2019-09-19T18:28:00+03:00 Politics 2024-09-15T10:22:49+03:00

Ukrainian news

Police Decide Not To Charge Belko With Planning Terrorist Attack For Threatening To Blow Up Kyiv Metro Bridge,

Police Decide Not To Charge Belko With Planning Terrorist Attack For Threatening To Blow Up Kyiv Metro Bridge, Charge Him With Hooliganism

The police have decided not to serve former soldier Oleksii Belko, who threatened to blow up the Metro Bridge in Kyiv, with notification of suspicion of planning a terrorist attack and instead served him with notification of suspicion of hooliganism.

Kyiv Police Chief Andrii Kryschenko announced this at a press briefing, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"He will not be charged with planning a terrorist attack," he said.

According to him, Belko will only be served with notification of suspicion of hooliganism and bomb hoax.

Kryschenko said that investigators have interrogated Belko and that his home has been searched.

"Searches have been conducted, but nothing was found. I mean [nothing] criminal," he said.

Kryschenko added that the weapon that was confiscated from Belko was registered and that no explosives were found on him.

Minister for Veterans Affairs Oksana Havryliuk has said that Belko, who is a veteran of Ukraine’s anti-terrorist operation (ATO), regretted his actions.

According to her, Belko had no intention of blowing up the bridge.

The minister said that Belko’s actions were prompted by problems in his private life and, possibly, psychological problems.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Interior Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov has offered to stand surety for Belko.