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Donbas Battalion

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The Donbas Battalion (Ukrainian: 2-й батальйон спеціального призначення НГУ "Донбас", romanized: 2-i batalion spetsialnoho pryznachennia NHU "Donbas") is a unit of the National Guard of Ukraine under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and formerly based in Severodonetsk. It was created in 2014 as a volunteer unit (Ukrainian: Батальйон Донбас, romanized: Batalion Donbas) by Semen Semenchenko after the Russian occupation of Crimea and an anticipated invasion of continental Ukraine. The unit was formed in the spring during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine.[2][3][4] The unit was initially formed as an independent force, but has been fully integrated into the National Guard as the 2nd Special Purpose Battalion "Donbas" in the 15th Regiment of the National Guard.[5]

Donbas Battalion
2-й батальйон спеціального призначення НГУ "Донбас"
Battalion emblem
Founded2014 (2014)
Country Ukraine
Branch National Guard of Ukraine
Size900[1]
Part of18th Sloviansk Brigade
Garrison/HQSeverodonetsk (until the Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022))
Nickname(s)Men in Black, Little Black Men
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		Lieutenant colonel Oleksandr Polishchuk
Notable
commanders		Semen Semenchenko[2]
Insignia
Battalion flag

The battalion was initially formed by Russian-speaking Ukrainians from the Donbas who opposed the separatist movement.[6] It is one of the most notable volunteer battalions, recognized as a highly-effective combat unit during the war in Donbas.[7] The battalion is known for its balaclavas to hide their identity from pro-Russian sympathizers and to create a sense of mystery and fear.[7] The balaclavas and (occasionally) black fatigues led to the nicknames "Men in Black" or "Little Black Men", a Ukrainian analogue of the Russian "Little Green Men".[7][8][9]

Anatoliy Vynohrodskyi, a veteran of the former volunteer battalion, announced his intention to revive a volunteer battalion outside the National Guard in October 2016.[10] The new volunteer battalion was never created, but Vynohradskyi became a leaders of the trade blockade with the Russian-occupied territories in eastern Ukraine in January 2017.[11]

History

Further information: Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present)
 
Semen Semenchenko, the founder and first commander of the Donbas Battalion, seen here with his trademark balaclava.

Background

In February 2014, the Head of the Militsiya (national police) for Donetsk Oblast, Roman Romanov, handed over his powers to pro-Russian separatists,[12] while Pavel Gubarev, the leader of the pro-Russian separatists in the Donbass seized the building of the Donetsk Oblast Administration.[13]

At the beginning of March 2014, separatist sentiments[14] in Donetsk led to the creation of the pro-Maidan self-defense forces of the Donetsk Oblast. This was created by pro-Ukrainian citizens from Donetsk Oblast to protect pro-Maidan protests calling for the creation of a separatist Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).[15] The force protected Ukrainian citizens against violence by the Russian special services and separatists. Semen Semenchenko was motivated to found a group of local volunteers to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine due to the weak state of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the capitulation of many local officials to the separatists.

The Donbas self-defense forces asked the leadership of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the military commissariat to create a territorial defense battalion. They succeeded in this, but only after a similar proposal to the administration of Donetsk Oblast was rejected. On 15 April, recruitment of volunteers and officers into a new unit, the Donbas Battalion, began. A charitable foundation for the battalion was created, and Ukrainians country-wide donated aid and money for the unit's logistical needs. The battalion is based in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Citizens with licensed weapons may join.[16]

Non-governmental armed formation (April 2014 – June 2014)

In March 2014, a self-defense unit of the Donetsk Oblast was created. After the first battles with DPR forces, the creation of the Donbas Volunteer Battalion was announced. The commander of the squad was Semen Semenchenko, who announced the recruitment of volunteers to the unit on his Facebook page. Within few days, about 600 volunteers signed up to the Donbas battalion, and by the end of April the unit began operation in the Donetsk Oblast. Battalion members provided assistance in moving activists who were in danger and collected information about the coordinators of pro-Russian rallies and checkpoints. The battalion leadership created groups for counteraction, intelligence, warning and escort.[citation needed]

