Pro-Russian authorities in eastern Ukraine presented identity documents, maps and a business card to support their view that Ukrainian far-right nationalists had carried out a deadly attack in the eastern city of Slovyansk.
The nationalists and authorities in Kiev said it was a staged display to conceal the hand of Russian secret services in the gunfight, in which at least three people were killed.
A separatist fighter, who gave his name as Vladimir, said Right Sector members drove up to the checkpoint outside Slovyansk at around 2 a.m. “One of our men approached them. They shot him in the head and he fell immediately. There was some sniper fire. We had three dead and four wounded.”
He said the separatists brought in reinforcements and in subsequent shooting two of the attackers were killed.
Local authorities later showed personal identity cards of people alleged to belong to Right Sector, a night-sight for a rifle, some maps and the business card of Dmytro Yarosh, the group’s leader.
A Right Sector spokesman in Kiev insinuated that the evidence was fake and planted.
