Former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and former deputy head of the State Security Department, who was the head of Yanukovychʼs Security Service Kostyantyn Kobzar, received absentia sentences in a Ukrainian court.
This was reported by the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office.
The Podilsky District Court of Kyiv found them guilty of the following crimes and sentenced them:
- Yanukovych — 15 years in prison for organizing illegal crossing of the state border and inciting desertion;
- Kobzar — 10 years in prison for desertion and organizing illegal crossing of the state border.
Prosecutors proved in court that on February 23, 2014, the former president of Ukraine, together with the former head of the Presidential Security Service and representatives of Russia, illegally crossed the state border of Ukraine by air, and also organized the transfer of at least 20 people from his entourage and military personnel of the State Security Department.
They took off from the outskirts of the village of Urzuf in the Donetsk region in three Russian military helicopters, bypassing the official checkpoint. They first landed at a military airfield in the city of Yeysk (Russia), then flew to Anapa, and then by military plane to the “Hvardiyske” airfield in Crimea.
While in Sevastopol, on the territory of the military unit of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the ex-president decided to finally leave Ukraine with the help of the Russian military. He convinced some of the Ukrainian bodyguards to desert and go with him to Russia. Eventually, they were taken out of Sevastopol by sea. Some of the state security officers who fled with the ex-president never returned to duty.
The entire escape route through Ukraine and Russia was planned and controlled by Russian intelligence services and the military. The route was coordinated directly with the Russian president.
The case was considered in absentia because the defendants are absconding from Ukrainian justice. The investigation was conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation.
- This is the second sentence for the ex-president. In January 2019, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for high treason and aiding and abetting the war against Ukraine. Earlier, 15 former employees of the Presidential Security Service were also reported for desertion.
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