On 1 May, the unit participated in its first operation to capture and destroy the civil checkpoints. The Donbas Battalion successfully destroyed a separatist checkpoint in Krasnoarmiysk. Three Kalashnikovs were seized and 15 civilians captured.[17]

The battalion commander was offered a location for a base in Novopidhorodne at the boundary of the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk Oblasts.[18] After the destruction of the checkpoint in Krasnoarmiysk, the fighters returned to the base. A few hours later, Russian mercenaries arrived in three buses to assault the Donbas base.

External videos
  1 мая донецкие провокаторы устроили конфликт на территории Днепропетровщины on YouTube // 34 телеканал, 5 May 2014

The Donbas fighters were armed with several small-caliber rifles and grenades. The Russian attempt to assault the checkpoint did not succeed because a Ukrainian military helicopter arrived, leading the attackers to retreat.[19]

 
Donbas volunteers in Donetsk desimbarking a BTR-60 armoured personnel carrier.
External videos
  Боевой Вертолет пугает людей on YouTube // Украинский Медведь, 6 June 2014

On 11 May, a subdivision of the Donbas Battalion, stationed in Mariupol assisted the Ukrainian National Guard in the recapture of Mariupol's police station.[5]

On 15 May 2014, the unit carried out an operation to clear enemy sabotage groups from the Donbass territories. The operation was held in Velyka Novosilka.[20][21] Control over the district was returned to Ukrainian administration and the flag of Ukraine was raised over the district administration building. Educational work was carried out with the militiamen who had previously handed over control of the region to DPR forces. The district was placed under military occupation and the Donbas battalion supervised elections in Velikonovosilkivsky district. With the region under government control, the branches of the largely defunct Party of Regions and the banned Communist Party were forced to dissolve.[22]

On 21 May 2014, Semen Semenchenko, the battalion commander, referred to those employees of the State Automobile Inspection of Ukraine in the Donetsk region who defected to the DPR side as "traitors". He said the same of those who were carrying joint service with DPR soldiers at the checkpoints, accompanying vehicle columns, and guarding the administrative buildings. He demanded that they hand over their arms and leave the Donetsk Oblast territory by noon on 22 May, threatening to eliminate them if they continued cooperate with the DPR.[23]

By 21 May, the battalion had taken control over the administration buildings of four districts: Velikonovosilkivsky, Volodarsky, Dobropolsky and Aleksandrivsky. This operation was to ensure the security of polling stations to allow the 2014 presidential elections in Ukraine to be held securely.[24]

On 22 May 2014, Semenchenko announced that Ukrainian control over the Volodarske district had been re-established.[25]

On 23 May, Semenchenko's unit went to attack fortified areas but was ambushed in Karlivka. Twenty five fighters were in the opposing forces, a company of the Vostok battalion. Semenchenko reported that four members of the Donbas battalion were killed, one died from wounds, about 20 wounded, and an undisclosed number were captured. The Vostok battalion lost eleven soldiers.[26]

Special purpose battalion in the National Guard of Ukraine (June 2014 – October 2016)

After the battle near Karlivka, the leadership of the Donbas battalion learned that Russian fighters in the Donbass had obtained heavy weapons in addition to small arms. It became clear that the Ukrainian Armed Forces was not providing sufficient assistance to Ukrainian volunteer detachments. The Armed Forces units, located five kilometers from Karlivka, did not come to help Ukrainian volunteers.[27] Because of this, Semen Semenchenko accepted the proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov to merge his battalion into the National Guard of Ukraine. This would serve to arm the battalion as well as give it a legal status. It also provided an opportunity to coordinate its actions with the units of the Armed Forces, the NGU and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.[28][29]

