The Kremlin is well known for pulling former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych out of hiding for its own purposes. Now Ukraine’s leaders have been accused of using Yanukovych as an excuse to push legislation that may have dangerous repercussions for Ukraine’s justice system—while not necessarily bringing Yanukovych and his cronies any closer to justice

Laws passed since Maidan are actively blocking the chances of holding those guilty of crimes against Maidan activists to answer. Most worryingly, the law on trial in absentia, essentially tailored around former President Viktor Yanukovych could result in European Court of Human Rights judgements against Ukraine.

A journalist investigation has highlighted disturbing police and prosecutor links which may explain the baffling downgrading in the charges against Yury Krysin, who took part in the killing of journalist Viacheslav Veremiy during the bloodiest days of Euromaidan in February 2014.

It is three years since Maidan activists Serhiy Nihoyan and Mikhail Zhyznevsky were killed on Hrushevsky St in Kyiv. 21-year-old Serhiy Nihoyan died first, killed by sniper bullets to the head and chest. An hour later it was learned that 25-year-old Mikail Zhyznevsky had also been shot and killed

12 of 23 ex-Berkut officers suspected of gunning down protesters in the last bloody days of Euromaidan have now received Russian citizenship or leave to remain as ‘refugees’. It appears now that 3 other officers on trial over the deaths have been added to the list of people to be handed over in exchange for Ukrainian hostages.

A man who has admitted taking part in the fatal attack on journalist Viacheslav Veremiy in February 2014 has once again been released from custody. This is despite legitimate grounds for believing that if Yury Krysin does not simply go into hiding, he will continue his criminal activities

Three years after the savage dispersal on Nov 30, 2013 of young students on Maidan, none of the Berkut officers directly involved have been convicted, and some are continuing to work in the police. The reason in many cases for the lack of progress lies not in the investigators, but in sabotage by the courts

Ex-president Viktor Yanukovych has finally testified as defence witness in the trial of five former Berkut officers charged with killing activists in February 2014. He claimed to ‘not know’ or ‘not remember’ most vital details about the events during Euromaidan, and even how he came to flee to Russia

Ukraine’s recently appointed Prosecutor General Yury Lutsenko looks set to destroy an investigative body which has finally made progress on investigating crimes linked with Euromaidan, and the families of Maidan victims and lawyers representing them are outraged.

Volodymyr Savytsky has been sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment for the brutal beating of a Euromaidan activist in February 2014.

Anton Zazymko, who is facing serious charges over an attack by Berkut officers on Euromaidan activists, has held onto a renamed, but similar post in a National Police special forces regiment. In a move viewed with anger by lawyers representing Maidan victims, the Kyiv Court of Appeal upheld the original rejection of the application for his suspension

Civic activists and Euromaidan victims’ lawyers have sounded the alarm about a major offensive against Serhiy Horbatyuk and his special investigative department. Several criminal investigations have been initiated against members of the department and Horbatyuk could himself be facing criminal charges for alleged ‘negligence’.

It is hard to find the words to express the sense of betrayal. Are the deaths on Maidan, the persecution, and courage to have no meaning because of a pseudo referendum with questionable motives, arguments taken straight out of the propaganda Russia used to justify its aggression against Ukraine and highly dubious funding?

Roman Zavorotny, who is accused of a key role in arming ‘titushki’ or paid thugs with police machine guns, was released from custody just after midnight on Sunday morning

A Kyiv court has sentenced Azis Tagirov to 4 years imprisonment for his role in an attack on Automaidan activists and an abduction, while Ramil Islamli received the same four years but with a three year term of probation. The two ‘titushki’ were part of a Kharkiv gang led by Tavakul Ragimov, a police officer now in hiding

Attempts by Ukraine’s leaders to imitate decisive actions around the anniversaries of Euromaidan pose a real threat to proper investigation and significantly increase the likelihood of cases collapsing at trial level, or resulting in unwarranted acquittals.

The only trial so far underway of Berkut officers accused of gunning down Maidan protesters in February 2014 is in danger of ending in mistrial, while other investigations are being obstructed in part because the same people responsible for violations during Euromaidan are still now in positions of authority.

On the same day that the Head of the special department investigating Maidan crimes spoke of constant obstruction from current police officers, former Berkut officers and judges, a court has allowed Anatoly Logvinenko, an ex-Berkut officer accused of grave crimes, to remove his electronic bracelet

A second person accused of grave crimes against Euromaidan activists has gone missing after a controversial decision to free him pending trial. Tavakkul Ragimov, a CURRENT police officer, was released from custody in July this year despite objections from the prosecutor and victims’ lawyers

Oleksandr Shcheholev, the former head of the Kyiv SBU [Security Service] has been remanded in custody for two months on charges relating to the killing of Euromaidan activists