On April 12, 2014, an armed unit of saboteurs from Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate entered Sloviansk, led by Igor Strelkov (Girkin), a Russian citizen and special forces officer in the Russian Armed Forces.
Russian special forces, reinforced by Russian-backed gangs, stormed the building of the Sloviansk City Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, as well as the local branch of the Security Service of Ukraine. The terrorists used smoke grenades and tear gas and fired into the air. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, militants supporting the “DPR” fired indiscriminately at buildings. At the police armory, the militants seized at least 400 pistols and 20 assault rifles.
On April 12, 2014, pro-Russian mercenaries also attacked government institutions and local authorities in Druzhkivka and Kramatorsk.
From that day on, an 85-day period of occupation of cities in northern Donetsk Oblast began. The militants set up checkpoints, mined certain buildings, overpasses, and the outskirts of Sloviansk, banned political parties, restricted freedom of speech, and began repressing those perceived as holding pro-Ukrainian views. The militants resisted Ukrainian military forces, kidnapped, tortured, and executed civilians. During the occupation of the city, Ukrainian and foreign journalists, hundreds of ordinary people, and even OSCE representatives were held captive.
Eventually, under these conditions, government offices, shops, and banks ceased to function in the cities, and electricity and water supplies were partially cut off. Thousands of citizens were forced to leave their homes and jobs and seek refuge far from the danger.
Today, the Donetsk region is facing a far more complex scenario of a bloody war. Unfortunately, some cities in Donetsk Oblast have been occupied again, and others have been completely destroyed by the Russians… We believe that, just as 12 years ago, thanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Donetsk Oblast will stand firm.