Translated by Maria Razdiak
Edited by S. Naylor
Edited by S. Naylor
Original Article here.
Traveling around Moscow,
Alexey Mozgovoy has painted over the Ukrainian flag on the number plates of his
car with the flag of the People’s Republic of Lugansk. The traffic police
constantly pulled the strange car over and, with obvious surprise, studied the
man clad in a full field camouflage, sensing danger. In the centre of the idle
capital, among the glamourous boutiques and expensive restaurants he seemed
alien, like a wild lynx at a competition among the groomed cats. Once
recognition set in, the policemen would ask for an autograph and would wish him
to make it to Kiev. Talking to Mozgovoy, one understands: he’ll make it. He is
a man who “only now started living”.
Q: Alexey Borisovich, what is
the current situation at the front?
A: I would say it is not easy. Difficult in the sense
that we have no front line as such, like during those wars we’ve seen in
history. It’s more like guerrilla warfare. Either we are at their rear, or they
are at our rear. Surrounding large enemy groups happens in these days. The
parts of the Ukrainian army, which were sent to unblock the “south caldron”,
got surrounded together with the other military units, which managed to seep
north from the caldron.
Q: Did you manage to clear any
residential areas, in the last few days?
A: All those freed, which were mentioned in reports, are part of the Donetsk
region. In Lugansk, we also occupied a few residential areas, but we were
unable to hold them. We don’t have the people, to man the garrisons.
Q: Does the military action
continue?
A: The war does not stop, not even for a single day. And the high level meeting
in Minsk did not alter this fact in any way.
Q: How many people are under
your command?
A: A thousand. Today I command the “Ghost” brigade. But, initially, I was
creating the Lugansk Militia, from the very first day. This is why, I’m often
named the leader of the People’s Militia, even though I’m only a commander of a
brigade.
Q: Why is the brigade called
that?
A: Because the “comrade” Ukies often claim that they have destroyed us. Even
though, during the whole stretch of the military activity, our losses amount to
40 dead. Initially, “Ghost” was a platoon, which began to take shape before the
seizure of buildings in Lugansk in April. Then the platoon became the basis for
a battalion. This was the first time the Ukrainian media announced that they’d
destroyed us, during an aviation raid on the “Yaseny” base, where our training
camp was set up. They wrote about the destruction of a “major Russian terrorist
group”. We had only one injured.
Q: In reality, are there any Russian
in the brigade? What king of people serve there?
A: Local Militia. Labourers. We have Russians, and not only Russians. We have
Bulgarians, Slovaks, the Germans should be arriving soon…
Q: Germans?
A: Yes, volunteers; anti-fascists. People are coming from Europe now. A whole
military company of European and Russian volunteers.
Q: What is the “Ghost”
brigade?
A: It was the first Militia unit created in Novorossia. From the very
beginning, we worked closely with Igor Ivanovich Strelkov, where I aided him
with personnel. The guys trained in our camp, before heading out to Slavyansk.
They are still fighting, valiantly. There is a Semenovskaya company, those are
our men. Do you remember the Semenovka events? They proved themselves worthy.
Q: The Semenvskaja company is
still fighting?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you have any information
about the possible mercenaries, fighting for Kiev?
A: Of course. We’ve seen them in action. We’ve seen first-hand some black men
in Lisichansk. Since when do the blacks serve in the Ukrainian army? Other
units have identified mercenaries and their documents.
Q: Did you capture any
mercenaries?
A: We do not have an objective to capture prisoners. Our objective is to free
the territory of Novorossia from the enemy forces.
Q: So, you don’t take
prisoners?
A: No. Why?
Q: Well, for exchange…
A: In order to engage into an exchange, we must make contact. But, I cannot
find – on the other side – any people with whom a contact is possible.
Q: Bezler managed to exchange
Olga Kulygina for the prisoners. If he didn’t, she might have been killed.
A: Any of us might be killed, including right now. Is that not so?
Q: What are the reasons of the
resignation of the Head of the Lugansk Republic, Valeriy Bolotov?
A: I am more interested in the reasons of his initial appointment.
