A STORY OF WAR AND SUFFERING

July, 27, 2015 The Donetsk People's Republic

On this day last year July, 27, 2014 the young mother, known as Madonna of Gorlovka, was killed together with her baby.

Here is statement made by journalist Oleg Zheliabin-Nezhinskiy, who made the photo, that broke the heart of many. Today, one year later, let's pay a tribute to all innocent people killed in a war against Donbass.

Oleg Zheliabin-Nezhinskiy, July, 29, 2014:
 
I would like to make the following statement.

I recorded a documentary in the East-Ukrainian town of Gorlovka (Horlivka) on July 27. This documentary shows, among other things, a dead body of young woman holding her dead baby, both killed by shrapnel. This particular photo, dubbed “Madonna of Gorlovka”, has been shamelessly exploited and used an innumerable number of times by supporters of both sides of the war in the South-East of Ukraine, as a proof of some criminal actions of the opposite party. My videos and photos have been repeatedly posted (and re-posted over and over again) in the social media, with many inappropriate descriptions, with important details being confused and twisted in all possible ways. Moreover, many people, who shared those photos, did not bother to mention the date and the place where the photos were taken, or who took them and under which circumstances.

I would like to clarify the events behind those heartbreaking photos to all of you. I went to Gorlovka (Horlivka) as a freelance journalist, without any order or affiliation to any organization, on my own money, at my own risk. It was my decision, that of a citizen and of a man, I just could not sit at home, on the sideline of the conflict, and watch the brutality that was going on in my country. That day in Gorlovka, as soon as I got off at the central train station, I was detained. My passport, money, phones, watches, other possessions were taken away by the people who were questioning me (upon release I got some stuff back, but not all, to be honest). I was detained for ten hours without any water or food, in handcuffs, tightened so hard that I still have a feeling of numbness in my hands. I spent ten long hours waiting and fearing that I would get shot and get lost for my family and friends, forever. If anyone has a reason to hate, that's certainly me. But despite all that, with my teeth clenched when they let me go, I continued to do what I came for - neither to blame anyone nor to point fingers, but to show the truth about the lives of the ordinary people, our Ukrainian citizens, in the war zone.

And here is what I saw. I saw those gray, weary faces of people. I saw a closed railway station and an empty parking lot. I instantly knew that there was no escape from Gorlovka. It was practically impossible to leave, even if you had a child. As a matter of fact, the locals were not in a hurry to go or to flee anywhere ... Where to flee? These local people had spent all their lives in this small town. There they had their soul, their work, their friends and family. On that day I did not see any evacuation or mass departure... Now, after my return to Kiev, I often hear people say: 'the moles are themselves to blame, those who have not left'. God will make you understand when the war reaches your doorstep. But for God's sake, I don't want this to be repeated...

Those four days that I spent in Gorlovka, I will remember them forever as time of complete hopelessness. But at the same time, those were four days filled with the enormous humanity and kindness. Of course, I will never forget a gun, pointed to my head. Until the day I die, however, I will be grateful to numerous local people who helped me, although a stranger, almost alien to them. To that lady in the hotel. When I ran out of my money, she just said: 'Forget about money and stay here as long as you need'. To that guy who came from a nearby village, to find out about my conditions, and to give me some money and food. Not even knowing me personally, risking his life, having heard about me some vague word of mouth from some strangers, this guy came to my rescue. I am grateful to many other people, amazing and absolutely wonderful , who just stopped by and showed me where the shelters are, or where to flee during fire...

I am asking for your understanding. I and many other ordinary and peaceful residents and workers of Gorlovka. We could not care less on that day, who was shelling us, be it the “Ukrainian army”, the “pro-Russian rebels” or anyone else. It absolutely did not matter then, and I don’t give a damn now, who it was. All bombs are made to kill. And today, as I watch the people, who demonstrate these heartbreaking photos to each other and exploit them in search of the parties to blame, or in order to prove their side of the story, I feel very sad.

After all, it does not matter so much who started it first, or who did the shelling. The point is that no one is allowed to practise the chaotic, 'not aimed', shelling of our towns and cities. No one is allowed to conduct an aimless, 'hit or miss' military operation, that kills children, their mothers, fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers. No one is allowed to practise the killing of those, who are not soldiers, who are unarmed and pose no threat.

