Hosta

The Donetsk People's Republic (Russian: Донецкая народная республика, Donetskaya narodnaya respublika) is a self-proclaimed state,^[7][8] declared on 7 April 2014 by several hundred activists who currently occupy the Regional Administration Building and the City Hall^[9] buildings in Donetsk,^[10][11] as well as other cities in the region.^[12] In addition to Donetsk city, as of 14 April, pro-Russian separatists have taken control of government buildings in other cities within the oblast, including Mariupol, Horlivka, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Yenakiieve, Makiivka, Druzhkivka, and Zhdanivka.^{[13][14][15][16]}

The Donetsk People's Republic has not been recognized by any state.^[17] Their stated goals are either the federalization of Ukraine, union with Russia, or independence.^{[clarification needed]}

According to the Kyiv Post most of the protesters are 50 years or older, while inside the building, many of the occupiers are younger but from other cities like Mariupol, Kherson and Mykolaiv. The occupiers include both men and women.^[18] Numerous Russian citizens, including leaders of various far-right militant groups, have also taken part in the events.^[19] The OSCE reported that all the main institutions of the city observed by the Monitoring Team seemed to be working normally as of 16 April.^[20] On 22 April, separatists agreed to release the session hall of the building along with two floors to state officials.^[21] The 9th and 10th floors were later released on 24 April.^[22]

The pro-Russian separatist activities are headed by the Donetsk Republic organization, a group which has been banned in Ukraine since 2007. The group's leader, Andrei Purgin, was arrested weeks prior on charges of separatism.^[23] The political leader of the state in absentia is the self-declared People's Governor Pavel Gubarev,^[1][24] a former member of the neo-Nazi Russian National Unity paramilitary group and former Communist Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine,^{[25][26][27][28]} who is also currently arrested on charges of separatism and illegal seizure of power.^[29][30] Denis Pushilin is the chairman of the government,^[3][4] while Igor Kakidzyanov has been named as the commander of the "People's Army".^[5]

On 15 April, the interim government in Kiev announced a military counteroffensive to confront the pro-Russian militants, and on 17 April, tensions de-escalated as Russia, the US, and the EU agreed on a roadmap to defuse the Ukraine crisis.^[31][32] However, officials of the People's Republic ignored the agreement and vowed to continue their occupations until a referendum is accepted or the interim government in Kiev resigns.^[33] Since the agreement, the Security Service of Ukraine continues to detain Russians entering the country with large amounts of money and military gear.^[34]

Background

Similar attempts to seize the Regional State Administration (RSA) building have been occurring since pro-Russian protests began in the Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine in the wake of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. Pro-Russian protesters previously occupied the Donetsk RSA from 1 to 6 March, before being removed by the Security Service of Ukraine.^[35][36] According to Ukrainian authorities the seizure of RSA's are part of "a script which has been written in the Russian Federation" to destabilize Ukraine and bring in Russian troops executed by "about 1,500 radicals in each region who spoke with clear Russian accents".^[37]

Public opinion

In a poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in the first half of February 2014, 33.2% of polled in Donetsk Oblast believed "Ukraine and Russia must unite into a single state".^[38]

According to a poll conducted by the Institute of Social Research and Policy Analysis, 66% of Donetsk residents view their future in a united Ukraine, 4.7% support separatism, while 18.2% support joining Russia.^[39] A second poll conducted 26–29 March showed that 77% of residents condemned the takeover of administrative buildings, while 16% support such actions. Furthermore, 40.8% of Donetsk citizens support rallies for Ukraine's unity, while 26.5% support rallies which are pro-Russia.^[40]

While support for regional independence is low, only a third of polled Donetsk inhabitants identified themselves as "citizens of Ukraine", preferring instead "Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine" or "residents of Donbass".^[41]

The New York Times stated on 11 April 2014 that many locals consider it a 'crackpot project'.^[17]

The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology released a second study with polling data taken from 8–16 April. 18.1% of Donetsk oblast residents support the recent armed seizures of administrative buildings in the region, while 72% disapprove of the current actions. Roughly 25% in the Donbas region said they would attend secessionist rallies in favor of joining Russia. Most in Donetsk believe that the disarmament and disbanding of illegal radical groups is crucial to preserving national unity. 12.4% are in favor of Ukraine and Russia uniting into a single state, with the majority preferring Ukraine to remain and independent state; 27.5% in Donetsk were in favor of regional secession from Ukraine to join Russia. 51.7% of Donetsk respondents favor Ukraine remaining a unitary state over 38.4% who support federalization.^[42]

