Pre-Trial Investigation Into Vyshinsky's Case Completed

14:01 GMT, 25 September 2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The pre-trial investigation into the criminal case against RIA Novosti Ukraine portal head Kirill Vyshinsky has been completed, the materials related to the case are being prepared for trial, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said on Tuesday.

Sputnik

"As of today, we can say that the investigation against him has been completed. The materials are being prepared for trial," SBU Deputy Head Viktor Kononenko said, as quoted by the Ukrayinski Novyny news agency.

The official noted that the SBU had a number of questions to other individuals involved in the case, noting that they would be "necessarily notified of suspicion."

Addressing the case earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the journalist's arrest, saying it was politically motivated. He added that Ukrainian authorities demonstrated an unprecedented and unacceptable policy of Ukrainian authorities targeting journalists, who were doing their jobs.

Ukraine's Detention of Vyshinsky Political Act, Violates Int'l Law - Journalist

24 August 2018, 09:00 GMT

On May 15, the SBU broke into the office of the RIA Novosti Ukraine portal in Kiev and detained Vyshinsky on suspicion of supporting the self-proclaimed people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as treason. On May 17, the court in Kherson ruled that Vyshinsky should be arrested for 60 days without bail, however, the arrest was prolonged for two months until September 13 and later shortened to September 8.