Красные Советы — Хроники сопротивления юго-востока

Информация о происходящем на юго-востоке Украины 24-25 февраля (на утро). Спасибо тем читателям, которые не ленятся присылать информацию о происходящем у них в городах.

Так же товарищ подготовил перевод текста об антибандеровском митинге на английский. Кто может — закидывайте на англоязычные ресурсы.

(Translator note: “Bandera Followers” used in the article is referred to the ultra radical far right organizations and parties, that currently constitute the muscle of “Maidan”. Stephan Bandera was the notorious head of UPA – a military arm of Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which collaborated closely with Nazis during the WWII and continued fighting against the USSR until mid-fiftie). During that time UPA participated in numerous acts of genocide against Jewish, Polish , Russian and even Ukrainian population). Currently in the most countries of the post USSR — “bandera followers” is equal to “fascist” much like “hitleryte”=”nazi”.

Today, I attended the “anti-Bandera” meeting in Sevastopol. Never expected it could be so great. Initially I estimated that there were around 5-10 thousand people present, but later count showed that the meeting was attended by 20-25 thousand. And this in the city where the average political gathering has never been larger than a few dozen (or sometimes a few hundred) people. Today, Sevastopol truly rose and showed the largest “anti-Bandera” meeting in its own post-Soviet history, but the largest one on the whole South-East of Ukraine.
The threat of fascism united us all. The meeting was supported by almost all city’s political organizations, some of which had completely opposite different views on other issues. There were flags of Russia, Russian Empire, Communist Party, “Russian Block” and of other patriotic organizations. There were also portraits of Stalin, Victory flags and flags of Soviet Navy. Bandera’s followers (fascists) managed to distract various people with different political beliefs from their usual bickering, and separate them from their comfortable couches, and to come out and voice their opinion in the streets. Hopefully it will be heard in Kiev. Those Bandera followers were awfully proud that they managed to collect 20 thousand on Maidan in a multimillion Kiev and claimed that they represented the will of the whole country. Sevastopol has now shown how many people can really be gathered in a relatively small city, if the final goal was clear and people were ready to fight for it.

The new mood was noticeable on the approaches to the meeting place and it was far away from the usual apathy. People from different social strata, wealth and ideological convictions joined together in a huge crowd on Nakhimov Square. They used expletives in the address of Yanukovich, fascists, local government and demanded that weapons should have been distributed for the city’s defence.

But the most striking was the list of demands expressed at the meeting. It openly stated:
1. A new executive body is created to govern the city and the transfer of power to it should occur in the next few days.

2. The new city Head was elected by direct vote at the meeting. The new Head is Mr. Chalyj, a local entrepreneur and the CEO of “Tavrida Electric, who gained popularity by his practical support and contribution to the creation of “Battery 35” Memorial Complex (this complex is one of the main attractions of the city). Ex-mayor Mr. Yatsuba agreed and supported the change.

The head of the city Executive Committee in Sevastopol has never been elected before. This position was always filled by Kiev, as Ukrainian authorities were always aware that given an elected Mayor Sevastopol would quickly separate itself from Ukraine.

3. The new Executive Committee demands from the deputies of the city council to vote in favor of the decision. Otherwise the population will disperse the Council and elect the new one. Legally the right to create a new executive body is justified by the precedent of two other committees that already existed in Sevastopol in the last 5 years. Although they were concentrated on business issues, no one ever questioned this right. And now the new committee will have the full executive power.

4. In the same manner, the new Executive Committee demands from the local police to subordinate itself to the new administration. Otherwise, it is implied that the local police and SBU heads will be dismissed and new ones appointed. Tomorrow will show whether people will have to occupy police precincts and SBU office or they will subordinate to the new Executive Committee.
Police at the meeting did not show any signs of aggression even after separatists speeches. It seems that they are completely demoralized by the events. Some of the SBU agents were spotted in the crowed taking pictures.

5. The Executive Committee does not support Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine and its resolutions . It does not recognise the new Ukrainian government either, characterizing the recent events as a fascist coup. Sevastopol refuses to obey to the resolutions from the new Rada and Turchinov (acting President).

6. The Executive Committee creates the self defense squads for the countermeasures to the “Bandera” gangs. It is stressed separately that these squads will not just assist police, but will actively engage the would be invaders. The squads will be lead by the ex-officers of the army and spetsnaz. The squads will be organized by tens and hundreds and communicate with each other by mobile phones and via Internet.

