Former head of Kyiv's Berkut riot police sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison

Prosecutors did not name the defendant, but case details point to Serhiy Kusiuk.

Investigators say the commander, abusing his position, organized the destruction of weapons and official documents crucial to probing the protester shootings.

From the unit's base, the following were removed and destroyed:

• 24 AKMS assault rifles;
• a Dragunov sniper rifle;
• Fort-500 and Fort-12 shotguns.

The weapons were cut up, markings removed and hidden in the Vita River area to prevent identification and linkage to the killings.

The ex-official also seized unit documents that later vanished, significantly hindering identification of specific perpetrators.

The court found him guilty and imposed the 10-year term, plus nearly 680,000 hryvnias ($16,195) in damages to the state.

The verdict was issued in absentia as the defendant is in hiding.

In 2023, an accomplice who directly destroyed the weapons was sentenced to 10 years under similar circumstances.