Demands

According to the Kyiv Post, a number of militants in standoff with police in Mariupol demand the abolition of biometric passports and an end to vaccinations.^[34]

History

On Sunday, 6 April 2014, between 1,000 and 2,000^[11] pro-Russia protesters attended a rally in Donetsk pushing for a Crimea-style referendum on independence from Ukraine.^[43] The proposed referendum has no status-quo option.^[18] After which, 200 separatists (according to Igor Dyomin, a spokesman for Donetsk local police, about 1,000^[11]) pro-Russian protesters stormed and took control of the first two floors of the building, breaking down doors and smashing windows. The administration headquarters were empty, with only guards inside, as government officials would not work there on Sundays.^[43] The separatists demanded that if an extraordinary session was not held by officials, announcing a referendum to join Russia, they would declare unilateral control by forming a "People's Mandate" at noon on 7 April, and dismiss all elected council members and MPs.^[44][45][46] The people who voted within the RSA were not elected to the positions they assumed.^[47] According to the Russian ITAR-TASS the declaration was voted by some regional legislators, however there are claims that neither the Donetsk city council nor district councils of the city delegated any representatives to the session.^[48][49]

On 6 April, the group's leaders announced that a referendum, on whether Donetsk Oblast should "join the Russian Federation", would take place "no later than 11 May 2014."^[50][51] Additionally, the group's leaders have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian peacekeeping forces to the region.^[50][51][52]

On the morning of 8 April, the 'Patriotic Forces of Donbass', a pro-Kiev group unrelated to Donetsk Republic organization who proclaimed independence and seized the council,^[53] issued a statement on its Facebook page against the other group's declaration of independence, citing complaints from locals.^[54][55][56] Their announcement stated that they would quash the potential state's establishment, cancel the referendum, and, on their part, stated that the declaration is illegal.^[54] Protesters reportedly gave up some weapons too.^[56] Despite this, the Donetsk Republic organization continued to occupy the RSA and declared themselves the legitimate authority, and upheld all previous calls for a referendum and the release of their leader Pavel Gubarev.^[57][b] In the afternoon of 8 April, about a thousand people rallied in front of the RSA listening to speeches about the Donetsk People's Republic and to Soviet and Russian music.^[58]

On the second day of the Republic, organizers decided to pour all of their alcohol out and announce a prohibition law after issues arose due to excess drinking in the building.^[59]

On 22 April, separatists agreed to release the session hall of the building along with two floors to state officials.^[21]

On 30 April, Donetsk Republic chairman Pushilin flew to Moscow and held a press conference.^[60]

Alleged ethnic prejudice

Anti-semitism

On Passover eve, alleged members of the Donetsk Republic,^[61] carrying the flag of the Russian Federation, passed out a leaflet to Jews that informed all Jews over the age of 16 that they would have to report to the Commissioner for Nationalities in the Donetsk Regional Administration building and register their property and religion. It also claimed that Jews would be charged a $50 'registration fee'.^[62] If they did not comply, they would have their citizenship revoked, face 'forceful expulsion' and see their assets confiscated.^[63] The leaflet stated the purpose of registration was because "Jewish community of Ukraine supported Bendera Junta," and "oppose the pro-Slavic People's Republic of Donetsk."^[61] The incident was reported by Jewish community members,^[64] and security at the synagogue confirmed that the men returned again on 16 April to further press their point.^[65] The authenticity of the leaflet could not be independently verified.^[66]

Donetsk People's Republic chairman Denis Pushilin initially confirmed that the flyers were distributed by his organization, but denied any connection to the leaflet's content.^[66] Pushilin later denied at a press conference that the DPR had anything to do with the flyer, calling it provocation and a "complete lie".^[67]

According to Donetsk city chief rabbi Pinchas Vishedski, the press secretary of the self-proclaimed republic, Aleksander Kriakov, is "the most famous anti-Semite in the region,"^[68] and believes the men were 'trying to use the Jewish community in Donetsk as an instrument in the conflict.'^[64]