I uploaded this horrific photo, and now I am writing down my memories. I am doing it not in order to break your hearts but to wake up the best in you. I am asking you not to be silent and indifferent. Believe me, God forbid you to see and feel what I saw and felt that day in the city park of Gorlovka. God forbid you to see your baby torn apart by some bombs fallen in that courtyard, where you used to walk. Pointlessly, mindlessly, cynically.

Even now, when I close my eyes, I see that young woman, still just a girl, who just had become a mother. And here she lies, all torn to pieces, holding in the last effort the most valuable possession, her dead child. I still hear that loud screaming, in fact, an inhuman cry. It stayed in my ears for hours, that scream of that elderly woman in old worn-out dress. I still remember clearly, how bewildered and absurd she was, with a piece of the window frame in her hands, looking at the hole in the building, at the spot where her home used to be. What for?

You know, I had a chance to meet some ordinary rank-and-file fighters, both from the “Ukrainian army” and from the “pro-Russian rebels”. I talked to those fighters, and I can say for sure: none of them, even in the worst nightmare, could ever imagine shooting at a child. To all of them, without any doubt, it's an act of gruesome cruelty and callousness. I haven’t met with a single fighter who could pull the trigger staring at the wide-open naive eyes of a child.

Someone, however, is giving the orders and setting up the goals. Someone somewhere considers the "collateral civilian casualties" as acceptable and unavoidable. Whoever are in charge, we must reach out to them, let them know that we, just some ordinary people, want to end the killing of the innocent. Fighters must fight with the fighters, tanks must fire on the enemies, but not civilians, and the rockets should fly to the precisely defined military targets. We, ordinary people of Ukraine, should unite in making the practice of chaotic shelling of the residential areas - our villages, towns and cities, - not allowed, unacceptable, taboo. We must condemn the killing of the innocent people, that have nothing to do with the war.

Since that tragedy in Gorlovka, none of TV channels, neither Ukrainian nor Russian, contacted me for an interview or a brief comment. It looks like they did not find anything important in the events that I had witnessed - a child, killed in the city park, or a rocket, hitting the hospital. For mainstream media it's much more entertaining to interview some generals, who calmly, without emotion, discuss some strategic goals.

People, please, wake up! You will easily get rid of the memories of the military victories and defeats, once the war is over. But for the rest of your life you will not be able to forget the relatives, friends, neighbors, who were killed, torn apart, badly wounded.

I am asking everyone, who is not indifferent to the fate of the civilians, our own citizens. I am asking all who do not want to suffer from the flying bombs over their cities, streets, houses, please, unite. Let's ask, beg, scream, search for compromises, negotiate to make all belligerents to cease the practice of the chaotic shelling of the residential areas, especially, by heavy artillery, such as "GRAD".

When I get a chance, I will go back to Gorlovka once again to make another documentary and expose the horror and inhumanity of "GRAD" and other heavy weapons. At my own risk, on the cost of my own savings, I'll definitely do it. People, please, don't be silent. Try to live in the skin of those who are having their houses shelled. Please do not stay indifferent. After all, keep in mind that "GRAD" may turn around and fire in your direction.

https://www.facebook.com/oleg.zheliabin/posts/782574645120836

Source: Truth about situation in Ukraine 28-07-2015

Russian military base to be installed in Kyrgyzstan

Almazbek Atambayev, President of Kyrgyzstan claimed that presence of a Russian military base is needed in the Republic, but in the future the country will have to provide security by itself.

'It was a right decision on the Russian base to invite them then and now,' Atambayev told journalist at the meeting on July 27.

He also added, that 'presence of a Russian base is due to the threats Kyrgyzstan will not be able to resist'. Atambayev noted, that 'the Russian base was opened by Kyrgyzstan's request, today we have a long-term agreement, but sooner or later Kyrgyzstan will have to defend itself on its own, not relying on the bases of the fraternal countries'.

In 2010 President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev called on the closure of the US military base in Manas.  

The US military left Transit Center in 2014.