 
Donbas Battalion training group near Kyiv (2014)

On 1 June, Semen Semenchenko spoke at the People's Veche (assembly) on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). He called on participants to join the unit to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. On the first day of recruitment about 600 people arrived at Novy Petrovtsy training range, a base of Ukrainian Army Unit 3027. After this, several more volunteer enrollments were held on the Maidan.[30] During one of these enrollments on 8 June 2014, it was reported that ten soldiers of the Presidential Regiment joined the battalion ranks.[31]

On 3 June, while a decision was being made to send volunteer battalions to the ATO, the Donbas battalion was asked to keep guard near the Verkhovna Rada to support the Internal Troops of Ukraine who were not able to offer adequate protection. The Donbas fighters faced the building of the Verkhovna Rada turning their backs to the people, demonstrating they were on the side of people.

On 29 June, Semenchenko, the battalion commander, spoke at the People's Veche (assembly) on Maidan Nezalezhnosti, calling for a reform of all public authorities and state institutions. A mobilization station was created on Maidan Nezalezhnosti and many volunteers were recorded to have joined. After the assembly, the Donbas battalion volunteers went to the Presidential Administration. The battalion volunteers headed by Semen Semenchenko demanded an end to a cease-fire order that prevented them from engaging the Russian forces. President Poroshenko assured the future military unit that they would soon have an opportunity to go to the ATO area and fight. On 19 July, a decision was made to form a special purpose volunteer battalion Crimea, and on 21 July, the commander of the Donbas battalion announced the recruitment of volunteers to a new unit.[32] The plan was to first liberate Donbas from Russian mercenaries, then involve the Krym Battalion in the liberation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea from the Russian occupation. On 4 June 2014, in the city of Izium, a meeting of the political, military and police leadership of Ukraine was held to coordinate the actions of the Donbas and Azov volunteer battalions with other military units. The meeting was attended by Oleksandr Turchynov, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Arseniy Avakov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, by representatives of law enforcement agencies, as well as commanders of both battalions.[33] At the meeting, samples of modern armored vehicles manufactured by the Malyshev plant were shown. In particular, armored combat vehicles "Dozor" were to be supplied to the Donbas battalion. Semenchenko stated that with such armored vehicles he was ready to liberate Donetsk. However, for all subsequent years of the war, the Donbas battalion did not receive these vehicles.[33]

After the military meeting in Slavyansk it was decided to send a company of the Donbas battalion to the ATO area. However, the unit was provided neither with vehicles, nor with fuel for transportation, nor with adequate equipment. At request of Semen Semenchenko, the unit commander, volunteers, entrepreneurs and ordinary Ukrainians gathered what they could and a company of the Donbas battalion went to the frontline.

On 4 July 2014, an assault company of the Donbas battalion took part in the liberation of Mykolayivka in the Donetsk Oblast.[34][35] Immediately after this operation the Russian mercenaries began to retreat from Slavyansk. The first person who provided intelligence data that the city could be entered in was Yaroslav Markevych, a volunteer of the Donbas battalion who led a group of unmanned aerial vehicles.[36]

The battalion fighters located in Artemivsk took active role in liberating the city from DPR forces. They responded to night-time attacks of militants, built checkpoints in and outside the city, and conducted operations to clear the territory. The battalion units provided patrols of the surrounding areas of Artemivsk and Horlivka.[37]

"... during the first (attack try – ed.) we discovered that not all adjacent battalions, which had to cover their own directions, were present at their places. Some units came, but not in the amount expected. The Azov battalion, for example, did not come in full ... "- said a soldier of the Donbas battalion.[38]

Only one IFV out of the promised armored vehicles was allocated for the Donbas battalion, which also had a KRAZ provided by volunteers.[39] Among the other equipment they had two CIT vehicles, which Donbas fighters had retaken from Russian mercenaries in the first minutes of the battle.[40] The volunteer battalions accused the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine of failing to provide the necessary support in heavy weapons.[41]

