Introduction to peaceful reality. Military correspondent Babchenko on the situation in Slovyansk and life after war

Journalist Arkadiy Babchenko is one of the few colleagues from Russia who is trying to make sense of the situation in the East of Ukraine. Really make sense of it. He is not putting labels, he does not tolerate official definitions and he does not shy away from posing uncomfortable questions, which he is not scared to get a black eye for.

Babchenko is outside of official journalism. His work is his personal blog “Journalism without mediators,” which exists thanks to charitable donations of the readers. For many his blog has become as “coordinate system” of sorts. For others, an excuse to call him a national traitor. 

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Today in tweets – June 6

World leaders met today to commemorate the D-Day in Normandy, France. Ukraine President-Elect Poroshenko was invited as well

Politicians in #Normandy, France today |EMPR #Poroshenko #Obama #QueenElizabeth #Putin #NormandyLandings pic.twitter.com/bascwhIKYV

— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) June 6, 2014

In fact, Poroshenko had a short talk with Putin and Merkel. Different sources report about a handshake that did or did not take place. Anyways, there is no photo or video proof of one.

Normandy, France today | EMPR Photo #Poroshenko #Merkel #Putin pic.twitter.com/KxWOfx8AXg

— Euromaidan PR (@EuromaidanPR) June 6, 2014

An army of suppliers. Who is helping those on the front line and how

Anastasiya Ringis, UP.Life

Many social initiatives that emerged on Maidan are now successfully engaging in help for the Ukrainian army and the National Guard.

There are dozens, hundreds, and even thousands – within the scope of the country, – such groups. “UP.Life” chose several of the most well-known initiatives. Having made a joint effort – hundreds of volunteers and thousands of benefactors – they managed to transfer financial aid on a sum of more than 13 million Hryvnia. 

The Head of the Ministry of Defence Explained Why Slovyansk Has Not Been Freed Yet

Ukrainian soldiers inspecting documents at a roadblock in Slovyansk, May 29th.

Kyiv – There are numerous instances of abuse of power regarding provision within the Armed Forces, which the commandment is trying to operatively solve. This was stated by the acting Minister of Defence Colonel General Mykhailo Koval during his report to the Parliament. He also admitted that the rear services have turned out to be unprepared to carry out new tasks which have raised during the anti-terrorist operation, however now the situation has been rectified. Meanwhile the Verkhovna Rada has not put up the issue of providing a state of emergency in Donbas for discussion. 

Soldiers remember General Serhiy Kulchytsky

Major-General Serhiy Kulchytsky

Thursday, May 29,  a helicopter carrying soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine was shot down by terrorists. Among the dead was Major-General Serhiy Kulchytsky, head of combat and special training of the National Guard of Ukraine.

Yevhen Ivanenko, one of the volunteer soldiers in the first reserve battalion of the National Guard, shared his memories of the General with Espreso TV.

Account from Slovyansk

I managed to get through to my friends from Slovyansk on the phone! Facepalm… really, the only reason we were able to talk is because two of them left for Kharkiv and so got their connection back, as there’s no connection in Slovyansk. There’s no civil war or civic support there to speak of. These were thugs from the outset, and many residents realized that. Drunks and psychos took to the barricades in small numbers. So-called ‘mayor’ is a local thug and, it sounds like, also a heroin addict. Then, the looting started. Banks and cash-transit vehicles got robbed, banks are not operating, and people aren’t getting their salaries or pensions paid for 3-4 months. Everyone who could do so fled. Armed men are walking house to house, just to check what you got in there. You can’t refuse to let them in, as those who are trying to guard their property are shot. People stopped going to work, as it’s too dangerous. People get killed on the streets – some by random fire, some by snipers – while others have their cars hijacked.

General and 9 military killed near Slovyansk

Ukrainian military helicopter a few minutes before being shot down

Ukraine’s ATO (Antiterrorism operation) confirms the deaths of 10 military in the helicopter that had been shot down near Slovyansk.

In the helicopter shot down by terrorists near Slovyansk, 10 military were killed — not 14 as earlier reported by Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov, announced ATO spokesman Vladyslav Sleznov, reports Expreso TV, citing UNIAN, May 29.

Italian journalist killed by terrorists, Tymchuk says

Checkpoint near Slovyansk. Photograph: Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

The group Information Resistance believes the deaths of an Italian journalist and his interpreter and the wounding of a French photojournalist in eastern Ukraine resulted from mortar shelling by terrorist groups near Slovyansk.

Information Resistance representative Dmytro Tymchuk, director of the Center of Military and Political Research, commented on the incident on his Facebook, reports Espreso.TV, May 24. According to Tymchuk, the mortar attack on the journalists was carried out near the railway crossing near Slovyansk.

Artists kept in Slovyansk captivity for more than three weeks

Denys Hryshchuk (left) and Pavlo Yurov (right)

Kyiv — It has been more than three weeks that separatists have been holding theater director Pavlo Yurov and cultural volunteer Denys Hryshchuk. Friends and family of the artists say the kidnappers have not made any demands and have called the hostages “prisoners of war.” Law enforcement says the case needs to be publicized as widely as possible because that is at least one way to ensure the safety of the captives.

Russian agent “Strelkov” asks Kremlin for help in Slovyansk

Igor Hirkin, alias “Strelkov”

Igor Hirkin (aka “Strelkov”), an employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia,  has proclaimed himself Commander-in-Chief of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” and has appealed to Russia for military assistance. The text of his “first decree” in the form of leaflets is being distributed in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, reports Ukrainska Pravda, citing Novosty Donbasu, May 12.