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Kiev promises Yanukovych’s safety if he agrees to testify in Ukraine

Ukrainian Prosecutor-General’s Office is prepared to invite him under a different name or to avoid the interrogations’ publicity

© ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Rogulin

KIEV, August 11. /TASS/. Ukrainian Prosecutor-General’s Office is prepared to guarantee former president Viktor Yanukovych will enjoy personal security identical to that provided to witnesses under the witness protection program if he agrees to be questioned in Kiev, the chief of the PGO’s special department, Sergey Gorbatyuk, said on Tuesday.

"Yanukovych’s lawyers explained that he had refused to come in view of the threat to his life. But in Ukraine these days there are no threats of this sort. The more so, Ukraine’s Criminal Code envisages various protection measures. We will be able to ensure his security - to invite him under a different name or to avoid the interrogations’ publicity."

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The former president’s lawyer, Viktor Serdyuk, said on August 7 that Yanukovych would not go to Kiev for questioning on August 7 "due to threats to his life and health," adding that "Yanukovych is prepared to testify from his current place of residence by a video link."

According to a government-published daily Yanukovych was summoned to the Prosecutor-General’s Office on August 11 at 11:00 for investigative and procedural actions.

A court in Kiev on July 27 issued permission to the Prosecutor-General’s Office to investigate Yanukovych in his absence. The ex-president was charged with usurping power on April 8, 2015. Also, the Prosecutor-General’s Office launched criminal proceedings against him for illegally coming into possession of government assets - buildings and facilities at the Pushcha Voditsa residential compound.

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Ukraine crisis Viktor Yanukovych

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