Blackwater Mercenaries Reported in Donetsk, Ukraine
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeZpAjoQ1sU&feature=player_embedded for one-minute video with pro-Russian Donetsk citizens chasing down mercenaries, yelling "Blackwater! Blackwater!"
Kurt Nimmo
Infowars.com
March 10, 2014
If a video appearing on Youtube can be believed, it appears Ukraine’s coup government may have employed mercenaries in a bid to shut down a move in Donetsk to expand the industrial city’s autonomy.
Pro-Russian citizens have twice stormed the regional administration headquarters in the east Ukrainian city. SBU, Ukraine’s security service, arrested Pavel Gubarev, a Donetsk businessman who called himself the “people’s governor.”
On Friday Press TV featured a video showing men with weapons and body armor on a street where a pro-Russian demonstration was held. On Wednesday a Russian diplomat told Interfax that 300 employees of Blackwater, now known as Academi, had arrived in the pro-Russian city.
The security outfit is notorious for its trigger-happy posture. In 2007, contractors from the company killed 17 Iraqis in Baghdad as they cleared the way for U.S. State Department vehicles transporting Bush administration diplomats en route to a meeting with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials.
USAID is known for its collaboration on “themed revolution” efforts with the National Endowment for Democracy and the George Soros Open Society Institute. “USAID has become a critical part of the security, intelligence and defense axis in Washington,” writes Eva Golinger. “Wherever a coup d’etat, a colored revolution or a regime change favorable to US interests occurs, USAID and its flow of dollars is there.”
The mercenaries in Donetsk “are soldiers of fortune proficient in combat operations,” the diplomatic source told Interfax, according to the Daily Mail. “Most of them had operated under private contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other states. Most of them come from the United States.”
“On the face of it, the uniforms of the people in the videos are consistent with US mercs – they don’t look like Russian soldiers mercs,” said Dr. Nafeez Ahmed, a security expert with the Institute for Policy Research & Development. “Of course the other possibility is it’s all Russian propaganda.”
In February it was reported troops without insignia appearing in Crimea belonged to Vnevedomstvenaya Okhrana, a private security company contracted by the Russian interior ministry to protect Russian Navy installations and assets.
“They don’t have Russian military uniforms and the Russia government is denying they are part of the Russian military. Actually most of them may be Ukrainian citizens. But these are people that are legally allowed to perform services to the Russian fleet,” Dimitri Simes, president of the Center for the National Interest, told The Daily Beast.
Replies
Yep, my step-father told me about them after Katrina hit New Orleans. There were also reports (maybe rumors) that Israeli-based mercenaries were working with the New Orleans Police Department in an attempt to confiscate firearms from well-to-do people in the Garden District, and the police immediately stopped when the story went viral.
Here's more evidence that the Ukraine government is hiring U.S. based mercenaries to protect the central bankers new installation in eastern Europe:
Monday, March 10, 2014
US Private Military Contractors in Ukraine?
Activist Post
Reports suggest their presence in Eastern Ukraine. Perhaps Washington deployed Academi (formerly Xe Services/Blackwater USA) forces.
Jeremy Scahill's book titled Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army described the organization. He called it a "shadowy mercenary company (employing) some of the most feared professional killers in the world accustomed to operating without worry of legal consequences (and) largely off the congressional radar."
It has "remarkable power and protection (within) the US war apparatus." It's well funded. It operates extrajudicially. It's unaccountable. It's licensed to kill, terrorize, destroy and destabilize. It takes full advantage wherever its forces are deployed.
Other private military contractors operate the same way. They're mercenaries. They're well-paid. They're well-trained. They're guns for hire. More on them below.
Washington bears full responsibility for ousting Ukraine's democratically elected government. EU partners share it.
Neo-Nazi putschists were installed. They have no legitimacy whatever. So-called May 25 elections are scheduled. They'll be sham ones when held.
The battle for Ukraine's soul continues. Expect hard times to get much harder. More on this below.
Most Crimeans reject Kiev putschists. They do so for good reason. On March 16, they'll choose their future. Popular sentiment suggests they'll join Russia. Maybe by mid-April. According to Crimea's Supreme Council Speaker Vladmir Konstantinov:
They'll benefit in ways Ukraine denies them. Grigory Ioffe is Crimea's parliament first deputy chair. He called the March 16 referendum "historic." It'll be "very democratic and open," he said. It'll fully comply with Ukraine's constitution and international law. Independent observers and foreign media are welcome.
Over 2.2 million ballots will be printed. About 1,250 voting stations will be ready. Russians comprise about 60% of Crimea's population, Ukrainians around 25% and Tatars 12%.
Sevastopol hosts most of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. It holds special status. It's not officially part of Crimea. Its residents will vote in the March 16 referendum. They'll decide if they want to become part of Russia.
On March 8, Itar Tass headlined "Sevastopol to join Russia after referendum - city administration head" Dmitry Belik.
"We will hold one referendum with the rest of Crimea," he said. Constitutional changes will be made separately, he added.
Two referendum questions will be asked:
- "Do you support reunification of Sevastopol with Russia as its constituent member?"
- "Do you support the restoration of the Constitution of 1992 and Sevastopol's to Ukraine?"
On March 8, Belik addressed an International Women's Day rally."The salaries of public sector employees, medical and social workers will be preserved at their current level as a minimum or maybe even increased," he said.
