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Timoshenko knows personally Kushnir gang ringleaders

The Kushnir gang was in service of Pavel Lazarenko (Ukraine’s ex-prime minister). This gang fulfilled his instructions and orders in the interests of Yulia Timoshenko
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

KIEV, June 18 (Itar-Tass) — Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko personally knew ringleaders of the Kushnir criminal group sentenced for several murders, first deputy prosecutor general Renat Kuzmin told the Kommersant Ukraine business daily on Monday.

“The Kushnir gang was in service of Pavel Lazarenko (Ukraine’s ex-prime minister). This gang fulfilled his instructions and orders in the interests of Yulia Timoshenko,” he said.

“This fact was proved by the investigation. We have no doubts that the Kushnir gang worked for Lazarenko and Timoshenko,” Kuzmin said. “The investigation found out that this gang was involved in 25 murders and assassination attempts. We exposed 25 victims who were killed or survived assassination attempts. Some witnesses of those events say Lazarenko and Timoshenko masterminded the crimes. These are not necessarily those people you know.”

In a reply to the question whether this means that the leader of the opposition party Batkovshchina (Fatherland) may face murder charges, Kuzmin said “we are now only saying that we have enough evidence of the killing of Yevgeny Shcherban (Ukrainian MP and businessman) to bring charges against Yulia Timoshenko.”

According to the Prosecutor-General’s Office, Timoshenko met with and knew personally ringleaders of the Kushnir gang.

“She had friendly relations with ringleaders of this gang,” Kuzmin said.