Police raid FEMEN offices in Kiev

The feminist protest group FEMEN have had their office in Kiev raided by police following a so-called "tip off" that weapons and explosives were being stored on their premises. The police have "found" a hand gun and a grenade. The Independent reports:

Police in Kiev said explosives experts were sent to Femen’s headquarters in the city centre after an anonymous tip-off. Objects resembling a Second World War pistol and grenade were allegedly found during a search. Officers at the scene said they had also found leaflets showing profiles of Mr Putin and the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, pictured in snipers’ cross-hairs.

The AFP news service adds:

Ukrainian feminist movement Femen said Wednesday it was moving out of its Kiev offices, alleging official wiretapping, a day after police said they discovered a cache of illegal weapons in a raid of its premises.

The group, known for its topless political protests, is facing a criminal probe for possession of illegal weapons after police searched its offices in central Kiev on Tuesday, but said its decision to move out was made earlier over alleged bugging.

The group is moving "for security reasons, since it is impossible to work there now: everything is being listened to," the head of the Ukrainian branch of the movement, Anna Hutsol, told AFP.

Police said they confiscated a TT handgun and a grenade from the group's offices, while Hutsol insisted that the group did not have any weapons and suggested they could have been planted in the office while activists were away.

Defend the FEMEN Activists

FEMEN have  issued a forthright response arguing that the weapons were planted by Russian/Ukrainian security services:

(translated from Russian by Google)

FEMEN  movement claims that the weapons found in the Office, it was planted as a result of the Ukrainian-Russian special operation carried out by security forces.

Yesterday Kyiv Office of FEMEN was stormed by policemen and under the pretext of "an anonymous bomb warning" led the FEMEN activists from the premises. It is important to note that the other inhabitants of the same House, police did not take even warn of a possible explosion.

Being alone in a room of FEMEN Office awhile, police placed heavy gun, explosives and printed photographic portraits of Putin and the Patriarch Cyril. After some time, inviting the activists FEMEN in the Office, police officers searched the premises of the theatre play, which resulted in the basis subjects were found.

Against FEMEN activists were immediately opened a criminal case under article 263 of "illegal possession of weapons" punishable by 2 to 5 years ' imprisonment. The Office activists were taken to the police station, where they were given written explanations and then were released pending a decision on custody.

Movement FEMEN accuses Russian and Ukrainian secret services conspiring and committing criminal action to bring activists FEMEN.

Crime committed by Ukrainian special services and law enforcement agencies, shows the marginal nature of the Ukrainian political situation.