Ministry of Internal Affairs assures: no threat to Filatov despite dossier found on suspected killer’s phone
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine officially stated that currently there are no signs of criminal preparation against the Dnipro mayor Boris Filatov in the case related to the murder of renowned linguist Irina Fariоn. This response came following the public appeals of Filatov to Minister Igor Klimenko after media reports revealed the presence of a dossier on several public figures, including the mayor himself, found on a suspect’s phone. According to sources from the MIA and national police, no evidence has been found indicating any plans to commit crimes or threats to the mayor’s life. On June 27, Filatov published an appeal demanding clarification from the minister, questioning why he had not been informed about the dossier, unlike MP Maksym Buzhanskyi, who allegedly received such warnings. The mayor also reported that on March 13, unknown individuals in DTEK uniforms, operating from a vehicle with fake number plates, installed surveillance cameras near his office, which is located close to his private residence. Despite reporting this incident to the Ministry of Internal Affairs as early as March 19, he claims he received no response. Filatov emphasizes that all these events are interconnected, including an attempt on activist Serhiy Sternenko on May 1, which involved the same suspect. The police have completed their investigation and do not see any signs of criminal intent against the mayor, with all materials transferred to court. However, he raised five questions to the ministry about the reasons for lack of prior notification and how law enforcement reacts to such threats. The MIA responded with a brief statement condemning the use of security issues for political manipulation. They clarified that, during the initial briefing on the murder investigation in July 2024, Filatov’s name was not mentioned in any criminal case materials, and that the suspicion on the mayor only emerged after detailed digital analysis. They also stressed that there is no evidence of a real threat to his safety. Journalists reported that materials from a phone of the accused in Fariоn’s murder, Vyacheslav Zinchenko, included memes, city maps, weapon photos, and dossiers on other public figures, indicating a high level of scrutiny. The case involves an attempted attack on Fariоn in July and the detention of the suspect in Dnipro. These interconnected events highlight the complexity of the investigation and the political tensions surrounding this tragic case.