European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn expressed his condolences to Ukraine over the death of the Acting Head of the Executive Committee of Kherson City Council, Adviser to Kherson’s Mayor, and public activist Kateryna Handziuk
"Very saddened by the news of the passing of the incredibly brave Kateryna Handziuk. Attacks against civil society activists are unacceptable. The perpetrators of this vicious crime must be brought to justice. My thoughts are with her family and friends," he said on Twitter.
Very saddened by the news of the passing of the incredibly brave Kateryna #Handziuk. Attacks against #civilsociety activists are unacceptable. The perpetrators of this vicious crime must be brought to justice. My thoughts are with her family and friends. #Ukraine
— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) 4 листопада 2018 р.
Earlier, post about the death of Kateryna Handziuk, Adviser of Kherson's Mayor, appeared in social media. According to preliminary information, the death was caused by thrombus detachment.
Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraine's Prosecutor General, took the case under his own control. He reported that the attack on the adviser was a part of the plan to destabilize the situation in the south of Ukraine. Later the investigation was transferred to the central office of the Security Service.
Suspected in the attack was detained on August 3. His name is Mykola Novikov, previously detained for robbing and illegal weapons handling. He is a member of one of the criminal organizations in the Kherson region. According to MP from National Front Anton Herashchenko, obviously, the detainee was fulfilling someone's order. Whereas, Herashchenko added that they know roughly who was the proponent.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko confirmed the death of Acting Head of the Executive Committee of Kherson City Council, Adviser of Kherson’s Mayor and public activist Kateryna Handziuk and required of the law enforcement bodies to punish her murderers. He claimed this at the opening ceremony of Ukrainian community Ukrainian family in Antalya.
