Report on the first death sentence in the "Donetsk People's Republic" has caused a large-scale splash in the liberal Russian media.
At the same time, it became known about the "sentence" of volunteer of the Azov battalion, Makeyevka dweller Yevgeniy Chudnetsov in Donetsk, who was captured in Shirokino in 2015. "Sentence" is 30 years in prison and two years of restraint. Chudnetsov after being captured was forced to speak in front of cameras of Russian TV crews, making incriminating statements.
As one of the fighter’s comrades told to Novaya Gazeta, "he was tortured with all the passion, teeth were pulled out with pliers - as a result 16 teeth are left. Of course, they beat him. (The absence of teeth and bruising are visible in the video - Auth.). He first was as a prisoner of war. They were brought to work then - clear the Donetsk airport. Then he was transferred to the pretrial detention center. His mother called me and said that they had opened 4 criminal proceedings on him (eventually Chudnetsov was sentenced under two articles of the "CC of the DPR" - for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and training in an extremist organization - Auth.). They wanted to accuse him of torture, humiliation of people, but did not find his specific victims. During that time, while he was in the jail, his mother was diagnosed with a serious disease, and she died within a month. His younger sister and brother remained in Makeyevka. They are living at their distant relatives’ place and waiting for their brother, they don’t want to go anywhere without him. "
Novaya Gazeta also interviewed the "republican" "ombudsman" Daria Morozova and it was her statement that caused a storm of indignation in the media. Mainly because the "Human Rights Commissioner" of the "republic" didn’t clearly understand what the position of ombudsman is, in fact, she approved in this interview the death penalty used in Donetsk Soviet Criminal Code.
"The Ukrainian side has recently submitted a list of 133 men - said, in particular, Morozova. - Supposedly, according to their information, we’ve got them. I am certain to say that we haven’t got these people, only about three dozen left. We haven’t got civil captives. We have got only war captives, taken in battle. We’ve got evidence that they really killed, civilians died because of their fault. Those who were innocent, ordinary mobilized: drivers, paramedic officers, and those who didn’t commit a crime, have long been exchanged. And those that were left, were mostly captured near Ilovaysk. Some are charged with rape, murder and abuse. Regarding the Minsk negotiations. I submitted the first list of about 1490 people. We knew exactly that all those people were in pretrial detention center in Ukraine, all of them were criminally charged. At the moment the list has 1204 people. Ukraine says that they know location of 465 people, but they say they have no idea where 800 people are. Although in reality the guys are there. The number of militias on this list is about 400 people and a little more than 500 people are political prisoners. These are people who either held a referendum or were in favour of the "LPR" and "DPR". Still about 200 people are ordinary civilians, who were taken to the exchange bank. When Tandit (Yuriy Tandem - adviser to the head of the SSU - Auth.) was engaged in exchanges, they were catching people just to exchange then."
"Ukrainian prisoners of war who are now charged in accordance with the Criminal Code, will be, as you say, sentenced. Can some of them be sentenced to death by a court decision of the "DPR"? "- asked the Novaya correspondent the Donetsk "ombudsmana". "Absolutely - she replied. - As stated by Ukraine in the Minsk agreements in one paragraph: release all illegally detained and captives. We haven’t got illegally detained, we haven’t got captives.They are all already under investigation."
In response, the observer of Novaya Gazeta and member of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation Leonid Nikitinsky in his article in the Novaya noted that "firstly, we do not fully understand who appointed Daria Morozova on the post of Ombudsman. Secondly, according to the model of an authorized, adopted in the Russian Federation (if the institution is copied from Russia), the Commissioner for Human Rights cannot act in support of the death penalty, as it is contrary to international conventions on human rights."
"Even more difficult with "prisoners of war". In December 1954 the Soviet Union ratified the Geneva Convention of 1949 "On the treatment of prisoners of war" and all the former Soviet republics also automatically were considered as members. The Convention (Art. 3) subjects to the requirements of humane treatment of war prisoners and persons participating in hostilities "in case of armed conflict that is not of an international character occurring on the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties." Since Ukraine, in this case, is a "High Contracting Party" and a conflict occurred on its territory, it (and Russia) should be subject to the requirements of the Convention. But the "DPR" is not a party of international agreements. In principle, guarantees of the Geneva Convention do not apply to ordinary crimes committed outside the context of military operations. The state on territory of which prisoners are kept has the right to judge them, but in this case the same guarantees should be applied to prisoners as to its own citizens. But it’s strange to consider this situation, when we do not understand, who appointed the judges and how to ensure their, at least formal, independence from other authorities in the "DPR".