7. The Executive Committee in fact takes under its protection “Berkut” (special police) and National Guard squads which participated in the events in Kiev. It is implied that these squads must co-operate with local police and self defense squads. The Committee will not allow any attempts to bring “Berkut” and NG to court.

8.It is openly stated that criminals caught in the acts of robbery or looting will be dealt with on the spot (i.e. martial law). This proposal was received with huge enthusiasm on the square.

9. Despite the futile attempt of some RP functionaries to justify their past behavior, the majority of meeting participants loath Yanukovich and his regime to the same degree as Bandera followers. Some of the expletives used to describe them and voiced from the podium included: “traitor”, “scum”, “bastard” etc. This meeting does not have anything to do with Yanukovich and in fact, when Yatsuba tried to speak up about his legitimacy and unity of Ukraine, he was booed and whistled at. The crowd clearly showed that Party of Regions power here is as unpopular as the Bandera circuses.

10. Sevastopol and its new government refuse to transfer the taxes gathered in the city to the central government and intend to use them themselves. In fact, despite the attempts of some political speakers to stay in the legal field using Yanukovich as a prop, the separatism was the tune of the day. And it was beautiful. I could hardly imagine that there ever would be such a huge gathering of people with the demand to separate from Ukraine.

11. A number of petitions were read out — appeal to President Putin to send peace keepers, demand to remove Ukrainian flag from the Mayors Office, send self defense squads to assist the other towns in the Crimea (and even send them to re-take Kiev). The euphoria at the meeting was caused by the ease with which the people could dismantle the old regime and voice their opposition to fascism, and resulted in some proposals a bit removed from the realm from the reality. But the main message from the meeting was that Sevastopol will not bow to the new regime and will resist it with all possible efforts. With spineless Yanukovich and cowardly members of the RP for comparisons, a lot of what was said was very fresh, up-to-date and correct.

12. Although the meeting was mostly anti-fascist and patriotic, some of the social issues were also touched upon. There was a proposal to requisition land from the local oligarchs and business people supporting Bandera followers and re-distribute them in favor of the members of the future self-defense squads. My motivation to join the meeting was purely anti-fascist, but I reckon, if a plot of land leased to a member of the squad could be a great additional motivator. In any case, the idea of re-nationalization of Sevastopol land I support fully and unconditionally.

13. Sevastopol residents demanded from RP and Communist Party of Ukraine deputies in Verkhovnaya Rada to lay down their mandates and stop any activities within illegitimate regime, despite the fact that the latter are virtually hostages at the moment.

14. The demand to close the shameful case on the “Heroes of the Grafskaya Quay” which was started in 2008. Yanukovich’s regime was extremely harsh towards local patriots while being extremely lenient towards fascists. No surprise that he is now hated in Sevastopol even more than in Kiev or Western Ukraine.

14. The Ukraininan flag was taken off from the column at the Grafskaya Quay by the volunteers. A Russian flag was raised instead. People were expecting that the Ukrainian flag will be lowered from the Mayor’s Office, but nothing happened. Not this time. But soon, I hope.

15. It is openly stated that the people of Sevastopol will not allow the destruction of the monuments to Lenin, Catherine the Great and Admiral Nakhimov. The rumor says that the activists have already started guarding the Lenin Memorial.

16. There was a powerful and very moving speech by a 89 year old veteran and participant of the Great Patriotic War, who said that he never expected to see fascism in Ukraine again after defeating it once. The musical accompaniment was extremely well placed – the “Sacred War” march added to the feeling of mobilization. Now our main goal is to focus and keep momentum.

Касательно нытья «все пропало, гипс снимают, клиент уезжает» — сейчас идет активная информационная война, много вбросов и дезинформации, поэтому не поддавайтесь на провокации, не впадайте в панику и излишнее уныние. Работа идет (пускай и не идеально — я не спорю, что некоторые вещи надо было делать быстрее и решительнее), не только в Севастополе, но и в других городах (некоторую информацию я пока не могу разглашать, но если все выгорит, на днях должны быть неплохие известия и из другого достаточно известного города). Если же у нас ничего не выгорит, время поплакать в жилетку и искать виноватых еще будет.

Касательно вопроса с выдачей российских паспортов, то Слуцкий уже опроверг эти слухи.