On 17 August 2014, together with other units, the Donbas Battalion again participated in the assault of Ilovaysk. The unit entered the city and took positions at the city school number 14 near the railway, as ordered. However, other units again failed to fulfill their obligations. The interim report of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada investigating the tragic events under Ilovaysk states:

"Yes, at 5 am on 17 August, General Yarovyi arrived at the assembly point as well as the Donbas battalion, which immediately began to fulfill the task. The Dnipro-1 battalion was a few hours late. The Azov and Shakhtarsk battalions did not arrive, the commanders of which stated they were not interested in new updates and they would be in place on Monday (18 August). The Donbas Battalion supported by the 6th IFV company under the command of captain Koshuba went to perform tasks without planned support on the three sides".[42]

 
Two soldiers of the Donbas Battalion

On 19 August 2014, Semen Semenchenko, the commander of the Donbas battalion, was injured during the assault of Ilovaysk, having suffered shrapnel wounds.[43] Fierce fighting continued for ten days.[44] On 29 August 2014, leaving Ilovaysk via the Green Corridor, a Ukrainian military group was ambushed and were shelled by the Russian regular army. During their retreat from the Ilovaysk salient, 98 soldiers of the unit were captured and more than 100 were injured.[45] The official estimates were 366 dead, 249 wounded, and 158 missing during fighting for Ilovaysk and while leaving the Green Corridor.[46]

During September, October and November, the battalion personnel were withdrawn from the ATO area for a combat coordination exercise. Some of the fighters were sent to Zolochiv city to undergo NCO training.[47] In September, a large number of volunteers joined the battalion which then deployed to the training camp of the 93rd Separate Mechanized brigade in Cherkaske village, Dnipropetrovsk oblast, which had about 300 recruits.[48] At the end of October, the battalion personnel, together with the new recruits, were relocated to Kyiv oblast to train with instructors on a combat coordination exercise. During that period, the battalion could not move to the combat area for fear that if they did the prisoners held by the Russians would be executed.[49]

On 18 November, the first rotation of the Donbas battalion to the Peace Valley of Luhansk oblast took place. They were assigned to the local support point to assist the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The battalion was engaged in clearing sabotage reconnaissance groups of Russian army mercenaries, and in support of 24th separate mechanized brigade on the Bakhmut route.

External videos
  Мирна Долина. Ямы. on YouTube // Kardi NalDi, 24 April 2015

On 15 December, the second rotation took place.

From 15-25 December 2015, the Donbas Battalion organized a blockade of Akhmetov humanitarian convoys going to the Lugansk People's Republic-occupied territories. The goal was to push for the exchange of the units members held prisoner by the Russian troops.[50] Volunteer divisions, including Dnipro-1, Right Sector and Aidar also participated. Supplies of tobacco and vodka to Russian mercenaries were also blocked. The operation was successful; as a result of the blockade and negotiations, on 26 December 97 soldiers from the Donbas Battalion who had been captured during the operation in Ilovaysk were released from captivity.[51] On 11 January 2015, the Donbas Battalion marched to Kyiv demanding to be sent into combat. A column went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and surrounded the building.

"We also ask Arsen Avakov, a Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine to support the Donbas battalion fighters, first of all, in terms of sending them to the ATO area, where we can effectively fight sabotage and reconnaissance groups," – said Semen Semenchenko, the Donbas battalion commander".[52]

In January 2015, certain former fighters who had been expelled from the battalion due to misconduct began to accuse Semenchenko of criminal behavior. However, the majority of the personnel didn't believe the accusation.

