Ukrainian MP Artem Dmytruk, who, as the authorities in Kyiv say, illegally left Ukraine, arriving in Moldova, from where nothing prevented him from fleeing further, was actually transported over the state border “to the so-called Transnistria”, the Ukrainian press reported, quoting the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
It is reported that SBI officers carried out large-scale operative actions and collected considerable evidence, interrogated witnesses, analyzed voice and internet connections, studied the routes of followers involved in the scheme. The operation to traffic the deputy was planned in advance, investigators concluded.
As a result of meticulous work, it was established that on August 23, the MP illegally crossed the border with Ukraine towards Moldova close to the Pavlivka checkpoint (near Carmanova locality on the territory of Moldova, which is not controlled by the constitutional authorities – IPN).
Ukrainian law enforcement officers found out that Dmytruk left Kyiv at around 01:00 p.m. towards Odessa, with another person driving the vehicle. It was established that the deputy got out of the car on the highway near a locality in Razdelnyansky district of Odessa region.
At around 05:00 p.m., Dmytruk moved to another car, driven by a person involved in the case, where there was the organizer of the transfer scheme. At around 09:00 p.m., the MP was transported to the border, from where he illegally left Ukraine on foot.
SBI officers identified all the persons involved in organizing the MP’s escape, including from Moldova, the source writes. It was determined that the organizer has connections both among law enforcement officers and with representatives of criminal circles. According to operational data, the criminal group specializes in illegally transporting people subjected to military service abroad.
Ukrainian law enforcement officers are investigating three people, two of them in absentia. A preventive detention measure is to be decided for the third person.
IPN sources in the law enforcement agencies previously said that they could not stop or arrest the MP because there was no search warrant for him issued by Ukrainian counterparts. He is suspected of attacking a representative of the law enforcement agencies and also a soldier.