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Ukraine Implicates Ousted President in Shooting of Protesters Ukraine Implicates Ousted President and Russia in Shooting of Protesters
(about 9 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian authorities said on Thursday that former President Viktor F. Yanukovych had been involved in plans for elite police units to open fire on antigovernment protesters in February, killing more than 100 people in the days immediately before the downfall of Mr. Yanukovych’s government. KIEV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian authorities said Thursday that former President Viktor F. Yanukovych and Russian security agents were involved in plans for elite police units to open fire on antigovernment protesters in February, killing more than 100 people in the days immediately before the downfall of his government.
The report offered no hard evidence to back the assertions, however, and both Mr. Yanukovych and Russia’s security agency denied any involvement in the shootings.
The police have already arrested several members of one elite riot police unit responsible for the killings, said Arsen Avakov, the country’s interim interior minister, but some others under investigation have fled to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia last month.The police have already arrested several members of one elite riot police unit responsible for the killings, said Arsen Avakov, the country’s interim interior minister, but some others under investigation have fled to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia last month.
The findings of the inquiry, which were presented by Mr. Avakov as well as by the country’s new general prosecutor and the head of the security services, are the first attempt by the government in Kiev to give a comprehensive answer to the shootings that caused the overwhelming majority of deaths that took place on the Ukrainian capital’s main square, the Maidan, in mid-February. The inquiry’s findings, presented by Mr. Avakov as well as the country’s new general prosecutor and the head of the security services, are the first attempt by the government in Kiev to give a comprehensive explanation of who ordered and who carried out the shootings that caused the overwhelming majority of deaths in the capital’s main square, the Maidan, in mid-February.
“An enormous number of people were harmed in this meat grinder,” said Mr. Avakov. “The former government of the country gave criminal orders and an enormous number of people were harmed in this meat grinder,” Mr. Avakov said.
Valentyn Nalivaichenko, the new head of the Ukrainian Security Service, the country’s successor to the Soviet-era K.G.B., also said that Russia had supplied the Ukrainian special services with training, explosives, weapons and equipment during the street protests, which lasted for several months before Mr. Yanukovych fled to Russia in February. He did not immediately provide evidence to support the charge. Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the new head of the Ukrainian Security Service, the country’s successor to the Soviet-era K.G.B., said that Russian security forces had actively taken part in the “planning and implementation” of the crackdown. He said that the Russians had supplied the Ukrainian special services with training, explosives, weapons and equipment during the street protests, which lasted for several months before Mr. Yanukovych fled to Russia in February. Mr. Nalyvaichenko did not present any evidence to support the charge.
Mr. Nalivaichenko said Mr. Yanukovich was actively and personally involved in suppressing the demonstrations. “Presented as a counterterrorist operation, the actual organization of the mass murder of people took place under the direct leadership of former president Yanukovych,” Mr. Nalivaichenko said. Russia’s security service, known as the F.S.B., said it had not been involved in the Ukrainian crackdown, according to RIA Novosti, the Russian state news agency. “Let those statements remain on the conscience of the Ukrainian Security Services,” the security agency said, according to the news agency.
Russia’s security services, known as the F.S.B., said that it had not been involved in the Ukrainian crackdown, according to RIA Novosti, the Russian state news agency. “Let those statements remain on the conscience of the Ukrainian Security Services,” the security agency said, according to the news agency. Mr. Nalyvaichenko said Mr. Yanukovych was personally involved in the ultimately futile effort to suppress the demonstrations. “Presented as a counterterrorist operation, the actual organization of the mass murder of people took place under the direct leadership of former president Yanukovych,” Mr. Nalyvaichenko said.
The Ukrainian authorities have charged Mr. Yanukovych with mass murder in connection with the deaths of demonstrators and declared him wanted as a fugitive on those charges. The Ukrainian authorities have charged Mr. Yanukovych with mass murder in connection with the deaths of demonstrators and declared him a fugitive on those charges. The findings carried a strong political message for Moscow, which has maintained that Mr. Yanukovych remains Ukraine’s legitimate leader.
In an interview on Thursday with The Associated Press and the Russian state television channel NTV, Mr. Yanukovych said that he had “never given any kinds of order for any shooting.”In an interview on Thursday with The Associated Press and the Russian state television channel NTV, Mr. Yanukovych said that he had “never given any kinds of order for any shooting.”
Yet the police authorities, which include the country’s new prosecutor, the security services head and Mr. Avakov, said that the order to open fire on protesters had been disseminated through the police chain of command, including by the former interior minister, Vitaly Zakharchenko. The officials did not give more information on how Mr. Yanukovych was involved, but again called for his arrest. Yet the police authorities said that the order to open fire on protesters had been delivered through the police chain of command, including the former interior minister, Vitaly Zakharchenko. The officials did not give more information on how Mr. Yanukovych was involved, but again called for his arrest.
Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, has suggested that the killings may have been carried out by Right Sector, an armed ultranationalist group that took part in the protests against Mr. Yanukovych. Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, has suggested without evidence that the killings might have been carried out by Right Sector, an armed ultranationalist group that took part in the protests, in an attempt to discredit the Yanukovych government.
At a press conference with the Kazakh foreign minister on Thursday, Mr. Lavrov lashed out at both Ukraine and the West for “exaggerating the issue” of the presence of Russian military troops training near the Ukrainian border, which Western officials have warned may be a guise for mobilizing an invasion force. Also on Thursday, NTV claimed that 25 members of Right Sector planning to carry out terrorist attacks in seven Russian regions had been detained by the Russian security services.
Mr. Lavrov also demanded more information about possible plans by NATO to strengthen the defenses of member countries in Eastern Europe NATO foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels earlier this week, ordered the alliance's military commanders to draw up such plans. In Moscow, the Russian energy company Gazprom announced for the second time in a week that it would raise the price it charges Ukraine for natural gas, tightening the economic screws on the new pro-Western government in Kiev.
The chief executive, Aleksei B. Miller, said Gazprom had stepped up the price by an additional $100 per 1,000 cubic meters, to $485, far more than Gazprom charges utilities in other countries.
Gazprom holds a legal monopoly on exporting natural gas from Russia, and sets prices as it sees fit. This time, however, United States and European Union taxpayers will in all likelihood be footing a part of Ukraine’s gas bill given aid packages being offered to Kiev.