"Not a bit easier are matters relating to the Criminal Code of the "DPR" that we know only that it basically copies the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR in 1960 and the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - wrote Nikitsky. – Though there is formally a death penalty in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation but in accordance with decisions of the Constitutional Court it can not be applied since1997. Criminal Code of Ukraine abolished the death penalty in 2001".
"From all this it can be concluded that the persons captured by armed groups of the "DPR" should be treated as captives. "Officials" of the DPR" act out their fate in this status, hoping to negotiate with the internationally recognized states. Recognition of the "DPR" in the case of the death penalty is even less likely, but it does not seem that the "DPR" leaders care about the issue now, - he concluded.
Accused
The Gazeta.ru, in its turn, told who was the man sentensed to death by "Donetsk Republic". According to the author, he is some Cossack Anatoliy Yakubenko. It was emphasized that the "verdict" had not been carried out yet, and the offender may even be pardoned. "Yakubenko is known enough in the DPR, - mentioned the article. - Now he is charged with the execution with his personal Stechkin of two 23-year-old girls on March 8th, 2015. The Cossack’s hands are in blood pretty long. Although the verdict was announced by the head of the tribunal, the case against Yakubenko is considered by civil Supreme Court. In the pictures of the court trial a crying relative of one of the Cossack’s victims is seen without understanding why he shot the girl that didn’t threaten him. According to the case file, the Cossacks were celebrating in a cafe in the town of Larino and there scuffle started. Two young girls, who rejected Yakubenko, were, according to the investigation, shot and finished off with headshots by Yakubenko, and then he buried them nearby in the field.
"He is a tough Cossack, - stated Gazeta.ru. – Fellow-countryman of Daria Morozova, born in Makeyevka Anatoliy Yakubenko participated in the local Don Cossacks group, that was defeated in the last days of April 2015 in Donetsk. The headquarters of the Cossacks was in the fashionable Prague hotel in the city center next to the university ponds. The group also had four military bases and received money by controlling two major urban market. Yakubenko dealt with one of these markets – Sokol. The market was renamed in Cossack privoz and Anatoliy Yakubenko was a director there at some point. Money from the entrepreneurs was muscled in on by different methods. The most legitimate was a sharp rise of "mestovoy" (monthly fee for trading in the market). In November 2014 trade collapsed, the market was in the area of attacks in the Tekstilshchik neighborhood straightly 4 km from the Ukrainian Maryenka. And Cossacks raised trade fee too sharply. Entrepreneurs began to rebel. In November 2014 Sergiyenko family, that owned trading spot in the market, inadvertently called themselves the leaders of the protest action of entrepreneurs against unjustified fee increases. They were captured on November 30th, 2014 and the story of Sergiyenko family was firstly made public by one of the supporters of the Novorossia journalist Alexander Chalenko".
"Anna Sergiyenko told in that sensational interview: "My husband and I were kept in, mildly saying, a dog kennel, size was 1.5 by 1.5 meters, they called it "a glass", it was dark and cold. It is a concrete building with a metal door and a roof (warehouse). They took out property and documents. <...> We spent 75 days in captivity and they would have kept us longer, if the husband hadn’t run away. Therefore, I am sure that we were kept by Cossacks <...> I saw their location. They kept is for six or seven days in the Mayska Street and then for 68-69 days in a building site of the metro in Budyonnovsk district of Donetsk. I had known before what hunger was but there I learned what a thirst was and bear until the last the need to go to a toilet. There was a bucket beside the bench, it was rarely picked up. My stomach was hurting very much after that, I had cystitis, suffered from pneumonia <...> even when I was "burning", it was easier, it seemed that I could fall sleep and not wake up, or rather, wake up in a different place. And darkness <...> also presses. Loneliness <...> alone with my thoughts. I cried a lot, asked for mercy, did not understand what for I deserved such a torture. They were deaf to the requests of my relatives to inform about my and Vitya’s location, did not allow to call. I was told that I wasn’t being looked for, and relatives were killed, probably, another kind of torture."