According to Michael Salberg, director of the international affairs at the New York City-based Anti-Defamation League, it is currently unclear if the leaflets were issued by the pro-Russian leadership or a splinter group operating within the pro-Russian camp or someone else.^[61] According to Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the leaflets looked like some sort of provocation, and an attempt to paint the pro-Russian forces as anti-semitic.^[69]

Ukraine's Security Service announced it had launched an investigation on the matter.^[70]

On 17 April pro-Russian separatists aided by Russian military specialists seized a TV tower providing signal to cities in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian channels were removed from air, with 'Russian propaganda channels given the frequencies'. On 20 April, which the Euro-Asian Congress noted was Adolf Hitler's birthday, activists boasted about their imminent "victory" in anti-Semitic terms. "Here, from Sloviansk, we are inflicting a powerful information conceptual blow to the biblical matrix...to Zionist zombie broadcasting." They then presented a lecture by former Russian Conceptual Party Unity leader Konstantin Petrov, who the EAJC described as a "anti-Semitic neo-pagan national-Stalinist sect".^[71]

Attacks on Romani (Gypsies)

The News of Donbass reported that members of the Donbass People's Militia engaged in assaults and robbery on the Romani (Roma/Gypsy) population of Sloviansk. The armed separatists allegedly beat women and children, looted homes, and carried off the stolen goods in trucks, according to eyewitnesses.^[72]

"They drove up in several cars and they had automatic weapons and pistols. They began shooting at the windows and they shot the locks off the doors, burst inside and started beating everyone - children, the elderly, men and women," Natalia Vorokuta, a member of a Romani women's cultural outreach group, told Romea.cz in describing events in Sloviansk. "They had to stand with their faces to the wall while the men threatened them and yelled that they had to immediately give them everything they have: Arms, drugs, gold and money. They threw everything they looted and stole into the vans and drove off," Vorokuta said, adding that the pogrom had an 'obviously racial subtext'.^[73]

On 23 April, more attacks on Romani were reported in Sloviansk, including a man shot in the leg.^[74]

The militants claimed they were acting on orders from 'People's Mayor' and militant leader Vyacheslav Ponomarev.^[72][75] Reports of the attacks were confirmed by Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, as well as a heightened level of xenophobic rhetoric at separatist rallies.^[76] Ponomarev confirmed the attacks and said that they were only against Romani he alleged were involved in drug trafficking, and that he was 'cleaning the city from drugs.'^[77]

In Sloviansk, Romani have since fled en masse to live with relatives in other parts of the country, fearing ethnic cleansing, displacement and murder. Some men who have decided to remain are forming militia groups to protect their families and homes.^[73]

Other instances

Ponomarev announced on 18 April a "hunt" on the Ukrainian speaking population of Donetsk region, telling militants to report suspicious activity, especially if they overheard use of the Ukrainian language.^[78] Material inciting ethnic hatred towards Ukrainians was also found near the Regional State Administration (including posters about the "horrors and atrocities of Euromaidan and Bandera").^[76]

Yatsenyuk said that the government will not tolerate incitement of ethnic hatred and will take all legal measures to prevent the import into Ukraine of anti-Semitism and xenophobia. The Prime Minister has instructed law enforcement agencies to identify those distributing hateful material and bring them to justice, as well as those involved in the attacks on Romani.^[72][76]

Expansion of territorial control

On 12 April, unmarked pro-Russian soldiers seized the Interior Ministry office in Donetsk without resistance.^[12] Following negotiations with those in the building, the head of the Donetsk Ministry of Internal Affairs resigned.^[79] The police later denied that the building had been taken, but rather that the building had only been surrounded by pro-Russian protesters.^[80] Former Berkut officers, who had been dissolved by the government following their actions during the February revolution, took part in the raid and sided with the separatists in Donetsk and spoke to the crowd outside the police department.^[81][82]

Armed separatists attempted to capture a chemical plant housing a significant amount of explosives, but were repelled by the Ukrainian National Guard. Two of the attackers were arrested and a police officer was injured.^[83]

