Ukrainian soldier arrested in Italy on suspicion of 2014 murder of a photographer in the Donbas
The Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian citizen on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rockelli in 2014 in Slavyansk, La Repubblica reported.
The material says that the detainee went to Ukraine in late 2013, where he participated in clashes on Independence Square in Kyiv. After that, he joined one of the volunteer battalions of the National Guard of Ukraine.
At the same time, Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yevgeny Enin wrote on his Facebook page that the Prosecutor General's Office was surprised by the arrest of the Ukrainian in Italy.
"The General Prosecutor's Office is surprised by the arrest in Italy of Ukrainian soldier Vitaliy Markiv, on suspicion of murder of photojournalist Andrea Rockelli near Slavyansk in May 2014, put forward by the Pavia Prosecutor's Office," he wrote.
Enin noted that Ukrainian law enforcers are investigating criminal proceedings on the death of Italian citizen Andrea Rockelli and his Russian partner Andrei Mironov. The Prosecutor General's Office is actively cooperating with its Italian counterparts in this investigation, providing the results of questioning of witnesses, the results of examinations, and the like.
"At the same time, according to the Ukrainian investigation, the death of the two journalists occurred as a result of shelling by pro-Russian forces," the Deputy Prosecutor noted.
The Prosecutor General's Office has already appealed to the Italian authorities to provide solid evidence of Markiv's guilt or provide for his immediate release.