CYPRIOT MP Skevi Koukouma has arrived in Ukraine to back the country’s communists against the Kiev regime’s plans to outlaw their party.

The communist Akel party political bureau member attended yesterday’s court case on banning the Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU).

Ms Koukouma was one of many MPs, MEPs and representatives of movements from across Europe who travelled to the Ukraine capital to stand by the KPU against far-right persecution.

In a statement, Akel said it “denounces the anti-communist witch-hunt which is taking place in Ukraine.”

The party said the anti-democratic move was one of the main reasons why it voted against the EU-Ukraine association agreement — a step towards full membership of the bloc — last week in the Cypriot parliament.

Kiev moved yesterday to take revenge on other figures opposed to the fascist-backed February 2014 coup when it detained former justice minister Olena Lukash over sniper killings during last year’s Maidan riots.

While the ongoing Ukrainian investigation has not identified who could be behind the attacks, the Ukrainian Security Service said Ms Lukash was in custody and a court will shortly rule on her possible arrest.

More than 100 people were killed in violence driven by neonazi street gangs that led to last year’s coup.

The majority Russian-speaking eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk refused to recognise the new government, sparking a civil war, while Crimea voted to rejoin Russia.

Pro-Maidan violence in Odessa in May 2014 claimed 48 lives when the Trade Union House was torched by a far-right mob.

The Council of Europe international advisory panel ruled on Wednesday that Kiev’s investigation into the atrocity was biased.

“Given the evidence indicative of police complicity in the mass disorder of May 2 2014 … the investigations as a whole should have been carried by an organ independent of the ministry,” the council said.

Far-right Automaidan thugs reportedly attacked a remembrance rally marking 18 months since the massacre on Monday.

The neonazis, many dressed in military fatigues, tore down and burnt photos of the victims despite a heavy police presence.