Events of April 23th

Dmitry Tymchuk, translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Brothers and sisters,
Here’s the Summary for April 23, 2014

The bad news:

1. The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced that Ukraine and the U.S. are “distorting the Geneva agreement,” as in they must disarm “Right Sector” and not the separatists. Also, Moscow calls on Kyiv to withdraw its troops from the eastern regions of Ukraine (even though Moscow itself says that Russian troops can be deployed on Russian territory in any location, and in any numbers it wants).

We’ve heard these fables before. What’s worse is that today, Lavrov [Russian Foreign Minister] began to threaten a Russian invasion in eastern Ukraine.

Even though a Russian military invasion has essentially been underway for two months already, we lost Crimea as a result [of it]. Today, Moscow wants to use the same scenario to chop off eastern Ukraine, and the south in the bargain. It’s not the first day that Russian Spetsnaz and Cossack gangs, managed by Putin have been running around Donbas.

Therefore, Lavrov’s threat – it is rather a statement of fact.

2. People begin to pull me up as soon as I admit to any criticism of [our] military leadership. I totally agree, at this moment we shouldn’t criticize the government and the army. But when some of the processes they manage go beyond reason, I can’t restrain myself.

Speaking of which – let’s talk about the “division” procedure for military leadership bonuses. The Head of the Finance Department of the Ministry of Defense Lt.-Gen. Ivan Marko gave a document to the Defense Minister to sign (with the petition the Chief of Staff), which he happily signed. 20 million UAH [USD 1.732 million] went to awards for “Spring Rain” military exercises. Ukrainian Ground Forces received 2.971 million UAH [USD 257,229] of this, the Air Force received 1.717 million UAH [USD 148,658] respectively, and the operational commands received some change.

But the General Staff got the fattest piece – 9.640 million UAH [USD 834,631]!

Brothers, well, this is beastliness. The General Staff did not lift a finger during the withdrawal of troops from Crimea. Now, if our servicemen in eastern Ukraine do open fire in self-defense, they do so against the wishes of the General Staff, and under the responsibility of commanders on the ground. During the “Spring Rain” military exercises, the planes were crashing and tanks exploded. Mobilization, which the General Staff is responsible for, has turned into a sad circus.

Every second of these strategists should be put on trial, and they give themselves bonuses. Incidentally, they are raising money for the army among ordinary citizens meanwhile – they are saying that the military budget is not enough. How can this be?

3. Russian militaries are mining the border of Crimea with mainland Ukraine. They should have set a grate along the coast of Crimea that says, “Do not feed the occupiers.”

Overall, if Russia were smart, they would have mined all their border areas, not the occupied peninsula. So that its rabid dogs did not get scattered all over the world.

The good news:

1. At the moment, we have nothing over which to criticize the course of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO). Our current assessment of the situation showed that actions by security forces within the past 24 hours have become quite organized. On the surface, this is just the tip of the iceberg in the form of ongoing work.

I understand that these words will incur the wrath of many skeptics of the ATO. At the moment, their skepticism is fully justified. But I would suggest that they do not rush their judgments. If there is something to criticize – we will not force ourselves to wait.

Today, the special forces part of the Interior Ministry freed the Sviatohorsk, Donetsk oblast [region] from an armed separatist group. Hopefully, this is the first sign of more good things to come.

2. Since Monday, April 21 we, the Information Resistance group, have noted the sharp decrease in the number of representatives of the GRU of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in the territory of settlements in the Donetsk oblast occupied by extremists.

At this moment, we are not able to say whether this is due to their exfiltration (withdrawal to the Russian territory) or their transfer to other Donbas raions [districts]. Let’s hope it’s the former. In any case, we are monitoring the situation.

3. Donetsk oblast Governor Serhiy Taruta urged mayors and raion heads to explain the implications of a “People’s Republic of Donetsk” to ordinary citizens.

Simply stated, “In two months, no one will pay your pensions, and you will be able get them from nowhere… Miners will not receive their wages because there will be no place to which to sell coal, and all benefit recipients like mothers with children, as well as the disabled, will also have nowhere from which to get any money.”

His words went into the ears of the kids holding Russian flags.

