Murders on Maidan: Investigators identify members of special forces units who fired Fort-500 rifle

Olha Pavliuk, an investigator of the State Bureau of Investigation in the Maidan case, and Liudmyla Havrysh, a prosecutor in the Maidan case, told this in a comment to Ukrinform.

"During the investigation, all units of the internal troops and the Berkut special forces unit, which were near the scene of gunshot wounds, were identified, as well as those who were given rifles of the Fort-500 model series, from which, according to the investigation, shots were fired at Nigoyan, Zhiznevsky, and Senyk," Pavliuk said.

She said that in this case, investigators had conducted more than 30 searches in five regions of Ukraine at the places of residence of individuals who are being investigated for involvement in intentional murders. Other investigative actions are also ongoing with the aim of further bringing the culprits to justice.

Additionally, more than 50 examinations were assigned for this episode, including one to identify the weapon that was used to shoot the victims.

Currently, some of the previously appointed examinations are still ongoing. According to the established new circumstances of the crime, new examinations are assigned, which would make it possible to confirm the involvement of the direct perpetrators in committing the murders, Pavliuk said.

She also noted that in the case of the first murders on the Maidan, suspicion notices had been approved for the organizers whom the investigation thinks are former President Viktor Yanukovych, former Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko and his aides, as well as the former leadership of the main directorate of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry in Kyiv.

At the same time, Havrysh emphasized that the investigation into the case is currently focused on establishing the direct perpetrators of the murders.

"Several theories are currently being worked out. The investigation is working to narrow down the circle of persons who could be the perpetrators. Representatives of internal affairs units who were on the Maidan at the time of the murders are being investigated for complicity in the commission of the crime," she said.

Among the problems faced by the investigation, the prosecutor mentioned the lack of opportunity to interrogate some witnesses, as they are mobilized for the war with Russia, and the opportunities to interrogate individual witnesses have already been lost.

As reported, SBI investigators established that during the Revolution of Dignity, Yuriy Verbytskyi was the first to be killed, rather than Nigoyan, as previously believed. Verbytskyi's murder has been completely solved.

Nigoyan died on January 22, 2014 from a bullet wound during the events near the Dynamo Stadium on Hrushevskoho Street. He was shot at around 06:00, while the truce between the protesters and the Berkut special forces unit was still in place.

Belarusian Zhiznevsky died on January 22, 2014 at around 09:00 from a hunting bullet shot to the heart near the Dynamo Stadium on Hrushevskoho Street during the Euromaidan protests.

Senyk was wounded on January 22, 2014 near the Dynamo Stadium on Hrushevskoho Street when he was standing with a flag on the front line. A sniper shot him through the lung and inflicted a severe wound in the shoulder with a special purpose armor-piercing bullet. Senyk underwent several operations at Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 17, lost a lot of blood, and had to have his arm amputated. However, the injuries were too severe, and early on January 25, he died in the hospital without regaining consciousness.