"We also ask Arsen Avakov, a Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine to support the Donbas battalion fighters, first of all, in terms of sending them to the ATO area, where we can effectively fight sabotage and reconnaissance groups," – said Semen Semenchenko, the Donbas battalion commander"... each of us does not want a collapse following the further liquidation of our battalion. Many people are ready to fight, our guys are still on the captives list. Therefore, there is no split in the battalion and will not be. For most of us it doesn’t matter if Semenchenko will still be a commander or not. No matter how we treat Semenchenko, our battalion will always be associated with him. No one will seriously express distrust to Semen and, moreover, arrange an uprising," – commented a Donbas battalion soldier on the attempt to split the unit personnel.[53]

On 13 January 2015 two companies of the battalion went to the ATO area. However, the armored vehicles that had been given to the battalion before this proved to be unsuitable for military tasks.

External videos
  Батальйон "Донбас" відбув у зону АТО on YouTube // Semen Semenchenko, 13 January 2015

At the time, the unit was reporting to the Headquarters of 24th separate mechanized brigade. On 27 January, a battalion company came to the battlefield deployment from an early rotation.

On 31 January, Semen Semenchenko took part in the operation to relieve the Svityaz battalion and experienced shellshock.[54] On 1 February, there was an attack in the area of Vuglegirsk. The soldiers were killed; the commander was in an accident. In January–February 2015, the Donbas battalion took part in an attack on Russian fortified areas near Debaltseve. During fighting for Vuglegirsk on 1 February, the Donbas unit lost four fighters.[55] On 9 February, the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with an anti-diversion group of the Donbas Battalion, did not allow Russian mercenaries to take control of Debaltsevo-Artemivsk route.[56] On 12 February, the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took control of a part of Logvinovo and unblocked the Artemivsk-Debaltsevo highway. The remaining resistance cells were suppressed; the Donbas battalion units carried out a clearing operation of the village and an adjacent section of the highway.[57] In the morning of 13 February, the clearing operation of the Donbas battalion near Logvinovo was stopped. When units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine together with armored vehicles were withdrawn, militants counterattacked using armored troops – 7 tanks; the intensity of fighting was increasing.[58] In the battles for Logvinovo, the Donbas battalion destroyed about a platoon of enemies, a tank and an IFV, though three soldiers perished and four were injured.[59] By midday of 13 February, the Donbas battalion and the Armed Forces had killed about 50 separatist fighters near Logvinovo. Seventeen Russian mercenaries had been captured, who were later transferred to the SSU for exchange.[60] The Donbas battalion and the Armed Forces of Ukraine held "a road of life", parallel to the field track. It was fired upon but the battalion was able to successfully protect the convoys passing through . At some points, the situation was complicated, and fighters had to fight half-trapped by pro-Russian units.[54][61][62] The Donbas battalion fighters captured an enemy's multi-purpose light-armored towered vehicle and a 122mm mortar as war trophies.[61]

 
Donbas Battalion flags are blessed by Orthodox Priests, 2014.

On 15 February, a Donbas battalion company took part in an operation to destroy fortified areas of Russian mercenaries and entered Shirokino, but it was ambushed by separatist militants because a conductor "missed a turn." In the course of the battle, three battalion soldiers died, three were injured, and one of them died later because of mortal wounds.[63] During the battle of Shirokino, from15–16 February more than 100 troops from the separatist forces were killed and 10 armored vehicles were destroyed by the Donbas, Azov and AFU units.[64]

