It has now been confirmed that Aleksandr Zakharchenko has been murdered today. You can read some of the details in this RT article here: https://www.rt.com/news/437357-head-donbass-republic-killed/
This murder really breaks my heart, but also worries and sickens me. Just like the murders of Morotola or Givi, this murder proves that there is a major, massive, problem with the DNR/LNR security services. Whether this is pure incompetence or treason I don’t know, but what is sure is that while murders of charismatic leaders happen in all conflicts this is the exception, not the rule (how many leaders were killed during, say, the Bosnian civil war?). It *is* possible to protect commanders and officials (there are special forces and services which can do that very well). When it is the rule, then most certainly something is very wrong.
Two years ago I wrote an article entitled “The Murder of Motorola – questions which must be answered” for which I was hysterically criticized by some ignorant amateurs, but the questions which I asked then remain unanswered today. Frankly, I very much doubt that they will be answered this time around either.
In my 2016 I asked the question cui bono in reference to the murders of so many DNR/LNR leaders.
Now I ask the same cui bono about the systematic denial that there is a major problem with the DNR/LRN security services.
Two years after the murder of Motorola the Novorussians have clearly not solved their security problem. This is why I can only offer the same conclusion as I did two years ago:
Ideally, the Russians should send some smart and ruthless patriot, like General Shamanov, to go to Lugansk and Donesk and read the locals the riot act (Russians generals are very good at that kind of stuff) and if they offer any resistance, just toss them out of their office (Russian generals are also good at that kind of stuff).
By now pretty much all the key Novorussian leaders and heroes have been murdered and it is too late to do anything about this. But somebody will have to take their place and it is them that the Russians need to protect now.
Living in deep denial, cheerleading and flag waving are all very good, but not when people get murdered as a result.
“With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Your servant Aleksandr where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life everlasting.”
The Saker
https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1036200874459242496
Enrico Ivanov @Russ_Warrior
Rada deputy Mosychuk: “Our guys (SBU) killed #Zakharchenko, we are proud of them, there’s no reason to deny it, Poroshenko should thank them publicly”
As much for inside job…
#Ukraine #DNR
https://twitter.com/Alexey_Pushkov/status/1036180817498832896
Алексей Пушков
Verified account @Alexey_Pushkov
Что у Порошенко на уме, то у Мосийчука на языке. Он признал: Захарченко убили украинские спецслужбы. Убийство было выгодно только Киеву. Можно считать это официальным заявлением киевских властей.
Yandex translation:
What Poroshenko has in mind, then Mosiychuk on the tongue. He admitted: Zakharchenko was killed by Ukrainian special services. Murder was favorable only to Kiev. This can be considered an official statement of the Kiev authorities
RIP, Aleksandr Zakharchenko. Even through the language barrier and news blackout, your charisma did not go unnoticed.
After reading this, of course I had to go see what ‘техас’ has to say. Naturally, he’s unhappy. You know, I think he is sincere in his desire to help out in Donetsk. Language and culture barriers must impede that effort, of course..
You know, Saker, I’m not so sure Novorossiya needs a Russian general to come in shouting orders and firing people. (tell the truth I was hoping for Trump to do more of that over here) … I think historically, that has been a cause for some of the Ukraine’s problems. Assigning this or that Oblast here or there, and putting Crimea under Kiev for administrative purposes. Yes, they need better security. A few good dogs, perhaps — dogs are good at sensing the presence of strangers. Maybe not a complete phalanx like an American politician, but a better team, like you said, they can be fairly unobtrusive. But I’m not sure they need so much ‘parenting’ as a general would provide.
I have been paying attention since about the time of the Maidan. I started looking for local reports on Twitter etc., because of the news blackout here, and only a few stories, always with a sneering imperial attitude and few facts. Eventually I watched the BBC simply steal some of Graham Phillips’ video, strip the soundtrack, and insert commentary blaming Putin and Russia for Ukie shelling on a place near Gorlovka, as I recall. I’d already seen Phillips’ video, and although I don’t speak Russian, the locals were clearly swearing at Poroshenko. So the BBC tells lies, no surprise there.
Anyway, this was by way of introduction. I have chosen the handle because I have no real connection with Russia, and cannot read Cyrillic. So I find a lot of value in this website… please carry on.
Gorlovka’s bloody Sunday – July 27, 2014
http://www.stalkerzone.org/third-anniversary-gorlovka-massacre/
Just military and security incompetence of DPR. On the other DPR generally is just pawns in global big came. DPR is small force and totally dependent on Russia. If price is good enough Putin has no problems to sell whole DPR to Kiev.
Much bigger question is future of Russia. Big country, huge land area but aging shrinking population and economy based on incomes from strategic raw materials and agri business. But where is high tech industry to sell products globally? Relatively Russia has passed the record lowest point in 1998 but its future looks far from bright whatever idealists are dreaming. Europe and Russia are globally sunset regions globally.
What part of what Putin said about protecting the Donbass people do you have such a hard time understanding??? Putin of all people is not going to sell them out.
