On 30 December Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Ukraine informed foreign diplomats about ongoing investigation of the assault on Ukrainian journalist Tetyana Chornovil. During the meeting the Head of Ministry’s General investigation Department uncovered preliminary results achieved in this regard.

The Investigation of attack on Tatiana Chornovil is conducted in the framework of two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 2 of Art. 296 (hooliganism) and Part 2 of Article 121 (intentional grievous bodily harm). Five suspected persons were detained. One of them confessed that he had directly inflicted bodily injury to the victim. This testimony was confirmed by an appropriate investigatory experiment.

In the course of the investigation, police experts examined and analyzed video records from nearby road cameras as well the fragments of the DVR video from Tatiana’s car. Obtained information on the time and route of the victim’s and the attackers’ cars is used to check the veracity of the suspects’ testimonies.

Besides that, more than 50 witnesses were questioned. Up to two dozen of expert examinations are scheduled, in particular fingerprint, trace-evidence, cytological, molecular genetic (DNA). Currently processed results of chemical examination proved that the fragments of paint discovered on the Tetyana’s and suspects’ cars are identical. This leads to the conclusion that investigators seized the cars involved into this criminal incident. The investigation also has information on the involvement of another person in the beating.

Main objective of the investigation is to establish the role of each of the defendants in this case as well as potential masterminds of this crime, underlined the MIA representative.

Foreign diplomats thanked for the opportunity to hear the first-hand details of the investigation and urged the MIA leadership to keep this case under particular control.