Ukrainian special forces shot and killed a leader of the fascist, racist Praviy Sektor (“Right Sector”) group that played a pivotal role in the Maidan Square protests and occupations of government buildings that led to the toppling of President Viktor Yanukovich.

Police tried to arrest Oleksandr Muzychko in the town of Rovno in Western Ukraine, accusing him of links to organized crime, violence, and threatening public officials. But they say he shot at them first, and they returned fire.  The cops won.

If Russia wanted a poster boy for neo-nazi elements in the Maidan Square protests, they couldn’t ask for better (or worse) than Oleksandr Muzychko.  Moscow featured Muzychko, also known as Sashko Bilyi (“Sasha the White”) in state-run media reports that pointed out the fascist influence on the change in government.  Muzychko was caught on video bullying Ukrainian officials he didn’t think were nationalist enough, and threatening to kill others if they passed laws to take the ultra-right-wing’s guns.

Right Sector played a role in the protests in Kiev from November to February, but has no role in government.  Its leader Dmytro Yarosh, a candidate for president, is demanding the Interior Minister resign over Muzychko’s death.  Kiev responded by calling Right Sector a “threat” to Ukraine’s stability.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh resigned to take responsibility for losing Crimea to Russia.  About 4,300 Ukrainian servicemen and 2,200 of their relatives are leaving Crimea – That’s only about a third of Ukraine’s force there.  It means about two-thirds of Kiev’s 18,800 military personnel and family members on the Black Sea peninsula were going to take their chances with the Russians, instead of sticking with Ukraine.