This article is about when Simon Ostrovsky was abducted by the orders of FSB lieutenant Igor Girkini in Slavyansk on 21 April 2014. The abduction lasted over the span of 120h and it ended in a surprising and positive outcome. The real drive for writing this article came after investigation in June 2019 where @lennutrajektoor, in efforts to understand who got his account suspended back then, discovered new, more detailed and disturbing timeline of the events prior and during detention of Simon Ostrovsky.

This is article about the real events, real events where people were sadistically and painfully tortured, killed, their corpses mutilated, and bodies dumped on an order by a FSB officer, who was in the area willing to kill, if circumstances required. This is article by people who went through the whole ordeal when it happened without any knowledge of the outcome. This is article about how people wanted to prevent the outcome what seemed to be evident. The perspectives of getting killed for one’s activities were real and this statement comes from a person who experienced the whole Russian war against Ukraine in 2014 where between a dead Ukraine army serviceman or a person was a Ukraine volunteer away. Extremely stressful events of distant past stay with the person and reaction or recollection of those events might trigger emotional extremes beyond a person’s control.

The author of the article asks people not to tag Simon Ostrovsky with this article, not to send it to him, just take the article for consideration and understand what he went through. The author follows Simon Ostrovsky and Simon Ostrovsky follows the person back on Twitter. This is sufficed to him get to know about the existence of this article.

 

Preface

Simon Ostrovsky came into people’s mind in March 2014 during the Russian Army ongoing military operation of Crimea annexation where they were willing to kill, provoked Ukraine army on the peninsula to open fire in return for intentionally killing Ukraine army servicemen, and the amount of bravery Simon Ostrovsky showed at the Russian army seized port in Crimea in Russian Roulette dispatch “Getting Stuck on a Ukrainian Battleship” is beyond this world for those who command Russian on higher level and have real life experience of interacting with ethnic Russian on foreign soil which they regard theirs for confronting an invading Russian army officer on guard at the seized Ukraine port. Simon Ostrovsky’s VICE “Russian Roulette” series is by no doubt in the world annals of journalism in the era of the internet.

Source: Simon Ostrovsky, Vice News “Getting Stuck on a Ukrainian Battleship: Russian Roulette in Ukraine”

The amount of effort put into providing truthful and on the ground information about the events had led to many splendid episodes of the series, one more genre changing than the other. The “First Evidence of Russian Boots on the Ground: Russian Roulette (Dispatch 26)” was most ground breaking episode of the series because it first time showed to the world the sleeping agent of GRU, Russian army Lt. Col. Igor Bezler, who came out from the hiding after his staged and gathered mob stormed the Horlivka police station where Simon Ostrovsky was present during the whole event as was seen from the live stream. That dispatch earned to Simon interest by Russia’s Intelligence Authorities and that interest was executed by the commander in Slavyansk FSB lieutenant Igor Girkin on 21 April 2014. On his way out from the Russian forces-controlled area on a regular checkpoint Simon Ostrovsky and his cameraman was detained on the orders of Igor Girkin. This took place 4 days after the events in Horlivka and on the day when the Russian Roulette dispatch was published. As of that event Simon Ostrovsky became a commodity.

Sources: Left: Unknown. Right: Simon Ostrovsky Vice News “First Evidence of Russian Boots on the Ground: Russian Roulette (Dispatch 26)”

A crucial detail in Simon Ostrovsky detention lies in the fact he went on 21 April 2014 to Russian forces held and controlled Slavyansk where in the city council a presser was held. This is a crucial tweet by Simon Ostrovsky where a local strong believer into Yanukovich and Russian supremacist in Ukraine accused them to be liars and the demanded donations for funeral. On the way out the events started to unfold.

Wait, this is the weirdest presser ever. This lady called us all liars and then asked for funeral money pic.twitter.com/m206SyMYZw

— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) April 21, 2014

 

Horlivka MP Vladimir Rybak, GRU sleeper Bezler, and FSB lieutenant Girkin.

Horlivka, the next major regional centre in Ukraine to Slavyansk, received its share of Russian army involvement by a GRU sleeper agent Igor Bezler. He will be known by his nickname Бес, Demon, derived from his surname – Безлер -> Без -> Бес. Turns out his nickname serves his true self and his capabilities. In the result Bezler will be known as the kingpin of Horlika surviving longer than Igor Girkin in Slavyansk but in the end even he gets into such troubles with the local Russian Army supporting rebels the Russian Army General Staff calls him back.

