Tag: separatism

May 11-12, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

On May the 11th Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a press release about referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine. The Ministry expressed regrets that ‘in spite of the international community’s warnings, an illegal voting was hastily carried out as referendums in Eastern Ukraine, which violated international law and the Constitution of Ukraine. This voting has no legal effect and is not legally binding. It has only led to further rising tensions in Eastern Ukraine.’ (Ministry of Foreign Affairs information, ELTA, 15min.lt, vz.lt, lrytas.lt)

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), warned that Ukrainian crisis could have serious economical impact for global economy. (delfi.lt)

On 11th of May Pro-Ukrainian protesters in London Trafalgar Square booed Valery Gergiev, Russian conductor, which signed a letter supporting Putin’s actions in Crimea (15min.lt). 

Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, on 12th of May traveled to Kiev responding to Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s invitation to discuss ways of stabilizing the situation in Ukraine. After the meeting with Arseniy Yatsenyuk, President of the European Council said ‘that European Union is firmly committed to Ukraine’s unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. And EU doesn’t recognise the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and the so-called “referenda” of yesterday, because they are illegal and not credible.’ Herman van Rompuy also stressed that it is urgent that Russia calls upon the armed separatists to lay down their weapons and to vacate the buildings they illegally occupied. (European Council Press release, lzinios.lt)

On 11th of May, Jean-Claude Juncker, EPP candidate for President of the European Commission, warned that Ukraine due to violence and political crisis will not join European Union at least for ten years. (15min.lt, lrytas.lt)

Sergey Pashynsky: Antiterrorist Operation in the Eastern Ukraine is in the final stage

Source: Ukraine Crisis Media Center

Sergey Pashynsky, Acting Head of Presidential Administration of Ukraine, during a press briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center said that the anti-terrorist operation in the region of Krasny Liman – Kramatorsk – Slavyansk is in the active phase. During the operation bases of separatists – terrorists had been destroyed in response to attempts by terrorists to move into action the night before. Commenting on the situation in Mariupol city Mr. Pashynsky added: “In Mariupol situation is very tense, and we do everything in order to reduce the degree of conflict in society, and to find a compromise; in any case we are not going to kill civilians, we are fighting and will fight only with the terrorists.”

Sergey Pashynsky also commented on holding a pseudo-referendum on the territory of Luhansk and Donetsk regions: “In fact, no referendum is not carried out, is nothing more than an information campaign started by terrorists to conceal their crimes using the opinion of residents of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. There is no “referendum” at two-thirds of the regions in general, and in some major cities, which are under the control of terrorists, are mini demonstrations, which are fixed on the printer printed bulletins.”

Dmitry Tymchuk: Russian propaganda on “peacekeeping operation”

Translated by Andriy Berbets and edited by Alex Howard for Voices of Ukraine

According to Information Resistance data, pro-Russian extremists are conducting an intense propaganda campaign amongst the population in Luhansk and Donetsk Regions. Its purpose is to force citizens to take part in the so-called ‘referendum’ to ensure the split of Ukraine. You can read more of it here: http://inforesist.org/russia-is-preparing-a-peace-keeping-operation-in-ukraine/?lang=en.

The separatists are trying to give the impression that during the ‘referendum’, Russia will be able to deploy ‘peacekeeping forces’ on the territory of Ukraine, in order to help stabilize the situation in the region, as their main argument in their attempt to convince the people.

About the fact that Russia is itself fueling the flames of civil war in Ukraine, and that the actions taken by the separatists themselves are destabilizing the situation in these regions, there is only silence.

At the same time we’d like to note that, throughout last week, the so-called Russian ‘expert community’ (e.g. the ‘Gazprom’ funded Moscow Strategic Culture Foundation, the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, the Center of Strategic Conjuncture etc.) began actively promoting the idea that a Russian ‘peacekeeping operation’ is strongly needed on the territory of Ukraine.

The main premise in this case is that a “peacekeeping operation” should be conducted by Russia without any consent from the UN (United Nations), as the involvement of the UN supposedly allows the West ‘to seize the initiative’ and to move their troops into Ukraine after receiving a UN mandate. But, as you know, Russia’s membership in the UN Security Council is absolutely unjustifiable, because this country is the aggressor, so it does not allow the UN Security Council to make any efforts in the resolution of the crisis in Ukraine, including carrying out peacekeeping operations by third parties.

