The National Police of Ukraine suspects the authorities of Toretsk of being sympathetic to separatists
The authorities of Toretsk (formerly known as Dzerzhinsk) are "preparing the area for the separatists” of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). The head of the National Police of the Donetsk Oblast, Vyacheslav Abroskin, made this statement on his Facebook page.
"The local authorities of Toretsk are not acting fairly. They are attracting public veteran’s organizations and are encouraging them to demand the withdrawal of the Ukrainian troops from the city. The city managers are instigating and provoking people who are tired of the war," Abroskin said.
He added that Kiev is ready to counteract the transition of the city under the control of separatists. "It is not 2014. The Police will not allow the blocking of our troops and any referendums for the People's Republic as well," Abroskin said. He also noted that preventive work in the city continues, including the "seizing of weapons and drugs."
As was previously reported, a group of people under the influence of alcohol tried to prevent the movement of military equipment by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Toretsk on July 4th. They drew the attention of some people in the center of the city late in the evening. As a result, about 100 local residents stayed along the roadway and blocked the road. Residents of Toretsk explained that they feared the city would be shelled and therefore blocked the passage of the equipment. At the trial of the organizers of these riots that prevented the movement of the military equipment, the two instigators were sentenced to community service.