The Kiev Escalation Strategy
KIEV/BERLIN (Own report) - The Estonian foreign minister expressed his suspicion that "somebody from the new coalition" in Kiev could have been behind the sniper shootings on the Maidan, according to a tapped telephone conversation, which has gone online. Sniper fire had preceded Berlin's massively promoted putsch in Kiev. In the telephone conversation, the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Urmas Paet, reported to the chief of EU foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton that a medical doctor in Kiev assumes that the mortal wounds to policemen and demonstrators had the same handwriting and could have come from the same assassins. The fact that Kiev's government has yet to initiate an investigation could arouse the suspicion that elements from its own ranks could have been responsible for those assassinations. Videos, in fact, have already documented that snipers had been shooting at both sides. The putschist government, incriminated by Paet's remarks and still enjoying strong German government support, is comprised also of rightwing extremist forces, for example several Svoboda Party politicians, as well as the commander of the armed militia on the Maidan and the leader of the paramilitary "Pravi Sektor" (Right Sektor). Both have been given high-level posts as Secretary and Deputy Secretary in the National Security and Defense Council of the Ukraine, under the personal leadership of the President.
Street Battles instead of Parliamentary Debates
At least British and US media are now openly mentioning the role played by the rightwing extremists in the Kiev putsch. As a Ukrainian journalist wrote in a US online publication, this role should, by no means, be "underestimated." When "two months of protests in the streets" did not bring resounding results, "it was the far right" that was "the first to throw Molotov cocktails and stones at police and to mount real and well-fortified barricades." Fascists were also among those, who burned two military personnel carriers on February 18. "The Euromaidan won thanks to the resoluteness of people, who were ready to fight rather than to negotiate in parliament," the author concludes.[1] This escalation strategy, supported by the extreme right, falls in line with a remark in an alleged Vitaly Klitschko email, which has been available online for several days. In the email, dated January 9, one can read, "I think we have paved the road for a more radical escalation of the situation. Is it not high time to continue with more resolute actions?" Klitschko has always been in close contact with Berlin's foreign policy establishment, which, at the time, had not uttered a word of criticism concerning the rightwing extremist activities in the Ukraine.
Extremely Anti-Russian
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Deputy, Oleksandr Sych, and several ministers of the putschist government are members of the Svoboda Party, which, even before the beginning of the recent mass protests, had already won one third of the votes in sectors of western Ukraine. The leader of the party had personally cooperated with the German foreign minister during the uprisings.[2] Sych recently became known, when he suggested all abortions be banned, even those for pregnancies resulting from rape. He recommended that women "lead the kind of lifestyle to avoid the risk of rape, including one from drinking alcohol and being in controversial company.”[3] Svoboda members Andriy Mokhnyk became Minister for Ecology, Ihor Shvaika, Minister for Agriculture and Ihor Teniukh, Minister for Defense. Teniukh had previously commanded Ukraine's fleet from 2006 to 2010 and is now in charge of handling the Crimean conflict. This is significant because Svoboda is, by far, the most anti-Russian force represented in the putschist government. Svoboda's Oleh Makhnitskiy became parliamentary inspector of the Attorney General's Office.
Struggle against "Russians and Jews"
On the other hand, this should draw attention because Svoboda honors Nazi collaborator, Stepan Bandera and his Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), responsible for having committed massacres particularly of Jewish Ukrainians and Poles.[4] Svoboda, according to activists in Kiev, still disposes of an illegal armed wing known as "C14."[5] This has been confirmed a few days ago by the BBC, which reports "C14's" size allegedly at 200 members - and took over the headquarters of the Communist Party, an act that turns the spotlight on the concept of rule of law applied now in the pro-Western Ukraine. The name "C14" ("Combat 14") is probably a semantic flirt with the name "C18" ("Combat 18") one of the international networks of neo-Nazi terrorist organizations, with which the "C14," of course, shares no organizational ties. At the same time, the name points to the number "14." In fascist circles this refers to the "fourteen word" slogans of commitment to the "white race." As the leader of Svoboda's ally "C14" explained, his organization is in a "struggle" with "ethnic groups" that are wielding, among other things, "economic and political power." The "ethnic groups" he is referring to are "Russians and Jews."[6]
Secretary in the National Security Council
The fascist's structural influence can also be primarily seen in Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. The President of the Ukraine presides over the council. Members of the council include the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Defense (Svoboda), the director of the SBU Intelligence Service and high-ranking military officials. The chair of the council designates a secretary. Since a few days ago, Andriy Parubiy has filled this position. Parubiy, together with Oleh Tiahnybok, had founded the neo-Nazi "Social National Party of the Ukraine" in 1991, which they renamed "Svoboda" in 2004, which is still under Tiahnybok's leadership. In 2004, Parubiy had been one of the leading personalities of the "Orange Revolution." However, over the succeeding years, he had gravitated toward the former ruling "Our Ukraine Party," at the time, pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko was president of the country. Parubiy was then elected to parliament in 2012 on the electoral list of Yulia Tymoshenko's "Fatherland Party." He became internationally famous when he, as the "Commander of Maidan" was the head of the armed militias in Kiev. The militias were "not 100% but a large percentage" comprised of fascists, according to activists.[7] The "Pravi Sektor" ("Right Sektor"), a sort of alliance of violence-prone right-wing extremist organizations, has wide representation within its ranks.