Theoretically, Putin has two options to conduct a ‘peacekeeping operation’: to carry it out under the auspices of the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] or the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization].

Currently the first option is not possible, because China, as a member of the SCO, would clearly not agree to this kind of global adventure.

What about Moscow’s pocket union, otherwise known as the CSTO? As it’s well known, Putin is currently applying increased pressure on the presidents of the satellite countries. It’s worthwhile remembering the recent military exercises of the Russian Armed Forces, where the question of the use of nuclear weapons was discussed under the personal leadership of Putin, with the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in attendance.

The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, who has not previously supported Russian aggression against Ukraine, has suddenly and inexplicably changed his rhetoric. This change of position miraculously coincided with the message that Russia is ready to give Belarus a $2 billion loan in order to replenish its foreign exchange reserves.

However, the CSTO has no legal grounds for ‘peacekeeping’ in Ukraine, as Ukraine is not a member of the organization. Article 3 of the Agreement on the CSTO peacekeeping operations provides that the organization can perform such activities based on their own decisions only on the territory of the CSTO member states. In the case of non-member countries of the CSTO, approval from the UN Security Council must be obtained first.

This means that any attempt by Russia to move its troops into Ukraine under any pretext, whether alone or in an “alliance” with its satellites, will mean direct military aggression against sovereign Ukraine, or rather the second stage of aggression after Crimea.

Terrorists on TV tower in Slovyansk

translation:Kastytis Rimkevicius

According to recent data from “Information Resistance” group, tonight and in the morning there were attacks made by terrorists on TV tower in Slovyansk (object at this time is protected by Ukrainian law enforcers).

Attacks allegedly made ​​by mortars.

Two security men were injured – one wounded, the second got shrapnel wounds.

“IR” http://sprotyv.info/news/235-v-slavyanske-obstrelyali-televyshku

Terrorists brutally murdered married couple and a priest in Eastern Ukraine

Source: Euromaidanpr

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine reports that Luhansk Region prosecution offices are conducting investigation in connection with a criminal proceeding over the violent murder of a married couple in front of their underage daughter.

It has been determined that, on May 9, terrorists have brutally gunned down husband and wife couple who were traveling in two separate vehicles. The victims were local private entrepreneurs. Their bodies with numerous gunshot wounds were located by law enforcement officers on a roadway near the town of Sverdlovsk.

Additionally, the couple’s child, with a gunshot wound to the head, was located in one of the vehicles; she is currently at an intensive care unit of a local hospital. 5.45 mm-caliber bullet casings were discovered during the crime scene investigation.

Donetsk journalist and chief editor of a local news outlet, Sergey Garmash, reported some additional details about the slain couple on his Facebook page: “The scary news: the string of murders has started in town. Everyone who is wealthy (shop and company owners, businessmen), everyone who had crossed the mayor’s path, who creates business competition to him or his cronies, everyone who believes that our city authorities have been lying and stealing too much – city authorities have declared them the Right Sector . A family from Antratsyt has been gunned down near the village of Novobobrivtsi. Husband and wife are dead, their young child is in critical condition. They sold everything they owned in Antratsyt and were trying to flee from persecution. Someone from Antratsyt radioed the ‘people’s militia’ that the Right Sector cars are approaching. Terrorists started shooting to kill at the vehicles – ironically, these were two SUVs, black and red color. When the terrorists approached to take away the money (they knew that the businessman was carrying a large sum of money), they heard a child cry from inside a vehicle. Fighters against the Right Sector got so scared – they did not expect to become a child’s murderers – that they discarded the entire loot. Reportedly, they even called the ambulance. Also, four of the injured were brought to Antratsyt (a terrorist stronghold now, just like Slovyansk) under guard. While shooting the car, terrorists injured some of their own.”

Additionally, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported that, on Thursday, May 8, terrorists who were “coordinated by an external aggressor” gunned down a 44-year-old local Orthodox priest at an exit checkpoint in the town of Druzhkivka, Donetsk Region.

“Savages have fired 8 bullets from an automatic weapon into the reverend”, noted the agency. Police authorities have also launched a pretrial investigation over the murder, under direction of the local prosecution offices.