Q: How am I to understand
that? Weren’t the two of you friends?
A: We are acquainted, no more. I had an initial, negative, reaction to the
seizing of the administrative buildings, which took place on the 6th April.
Lugansk SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) was seized, if you can remember. That
day I was in Antratsit, meeting with the locals; when I returned, the SBU was
already seized. But, taking into account that the building had been left
unguarded, it was not a seizing, but a submission. Come, take whatever you
want. And for some reason, the empty, unmanned, government security building
was full of weapons. I view this a planned operation of the Security Service.
Q: To get everyone in one
place? To capture them?
A: Why capture? There is a better use. And that’s how it worked out. The building filled with people who were capable of decisive actions. And all of them just sat there, all that time. Many had nervous breakdowns, sitting ducks, waiting for the threatened, looming assault. The people were in constant strain.
A: Why capture? There is a better use. And that’s how it worked out. The building filled with people who were capable of decisive actions. And all of them just sat there, all that time. Many had nervous breakdowns, sitting ducks, waiting for the threatened, looming assault. The people were in constant strain.
Q: I get that. In Donetsk, we
spent every April night, waiting for an attack. Sudden calls, at 4 o’clock in
the morning: “It about to start!” The journalists ran to the regional
administration, but everything was completely calm. After a few sleepless
nights, we stopped reacting to the “signals”.
A: Plus the civil population was pulled in from the region, standing like a
“live-shield”. Nothing constructive happened during that whole period, no
movement forward… After seizing the SBU and apprehending a vast amount of
weapons, the whole region could have been taken under control within two weeks,
at most. All branches of government, all the administrative buildings should
have been occupied by the LPR (Lugansk People’s Republic) activists. Because,
the Ukrainian military forces were nowhere near Lugansk at the time. There was
a single column of armoured vehicles, near the Olihovaya station; it could have
been dismantled with bare hands. When I announced, on the 7th of April, that it
is necessary to leave 100 people on guard at the SSU, and to send 300 people to
seize the Regional Administration and 300 more to the Ministry of Internal
Affairs, I was accused of provocation. They should have not waited in a sealed
building, waiting for the wind to change. They should have acted. They could
have taken control of the whole region. But, they did nothing. Those who
prepared the building to be “seized”, wanted a different outcome. The outcome
that happened.
Q: Where is Bolotov now?
A: I don’t have a clue.
Q: When did you
last see Strelkov?
A: Three or four weeks ago, before his resignation. And, I hope, he’ll return
soon to his post, because there is no one else who can replace him.
Q: Who do you take orders
from, now?
A: The people of Novorossia. I was always against the creation of the two
separate “duchies” – The LPR and the DPR.
Q: Who should have it been
done?
A: Novorossia is made from the two regions and the whole of the south-east. One
government, one parliament, one leader. That’s how it should be.
Q: Does Russia aid you?
A: Of course. They send us the humanitarian aid, mostly. We don’t really need
anything more from Russia. Because, certain circles are waiting for Russia to
get involved into the whole affair. To stain Russia with the blood, poured by
Kiev. I don’t want that. Russia is my second home.
Q: Are you worried that Russia
might “surrender” Novorossia? What will happen if Putin reaches an agreement
with Poroshenko?
A: Considering that I oppose the intervention of Moscow, I don’t really
anticipate it. And Russia can’t “surrender” anyone. This is our internal
affair, the affair of the citizens of Novorossia. If we don’t want anyone to
“surrender” us, no one will be able to. None of Poroshenko’s agreements will
influence the decision of Novorossian population to physically destroy him. He
will answer to the victims of our land.
Q: Moscow can prevent Russian
volunteers from crossing over the border.
A: Can Moscow prevent the volunteers from Europe, from America? Currently, the
whole world is against us. Even if the borders are shut, we won’t be left
without volunteers. If there is a will, there is a way.
Q: We heard a lot about the
counterattack plans. Is this possible?
A: A counterattack is not possible for three reasons:
1. Not enough man power. In order to carry out a counterattack, reserves are necessary. We have no reserves.
2.The quantity and quality of the weaponry at our disposal is lacking.
