Military officers are secretly forbidden to allow volunteers to go to the front-line territory – activist

The military in the ATO zone received unspoken orders to prevent volunteers, civil activists, representatives of public organizations and charitable foundations from passing through checkpoints in the frontline zone.

As reported by Konstantin Reutski, a journalist and an activist, on his Facebook page.

According to him, he faced difficulties with passing through the checkpoint when he was going to the frontline towns of Luhansk in order to conduct trainings for local activists, who are trying to solve the problems of their communities.

“The policeman asked me to get out of the car at one of the checkpoints and called me away from the others. He gave me a friendly advice: “It is better not to say anywhere that you represent a charitable foundation. We have verbal instructions not to let volunteers and public organizations go through”. He could not explain the reason for the ban”, – wrote Reutski.

He noted that a statement had been made in advance that activists would work and conduct trainings in these areas, although this procedure is not envisaged by any of the current regulatory and legal acts.

But, on the first day the procedure of passing through checkpoints became more complicated:

“They take longer time to check the documents, the data is being copied, the National Guard and police officers are making long phone calls, specifying how to act with us. They refused to let us pass several times and demanded a “permission to travel”, but they finally let us pass when they were unable to explain what kind of permission this is and what envisages this procedure and who issues it”.

They were kept in Orikhove-Donets’ke for the longest time. In total they have spent 2 hours at the checkpoint and in its area.

“We called the Regional Military and Civil Administration (RMCA), the Civil-Military Cooperation (CMC), the press-center of the ATO headquarters and other people that can influence the military…… They tried to lie: firstly, they tried to convince us that we have not filed an application, then they claim that the application was filed incorrectly (however, agreeing that we are not obliged to file an application and there are no procedures or forms for such application). After a dozen calls I understand that the officials of the RMCA and the CMC recognize the absurdity of the situation and the illegality of the military demands, but they simply can not influence the commanders of the battalions”, – wrote Reutski.

According to him, during all this time civilian vehicles continue passing through the checkpoint; at least one of them was with western-Ukrainian license plate and they do not attract the attention of military.

“15 local residents, who gave up their day for the sake of training, are waiting for us a few kilometers from here. After two hours, when we finally arrived in Trokhizbenka, while being accompanied by military, there were only five of them left. Armed battalion officers were present at the training on human rights. After the training the deputy commissar named Bogdan, in response to a remark about the questionable legality of their actions, vowed never to let us through to Trokhizbenka or other settlements of their sectors”, – said Reutski.

He emphasized that the military promises not to let us to the people, who are almost abandoned by the authorities, the representatives of the organization that has already delivered several tens of tons of humanitarian aid, medical and school equipment, an ambulance.