THE ILOVAISK TRAGEDY OF 2014 IN THE DISCOURSE OF UKRAINIAN PUBLIC OPINION

Abstract

The perception of the Ilovaisk tragedy of 2014 in the discourse of Ukrainian public opinion is analyzed. The tragedy («Ilovaisk cattle») was in surrounding a group of Ukrainian troops about 1,200 soldiers by the regular units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces) and Russian terrorist groups near Ilovaisk, Donetsk region. While leaving the «cattle» through the humanitarian corridor, the Ukrainian soldiers came under shelling by the Russian side. Pro-government circles saw among the causes of such a tragic situation the treachery of the Russian leadership. Previously having agreed with Kyiv that it would release Ukrainian fighters from the encirclement, it eventually committed the shootings. Another reason was the betrayal of some Ukrainian soldiers who deserted from defensive positions, creating for the enemy favorable conditions to encircle. The participants of the events, experts, media partly accused the Ukrainian state and military leadership of inertia, passivity, and ignoring reports about the need for reinforcements. However, some military analysts acknowledged that the Ukrainian military command had done everything possible in the circumstances. Along with Russian intervention as the main part in the Ilovaisk tragedy, some experts saw a benefit for some Ukrainian politicians, as the constant threat factor could be used in the run-up canvassing to the October 2014 snap parliamentary elections. Finally, the criminal case concerning the Ilovaisk tragedy, which continues up today, has already been assessed by the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (GPU). According to assessment, the deaths of Ukrainian soldiers and the loss of weapons and military equipment near Ilovaisk were directly connected with the actions of the RF Armed Forces, which on August 23-24, 2014, treacherously invaded the Donetsk region and murdered Ukrainian soldiers. It was concluded that the Ilovaisk tragedy had not only hard military but also political consequences for the country, in particular, due to the adoption of the Minsk agreements under the pressure of the tragedy, which showed itself in an imperfect «truce», which, was repeatedly violated by the enemy. Keywords: Ilovaisk tragedy, Ukrainian public opinion, politicum, mass media, expert circles, Ukraine, Russia.