Jump to content

Russian separatist forces in Ukraine

Extended-protected article
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Russian people's militias in Ukraine
The Flag of Novorossiya, which was used as a battle flag by separatist forces
FoundedMarch 2014 (as the Donbas People's Militia)
Leadership
Supreme Commanders-in-ChiefDonetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin
Luhansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik
Commanders of the People's Militia DirectorateDonetsk People's Republic Major General Denis Sinenkov[1]
Luhansk People's Republic Guards Colonel Yan Leshchenko[2]
Personnel
Active personnel~44,000 (2021)[3]
Industry
Foreign suppliers Russia[4]
Related articles
History

Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, primarily the People's Militias of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR),[nb 1] were pro-Russian paramilitaries in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. They were under the overall control of the Russian Federation.[5] They were also referred to as Russian proxy forces.[6] They were active during the war in Donbas (2014–2022), the first stage of the Russo-Ukrainian War. They then supported the Russian Armed Forces against the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the 2022 Russian invasion. In September 2022, Russia annexed the DPR and LPR, and began integrating the paramilitaries into its armed forces.[7] They are designated as terrorist groups by the government of Ukraine.[8]

The separatist paramilitaries were formed during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. The Donbas People's Militia was formed in March 2014 by Pavel Gubarev, who proclaimed himself "People's Governor" of Donetsk Oblast,[9] while the Army of the South-East was formed in Luhansk Oblast. The Donbas war began in April 2014 after these groups seized Ukrainian government buildings in the Donbas, leading the Ukrainian military to launch its Anti-Terrorist Operation against them.

During the Donbas war, Russian far-right groups were heavily involved in recruiting for the separatists, and many far-right activists joined them and formed volunteer units.[10][11] The Russian separatists have been held responsible for war crimes, among them the shootdown of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17[12] and the Mariupol rocket attacks, which they have denied.[13] The militias were also responsible for illegal abductions, detention, and torture of civilians of the Donbas.[14]

The separatist paramilitaries were supported by, and were proxies of, the Russian Armed Forces.[15] Ukraine, the United States, and some analysts deemed them to be under the command of Russia's 8th Combined Arms Army.[16][17][18][19] Although the Russian government often denied direct involvement, evidence suggested otherwise.[20] The separatists admitted receiving weaponry and supplies from Russia, being trained there, and having thousands of Russian citizens in their ranks.[20][21][22] By September 2015, the separatist units, at the battalion level and up, were acting under the command of Russian Army officers.[23] In 2023, Russia acknowledged separatists who fought in the Donbas war as being eligible to receive Russian combat veteran status.[24]

Although called "militias",[25] shortly before the 2022 Russian invasion, the separatist republics began forced conscription of men to fight for Russia.[26][27][28] The Donbas conscripts have been described as the "cannon fodder" of the Russian forces;[29][30] by November 2022 the casualty rate of the separatist units was almost 50%, according to official separatist sources.[30]

History

Pro-Russian rally in Donetsk on April 6, 2014

On 3 March 2014, during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, groups of protesters took control of the regional administration building in Donetsk.[31] An armed opposition group named the Donbas People's Militia, led by Pavel Gubarev, participated.[31] This happened when 11 Ukrainian cities with significant populations of ethnic Russians erupted in demonstrations against the new Ukrainian government.[31] On 6 April 2014, 2,000 pro-Russian protesters rallied outside the regional administration building.[32] On the same day, groups of protesters in Eastern Ukraine stormed the regional administration building in Kharkiv, and the SBU headquarters in Luhansk.[9] The groups created a people's council and demanded a referendum like the one held in Crimea.[32][nb 2]

Donbas war

Main article: War in Donbas

On 12 April, armed members of the Donbas People's Militia seized government buildings in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk,[41] and set up checkpoints and barricades.[42][43][44] The same day, former members of the Donetsk "Berkut" unit joined the ranks of the Donbas People's Militia.[45]

On 13 April, the newly established Ukrainian government gave the separatists a deadline to disarm or face a "full-scale anti-terrorist campaign" in the region.[46] Later that day, the first reports came in of fighting between the people's militia and Ukrainian troops near Sloviansk, with casualties on both sides.[47] On 14 April, members of the Donbas People's Militia blocked Ukrainian military KrAZ trucks armed with Grad missiles from entering the city.[48][49] On 15 April, a full scale "Anti-Terrorist Operation" was launched by the Ukrainian government with aim of restoring their authority over the areas seized by the militia.[50]

Sloviansk city council under the control of Russian Registered Cossacks[51] on 14 April 2014

On 16 April, the militia entered Sloviansk with six BMD airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicles[52][53] they had obtained from elements of the 25th Airborne Brigade[54] who had switched allegiance.[55][56][57] A Ukrainian military column was disarmed after the vehicles were blockaded by locals in Kramatorsk.[58] The militia also received a 2S9 "Nona-S" self-propelled 120 mm mortar.[59][60] On April 20, an unidentified armed group in civilian clothes attacked a militia checkpoint at the entrance to the city of Sloviansk. Three attackers and three members of the militia were killed.[61] On May 14, eight members of the militia seized an IMR armored vehicle from Novokramatorsky Mashinostroitelny Zavod. [62]

Soldier of the Somalia Battalion at the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport

On May 15, the Donbas People's Militia sent an ultimatum to Kyiv. They demanded the withdrawal of all Ukrainian troops from Donetsk oblast. On May 17, several members of the militia seized two BRDM unarmed armored vehicles from Severodonetsk and Lysychansk (Luhansk Oblast)[63] On May 22, the Federal State of Novorossiya was declared. On May 23, several members of the people's militia seized another BRDM-RKh unarmed armored vehicle from Loskutovka (Luhansk Oblast)[64]

In July 2014, the estimated manpower of the separatists was around 10,000–20,000.[65][66]

The militia were widely suspected to have been involved in the downing of a civilian airliner, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, on 17 July 2014.[67]

A Separatist looking though firing port at his position near Donetsk, May 2015

On August 8, the militia claimed that after battles near the Russian border, they had captured 67 pieces of equipment in varying conditions (serviceable equipment lacking ammunition or fuel, with faults, damaged in battle and completely unusable), including 18 "Grad" multiple rocket launching systems, 15 tanks and armored personnel carriers, howitzers, MANPADS, etc.[68] As of August 12, the militia had at least 200 armored vehicles.[69]

July and early August were disastrous for the militias, with many analysts saying they were on the verge of defeat, before a sudden counteroffensive, which the Ukrainian government said was supported by Russian troops, encircled thousands of Ukrainian troops and forced them into a retreat.[70] The militias soon re-captured several strategic positions such as Savur-Mohyla and Luhansk International Airport.[71]

In September 2014, the DNR and LNR People's Militias became the 1st Army Corps[72] and 2nd Army Corps[73] of the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya (Russian: Объединённые Вооруженные Силы Новороссии; acronym NAF),[74][75][76] which was to be the army of the proposed Novorossiya (New Russia) political union. Lieutenant General Ivan Korsun became its commander-in-chief.[77] The Novorossiya project was suspended in May 2015 due to infighting,[72] but the two separatist armies would still operate in an unified manner.[78]

On 2 February 2015, Head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, announced that there would be a general mobilization in the DPR of 10,000 volunteers, and he aimed to eventually expand the NAF to 100,000 soldiers.[79]

In March 2015, the estimated manpower of the separatists rose to 30,000–35,000 personnel.[80]

On 20 May 2015 the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation 'project'[81][82] but the United Armed Forces was retained as the joint armed service of the DPR and LPR.[78]

The Ukrainian government in mid-2015 claimed there were about 42,500 fighters on the separatists' side, which include 9,000 Russian soldiers.[83]

2022 Russian invasion

Further information: Mobilization in Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics
Separatist troops with captured Ukrainian weapons during the 2022 Russian invasion.

