Ukraine far-right leader Muzychko dies 'in police raid'

[Dakine10 5,452]

Interesting that this happens shortly after Russia and Ukraine engage in high level talks for the first time since the interim government took over. This guy was on Russia's most wanted list and was apparently taken out by order of Ukraine's interior minister.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26729273

Ukraine far-right leader Muzychko dies 'in police raid'

Muzychko was wanted by the Ukrainian and Russian authorities

Continue reading the main story

Ukraine crisis

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A Ukrainian ultra-nationalist leader has been shot dead in what officials describe as a special forces operation.

Oleksandr Muzychko, better known as Sashko Bily, died in a shoot-out with police in a cafe in Rivne in western Ukraine, the interior ministry said.

He was a leader of Right Sector, a far-right group which was prominent in the recent anti-government protests.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's parliament has voted to accept the resignation of Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh.

Mr Tenyukh had been accused of indecision in the face of Russia's military takeover of Crimea.

The shooting of Muzychko happened just hours after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Deshchytsia - their first meeting since Russia's move into Crimea triggered a diplomatic crisis.

Continue reading the main story Oleksandr Muzychko, alias Sashko Bily

• Born 1962 in Perm region, Russia
• After Ukraine became independent in 1991 he set up nationalist groups in Rivne, western Ukraine
• Spent several years in jail after conviction for extortion in 1999
• Accused of leading "criminal gang" in Rivne
• Russia accused him of atrocities in Chechnya
• As a Right Sector leader he participated in Maidan anti-government protests in Kiev

• Far right in Ukraine revolution

Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Yevdokimov said Muzychko died after opening fire at police and Sokol special forces, who had raided a cafe to arrest him and fellow ultra-nationalists. The authorities described Muzychko as a criminal gang leader.

During the raid, Muzychko fired at police as he was trying to flee, wounding one of them. Police then returned fire and captured him and three others in his "criminal gang", Mr Yevdokimov said.

"He was still alive as they were arresting him - but then the paramedics, called to the scene, found that he had died," Mr Yevdokimov said. The three arrested gang members have been taken to Kiev for questioning.

A Right Sector organiser in Rivne has now threatened revenge for the killing of Muzychko, saying he had not been summoned by investigators.

"We will avenge ourselves on [interior Minister] Arsen Avakov for the death of our brother. The shooting of Sashko Bily is a contract killing ordered by the minister," said Roman Koval of the Right Sector in Rivne region, quoted by the Ukrayinska Pravda website.

Conflicting account

Earlier, a Ukrainian MP, Oles Doniy, gave a different version of events. He said two cars had forced Muzychko's car to stop, and he had then been dragged into one of the other cars. Later his body was found dumped, his hands tied behind his back and two bullet wounds in his heart, Doniy wrote overnight on his Facebook page.

Correspondents say Muzychko acquired notoriety in Ukraine after he was filmed brandishing an AK-47 assault rifle at a town hall session in western Ukraine, and then harassing a local prosecutor. After that, in February, the Ukrainian interior minister condemned his behaviour and promised to investigate.

Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

What if shots are exchanged and lives lost? Will Putin then simply be reacting to the pace of events on the ground? Or will Moscow actually have helped to orchestrate those events in the first place?”

Jonathan MarcusBBC diplomatic correspondent

• Russian manoeuvres keep the West guessing

Moscow says the activities of Right Sector and other Ukrainian nationalist groups pose a threat to the large Russian-speaking minority in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin gave that as one of his reasons for intervening in Crimea.

However, some commentators say Russia has deliberately whipped up such fears, and that the influence of Right Sector in Ukrainian politics is exaggerated.

Earlier, Russian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Muzychko, accusing him of atrocities against Russian soldiers in Chechnya.

The Russian indictment says he tortured captive Russian soldiers in the 1990s, when Moscow was trying to crush Chechen separatist guerrillas. Muzychko denied the allegations. Reports say he led a group of Ukrainian nationalists who fought alongside the Chechen rebels.

Crimea withdrawal

In the Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday, MPs appointed Gen Mykhaylo Koval as the new defence minister, after approving the resignation of his predecessor, Ihor Tenyukh.

Mr Tenyukh had offered to leave the post following growing criticism of his response to the Russian annexation of Crimea. Many deputies had described that response as indecisive.

Gen Koval has served in the country's Border Service, and was briefly detained by pro-Russian forces during their takeover of Crimea.

