Ukraine: Repression Leads to Humanitarian Crisis – Thousands of Refugees Leaving Donbass for Russia
The growing refugee flow is a direct consequence of punitive action conducted by Ukrainian regime against its own people
One can see how the Rostov region is gradually turning into an area neighboring the combat zone. Thousands of refugees cross the border fleeing the territory of Donetsk People’s Republic. It becomes clear we face a serious disaster with grave consequences to follow. On June 4, Vassily Golubev, the Rostov region governor, declared emergency in 15 border areas. According to regional authorities, 995 Ukrainians including 489 children, found refuge in the region as of June 6. The flow increased the following days. The recent report says 7335 Ukrainian citizens entered the Rostov region while 4272 left. A local source informed that there were 2102 people, 930 children, given refuge in 15 municipal districts. About half of the refugees were given accommodated by local people while many of them are living in tents.
It was my job to take care of refugees – or potential refugees – from Donbass. The people from Ukrainian Lugansk region also go to the office of unrecognized Donetsk People’s Republic to ask for help. We do our best, but it’s not that easy. We help the refugees from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics to cross the border and we temporarily accommodate them but the resources are scarce. We should admit that the local branches of Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations are doing a perfect job. Still the problems are plentiful. The refugee’s legal status is to be defined. Are they foreigners? Immigrants compelled to change the place of residence? They never know what is in store for them and how long they are going to stay in Russia. The tragedy is immense. Summer will fly away soon. It’ll become colder. What next?
They tell a lot of things media outlets never report, especially war stories. A former special operations officer saving the children from shells, 17 year old boys on barricades defending the Donbass populated areas from Ukrainian tanks. The people in Rostov and other Russian cities call and send letters and e-mails offering help. Time will pass and many things will be obliterated. But these unobtrusive people ready to act like heroes will always stay in memory. The growing refugee flow is a direct consequence of punitive action conducted by Ukrainian regime against its own people. At least that’s how they are supposed to treat these people in Kiev. And they are actually waging an undeclared war against Russia. The events unfold rapidly. It does not boil down to the Donbass tragedy only. It’s evident that the President-elect Poroshenko acts according to a thoroughly elaborated plan. The goals of this plan and the means to achieve them are something that inevitably evokes concern.
What is happening on the territory of Donbass declared a combat zone by Kiev where it conducts its “anti-terrorist operation”? There is a large concentration of Ukrainian troops there. The government regular units fail to defeat a much smaller in size “separatists” force no matter they enjoy a great advantage in weapons and equipment. They use MLRS, artillery, armor and aviation that strikes populated areas… The insurgents use obsolete weapons, for instance WWII vintage tanks (!). The gap is really wide. No matter that the Ukrainian punitive forces cannot win. They never will.
Ask me why.
The answer is – spirit is stronger than any weapon. The Ukrainian army and National Guard recruit Nazi nationalists (Pravy Sector). They have all things rotten. These warriors are guided by perverse mentality; they are rather chasteners, not regular army servicemen.
They are opposed by people who defend their homes and families. No special legal terms, they literally do it. The Kiev regime is exhausted, its resources overstretched, with every bombing it has more enemies to face. Volunteers come from Russia, South Ossetia, Poland, Israel and other countries. The chasteners’ losses grow. The protests against the terrorist like military activities in the south-east of the country are on the rise. Women, the mothers and wives of soldiers called for service, block the roads in Volyn, fathers stage protest actions at military registration and enlistment offices in Lviv. Coffers go back to Western Ukraine. It all leads to social unrest, especially against the backdrop of Ukrainian economy being in doldrums. The grapes of people’s wrath will get mature and Petro Poroshenko, the President – suicide bomber who sponsored the coup, will have to face the implications.
He knows it all well. He is a double hostage of Washington and circumstances. That’s why he goes to any length to expedite the military victory over the Donbass anti-fascist resistance. But he cannot win. Time works against him. The new Ukrainian President is pushing the country to the abyss of national disaster. The Ukraine’s armed forces are not fighting the Donbass people’s liberation army but rather the people of Donbass. What goals are pursued by the “anti-terrorist operation” conducted by government forces? To provoke panic and mass refugee flows to the neighboring regions in Russia along with the collapse of social welfare system. Thousands of families have already suffered and the numbers are growing. The Russian people can see it all with their own eyes. Indirectly the Kiev regime is waging a war against Russia creating a humanitarian disaster on Russian soil.
I deal with the problem of refugees from Donbass and I can testify to the fact that the numbers are increasing exacerbating the social tension in Donbass and here in Russia. The state of emergency was declared for 15 districts of Rostov region when the number of refugees went up to 12 thousand. According to some estimates, the number could go up to 100 thousand soon. Is it not genocide? If not than what is?
Eduard Popov, the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic representative office in Rostov-on-Don.
