KYIV. July 25 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Interior Ministry has opened criminal cases against Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov and Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the Ukrainian interior minister's adviser Zoryan Shkiryak said.
"The Main Investigative Department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry has opened criminal cases against Russian citizens Gennady Zyuganov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky," he told Interfax on Friday.
Shkiryak said Zyuganov and Zhirinovsky are accused of "financing actions aimed at changing the borders of the territory and state border of Ukraine."
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, for his part, said on Facebook that "the Main Investigative Department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry on July 25, 2014 opened criminal cases against Russian citizens Zyuganov and Zhirinovsky based on evidence of crimes enshrined by Part 4 of Article 110-2 of the UKrai9nain Criminal Code (financing of actions aiming to forcibly change or overthrow the constitutional system or overthrow the constitutional system or seize state power, change the borders of the territory or the state border of Ukraine by an organized group."
The minister said investigators have determined that Zyuganov and Zhirinovsky organized the financing of illegal activities by representatives of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's republic in May-July 2014.
The minister's adviser promised to give more detailed information later on Friday.
On July 22, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's Main Investigative Department had opened criminal cases against Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and businessman Konstantin Malofeyev based on the article dealing with "the creation of illegal militarized or armed groups" being an accomplice in a crime."