Ukraine update - 04/12/2014

Pro-federalization activists take over govt buildings across Eastern Ukraine

Thousands of pro-federalization activists have rallied in cities across Eastern Ukraine, calling for greater sovereignty of their region from Kiev. Activists have formed militias that helped anti-Maidan protesters seize several government buildings.

RT ,
11  April, 2014

Pro-federalization activists occupy city council, police HQ in Slavyansk

Activists in Slavyansk, a city in eastern Ukraine located in the north of the Donetsk region with a population of 120,000, seized the police headquarters and the city council building Saturday. Police said Anti-Maidan protesters also seized the local office of Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU.

Shtepa added that the people of the city support the activists’ calls for a referendum on the region’s federalization, and are urging the police to side with the people.

If the authorities in Kiev will “try to suppress the uprising, many civilians will die, this cannot be allowed,”Shtepa said.

An armed pro-Russian activists addresses supporters gathered in front of a police station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk after it was seized by a few dozen gunmen on April 12, 2014. (AFP Photo / Anatoliy Stepanov)

There are reports that the activists in Slavyansk have taken up weapons. However, one of the members of the Donbas people’s militia told media that no one was hurt during the storm of the police HQ, adding that the government building will be under their control until a referendum is held.

Ukraine’s coup-imposed Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on his Facebook page that the raid on police HQ was carried out by masked men with guns. He promised that the government’s answer to the raid would be “very harsh.” Avakov added that a Special Forces unit has been deployed to the scene.

Anti-Maidan protesters stopped two buses full of security forces which were heading from Donetsk to Slavyansk, Rossiya 24 TV channel reported. After negotiations, the security forces turned back to their Donetsk HQ.

“I can’t say there was a conflict between the police and activists, the latter just accompanied the Special Unit forces back to their HQ,” said a Rossiya 24 correspondent, who was at the scene.

Berkut Special Forces side with Donetsk people

In Donetsk, officers of the former Berkut special riot police unit refused to obey orders from Kiev and move to crush a pro-federalization takeover in Slavyansk. Instead Berkut officers sided with the people of the region, offering them security and protection.

Berkut forces occupied police headquarters in Donetsk. Tying St. George ribbons to their uniform, the special unit said that they supported the demands of the local population and refused to obey their command. Berkut fighters arrived at the building of the Internal Affairs building of the city.

They hoisted a Russian flag on top of the police HQ, Slavyansk Mayor Nelly Shtepa said.

“As I negotiated with the activists today, they explained that they represent the Donetsk regional people’s militia. They said that they oppose Kiev authorities and today they are negotiating with them” she said.

Berkut has always been and will remain with its people,” a representative of Berkut said as he addressed the crowd, Youtube video shows. “I want to assure you, that if you're faced with threats, any type of a threat, we will all rise up and come to your rescue,” the representative continued to loud cheers from the crowd, with applause and chants of “Berkut! Berkut!”

In the morning opponents of the Kiev authorities tried to take control of regional prosecutor's office, with a few managing to enter the building for negotiations. The protesters were demanding for Donetsk regional police chief to resign. Conceding to demands, the head of police Major-General Konstantin Pozhidaev announced his resignation.

Supporters of federalization returned to the regional state administration building which they continue to hold since the beginning of the week.

Administration, police HQ seized in Kramatorsk

Pro-federalization protesters have also occupied the police headquarters in the town of Kramatorsk, Donbas region, reports Itar-Tass. Around 50 armed protesters entered the building and several warning shots were heard, but witnesses and hospitals did not report any injuries.

Yet, local Ukrainian media claimed that one person has been wounded. 

"According to preliminary information shots at the Kramatorsk police station were fired from Makarov pistols and Kalashnikovs. There is one wounded," Novosti Donbassa reports not citing their source.

Following the takeover, almost immediately a spontaneous rally assembled in support of the anti-Kiev activists.

As the anti-Maidan forces secured the building they addressed the crowd, saying that they had to occupy the premises against Kiev’s “corrupt” police chiefs. 

“Common policemen will continue serving the people of Donbas,” they announced. The self-defense force also promised to protect the region and the citizens of the town from the “Kiev junta”, Youtube video shows

Kramatorsk is a city of some 200,000 people in Donetsk Region in eastern Ukraine. The city is an important mechanical engineering center in Ukraine.

A pro-Russian activist reaches through razor wire to receive a ribbon of St. George, a well-known Russian symbol of military valor which has become a symbol of pro-Russian protesters, at a barricade outside the regional state administration building in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on April 12, 2014. (AFP Photo / Max Vetrov)

Amid the protests calling for Ukraine’s federalization, acting president Aleksandr Turchinov sacked the head of the SBU security service for the Donetsk region, Valery Ivanov, on Saturday, according to a decree published on the presidential website.

The regional police chief of Donetsk, Konstantin Pozhidayev, said Saturday he was quitting his post after the protesters urged him to step down.

Unrest has gripped eastern Ukraine after the EuroMaidan protests in Kiev, which resulted in a coup on February 22. People in Donetsk, Kharkov, Lugansk and other cities are calling for a referendum to decide on the status of the Donbass regions.

The Donetsk region has been witnessing mass protests. On Saturday the residents of the towns Krasnuy Liman, Krasnoarmeisk and Drujkovka took to the streets demanding a Crimea-type referendum and seizing government buildings. The local security forces refuse to take back the buildings as commanded by the Kiev authorities.