On 16 April, pro-Russian gunmen stormed the Donetsk City Hall.^[84] The gunmen allowed the municipal employees to leave the building without harm.^[84] Mayor Alexander Lukyanchenko was said to be inside negotiating with the separatists, who are demanding a referendum on the status of the Donbass region.^[84]

Pro-Russian protesters stormed the headquarters of the regional state television network on 27 April, and announced that they will replace the feed with that of Rossiya 24, a Kremlin-backed network.^[85] By 28 April, Ukrainian channels were still airing, however the rebroadcasting of Rossiya 24 began,^[86] after it had been shut down by an order from a court in Kiev earlier on in the protests.^[87]

On 4 May, police raised the flag of the Donetsk Republic over the Donetsk police station.^[88]

Sloviansk

On 12 April masked men in army fatigues and bulletproof vests, armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles captured the executive committee building, the police department and SBU office in Sloviansk, a city in the northern part of the Donetsk Oblast.^[12][89] According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry the militant supporters of the Donetsk Republic fired indiscriminately on the building.^[90] In raiding the police armory, the militants seized at least 400 handguns and 20 automatic weapons. "The aim of the takeover was the guns," a Ukrainian police statement said. "They are giving these guns to participants in the protest in Sloviansk."^[82] The following morning after the events in Sloviansk, the Ukrainian government announced a counter-terrorism operation would take place in the city.^[91]

The counter-terrorism operation began the following morning on 13 April where police cleared a highway checkpoint controlled by separatists. A group of insurgents exited their vehicle and began opening fire on Ukrainian police, where 2 SBU officers were killed and several Ukrainian military were injured; 1 separatist was also killed in the shootout while the remainder fled into the woods. The car the gunmen were in had a Poltava Oblast license plate, which was traced to the private security firm Yavir. In an unrelated shootout in the city itself, two people were shot dead by an assailant in plain clothes, and another wounded.^[92]

In the early morning hours of 20 April, during what was supposed to be an "Easter truce",^[93][94] a People's Militia checkpoint outside of Sloviansk was allegedly attacked by unknown gunmen. The People's Militia claimed to have killed two of the attackers and suffered three dead before they managed to repulse the attack.^[95] The mayor of Sloviansk and the Russian Foreign Ministry blamed the group Right Sector for the attack, while a spokesman for the group and Ukraine's Interior Ministry claimed that Russian special forces were responsible for the incident.^[96][97] Sky News correspondent Katie Stallard said there are inconsistencies in the separatists' accounts and there is no coherent evidence to back up what they are saying.^[98] Daniel Sandford of the BBC described the evidence presented by the pro-Russian side as 'dubious'.^[97]

Kramatorsk

In Kramatorsk, northern Donetsk region, a shootout with police occurred as the separatists attacked the police station before capturing it.^[99][100] Donbass Militia members tore off the sign of the station and raised the flag of the Donetsk Republic.^[101] The gunmen then gave an ultimatum that if by Monday the city's mayor and his subordinates did not side with the Republic, then they would "take the executive committee;" a crowd of separatists rallied around the executive committee building and flew the Republican flag from the top of the building.^[101][102] Other activists had already entered the city council building.^[101] A Donetsk Republic representative addressed locals outside the police station, and was received negatively with booing.^[101]

After an offensive on 2–3 May that routed insurgents from the SBU building, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the city on 4 May.^[103]

Other cities

On 12 April, in Horlivka, men attempted to seize the police department but were stopped. The purpose of the raid was an attempt to seize weapons, police said.^[104] Police stated they would use firearms to defend against "criminals and terrorists."^[105] However, on 14 April, after a tense standoff, the regional police headquarters in Horlivka was successfully stormed by activists.^[15] Some members of the local police unit defected to the People's Republic earlier in the day,^[106] while the remaining officers eventually retreated, allowing the pro-Russian forces to take control and raise the flag of the People's Republic over the building.^[106][107] The chief of police was captured, beaten, and hospitalized.^[108] On 17 April, city council deputy Volodymyr Rybak was kidnapped by masked men; on 22 April, a body was found in the river believed to be his.^[109] Pro-Russian protesters seized the city council building and Horlivka police division on 30 April.^[110]

Pro-Russian extremists also reportedly tried to take the police station in Shakhtarsk, and seize the police station in Krasnyi Lyman.^[12][111]

