KIEV, March 31 – Ukrainian prosecutors on Thursday appeared to have broadened the probe against former President Leonid Kuchma beyond the 2000 murder of a journalist, in a development that may potentially make vulnerable many politicians.

Mykola Melnychenko, Kuchma’s former bodyguard, who claims to have allegedly made thousands of hours of sensitive recordings in the office of the president in 1995-2000, was interviewed by prosecutors on a number of potential cases.

If Ukrainian court allows using Melnychenko’s recordings as evidence in the case of Kuchma’s alleged involvement in the murder of Heorhiy Gongadze, similar recordings may be used to open cases that target many other figures.

“I was questioned today about the recordings that have nothing to do with the Gongadze case,” Melnychenko said on Thursday. “I believe this is a very important step because I see that not only Gongadze case will be investigated, but all other crimes that had been documented.”

The development may open Pandora’s Box that would put under attack most political figures in Ukraine, especially those in the government, and could also backfire against President Viktor Yanukovych.

At least one recording, released years ago, suggested that Mykola Azarov, now the prime minister and then the head of the tax agency, discussed with Kuchma how the president’s confidant Ihor Bakay had allegedly stolen 300 million hryvnias and what he should do to avoid prosecution.

Another recording, released years ago, suggested that Yanukovych, then the governor of the Donetsk region, has been apparently on order from Kuchma falsifying election results in the region to help Kuchma win re-election in 1999.

“I have stressed that the recordings contain facts of falsification of presidential elections, and so on,” Melnychenko said. “The Prosecutor General’s Office really begins to investigate crimes committed 10 years ago.”

Melnychenko did not mention specifically which cases the investigators have been focusing on, but this can trigger a major shake-up and perhaps lead to a serious political crisis.

Sviatoslav Piskun, a former prosecutor general and currently a lawmaker from the Regions Party, said it is up to the Prosecutor General to decide who will be targeted next.

“Everything is in the hands of the prosecutor general,” Piskun said. “Whatever the prosecutor general decides to do with this information, this is what will happen.”

The case against Kuchma was opened by Rinat Kuzmin, a powerful deputy prosecutor general who has lost battle to become the prosecutor general last year after Yanukvych had appointed his long time ally, Viktor Pshonka, to the post.

The developments come days after Melnychenko has traveled to Moscow for undisclosed personal reasons. His critics have earlier accused Melnychenko of close cooperation with Russian intelligence services, a charge he had denied.

“Maybe Melnychenko traveled to Moscow to take a walk on the Red Square, or to stop by TsUM [department store],” Piskun said. “I don’t know.”

Relations between Russia and Ukraine worsened considerably over the past three months as is reflected in the lack of bilateral meetings between Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

The relations worsened as Ukraine has refused to merge Russian energy giant Gazprom and national energy company Naftogaz Ukrayiny, a move that would effectively allow Moscow to control Ukrainian gas pipelines moving Russian gas to markets in Europe.

The merger was suggested by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in April 2010. (tl/ez)