You're reading: Azarov says he will fight in courts for property found in ‘secret apartment’

Fugitive former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who escaped to Russia in 2014 during the EuroMaidan Revolution and is now wanted by the Security Service of Ukraine, said on Dec. 9 he would fight in court for property found by the National Police of Kyiv on Dec. 8 in an apartment in Kyiv’s Darnitskyi district.

“By what right and law did the police confiscate (what are) probably my belongings, found in an apartment that is not mine? I’m not sure that all the stuff found there is mine, but there is no reason for me to give up my property, and I will fight for it in court,” Azarov wrote on Facebook on Dec. 9.

Vadim Troyan, the chief of National Police of Ukraine, reported on Dec. 3 that police had found hidden in an apartment in Darnitskyi district of Kyiv valuable paintings, ancient icons, expensive books, weapons, and several documents belonging to Azarov. Troyan claimed the police had all the required warrants to enter the apartment.

The 19-century religious book found in the secret appartment in Darnitskyi District of Kyiv on Dec.8.

The 19-century religious book found in the secret apartment in Darnitskyi District of Kyiv on Dec.8.

“Check out Azarov’s wealth! Dozens of 19-century icons and religious books, original paintings by Russian artists Ilya Repine, Vasily Tropinin, Nicas Saphronov, silverware, … and even an ancient Cossack saber were packed up there in big shopping bags,” Troyan wrote.

He said that during the search police found awards during the times of EuroMaidan Revolution.

“The total value of the things found is approximately several million U.S. dollars,” added Troyan.

A gun registered on the fugitive Ukraine's Prime Minister, found in the secret appartment in Darnitskyi District of Kyiv on Dec.8.

A gun registered on the fugitive Ukraine’s Prime Minister, that was found in the secret apartment in Darnitskyi District of Kyiv on Dec.8.

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov praised the police’s work and ordered that all the artworks found in “Azarov’s” apartment be sent to a museum for custody until the end of the investigation.

“Unfortunately we have no mechanism of special confiscation that could allow all these things to go to the state. But I am sure the Verkhovna Rada will soon resolve this problem,” Avakov wrote on Facebook.

The 19-century macehead  found in the secret apartment in Darnitskyi District of Kyiv on Dec.8

The 19-century macehead  found in the secret apartment in Darnitskyi District of Kyiv on Dec.8

The minister added that police had also found “some interesting documents” in Azarov’s apartment, and investigators are currently studying them, although he revealed no more details.

Azarov claims that Kyiv police are making him a scapegoat, and trying to draw attention away from an incident on Dec. 4 in the village of Knyazhychi, some 15 kilometers west of Kyiv, where five police officers were killed when they fired on each other by mistake during an anti-theft operation.

“I am not guilty and I don’t have to find any excuses. I didn’t steal a thing from anyone. Not a single court has found me guilty of committing crimes,” Azarov said.

The former prime minister claimed he didn’t even own some of the property the police said was his.

“For example, I’d never in my life even seen ‘The Girl’s Portrait’ by Tropinin, which Avakov said was mine, in the photos published by police,” Azarov wrote.