Revisiting The Maidan Massacre In Kiev That Started The Crisis In Ukraine

An aerial view shows Kyiv's Independence (Maidan) Square following some of the worst clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police. (Olga Yakimovich / Reuters)

Special Report: Flaws Found In Ukraine's Probe Of Maidan Massacre -- Reuters

(Reuters) - For millions of Ukrainians, it was a crime against humanity. In February, more than 100 protesters were gunned down in the Maidan uprising that toppled the president, Viktor Yanukovich. The victims are now known as “the Heavenly Hundred.”

In April, prosecutors arrested three suspects, members of an elite unit within the “Berkut” riot police. Senior among them was Dmytro Sadovnyk, 38, a decorated commander, who was accused of ordering his men to fire on the crowds on the morning of Feb. 20. The three stand accused of massacring 39 unarmed protesters.

On Sept. 19, the case took a turn when a judge released Sadovnyk into house arrest – and, two weeks later, he went missing.

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My Comment: First things first a disclaimer .... my nationality is Russian but on my father's side that part of the family is from Ukraine .... and it goes back a few centuries. I am fortunate enough to have a lot of family there, and they .... like all of my ancestors .... are deeply involved in politics and business. During the height of the Maidan protests .... I am proud to say that this blog was a go-to-place for updates, commentary, and a summary on the days events. This was actually very easy to do .... I was lucky to be receiving regular updates from everyone on the ground .... including my cousin's daughter who was in the heart of the protests making Molotov cocktails for the protestors (much to the disapproval of her mom and yours truly). So it is with this background of knowledge that I read this Reuters Special Report .... and .... I am pleased to say .... nothing within it is a surprise to me. It is an honest assessment on what happened during those days .... and it is raising questions that I know will lead to more debate and (I hope) an honest account on what happened. And while I do know this debate will not happen now .... or even in ten years .... it is the first step.

To begin .... it is true that Ukraine's police/judicial system is completely corrupt. It has been .... and still is .... completely politicized. It is also true that corruption is rampant .... that I have more than once compared it to places like Afghanistan on how pervasive it is in every aspects of Ukraine life. Need a permit .... pay a bribe. Need to put someone out of business .... pay a bribe. Need to get proper medical treatment .... pay a bribe. Need to get that government job .... pay a bribe. In short .... everything is a bribe. It is also a politically intolerant and immature society. Case in point .... I can go to Moscow and openly express my criticism of Putin .... and guess what .... I am left alone. Don't get me wrong .... our arguments in Moscow are intense .... but that is where it ends .... and then we all discuss other things. And while I do know that once in a while someone gets "punished" in Moscow for his views .... this is usually reserved for the oligarchs who use their money to influence government policy and/or media personalities because of their audience and reach .... but I am personally not fearful that what I say will get me in trouble. In Kiev .... the situation is different .... criticisms usually gets a visit from goons where anything becomes possible ... I know because I have had first hand experience of this .... but I also know that all sides are guilty of this.

During the Maidan protests .... my cousin's daughter who was witnessed to it all ... told me bluntly that a number of the protestors were armed .... and they were openly shooting and killing police officers. She also told me that the police were doing the same .... and sometimes indiscriminately. Our family owns a few office buildings two blocks away from the Maidan .... and one of them was seriously damaged during the height of the street battles. My cousin stayed there during the height of the protests .... and she and everyone else were more afraid of the protestors than of the police. As she told me in a phone call that I will never forget .... the mob was in control, and they were winning.

Months later .... when I read and recall my analysis and commentary of those times .... I am struck on how prophetic and correct I was in predicting everything. I outlined my worst case scenario at the beginning of March ..... and horrors of horrors .... it has all come true. Ukraine is a country that is deeply divided alone language and cultural lines. Ukrainians in the west, Russians in the east .... and while both sides rarely got alone .... today .... there is only deep hatred and fear. The root causes for this goes backs centuries .... but everything did change dramatically this year. The Maidan protests were instigated by Ukrainian nationalist groups (Right Sector, etc.) who believed that by violently opposing the government they could succeed in questioning it's legitimacy and .... ultimately .... have them thrown out of power. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams .... the government collapsed and they took over .... albeit briefly before saner heads in the parliament took over. But in the interim period of time they passed anti-Russian laws that enraged the east .... and while many of those laws were quickly rescinded .... it was too late ..... resulting in the chaos that still exists today.

As to what does the future hold .... on that issue I am not optimistic. The corruption is still rampant. Political infighting and intolerance is still the norm. War still rages in the east .... and where the war is not present .... there is a heavy military and militia presence in places like Kharkiv and Odessa that keeps the peace .... albeit at the barrel of the gun. But while the focus is on the war ..... I can say that the big worry in Kiev right now is the economy .... an economy that has essentially collapsed. There are now a lot of young men and women who are unemployed .... and the anger is rising. This is going to be a rough winter, and while I do not expect the Maidan protests to return ....I do expect tensions to rise in the coming months ... and after that .... anything and everything will become possible.