Viktor Yanukovych

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Pavel Lebedev

UTR News / Wikipedia

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and two former Ministers of defence, Dmytro Salamatin and Pavlo Lebedev was suspected of high treason (part 1 of article 111 of the criminal code of Ukraine). About it reports a press-service of the State Bureau of investigation (GBR) Ukraine.

During a pretrial investigation it is established that Viktor Yanukovych with the complicity Salamatin and Lebedev from 2012 to 2014, has committed acts aimed at undermining the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine as well as its defense capability, the report said.

“The suspects in the period from 2012 to 2014 he carried out a targeted reduction of the defense capacity of Ukraine using so-called reform of the Armed forces of Ukraine, which was downsizing, dissolution (reorganization) of individual military formations, military units and divisions, change their locations. Such acts were committed, in particular, on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea that led to annexation of the Peninsula”, – stated in the message.

In the case of proof of guilt of the suspect is threatened by punishment in the form of deprivation of liberty for a term of 12 to 15 years with confiscation of property, reports “Interfax”.

Previously RRT had called Yanukovych and Salamatin and Lebedev “to determine the procedural status and conduct other investigative actions”.

Salamatin Minister of defense of Ukraine from 8 February until 24 December 2012, Lebedev – from 24 December 2012 to 27 February 2014. According to Ukrainian media, Lebedev after the change of power in Ukraine in 2014 went to Russia. There is Yanukovych.

At the end of January 2019 Obolonskiy district court of Kiev has already handed down one conviction Yanukovych on charges of treason in absentia and appointed him to 13 years imprisonment. Lawyers of the former President appealed against the verdict. Yanukovych himself said that the sentence has nothing to do with the law, and the trial was a “political order”. He also said that judges in his case there was unprecedented pressure, RIA “Novosti”.

Ukraine lost control of Crimea, six years ago. This was preceded by the political crisis in the country. At the end of 2013 and in early 2014 in Kiev began mass protests after the government slowed down the process of European integration. Many months of mass protest resulted in clashes with law enforcement officers. After the protesters managed to capture several administrative buildings, and to suppress the protest failed, even the use of firearms, the President Viktor Yanukovych in late February, ran outside Ukraine and found refuge in Russia.

In March 2014, with the participation of the Russian military were carried out the change of power in the Ukrainian Crimea and then held a referendum on joining Russia. “Due to the high moral and volitional qualities, good training and endurance of officers and soldiers managed in a peaceful and tranquil setting to hold a referendum. The population of the Crimea, to assess the correctness and high level of professional training of personnel of the Armed forces, with gratitude called the Russian military “polite people”, – stated in the report of the defense Ministry, which in late 2014 was briefed Vladimir Putin.

The referendum was attended by more than 80% of eligible voters. For held de facto “reunification” with Russia under new political conditions, voted 96.7% and 95.6% of residents of Crimea and Sevastopol, respectively. 18 Mar 2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a Treaty accepting the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol into the Russian Federation, and on March 21 it was ratified by the Federal Assembly.

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly did not recognize Russian ownership of the Crimea. The position of Russia was supported only by Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

In connection with the territorial dispute over Crimea Ukraine, USA, European Union and other countries imposed a series of sanctions against Russia, Russian businessmen and politicians, who visited the Crimea public figures and leading business on the Peninsula companies, both from Russia and from other countries.

In March 2014 the US has banned its citizens and companies to conduct any business on the Peninsula and imported to America Crimean goods. The EU also banned its companies to open on the Peninsula new business and to invest in tourism, transport, telecommunications, real estate and energy. In Brussels said that the breach are considered and assistance and consultation in these industries, and knowledge of business through a chain of companies, regardless of their place of registration.

The fear of new sanctions was more effective than the sanctions themselves. It is so great that in the Crimea and six years after his rejection from the Ukraine refuse to work even the giants of Russian business, which is closely associated with the state (for example, Sberbank).

Sanctions affected not only the tourism industry and the financial sector, but also ordinary citizens. Bet the Russian leadership on import substitution did not materialize, and due to it in medicine is the lack of drugs claims the lives of sick children.

However, Moscow believes that the question of supplies of Crimea is solved forever. “The issue is closed forever; there was a referendum,” – said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in 2016. Since then, the Russian position has not changed.