Empire of AndrewBoard

Santa Lucija wrote:

Treachery has erupted in the Chuvash Republic, a small ethnic enclave deep within the heartland of Santa Lucija. Communiques suggest that the local Chuvash population has risen up agains their Russian administrators, demonstrating a level of foresight and organization that surely was the result of a broad conspiracy. Assisted by service staff and mutinous Chuvash commanders, local rebels stormed the main armory and barracks outside of the provincial cpaital of Cheboksary, quickly overwhelming the small garrison and releasing all political prisoners held within its walls. Our most recent estimates put the number of rebellious forces at around 1,500 persons, freshly armed with assault rifles, shotguns, mortars, and several light transport vehicles. According to rebel radio broadcasts from the captured broadcast station, the provincial governor, judicial principal, and head of internal security have been seized and taken to the barracks, where they are being held as hostages along with roughly 200 army regulars. The Russian community in the Chuvash Republic (which amounts to 27% of the total population) has been disarmed by local vigilantes, though at this time there do not appear to be any reprisal attacks. We can assume the number of rebels will grow rapidly if we do not intervene immediately, so nearby military units have already been scrambled for a counter-attack. It will be at least four hours until the nearest mobile regiment (stationed in Nizhny Novgorod) will arrive at the border of Chuvashia, and we are unsure if they will meet resistance past that point. Until then, a pair of attack helicopters has been dispatched as a show of force, attempting to scare the locals into surrender while surveilling the positions and strength of the rebel forces.

We believe this incident was sparked after last month's decision to issue mandatory ID cards to the Chuvash population within the Republic. This was intended as a temporary measure to assist law enforcement in cracking down on ethnic nationalist cells within the community, leading to the arrest of several prominent community figures. Those imprisoned within the central barracks included the captain of the local soccer team, who was accused of carrying and distributing Chuvash nationalist letters and packages under the cover of team travel events.

Cybus1 wrote:

SIC: Torchwood representatives have requested a meeting at our embassy in Berlin, proposing a solution which will free the hostages and allow the Tsars forces to engage or capture rebel forces with impunity. Details will be given in person.

Santa Lucija wrote:

Our ambassador in Berlin is en route, and will be conferring with your agents in private.

The Tsar has criticized the governments of the "Western liberal consensus" for meddling in the internal affairs of Santa Lucija, as well as exploiting the vulnerability of a serious internal insurrection to push their political agenda. He has warned the Ocearans in particular that any attempt to harbor known fugitives or anti-government conspirators will be harshly punished.

Santa Lucija wrote:

Our ambassador in Berlin is en route, and will be conferring with your agents in private.

The Tsar has criticized the governments of the "Western liberal consensus" for meddling in the internal affairs of Santa Lucija, as well as exploiting the vulnerability of a serious internal insurrection to push their political agenda. He has warned the Ocearans in particular that any attempt to harbor known fugitives or anti-government conspirators will be harshly punished.

Santa Lucija wrote:

It seems our military planners had greatly underestimated the resolve and preparation of the Chuvash rebels. After our two attack helicopters buzzed the central barracks in Cheboksary, the pilots were given a spoken warning via the compound's PA system. After disregarding the petulant demands of the traitors, one of our helicopters was engaged by a modern shoulder-fired launch system. After evading the first shot, the helicopter's tail was clipped by a second volley, causing a flameout and dramatic crash into an adjacent building. The three crew members are now feared dead, as the second helicopter has tactically withdrawn from the area. This escalates the crisis to a much graver level, ending hopes that the insurrection could be peacefully put down.

Shortly after the first shots were fired, our government received a radio broadcast outlining the demands of the rebels (who will only release the hostages in the following actions are unconditionally taken) :

-The Tsar must personally abdicate within 30 days
-The Tsar must reverse the policy of appointing principals to supervise and intimidate local judges
-The Chuvash people, as with all other ethnic minorities, will be regarded as legally equal to Russians
-Free and fair elections will be held for the Duma within 60 days
-All non-violent political prisoners will be either released or assigned to house arrest, pending a re-trial by a jury of peers
-Clemency will be extended for all those who have risen up against the state in Chuvashia, and there will be no reprisals against civilians within the Chuvash Republic

The Tsar has called these demands "radical", and has shown no sign of caving in to pressure. Particularly after the downing of the attack helicopter, he is leaning heavily on an aggressive military crackdown

Santa Lucija wrote:

It seems our military planners had greatly underestimated the resolve and preparation of the Chuvash rebels. After our two attack helicopters buzzed the central barracks in Cheboksary, the pilots were given a spoken warning via the compound's PA system. After disregarding the petulant demands of the traitors, one of our helicopters was engaged by a modern shoulder-fired launch system. After evading the first shot, the helicopter's tail was clipped by a second volley, causing a flameout and dramatic crash into an adjacent building. The three crew members are now feared dead, as the second helicopter has tactically withdrawn from the area. This escalates the crisis to a much graver level, ending hopes that the insurrection could be peacefully put down.

Shortly after the first shots were fired, our government received a radio broadcast outlining the demands of the rebels (who will only release the hostages in the following actions are unconditionally taken) :

-The Tsar must personally abdicate within 30 days
-The Tsar must reverse the policy of appointing principals to supervise and intimidate local judges
-The Chuvash people, as with all other ethnic minorities, will be regarded as legally equal to Russians
-Free and fair elections will be held for the Duma within 60 days
-All non-violent political prisoners will be either released or assigned to house arrest, pending a re-trial by a jury of peers
-Clemency will be extended for all those who have risen up against the state in Chuvashia, and there will be no reprisals against civilians within the Chuvash Republic

The Tsar has called these demands "radical", and has shown no sign of caving in to pressure. Particularly after the downing of the attack helicopter, he is leaning heavily on an aggressive military crackdown

Santa Lucija wrote:

To give a short background, Santa Lucija is a continuation of the Russian Empire, in a world where the ethnic republics (i.e. Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc...) have gained independence but there was never a Russian Revolution and thus no period of communism. In fact, the Empire is relatively conservative, particularly since Tsar Alexander V rose to the throne several years ago (his father, a liberal reformer, had been tragically killed by a separatist assassin). Through a complex patronage system, the Tsar controls a nationwide network of nobles and aristocrats, who exercise his rule on the local level and form the bulk of the bureaucracy. An elected Imperial Duma exists on the federal level, but opposition parties are poorly represented and the Tsar has the power to block any Duma legislation. In the past few decades, Santa Lucija has seen rapid economic growth, transforming from a rural, agricultural state to a modern industrial powerhouse. Despite major increases in quality of life, there is growing discontent among the populace, particularly ethnic minorities and the poorer classes, who remain constrained in their expression, representation, and movement. A recent program spearheaded by Minister of the Interior Anatoly Paruzin has seen the Tsar consolidate power even further, this time by appointing loyal 'principals' to oversee regional courts and curb the independence of the judiciary. Public protests have spread around the country, with the majority of opposition located in the sparsely populated West of the country.