It lasted less than a day. Many were individuals who had been in prison or had problems with alcohol and drugs. They were transported by a group of people who crossed the border from Russia on buses and urged them to occupy the building. Once they were inside, they turned towards Russia. There was Motorola [Arsen Pavlov, a Russian paramilitary leader who would later intervene in the war in Donbas]. Our investigation led us to talk to detainees, analyze the documents they had left when they retreated, and visit the places where they had stayed. The conclusion was indisputable, and my thesis is that the preparation for the occupation of Donbas did not begin in 2014, after the Maidan uprising [the popular uprising that led to the fleeing of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych], but much earlier, perhaps after the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008. Close to a hundred Russians crossed the border dressed as civilians, as if they were tourists. They had no weapons. They went straight to Villa María. That is where they had left the uniforms and weapons with which they appeared on the streets of Sloviansk. The church employees were involved in the preparation, including a priest, who later became one of the leaders of the armed groups. #GuerraEnUcrania #Rusia #Donbás (translated)
