Ukraine's new Territorial Defence Commander oversaw dispersal of Revolution of Dignity protests as head of Internal Troops

Ihor Plakhuta, who was recently appointed to the post of the commander of the Territorial Defence Forces by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was the head of Internal Troops during the 2013-14 Revolution of Dignity, and was therefore involved in the violent dispersal of protesters.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda

Details: Forces overseen by Plakhuta were involved in removing, on 10 December 2013, protesters’ barricades from the so-called "government quarter" – the area in Kyiv where many of Ukraine’s government buildings are located.

Plakhuta, who was then the commander of the Southern Territorial Command of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Internal Troops, said that around 400 Internal Troops personnel and members of the Berkut special police force were involved in removing the barricades from the streets.

He said that "people in black who disassembled the barricades were municipal workers".

Around the same time, Plakhuta claimed that two Berkut officers sustained injuries while carrying out their duties.

Media reported that an "official from the Internal Affairs Ministry" came out to negotiate with the protesters on 21 January 2014, with some suggesting that it was Plakhuta.

For reference: Ihor Plakhuta served as the commander of the Separate Presidential Brigade in 2005-2008.

In 2009, he was appointed the commander of the training centre No 169. He was later made the commander of the Southern Territorial Command of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Internal Troops.

Background:

• President Zelenskyy’s decree from 11 February saw the appointment of Ihor Plakhuta as commander of Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces, replacing Anatolii Barhylevych, who was relieved from his duties on Friday, 9 February.

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