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New defense attorney to be appointed in former Ukrainian president’s high treason case

The former president’s attorney will be Partner at the Gerasko and Partners law firm Maksim Gerasko, said a law source

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich Valery Matytsin/TASS

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich

© Valery Matytsin/TASS

KIEV, August 19. /TASS/. Partner at the Gerasko and Partners law firm Maksim Gerasko has been chosen to be appointed as the new defense attorney in former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich high treason case, a law source told TASS.

UKRAINE CRISIS

"Maksim Gerasko will be the former president’s attorney," the source said.

Gerasko has earlier acted as the defense attorney for former head of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry’s External Surveillance Department Alexei Pukach, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Georgy Gongadze.

On August 17, Kiev’s Obolonsky District Court fulfilled the request filed the former Ukrainian president’s defense attorney Vitaly Meshechek, relieving him of his duties. The attorney clarified his decision by saying that the case was too complicated, while he did not have an opportunity to engage assistants. At the same time, the court gave instructions to the regional secondary legal assistance center to immediately appoint a new state defense attorney who would be able to enter the case by September 6.

The court also fixed the dates for the next hearings, which are going to take place on September 7, 13, 14, 21, 27 and 28, and October 5, 11, 12, 19, 25 and 26.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych

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