On the next day after taking over Horlivka police station Russian army officers and stooges hidden as members of Russian terrorist organization DNR hoisted its flag. Even that flag was enforced by the Kremlin and the mastermind of the annexation of mainland Ukraine. On 17 April 2014 Horlivka local municipality session took place which ended around 15:00. Batkivshina (Fatherland) MP Vladimir Rybak, who has always been vocal supporter of his homeland and defending the rights of Ukraine and Ukrainians, he gave a short interview to a local journalist expressing displeasure of replacement of Ukraine flag with known Kremlin origin one. At some point after that he went towards the local municipality building with clear intent to restore the sovereignty of Ukraine by hoisting the state flag. He was physically blocked on the way to the building and especially at the building entrance. Most notably the people around who formed the human shield to prevent him switching the flag back, were not locals. Some of them knew who he was and they knew it will happen. Two ladies in the crowd at the very building entrance called for help on which arrived designated by Bezler himself Russian stooges. On the video of the ordeal, it’s clearly seen the men approaching the crowd / human wall first address the women who called who then point with the finger who is Vladimir Rybak. This shows Bezler appointed a variety of different people from different areas who he recruited over the years regardless of their knowledge of local area. Loyalty to the cause was the highest priority. Nobody at the time expect very severe outcomes of such resistance by the Russian sleepers and designated assets but it was long time clear this is not a game and they are capable for extreme measures. Resistance to such Russian aggression is the measure by which the history in hindsight will look upon and determine its fierceness.

Source: https://twitter.com/lennutrajektoor/status/1149296104351109120

The women called on Vladimir Rybak to Bezler who in turn called his recruited leader of the stooges Alf and instructed to detain the Horlivka MP, call back when they are a bit away. On the second call he was clear they need to pack him good where he wouldn’t be able to determine where he will be taken and call him where he, Bezler, needs to pic him up. This was last sign of life of Vladimir Rybak. He disappeared for 6 days.

Source: https://twitter.com/lennutrajektoor/status/459312713312006145

On 22 April 2014 the truly shocking and distressing news break the Ukraine media – Horlivak MP Vladimir Rybak along with a 19-year-old Kyiv University Sociology & Human Rights student Yuriy Popravko (Юрий Поправко), who on his own ventured to Horlivka when the situation became dire and got under the attention of Bezler designated stooge, were found in the Torets river (Казённый Торец) that is near Slavyansk. Both the men were sadistically tortured, killed, bodies mutilated, belly cut open from the groin to the chest, completely naked, stones strapped to the neck by belts.

Never before after the Russian 2^nd Chechen War have people seen Chechen War style sadistic killings. This was the first over 15 years period. First ever on Ukraine soil. First sign that someone with Chechen campaign experience have killed them. This wasn’t just one-off event; this was a sign of very ruthless and experiences men are now installing upon Ukrainians the Russian World.

 

Both men, Bezler and Girkin, are Chechen War veterans. It has been known Bezler had in Horlivka a torture chamber. Torture chamber it this context means chamber where the person meets its creator. It was very in Bezler’s list to preserve the achieved victory by seizing the Horlivka police station and not allowing Ukraine defenders to set the foot he truly needed to send the signal. These two weren’t the last but for the time being the Chechen war killing style was to the way to the people’s mind and hearts.

The fact Horlivak MP Vladimir Rybak and 19-year-old student Yuriy Popravko were discovered in a river next to Slavyansk meant and was due to the FSB lieutenant Igor Girkin being in charge of the operation, commanded the resources, including one’s with top priority. It’s clear that at least Horlivak MP Vladimir Rybak was killed no later than by the 20 April 20, most probably by 19 April 2014.

The bodies of Horlivak MP Vladimir Rybak and the student Yuriy Popravko were discovered less than 12h after Simon Ostrovsky detention. The fact situation was dire for Simon Ostrovsky became long clear prior this. The revelation they will use anything to get their will made things more sober.

2 – Horlivka MP Vladimir Rybak; 1 – 19 y.o. Kyiv University student Yuriy Popravko.

19-year-old Kyiv University Sociology & Human Rights student Yuriy Popravko (Юрий Поправко) close up.

Source: https://www.ostro.org/general/society/articles/443375/

 

Slayansk so called people’s mayor Vyacheslav Ponamoryov and a tweet of his sandwich.

When FSB lieutenant Igor Girkin took over Slavyansk it went very smoothly. The elect mayor sided with the Russian forces, gave all the access they needed and agreed with the notion Girkin installs his own selected stooge by name Vyacheslav Ponamoryov. He’s a native Slavyansk resident mainly dealing with various small item trade on the local market but mainly with narcotics. A known petty criminal. Not a single person questioned Vyacheslav Ponamoryov’s authority and so things started to evolve.

