KIEV, February 10. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Interior Ministry is probing into a visit to Ukrainian positions in the zone of warfare by the head of the Odessa region, former Georgian president Mikhail Saakashavili, who later posted a video on the Internet.
"The Interior Ministry has launched an investigation," a spokesman for the Donbass operation headquarters, Andrei Lysenko, told the Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
Lysenko said the video disclosed classified information. "A video from the frontline that Saakashvili leaked to the Internet," he said. According to Lysenko, servicemen shown on the video were already receiving threats and "must now be moved from there".
He said the footage could entail punishment under several articles of the Criminal Code. "However, the military prosecutor’s office institutes proceedings and investigates without making public statements. The final decision is with the court," Lysenko said.
In January, Saakashavili posted on his Facebook page a video of his visit to the place where an Interior Ministry battalion was headquartered near Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine.
He said he wanted to draw attention to well-being of Ukrainian troops who had to do without toilets and conduct their service in makeshift barracks made of plywood.
"After certain hesitations I still have decided to post the video, as this outrage has continued for more than a year, and the services in charge had enough time to remedy the situation," he wrote.
Several maps could be clearly seen on the video as well as the faces of some servicemen, and the locality was also recognizable.