Late evening on 16 February, the Ukrainian military managed to squeeze armed men who were not identified as soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine out of one of the two heights near Shirokino. Earlier, 14 Donbas Battalion fighters were able to escape from an encirclement made by separatist forces in Shirokino. On 18 February, near Shirokino, having occupied a residential multi-storied building before, separatist supported by mercenaries began shelling Ukrainian positions with two mortars. Two hours later, a separatist armed group was kicked out by Ukrainian troops and began leaving in the direction of Novoazovsk. Another illegal armed group, as a result of actions of Ukrainian troops, went to the north-east – from the eastern outskirts of Shirokino under the cover of two tanks, one of the tanks malfunctioned and was evacuated by the retreating separatists.[65] On that day, a representative of the Ukrainian intelligence reported that Shirokino was under the fire of mortar shells and tanks of separatist armed units; in the evening of 16 February, one soldier in a Donbas battalion platoon was killed and four were wounded. The next night, a battalion column fell into an ambush, and three soldiers were killed.[66] On 7 March, the battalion fighters detected a sabotage-reconnaissance group of the Russian Special Forces. During the battle, three mercenaries were killed and other militants were captured. In order to take them back Russian mercenaries opened fire with tanks. While repulsing the attack a Donbas battalion soldier was killed.[67] On 9 March, a Donbas battalion company supported by a tank of the 37th Battalion and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was clearing up the sea coast and knocking off the invaders from the coastal positions and occupying a dominant position that blocked access to the battalion's rear. During the operation, 1 fighter was lightly wounded. 15 invaders were destroyed. The Azov's tank was put into a battle, an Infantry fighting vehicle belonging to DPR was damaged by joint efforts. Another Donbas fighter was shell-shocked.

On 9 April, the barracks of separatist units were destroyed in Shirokino by joint actions of the Azov regiment and the Donbas battalion during the fire response to the Russian mercenary attack.[68] On 25 April, after bombardment of an ambulance near Shirokino a wounded soldier of the Donbas battalion died on the way to hospital.[69] On 2 May, another attack by pro-Russian separatists was defeated by the Donbas battalion fighters. Three military personnel were wounded.[70] During one battle, at 13:05, a shot from a sniper rifle wounded a Donbas battalion fighter on his head.[71] On 3 May, during the fighting in Shirokino, another soldier from the Donbas battalion was killed.[72] On 24 May, in Shirokino, one soldier of the Donbas battalion was killed and one was wounded.[73] Overnight into 26 May, an anti-tank platoon of the Donbas Battalion destroyed a KamAZ carrying separatist troops and ammunition. A Donbas Battalion soldier was wounded at night, in response, the enemy's fire points were suppressed.[74] On 19 July, in Shirokino near Mariupol the Donbas battalion combatants took an BMP-2 from the Russian mercenaries during the battle. It had a torn caterpillar and beaten optics. The IFV was towed to the positions of the Ukrainian Army.[75] During May–July 2015, in Mariupol, there were rallies against so-called demilitarization of Mariupol, which would mean a total withdrawal of the military personnel from the first line of defense in Shirokine within Minsk agreements.[76] Demilitarization did not take place, but at the end of July 2015, the Donbas battalion was withdrawn from watching Shirokino's front positions.[77] The Donbas and Azov volunteer battalions, which kicked the invaders out of Shirokino and from February to June 2015 "held" positions, were replaced by Ukrainian Naval Infantry.[78] From October 2015 to March 2016, the Donbas battalion was on duty on the checkpoints of the third defense line near Mariupol and Berdyansk. From March 2016 to April 2016, a significant part of the Donbas battalion was demobilized, serving as the mobilized for a calendar year, being reluctant to continue service on the third defense line. Part of the soldiers remained in the unit hoping that the unit would still fight on the first defense line. After April 2016, the battalion was on duty on checkpoints in Mariupol zone and protected the Azov Sea coast. In early August 2016 more than 160 battalion soldiers arrived at the military training ground in the village of Stare, Kyiv oblast (3070 military unit base), for the purpose of an operational coordination. Another company of the battalion remained in Mariupol and was preparing for retirement, as the battalion was taken out of the combat area. In mid-September, from the training ground in the village of Stare, the personnel was transferred to Slovyansk, Donetsk oblast (3035 military unit base). Part of the soldiers was sent back to the military unit 3057 in Mariupol. According to an order of the NGU commander on reducing the manpower in the military unit 3057 (end of August 2016) the special-purpose battalion Donbas was destroyed. Personnel were retired due to the organizational and staffing measures on 19 September 2016. On 26 September 2016, the battalion officers were retired.