On 21 April 2014 Igor Girkin called people’s mayor Vyacheslav Ponamoryov and the conversation was released by SBU, Ukraine Security Service, right after the news of detention of Simon Ostrovsky spread around the media.  In the wiretapped conversation Girkin ordered the people’s mayor to take care of the stiffer (жмур is a dead body in Russian criminal slang) because he’s stinking here just for nothing. This reference gave up the crucial detail the body of MP Vladimir Rybak, and also the body of student Yuriy Popravko, travelled 90 km to Slavyansk for Igor Girkin to get rid of them. They went to Slavyansk because not just FSB lieutenant Igor Girkin run the operation but he was in direct subordination with the FSB command in Moscow and he received the orders and executed them accordingly. The bodies of those men were under strict control of FSB. This also means detention of Simon Ostrovsky and his cameraman came as an opportunity to seize the moment and derail further exposure of Russian army and FSB assets. As of 21 April 2014, Igor Girkin didn’t reveal his identity and remained anonymous. The only possible visual ID was sketch by the SBU criminalists who drew it based on the testimonies of the Ukraine army servicemen detained in Slavyansk and forced to leave their BMPs behind.

In the conversation Igor Girkin referred to Vladimir Rybak in exceptionally derogative word жмур (the stiffer) on which the people mayor, wanting to retain his level of trust replied: “I’ll take care of the rooster (петух), is a Russian criminal slang for lowest ranked inmate) burial after I’ll have a presser for journalists”. Turned out Monday, 21 April 2014, was a busy Public Relations day for people’s mayor Vyacheslav Ponamoryov where he had another presser after the one Simon Ostrovsky and his cameraman was spotted. At the end of that sentence, to rise his rank even higher, reported that: “He’s been detained” where they referred to Simon Ostrovsky. FSB lietunant Igor Girkin acknowledgment: “I know” means that he men at the checkpoint where Simon was detained reported directly back to Igor Girkin and Simon Ostrovsky was as a commodity to push one’s rank among the own. Vyacheslav Ponamoryov knew in advance Igor Girkin is aware of Simon Ostrovsky detention but he didn’t lose the chance to push his perspective for rank pushing and earning positive credit.

Most revealing is the fact Simon Ostrovsky bargain happened during the same phone call where Vyacheslav Ponamoryov was ordered to get rid of the Vladimir Rybak body. Disposal of the 19-year-old student Yuriy Popravko was so unrelated and not worth mentioning emergence of his body along with Vladimir Rybak’s truly created shocking ripples – no one expected they’ll two Ukrainians.

Despite the fact the phone call between the men was long known and deciphered the fact that Simon Ostrovsky was casually mentioned along the disposal of killed came quite as a shock in June 2019. It might be the effect that people tend to forget very critical and exceptionally stressful details of events because the same stressful details in quickly pacing chain of events tend to override the same perception of reality and they erase each other but to get new revelations emerging from the re-examination of 21 April 2014 events came as a stressful revelation as they were taken back in 2014.

On the evening of 21 April 2012 around 20:00 Graham W Phillips emerged in Slavyansk. At that particular point of events in Ukraine it wasn’t very clear cut which side Graham inclines. This was the reality of the moment. When his tweets emerged, him being there, @lennutrajektoor started to getting hold of him. The conversation wasn’t very productive. It dragged on and it became suspicious but when he asked Graham W Phillips, knowing he was in the study of the people’s mayor Vyacheslav Ponamoryov, to ask him directly were is Simon Ostrovsky.

 

Graham W Phillips tweeted back picture of Vyacheslav Ponamoryov freshly made sandwich.

 

As of that moment block of Graham’s account followed and some things cleared out.

 

Despite the fact people know things how they happen because they were told in some form or writing, at that particular moment it wasn’t clear what game Graham played. Most important, as hindsight, was the moment when Graham was forced to ask people’s mayor Vyacheslav Ponamoryov where is Simon Ostrovsky. No one at that moment knew who detained Simon Ostrovsky. Even less was known of his whereabout. The fact Vyacheslav Ponamoryov was asked, right after he disposed the bodies of MP Vladimir Rybak and student Yuriy Popravko, knowing where Simon Ostrovsky was chackled, must have come like a lightning strike from the clear skies. It’s unclear what impact that had on them but the allegory of Vyacheslav Ponamoryov’s evening sandwich didn’t occur to @lennutrajektoor at all but several years later. Also, the sandwich was his late-night reward snack after fulfilling the orders of Igor Girkin and earning his spurs.

What followed was a long and stressful night into early hours of morning and the next day wasn’t less stressful with two bodies fetched out from the river. Various Twitter handles were engaged to raise the awareness of seriousness of the situation, one among many, US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt. Despite the fact he didn’t’ reply on the tweets there was one particular thing that caught the eye several years later. It was a statement released by the Jen Psaki with US State Department 32 hours later. It followed by ViceNews tweeting in regard of Simon Ostrovsky that followed by Jen Psaki statement. In critical situations like these such things matter as they open some significant diplomatic communication channels and they have the punch people do not witness publicly.

