"Ukrainian authorities have more fear of the ‘Right Sector’ than of the separatists" - Dmyrto Yarosh

This conversation with the ‘Right Sector’ leader was taken March 26, when the organization was ordered to leave the area of the antiterrorist operation (the ATO zone), and when a new head of administration was appointed in Dnepropetrovsk. The nationalist leader, who still undergoes medical treatment at a hospital in Dnipropetrivsk, spoke about his relationship with the Ukrainian authorities, the future of the volunteer battalions, the ‘Right Sector’s’ war tactics and other pressing issues.

On President Poroshenko’s order to leave the ATO zone

In fact, they (the authorities) have already backpedaled the issue, since yesterday. The ‘Right Sector’ isn’t being banished from the ATO zone. We’ve been offered to join the Armed Forces or the National Guards. As far as I understand, the General Staff is still mulling over the issue. That’s not my way to proceed. I’m ready to come and talk it over. Even more so, if they actually want to have me as a pro bono advisor in the areas of volunteer movement and patriotic education. The Volunteers Corps has many ideas to offer.

I was preparing draft laws on social security for the volunteer soldiers, but, as far as I understand, President Poroshenko put a stop to these incentives. In my opinion, Poroshenko still does not understand what country he lives in, he does not understand the realities. I am not speeding up the events, while they are shaking the boat all the time, for some reason. Our politicians, who have become state officials thanks to a series of circumstances, through the will of the people, through the blood that was spilled in the Maidan, now make themselves too dependent on the opinions from abroad. Dependent on the opinions of Putin, Merkel, Hollande… They have been given a certain attitude pattern, and they are pursuing it, even at the expense of national interests. At the expense of what is the most sacred to us - the blood shed in the Maidan and during the war. This very pattern is to blame for most of the troubles. I realized it during the siege of the Donetsk airport. They begged me for a long time to take the Right Sector out when the volume of fighting went down due to the quite delusive ‘truce’. At the end of November, I ordered my volunteers out of the airport. When still there, my guys often stopped the servicemen from running away and literally did not allow them to give up the airport under the barrel of a gun. Twice we were given the order to leave. As soon as we left, the old terminal was surrendered. It became obvious that the new terminal will be either captured or surrendered soon.

In fact, we offered them (the authorities) a number of defensive options. Firstly, we suggested moving the firing positions out of the airport area, blowing up the runways, digging a 600-meter long trench towards the radio tower under our control. We were the first to enter the airport, and later they brought in some experienced soldiers. We captured the village of Vodiane, along with the heights dominating the airfield. That is to say, we planned to hold all of the airport area. With decent operations command, we wouldn’t have any problem with retaining the location. We even proposed to build one more terminal! They listened and gave us strange looks, nothing more!

We suggested bringing shipping containers, digging them deep into the ground, and filling them with soil, so that even enemy tanks couldn't get through. This could be done within a day’s time! They didn't agree to any of our suggestions. Now again, they’re unhappy with our company deployed in Shyrokyne! I’ve already heard about the order to pull off our troops from Pisky and Shyrokyne. You know, our medical brigades and combat units are scattered throughout the whole battlefront. Not everyone is happy with it, including the army command.

Relations with servicemen

When under enemy fire, our guys don’t fail to return it, as a rule. Mainly, we are on good terms with the brigades, which fought close to us. Our checkpoints are close to each other. The guards often visit each other. Like in Afghanistan, when field commanders made mutual arrangements for normal co-existence. Everything went well until the case when a jeep with a group of drunken national guards bumped into a separatist checkpoint. All of them were killed. Then our military started pulling APCs to help the guys out. The enemy followed the suit by pulling in its heavy weapons. It always starts like this.

Lawmaking, plans and relationship with the Ukrainian authorities

I’m up to introducing a series of bills aimed at dividing the armed forces into three categories: conscripts, contract soldiers, and volunteers. Correspondingly, the UVC (the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps ‘Right Sector’) will become a volunteer reserve, with its own area of responsibility. One of my bills has been registered in the parliament, my assistants report. Naturally, a number of laws will have to be amended to this end.

It will be a start of appropriate relationship between the Armed Forces and the volunteers. As a matter of fact, we’ve never been under their command. From the onset of war, we established normal relations with the authorities. For example, we agreed with MP Pashynskyi, a representative of the Presidential Administration, that we will operate under the Intelligence Service. Then the Ministry of Defense told us: “Wait, we meant something else in terms of territorial defense. We must change this." I knew the bureaucrats in the Ministry of Defense will find all reasons not to let us fight, so I had to refuse its offer. Later, we received a number of such proposals, like joining one or another brigade. Our volunteers were free to leave any moment to join ‘Aidar’, ‘Azov’ or the Armed Forces. But, you see, many soldiers don't have trust in the Ukrainian military command. After Ilovaysk and Debaltseve we have every reason not to believe them!

Now as I talk to my guys, they ask me: "Why are you letting them rip us apart?" If only they (the authorities) controlled the situation, if Ukraine’s Armed Forces were an up-to-date professional structure, Ukraine wouldn’t need any Volunteers Corps at all. But what I see in many units is that their commanders do not work with the personnel. Commanders don’t explain to their soldiers the political situation. They’re unable to inspire them to fight. The Soviet army model isn’t working. Now, we (the Volunteers Corps) are training under the NATO standards (here means the standards of military exercises). The lack of bureaucracy gives us maximum mobility. We are not perfect, but still much more efficient than the regular army. We would have already outnumbered the Armed Forces, if only we had sufficient quantities of weapons (laughs). I know many commanders and servicemen, who would immediately join our cause, if we could provide them with weapons.

