The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov highlighted the need for public scrutiny by MPs over investigating the deaths of servicemen by the Parliament
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov participated in a commemorative ceremony on the soldiers who died on August 31, 2015 while on guard duty near the walls of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The ceremony participants laid flowers at the memorial plaque mounted on the wall of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Then there was held a solemn prayer.
At the briefing, the Chairman Razumkov stated that there passed four years with no result over the investigation of the servicemen’s deaths. "It is frightening when our boys die, defending Ukraine at the front line, but it is a lot more terrifying when people are killed by the walls of the Ukrainian Parliament, protecting citizens of Ukraine, and these deaths still remain unpunished”.
D. Razumkov emphasized that the Parliament would assist in the investigation of the crime within the frame of the current legislation, so that those guilty be retributed. He also said there would be support to relatives of the victims.
According to him, members of parliament will study the circumstances of those events more thoroughly, will communicate with relatives of the dead and wounded, and will go to court sessions. "We cannot keep out," the speaker of the Parliament stressed.
The event was attended by servicemen of the National Guard, relatives of the victims, priests, and media representatives.
Background: On August 31, 2015, there took place clashes nearby the Parliament between radically inclined protesters and law enforcement officers. As a result of a grenade explosion, 68 National Guard soldiers were injured and four were killed.
By a decree of the President of Ukraine, for personal courage and yeoman service to the people of Ukraine, exemplary fulfillment of their military duty the following soldiers were awarded the Order of Courage, III degree: Ihor Debrin, Dmytro Slastnikov, Oleksandr Kostyna, Bohdan Datsiuk.