Right Sector gunmen take boy hostage in western Ukraine

Right Sector was one of the key groups whose violent action led to ex- president Viktor Yanukovych quitting power and Ukraine shifting its allegiance from Russian Federation to Europe.

The prosecutors said two dozens of armed people “in camouflage uniform with the words “Right Sector” (the organization is banned in Russia) on it and Right Sector stickers on their cars arranged a meeting with local residents in a cafe in Mukachevo around 2:00 p.m. on July 11 with the goal of distributing spheres of influence”.

The cause of the gunbattle was unclear.

A video posted online by lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem on Sunday appears to show Right Sector gunmen firing rifles and a truck-mounted machine gun, apparently at police who had arrived on the scene.

Right Sector presented its battle in Mukacheve as one to root out corruption, saying they had been lured to a sports club in Mukacheve on Saturday by a local politician they had accused of smuggling.

Arsen Avakov says that the armed group has been surrounded by police in the city of Mukhachevo.

The sports complex is connected to a national parliament member from a faction strongly opposed to Right Sector, said Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Interior Ministry.

Several officials and analysts said the clash could be part of a “turf war” between the deputy, Mikhail Lanyo, and local members of Right Sector over control of cigarette smuggling that is worth millions of euro each year. Kyiv has sent more police to the town ordering them to arrest those responsible for the shooting.

The Right Sector’s representatives said two of the group’s fighters were killed and four injured.

Right Sector commanders have allegedly ordered their gunmen to shoot at police and soldiers if needed, Sputnik worldwide reported.

Right Sector has fought alongside other volunteer battalions and the Ukrainian military against Russian-backed separatists in eastern regions, but yesterday its members left their positions in the conflict zone on Mr Yarosh’s orders, a battalion leader with the nom-de-guerre “Chorny” (“Black”) told Ukrainian media.