Moscow responds to ex-Russian leader’s addition to Kiev’s wanted list
The head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Aleksey Bastrykin, has ordered a criminal case launched over the persecution of former President Dmitry Medvedev by Ukraine’s Security Services (SBU).
The order was shared on Monday on the committee’s official Telegram channel with an announcement that a case would be opened against SBU officials over the “unlawful persecution of Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.”
On Monday, the SBU confirmed that Medvedev had been added to its wanted list in March. In his case file on the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs website, the ex-Russian leader is branded a “fugitive from pre-trial investigations” and his date of “disappearance” listed as March 1.
The SBU database also issued warrants in March for Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who is charged with “encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine which led to the death of people or other serious consequences.” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov and hundreds of other Russian officials, including MPs, are also on the list.
Earlier on Monday, Medvedev claimed on his Telegram channel that the current “Nazi political regime” in Kiev will present a “constant, direct and clear threat to Russia,” and called for the “complete dismantling” of the “political regime” in Kiev in order to protect Russia’s people and borders.
His message came after Russia launched a series of missile strikes across Ukraine, targeting key infrastructure in response to the October 8 attack on the Crimean Bridge, which Moscow claims was a terrorist attack carried out by the SBU.
Medvedev commented on Monday’s strikes, claiming they were just the “first episode” and that “there will be others.”
