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In Eastern Ukraine, Rebel Mockery Amid Independence Celebration In Eastern Ukraine, Rebel Mockery Amid Independence Celebration
(35 minutes later)
DONETSK, Ukraine — On a day when Ukrainians celebrated their independence from the Soviet Union with parades and speeches, pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country staged a grim counter-spectacle: a parade that mocked the national army and celebrated the death and imprisonment of its soldiers.DONETSK, Ukraine — On a day when Ukrainians celebrated their independence from the Soviet Union with parades and speeches, pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country staged a grim counter-spectacle: a parade that mocked the national army and celebrated the death and imprisonment of its soldiers.
In Kiev, the national capital, the Ukrainian Army rolled tanks and armored personnel carriers through the streets, the soldiers saluting crisply to the president and crowds of cheering citizens. In Kiev, the national capital, the Ukrainian Army rolled armored personnel carriers through the streets, the soldiers saluting crisply to the president and crowds of cheering citizens.
The main rebel group in eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk People’s Republic, put on an anti-independence day parade in one of its most provocative public affronts to the Ukrainian government to date. The main rebel group in eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk People’s Republic, put on an anti-independence day show in one of its most provocative public affronts to the Ukrainian government to date, parading captured Ukrainian soldiers on the streets even though the Geneva Conventions’ rules for treating prisoners of war prohibit parading them in public.
In this display, the destroyed tanks were stationary, lined up in Lenin Square, and the parade became the antithesis of a display of marshal glory, consisting of images of defeat and death, watched over by a gawking crowd of thrill seekers. The suggestion of such a parade might have dissuaded the Ukrainians — who are dug in outside the city and have it in their sights — from firing an artillery strike on the provocative gathering.
But with destroyed tanks lined up in Lenin Square, the parade became the antithesis of a display of marshal glory, consisting of images of defeat and death, watched over by a gawking crowd of thrill seekers.
Onlookers peered into demolished, incinerated hulks of machinery destroyed in battle, their Ukrainian crews having met their deaths inside them.Onlookers peered into demolished, incinerated hulks of machinery destroyed in battle, their Ukrainian crews having met their deaths inside them.
Six armored personnel carriers, two artillery pieces and three trucks were lined up in Lenin Square, and separatists paraded captured Ukrainian soldiers on the streets. Six armored personnel carriers, two artillery pieces and three trucks were also in Lenin Square.
The Geneva Conventions’ rules for treating prisoners of war prohibit parading them in public. At one point, 100 or so separatist gunmen stood in front of a statue of Lenin, but then quickly fanned out to the surrounding neighborhoods as booms of artillery rattled the city.
Such a parade might have dissuaded the Ukrainians — who are dug in outside the city and have it in their sights — from firing an artillery strike on the provocative gathering. The promise of a ghoulish spectacle drew a crowd.
At one point, 100 or so separatist gunmen lined up in front of a statue of Lenin, but then quickly fanned out to the surrounding neighborhoods as booms of artillery rattled the city.
Whatever the case, the promise of a ghoulish spectacle drew a crowd.
“I came to look at what they are attacking us with,” Oleg Kolpakov, 46, a plumber, said, eyeing the scorched hulks of armored personnel carriers.“I came to look at what they are attacking us with,” Oleg Kolpakov, 46, a plumber, said, eyeing the scorched hulks of armored personnel carriers.
Still, the main draw of the anti-independence parade, he said, would be the prisoners of war. Although Mr. Kolpakov said he opposed the idea of forcing them to walk through the streets, he wanted to watch if they did. “I’m curious what they look like,” he said. Still, the main draw of the anti-independence parade, he said, would be the prisoners of war. Although Mr. Kolpakov said he opposed the idea of forcing them to walk through the streets, he added, “I’m curious what they look like.”
A separatist soldier standing nearby, who offered only his first name, Vitaly, said the goal was to show how humanely the prisoners were being treated. “We keep them on cots and feed them three times a day,” he said. But the prisoners were nowhere to be seen.A separatist soldier standing nearby, who offered only his first name, Vitaly, said the goal was to show how humanely the prisoners were being treated. “We keep them on cots and feed them three times a day,” he said. But the prisoners were nowhere to be seen.
After a man used a megaphone to urge the crowd to leave and return later in the afternoon for the “main events” to avoid spending hours waiting in the hot sun, most people drifted away.After a man used a megaphone to urge the crowd to leave and return later in the afternoon for the “main events” to avoid spending hours waiting in the hot sun, most people drifted away.
Ukraine’s celebration on Sunday carried more significance than usual after the ouster of Viktor F. Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president, in February, followed by the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia and the outbreak of war with pro-Russian separatist groups in eastern Ukraine.Ukraine’s celebration on Sunday carried more significance than usual after the ouster of Viktor F. Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president, in February, followed by the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia and the outbreak of war with pro-Russian separatist groups in eastern Ukraine.
“The events of the last months became for us a real war, though not a declared one,” Ukraine’s new president, Petro O. Poroshenko, said in a speech in Independence Square in Kiev. “It will possibly go down in history as our national war, the Fatherland War of 2014. It is a war against external aggression: for Ukraine, for its freedom, for honor and glory, for the people and for independence.”“The events of the last months became for us a real war, though not a declared one,” Ukraine’s new president, Petro O. Poroshenko, said in a speech in Independence Square in Kiev. “It will possibly go down in history as our national war, the Fatherland War of 2014. It is a war against external aggression: for Ukraine, for its freedom, for honor and glory, for the people and for independence.”
Ukraine’s military, determined to reconquer eastern areas seized by rebels starting in April, has stepped up a drive to oust them from their last major strongholds, encircling the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk.Ukraine’s military, determined to reconquer eastern areas seized by rebels starting in April, has stepped up a drive to oust them from their last major strongholds, encircling the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Earlier on Sunday, artillery barrages pounded rebel-held towns, including Donetsk, though it was unclear whether the military had intensified the fire for the symbolic holiday weekend, or for other reasons. Ukrainian news media reported more than 60 artillery volleys were fired overnight Saturday into Sunday.Earlier on Sunday, artillery barrages pounded rebel-held towns, including Donetsk, though it was unclear whether the military had intensified the fire for the symbolic holiday weekend, or for other reasons. Ukrainian news media reported more than 60 artillery volleys were fired overnight Saturday into Sunday.
In Donetsk, shells hit a hospital, a morgue and a funeral home shortly after 6 a.m. in a barrage that forced the evacuation of a surgery ward into a basement but caused no injuries, though a body in the morgue was severely damaged, officials said. In shelling on Saturday, at least five people died in Donetsk, the authorities said.In Donetsk, shells hit a hospital, a morgue and a funeral home shortly after 6 a.m. in a barrage that forced the evacuation of a surgery ward into a basement but caused no injuries, though a body in the morgue was severely damaged, officials said. In shelling on Saturday, at least five people died in Donetsk, the authorities said.
An employee of the morgue said the body had been blown apart. The exterior was a tableau of broken glass, shattered masonry and downed electrical wires. The hospital is adjacent to a separatist military garrison in a wooded area, apparently the target.An employee of the morgue said the body had been blown apart. The exterior was a tableau of broken glass, shattered masonry and downed electrical wires. The hospital is adjacent to a separatist military garrison in a wooded area, apparently the target.