Desiderius๐ŸŽ—๏ธ๐Ÿ”ฑโš’๏ธ Profile picture
May 25 โ€ข 45 tweets โ€ข 19 min read โ€ข Read on X
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฐ๐˜๐—ต-๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ, ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฐ
Ten Years Ago.

As the Ukrainian security services scramble to contain an FSB-led invasion of the Donbas, the Russian warlords now in charge of significant territory begin exercising their newfound powers through torture & terror.
More โฌ‡๏ธ Image
โ€” Beginning on the 6th, aggressive separatist mobs started taking over administrative buildings throughout the east. "People's Republics" were declared in Donetsk and Kharkiv, though the Kharkiv one was swiftly neutralized on the 8th.

The Ukrainian Interim government, headed by President Turchynov and PM Yatseniuk, attempted to stop the unrest by way of negotiations and concessions. On the 11th, Yatseniuk attended a meeting in Donetsk to discuss the situation with local elites.

However, on the 12th, a group of uniformed and heavily armed men seized administrative and police buildings in Sloviansk & several nearby towns. The government scrambles its forces and declares an "Anti-Terrorist Operation" (ATO)

The next morning, Russian forces in Sloviansk kidnap two civilians to take their car and wound another driver. Later in the day, they use this vehicle to ambush gathering government forces, leading to a firefight that left one SBU operative dead.

๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฐ๐˜๐—ต

โ€” At 10 AM, a separatist crowd gathers in front of local Interior Ministry HQ in the town of Horlivka, northeast of Donetsk. Unlike in most other cases, some policemen resist, building barricades and fighting off intruding separatists. Image
The separatists manage to break through. One policeman shouts "What do you think, that I came here from Lviv?!" while another is badly beaten with bats in a nearby hallway. The station's chief Andrii Krischenko is nearly lynched. The Russian flag is raised above the station.
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As the separatists take control of the station, many policemen defect. They are met by a camouflaged man who introduces himself as a "Colonel of the Russian Army," and proceeds to give out orders and appoint a new police chief.
Under the guidance of the "colonel," the separatists proceed to take over the city hall. They continue to rampage, attacking the office of a news website and newspaper "Criminal Express," kidnapping it's chief editor and taking him in an unknown direction. gorlovka.ua
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โ€” The SBU publishes an intercepted call between the leader of Russian forces in Sloviansk, callsign "Strelok," and either a financier or a powerful ally of theirs. They discuss yesterday's firefight, reinforcements from Luhansk, and Strelok requests more anti-tank weaponry.
โ€” โ€œDay and nightโ€ Interior Ministry and SBU receive applications from โ€œpatriots of the countryโ€ coming from eastern regions most at risk of Russian occupation. โ€œWe don't need to bring in recruits from other regions to refill manpower,โ€ says Pres. Turchynov. Image
This is likely meant to calm the fears of easterners. A recent poll among Donetsk residents showed that even though the majority of respondents wished to remain part of Ukraine, over 60% considered โ€œBanderitesโ€ from the western regions the greatest threat to their well-being. Image
โ€” Turchynov also continues to attempt de-escalation by concession: โ€œMany talk of a referendum now. We are not against such a referendum. [...] in this referendum, which may occur on the same day as the elections (May 25th), I am certain that most will vote for a united Ukraine" Image
โ€” The "People's Mayor" of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, makes an appeal to Vladimir Putin:
โ€œWe ask you to help us in our struggle for the Motherland.โ€
Ponomaryov, "Strelok," and the rest of the Russian forces & local collaborationists expect Russia to follow through. Image
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฑ๐˜๐—ต

โ€” SBU uncovers identities of "Strelok," the commander of Russian forces in Sloviansk, and the "Colonel" that led yesterday's takeover of Horlivka.
The former is Igor "Strelkov" Girkin - a Russian ultranationalist from Moscow and an FSB officer. Image
Girkin spent his youth fighting in post-Soviet conflicts of the 90s, including in Transnistria and Ichkeria. Later on, he would fight for the Republika Srpska in Bosnia. Girkin then participated in repressions during the 2nd Chechen War as head of an FSB anti-terror unit.
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The "Colonel" from Horlivka is a retired colonel of the GRU Igor โ€œBes (Demon)โ€ Bezler. Bezler moved to Ukraine in 2002, but was retired and moved to the reserve only in 2012. By February 2014, the GRU re-established contact with Bezler. Image
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—•๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—ž๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ธ ๐—”๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ฑ

The airfield is located next to Sloviansk's sister city, Kramatorsk, just a short ride south. It is a garrisoned military object belonging to the air force. Right now, the airfield is of strategic importance: Image
Should Girkin's fighters take it, it can allow Russia to land troops and equipment. Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are often called the "Gates to the East" because of their important location - right inbetween three 1 million+ Russophone cities of Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Donetsk.

