In February 1954, Khrushchev transferred the Crimean Oblast to Ukraine, with Sevastopol retaining a special status as a Russian naval base - so with the transfer Sevastopol remained under Russia's protectorate. Over the past twenty years, in independent Ukraine, the city still retained its special status. Nevertheless, the new authorities in Kiev (better say, the "junta") who performed the February 2014 coup lead by Stefan Bandera ideas, are planning to include Sevastopol into the Ukrainian territory.
The people of Sevastopol started fighting against the Ukrainian Coup, they do not recognize the Kiev junta, and create their own city authorities and self-defense committee. In this way, Sevastopol recognized that its heroic traditions still live in people's memory.
A people's meeting in Sevastopol against the Ukrainian Coup
(Translator note: “Bandera Followers” used in the article is
referred to the ultra radical far right organizations and parties, that
currently constitute the muscle of “Maidan”. Stephan Bandera was the notorious
head of UPA – a military arm of Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which
collaborated closely with Nazis during the WWII and continued fighting against
the USSR until mid-fiftie). During that time UPA participated in numerous acts
of genocide against Jewish, Polish , Russian and even Ukrainian population).
Currently in the most countries of the post USSR - “bandera followers” is equal
to “fascist” much like “hitleryte”=”nazi”.)
Today, I attended the “anti-Bandera” meeting in Sevastopol.
Never expected it could be so great. Initially I estimated that there were
around 5-10 thousand people present, but later count showed that the meeting
was attended by 20-25 thousand. And this in the city where the average
political gathering has never been larger than a few dozen (or sometimes a few
hundred) people. Today, Sevastopol truly rose and showed the largest
“anti-Bandera” meeting in its own post-Soviet history, but the largest one on
the whole South-East of Ukraine.
The threat of fascism united us all. The meeting was
supported by almost all city’s political organizations, some of which had
completely opposite different views on other issues. There were flags of
Russia, Russian Empire, Communist Party, “Russian Block” and of other patriotic
organizations. There were also portraits of Stalin, Victory flags and flags of
Soviet Navy. Bandera’s followers (fascists) managed to distract various people
with different political beliefs from their usual bickering, and separate them
from their comfortable couches, and to come out and voice their opinion in the streets.
Hopefully it will be heard in Kiev. Those Bandera followers were awfully proud
that they managed to collect 20 thousand on Maidan in a multimillion Kiev and
claimed that they represented the will of the whole country. Sevastopol has now
shown how many people can really be gathered in a relatively small city, if the
final goal was clear and people were ready to fight for it.
READ MORE ABOUT THE DECISION OF THE MEETING
The new
mood was noticeable on the approaches to the meeting place and it was far away
from the usual apathy. People from different social strata, wealth and
ideological convictions joined together in a huge crowd on Nakhimov Square.
They used expletives in the address of Yanukovich, fascists, local government
and demanded that weapons should have been distributed for the city’s defence.
But the most striking was the list of demands expressed at
the meeting. It openly stated:
1. A new executive body is created to govern the city and
the transfer of power to it should occur in the next few days.
2. The new city Head was elected by direct vote at the
meeting. The new Head is Mr. Chalyj, a local entrepreneur and the CEO of
“Tavrida Electric, who gained popularity by his practical support and
contribution to the creation of “Battery 35” Memorial Complex (this complex is
one of the main attractions of the city). Ex-mayor Mr. Yatsuba agreed and
supported the change.
The head of the city Executive Committee in Sevastopol has
never been elected before. This position was always filled by Kiev, as
Ukrainian authorities were always aware that given an elected Mayor Sevastopol
would quickly separate itself from Ukraine.
3. The new Executive Committee demands from the deputies of
the city council to vote in favor of the decision. Otherwise the population
will disperse the Council and elect the new one. Legally the right to create a
new executive body is justified by the precedent of two other committees that
already existed in Sevastopol in the last 5 years. Although they were
concentrated on business issues, no one ever questioned this right. And now the new committee will have
the full executive power.
4.In the same manner, the new Executive Committee demands
from the local police to subordinate itself to the new administration.
Otherwise, it is implied that the local police and SBU heads will be dismissed
and new ones appointed. Tomorrow will show whether people will have to occupy
police precincts and SBU office or they will subordinate to the new Executive
Committee.
Police at the meeting did not show any signs of aggression
even after separatists speeches. It seems that they are completely demoralized
by the events. Some of the SBU agents were spotted in the crowed taking
pictures.