During the prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic started a process of mass mobilization of its population in order to build an army for the Russian invasion. As there weren't enough volunteers in the separatist army, and the Russian government wasn't willing to start mobilization of its own population, men from ages 18 until 65 from any background were conscripted to form the separatist army.[26][27] Groups of DPR/LPR officers roamed the streets searching for men at the age range, arresting and sending to conscription offices any they found.[84] In some regions, up to 80% of employees of local enterprises were called up, which led to the shutdown of mines (the main source of employment in the Donbas) and public transport, resulting in the paralysis of city and public services.[85]

Most of the Donbas conscripts are unexperienced, received little-to-no training and were badly equipped, and suffered from morale issues and heavy casualties.[86] The role of Donbas conscripts by Russian forces has been described as "cannon fodder".[29] There were reports of conscipts being issued antiquated equipment such as World War I-era Mosin–Nagant rifles and the early Cold War-era T-62 tanks.[86][30] By November, the DPR ombudsman reported that the DPR militia suffered almost 20,000 casualties (both wounded in action and killed in action), translating into a staggering 50% casualty rate, with outside observers believing it could possibly be higher.[30] The mass conscription has been considered a war crime by some, as the Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention bans the forceful conscription of soldiers from occupied territory, but Russian authorities claimed they are part of the independent sovereign nations of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic.[87]

Separatist forces advancing during the Battle of Lysychansk at the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

After the leaders of the Russian proxy republics signed treaties of annexation with the Russian president on September 30, 2022, the Russian State Duma approved legislation on October 3 mandating the integration of the "people's militias" into the Russian military, backdated to the date of annexation.[7] Upon the "annexation" of Ukrainian territories in September 2022, Russian occupation officials began forcibly conscripting Ukrainian men in occupied parts of Kherson oblast, and were reportedly ready to mobilize 3,000 in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast.[88][89]

On 31 December 2022, Putin visited the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov-on-Don to present battle colours to representatives of the militias and a command academy in Donetsk, referring to them as the 1st Donetsk Army Corps and 2nd Guards Luhansk-Sievierodonetsk Army Corps.[90] In January 2023 the Russian defence ministry announced that "self-sufficient force groupings" would be established in Ukraine, and in February that four Russian-claimed oblasts in southeastern Ukraine were placed under command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Ground Forces,[91] part of a long-term effort to integrate various irregular forces.[92] On February 19, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Militias were formally integrated into the command structure of the Russian Armed Forces.[93]

Structure

DPR troops in Donetsk during a rehearsal for the 2015 Victory Day parade
Oplot Brigade troops with their flag during a rehearsal for the 2015 Victory Day parade

The militias consist of different armed groups, sworn to the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. Militant groups which refused to do so were disarmed as gangs in the DPR.[94] Other groups are autonomous forces.[95]

According to Ukrainskyi Tyzhden, a Donetsk Operative Command set up in May 2016 by Russia coordinates the military efforts of the Donetsk People's Republic.[96] The tank battalions they claim Russia can deploy include the DPR Diesel Battalion, and LPR August Battalion.[96] Euromaidan Press reported in September 2018 that the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya comprised two army corps: the 1st Corps, called the "People's Militia of the DNR" and the 2nd Corps, called "People's Militia of the LNR".[97]

On 28 December 2018 commander of the Ukrainian Navy Ihor Voronchenko claimed that the DPR had created a flotilla stationed at Novoazovsk, made up of about 25 converted fishing boats.[98] According to Voronchenko, the DPR had named this flotilla the "9th Regiment of the Marine Corps".[98]

Flag of the Sparta Battalion

Donetsk People's Republic

Main article: 1st Army Corps (Russia)

People's Militia of the Donetsk People's Republic (Russian: Народная милиция Донецкой Народной Республики, lit. 'People's Militia of the Donetsk People's Republic'), or 1st Army Corps (DPR) – Formed on 14 November 2014.

  • Militia forces
    • 1st Slavyansk Brigade (Russian: 1-ая Славянская бригада) – Brigade formerly commanded by Igor "Strelkov" Girkin. He was the Minister of Defense of allied separatist militias in the DPR and LPR from 16 May to 14 August 2014. Strelkov's name was later revealed to be Igor Girkin, a Moscow-born Russian, Army veteran and former FSB agent.[99][100]
    • AA Regiment
    • Danube Group
    • Diesel Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Дизель») – Separate tank battalion formed in 2015, equipped with Soviet equipment, including T-72B1s.[96][101]
    • Dome Group
    • Horlivka Group
    • Oplot 5th Separate Infantry Brigade or Oplot Brigade (Russian: Батальон «Оплот», meaning "Bulwark Battalion") – First commanded by Alexander Zakharchenko.[102][103] Originally a Donbas People's Militia battalion, it expanded to a brigade by September 2014 during the DPR militia restructuring.[104]
    • Kolchuga Group
    • Russian Imperial Legion (Russian: Имперский легион) is the military arm of the Russian Imperial Movement, a Russian white supremacist Orthodox nationalist organization that has recruited thousands to fight for the separatists.[105][106][107] Imperial Legion and RIM have been recognized as a terrorist movement by Canada and United States for their links to neo-fascist terrorists.[108]
    • Novoazovsk Group
    • Oplot Group
    • Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Sparta Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Спарта») – Special forces battalion formed and led by Arsen Pavlov, known as Motorola, until his assassination in 2016. His successor was Vladimir Zhoga, from Sloviansk, and known by Voha.[109] Zhoga was killed in battle in March 2022 during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.[110]
    • 1st Separate Battalion-Tactical Group "Somalia" or Somalia Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Сомали») – Tactical group led by Lieutenant colonel Mikhail Tolstykh, known as Givi until his assassination in 2017.[111] In 2022 the Battalion's leader was Lieutenant Colonel Timur Kurilkin.[112]
    • Typhoon unit
  • Special forces
  • Rear forces
    • Engineering Battalion
    • Patriotic Forces of Donbass[123] (Russian: Патриотические силы Донбасса)
    • Electric Warfare unit
    • Steppe Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Степь»)[124]
    • DPR Republican Guard (Russian: Республиканская гвардия ДНР) – Elite unit created by Alexander Zakharchenko on January 12, 2015.[125][126] Commanded by Major-general Ivan Kondratov, and composed of six battalions that total more than 3,000 fighters.[126]
    • Slavic Unification and Revival Battalion or Svarozhich Battalion – formed by members of the Rodnovery (Slavic native faith) movement, at its peak 1,200 fighters, now part of the Vostok Brigade.[127][128]
    • Repair Battalion
    • International Brigade "Pyatnashka" (Russian: Бригада «Пятнашка», meaning "15th Brigade") – International brigade commanded by Akhra Avidzba, known by Abkhaz. DPR positions in Marinka are held by this unit.[129]
    • Support Battalion
    • Mariupol-Khingan Naval Infantry (Russian: Мариупольско-Хинганский морская пехота) – Formed in 2016. The name is based on the Soviet World War II 221st Infantry Mariupol-Khingan Red Banner Order of Suvorov Rifle Division.
    • Vikings Battalion – Motorized infantry unit formed in 2015.
    • DPR Security Service Battalion (Russian: Батальон службы безопасности Донецкой народной республики) – Security Service of the Donetsk People's Republic.[118]
    • Horlivka Group
  • Territorial defence
    • 1st Battalion
    • 2nd Territorial Defense Battalion "Miner's Division" (Russian: Шахтёрская дивизия) – Reorganized into a territorial defensive battalion after September 2014.
    • 3rd Battalion
    • 4th Battalion
    • 5th Battalion
    • 6th Battalion
  • Militia Regiments
    • 1252nd regiment (from Mordovia) [130]
    • 1439th regiment [130]

Luhansk People's Republic

Main article: 2nd Army Corps (Russia)

People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic (Russian: Народная милиция Луганской Народной Республики, lit. 'People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic'), or 2nd Lugansk-Severodonetsk Guards Army Corps (LPR) – Formed on 7 October 2014.

  • Militia forces
  • Special forces
    • Leshiy Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Леший», meaning "Forest-spirit Battalion") – Special forces battalion commanded by Aleksey Pavlov.[136]
    • Recon Battalion
    • Special Forces Battalion
  • Rear forces
    • Repair Battalion
    • Support Battalion
    • First Cossack Regiment (Russian: Первый казачий полк) – Don Cossack volunteer group commanded by Ataman Pavel Dryomov. The group has around 1,300 fighters, and its headquarters is in Stakhanov.[95] Originally part of Kozitsyn's Cossack National Guard until it split in September 2014.[95] Dryomov denounced the LPR's leadership as corrupt and "pro-oligarchic".[95] Dryomov was killed on 12 December 2015 when his car was blown up by an unknown perpetrator the day after his wedding.[137]
    • Interbrigades – Russian volunteers – national-bolsheviks,[138][139] members of The Other Russia.[140][141]
    • 7th Motorized Brigade
    • Mechanized Brigade "Prizrak" or Prizrak Brigade (Russian: Бригада «Призрак», meaning "Ghost Brigade") – Mechanized infantry brigade commanded by Yuri Shevchenko, formed and led by Aleksey Mozgovoy until his assassination on 23 May 2015.[99] The group keeps its distance from LPR authorities and is based in Alchevsk and the surrounding district.[95]
    • AA Battalion
    • Continental Unit (French: Unité Continentale) – French, Serbian and Brazilian volunteer group.[142][143]
    • DKO (Russian: ДКО – Добровольческий коммунистический отряд) – Volunteer Communist Detachment, an international organisation commanded by Piotr Biriukov.[144][145]
    • Artillery Brigade
  • Territorial defence
    • 17th Battalion
    • Ataman Battalion
    • Kulkin Battalion
    • Lishi Battalion
    • Poid Battalion
    • Prizrak Battalion
    • Rim Battalion
    • USSR Bryanka Battalion

