"On April 12, 2014, hundreds of armed men led by former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin snuck into Sloviansk, making it the first Ukrainian town to be taken over by Moscow-backed separatists. list of 4 itemsend of list They fought with police, flew a Russian flag over the town hall, built barricades and roadblocks, and handed out firearms and grenade launchers to jubilant local men who wanted Moscow to annex their region of Donbas."
"Now I would have shot [the rebels] myself, Raisa said, clutching a fist. As the war rumbles on, Ukrainian servicemen in Sloviansk take the train to their next stop [Mansur Mirovalev/Al Jazeera] Raisa withheld her last name and personal details because she fears reprisals from those who sympathise with and aid Moscow. Her son is fighting on the front line that lies a mere 15km (9 miles) east of Sloviansk. Her daughter helps the war effort from western Ukraine."
In April 2014 pro-Russian rebels led by former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin seized Sloviansk, raised a Russian flag, built barricades, and handed out firearms and grenade launchers to locals seeking annexation to Russia. The takeover followed Russia's annexation of Crimea and the downfall of Viktor Yanukovych. Many locals initially welcomed or tolerated the rebels due to perceived privileges under Yanukovych. Eleven years of conflict and Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, with massive military and civilian losses, displacement, and economic collapse, have shifted local attitudes toward Ukraine. Personal stories show families divided but increasingly aligned with Ukrainian defence efforts.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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