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| Ukraine Implicates Ex-President and Russia in Protesters’ Deaths | Ukraine Implicates Ex-President and Russia in Protesters’ Deaths |
| (5 months later) | |
| 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 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 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 an overwhelming majority of deaths in the capital’s main square, the Maidan, or Independence Square, 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 an overwhelming majority of deaths in the capital’s main square, the Maidan, or Independence Square, in mid-February. |
| “The former government of the country gave criminal orders and an enormous number of people were harmed in this meat grinder,” Mr. Avakov said. | “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 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. | 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. |
| 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 F.S.B. said, according to the news agency. | 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 F.S.B. 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. | 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 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. | 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 Wednesday with The Associated Press and the Russian state television channel NTV, Mr. Yanukovych said that he had not ordered any shootings. | In an interview on Wednesday with The Associated Press and the Russian state television channel NTV, Mr. Yanukovych said that he had not ordered any shootings. |
| Yet police officials 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 they again called for his arrest. | Yet police officials 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 they again called for his arrest. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. | 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 it sets prices as it sees fit. This time, however, United States and European Union taxpayers will in all likelihood be absorbing a part of Ukraine’s gas bill given aid packages being offered to Kiev. | Gazprom holds a legal monopoly on exporting natural gas from Russia, and it sets prices as it sees fit. This time, however, United States and European Union taxpayers will in all likelihood be absorbing a part of Ukraine’s gas bill given aid packages being offered to Kiev. |