Titushky

Titushky (plural; Ukrainian: тітушки, Russian: титушки; sometimes titushkos, titushkas) is a term for mercenary agents who supported the Ukrainian police force during the administration of Viktor Yanukovych, often posing as street hooligans with the express purpose of performing illegal acts. The 'Titushki raid' is a widely used term in Ukrainian mass media and by the general public to describe street beatings, carjackings and kidnappings by unidentified men in civilian clothes from behind the lines of political rallies. Titushky were employed by the Yanukovych government with a reported daily pay of 200 hryven'. Some of them were also suspected to be illegal formations of combat troops carrying concealed pistols. Their aim was to intimidate and disperse demonstrations by opponents of the government, and attack participants and representants of the media.

Titushky blend in with a crowd or mob and then instigate a violent fight. During the events in Ukraine in 2013-2014 known as Euromaidan, they became a collective term for provocateurs and thugs hired by the Party of Regions and law enforcement agents in civilian clothing. Supporters of President Yanukovich also used the term 'tituskhy' to refer to pro-opposition thugs.

The term derives from the surname of Vadym Titushko (Ukrainian: Вадим Тітушко) (also known as Vadik Rumyn (Ukrainian: Вадiк Румин), meaning Vadik "the Romanian"), a mixed martial artist from Bila Tserkva who attacked journalists of the 5th Channel on May 18, 2013. He and two other men received suspended sentences over the attack. Titushko said he was unhappy to have his name associated with thugs, and that he supported the anti-government Euromaidan protests. In his interview, Titushko asserted that he was hired to protect the opposition rally and that he tried to remove a woman from harm's way, from amid a melee.

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