Update from Crimea:
A ban has been announced today against
the State Television and Radio Company
(STRC)’s broadcasting of Mustafa Dzhemilev,
Refat Chubarov, and other Mejlis members. The Mejlis press
secretary Leila Muslimova:
“Employees of the Creative Association of
Crimean Tatar Programs of STRC Krym report that, starting today, STRC Krym is
prohibited from broadcasting any statements by the leader of Crimean Tatar
people, people’s deputy of Ukraine Mustafa Dzhemilev, the Chair of Majlis Refat
Chubarov, and other members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people.
Moreover, effective today, the director and the chief editor of the Creative
Association of Crimean Tatar Programs of STRC Krym were both forced to go on
‘vacation’.”
Furthermore, the
human rights situation in Crimea is in steep decline. Aside from the use of
diplomacy, Ukraine has no leverage at all to protect human rights in Crimea. Ukrainian human rights activists were forced to leave
the peninsula after being threatened
with death. Reports count of almost
five thousand orphans and children who have been removed from parental care. As
well as three thousand persons in prisons, have no clear status either in
Ukraine or in Russia as far as their rights are concerned. Currently a
monitoring mission, manned by human rights observers from various countries is
being formed. However they can only document violations of human rights but not
enforce them.
Update from Donetsk Region:
On the streets of Donetsk, Horlivka,
Slovyansk and Torez, by passers are being beaten up. There are so many cases of
this that nobody records them, and the victims do not go to the police since
there is no operative police service anyway. All banks and jewellery stores in Slovyansk have been
closed. Grocery stores are periodically robbed.
Journalist Sergiy
Lefter and Maidan activist Irma Krat have been taken hostage in Slovyansk.
Krat’s head was wrapped with a plastic bag as she was taken blindfolded by
militants.
Ukraine’s state security service has
identified a Russian military intelligence man as an active member of the green
men. His name is Igor Ivanovich Strelkov. He is said to have a long résumé of
undercover service with the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia. Most
recently, he was in February and March in Crimea now he is around Slovyansk.
Despite the evidence, the Kremlin continues
to insist that Russian forces are in no way involved, and that Mr. Strelkov
does not exist.
In Slovyansk, the ‘green men’ have worked
hard to blend in with locals, but at times the mask has slipped. The clear
indication of Russian involvement (Russian troops, Russian weapons, and orders
and funding coming from Moscow), sends a clear message that any push to regain
control by Ukrainian forces could bring the full strength of the Russian
military.
The type of ‘disguised warfare’ (occupation
‘blending’ with ‘locals’, as well as control of media, acts of intimidation,
targeting kidnapping and torture) currently underway in Donestk and continuing
in Crimea is characteristic of Russian/Soviet tactics.
Finally, Russia’s Central
Bank has terminated the operation of branch offices of four Ukrainian banks in
Crimea. A Crimean businessman, Vladimir Kuntsov notes: “Ukrainian banks are really gone. As for the Russian banks, they have
not come into Crimea yet. Clearly, all large Russian banks are wary of the
sanctions.”
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