The commander of the Crimean Berkut asked Putin: “has Yanukovych always been such a weakling and a traitor?”
Moscow - Kyiv, April 17 (Navigator, Mikhail Ryabov) - Viktor Yanukovych admitted that he “did not raise his hand” to sign the decree on the forceful dispersal of the Maidan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about this on television, answering a question asked by the commander of the Crimean Berkut, Sergei Abisov: “You have been communicating with Yanukovych for a long time. Has he always been such a weakling and a traitor?
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“In Russia there is an expression: “You are heavy with Monomakh’s hat.” The burden of responsibility is very large and heavy. At critical moments, a person is guided by life experience and value guidelines. Viktor Fedorovich performed his duty as he considered possible and necessary. I spoke with him several times, including about the possibility of using force. The essence of his answer was that, as he told me, he had repeatedly thought about the need to use force. But the hand did not rise to sign an order to use force against its citizens,” Putin said.
“As for Berkut, then, of course, you and your comrades performed your official duty honestly, professionally and with dignity. This evokes unconditional respect for you and all your comrades and fighters.
Ultimately, what happened to you, as they are doing to your colleagues in Kyiv, will come back to haunt the Ukrainian state itself. Fighters who defend the interests of the state must not be humiliated and brought to their knees. You can’t defame someone or deprive them of medical care,” Putin said.