Photo from UNIAN, Anastasia Syrotkina
Ukraine law enforcers have pressed high treason charges against Mykola Azarov, the country's former prime minister who led the government during the rule of a disgraced ex-president Viktor Yanukovych,
That's according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Azarov is suspected of having conspired with the then-President Viktor Yanukovych, in breach of the Constitution, in agreeing to extend the stay of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea within the framework of the 2010 Kharkiv Accords.
Read also Zelensky enacts NSDC decision on sanctions against Russian officials, media In April 2010, while on a Russia visit, Azarov "agreed to the conditions imposed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to extend the stay of the Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine for another 25 years under the pretext of receiving a discount on gas."
After that, settled the signing of the agreement between Ukraine and Russia and the adoption of the law on its ratification.
Also, at a closed meeting of the Cabinet, the same month, Azarov ordered that the government adopt the said agreement and submitted it to Viktor Yanukovych for consideration, contrary to the law on international rreaties.
"Such actions by the former prime minister allowed the ex-president on April 21, 2010, to sign in Kharkiv behalf of Ukraine the Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the extension of the Russian Black Sea Fleet's stay on the territory of Ukraine; on April 23, 2010, to introduce a bill on the ratification of the agreement to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as an urgent one; and to the legislative body, in turn, on April 27, 2010, to provide consent to make [the treaty] binding," the Office said.
By his actions, the report notes, Azarov helped Russia execute subversive action against Ukraine, which consisted of interference in its domestic and foreign policies; attempts to reduce Ukraine's economic and defense potential; weaken its defenses; strengthen Ukraine's economic dependence on Russia, including on the supply of Russian energy sources."
Reporting by UNIAN
