MOSCOW, January 28 (RAPSI) - The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office accused four commanders of a special police department, Berkut, of involvement in a violent dispersion of a protest in central Kiev on November 30, 2013. All four are currently under house arrest, RIA Novosti reports this Wednesday, citing the agency.
Berkut officers are being charged with “unlawful obstruction of gatherings and rallies through violence” as well as “abuse of power accompanied by violence and use of special equipment.”
The Pechorsky District Court in Kiev placed the suspects under house arrest as a pre-trial detention measure. Their movements will be monitored with electronic bracelets.
The Prosecutor General’s Office notes that currently the suspects hold high ranking posts in the special purpose public security police regiment within the Kiev Directorate of the Interior Ministry.
Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) is the main square in Kiev that was occupied by supporters of integration with Europe on November 21, the next day after prime minister Azarov’s announcement that the EU association agreement would be suspended. Later, Maidan became the site of violent clashes between the police and protesters. The most violent clashes took place in the street next to the square. Dozens of people were killed in street fights.