3.The fact that there are enemy units in our rear. Currently, the combat field is like a chessboard. Until we can clean up the rear, we can’t go forward. This is what we are doing right now.
1. Not enough man power. In order to carry out a counterattack, reserves are necessary. We have no reserves.
2.The quantity and quality of the weaponry at our disposal is lacking.
3.The fact that there are enemy units in our rear. Currently, the combat field is like a chessboard. Until we can clean up the rear, we can’t go forward. This is what we are doing right now.
Q: And afterwards?
A: We are marching straight to Kiev.
Q: Kiev?
A: Where else?
Q: You need more support, from
other Ukrainian regions. Two is not enough.
A: Who said that they aren’t supporting us? Militias are currently forming in a
few other regions. One region has four thousand men. And as soon as we destroy
the enemy at the rear, we’ll march forward, joined by the more and more people
along the way.
Q: Your target is Kiev?
A: Our target – is to free Ukraine from oligopoly and from the sold-out
officials. Maybe it is time to stop slaving for those whose personal budget is
a multiple of the government budget? It’s time to share.
Q: But, that was the desire of
the people who stood at Maidan. I don’t understand the conflict.
A: Neither do I. Those who fight against us, fight for the interests of the
oligarchs. I would take pleasure from a conversation with the privates, the
officers, the civilians, who stood at Maidan. Our interests and theirs are the
same: we want to be free. Why are we fighting? From the days of the Teutonic
knights, the West was warned: you shouldn’t touch the Slavs. If you come with a
sword, you’ll die from a sword. That’s why they passed their Teutonic sword to
the Slavs. Forced the Slavs to march against each other. Our objective is to
explain to our brothers that we are same, and our aim is one.
Q: Are you planning to assault
Kiev?
A: Why not? For some reason they are allowed to assault Lugansk, Donetsk. How
is Kiev better than those cities?
Q: And after Kiev? Further
west?
A: It depends. If the soldiers on the other side will finally realise that they
are fighting themselves, the war could be over tomorrow.
Q: You stand against the
oligarchs. But the local oligarchs – Ahmetov, Efimov – do they have influence
on the events within Lugansk and Donetsk?
A: The representatives of the Regional Party have not always been a particularly
good influence. When our struggle first started, many screamed: “Bring back
Yanukovych!” Not under any circumstances. Not Yanukovych, not Efimov, not
Ahmetov, not a single representative of the Regional Party, of the Communist
Party, of “Svoboda”, of “Batkivshina” – should be allowed anywhere near the
governments of Ukraine and Novorossia.
Q: How do you view Oleg
Tsarev? It appears Moscow would like to see him in charge of Novorossia.
A: The wishes of Moscow and the wishes of Novorossia – they are slightly
different things. The leader of Novorossia should be chosen by the citizens of
Novorossia. As a human being I am fine with him. But to the fact that he is a
representative of the party of regions, I am negative.
Q: Did the Ukrainian army
utilise “Tochka-U” (SS-21 Scarab) against you?
A: Yes. Most recently a city called Rovenki, in the Lugansk region, was fired
at with “Tochka-U”.
Q: Why did this idea come into
being – the creation of Novorossia, separate from Ukraine?
A: I, like many people in Novorossia, cannot live with the ideology which the
West has forced upon Kiev. I cannot understand same-sex marriages; juvenile
justice; when the parents are not allowed to bring up their children. They have
already torn us from our roots. And now, they are forbidding us to be
ourselves.
Q: And where are your roots?
What is your nationality?
A: My nationality is human.
Q: Who are you ancestors? Just
out of curiosity…
A: My ancestors are the Don Kazaks. I was born in Ukraine, in a village called
Nizhhyaya Duvanka, in the Svatovsk area, Lugansk region.
Q: Do you have a military
education, background?
A: Seven years in service in the Ukrainian army. Two years compulsory, five on
contract.
Q: What did you do after the
army?
A: You can say that before these
events, I did nothing at all. Only now,
I have started living.
Source: Slavyangrad.org 03-09-2014
