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Ukrainian Lawmaker Leaves Russia After Police Drop Claims


A lawyer for Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker who was detained in Moscow on March 1, says his client has returned to Ukraine.

Lawyer Mark Feigin said March 2 that his client was freed after police dropped claims against Honcharenko.

Honcharenko was detained ahead of a march in memory of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on February 27.

Honcharenko said he was beaten and spent five hours in police custody before being released.

He had been ordered to appear in court on March 2 for a hearing on suspicion of refusing to comply with police demands before his release.

The Russian Investigative Committee said Honcharenko was being questioned about what Russian authorities said was his alleged involvement in a deadly fire that broke out in his home city, Odesa, during rival demonstrations by Ukrainians and pro-Russian separatists.

With reporting by Interfax and TASS
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