Pioneer's Republic

## Pioneer's RepublicRespublika Pionetska

Flag of the Pioneers

> *"SLAVA PIONETSKA, RAISE THE WHITE STAR!"*
>
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The **Pioneer's Republic** (Iljekyan: *Respublika Pionetska*) was a short-lived successor state of Iljekya, located in the occupied region of Western [island name]. The region was not traditionally inhabited by Iljeks - it's heartland consisted of Reinish and Carosthanian regions recently annexed in the Great War, alongside the occupied lands of Sedry and Dersochia. Due to this, the region's Iljek settlers were known as *Pioneers,* hence it's name.

## History

### Beginnings

Shortly after chaos broke out in the Iljekyan heartland, local authorities in Ulnevgrad attempted to create an ordered democratic state to relative success, though it was full of corruption. This, alongside food and energy shortages led to civilian revolt and rioting.

Konrad Ulnev, right hand man of late dictator Viktyor Karbachev, narrowly survived the crisis in Yuragrad and arrived in Ulnevgrad, the region's capital (and a formerly Reinish city - the original inhabitants had been deported or killed). As the city was named after him, it was only reasonable that control be handed over to him as well, or so the "democrats" thought. Having brought alongside his loyalists in the Party, Military and Secret Police, Ulnev immediately enacted martial law and strict measures to quell the riots. Next, he began a great purge of the "democrats" and other local authorities considered "too reactionary" in order to create a more orthodox Karbachevist regime

### Brief Stability

For about 8 months, Pionetska enjoyed relative stability compared to the Iljekyan heartland, though food shortages, corruption and authoritarianism remained. Through the efforts of Foreign Minister Vasily Yanovich, Pionetska even gained limited recognition from nations such as Kokinos and the SRJ, as well as talks about allowing the Republic to join the International Cooperation Organization. However, in early 1955, Ulnev purged Yanovich under suspicion of him plotting with foreign powers. This alienated whatever few diplomatic support Pionetska had garnered, which coupled with being treated as a pariah and sanctioned by the rest of Eredan only worsened Pionetska's situation

### Fall

In January of 1955, Edward Graham, Prime Minister of Prithania, issued a declaration to the Pioneer's Republic:

* all Pionetska civilians who flee to CETO territory will be guaranteed freedom of speech, religion, association, and food
* Pionetska should tear down the Iron Curtain
* Pionetska's leaders should be tried for war crimes committed during the Great War.

Like Karbachev before him, Ulnev's schizophrenia had steadily gotten worse from 1954-55. With all the good doctors having been purged decades ago, and psychiatrist community seriously decimated by thought control, censorship and purges, there was no way to cure or treat Ulnev's illness. In 1955, the amount of purges increased drastically, and Pionetska's leaders began fearing for themselves.

In March of 1955, Ulnev ordered the arrest and execution of Pavel Chekhov, leader of the Siberoslavian Autonomous Socialist Republic. Chekhov survived the attempt and killed the men sent after him, launching a rebellion against Ulnev afterwards. At the same time, a corrupt official posted near the Iron Curtain, who had been stealing bits of the border walls to sell for 7 years, got a bit too greedy and accidentally caused the collapse of a section of the Iron Curtain, opening a direct route to Ulnevgrad. CETO used the opportunity and began an invasion of Pionetska

With much of the more competent military officers having been purged, and Ulnev mysteriously disappearing, Pionetska fell to chaos and revolts, and was soon dissolved by CETO. Pionetska leaders were tried for war crimes and crimes against sentient species