# CRIME DIGEST - SEPTEMBER 2001

## THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL HAS BEEN COMPILED BY RSO FROM THE UKRAINIAN POLICE AND OTHER OFFICIAL RECORDS IN SEPTEMBER 2001 FOR THE BENEFIT OF AMERICAN COMPANIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND OTHERS REQUIRING SUCH INFORMATION. THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN PREPARED BY LOCAL STAFF BUT NOT PROFESSIONALLY EDITED.

## A. GENERAL CRIME 

UKRAINE

THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FINANCIAL ACTION GROUP HAS INCLUDED
UKRAINE INTO THE BLACK LIST OF MONEY LAUNDERING NATIONS.

THE UKRAINIAN MINISTRY FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND PROTECTION OF
POPULATION FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHORNOBYL DISASTER IS PREPARED
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE U.S.

ACCORDING TO AVAILABLE SBU STATISTICS, THERE WERE 60 TERRORIST ACTS
SOLVED IN UKRAINE IN 1999. LAST YEAR SBU WAS INFORMED OF POSSIBLY 92
ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ACTS. THE LOCAL MEDIA HAS REPORTED THAT THERE ARE
TEN KNOWN TERRORIST ISLAMIC GROUPS RESIDING IN UKRAINE.

IN ADDRESSING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U.S. THE
UKRAINIAN POLICE FORCE, DEFENSE MINISTRY, GENERAL STAFF AND
ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE HAVE BEEN PUT ON HIGHER STATE OF ALERT IN
CONNECTION WITH THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U.S.

FIRST DEPUTY SBU CHIEF HAS SAID THAT SECURITY OF THE IMPORTANT SITES IN
UKRAINE HAS BEEN REINFORCED IN CONNECTION WITH THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN
THE U.S.

ON SEPTEMBER 24 UKRAINIAN AIR DEFENCE FORCED AN AN-26B CIVILIAN PLANE
FROM SUDAN TO LAND AT A MILITARY AIRPORT BELBEK NEAR SEVASTOPOL.
REPORTEDLY THE PLANE WAS ON ITS WAY TO KIEV FOR REPAIRS.

KIEV

ON SEPTEMBER 2 A ODESA NATIVE SPILLED GASOLINE ON HIMSELF AND THREATENED
TO BURN HIMSELF IN FRONT OF THE AMERICAN CONSULATE. LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS ARRESTED HIM BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO IGNITE. OFFICIALS HAVE NOT
PROVIDED ANY REASONS FOR THE MAN\'S ATTEMPT TO SELF-IMMOLATE.

A LOCAL KIEV NEWSPAPER REPRINTED AN INTERNET SITE ARTICLE ABOUT THE
CHECHEN MAFIA IN UKRAINE.

A KIEV NEWSPAPER WROTE THAT CUSTOMS OFFICERS HAVE RECENTLY CONFISCATED A
DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT FROM THE BATKIVSHCHYNA PARLIAMENTARIAN BILORUS AT
THE BORYSPIL AIRPORT NEAR KIEV. THE CUSTOMS OFFICERS SAID THAT
DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS MUST BE KEPT AT THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY.

A LOCAL NEWSPAPER WROTE THAT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN KIEV IS A NUISANCE IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE ITS EQUIPMENT PRODUCES TOO MUCH NOISE.

U.S. DIPLOMATS IN KIEV URGED UKRAINE TO STOP THE MANUFACTURE OF PIRATED
CDS TO PREVENT THE U.S. TRADE SANCTIONS AGAINST UKRAINE. THE RADA PLANS
TO REVIEW THE LAW DESIGNED TO CURB THE MANUFACTURE OF THE PIRATED CDS IN
UKRAINE.

A LOCAL NEWSPAPER SPECULATED THAT THE KAMIKAZE PILOTS COULD HAVE STUDIED
IN KIEV BECAUSE MANY ARAB PILOTS STUDIED IN KIEV.

ACCORDING TO ONE LOCAL INTERNET SITE SOURCE, THE HEAD OF THE STATE
PROTECTION SERVICE, VALERIY STROGIY IS GOING TO BE DISMISSED FOR THE
INCIDENT DURING PRESIDENT PUTIN\'S VISIT TO KIEV DURING THE CELEBRATIONS
OF UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY. AS PRESIDENTS PUTIN AND KUCHMA SAILED ON
A BOAT ALONG THE DNIPRO RIVER, THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT\'S GUARDS RIDDLED
A BYPASSING BOAT WITH BULLETS WHICH HAD NOT BEEN WARNED TO STEER AWAY.

A LOCAL NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT PRIME MINISTER YUSHCHENKO\'S DAUGHTER
AND HIS SON IN LAW WERE SHORTLY DETAINED BY THE TRAFFIC POLICE ON THE
NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 7 FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING IN KIEV. ACCORDING TO THE
NEWSPAPER, YUSHCHENKO\'S DRUNKEN SON IN LAW PUNCHED A POLICEMAN.

