Criminal case concerning pilots of Su-27 crashed in Lvov during airshow opened

The Ukrainian General Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal case regarding two pilots on board a Su-27, crashed at the Lvov airport onto a crowd of visitors.

The criminal proceedings regarding the commander of the fighter Colonel Vladimir Toponar and Colonel Yuri Yegorov have been started in compliance with the Criminal Code article that envisages punishment for breaking plane exploitation rules, which resulted in a tragedy and killed many people, said the General Prosecution press service to RIA Novosti.

Both pilots are currently in hospital, said the press service of the Defence Ministry. They are being offered necessary medical assistance, including psychological one.

The day before the Ukrainian General Prosecution started criminal proceedings regarding the Ukrainian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel-General Viktor Strelnikov.

Another criminal case has been started regarding three more high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian army.

The President of Ukraine has signed decrees relieving the Chief of the Ukrainian Air Force General Staff Colonel-General Pyotr Shulyak and the Ukrainian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel-General Viktor Strelnikov of their posts.