On 13 April, activists and supporters of federalization took administration in Mariupol.^{[112][better source needed]}

In Druzhkivka, pro-Russian militants reportedly seized the district administration.^[113][114]

On 12 April, Ukraine's Interior Ministry denied that Krasnyi Lyman, Kramatorsk, and Krasnoarmiisk's government buildings had fallen to separatists.^[115] However, on 16 April protesters hoisted the flag of the Donetsk People's Republic over city administration buildings in Krasnoarmiisk and Novoazovsk.^[116][117]

On 13 April, activists occupied local administration and the police station in the city of Mariupol, the second largest city in the oblast.^{[112][better source needed]}

In Artemivsk, separatists failed to capture the police station but entered the city council building and raised the flag of the Donetsk Republic from the roof of the building.^[118]

Donbass People's Militia members took the regional council building in Khartsyzk.^[119]

On 14 April, pro-Russia activists seized the local council building in Zhdanovka and declared loyalty to the People's Republic.^[16][107]

On 18 April, pro-Russian activists took over the local administration and police buildings in the city of Seversk.^[120][121] Local law-enforcement authorities subsequently announced that they would cooperate with the pro-Russian activists.^[120]

On 20 April, separatists in Yenakiieve, who had occupied the city council since 13 April, left.^[122]

On 24 April, 70-100 insurgents armed with assault rifles and rocket launchers attacked a weapons depot in Artemivsk, Donetsk Oblast, which housed up to 30 tanks.^[123] They were met with resistance from Ukrainian military and retreated. A substantial number were wounded from the insurgents, along with one Ukrainian soldier as well.^[124][123] Avakov said the group was led by a man with "an extensive beard," hinting at Russian militant Alexander Mozhaev.^[123]

Up to 30 pro-Russian gunmen seized the police headquarters of Konstantinovka on 28 April.^[125] Previously, on 22 April, a local newspaper that was critical of the People's Republic had its office in Konstantinovka burned down by pro-Russian protesters.^[126]

Government counteroffensive

In response to the actions, acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov vowed to launch a major counter-terrorism operation against separatist movements in the country's eastern regions.^[127] Later that day on 7 April, the SBU office in Donetsk was retaken by SBU Alpha Group.^[128][129] Russian media claims that, Alfa Special unit from Donetsk refused orders from Kiev, explaining it by the fact that their duties are counter-terrorism actions.^[130]

Ukrainian acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced on 9 April that the separatist protests in Ukraine's eastern region would be resolved within 48 hours – either through negotiations or the use of force. "There are two opposite ways for resolving this conflict -- a political dialogue and the heavy-handed approach. We are ready for both," he said, according to official news agency Ukrinform. Acting President Olexander Turchynov has already signed a decree to take the Donetsk Regional State Administration "under state protection,"^[131][132] and has offered amnesty to the separatists if they lay down their arms and surrender.^[133] On the 11th, Prime Minister Yatsenyuk said he was against the use of law enforcement scenarios, "but there is a limit."^[134]

On 15 April, Kiev announced to launch a counteroffensive against Pro-Russian Protesters.^[135] The correspondents did not hear or see any fights in the morning.^[136] Ukrainian troops re-took the airfield in Kramatorsk after a gunfight with the people's militia which resulted in at least four deaths.^[137]

After the Ukrainian army re-took the airfield, the commanding general of the unit, Vasily Krutov, was surrounded by hostile protesters, who demanded to know why the Ukrainian troops had fired upon locals earlier.^[138] Krutov was eventually dragged back to the airbase and, along with his unit, were blockaded by protesters who vowed not to let the troops leave their base.^[138] Krutov later told reporters that "if they (separatists) do not lay down their arms, they will be destroyed."^[139]

The People's Militia entered Sloviansk on 16 April with six armored personnel carriers they claimed to have obtained from part's of the 25th Airborne Brigade who had surrendered their arms in the city of Kramatorsk.^{[140][141][142][143]} Reports say the occupants were disarmed after the vehicles were blockaded by locals.^[144] In another incident, several hundred residents of Pchyolkino, south of Sloviansk, surrounded another column of 14 Ukrainian armoured vehicles. After negotiations, the troops were allowed to drive their vehicles away, but only after agreeing to surrender the magazines from their assault rifles.^[144] These incidents apparently led President Turchynov to disestablish the 25th Airborne Brigade.^[145] Three members of the people's militia were killed, eleven were wounded, and 63 arrested after an attempted storming of the National Guard base in Mariupol was repulsed.^[146][147]

