Ukraine’s noose tightens on Donetsk as rebels vow ‘another Stalingrad’

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Russian separatist leader Igor Strelkov concedes that Donetsk has been cut off. (Jaime Dettmer)

DONETSK, Ukraine –  Kyiv has tightened the vise on the separatist stronghold of Donetsk, surrounding the eastern city and cutting off supply routes and all roads in.

With the pro-Russian separatists facing continuous pressure in the now largely deserted city that once held 1 million people, rebel commander Igor Strelkov, also known as Igor Girkin, conceded that the 5,000 separatists running the city are now on their own.

Although some rebels are calling for a cease-fire in order to spare the city from being destroyed by Ukrainian shelling, others vowed that, if invaded, Donetsk will become “another Stalingrad,” a reference to the bloody 1942 battle in which Russians repelled Nazi forces to help turn the tide of World War II.

Residents continue to leave the city, and on Sunday, the city’s only train station was the scene of intense jostling for tickets to Kyiv and other major cities. Those who remain in the city will be forced to seek shelter from the ongoing assault or join the separatist ranks.

According to one local source, some people leaving Donetsk en route to Kyiv have been taken off trains and detained before reaching Kyiv, in order to prevent separatists from escaping, and reaching the nation’s capital. It is also possible that the artillery shelling could destroy the rail lines altogether.

Sporadic shelling has continued throughout the weekend, damaging buildings and shutting down electricity and water in some parts of the city. An additional assault by Ukrainian forces could prove to be the death knell of the separatist movement.

But even though Ukrainian forces have the upper hand, approximately 20,000 Russian troops have amassed just across the border, some two hours east. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has brazenly armed and equipped pro-Russian forces through the conflict, could possibly have the final say in how the current situation unfolds.

Should Putin ignore separatists pleas to intervene, Ukraine can try to wait them out with the city surrounded or force the issue with an invasion that could end the standoff quickly, but at a tremendous toll. After the weekend, it was clear that most residents were not sticking around to see which option plays out.