ON SEPTEMBER 29, THE BABYN YAR MEMORIAL DAY WILL BE HELD IN KIEV. IN
ADDITION TO SEVEN THOUSAND KNOWN NAMES OF OVER 33 THOUSAND JEWS EXECUTED
IN BABYN YAR IN 1941, TWO THOUSAND MORE NAMES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IN AN
ARCHIVE.

THE UKRAINIAN SBU HAS DENIED THAT THERE ARE INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST
CENTERS IN KIEV AND KHARKIV.

ON SEPTEMBER 19, A LOCAL TV CHANNEL REPORTED ABOUT THE MEETING BETWEEN
THE VISITING U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL, U.S. AMBASSADOR PASCUAL
AND THE TAX ADMINISTRATION HEAD AZAROV REGARDING MONEY LAUNDERING.

CRIMEA

THE GOVERNMENT HAS FORGIVEN UNPAID ELECTRICITY BILLS TO THE CRIMEAN
TATAR REPATRIATES, MANY OF WHOM LIVE IN POOR CONDITIONS IN THE NEW TATAR
VILLAGES IN THE CRIMEA.

ODESA

WHILE IN ODESA, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE RADA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE,
UDOVENKO, SAID THAT HUMAN RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED ON A MASSIVE SCALE IN
UKRAINE.

LVIV

ON SEPTEMBER 27 TWO DEFENDANTS HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN JAIL SENTENCES OF
15 AND 13 YEARS FOR MURDERING POPULAR COMPOSER BILOZIR IN LVIV.

B. EXPLOSIONS/ARMS TRADE/CONTRABAND

KIEV

ON SEPTEMBER 12 AFTER POLICE RECEIVED A CALL ABOUT A BOMB IN THE RADA
BUILDING, POLICE EXAMINED THE RADA BUILDING BUT FOUND NO BOMB.

UKRAINE/ITALY

THE RADA COMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE PLANS TO DISCUSS
THE POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN THE ILLEGAL ARMS TRADE OF THE UKRAINIAN
BUSINESSMAN ZHUKOV, WHO IS NOW IN CUSTODY IN ITALY.

KHARKIV OBLAST

ON SEPTEMBER 29 A MERCEDES VAN WAS DETAINED AT THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN
BORDER CARRYING 67 BOXES FILLED WITH PNEUMATIC AMMUNITION AND OVER ONE
THOUSAND PISTOLS. THE ARMS WERE VALUED AT UAH 430,000.

C. GONGADZE UPDATE

KIEV

GONGADZE\'S MOTHER HAS FILED A STATEMENT WITH THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL
OFFICE URGING THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL POTEBENKO TO PROSECUTE PRESIDENT
KUCHMA, PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF LYTVYN AND THE FORMER INTERIOR
MINISTER KRAVCHENKO FOR THE MURDER OF HER SON.

ON SEPTEMBER 15, ABOUT THREE THOUSAND OPPOSITIONISTS HELD A
DEMONSTRATION IN THE CENTER OF KIEV TO MARK THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE
DISAPPEARANCE AND MURDER OF GONGADZE. THEY URGED PRESIDENT KUCHMA TO
RESIGN. A LOCAL TV CHANNEL NOTED THAT THE DIFFERENT OPPOSITION GROUPS
DEMONSTRATED SEPARATELY AND THAT DIFFERENT OPPOSITION GROUPS WILL RUN
SEPARATELY DURING NEXT YEAR\'S ELECTIONS. ON SEPTEMBER 16, THE
OPPOSITION ALSO HELD DEMONSTRATIONS IN LVIV AND CHERKASY.

ACCORDING TO DEPUTY PROSECUTOR GENERAL BAGANETS, THE U.S. FBI AGENTS ARE
EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN UKRAINE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INVESTIGATION INTO
THE GONGADZE CASE. BAGANETS HAS SAID THAT THE THEORIES OF THE MURDER OF
GONGADZE BECAUSE OF HIS PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES, DEBTS OR QUARRELS, HAVE
NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.

D. DEMONSTRATIONS

KIEV

ON SEPTEMBER 6 ON INDEPENDENCE SQUARE IN KIEV TWO OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS
CUT THEIR BELLIES AND PASTED LEAFLETS ON THE INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT WITH
THEIR BLOOD. THESE LEAFLETS CALLED FOR THE END TO THE POLITICAL
OPPRESSION IN UKRAINE. POLICE ARRESTED THEM.

ON SEPTEMBER 9-10, THE OPPOSITION PLANS TO HOLD DEMONSTRATIONS IN
DOWNTOWN KIEV TO DEMAND THE RELEASE OF DETAINED UNA-UNSO ACTIVISTS.

