Zhirinovsky faces terrorism charges in Ukraine / Photo from sharij.net

Preparatory hearings on the case against Russia's controversial Liberal leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who is facing charges of sponsoring terrorism in Ukraine, did not take place on January 19.

Press Secretary of Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court Olha Piven said in a comment for UNIAN.

Read alsoUkraine drafting papers to charge Russia's Zhirinovsky with encroachment on Ukraine's territorial integrity

Видео дня

"The defense did not appear there," she said, adding that the meeting failed to take place.

The date of the next meeting will be appointed by the judge.

Case against Zhirinovsky in Ukraine

  • Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court greenlighted a special pretrial probe as part of criminal proceedings against Zhirinovsky and two Russian State Duma members suspected of financing terrorism in Ukraine.
  • According to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, Zhirinovsky created and headed an organized group in Moscow in March-April 2014 with the aim of providing material support to two Russia-controlled terrorist organizations, the "Luhansk People's Republic" ("LPR") and the "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR").
  • The group included certain members of Russia's State Duma and members of the Liberal Democratic Party, in particular, heads and representatives of the party's regional branches, who raised funds from Russian citizens for sponsoring terrorism.
  • In addition, the aforementioned persons concluded an agreement for the "DPR" to use premises in Moscow for their representative activities.