The threat to Simon Ostrovsky was real long before discovery of Vladimir Rybak’s body. It became to wider circles clearly evident that this is no joking matter when the bodies were found.

On 24 April 2014 Horlivka MP Vladimir Rybak was buried.

 

The immediate aftermath

Geoffrey R. Pyatt followed @lennutrajektoor  until his departure from Ukraine to Greece as the ambassador of the USA. These are those tiny details people tend not to spot that actually have significant impact on events in real.

Simon Ostrovsky was tortured and threatened. The amount and details of ordeal should not be investigated as with exceptionally stressful situation where there’s no clear end on the horizon no need to recall or try to make to recall the events. Also, whether the international pressures played any role is unclear but no one, nor ever Simon Ostrovsky, knew what his faith will be. The probability of a fatal consequence was so high that anything that amounts any external pressure to the Russian side played its role and might had led to certain outcomes.

The fact is the international pressure, the internal unforeseen behind the scene forces, and people in Ukraine made it possible Simon Ostrovsky to be released. The release of Simon Ostrovsky came as suddenly and unexpected and was his detention. Because many international journalists were around and at the epicentre of the events his release was announced by CBC and he was picked up by the CBC crew.

Simon Ostrovsky was released, suddenly and unexpectedly, 24h after the US State Department statement. This is highly unlikely the decision of his release had been made solely by the FSB lieutenant Igor Girkin. It might have been so but the fact how Simon Ostrovsky was released indicates the orders came from higher, namely by the chain of command of the Russian army operations, directly from the FSB part, which curated the operation.

Most important fact is the backbone of Russian army might and total control over the territory they seized by 24 April 2021 was first time broken and it resulted in release of Simon Ostrovsky.

Good news from Ukraine: American journalist @SimonOstrovsky freed by pro-Russian separatists (via @belangerjf) #CBC pic.twitter.com/Edv9JmtcE5

— Derek Stoffel (@DerekStoffelCBC) April 24, 2014

 

Petition Simon Ostrovsky to be nominated for an Estonian Presidential award.

Reporter Simon Ostrovsky asked Ukrainian soldiers if they thought they could get a fair deal from Russia without US support. Their answer: "Without the US and without the EU, there's no way that Russia is going to hold to the terms of any agreement." https://t.co/WAcSg9wvri

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 14, 2019

In November 2019 in MSNCB live studio with Chris Hayes the host introduced Simon Ostrovsky with a passage

“… he was detained at one point by pro-Russian gunmen in Eastern Ukraine …“

which was first time over 5 years where someone has ever mentioned that critical ordeal . It was clear that the work Simon Ostrovsky did in 2014 and 2015 in Ukraine, the information he gathered and reporting he produced, became iconic, genre defining and was invaluable source of information from open-source investigation standpoint alone. This also means Simon Ostrovsky deserves even years later to be nominated and being internationally awarded journalist for his work and ethics. The re-experience of the events of April 2014 in June 2019 and an American news anchor recalling the ordeal was suffice to think on possible means for getting Simon Ostrovsky nominated. As Estonia celebrates its independence on 24th February and the President awards medals to most prominent figures domestically and abroad prior the festivity for their overall contribution a petition to the president of Estonia office was sent with proposal to nominate Simon Ostrovsky for an Estonian Presidential award for his work that led to his abduction in April 2014 and the real perspectives to face the faith of the very people who were discussed over the phone with the people’s mayor Vyacheslav Ponamoryov where abduction of Simon Ostrovsky was casually reported to boost his personal gain, plus the fact Simon Ostrovsky continued his job in Ukraine even after that.

In the reply the presidential office acknowledged the decision will be reviewed by the Presidential committee and the decision will be made based on the overall evaluation. This is the right of President and it’s up to the institution to decide from the proposed nominees.

Very shortly after the reply the tweet by Simon Ostrovsky appeared.

And the president of Estonia…

— Dr Alina Polyakova (@apolyakova) November 28, 2019

 

The president of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid do not follow many people on Twitter and Simon Ostrovsky became one of them. This is remarkable and even such outcome is sufficing to recognize the contribution he made.

One important aspect of Simon’s ordeal is his tweet, 5 years after, at the Slavyansk SBU HQ building with selfie. This is indication of closure, indicating something to himself that this is in past now. Closure is psychologically very important aspect of overcoming the memories of past. In April 2014 taking such picture of Slavyansk SBU HQ would have ended with death to the person. This is how much free and nascent Ukraine means to the world.

We are hoping the efforts of Simon Ostrovsky being nominated for international awards would be undertaken by others who share the same views as the author of this article. This is also SA VALDEF official position.

 

The Petition to the President of Estonia

Here below is the petition on Estonian to the president of Estonia in regard of nominating Simon Ostrovsky for an Estonian Presidential Award.