Journalist Sergiy Garmash tweeted that the priest lived near the separatists’ checkpoint and came out of his house in an attempt to talk some sense into them. Father Pavlo was reportedly the dean of a Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox church in Alekseevo-Druzhkivka. However, the spokesperson of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Georgiy Kovalenko, while reporting that the death had been confirmed by the Horlivka Diocese, stated that the priest was no longer employed by the diocese and was a “freelancer”.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has assured that all necessary investigative measures are currently taking place in order to accomplish speedy and objective prosecution of these criminal cases.

Situation in Mariupol 17:30

17:30 Situation in Mariupol is now calm. Special forces squad “Azov” has retaken the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Previously terrorists had captured its ground and first floor. Afterwards it left the town. However, there are still armed and drunk terrorists in town. Insider report.

They have taken the dead and the wounded. At the same time firefighters finished putting out the fire in burning buildings.

According to a journalist, there is no governance in town. The mayor of Mariupol ran away after the first shot was fired and no one knows where he is. Militia is afraid to retake the buildings. Therefore, the situation may still get worse.

Dmitry Tymchuk’s Military Blog: Summary – May 8, 2014

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

I apologize for posting our summary a little earlier today, for organizational reasons. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen by the end of today. If something good happens–please.

The bad news:

1. In Luhansk and Donetsk, the pro-Russian clowns, who loudly announced themselves as ‘National Councils’ (although ‘alcoholic interest clubs’ or ‘Putin’s money fan clubs’ would be more appropriate) have nevertheless decided to hold their show named ‘referendum on independence’ in these Regions.

Tonight, good people burned to hell over a million prepared blank forms in the printing shops of Donbass. But Moscow has money in bulk. They will print out more.

In general, after the upcoming exacerbation on May 9, [people] should prepare for events after May 11, when this very ‘referendum’ is scheduled. This scenario is known from [events in] Crimea: just under 100% of the population will ‘vote’ for ‘independence’ and Uncle Vova [diminutive for Vladimir Putin] will tend to the ‘protection of people’s will’ thereafter.

If we don’t stop this separatist circus now, it will be much more difficult to do it later.

2. An armored ‘Tiger’ vehicle broke through the border checkpoint from Russia–a ‘gift’ to separatism from [controversial Russian politician, Vladimir] Zhirinovsky. Then, it traveled through Luhansk.

What an outrageous occurrence. But here, I’d like to share our common alarming observations in general.

Yes, the overall reliability of the Ukrainian-Russian border protection in Luhansk and Donetsk Regions is questionable. On the one hand, nobody has cancelled corruption. But a far greater problem is that the border control officers do not have significant forces and capabilities to cope with large extremist groups or, as in this case, with armored vehicles, on their own.

This is–the task for other law enforcement agencies, which should reinforce the ‘border guards.’ If there is no cooperation, then we won’t be able to resolve the border issue.

3. Today, Putin has gathered the Presidents of his satellite countries from the Collective Security Treaty Organization–Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. He decided to show them the ‘Potemkin’ exercises of the Russian troops. They rolled out serious weaponry–a heavy flame thrower system TOS-1. Gave the command to open fire.

And… pshik… zilch. Nothing happened.

If I were a Russian, I would be concerned by the fact that their miracle leader who only has tanchiki [diminutive for tanks] in mind also has a nuclear button. If this maniac, preparing to fight with the whole world, decides to use it, there will be no Urals anymore. Moscow Region will cease to exist, too. For the arms of valiant Russian warriors do not grow out of the same place that all normal people’s arms grow.

The bad thing about this is that Putin doesn’t intend to impress the world with high-tech, efficient farming or Russian culture. This insane individual can do nothing else but rattle a saber. Even if it doesn’t always perform.

The good news:

1. The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Andrey Parubiy has announced that yesterday’s statement by Putin to postpone the ‘referendum’ by Ukrainian separatists–is a political scam.

The Ukrainian government is well aware that Putin’s words are lies backed by nothing else except nefarious plans to lull Kiev’s alertness. And this means that the anti-terrorist operation [ATO] will continue for as long as Ukrainian terrorists don’t rest. In detention center or on the long-suffering land of Donbass.

