The man detained for the murder of Odesa activist Demyan Hanul was served with a notice of suspicion on March 15.
This was reported to Suspilne by Eduard Pleshko, the press secretary of the specialized prosecutorʼs office in the field of defense of the southern region.
He is suspected of premeditated murder, which he committed on order, and illegal handling of weapons. (Clause 11, Part 2, Article 115, Part 1, Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The prosecutorʼs office is asking that the detainee be sent to a pre-trial detention center without the right to bail.
What preceded
On the morning of March 13, activist Demyan Hanul was shot dead in the Prymorsky district of Odesa. A few hours later, law enforcement officers detained the suspect, who turned out to be a 46-year-old deserter. According to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, a weapon was found in the apartment where the suspect was hiding, which was probably used to kill the activist.
The prosecutorʼs office has launched an investigation into the fact of premeditated murder committed on order (clause 11, part 2, article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Investigators are working out possible motives for the crime, including versions regarding the contract nature of the murder, as well as the "Russian trace".
What is known about Demyan Hanul?
According to the BBC, Hanul has been known since 2013-2014, when he participated in the Revolution of Dignity as part of the Right Sector, and in Odessa he headed the power bloc of the local branch of the radical right party.
He was also a participant in the May 2, 2014, confrontation on Kulykove Pole, where almost 50 people died in the House of Trade Unions as a result of clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists.
Later, he created the public organization "Street Front" and, together with like-minded people, fought against illegal construction. Protests often ended in clashes. In 2017, he was brought to justice together with activists Serhiy Sternenko and Ihor Bey.
Demyan has repeatedly participated in protests outside the Russian consulate in Odesa. In November 2021, together with like-minded people, he brought a coffin there with the inscriptions "Cargo 200" and "Russians are going home".
In early 2022, when Russian rapper Basta was scheduled to perform in Odesa, Hanul managed to cancel the concert.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.