Just a short – but dramatic – year ago, the people of the Donbass voted in a referendum to create the People’s Republic of Donetsk (DNR). They naively hoped that this referendum would force the junta in Kiev to finally begin serious negotiations. Instead, they got *total* war featuring armored assaults, aerial bombings, the use of ballistic missile and chemical attacks. And yet, under these absolutely horrific conditions, the people of the DNR made absolutely amazing achievements; not only did they transform a volunteer militia into a real military force, while at the same time beating back two full-scale military attacks by the Ukronazi military, they also cracked down on the huge crime wave of war-profiteering, kidnapping, rapes, aggravated assaults, etc. They did not let the infighting between various groups, clans, leaders and factions turn into an internal civil war and they succeeded, albeit with great difficulty, in unifying the command structure. They have started down the long road of re-establishing normal, social and governmental services and even though the socio-economic situation is still critical, the people of the DNR understand what is happening and an overwhelming majority supports it.
Zakharchenko has proven himself to be a formidable leader, much more sophisticated than what many had initially thought. There are still tensions inside the DNR leadership, but at least those tensions do not result in open armed clashes. The murder of DNR commanders, whether this was the result of internal conflicts or Ukronazi covert operations, appears to have been stopped.
Since the beginning of the conflict, over 2’000’000 Ukrainians have fled to Russia, including 50’000 draft evaders, but more and more people are coming back and Novorussia is slowly being re-built.
This is not to say that they have “made it”. Far from it. A third Ukronazi assault appears to be inevitable and, possibly, imminent, and the entire economy of the Donbass needs to be rebuilt. But what the Novorussians have achieved so far is already absolutely remarkable.
Watching the V-Day parade in Donetsk was most interesting, especially after the picture-perfect mega-event in Moscow. The contrast could not have been bigger.
The Russians were showing off absolutely perfect order and training; the Novorussians looked like they had no time at all to prepare.
The Russians were showing off their brand new high tech gear; the Novorussians were proudly parading Soviet 1970 equipment.
The Russian troops and equipment were shining and outrageously clean; the Novorussians just had the time to give their uniforms and gear a quick wash.
The Russians even had a bright shining sun; the poor Novorussians had their parade literally rained on.
And yet, the Novorussian parade was also absolutely beautiful. For one thing, it took place in the midst of a war and in circumstances where an attack was not only possible, but even likely. Then, there is the fact that every single soldier, commander or piece of equipment shown in downtown Donetsk, was one less available to defend against any attack. Quite a few of the participants to the parade in Donetsk were clearly wounded, including Zakharchenko himself. And, finally, while the Kremlin is awash in billions of Rubles, the Novorussians probably had to scrape the bottom of every pocket they had, to pay their comparatively modest parade.
But they did it. Right under the nose of the Ukronazis and their western allies. Just like Stalin did it under the nose of the Nazis on November 7th 1941, when the armies of Germany and her allies were at the gates of Moscow.
In 1941, and just as in Crimean War before, the usual “European Ecumenical Coalition of the Willing” was united against Russia]
And just as in 1941, a lot of the men and women whom we saw on the parade, were probably directly sent to the frontlines at the end of the festivities.
I would argue that the Donbass has become a model, an example, which Russia ought to emulate, and not the other way around. In many ways, the previously lukewarm and indifferent Donbass has become more Russian than Russia and within one year of its creation, the Donbass has a huge, and totally positive impact on Russia herself. That is also an immense achievement for the people of Novorussia.
This war is far from over. As I have written so many times, there is no “Novorussian” solution to this war, nor is there a “Ukrainian” one. For Novorussia to be free, the Ukraine must be de-nazified and for the Ukraine to be de-nazified, the Anglo-Zionist Empire must be beaten back, if not beaten down. At the very least, Uncle Sam needs to lose his iron grip over the Ukraine and the EU.
Zakharchenko has recently declared that this war would probably end by the end of the year. Is that possible? In theory – yes. This is how it would happen: the third Ukrainian attack would fail, the Novorussian would reconquer Kramatorsk, Slaviansk or Mariupol (or any combination thereof) at which point both Russia and the EU would demand a cease-fire, followed by negotiations (just as with Minsk 1 and 2) and the junta in Kiev would be overthrown (as a direct result from this third operational defeat). This is not impossible, but the problem is that it remains unclear who would replace the current junta. Would it be a new, even more Nazi junta of Right Sector freaks? I don’t think anybody can tell at this point in time. I hope that Zakharchenko is right, but I am personally bracing for a much longer struggle.
But today is a good day to look at the past, the distant past and the recent past, not the future. And having celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany over the weekend, we can now all celebrate the birthday of the DNR and wish her многая лето! (many years!).
Happy birthday Donbass!
The Saker
Source: The Vineyard
of the Saker 12-05-2015
