East Ukraine Protesters Barricade In as Civil War Looms

Fears of Western Fascists Fuel 'Siege Mentality'

With rumors constantly circulating about the imminent invasion of their towns by neo-Nazi factions from the western portions of the country, eastern Ukraine’s towns are mostly under lockdown, with a “siege mentality” setting in.

Between the very real threat of military attack and the perceived risk of attack by westerners, the locals in protester-held cities, particularly in Donetsk Province, are setting up more and more barricades.

The protesters continue to expand their control over the smaller towns around Donetsk, shoring up their positions. With the situation slowly transitioning into a civil war, those towns could quickly find themselves directly at odds.

So far, the military offensive has centered on the cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, both neighboring one another on the edge of the protester-held territory. Yet these cities are also some of the most heavily fortified, setting up protracted fights over control.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.