This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/world/europe/ukraine-rebels-enlisting-punishment-brigades-for-support-work.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ukraine Rebels Conscript ‘Punishment Brigades’ for Support Work | Ukraine Rebels Conscript ‘Punishment Brigades’ for Support Work |
| (21 days later) | |
| DONETSK, Ukraine — With Ukraine’s military tightening a cordon around this city controlled by separatist rebels, Oleg Grishin found himself enlisted on Monday in one of their schemes for its defense: the forced labor of drunks, drug addicts and curfew violators to dig trenches and build barriers. | |
| Sweat streaked his face. Yet with a militant commander standing nearby, he had no complaints about the stooped toiling in the sun. “What can I say, I was drunk, I was guilty, they are right,” he mumbled. | Sweat streaked his face. Yet with a militant commander standing nearby, he had no complaints about the stooped toiling in the sun. “What can I say, I was drunk, I was guilty, they are right,” he mumbled. |
| Donetsk, the rebel capital, is now isolated by the siege, which the Ukrainian Army managed to achieve over the weekend. Government troops appear to have closed a gap in the encirclement with fighting over the past week near the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down last month, despite appeals by international monitors to refrain from combat near the wreckage and still uncollected remains of some victims. | Donetsk, the rebel capital, is now isolated by the siege, which the Ukrainian Army managed to achieve over the weekend. Government troops appear to have closed a gap in the encirclement with fighting over the past week near the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down last month, despite appeals by international monitors to refrain from combat near the wreckage and still uncollected remains of some victims. |
| Encircled, Donetsk is now the main redoubt of the pro-Russian insurgency. It is an apprehensive place. | Encircled, Donetsk is now the main redoubt of the pro-Russian insurgency. It is an apprehensive place. |
| Glum-looking detainees, seized by the rebel authorities for minor infractions, dig ditches, fill sandbags, clear brush and peel potatoes. More serious violations have been met with summary executions, according to some rebel leaders. | Glum-looking detainees, seized by the rebel authorities for minor infractions, dig ditches, fill sandbags, clear brush and peel potatoes. More serious violations have been met with summary executions, according to some rebel leaders. |
| Igor Girkin, a former Russian intelligence officer and now the separatist defense minister who uses the name Igor Strelkov, or Igor the Shooter, has declared a state of siege in the city and said he is now the “military commandant” of Donetsk. He promulgated an order allowing militants to commandeer private vehicles, medical supplies and whatever else is needed for the war effort, further putting residents on edge. | Igor Girkin, a former Russian intelligence officer and now the separatist defense minister who uses the name Igor Strelkov, or Igor the Shooter, has declared a state of siege in the city and said he is now the “military commandant” of Donetsk. He promulgated an order allowing militants to commandeer private vehicles, medical supplies and whatever else is needed for the war effort, further putting residents on edge. |
| The separatists and Russia accuse the Ukrainian government of attacking civilian areas. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday questioned why President Petro O. Poroshenko had stated publicly that he was committed to a peaceful solution, yet seemed intent on a military offensive. | The separatists and Russia accuse the Ukrainian government of attacking civilian areas. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday questioned why President Petro O. Poroshenko had stated publicly that he was committed to a peaceful solution, yet seemed intent on a military offensive. |
| The current military operations contradict his statements, said Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, calling that unacceptable. “This is frustrating, we don’t know which Poroshenko we can trust — the first one or the second,” she said. | The current military operations contradict his statements, said Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, calling that unacceptable. “This is frustrating, we don’t know which Poroshenko we can trust — the first one or the second,” she said. |
| Ms. Zakharova said military exercises announced by Russia near the Ukrainian border were within Russia’s rights. “On our territory, we can do what we want,” Ms. Zakharova said. “Our troops are not crossing the border.” | Ms. Zakharova said military exercises announced by Russia near the Ukrainian border were within Russia’s rights. “On our territory, we can do what we want,” Ms. Zakharova said. “Our troops are not crossing the border.” |
| Russian news agencies said Monday that more than 100 aircraft would participate in military maneuvers in the western and southern areas of the country, which includes the regions near Ukraine. | Russian news agencies said Monday that more than 100 aircraft would participate in military maneuvers in the western and southern areas of the country, which includes the regions near Ukraine. |
| In Donetsk, the detainee crews are called “punishment brigades.” Along with the artillery craters in outlying districts, these detainees form part of the new cityscape. Often, the men are forced to work stripped to their underwear. | In Donetsk, the detainee crews are called “punishment brigades.” Along with the artillery craters in outlying districts, these detainees form part of the new cityscape. Often, the men are forced to work stripped to their underwear. |
