Kostiantyn Kobzar, ex-head of Ukraine's state security service under disgraced ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, has notified Kyiv's Obolonsky District Court of his willingness to testify about the involvement of Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, also known as Ruslan Boshirov, in evacuating Yanukovych to Crimea in February 2014. Chepiga serves in the Main Directorate (GRU) of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

A scanned copy of the corresponding statement dated October 2, 2018 addressed to Vladyslav Deviatko, chief judge of the case of state treason against Yanukovych, was posted on Facebook on Tuesday by Yanukovych's lawyer Vitaliy Serdiuk.

"In connection with media reports about the participation of a citizen of the Russian Federation Boshirov/Chepiga in guarding and escorting Yanukovych to Crimea in February 2014, I announce my readiness to provide the court with evidence on this matter. I ask the court to ensure my interrogation in court on this matter," Kobzar's statement said.

As earlier reported, Boshirov/Chepiga is suspected of poisoning ex-Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal in the English town of Salisbury in March.

In a meeting with British Minister of Security and Economic Crime Ben Wallace in Kyiv on Monday, Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said, "Ukraine learned of one of the attackers in Salisbury, a Russian military intelligence officer, was involved in helping Yanukovych flee Ukraine."