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On the 15th, Girkin's fighters with pro-Russian civilians surround the airfield. They break through onto the landing strip. Shots ring out and the situation devolves into chaos.
3rd Special Purpose Regiment, already spread thin, rushes to reinforce the airfieldโฌ‡๏ธ
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฒ๐˜๐—ต

โ€” On the evening of the 15th, commander of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade Yurii Sodol orders 3 battalions located within the border areas of Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts to regroup near the town of Aleksandropol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, roughly 150km away Image
As they arrive, they are almost immediately on the move again by sunrise. Neither the soldiers nor the old Soviet vehicles theyโ€™re driving have received any rest from the 150km ride. Their orders are simple: by 17:00 they must reinforce the garrison at Kramatorsk Airfield. Image
As the column drives, some vehicles begin to break down. The formation soon breaks, and the column becomes a disorganized trickle. As they approach Kramatorsk, they split up further according to the plan. One part of the force flanks the city, while another has to pass through. Image
Alexii Ievkun, who was chief of staff of one of the battalions at the time, recounts: โ€œWe were ordered to enter the town and pass through. Unfortunately, they were waiting for us. [...] We were stopped by concrete barriers and surrounded by a well-coordinated group of civilians."

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Armed Russians took lead of the crowd, standing among them. There was no room for maneuver. The only way to pass was to open fire, which is what the separatists counted on." Most soldiers reach the airfield, but at a cost of 4 BMDs and a "Nona" abandoned to the separatists/

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โ€” A separatist mobโ€™s assault on a Mariupol military garrison, with the goal of seizing weapons, leaves one person dead. Separatists throw explosive and incendiary devices into the facility. After receiving no reaction to warning shots, the garrison opens fire - injuring dozens.
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿณ๐˜๐—ต

โ€”Volodymyr Rybak, a local Horlivka politician affiliated with the โ€œBatkyvschynaโ€ party has been kidnapped under Bezler's orders. As he tried to change the flag above the city hall back from RU to UA, causing a ruckus, he's led away by masked men.

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โ€” A large pro-UA crowd protests in occupied Kramatorsk. Despite the city being a hotbed of separatist activity, only yesterday nearly forcing an entire paratrooper brigade to turn around, the cityโ€™s residents are not scared off. Similar protests are held in also-occupied Luhansk Image
Fighting in Mariupol continues through the night and well into the day. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov claims a retaliatory mission is still ongoing, and reports 3 dead and 63 arrested from among the assailants.

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โ€” Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Deshytsia meets his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Geneva as part of talks organized by the EU and the US. Among declarations is that all involved parties will cooperate with OSCE to de-escalate the situation in the East. Image
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿด๐˜๐—ต

โ€” Both sides agree to a tenuous truce for a multitude of reasons. Officially its to adhere to the Geneva talks and to observe Orthodox Easter. But also, the government barely has anyone blockading Sloviansk, allowing separatists to use the time for smuggling Image
Separatist mayor of Sloviansk Ponomaryov asks residents to report โ€œsuspiciousโ€ people to the โ€œPeopleโ€™s Druzhinaโ€ - especially those that speak Ukrainian. This is only the start of the separatist terror in the city.

