(GRAPHIC) Rebel retreat from Slovyansk didn't go without a fight.

On June 5th Slovyansk and Kramatorsk had been abandoned by the almost encircled (pro) Russians who retreated to Donetsk. This did no go without a fight.

Here are some photos released after the aftermath:

Those victims probably are (pro) Russians.

UPDATE
Here is a movie of this location:



These are old photos of the Ukrainian checkpoint at this location:

You can see the similarities.

A map of this location:

It means the (pro) Russians had attacked this checkpoint and overrun it to flee to Kramatorsk. 

Here is part of the convoy on the retreat:



Most of them went to Donetsk to fight another day.

They left Kramatorsk almost empty.
In this video it can be seen how the remaining resistance in Kramatorsk is being cleared:



This is the geolocation in Google maps:



Some people questioned why the army had allowed the rebels to retreat. Yet, by allowing them to do so, Slovyansk has been freed without leveling the city to the ground. They should do the same with Donetsk and Lugansk. Encircle ... leave a route open for retreat ... Next city. Let them go back to the country they love so much.

Or maybe drive their tanks to Moscow?

Pіdnyaty Prapor in Slov'yansku. Glory to Heroes of Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/XFMu71oSWH
- Programa Poroshenka (@ Programa_PP) July 5, 2014

How fresh recruits may slip into encircled Slovyansk

This (long) video from ANNA news, a Russian propaganda news organisation, begins with showing how new recruits slip into Slovyansk:



Note how these misled men REALLY believe they are fighting against the Nazis as in World War II. That's were you see how damaging propaganda is!! Without the Russian propaganda, there would be no war in Ukraine.

Let's geolocate the video.
Shortly after they entered, this shot is shown:

It is the so called 'Brick Yard', but in fact it was a chemical plant, were the rebels used to dwell. In front of it the railway crossing of Semenovka can be seen.

This is how the shot has been taken:

This screenshot shows electricity poles alongside a road, as well as two industrial chimneys:

In this Panoramio photo both these elements can be seen:

It means the guys are walking along a railway and the chimneys can be seen on the OTHER side of the railway.

When we draw the railroad on a map and a line from the chimneys along the railway, we can see there is one small area where the chimneys can be seen across the railway like that:

When we look at this screenshot, which is on the right side of the railroad:

it can be matched with exact that location:

This Panoramio photo shows building B:

In Google maps:

Running along this railway AWAY from slovyansk does not make sense. It means they just PRETENDED to be slipping into Slovyansk. They were just making a shot for TV that looked like they were moving in.

This does not mean they did not slip in. It just means ANNA News did not come along with them and they made a shot afterwards.

When you look South-East of Slovyansk, this is the situation:

Blue = approximate areas in control of Ukrainian army.
Yellow = canal (not easy to cross)
Red arrows = points where the canal can easily be crossed

The Northern arrow might be too close to the front line.
The area along the canal gives excellent cover, whereas the rest consists of large open fields:

A good route with cover would be something like this:

Also see: how did two Russian tanks slip into Slovyansk?
Also see: Some rebel positions in Semenovka.

How two Russian tanks slipped into encircled Slovyansk

25 to 40 vehicles entered Ukraine from Russia on June 20th. Two tanks and two BTRs arrived one day later in Kramatorsk.

These are the ones as they were spotted in Horlivka:

Here are two more photos of the tanks in Horlivka:

They have the numbers 7 and 8 on the IR-light.

The two tanks ended up in Slovyansk, which is about encircled by the Ukrainian army. How is that possible?
We have some exclusive information from locals in Kramatorsk about it.

The four vehicles arrived at the Talisman, which is the rebels base. It can be seen here:

    

And on Wikimapia.

