Preface by Tatzhit:
In summer 2014, #1 militia commander in Donbass was also #1 news source for bloggers.
Igor Strelkov was better than American or Russian mass media for two simple reasons: he had a lot of info, and he lied as little as possible (generally just saying "No comment").
So, there would be unclear fighting going on, journalists and propagandists on both sides would claim "we won, enemy decimated and fleeing" - and Strelkov would give his version of what exactly happened, who won, how and why. And a few days later, we would always find out his reports were far closer to the truth that propaganda from either side.
That time period is actually when I gave up on mainstream media coverage: if Reuters/CNN/BBC, put together, are doing a far worse job than one of the militia leaders, what is the point of listening to their drivel at all?
It wasn't even about different coverage of the same basic facts - MSM were getting their stories from the UAF headquarters, which meant their connection to factual reality was tenuous at best. Despite repeated fiascos, mainstream media kept doing that, ostensibly for ideological reasons, all though the encirclements of the summer 2014 ("UAF are not cut off, what are you talking about?!") and winter 2015 "Debaltsevo cauldron" ("There is no cauldron, militia selfies with captured UAF soldiers are fake!").
At the same time, even after his removal from Donbass, Strelkov gave much more accurate assessments than other Novorossiya sources, and did not mindlessly support militia's optimistic claims (e.g. he explained that Donetsk airport and Debaltsevo were far more drawn-out and bloody than the optimists would like you to believe, something that was also proven true later).
All of this makes his interviews very valuable as historic documents. Three caveats:
1) Strelkov is mostly focused on military details - his judgments of popular opinions and local politics are not as astute as those of some local politicians
2) He tends to be very harsh in judging others and himself
3) His predictions are generally very pessimistic. When compared to the boundless optimism of many "official" channels, the real events tend to fall in between theirs and Strelkov's predictions.
However, with the may "information war" is these days, Strelkov is still one of the best sources you could get. Enjoy.
Oh, and check out his biography first - it's pretty unbelievable, Donbass was his 5th war, and he volunteered for all of them.
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MILITARY BIOGRAPHY originally compiled here ]
Strelkov:
I'll briefly list my military biography (again).
18 June - 30 July 1992 - volunteer rifleman, 2nd platoon, Black Sea Cossacks. Koshnitsa, Bendery ;
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/polynkov/11628468/1282229/1282229_1000.jpg
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/polynkov/11628468/1282344/1282344_1000.jpg
- 30th October 1992 - 24th March 1993 - volunteer in 2nd Russian Volunteer platoon (first within 2nd Podrina light infantry brigade, then within 2nd Maevitska brigade of Respublika Srpska Army). First - grenadier in a scout group, then - 82mm mortar gunner.
http://nuker82.livejournal.com/400368.html http://www.specnaz.ru/articles/212/18/2037.htm
- June 1993 - July 1994
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