Historical Overview of the Formation of the Battle of Ilovaisk From the Perspective of the Parties Involved

Abstract

More than 3 years ago, 10th August 2014 the battle for the little city, Ilovaisk, which since then has become renown worldwidely, broke out. Ilovaisk is one of the gates of Donetsk as well as a very important railway and transport hub, a strategic district. If the ukrainian forces occupy the city irrevocably then the two rebelling capital cities, Donetsk and Lugansk are blocked from each other meaning the end of both republics. Instead a volunteer army did a major defeat on the Ukrainian army. The Ukrainian side argued that the defeat occured because Russia bluntly interfered with guns. Although they do not have any evidence, every time they mention warfare between the Russian Army and Ukrainian armed forces, they are referred to as facts. This is always denied by both insurgents and Russia.

This publication aims to show the facts and circumstances which led to the situation that after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited one of the biggest army of the world, and how this army suffered a crushing defeat by volunteer armed forces. I also aim to the evaluate the defeat and its consequences for subsequent political events.