Donetsk journalist Maxim Kasyanov has confirmed that he wrote a “sincere confession” admitting to an attack on the head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, Andriy Shyshatsky.  Information about the confession was first released by the press secretary of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

He explains that he was forced to do this because of pressure from Investigator Rudenko who demanded the confession. He says that he wanted thus to demonstrate the absurdity of the situation and the accusations laid.

After he underwent a forensic medical assessment, he returned to the district police station where the Prosecutor’s Investigator wanted to see him.

“It was already 20.00, my lawyer Tetyana Ivanova who is helping me for free had not eaten from early morning. Investigator Rudenko asked the lawyer to leave and said: “Tell me how you carried out an attempt on the Governor.”.  I explain to him that they attacked me. But he says that I will sit there until I sign the confession. I then rejected the services of a lawyer in order to let her go. After that the investigator insisted that he wouldn’t let me go until I wrote the confession. I wrote it. Let him now investigate it if he wants to earn some stars. What else shall to confess to?  That I also destroyed a 15 century church”.

Maxim says that after his lawyer left, the investigator rang somebody whom he addressed as Rima Edwardivna.  He knows only one person of this name, the Governor’s press secretary. On hearing that, he says, it all became clear.  He asks, was he supposed to wait until they smashed his fingers in the door.

Maxim adds that he is now planning to watch how the investigator proves his version, provides evidence, initiates proceedings.  He says that he has been writing on criminal matters for 8 years now and doesn’t understand why people show resistance when they’re put under pressure. He believes that the investigators will not be able to create a case and the prosecution will collapse in court.

He and his colleagues have all the photo and video evidence to prove what actually happened.

The police press service claims that during the Governor’s visit Maxim’s behaviour aroused suspicions from officials of the State Tax Service, that he was detained and handed over to police officers.

The Prosecutor’s Office for the Donetsk region says that it will be carrying out a check to see what really happened, and whether Prosecutor’s offices used coercion against Maxim.

On 20 June Maxim Kasynov from the Donetsk site Kordon.info stated that he had been attacked by unknown individuals when he was filming the Governor’s car. These individuals identified themselves to the police as the Governor’s guards.

The Head of the Governor’s press service has, however, denied that they work for Shyshatsky.