Events of April 22th

By Dmitry Tymchuk, translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Brothers and sisters,
Here’s the Summary for April 22, 2014

The bad news:

1. Easter holidays brought no hope that Russia and the extremists pay any heed to the Geneva agreements. Extremist acts continue.

On the part of the security forces, sadly, we see no effective response, not even in blocking the loci of this infection. This problem must be addressed, and urgently. At this time, the flames of terrorism have engulfed Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Unless urgent action is taken, the next few days will see the entire region covered in such “Sloviansk-s.”

Especially since we continue receiving information about the diversions and provocations being prepared. By the way, today a journalist voiced an accusation against Information Resistance group – alleging that we are instigators because we “forecasted” the diversion in Kramatorsk two hours before it happened. Supposedly, our messages are spreading panic among the public.

Personally, I think that’s bull. Panic is spread by the events, not by messages. What’s more, such events can be avoided by using incoming information appropriately. But alas, this issue is not for us to address.

2. The deadline for refusal of Russian citizenship for residents of Crimea expired on April 18, and will not be extended. This was reported today by Sergei Kalyuzhny, Deputy Head of the Federal Migration service of Russia.

Earlier, the self-proclaimed Crimean princelings (Putin’s henchmen) from the “government of Crimea” swore that this term would be extended. Clearly, they are just like their master – liars through and through.

The bad news is, that this lie impacts the fates of hundreds and thousands of Crimeans who became hostages of the situation. While Ukraine, for some reason, has not voiced a single word of alarm about their future. Let alone any real attempts to solve these people’s problems. Lord High Officials, after losing Crimea, let us not lose our conscience yet.

3. Nelya Shtepa, the mayor of Sloviansk, continues to play the part of some surreal comedy character. One moment, she is with the separatists; the next, she swears that her support was not genuine.

She reminds me of the unnamed drunken major from Evelyn Waugh’s Vile Bodies. Now and again, appearing out of nowhere, spouting some gibberish, and vanishing again. To what end? Nobody knows.

Today, in an interview with Russian TV channel lifenews.ru, Shtepa, once again, started licking Putin (“very grateful to Putin for entering Crimea”) and the insurgents (“they are strong in spirit, they will defeat both the Right Sector, and the military – they will defeat everyone here.”)

If I had any commentary on this lady’s personality, it would only be very rude. Being a gentleman, I will keep such commentary to myself. But the bad part is that such lovely creatures [as Shtepa] are supplying Russian PutinTV with a picture that Moscow so sorely requires.

The good news:

1. The Cabinet of Ministers registered a bill on the amnesty of extremists with the [Verkhovna] Rada [Ukrainian Parliament]. This means an exemption from liability for those who didn’t cause too much trouble and decided to hand themselves over.

After the law is passed, the criminals have three days to make a decision. Personally, I’m not that in favor of cottoning up to terrorists. But in current conditions, this is still a good move, which allows those who unintentionally found themselves involved in separatism to leave this mess behind quietly. Let us see what results it brings.

2. Joseph Biden, Vice President of the United States, declared that the U.S. is entirely in support of Ukraine.

This means not only moral support in the current situation. This also means strategic perspective – for example, their readiness to help lower [Ukraine’s] dependence on energy resources supplied from Russia.

It should be understood that the very visit of the U.S. Vice President to Kyiv is already a powerful political declaration.

However, Joseph Biden is a rampant optimist. He says that Ukrainian politicians currently have “a historical chance” to create a truly united state. This, alas, is an illusion. Should Ukraine become truly united, it will happen through the efforts of Ukrainians themselves. It looks like the less our politicians meddle in this, the higher the chances for success.

3. The “People’s Militia” in Mykolayiv work together with the police, and successfully detain miscreants.

Today, the headquarters of the city’s “People’s Militia” reported that approximately ten pieces of traumatic and combat weapons were confiscated at block posts around Mykolayiv in the last few days; several people were detained.

This is a vivid example of a situation where people don’t expect favors from the law enforcement, but take the bull by the horns. This is especially important for the South. While everyone’s attention is drawn to the events in the East, the enemy keeps working here.