Anatoly Karlin wrote in Unz Review ( http://www.unz.com/akarlin/zakharchenko-assassinated/ ):
Richard
“…
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaction: “We call on Kiev to disavow terrorist methods of resolving domestic Ukrainian problems. We hope that the relevant Ukrainian politicians find the strength to stop the party of war and prevent an escalation of conflict in Donbass.”
My assessment is that they are quietly washing their hands off the affair (“domestic Ukrainian problems”). There will be no more significant actions to punish Kiev than after the assassinations of Motorola or Givi.
…”
I would be extremely interested in Saker’s opinion here:
is Putin’s government perhaps in a gradual process of washing its hands not only off this assassination “affair”, but in fact also off the entire Donbas & Lugansk (the rationale behind being some on-going “horse-trading” with the West)?
One sincerely hopes that it is not so. Still, the utterly meager information publicly available could point either way.
Do something, russia.
A pedagogical something to the Ukies and their western supporters.
Rest in peace.
http://telemarksporten.no/SakerPhotos/Aleksandr_Zaharchenko.jpg
Kent
I stopped reading this site because I felt it had basically become an Alt-Right site (perhaps it always was) as a black man it was more… disappointing for me than anything (and Russia Insider is even worse!)
Thus I have nowhere else to go to express my sadness at the loss of Alexandr Zakharchenko. This was a good man fighting for the welfare of his people, but not like just some nationalist hero- he would have fought injustice wherever he found it, this I am sure. I saw once a video on youtube where he was in a crowd of distressed people after some horrible tragedy had been inflicted on them, a woman who had lost a loved one I think was beseeching him, streaming tears at what had been done. I saw the moment Alexandr’s heart broke for her, you could see it clearly in the video as his humanity broke out and he took her in his arms and hugged her fierce, genuine genuine from the heart she had struck him and he wanted desperately to comfort her, to make it right. I wish I could find the clip of that video, it told me all I needed to know about the man in that one brief clip.
It’s deeply sad that they took a truly good man. I hope that one day the truth will come out even in the West, I hope Alexandr will become a matyr and I don’t mean any god-bollocks 72 virgins rubbish I mean that now every East Ukrainian will remember him and what he stood for and ask themselves in struggles to come “what would Alexandr have done?”
Givi, Motorola, now Alexandr Z, Donbas needs to start trying a lot harder to protect it’s fearless heros going forward, when they say “I don’t need security, I am not afraid of death” gfine, that is their nature, it is for others to insist and make sure these people aren’t wiped out. Profound commiserations to Alexandrs family, and to the people of the Donbas.
As long as Russians failed to control at least Donetsk and Luhansk, since 2014, chances to reverse the events are almost impossible.
Pulling back И́горь Все́володович Ги́ркин, and surrendering Sloviansk, on 5 July 2014, was the beginning of the end of Novo Rossia.
Russian failed to take the Mariupol on 2014 too.
Now the Hegemon is harassing Russian in Donetsk and Luhansk (murdering civilian and active leaders) as Motorola, Givi and lately Zakharchenko, and tenth of thousand innocent civilians, and Russia is unable to do anything about it.
“The explosion occurred in central Donetsk. According to an aid to the DPR president, the attack was deliberately planted at an eatery Zakharchenko was known to frequent. ”
I would think that there should never be any place where an important person eats “frequently”. After all, the previous assassinations security measures should have changed drastically. If he wanted to be on the town then either in disguise or in a place where any electronic signals within a specific radius would be jammed (remote control bombs).
Reading some of the comments as to how this was done I came up with my own. My non-pro idea would be to place bombs everywhere the guy has been know to show up “frequently”. Have lookouts at all these places looking for activity that signals that the target is there. Then detonate the bomb there.
I don’t believe for a second that Zakharchenko would have accepted any additional resources than he already had, to be assigned to his own security. Had you met him? Were you ever there? He would have rather had resources in reconnaissance and early alert assessment in the fields, along and beyond the deconfliction lines to help better secure the populations and civilians, the elderly, his 4 sons, etc, to provide early warning of next grad or mortar attack. Perhaps if the republics had unlimited resources, but prior to any such measures he certainly would have devoted any offer of security to be assigned to areas in which they’re deployment would help protect public spaces from such bombings and terror attacks, rather than for his own personal security.
Yes, this is tragic as were the past murders. Yes, I’m sure security will be enhanced after this murder. But you, this Saker author, seem to not entirely understand the situation on the grounds. Persons are working to provide security, yes, his own bodyguard was murdered in this bomb, but there is always a limit to what can be done with what you have, and beyond that, what should be done to protect the many than the few. Public checkpoints and searches and things you dream of protecting the leaders perhaps seen in movies or in overly orchestrated american secret service people’s actions, could never provide complete protection no matter how secure of portrayal they project. And that is with unlimited resources. Mr. Putin is not driving Novorossiya leaders around in armored limousines, nor is he behind of scope of a rifle on rooftops near where these men dine and meet, and due to a real limitation of resources, neither is anyone else. Security is rationed and at this point benefits more when placed at front lines than cafes.