Top Ukrainian politician tragically dies while wolf-hunting

The funeral ceremony for 55-year-old Ukrainian politician Yevgeny Kushnarev will take place on Friday. Ukrainian PM Viktor Yanukovich urgently interrupted his official visit to Turkey and flew back to Kiev to be able to bid farewell to Kushnarev, who was one of the leaders of the ruling party in Ukraine.

Photo: Top Ukrainian politician tragically dies while wolf-hunting

Top Ukrainian politician tragically dies while wolf-hunting

Yevgeny Kushnarev died of gunshot wounds yesterday. The politician was wounded in his stomach on a hunt on January 16. Surgeons took all life-saving efforts possible, but the penetrating wound and profuse internal bleeding did not let them save the politician’s life. The doctors performed two lengthy operations trying to sew pieces of kidney and liver together. They removed 50 centimeters of his intestines and transfused five liters of blood, but the patient’s heart stopped beating.

The police are currently investigating three versions of Kushnarev’s death: reckless homicide, tragic incident and premeditated murder. The politician was shot from a Benelli gun. Officers say that the incident happened when a group of hunters including Kushnarev was driving back home. A wolf suddenly emerged on the road, the hunters went out of the vehicle and started shooting. Kushnarev supposedly found himself in the line of fire and was shot, investigators say.

Yevgeny Kushnarev was a well-known Ukrainian politician. He took the office of the Kharkov region governor from 2002 till 2004. From 1996 till 1998 he chaired the administration of the former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. During the presidential election of 2004 Kushnarev was in the camp of Viktor Yanukovich. When Viktor Yushchenko came to power, he accused Kushnarev of separatism. Afterwards, Kushnarev was accused of illegal spending of budgetary funds used for the construction of two metro stations in Kharkov. He was detained for several months in 2005, but then released due to the absence of constituent elements of offence.

Vremya Novostei

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov
Pravda.ru