Former units

Donetsk People's Republic

  • Donbas People's Militia (Russian: Народное ополчение Донбасса) – Main militia of the Donetsk People's Republic from 3 March to 16 September 2014.
Illustration of the uniforms of the DPR Army
  • Russian Orthodox Army (Russian: Русская православная армия) – A senior commander of the unit is Alexander Verin.[103] One of the armed groups which control Donetsk, mostly composed of locals from coal mine towns.[146] It reportedly had 100 members at its founding. According to Ukrainian sources, in June 2014 it had at least 350 fighters.[147] According to independent sources, as fighting between separatists and the Ukrainian government worsened in Donbas, membership rose to 4,000.[148] In September 2014, the ROA changed its format and merged with the newly created Oplot 5th Separate Infantry Brigade of the DPR People's Militia.[104]
  • North Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Север») (unofficial)[149]
  • Miners' Division (Russian: Шахтёрская дивизия) – Founded shortly after the rebel withdrawal from Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, commanded by Konstantin Kuzmin. Fighters range from ages 22–60. Composed of former coal miners.[150] Reorganized into a territorial defensive battalion after September 2014.
  • Consolidated Orthodox Battalion "Voshod" or Voshod Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Восход», meaning "Sunrise Battalion") – Formed in June 2014, it had 300 fighters.[151]
  • Chechnya Death Battalion – Unit composed mostly of Chechen volunteers from Russia sent by Ramzan Kadyrov. It was commanded by Apti Bolotkhanov.[152]
  • Jovan Šević Detachment (Serbian: одред «Јован Шевић») – Serbian Chetnik-led group commanded by Bratislav Živković, with 450 fighters.[153]
  • Bulgaria Orthodox Dawn (Bulgarian: Православна Зора) – Bulgarian nationalist volunteer group.[154]
  • Legion of Saint Stephen (Russian: Легион Святого Иштвана) – Hungarian subgroup of international battalions.[155] The group espouses a Hungarian nationalist platform, demanding self-determination for the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia Oblast,[156] and has been accused of being close to the far-right Jobbik party in Hungary.[157]
  • Carlos Palomino International Brigade (Spanish: Brigada Internacional Carlos Palomino) – Spanish antifascist volunteer group.[158]
  • Varyag Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Варяг»), meaning "Varangian Battalion," and named for a Russian volunteer Nazi[159] brigade – Volunteer battalion commanded by Alexander Matyushin, a neo-Nazi and former head of Donetsk Russkiy Obraz.[160][161][162]

Luhansk People's Republic

  • Army of the South-East (Russian: Армия Юго-Востока)[163][164][165][166] – Main militia forces of the Luhansk People's Republic from mid April to 16 September 2014.
  • Great Host of Don Cossacks[167] – An international organisation that recruited volunteers from Ukraine and Russia.[168]
  • Luhansk Region People's Militia (Russian: Народное ополчение Луганщины) – Commanded by Aleksei Mozgovoy.[169] Later was succeeded by the Prizrak Brigade.
  • United Battalions of the DPR and LPR.[170]
    • North Battalion (DPR) and Prizrak Battalion (LPR)
  • Separate Brigade of Special Purpose "Odessa" (Russian: Отдельная бригада особого назначения «Одесса»)
  • Rapid Response Group "Batman" or Batman Battalion (Russian: Группа быстрого реагирования «Бэтмен») – Commanded by Alexander Bednov until he was killed in an attack on his convoy on 1 January 2015.[171] Members of the group said that the attack was ordered by head of the Luhansk People's Republic Igor Plotnitsky.[171] According to them, Bednov and his fighters were killed "by order of Plotnitsky" because he was "ordered to sweep all intransigent commanders."[172] Following this attack, the LPR arrested some of Bednov's men, and dissolved the battalion.[115] Some of its personnel were dispersed into other LPR units, while DPR field commanders Givi and Motorola invited former members to join their battalions.[115]
  • DShRG Ratibor (Russian: ДШРГ Ратибор) – Group that was formed by Russian nationalists.
  • Interunit – A far-left military political unit build inside the Prizrak Brigade composed of internationalist volunteers formed in 2015. The bulk of the volunteers came from Spain,[173] while it was commanded by an Italian fighter called "Nemo".[174] It was operational until 2017.

Commanders

Current Commander-in-Chief of the DPR, Denis Pushilin
Current Commander-in-Chief of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik

Donetsk People's Republic Donetsk People's Republic

Luhansk People's Republic Luhansk People's Republic

Equipment

Main articles: List of equipment used by Russian separatist forces of the war in Donbas and List of Russo-Ukrainian conflict military equipment
Vikings Battalion infantrymen with Russian military equipment in July 2015

According to Armament Research Services (ARES), the rebels mostly used equipment that was available domestically before the Ukrainian crisis. However, they were also seen with weapons that were not known to have been exported to Ukraine, or otherwise be available there, including some of the latest models of Russian military equipment, never exported outside Russia.[181] According to the Donetsk People's Republic, all of its military equipment is "hardware that we took from the Ukrainian military".[182] However, according to the Ukrainian government and the United States Department of State, this is a false. They claim the separatists have received military equipment from Russia, including multiple rocket launch systems and tanks.[4] Although Russian officials deny supplying arms to the militia.[181][4][183] In August 2014 Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Heletey said the proof for the weapons supply from Russia was that the fighters of the Donbas People's Militia were using Russian-made weapons never used (or bought) by the Ukrainian army.[184]

Such exclusively Russian equipment seen with pro-Russian separatists includes Russian modifications of T-72 tanks (particularly T-72B3 and T-72BA seen destroyed in Ukraine[181][185]), BTR-82AM infantry fighting vehicle (adopted in Russia in 2013),[186][187] BPM-97 armored personnel carriers,[188][189] sophisticated anti-aircraft system Pantsir-S1,[190][191] multipurpose vehicle GAZ Vodnik (adopted in Russia in 2005),[188] Russian modifications of MT-LB, rocket-propelled flamethrower MRO-A, anti-tank missile Kornet, anti-materiel rifle ASVK, suppressed sniper rifle VSS Vintorez and others.[181][186]

Military training

Higher Combined Arms Command School

The Donetsk Higher Combined Arms Command School (Russian: Донецкого высшего общевойскового командного училища) is a higher level institution in the ideological training of cadets.[192] People from both the DPR and LPR can enroll at the school.[193] It prepares future command cadres in four areas: reconnaissance, tank forces, infantry, and political officers.[clarification needed] Upon graduation, the cadets are commissioned as lieutenants. Since the fall of 2016, the Military Lyceum is affiliated to the DHCACS.

Military-Physical Training Lyceum

Lyceum students on parade.
Members of the lyceum in their white dress uniform.

The Georgy Beregovoy Military-Physical Training Lyceum (Russian: Лицей с усиленной военно-физической подготовкой имени дважды Героя Советского Союза, летчика-космонавта СССР, генерал-лейтенанта Г.Т.Берегового) is an educational facility of the People's Militia, being akin to the Suvorov Military School or the Ivan Bohun Military High School. It was established on 15 May 1993 by decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine as the Donetsk Higher Military-Political School of Engineering and Signal Corps. From 1993 to 2000, the Lyceum was with a three-year form of study. Over two decades, 2,793 graduates graduated from the institution, more than 1,000 of them currently serve in officer posts in various power structures of Ukraine.[194] It was renamed and converted in 2014; since then more than 300 students have graduated.[195] The school is open to boys between 14 and 16 years old, many of whom come from military families. The cadets live at the school six days a week.[196]

Relationship with Russia

See also: Donetsk People's Republic–Russia relations and Luhansk People's Republic–Russia relations

The conclusion of the Dutch criminal investigation into the shootdown of MH17 was that the "Russian Federation exercised overall control over the DPR", referring to vast evidence of frequent contacts between the DPR and LPR officials, and the Russian presidential administration, as well as the heads of the Russian military and FSB.[5]

As the conflict intensified, the Donbas People's Militia was bolstered with many volunteers from the former Soviet Union, mainly Russia; including fighters from Chechnya and North Ossetia.[197]

According to the Ukrainian government and the United States Department of State the Donbas People's Militia has received military equipment from Russia, including Russian tanks and multiple rocket launchers. Russia denied supplying weapons and described the Russian citizens fighting with the Donbas People's Militia as volunteers.[4][198] The Donetsk People's Republic claimed on 16 August 2014 that it had received (together with 30 tanks and 120 other armoured vehicles of undisclosed origin) 1,200 "individuals who have gone through training over a four-month period on the territory of the Russian Federation".[199] Prime Minister of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko said in August 2014 that it had not received military equipment from Russia; and that all of its military equipment was "hardware that we took from the Ukrainian military".[182][unreliable source?]

