The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against Ukrainian Security Service chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko on charges of libel, the organization of the use of prohibited methods of warfare, and abduction, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said.
“He is suspected of libel, the organization of the use of prohibited means and methods of warfare, the obstruction of a journalist’s lawful professional activity, and abduction,” Markin told Interfax.
The investigation believes that Nalyvaichenko, “acting in concert with the chiefs of Ukrainian law enforcement and security bodies during the armed conflict in Donbas, using the Security Service’s forces and resources, organized the abduction of Russian citizens, Life News TV channel journalists Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko, who did not take part in the conflict,” he said.
“They unlawfully held the journalists on Ukrainian territory until May 25, 2014, inflicting physical and mental sufferings on the victims by systematically beating them and committing other violent actions,” Markin said.
In addition, “Nalyvaichenko organized the seizure and abduction of Zvezda TV and radio company journalists Yevgeny Davydov and Nikita Konashenkov, who are also citizens of Russia and who did not take part in the armed conflict,” Markin said. The said incident took place at a checkpoint of the Donetsk-Dnipropetrovsk motorway on June 14, 2014.
“Nalyvaichenko’s subordinates illegally held the journalists at the Security Service building in Dnipropetrovsk for two days, systematically beating them and forcing them to make statements describing the events ongoing in Ukraine in a knowingly false way,” he said.
In addition, Security Service officials, acting by orders from Nalyvaichenko, “tortured, humiliated, and brutally beat captured civilians refusing to support the Kyiv authorities” during the armed conflict in southeastern Ukraine, he said.
