Two of Putin’s top security officials charged for their involvement in dispersing Maidan protests
Photo: Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and FSB Director Alexandr Bortnikov (RBC-Ukraine collage)
The director of Russia’s FSB, Alexandr Bortnikov, and Russia’s Interior Minister, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, are suspected of being involved in the violent crackdown on the Maidan protests (a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 - ed.), according to the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR).
The DBR noted that, under an agreement between Bortnikov and Kolokoltsev and the then leadership of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Ministry of Internal Affairs, groups of FSB and Russian Interior Ministry officers entered Ukrainian territory. They participated in planning the use of force against protesters and recommended involving additional units of the Berkut special police and internal troops.
"The Russians personally visited central districts of Kyiv, including Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), assessed the situation on site, and subsequently adjusted the plan of forceful actions — the Operational Plan for neutralizing protest actions through violent dispersal of demonstrators,” the SBI clarified.
Following the Russians’ recommendations, an additional command post was set up in Kyiv to manage the operations for dispersing the protests.
Law enforcement also found that Russian representatives supplied Russian grenades to Ukraine, including Dreif-2 hand gas grenades, Zarya-2 and Fakel-S flashbangs, Plamya-M grenades, and hand smoke grenades. These grenades were used by Ukrainian security forces against protesters in January–February 2014.
As a result of the Maidan dispersal on February 18–19, 2014, 13 people were killed, and over 250 were injured.
After the Revolution of Dignity, Russian officials assisted Ukrainian security officers in evading justice, providing them with passports and positions in Russia.
Suspicion against Bortnikov
On May 18, 2024, it became known that the State Bureau of Investigation had notified FSB Director Alexandr Bortnikov and 20 other Russian generals of suspicion.
Law enforcement found that Bortnikov had developed a plan to suppress protests in Ukraine in 2013–2014.
