The anti-NATO march that took place last Thursday in Donetsk, as well as seven other cities of Ukraine, was one of the biggest protest actions against the Western military alliance ever organized in the coal miners’ “capital.” That day there were an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people on the city’s central square, who came from all over Donetsk oblast.
The Donetsk regional branch of the Party of Regions emphasized that all the participants in the rally had come absolutely of their own will, and the regional authorities did not tap any administrative resources. Much to the party bosses’ chagrin, the demonstrators admitted that there had been some coercion, especially in the oblast’s educational institutions, where there was even a special “quota” to attend the rally.
As a result, most of those who gathered for the protest action were either teachers or students from various institutions of higher education. Well before the rally began the students in the crowd were already none too sober, and their state of drunkenness increased during the rally. In the end, the protest turned into a joyous concert where a person could have a lot of fun. The crowd listened to some unpretentious songs sung by “new Ukrainian pop stars” that nobody in Donetsk had ever heard about. There was also a mini-concert given by Sofia Rotaru, who sang a few songs and said she was pleased to be with the residents of Donetsk on such a day.
Anatolii Blyzniuk, the governor of Donetsk oblast, was the only one who spoke about NATO during the rally. He explained to the audience that their main task is to put their viewpoints across to the government, which is stubbornly refusing to hear their opinions. Blyzniuk’s statements were seconded by MP Olena Bondarenko, who attended the rally and held an impromptu press conference. According to the MP, the world still does not consider Ukraine a self-sufficient subject of foreign policy relations. “I don’t think there should be any friendly, close, or fruitful relations with this military bloc unless they change their attitude to Ukraine,” the MP said, adding that the main goal of the Party of Regions now is to conduct an active information campaign.
This is just the beginning of anti-NATO protest actions in the Donbas. But it is still not clear if local residents are prepared for such actions because they clearly did not demonstrate any fervor at the Donetsk rally.
