Two More “Sabotage” Suspects Arrested in Occupied Crimea
The number of detainees being held in the case of the alleged “sabotage” in Russian-occupied Crimea has increased to nine, reports Interfax citing a source in Russian law enforcement.
“To date, there are already nine people who have been detained, and two of them have been arrested. In the next day they could be charged under various articles, including those related to the organization of terrorist acts and complicity in terrorist activities” says the source.
It was also reported that two people who have been have been held in relation to the case are locals who have recently received Russian citizenship.
Another 10 people have been identified as witnesses. The investigation is going to examine their role in the events taking place. The source did not rule out the possibility that they may be considered suspects in the future.
Earlier, the court in Simferopol detained two men suspected of planning the alleged sabotage, a resident of Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region, Yevhen Panov, and Andriy Zakhtiy from Crimea.
On August 10th, the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) accused the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine of preparing terrorist acts in the annexed Crimea.
Ukrainian Joint Staff called the statement a provocation, and President Petro Poroshenko considers the accusations to be Russian fantasies.
According to the FSB, “one of the organizers of the prevented terrorist attacks is Yevhen Panov, born in 1977, a resident of Zaporizhia region, is a Ukrainian Defence Intelligence Officer.”