"After the flight of her husband and publicity, Anna was taken with a sack on her head and released in the field on February 12th, 2015, - continues the correspondent of Gazeta.ru. - Even then, she complained that the DPR police arrested only Anatoly Yakubenko of all her kidnappers. Perhaps his hands were completely in blood and it decided to punish him according to the stringent laws of the DPR. Yakubenko’s trial began in October, but it somehow wasn’t covered on the pages of the national media. The topic of violence, looting, hostage-taking is not the most comfortable. Hence, it can explain the shock of the current statement. Although the death penalty in the DPR is not new. Former commander of one of the towns of the DPR told Gazeta.ru that, according to his calculations, about 100-150 cases of the death penalty were executed without court decisions only during the first eight months of active hostilities in 2014. "
With all the horror stories associated with the prisoners and captives, they, unfortunately, are not limited to odd and criminal actions by the "republican" and Russian sides. Something weird is also happening on the Ukrainian side. Novaya Gazeta published several articles on the case of Russian Oleg Khlyupin who had been caught by Aydar fighters in Luhansk region, where he had arrived to take his blind father to the Russian Federation. Novaya is sure that Khlyupin was also tortured to give his self-incrimination. His case has been recently transferred from the court of Kiev to Starobelsk court of Luhansk region. Novaya Gazeta believes that it was done to complete the process not in a public way.
"Khlyupin’s transfer to the pretrial detention center in Starobelsk has a number of very difficult and unpleasant consequences, - it said, in particular, in this article. - It is the ATO area the access to which is limited for journalists, representatives of international human rights organizations and even lawyers. It should be noted that Khlyupin almost did not get any support from the Russian authorities in Kiev. Russian consul general in Kiev Alexander Grubyi visited him only once. He also did not receive support from international human rights organizations such as the Red Cross or the OSCE. Since the transfer to Starobelsk, Khlyupin actually became isolated: lawyer Valentin Rybin hasn’t visited him since the end of December. Nobody sends Khlupin necessary things, including personal hygiene and he has got no relatives in Ukraine except for the blind father."
"Khlyupin is treated in the Starobelsk jail as a dangerous criminal - says the correspondent of Novaya Gazeta. - My sources say that he is placed not only in the punitive confinement but also in "sweatboxes". Khlyupin had serious health problems, he suffered from bilateral pneumonia, but now his condition is improving. Interrogation under torture began already in Kiev. The first attempt of the official documentation of the use of violence against him took place eight months later. In January, during the escorting from Kiev to prison in Kharkov, as far as I know, actions like torture were taken in relation to Khlyupin. Khlyupin is not only required to admit his guilt, but was also offered to receive Ukrainian citizenship, promising that in that case all his problems will be in the past. Khlyupin rejects such proposals."
Frozen conflict and its veterans
A few stories on the status of "republics" in the east of Ukraine are covered in Meduza article. Its correspondent interviewed several Russians who fought in Ukraine and that's what they told.
Alexander Nelyubin, nickname Krest, St. Petersburg: "Before the war, my friend and I rented a small grocery store in Leningrad region, I used to be a businessman. I went to Donbass in July 2014. Of course, to defend our Russian world from attacks of the West. I had to face the enemy. My blood began to boil after the events in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa. I recalled the words of Vladimir Vysotsky's in the Ballad of struggle: "If you did not fight with the villain, the executioner, then in your life you did nothing and was nothing." I took the oath of the DPR in August 2014. I served in the reconnaissance and sabotage group - special unit Kalmius. Then in another place. I was together with a few soldiers - they said that they were from the RMI. The commander of my reconnaissance group also said that he was from there. There was support from Russia, of course. At first, from volunteers and patriotic organizations. Later, of course, there was a very good supply. We seized weapons ourselves and then brand new weapons, still in the grease, began to come".
"Then I returned home - we are not needed. I did not have consent with the local command on many issues. Plus, my wife is ill, she needs care. Almost all of my comrades left long ago. And the murder of [Aleksey] Mozgovoy and other worthy commanders especially contributed to this decision. Everyone understands who did it - the authorities of "people's republics". Because of money and insubordination. All the products of the humanitarian convoys were in the markets the next day. Aid and medicines from Russia were plundered by Cossacks and other entities controlled by the heads of states. Now many guys outrage about silence on television. As if someone deliberately ignores the real situation. But people are still dying there. It was very difficult to get back to civilian life after that. The wife was worried about my state of mind. I was unaccustomed to the silence. When drinking, I recalled my comrades and wanted to go back to the war. I drank Corvalol. I lost control over the store, which I rented with a friend before the war. A friend brought me into debt – he sold goods and then fled."