According to BBC's David Stern on 17 April, "Ukraine's 'anti-terrorist' operation is looking more and more a non-event, or worse, an outright fiasco."^[144] Some Ukrainian soldiers refused "to shoot at their own people"^[148][149] and the offensive is losing its momentum.^{[150][151][152]}

On 22 April, Ukraine's acting president relaunched military operations against pro-Russian militants in the east after two men, one a local politician, were found "tortured to death". The politician, Volodymyr Rybak, was found near Sloviansk and had been abducted by pro-Russian "terrorists." "The terrorists who effectively took the whole Donetsk region hostage have now gone too far," he said.^[153][154]

According to the Ukraine Interior Ministry, the city of Sviatogorsk, near Sloviansk, was retaken by Ukraine on 23 April.^[155] The Ministry of Defense later announced it had taken control over all important facilities in the Kramatorsk area.^[156]

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced on 24 April that Ukrainian government forces had liberated the city hall in Mariupol after a clash with pro-Russian protesters there.^[157][158] However, Natalia Antelava of the BBC, said that while it appears that although the mayor and an armed contingent did enter the building early in the morning, there was later no sign of Ukrainian troops at the city hall.^[158] Pro-Russian activists blamed Ukrainian nationalists for the attack but said the separatist movement was now back in charge. "We, the People's Republic of Donetsk, still control the building. There was an attempted provocation but now it's over," Irina Voropoyeva, a representative of the People's Republic, told Reuters on 24 April.^[157]

Ukrainian officials alleged that the counter-insurgency operation intended to retake the all of Sloviansk on this day, but an increased threat of a Russian invasion halted the operation - Russian forces mobilized to within 10km of the Ukrainian border. The government confirmed 7 were killed during the operation.^[159] President Turchynov later addressed the media, announcing the 'anti-terrorist' operation would be resumed, citing the ongoing hostage crisis.^[160]

Hostage crisis

During the crisis, at least a dozen individuals, including journalists, city officials, local politicians, and members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have been taken hostage by Donetsk Republic separatists across the region. Two abductees have been murdered by pro-Russian forces. Sloviansk has held the highest concentration of hostages, with Republic city mayor Vyacheslav Ponomarev claiming to hold at least 10; vowing to take more as bargaining chips, and to execute them in the result of a government counter-assault. On 25 April 13 more were taken hostage, including 8 OSCE members.

Identity of militants

Makeup of militia

According to a spokesman for the Donetsk People's Republic, the militants in Sloviansk are "an independent group who are supporting the Donetsk protest,"^[161] while militants in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk and have identified themselves as members of Pavel Gubarev's Donbass People's Militia.^[101][162]

Militants in Sloviansk appeared to include professional soldiers as well as retired veterans, civilian and volunteers, while those in Donetsk have been confirmed to include former Berkut riot police officers.^[82] When asked by The Sunday Telegraph where the weapons had come from, one armed Afghanistan war veteran nodded at the Russian flag flying from the police station and said: "Look at that flag. You know which country that represents."^[82] A rebel commander in Donetsk, Pavel Paramonov, has openly told journalists he is from Tula, Russia.^[163] In Horlivka, police who defected were commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian Army.^[164]

Vyacheslav Ponomarev, the self-declared mayor of Sloviansk and a former military veteran says that he put out an appeal to old military friends to take part in the militia. "When I called on my friends, practically all of whom are ex military, they came to our rescue, not only from Russia but also from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova," he said.^[165]

On the Russian social network VK, a number of militants involved in the armed seizure of buildings were identified. While some were locals from eastern Ukraine, others were involved in 'self-defense' groups that annexed Crimea. A number were Cossacks from Belorechensk, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, including Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation. The militants associated with neo-Nazi and ultranationalist groups or imagery.^{[166][167][168]} Several of these Cossacks, including Alexander Mozhaev (a Russian military veteran from Belorechensk) and Evgeny Ponomarev (a Russian Registered Cossack officer) form a unit called the 'Terek Wolves Sotnia', a reference to a detachment of White emigre Cossacks who fought for Nazi Germany during the second world war.^[169][166] Following involvement in Crimea, Mozhaev says they "decided to go conquer some more historically Russian lands."^[169]