Some injured militia members received medical care in Russia.[197] In mid-August 2014, hospitals such as the Donetsk Central Hospital in Donetsk, Russia tended to receive between ten and twenty injured fighters daily.[197] The Russian Emergency Ministry assisted with treatment logistics.[197] Those questioned and registered by the (Russian) Federal Security Service[197] and treated in Russia during this period stated that they would not return to Ukraine if the Ukrainian army won the Russo-Ukrainian War,[197] but would, instead, engage in a partisan warfare campaign in Eastern Ukraine.[197]

According to various sources, the troops of the separatists forces are under direct control of officers of the Russian Armed Forces. Specifically the 8th Combined Arms Army, which has been recreated for this specific task since 2017.[200][201]

In February 2022, the UK defence ministry and the Institute for the Study of War reported that the Russian Armed Forces had officially extended the Russian Southern Military District into parts of Ukraine as part of integrating the DPR and LPR people's militias into Russian forces.[202][203][204]

In April 2023, Russia granted combat veteran status to separatist militants who had fought in the Donbas war since 2014.[24]

Ideology of the forces

A 2016 report by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) noted that Russian ethnic and imperialist nationalism has shaped the official ideology of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.[10] During the war in Donbas, especially at the beginning, far-right groups played an important role on the pro-Russian side, arguably more so than on the Ukrainian side.[10][11] According to Marlène Laruelle, separatists in Donbas espoused a mixture of three strands of Russian nationalism: Fascist, Orthodox and Soviet.[11]

Far-right

Flags of three far-right Russian separatist groups in Ukraine: Rusich, Russian National Unity, and the Russian Imperial Legion.
Further information: Ruscism and Donetsk People's Republic § Ideology

Members and former members of neo-Nazi group Russian National Unity (RNU), as well as the National Bolshevik Party and the Eurasian Youth Union, formed branches to recruit volunteers for the pro-Russia separatists.[10][205][206][207] A former RNU member, Pavel Gubarev, was founder of the Donbas People's Militia and first "governor" of the Donetsk People's Republic.[10][208] RNU is particularly linked to the Russian Orthodox Army,[10] one of a number of separatist units described as "pro-Tsarist" and "extremist Orthodox" nationalists.[106][10] In June 2014, the Russian Orthodox Army was accused of murdering four Pentecostals in Sloviansk. The men were accused of spying for the Ukrainian government,[209] but the case has been cited as part of a policy of religious persecution by the separatists.[210][211]

Openly Neo-Nazi units such as 'Rusich', 'Varyag' and 'Svarozhich' fought as part of the Russian paramilitaries from early 2014 and used Slavic swastikas on their badges,[10] although some, such as 'Varyag', have since been disbanded.[160] 'Rusich' is led by self-proclaimed neo-Nazi Alexey Milchakov and is part of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company which has been linked to far-right extremism.[105][212]

Some of the most influential far-right Russian separatists are neo-imperialists, who seek to revive the Russian Empire.[10] These included Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin, first "minister of defence" of the Donetsk People's Republic, who espouses Russian neo-imperialism and ethno-nationalism.[10] The Russian Imperial Movement, a white supremacist militant group,[105] has trained and recruited thousands of volunteers to join the separatists through its 'Russian Imperial Legion'.[106] Some separatists have flown the black-yellow-white Russian imperial flag,[10] such as the Sparta Battalion and the (now disbanded) 'Ratibor' unit. In 2014, volunteers from the National Liberation Movement joined the Donetsk People's Militia bearing portraits of Tsar Nicholas II.[205] Other Russian nationalist volunteers involved in separatist militias included members of the banned Russian neo-nazi group Slavic Union and the Movement Against Illegal Immigration.[206] Another Russian separatist paramilitary unit, the Interbrigades, is made up of activists from the National Bolshevik (Nazbol) group Other Russia.[10] An article in Dissent noted that "despite their neo-Stalinist paraphernalia, many of the Russian-speaking nationalists Russia supports in the Donbass are just as right-wing as their counterparts from the Azov Battalion".[213]

Members of the far-right group Serbian Action in the Donbas.

Far-right nationalists from other countries have also fought for the Russian separatists, such as the Hungarian nationalist 'Legion of Saint Stephen',[156] the Bulgarian nationalist 'Orthodox Dawn'[154] and the Serbian Chetnik 'Jovan Šević Detachment',[153] as well as members of Serbian Action.[214] According to the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, well-known Italian neo-fascist Andrea Palmeri (former member of the far-right New Force party) has been fighting for the Donetsk People's Republic since 2014 and was praised by its leader Gubarev as a "real fascist".[215] Professor Anton Shekhovtsov, an expert on far-right movements in Russia and abroad, reported in 2014 that members of Polish neo-fascist group "Falanga" and Italian far-right group "Millennium" had joined the Donbas separatists.[216][217] French Eurasianists, notably the far-right organization "Continental Unity", have also been accused of recruiting far-right extremists across Europe to fight for the Donbas separatists.[218][219] Swedish and Finnish far-right groups, such as the "Power Belongs to the People" party, reportedly recruited volunteers to fight for the separatists,[220][221] while members of the neo-Nazi "Nordic Resistance Movement" were seen attending paramilitary training in Russia.[222][223] Other far-right foreign fighters from Europe and North America have fought alongside the pro-Russian separatists in Donbas, including white nationalists, neo-Nazis, neo-fascists and Christian nationalists. Motivations for these fighters have included the belief that they are fighting America and Western interests and that Vladimir Putin is a bulwark for "traditional white European values" who they must support against the "decadent West".[224]

In April 2022, a video posted on Donetsk People's Republic's website showed Denis Pushilin awarding a medal to Lieutenant Roman Vorobyov (Somalia Battalion), who was wearing patches affiliated with neo-Nazism: the Totenkopf, used by the 3rd SS Panzer Division, and the valknut, a German neo-pagan simbol sometimes used by neo-nazis and white supremacists. The video did not show Vorobyov getting his medal when it was posted on Pushilin's website.[225][226]

While far-right activists played a key role in the early days of the conflict, their importance was often exaggerated, and their importance on both sides of the conflict declined over time. The political climate in Donetsk further pushed far-right groups into the margins.[10]

Far-left

Further information: Foreign fighters in the Russo-Ukrainian War § Far-left volunteers
A sleeve insignia of the Prizrak Brigade's Volunteer Communist Detachment

Far-left volunteers have also fought for pro-Russian forces, echoing Russian claims of Ukraine being a "fascist state" and seeking to engage in an "anti-fascist struggle". However, these leftist volunteers have co-operated with far-right groups in Donbas.[224] Among the early volunteers were members of the Communist Party of Ukraine, as well as some members of trade unions and labor organizations opposed to the new government that emerged after the Ukrainian Revolution.[227][228][229][230][231][232]

A small number of Spanish socialists travelled to Ukraine to fight for the separatists, with some explaining they were "repaying the favour" to Russia for the USSR's support to Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.[218][233] They were also enlisting in solidarity with those who died in the Unions House fire.[234][235] Spanish fighters established the 'Carlos Palomino International Brigade', which flew the flag of the Second Spanish Republic. In 2015, it reportedly had less than ten members, and was later disbanded.[158] Beness Aijo, a Latvian National Bolshevik of Ugandan and Russian descent, was arrested in Donetsk in 2014 for fighting with separatist forces and the National Bolshevik Interbrigades.[236][237] A female member of the Israeli Communist Party also reportedly joined the separatists in 2015.[238] Other examples were the 'DKO' (Volunteer Communist Unit) and the Interunit, both composed of foreign communist volunteers; the Interunit has been inactive since 2017.[145][173]

War crime allegations

Main article: Humanitarian situation during the war in Donbas

An 18 November 2014 United Nations report on eastern Ukraine stated that the DPR was in a state of "total breakdown of law and order".[239] The report noted "cases of serious human rights abuses by the armed groups continued to be reported, including torture, arbitrary and incommunicado detention, summary executions, forced labour, sexual violence, as well as the destruction and illegal seizure of property may amount to crimes against humanity".[239]

In September 2015, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report on the testimonies of victims held in places of illegal detention in Donbas.[240] In December 2015, a team led by Małgorzata Gosiewska published a comprehensive report on war crimes in Donbas.[241]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a.k.a. DNR and LNR, respectively, per the untranslated Russian word for "people's", narodny, and collectively known as LDPR or LDNR
  2. ^ Since 13 April 2014 all government buildings in Kharkiv are fully under Ukrainian control.[33][34][35][36][37][38][39] Kharkiv returned to relative calm by 30 April.[40]

