Apr 28, 2015

Ukrainian paratroopers block Right Sector base

Ukrainian volunteers of the ‘Right Sector’ battalion shoot in response to sniper fire near Pisky on Oct. 29. European Pressphoto Agency

UNIAN news agency reports:

The Head of the Information Centre of “Right Sector” Artem Skoropadsky confirmed that there are units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the Right Sector volunteer battalion base in the area of the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation]. He said this in a statement to UNIAN.

“Directly adjacent to our base near Pisky are units of the Armed Forces, but it is not clear what is happening. Recall that recently Right Sector was negotiating the legalization of the battalion with the Defense Ministry and the General Staff. We were promised that everything would be fine, because the current situation is not clear. Now we have to question those who are giving orders to surround our base that has been protecting the east of the country since the first day” — he said.

The Head of the Information Centre of “Right Sector” also reminded that recently the leader of Right Sector Dmytro Yarosh agreed to accept the post of adviser to head of the General Staff. According to Skoropadsky, there are currently online negotiations with representatives of the Armed Forces. “We expect developments,” — he stressed.

Earlier he reported that, for the first time in the history of the participation of the volunteer battalion in the ATO, heavy Ukrainian army weaponry is deployed near the base. “There is an armored vehicle with its weapon aimed directly at the Right Sector base,” — he said in a statement.

Anna News reports:

The base of the 5th Battalion of the “Right Sector” volunteer corps is blocked the Marines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This said on his Facebook page the chief of Staff of the 5th Battalion AQL of “Right Sector”, Alexander Karas.

“Today at lunch we found that the base of the 5th [battalion] is surrounded. All roads and entrances are blocked by units of the 25th and the 95th Airborne elite teams. In hastily constructed roadblocks are placed BTR-3E1, anti-tank systems, SPG-9, ANC, machine-gun nests, with roads blocked by concrete blocks. All the weapons are aimed at us”- he said.

According to him, the military was in an aggressive mood, demanding documents and weapons’ permits.

“We were able to establish contact with the rank and file and junior commanders and found that they had the task to block us because it was alleged that “Right Sector was going to go to Kiev”, – said Karas. How the confrontation ended was not reported.