Free Republic

A leading Ukrainian judge, Yuri Vasylenko, has opened a criminal case against the country's president, Leonid Kuchma after accusations that he violated 11 articles of the country's criminal code. Mr Kuchma is alleged to have been involved in the sale of sophisticated Kolchuga radar systems to Iraq. He is also accused by political opponents of ordering the murder of an investigative journalist, Georgiy Gongadze, who wrote about corruption in high places. "I had no grounds not to open the criminal case against the president," Mr Vasylenko said before a news conference by opposition leaders. The opposition has also accused Mr...