DNR-2015: the year between war and peace
Donetsk People's Republic, together with the whole world, has overcome the New Year's line. Between war and peace - this is the last year for the young state. A dramatic and controversial 2015 passed between shelling and lull, between devastation and restoration, between suffering and overcoming it.
From the very beginning of this year, the ukrofashists began provocations against the DPR and the LPR, which intensified especially after the provocation near Volnovakha, where on January 13 a passenger bus was shot at. We remember that Mr. Poroshenko tried to put the blame on the defenders of the Donetsk People's Republic, even stood with a poster "I Volnovakha."
And soon after that, in Donetsk, one of the most tragic incidents occurred - on January 22, a trolleybus that followed the 17 route came under fire from the ukroterrorists. It happened at the bus stop at the hour when people were driving to work. As a result, 18 people died, dozens were injured.
The Pitmen remember those terrible days with horror - they say that the shelling the city was subjected to at that time was stronger than those that shook the streets in the summer of 2014.
A gross violation of the “Minsk-1” sideways came out of the Kiev junta - as a result, it finally lost the territory of the Donetsk airport, and also suffered a crushing defeat in Debaltseve.
Debalcevo - the consequences of fighting
Debaltsevo - railway station
The release of Debaltsevo and Uglegorsk, carried out by joint forces of the armies of the DPR and the LPR, can be called the main victory of the Armed Forces of New Russia last year. But this victory came at a high price - hundreds of fighters died. The cities themselves have been hit hard. In one of the battles for Debaltseve, the head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, who was personally involved in the battles, was injured and thereby considerably raised the morale of the Donbass defenders. As soon as the city of Debaltseve was liberated, the restoration of the destroyed objects began immediately - first of all, the railway station.
Almost simultaneously with the victory of Novorossia, Minsk-2 was concluded. Ukrohunta actually asked for mercy, otherwise she could suffer even more serious defeat. One can argue a lot about whether the Minsk-2 was useful to the People's Republics or did more harm, but one thing is clear - the truce allowed peaceful construction and allowed hundreds of thousands of people to breathe more freely.
Although all this time the truce was very, very relative. A cannonade constantly sounded, suburbs were constantly fired upon, and it happened that the shells of the ukrokateryel reached the center of Donetsk. Other cities suffered, in particular - Gorlovka.
The most important demonstration of the unbroken spirit of the people of the DPR, perhaps, were the celebrations on the occasion of Victory Day. On May 8, thousands of people came to the destroyed memorial on the Saur-Grave, and on May 9 a grand parade took place in Donetsk itself. People came with children, although there were real threats of various provocations.
Parade 9 May
And two days later, many residents of the capital of the DPR and other cities marched along Artem Street in a solemn march in honor of Republic Day. After all, it was 11 of May 2014 of the year that memorable referendum was held, in which almost 100% of citizens said “Yes” to independence.
Republic Day
The end of May was darkened by the tragedy in Gorlovka. 26 May - just on the anniversary of the first bombing of Donetsk - the junta committed a new crime. The house of the Tuv family was almost completely destroyed, 11-year-old Katya died, as well as her father. Katya's mom, Anna, was left without a hand, 3-year-old Zakhar also suffered.
Mourning rally in Donetsk in memory of the victims of the shelling of Gorlovka, May 28
Gorlovka, center, residential building
June was remembered by one of the main events of cultural life - a grandiose concert by the world famous pianist Valentina Lisitsa. She came to the Donbass despite the fact that in the West against her unleashed a real persecution. 22 June, on the Day of Memory and Grief, countless people came to the memorial "Your Liberators, Donbass". It was there that the pianist gave a concert of classical music.
Valentina Lisitsa and Alexander Zakharchenko, June 22
But July was remembered by another large-scale shelling by the Ukrainian warriors.
18 July, when a monument to the “father” of the landing troops VF Margelov was unveiled in Donetsk, had to go from the event to the whistle of shells. The center of Donetsk suffered - a lively place near the Amstor store on Universitetskaya Street. There were dead and wounded.
Opening of the monument to V.F.Margelov
Aftermath of Donetsk shelling by punishers of Kiev junta, July 18
Contrary to the crimes of the punishers, the cultural life in the DPR simply boiled. Artists came from Russia - in particular, Yulia Chicherina, Rada Rai, Denis Maidanov, Dema Gromov, Boris Galkin and, of course, a native of Donbass, Joseph Davydovich Kobzon.