References

  1. ^ "Почётный иуда Донбасса ("Синий")". Archived from the original on March 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "Главарь "милиции ЛНР" Ян Лещенко пострадал при взрыве в Луганске – РосСМИ". Archived from the original on March 20, 2023.
  3. ^ The military balance 2021. Abingdon, Oxon: International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2021. ISBN 978-1032012278.
  4. ^ a b c d US: Separatists in eastern Ukraine have weapons, military equipment from Russia, Fox News (June 13, 2014) (Archive)
  5. ^ a b Veiligheid, Ministerie van Justitie en (2023-02-08). "Report MH17 – Report – Public Prosecution Service". www.prosecutionservice.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  6. ^
  7. ^ a b "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 3". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  8. ^ Steven Rosenburg (5 June 2014). "Ukraine crisis: Donetsk rebel leaders still talking tough". BBC. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  9. ^ a b c "In northeast Ukraine, pro-Maidan occupiers are routed by counter-demonstrators". The Washington Post. March 1, 2014. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Likhachev, Vyacheslav (July 2016). "The Far Right in the Conflict between Russia and Ukraine" (PDF). Russie.NEI.Visions in English. pp. 18–28. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Averre, Derek; Wolczuk, Kataryna, eds. (2018). The Ukraine Conflict: Security, Identity and Politics in the Wider Europe. Routledge. pp. 90–91. Separatist ideologues in the Donbas, such as they are, have therefore produced a strange melange since 2014. Of what Marlène Laruelle (2016) has called the 'three colours' of Russian nationalism designed for export—red (Soviet), white (Orthodox) and brown (fascist) ... there are arguably more real fascists on the rebel side than the Ukrainian side
  12. ^ "3 convicted in 2014 downing of Malaysian jet over Ukraine". Associated Press. 18 November 2022.
  13. ^ Simon Shuster (17 July 2014). "Exclusive: Separatist Leader Says Rebels Did Not Shoot Down Flight MH17". Time. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ "Ukraine crisis: 'Thousands of Russians' fighting in east". BBC. 28 Aug 2014.
    Ukraine conflict: Deadly flare-up on eastern front line, BBC News (18 February 2020)
  16. ^ Presentation by Lieutenant-General Leonid Holopatiuk, Chief of Main Department of Military Cooperation and Verification of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (PDF), 6 July 2020
  17. ^ "UAWire – Muzhenko: There are more than 30,000 Russian soldiers in the Donbas". UAWire. 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  18. ^ Bielieskov, Mykola (2021-09-21). "The Russian and Ukrainian Spring 2021 War Scare". Center for Strategic & International Studies. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  19. ^ Bowen, Andrew S. (2021-11-19). "Russian Troop Movements and Tensions along the Ukrainian Border". Insight. Congressional Research Service.
  20. ^ a b "Captured Russian troops 'in Ukraine by accident'". BBC. 26 Aug 2014.
  21. ^ "Ukrainians say Russian troops captured them in east Ukraine". Reuters. 29 Sep 2014.
  22. ^ Around 3–4 thousand Russian volunteers fighting for Donetsk People's Republic militia Archived 2018-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. Information Telegraph Agency of Russia. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  23. ^ "Russia and the Separatists in Eastern Ukraine" (PDF). Crisis Group Europe and Central Asia Briefing (79). Kyiv/Brussels: International Crisis Group: 8. 2016-02-05.
  24. ^ a b "State Duma passes law giving Wagner mercenaries 'combat veteran' status". Meduza. 20 April 2023.
  25. ^ ""Ополченцы" и "террористы": война слов продолжается". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  26. ^ a b "Russia turns to Donbas conscripts to fill front lines". Financial Times. 2022-06-11. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  27. ^ a b Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "How Ukraine separatists are mass conscripting anyone of fighting age | DW | 27.04.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  28. ^ "Russia turns to Donbas conscripts to fill front lines". Financial Times. 2022-06-11. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
  29. ^ a b Khrebet, Alexander (2022-08-02). "EXCLUSIVE: Escaping forced conscription in Russian-occupied Donetsk". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  30. ^ a b c d Axe, David. "The Donetsk Separatist Army Went To War In Ukraine With 20,000 Men. Statistically, Almost Every Single One Was Killed Or Wounded". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  31. ^ a b c Andrew Roth (3 March 2014). "From Russia, 'Tourists' Stir the Protests". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  32. ^ a b "Pro-Russia Protesters Storm Government Buildings In Eastern Ukrainian Cities". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  33. ^ "Pro-Russia activists declare establishment of 'Kharkiv people's republic'". Focus Information Agency. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  34. ^ "Kharkiv settles down, while pro-Russian separatists still hold buildings in Luhansk, Donetsk". Kyiv Post. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  35. ^ "Kharkiv city government building infiltrated by pro-Russian protesters". Kyiv Post. 13 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  36. ^ "Кернес пообіцяв допомогти звільнити затриманих сепаратистів | Українська правда". Pravda.com.ua. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  37. ^ Kharkiv torn between Europe and Russia, Deutsche Welle (6 March 2014)
  38. ^ "После нападения антимайдановцев на митинг Евромайдана в Харькове пострадало 50 человек : Новости УНИАН". Unian.net. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  39. ^ "Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine". Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  40. ^ "Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine – based on information received up until 29 April 2014" (Press release). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  41. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Another police building seized in east". BBC. April 12, 2014.
  42. ^ "Первый канал" от 13 апреля 2014
  43. ^ Жители Славянска поддержали «Народное ополчение Донбасса» // "Взгляд.RU" от 12 апреля 2014
  44. ^ &"ИТАР-ТАСС" от 13 апреля 2014
  45. ^ «Это наши люди» // «Взгляд.RU» от 12 апреля 2014
  46. ^ "Ukraine gives rebels deadline to disarm or face military operation". Reuters. April 13, 2014.
  47. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Casualties in Sloviansk gun battles". BBC News. 13 April 2014.
  48. ^
  49. ^ "Представители "Народного ополчения Донбасса" задержали грузовик со снарядами к реактивной системе залпового огня (РСЗО) "Град" на одном из блок-постов возле города Славянск Донецкой области. Об этом сообщили 13 апреля местные СМИ. Источники в силовых структурах признали факт задержания "грузовика с вооружением", отметив, что задержанный автомобиль КрАЗ принадлежит Национальной гвардии Украины"
    СМИ: манифестанты задержали возле Славянска грузовик со снарядами к РСЗО "Град" // ИТАР-ТАСС от 14 апреля 2014
  50. ^ "Ukraine launches counter-terrorism operation in Donetsk region". UPI. April 15, 2014.
  51. ^ Babiak, Mat. "Insurgents Identified". Ukrainian Policy. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  52. ^ "На сторону ополченцев в Славянске перешло уже около 60 военных". RIA. 16 April 2014.
  53. ^ "власти Украины признали, что шесть боевых машин десанта (БМД) у армии отобрали ополченцы"
    Колонна украинской бронетехники под Краматорском прорвала "блокаду" местных жителей, угрожая гранатой // NEWSRU.COM от 16 апреля 2014
  54. ^ "За здачу зброї десантниками у Краматорську відкрито провадження". ukrinform.ua. 17 April 2014.
  55. ^ "Pro-Russian troops enter Ukraine city". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  56. ^ "Ukraine crisis: combat vehicles with pro-Russian troops enter town". 16 April 2014.
  57. ^ Anthony Faiola (16 April 2014). "In Ukraine, a crisis of bullets and economics". Washington Post. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  58. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Military column 'seized' in Kramatorsk". BBC News. 16 April 2014.
  59. ^ "самоходная артиллерийская установка «Нона»... была добровольна отдана сопротивлению десантниками 25-й аэромобильной бригады из Днепропетровска в середине апреля"
    Как устроена десантная машина «Нона» – символ сопротивления Донецкой республики // "Московский комсомолец" от 13 мая 2014
  60. ^ Самооборона Славянска обстреляла Нацгвардию из самоходной установки «Нона» // "Взгляд.RU" от 12 мая 2014
  61. ^ Атака на блокпост в Славянске: шестеро погибших // DELFI.LV от 20 апреля 2014
  62. ^ Вооруженные люди вывезли с Новокраматорского завода списанную инженерную машину разграждения // "Интерфакс – Украина" от 14 мая 2014
  63. ^ На Луганщине боевики похитили две БРДМ из пожарно-спасательных частей // УНИАН от 18 мая 2014
  64. ^ Ополченцы захватили машину разведки на Луганщине // "iPress.UA" от 23 мая 2014
  65. ^ Ukraine's next battle is Donetsk, but no bombs, please. USA Today. 12 July 2014.
  66. ^ "The army of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics has 20,000 fighters – Gubarev". TASS. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  67. ^ Zverev, Anton (Jul 17, 2014). "Malaysian airliner downed in Ukraine war zone, 295 dead". Reuters. ^Yuhas, Alan (7 July 2014). "Malaysia Airlines plane MH17 crashes in Ukraine – live updates". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  68. ^ ДНР заявляет о захвате около 70 единиц военной техники силовиков |DPR claimed capturing about 70 pieces of military equipment // RIA Novosti, 8 August 2014
  69. ^ Для контрнаступления под Донецком ополченцы подготовили 200 бронемашин| For a counter-offensive near Donetsk militia prepared 200 armored vehicles// Vesti.ru, 12 August 2014
