Two more former “Berkut” officers received Russian citizenship

Russia has granted citizenship to two former officers of the “Berkut” Special Forces of Kyiv, who are suspected in the shooting of protesters in the center of Kyiv in 2014.

As reported by Serhiy Horbatiuk, the Head of the Department of Special Investigations of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, in an interview to “Ukrinform” news agency.

“Recently we received responses on two more former “Berkut” officers. They were granted Russian citizenship. Meaning that currently 14 former “Berkut” officers have Russian citizenship and two more were granted asylum”, – he said.

Horbatiuk said that the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation refused to extradite them, but reported that they are prepared to assume criminal proceedings for an investigation within a framework of existing international practice.

“But we affirm that former “Berkut” officers have not deprived their Ukrainian citizenship and, consequently, without a reasonable basis received citizenship of Russia”, – he noted.

Therefore, according to Horbatiuk, in future Ukraine has the right to bring them to justice and apply the absentia conviction process to them.

As a reminder, only 5 former “Berkut” officers are on trial on charges of shootings on the Maidan. 21 suspects are on wanted list. At the same time only one person was sentenced in the case.