Tag: Akhmetov

Dmitry Tymchuk’s Military Blog: Summary for May 12, 2014

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Here’s the Summary for May 12, 2014

The bad news:

1. The lads from the terrorist interests club named “Donetsk People’s Republic” [DPR] declared their “independence” and asked to join Russia.

This is understandable: where else would they go to ask, since it was all done by the Kremlin’s request and with its money? And in any case, there are no other terrorist states except for Russia specifically observed in the region.

Putin had the good sense to avoid direct recognition of the results of the pseudo-referendum held yesterday in the doorways by the merry drunks from the “DPR.” Meanwhile, Moscow declared that it “respects” its results. Although, anyone in their right mind will find that respecting such a mockery of common sense is impossible.

Here, Putin is playing a double game again. On the one hand, he stayed out of trouble with the West, which categorically refused to accept the “referendum.” But on the other hand, Moscow can at any moment recognize the “DPR” and enter Russian troops into Ukraine. There is [still] room for maneuvers.

2. Immediately after the “referendum,” one of the Kazachkis [diminuitive for Cossacks] sent over by Russia, immediately proclaimed himself the Commander-in-Chief and declared war on Ukraine. However, his cronies, pardon, his colleagues immediately dissociated themselves from the declaration of war.

This is what interests me. All this riffraff considers the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian patriots the “proteges of Washington and the West.” Well, they shoud have immediately declared war on NATO. It would be funnier.

Bad thing about this is that the “Commander of the DPR,” who by definition is fit to commandeer his wardmates, is not at a psychiatric hospital under the supervision of nurses, but freely hangs out on Ukrainian soil.

It is also interesting that the fugitive [former president Viktor] Yanukovych also began yapping that Kiev should withdraw Ukrainian troops from Ukrainian Regions, and in fact recognized the “DPR.” This woodpecker hasn’t even turned on his brains: if he considers himself the “legitimate President,” then he is also the Commander-in-Chief. Whilst this spot at the “DPR ” is already occupied by a Russian Kazachok [diminutive of Cossack]. Sorry, Vitya [diminutive of Viktor].

The good news:

1. The cities of Donetsk and Luhansk in Dnipropetrovsk Region can hope for further development within a united Ukraine.

I am talking about the alternative referendum regarding the annexation of Luhansk and Donetsk Regions to Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the preliminary official data of the referendum (about 70% support joining Dnipropetrovsk Region), residents of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions actively seek to forget the “DPR” as a terrible nightmare.

Similar results were obtained in a referendum poll in Donbass for a united Ukraine.

We have no reason not to believe the organizers of these two referendums. At least they have normal ballots and commission protocols with seals, and the voting process was properly organized. And not like the “DPR’s” sheets of toilet paper that were proudly called “bulletins,” and counted by ragamuffin gangs in garages.

2. Europe clearly understands now who is who in the Ukrainian crisis.

Today, the Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt announced, “President Putin said two things: first, that the so-called referendum should be postponed. That did not happen… The second thing that he would take the Russian troops from the border. That did not happen… We should judge Moscow not by its words but by its deeds.”

Golden words. Every European official and politician–should make an entry in their notebook.

3. Today at a briefing, journalists trolled the leader of the Party of Regions faction, Oleksandr Yefremov (he, by the way, said he didn’t consider the separatist “referendum” a farce). He was extensively and insistently requested to tell how he and Akhmetov financed the pro-Russian terrorists.

Yefremov was very shy and meekly protested [discussing it].

It turned out even more interesting with Akhmetov. The so-called “People’s Governor,” separatist leader Pavlo Gubarev told the Russian media that Akhmetov had financed separatists in Donetsk. The Party of Regions immediately reared up on its hind legs, and began to defend Akhmetov, calling Gubarev a crazy rogue and trickster.

[Rinat] Akhmetov is a separate subject for discussion. In this case, it’s interesting that by protecting separatists, the Party of Regions leader Yefremov in fact protects the crooks and swindlers, as they are called by the Party of Regions. Do these people have any brains left?

Today, Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov stated that the Ukrainian Communist Party might be prohibited by court [decision]–due to their separatist support and holding of pseudo-referendums.

I’ll vote “yes” with both hands for it. We should have gotten rid of all this anti-Ukrainian rot long time ago.

Dmitry Tymchuk: Regarding “Akhmetov scenario” for Donbass

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

The Metinvest Group of Mr. Rinat Akhmetov has called on Ukrainian authorities to stop the ATO–in particular, the operation in Mariupol. “We believe that Ukrainian servicemen, as well as other armed people, should immediately leave the city,” announced the Akhmetov group. Metinvest also stated that “to maintain order in Mariupol, the Metinvest Group, together with the municipal police, will create people’s squads from among the employees of the metallurgical works.”

This scenario can be called nothing but provocation. Here’s why:

First of all, Mr. Akhmetov, a businessman, has no legal rights to form a private army. It would be inaccurate to compare this with the activity of the governors of Ukrainian Regions. The latter have the right to participate in the formation of units of territorial defense, which are created under the law “On approval of the Presidential Decree,” “On partial mobilization,” and the Presidential Decree “On approval of the regulations on the territorial defense of Ukraine.” Thus, these territorial defense units are always included in the legitimate armed forces of Ukraine.

Metinvest, on the other hand, would create some undefined “people’s squads,” which have no legal status and will probably be subject to Mr. Akhmetov only. In this case, it’s unclear how Akhmetov’s “squads” are different from pro-Russian terrorist groups in Donbass in terms of the Act.

Second, the reasons by which Metinvest does not recognize the rights of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and other similar organizations to provide lawfulness and order in Donbass as a territory of the Ukrainian state, or explain why Akhmetov’s private army would have more rights to conduct such enforcement, are unclear.

Third, Metinvest advocates the withdrawal of “Ukrainian military and other armed individuals” from Mariupol. At the same time, it advocates for full control in the city by its “teams.” If these “teams” are armed, then it’s unclear where Metinvest obtained the weapons, and on what grounds it distributed them among civilians. If they are not armed, then the use of such “teams” against armed terrorists in the city is a provocation.

Fourth, the Metinvest statement about Akhmetov’s “teams” being formed “jointly with municipal police” is absolutely unclear. What type of “municipal police” are they talking about? The local Interior Ministry officials that pander to terrorists and are traitors? What right do they have to participate in the creation of armed formations not stipulated by Ukrainian legislation?

Overall, we’d like to state the following: the Metinvest announcement is absolutely incomprehensible and provocative. We observe that Mr. Akhmetov, just like some other Donbas oligarchs, is imposing his ideal scenario on Ukraine. Very important questions arise regarding this scenario, primarily of their adherence to the national interests of Ukraine.