"We are now working in close contact with Russian officials over a new social system for the city."
He thanked Putin and Russia's parliament for their support.
On March 8, Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov swore in the first group of self-defense forces. He called doing so a "historic event."
On March 16, they'll be deployed to assure things go peacefully. "The Armed Forces of the Republic of Crimea have been created for defense, not for offense," Aksyonov stressed.
They want all Crimeans protected. Many eastern Ukrainians reject Kiev putschists. Mass rallies were held in Donetsk and Lugansk.
Residents want their own referendum. They want the right to declare independence or join Russia.
Donetsk residents oppose Kiev appointing billionaire oligarch Sergey Taruta governor. They appointed their own "people's governor," Pavel Gubarev. He supports unification with Russia. On March 6, he was arrested. On Saturday, hundreds of city residents rallied for his release. Tensions remain high.
Last week, Donetsk's administration headquarters changed hands several times. Videos began circulating. They're disturbing. They showed several hundred unidentified well-armed men in military-style uniforms without insignia. Russia's Rossiya 1 television believes they're Washington-enlisted Academi mercenaries.
Similar reports are circulating. London's Daily Mail headlined "Has Blackwater been deployed to Ukraine? Notorious US mercenaries 'seen on the streets of flashpoint city' as Russia claims 300 hired guns have arrived in the country."
Videos circulated. Donetsk residents were heard shouting "Blackwater! Blackwater!" Armed mercenaries were visible.
Interfax cited a Russian diplomat in Kiev, saying:
Days earlier, Russian media said 300 "strong" men arrived at Kiev's Boryspil airport. They carried military-style bags.
On March 4, Voltairenet headlined "US mercenaries deployed in Southern Ukraine."
Russian political scientist Alexander Dugin was cited. He said Academi Greystone Limited mercenaries were sent to Ukraine.
They arrived "in groups." They wore civilian attire. They carried "bulky packs." From Kiev, "apparently" they went to "Odessa." It's in southern Ukraine.
On March 2, Before Its News.com (BIT) headlined 300 Blackwater Mercs Land in Ukraine?"
"According to our Ukrainian friends…charter flights began arriving...(S)trong young men in ordinary civilian clothes" disembarked.
BIT called them Greystone Limited mercenaries. "The only question is...who pays" them? "Who do you think?"
"Certainly not" Kiev putschists. Washington's dirty hands are involved.
Kiev-controlled Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) forces joined them. They conducted hit-and-run operations. They arrested Gubarev. City authorities lawlessly charged him with attempting to seize power. Other activists were arrested.
Late Saturday, Donetsk residents attempted to storm local SSU headquarters. They demanded Gubarev's release. They toppled a truck carrying arrested activists. Donetsk security forces arrived. Resident shouted "Do you remember those you're protecting? Those who mistreated you in Kiev?"
Lugansk is another hotbed of pro-Russian sentiment. Thousands rallied. They waved Russian flags. They chanted "Russia! Ukraine! Belarus! Together!"
They chose their own people's governor, Aleksandr Kharitonov. They confronted pro-Kiev elements earlier. They don't trust city police. They have their own self-defense forces.
Kharkov is Ukraine's second largest city. It's in eastern Ukraine. So are Donetsk and Lugansk. They're near Russia's border.
Kharkov residents held their own anti-Kiev rallies. Lots more in eastern Ukraine are likely. It bears repeating. The battle for Ukraine's soul continues.
Washington employs thousands of private military contractors (PMCs). They're mercenaries. They're hired guns.
Peter Dale Scott once said they're "authorized to commit violence in the the name of their employers." They're "predatory bandits." They're "uncontrollable subordinates…representing...public power (in) remote places."
They operate extrajudicially. They're unrestricted by US, international, or local governments' laws. They're free from civil or criminal accountability.
Under Article 47 of the 1977 Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions:
Washington substitutes them for Pentagon forces. At multiples more in cost. Using them gives US authorities cover for whatever crimes they commit. Doing so avoids accountability.
They're an integral part of America's imperial agenda. Apparently they're operating in Ukraine. Perhaps hundreds will increase to thousands.Maybe in other Ukrainian cities. Maybe covertly in Crimea. If not now, maybe later. Expect East/West tensions to escalate. Expect the risk for open conflict to increase.
A Final Comment
US-backed putschists usurping power in Kiev was phase one. Next comes forced-fed austerity. IMF and other Western loans demand it.
Neo-Nazis in charge presented what they have in mind. Looting Ukraine began. Pensioner income was halved. It went from $160 to $80 dollars monthly.
Expect other social benefits slashed. Expect it across-the-board. Ordinary people will be hardest hit. Kommersant-Ukraine (K-U) obtained an internal document.
"The Finance Ministry has prepared a plan for optimizing budget expenditures, which implies budget sequestration is to be in force before the end of March," said K-U.
Putschists intend depriving ordinary Ukrainians to pay bankers. They're doing it straightaway.
Expect much greater pain and suffering. Expect mass layoffs. Expect deepening poverty. Expect predatory Western corporations taking full advantage. Expect higher energy and food prices. In February, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported the highest increase in a basket of food commodities since mid-2012. A statement said:
Ordinary anti-Yanukovych Ukrainians may yearn for his return. They supported criminal elements. They did it unwittingly. How they'll react going forward remains to be seen.