In 2010 Alexander Zakharchenko became the head of the Donetsk branch of Oplot, a non-governmental organization established to help the families of military veterans, maintain monuments to World War II heroes, finance the exhumation of Soviet remains, and prevent the historical legitimization of the Ukrayins'ka Povstans'ka Armiya (Ukrainian Insurgent Army, the partisan guerilla force that sought to establish an independent state during World War II). The group took its name from a Ukrainian battle tank. In 2014 he led 20 Oplot members in an armed occupation of the Donetsk city council, demanding a referendum on the status of the region, but they freed their hostages and abductees and behaved fairly reasonably. However, by 2014, he was the head of a new Oplot militia and, when the Donétskaya Naródnaya Respúblika (Donetsk People's Republic) proclaimed its independence he was named the military commander of Donetsk before being named prime minister in August. He was killed by a bomb in August 2018.
On 16 April 2014, 20 members of Oplot (including Zakharchenko),[12] armed with clubs, rifles and some automatic weapons, occupied the offices of Donetsk city council, demanding a referendum on the status of the region.[17][18] Oplot were fairly well-behaved, and had helped free hostages and abductees.[17]
In 2010 Alexander Zakharchenko became the head of the Donetsk branch of Oplot, a non-governmental organization established to help the families of military veterans, maintain monuments to World War II heroes, finance the exhumation of Soviet remains, and prevent the historical legitimization of the Ukrayins'ka Povstans'ka Armiya (Ukrainian Insurgent Army, the partisan guerilla force that sought to establish an independent state during World War II). The group took its name from a Ukrainian battle tank. In 2014 he led 20 Oplot members in an armed occupation of the Donetsk city council, demanding a referendum on the status of the region, but they freed their hostages and abductees and behaved fairly reasonably. However, by 2014, he was the head of a new Oplot militia and, when the Donétskaya Naródnaya Respúblika (Donetsk People's Republic) proclaimed its independence he was named the military commander of Donetsk before being named prime minister in August. He was killed by a bomb in August 2018.
ReplyDeleteOn 16 April 2014, 20 members of Oplot (including Zakharchenko),[12] armed with clubs, rifles and some automatic weapons, occupied the offices of Donetsk city council, demanding a referendum on the status of the region.[17][18] Oplot were fairly well-behaved, and had helped free hostages and abductees.[17]