From October 2016 to present time – a non-governmental voluntary organization aimed at protection of Ukraine

 
Donbas fighters patrol in the Donetsk region.

Internal Corps of the Donbas Battalion

When the majority of personnel of the NGU Donbas battalion was demobilized into the reserve in 2016, together with an honorary commander of the Donbas battalion Semen Semenchenko and the second commander of the Donbas battalion Anatoliy Vinogrodskiy, an Internal Corps of the Donbas Battalion as a public organization was formed, and later as a non-governmental volunteer organization "Donbas volunteer battalion", where the battle flag was brought. The organization consists of demilitarized soldiers of the battalion who participate and conduct community-oriented activities aimed at protecting Ukrainian citizens from the unlawful acts of titushky (bullies), law enforcement agencies and fighting corruption.[79] Starting from July 2016, the battalion Internal Corps took part in actions against illegal construction, against unauthorized felling of green spaces in Kyiv and its suburbs;[80] was engaged in protecting businesses and agricultural businesses from raider take-overs, protecting the population from Titushky,[81] exposing criminal activities of police and cooperation between police and Titushky;[82] provided legal and media support to political prisoners, was engaged in a civil control of court sessions in cases against corruptioners and traitors, anti-maidanivtsi and raiders; blocked railroad goods traffic to occupied territories during the Blockade of Trade with Occupants; it protected a protest camp at Hrushevskyi Street during the "Rally for Political Reform".[83]

On 2 July, during Kyiv Pechersk Court attempt to arrest a chief of staff of the Aydar battalion Valentin Likholit, several hundred veterans of the War for Independence and public figures protested in Khreshchatyk. They repelled Likholit without allowing him to be imprisoned illegally.[84] On the same day, on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), Patriots’ Liberation Headquarters was proclaimed to be established.[85] The main task was to provide legal and moral support to illegally imprisoned and repressed volunteers and patriots. At the meeting, when Patriots' Liberation Headquarters was established, three activity directions were announced: discharge from custody unlawfully or illegally imprisoned combatants; dismiss Anatoliy Matios, a military prosecutor; arrest and imprison people who contributed to Putin's aggression against Ukraine: in particular, Medvedchuk, Akhmetov, Boyko, Novinskyi, Yefremov, etc. Veterans from the Internal Corps of the Donbas Battalion are actively visiting court sessions concerning volunteer soldiers throughout Ukraine.[86]

Human rights violations

The OHCHR reported that in August–September 2014 eight or ten members of the Donbas and Azov battalions sexually assaulted a man with a mental disability.[87][88] After the different forms of violence (including cruel treatment and rape), the victim's health significantly deteriorated and he was taken to psychiatric clinic. The issue brought the attention of the Ukrainian Parliamentary Association "Forbidden to Forbid".[89][90]

In 2016, according to the OHCHR, five fighters of the battalion were taken to court and accused of different criminal activities committed against civilian population: banditry, abduction, armed robbery, extortion, hooliganism and illegal possession of weapons. However, after a political pressure put on the judges by the former commander of the Donbas battalion and three other parliamentarians, they were released.[91][92]

A UN monitoring mission in Ukraine reported that during the Battle of Ilovaisk in 2014, the Donbas battalion took part in ill-treatment and torture of male population of the city, aged 30 to 66. From 18-28 August 2014, the majority of victims were locked in school No. 14 by members of Donbas battalion. The conditions of the incarceration may amount to ill-treatment, some victims were subjected to beatings, regarding thirteen of them the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented cases of torture. All detained ones who were interviewed by the UN officers told they were beaten with intention to extract confessions that they were affiliated with rebel forces. After the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Ilovaisk, a grave with three bodies was exhumed in the backyard of Ilovaisk school No. 14 where the Donbas battalion had been stationed. The UN monitoring mission identified the victims as local civilians. According to the forensic reports, two of them had signs of firearm wounds on their bodies, and third had likely died as a result of shelling.[93][94]

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