Siege of the Luhansk Border Base

The Siege of the Luhansk Border Base was a two-day-long stand-off at a Ukrainian border base located on the outskirts of Luhansk city. It happened from July 2 to July 4 of 2014.

Siege of the Border Base
Part of the War in Donbass

Map of the Luhansk Oblast
Date2–4 June 2014
(2 days)
Location
Outskirts of Luhansk
Result

Lugansk People's Republic victory[1]

  • Surrender and withdrawal of Ukrainian troops
  • LPR militiamen take control of two border guard bases and a National guard base in the region
Belligerents
Ukraine Lugansk People's Republic
Commanders and leaders
Unknown Valery Bolotov
Units involved

Armed Forces of Ukraine:

Internal Affairs Ministry:

Army of the South-East:

Strength
70[3] 100–500[4]
Casualties and losses
10 wounded[5][6] 11 killed, 8 wounded[5][6]
8–13 civilians killed[7][8]

Background

After the end of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, eastern Ukraine experienced pro-Russian protests. Government buildings that were initially occupied were retaken, but on April 6, the Security Service of Ukraine office in Luhansk was occupied by protesters.[9] On April 29, many other key buildings, such as the Regional State Administration buildings and the prosecutor's office were seized.[10] Pro-Russian separatists soon expanded their control to other cities, and held a referendum on 11 May 2014, which they said showed that 96% of voters backed an independent Luhansk.[11] The border to Luhansk experienced a heavy flow of Russians trying to cross into Ukraine to join the separatists, with many attempts repelled.[12]

Fighting

On June 2, at 12:30 AM, 100 rebel fighters attacked the border guard base, but the guard exchanged fire and managed to repel the attack. However, the numbers of rebels increased to 400, and according to the border guards, the rebels then went to residential areas, and fired from the tops of nearby apartments.[13][14] Militants used automatic weapons and RPGs against the border guards.[15] A lone plane was detached to try to support the border guards, who were battling the rebels.[16] According to the border guards, some of the militants were foreign fighters from Russia.[16]

Ukrainian fighter jets launched air raids on separatist strongholds in Luhansk itself, to try to support the border guards.[17] At least one airplane was seen flying ahead, and a rocket, fired by the Ukrainian Air Force, exploded at the Luhansk RSA, killing 8–13 civilians and injuring many others. The Government of Ukraine, denied that they were responsible and claimed it was caused by a misfired rebel portable surface-to-air missile.[8][18] However, the next day, the OSCE published a report, based on 'limited observation', in which they blamed the explosion on an air-strike.[19] The military admitted conducting over 150 air-strikes during the day in the Luhansk area.

Heavy fighting raged on until later on in the day. By the end of the first day, the attack had failed and the Border Guards still remained in control, with 7 of them wounded.[18][20]

On June 3, the situation was calmer, but the rebels continued to lay siege to the base.[21] According to a spokesman for the Border Guards, Cossacks were among the separatists besieging them as well. He also said that no Ukrainian troops were coming to the rescue. Valery Bolotov, the "people's governor" of Luhansk stated that if the Border Guards did not withdraw by the evening, they would be "wiped off the face of the earth."[22] Russia called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. They accused Ukraine of crimes against its own people.

On June 4, the Ukrainian troops surrendered. They were authorized to withdraw from the base and were redeployed elsewhere. Pro-Russian separatists captured ammunition from the base, and allowed the remaining the border guards to leave.[23] Separatists took the base, as well as a National Guard base near Luhansk and another border guard base in Sverdlovsk.[6][24] The National Guard base fell after soldiers there ran out of ammunition,[25] while separatists seized quantities of ammunition and explosives from the Luhansk border guard post.[26]

References
  1. "Ukraine Separatists Seize Government Bases, Several Killed". The Huffington Post. Associated Press. June 4, 2014. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  2. "Air attack on pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk kills 8, stuns residents". CNN. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  3. "Ukraine: deaths reported in Luhansk border attack". Euronews. June 3, 2014. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  4. Luke Harding (June 2, 2014). "Ukraine: pro-Russia rebels killed attempting to storm border guard base". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  5. "Border Control HQ in Luhansk Stormed". UPI. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  6. "Pro-Russian rebels take control of 3 government bases". Fox News. Associated Press. June 4, 2014. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  7. "Air attack on pro-Russian separatists kills 8". CNN. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  8. "Lugansk People's Republic claim 13 die in fighting". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. June 3, 2014. Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  9. "Ukraine: Pro-Russians storm offices in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv". BBC News. April 6, 2014. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  10. "Ukraine crisis: Pro-Russia activists take Luhansk offices". BBC News. April 29, 2014. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  11. Reuters Editorial (May 12, 2014). "Results show 96.2 percent support for self-rule in east Ukraine region: RIA". Reuters. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  12. "Ukraine separatists lay siege to Luhansk base". June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  13. Christopher J. Miller; Mark Rachkevych (June 2, 2014). "Insurgents assault Ukrainian border guards in Luhansk Oblast; at least 15 wounded, 5 dead". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  14. "Pro-Russia militia attack Ukraine border post". Reuters. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on August 25, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  15. Nebi Qena; Petyer Leonard (June 2, 2014). "Pro-Russia Rebels Attack Ukrainian Border Guards". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  16. "Ukraine crisis: Border guards' camp attacked in Luhansk". BBC News. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on June 30, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  17. "Ukraine separatists lay siege to Luhansk base". Ammon. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  18. "Hundreds of armed pro-Russians attack border camp". Canada.com. Associated Press. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  19. Christopher J. Miller. "Two Ukrainian troops killed in battles with insurgents on June 3; OSCE says Luhansk blast on June 2 likely caused by airstrike (UPDATES, VIDEO)". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on June 21, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  20. "Heavy Gunbattle Erupts at Ukraine Border-Guard Outpost". The Wall Street Journal. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  21. "Ukraine separatists lay siege to Luhansk base". Al Jazeera. June 3, 2014. Archived from the original on June 8, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  22. "Ukraine Pushes Back as rebels attack in the East". The New York Times. June 4, 2014. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  23. "6 militants killed, 3 Ukrainian troops injured in Luhansk fighting". CTV News. June 4, 2014.
  24. "Ukraine Crisis: Rebels take bases in Luhansk region". BBC News. June 4, 2014. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  25. Nebi Qena; Monika Scislowska (June 4, 2014). "Rebels Seize 3 Government Bases in Eastern Ukraine". ABC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  26. "6 militants killed, 3 Ukrainian troops injured in Luhansk". Global News. June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.

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