| Mr. Grishin, 25, who was detained for drunkenness, worked at the Zemlyankin checkpoint in Donetsk. “God forbid the Ukrainians attack now,” he said while clearing brush from a roadside. | Mr. Grishin, 25, who was detained for drunkenness, worked at the Zemlyankin checkpoint in Donetsk. “God forbid the Ukrainians attack now,” he said while clearing brush from a roadside. |
| The rebel commander, known by his nickname, Lukich, said he treated the detainees humanely. The practice achieves two objectives, he said, imposing the social rules infused with Russian Orthodox Christian values of the new state, while helping the city’s defenses. Drug addicts are summarily sentenced to trench digging. | The rebel commander, known by his nickname, Lukich, said he treated the detainees humanely. The practice achieves two objectives, he said, imposing the social rules infused with Russian Orthodox Christian values of the new state, while helping the city’s defenses. Drug addicts are summarily sentenced to trench digging. |
| “If they cause some harm to society, we keep them here for 15 days,” he said. “They live with us, they work, and they realize their mistakes.” | “If they cause some harm to society, we keep them here for 15 days,” he said. “They live with us, they work, and they realize their mistakes.” |
| Maksim Bondar, 22, was forced to dig after his estranged girlfriend complained to militants that he had threatened her in a custody dispute over their daughter. “She complained to the militia, and I ended up here,” he said. “The commander said, ‘You need to marry her if you want rights to your child,’ and so I dug trenches.” | Maksim Bondar, 22, was forced to dig after his estranged girlfriend complained to militants that he had threatened her in a custody dispute over their daughter. “She complained to the militia, and I ended up here,” he said. “The commander said, ‘You need to marry her if you want rights to your child,’ and so I dug trenches.” |
| Bogdan Forsenko, 25, said he was riding his bicycle after curfew carrying a jerrycan of gasoline for his car, and was picked up for appearing suspicious. He sweated in the same fetid clothes he wore that night last week, and said he did not know if his relatives knew his whereabouts. | Bogdan Forsenko, 25, said he was riding his bicycle after curfew carrying a jerrycan of gasoline for his car, and was picked up for appearing suspicious. He sweated in the same fetid clothes he wore that night last week, and said he did not know if his relatives knew his whereabouts. |
| “There’s a war, and I had gasoline,” he said, also interviewed with a militant gunman nearby. “What can I say, they didn’t like it.” | “There’s a war, and I had gasoline,” he said, also interviewed with a militant gunman nearby. “What can I say, they didn’t like it.” |
| A deputy prime minister in the insurgency, Vladimir Antyufeyev, conceded in an interview that the summary justice of the militants risked alienating the population and that he intended to separate their police and military functions, and set up courts and prosecutors. | A deputy prime minister in the insurgency, Vladimir Antyufeyev, conceded in an interview that the summary justice of the militants risked alienating the population and that he intended to separate their police and military functions, and set up courts and prosecutors. |
| For now, no court is needed, the commander known as Lukich said, because many detainees confess. More serious offenders go to a secret-police building in Donetsk that is a headquarters for Mr. Strelkov. | For now, no court is needed, the commander known as Lukich said, because many detainees confess. More serious offenders go to a secret-police building in Donetsk that is a headquarters for Mr. Strelkov. |
| Outside that building is a scene of despair. Dozens of women seeking sons or husbands mill about behind a sandbag barrier for a grim nightly ritual. The warden of the makeshift prison emerges to read out family names of the detained, usually numbering about 50. | Outside that building is a scene of despair. Dozens of women seeking sons or husbands mill about behind a sandbag barrier for a grim nightly ritual. The warden of the makeshift prison emerges to read out family names of the detained, usually numbering about 50. |
| “Everybody says we should have gotten out,” said Olya Leonova, who was waiting for news of her brother, Pyotr Dyomin, who is 51, has two children and has not been answering his phone. He could be in a punishment brigade, she said. “I’m hoping that’s where he is now — in his underwear, digging. At least then I would know where he is.” | “Everybody says we should have gotten out,” said Olya Leonova, who was waiting for news of her brother, Pyotr Dyomin, who is 51, has two children and has not been answering his phone. He could be in a punishment brigade, she said. “I’m hoping that’s where he is now — in his underwear, digging. At least then I would know where he is.” |
| Svetlana Rozova, a psychologist who works with refugees in Ukrainian territory for an aid group, Dnepr Help, described in a telephone interview treating former detainees. Some are held in basements for weeks. Some patients had fingernails pulled out or were beaten severely enough to break ribs. “They all arrive in a state of shock,” she said. “They don’t understand what has happened to them, they don’t accept it. They are crying. They are fearful, aggressive. This is not a small matter. People’s psychological health is broken by these experiences.” | Svetlana Rozova, a psychologist who works with refugees in Ukrainian territory for an aid group, Dnepr Help, described in a telephone interview treating former detainees. Some are held in basements for weeks. Some patients had fingernails pulled out or were beaten severely enough to break ribs. “They all arrive in a state of shock,” she said. “They don’t understand what has happened to them, they don’t accept it. They are crying. They are fearful, aggressive. This is not a small matter. People’s psychological health is broken by these experiences.” |