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| Europe |
| Ukraine crisis: Rebel military chief Strelkov 'quits' |
| 2014-08-15 |
| [BBC] The military leader of pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, Igor Girkin - known as Strelkov - has resigned. Wonder how the Uke troops that went over to the rebels are feeling right about now? Alexander Borodai, the former PM of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, confirmed the news but denied reports Mr Strelkov had been maimed. There has been heavy shelling both in Donetsk and Luhansk as Ukrainian forces battle the separatists. The news came with a disputed Russian aid convoy stationed near the border. 'Tsar' takes over Mr Borodai confirmed Strelkov's departure to Russian media but gave no reason. He said reports that Strelkov, a Russian citizen, had been injured were "total rubbish". "You probably already know that he, like myself, has left his post," Mr Borodai said in a video posted by Russia's pro-Kremlin Life News website. "The [Donetsk People's Republic] already has a new defence minister." Mr Borodai said the new minister went by the nom de guerre Tsar. His name was given by other sources as Vladimir Kononov. There have been two other high-profile resignations of rebel leaders in the past week. Mr Borodai handed over to Alexander Zakharchenko as "prime minister" in Donetsk and the rebel chief in Luhansk, Valery Bolotov, said he was temporarily handing over to his defence minister, Igor Plotnitskiy. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 The men will now take over from the boys. Kursk redux: decendants of NAZI symps vb. Russia. We know how the first battle turned out. |
| Posted by: borgboy 2014-08-15 18:13 |
| #2 Then again, they may have changed phase here. There are reports of Russian BTR APC's crossing the line in strength. Battle of Kursk II may be on. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-08-15 07:48 |
| #1 Strelkov had become too visible, and the thing seems to be settling into a static situation. Russian tactical theory has long been 'reinforce success, not failure.' Basically, they're regrouping. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-08-15 07:39 |