© UnknownVitali Klitschko, Ukrainian opposition leader and head of Udar political party
Ukrainian police have accused five suspects detained over the assault of a journalist of links to the opposition, including its leader Vitali Klitschko.
The interior ministry's chief investigator, Mykola Chynchyn, linked on Friday Klitschko, who is the leader of opposition party Udar, and his brother Wladimir Klitschko to the suspects who attacked Tetyana Chornovil earlier this week.
In addition, Chynchyn also linked several other parliamentarians as well as local lawmakers to the detained suspects.
"In the course of the investigation it was established that the detained had been in close contact with members of the party Udar," said Chynchyn.
Furthermore, Chynchyn said the police investigation had established links between one of the suspects and the leader of a criminal gang "with whom the Klitschko brothers had closely cooperated."
The opposition denounced Chynchyn's report calling it an attempt to deflect suspicions of government complicity.
Opposition supporters have accused Ukrainian officials of either direct involvement, or of creating a climate of impunity that allowed the attack on Chornovil to take place.
The attack came after a month of demonstrations by anti-government activists in the capital Kiev. Protesters urge the government to sign a pact with the European Union (EU) and distance itself from Russia.
The assault on Chornovil, who is known for her critical reports about Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and top authorities, sparked the outrage of the opposition, which has been locked in a confrontation with President Yanukovych.
Yanukovych has denounced the assault and urged police to find the assailants.
The country's jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has also condemned the attack and called on opposition protesters to "stand up and act."
Comment: After the Russian deal with Ukraine the energy of the protesters ebbed a bit. Suddenly comes an attack on a regime critical journalist and the opposition is reignited. Who benefits?
It is certainly clear that the same people from the West, who have travelled to Ukraine and spoken in support of the Syrian protesters have also funded, trained and armed the mercenaries who have inflicted untold misery in Syria. Not to mention that the same people also supported regime change at all cost in Libya. So those people are not afraid of using a small false flag operation in order to refuel the protests anew.