Editor’s Note: This story contains a graphic picture.
Artem Semenikhin, the former mayor of the Sumy Oblast city of Konotop, suffered a severe beating from unknown assailants on June 27. Semenikhin is running for parliament in the 160th single-member constituency in Konotop, a city of 87,000 people located 246 kilometers northeast of Kyiv. His representatives alleged that his main political rival is behind the attack.
Semenikhin was on his way home at 1 a.m. when several unknown individuals attacked and maimed him. He has since been in intensive care in the Konotop hospital, guarded by police officers. Semenikhin is in critical condition, and he’s expected to be transported to the Romodanov Neurosurgery Institute in Kyiv.
The police have opened a criminal case and view the attack as an assassination attempt.
Sumy Oblast administration deputy Olena Serduk posted a picture of Semenikhin covered in blood and linked the attack with the fact that the victim had “just recently” registered as a parliamentary candidate for the 160th constituency.
Serduk accused Ihor Molotok, a lawmaker from the People’s Will party of trying to kill Semenikhin. Molotok is running for the same parliamentary seat and is considered to be Semenikhin’s main rival.
“There are suspects. I suspect only one person — Molotok,” she wrote on her Facebook account on June 27.
Molotok denied any involvement in the attack in a video posted on Facebook.
“His team accuses me. The cause for these accusations is unknown to me,” Molotok said. “I am sure the law enforcement will thoroughly investigate the situation and those found guilty will be punished.”
“I wish my opponent a speedy recovery,” Molotok added, “I’ve always been a supporter of dialogue and I am sure that use of force is never an argument.
Michel Terestchenko, the mayor of Hlukhiv, agreed with Serduk’s allegation in a Facebook post of his own. Oleh Tyahnybok, the head of the Svoboda party also agreed and called the assault a “political massacre.” Hundreds of supporters, activists and politicians called for justice on social media.
The upcoming snap parliamentary election is scheduled for July 21. The election will be held under the mixed electoral system, by which half of the parliament — 225 lawmakers — will be elected through single-member constituencies like the one in Konotop.
Olena Serduk, a deputy at the Sumy Oblast Administration, posted this picture of Artem Semenikhin on June 27, 2019. Semenikhin is running for parliament from the single-member 160th constituency in Konotop, a city in Sumy Oblast some 370 kilometers east of Kyiv. Semenikhin relatives and colleagues think the attack is connected with his political activity. (Olena Serduk / Facebook)
