Rodvian War

Rodvian War
Part of Ostrocian Border Conflicts
Date February 14, 2003 – May 3, 2005 (2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks and 5 days) Location South Rrepezhia Result Ceasefire Separatists gain de-facto control over South Rrepezhia Rodvian Government claim de-jure jurisdiction over the region Escalation of tensions between EST and UNISOC
Belligerents
South Rrepezhia Defiance Faction (2003-2004) SRLA (2004-2005) North Rrepezhians Vakhavians Chalashians Arazhans Ostroci (2005) Ostrocian Armed Forces	Rodvia Rodvian Armed Forces Komenians Vakhavians Chalashians Prokhogorsk (2004-2005) Armed Forces of Prokhogorsk Prokho Air Force
Commanders and leaders
Dragat Banciu Sorbu Verzadhai Ingrid Horvatha	Maksym Taranenko Gartu Bisolk Dmitre Rokolev Andrei Nadezhda Vlasic Rikne Julan Paropeva Milekc Lurisich
Casualties and losses
8,026 soldiers (South Rrepezhian claim) 15,823 soldiers (Rodvian claim)	1,109 soldiers (Official Rodvian figure) 20,118 soldiers killed 1,024 captured (South Rrepezhian claim) 12 pilots killed 3 pilots missing Lost aircraft: 1 Star I-82 6 Gol-65H 3 Turov-80T
South Rrepezhian civilian losses: 17,829 civilians killed (South Rrepezhian claim) 1,916 civilians killed (Rodvian claim) Rodvian civilian losses: 5,503 civilians killed (Rodvian claim) 2,306 civilians killed (South Rrepezhian claim) Total killed military/civilian: ~20,000–50,000 INTERCON/other estimations: ~80,000–100,000

The Rodvian War, also known as the South Rrepezhian Seccession War, fought between February 2003 and May 2005, was an armed conflict fought between Rodvian government troops and separatist forces of the breakaway republic of South Rrepezhia, supported respectively by Prokhogorsk and Ostroci. The conflict was fought largely on ethnic lines, and resulted in wholesale ethnic cleansing of Rodvians, Rrepezhians, Vakhavians, and Chalashians throughout surrounding regions as the frontlines shifted throughout the course of the war.

The intervention of Prokhogorsk in 2004 and ensuing aerial bombing campaign sparked escalation of the conflict into a major flashpoint between UNISOC and the Esermian Strategic Treaty; as well as inflicting significant civilian loss of life and displacement. Several INTERCON-sponsored peace delegations dispatched to the region proved unsuccessful in bringing an end to the fighting. Further escalation continued until a Prokho Star I-82 on a recon mission was shot down along the Ostrocian border in January 2005, claimed by the Ostrocian military to have breached it after ignoring repeated warnings. The ensuing escalation of tensions were brought to a head with this event, resulting in INTERCON demands of unilateral negotiation to avoid major conflict, bringing about the Brunswyck Accords and an end to the war.

The effects of the Rodvian War devastated South Rrepezhia and surrounding regions, with an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 civilian deaths and over 100,000 displacements in a region with a pre-war population of 300,000. The long-term psychological effects of the conflict linger today in the populations effected, and widespread infrastructural and property damage still plague the region over a decade after the ceasefire. The INTERCON Commission for Human Rights has called the war “Esermia’s shame [sic]” and “one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of recent memory”.

History

Background

With the outbreak of the Tlusevian Civil War in 1921, many of the nation’s contested frontier regions became abandoned by the government; with residents finding themselves without functioning local administration and services. As government troops were hastily withdrawn from the frontiers to combat the Olgoran Commune, surrounding nations took the opportunity to mobilize and seize control. In 1922 the southern border region of South Rrepezhia was invaded and occupied by troops of the Rodvian SST, then part of the crumbling Prokhogorsk Socialist Union. Though initially acting in support of the Commune war effort, Rodvian troops soon came into conflict with Revolutionary Army fighters themselves when ethnic tensions boiled to the surface and Rodvian troops began expelling local Rrepezhians from the countryside.

In 1925 the Prokhogorsk Socialist Union dissolved, resulting in the proclamation of the Second Rodvian Republic and the formal annexation of South Rrepezhia into its borders. As the Tlusevian Civil War came to a close, the government of the newly-established Federal Republic of Ostroci began overtures to the Rodvian government, demanding their withdrawal from the region; commanding they do so within a two-week period. When this was rebuffed, Ostrocian troops invaded the region, sparking the Rodvian Border War of 1927. Lasting throughout much of the year, Ostrocian troops were able to eject the Rodvian army from much of their territory; however proved unable to capture the port of Volupol and southern capital of Nakhima. Appealing to surrounding nations, Rodvia began negotiations with Prokhogorsk and Petschek to request their intervention in the conflict; however talks were ineffectual and both parties agreed to a general ceasefire.