Alleged Russian involvement

The well-organized and well-armed pro-Russian militants have been described by Ukrainian media as resembling those which occupied regions of Crimea during the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine.^[12][170] Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Admiral Ihor Kabanenko, claims the militants are Russian military reconnaissance and sabotage units.^[171] Interior Minister Avakov stated the militants in Krasnyi Lyman used Russian-made AK-100 series assault rifles fitted with grenade launchers, and that such weapons are only in issue in the Russian Federation. "The Government of Ukraine is considering the facts of today as a manifestation of external aggression by Russia," said Avakov.^[99] Militants in Sloviansk arrived in military trucks without license plates.^[172]

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says there is a "broad unity in the international community about the connection between Russia and some of the armed militants in eastern Ukraine".^[173] The Ukrainian Goverment released photos of soldiers in eastern Ukraine, which the US State Department says show that some of the fighters are Russian special forces.^[174][173] US Secretary of State John Kerry said the militants "were equipped with specialized Russian weapons and the same uniforms as those worn by the Russian forces that invaded Crimea."^[175] The US ambassador to the United Nations said the attacks in Sloviansk were "professional," "coordinated," and that there was 'nothing grass-roots seeming about it'.^[176] UK foreign minister William Hague stated "I don't think denials of Russian involvement have a shred of credibility, [...] The forces involved are well armed, well trained, well equipped, well co-ordinated, behaving in exactly the same way as what turned out to be Russian forces behaved in Crimea."^[177] NATO Commander Philip M. Breedlove assessed that soldiers appeared to be highly trained and not a spontaneously formed local militia, and that "what is happening in eastern Ukraine is a military operation that is well planned and organized and we assess that it is being carried out at the direction of Russia."^[178]

Russian MP Ilya Ponomarev said "I am absolutely confident that in the Eastern regions of Ukraine there are Russian troops in very small amounts. And it's not regular soldiers, but likely representatives of special forces and military intelligence."^[179]

Klaus Zillikens, head of the OSCE mission in Donetsk, said that the mission has detected signs of "foreign agents" operating in Ukraine, but thus far there is no evidence to confirm that.^[180] According to Georgij Alafuzoff, the Director of Intelligence at the European Union Military Staff, even if there is presence of the Russian military in Ukraine, it is not as large as it was in Crimea. He suggests the militants are mostly local citizens, disappointed by the situation in the country.^[181] Nick Paton Walsh, reporting from Donetsk for CNN, stated that the physical appearance of the militants is different from that of the unidentified troops, spotted throughout Crimea while it was in the process of secession.^[182]

David Patrikarakos, a correspondent for the New Statesman said the following: "While at the other protests/occupations there were armed men and lots of ordinary people, here it almost universally armed and masked men in full military dress. Automatic weapons are everywhere. Clearly a professional military is here. There’s the usual smattering of local militia with bats and sticks but also a military presence. Of that there is no doubt." ^[183]

Leadership

Donetsk People's Council was formed out of protesters who occupied the building of the Donetsk Regional Council on 6 April 2014.^{[44][45][184]}

Ukrainian presidential candidate Oleg Tsarov, who had recently been kicked out of the Party of Regions, traveled to Donetsk and said he was ready to become a leader of what he called the "South-east movement". Tsarov also assured separatists in Donetsk that will do everything to disrupt the presidential elections, which are scheduled for 25 May. "I'm sure that will be no elections," he said. He then promised that he would create a "central authority" within the center of Donetsk.^[185] Despite his stance towards the elections, he also insists on running in them, which has been met by a negative response by protesters who demand a referendum and boycott of the elections.^[186] On 14 April, police searched Tsarov's vehicle and found assault rifle ammunition.^[187][188]

Provisional government

• Chairman of the government: Denis Pushilin^[189]
• Minister of Foreign Affairs: Ekaterina Gubareva^[190][191]
• Commander-in-Chief of Popular Army: Igor Kakidzyanov^[192]
• Head of the Central Executive Committee: Sergei Ivanov^[193]

