Anti-Maidan (; ) is a collective term of reference for groups opposed to Euromaidan, the Revolution of Dignity and the post-Revolution of Dignity Ukrainian government, and favouring improved relations with Russia, either through political reforms to transform Ukraine into a federation or through Russian annexation of Ukraine. Anti-Maidan protesters played a key role in the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine and the subsequent Russo-Ukrainian war, forming a part of the Russian separatist forces.
Anti-Maidan initially formed as a fringe group sponsored by the government of president Viktor Yanukovych against Euromaidan protesters. Following the Revolution of Dignity in February 2014 and the overthrow of Yanukovych, Anti-Maidan expanded in size, primarily spreading over social media. Anti-Maidan protesters lacked a common ideology beyond Russophilia and Soviet nostalgia; supporters included Russian nationalists, supporters of federalism and Russian separatists.
Protests of Anti-Maidan by date November 2013 rallies A pro-government counter protest reportedly gathered 10,000 people on 25 November. The Party of Regions allegedly paid ₴100 to its supporters to participate in a three-hour rally, with supporters calling for "building Europe in Ukraine [...] but on terms and conditions favourable for Ukraine". According to the Kyiv Post, demonstrators held anti-EU and homophobic banners.Musicians liven up EuroMaidan stage, Kyiv Post (29 November 2013) On 29 November, a two-hour pro-government rally attended by 3,000 people took place on European Square.Live updates of the protests, Kyiv Post (27, 28 and 29 November 2013) Party of Regions member of parliament Vladyslav Lukianov told the crowd: "I'm sure that our movement to Europe will never change. We support this choice. Let the land shatter from our steps. Together we will win".Ukraine opposition demands leader resign after EU snub, Seven News (30 November 2013) The Kyiv Post again reported incentives were given to attend and described attendants in appearance "to be homeless; still more look drunk. The crowd consists mostly of men". Euronews spoke of many being "bused in from the east of the country where pro-Russian sentiment is strong. They, too, carried national flags as well as those of the ruling Party of Regions".Ukraine's rejection of EU deal brings rival rallies at home , Euronews (29 November 2013) Many in the crowd refused to talk to Euronews.Ukraine: tension in Kyiv as pro and anti government protesters hold rallies , Euronews (29 November 2013)
On 30 November, several thousand protesters had been brought into Kharkiv on buses to stage a rally to support the government on Freedom Square. Some 170 buses were reported on the scene, and the number of attendees was according to organisers allegedly over 70,000; news agencies reported the size of the crowd to be 40,000. The event lasted only 1 hour. Reports indicated attendees were paid ₴50 to attend, and reports indicated that many were public sector workers who did not attend on their own accord. The rally was both pro-administration and pro-European Integration.
A rally in support of President Yanukovych held by the Donetsk Regional State Administration and the Party of Regions was to be held in Donetsk on 2 December, but was cancelled due to failure to organise enough people.
On 3 December, 1,000 attended a rally in Kyiv put on by the Party of Regions to support the president. The same day, it was reported by journalists of Espreso.tv that a Party of Regions organised rally in Kyiv was paying ₴200 to participants via online job postings.
On 4 December, 15,000 rallied in Donetsk in support of the president, many of whom were bussed in. The Party of Regions denied any allegations of forcing anyone to attend.
December 2013 rallies in Mariinskyi Park
A rally and tent camp action in support of President Viktor Yanukovych and at initiative of the Party of Regions began on 3 December in Mariinskyi Park located close by the Verkhovna Rada building (the parliament).Police block part of govt quarter in central Kyiv, Interfax-Ukraine (5 December 2013) The Party of Regions's press service reported on Sunday 6 December that over 15,000 people were taking part in a pro-government rally there. According to city police, there were some 3,000 people in the park the day before.,Several thousand Regions Party activists continue rally in support of Yanukovych, Interfax-Ukraine (8 December 2013) and the press estimated them at 2,000. Police heavily guarded this event from not only anti-government protesters, but also from any journalists and on-lookers.
According to Segodnya, people attending the pro-government Mariinskyi Park event were hired or obliged to attend, and forced to stay for a pre-determined time. In one incident on 8 December, protesters were held at the rally against their will by armed security.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to the Kyiv Post, one demonstrator said that participants of the rally are paid ₴300 or more in order to earn money without going to work. She also recalled cases when they were not let outside the rally for the whole day, while inside the camp there was a build up of garbage and dirty toilets on the grounds. Mark MacKinnon, senior international correspondent for The Globe and Mail, attempted to interview a demonstrator at the ongoing Anti-Maidan, but although was refused the demonstrator indicated to him that she actually supported the Euromaidan protests.
