Valery Popovich

Valery Popovich, the t. Vasilkov Mayor shakes hands with the dweller of his town, thanking her for the support, during the meeting with the Vasilkov-dwellers on Thursday evening, December 23, 1999. It was the first Popovich's public declaration after he had been seized by the Local Berkut's (SS) collaborators on December 10 and he was kept in hospital, which he left a few days ago. All the latter caused the collusion between Popovich and Anatoly Zasukha, the Head of the Regional Authorities. On December 23 the Vasilkov-dwellers, gathered Hr17,000, to stand bail for Popovich and free him from his imprisonment. They expressed him support and decided to appeal the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and Evgeny Marchuk, the National Security Committee Secretary, with the requirement to retire A. Zasukha from the post, he occupied. Photo by Valery Ulyankin/ UNIAN