4. The Cabinet of Ministers allocated UAH 5.304 billion [USD 451.4 million] from the reserve fund of the State Budget for improvement of defense capabilities. Of this amount, the Ministry of Defense is set to receive UAH 3.1 billion [USD 263.8 million], the Interior Troops of the MIA, UAH 1.8 billion [USD 153.2 million], and the State Border Service, UAH 0.109 billion [USD 9.28 million].

This amount may not be that large, but the main question is how to manage it. Sadly, corruption remains a reality, and a thief in an official’s chair is a threat as large as an armed separatist in an ambush. I hope we can manage both of these types of threats.

April 22, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

Dear ukraine.popo.lt readers,

We are glad to announce our new daily column – Lithuanian media round-up. There we will try to briefly summarize main Lithuanian events related with Ukraine crisis and covered by our press.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius on April 22 presented his Annual Report. PM mentioned Ukraine crisis in his Annual Report presenting speech at Lithuanian Parliament. He said: ‘This year (2013-ed.) end showed that Europe transited to a new space of international relations and security. Former President of Ukraine decision not to sign association agreement with European Union caused in Kiev mass society protests, blood spill and change of Government. Unfortunately with that could not reconcile her neighbor Russia, which started war actions against Ukraine – annexed Crimea and continues to threaten Ukraine‘s integrity. We are observing a revival of opposition between democratic West world and fast growing radicalism in Russia‘. (PM Press Office, unofficial translation)

Lithuanian Parliament on April 22 have had to consider a resolution project due support to Ukraine. Unfortunately Members of Labor Party suggested to cross out this plenary session agenda point and that after voting was accepted. As said Valentinas Bukauskas – member of Labor Party – ‘this resolution project after Geneva agreement is outdated and Parliament need to prepare a new one’. (BNS, delfi.lt)

Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Juozas Olekas today in Kiev met with Ukrainian Minister of National Defence Colonel General Mikhail Koval. Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67031/lithuanian-defence-minister-to-pledge-support-in-kiev-201467031/.

Lithuanian ambassador-at-large Vaidotas Verba appointed to lead Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission group in Odessa. Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67036/lithuanian-diplomat-leading-osce-smm-group-in-odessa-2-201467036/.

Events of April 18th

Brothers and sisters, Here’s the Summary for April 18, 2014.

The bad news

1. My skepticism yesterday about the Geneva agreements has, alas, turned out to be justified.

I would be very glad to be wrong. But when dealing with a con artist like Putin, it’s impossible to go wrong. His essence is to lie. All agreements with him are empty phrases.

Today, the Russian Foreign Ministry “explained” the meaning behind these agreements. When they specify the disarmament of illegal armed groups, they are really talking about the “Right Sector.” And when they talk about the release of occupied buildings, they really mean Kyiv and Maidan supporters.

Moscow says: disarm “yours” first, and then we’ll think if we should disarm our mongrels in eastern Ukraine, whether we withdraw Russian Spetsnaz and whether we release occupied administrative buildings in Donetsk oblast [region].

Does anyone still have illusions about the possibility of negotiations with Moscow? It has long been clear to anyone: one’s level of confidence in Putin can safely determine one’s level of mental development.

2. Communists thwarted the signing of an agreement between the Rada [Parliamentary] faction heads to stabilize the situation in east Ukraine.

This is savagery. In fact, there is a war against Ukraine. The enemy’s boots are trampling our land. We have already lost a part of [our] territory. In normal countries under these conditions, those citizens (and politicians are no exception) who interfere with work towards victory, are, at minimum, sent behind bars. And here, the enemy subversives sit in Parliament and gorge themselves on caviar bought with the taxes of Ukrainians whom they sold out. I don’t see the logic.

3. This news concern us, the Information Resistance group. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and it has [finally] happened. Knowing our bureaucrats, it was not difficult to predict.

The bottom line is that some aunts and uncles at government agencies, who suddenly became very inconvenienced by our group, have woken up. For a month and a half, since the beginning of March and during the invasion of Crimea, they have picked their noses and been engaged in solving obscure questions, and then suddenly decided to famously “PR themselves” during the anti-terrorist operation (ATO).

But here’s the thing: it turns out that the Information Resistance group interferes with their PR campaign, by its activity and the provision of operational information. Now there are behind-the-scenes antics in order to shut us up.

