Ukraine detains group of "civic activists" in Kyiv, planning to seize Verkhovna Rada

The Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General's Office reported the information.

A group of people conspired to hold a so-called assembly in Kyiv on June 30, in which they wanted to involve organizations and the public under the pretext of an event.

During this event, the participants allegedly had to "elect an interim government" of Ukraine, seize the building of the Verkhovna Rada, block its work and "remove from office" the state leadership. At the same time, the conspirators did not tell the participants of the event about their plans for violence.

According to the investigation, the organizer of the event was the head of a public union who had already participated in unsuccessful provocative events since 2015. He rented a hall in Kyiv with a capacity of 2,000 people, and also searched for military and armed guards from private structures to carry out the seizure.

His accomplices were men from Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv regions. They also recruited the head of a public organization from Prykarpattia, but he refused because of the obvious illegality of such actions.

Law enforcement officers exposed the accomplices and searched their homes. They found weapons and ammunition, as well as mobile phones, computer equipment and draft records with evidence of criminal actions.

The detainees were notified of suspicion of actions and calls for actions aimed at violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power. The defendants were chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of detention. They face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Note: Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and shall not be criminally punished until his or her guilt is proved by law and established by a court verdict of guilt.