The BBC's Mark Lowen reports from the last police base in Crimea controlled by Ukraine

Mr Tenyukh said he had received requests to leave Crimea from about 6,500 soldiers and family members. That means about two-thirds of the 18,800 military personnel and relatives stationed there are staying on the peninsula, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Earlier, a senior Ukrainian armed forces officer, Oleksandr Rozmaznin, was quoted as saying nearly half of the Ukrainian military staff based in Crimea had opted to stay there and some of them were joining the Russian military.

Meanwhile, a toughly-worded statement from the G7 group of industrialised countries, condemned both the Crimean vote to secede and Russia's annexation of Crimea. The G7 called Russia's actions a "clear violation of international law". Russia has now been excluded from what was the G8.

Moscow initially reacted scornfully to the G7 snub, saying "the G8 is an informal club" which "can't purge anyone by definition".

But later President Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said "the Russian side continues to be ready to have such contacts at all levels, including the top level. We are interested in such contacts"

[luckytxn 2,265]

They don't mess around over there.

[Dakine10 5,452]

They don't mess around over there.

Definitely not. Given the history, there must be a lot of people looking over their shoulders right about now.

[Danno 1,228]

I hope those talks were fruitful, if not the East of Ukraine is gone, if things spin out of control it could go farther but I doubt Putin wants an ongoing Partisan war deep into Ukraine territory.

I draw the line from Kharkov south over to the Npr river.

With the Right cektor guy down, we could see retaliations and things could really get messy.

That guy needed to be shot he was a bully and a loon.

[Dakine10 5,452]

I hope those talks were fruitful, if not the East of Ukraine is gone, if things spin out of control it could go farther but I doubt Putin wants an ongoing Partisan war deep into Ukraine territory.

I draw the line from Kharkov south over to the Npr river.

With the Right cektor guy down, we could see retaliations and things could really get messy.

That guy needed to be shot he was a bully and a loon.

On the other hand, if they are cooperating on this it could be a path to reconciliation. The nationalist influence is the biggest obstacle to that. Otherwise After that - Yatsenyuk, Yuschenko, Yanukovich - whats the difference.

Once they get their heads together, I predict they'll eventually resolve the Crimea issue with money in the right pockets. Ukraine's parliament will allow them to secede. Everyone will come out smiling. Except Muzychko.

[Danno 1,228]

On the other hand, if they are cooperating on this it could be a path to reconciliation. The nationalist influence is the biggest obstacle to that. Otherwise After that - Yatsenyuk, Yuschenko, Yanukovich - whats the difference.

Once they get their heads together, I predict they'll eventually resolve the Crimea issue with money in the right pockets. Ukraine's parliament will allow them to secede. Everyone will come out smiling. Except Muzychko.

Wow you are more optimistic than me.

I just know we have 5 billion and more than a decade invested in putting NATO in Ukraine and our people havn't come this far to let go now.

Then when you add the serious RUSSIAN HATE that is all over the West .... I don't know how you get enough factions to go along with a deal with Putin.

If I know Putin like I think I do...... that meeting went something like this.

-We need Our border secure from Nato, if we cannot find agreement, it will mean the end of Ukraine as you know it today.

-The Americans are not going to help you.. you know that now.

-The EU is not going to help you

-Let us work together to meet the goals important to both of us.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Wow you are more optimistic than me.

I just know we have 5 billion and more than a decade invested in putting NATO in Ukraine and our people havn't come this far to let go now.

Then when you add the serious RUSSIAN HATE that is all over the West .... I don't know how you get enough factions to go along with a deal with Putin.

If I know Putin like I think I do...... that meeting went something like this.

-We need Our border secure from Nato, if we cannot find agreement, it will mean the end of Ukraine as you know it today.

-The Americans are not going to help you.. you know that now.

-The EU is not going to help you

-Let us work together to meet the goals important to both of us.

I'm sure there were some heavy handed negotiations. If you think about it though, Yatsenyuk is an economist and much more of a pragmatist than his predecessors. (I realize he is only prime minister but he has taken a more prominent role than Turchynov). Anyway Ukraine is broke. Crimea is a cash sink. Putting 2 and 2 together, a favorable deal and some pocket cash on the side will get things worked out, as always.

In the end though, it's going to be really hard to figure out who played who.

[Danno 1,228]

I'm sure there were some heavy handed negotiations. If you think about it though, Yatsenyuk is an economist and much more of a pragmatist than his predecessors. (I realize he is only prime minister but he has taken a more prominent role than Turchynov). Anyway Ukraine is broke. Crimea is a cash sink. Putting 2 and 2 together, a favorable deal and some pocket cash on the side will get things worked out, as always.

In the end though, it's going to be really hard to figure out who played who.

My hope is that these two can work out an understanding....

IF not all three parties loose, Russia Ukraine and USA.