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Zakharova calls speculations about Russian trace in Grabovsky’s murder disgusting

The body of Yuri Grabovsky, the lawyer of one of the two Russians detained in Ukraine, has been found dead with a gunshot wound in Ukraine’s Cherkassy region

MOSCOW, March 25 /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has called speculations about Russian trace in the murder of Ukrainian lawyer Yuri Grabovsky as "disgusting jokes."

The most disgusting and incredible thing is that only two versions are being considered: personal relations and complicity of the Russian security services… These jokes are dangerous. They are not just jokes, they are disgusting jokes, Zakharova told Radio Liberty live on Friday.

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Moscow expects Kiev to track down lawyer Grabovsky’s killers — Foreign Ministry

The body of Yuri Grabovsky, the lawyer of one of the two Russians detained in Ukraine, has been found dead with a gunshot wound in Ukraine’s Cherkassy region, Ukraine’s Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoly Matios said on Friday. Police detained two suspects. There are two main crimes versions: a profit-motivated crime or a specially planned operation.

Grabovsky disappeared early in March. He was in Odessa on March 5 and returned to his Kiev office the next day. No one saw the lawyer after that. Police have initiated criminal proceedings on an intentional murder charge in connection with Grabovsky’s disappearance.

Ukrainian servicemen detained the two Russians, Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, near the Schastye village in Ukraine’s Lugansk region on May 16, 2015 on charges of illegal crossing of the Ukrainian border, illegal carriage of weapons and terrorist links. The Russians are facing a life sentence.

A Kiev district court extended the term of stay in custody for Russians Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev until May 19 on March 21. The next court hearing on their case is scheduled for April 5. Subsequent hearings will take place on April 11, 13 and 18.

Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev did not plead guilty on any of the counts. Their lawyers said the two should be considered prisoners of war because they were serving in the people’s militia of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) at the time they were detained. The lawyers demand the trial of Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev be organized in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

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