Deadly Ukraine gunbattle threatens fragile Easter truce

[jakeXT]

Source: Guardian

Three pro-Russian militants and at least one other person were killed in a gunbattle near the volatile eastern Ukrainian town of Slavyansk early on Sunday, a local leader told journalists.

Vyatcheslav Ponomarev said the battle broke out at a barricade put up in a village east of Slavyansk, which is under the control of pro-Russian militants.

The state-run Rossiya 24 news station, citing its correspondent in Slavyansk, said two "attackers" were killed, in a total death toll of five.

Ukraine's interior ministry in Kiev could not immediately be reached for comment and interior minister Arsen Avakov had no word of the reported incident on his Facebook page, where he usually posts updates on any clashes.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/20/deadly-ukraine-gunbattle-threatens-fragile-easter-truce

---

Six people have been reportedly killed in a gunfight in Slavyansk, a city in eastern Ukraine held by anti-government protesters. The fatalities include four protesters and two attackers, who are believed to be from the Right Sector paramilitary.

The deaths came after a night attack on a protester checkpoint on the outskirts of the city, Rossiya 24 reported. Four cars drove by the checkpoint and opened fire at local residents manning it, killing three people and seriously injuring several others.

One gunshot victim died later in hospital from a head wound, local medics said. Two others are undergoing treatment.

The checkpoint was in the control of 26 civilians armed with bats. Their lack of firearms was due to a so-called “Easter truce” announced by both the Kiev authorities and the protest leaders to de-escalate tension.

http://rt.com/news/slavyansk-checkpoint-shooting-killed-640/

[Catherina]

1. Some details. 4 SUVs, machine gun, pravij sector badge, aerial maps...

Slavyansk Self Defense roadblock was attacked by people without insignia, who started to shoot from cars approaching roadblock.
They killed three unarmed self defense helpers, then self defense arrived, killed two of the attackers and captured the cars.

Right Sector insignia found inside of cars and lots of advanced weaponry, not army issued.

http://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/20140420075923.shtml

Found in their cars were advanced weaponry like plastic explosives, night vision goggles and other stuff.

In Slavyansk "Right sector" attacked a checkpoint and killed three people. At the time of the attack there were only 26 unarmed locals who were on duty at the checkpoint.

The gunmen pulled up in four SUVs, ran out of the car and opened fire on everyone who was at the checkpoint. As a result, three people died on the spot. Many fled into the woods to escape. The militia is combing the territory looking for the other attackers. The attackers knew there was no militia there and that the people at the checkpoints would be unarmed.

At the sound of shots, the Donetsk militia came and managed to repulse the attack. Two of the attackers were killed.
When they searched the dead radicals they found "right sector" certificates, Dmitri Yarosh business cards, sniper ammunition and a large arsenal of weapons.



http://lifenews.ru/news/131635

News report video report at link showing what was captured. Video shows a dead Pravij Sector (Right Sector) body, his identification, aerial maps, US cash in $100 bills, a machine gun, machine gun clips, a rifle, rifle ammo, a large caliber ammo, Dmitri Yarosh's business card on the Bandera neonazi black and red, a Pravij Sector uniform medaillon (#0020), a machete....

[blackspade]

7. Just a tad convenient....

News report video report at link showing what was captured. Video shows a dead Pravij Sector (Right Sector) body, his identification, aerial maps, US cash in $100 bills, a machine gun, machine gun clips, a rifle, rifle ammo, a large caliber ammo, Dmitri Yarosh's business card on the Bandera neonazi black and red, a Pravij Sector uniform medaillon (#0020), a machete....

Putin is desperate to start his invasion. What better way than to stoke Christian outrage than to attack during an Easter truce.

[EX500rider]

9. Yeah the carrying of "business cards" into combat seems like BS...

You think I go into combat with loose change in my pocket? lol

[AnalystInParadise]

23. LOL

Every Major military in the world has very detailed identification cards. For us, U.S. personnel MUST carry their ID at all times. Loss of this ID or not having it on your person is enough to receive an Article 15 under UCMJ. I can totally believe this was Right Sector. And if one looks at my posts, I have been an outspoken critic of Putin, but this makes sense.

[bemildred]

25. I agree. It seems amateurish too, no particular objective, just drive up shooting? nt

[EX500rider]

29. ID cards not the same as "business cards" though.

[Catherina]

30. You're in LUCK! They've got personal IDs too

Yarosh's business card isn't a personal one, just a card to the main Pravij Sector HQs in Kiev with their general email address and phone number. Yarosh's name is just emblazoned on the top as the leader for PR. It's a common card that's been seen before, like a Walmart card to the GM you can grab at the counter. .