  70. ^ "After Re-Establishing Supply Lines, Ukrainian Separatists Launch Counteroffensive". Forbes. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  71. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Troops abandon Luhansk airport after clashes". BBC. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  72. ^ a b "Intelligence data on 1st and 2nd Army Corps of Russian Federation in occupied Donbas". Inform Napalm. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  73. ^ John R. Schindler (28 August 2015). "Russia's 'Secret Army' in Ukraine". The Interpreter. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  74. ^ ДНР и ЛНР приступили6 к созданию Армии Новороссии. Novorossiya (in Russian). 16 September 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  75. ^ "Donetsk, Luhansk armies to form armed forces". Information Telegraph Agency of Russia. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  76. ^ "Kremlin-backed rebels form Novorossiya army". Kyiv Post. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  77. ^ ntv.ru. "ДНР и ЛНР создали Объединенные вооруженные силы Новороссии". НТВ (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  78. ^ a b Euan MacDonald: Divide and re-conquer?, Kyiv Post (11 June 2016)
  79. ^ "Ukraine rebels plan call-up, want 100,000-strong army". Reuters. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  80. ^ "Ukraine: Where Will the Russian-Backed Rebels Attack Next?". Newsweek. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  81. ^ "Russian-backed 'Novorossiya' breakaway movement collapses". Ukraine Today. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  82. ^ Проект «Новороссия» закрыт [Project "New Russia" is closed] (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  83. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Who are the Russia-backed separatists?". Al Jazeera. 4 February 2022.
  84. ^ "'They hunt us like stray cats': pro-Russia separatists step up forced conscription as losses mount". the Guardian. 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  85. ^ Глеб Голод (2022-09-05). "Жизнь здесь катится в хреновую сторону. В ЛНР и ДНР на войну с Украиной забрали десятки тысяч жителей. Без них в тылу не работают предприятия, а спецслужбы преследуют даже жен призывников". Meduza. Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  86. ^ a b "Conscripts sent to fight by pro-Russia Donbas get little training, old rifles, poor supplies". Reuters. 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  87. ^ ""If You Run, We Will Shoot You": How Russia Forces Ukrainians Into Its Army". iwpr.net. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  88. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 30". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  89. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 28". Institute for the Study of War. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  90. ^ "Посещение Южного военного округа". Президент России (in Russian). 31 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  91. ^ Quadri, Sami (2023-02-04). "Russia 'integrating occupied parts of Ukraine into military district,' says UK". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  92. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 4, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  93. ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  94. ^ "Бойцы народного ополчения Донбасса принесли присягу провозглашенной ДНР – Fighters of Donbas People's Militia took the oath for DPR (in Russian)". ТАСС.
  95. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Armed Formations in the Secessionist 'Luhansk Republic'". ICDS, Jamestown Foundation. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  96. ^ a b c d "Expecting a restless August". The Ukrainian Week. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  97. ^ Who is who in the Kremlin proxy "Luhansk People's Republic", Euromaidan Press (7 September 2018)
  98. ^ a b The militants created a "flotilla" in the Azov Sea – Voronchenko, Ukrayinska Pravda (28 December 2018)
  99. ^ a b Russia's Donetsk Proxies Anticipate Ukrainian Siege Jamestown Foundation, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 11 Issue: 149. 13 August 2014
  100. ^ Ополчение юго-востока Украины провело перегруппировку сил |Militia in south-east Ukraine conducted regrouping // Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 12 April 2014
  101. ^ "Training of the "Diesel" battalion". Komsomolskaya Pravda. 9 August 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  102. ^ "Сводка от Стрелкова 24.07.2014 -Summary from Strelkov 24 July 2014". Информационный Корпус – Помощь Ополчению. Archived from the original on 2014-07-27.
  103. ^ a b "Order from Chaos: Moscow's Men Raise a Rebel Army in Ukraine's East". Vice News. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  104. ^ a b Shcherbachenko, Volodymyr V.; Yanova, Hanna (2017). War without Rules: Gender-Based Violence in the Context of the Armed Conflict in Eastern Ukraine (PDF). NGO Eastern-Ukrainian Centre for Civic Initiatives. ISBN 978-966-929-583-5.
  105. ^ a b c Townsend, Mark (20 March 2022). "Russian mercenaries in Ukraine linked to far-right extremists". The Guardian. Russian mercenaries fighting in Ukraine, including the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group, have been linked to far-right extremism ... Much of the extremist content, posted on Telegram and the Russian social media platform VKontakte (VK), relates to a far-right unit within the Wagner Group called Rusich ... One post on the messaging app Telegram, dated 15 March, shows the flag of the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM), a white-supremacist paramilitary ... Another recent VK posting lists Rusich as part of a coalition of separatist groups and militias including the extreme far-right group, Russian National Unity.
  106. ^ a b c Kuzio, Taras (2015). Ukraine: Democratization, Corruption, and the New Russian Imperialism. ABC-CLIO. pp. 110–111. the Russian Orthodox Army, one of a number of separatist units fighting for the "Orthodox faith," revival of the Tsarist Empire, and the Russkii Mir. Igor Girkin (Strelkov [Shooter]), who led the Russian capture of Slovyansk in April 2014, was an example of the Russian nationalists who have sympathies to pro-Tsarist and extremist Orthodox groups in Russia. ... the Russian Imperial Movement ... has recruited thousands of volunteers to fight with the separatists. ... such as the Russian Party of National Unity who use a modified swastika as their party symbol and Dugin's Eurasianist movement. The paramilitaries of both of these ... are fighting alongside separatists.
  107. ^ Marlene Laruelle (2018). Russian Nationalism: Imaginaries, Doctrines, and Political Battlefields. Taylor & Francis. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-429-76198-0. The Imperial Legion, the paramilitary arm of the Russian Imperial Movement, calls, for instance, for "young Orthodox men" to commit themselves to defending Novorossiya.
  108. ^ "Designation of the Russian Imperial Movement". State.
  109. ^ "Separatist known as Vokha will become new commander of the Sparta Battalion". UA Wire. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  110. ^ "The Russian commanders killed in Putin's war on Ukraine including major generals". The Independent. 2022-04-17. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  111. ^ "Ukraine conflict: Rebel leader Givi dies in rocket attack". BBC News. 2017-02-08. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  112. ^ Cole, Brendan (2022-04-05). "Pro-Russian fighter with Nazi patches gets medal for killing 'Nazis'". Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  113. ^ a b Ball, Tom (7 April 2022). "Rusich's neo-Nazi mercenaries head for Kharkiv". The Times. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  114. ^ Likhachev, Vyacheslav (July 2016). "The Far Right in the Conflict between Russia and Ukraine" (PDF). Russie.NEI.Visions in English. p. 24. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  115. ^ a b c "Secessionist Forces in Luhansk 'Republic': Order out of Chaos?". ICDS. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  116. ^ "War on Donbas: terrorists fired from artillery at Svetlodarsk". PN. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  117. ^ "Where is the nazification? How neo-Nazis, with the support of Governor Beglov, teach Russian children to kill". Russian Free Press. 22 May 2023.
  118. ^ a b c "Три батальона ополченцев готовы отправиться в "горячие точки" Донецкой области -Three battalions of volunteers ready to go to the "hot spots" of Donetsk region (in Russian)". vesti.ru.
  119. ^ Ополченцы "ДНР" хотят создать на основе батальона "Восток" спецназ. RIA Novosti Ukraine. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  120. ^ Alec Luhn (February 23, 2014). "Ukraine separatists celebrate Soviet holiday in Donetsk". The Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  121. ^ a b Alec Luhn (June 6, 2014). "Volunteers or paid fighters? The Vostok Battalion looms large in war with Kiev". The Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  122. ^ "Патриотические силы Донбасса: Сводка от бригады "Восток": опровержение о боях в Ясиноватой". Patriotic Forces of Donbas. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  123. ^ "Patriot.donetsk.ua" Патриотические силы Донбасса (in Russian). Patriotic Forces of Donbas. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  124. ^ "Женский клуб леди". Женский клуб леди.
  125. ^ "Pro-Russian rebels train for more fighting despite Ukraine truce". Reuters. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  126. ^ a b О гвардии (in Russian). DPR Republican Guard. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  127. ^ Pistone, Luca (15 August 2015). "Paganos de Rodnovery también participan en el conflicto ucraniano" [Rodnovery Pagans participate in the Ukrainian conflict]. Yahoo! News (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 December 2015.