Aleksander Fomichenko, nickname Lopar, Murmansk: "The attitude of the population was good. I remember when we were in Krasny Luch, we went to the yard to sit and rest. Grandfather came up to us and asked how you could join militia. We answered him that he could appeal to the local commandant. But he said: "No, I want to join the unit of Russians!". Then they started to pay for the service and the money was good according to local standards. Many Russians refused not to be under an article about mercenary. Locals joined immediately. "
"There was a case when two of my friends were killed by the glorious [separatist] Zarya battalion, consisting of locals. They got drunk and shot at our car. Maybe they had already delirium tremens, I do not know. It happened that the enemy had all of our lists of personnel. Two of our guys were captured and it was clear that there was an information leak among ours. Betrayal. And not so long ago one of the senior officers simply defected to the side of the enemy. We began to fear not strangers, but friends."
As reported by the RBK last week, "experts close to the Kremlin, of the Center of political conjuncture reconsidered predictions for resolution of the conflict in the south-east of Ukraine. The most likely scenario is, in their opinion, freezing the conflict for years, if not forever, according to the report "The endless impasse. State and prospects of a political resolution between Ukraine and republics of Donbass" that was presented today. Experts estimated the probability of implementing the pessimistic scenario of freezing the conflict for many years in the amount of 50%."
"The report, submitted by the end of December, says that the most likely scenario is freezing the conflict for 3-5 years, but a new report suggests that probability of its implementation is estimated as 30%, - explains the RBK. - The probability of "catastrophic scenario" of the resumption of hostilities or permanent collisions, leading to blockage of the negotiation process for an indefinite period is estimated as 15%. Nobody is interested in this scenario right now, experts believe: the parties to the conflict do not have sufficient resources for a fundamental change in the military situation in their favour. Experts believe that the optimistic scenario of reintegration of the uncontrolled territories with Ukraine before the end of this year is the least likely to happen (only 5%)."
"Reconsideration of the conflict development is connected with several factors, among them there is the situation in Ukraine, change of attitude towards the prospects for resolution by intermediaries, explains the general director of the Center of political conjecture in Russia Aleksey Chesnakov. Permanent political crisis, which can lead to the weakening of the pro-government coalition in the parliament and even the resignation of the Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, may adversely affect the fulfillment of the Minsk agreements inside Ukraine. The second factor is a significant increase of time for submission to the procedure of the second reading of the amendments to the constitution on the special status of Donbass, as the expert points out. The parliament can make a decision on this matter till September, the amendments are also connected with the adoption of laws on the special status and elections, and consensus has not been found in terms of electoral options in recent months, the parties still insist on five points, explains Chesnakov. Ukrainian resolution may pale into significance for European mediators - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, as both of them will face elections next year; Russia also continues to demand the literal fulfillment of the Minsk agreements, as it is unprofitable for Moscow to retreat and take treat from Kiev, Chesnakov points."
"Soon there will be no Ukraine"
But Russian television shows the war at its height.
"After the BBC demonstrated its poisonous opus "The Third World War in the command post", attributing expansionist intentions to Russians, Dmitry Kiselyov wondered: " What is the mission of the BBC and what is the mission and responsibility of the media in general? BBC corporation provides nuclear paranoia, makes up something unimaginable, it is covered in mud and wants to cover others with it,"- ironically wrote the correspondent of Novaya Gazeta. - He, the white pageant of peace, of course, never created nuclear paranoia. And speaking about the nuclear ashes in which Russia could suddenly and simply turn America into, he just reminded foreigners of the potential of the great country. Foreigners got seriously scared and created propaganda "nonsense", which now scares the world. "For me it is also a personal drama, - admits Kiseloyv in the final part of his cycle "The Englishwoman plays dirty tricks." - In the late 80's - early 90's I, as well as many of my colleagues, considered journalistic standard of the BBC to be prototype. We wanted to be the same. Disillusionment gradually came. And now there are no options: BBC is just a mess. It burnt itself. Internal standard is the dirt."