Still, I will keep names and positions to myself. Since there are many more adequate people in the same state agencies, who understand the importance of our work.

But I have also promised the higher leadership earlier: if law enforcement commanders say that we interfere, we will immediately quit work. We need 2 minutes and 20 seconds to terminate the activities of the “IR” group. Of these, 1 minute will be spent on phone conversation with the two other coordinators, and it will take 20 seconds to shut down the computer.

We hope, that common sense will prevail in government agencies, and not personal ambitions and the jealousy of individual bureaucrats.

The good news

1. The SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] representatives have announced today that the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine is suspended “due to Easter celebrations and the Geneva agreements.”

This statement sounded strange. How can you stop “military operations” without an armistice? Just [stop] “on occasion,” when the enemy does not intend to do so? And I’ve already mentioned the worth of the Geneva agreements.

I hurry to reassure you. The bottom line is that in fulfilling their part of the Geneva agreements, Ukraine really did proactively suspend operations by security forces. But this does not mean that they will simply relax over the [holiday] weekend and eat Easter eggs and sausage, laid out on a photocopy of the Geneva agreements.

The operation continues – separate groups of extremists are being blocked, territories and roads are being taken under control. As security forces assured us today, the operation only arrived at this format when satisfactory results might be possible, taking into account the severe restrictions put forward in the agreement (no casualties among “civilians”). Let’s wish them good luck!

2. Today, Ihor Kolomoyskyi, the Head of Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, paid the first reward for a captured Russian subversive – $10,000.

I can say one thing – bravo! The use of monetary rewards is a great motivation. And a serious blow to extremist activity. They should no longer be able to sleep peacefully.

3. Zhytomyr Airborne troops from the 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade have recaptured two armored vehicles from extremists near Kramatorsk, which were previously seized by the enemy.

According to our emissaries, the fight was short and tough. If these guys were given orders to shoot to kill, the ranks of terrorists would have greatly thinned. And so, they shot in the air and legs. But it was enough to quickly discourage these degenerates from playing war games.

One conclusion: With the enemy, we can and must fight them. For, defeat awaits weakness and high political considerations. For determination, victory awaits.

And one more thing. Friends, all “IR” coordinators will work in the regions during weekends and holidays. We can share less information, but only the most important and most timely operative data.

Happy Easter to all of you! God bless you.

Events of April 17th

Brothers and sisters, the overview of the events of April 17th.

The bad:

1. Vladimir Putin has departed to the astral world. It doesn’t seem that he is coming back.

His today’s direct Q&A is a protocol of feverish delusions. The story of East Ukraine as “Newrussia, that has its roots tied to Russia” tells a lot.

And what about his claims that Russian soldiers in the East Ukraine is a “lie”? In the same way, this Kremlin storyteller asserted that there are no Russian soldiers in Crimea. Afterwards, it became clear that there actually are 22 000 of them. Today, even Putin himself admits – yes, Russian soldiers stood behind the “self-defense units” in Crimea.

The question then is the following. Who still believes this constantly lying creature? In the wide world – nobody. Yet, his subjects sit in front of the TVs and dutifully nod – the tsar is telling the truth. It’s hard to tell, should one laugh or cry.

2. In the East, the actions of extremists continue. There is some trouble in Stakhanov (the homeland of one of the coordinators of our “IR” group). Pro-Russian puppies fool around in Donetsk.

There are also worries concerning other regions. Today, the representatives of the local government of Zaporizhia talked about potential extremists actions.

We have our own information on this issue. According to our findings, planes carrying “Putin’s tourists” have landed at the Saki airport in Crimea today. Then the “tourists” were moved to microbuses with vehicle registration plates of Zaporizhia. This doesn’t look good.

The good:

1. During the meeting of Ukraine, the EU, the US and Russia, some agreements have been reached, including ones concerning the freeing of captured Ukrainian buildings and the amnesty for extremists. It sounded like an announcement directed at the “sides” of the conflict.

The question is whether one can trust Russia. After all, it does not accept that all this madness started because of its actions. That is, all of its statements are empty. And even if Moscow admitted its role, there would still be no trust in its goodwill.

