The Deputy Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Boris Filatov is proposing new methods for dealing with separatists by providing financial incentives for good citizenship and by forming a regional anti-terrorist military force.
The first units of the Dnipro special forces battalion have been formed and are ready for combat missions. Roadblocks have been set up, Filatov writes on Facebook, April 16, as reported by Expreso.TV.
“I have thought a lot about the events in Donetsk and Luhansk,” Filatov writes. “There is only one conclusion — it’s a revolution of poverty. It’s the mutiny of tired, frustrated people, ignored by those in power. The Yanukovych clique, after plunging our fellow citizens into the abyss of despair, is today provoking them toward separatism. They are distributing money stolen from the people while promising them a future as part of a neighboring hostile country.”
“Our Russian-speaking brothers from Donbas have become confused,” he explains. “They have lost direction and have allowed themselves to be bought for sweet promises. We have a proposition. We will pay a reward for every gun that is turned in. An automatic will receive US $1,000, a machine gun, US $1,500, and a grenade, $2,000, ” he writes.
For each “green man” that is turned in, the reward will be $10,000, Filatov adds. “After all, he is a mercenary who stepped on our common soil to try to push us into a fratricidal war. For each building that is freed and turned over to local authorities and placed under the guard of the Dnipro battalion of the Donbas special squadron, the reward will be US $200,000. Moreover, the local community will continue to have free access at any time,” he says.
Filatov adds that all the details of the initiative as well as contact phone numbers will be made public on April 17 in a special announcement by the National Defense Command.
As previously reported, the Dnipro special forces battalion is being formed in Dnipropetrovsk, consisting of highly trained and experienced soldiers. It is partly funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the remaining funds provided by Dnipropetrovsk Governor Ihor Kolomoysky and his team.
Translated by Anna Mostovych
