KYIV (FNI) — Ukrainian journalist Roman Revedzhuk in an exclusive interview with Front News International told about Alexander Kostenok"s involvement in his beating during the "Revolution of Dignity", about the involvement of Ukrainian ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova in the Russian special services, in particular the FSB and how she, together with the Minister of Internal Affairs were framed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Roman Revedzhuk is a journalist, in 2013 he returned to Ukraine for the "Revolution of Dignity", where he commented on the events for the European media. Conducted an investigation to raise funds on the Maidan. Being the head of the "press center in the KSCA" during the "Maidan" he caught in the unfairness and theft of state property the commandant"s office of the KSCA and some party representatives.
At the moment, the editor-in-chief of the print and Internet publication Social and Political Newspaper "Kyiv With Pepper". Co-founder and Chairman of the Board "FIRST UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENT MEDIA PLATFORM", whose goal is to rehabilitate the media and carry out reform in the field of journalism.
FRONT NEWS INTERNATIONAL — In 2014, you exposed Alexander Kostenko and Stanislav Krasnov in looting. In May 2014 they were detained by the SBU on charges of terrorism, however, then the case was transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. So far there are no results of the investigation. Tell me please, where did the active social activity of the current "hero" Kostenka begin and how did his personality heroize for the citizens of Ukraine?
ROMAN REVEDZHUK — It all started with shooting at KCSA. One day they called me and told me that there were gunshots in the city administration. I hurried there, however, at the time of arrival I was surprised, because the commandant Anatoly was not there. There were two people. One called himself "Sasha the Krimsky", and the second — Stas. There was also a third guy, but I no longer remember his name. In fact, there were 3 people who self-proclaimed themselves commandant of the Maidan. They assured that they are against the "Freedom" party and in general against all parties. They said that they came from the people and no one will manage them, and all will only be able to carry out their orders. However, they were armed, so it was difficult not to obey. I turned around and left, because I realized that I could not change anything. Even if I had any question for them, i understood that i would be perceived aggressively.
FNI — What were they heading before they became commandants?
RR — I do not know. I did not see them at all. They appeared on Maidan only in the early days of March.
FNI — During the Revolution of Virtue, did they represent the interests of any party?
RR — No, they on the contrary said that they are apolitical, and with them is only the organization "Narnia", and they are a patriotic-civilian corps. For another 2-3 days I watched their activities. The events changed so quickly that only few people could orient themselves in any circumstances.
FNI — Why did not the leaders of the Maidan react to this, for example, tyahnybok or the same Poroshenko?
RR — It"s hard to say that they were the leaders of the Maidan. I"m not ready to say that Poroshenko was at that time a functionary of the Maidan. And how could Tyagnibok react at all to them, if later it turned out that they were assistants of Eduard Leonov, a Crimean deputy from "Freedom". I suppose that he is not just a deputy, but was the main curator of the Crimean peninsula from Russian special services. There are a lot of interesting personalities and events in the Freedom party. We can remember the undermining under the Verkhovna Rada and in general, if we delve into the confusion of Leonov himself, then there is much that can be found. If you look at how he is defending Kostenko now, after all, he was the one who brought in the bail after they were detained and still continue to defend, so here the story has many ambiguities, the answers to which can only be given by Leonov himself with the help of a lie detector. I am ready to ask him many questions. Well, in fact, the then commandant"s office. Later in the press center we agreed to gather together, talk with the new "leadership", decide how we will work in the future, as information for the day the press service receives a lot, and information support is needed. At that time I organized a large plasma so that people could see the news and not to keep them in an information vacuum. I considered using my journalistic skills and experience that people could receive news of their task and civic duty. I went to these commandants, we talked, they said that they have nothing to do with my duties, because they are engaged in protection. However, I told them that I am against any sorts of money gathering. Then they began to bring some lists, began to write down people somewhere, for the alleged entry into some party. So from the moment of acquaintance and normal communication — there was no more normal communication.
FNI — How did it all start? Your beating, robbery ...
