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In One Eastern City, Ukrainians Find Battle Hits Too Close to Home In One Eastern City, Ukrainians Find Battle Hits Too Close to Home
(4 months later)
SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Roughly midway through an hourlong gunfight that began just after midnight Sunday, six high-explosive mortar rounds narrowly missed the home of Yevgeny Kharkovsky and his wife, exploding around them on Yuzhnaya Street. SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Roughly midway through an hourlong gunfight that began just after midnight Sunday, six high-explosive mortar rounds narrowly missed the home of Yevgeny Kharkovsky and his wife, exploding around them on Yuzhnaya Street.
One hit a few feet from their home’s east side. Another hit near the south side of the wall of their shed. A third landed on the shed roof. A fourth hit beside a row of beehives. Two more landed in their neighbor’s yard, blasting out windows there and at the next house down.One hit a few feet from their home’s east side. Another hit near the south side of the wall of their shed. A third landed on the shed roof. A fourth hit beside a row of beehives. Two more landed in their neighbor’s yard, blasting out windows there and at the next house down.
No one was wounded by the 120-millimeter shells that seemed to originate from a Ukrainian military position a little more than a mile to the southeast. But the near misses demonstrated a very real danger of the government’s effort to crack down on rebels controlling this city. Change the angle of a round’s descent, add or subtract a few yards, and one might have hit squarely on a house, killing civilians and igniting the kind of sustained fighting that has so far remained only a fear.No one was wounded by the 120-millimeter shells that seemed to originate from a Ukrainian military position a little more than a mile to the southeast. But the near misses demonstrated a very real danger of the government’s effort to crack down on rebels controlling this city. Change the angle of a round’s descent, add or subtract a few yards, and one might have hit squarely on a house, killing civilians and igniting the kind of sustained fighting that has so far remained only a fear.
“I couldn’t believe that there were explosions in my yard,” Mr. Kharkovsky said Monday, as intermittent gunfire could be heard at the nearby government position, where soldiers have been dug in for 10 days. Crossing himself slowly, Mr. Kharkovsky said he and his wife, Galina Kharkovskaya, had been lucky. He had been struck only by flying glass as windows were blown in.“I couldn’t believe that there were explosions in my yard,” Mr. Kharkovsky said Monday, as intermittent gunfire could be heard at the nearby government position, where soldiers have been dug in for 10 days. Crossing himself slowly, Mr. Kharkovsky said he and his wife, Galina Kharkovskaya, had been lucky. He had been struck only by flying glass as windows were blown in.
The close call on Yuzhnaya Street signaled a dangerous turn in the turmoil in eastern Ukraine.The close call on Yuzhnaya Street signaled a dangerous turn in the turmoil in eastern Ukraine.
On Sunday, hours after the gunfire temporarily stopped, Slovyansk participated in a rebel-organized referendum that could lead to secession from Ukraine. And on Monday, the rebels’s political leadership in the eastern city of Donetsk issued a statement asking Russia to consider annexing the region, making it part of the Russian Federation.On Sunday, hours after the gunfire temporarily stopped, Slovyansk participated in a rebel-organized referendum that could lead to secession from Ukraine. And on Monday, the rebels’s political leadership in the eastern city of Donetsk issued a statement asking Russia to consider annexing the region, making it part of the Russian Federation.
But these political activities have done nothing to change the dangerous circumstances on the ground here around the de facto capital of the antigovernment forces.But these political activities have done nothing to change the dangerous circumstances on the ground here around the de facto capital of the antigovernment forces.
With rebels and government troops separated in places by only a little more than the range of a machine-gun burst, and at least one side using heavier weapons, the dark math of the battlefield suggests it may only be a matter of time before a major mishap occurs, providing more fuel for a young conflict that has already turned bitter.With rebels and government troops separated in places by only a little more than the range of a machine-gun burst, and at least one side using heavier weapons, the dark math of the battlefield suggests it may only be a matter of time before a major mishap occurs, providing more fuel for a young conflict that has already turned bitter.
Around Slovyansk, opposing combatants see their foes in dehumanizing caricature.Around Slovyansk, opposing combatants see their foes in dehumanizing caricature.
At a Ukrainian military checkpoint north of the city on Monday, officers described the rebels as a noxious mix of Russian special forces and drug addicts. At other checkpoints, the words “separatist” and “terrorist” pepper conversations as Ukrainian troops search cars.At a Ukrainian military checkpoint north of the city on Monday, officers described the rebels as a noxious mix of Russian special forces and drug addicts. At other checkpoints, the words “separatist” and “terrorist” pepper conversations as Ukrainian troops search cars.
At rebel positions a short drive away, gunmen typically refuse to acknowledge that the Ukrainian military is the Ukrainian military. Instead, they call it a fascist-led formation organized by an illegitimate government, and say they are braced for attacks from Right Sector, an ultranationalist group, and secret American mercenaries.At rebel positions a short drive away, gunmen typically refuse to acknowledge that the Ukrainian military is the Ukrainian military. Instead, they call it a fascist-led formation organized by an illegitimate government, and say they are braced for attacks from Right Sector, an ultranationalist group, and secret American mercenaries.
For three nights running, through Monday night, these two sides have clashed.For three nights running, through Monday night, these two sides have clashed.
On Monday, the Ukrainian government claimed that rebels have mortars, too, and that they fired 14 rounds at a Ukrainian position overnight — one night after the blasts on Yuzhnaya Street.On Monday, the Ukrainian government claimed that rebels have mortars, too, and that they fired 14 rounds at a Ukrainian position overnight — one night after the blasts on Yuzhnaya Street.
