NATIONALISTS AGAINST THE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS - CLASHES IN THE SVYATOSHINSKY DISTRICT OF KYIV

On September 7 new clashes took place at the Svyatoshino district of Kyiv between the police and locals supported by activists of the Azov Civic Corps, who oppose the illegal construction of a rise building at the Svjatoshynskyi lane 2.

In the night of September 7 several dozens of local residents and activists of the Kyiv branch of the Azov Civic Corps once again started to storm the construction site, demanding to stop the works.

The story behind the conflict around the illegal construction at the Svjatoshynskyi lane 2 has lasted since 2014, when the Kyiv city concuil has has decided to transfer the land plot to the Kiyvmiskbud building company for the construction and operation of a dwelling house with built-in non-residential premises. It seems that everything is good on the first glance, but there is one but - in September 2009 the Kyiv city council banned the previous owner of the land - the  Complex building company to build high-rises in this sector due to its geological features. The residents of neighbouring houses claim that the erection of the living block could cause a catastrophe and ruin the neighbouring buildings because of the soil features. They believe, that all work must be stopped at the construction site since the building company has received the permission in illegal way. In their protest local residents have been supported by activists of Kyiv's civic organisations (including the nationalist movement), who have stormed the site for many times as well as protected the protesting locals from thugs (titushki), hired to intimidate and disperse the protesters. First mass scrimmage between the activists and "titushki" at the construction site took place in February. Plot of land in Svjatoshynskyi lane 2 has been allocated for the construction in 1992; in 1998 the authorities promised to build there a kindergarten, however it hasn't been done till now.

Shortly after the clashes began the police and the National Guard special task forces arrived to the place. As the whitneses reported bricks and stones were thrown from both sides of the fence that separated the activists from the so-called "titushki" (thugs, hired by the representatives of the house building company to guard the construction site). The activists also attacked the illegal site with firecracker explosions. The scrimmage came down close to the midnight and the activists started to demolish the construction site elements. Later the Azov movement representatives reported that 30 activists have been wounded in the scrimmage. 

Next morning the Azov activists they brought elements of the illegal construction site to the Kyivmiskbud company office and blocked it demanding to stop construction works at the Svjatoshynskyi lane 2, however, they were attacked by the police. Serhiy Filimonov, the head of the Kyiv branch of the Azov Civic Corps, veteran of the war in Donbass has been arrested during the clashes with the law enforcement.

A court hearing on the case of the arrested activist will be held today at the Pechersk court of Kyiv. Currently, few dozens of activists of Kyiv's patriotic organisations have gathered near the court demanding to free Serhiy Filimonov. The court session has been attended by the Ukrainian MPs Andriy Biletsky and Oleg Petrenko, who offered to take the detained activist to bail, taking into account the insignificance of evidences against Filimonov provided by the prosecutor, or rather their complete absence.

Update for 3 pm at Kyiv: The prosecutor's request on applying of a preventive measure of 60 days detention against the activist was denied. The court's decision was to apply a preventive measure of taking the detainee to bail! Serhiy Filimonov has been liberated!