Vice News: Russian Roulette - The Invasion of Ukraine – Season June 2014
Episodes
Delivering Bulletproof Vests to the Ukrainian Army
Meet Yuri Kasyanov, a Ukrainian activist who raises money from ordinary people to buy supplies for the Ukrainian army, and every day risks his life to deliver them to the front lines. VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky met up with Kasyanov in eastern Ukraine and traveled with him to checkpoints as he supplied soldiers with flak jackets and food. As the crisis in Ukraine continues, it has become more apparent that the government isn't efficiently taking care of its own forces. But as Petro Poroshenko's presidency begins, the prospect of change is appearing to be possible.
Ukraine Swears In a New President
Ukraine put an end to months of political chaos by swearing in a new president who vowed to restore the country's territorial integrity. Petro Poroshenko, a powerful oligarch before his election, will now have to prove to Ukrainians that he will be able to change the system that made him wealthy while fighting a war against pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Surrounded by War In Sloviansk
On Sunday, recently elected President Petro Poroshenko vowed he would end two months of fighting with rebels in eastern Ukraine by the end of the week. Last week, however, the Ukrainian army suffered a series of setbacks in the Luhansk region and lost control of several checkpoints along the Russian border. Separatist groups now say they have occupied up to 125 miles of the frontier, allowing for fighters, weapons and other goods to move across from the east. VICE News headed to a checkpoint in Luhansk to talk with a Cossack commander about his group's operations there and find out how he is "preparing for war." In the towns of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, shelling is on the rise. Some civilians in the area were able to pack their belongings and flee, yet many more local residents are unable to leave. From housewives, to students, to local farmers, all are feeling the effects of the continuing crisis.
Bombings Force Sloviansk Residents to Flee
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has not yet entered into all-out war, but every day and every week the situation is becoming more fraught. Despite Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's call for a ceasefire, shelling has persisted in the rebel stronghold of Sloviansk. VICE News visited a section of Sloviansk that was recently struck by an attack, and spoke with the residents about the chaos of the attack and its aftermath. We also visited a local hospital and spoke with medical workers who have stayed behind to treat the increasing number of wounded. Caught up in the standoff, and facing gas and water shortages, residents across eastern Ukraine have been fleeing for safety. According to Kiev, some 120,000 people have been internally displaced from the region and are currently seeking refuge in Russia and elsewhere across the country as the area's humanitarian crisis worsens.
Separatists Shoot Down Ukrainian Plane
Last Saturday, pro-Russia separatists shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane in the eastern city of Luhansk, killing 49. It was the deadliest incident since the conflict in eastern Ukraine broke out in April. The country's military has been struggling to regain control over the porous border with Russia as separatists continue to set up checkpoints and engage in sporadic fighting. Meanwhile, civilians are fleeing from towns in the area to avoid being caught in the crossfire. VICE News is in Luhansk to meet some of the separatist men and women who are determined to keep battling the government at any cost.
Shelling Continues in Separatist Stronghold
While the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France are discussing the fate of eastern Ukraine during the country's weeklong ceasefire, the eastern city of Slovyansk — which is occupied by the rebel forces and surrounded by the Ukrainian army — remains under siege. Amid consistent clashes, residents are gathering to mourn civilian deaths and pray for a quick end to the conflict. For the rebel fighters defending their positions in the outskirts of the small town, the ceasefire is something happening elsewhere. They don't trust it, and say the Ukrainian army is only using the opportunity to bring in more heavy weaponry and refill stocks of ammunition. Early on June 21, VICE News embedded with a small group of rebel fighters as they walked quietly through a field of high grass to an abandoned chemical plant controlled by the pro-government troops. Their mission was to stage an attack and collect intelligence about the enemy's sniper positions.