Former member of the Ukrainian parliament Ilya Kiva, who fled to Russia after the start of the war, seeking asylum in Moscow, was found dead on Wednesday in the area of ​​the Russian capital, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Meduza.

One of the Russian state news agencies RIA quotes emergency services in its message. The information was first reported by Russian private television REN TV and confirmed by Mash and VChK-OGPU, two prominent Russian news channels on Telegram, citing their own sources.

This has not yet been officially confirmed by the Moscow authorities.

Kiva, known for his pro-Russian position, announced on April 19 last year that he had arrived in Russia and requested political asylum in Moscow, accusing him of persecution by the Ukrainian authorities and of wanting to kill him.

“I officially declare that today in Ukraine the authorities are organizing the mass destruction of the Ukrainian people, violating all norms of law, morality and common sense, committing terrorist attacks against the civilian population, carrying out the physical destruction of unacceptable people, without a trial or investigation,” the ex-People’s Deputy wrote at the time in your Telegram channel.

He also accused the Security Service of Ukraine of filling its basements with “thousands of people subjected to torture and execution” and releasing criminals from prisons “for committing war crimes.”

“In this situation, I inform you that I intend to officially ask for protection and political asylum in Russia,” Ilya Kiva also wrote on his Telegram channel, also accusing Kyiv of wanting to kill him.

Who was Ilya Kiva

Before entering politics, 46-year-old Kyva worked as a teacher and psychologist, headed the Poltava branch of the Right Sector party, and in 2017 joined the Socialist Party of Ukraine, which he led for two years.

In 2019, he unsuccessfully ran for the presidency of Ukraine, but was elected a deputy of the unicameral Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv on the lists of the “Opposition Platform – For Life” party, a political formation founded by Viktor Medvedchuk.

Kiva lost his mandate after the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian parliament impeached him because of his statements in support of the Russian invasion.

On March 6 of last year, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine accused Kiva of violating articles of the Criminal Code on encroachment on the country’s territorial integrity and treason.

Kiva announced that he went to Spain “due to persecution”, and from there to Russia. Ukraine placed him under general arrest on March 16, 2022, and later also charged him with “war propaganda” and inciting a “violent change of power.”

The Ukrainian deputy predicted his death

“The request received by Moscow from the terrorist regime [al președintelui ucrainean Volodimir] The fact that Zelenskyi would hand me over to settle accounts shows only one thing – the desire to kill me,” the former People’s Deputy also wrote in his Telegram account in April of last year.

“Today, all attempts to kidnap me have failed, and I am taking an unprecedented step. They demand my extradition in connection with the need to carry out “investigative actions” under the article on high treason,” he added.

He stated that Kyiv is investigating him for treason for publicly congratulating “President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on his birthday.”

Ukraine’s Security Council banned pro-Russian parties on March 20, 2022, less than a month after the start of the Russian invasion.

Follow the latest events of the 651st day of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HOTNEWS.RO.