Yanukovych described his killing as intentional: here’s a look at the grave of "Regions" member Kushnarev, who was injured during a hunting trip.
Ukrainian political figure Yevgeny Kushnarev, a former associate of ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, died from severe injuries sustained during a hunting accident. However, his friends and family do not believe it was merely an accident.
"Telegraf" sought to uncover what Yevgeny Kushnarev's grave looks like, as he passed away at the age of 56. We will also recap what is known about his death and who was considered responsible.
What is known about Yevgeny Kushnarev
Ukrainian politician Yevgeny Kushnarev was born on January 29, 1951, in Izyum (Kharkiv region), although he grew up in Melitopol, where he completed high school. He earned a higher education in Kharkiv, specializing as a "mechanical engineer."
After graduating, Kushnarev held various positions including design engineer, mechanic, head of the repair and mechanical shop, and deputy head of the design department. In 1981, Yevgeny joined the Communist Party and began to climb the career ladder.
9 At one point, Yevgeny Kushnarev served as the head of the Kharkiv City Council and was also the head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine and chairman of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration.
0 From 1990 to 1994, and again from 2006 to 2007, Yevgeny Kushnarev was a people's deputy. He did not support the Orange Revolution and aligned himself with the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych, merging his political force called "New Democracy" into the "Party of Regions." Soon, Kushnarev became a member of the political council of the "regions" and led the election headquarters of the "Party of Regions" during the 2006 elections.
1 How politician Yevgeny Kushnarev died
Yanukovych's associate died from a gunshot wound he received while hunting. This incident occurred on January 16, 2007, near the village of Krasny Shakhter in the Izyum district. Kushnarev was hunting, a hobby he had pursued for three years, at the invitation of the landowners, the Zavalny family, and was accompanied by party colleagues.
2 The investigation revealed that Kushnarev, along with MP Dmitry Shentsev, Dmitry Zavalny, and his driver Andrey Porfiryev, were patrolling the grounds when they noticed tracks of some animal. They stopped and fired several shots, after which Yevgeny suddenly collapsed.
The official version states that a ricochet bullet struck Kushnarev in the abdomen. Initially, it hit a tree, then struck the deputy. This occurred around 2 PM, but Kushnarev was not taken to the hospital until two hours later; he had lost a significant amount of blood and died the following day, January 17.
3 The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office charged Dmitry Zavalny under part 1 of Article 119 of the Criminal Code for "manslaughter." According to the investigation, it was his bullet from a rifle that hit Kushnarev. However, in 2009, the Kharkiv Regional Appeal Court granted Zavalny's petition for amnesty, and soon the case concerning Kushnarev's death was closed.
Relatives and friends of the deceased politician, along with their lawyer, believe that Zavalny did not commit a crime but consider Kushnarev's death to be intentional. This viewpoint was also held by former president Viktor Yanukovych.
"I am not an investigator or a prosecutor. It is difficult for me to say this now, but as a person, I still find it hard to believe that it was an accident. I do not want to believe that Kushnarev died by chance," noted Yanukovych in 2008.
4 What Yevgeny Kushnarev's grave looks like
Former Kharkiv mayor Yevgeny Kushnarev was buried at the 2nd city cemetery. His grave is located next to that of former head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Alexander Maselsky. Initially, a wooden cross was placed at Kushnarev's grave.
5 However, in October 2008, a beautiful monument appeared at the grave of the former people's deputy. The monument to Kushnarev was made from African granite, processed in Italy, weighing 17 tons.
6 Yanukovych's associate is depicted in full height with a jacket thrown over his shoulder. The monument, crafted from gray and black granite, symbolizes the dark and light phases of the deceased "regional's" life.
7 "Telegraf" previously reported on how the grave of the criminal authority "Yaponchik" looks like. He was shot while leaving a restaurant.