Ukraine to begin criminal proceedings against leader of so-called LPR in absentia
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has started the criminal proceedings of the Head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LNR), Igor Plotnitskyi, in absentia. The case against him was brought to court, the Chief of Staff to the Head of SBU, Oleksandr Tkachuk, said.
"The Security Service has started the criminal proceedings in absentia of Mr. Plotnitskyi. The conviction concerns the kidnapping of Nadezhda Savchenko and her illegal traffic to the Russian Federation. In the framework of the criminal proceedings, which are conducted by our investigators, we announce Plotnitskyi's suspicion of illegal imprisonment and transfer across the state border. He is also suspected in committing a terrorist act," Oleksandr Tkachuk said on air on TV channel 112 Ukraine.
Tkachuk noted that if Plotnitskyi did not appear in court, there is still "every reason to continue the trial in his absence since the transfer of materials to the court is completed.” According to him, this criminal proceeding concerns solely Savchenko. "In this particular episode, we are only considering the circumstances pertaining to Savchenko`s abduction and her transfer to Russia," Tkachuk said.
Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine called the Head of the self-proclaimed LNR to Kiev for questioning as a suspect in three articles: "illegal imprisonment or kidnapping", a "terrorist act" and "illegal trafficking of persons across the state border of Ukraine". In response to the SBU’s statement about calling him for questioning in Kiev, Plotnitskyi invited the investigators to Lugansk.
Nadiya Savchenko has been charged with the murder of two Russian journalists. It is widely believed that Savchenko was in fact captured by Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) separatists in eastern Ukraine and was illegally transported to Russia, where the case was fabricated against her.
On March 2nd, the prosecutor’s office requested that she be sentenced to 23 years in a penal colony plus a fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,400).
Savchenko declared a dry hunger strike on March 3rd after the Donetsk City Court in the Rostov region announced that she would not be given a chance to make her final closing statement during a court hearing.