Strelkov and other events may have predated by a few days, but it was Korsun, the Odessa Massacre, and finally the Mariupol Massacre, that convinced thousands of ethnic Russians that they had to fight, or die in the ethnic cleansing.
So much drama in all this Russian myth-making.
- Korsun Bus Beating (no fatalities) happened on the same day that Russians were “ethically cleansing” Ukrainians on Maidan.
- in Odesa, it was the pro-Russian mob that started it.
- Mariupol Massacre must be the reference to the shelling of the city by Russians in January 2015 killing 30, injuring 100.
Both Odesa and Mariupol (i think i know the event you were going for) followed Russian troops storming Ukrainian administrative buildings, the murder of Horlivka city councillor Volodymyr Rybak for protecting the Ukrainian flag, beatings and death of a Ukraine supporter during a Donetsk rally, beatings (no fatalities) of Ukrainian supporters during the Kharkiv rally.
You know that scene in Matrix-2 where the guy in restaurant talks about cause and effect, the Russian narrative that “atrocities” by Ukrainians led to war is the exact opposite of that. The most that can be argued here is that the mentioned “atrocities” led to the 90% result on referendum. But even then, one, 90% result is not real, and two, war was already underway before Odesa and Mariupol.
Here's my cockamamie story about ethnic cleansing of Ukrainians in Russia:
Feb 15 2015 - Thousands of ethic Ukrainians have been killed and thousands more were injured in Russia after a government-sanctioned day of violence against people of Ukrainian background. Anyone with a Ukrainian complexion or speaking with a Ukrainian accent was targeted by gangs of Russian nationalists roaming the cities of Moscow, StPetersburg, as well as scores of other Russian cities. "Kill khokhols, save Russia!" - yelled the spokesman for one of the gangs, before adding that he's for a peaceful coexistence of the two nations , as long as one of them doesn't exist.
At least five 2-year old boys were crucified by the Russians. Throughout the country, hospitals were instructed not to accept people with any kind of injuries. "It is better to let some Russians die than to let an injured Ukrainian live." - said the director of Moscow's Alexseev Hospital No. 1.
On Monday, the Liberal Democrat fraction in Duma will be putting forth a motion to outlaw blue and yellow colors.
Feel free to use it as a real news story :)