Russia, Ukraine take legal actions against prominent politicians

A Moscow court has arrested a Ukrainian regional governor in absentia, while Kiev put on international wanted list a major separatist on Wednesday.

Igor Kolomoisky, Ukraine's central Dnepropetrovsk region head, was arrested in absentia for four cases of war crimes in the course of the ongoing armed conflict in that country, his lawyer Alexander Fomin said.

"I'm going to appeal on that decision," RIA Novosti new agency quoted Fomin as saying.

Kolomoisky, along with the Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, has been wanted by the Russian Investigative Committee since June 22 for their alleged role in the domestic conflict in southeastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Russia has blamed the two men for "humanitarian disaster" in those regions, financing "illegal armed groups" and waging war against civilians using "forbidden means."

In June, the two Ukrainian officials were put on an international wanted list via Interpol.

• Also on Wednesday, Kiev put on the international wanted list Oleg Tsaryov, accused by the Ukraine's Prosecutor General of formation of an organized anti-government movement, the Unian news agency reported, citing a source in the Interior Ministry.

On June 25, Tsaryov, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, declared to create the so-called "Union of People's Republics" comprising restive Lugansk and Donetsk regions. Tsaryov was elected the head of the separatist entity.
Sources:Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
2/7/14
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