Odesa: Case regarding the "Odesa People's Republic" and disturbances from May 2 2014 year has been transferred to court.
The Prosecutor General's Office has submitted an indictment to the court against three representatives of pro-Russian structures in a case of treason and an attempt to establish a so-called "Odessa People's Republic." According to the investigation, with the support of Russia, they received approximately 40 thousand dollars and were involved in the riots on May 2 2014 year. The investigation is ongoing, and the accused are hiding in Russia.
The office of the General Prosecutor reported that prosecutors have submitted an indictment to the court against three representatives of pro-Russian organizations. They are accused of treason and infringing upon the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, committed by a group of individuals in a coordinated manner.
Among the accused is the leader of a pro-Russian public organization, the secretary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's diocese, and the head of a group associated with the "Antimaidan" movement, linked to Kulikovo field.
According to the investigation, at the end of February 2014, they organized a mass event in Odesa, in which participants called on the Russian leadership to send troops to Ukraine якобы to protect the Russian-speaking population. March 3, the accused, according to law enforcement officials, organized the arrival of pro-Russian citizens to the building of the Odesa Oblast Council and, threatening to seize it, attempted to force the deputies to declare what they called the "Odesa People's Republic." The deputies refused to support this initiative.
According to the investigation, after this, the accused received approximately 40 thousand dollars from representatives of Russia. In March–April 2014 year, they set up a camp for the groups "Orthodox Wife" and "Odesa Wife" on Kulikovo field, where they spread the ideas of the "Russian world" and denied the legitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities.
Subsequently, members of these groups engaged in violent clashes with representatives of nationalist and patriotic groups within the "Euromaidan" movement. According to the investigation, after reaching an agreement with the then-leadership of the police regarding non-interference in their activities, pro-Russian groups proceeded to organize mass disturbances in Odesa on May 2 2014 year.
The former deputy head of the regional police department, who was in charge of public safety, had already been convicted in another criminal case for this crime. The accused are hiding in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine; investigations into them were conducted according to a special procedure without the presence of the suspects.