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Ponomaryov became mayor only days earlier, after accusing the previous mayor Nelya Shtepa, who greeted Girkinโ€™s men with flowers and asked residents to collaborate, of ties to the Right Sector. At the moment, Shtepa is unaccounted for.
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๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿต๐˜๐—ต

โ€” Girkin's fighters clamp down on journalism in the city. Several kidnappings are already alleged to have happened when, according to local activist Oleh Zontov, a group of armed militiamen entered the police station where a large number of journalists was: Image
"Apparently someone gave an order to arrest me as they attacked me and tried to bend back my arms, but I wrestled myself free. I was warned to stay low for some time."
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐˜๐—ต

โ€” ATO forces, consisting of a company from the 80th Airborne Bde on BTRs, two Mi-8 helicopters, members of National Guard special forces units โ€œOmegaโ€ and โ€œVegaโ€ as well as agents of SBUโ€™s โ€œAlphaโ€ unit, establish an operational headquarters codenamed โ€œLunaโ€ Image
"Lunaโ€ is on a small mountain near the city of Izium, 43 km northeast of Sloviansk. The atmosphere is tense, many fighters being young conscripts.
โ€” Three cars of the โ€œUkrainian Volunteer Armyโ€ (UDA), a militia headed by Right Sector organizer Dmytro Yarosh, are headed towards Sloviansk from the west. Their target is to take back control of a TV tower on Mt. Karachun south of Sloviansk Image
The UDA is not part of any official security structure, weapons & training are ostensibly provided by sympathizers, reportedly including powerful figures in Dnipro Oblast Admin like oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky and allegedly, President Turchynov himself
As they approach a separatist checkpoint, both sides open fire in a chaotic gunfight. The driver of the first car is killed on the spot. Two of the cars catch fire. Suffering casualties, UDA fighters retreat on the remaining vehicle. Image
The fight is reported by Russian media as an indiscriminate Right Sector attack on civilians at the check-point. So much is made of Yaroshโ€™s business card, supposedly found at the site of the clash, that it becomes a meme. Image
๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿญ๐˜€๐˜

โ€” The creation of the โ€œPeople's Republic of Novorossia,โ€ is announced in Odesa, to be headed by a certain Valery Kaurov, leader of the pro-Russian far-right โ€œAlliance of Orthodox Citizens.โ€
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๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—น ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ

โ€” The bodies of Volodymyr Rybak and another unidentified male, showing signs of brutal torture, are found dead on the banks of a stream near Sloviansk. The country, and many among the international community, is outraged and demands a response.

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Turchynov announces that the truce is over, in part because of disorder, kidnappings and murders in occupied territories. The Anti-Terrorist Operation is on.
By this point, Girkin's delusion of RU military intervention must be fading. What he faces is a siege. Image
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ธ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด!
I have about a month of backlog, so I'll post threads covering periods of around a week each until I catch up and can post daily OTDs again.
As always, if you like my work, please do your best to share it! I only want to spread education

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More from @doctoradmiral

Apr 8
#OTDinUkraine: April 8th, 2014
Ten years ago.

โ€” Kharkiv Oblast Administration building, occupied by the separatists on the 6th, is cleared by "Jaguar" police unit. Shortly beforehand, the separatists declared a Kharkiv People's Republic. A chronicle of the events: โฌ‡๏ธ "Jaguar" fighters after the operation. April 8th
On the 6th, a growing separatist crowd gathered near the Oblast Administration Building. At around 21:00, the crowd started clashing with police and eventually broke into the building.
1/
The building was defended mostly by a handful of cadets, and the separatists quickly broke in after burning tires to smoke out the police, almost burning down the building itself.
2/ Kharkiv ODA on fire. Night of the 7th.
Read 15 tweets
Mar 6
#OTD: March 5th, 2014
- Pro-Ukrainian unity demonstration that began yesterday continues, with attendance at around 10,000 people, reportedly more than yesterday. Not only students show up, but people 40 and older - unusual for Donetsk politics
1/

Student surrounded by Ukrainian flags holding sign in Russian that says "Putler, Drop Your Imperial Games! Get Your Hands Off Ukraine!" on the Mar 4/5 demonstration
Oleksandr Sobol, an activist from Donetsk, recounts: "When the Euromaidan happened, not many people showed up here. You have to understand, this isn't Kyiv. It's hard to gather people together here. But on March 5th, we saw that it really was possible."
2/ Oleksandr Sobol in the field with his unit. The activist would later join the Armed Forces and serve in the ATO. He would re-enlist in 2022 and serves to this day.
Meanwhile, pro-Russian protests continue near the Oblast Administration building. The crowd is estimated at about 2000 people (TASS claim๐Ÿซ ). Similarly to the simultaneous other such protests in Russophone cities, the crowd is split into nostalgic pensioners and violent youth.
3/ Two men holding a sign saying "Arise Donbas! Tear Apart the Banderite Scum!"
Read 8 tweets

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