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Observers Cry Foul Over Kyiv's Release of Key Witness in Flight MH17 Probe

Nataliya Leonova

   This story originated in [1]VOA's Ukrainian service. Some information
   is from AP.

   Some Western observers are criticizing a Ukrainian court's decision
   Thursday to release Volodymyr Tsemakh, a "person of interest" in the
   downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) five years ago.

   The decision, handed down by the Kyiv Court of Appeal, comes amid talks
   between Moscow and Kyiv on a prisoner swap that unconfirmed reports
   have said includes Tsemakh, a Ukrainian citizen who reportedly oversaw
   an anti-aircraft unit among Russia-backed rebels stationed near the
   commercial airliner's crash site in separatist-controlled eastern
   Ukraine.

   Shortly after reports of Tsemakh's release circulated, Russian
   President Vladimir Putin told reporters gathered at the Eastern
   Economic Forum in Vladivostok that he believes the swap is imminent and
   will be "rather large-scale, and a good step forward toward
   normalization [of relations with Ukraine]."

   In the swap, which is largely viewed as a pre-condition to
   quadrilateral "Normandy format" peace talks tentatively scheduled for
   later this month, Kyiv is seeking the return of 24 sailors detained by
   Russia last year off annexed Crimea, as well as filmmaker Oleg Sentsov
   and others, whom rights groups and the government in Kyiv say are
   "political prisoners" in Russia.

   Moscow is seeking the release of Kirill Vyshinsky, head of Russia's
   state-run news agency RIA Novosti's office in Ukraine, along with
   numerous separatist fighters and Russian service members whom, the
   Kremlin has long maintained, voluntarily fought alongside them.
   

References

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