What really pushed Crimea away from Ukraine

From the Russian MFA WHITE BOOK ON VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW IN UKRAINE (NOVEMBER 2013 — MARCH 2014)

February 19, 2014. Near the town of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky (Cherkassy region), several buses with passengers, who were returning to Crimea from protests against European integration at St. Michael’s Square in Kiev, were fired upon and stopped at the barricades, where the flags of the UPA, the Udar (Strike) party and AUU Svoboda were flying. The people, both men and women, were dragged out of the buses through a «corridor» of militants who beat them with bats and entrenching shovels.

Then the passengers were knocked down in a heap on the roadside, doused with gasoline, and threatened to be set on fire. According to witnesses, militants from the crowd shouted: «Just wait, we’re going to come and get you in Crimea. We are going to stab you and shoot you, that is, those of you who we haven’t already beaten to a pulp and shot up yet». After that, many Crimeans were forced to take off their shoes «for the needs of Maidan soldiers», and they were driven around the buses like cattle and forced to pick up the broken glass. The humiliation and abuse continued for several hours. There were casualties among the victims. Most of the buses were burned. The local police, who arrived at the scene, chose not to intervene.

More here:Korsun massacre anniversary – what really pushed Crimea away from Ukraine

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Filed under: conflict zones, latest, Ukraine