Steppen Wolves: war in Donbass

More than 10,000 people were killed and many more injured as a result of the armed conflict between Ukrainian army and Russian backed separatists in the eastern Ukraine, according to the report of OHCHR from April 2014 until May 2017. As no solution has been found to stop the warfare and reunite the country, two opposing sides keep drifting apart from each other. While Ukrainian government celebrates visa liberalization with EU granted this summer, self-proclaimed Donetsk People`s Republic keeps issuing local passports recognized only by Russia, since last February. The hostilities in the eastern Ukraine take place not only on the ground but also in people’s minds. As both governments use propaganda to set its citizens against each other, children whose political views have not formed yet, become the easy target in the political games. In August 2014, one of the bloodiest battles took place in the small city of Ilovaisk (since 2014 under Donetsk People`s Republic control). The frontline lays far away from the city`s borders now, but the posters of heroic militia members, decorating the streets, keep memories of the warfare fresh. Inside school №12, three times per week, children aged from 6 till 18 attend military tactics lesson and physical training in a so called military-patriotic club named “Steppen Wolves” . Text by Sandra Alek

Children members of "military-patriotic" club Steppen Wolves, holding a wooden prop of AK-47 during military training.

The posters hanging on the Ilovaisk city council building depicts recently deceased militia commanders Mikhail Tolstykh 'Giwi' (Left) and Arseniy Pavlov 'Motorola' (Right). The signs on top says: “Ilovaisk remembers its heroes.”

Members of Steppen Wolves before the Saturday training starts.

The first thing that catches the eyes of the pupils attending the secondary school №12 in Ilovaisk (DPR), is a smiling face of Mikhail Tolstykh on the black memorial board hanging at the entrance.

Alena and Elia, both 12 years-old, waiting for the military training to start.

The Steppen Wolves line up before the training starts. Children aged from 6 till 18 attend military tactics lesson and physical training three times per week. Maksym (left), 18 year-old is the commander.

“As our Steppen Wolves enter the school, they look at Mikhail and want to be like him - to defend our land,” says Maksim. “They don`t want war here anymore. They are striving to defend. When I ask other members of the club what they plan for future, they all say that they will enter the military academy“.

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