Donetsk, May 21 – DAN. The Ukrainian People’s Tribunal for Poroshenko’s regime war crimes against Ukrainian citizens (UPT) prosecutor Sergey Kozhemyakin has filed a criminal complaint against Ukrainian commanders responsible for shelling Donbass, the DAN reporter sais from the hearing room.
"Your honor, we have established in the course of the hearing that other persons had committed crimes under review either being accomplices to the defendants or acting solely. I would like to press criminal charges against those persons in separate proceedings," Kozhemyakin told the court.
He said that his application comprises requests for criminal cases against Ukrainian units commanders who used MLRS Grad and Uragan in Donbass, including the Joint Forces Operation commander Sergey Naev, commanders of the 24th, 30th, 51st and 72nd separate mechanized brigades, the Sever (North) and the Zapad (West) task forces.
"They are personally liable, thus their files should be sent to the Prosecutor's office separately for investigation." The Tribunal accepted the request.
Today the UPT has resumed hearings in Donetsk. The board is to study case files, hear arguments of prosecution and defense, to admit additional files.
The Tribunal has already reviewed cases concerning the following groups of crimes: genocide; Donbass blockade; war propaganda; tortures, looting and robbery; formation of illegal armed groups; using armed forces against civilians.
The UPT charged eight people: Ukraine’s president Petr Poroshenko, the minister of internal affairs Arsen Avakov, secretary of the national security and defense council of Ukraine Aleksandr Turchynov, prime minister Vladimir Groisman, commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko, defense minister Stepan Poltorak, chairman of the Verkhovnaya Rada Andrey Parubiy, ex-prime-minster Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
On March 15, the Initiative Group of Ukrainian citizens living in Donetsk and Lugansk announced the establishment of the Ukrainian People’s Tribunal for Poroshenko’s regime war crimes. The cases are be tried and files reviewed in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and international law.*ot