However, they also have a participant of the attacks in custody and 2 personal ID cards, this is a partial view one. There are better, high-resolution shots of front and back of the 2 cards they found at the scene but I'm not going to waste my time looking for them because you'd just find some other reason like a smudge in the wrong place and I believe my time is better spent elsewhere. Just letting you know they're out there.

bad shot that I have up on my screen right now, take it or leave it knowing it's gonna be the latter.

[AnalystInParadise]

31. Thank you very much

My point exactly.

[Catherina]

32. You're going to have a hard time interjecting much sense right now

though I believe the effort is worth it if because of the silent posters and lurkers who don't weigh in. There was a time when this forum would go looking for information to balance out the media narrative but no longer. It's like the run-up to the last couple of wars with people yelling "USA, USA" and never mind that our soldiers are overtasked, tired not-well-trained and sick of the "men-take-that-hill" bullshit.

Btw, thank you for your excellent posts that try to knock some sense into all the flag-waving. I rec your threads whenever I see them, just for the truth.

[AnalystInParadise]

33. Thank you again

If people pay attention to what I post, they will see I am talking about capabilities, reasons, and motivations. I don't support Putin by proving that NATO is not prepared nor wanting a fight. I am not advocating a war by showing Russian deficiencies either. Well reasoned analysis looks for flaws in the existing narrative. I have been accused of being a Putin lover and an American war monger in the same thread. That should not be possible.

[Catherina]

34. Actually no. Thank you

Actually no. Thank you

It shouldn't be possible here, but as you see, it is. Crowds hate a spoiler when a good parade is going. It doesn't matter if your loyalty and facts are is to the troops whose lives people are playing with, all that matters is spoiling the parade.

It was nearly eleven hundred, and in the Records Department, where Winston worked, they were dragging the chairs out of the cubicles and grouping them in the centre of the hall opposite the big telescreen, in preparation for the Two Minutes Hate.

We may not always agree but best of luck.

[socialist_n_TN]

42. That's because some folks are invested in an imperial......

"Us vs Them" narrative. If you claim that a large part of the interim government is fascist (it objectively IS) then you're a Putin supporter. Even if you hate the Russian form of imperialism as much as you do the US version.

[EX500rider]

38. Why am i in luck? If the FSB wanted this to be a false flag operation they would..

....have supplied all those things.

The story just looks weak.. Guys with guns drive up to "unarmed" road block, get out to shoot i assume, but can't kill anybody armed with bats, giving people "in town" whereever that is time to get there and kill them? And they were still in the cars for some reason?

Don't know what happened there but the official RT story doesn't hold much water, sorry.

It DOES look like those cars may have been ambushed though.

[Catherina]

2. Russia on Eastern Ukraine shooting: Kiev must fulfill Geneva de-escalation pledge

Russia on Eastern Ukraine shooting: Kiev must fulfill Geneva de-escalation pledge


Photo from twitter.com user @GrahamWP_UK

The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed outrage over the deadly gun battle on Saturday night in the protester-held city of Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine. It said Kiev must deliver on its commitment to de-escalate the violence.

Russia, Ukraine, the US and the EU agreed this week in Geneva on a roadmap to calm tension down in protest-gripped eastern Ukraine. The agreement includes disarmaming paramilitary groups on both sides of the conflict.

...

Moscow condemned the violence on Sunday and said it indicates Kiev’s unwillingness to implement the Geneva agreement.

“The Russian side is outraged with the provocation, which indicates that Kiev is unwilling to put in check and disarm nationalists and extremists,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that Moscow “insists on the strict implementation by the Ukrainian side of its commitments to de-escalate the situation in southeastern Ukraine.”
...

http://rt.com/news/russia-reaction-slavyansk-shooting-660/

[karynnj]

10. Interesting, but the Pro Russians violated it too - by not leaving the government buildings

- which they do not seem to mention. Do they call for "strict implementation" on the Pro Russian side? (Also note the use of the word "Ukrainian" - I thought they had argued that the pro-Russians were Ukrainians too. )

Just as in many places (Israel/Palestine comes to mind), it is the extremists on both sides that do things like this - especially when there are negotiations that could move things to a calmer state and - in fact - lessen the reason for grievances.

It is very likely that the majority of people would prefer a Ukrainian state that gave more power to the provinces and had laws respecting the minorities. However, moving in that direction is not what the extremists on either side want.

BOTH Ukraine and Russia will have enormous difficulty restraining the extremists on their side. I assume this was the LAST thing the Ukrainian government wanted to happen.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

35. question for ya

how can the pro-Russian Ukrainians violate an agreement they were not involved in?

While i will agree that an agreement happened, i don't recall any representatives from east Ukraine being involved in it so in my eyes atleast its somewhat silly to assume they would simply nod and obey something that was decided without them.

