Attack on 51st Brigade roadblock in Voknovakha, May 22, 2014

Unknown gunmen attacked a camp of the 51st Mechanized Brigade in Volnovakha in Donetsk Oblast / People's Republic and killed some 20 Ukrainian reserve soldiers. Initial sources claimed the attackers were from the People's Militias but now Russian sources are spinning the story: the attackers were "punishers" paid by Kolomoyskyi.

The unit consisted of recruits to a volunteer brigade formed two months ago and connected to the 51st Mechanized Brigade stationed at Volodymyr-Volynskyi in Volyn Oblast, on the border with Poland. The camp was located on the grounds of the Forrest Park eco hotel between Volodymyrivka and Volnovakha near the H-20 road connecting Donetsk to Mariupol.

Reports on the number of dead vary from 15 to 30. Russkaya Vesna cites local doctors and says 30 "visitors" were killed and another 35 people were hospitalized.
 * http://rusvesna.su/news/1400743434

Junta coordinator Dmitry Tymchuk says on his Facebook page that 8 were killed and 18 wounded. (Dmitry Tymchuk flew Ukrainian Mi-24 attack helicopters in Congo for the UN.)
 * https://www.facebook.com/dmitry.tymchuk/posts/501449049983755

The NazGuard had 3 BMP tanks. at least 3 of them were destroyed in the attack.

Police later arrived at the scene but they did not interfere.

Helicopter attack
The attack started around 4:30 am. A helicopter attack by two Mi-24 attack helicopters and one Mi-8 followed some 3 hours later.


 * Video:
 * Вертолеты расстреливают ВВ под Волновахой, 22 05
 * боеые действия Волноваха 22 05 14


 * Analysis
 * Geolocation of camera and helicopter flight attack Volnovaha 22-5 Geolocation of camera and helicopter flight attack Volnovaha 22-5
 * The helicopter fired upon the green van of the attackers.
 * This analysis is partly wrong, the the green van is the same as the burnt-out gray/white van seen afterwards.

Privat Bank vans
The 30 attackers arrived in 2 Jeeps and lightly armored "collector vans" with markings of Privat Bank. One of the green vans was seen on a video taken from a passing truck. It was apparently later destroyed and set on fire by the helicopter attack.

The vans were possible confiscated from oligarch and Pravy Sector financier Ihor Kolomoyskyi fleet in Gorlovka in April 28th.
 * http://gorlovka.ua/News/Article/6398
 * http://therussiantimes.com/news/10580.html

Privat Bank claims the vans were taken over by the people's militias but there is evidence the opposite.
 * http://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2014/05/22/7026125/

This story from May 15th tells of Kolomoisky's "Dnepr" Battalion driving around Kranoarmeysk in Privat Bank vans.
 * http://nabat.in/news/75820.html

This source claims that the burnt-out van on the scene had Kranoarmeysk license plates
 * http://www.voicesevas.ru/news/yugo-vostok/voina-na-yugo-vostoke-onlain-29-05-2014.html

Donbass People's Militia?
These sources say the attackers were from the Donbass People's Militia or other groups alligned with the People's Republic of Donetsk.
 * http://news.liga.net/news/politics/1836433-pod_donetskom_ukrainskikh_voennykh_obstrelyali_iz_granatometov_i_pzrk.htm
 * http://donbass.ua/news/region/2014/05/22/vooruzhjonnye-respublikancy-rasstreljali-ukrainskih-soldat.html
 * http://www.ostro.org/general/society/news/445176/
 * http://112.ua/avarii-chp/pod-volnovahoy-v-nochnyh-boyah-pogibli-8-ukrainskih-silovikov-raneny-18-tymchuk-65474.html
 * http://society.lb.ua/accidents/2014/05/22/267282_boeviki_dnr_rasstrelyali_ukrainskih.html
 * http://www.ostro.org/general/society/news/445186/

Dnepr Battalion?
L!FE News has a different spin to the story: The attackers were not militiamen but "punishers" working for Kolomoyskyi. Allegedly the base was attacked because the solders had refused to "crush the resistance" and to fire on civilians.

According to LIFE News the attack ended with a massacre of ten solders who where put on their knees and executed "Aleppo style."


 * http://lifenews.ru/news/133652
 * http://lifenews.ru/news/133637
 * http://lifenews.ru/news/133647

Statement
This version of events was basically collaborated in a video statement by a spokesperson for the Donetsk People's Republic, according to a tweet publishing a translated transcript as follows :



Gorlivka claim
This video show a column of the Gorlivka militia arriving in Donetsk: Police escort, green Privat Bank cash transport, black 1990s Mercedes S-series sedan (possible armored), 3 Kamaz trucks, one pickup.
 * Donetsk. People defending DNR came from Gorlivka


 * Подполковник ГРУ Игорь Безлер взял ответственность за бой под Волновахой (GRU Lieutenant Colonel Igor Bezler took responsibility for the battle of Volnovaha) – May 23, 2014
 * Герои Новороссии: Игорь Безлер, командир народного ополчения Горловки - (видео) (Heroes of New Russia: Igor Bezler, commander of the national militia Gorlovki) – Russkaya Svena, May 26, 2014

Aftermath: 51st Brigade removed?

 * Крупнейшая часть сухопутных войск Украины отказалась воевать на Донбассе (The largest part of the ground forces of Ukraine refused to fight in the Donbass)

Video

 * Vежду Ольгинкой и Благодатное. Этих пацанов убъют на следующий день (Vezhdu Ol'ginka and Beneficial. These guys ubyut the next day)
 * В Донецкой области уничтожен блокпост украинских силовиков (18+) (In the Donetsk region destroyed Ukrainian security forces checkpoint)
 * Чрезвычайное происшествие на НТВ. О событиях под Волновахой и в Луганске 22.05.2014 (Accident on NTV. About events under Volnovaha and Lugansk 22/05/2014)