22 May 2014


Today journalists have reported the deadliest raid in eastern Ukraine, where at least 11 people were killed and about 30 others were wounded when Pro-Russians attacked a military checkpoint on the edge of the village of Blahodatne, about 20 miles (30km) south of the city of Donetsk. Three charred Ukrainian armored infantry vehicles, their turrets blown away by powerful explosions, and several burned vehicles stood at the site of the combat. In the town of Horlivka, a rebel commander claimed responsibility for the raid and produced an array of weapons he said had been seized: 'We destroyed a checkpoint of the fascist Ukrainian army deployed on the land of the Donetsk Republic.' This commandor wore a balaclava and identified himself by his nom de guerre, Bes – Russian for demon. 

Later, about a hundred Semenovka residents vented their anger against the central government, demanding that the Ukrainian forces cease their offensive and withdraw from the region. Speakers at the rally also called for a boycott of the presidential vote. However anger is being vented at both sides—the Ukrainain forces as well as the separatists.

Putin has ignored the pleas from some of the rebels in eastern Ukraine to join Russia after independence referendums were dismissed as illegitimate by Ukraine and the west. Washington and Brussels have warned that more sanctions against entire sectors of the Russian economy will follow if Russia tries to grab more land or attempts to derail Ukraine's election.

In Kharkiv, the City Administration and Kharkiv Medical University are providing a volunteer movement of student medics in the military hospital and other medical centres where those wounded in the anti-terrorist operation are to be found.



And in other news, football fans have experienced a real transformation in their sense of ‘community’. Before it has been as follows: “Dynamo-Kyiv” is fighting with “Chornomorets,” and Kharkiv “Metalist” – with “Dnipro.” Clashes happened frequently between the fans of these teams. The unification of football fans started in November 2013, after Berkut forcefully dispersed the students on Maidan. The Ultras had gathered for the first time on Mykhailivska Ploshcha and addressed all the fans of Ukrainian football clubs with the proposal to sign a “gentlemen’s agreement” regarding a ceasefire. Now, “Metalist” ultras are walking shoulder-to-shoulder with “Dnipro” ultras in one march for united Ukraine, and “Chornomorets” fans are coming to Kyiv to support “Dynamo.”

Comments