Therefore, it is still very much unclear what role these agreements will play. Personally, I regard them skeptically. I think that Moscow is participating in the negotiations because it wants to avoid new sanctions by the West. At the same time, it continues its dirty work. Well, we’ll see. After all, there’s at least some dialogue at the international level.

One more advantage is that under these circumstances we can be sure that there will be no Russian invasion tomorrow. It doesn’t mean that, relatively speaking, there will be none the day after tomorrow.

2. Somehow, the problem of our brother citizens who remained in Crimea has been abandoned. They want to move to the continent but are unable to. Apparently, they were of little concern to the state previously. Now, these people are simply forgotten.

That, of course, is far from positive. The positive thing is that because of the election campaigns, the situation might get better. Today, the candidate for the presidency of Ukraine, N. Korolevska visited Crimea and discussed the problems of such families.

We all know that social issues is her field, and this is what is important today. All the social guarantees are destroyed in Crimea. The link between the Ukrainian state and those citizens is incomprehensible.

Together with the social issues, there is the problem of physical safety of these people. Previously, Russia set out a condition – the residents of Crimea must decide on their citizenship until April 18th. Nobody knows what will happen to those who won’t accept Russian citizenship.

If the official Kiev is silent on this issue, the politicians must raise such questions, even if it is due to the electoral campaign. The most important thing is not to conceal them, because behind every problem there are people – our brothers and sisters.

3. Today, in Donetsk, 3 000 people came to a demonstration for unified Ukraine. In Luhansk, there came 1 000.

I don’t know if it’s many or few. But what I know is that these people are the most active patriots. There are hundreds of times more people that want to live in stable and unified Ukraine.

Scaring the residents of East Ukraine

Journalists of Donetsk have collected various rumours that are spread amid the participants of pro-Russian demonstrations. All of these rumors have been heard from the protesters. Some of them remind of wild delusions but this is no joke – the fear of war and informational vacuum create a perfect environment for even the most unlikely fantasies. The fear is the main factor igniting the separatist activities. And the stupider the reason for fear, the greater the fear becomes (and the shouts asking for Putin’s help get louder).

By the way, some 25 years ago, many similar rumours could be heard in Lithuania. This happened during the years of the struggle for Lithuanian Independence from the Soviet Union. Many of them were spread purposefully by the members of the Communist Party, KGB and Yedinstvo. It was difficult to quash these rumours and those residents who were doubting the need for Independence tended to believe them.

People panic when they listen to various rumors

People panic when they listen to various rumours

Therefore, please, enjoy the creations of political technologists and the common people. They could cause uncontrollable laughter, but in this case, they cause uncontrollable fear, spark very real protests and lead to even more real casualties. Here is the whole list:

Yatsenyuk said that everyone who doesn’t speak Ukrainian will be forced to leave the country.
The Americans are staging a war in Ukraine. Genetically modified soldiers will be used (the story was told to a journalist at a hairdresser’s).
It was neither the border guards nor the army that came to Donbas (Donetsk province). No, it was the dressed units of the Right Sector and Banderists who will begin the massacre of local Russians there. Thus, the Ukrainian army movement must be blocked.
Ukrainian soldiers who came to the Donetsk province beat everyone, who speaks with them in Russian.
In a particular factory (of course, different names are given of the factories were the storytellers themselves are not working), the workers are forced to transfer part of their salary to Maidan and pay for the maintenance of the Right Sector.
Banderists will cancel allowance for raising children.
Banderists have already been seen in the station of Donetsk. They were asking for directions to get to the Lenin square, where the tents of separatists are set up. Those who did not answer in Ukrainian, were violently beaten.
The children will be sold as slaves in Europe.
There is no more insulin in Donetsk province. This means that people with diabetes will die.
In Donbas, the mines will be flooded. Afterwards, nuclear waste from the US and Europe will be kept there.
Poisoned products from the US and Europe will be brought to Ukraine (this may be a modification of rumors concerning GMOs).
Gays, pedophiles and zoophiles will take over the government and will introduce forced marriages according to their worldview.
Public sector workers will be stripped of all the bonuses, thirteenth monthly pays and all premiums. That is, only the simple salary will remain.
In Druzhkivka (Donetsk province), the mayor himself was telling people that in the case of him being removed, there will be no thirteenth monthly pay for public sector workers.
Soon a complete mobilization will begin and people who will be recruited will loose their jobs and salaries.
Banderists are unemploying everybody who speaks Russian.
Drug addicts are joining the army. Also, when people are taken to the army, drugs are put into their tea so that they would sign all the required papers.
The celebrations of the First of May and the Ninth of May will be canceled.