RR — That"s what I"m talking about and was the beginning of this incident. That I came and made comments, said concrete things, that I did not like all this, that it is not right, that this is a violation of absolutely all human norms. In response, they only said that we are on the Revolution. I explained to them that you are in charge of the commandant"s office, that you are in principle responsible for what is happening.
FNI — The reason for the beating was only your remarks about the work of the commandant"s office or was there something else?
RR — No, it"s not all. The reason for my beating was that I started checking on the Maidan and the KSCA. I began to follow the boxes for raising funds. Some of them were generally unprinted. And at that moment I turned to my friend, who at one time worked on the "New Channel". I told him all the details, because it"s easy to walk when I was threatened through those boxes with the words: "we"ll find you somewhere and you"ll get yours" I could not. He told his acquaintances who had conducted the "Paragraph" program and proposed to remove the investigation on this topic. Then the editorial staff contacted me, the journalist arrived, together they raided, filmed the plot. During the raid, we caught a guy who with a chest full of money ran away from us, we followed him, but he ran away. The first story was released. Later came the journalists of "Gromadskoe TV", they did stream there. In the interview, I called on all people not to bring money to the Maidan. I said that if you want to somehow help, then bring things and food. And this will be enough. After all, the Maidan does not need funds. There is no need to buy weapons and pay for security, because all who are here are volunteers. This was the first outrage, they approached me and said that "how dare you, what right do you have to say this", etc. As I saw later in the photos, they were people from Freedom.
FNI — At that time you was already threatened?
RR — Well, at first it was democratic. There were no direct threats, but it was said that every thing said has consequences. They "probed" me from all sides. But I was always among people, so it was difficult for me to catch something somewhere. When the story came out, I downloaded it on an electronic medium. Every day collected news and showed people that they were oriented in the information space. We even took European news, voiced them and all showed on a big plasma in front of people. Such a system lasted about one week. And one day I turned on this story. All those who lived in KCSA saw this video and were in complete shock. They did not understand that this was happening in the commandant"s office, they were surprised how it could be. Then about 30 people got up and went to the commandant"s office to find out where all the money had disappeared.
When we got there, there was not a single person there, they all disappeared somewhere for a while. I think they were just warned and they disappeared. Well, after that it all began.
On March 6 in the evening I had already collected all the information, I had compromising evidence on certain people, but now there is no point in talking about it, because then everything was destroyed when I was beaten. It was very late, I was left alone. I left the KCSA, where a taxi was already waiting. I had to go, but remembered that I forgot the USB flash drive on the desk and came back to pick it up. When I was leaving the room, at the entrance, I saw people, 7 people probably holding bags in their hands, boxes from the system blocks. I asked them what they were doing. To which they replied that it was an order from the commandant"s office. And suddenly Alexander Kostenko appears to me. I ask him, what are they doing here? He replied that these were his personal belongings and at one point two people pushed me aside and everyone left. Well, could I do one against seven or eight men? Well, nothing, it"s understandable. I go out after them, I start to follow exactly where they are going. Immediately contacted the Avtodozor — Maidan"s auto patrol and asked for help, said that the commandant had committed the theft, taking things out of the KCSA. And at one moment three more people ran by, who directly in their hands had Kalashnikov assault rifles and a big bag. Kostenko, along with these three guys, got into the car and disappeared. Avtodozor managed to catch only those who stole documents and system blocks. They seized weapons, ammunition, etc. from them. After that they were returned to the KSCA and they invited the commandant"s office from Parubia to sort it all out. I immediately called the journalists, told about this situation. Then he went to the KSCA, people began to look at me, began to throw in my direction phrases that "i will understand, what I have done." Realizing that the situation is not the best, I went out again to the street and went to the tent of the "Iron Hundred", where I was offered additional security. The next day we agreed with some journalists to write down stories about everything that happened at night.
After that people broke into the tent, which we had recently detained. My hands were bent, they hit my face. they began beating me, there were about 30 people. They made a corridor in the KCSA and led right through this corridor, shouting that I was "a provoker, a spy."