Also read: Indignant Kyrgyzstan to denounce cooperation agreement with US

Pravda.Ru

Read article in Russian on the Russian version of Pravda.Ru

Source: English Pravda 27-07-2015

Dutch Journalist, MH17 Expert: 'UN Tribunal a Desperate Attempt to Hide Kiev's Responsibility'

Proposed tribunal would be a face saving operation to burry evidence in a giant buerocratic enterprise

Daniele Pozzati

The proposed UN-backed MH17 tribunal is a “desperate attempt to hide Kiev’s responsibility”, Dutch journalist and blogger Joost Niemoller argues in his post “How Chess Player Putin Wins the MH17 Game”.

Niemoller is no layman. In October 2014 he published a book on the MH17 disaster whose title De Doofpotdeal (“The Cover Up Deal”) summarizes its key argument. The inside flap explains what the author means:

“The Netherlands took charge of the investigation into the cause of the disaster, but agreed to grant a covert deal to Kiev.

It thus became a pawn in an international political chess game. Unvarnished Cold War rhetoric is making a comeback.

Putin here is the ultimate bad guy. What he says is labeled as poisonous propaganda in the West. Meanwhile, it seems, all those concerned suffer from tunnel vision.

Can we still be assured that the investigators do their work independently and objectively?”

In his piece, Niemoller laments the shortcomings of the Dutch Safety Board, the body charged with conducting the investigations on the MH17 disaster. The ever-postponed deadline – the final report might be released at the end of the year, hence one and a half year after the crash, but that too is still uncertain – he finds perplexing:

“When the co-operating countries, the JIT (Joint Investigation Team), intend to complete their probe, is not known. 

Then, something gets leaked to the press: ‘At the end of this year’. With which legal framework? It is not yet known. Under which conditions? No idea. How will the co-operation between the Ukrainian, the JIT and Dutch Safety Board unfold?”

“Everything is vague and secret. That is not the way it should be for such an important study.”

Niemoller contrasts this with the approach taken by Moscow:

“Russia proposed last year to conduct an international study based on research carried out by the UN - and not by means of a secret deal of countries, where one of the possible culprits, namely Ukraine, has veto power.”

Niemoller, a Dutchman, laments the dubious role of his country, especially when considering that it was the one affected most by the MH17 tragedy: 193 of the 298 victims were Dutch. And yet, Niemoller says:

“What we know for sure is that the Netherlands from day zero intensely cooperates with Kiev. What we know is that the Russians are kept out and that there is a blame game played against Putin.”

Now Niemoller focuses his attention on the role Russia is about to play. He argues that Moscow holds all the cards, and that Kiev & co apparently hold none:

“When the Russians said that if a BUK had been fired by the separatists, they would have certainly seen it on their radar, the Russians indicated that they know much more”.

“After a year, there is still no evidence of that alleged separatist Buk on the table. Kindergarten-level work from Bellingcat has been dismissed. And there was no ‘Buk-track’ through the Donbas region.”

Niemoller points out that Russia is not going to passively accept any result the Dutch Safety Board comes up with, especially if not backed with evidence. He reminds that Russia has set up its own body, ready to refute any unfounded allegations against the separatists militias the JIT might bring forward:

“The investigation Russia’s own Research Council is conducting will be a catastrophe for the Ukrainian and Dutch Safety Board”

Nor is Washington in a less awkward position:

“The Americans are silent about possible Russian involvement. Even US hawk Victoria Nuland used very cautious language about MH17 during a recent press conference in Kiev. She showed she really has nothing more to say about it.”

But it might get even more embarrassing for the US and its closest ally:

“Meanwhile, an anonymous Russian report has appeared, suggesting that the Boeing flight MH17 might have been shot with super modern Israeli missiles. There is confirmation coming from an ex-CIA agent to a Ukrainian/Israeli oligarch on the availability to Ukraine of modern Israeli weaponry”.

“The same ex-CIA agent added that the US policy, which is to blame for bringing down MH17, wants to push it away from the US, and will focus on local causes.”

According to Niemoller, “This is a very sophisticated game, but Russia can wait”.

What this proposed, UN-backed MH17 tribunal boils down to is thus quite prosaic.

