Yanukovych's defense promises to present his explanation of the events of Maidan
The office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine (GPU) has claimed that the defense team of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will explain what happened during the Revolution of Dignity.
According to the head of the special investigations department of the GPU, Sergey Gorbatyuk, Yanukovych's lawyers have promised that they will provide an explanation after the May holidays.
Last summer, the office of the GPU had asked Yanukovych to appear for questioning but he did not arrive. His lawyers, however, did appear at the GPU offices.
On the 27th of July 2015, the Pechersk District Court of Kiev allowed the GPU to begin an investigation in absentia against Yanukovych. The former president’s lawyers then said that their client is willing to give his testimony to the authorities via video conference. The GPU called this statement a PR stunt. The video conference has still not occurred.
On the night of the 22nd of February 2014, Yanukovych fled from Kiev and left Ukraine soon after. On that day, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Oleksandr Turchynov as acting president. Yanukovych then stated that he is still the legitimate president of Ukraine because, according to him, there was a military seizure of power in the country. He is currently in Russia.
Yanukovych is involved in several criminal cases. These include exceeding his powers from November 2013 to February 2014, the massacre of the Maidan activists and the seizure of state power in 2010. He is also wanted by Interpol.