Rifts appear among Ukraine's rebel factions

Ukrainian paratroopers ride Thursday atop an armored vehicle in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine. In the past two weeks, Ukrainian government troops have halved the amount of territory held by the rebels. Now they are vowing a blockade of Donetsk.

Ukrainian paratroopers ride Thursday atop an armored vehicle in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine. In the past two weeks, Ukrainian government troops have halved the amount of territory held by the rebels. Now they are vowing a blockade of Donetsk.

Friday, July 11, 2014

DONETSK, Ukraine -- Deep strains emerged Thursday in the ranks of Ukraine's pro-Moscow insurgents as dozens turned in their weapons in disgust at Russian inaction and as bickering broke out between rebel factions.

In the past two weeks, Ukrainian government troops have halved the amount of territory held by the rebels and have grown better equipped and more confident by the day. Once fearful of losing further pieces of Ukraine to Russia, they have shifted their strategy to containing the insurgents, whose pleas to join Russia have been ignored by President Vladimir Putin.

Pushed back into Ukraine's eastern industrial city of Donetsk, the pro-Russia militias appear to be focusing their efforts now on hit-and-run operations, bombing transportation links and bracing for more assaults from government forces.

Signs of a rift within the rebellion became evident Thursday when the head of the influential Vostok battalion announced he would not submit to the authority of the military leader of the separatist Donetsk People's Republic, Igor Girkin.

Girkin, a Russian better known by his assumed name Strelkov, has attained hero status among supporters of the insurgency. Ukrainian authorities have identified him as a former Russian military intelligence agent active in taking over Crimea before Russia annexed it in March.

Yet he has also been criticized by some for leading the rebel withdrawal last weekend from the eastern city of Slovyansk, 70 miles north of Donetsk, reportedly to protect civilian lives.

Vostok commander Alexander Khodakovsky alluded to that.

"There cannot be a single leader giving orders," he declared. "Because if Strelkov suddenly decides what he wants is -- in the interests of protecting the lives of Donetsk citizens and the lives of militiamen -- to abandon Donetsk, then we will not follow his orders."

Khodakovsky was speaking in Makiivka, a town just outside Donetsk, where his men relocated after a reported falling-out with Strelkov.

The ill will also appears to stem from a feeling among the rebels that Russia has done too little to help them.

"Strelkov is a military officer of nonlocal domicile, while we are locals and will not, therefore, allow the people of Donetsk to remain without our support and protection," Khodakovsky said.

Strelkov could go back to Russia whenever he wanted, he noted.

Ukraine says Moscow is arming and supporting the rebels, charges it has denied.

In another sign of deteriorating morale among the rebels, several dozen militia fighters garrisoned in a university dorm in Donetsk abandoned their weapons and fatigues in their rooms Thursday.

"Russia abandoned us. The leadership is bickering. They promise us money but don't pay it. What's the point of fighting?" said 29-year-old Oleg, a former miner.

Oleg, who declined to give his surname for fear of being punished for desertion, said he had served in the militia for a month and planned to go home to Makiivka.

Strelkov has admitted substantial difficulties enlisting the support of the locals in eastern Ukraine.

"In truth, the number of volunteers for the several million-strong population of Donbass, for a mining region where people are used to dangerous and difficult work, has been somewhat low," he told a rebel-run TV station this week. "It is very difficult to protect this territory with the forces at our disposal."

At a news conference, the prime minister of the Donetsk People's Republic dismissed talk of infighting.

"These are lies and disinformation. There are no disagreements. We are now organizing our joint work," Alexander Boroday said.

He said 70,000 Donetsk residents have been evacuated from the city and more will follow. He did not elaborate.

While rebels hold Donetsk, the city's international airport, which has been closed since early May, remains in government hands. Militia forces mounted an artillery assault on the terminal Thursday.

"Our aim was not to capture the airport. The enemy sustained serious casualties," Strelkov said.

His claim could not be independently verified.

Ukraine on Thursday targeted separatists near Donetsk with airstrikes, killing about 50 fighters, as the European Union prepared to expand sanctions in response to the pro-Russia violence that's rocked the country since March.

The operation to dislodge insurgents who've seized parts of Ukraine's easternmost regions is in an "active phase," Defense Ministry spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said on Facebook.

Meanwhile, two officials said EU governments plan to impose asset freezes and travel bans on an additional 11 people accused of fomenting unrest. The United States said more Russian sanctions are possible.

Most of the new EU sanctions targets are separatists, one of two officials said. The penalties will take effect if no government from the 28-member bloc objects by midday Friday. The EU has blacklisted 61 people connected with the destabilization of Ukraine and Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Information for this article was contributed by Nataliya Vasilyeva and Yuras Karmanau of The Associated Press and by Kateryna Choursina and James G. Neuger of Bloomberg News.

A Section on 07/11/2014