The United States has called on the Ukrainian authorities to bring the perpetrators of Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk's murder to justice.
"On behalf of the U.S. Government and the American people, I offer my condolences and deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Kateryna Handziuk. We again call for Ukrainian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, including those who ordered the attack," the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv wrote on Twitter, citing U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch as saying.
Amb Y: on behalf of the U.S. Government and the American people, I offer my condolences and deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Kateryna #Handziuk. We again call for Ukrainian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, including those who ordered the attack.
— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) November 4, 2018
As UNIAN reported earlier, Kherson activist, adviser to the Mayor of Kherson and acting manager of affairs at Kherson City Council's executive committee Kateryna Handziuk on July 31 survived an act of acid throwing. Handziuk's injury was over 30% of the total body surface area, and doctors assessed her condition as serious.
She was transferred to a Kyiv hospital, where died on November 4 after long treatment. She reportedly died of a blood clot.
Police originally qualified the attack on the official as an attempted murder committed with extreme cruelty, then its status was changed to completed murder.
Six suspects were detained, one of whom, Mykola Novikov, was later released from custody as charges against him were dropped.
Three suspects – Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, Volodymyr Vasyanovych, and Viktor Horbunov – are now under house arrest.
The alleged organizer of the assassination, Serhiy Torbin, remains in custody. His arrest has recently been extended until December 3.
Mykyta Hrabchuk is also under arrest.
