Law enforcers have established and stopped the activities of a criminal group that was engaged in abductions and killings of people in Kyiv and, in particular, is suspected of committing the murder of the former acting director of the Ukrspyrt state enterprise, Viktor Pankov.
“The activity of a criminal group that killed and abducted people in Kyiv has been uncovered,” Head of the National Police Serhiy Knyazev said at a press conference in Kyiv on December 26.
He noted that the investigation was conducted by the National Police and a unit of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), with the involvement of the military prosecutor’s office.
An Interfax-Ukraine reporter said that a number of videos were shown during the press conference, which, according to Knyazev, document one of the crimes committed by this group – the planting of an explosive device under a car.
He also listed the crimes that might have been committed by members of this group – murders and assassination attempts.
“On May 30, Darnytske police department [in Kyiv] received a report through the 102 phone line that… an unidentified person occupied a passenger seat in a car and shot a 68-year-old citizen who held one of the leading posts in a state institution,” Knyazev said.
At the same time, the press service of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry confirmed to Interfax-Ukraine that the issue concerned Pankov.
According to Knyazev, on December 19, over 60 searches were conducted and five active members of the group were detained in six regions of Ukraine. The organizer of the criminal group was detained in a neighbouring state.
“We were assisted by police officers from Moldova, Romania, and Israel,” he added.
According to him, last week a court chose a measure of restraint for the suspects in the form of detention.