It’s obvious there is nothing good about Putin’s lie. But the fact that the Ukrainian government doesn’t believe in it, and is ready to continue to save Ukraine–is a definite plus.

2. By lunchtime today, we ended the monitoring of regional preparation for possible provocations that may take place tomorrow, May 9. If the overall forecast is not very reassuring, then it at least gives us hope.

Yes, there are a lot of weaknesses. But in general, the security forces and local authorities have taken measures to ensure that a tragedy like the events in Odessa on May 2 won’t be repeated.

Of course, we can’t make any promises. And we don’t expect that Victory Day will go smoothly. We must be ready for anything–especially those of us in Donbass.

3. On the eve of Victory Day, Russian social media broadcast information that in the Alexander Garden in the Kremlin, the only stele dedicated to the Hero cities in the heart of Moscow that remained without flowers–was the stele of Kiev.

Just a couple of hours after this message, the stele of the Hero city of Kiev was inundated with flowers.

There are adequate people still left in Moscow. Thank you to them. After all, Victory Day is our common holiday. And we, the IR group, would like to congratulate all of you, my brothers and sisters, with it!

And [a couple of words] for the future. We defeated Hitler’s Nazism, and we will defeat Putin’s Nazism.

Battle in Slavyansk – May 5, 2014

By Borislav Bereza
05.06.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

In a fierce battle, Ukrainian special forces, defeated a large group of terrorists who attempted to break out from Slavyansk, which has been surrounded by the Ukrainian military. Several hundred bandits attacked the positions of our troops and were pushed back, suffering heavy losses. Significant quantities of the newest, Russian-made weapons were captured on the battlefield, including what Russian spetsnaz GRU is known to be armed with. The battlefield remains under our control, cleanup is on-going, as the fight subsided literally 30 minutes ago. A crucial role was played by Interior Ministry special forces soldiers of the “Omega” and ” Jaguar” squads, and the special “Alpha” squad of the SBU.

Unfortunately, during the heavy fighting our troops suffered heavy losses. Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed, while one is in critical condition, and about 20 of our soldiers were wounded. Medical assistance was administered and they were evacuated by helicopter to nearby hospitals.

Eternal memory to the fallen in the battle for freedom and independence of our country…

 

Bloody Friday in Odessa. Poll Lenec story.

At 15.00, we (Euromaidan) gathered in Sobor square and prepared to march through Odessa in order to show that Odessa is Ukrainian.

At around 15.30, in the Greek street, a formation of fully equipped pro-Russian activists began approaching us from the direction the ‘Athena’.  Police lined two cordons, one blocking us, the other blocking them. Soon people from both sides began breaking street paving and threw stones at each other over the militia cordon. Both fireworks and sonic firecrackers were used. Stone throwing continued for half an hour. Injured persons were moved away. Nobody really understood what was the power ratio.

Half an hour later a small group from Euromaidan decided to outflank the pro-Russians through a small street of Zhukovsky. I was there as well. When our people with stones outflanked them, and there was no police between the groups, pro-Russians opened a combat weapon fire. The last of our group started running, while I and a few other people fell to the ground and hid behind vehicles. Then pro-Russians launched a counterattack, threw stones and fireworks. A huge stone fell just a couple of inches away from my head, its splinter hitting my eyebrow. There was a lot of blood and it was really frightening. After that, I understood that I won’t escape by lying on the ground, and when our people began throwing stones in response, I managed to get to the crowd behind the corner. There, I’ve met the first one hurt in the gunfire. An artery in his leg was shot and pink blood sprayed in fountains. He was in shock and assured me that he was fine. I and some other guys carried him to some quickly erected medical point.

When I came back to Zhukovsky street, I saw the most horrifying sight in my life. A young man was lying dead, covered with a Ukrainian flag. Somebody took his phone, called his parents and said: ‘Your son was killed. Come to Deribasivska to pick him up.’ The first thing I saw when I came back to Zhukovsky street was an AK-47(!) in the shielded pro-Russian crowd and this gun was firing in series of shots in our direction. Also, there were a lot of injured victims. Some friends and I grabbed one of them and carried to safety. His flak jacket was pierced. We brought him to the volunteer medical point. Ambulances were overfilled and leaving.

