Eduard Basurin

In the military, a political commissar or political officer is a supervisory officer responsible for the political education (ideology) and organization of the unit to which they are assigned, with the intention of ensuring political control of the military.

The "Kalmius" Brigade, a military unit of the Donetsk People's Republic, operates within the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya. Media often refer to it as a battalion of special purpose. As of the end of June 2015 Konstantin Kuzmin commanded the unit. The unit's name comes from the river of the same name, one of the largest rivers in Donbas. On February 16, 2015 the "Kalmius" battalion was included in the sanctions list of the European Union and of Canada. Later included in their own sanctions lists by the governments of Norway and Switzerland.

The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of 4,233,255.3 km2 (1,634,469.0 sq mi) and an estimated total population of nearly 447 million. The EU has often been described as a sui generis political entity combining the characteristics of both a federation and a confederation.

Mariupol is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Since May 2022, Mariupol has been occupied by Russian forces. It is situated on the northern coast (Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was the tenth-largest city in the country and the second-largest city in Donetsk Oblast, with an estimated population of 425,681 people in January 2022, however Ukrainian authorities estimate its current population to be approximately 100,000.