Avakov: Person close to ex-interior minister commanded 'titushky' and other gangs in Kyiv during mass murders
Actions of the so-called "titushky" and other gang formations that attacked unarmed protesters on February 18-20 this year were commanded by head of Kontakt Media-Holding Viktor Zubrytsky, Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov said, reporting on the results of an inquiry.
"The inquiry established there were liaisons between ex-interior minister of Ukraine [Vitaliy] Zakharchenko with a certain Mr. [Viktor] Zubrytsky, who leads Kontakt [Contact] media holding. In fact, this was he [Zubrytsky] that coordinated the actions of the titushky and related gangs, who assisted the interior agencies in repression against protesters during these times," Avakov said on Thursday at a press conference on preliminary results of the investigation into the mass killings in Kyiv downtown on February 18-20, 2014.
In particular, he said that Zubrytsky coordinated the activities of all groups, starting from the Anti maidan and finishing with those groups, who acted near Mykhailivska Square, Mariyinsky Park, Kriposny Alley "in the hottest moments of February 19-20", in the previous months as well.
Avakov said that the same person also coordinated all financial issues.
Besides, Zubrytsky was dealing with the preparation of disinformation for the media and "dirty tricks against protesters."
Video materials were prepared on the order of Zubrytsky, approved by Zakharchenko, and after that were broadcast on TV.
Moreover, the inquiry established a link to a businessman Avakov named only as Chobotariov to the events on Maidan, in particular, to the kidnapping of the activists.
"Chobotariov was used as one of the managers and coordinators of the special projects for covering up the criminal regime," Avakov added.
"Mr. Chobotariov, cooperating with a group of ten persons well-known to us, regularly beat Maidan and Euromaidan activists, and kidnapped people… as it was in the cases with Ihor Lutsenko and Yuriy Verbytsky, and we have [other] such incidents," the minister said.
He said that these activities were coordinated with the Interior Ministry of Ukraine.
