The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on Monday commented on the death of former Ukrainian deputy Ilya Kyva, who was found dead in the suburbs of Moscow last week after he fled to Russia to obtain political asylum, Lenta reports.

In its Telegram channel, the Security Service of Ukraine noted that it is conducting many successful operations that bring “deserved punishment to war criminals and enemies of Ukraine.”

“[Directorul SBU Vasil] Malyuk repeatedly emphasized that the enemies of Ukraine will definitely be responsible for their crimes: both before God and before the Ukrainian people – legally and morally. The situation with the liquidation of Ilya Kiva only confirms these words,” the message reads.

Last Wednesday, Russian mass media reported that former Kyiv deputy Malyuk, known for his pro-Russian position, was found dead in the Moscow region. Russian media later reported that he was shot in the chest and then killed with a bullet to the head.

On April 19 last year, Kyva announced that he had arrived in Russia and requested political asylum in Moscow, accusing him of being persecuted by the Ukrainian authorities and that they wanted to kill him.

The former Ukrainian people’s deputy accused the Kyiv authorities 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.

Kyva was elected a deputy of the unicameral Verkhovna Rada on the lists of the “Opposition Platform – For Life” party, a political formation founded by Viktor Medvedchuk, who is called the “dark prince” of Ukrainian politics.

Medvedchuk, whom Ukraine traded to the Russians for its heroes at “Azovstal”, after Kyva’s death said that by killing him, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “once again” proved that he is a “terrorist”.

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