Vitaly Milonov: ‘The way people live in Ukraine now – the dictate of oligarchs’

'They decided to save a life instead of destroying it'

I have visited Gorlovka and Zaytsevo — a settlement in front of Gorlovka, quite an intense line. It was another humanitarian convoy. I have long ago been authorized by the Supreme Council of the Donetsk Republic to be one of the representatives for humanitarian affairs in Saint Petersburg. In fact, I still do this, whenever possible, and if there is something to bring I go there. It is interesting to me, since the humanitarian centre operates here, my helpers — in Gorlovka, by the way — we also work here, help people.

During our trip, first of all, we helped children's home, as well as the shelter for those young girls under the age of 18 who became mothers. They, despite everything, decided to give birth to a child. In this Gorlovka, in such difficult economic situation, they have made the right choice and it is a matter of principle for us — that we can help because they decided to save a life instead of destroying it.

'Victory Day now has a special significance for Donetsk citizens — the day of the victory over fascism. Fascism for us is a part of more than 70-years history.' Photo: sergs-inf.livejournal.com

'Shift change of foreign mercenaries' and a temporary ceasefire

Victory Day now has a special significance for the Donbass citizens — the day of the victory over fascism. Fascism for us is a part of more than 70-years history. In the Donbass people are facing with contemporary fascism — in the face of all sorts of Ukrainian punitive detachments and battalions of rabid nationalists. There, in the Donbass, people literally repeat the feat of our grandfathers – they fight and defeat the heirs of the ideology of Hitler and Bandera.

Despite the fact that my visit to the Donetsk Republic coincided with Victory Day celebration, I did not participate in the official processions. I bought and brought the Victory Day gifts for the families of the casualties. As I found out, the veterans have been honoured here, thank God. But Victory Day is also the day for those who did not live until this moment, but not those 70 years ago — in our days. I received a list of all families of the casualties in the military commissariat of Gorlovka, we made very good gifts and handed them closer to 9 May.

It is gratifying to note that this time closer to 9 May it was a ceasefire, and as usual, from our side there has not been heard a single shot. Also, it is great that there almost haven't been heard shots from the Ukrainian army. It is can be explained by the fact that, in my experience and observations, this time they, apparently, had a shift change, and now on the front line there are almost no foreign mercenaries.

'The armed conflict between the Central and Eastern Ukraine — this is not some kind of domestic story, it's uncontrolled by the central authorities thing.' Photo: donbass.ua

Today's armed conflict between the Central and Eastern Ukraine — it is not some kind of domestic story, it is uncontrolled by the central authorities thing. I can tell you that among them there are a lot of those who fight and shoot at the civilian population, the militias, who, by the way, were given the command not to start any armed attack. Of course, these armed mercenaries are from abroad: Polish snipers, Georgians, who are hired by Turkey, and, unfortunately, those who due to certain influences leaving the Arab countries. It is those who needlessly associate themselves with Islam, to which they are definitely irrelevant. It is those who kills Muslims. Now they, unfortunately, began to move to Ukraine. Ukraine now becomes the next place where those people are concentrated who are trying to do absolutely terrible terrorist activities, instead of trying to stop the armed confrontation and going back to their families.

I saw with my own eyes what these crazy ghouls were doing with the houses and property of peaceful civilians. There are no military reasons for the cruelty which they do. To destroy a dwelling of a pensioner? To make a veteran homeless? They can do it. I have the impression that the task of the Ukrainian armed forces is to make this area unsuitable for future life. It is pure Nazi tactics.

'I would send Petersburg officials of housing and communal services there...'

Spring is beautiful anywhere. The Donbass — a beautiful and amazing land. The cities of the Donetsk Peoples Republic are now actively being rebuilt after the destructions that the Ukrainian punishers brought. The roads are being repaired, buildings, people live a peaceful and active life. I can say that in six months or a year, God forbid, the Donbass citizens will have brought the cities and villages in order and will have erased the traces of war from their streets and houses.

Utilities… well, what utilities can be there? I would send Petersburg officials of housing and communal services there so they can see how in the situation when there is no money and no opportunities the city is kept clean – the streets are clean, trees are painted, the lawns are clean. It is really amazing thing. I can say that it is not only due to the efforts of the janitors – it is common efforts that are aimed to restore a peaceful life.

'Spring is beautiful anywhere. The Donbass — a beautiful and amazing land. The cities of the Donetsk Peoples Republic are now actively being rebuilt after the destructions.' Photo: gorlovka.today

I can honestly say that I really like people there. Those who was a coward, a craven, those who was a toady, a worthless person — they all have left. Unwanted people went to Ukraine, and many ordinary people who do not want to share the severity of their homeland, they went away. Therefore, those who remained, not all, but most of them are patriots. Especially those who lived there during the acute phase of the war. Of course, you can see those who under the guise of refugees went to Russia, and then came back and now trying to pin some medals, to enter the service. The people who have survived this horror, they are the absolute bearers of this light and pure ideas of independent Novorossiya, independent Donbass. It is those from whom we, to some extent, should take an example.

People crave for the normalization of life. Therefore, cafes are being opened, coffee shops. I really like a coffee shop in Gorlovka, absolutely non-military, with different sorts of coffee. Of course, the prices are low here, but you come here and feel that there's no war. Only sometimes in the cafe there are visitors in a uniform, with walkie-talkies, in camouflage.

I would like to note once again that the chaos has ceased in Gorlovka — now there is no these uncoordinated, not obeying to anyone but themselves battalions. Now there is an act for the People's Republic of Donetsk, but earlier, a year or two ago, it was hard: there was a battalion, the other, and other, people with calls, something was lost, something could be taken away from someone, but now there is an absolute order. Everything is fine, the authority has taken everything into their own hands, and it is right. Many whined about the fact that these spontaneously formed groups were disbanded, but the state can't live with a bunch of armed people who obey no one, — the weapons must be only in the hands of the state.

'I think that the authorities of the Donetsk Republic should leave some ruins in the city as a reminder and a memorial. In order not to forget about the true nature of people, who is now the power in Ukraine.' Photo: reuters.com

First germs of a peaceful, normal life in Donbass

During my visit I haven't met with the leadership of the Republic — I do it on purpose, because I go there just to try to help specific people. For example, I try to bring walkie talkies to people from the army so they could coordinate. Just recently two soldiers have been blown up in stretching, which was established by a Ukrainian subversive group. I bring walkie talkies, night-vision devices — all to ensure the safety and peaceful life of civilians. As for meeting with the authorities… I just see these huge crowds of people, who with a box of humanitarian aid, lined with flags, banners, going through Donetsk or Lugansk, positioning themselves as some cool activists, I do not know to whom they do these reports. We completely remove this PR — we don't need it.

I see that now in the South-East of Ukraine there is a brand new, good life and there is no need to fear that someone will accuse us of supporting the separatists. These people just do not want to live as people live now in Ukraine. Because it is not life, it's really a distate of the oligarchs, the political madness. I think that the authorities of the Donetsk Republic should leave some ruins in the city as a reminder and a memorial. In order not to forget about the true nature of people who is the power in Ukraine now.

I believe that we should not be afraid for Russia, for that Russia politically, diplomatically, protects life and peace of those who do not want to obey this machine of chaos. I am very happy that we are moving away from a military confrontation, the degree of military tension. I hope, soon it will noticeably go down because people who live there, they don't want to fight – they want to build their homes, families, they want to do their own business, to graze cattle there, to grow wheat, to work in the mines. I already see the first germs of a peaceful, normal life, which is now sprouting in the Donbass.