Group of people who planned to take over Verkhovna Rada detained in Kyiv

The investigators established that a group of people conspired to hold a so-called veche (assembly) in Kyiv on June 30, in which they wanted to involve public organizations and the public under the pretext of a public event.

During this event, the participants were supposed to "elect the interim government" of Ukraine, seize the building of the Verkhovna Rada, block its work and "remove the state leadership from performing their duties." At the same time, the conspirators did not tell the participants of the event about their violent plans.

If the representatives of the authorities did not fulfill their demands for the handover of power, the conspirators were supposed to seize the legislature, law enforcement officers say.

The SBU learned that the group was headed by the co-founder of a public organization known for its anti-Ukrainian actions since 2015. He rented a hall in Kyiv for 2,000 people, and also looked for military personnel and armed guards of private structures to implement a forceful seizure of power.

In addition, the man involved accomplices from Kyiv and Dnipro who tried to recruit the head of a public organization from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, but he refused due to the illegality of the plan. For the conspiracy, the conspirators communicated with each other in different messengers and met only in small groups of three people.

The law enforcement officers exposed the accomplices and searched their residences. Weapons, ammunition, as well as mobile phones, computer equipment and draft records with evidence of criminal activities were found there.

Detainees were indicted over actions and calls for actions aimed at violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power (Parts 1, 2, 3 of Article 109 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

They have already been remanded in custody. The defendants face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.