We would like to repeat. This is not a joke. These are the real fears of the residents in Donbas. That is why people are demonstrating and asking for Putin’s help.

Based on the material by the Ukrainian “Informational Shield”.

On the edge

Today, the fate of Ukraine is being decided in Donbas. Unable to stir the unrest in the whole Southeastern region, Kremlin decided to act gradually and take the control of smaller regions one by one.

It must be understood that the Donetsk oblast is the “pilot project” of the second stage (the first being Crimea) of Putin’s gamble with the purpose of destroying Ukraine. If Moscow manages to achieve its goals there, a similar scenario will be enacted in Lugansk and in Kharkov. And further on.

Hromadske.tv interview with soldiers in Mariupol

By the way, events in the South may be initiated at the same time. The base for active Russian operations already exists – it is Transnistria. It is no coincidence that 2 000 Russian soldiers were moved there in March. Half of these soldiers are members of the special forces, already dressed as “the green men” – groups prepared to carry out sabotage acts.

While Ukraine’s attention is directed towards Donbas, the time is suitable for implementing the same plan in Odessa. Without Odessa Ukraine would loose the whole South.

Nonetheless, Southeast is not the endpoint of the scenario. While Vladimir Putin is waving his devil’s pitchfork with the name of Viktor Yanukovych, we cannot be sure that he is not intending to go for Kiev with the pretext of “reestablishing the legitimate government in Ukraine”.

This scenario can be partly hindered by the effective work of law enforcement on the four criminal cases against Yanukovych. If they would clearly show the whole world that the “legitimate president” is a thief and a murderer, it would be more difficult for Putin to use him in his puppet-play.

Still, this is only a small fragment. What is the most important is the actions involving the use of direct force. For some decades already, there exists a prevailing pacifist notion of a flower blossom placed in a gun barrel. Our government loudly declared the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation, but at the same time limited the actions of our force structures and put those flowers into their guns.

Yes, the casualties of the supposedly “peaceful residents” are unnecessary and unwelcome. Yet, what is preventing the government from declaring the state of emergency in this turbulent region? And explaining people that those who are preventing the force structures from fulfilling their duty are outside the law?

For instance, yesterday, during the assault on the military unit in Mariupol, soldiers have wounded several participating extremists. At once, the latter declared that they were simply promenading near the military compound at around midnight, and thus were accidental victims. What is the conclusion? Of course, the soldiers are bloodthirsty maniacs. The fact that within the zone of the anti-terrorist operation, someone is attacking the soldiers, taking away their guns and attacking military units, is a complete nonsense. Certainly.

In the end, it should be understood that you cannot attempt to swaddle the soldiers following the “rules of peacetime” and hope to get miraculous results. You cannot use a knife if you haven’t pulled it out of its sheath.

I am strictly against bloodshed. Yet, there are moments when one side or the other must make a decision – to defend itself or cease to exist. If we decided to become the most peaceful nation within the Great Russia, we must say so. There is no need to be modest because it is misleading.

Yet, if we do not want to be a part of Russia, we must defend ourselves. Maybe, for some it is a difficult decision. But it must have been made already yesterday.

Yes, today are all walking on the edge. On the one hand there is a danger of “provoking” Russia into an open invasion, which would mean casualties and the loss of the country. On the other hand the country would be lost without casualties.

I respect the Christian morality. But at the same time I cannot remember any example in the history of world, when an indecisive nation was declared great and worth respect.

At the same time, government decisions are not the only problem. There are many issues concerning the chosen tactics, for instance, the actions of the command of separate units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Yesterday, the whole country was astonished by the “fighting actions” carried out by the troopers. Yet, the causes of this phantasmagoria lie not in the soldiers’ torn boots, but rather in the shoulder straps of senior officers. It is these factors that have to be analyzed and eliminated immediately.

Tomorrow, it will be too late.