  128. ^ "Locked up in the Donbas: A look at the mass arrests and torture of civilians in Donetsk and Lugansk". Meduza. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  129. ^ "Pyatnashka" commander becomes dad". Novorossia Today. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  130. ^ a b "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 7, 2023". 7 March 2023.
  131. ^ "2-я Отдельная Мотострелковая Бригада народной милиции ЛНР". СТОПТЕРРОР. 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  132. ^ "Treasury Targets Additional Ukrainian Separatists and Russian Individuals and Entities". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  133. ^ The Cossack Factor in Ukrainian War Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 11 Issue: 149, Jamestown Foundation, 13 August 2014
  134. ^ "Does US evidence prove Russian special forces are in eastern Ukraine?". The Guardian. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  135. ^ a b Nataliya Vasilyeva (10 November 2014). "Ukraine rebels a disunited front run by warlords". Associated Press. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  136. ^ "БАТАЛЬОН СПЕЦНАЗНАЧЕНИЯ "ЛЕШИЙ" – одна из страниц истории рождения Новороссии". 30 September 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  137. ^ a b Separatist Cossack Commander Reported Killed In Ukraine's Luhansk, Radio Free Europe (12 December 2015)
  138. ^ Нацболы отбили атаку карателей в ЛНР Archived 2014-11-13 at the Wayback Machine. novorosinform.org
  139. ^ Нацболы отбили атаку карателей в ЛНР. interbrigada.org
  140. ^ В бою под Луганском погиб Илья Гурьев. drugoros.ru
  141. ^ Нацбол Кирилл Манулин представлен к ордену. drugoros.ru
  142. ^ Ukraine : des volontaires français dans une brigade pro-russe nouvelobs, 26 July 2014
  143. ^ "Two more volunteers arrived to Novorossiya from Brazil". Novorossia Today. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  144. ^ "Donbass militia leader describes 'our attempt to build a more just society'". workers.org. 2015-06-01.
  145. ^ a b Координационный центр помощи Новороссии [Coordinational Centre for the assistance of Novorossia] (in Russian). kcpn.info/. Archived from the original on 2015-04-21. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  146. ^ "In the wake of Donbas Separatist: who are fighting on the side of the DPR?". DW.DE.
  147. ^ "What is in the "DPR" scheme hierarchy of separatists". Зеркало недели – Дзеркало тижня – Mirror Weekly.
  148. ^ Albina Kovalyova (17 May 2014). ""Meet the Russian Orthodox Army, Ukrainian Separatists' Shock Troops". / NBC News. 16 May 2014". NBC News.
  149. ^ Батальон "Донбасс": второй бой под Карловкой [Battalion "Donbas": second battle of Karlivka] (in Russian). Profi-forex.org. 6 July 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  150. ^ "В ДНР формируется Шахтерская дивизия-Miner Division formed in DPR". Российская газета. 9 July 2014.
  151. ^ "Православный батальон "Восход" создан в ДНР". RIA Novosti. June 18, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  152. ^ Walker, Shaun (24 July 2015). "'We like partisan warfare.' Chechens fighting in Ukraine – on both sides". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  153. ^ a b "For what are fighting the Serbian Chetniks in eastern Ukraine?". DW.DE.
  154. ^ a b ""Православна зора" праща бойна група в Украйна срещу Мамоническия Запад". 2 March 2014.
  155. ^ "В Донецке сформированы венгерские и польские интербригады -In Donetsk, Hungarian and Polish Brigade is formed (in Russian)". Новый День – Новый Регион. 3 June 2014.
  156. ^ a b Легион Святого Иштвана отправит добровольцев в Новороссию (in Russian). Информационное агентство «Новороссия». 1 June 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  157. ^ Гецко вместе с фашистами "Йоббика" создают террористическую организацию "Легион святого Иштвана" (in Russian). Анонс Закарпатья. 1 June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  158. ^ a b "Un grupo de españoles resucitan las Brigadas Internacionales y acuden a Ucrania a combatir" [A group of Spaniards resuscitate the International Brigades and go to Ukraine to fight] (in Spanish). Europapress. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  159. ^ Šmíd, Tomáš; Šmídová, Alexandra (2021). "Anti-Government Non-State Armed Actors in the Conflict in Eastern Ukraine". Mezinárodní Vztahy. 56 (2): 36. doi:10.32422/mv-cjir.1778. ISSN 0323-1844. S2CID 236341469.
  160. ^ a b Mareš, Miroslav; Laryš, Martin; Holzer, Jan (October 25, 2018). Militant Right-Wing Extremism in Putin's Russia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780429953620.
  161. ^ "В ДНР и ЛНР объявили о создании объединенной армии". Вести. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015. "Варяг" Александра Матюшина, командира Шахтерской дивизии Константина Кузьмина.
  162. ^ Hovarth, Robert (2020). Putin's Fascists: Russkii Obraz and the Politics of Managed Nationalism in Russia. Routledge. p. 58. ISBN 9781000318005.
  163. ^ "East Ukraine protesters joined by miners on the barricades". The Guardian. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  164. ^ "Боевому подразделению ЛНР вручили знамя". REGNUM News Agency. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  165. ^ "Штаб Народной милиции ЛНР: киевские силовики нанесли удары по окраине Луганска". ITAR TASS. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  166. ^ ""Армейские корпуса" реорганизовали в "оперативно-тактические объединения", обновлён командный состав – данные исследования "СтопТеррор"". Uacrisis.org (in Russian). 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  167. ^ "A Cossack revival in Russia". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1 September 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  168. ^ Cossack against cossack Svetlana Bolotnikova, openDemocracy, 30 July 2014
  169. ^ Народное ополчение Луганщины во главе с Алексеем Мозговым будет наступать на Запад. Obzor Lugansk (in Russian). 22 April 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  170. ^ "Ополченцы уничтожили 10 единиц украинской бронетехники в боях у Саур-Могилы". ВЗГЛЯД.РУ.
  171. ^ a b Eugene Volokh (January 2, 2015). "Batman killed in the Ukraine, allegedly on orders from The Carpenter". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  172. ^ "В Луганске убит обвиняемый в пытках командир ополченцев "Бэтмен"". РБК. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  173. ^ a b Susan Witt-Stahl (17 September 2016). "Ucraina, un reportage sulla Brigata Fantasma". contropiano.org (in Italian).
  174. ^ "Nome di battaglia Nemo". ilmanifesto.it (in Italian). 8 December 2017.
  175. ^ "Prisoners of 'Demon' in war-torn Ukraine". BBC. 9 August 2014.
  176. ^ "Pro-Russian rebels take Ukrainian town". CNN. 2 September 2014.
  177. ^ Экс-министр ЛНР сидит в тюрьме ФСБ (in Russian). Fontanka.ru. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  178. ^ "Управление ФСБ по "Русскому миру"". Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  179. ^ "Нове керівництво "ДНР": що відомо про міністрів самоназваної "республіки" | Громадське телебачення". 11 September 2018.
  180. ^ "Батальоны просят угля".
  181. ^ a b c d Ferguson, Jonathan; Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (18 November 2014). "ARES Research Report No.3 "Raising Red Flags: An Examination of Arms & Munitions in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine"" (PDF). Armament Research Services (ARES). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  182. ^ a b "Donetsk Republic prime minister says militia ready for reasonable talks with Kiev". TASS. 19 August 2014.
  183. ^ Jonathan Marcus (August 27, 2014). "Ukraine crisis: T-72 tank shoots hole in Russian denial". BBC News. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  184. ^ Militants have Russian weapons that have never been in service with Ukrainian army – Heletei, Interfax-Ukraine (22 August 2014) (Archive)
  185. ^ Потери бронетехники [Destroyed armour]. Lost Armour (in Russian). Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  186. ^ a b Ferguson, Jonathan; Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (2014). "Raising Red Flags: An Examination of Arms & Munitions in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine. (Research Report No. 3) – Annexes" (PDF). ARES. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  187. ^ Т-72 и БТР-82АМ у повстанцев [T-72 and BTR-82AM with insurgents] (in Russian). LiveJournal. 17 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  188. ^ a b "Russian Army BPM-97 "Vystrel" and GAZ-39371 "Vodnik" in Krasnodon Ukraine". January 12, 2015. pp. Lugansk News Today. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  189. ^ "Russian military base with BPM-97 "Vystrel" located in Luhansk. Photos". Lugansk News Today. January 28, 2015. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  190. ^ Smallwood, Michael (5 February 2015). "Russian 96K6 Pantsir-S1 air defence system in Ukraine". Armament Research Services (ARES). Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  191. ^ Croft, Adrian (18 February 2015). "UK: Russia's most advanced anti-aircraft artillery system is being used in Ukraine". Business Insider. Reuters. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  192. ^ "'DPR' Militants Train Children For Service In Illegal Military Formations". RFE/RL. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  193. ^ "ДонВОКУ будет готовить офицеров для ДНР и ЛНР | DPR Official site". dnronline.su. 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  194. ^ "Казахские поздравления на день рождения". Pozhelaniye.ru — праздники и всё, что с ними связано. 4 January 2020.
  195. ^ Sánchez, Diego Ibarra (13 March 2019). "How Ukraine's youth train for future wars". www.nationalgeographic.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2019.
  196. ^ Andersson, Hampus. "Hampus Andersson – Cadets of the People's Republic of Donetsk". LensCulture.
