Taras Klochko, Espreso.TV, April 27
The rather unexpected interview that the Russian saboteur, the GRU (Russian foreign military intelligence) colonel Igor Strelkov granted is the result of the complete failure of an experienced intelligence officer on Ukrainian territory as well as the professional work of the Security Service of Ukraine.
As generally assumed, a spy can hope for glory only in case of failure. The Russian GRU colonel Strelkov, nicknamed “Shooter,” finally received his measure of fame after giving a major interview to Komsomolska Pravda, in which he tried to present himself not as a staff saboteur in the Russian army, but as some kind of field commander — the commander of the Sloviansk “self defense.”
Thus Strelkov acknowledged the presence of the Russian military in the Donbas, which, despite all obvious evidence to the contrary, the Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to deny.
“The platoon that came to Sloviansk with me was formed in Crimea, ” he said. “I won’t pretend to conceal that. All members are volunteers, and two thirds of them are citizens of Ukraine. They’re not only Crimeans, but also refugees from various oblasts in Ukraine — from Vynnytsia, Zhytomyr, Kyiv. Naturally, there are many from Donetsk and Luhansk. It was at their suggestion that this unit decided to come specifically to Sloviansk” he explained. He also added that most of his unit has combat experience and “fought in the Russian armed forces — in Chechnya and Central Asia. A few even managed to go to Syria.”
Of course, Strelkov did not personally decide to reveal himself to journalists. Most likely, he received that order from his command due to complete failure in Ukraine. As is known, Ukrainian intelligence (SBU) discovered Strelkov’s identity immediately upon his arrival in Ukraine, and on April 17 placed him on the wanted list. Additionally, the SBU released audio recordings that prove the Russian saboteur’s involvement with the brutal murders of Horlivka deputy Volovymyr Rybak and Kyiv student Yuriy Popravka.
Usually after this kind of failure of command, the declassified agent would be given a gun with one bullet or a vial of cyanide. However, everything was conducted more humanely, and it was decided that Strelkov could still be useful, but this time as a public fighter for Putin’s “New Russia.”
As we can see, Strelkov is performing his new role quite diligently — giving press conferences and interviews where he repeats the standard Putinist cliches about Ukraine’s “failed state,” the population’s complete support for uniting Donbas with Russia, and a Ukrainian military deceived by “banderite propaganda.” (nationalist propaganda ed.) It is clear that Strelkov has never uttered a word about his relationship with GRU, and GRU will never admit that he’s their officer. Henceforth, the revealed saboteur will have to continue commanding the defense of Sloviansk from the “Kyiv junta,” or until the arrival of invaders-liberators, or until his heroic death for which, no doubt, he will receive a medal from his native country. However, Strelkov probably should not count on GRU’s strenuous efforts to bring a failed saboteur safely back home.
Finally, it is worth remembering that, according to the information of Ukrainian intelligence, in addition to Strelkov, there is also another GRU officer — Lieutenant Colonel Igor Bezlyer (alias Bez). Therefore, we’re waiting for an interview with this “leader of the people’s militia” and new admissions.
Original Ukrainian: http://espreso.tv/article/2014/04/27/chomu_moskva_zasvityla_strilka
Translated by Anna Mostovych