"The topic, so brilliantly disclosed by Kiselyov on the Russia 1 channel, was picked up and developed in the Structura momenta programme on the Pervyi channel, - continues the Novaya. - Director Tigran Keosayan was angry about the situation: "They say that the Russian TV is propaganda. And what about them?". Journalist Alexander Gurney, now protecting Russian interests on the RT channel, denouncing that BBC, shouted:" If I had made such a movie on our TV, I would be fired ... And all would be fired if we dared to throw mud at other country without any reason." Polish political scientist Jacob Koreyba immediately replied: "You say that the fascist khunta is in Ukraine." "That's right", - said in unison advocates of the freedom of speech. "The only country in the world that respects international law is Russia ... EU can’t not be compared ... Before you tell us, you had rather settle down your own issues... We tell the truth and they lie," – yelled Russian patriots, interrupting each other. Closer to the final, the most peaceful and tolerant participant of the programme Zhirinovsky suddenly blurted out: "Now the troops of the Southern Federal District are moving to the borders of Ukraine and Turkey. Let them think about their future." Polish colleague retorted: "And such a country can be loved". "We have done nothing to be blamed for," - Zhirinovsky shouted."
"The Russian viewer accustomed to the word war for two years of the rabid television - this is an article of Ezhednyevnyi zhurnal.- Television has recently strongly introduced the concept of the "Third World War". They have introduced it to such an extend so that people do not flinch when they hear between sports news and weather forecast phrase that the third world war is almost inevitable. They talked about the war with some sympathy, even with home warmth at Vladimir Solovyov’s Voskresnyi Vecher. General Ivashov said what was happening in Syria and that was a prologue to the great war. Expert Semen Bagdasarov countered immediately that the war was already taking place. However, he meant clearly not the war against terrorist "state" but against Turkey and tried to tell exactly how they should fight against Turks. But presenter Solovyov and deputy Zheleznyak immediately began to hiss at him, so that he did not disclose stratagems on the federal air as Turks can hear and prepare. Then there was a small dispute between deputy Zheleznyak and General Ivashov whether NATO would participate in the war on the side of Turkey, if war began. Deputy Zheleznyak claimed I wouldn’t but General Ivashov said that he had known NATO for a long time and, therefore, he did not exclude that it might participate. Of course, there were the words "the third world war", but Solovyov reassured all, saying that Russia does not like to fight, but if you hurt it, it will fight its best. Everyone in the studio loved it, it was obvious that no one was afraid of the third world war."
"Once again, the topic of the third world was talked about in the next part of Voskresnyi Vecher, that didn’t discuss Syria but Ukraine - continues YeZh. - When all the people in the studio began to discuss seriously the prospects of military resolution of the Ukrainian issue, Ukrainian expert Vyacheslav Kovtun surprisingly asked: "Are you going to fight against the whole world?" Solovyov answered proudly: "We are doing this on a regular basis! And the world does not like it. "
"Being a dreamer, Solovyov selects experts of one piece. On Sunday they collectively dreamt about Ukraine. In particular, how it will perish. How it will fall apart into pieces. If you watch Solovyov’s Voskresnyi Vecher programmes for two years (I am saying that figuratively, in fact, I wouldn’t wish the enemy to do that), it becomes clear that Ukraine had to fall apart at the latest one and a half years ago, well, in extreme cases, in the autumn of 2014. So, anyway, the same experts told that and today they are discussing the inevitable collapse of Ukraine. Experts never explained why this did not happen, what the reasons were for the non-requirement of the neighboring country. But they predict again that Ukraine will perish soon."
At this time, the cause of the self-destruction of Ukraine will certainly be the resignation of the Minister of Economic Development and Trade Abromavicius. This resignation has produced incredible excitement in the minds of Solovyov experts. We can understand them. Ambassadors of several Western countries, including the US Ambassador, spoke publicly against the resignation. It was perceived in Solovyov’s studio as conclusive evidence that Ukraine is under external control and the US Ambassador decides all issues there. Perhaps, it seemed to me, but at that very moment the inhabitants of Solovyov studio had a logical disruption: if the US Ambassador is against Abromavicius resignation and the resignation took place, what does it mean? Don’t all people in Ukraine obey American Ambassador? It just ruins the pattern! "
"It’s very simple in terms of a link between Abromavicius resignation and the self-destruction of Ukraine. The resignation of the minister in the minds of the experts somehow miraculously transformed into the resignation of the government, and already this resignation not least miraculously transformed into the elections. And then all the experts suddenly shouted that after elections Ukraine will disintegrate immediately. Ukrainian journalist Yanina Sokolovskaya was the first to inform this good news. After that, for some reason, she demanded Russian intelligence services to work thoroughly in Ukraine. This requirement frightened even Solovyov, who asked: "What security services?" "Yes, the Russian!" - angrily confirmed dull Ukrainian journalist. Solovyov was so surprised that he did not start to specify, why Ukrainian journalist wanted Russian security services to increase the quality of their work in Ukraine."