“Faces should be saved. American faces especially. The Americans lost any initiative in diplomatic relations. It is the Russians who repeatedly state that they have an information advantage.”

The UN Security Council voting session on proposed tribunal to investigate last year’s Malaysia Airlines MH17 passenger plane crash in Ukraine is expected to be held next Wednesday. Russia, which has veto power, is expected to reject the initiative.

Source: Russia Insider 26 -07-2015

Russian Analyst Nails It: Poroshenko Too Weak to Implement Minsk

• The reason Minsk agreement isn’t being implemented is due to the weakness of Poroshenko in Kiev and the relative strength of right-wingers ready to tear into Poroshenko for any concessions made for the sake of peace
• Basically, having helped delegitimize and sideline reasonable actors Poroshenko now finds himself without significant allies that would take his side agains the nationalist uber-hawks

Rostislav Ishchenko

Rostislav Ishchenko is a prominent, popular and prolific Russian analyst.

This article originally appeared at Pravda News. Translated by Alena Scarecrow at The Vineyard of the Saker

On July 21st in Minsk there was held another regular meeting of the contact group devoted to settling the Ukrainian conflict. It resulted in reaching an agreement on the withdrawal of tanks and weapons of up to 100 mm caliber from the delimitation line.

The corresponding document was drawn out – however, not signed. As for the political issues, the parties once again failed to come to the mutual understanding.

Rostislav Ischenko, the President of the System Analysis and Forecasting Centre, is sharing his estimation of the current situation.

“The negotiations on withdrawing weapons were actually being run back during finalizing the Minsk-2 Agreement. 

Finally putting them in black and white is undoubtedly good, but as long as they are not signed we cannot regard it as any real breakthrough. Practice shows that signed and put in action are not necessarily synonyms, so it is early times yet to express excessive optimism.

From my point of view, this contact group meeting is nonetheless highly significant. Moreover, it can be considered to be a major milestone in a certain respect. For quite a while Russia used to be a solitary fighter struggling for truth under joint attacks of France, Germany, OSCE and the Ukraine.

Now after an OSCE representative’s statement that the agreement on the withdrawal of up to 100mm caliber weapons has fallen through – with the transparent implication that it is Kiev to blame – the situation has taken an abrupt turn. It is Kiev now opposing the others’ unified position – the document would have been signed had it not been for the Ukraine’s disagreement on it.

Unless the parties’ unified position changes, the Ukraine risks to get into complete isolation sooner or later – probably, even in the course of the ongoing negotiations. The country under the current circumstances will barely benefit from finding herself devoid of allies, partners and support. Now the Ukrainian authorities certainly have things to ponder.

In the political regard there are two major issues, in my view – Kiev’s foreign and domestic policy positions. In the light of the former, the Ukraine could just have made immediate concessions, acting in full accordance with her American teachers’ lessons, – to agree to something but never actually put it into life, – had it not been for the latter.

The bottom line is that Kiev’s domestic policy is deprived of flexibility or constructivism. Rada found it extremely hard to accept even most meaningless amendments to the Constitution Poroshenko had put forward.

Petr Alekseevich (Poroshenko) overtly declared that Donbass was never going to be given a special status. The corresponding law would never come into force as it presumed that first Donbass should surrender and only after that any such questions could be raised. Despite of all the forceful arguments, Rada refused to vote.

Now all sorts of Nazi battalions, Right Sector being the most vigorous of all, put enormous pressure on Poroshenko hysterically demanding that he denounces “Minsk”.

He is actually caught in the crossfire, having to choose whether to give in to the external pressure and comply with “Minsk” or to go along with the internal forces and disregard it.

He has no means that would enable him to either withstand or effectively maneuver.

So actually Kiev has faced a stalemate. Poroshenko would probably not mind implementing all the Minsk provisions but he cannot, due to his domestic opponents and his own inability to suppress them.

It seems to me that the present situation has all the makings of ending in new internal conflicts in the Ukraine rather than any radical change in her position in the negotiations. The international pressure is likely to increase, but Kiev’s constructivism – hardly”

Source: Russia Insider 25-07-2015