Pro-Russian supporters rally in front a barricade outside the regional state building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on April 12, 2014. (AFP Photo / Alexander Khudoteply)

A pro-Russia protester holds an anti-swastika sign in front of a barricade outside a regional government building in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine April 11, 2014. (Reuters / Gleb Garanich)

Armed pro-Russia protesters   

seize city in eastern Ukraine

Unrest spreads amid wider fears escalating conflict could disrupt energy supplies across Europe

the Guardian,

11 April, 2014

Armed separatists took control of a city in eastern Ukraine on Saturday and Kiev prepared troops to tackle what it called an "act of aggression by Russia", pushing the conflict between the neighbours into a dangerous new phase.

Pro-Russian activists carrying automatic weapons seized government buildings in Slavyansk, a town about 90 miles from the Russian border, and set up barricades on the outskirts of the city.

In Kramatorsk, some 80 km to the north, gunmen seized the police station after a shootout with police, a Reuters witness said. An organised military unit of over 20 men wearing matching military fatigues and carrying automatic weapon took over the building at about 5pm GMT after arriving on at least two buses. Video footage showed the men taking orders from a commander and shooting from automatic rifles as they approached the building.

Government buildings in several other towns in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were attacked in what Washington said were moves reminiscent of the events that preceded Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

"We are very concerned by the concerted campaign we see under way in eastern Ukraine today by pro-Russian separatists, apparently with support from Russia," said Laura Lucas Magnuson, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.

"We saw similar so-called protest activities in Crimea before Russia's purported annexation.

"We call on president (Vladimir) Putin and his government to cease all efforts to destabilize Ukraine, and we caution against further military intervention."

The West accuses Russia of destabilising the region as a pretext to potentially sending in troops to protect the local Russian-speaking population, as it did in Crimea. NATO says Russian armed forces are massing on Ukraine's eastern border, while Moscow says they are on normal manoeuvres.

Any escalation would increase the risk of a "gas war" that could disrupt energy supplies across Europe.

Ukraine's interior minister, Arsen Avakov, called the attacks in the east "a display of external aggression from Russia."

"Units of the interior and defence ministries are implementing an operational response plan," he added.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine was "demonstrating its inability to take responsibility for the fate of the country" and warned that any use of force against Russian speakers "would undermine the potential for co-operation" including talks due to be held on Thursday between Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union.

In Slavyansk, at least 20 men with pistols and automatic weapons took over the police station and a security service headquarters before spreading out through the city.

Officials said the militants, wearing mismatched combat fatigues, balaclavas and bulletproof vests, seized hundreds of pistols from weapons stores in the buildings.

The city's mayor said she supported the protesters and more than a thousand people gathered in front of the police station, chanting: "Moscow, Crimea, Russia!".

They cheered as the Ukrainian flag was replaced with the blue, black and red of the self-declared Donetsk Republic.

"We want to join Russia. We would be very grateful if Russia helps us," said a gunman who gave his name as Alexander, wearing camouflage fatigues and a black balaclava mask.

"We will stand until victory. Honestly, it's not scary for me to die for freedom."

On a road into Slavyansk, men with automatic rifles set up a roadblock and checked vehicles entering the city.

It was unclear if local law enforcement agencies were taking orders from Kiev any more after the regional police chief quit.

Kostyantyn Pozhydayev came out to speak to pro-Russian protesters at his offices in the regional capital, Donetsk, and told them he was stepping down "to avoid bloodshed".

Ukrainian commentator Sergei Leshchenko said the burst of activity by pro-Russian groups was an attempt by the Kremlin to secure a strong negotiating position before the international talks about Ukraine in Geneva next Thursday.

Russia is expected to argue at the talks for a revamp of Ukraine's constitution to give a large degree of autonomy to eastern Ukraine, something Kiev and its Western backers reject.

"Russia will come to the talks with the position that 'Donetsk and several neighbouring regions are already ours - now let's talk about federalisation'," said Leshchenko, a commentator with the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper.

With the crisis in Ukraine still unresolved, the gas dispute threatens to affect millions of people across Europe.

A large proportion of the natural gas that EU states buy from Russia is pumped via Ukrainian territory, so if Russia makes good on a threat to cut off Ukraine for non-payment of its bills, customers further west will have supplies disrupted.

Russia is demanding Kiev pay a much higher price for its gas, and settle unpaid bills. Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom and its Ukrainian counterpart, Naftogaz, are in talks, but the chances of an agreement are slim.

"I would say we are coming nearer to a solution of the situation, but one in the direction that is bad for Ukraine," Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said in an interview with the German newspaper Boersenzeitung.

"We are probably steering towards Russia turning off its gas provision," he was quoted as saying.

That raised the spectre of a repeat of past "gas wars", when Ukraine's gas was cut off with a knock-on effect on supplies to EU states.

The scope for compromise narrowed after the Naftogaz chief executive told a Ukrainian newspaper that Kiev was suspending payments to Gazprom pending a conclusion of talks on a new deal.

Ukraine has de facto stopped payments already because it failed to make an instalment of over $500m due this month to Russian state gas giant Gazprom.

Moscow says it does not want to turn off Ukraine's gas if it can be avoided, and that it will honour all commitments to supply its EU customers.