FNI — Was Kostenko among these people?
RR — No, Kostenko was not among them. I recently learned that this was an indication of Kostenko. I was then taken to the KSCA, to the elevator shaft, they tore my jacket on me, they took all the documents and telephones away. One phone was smashed on the stairs. Then they took me to the second floor and brought me to the commandant"s office. At first, various incomprehensible charges were brought against me, but in fact I was put on a chair, tied with my hands and feet to a chair and they began to scoff. They took electronic media from me, watched the story about chests for fundraising and simultaneously put seals on the body and poured water. Twisted my Ears, and said that they would cut them off. It was a brutal mockery. These people were shouting things that are hard to understand. One shouted that he would kill me or cut me. Then they began to beat me on the chest and shoulders. I fainted, then I was doused with water and beaten again. One shouted that I had to be brought to the main stage on my knees, so that I could confess to incomprehensible accusations. But people knew me, they knew everything, so they would not believe it. They also understood this, and there were no false witnesses among the real Maidanovites. One strong guy hit me in the left temple and after that hit I did not remember anything. I asked them to stop bullying. Then they took me to the basement toilet, turned off the light and beat me until I stopped showing any signs of movement. Again, poured water, I came to myself and got beaten again. After that, the third commandant came to me, we talked more or less, he brought me my silver chain with a cross and gave me the journalist"s certificate. Nothing else was given to me.
FNI — What do you think, in whose interests does Kostenko work?
RR — Now this whole situation has acquired a completely different reality. The thirst for profit was "burned" by the same Kostenko. They stole medals, documents, many valuable things belonging to the KSCA. They worked for Eduard Leonov, who, according to my assumptions, worked for the special services of the Russian Federation. I think that these people "traced of". Facts on the face. Who can work for such people in Kyiv, on the Maidan? The same obvious things. I have information that after the detention of Kostenko and Krasnov, Kostenko used one of my LG phones with three SIM cards. Also, they seized a lot of documents, among them were mine, which I had previously taken away. Interestingly, I had a birth certificate with me, and it is among the documents described when detaining the SBU. Also, I already wrote on my facebook that I got information through my channels, that specific people were installed on the fact of my beating and this information is available to the SBU. The criminal case, which was initiated by my application, did not even move from 2014, and I was never questioned as a witness, neither by the police nor by the Security Service. I think that in the SBU some people merge information to the pro-Russian blogger for his publications about Kostenko. And after all that happens, I start to think what my security perspective is, because I"m practically the only one who does not keep silent about these things. Amazing is the fact that Kostenko is already a "hero" for us all.
FNI — Who then made him a "hero" for us?
RR — For three days a man put into his head the theses of the heroization of Alexander Kostenko. This person today is a statesman, a person who has access to state secrets, the Ukrainian ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova. However, I want to look deeper into this whole story. In the near future, presidential elections will be held in Ukraine and political opposition gets its wide activity. One of the key roles here is also played by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov. My opinion is that Avakov through Denisoav was politically substituted by Poroshenko. After Denisova was appointed ombudsman, she had a good chance to arrange a PR on Sentsov"s name. We did not have time to understand who she was and from where. She herself from the Crimea, held positions under Yanukovych and did not even fall under lustration. The Russian Federation worked out a successful special operation, which attracted, to my deep conviction, its agent Lyudmila Denisova. Who took advantage of the fact that all were on summer vacation and brought here Kostenko. And the desire of the Minister of Internal Affairs Avakov to remain in power coincided with the conduct of a special operation by Russian special services, and he was used as a "useful idiot" in sabotage activities against information security of Ukraine.
They mocked the president. There are a lot of witnesses who are ready to go to testify against these people. How can it be that a terrorist becomes a hero, and a witness who detained a terrorist is in danger? We do not know what these people breathe. If Kostenko already has in the background the information that he is being ordered to kill, then I think that in the near future terrible things can happen. In fact, the story is rather strange. If you read the autobiography of Denisova, you can find out that she was born in Russia, she worked in Russia, in the Crimea. It"s getting weird.
