The investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee for the Southern Federal District have launched a criminal investigation into shooting by unidentified people from Ukrainian side at an investigating team as containing signs of a crime under article 317 of the RF Penal Code (attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer).
According to investigators, on 4 July 2014, the investigating team composed of investigators of Donetsk investigation office of the Rostov Region Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee, wearing special vests inscribed “The Russia’s Investigative Committee”, a group of officers of the Rostov Region Main Office of the Interior Ministry wearing uniforms, two military servants of military unit 2198 also wearing uniforms witnesses of inquest arrived at an area near a dump about 300-400 meters from state border between the Russian Federation and Ukraine and 1.5 km from Donetsk customs checkpoint to examine a scene of incident under a check in a reported shelling by Ukrainian side, traces of which could be found in the town of Donetsk in the Rostov Region and surrounding areas. The investigating team found in the woods on the Russian side traces of burst shells, which were then examined by bomb engineers. At that moment military servants of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, armed members of the National Guard and militants of the Right Sector realizing that they were attempting the lives of law enforcement officers and military servants in order to prevent the said people from their legal activity to protect public order and provide security, opened fire from unknown weapon from Ukrainian side by explosive shells at the area where the investigating team was located. The team left the place immediately and casualties were avoided. As the result of shell explosions the team’s vehicle was damaged by shrapnel. The vehicle was examined and the damages were reported.
At present investigating operations are under way to find out all the circumstances of the incident, witnesses are being questioned. The investigation is ongoing.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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