"Political analyst Sergey Mikheyev made an important contribution to the understanding of what will happen to Ukraine after its perishment. He explained that when Ukraine split up, NATO troops would immediately enter its western regions. And it's very good for us (meaning for Russia), happily continued political analyst Mikheyev, as Russian troops would immediately enter the other regions of Ukraine. I got the impression that the analyst Mikheyev confused time and place, perhaps deciding that now it’s September 1939 on the calendar, Ukraine instead of Poland, which was then divided between Hitler and Stalin,"- wrote the correspondent of the Ezhednevnyi Zhurnal.
"Transnational corporation captured the Ukrainian land for its experiments"
The TV channel Russia 24 stood out last week by another amazing story of a series of "European integration horrors".
Monsanto is engaged in the production of transgenic seeds and poisons for their processing, - stated in it. – They are not allowed to go to Europe as there is a strict ban on GMOs. Ukraine, affected by war, is not against any more. The Agreement of European Integration states the development of biotechnology as mandatory and unquestioning. There is no one except one guard in the yard of the former collective farm-millionaire named after Gorkiy. The dairy farm is devastated. The last cattle were sold to the meat-packing plant not so long ago. Milkmaids and calf-women were fired. Farmer Vladimir Ivashchenko – the new owner - decided to deal only with the land. He grows corn according to the American technology from American seeds. He was awarded with a trip abroad by the Monsanto company for high performance. DEKALB hybrid corn is stored in the bunkers. These are the seeds which the Monsanto company supplies. They have been sowing only these seeds in Zhuravsk for five years. They get a super harvest - more than 140 tons per hectare. Thus, transnational corporation indirectly - through the local farmer - is seizing the land for its experiments."
"Americans are interested in Ukrainian black soil, but still cannot buy - the country has a moratorium on the sale of land to foreigners. However, Monsanto does not insist strongly. They already control the agriculture, infecting Ukraine through local farmers, showering with transgenic corn and herbicides." They come as a good clown to a children's hospital, saying: we will give you toys and almost for free, they hand over their seed to producers, thereby putting them on a needle like a drug addict, because using GMO seeds once, you’ll never switch to another,"- said Sergey Raksha, executive director of the Truth about food NGO.
"The West sees prospects of 32 million hectares of black soil - a third of all arable land in Europe - continues this curious opus Russia. - The world's third largest exporter of corn. The fifth on wheat exports. Ukraine is gradually being converted into a colony. 2.5 million hectares of arable land have been already leased to foreign companies. "If Monsanto spreads GMOs in Ukraine, they will spread in Russia. And as soon as everything is infected, legislation against GMO will be meaningless," - said political scientist and economist Paul Craig Roberts. Monsanto is inviolable in the USA. The corporation is protected by the government. The list of lobbyists includes employees of the US government and even Hilary Clinton herself. And almighty Bill Gates is among its shareholders. But they need land for further experiments and Ukraine is ready.
And finally again on unfunny. Novaya Gazeta is showing what is happening in the Russian media sphere on one particular example.
"Reaction of the Crimean Informer news portal appealed to the Federal Security Service and the Investigative Committee with a statement on extremism, - starts the report. - Journalists ask to "assess" the work of their colleagues from Forpost online magazine in Sevastopol. "We, the editorial staff of the Crimean Informer news portal, as the citizens of the Russian Federation, are concerned that there are is a large number of comments of the extremist character on the Forpost private internet website on a regular basis for a long time there - said the statement posted on the Informer website. - You are kindly requested, in accordance with the Russian Federation legislation, to assess the actions of Forpost private resource and take appropriate measures."
The attached file included Forpost readers' comments. There were two hard-hitting poems about Vladimir Putin, harsh statements in address of Sevastopol authorities and even one comment stating that Sevastopol is mentally Ukrainians not Russian among them."
So far no action has been taken on the part of the IC and the FSS regarding our publication," - said "new" editor in chief of Forpost Katerina Bubnova. According to her, comments which Informer complained on were removed by moderators three minutes after they had appeared. "Apparently, someone was very diligent to see comments or knew that the described comments would appear at a specific time and recorded them in a three-minute period of time. We are ready to show the admin interface of our website to the agencies," - says Bubnova."
Review prepared by Sophia Perovskaya, OstroV