Homosexual Bashing
According to estimates, the "Pravi Sektor," which received strong reinforcement through the Maidan protests, today nationally numbers up to 5,000 militants. In Kiev, it patrols the city in armed squads of up to a dozen members. Their weapons are usually baseball bats, but sometimes also pistols. Even the German media, which openly shows sympathy toward these protests, characterizes this organization as "paramilitary," and obviously in possession of numerous firearms and ammunition. Its leader Dmytro Yarosh joined the right-wing extremist "Tryzub" ("Trident") organization in 1994, which he has been commanding since 2005. During the Maidan protests, the "Tryzub" has mainly become known for its attacks on homosexuals and as participants in the "Pravi Sektor." Yarosh, the leader of "Tryzub" and "Pravi Sektor" claims that an appeal published on a social network website with his profile, calling on the infamous Chechen terrorist, Doku Umarov to support the Ukrainian nationalists in their struggle against Russia, is a counterfeit created by hackers. A few days ago, Yarosh was named assistant to Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of the Ukraine, Andriy Parubiy.
Self-Defense
Under these circumstances, Jewish organizations are becoming increasingly worried about the safety of the 200,000 Ukrainian Jews. These organizations - regardless of their political differences with one another - are "wondering whether their lives - whether Jewish life - has a secure future in Ukraine," according to a report. After all, organizations of right-wing extremist thugs "are, at the moment, in control of the streets of Kiev."[8] At the beginning of the week, a group of Israeli self-defense specialists landed in the Ukrainian capital, on the initiative of the chair of Kiev's Jewish community, to begin training members of the community. This is not only about methods of combat, but also about how to behave in crisis situations, it was reported.[9] The "Jewish Agency," the Israeli government's official immigration organization, is already preparing emergency measures.[10] Through its undifferentiated backing for even fascists within the Ukrainian opposition, the German government has helped create the situation making these measures necessary. Demands to isolate Svoboda and other rightwing extremists have been systematically ignored both in Berlin and by Berlin's proxies at the Maidan. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[11])
More reports and background information on the current German policy in reference to the Ukraine can be found here: Problems of Eastward Expansion, A Broad-Based Anti-Russian Alliance, Expansive Ambitions, Our Man in Kiev, Integration Rivalry with Moscow, On the Offensive, At all Costs and The Crimean Conflict.
[1] Oleg Shynkarenko: Can Ukraine Control Its Far Right Ultranationalists? www.thedailybeast.com 01.03.2014.
[2] See Vom Stigma befreit.
[3] Katya Gorchinskaya: The not-so-revolutionary new Ukraine government. www.kyivpost.com 27.02.2014.
[4] See Zwischen Moskau und Berlin (IV) and Zwischen Moskau und Berlin (V).
[5] An Interview with Mira, Andrei, and Sascha of AntiFascist Action Ukraine. www.timothyeastman.com 19.02.2014.
[6] Ukraine: Far-right armed with bats patrol Kiev. www.bbc.com 01.03.2014.
[7] An Interview with Mira, Andrei, and Sascha of AntiFascist Action Ukraine. www.timothyeastman.com 19.02.2014.
[8] Igor Mitchnik: Die Angst danach. Warum Juden den Umsturz auch mit Sorge betrachten. www.juedische-allgemeine.de 27.02.2014.
[9] Israeli security experts head out to Kiev to train local Jews in self-defense. www.haaretz.com 03.03.2014.
[10] Jewish Agency: Emergency assistance to Ukrainian jews could be increased. www.haaretz.com 03.03.2014.
[11] See Testfeld Ukraine.