Prelude

Over the four decades following the ceasefire, Ostroci was forced to abandon its ambitions on seizing control of South Rrepezhia; especially so when Rodvia became a signatory member of the Anti-Socialist Pact in 1926. During these years altercations between local Rrepezhians and Rodvian authorities and citizens began to flare, with traditional ethnic hatreds being the catalyst for frequent acts of violence between the two communities. The largely Rodvian police force were frequently embroiled in this violence, and took frequent action against the Rrepezhian community at large. In turn they themselves were shunned by the Rrepezhians, who viewed them as thugs and instruments of state terror. Various resistance cells began to form in this time, resulting in several incidents where police patrols and government vehicles were fired upon by insurgents.

In 1966, the Popular Committee for the Liberation of South Rrepezhia (PCLSR) was founded in Nakhima; seeking to unite Rrepezhian separatists under their banner and begin co-ordinated disobedience action against the goverment. The PCLSR claimed to have no part in the insurgent activity across the region; though the Rodvian goverment claimed to have evidence which disputed this fact. Regardless the PCLSR quickly rose to become the dominant force in the region for Rrepezhian liberation, however they were rebuffed by many of the smaller groups already engaged in armed struggle against the government.

Throughout the late 60s and much of the 1970s, despite their efforts to contain the violence, conflict and instability continued to escalate in South Rrepezhia without end. Rodvian government forces attempted to suppress subversive elements in the region; however their heavy handed application of force just added further fuel to the fires of ethnic and political hostility. Gradually, as events in the region spiraled further and further out of control, Ostroci began to view South Rrepezhia as more of a liability than an asset on the geopolitical stage. As international tensions peaked in 1979 with the Vadeburgian Border Crisis, Prominent voices in the government began stating that it was time to resolve the fate of the region for good.

1982 saw Premier Vlazákova of Ostroci and President Akhanov of Rodvia sign the Bilateral Ostro-Rodvian Border Accords of 1982 in which Ostroci formally tolerated (but did not formally recognize) Rodvian occupation of South Rrepezhia on condition of being granted ‘special status’ as an autonomous region within the Rodvian Republic. South Rrepezhia was permitted to fly its own flag alongside the national flag of Rodvia, Rrepezhian was marked as the region’s primary language, and a local governing council was to be formed and granted a veto within Rodvian parliament regarding all issues involving South Rrepezhia at a regional and federal level. The necessity of the Border Protocols have been heavily debated by commentators since their signing, however most at the time agreed they represented an important step towards co-operation between the Esermian Strategic Treaty and UNISOC.

Following the ratification of the Border Accords, the PCLSR began to disintegrate; with Ostrocian backing being severed and most activists integrating with the new political fabric or losing hope for a free Rrepezhia. On October 29th of 1982, the Committee leadership declared the disbandment of the PCLSR, with several Committee members announcing their intention to represent South Rrepezhia in Rodvian parliament. This alienated the most committed believers of Rrepezhian liberation, who denounced the former Committee leadership and came together to announce the formation of the Defiance Faction, to continue the struggle for independence. Led by Social Republican radical Petar Galhisvaru, the early Defiance Faction, consisting mostly of student activists and PCLSR old guards, began their campaign of encouraging civil disobedience and rejection of the Border Protocols. This was to last throughout much of the 80s, with the Defiance Faction trying in vain to gather the support the PCLSR once enjoyed. In this time Ultra-nationalism began to take hold of the movement; with it soon becoming the dominant ideology espoused by their activists.

As support for Defiance dwindled, the group became increasingly more frustrated and hostile in their actions; with members frequently engaging in beatings of seemingly random Rodvian civilians. In following years Defiance Faction descended more and more into acts of violent crime; being implicated by authorities in taking part of numerous attacks on Rodvians across Nakhima and other towns, ranging from stabbings, robberies, and acid attacks. In 1988 Rodvian police began major operations to stamp out violent crime in South Rrepezhia; specifically targeting Defiance Faction amongst several other groups. A series of raids and mass-arrests saw the Defiance Faction forced underground, and the group soon became embedded with the network of insurgent groups still operating across the countryside.

Defiance attack on Morozh

On the morning of October 9, 2000, civilians of the town of Morozh witnessed multiple vehicles and trucks driving erratically in the streets, ignoring traffic lights and causing minor property damage. Eyewitnesses described the drivers as 'wearing all black with covered faces'. At 9:05am, a van and sedan stopped on opposite sides of the Morozh KD Radio Station, with up to 12 assailants exiting the vehicles brandishing automatic weapons and storming the station in a matter of minutes. In the following 5 to 10 minutes, two more cars arrived, following the same procedure. Within the next 20 minutes, following an ensuing gunfight with responding police, coordinated surprise attacks took place on all four district police stations by more vehicle-borne militants. These attacks included an IED-rigged car driven and detonated in the front entrance of the Central Morozh Station, killing 16 and injuring 53. A temporary headquarters was then established in the radio station by Defiance, where militants broadcasted their rebellion over local, national and international frequencies, calling for “all patriots of the free Rrepezhian nation [to] take arms against [the Rodvians] [sic]". The militants also declared their will fight to the death in holding Morozh. Inadequately equipped and unprepared Rodvian Army forces launched an unsuccessful attack on the town on October 11, being driven back by the militants, who repulse all efforts to take Morozh until their defeat on October 15. A total of 57 Defiance Faction fighters are confirmed as killed in the fighting, along with an excess of 100 Rodvian soldiers, many of whom were caught by the myriad of IEDs lain in advance. Some 19 surviving militants captured by the Rodvian Army are promptly executed without trial on October 16, which marked the end to hostilities. A temporary Defiance Faction base-of-operations, located in an abandoned Volupov apartment block, is raided by police, who uncover numerous weapons caches as well as recruitment rosters and plans for the attack on Morozh; however most suspects and accomplices are able to evade capture.

