Ukrainian deputy Volodymyr Rybak, a member of interim President Oleksandr Turchynov’s Batkivshchyna Party, was found murdered with signs of immense torture all over his body in Sloviansk. The city in Donetsk Oblast has had many disturbances, including pro-Russian forces kidnapping journalists.
This caused Turchynov to restart the anti-terrorist operation in east Ukraine.
“These crimes are being carried out with the full support and indulgence of the Russian Federation,” he said. “I call on the security agencies to relaunch and carry out effective anti-terrorist measures, with the aim of protecting Ukrainian citizens living in eastern Ukraine from terrorists.”
In a statement from regional headquarters in Donetsk, police said the body of a man who died a violent death had been found in the Seversky-Donets river and that it resembled Rybak, a local councillor in the town of Horlivka, near Donetsk.
According to the locals and the media, Rybek was abducted last Wednesday. Police said more work will need to be done to give a positive identity. Another man was found with him, but no identification was released.
The US, European Union, Russia, and Ukraine agreed to work together to stop pro-Russian forces in east Ukraine. Turchynov announced the suspension of the anti-terrorist operation for the Easter weekend, but it was broken when a shootout occurred at a checkpoint outside of Sloviansk on Saturday. The details are murky and no one can agree on a body count. Ukraine and Russia point fingers at each other for responsibility.
Then, on Sunday, these pro-Russian forces kidnapped Ukrainian journalist Irma Krat on suspicions of torturing pro-Russian militiamen. It was also reported on Tuesday American journalist Simon Ostrovsky was allegedly kidnapped.