Terrorist organisations called “DPR” and “LPR”: who they are?

Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Luhansk People’s Republic” terrorist organisations have been established and are operating with direct backing of Russia. Their aims include: violation of civil security, intimidation of population, instigation of a military conflict, as well as exerting illegal influence on state power and local self-governance bodies.

The Security Service of Ukraine is investigating the following criminal cases:

- No. 22014050000000015 on suspicion of Russian citizens Girkin I.V., Bezler I.M., Ukrainian citizens Zdrylyuk S.A., Pushylin D.V., Chernyakov V.V., Makovich V.I., Perepechayenko I.A., Holubnychiy K.V., Purgin A.E. and others, who in March-May 2014 set up a terrorist organisation “Donetsk People’s Republic” on the territory of Donetsk Oblast and have since been running the organisation’s activities aimed at carrying out terrorist acts, intimidation of population, murders, seizure of state and local authority buildings and other activities that result in destabilisation of the state’s social and political environment.

- No. 1204130010000249 on suspicion of Russian citizen Kozitsyn M.I., Ukrainian citizens Bolotov V.D., Kariakin O.V., Nikitin V.O., Ivakin Yu.V., Malykhin O.S., Plotnitsky I.V., Gromov V.V., Timini E.Yu. and others who in March-June 2014 set up a terrorist organisation “Luhansk People’s Republic” on the territory of Luhansk Oblast and have since been running the organisation’s activities aimed at carrying out terrorist acts, intimidation of population, murders, seizure of state and local authority buildings and other activities that result in destabilisation of the state’s social and political environment.

The said persons have been notified on suspicion of committing the crime covered by Article 2583 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Article 2583 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Establishment of a terrorist group or terrorist organisation”
Establishment of a terrorist group or terrorist organisation or participation in it, as well as administrative or other contribution to the establishment or operation of the terrorist group or terrorist organisation shall be punished by a term of imprisonment of 8 to 15 years.

The established facts of criminal actions by the leaders and members of the so-called DPR and LPR indicate the terrorist character of those illegal armed organisations:

On 13 April 2014, Russian citizen Girkin I.V. (aka “Strelok” (Shooter)), acting in premeditated conspiracy with Russian citizen Bezler I.M. (aka “Bes” (Demon)), Ukrainian citizen Zdrylyuk S.A (aka “Abver”) and other members of the terrorist organisation in the vicinity of the town of Sloviansk (Donetsk Oblast) used automatic weapons to carry out a murder of a law enforcement officer who was on duty in relation to the anti-terrorist operation (SSU officer Bilichenko G.V.) and made an attempt on the life of SSU officers Kuznetsov G.I., Dubovyk A.Yu. and Kuksa O.I.

On 26 April 2014, the mentioned perpetrators, together with other members of the terrorist organisation, stationed on the territory of the town of Gorlivka (Donetsk Oblast) used earlier prepared fire arms to take hostage law enforcers – SSU officers Kiyashko R.M., Potemsky S.P. andVarinsky E.Yu.

On 22 May 2014, in the vicinity of the town of Blahodatne (Volnovakha Rayon, Donetsk Oblast), members of the DPR terrorist organisation armed with automatic weapons and grenade launchers committed an act of terror by using weapons against soldiers of military unit A2331, killing 9 and wounding 29 personnel and destroying four APCs.

On 14 June 2014, LNR terrorists used an antiaircraft weapons system to shoot down IL-76 military transport (tail No. 76777, military unit A3840) that was landing at Luhansk airport, killing 49 servicemen of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

On 17 July 2014, at 16:20, unidentified perpetrators shot down a civilian jet liner Boeing-777 of Malaysian Airlines en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, at the altitude of 10,100 metres, killing 298 people on-board. The crime was meant to undermine civilian security, intimidate the population, provoke a military conflict, ratchet up international tensions and exert influence on decision-making and actions of state power bodies.

The investigators of the security services are engaged in investigating other criminal cases opened after LPR and DPR terrorists committed acts of terror leading to deaths of servicemen, destruction of military equipment and shooting down of Ukrainian aircraft.

The DPR and LPR terrorists killed 717 people including 11 law enforcers, 273 military and 433 civilians, according to cases investigated by security service investigators and recorded in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Criminal Investigations.

Examination of the available information indicates that the continuous military standoff in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts has already triggered collapse of local economy and made a negative impact on Ukraine’s economy as a whole.

Donetsk Oblast accounts for 12% of Ukraine’s GDP, Luhansk Oblast – 4%. The two Oblasts jointly contribute 27% (nearly $68 billion) of Ukraine’s total exports, with the RF being one of the key export partners (importing some 65% of the Oblasts’ export).
Regional industrial index has fallen 4.7% since the beginning of the year. Military activities in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts resulted in dwindling manufacturing output in those regions – down, respectively, 12.3% and 5% in the first half of 2014.

Within the ATO area terrorists repeatedly destroy civilian infrastructure facilities. They primarily hit critical infrastructure vital for defence of the territory captured by terrorists, as well as the facilities that can be used for the needs of Ukrainian military, including those located in neighbouring regions (railway bridges in Zaporizhia and Kharkiv regions were blown up).

Laying mines and blowing up of bridges, railroad tracks and – partially – highways are done throughout the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts covered by combat operations. According to Ukrzalianytsya railway operator, about 15 infrastructure facilities (subordinated to Donetsk, Dnipro Region and Southern Railways) have been damaged during combat actions in the East of Ukraine.

There are documented cases of combat action resulting in damage or destruction of power grids, electricity substations, gas pipelines, premises of state power bodies and educational institutions that came under fire. This is primarily linked with the terrorists’ tactics – they mainly set up their checkpoints near power facilities and use schools, kindergartens and summer camps as military barracks and resting bases.

To avoid return fire from ATO forces, terrorists also actively deploy military equipment on the territory of industrial facilities, near the coalmines and residential areas.

Several facilities on the territory controlled by DPR and LPR have been “frozen” – terrorists have either laid mines or temporary blocked any repair works or delivery of goods and materials, which may impair normal operation of those facilities. To date, terrorists have laid mines on a number of dams, manufacturing and road infrastructure facilities. If the leaders of the said terrorist organisations decide to destroy the facilities, Ukrainian economy and the local environment will sustain a major blow.