Reactions

Domestic

• Donetsk City Council (and nine district councils of the city) distanced itself from the RSA occupiers and they stated (on 7 April): "The Donetsk city council and district councils continue working in the legal field. We see as ensuring the vital functions of the city as our main task".^[49]
• The Independent Trade Union of Miners in Donetsk announced it would not support the pro-Russian separatist movement.^[194]
• Seven village councils, as well as the districts of Dobropillia Raion and Krasnoarmiisk Raion in Donetsk Oblast requested that they be secede to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The councils intend to hold a referendum.^[195] Dnipropetrovsk governor Ihor Kolomoisky announced that local referendums would take place to allow for his province to administer and provide service to cities in Donetsk and Luhansk which wish to secede.^[196]

Foreign

•  Canada - Prime Minister Harper charged that the events are "strictly the work of Russian provocateurs sent by the Putin regime." Canadian foreign affairs minister Baird described events in Ukraine as "brazen and co-ordinated actions" by Russia. He said: "I don't know who the Russian Federation thinks it's kidding when it tries to pretend that it has nothing to do with them," and that there are "very clear and disconcerting parallels" between the developments in eastern Ukraine and those that took place before Russia moved to annex Crimea." He told reporters "there's no doubt, for a good number of weeks, provocateurs and frankly thugs have been crossing the border" into Ukraine.^[197]
•  Russia – On 7 April Russia's foreign ministry accused Ukrainian authorities of "blaming" the Russian government for all its troubles and stated "Ukrainian people want to get a clear answer from Kiev to all their questions. It's time to listen to these legal claims".^[47][198] It also stated it was "carefully observing" events in the east and south of Ukraine, and again called for "real constitutional reform" that would turn Ukraine into a federation.^[199] In an 7 April opinion piece in The Guardian Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov wrote that it was the west, and not Russia, that was guilty of destabilising Ukraine and that "Russia is doing all it can to promote early stabilisation in Ukraine".^[199][200] The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a stern condemnation "criminal order" by Kiev for armed aggression against Donetsk, "The Kiev authorities, who self-proclaimed themselves as a result of a coup, have embarked on the violent military suppression of the protests,", demanding that "the Maidan henchmen, who overthrew the legitimate president, to immediately stop the war against their own people, to fulfill all the obligations under the Agreement of 21 February,"^[201]
  •  Republic of Crimea - Crimean Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev expressed the hope that the Donetsk Republic (as well as other south-eastern Ukrainian regions) would form a 'Ukrainian Federation' and join the Union State.^[202]
•  United Kingdom – British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said there is no doubt that Moscow is behind the destabilization of eastern Ukraine. "There can't really be any real doubt that this is something that has been planned and brought about by Russia," he said, adding that Russia was deliberately "violating the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine, and that "I don't think denials of Russian involvement have a shred of credibility."^[203]
•  United States – US Secretary of State John Kerry said on 7 April 2014 that the events "did not appear to be spontaneous" and called on Russia to "publicly disavow the activities of separatists, saboteurs and provocateurs" in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.^[47] A spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council has noted that the separatists appeared to be supported by Russia. "We saw similar so-called protest activities in Crimea before Russia's purported annexation," she said in a statement, adding: "We call on President (Vladimir) Putin and his government to cease all efforts to destabilize Ukraine, and we caution against further military intervention."^[100] US-Ukraine ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt characterized the pro-Russian militants as terrorists.^[204]

Political experts

• Alexander J. Motyl, professor of political science at Rutgers University argues that Russia's direct and indirect involvement in the violence in eastern Ukraine qualifies as a state-sponsored terrorism, and that those involved qualify as "terrorist groups."^[205] Motyl also said in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on 20 February that Ukraine would be "better off" without "those three problematic provinces -- the two in the Donbas, Luhansk, and Donetsk and arguably even the Crimea".^[206]

See also

• 2014 pro-Russian protests in Ukraine
• Pavel Gubarev
• Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic
• List of active separatist movements in Europe
• 2014 Crimean crisis
• People's Republic of Luhansk

Notes

References

Template:2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine