A UKRAINIAN MILITARY HAS BEEN DETAINED IN ITALY

Vitaly Markiv, a Maidan activist and a Donbass war veteran has been arrested in Italian Bologna. In general 15 policemen were involved in the operation, after the arrest he was taken to the city of Pavia. The Italian posecutor's office suspects Markiv's involvement in the death of Andrea Rocchelli, an Italian journalist photographer who died in near the Donbas in 2014, working in the area of the military conflict near the city of Sloviansk.

We believe that detention and the alleged suspicion are absurd. Investigation into the death of Andrea Rocchelli and his Russian partner Andrey Mironov is being conducted by the Ukrainian prosecution service in cooperation with the law enforcement agencies. Currently it is known that the Italian photographer and his assistant died as a result of artillery fire, which was carried out by the Russia backed terrorists.

The current detention of the Ukrainian military can only be an attempt to find "scapegoat." In addition, the Italian side hasn't allowed the Ukrainian cnsul to the detainee, claiming that mr. Markiv has Italian citizenship. 

Worth nothin that he realy is an Italian citizen. Vitaly Markiv was born in the Ternopil region, in 2003 his family moved to Italy, where he lived till 2013. Shortly ater the beggining of anti-Governmemt protests in Kyiv in the winter of 2013 Vitaly returned to Ukraine and renewed his Ukrainian citizenceship.  

The Pravy Sector Ukrainian nationalist movement express indignation with such unjustified actions against the Ukraine defender. We demand the immediate release of Vitaliy Markiv and an appropriate investigation into the Rocchelli case, since we belive in the innocence of our brother in arms.

We call on the Ukrainian community in Italy to help the prisoner and his family by any means. We also call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine make every effort to release the unfairly charged Ukrainian citizen. Especially, being a veteran of the war, he has undoubtedly deserved to be protect by the state!

the Pravy Sector International Department