Motorola

Bio
Arsen Sergeevich Pavlov (Motorola), opolchenie commander (Sparta), DPR, 2 February 1983-16 October 2016.

Арсен Сергеевич Павлов (Моторола)

Death confirmed by DPR

Breaking
16 Oct. 2016 Reports of a terrorist act, an explosion in central Donetsk. Opolchenie and Rusvesna report that Motorola was killed in explosion in an elevator of a multi-flat house where he lived with his family. Officially confirmed by DPR. One opolchenie bodyguard was killed too. His wife and children were not hurt. (Updates.)(Report and video from the scene).
 * Emotional (though in a broader perspective likely inconsequential) statement of Zakharchenko highlights who is to blame for the present dire situation and clashes continuing.
 * Ukrainian reports, social media, Yarosh, etc, are mostly cheering up.
 * Unknowns claimed responsibility in the name of Ukrainian neo-nazi, under the flag of the "misanthropic division"-but the latter  said it is a fake and they are not involved.

Ukrainian

 * Ridus, "I know I will be dead", Ukrainian journalist interview based, of disputed accuracy, October 17, 2016. Repeats outline of a fake story that Motorola had 15 prisoners executed; and here (112.ua) too.
 * He was also accused in the past of execution of 'kiborg' Igor Branovytsky, in a tale told by another released from prison 'kiborg', certain Yurii Sova -BBC Russian. Sova also tells he was beaten. But no reason to think this story is true and not Ukrainian propaganda, with generally good treatment of prisoners by DPR (as opposed to Ukraine), and many fakes, including fake audio of Motorola 'admission' of killing prisoners. Captured Kiborgs were released from prison, in quite good shape, just to be used for propaganda by Ukraine.
 * Sova story was refuted by Rusvesna, 25 March 2015.


 * TSN.ua, no good words and plenty of hate speech here, October 17, 2016
 * Yarosh on social media, quoted by Rusvesna, October 17, 2016

Refuting accusations

 * Here he refutes killing prisoners story himself, English subs, published Apr 8, 2015
 * Friendly meeting with Kiborgs on rotation to airport, friendly chat about stopping fighting each other, tells them that there are bodies of their comrades in the terminal building -showing lots of respect (not afforded to himself now by Ukrainian crowd). Published on Dec 12, 2014.

Discussion
Motorola killing appears to be aimed at creating chaos, more war. His building was well guarded, raising possibility of accusations of insider job. However there is no reason for this, he was not politically active or involved in commercial part, and he did not associate himself with anybody possibly unpopular among DPR leadership. On the side of Ukraine, military significance of his murder is not really high (he will be replaced as a commander) but it creates more hatred, war, in minds and in symbolic/media imagery (social media war on his public image ongoing). As with journalist Shermet murder in Ukraine, appears to be designed to cause maximal chaos and upheaval--Resup (talk) 11:45, 17 October 2016 (UTC)