[karynnj]

37. The other question is who exactly do they represent?

The interim government was voted in by the elected Parliament. These people may represent almost no one but themselves. They - and the Russians - are equating their legitimacy to that of the Kiev government. This is a false equivalency.

Lavrov agreed that Russia would persuade them to agree.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

39. i hardly consider that vote legit considering

the circumstances.

and in my eyes they are just as legit as the coup government in ukraine

Who they represent though is a good question, at its most basic i would say people worried about their future

[Jesus Malverde]

3. Interesting how maiden rabble were protestors and these guys are militants....

The power of language.

Rebels or jihadists. The words people choose betray their bias.

[TwilightGardener]

11. The Maidan group were Ukrainians wanting to join the EU.

These separatist groups are Russian agents breaking up the country for the benefit of Russia. If you don't see a huge difference in these "protesters" and their capabilities and end-goals, then you are blind.

[cosmicone]

17. Maidan group could have waited for elections

THEY are the ones who caused the break-up.

[cabrona]

19. They were fascists

Here, for example:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/06/1282523/-The-Guardian-Western-Expansion-Aims-Helped-Put-Fascists-And-Neo-Nazis-in-Power-in-Ukraine

[Catherina]

4. Pic and video heavy post

GrahamWPhillips ?@GrahamWP_UK 2h

Pretty extreme scenes out here, reports of up to 5 killed outside #Sloviansk.


GrahamWPhillips ?@GrahamWP_UK 2h

Bullets littering the ground as anti-Kiev activists say they were victims of a 'military style attack'. #Sloviansk


Mood here, some 6km outside #Sloviansk - shock, sadness. Working to find identities of those killed.


New video - here's by the scene of shooting out at #Sloviansk - #Ukraine #Russia

Number plates of 2 destroyed cars (reported convoy of 4 originally) displayed - Ukrainian


Now 'self-defence' with guns here, but sitting as seem to be in state of shock at this 'Easter massacre' as one says.


If these death reports are confirmed, this marks the bloodiest escalation of violence yet here in the east of Ukraine


Here filming for @RT_com holding bullets - they are all over the ground here, along with bloodstains. #Sloviansk


New video - a walk right through scene of #Sloviansk shooting - #Ukraine #Russia

1/2 Reports from ground here in #Sloviansk - 4 cars approached at 1am, opened fire on unarmed anti-Kiev activists. 3 killed immediately.

2/2 Armed anti-Kiev activists quickly to scene returned fire, destroyed 2 vehicles, reports of 2 deaths on other side, they say Pravy Sektor

New video - a close-up look at the cars destroyed when fire was returned by anti-Kiev activists here in #Sloviansk -

…



For more FF ?@GrahamWP_UK https://twitter.com/GrahamWP_UK

[blackspade]

8. This is such bullshit.

Bullet riddled parked cars? Conveniently burned out?
The whole scene looks staged.

[TwilightGardener]

13. I agree, staged.

[EX500rider]

15. Yeah driving right up to a roadblock you are going to attack without a dismount seems..

....unlikely.

[karynnj]

16. Also, some of the attackers were shot dead -- by people armed only with clubs??

Here is the Guardian account of the events. Given that anybody who is fair at all knows that RT is Russian propaganda, it is better to find a more neutral source. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/20/ukraine-crisis-geneva-deal-slavyansk

Of interest, at the end of the article - it seems even in the east, the majority do not want to secede from Ukraine.

[cosmicone]

18. hahahahahaha

Anything that is against the fascist/neonazis is "staged" ... the brainwashing is complete.

[blackspade]

40. Clarify your statement.

Are you saying that I'm somehow supporting fascists/neonazis just because I don't believe a bullshit story put out by rightwing pro-Russian 'militia?'
Or are you merely putting more rhetorical bullshit on the pile?

[joshcryer]

27. Some people need a propaganda filter.

They will believe anything as long as it supports their notions (climate change deniers, creationists, homophobes, racists).

[blackspade]

41. No kidding.

[jakeXT]

5. Somebody doesn't want to cool the situation

...

In a statement, Russian's foreign ministry said a group of innocent civilians were shot dead in an attack led by the Right Sector, a far-right paramilitary group which played prominent role in the ousting of former president Viktor Yanukovych. The group denied being involved in the Slavyansk shooting and blamed Russian special forces for the attack.

"Russia is indignant about this provocation by gunmen, which testifies to the lack of will on the part of the Kiev authorities to rein in and disarm nationalists and extremists," the statement said.

Ukraine's interior ministry confirmed one person was killed in the attack and three were injured. It said police is investigating the incident

On Saturday, a senior mediator with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) set off for eastern Ukraine to try to persuade pro-Russian groups to lay down their arms.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-slavyansk-shooting-threatens-easter-truce-9271991.html

[bemildred]

12. Yep, that's what this is, someone wants to stoke the fire. nt

[dipsydoodle]

6. Ukraine unrest: Russian outrage at fatal Sloviansk shooting

Russia's foreign ministry has expressed outrage at a fatal shooting incident in eastern Ukraine which it blamed on Ukrainian nationalists.

