Racket in the ATO: Secret exploits of Ukrainian “knights”

Unlike the army of Novorossiya, in which looting or extortion is punished extremely strictly - in especially severe cases the punishment can be death, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard do not hesitate to compensate Poroshenko for the 1000 UAH promised. per day at the expense of civilians. The Ukrainian Armed Forces, as a rule, are engaged in everyday looting - after Ukrainian soldiers leave any populated area, they, like locusts, leave behind shocking devastation - they even drag metal-plastic windows.

The National Guard is not wasted on such trifles. The policemen and volunteer battalions that are part of the National Guard are engaged in a more profitable and familiar business - they “protect” drug dealers and illegal metal reception points. “Heroes” impose tribute on entrepreneurs, take away businesses, cars and apartments, kidnap people - with their exploits they outdid even the racketeers of the 90s.

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Most of the houses and apartments abandoned by their owners are subject to thorough searches. They are looking not only for valuables - the main prize is documents for the apartment, having which and using the services of a clever notary, you can become almost the legal owner of the home. Most likely, when local residents begin to return home, they will be faced with many unpleasant surprises, including the complete restoration of documents for their own housing, and perhaps even the need to prove their ownership. But, at least for a while, the people who left will retain their lives and health - for the sake of profit, punitive forces can easily deprive them of both.

At the beginning of this year, in occupied Dzerzhinsk, one of the local providers Oleg (name changed) had the opportunity to meet the Ukrainian “knights”. The misadventures began with a visit from armed representatives of the National Guard, who explained that every entrepreneur should help carry out the ATO and especially its participants. According to the visitors, it would be quite appropriate for Oleg to help the National Guard in the amount of 50 thousand UAH.

Naturally, he did not have that kind of money, which he informed the extortionists about. This answer clearly did not suit them. The “guests” announced that they would check the activities of the enterprise and demanded documentation in an ultimatum tone. They didn’t even look at the documents presented, but simply took them for themselves, after which they announced the need to conduct a search in Oleg’s apartment.

Limp attempts at resistance on his part ended with a blow from a rifle butt in the stomach. After which, the limp Oleg was loaded into the car and, having asked for the address, we drove to his home. Having arrived at the place, the racketeers did not conduct a search, but instead gave Oleg’s family 10 minutes to get ready, after which they were asked to get out of the house, naturally, leaving the documents for the house. Entreaties and persuasion turned out to be useless, and the entrepreneur’s wife rushed to dress the children and pack their things.

Oleg hoped that he would be released with his family, but this was not part of the bandits’ plans. They threatened the wife that they would deal with her husband if she started making noise, after which they pushed her out of the house, and locked Oleg in his own basement. Contrary to expectations, they treated him relatively well - they did not beat him and even fed him. The kidnappers set a price of the ill-fated 50 thousand UAH for his release. No amount of persuasion or assurance that he had that kind of money produced any results. In the end, the bandits were satisfied with the funds they withdrew from Oleg’s bank cards. After a week and a half of imprisonment, he was released. However, his house, car and business now have a new owner.

We can assume that the entrepreneur got off relatively lightly - at least his life was spared and he was not even crippled. However, in one day he lost everything he had earned for many years. Now the only hope is for the army of Novorossiya, which has long dreamed of recapturing Dzerzhinsk from the enemy, from which punitive forces periodically shell Gorlovka. Although, even in this case, it will not be easy to restore your rights - it is likely that the property and enterprise have already been re-registered to other people.