Ukrainian volunteer battalion protests at word of its planned disbandment.

[another_liberal]

After weeks of highly excited claims of "Russian invasions" and calls for NATO countries to take up arms against the on-rushing eastern hordes, at least the military leadership in Kiev seems to be coming to its senses. Yesterday the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Army admitted publicly that his troops were not in combat with any regular Russian units, and now we learn that the Ukrainian military is going to disband the notorious fascist volunteer battalions who have been charged with the bulk of Ukraine's ceasefire violations and human rights abuses in the Donbass. Members of those far right units are to be split-up and incorporated into other army units, if, that is, they don't begin an open rebellion against the Kiev government first.

Ukraine’s Aidar battalion fighters besiege military HQ in Kiev.


Fighters of the notorious paramilitary battalion Aidar have rallied in Kiev against their disbandment, attempting to storm the Ukraine Defense Ministry’s HQ and accusing the regular army of deliberately shelling Aidar’s own positions with heavy artillery. Ukraine’s most infamous volunteer squad, the Aidar battalion – condemned by Amnesty International for its unmatched brutality in eastern Ukraine – allegedly came under Grad and Smerch rocket fire by the regular military near the town of Schastya in Lugansk region.

“[Ukrainian] artillery is working against Aidar battalion’s positions,” said Aidar commander and MP representing Ukraine’s Radical Party, Sergey Melnichuk, during a protest outside the Defense Ministry’s building in Kiev. Citing his own fighter, Melnichuk claimed that Kiev’s artillery targeted the battalion’s positions “15-20 times.” Melnichuk and his fighters called the rally outside the country’s military headquarters on Friday, after the volunteer battalion was disbanded – or "rebranded" – according to the Defense Ministry.

“The battalion was disbanded three days ago. It does not exist according to documents. The Minister of Defense and the Head of the General Staff say that they have not signed such an order. However, documents confirming that such a unit does not exist as well as the seal of a new unit have already been delivered to the frontline,” Melnichuk told Apostrophe publication. According to the battalion’s press secretary, Yuliya Evdokimova, the voluntary units are being disbanded “because it is detrimental to have voluntary battalions at the frontline.” All voluntary battalions will be “re-formatted into other organizations, merged with other brigades or other units, and thoroughly purged,” she told Ukrainian Pravda.

However, the next day, the Facebook page of the battalion refuted the disbandment of the fighting force, claiming that Evdokimova does not represent the volunteer fighters. The confusion on the status of the battalion continued on Friday, as some 50 Aidar fighters rallied to show their “under-appreciation” by their own command. Formally, all volunteer territorial battalions are detachments of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Melnichuk said that his squad “will not leave the frontline, no one will leave positions even if our own will storm us, and we have such instances,” as quoted by NTV channel.

(snip)


Read more, and see video of the protest, at: http://rt.com/news/228083-aidar-battalion-defense-ministry/

[hobbit709]

1. more taurine metabolic byproducts from DU's most prolific Putinista.

[another_liberal]

2. I'm surprised to see you up and bashing so early on a Saturday, hobby . . .

Do have a great weekend!

[newthinking]

3. It is being reported by the Kiev Post as well

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/aidar-soldiers-to-continue-protest-in-kyiv-on-feb-2-378982.html

[another_liberal]

4. Thank you for adding that address, newthinking . . .

Last edited Sat Jan 31, 2015, 10:46 AM - Edit history (1)

This has to be a serious situation if Kiev is trying to shut these fascists down. Then again, the ultra-nationalists and fascists are the ones who have almost single-handedly ensured that the Minsk ceasefire agreement never really took hold.


BTW: I explored the Kyiv Post site and am impressed by the amount of information available there. The English articles are brief, but still quite surprisingly frank about the situation in Ukraine.