Concerning the supposed legitimacy of Viktor Yanukovych

Many have already forgotten the reason for people’s protest in Maidan. Now, the Russian Government – Vladimir Putin and his cronies – is hiding Viktor Yanukovych and other contributors responsible for murdering people in Maidan, inadequate crackdown on protesters, kidnappings, organized assassinations, etc.

Stamps found at the office of Party of Regions in Tyachiv

The main reason for protests was the feeling of injustice – everyone understood that election was doctored, and the corruption in governmental agencies was incredibly high. The golden bread of Yanukovych, and his villa, full of stolen goods revealed everything. Still, there are even more telling facts. For example, the stamps of all electoral commissions, which were found in one of the headquarters of the Party of Regions at the end of February.

A stamp used for electoral fraud

Currently, the members of the Party of Regions are rearing their heads in Donetsk, supporting the activities of Russian saboteurs and collaborators. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin claims that Viktor Yanukovych is the legitimate president of Ukraine. But he never was. He was a fraud, who came to power illegally by making a parody of election. A fraud, who sold himself to Russia, which now attacked Ukraine. A thief and a murderer, who wants to trigger a civil war in Ukraine.

Events of April 16th

Brothers and sisters, here are the events of April 16^th.

The bad news:

There’s only a single piece of bad news today, because it overshadows all the others.

The anti-terrorist operation (ATO) is not living up to the expectations.

I don’t even want to comment on the actions of the army. It’s surreal.

However, attempts to figure out the situation shocked even more and allowed to at least partially understand, why this surreal situation is taking place at all. We, members of the “informational resistance”, spent the day in meetings, negotiations and consultations. Results, in general, are disappointing. I’m sorry my friends, I am not at liberty to say everything, so I’ll be brief about what I can (and must) say.

The anti-terrorist operation was planned, the capacities and supply were evaluated and the goals were set. Yet the terms and restrictions on the power structures have been so severe that if the ATO would somehow be a success, it could be considered a miracle of a religious nature. The commander of the operation that would win in these conditions could probably easily walk on water like Christ and heal people with a touch of a finger. This man could be freely called a miracle maker and be canonized while still being alive.

I don’t know if after tomorrows’ meeting in Geneva the current terms of the operations’ execution will change, but today, if we wanted to equip the extremists with guns, we could have simply given out the guns from the army arsenals and spare the power structures from this ordeal.

This is a specific and direct remark to the highest Ukrainian military government.

Today we registered no less than 300 members of the Russian Special Forces in Russian territory, at the border with Ukraine.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The real threat lies in Taganrog, where around 2,000 “green men”, ready for deployment to Ukraine, are gathered.

The good news:

1. Yulia Tymoshenko announced that she is supporting the urgent introduction of the state of emergency in those regions that are suffering from Russian aggression.

I understand that it’s simply a part of her pre-election campaign, but in this case it at least serves the present Ukrainian interests. Of course it would be great if the politicians thought about the good of the country not only before the elections, but I guess we don’t live in a fairy land.

If a state of emergency would be introduced, the work of the power structures would become a lot easier.

2. Russia admitted the economic challenges posed by the Crimea region.

Russian Federations’ Economic Development Minister Aleksei Uliukajev was forced to admit: because of “the deterioration of the international situation” and “capital leakage” the Russian economy is slowing down. Meanwhile, the U.S. announces that it’s ready to introduce new sanctions against Russia.

It’s encouraging to see that at least some people in Kremlin are starting to think about the consequences of the Ukraine crisis. However, unfortunately we do not notice that this would have any effect on Putin’s plans for aggression against Ukraine.

3. Responding to the promises of the Russian press about Yanukovych’s return to Doneck on Easter, the Acting Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor General Oleg Machnicki announced: if Yanukovych shows up in Ukraine, he will receive a “warm welcome”. Machnicki reminded that Yanukovych is facing charges on 4 different criminal cases, which state serious crimes.

I don’t know if law enforcement will be able to follow through on the promise, but for a not so brave Yanukovych this is yet another reason for enuresis.

To sum up, friends, I’m walking with a heavy heart after today’s events. I would like to return to my previous form of regards. I wish all of us to see tomorrow that God has not forgotten Ukraine.

Free Ukraine

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Tag: Russia