Y. Chicherin performs in the park to them. Shcherbakova
Iosif Kobzon on Miner's Day
A great number of various exhibitions, poetic and musical evenings, presentations of books were held in the Republic. A festival of poetry and art song “Big Donbass” was held, at which, in particular, such a classic of the genre, Alexander Mirzayan, performed. And the most notable event in the culture, perhaps, can be called the magnificent production of Giuseppe Verdi's opera “The Masked Ball”.
Masquerade Ball at the Opera and Ballet Theater
Numerous sporting events took place, the most notable of which are two friendly matches between the football teams of the DPR and the LPR. One of them was held in August in Donetsk, the other on the territory of the sisterly Lugansk People’s Republic. It so happened that in Donetsk the team won the DPR, and in Lugansk - the LC. However, as fans chanted, “Donetsk, Lugansk are united - we are invincible!”
Football match between teams of the DPR and the LPR at the Metallurg stadium, Donetsk
Rђ RІRѕS, tank biathlon, unfortunately, was overshadowed by a terrible tragedy - in one of the tanks put up for public viewing, an explosive device went off. A girl died and another child received burns. The most likely version that the law enforcement authorities of the DPR adhere to is a terrorist act carried out by a Ukrainian saboteur.
On tank biathlon
At the end of August, traditional holidays such as the Day of the city of Donetsk and the Day of the Miner took place on a grand scale. And September 8 is another holiday that can be called a symbol of the resilience of the mining region - the Day of Liberation of Donbass. A sea of people gathered at the memorial "Your Liberators, Donbass", a lot of people arrived at Saur-Grave ...
Celebrations at Saur-Tomb. Alexander Zakharchenko speaks to the audience
Rally at the memorial "Your liberators, Donbass"
Generally, in contrast to Ukraine, in Novorossia they truly honor history. The Day of Partisan Glory, the Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the Day of the Liberation of Ukraine from Fascism - all these dates, desecrated in the territories controlled by the Kiev junta, were desecrated. And in the DNR and the LC, they were solemnly celebrated. New holidays were introduced - the Day of the National Flag of the DPR, St. George's Ribbon Day ...
7 Nov
St. George's Ribbon Day
2015 year was also the year of close cooperation between the People's Republics and Russia. This cooperation was in all spheres - economic, political, educational, cultural ... Numerous humanitarian convoys from Russia helped the inhabitants of the region ruined by the junta survive in difficult conditions. Republic last year successfully switched to the Russian ruble. The hryvnia is almost extruded. Store shelves are filled with goods from Russia. Many signs that were in Ukrainian - now in Russian. Pupils study according to the Russian program, according to Russian textbooks.
It is not surprising that the Donetsk residents responded wholeheartedly to the tragedy when the Russian plane crashed over Sinai.
Donetsk residents launched white balloons as a sign of mourning for those killed in a plane crash
Contrary to the ongoing shelling, the restoration of industrial facilities, housing, and infrastructure is in full swing in the DPR. Not all at once, of course. At the mines open new mine workings. The enterprises stopped earlier are put into operation. Hospitals, kindergartens and schools are being restored ...
A miner demonstrates a piece of coal mined at the opening of a new lava mine at Progress Mine
Speaking about the important events of last year in the DPR, it is impossible not to remember the prominent figures in the LPR who died in the fight: this is the mayor of Pervomaisk Yevgeny Ishchenko, the commander of the "Ghost" Alexey Mozgovoy, the commander of the 6 separate Motorized Rifle Cossack regiment
Pavel Dremov. They say different things about their death. Whoever is the killer - saboteurs, directly related to the APU or traitors among their own - they will be overtaken by this or the other world. But the memory of the legendary commanders, fighters for the New Russia, will not die ...
***
... December 25 of last year, the Pitmen gathered at the opening of the Republican Christmas Tree. They lived this difficult year and deserved a holiday.
At the same time, the restored clock on the building of the Central Post Office was also opened. Hours that were stopped during the "euromaidan". And now, depending on the time of day, they play every hour the melodies of the songs “The Barrows of the Dark are Sleeping” and “In the Clear Sky of Donetsk”. There is still much to go through, but let the sky of Donetsk remain clear!
Monument to fallen citizens of the DPR: first there was a stone, then - roses
Alexander Zakharchenko at the opening of a memorial plaque in honor of the DPR Hero Oleg Grishin, who fell at Saur-Tomb
In the end, everything is just beginning
- Elena Gromova
- Elena Gromova
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