After a while the two BTRs drove to the Heavy Machine Plant and the two tanks have been seen driving towards White Chalk hills on the roads on this map:

UPDATE
This local guy even describes the route through Kramatorsk in more detail:

#Краматорск-#Славянск: по этому маршруту ушло 2 танка с 21 на 22 июня.Через гору регулярно идут грузовики в Славянск pic.twitter.com/GqjCPvcGUt
— Иван Щелепов (@poppoppopkt) June 24, 2014

When we look at MilitaryMaps, which is a proRussian realtime engine that keeps track of unit movements, we see this:

When we project the spotted locations of the tanks onto this map we can trace a probable route along visible path on Google maps into slovyansk like this:

They may also have driven right to the M03 and then to Semenovka, but that highway might have been too dangerous.

Since earlier a NONA self-propelled mortar had been destroyed and then replaced by one or more new NONAs, this might also be the route those took to enter Slovyansk.

Also see: NONA mortar attacks from residential areas.

In this video a biker drives a small part of that route through the White Chalk hills, just leaving the forest and entering a more open field:



In Google maps:

Some Rebel positions in Semenovka

This video shows a drive from East to West through Semenovka towards Slovyansk:



The route he drives is on this map:



Yellow = driving route
Markers = rebel positions
Red lines = approximate layout of position

It shows several rebel positions along the route.
First there is this fortified position blocking the road southwards

It's made of concrete blocks and sandbags.

Next, there are two cars blocking the road:

On the left there is the hospital, ideal for a sniper or RPG or even ATGM to fire on anything that comes along the road:

One of the rebels forgot to were a mask and did not mind to get on camera:

The insignia of the rebel seem to be from a Crimean battalion:

The building next to the hospital also has some good firing positions for a surprise attack:

On the side of the road there are some anti tank obstacles:

They may put them on the road to slow down a vehicle and then ambush it from the hospital or other building.

The building after the petrol station has some sandbags:

And also some firing positions:

On the crossroad some roadblocks can be seen, although they are already damaged a  lot by shelling:

In the distance something like a car can be seen blocking the sideroad.

(If you see any errors or have additions, please let me know.)

(Pro)Russian NONA mortar firing from terrain of protestant church in Slovyansk

A NONA Mortar (looking for divine protection?) firing from the terrain of a protestant christian church 'Church of the Good News' in Slovyansk:

Церкв Добрая Весть pic.twitter.com/NwLe3gVL64
— Нехай (@nehay82) June 8, 2014

.
This is the location:

In Google maps:


From this position they probably fire at the tv-tower where a Ukrainian base is.

The real reason the (pro)Russians fire from this location is that they hope the church will be hit when they receive return fire, so they can use the images in their propaganda.

Earlier they did something similar with a hospital and a kindergarten in Slovyansk.
In Krasny Liman their HQ was in a hospital.

Since the only NONA the (pro)Russians had, had been destroyed a week earlier (first it was hit by an RPG, then they towed it around on a trailer, then it was hit again and destroyed; see this report), it seems they received a new one. So far it is unknown where it comes from and how it got into Slovyansk.

UPDATE
Now we know how two tanks got into Slovyansk, we also understand how the NONAs got there.


Also see: NONA firing from residential areas.
Also see: undetonated NONA shells found in residential areas.

Pro-Russian-used undetonated NONA mortar-shells found in residential areas of Slovyansk

Have a look at this:

Now have a look at this:

Are these the same?
Of course.

The first screenshot is taken from this video:



It shows how the NONA self-propelled mortar uses these shells as ammunition.

The (pro-)Russian militants in Slovyansk are using a NONA mortar. You can see it firing here.

The second screenshot is taken from this video:



These are found in residential area's in Slovyansk but did not detonate.

Guess who was shooting these?

(It is unclear why the boy in the video says they are 110 mm, because these are 120 mm.)

Here is a mortar Ukraine is using:

Taken from this video.

This is the same ammunition they are using for their NONA as can be seen in this video:

Conclusion: the (pro)Russians had been shelling residential areas themselves.


Also see: A hospital being hit by a mortar.
Also see: Nona firing from residential area.