremet used to work for Belarusian TV and Russia Channel One (ORT). As a result of conflict with the regime of President Lukashenka, along with arrests and being sentenced to a conditional term, Pavel Sheremt relocated to Russia, where he worked for the ORT. He hosted the main news show of Russia “Vremia”.

Last five years Sheremet lived in Ukraine, worked as a journalist for “Ukrainska Prava” and as a host at different TV channels and radio stations.

He was one of the main critics of President Lukashenka which resulted in a conditional two years sentence and a three month prison term.

Together with Svetlana Kalinkina he wrote a book “Accidental President” about the last dictator in Europe.

 Read another version of this article by UCMC here.