The body of a man resembling the deputy of the Horlivka City Council Volodymyr Rybak, kidnapped a few days ago, has been found in Sloviansk, reports Ukrainska Pravda, April 22, citing Gorlovka.ua.
According the Gorlovka.ua news site, the information has been confirmed by the head of the Horlivka office of the Ministry of Interior, Andriy Kryshchenko, who is currently in a hospital (Ed. after being wounded by pro-Russian militants), but who is coordinating the work of law enforcement.
“We received information today from Sloviansk that a body of a man was found that is very similar to the deputy of the Horlivka City Council Volodymyr Rybak, who was kidnapped in Horlivka by unknown persons wearing masks,” Kryshchenko said.
“The body was found on the banks of the Siversky Donetsk river. We will be conducting an investigation, since criminal proceedings have already been opened earlier according to Chapter 2, Article 146, of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “regarding the unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping,” Kryshchenko said.
According to Herman Prystupa, the head of the Horlivka criminal police who had worked with Rybak, the body was difficult to recognize. “But if he had remained in the water for a few more days, then it would have been almost impossible to recognize him, and then only by his DNA. But the body emerged and is recognizable.” he said.
“Most likely, he was killed on April 19. People wanted to hide the evidence of the crime. They were prepared. We’re not talking about some robbers or drug dealers. What they did to an unarmed mad will remain on their conscience,” Prystupa added.
An investigation is being pursued and measures are being taken to determine the persons involved in the murder.
As previously reported, a local resident had appealed to the central municipal district administration of Horlivka claiming that on April 17, 2014, at around 18:00, unknown persons kidnapped the deputy of the Horlivka City Council. Based on this information, criminal proceedings were opened according to Chapter 2, Article 146, of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the witness, he was walking with Rybak on Peremoha avenue when a car stopped near them and unknown individuals came out of the car, pushed the deputy into the car and drove off to an unknown destination. The deputy’s mobile phone has remained inactive since the incident.
It has been established that before his kidnapping, Rybak had attempted to go the city council to remove the flag of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic,” but got into a conflict with representatives of “self-defense” at the entrance to the building.
On April 14, Andriy Kryshchenko was seriously wounded while trying to prevent the separatist militants from seizing the Horlivka City Council building. He remains hospitalized
Source: http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/04/22/7023284/
Translated by Anna Mostovych