E. REFUGEES

UKRAINE

A LOCAL NEWSPAPER WROTES THAT A NEW WAVE OF AFGHAN REFUGEES IS EXPECTED
IN UKRAINE. A MOSCOW PATRIARCHY OFFICIAL SAYS IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT THE
U.S. WAR ON TERRORISM WILL PRODUCE NO RESULTS.

F. HEALTH

MYKOLYAIV

THE DEFENSE MINISTRY\'S PAPER NARODNA ARMIYA HAS DENIED THAT THE MASS
POISONING OF PEOPLE IN FIVE VILLAGES IN MYKOLAYIV OBLAST MAY HAVE BEEN
CAUSED BY THE LIQUID ROCKET FUEL FROM THE SITE WHERE SOVIET MISSILE
PARTS WERE BURIED. THE MILITARY WILL EXAMINE THE PIT WHERE PARTS ARE
BURIED.

G. MELNYCHENKO TAPES

UKRAINE

ON SEPTEMBER 26 KROLL, AN AMERICAN DETECTIVE AGENCY, HAS CONCLUDED THAT
MAJOR MELNYCHENKO COULD NOT HAVE MADE RECORDINGS OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE
PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE WITH A TAPE RECORDER HIDDEN UNDER THE COUCH. KROLL
WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE RECORDINGS BY A TAPE RECORDER UNDER THE SOFA AND
THEIR RECORDINGS DISPLAYED CLATTER FROM THE NEARBY METAL DETECTOR. MAJOR
MELNYCHENKO\'S TAPES DID NOT CONTAIN THIS NOISE. KROLL HAS CONCLUDED
THAT MAJOR MELNYCHENKO\'S TAPES WERE EDITED AND HAS FOUND THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE THAT PRESIDENT KUCHMA WAS INVOLVED IN THE DISAPPEARANCE AND
MURDER OF GONGADZE. THE LABOR UKRAINE LEADER TIGIPKO HAS SAID THAT THERE
IS NO POINT IN KROLL\'S FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE GONGADZE CASE.

H. CORRUPTION/COURTS

KIEV

ON SEPTEMBER 14 A LOCAL NEWSPAPER CARRIED AN INTERVIEW WITH CHAIRMAN OF
THE SUPREME COURT BOYKO. BOYKO CALLS ON THE RADA TO ADOPT THE LAW TO
ESTABLISH LIMITS ON THE DAMAGES CLAIMED FOR THE ALLEGED LIBEL OR
DEFAMATION OF ONE\'S DIGNITY. THERE WERE 774 ACQUITTALS IN 1999.
JUDGES\' CONTINUE TO BE BIASED IN FAVOR OF PROSECUTION INSTEAD OF
ACQUITTING SUSPECTS FOR LACK OF INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE. JUDGES SEND
EVERY TENTH CRIMINAL CASE BACK TO PROCURACY FOR THE ADDITIONAL
INVESTIGATION. UNDER THE EXISTING LAW ONE CAN SUE THE PROCURACY OR COURT
FOR UNLAWFUL OR PROTRACTED DETENTION FOR DAMAGES. WHEN LACKING
INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE, THE PROCURACY OFTEN DROPS THE CASE \"FOR LACK OF
PROOF OF GUILT\", NOT FOR REHABILITATING REASONS, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO SUE THE PROCURACY FOR DAMAGES AND REDRESS. BOYKO
COMPLAINS OF THE JUDICIARY\'S DEPENDENCE ON THE GOVERNMENT THAT
CONTINUES TO FUND COURTS THROUGH THE JUSTICE MINISTRY. JUDGES ARE ALSO
VULNERABLE TO PRESSURE AND INTIMIDATION BY THE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS.
BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, A LAW REQUIRING SPECIAL POLICE UNITS
DESIGNED TO GUARD AND PROTECT COURTS, JUDGES AND TRIAL PARTICIPANTS HAS
NOT YET BEEN ESTABLISHED.

THE SUPREME COURT CHAIRMAN BOYKO HAS DENIED TYMOSHENKO\'S STATEMENT AT
THE OPPOSITION RALLY THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS REFUTED ALL CHARGES
AGAINST TYMOSHENKO AND LAZARENKO. BOYKO SAID THAT THE SUPREME COURT ONLY
EARLIER RULED THAT TYMOSHENKO\'S ARREST WAS UNLAWFUL.

THE ENTIRE NUMBER OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER IS DEVOTED TO THE TRIAL OF
FELDMAN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF SLOVIANSKY BANK (NOTE: WHICH
REPORTEDLY SERVICED TRANSACTIONS OF TYMOSHENKO\'S COMPANY UNITED ENERGY
SYSTEMS). THE NEWSPAPER CARRIES MAJOR MELNYCHENKO\'S TAPE WHERE
PRESIDENT KUCHMA AND THE TAX ADMINISTRATION HEAD AZAROV DISCUSS HOW TO
TRAP FELDMAN AND RUIN SLOVIANSKY BANK.

U.S. EMBASSY KIEV REGIONAL SECURITY