At that moment, looking at the power ratio, I understood that there were a lot more of our Patriots than pro-Russians. Yet, they were well armed and organized. I thought that if they had enough guns, they will either murder us all or drive us away.  Yet, this is where the strength of the Ukrainian nation lies.

Despite the pro-Russian shooting, more and more of our activists approached them. People with stones ran against assault rifles, while covering behind trash bins and cafe tables. In the following hours, we have blocked the whole perimeter and pressed them up in the Greek street, in an unfinished parking lot of ‘Athena’. We mostly used barricades, constructed from everything that was at hand. At that time, police was either doing nothing or did something incomprehensible. Yet, they surely did nothing to end the conflict.

A few hours later, our side started throwing Molotov cocktails. The only firetruck came closer and began extinguishing the fire on the burning facades of buildings. I don’t know why, but at some point the firefighters abandoned their truck with a broken windshield. Euromaidanians got into the vehicle and simply drove through the barricades towards the pro-Russian crowd. However, at some point the truck stopped and the maneuver wasn’t successful.

During that time I carried away yet another unconscious victim with injured head. Euromaidanians were entirely unprepared for a fight. Except for some twenty members of self-defense unit, we didn’t even have helmets, not to mention the flak jackets. As time passed, shots became rarer and finally stopped. It was clear the the pro-Russian gang is running out of ammo. Then the Ukrainian patriots stood up for attack – beginning from the Greek square, they pushed away pro-russian activists from the Greek street towards the Sobor square. At that time, militia gathered a cordon around us, which gave a chance for some pro-russian activists to break through. However, the crowd quickly defeated that cordon and started to chase the pro-russian crowd through the whole square.

Then, I started running towards the pro-russian activists and literally covered them with my own body because the people were beating them up with clubs and it was impossible to stop them. It was the only choice. That way I saved 3 people. More or less alive, they were dragged to the medical points and almost not beaten up anymore. One pro-russian, who managed to recover after beating, pulled out a huge knife and almost stabbed me. I managed to avoid him, and then he got stunned with a club. From that moment on, I stopped protecting him.

After the pro-russian gang got dispersed, I saw that the streets and the square were full of blood. Patriots regrouped and started moving towards the Kulikovo field in columns, where the tents of separatists were located. When we arrived there, the tents were already on fire and the activists had already locked themselves in the Trade Union House. From there, they started firing through the windows at the area we occupied outside. However, in the Kulikovo field, I saw pistols in our crowd as well. The Trade Union House was quickly set on fire with Molotov cocktails. The house started burning and the pro-russian activists moved to the 4th floor. It quickly became apparent that if we did nothing, the activists would simply die there. There was absolutely no police. Before that they just stood and did nothing and then they didn’t even bother going to Kulikovo.

Everyone quickly realised that the people inside the Trade Union House had to be saved. And after an hour since the fire started, not a single fire truck had arrived to the scene. The patriots broke down the scene and two wooden columns near the windows, so that the pro-russians could get out. A lot of people started climbing up in order to save them. Some of the people, who couldn’t suffer anymore, simply jumped out to the ground from the 4th floor. It was horrible – after reaching the ground, none of them could stand up. These pro-russians, who we saved, acted aggressively (!). Some of them, right after going down the columns, began fighting with the crowd. For that they got beaten up until they lost consciousness.

My sister Danochka and my mother were giving first aid to the wounded throughout the events. One man was thought to be dead, covered with the Ukrainian flag and was left lying alone. Danochka ran to him, checked his pulse and it turned out that he was still alive. Thanks to her, the man was taken to medics and received help.

Finally, the firetrucks and police started to gather. The firemen acted disgustingly. They weren’t rushing at all, dragged everything and simply took the safest positions. People simply took away rescue ladders from them and went rescuing the separatists themselves.The rescuing of the pro-russians became quicker and, actually, the people that the separatists were firing at an hour ago, turned out to be their rescuers. Basically, that was the end of the confrontation.

According to the police summary, more than 50 people died, but I think that the real situation will appear after a couple of days. Right now it seems that there are more than a thousand injured.

Despite this nightmare Odessa showed that it has ten times as many patriots as pro-russians. Just like in Maidan, the number of people and their unbelievable courage simply overwhelmed the enemy. I really hope that we have solved the question of pro-russian separatism for a foreseeable future.