5. The Executive Committee does not support Verkhovnaya Rada
of Ukraine and its resolutions . It does not recognise the new Ukrainian
government either, characterizing the recent events as a fascist coup.
Sevastopol refuses to obey to the resolutions from the new Rada and Turchinov
(acting President).
6. The
Executive Committee creates the self defense squads for the countermeasures to
the “Bandera” gangs. It is stressed separately that these squads will not just
assist police, but will actively engage the would be invaders. The squads will
be lead by the ex-officers of the army and spetsnaz. The squads will be
organized by tens and hundreds and communicate with each other by mobile phones
and via Internet.
7. The Executive Committee in fact takes under its
protection “Berkut” (special police) and National Guard squads which
participated in the events in Kiev. It is implied that these squads must
co-operate with local police and self defense squads. The Committee will not
allow any attempts to bring “Berkut” and NG to court.
8.It is openly stated that criminals caught in the acts of
robbery or looting will be dealt with on the spot (i.e. martial law). This
proposal was received with huge enthusiasm on the square.
9. Despite the futile attempt of some RP functionaries to
justify their past behavior, the majority of meeting participants loath
Yanukovich and his regime to the same degree as Bandera followers. Some of the
expletives used to describe them and voiced from the podium included:
“traitor”, “scum”, “bastard” etc. This meeting does not have anything to do
with Yanukovich and in fact, when Yatsuba tried to speak up about his
legitimacy and unity of Ukraine, he was booed and whistled at. The crowd
clearly showed that Party of Regions power here is as unpopular as the Bandera
circuses.
10. Sevastopol and its new government refuse to transfer the
taxes gathered in the city to the central government and intend to use them
themselves. In fact, despite the attempts of some political speakers to stay in
the legal field using Yanukovich as a prop, the separatism was the tune of the
day. And it was beautiful. I could hardly imagine that there ever would be such
a huge gathering of people with the demand to separate from Ukraine.
11. A number of petitions were read out - appeal to
President Putin to send peace keepers, demand to remove Ukrainian flag from the
Mayors Office, send self defense squads to assist the other towns in the Crimea
(and even send them to re-take Kiev). The euphoria at the meeting was caused by
the ease with which the people could dismantle the old regime and voice their
opposition to fascism, and resulted in some proposals a bit removed from the
realm from the reality. But the main message from the meeting was that
Sevastopol will not bow to the new regime and will resist it with all possible
efforts. With spineless Yanukovich and cowardly members of the RP for
comparisons, a lot of what was said was very fresh, up-to-date and correct.
12. Although the meeting was mostly anti-fascist and
patriotic, some of the social issues were also touched upon. There was a
proposal to requisition land from the local oligarchs and business people
supporting Bandera followers and re-distribute them in favor of the members of the
future self-defense squads. My motivation to join the meeting was purely
anti-fascist, but I reckon, if a plot of land leased to a member of the squad
could be a great additional motivator. In any case, the idea of
re-nationalization of Sevastopol land I support fully and unconditionally.
13. Sevastopol residents demanded from RP and Communist
Party of Ukraine deputies in Verkhovnaya Rada to lay down their mandates and
stop any activities within illegitimate regime, despite the fact that the
latter are virtually hostages at the moment.
14. The demand to close the shameful case on the “Heroes of
the Grafskaya Quay” which was started in 2008. Yanukovich’s regime was
extremely harsh towards local patriots while being extremely lenient towards
fascists. No surprise that he is now hated in Sevastopol even more than in Kiev
or Western Ukraine.
14. The Ukraininan flag was taken off from the column at the
Grafskaya Quay by the volunteers. A Russian flag was raised instead. People were expecting that the
Ukrainian flag will be lowered from the Mayor’s Office, but nothing happened.
Not this time. But soon, I hope.
15. It is
openly stated that the people of Sevastopol will not allow the destruction of
the monuments to Lenin, Catherine the Great and Admiral Nakhimov. The rumor
says that the activists have already started guarding the Lenin Memorial.
16. There
was a powerful and very moving speech by a 89 year old veteran and participant
of the Great Patriotic War, who said that he never expected to see fascism in
Ukraine again after defeating it once. The musical accompaniment was extremely
well placed – the “Sacred War” march added to the feeling of mobilization. Now
our main goal is to focus and keep momentum.
(translation taken from livejournal)
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