Maidan Cases: Former Commander of Kyiv's Berkut Sentenced in Absentia to 10 Years in Prison for Weapon Destruction

According to Ukrinform, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has declared an in absentia verdict against the former commander of the Kyiv Berkut unit, sentencing him to 10 years in prison for his role in the destruction of weapons that were utilized during the protests on Maidan. Court proceedings confirmed that this individual played a key role in concealing evidence following the tragic events that occurred in Ukraine in 2014.

Prosecutors demonstrated in court that the convicted individual, taking advantage of his official position, organized the removal of weapons from the location of the Berkut unit. According to the prosecution's data, among the confiscated items were 24 AKMS rifles, a Dragunov sniper rifle, three Fort-500 shotguns, and Fort-12 pistols. This weaponry was destroyed by cutting, removing markings, and part of the fragments were submerged in the Vytia River, a tributary of the Dnipro, while another portion was buried on the riverbank.

The investigation established that such actions were aimed at concealing the instruments of crime and preventing their further identification. The court found the former law enforcement officer guilty of exceeding authority and illegally removing markings from firearms. In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, he was ordered to pay nearly 680,000 hryvnias in damages to the state.

The Office of the Prosecutor General noted that this verdict is part of a systematic effort by prosecutors in the Maidan cases. It is important to highlight that separate court proceedings are ongoing against this same individual concerning the shootings of protesters on February 20, 2014, as well as the beating of students on November 30, 2013. Previously, prosecutors had already proven in court the guilt of other individuals involved in the destruction of this weaponry.

In 2023 and 2025, two other perpetrators, including the former commander of Kyiv's Berkut and the deputy head of one of the Ministry of Internal Affairs units, were sentenced in absentia to 10 years of imprisonment. These decisions represent significant steps in the pursuit of accountability for the violence that occurred during the protests.

It is worth recalling that on October 4, 2023, the State Bureau of Investigations completed its investigation into the shootings on Maidan. In addition to Viktor Yanukovych, former Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, head of the Security Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Yakymenko, and Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev are accused of committing crimes against the Maidan protesters.

According to the investigation, former President Yanukovych instructed then-Interior Minister Zakharchenko around 7 a.m. on February 20, 2014, to use firearms against the participants of Maidan. Law enforcement officials concluded that the actions of the former president, the defense minister, and law enforcement leaders led to mass casualties among the participants of the protests in central Kyiv, including the deaths of 67 civilians.

A total of 887 civilians and 132 law enforcement officers were injured. The Office of the Prosecutor General reports that the “Maidan Cases” encompass over 5,000 criminal offenses, with 585 individuals suspected, including 52 high-ranking officials.

In October 2025, the court sentenced the former commander of the Kyiv Berkut regiment to 10 years in prison in absentia and ordered the convicted individual to pay nearly 680,000 hryvnias in damages to the state. In February 2026, employees of the State Bureau of Investigations submitted an indictment to the court regarding the commanders of the Kharkiv and Lviv Berkut battalions and also announced suspicions against the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during Yanukovych's presidency.

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