Gangsters of Donbas: eyewitness account of kidnappings in LPR. Part 1

Gangsters of Donbas: eyewitness account of kidnappings in LPR. Part 1

While the leaders of the part of Donbas captured by terrorists are killing each other, the local criminals took the trade which was popular in the 'mafia-style 90s", namely, kidnapping.

Criminals kidnap people for ransom and address to relatives of the victims in Ukraine to receive money. Of course, people were kidnapped here from the very beginning of the armed conflict in the spring of 2014. The difference is that now gangsters have to hide their activity not only from Ukrainian law enforcers, but also from the "People's Police" of separatists.

Alexander, 40 years old, occupied with business in Kiev, has told the reporter of Online.ua how he went the Luhansk region to ransom the cousin and his wife.

- My relatives lived in Perevalsk, Luhansk region. Aunt, cousin, his wife and his daughter. The kidnapping took place in mid-February. On that day, my cousin and his wife drove to Lugansk in their car.

As it turned out, they have been pulled out of the car right at the entrance to Perevalsk and taken away in an unknown direction. Then the aunt was called from an unknown man from an unknown number. He said that it is necessary to pay a ransom, they must sit silent and keep a low profile. Being panicked, the aunt phoned relatives, and we began to think what to do?

I found SBU officers pulling my wires in Kiev. And they gave me a woman who knows the situation as she was engaged in an exchange of prisoners, and so on. When the SBU officers found out what was going on, and that the bandits were from the region of Alchevsk, Stakhanov, Perevalsk, they had immediately warned me that it was 50% chance to get only a corpse. They said so in the simple phrase.

Of course, I have not told these words to my aunt. Then several calls were received from the kidnappers. And the committeemen began to speak that they have the ability to trace even a "secured" phone number but at this time my cousin hit me up: they gave him a call.

 - How much time did this process last for?

 - This all have been lasted for one day. My cousin was taken away, then we began to go, and after 8-9 hours he has contacted with us. Cousin said that he and his wife are right. They are confined, treated well, and they have no idea where they are located.

Then I have realized that it is necessary to give the ransom. And I went from Kiev to Severodonetsk where all relatives have come together already. Six days were spent there. There were seven people.

There were women that made emotional affecting, that is it was hell!

The bandits made a few calls, negotiations began on the amount and on the meeting. This was not about to transfer to the card or something like that, just only "cash" in dollars. They said: you have no choice!
 
- Did you communicate directly with them?

 - The aunt communicated with them always, I have not talked with them; I only saw intermediaries. Yes, there were intermediaries. Their role was simply to observe: to understand who came to talk to anyone and how to organize the handover of money.

There were several meetings on "neutral" territory. I did not understand why it is neutral, this because they identified it in such manner. For the first time they just presented my cousin and left us. There were a donar and two guys and they all were in military fatigues.

A day later the time and place for the exchange were appointed. They told to come to a certain point, closer to Popasnaya (Luhansk region, - ONLINE.UA). We have left our women "in the rear", come together - I and my brother. We have given our phone number and drove off.

The location was a broken gas station. The intermediaries arrived in a "Volkswagen" van; they drove by us back and forth. We waited. They came back, went out, and made small talk: "Is that you?" - "Yes!" Then they silently got into the car and fled. We felt a perfect ass and what's next? Then they called back and said: "Seniors" told us that the meeting postponed to tomorrow!"

The next day, the exchange took place: the cousin's wife was released. In a whole skin, but hysterical and emaciated.

We gave them $ 5 000. We ask: "And what about my cousin?" - "We will make out, be on call!" Two days later they released him also.

We met with them and gave more money. But my cousin was not with them. They just released him into a planting, gave his cell phone and showed the direction where to go. He called us and said, "Meet me!" He took across fields for three hours.

Please follow the link to read the 2nd part of the story

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