On Oct. 20, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv in absentia chose a preventive measure in the form of detention of former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov suspected of committing high treason by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, according to the website of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI).
“The election of Azarov in absentia in the form of detention will give grounds to apply for international legal assistance on his extradition, and will also initiate the issue of a special pretrial investigation,” the bureau said.
The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) said, according to the investigation, Azarov, acting jointly and by prior agreement with former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, in violation of the Constitution and the Law of Ukraine on international treaties of Ukraine signed an order approving the so-called “Kharkiv agreements” in favor of Russia, which extended the stay of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine by 25 years.
“As a result of such actions, preconditions were artificially created for increasing the number of troops of a foreign state on the territory of Ukraine, for the invasion of the Russian Armed Forces and their occupation of the Crimean peninsula,” the department said.
The measure of restraint for the former prime minister was elected in criminal proceedings initiated under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason by prior conspiracy by a group of persons).
The PGO said that Azarov, fully understanding the consequences of the signing of this agreement by Ukraine, deliberately ensured the endorsement and approval of his project by authorized officials and thus “contributed to the realization of the interests of the Russian Federation at all stages of the approval of the draft Agreement and its implementation.”
The bureau also said that criminal prosecution for committing high treason has no statute of limitations, and recalled that in January, the SBI had already served Yanukovych with charges of committing high treason (Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
