Ukraine's ex-president testifies in Kiev court from RussiaNovember 28, 2016 - 18:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Ukraine's ousted president on Monday, November 28 testified in the trial of five former special forces policemen charged with fatally shooting scores of demonstrators, and denied giving orders for them to shoot at the protesters, The Associated Press reports. Between February 18 and 20, 2014, 72 protesters died on the Maidan square, most shot by police or snipers. There were also 13 deaths among the police and the Ukrainian special forces. The shootings were the bloody climax of months of demonstrations in Kiev against President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia days later. Yanukovych, who gave testimony to a Kiev court on Monday from a courtroom in Russia, said he did not give orders to his forces to open fire on protesters and "could not have possibly given such orders." The hearing was originally scheduled for Friday but the judge had to postpone it after nationalist activists blocked the entrance to the jail where the policemen who are on trial were held. Ukraine's prosecutor-general took the floor in the middle of the proceedings to tell Yanukovych that Ukraine has launched another investigation and that he could face charges of treason. A prosecutor who was questioning Yanukovych on Monday signaled that the evidence that was uncovered points to Russian interference in Ukraine. The prosecutor quoted Yanukovych's phone billing information and other case files, saying that Yanukovych's prime minister met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the first day of shooting on the Maidan, and that Yanukovych had had numerous phone calls with pro-Russian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk. Putin is the godfather of Medvedchuk's daughter. Asked whether he can confirm that he hosted Putin advisor Vladislav Surkov at his residence as blood was split on the Maidan, Yanukovych told the court: "I don't remember." Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |