Situation in Kharkov: hard spring...

The head of public organization «Great Rus» Yury Mikhaylovich Apukhtin tells about the organized protest of the citizens of Kharkov in interview of «The world and we».

— How the threat of invasion of neo-fascist fighters of «Right sector» is real for Kharkov? Does the information correspond to reality that already about one thousand prepared radicals concentrated in Kharkov?

Concerning those fighters who filter here, there is a set of conjectures. In a certain degree they are warmed up by messages of mass media. For example, the Al Jazeera T. V. channel showed that, allegedly, at the end of February of the Kharkov Regional administration the fighters sat on all 5 floors. But it wasn’t true. In the reporting Dobkin’s office was showed and the rest was removed in any other building. For all the time of occupation of the Regional administration by the members of Euromaidan, any window never shone. There are about 50 people, and it is far not fighters, and more likely usual punks. They sat in the hall and on ladder flight. Only in three rooms on the first floor of the right wing of the building there were Kharkov deputies of a regional council from Batkivshchyna party. Therefore all conversations that the building was seized and allegedly, 500 fighters were in it, aren’t true.

But penetration of radicals into Kharkov, nevertheless, happens. About a platform round Lenin’s monument there are people who collect information. They can come on some people to Kharkov, but when call that their number in Kharkov already 1 thousand people, it raises big doubts. Where all of them have to live? Therefore I don’t believe that filtered there will be such quantity — it is unreal. How is it possible to hide such group, place, coordinate their actions? Besides, law enforcement agencies of Kharkov actively work in this direction.

Such group can appear, but one-time — a column of buses or the train. Moreover, «Right sector» already declared in one of interview that the first, than they will be engaged is Kharkov. Therefore if they appear, so all «structure» at once as they organized it to congress on February 22. But next day they weren’t any more in the city — where they would place 1,5 thousand people in Kharkov?

Thus organized there are no public forces for protection of Kharkov. «Oplot» can’t play such role. There were some tens people but after the head Evgeny Zhilin was put on the wanted list, it disappeared.

When the representatives of «Oplot» came to put tent near Lenin’s monument, they were expelled and didn’t allow to make it, having called as provokers.

But there is quite capable structure — the municipal enterprise of protection subordinated to the city hall. There are some hundred well prepared people. Moreover, the protection organization round Lenin’s monument is carried out with their participation though they especially don’t advertize it. On the other hand, if the serious conflict really begins, so we have both the former Afghans and security officers who obligatory will unite.

— What happens now with Kharkov «Berkut» after the order on its disbandment?

All special forces of «Berkut» in Ukraine are disbanded by order of Avakov. In total they are about 3 thousand people. Now they have a recertification, they are checked on loyalty and the one who was involved in events in Kiev. But practically they all were involved.

I know that in Russia in St. Petersburg and Belgorod there are prepared hospital and places for reception of employees of «Berkut» with their families. Moreover, when it was planned to destroy Crimean «Berkut» even there was a project urgently to evacuate them to Russia. Besides, when «Berkut» was disbanded, the management of Autonomous Republic Krym declared that invites all members of spetsnaz to itself.

Concerning the moods in militia the episode with Kernes’s attempt to remove the flag of Russia hoisted by activists before the City Council was indicative. When the mayor already was beaten, the militia stood and didn’t try to undertake something at all. Therefore the militia tries not to interfere in something.

— Are the events similar to that occurred in Simferopol possible in Kharkov? Can the citizens of Kharkov gather and oppose the illegitimate power?

In Kharkov such scenario is impossible. There are no such structure and such organization in Kharkov to make such demands to local authorities.

But the opinion is gradually formed that the operating local government is the regionals who are tied by corruption. But so simply people don’t leave. Therefore at this stage such performances are impossible. Perhaps, if they completely start handing over the city, then something will occur.

Besides, many consider that the small group of fascists which settled in Kiev, will be able to hold on there for some months. It is obvious that Europe, especially, Russia won’t allocate any significant means for maintenance of their mode.

— How the situation developed near a monument to Lenin after opposition in the evening on February 22? Now there are a lot of conversations on «unclear» behavior of the former governor Dobkin and mayor Kernes … What is your opinion concerning a position and actions of local authorities of Kharkov in this situation?

On February 22 the Congress of deputies of all levels of the Southeast and the Autonomous Republic Krym was passed. Very good speeches were delivered, the magnificent resolution is adopted which in some hours stopped existing only because Dobkin and Kernes dropped out of sight for days. After that till today they never and anywhere mentioned this resolution.

Something occurred in relationship with Russia and probably they weren’t given support. They disappeared as very heavy situation developed for them. In the evening the one thousand gang which arrived by buses to this congress around 22.00 tried to storm the Regional administration and filled all square of Independence. I was at this moment on the square, and can tell that the majority of young people were in an inadequate state — whether drunk, whether under drugs.

Then the crowd for some reason hastily rushed from the Regional council — they were frightened by something. All of them concentrated near a monument to Lenin and tried to destroy it. Of course, it was impossible to do without special equipment. Therefore they ornamented all pedestal, sorted the wooden town prepared on the square to Maslenitsa, and threw everything around boards. But there were people who tried to protect a monument — 20−25 young people. In the morning I was near a monument and saw them — the hand of one guy was terribly cut, others had serious injuries too. But they defended the monument.

Certainly, they could do nothing against this one thousand, but those already should have left. Thus on the square there were none of authorities — the Regional council was completely dark, there was no any militiaman.

At 5 o’clock in the morning I was on the square — there was nobody, only there was a militia group near the Regional council. I asked the colonel who directed it, whether are the fascists in the building. He answered that no and advised to be engaged in monument protection.

According to him, there was no power in the city at that time, there was nobody to make even the simplest decisions.

Near a monument together with the guys who have remained there after a night fight, we started ordering a pedestal and the territory around, to erase inscriptions. Then I started ringing round the Kharkov public organizations, KPU and to bring the people together. About 300 people came, brought flags, put sound intensifying installation. And in the second half of day already there were about one and a half thousand people on the square. Thus there was no power in the city yet.

Approximately at 16.00 Gennady Kernes appeared at the monument and declared that he is with the people, and disappeared because went almost to Austria. In half an hour there was also Dobkin. That is, they after all felt that the people rose against bandits.

Further the tent town was organized in the ensuring functioning of which the city administration gave support. The fence and kitchen was set up. They assumed considerable part of organizational work.

But neither Dobkin, nor Kernes never mentioned the carried-out congress during the speech. I understood that they conducted negotiations — city support was necessary, and they received it. And further probably the auction with Kiev began and they agreed about something that they won’t be touched.

In a regional council there were local semi-Nazi «small dogs» then— they were simply allowed to enter the hall not to lift scandal. Thus they also didn’t try to attack a platform near Lenin’s monument — simply were afraid to make it.

But local authorities then began to call for the world gradually. There were statements that they are not against the Kiev power. And in a break of one of City Council sessions Kernes declared that the new power is lawful (!) and we have to execute its laws.

In this situation there are also positive moments. He achieved an order in the city. Nazis because they as though both took and didn’t seize Regional administration, couldn’t do other provocations then. They probably were given the order especially not to interfere, and in one of interview they even told, as weren’t going to take down a monument to Lenin — here only it was somehow imperceptible on February 22.

But the people don’t recognize the power in Kiev and demand that also the local government so reacted. It is obvious that so they won’t act yet. Therefore now some calm is observed from the city authorities, but it isn’t known how many it will last.

If the mass protests of the citizens of Kharkov don’t stop, they will deprive the power of possibility of maneuver sooner or later.