MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Yury Grabovski, a lawyer of Russian nationals Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov prosecuted by the Ukrainian authorities, disappeared on March 9. His body was found in the central Ukrainian woods with a gunshot wound on March 25.
"Our citizens’ lawyer has been practically tortured on live television, then he was killed. No one has any doubt – this was broadcast – that he was killed because he defended people under investigation in Ukraine’s judicial proceedings," Lavrov told reporters.
Russia has repeatedly denied it was supplying the militia with equipment or recruits, an assertion Lavrov reiterated in the example of Alexandrov and Yerofeyev, who he said "have long served in the Russian Armed Forces, then quit and went to fight in the ranks of the militia."
Speaking to reporters after talks with Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, Lavrov added that "threats have been heard addressing another lawyer defending these citizens."
Moscow has demanded that Kiev releases the two prisoners, now under the representation of Valentin Rybin.
