"Ukrayinska Pravda" stupefied by investigation lead in Sheremet murder case

The editorial staff of “Ukrayinska Pravda” (UP) claims to be stupefied by the investigative lead into the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet, as “UP” web-based edition reported on its website.

“We welcome the fact that the investigation is underway and the case has not been forgotten. We have to say it frankly, the lead of investigation stupefied us. Actually, we took the information they set out with reserve, ” the UP’s message reads.

At the same time, the editorial board had some questions, responses to which they did not hear at the police briefing on December 12 on the progress of investigation into Sheremet case:

• Who could have been instigator of that murder?The case that the crime of that kind could have been organized by a group of volunteers using its own resources to destabilize the situation in Ukraine does raise many questions.

• We do not understand what had been the motives of the instigators and the perpetrators.The goal that was articulated during the briefing – Sheremet was killed in order to destabilize the political situation in Ukraine - has not been achieved.

• Who was interested in destabilizing the situation in Ukraine at that time?Why do volunteers who have supported the army in difficult times needed to destabilize the situation inside the country? Does the investigation suggest that a group of volunteers could act in Russia's interests, doesn’t it?

“The Ukrayinska Pravda’s editorial board is going to scrutinize carefully and thoroughly the facts that were reported by the investigative team. We don’t want any manipulation to take place in this case, ”the statement said.

With that in mind, UP appeals to everyone, who is aware of some additional facts about the persons whose names were named as suspects, to provide it to the edititorial board.

As IMI reported, on December 12, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov told that the National Police had detained and pressed suspicion to some persons who would be involved in the murder of Pavel Sheremet.

On December 12, Deputy Head of the National Police - Criminal Police Chief Yevgeny Koval named five suspects in the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet: Sergeant of the Special Operations Forces Andriy Antonenko, military medic Yana Dugar, volunteer Yulia Kuzmenko and veterans of the armed conflict in Donbas region Inna (alias Cougar) and Vladyslav (alias Bucha) Gryschenko.

On December 12, Deputy Head of the National Police - Chief of Criminal Police Yevgeny Koval reported that the explosive under the car of journalist Pavel Sheremet was put by the ATO musician and volunteer Andriy Antonenko and doctor and volunteer Yulia Kuzmenko.

The same day, Yevhen Koval said that the investigation considered the main version of the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet was to destabilize the social and political situation in Ukraine.

Photo credit: UP