The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has classified the investigation into the failed March 2014 operation to protect the Crimea
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine will not disclose details regarding the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Ukrainian operation planned in 2014 to prevent or obstruct the "seizure by the Russian military" of the steppe portion of the Crimea. This follows from the Office of the Prosecutor General's (GPO) response to the request of Ukrainska Pravda.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has classified the investigation of the failed military landing in the Crimea in March 2014.
In response to a request to report on the results of the verification of documents located in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the period from February 24 to March 10, 2014, and to indicate whether officials or former officials were questioned in this case, the Prosecutor's Office has replied only that it has carried out a pre-trial inquiry into criminal proceedings beginning March 1, 2014 regarding the "aggression" of the Russian Federation.
The proceedings deal with evidence of the planning, preparing and conducting of an "aggressive war" against Ukraine by representatives of the authorities and Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which led to the "occupation" of the territory of the Crimean peninsula and "other grave consequences".
At the same time, the Prosecutor's Office notes that the specified proceedings, among other things, include an investigation into the actions of officials of the security and defense sector of Ukraine regarding the counteraction to the military aggression of the Russian Federation in the territory of the Crimean peninsula in February-March 2014.
"The pre-trial investigation is currently ongoing; investigative actions are being carried out," the document says.
"Other requested information includes details pertaining to the pre-trial investigation as well as information of a restricted nature, and cannot currently be disclosed," the Prosecutor's Office said.
Thus, the GPO did not respond as to whether the identity of the official who stopped the special operation has been established.
On April 10, the Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Viktor Muzhenko, stated in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda that before the referendum in the Crimea in 2014, the authorities had planned to send an amphibious group to the peninsula. According to him, the Chief of the General Staff at the time, Mikhail Kutsin, signed relevant orders. However, after attending a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) led by Turchynov (who was the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and acting president at the time), they refused to conduct the operation.
After the publication of this information, the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office began an investigation into the circumstances of the operation, which was planned during the events in the Crimea.