On the sixth anniversary of the murder of the Heavenly Hundred, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the relatives of those who were killed during the tragic events of February 20, 2014 in Kyiv.
The Head of State thanked the attendees for the opportunity to communicate. He assured that the investigation of Maidan cases is in process and the perpetrators will be punished.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure nothing is lost, not a single detail of this case. Notwithstanding the course of investigation over the past 6 years, we will not only support you comprehensively, but also complete this case. This is our key task,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
“You should know that for me personally, this is one of the priorities. We did our best not to lose the details of this case and continue the investigation even after the reboot of the Prosecutor General's Office and the leadership of the State Bureau of Investigation,” he added.
Answering the question of one of the hero's father Vladyslav Zubenko, the President said:
“For me, the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred are people who have defended our country's independence. Defended despite the fact that the war started. These people did not give an opportunity to split the country. This is our core, this is the main thing we have. That’s why I think they are heroes".
The relatives of the victims of the Revolution of Dignity complained that they had been waiting for the results of the investigation into crimes against Maidan participants and the punishment of all perpetrators for six years.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Riaboshapka said the investigation was ongoing and many perpetrators had already been brought to justice for their crimes.
“44 people were convicted only as regards Maidan cases. These are those in respect of whom a final court decision has entered into force. These are the ones who have already been brought to justice... These are both "titushky" and law enforcement officers. We are now prosecuting 450 people. These are the ones suspected by the prosecutor's office and the investigation,” he said.
The Prosecutor General stressed that the material evidence in the case had been preserved and would be used during the court proceedings.
"No evidence was lost, no case was lost. Nothing is missing. Not a single day of the investigation was lost,” Ruslan Riaboshapka added.
Acting Director of the State Bureau of Investigation Iryna Venediktova recalled that according to the law, in January, prosecutors dealing with the Maidan cases had been transferred from the Prosecutor General’s Office to the State Bureau of Investigation. Then, this unit was transformed into the Maidan Affairs Office. According to her, a competition will be announced shortly, at which the head of this department will be selected.
"The competition will be open and the families of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred will be able to assign their representative to oversee the process," the Acting Director of the State Bureau of Investigation noted.
Iryna Venediktova also invited the attendees to meet at the Bureau's office and discuss the issues that concern the relatives of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.
