Regarding the progress of the anti-terrorist operation on May 4
According to Information Resistance data, after a short period of activation of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO), from May 4 onward an unacceptable downturn in security forces activity begins to take place.
According to our information, the absence of operational command in the area of the ATO, the lack of cooperation between the participating units of law enforcement agencies, and the absence of military orders and goal setting for the use of energy and resources–once again becomes a huge problem.
For example, during the battle near Kostyantynivka on the night of May 3–4, a unit of [Ukrainian] security forces, which was assaulted by terrorists armed with machine guns and rocket launchers, couldn’t get reinforcements in armored vehicles for over 3 hours. As a result, seven special ops team members of the SBU were wounded.
On the evening of May 4, special forces left Kramatorsk instead of completing their operation for its release from terrorists, or at least blocking terrorist locations.
In such circumstances, the ATO is once again turning into a farce. Which is particularly unacceptable in view of the predicted activation of pro-Russian terrorists on the eve of May 9, 2014.
Activation of the ATO on May 1 miraculously coincided with the arrival of the leaders of the Interior Ministry, Ministry of Defense, and the Presidential Administration into the zone of operations. Soon after, however, the operation began to slip again. Taking into account these “coincidences,” there are more questions for the leadership of the ATO, which for some reason is once again absent beyond the zone of operations.
P.S. On May 16, the ATO commander (a.k.a., the Head of the ATO) will turn 65, after which, according to Ukrainian legislation he can no longer be a public official. Maybe Ukrainian leadership should not wait for this happy moment and instead appoint a man who is able to spare more attention towards the management of operations as Head of the ATO? The clock is ticking.
Regarding the events in southern Ukraine of May 2-4
Тhe “Southern” scenario forced through by terrorists and managed by Russia, goes according to Moscow’s plan. As forecast, the situation in Odesa is completely destabilized.
The tragic events in Odesa, provoked by pro-Russian extremists, also became possible because of the actions and [Russian loyalist] position of the Odesa police.
The fact is that for many weeks, local pro-Russian forces have regularly performed provocations against the patriotic [pro-Ukrainian] population. At that time, local law enforcement officers showed a complete inaction in the best of circumstances, in the worst–they actively supported the pro-Russian extremists.
The events of May 2nd began with provocations by pro-Russian separatists. It was they who attacked unarmed Ukrainian activists. It was they who killed civilians advocating the unity of Ukraine. And all of the subsequent events were caused by these very murders.
Odesa police have exhibited scandalous and unacceptable behavior in these conditions. We have evidence that on May 2, while pro-Russian separatists were preparing for provocations, local law enforcement received detained pro-Russian extremists. By the order of the local police commanders, these extremists were immediately released.
During clashes, Odesa police provided security [cover] to pro-Russian terrorists, who could freely shoot Ukrainian patriots from behind the backs of the policemen.
Police sabotage.
Only after this bloody separatist Bacchanalia supported by the police, patriotic citizens moved to action and drove pro-Russian separatists inside the House of Trade Unions. From there, they barricaded themselves and continued to fire at unarmed citizens.
We hope that the investigation will establish exactly what happened at the Trade Unions House, and what caused the fire that killed many people. But we have every reason to believe that the responsibility for this tragedy lies entirely on those who originally initiated the events of May 2 in Odesa, and those who instead of performing their duties as law enforcement, offered such direct support and assistance to criminals.
At the same time, during the events of May 4 when Odesa police, “by the decision of the Prosecutor’s office in Odesa oblast,” released the detained instigators of the bloody events “at the request of protesters,” this indicates that the Odesa law enforcement officers are not going to stop their criminal activity in aiding and abetting terrorists.
We would like to emphasize the role of the Prosecutor’s office in these events. According to the Interior Ministry leadership, extremists that were detained in Odesa last night, were supposed to be escorted to Kyiv, but remained in Odesa on the personal order of the Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
We want to remind Ukrainian authorities that these events are only a “warm-up” of pro-Russian terrorists before May 9th. If you don’t take immediate action today (including personal responsibility over law enforcement and the leadership of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office in Odesa oblast)–tomorrow these current tragic events will be repeated on a much larger scale, and not only in Odesa.