In parliament on 13 December Svoboda leader Oleh Tyahnybok said people on the government payroll in medical, education and other sectors (the so-called "byudzhetnye" sectors) were being bullied into coming to a planned pro-government rally that weekend; Speaker of parliament and Party of Regions member Volodymyr Rybak responded, saying that it is wrong to pressure people and it has to stop.
On 23 December, the pro-government rally ended.
14–15 December 2013 rally in European Square
On 14 December the Party of Regions announced that they intended to hold a rally on European Square under the banner "Let's Save Ukraine". The move to create a second rally in the city by officials was condemned by former president Leonid Kravchuk. According to party officials, 20,000 were expected to come from Donetsk and 10,000 from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Many others were expected to arrive from the Crimea, Odesa Oblast, and a number of other regions. In the lead up to the rally, it was reported on 12 December that "thousands" of residents from Dnipropetrovsk (mostly government employees, students of technical schools, and athletes) were traveling to Kyiv to join in the pro-government rallies. Those interviewed said they were doing so reluctantly, and only for two days, at a rate of ₴400–500 a day. It was also reported that state employees were coerced to join the group under threat of dismissal. On the day of the rally, UDAR MP Roman Chereha accused officials of bringing in children from shelters, promising them food and shelter. On 13 December, the Donetsk regional organisation of The Party of Regions said that people wishing to go to Kyiv would be provided food rations and would be transported on a specially commissioned train, paid for by the party. In Odesa, several trains carrying roughly 3,000 departed the city carrying students and teachers to participate in the pro-government rally; students, some from the Odesa Law Academy, admitted they would receive school credit for attending; others would receive financial compensation. It was similarly reported in Luhansk that over 1,000 had departed via rail, and those attending were largely coal miners from the region. Luhansk mayor Sergei Kravchenko in an address stated that over 1,500 residents would support the government at the rally. Meanwhile, in Zaporizhzhia, it was reported that a train packed with 1,600 "athletic men and workers of state enterprises and companies" was departing to Kyiv. Conductors said it was a private, rented train with tickets not available to the public. In a list released by journalist Tatiana Honchenko, a total of 27 trains, each with on average 20 cars had been rented by the Party of Regions for the weekend event to transport supporters from across Ukraine to Kyiv.
Opposition leaders Arseniy Yatseniuk and Ihor Miroshnychenko issued a warning, citing inside information, that authorities were planning to use the large pro-government rally in order to start a civil conflict and justify issuing a state of emergency, which would require the use of Berkut riot police and military to clear European Square and Maidan. Yatsenyuk specifically warned against the use of hired thugs (titushky) who will infiltrate and start to wreak havoc in the pro-European encampment cloaked in either European Union or national colours. Opposition leader Yuriy Lutsenko, however, called for calm and assured that the pro-government rally will be attended by peaceful, state-paid employees and students. Oleksandr Yefremov, head of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction reiterated: "This will be an exclusively peaceful demonstration, our people are always easy to get along with ... we will also rely on the police to create a safe buffer between the two rallies". However, a statement by Party of Regions MP Vadym Kolesnichenko acknowledged the creation of vigilante groups being formed in the south-east of Ukraine and across Crimea to "protect public order and the Constitution", and that one such group in Sevastopol already had already amassed 800 recruits; adding that they would be involved in the events of the weekend. In an interview by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty with an attendee on the day of the event, the subject (who taught boxing) revealed that he and a group of others were offered ₴1,000 by organisers to instigate a fight with protesters on Maidan.
The Interior Ministry's press service told the Kyiv Post on 13 December that the pro-government rally received permission to have up to 200,000 in attendance. According to Zerkalo Nedeli, one of the nation's most influential newspapers, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and government ordered the Ministry of Defense to aid in the provision of security, logistics, deployment of field kitchens, and transportation of 200,000 civilians to hold a pro-government rally in Kyiv on the weekend of 14–15 December. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is said to have been requested to aid in the security for those coming to Kyiv from other regions of the country. The report was covered in the media by The Insider, UNIAN, and Ukrayinska Pravda. The Minister of Defense later denied these rumors, citing Article 17 and Article 37 of the Ukrainian Constitution, which prohibits the participation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in domestic political fights. Despite this, on 13 December tents were seen being set up on property owned by the Ministry of Defense, and in a separate report by Zerkalo Nedeli it was revealed that the Ministry of Defense had been conducting training exercises over the previous two days, including taking inventory of equipment (ex. field kitchens, vehicles) for support of the pro-governmental protests. Resources were also transferred to Ukpromakord, the food supplier of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Further, on the day of the event witnesses reported and photographed 40 military field kitchens serving pro-government supporters in Mariinskyi Park.