FNI — And then what was the role of Stanislav Krasnov?
RR — We forgot about Stanislav Krasnov, who later lingered in Ukraine on suspicion of terrorism. And it turns out that in the office of Denisova there is a former lawyer Stanislav Krasnov — Andrei Mamaliga, besides her deputy. During the time of protection of Mamaliga Krasnov, they became so related that Mamaliga took Krasnov"s wife to the press service of Denisova.
I am deeply convinced that this person was born in Russia, and lives in Russia. I think that Denisova needs to be congratulated on receiving the "People"s Hero of Russia" award, as she brought Kostenko from Russia, who looted on the Maidan. I have an assumption that they were implicated in the shootings on the Maidan, after all, so much time has passed, and there are no results. In fact, we have the fact that Sentsov is in prison, and Kostenko was fired. I think that he had no prisons either. If we recall what kind of PR campaign the "Inter" TV channel was promoting for Kostenko, as a political prisoner, one can see the usual theatrical resolution.
FNI — Perhaps the political future for Alexander Kostenko in Ukraine?
RR — At us in the country all events occur so incomprehensibly and unpredictably that it is possible to expect absolutely different things. I would not be surprised if tomorrow he appears on the list of any political party, but I believe that Ukrainian society should give its assessments and stand on the side of justice. This person must answer before the Ukrainian law for his activities and should be punished. I wrote letters to the SBU, but I did not receive any reply. Now I am preparing appeals again, including European organizations.
FNI — Have you applied to the court as a victim?
RR — I never treated suits like a victim of the Revolution, because it was my choice. My choice is to become a functionary of the "Revolution of Virtue". I want to be recognized as a victim in a particular case by Kostenko. I suffered from the hands of these scoundrels, I lost my health. These are serious things, and law enforcement bodies should attract me as a witness. Now I understand that this situation has found an incomprehensible side for me, so I give a testimony on this case publicly. It seems strange to me when a person is brought to Russia from Russia, but the SBU does not check it in any way and does not report it to the president. And then Petro Poroshenko greets this man, who was detained four years ago on suspicion of terrorism. I think that the head of our state must make the right decision, and the perpetrators must be punished.
FNI — Do not you think that President Poroshenko covers all these criminals?
RR — Agreements can be different, but I do not think that the president is interested in covering any criminals in general. However, I do not sit in his head and do not know the course of his thoughts. There is an absurd situation when he congratulated a person who is a threat to Ukrainian society. An interesting point is that in 2014 Alexander Kostenko was still wanted, but now this information is not available on the SBU website. In 2014, he escaped. The fact that he said that he was kidnapped is a complete nonsense, because a pledge was made for him, after which he voluntarily received a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Whatever stories are invented, there are many different facts, for example the fact that the criminal was covered, that President Poroshenko was framed, and Russia conducted a successful special operation using the Ukrainian ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova. And among us is a dangerous criminal, for whom the Ombudsman publicly made him think that he was a hero. It is a pity that people who gave their health for the country are on earnings, or at the front. And nobody gives them an apartment, 100 thousand UAH of compensation and nobody remembers them in any way. Here is an absurd situation. I hope for the reaction of the president. More than a week has passed and everyone is silent. And what are we waiting for? To this criminal to cripple someone or kill? And the fact that he does it no one even does not know, because he is now a "hero".
If the criminal proceedings did not move from there, then I doubt that it would have moved even if I had been killed. I want to live in this country calmly, I respect the president of Ukraine, but I can not believe that the president whom I trust despises me, as well as the society based on the established. I hope that he will hear me and say: "Stop, I did not know." Therefore, we can not risk society at any level, when we bring a criminal and we are forced to recognize him as a "hero". I do not want to doubt whether I did the right thing, that I stayed in Ukraine and spent my time building my country. I believe that the president will hear me and take a step towards society.
Ivan Rosada, FNI
