See additional coverage of this story on The Interpreter’s April 16th liveblog. The Russian outlet TV Rain has published a denial from the Donestk separatist leader that the flyer is connected with his organization. We will continue to follow this story on our liveblog where new evidence has been analyzed.
Staunton, April 17 – Ukraine’s Donbass news agency is reporting that three masked men, in clothes unmarked except for Russian Federation flags, distributed on Tuesday broadsides outside the Donetsk synagogue ordering Jews to register or face forcible expulsion and the confiscation of property.
It is, of course, possible that this is a provocation – it is virtually certain that Russian officials will describe it as such – but the content of the flyer, a photocopy of which is included in the Novosti.dn.ua report, is extremely disturbing, especially if it reflects the views of the Moscow-backed insurgents and their intentions.
An informal translation of the text follows:
Respected citizens of Jewish nationality! Given that the leaders of the Jewish community of Ukraine support the Banderite junta in Kiev and are hostile to the Orthodox Donetsk Republic and its citizens, the Main Staff of the Donetsk Republic orders the following:
All citizens of Jewish nationality over the age of 16 who live on the territory of the sovereign Donetsk Republic must before May 3, 2014, appear before the Donetsk Republic commissar for nationality affairs in Room 514 of the government’s offices. The cost of registration is 50 US dollars.
In addition to the sum of 50 US dollars, those registering must bring their passports so that their religious affiliation can be entered, documents about the members of their families, and also notarized documents about all the real estate and means of transportation you own.
Those who refuse to register will be deprived of citizenship and forcibly expelled from the republic and their property will be confiscated.