There is one thing the authorities can't understand: I am not competing with them for power! I simply don't need it! If I wanted power, I would have started to work in that direction long time ago. All I want is to win this war so I could babysit my grandchildren, nothing else.

As far as my bills, they had to be put to vote at the last parliamentary session on Thursday (March 26), but no voting took place. It is unclear if it ever will, after all these statements about the "cynical Banderites" and about "those who love to shoot" (a hint to Poroshenko’s scandalous address to the people after the killing of an SBU agent in Volnovakha). I know that Poroshenko fears us. He just can't stand us. After the tragedy of Ilovaysk and the first agreements I told him everything in his face. I remember how the news about the signing of Minsk treaty appeared when the battle was still raging. I called Poroshenko’s assistant asking to convey to the President that it was a complete idiocy and a betrayal of national interests! I told him we had managed to topple Yanukovych, and that we could topple him as well. He felt very offended…

Of course, I understand the need for diplomatic maneuvering, buying time, strengthening the Armed Forces. Yet, the September truce was a bit too much. And then there was the Debaltseve encirclement. At one time, only a handful of separatists was guarding the city of Horlivka (adjacent to the Debaltseve bridgehead), and we could easily capture it. The Debaltseve pot could have been prevented! Yet, we received no orders to this end. We lost our chance, letting them to gather a momentum. The Ukrainian authorities turned down our requests for arms. They have more fear of the ‘Right Sector’ than of the separatists themselves!

Foreign instructors

All kinds of (military) experience may come in handy. We hired instructors from from all over the place. Our army did not fight, while theirs did –in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and so on. When instructors notice our guys are interested, they are happy to share their knowledge. It is very useful. They went to the army barracks to check how things were going there. It is not a proper drilling, the Ukrainian servicemen were not interested, they later said. An hour of theory, that’s it. Now it’s different with the volunteers who always have a million questions. Of course, instructors are happy with it. In one of our battalions we have four Georgian instructors, who earlier underwent proper training. They give prime importance to perfect supply lines, up-to-date communication lines. They are shocked to see someone issuing orders in a battle with text messages on a cell phone (laughs).

Parliamentary activity

To tell you the truth, I didn't want to become e deputy. When our guys came up with this idea, I reluctantly agreed knowing it wasn’t my area.

What will happen to the volunteer battalions?

Obtaining a legal status will surely benefit the volunteer movement. The UVC can’t just leave the battlefront and subordinate to the Armed Forces command. This would equal to dissolution. It is true that some of my commanders have no higher military education, and some don’t have any. They would immediately lose their ranking. Yet, they are a deal more efficient in the war, than officers holding several diplomas. We’d like to adopt a new system of skills, hierarchy, and opportunities for growth. This should be reflected in the Ukrainian legislation. When the war is over, these commanders could pursue with obtaining a higher military education. According to our Charter, the UVC is formed and operates exclusively in the time of war. Once we regain Crimea, restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity, we’ll dissolve. We are more disciplined than the standing army. I believe commanders should live at the frontline. Do you know any Ukrainian general who would lead his men in the trenches?

Our fighters are well provided, as far as helmets, body armor, and so on. We get support from volunteer organizations. If we become dependent on state tenders, it will ruin the whole model. We never aimed to obtain heavy equipment, as we’re light infantry. Perhaps, we would ask for more mortars. We won’t turn down tanks, of course, but it is not our objective. We offer completely different modes of warfare. For example, taking an air reconnaissance of an enemy object, bringing infantry in armored pickups or ‘Cougars’, dealing with the target and leaving, all said within three minutes. Leaving a position before enemy artillery starts firing on it.

About the ‘ceasefire’

The fighting is going on in many areas. It’s up to Putin’s decisions how long it will last. As long as they assemble forces for a strike, they will carry out deceptive raids to conceal the actual location of the assault. They already dispose of 3 or 4 shock infantry groups, including in Donetsk. They may start with an attack of Kostiantynivka or Slovyansk. The second possible objective is Mariupol. The third is Stanytsia Luhanska and Schastia, where they have a potential to encircle us. Finally, they could attack in the direction of Volnovakha. They are going to wait until the fields are dry to start the offensive. We can’t see their chessboard, they may use air raids.

Relationship with Ihor Kolomoyskyi

I met him twice. There is no special relationship between us. I am on friendly terms with Hennadiy Korban, Slava Oliynyk, and Borys Filatov. But then again, I met them after the Revolution. It was the war which turned us into friends. I judge people by their deeds. I found the guys have been working for the sake of their country, not to fill their pockets. That's the main point.

I heard bad stuff about the ‘Privat’ (Kolomoyskyi’s holding company), and I’m not denying it. Hennadiy Korban wrote yesterday on Facebook that under the current conditions one just can’t do business in Ukraine in line with the legislation. Sad but true. If you want to achieve something here, you ought to violate the rules. I am very grateful for everything they've done for us, even though we never asked for it. Without their assistance, such as body armor, helmets, and cars, it would be much harder. As a resident of this region (Mr.Yarosh originates from Dnipropetrivsk region), I am very grateful to them. In Kharkov or Odessa, no one achieved what they did here, despite the resistance from the influential Vilkul clan. We’ll ensure that they (the clan members) don't raise their heads again. We can't afford losing the region. It’s absolutely out of question.

taken from "Free Donbas"