The claim could not be independently verified here. With heavier and potentially indiscriminate weapons like 120-millimeter mortars beginning to be used, the conditions are in place for killing on a large scale, which could pull eastern Ukraine toward civil war.The claim could not be independently verified here. With heavier and potentially indiscriminate weapons like 120-millimeter mortars beginning to be used, the conditions are in place for killing on a large scale, which could pull eastern Ukraine toward civil war.
“You can hear them banging away now,” said one of Mr. Kharkovsky’s neighbors, Oleg Romanika, whose house was also damaged by the Sunday mortar blasts. “They bang away in the direction of a populated area. Nothing will stop them.”“You can hear them banging away now,” said one of Mr. Kharkovsky’s neighbors, Oleg Romanika, whose house was also damaged by the Sunday mortar blasts. “They bang away in the direction of a populated area. Nothing will stop them.”
The hourlong fight early Sunday showed the dynamic in play. Rebel fighters and many of the citizens of Slovyansk have been enraged at the Ukrainian military since a brief battle at a bridge to the city’s southwest on May 2.The hourlong fight early Sunday showed the dynamic in play. Rebel fighters and many of the citizens of Slovyansk have been enraged at the Ukrainian military since a brief battle at a bridge to the city’s southwest on May 2.
What happened then is not fully clear. But it is an article of faith among the rebels that soldiers fired on a civilian crowd during a fight for the bridge in which, the Ukrainian government says, two of its soldiers died.What happened then is not fully clear. But it is an article of faith among the rebels that soldiers fired on a civilian crowd during a fight for the bridge in which, the Ukrainian government says, two of its soldiers died.
The soldiers then pulled back from the bridge, taking positions near a broadcast tower on a hill that overlooks the city’s western approaches.The soldiers then pulled back from the bridge, taking positions near a broadcast tower on a hill that overlooks the city’s western approaches.
Several rebels said they approached the hill early Sunday and peppered it with harassing small-arms fire.Several rebels said they approached the hill early Sunday and peppered it with harassing small-arms fire.
One rebel said they shouted “Allahu akbar!” repeatedly to frighten the Ukrainian troops and make them believe they were fighting Chechens.One rebel said they shouted “Allahu akbar!” repeatedly to frighten the Ukrainian troops and make them believe they were fighting Chechens.
Then, the rebels said, they swiftly withdrew.Then, the rebels said, they swiftly withdrew.
The reaction that followed could be heard around the city, as the Ukrainian military replied with heavy machine-gun and mortar fire.The reaction that followed could be heard around the city, as the Ukrainian military replied with heavy machine-gun and mortar fire.
For an hour, intermittent explosions boomed.For an hour, intermittent explosions boomed.
By the accident of their address, the residents of Yuzhnaya Street happened to live a little more than a mile from the broadcast tower, and in the direction of one of the main rebel bases.By the accident of their address, the residents of Yuzhnaya Street happened to live a little more than a mile from the broadcast tower, and in the direction of one of the main rebel bases.
They found themselves in harm’s way.They found themselves in harm’s way.
As the sounds of fighting grew, Nina Romanika, 66, Oleg’s mother, moved to their root cellar. She was terrified. Even on Monday she still appeared stunned.As the sounds of fighting grew, Nina Romanika, 66, Oleg’s mother, moved to their root cellar. She was terrified. Even on Monday she still appeared stunned.
“It’s the first time in my life I’ve heard such a thing,” she said. “It’s so unpleasant. Unpleasant and scary.”“It’s the first time in my life I’ve heard such a thing,” she said. “It’s so unpleasant. Unpleasant and scary.”
She added: “I’ve never heard a weapon being fired, not even for hunting.”She added: “I’ve never heard a weapon being fired, not even for hunting.”
As the rounds kept falling, one struck in the yard between her home and Mr. Kharkovsky’s. The shrapnel blew out all four windows on the side of her house that faced the blast.As the rounds kept falling, one struck in the yard between her home and Mr. Kharkovsky’s. The shrapnel blew out all four windows on the side of her house that faced the blast.
It also perforated the house’s gas lines. Oleg managed to switch the gas off before dawn, or an explosion.It also perforated the house’s gas lines. Oleg managed to switch the gas off before dawn, or an explosion.
On Monday, Mr. Kharkovsky, 75, a retired electrician from an old Soviet-era high-voltage insulator factory, tended his garden to the sounds of gunfire. He stepped past shattered beehives, beside rows of spring garlic.On Monday, Mr. Kharkovsky, 75, a retired electrician from an old Soviet-era high-voltage insulator factory, tended his garden to the sounds of gunfire. He stepped past shattered beehives, beside rows of spring garlic.
Like many in Slovyansk, he felt stuck in a fight he did not want. “We can’t leave, we have nowhere to go,” he said. “We’re old pensioners and this is our home.”Like many in Slovyansk, he felt stuck in a fight he did not want. “We can’t leave, we have nowhere to go,” he said. “We’re old pensioners and this is our home.”
Ms. Romanika agreed. “My mind is filled with fog,” she said. “Fog and fear, but fear most of all. I just want peaceful skies, a small pension that actually comes, and a piece of bread. That’s all.”Ms. Romanika agreed. “My mind is filled with fog,” she said. “Fog and fear, but fear most of all. I just want peaceful skies, a small pension that actually comes, and a piece of bread. That’s all.”
“And to sleep peacefully,” she said.“And to sleep peacefully,” she said.