Many people blame Strelkov/Girkin for the outbreak of serious fighting in the Donbass. I believe it is important to see the sequence of events. Chronology is always worth keeping in mind: it’s not necessarily cause and effect but it usually points to it.

• Background. Major shale gas deposits in eastern Ukraine for which Burisma Holdings has licence. More about Burisma and the history of gas deposits in Ukraine
• 20 February 2014 Korsun attack
• 22 February 2014 Coup in Kiev: Yanukovych overthrown and Oleksandr Turchynov appointed interim president
• 23 February 2014 Rada abolishes law on second languages; Turchynov vetoes.

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• 1 March 2014 anti-Maidan protests begin in Donbass
• 7 April 2014 In TV address interim President Turchynov blames unrest on Moscow, says he will launch “counter–terrorism” operation against separatist movements in east. “Last night we created the Anti-Crisis headquarters. We will conduct anti-terrorist measures against those who took up to arms. We have increased the defense of the eastern border of our country.” (My emphasis).
• 12 April 2014 Strelkov/Girkin seizes weapons in Slavyansk
• 13 April 2014 Kiev government announces beginning of “counter-terrorism” operation in Slavyansk
• 18 April 2014 Hunter Biden appointed to Board of Burisma
• 2 May 2014 fighting becomes serious
• 5 July 2014 Strelkov/Girkin and his forces withdraw
• 25 July 2014 Ukrainian army helps install drilling equipment in Slavyansk
• 16 December 2014 Maybe fracking prospects not so good, after all

So, if I had heard that I was being called a “terrorist”, with all that that means these days, by some people who had pulled off a coup and driven out the people I’d elected, whose first action is to try and ban my language,  if I’d heard about the Korsun attack, if I got wind that a large company with foreign involvement might want to strip mine my place and move everybody out of the way, if I was already mistrustful of the new regime in Kiev, maybe I’d get some guns too.