Following the attack on Morozh, international media covered the event extensively, creating further political tension on the international stage between UNISOC and the EST. The Rodvian government was quick to dispel accusations of using extreme prejudice and failing to follow protocol during the attack, however these remarks were viewed critically. End-of-year regional census polls in South Rrepezhia showed government approval ratings having dropped by 20% in wake of the attack, with support for opposition groups increasing by up to 40%, bringing the polls into a clear anti-governmental majority.

First deployment of Rodvian troops

President Maksym Taranenko announced the revocation of South Rrepezhia's 'Special Status' as an autonomous region in 2001, as Rodvia begins the process of centralizing administrative efforts in governing the troubled province. He cites the critical inability of the South Rrepezhia Territorial Police to effectively combat Defiance Faction activity as a chief factor, and announces the deployment of 2,000 Rodvian soldiers throughout the region to 'combat this lawless banditry'. Defiance Faction experiences a small spike in membership and affiliation.

In 2002, protests erupt across South Rrepezhia after an incident in Nakhima where Rodvian troops open fire on a group of Rrepezhian boys vandalizing a guard post with pro-independence propaganda, killing two aged 14 and 16. Angry Rrepezh mobs attack Rodvian neighbourhoods, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of property damage and stolen goods, along with twelve deaths of which seven are Rodvian civilians, and one a Rodvian infantryman shot and killed during the chaos. President Taranenko announces a state of emergency within South Rrepezhia, enacting Martial Law. Rodvian troops enact a series of reprisals on the Rrepezhian population, resulting in numerous accounts of torture, rape, and murder. INTERCON reports on the conflict in 2007 mention having compiled 'four hundred and ninety-seven verified testimonies of abuse directed toward Rrepezh civilians, from July-December 2002'. Defiance Faction numbers surge in response.

Conflict

In 2003, the emboldened Defiance Faction, claiming to represent the people of all South Rrepezhia, announce its secession from Rodvia with the ethnically-Rrepezh fighters of ‘General’ Dragoslav Banciu taking hold of much of the countryside in rapid succession. President Taranenko immediately orders 5,000 troops be dispatched to the region to quell the uprising, however they are ambushed and effectively halted by Rrepezh troops near the border town of Tarvashi. Intense fighting sees the vital port-city of Volupol switch hands several times throughout the year. Intensified persecution and pogroms against ethnic Rodvians sees the beginnings of mass-scale displacement from the region. With probable Ostrocian backing, the Defiance Faction reconsolidates into the South Rrepezh Liberation Army by 2004, taking a more Socialistic political stance, and move on the offensive against the Rodvian Army. Volupov is seized as Rrepezh fighters push toward and encircle Saiga in Chalashia province; which houses a significant Rrepezh minority population and encompasses a part of ‘Greater Rrepezhia’. Ethnically-Vakhav militias loyal to the Rodvian government contest the majority-Vakhav Mikhulaje and Lyuskaje Valleys held by Rrepezh forces in the south of the region. Troubles within South Rrepezhia reach boiling point with entire Rodvian neighbourhoods fleeing from the region amidst rapidly escalating ethnic violence.

Prokho intervention

Prime Minister Nadezhda of Prokhogorsk announces his declaration to intervene in the ‘precarious situation of the Rodvian border regions’, mobilizing 15,000 troops to be sent to aid the struggling Rodvian Army. In 2005, Prokho troops spearhead government efforts in counterattacking against the SRLA; breaking the Siege of Saiga and smashing Rrepezh troops at the Second Battle of Tarvashi, coming within fifteen kilometers of Nakhima itself. The Prokho Airforce conducts extensive bombing throughout South Rrepezhia, causing widespread damage to infrastructure and inflicting significant loss of civilian life; leading to strong condemnation from UNISOC in the INTERCON Council of Sovereign States. After a Prokho ‘Star I-82’ Reconnaissance craft is shot down violating Ostrocian Airspace, Premier Horvatha announces her own nation’s intervention in the conflict, with some 21,000 troops being moved into the region and aiding the SRLA in driving Prokho-Rodvian forces away from Nakhima and retaking Volupol. The INTERCON Council of International Unity (CIU) brokers a ceasefire between the warring factions by May of 2005, however attempts at ratifying a formal treaty end inconclusively, leaving the region in a state of perpetual limbo that persists to present day.