Copyright © 2021 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Sloviansk residents rebuild, demand lustration, fear Putin

Some 500 residents of Sloviansk, which was liberated from Russian terrorists on July 5, held their third Sunday assembly, reports TV Channel 5, August 3.

City residents at the pro-Ukraine demonstration discussed how to restore their city, destroyed by the militants. To coordinate their actions, the residents created a civic organization that will be responsible for restoring the infrastructure. Initially they plan to concentrate on restoring children’s kindergartens and schools, which have been closed in Sloviansk since April, hoping to repair all educational institutions by September 1.

In addition, city residents expressed their outrage at Russians who ask Putin to send Russian troops to the city but said they are confident they will be able to manage with the help of Ukrainian soldiers.

“Thank God we do not need to be saved from the Ukrainian army,” said a resident. “Now we can walk down the street safely. Even when it gets dark, we can walk in the city. We’re not afraid that someone will grab us and throw us in a cellar or, God forbid, force us to dig trenches or crawl to retrieve automatic rifles from the dead after a shelling ,” she concluded.

Additionally, the demonstrators demanded the lustration of local government from separatist collaborators, starting with the removal of Acting Mayor Oleksandr Samsonov from the city council.

“We’re holding the third assembly already. And each time the same question comes up — the immediate dismissal of the city council secretary Samsonov. This is question number one. Because of his silent acquiescence, his support for the terrorists, hundreds of deaths happened here, hundreds of homes were destroyed — and this man has the conscience to cling to power,” said another resident.

The demonstrators demanded that the hated official write a letter of resignation and gave him three days to think it over. If he refuses, they will complain to the president, they said. The demonstrators also accused Party of Regions members and associates of the former mayor Nelya Shtepa of collaborating with Russian terrorists and causing the deaths of hundreds of civilians in Sloviansk.

The assembly was preceded by a “march for unity” through the streets of Sloviansk, organized by the youth of the city to demonstrate their support for a unified Ukraine. Participants sang the national anthem and shouted patriotic slogans

Edited and translated by Anna Mostovych

Sources: 5.ua, 5.ua, 5.ua

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RS5ffoZLZEU

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!
Total
0
Shares