Russian state media reported that five people were killed in a gun attack on a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian activists near the town of Sloviansk.

Ukrainian officials said one died in a clash between "two groups of citizens".

The incident comes as pro-Russian groups continue to occupy government buildings defying a deal to leave.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27093347

[dipsydoodle]

14. Ukraine separatists say in touch with OSCE mediators

(Reuters) - The self-styled mayor of the eastern Ukrainian city of Slaviansk, which is controlled by armed pro-Russian separatists, said on Sunday he had been in contact with mediators from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, speaking at a news conference in Slaviansk, did not say what he had discussed with the mediators. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Writing by Christian Lowe)

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine-abroad/reuters-ukraine-separatists-say-in-touch-with-osce-mediators-344358.html

[bemildred]

22. Good. The more, the better. nt

[Catherina]

20. Kiev saying this was "an argument between local criminal groups"

A Ukrainian official said it may have been a shootout between criminals. Nationalists have denied involvement.

...

Viktoriya Siumar, deputy head of Ukraine's National Security Council, told the BBC that the shooting was being investigated, but said there were indications that it was "an argument between local criminal groups".

"The level of criminality in eastern Ukraine increased substantially recently," he added.

This is the first fatal incident in the region since Thursday's agreement, prompting Sloviansk rebel leader and self-proclaimed mayor Vyacheslav Ponomarev to call on Russian President Vladimir Putin to send peacekeepers. He also asked for food and weapons.

...

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27093347

[uhnope]

21. Putin's provocations won't stop til he achieves Greater Russia

[Catherina]

24. Captured "nationalist" confessing his participation in the Sloviansk checkpoint attack

Lifenews.ru video showing a captured "nationalist" confessing his participation in the Slavyansk checkpoint attack:

Captured member of the "right sector" says he asked Right Sector militants not to go to Slavyiansk

Translation:

Nationalist who attacked a checkpoint in the south-east says he advised the other radicals not to come to the region with weapons.

Self-defense activists in Slavyiansk detained one of the radicals of the "right sector", who participated in the April 20 attack of the checkpoint on unarmed self-defense forces.

The detainee - a resident of the city of Vinnytsia, Vitaliy Kovalchuk, - caught "a ride" and was trying to escape but the local self-defense forces managed to stop his vehicle.

...

Kovalchuk lived on the Maidan in Kiev for a few months. There he met with other nationalists. He admitted that he met with his future accomplices there but that it was before the first shots had been fired in the Ukrainian capital. He says he didn't fire on any (Donetsk) residents and that his weapon was only for self defense. He says the only shooting he's ever done has been on plates.

All the nationalists involved paid for their own way (to Donetsk). They each paid for their own way from Kiev to Kharkiv because it was a private initiative to come here, - he explained.

Kovalchuk assures that if he's released, he'll immediately talk with like-minded people and strongly discourage them from visiting the south-east of the country. "My friends from the "right sector" died here, they're not playing with them here. Everything is real. Here is war", he added "People here are defending their land, protecting their homes, and they are right."

...

http://lifenews.ru/news/131673

He's only 21 years old. This is madness.

[Faygo Kid]

26. Crude emulation of Hitler and the Poles

This is fooling no one. Putin is going in today or tomorrow. Stay safe, Baltic states.

[joshcryer]

28. I thought so, but there is no support for him in the east.

Putin knows he can't go in. The fascist anti-semetic paramilitary thugs will be taken out in due course.

[Bosonic]

36. One of the burnt out vehicles

http://avtobazar.ua/mitsubishi-pajero-1990-nikopol-1-3676512-1.html

I'm not sure if it was stolen or sold, but in the latter case I'm sure it will be subject to intense scrutiny.

[Catherina]

43. Better picture of one ID card and some items recovered from the shooting

Also of note, from the April 15 OSCE report:

The Lviv Team was told by Right Sector activists that they had begun recruiting for their paramilitary structure on 14 April. They said that approximately 100 paramilitaries had already been deployed to Donetsk region and were being trained in the eastern part of the country. One of the paramilitaries seen in Lviv was wearing a new military uniform, including a flak jacket, but carried no weapons.

http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/117787

After Krat is taken away, Pravy Sektor items reported as recovered from yesterday's shooting displayed. #Sloviansk

Simon Shuster ?@shustry 2h

ID of man killed in shootout in east Ukraine yesterday. Separatists say he was driving Right Sector's car. #Slavyansk

GrahamWPhillips ?@GrahamWP_UK 1h