Last week the subject of secret CIA prisons on Ukrainian soil flared up again. "InfoRos" news agency has received proof of official Kiev having deceived the Council of Europe by alleging that there is no, and never has been, CIA prisons on Ukrainian soil.
In a number of our reports we wrote that that assertion is absolutely false.
As we reported, in the summer of 2005 specialized construction work began at a Ukrainian military facility - Military Unit 12747 (Makarov-1 Garrison, Kievo-Sviatoshinski District). The commander of the unit was tasked with organizing high-security protection along the perimeter of the construction site. Each sentry received a tough briefing, and guard patrols were strictly forbidden not only to allow unauthorized persons on the territory of the facility, but to enter it themselves as well. The special facility was set up at Military Unit 12747 by personal order of the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Gritsenko.
The choice of the location for the prison was by no means accidental. It was at Makarov-1 that former Facility "C" had been situated. At the time of the USSR, it had been used to store up and service nuclear warheads, and it was distinct from other military facilities by its special regimen, engineering setup and organization of security and defense. Though nuclear warheads had been removed from the facility a long time ago, the local population habitually take any activity at the facility as being highly secret.
All military personnel and civilians of the construction/repair firm who had taken part in building and providing security for the CIA prison had been warned about high secrecy of the activities conducted at the facility and responsibility for disclosure of any information about it. However, reports of people being brought to the facility in handcuffs, people who do not speak Russian, quickly spread across the neighboring villages.
We have also found out that transportation of detainees to transit prisons in Europe was carried out using an airfield at "Ozernoye" locality of the Zhitomir Region. The airfield belongs to a fighter aircraft unit of Air Command "West" of the Ukrainian Air Force (Military Unit No. A-2038).
That is the airfield where, according to witnesses, "Gulfstream" aircraft with board numbers beginning with digits "85" (identification number of US aircraft) had made several landings starting from August 6, 2005. It is aircraft of that type from which people, mostly non-Europeans, judging by their appearance, were led out under heavy escort.
In total, according to air traffic controllers servicing the air space of Ukraine and adjacent states, "Gulfstream" planes made at least 5 landings at "Ozernoye" airfield. Specialists can easily calculate the maximum number of prisoners transported by that type of aircraft.
Yesterday a program on the subject prepared by a well-known journalist, Arkadi Mamontov, was broadcast by Russian "RTR" television channel. In his program "Special Correspondent" he also confirmed that a secret CIA prison existed on Ukrainian soil at Military Garrison "Makarov-1" in the Kiev Region.
In his account A. Mamontov also told about "Gulfstream" aircraft landing at "Ozernoye" Airfield in the Zhitomir Region.
"InfoRos" editors hope that now, after a series of publications in Russian and foreign media, the Council of Europe and its Secretary-General Terry Davis will finally take heed of the lies meted out by official "orange" Kiev claiming that there are no CIA prisons on Ukrainian soil. At any rate, we believe the data supplied by "InfoRos" news agency and "RTR" television deserve close scrutiny by the Council of Europe.
In a number of our reports we wrote that that assertion is absolutely false.
As we reported, in the summer of 2005 specialized construction work began at a Ukrainian military facility - Military Unit 12747 (Makarov-1 Garrison, Kievo-Sviatoshinski District). The commander of the unit was tasked with organizing high-security protection along the perimeter of the construction site. Each sentry received a tough briefing, and guard patrols were strictly forbidden not only to allow unauthorized persons on the territory of the facility, but to enter it themselves as well. The special facility was set up at Military Unit 12747 by personal order of the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Gritsenko.
The choice of the location for the prison was by no means accidental. It was at Makarov-1 that former Facility "C" had been situated. At the time of the USSR, it had been used to store up and service nuclear warheads, and it was distinct from other military facilities by its special regimen, engineering setup and organization of security and defense. Though nuclear warheads had been removed from the facility a long time ago, the local population habitually take any activity at the facility as being highly secret.
All military personnel and civilians of the construction/repair firm who had taken part in building and providing security for the CIA prison had been warned about high secrecy of the activities conducted at the facility and responsibility for disclosure of any information about it. However, reports of people being brought to the facility in handcuffs, people who do not speak Russian, quickly spread across the neighboring villages.
We have also found out that transportation of detainees to transit prisons in Europe was carried out using an airfield at "Ozernoye" locality of the Zhitomir Region. The airfield belongs to a fighter aircraft unit of Air Command "West" of the Ukrainian Air Force (Military Unit No. A-2038).
That is the airfield where, according to witnesses, "Gulfstream" aircraft with board numbers beginning with digits "85" (identification number of US aircraft) had made several landings starting from August 6, 2005. It is aircraft of that type from which people, mostly non-Europeans, judging by their appearance, were led out under heavy escort.
In total, according to air traffic controllers servicing the air space of Ukraine and adjacent states, "Gulfstream" planes made at least 5 landings at "Ozernoye" airfield. Specialists can easily calculate the maximum number of prisoners transported by that type of aircraft.
Yesterday a program on the subject prepared by a well-known journalist, Arkadi Mamontov, was broadcast by Russian "RTR" television channel. In his program "Special Correspondent" he also confirmed that a secret CIA prison existed on Ukrainian soil at Military Garrison "Makarov-1" in the Kiev Region.
In his account A. Mamontov also told about "Gulfstream" aircraft landing at "Ozernoye" Airfield in the Zhitomir Region.
"InfoRos" editors hope that now, after a series of publications in Russian and foreign media, the Council of Europe and its Secretary-General Terry Davis will finally take heed of the lies meted out by official "orange" Kiev claiming that there are no CIA prisons on Ukrainian soil. At any rate, we believe the data supplied by "InfoRos" news agency and "RTR" television deserve close scrutiny by the Council of Europe.