  197. ^ a b c d e f g "Ukraine's injured rebels vow to fight on". Financial Times. 18 August 2014. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015.
  198. ^ (in Ukrainian) Putin said that any "reinforcement" DNRivtsyam not sent, Ukrayinska Pravda (3 August 2014) (Archive)
  199. ^ 30 tanks and 1,200 troops just crossed from Russia into Ukraine, according to the rebels, Vox Media (Archive) (16 August 2014)
  200. ^ Bowen, Andrew S. (2021-11-19). "Russian Troop Movements and Tensions along the Ukrainian Border". Insight. Congressional Research Service. Since 2014, Russia has created two new Combined Arms Armies (CAAs) in the Western Military District (20th CAA, headquartered in Voronezh) and the Southern Military District (8th CAA, headquartered in Rostov-on-Don and Novocherkassk) bordering Ukraine to oversee, coordinate, and manage command and control of units transported to the border. The 8th CAA also reportedly commands the separatist units in the Russia-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk).
  201. ^ Bielieskov, Mykola (2021-09-21). "The Russian and Ukrainian Spring 2021 War Scare". Center for Strategic & International Studies. Archived from the original on 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  202. ^ "UK Defense Ministry: Russia claims to 'formally' integrate occupied areas into its southern military district". The Kyiv Independent. 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  203. ^ "Russia includes occupied territories in its Southern Military District — UK intelligence". The New Voice of Ukraine. 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  204. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 4, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  205. ^ a b Yudina, Natalia (2015). "Russian nationalists fight Ukrainian war", in: Journal on Baltic Security, Volume 1, Issue 1 (de Gruyter). pp.47–69. doi:10.1515/jobs-2016-0012.
  206. ^ a b Laruelle, Marlene (26 June 2014). "Is anyone in charge of Russian nationalists fighting in Ukraine?". The Washington Post. Many mercenaries are related, directly or indirectly, to the Russian National Unity (RNU) movement of Alexander Barkashov ... The RNU is supposedly closely associated to members of the self-proclaimed government of Donetsk and in particular of Dmitri Boitsov, leader of the Orthodox Donbass organization ... The volunteers come from several other Russian nationalist groups: the Eurasianist Youth inspired by the Fascist and neo-Eurasianist geopolitician Alexander Dugin; the now-banned Movement Against Illegal Immigration led by Alexander Belov; the group 'Sputnik and Pogrom'; the national-socialist Slavic Union of Dmitri Demushkin; several small groups inspired by monarchism such as the Russian Imperial Movement
  207. ^ Saunders, Robert (2019). Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing. pp. 581–582. Russian National Unity (RNU), banned ultranationalist political party ... a number of RNU members joined separatist forces in the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk
  208. ^ Snyder, Timothy. Far-Right Forces are Influencing Russia's Actions in Crimea. The New Republic. 17 March 2014.
  209. ^ "Чужая религия как оправдание убийства". 6262.com.ua – Сайт міста Слов'янська (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-05-14.
  210. ^ ""Когда Бог становится оружием" – доклад правозащитников о религиозном преследовании в "ЛНР/ДНР" | informator.lg.ua | Новости Луганска и Луганской области". 2016-01-09. Archived from the original on 2016-01-09. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
  211. ^ "Новости Украины NEWSru.ua :: Протестанты на Донбассе жалуются на преследования со стороны террористов". 2016-07-01. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
  212. ^ Šmíd, Tomáš & Šmídová, Alexandra. (2021). Anti-government Non-state Armed Actors in the Conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Czech Journal of International Relations, Volume 56, Issue 2. pp.48–49. Quote: "Another group of Russian citizens who became involved in the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine were members of the so-called right-wing units of the Russian Spring."
  213. ^ Afrinogenov, Gregory (2 March 2022). "The Seeds of War". Dissent.
  214. ^ Šmíd, Tomáš & Šmídová, Alexandra. (2021). Anti-government Non-state Armed Actors in the Conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Czech Journal of International Relations, Volume 56, Issue 2. pp.51–52.
  215. ^ Bulfon, Floriana (2022-04-05). "Simboli nazisti sull'uniforme del combattente premiato dai filo-russi di Donetsk". la Repubblica (in Italian).
  216. ^ Shekhovtsov, Anton (2014-06-06). "Polish fascists are joining with pro-Russian right-wing extremists". Anton Shekhovtsov's blog.
  217. ^ Shekhovtsov, Anton (2014-06-11). "Anton Shekhovtsov's blog: Italian fascists from Millennium ally with pro-Russian right-wing extremists". Anton Shekhovtsov's blog.
  218. ^ a b Jackson, Patrick (1 September 2014). "Ukraine war pulls in foreign fighters". British Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  219. ^ Shekhovtsov, Anton (2014-08-27). "Anton Shekhovtsov's blog: French Eurasianists join (pro-)Russian extremists in Eastern Ukraine". Anton Shekhovtsov's blog.
  220. ^ "Itä-Ukrainassa Venäjän puolesta taistelleet suomalaiset kehuskelevat kokemuksillaan – muualla Euroopassa vierastaistelijoita on tuomittu rikoksista". Finnish Broadcasting Company. January 12, 2022.
  221. ^ "Wednesday's papers: Neo-nazi training, employment discrimination, fighting swans". Finnish Broadcasting Company. January 12, 2022.
  222. ^ "Finnish Neo-Nazis attend paramilitary trainings in Russia". European Jewish Congress. January 12, 2022.
  223. ^ "Suomen uusnatsit hankkivat nyt oppia Venäjältä: järjestön koulutuskeskus järjestää haulikko- ja pistooliammuntaa, "partisaanikursseja" ja kieltää kiroilun". Helsingin Sanomat. January 12, 2022.
  224. ^ a b Hagel, Sebastian (7 September 2014). "This is where Neo-Nazi foreign fighters fought alongside communists" [A group of Spaniards resuscitate the International Brigades and go to Ukraine to fight] (in Spanish). Sciencenorway.no. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  225. ^ "Pro-Russian Fighter With Nazi Patches Gets Medal for Killing 'Nazis'". Newsweek. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022. Video shared by Storyful shows a soldier, named as Lieutenant Roman Vorobyov from the "Somalia" motorized rifle battalion, receiving the "St. George's Cross II" award while wearing far-right insignia.
  226. ^ "A soldier with neo-Nazi symbols on his arm was given a medal by a Russia-backed separatist republic for killing Ukrainian 'nationalists'". Business Insider. 6 April 2022. The head of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic in Ukraine has been seen in a video awarding a medal to a fighter ... Published on April 3 through the Russia-backed republic's website, the footage also shows the fighter wearing symbols used by neo-Nazis. [...] the video posted on Pushilin's official website did not show Vorobyov receiving his medal
  227. ^ Redazione; Redazione (2015-07-26). "VIDEO L'impatto (solo) mediatico dei fascisti nel Donbass". Popoff Quotidiano (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  228. ^ Laryš, Martin (2022-10-20). "Double Marginalisation of the Communist Party: Ukraine's Decommunisation and the Russian-Backed Rebellion in Donbas". Central European Journal of International and Security Studies. 16 (4). doi:10.51870/NTQF5668.
  229. ^ Interfax-Ukraine (2014-08-26). "Ukraine Communists deny financing terrorism, accuse Security Service chief of lying - Aug. 26, 2014". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  230. ^ "The Russian Statelets in the Donbas Are No "People's Republics"". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  231. ^ Mayer, Janos Chiala,Tali. "The young miners of Donbass". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-11-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  232. ^ "Miners swell rebel ranks in east Ukraine as pits close". Reuters. 2014-12-12. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  233. ^ "Los españoles dispuestos a morir por Putin: 'antifas' voluntarios en batallones prorrusos de Ucrania". El Español (in Spanish). 2022-01-29. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  234. ^ "Así fue la matanza en la Casa de los Sindicatos de Odessa (vídeo)". www.publico.es. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  235. ^ Rodriguez, Ramiro (2014-05-09). "Convocan actos en varias ciudades españolas contra la masacre en Odessa". El Ciudadano (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  236. ^ In Donetsk arrested Ayo Benes Archived 8 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine. News2Night. Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  237. ^ Extremists from the Crimea get over to Donetsk: on meeting for Yanukovych Aksenov's black "fighter". News.pn (22 March 2014). Retrieved on 1 May 2014.
  238. ^ Sokol, Sam (20 August 2015). "Israeli communist joins Ukrainian rebels to fight 'fascists and neo-Nazis'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  239. ^ a b Almost 1,000 dead since east Ukraine truce – UN Archived 3 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News (21 November 2014)
    Ukraine death toll rises to more than 4,300 despite ceasefire – U.N. Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Reuters (21 November 2014)
  240. ^ "Surviving hell – testimonies of victims on places of illegal detention in Donbas". Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. osce.org. 25 September 2015. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  241. ^ Gosiewska, Małgorzata (2 March 2016). "Report: Russian War Crimes in Eastern Ukraine in 2014 (First published December 2015)" (PDF). donbasswarcrimes.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Russian_separatist_forces_in_Ukraine&oldid=1255488937"