Arsen Avakov: MIA has stopped the activity of a criminal group that provoked xenophobia, and international conflicts (PHOTOS, VIDEO, PRESENTATION)
On October 2, 2017, the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov announced the exposure of an organized criminal group (OСG), whose activities were supervised by former People's Deputies from the “Party of Regions” and some leaders of the “Opposition bloc” party. According to the investigation, causing harm to the life and health of people was not the main goal of this group. The group specialized in organizing terrorist acts that were supposed to cause international conflicts between Ukraine and other countries and feed animosities based on intolerance and xenophobia.
The members of the OCG are credibly suspected of committing nine crimes related to the bombings on the territory of the embassies, the desecration of historical monuments and religious shrines. Three members of this group were detained on October 1, 2017, on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border where they have planned to blow up the monument to the Hungarians located at the Veretsky Pass in the Transcarpathian province.
"They were going to carry out the latest order: to blow up a Hungarian monument on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border. The order had to be executed urgently. Ukrainian-Hungarian relations have recently deteriorated, so the act of terrorism against the Hungarian monument at the Veretsky pass in the Transcarpathian region was supposed to stir the pot. The criminal investigation unit of the National Police has worked accurately and quickly: the culprits were detained near the border", - said the head of the MIA.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Police seized from the detainees a specially prepared explosive device with a connected gas cylinder for better detonation and RGD-5 grenades.
After examination of physical evidence (including DNA analyzes), intelligence and testimonies of detainees, the group was found to participate in committing nine crimes during 2016-2017. These crimes were aimed at inciting xenophobia, religious intolerance, and international conflicts.
1. In the city of Chernovtsy on the night of November 19, 2016, the Central Jewish synagogue was desecrated, its main facade was marked with an anti-Semitic inscription.
2. In the city of Uman on December 21, 2016, the perpetrators infiltrated the complex, containing the grave of famous Rabbi Nachman, and threw the head of a pig with the swastika carved on it.
3. In Kiev on June 8, 2017, the malefactors threw a grenade at the US Embassy.
4. In the city of Lvov on June 30, 2017, intruders tried to set afire the synagogue.
5. In the city of Lutsk on July 10, 2017, the perpetrators threw an explosive device at the consulate of Poland.
6. In Kiev on August 24, 2017, the Independence Day, on the Hrushevsky Street a grenade was tossed which wounded relatives of the Hero of Ukraine Valery Chibineev.
7. The same day In Kiev on the Kurbas street a monument to Ukrainian combatants was blown up by grenades.
8. In the city of Uman on September 21, 2017, a grenade was tossed which injured the citizens of the State of Israel.
9. A terrorist act of blowing up the monument to the Hungarians at the Veretsky Pass in the Transcarpathian region: this time the culprits were detained while attempting to commit a crime.
The perpetrators of these and, in the opinion of the investigation, other unlawful actions are members of the so-called OCG “Torpedos”. According to information provided by the head of the MIA, during the Revolution of Dignity members of this group, led by the “Party of Regions” instructors, were engaged in the recruitment and transfer to Kiev of half-criminal militants which took part in the violent actions against participants of Euromaidan.
"The detained perpetrators and their leader belong to the group which is guided by the former “Party of Regions” MPs from the Cherkasy province: Vladimir Oleinik and Sergei Tulub who now stay in the Russian Federation. The investigation revealed a chain of contacts of detained criminals with the persons mentioned above as well as some leaders of the "Opposition block" party, who are in Ukraine", - the minister said.
At present, authorities detained two participants of a terrorist group who are citizens of Ukraine and its mastermind whose name and personal data are not disclosed in the interests of the investigation.
The head of the MIA informed that at this stage experts from the Security Service of Ukraine joined the investigative team. Investigation of detainees as well as a special operation to suppress the activities of the entire group will be continued. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs assumes that new arrests will follow.
"We will strictly suppress the instigators, terrorists, and provocateurs of inter-ethnic discord and international conflicts. I thank the special group of the National Police for its work!” - Arsen Avakov stated.
Department of communication of MoIA
