Former members of Ukraine's special forces, known as Berkut, were sighted working as OMON riot police at yesterday's anti-corruption protests in Russia, reported Ukrainian news outlet LB.ua.
The photograph of a man originally appearing in a photo gallery by the Doszhd TV news outlet were matched with photographs taken in Kiev during the Maidan protests. The man is identified as Sergei Kusyuk.
In photos provided by LB.ua, Kusyuk is seen issuing orders over his radio. He is said to have ordered violent dispersals of protestors in Ukraine in 2013.
In another incident, a member of the OMON riot police reportedly told a protestor he would break his camera if he continued taking pictures.
After the revolution in Ukraine several former Berkut officers sought refuge in Russia. Some of these former members were given Russian citizenship and jobs in OMON. OMON is formerly part of Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs but now operates under the National Guard.
Social media activists following the conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere have increasingly relied on photographic evidence to identify people in far-flung locations.
