Auroran-Cerenerian War

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Auroran-Pacific War
Colonarius Mk2's in action during the war
Date 31 May 2017 - 24 October 2017 Location Aurora, Pacific Ocean Result Allied Victory Collapse of the Matriarchy Ethalria Collapse of the Greater Ethalrian Empire Formation of the League of Novaris Decline of the South-East Pacific Coalition Formation of the Realm of the Yor Isles
Belligerents
The Allies: Great Morstaybishlia The Oan Isles Axdel Tretrid Kuthernburg Atiland Nacata Lokania Furnifold Yor Asendavia Vistaraland • Vistari West Pacific South Peragen Mexregiona	The Axis: Matriarchy of Ethalria Greater Ethalrian Empire Kostromastan Stratarin
Commanders and leaders
The Allies: Walter Johannes Leon Jolva Emperor Oahoanu Rico Lúaz Jon Harstad VII Owen Tubolt  † Marium I Lukas Heide Levan Dekker Jariano II Tunsedoro Tejedor Mister Leader II	The Axis: Amalda Harimann (MIA) Boris Olegovich Erwina Pipenz (MIA) Mikhail Starikov
Strength
2,000,000 600,000 540,000 200,000 89,000 32,000 41,600 9,100	1,236,000 700,000
Casualties and losses
106,724 22,000 21,400 7,605 6,900 4,840 4,101 2,840 862	~230,500 10,513

Yor Civil War

President Tamia Kennedy of the Republic of Ethalria held a meeting with President Owen Tubolt of Yor on 26 May 2017. Tubolt reported that a rebel group had emerged in Yor by the name of the Opposition Fighters of Yor. He alleged that Al-Jeehad was supporting that group. Recognising the seriousness of a potential civil war and the emergence of piracy in the Ethalrian Republic's southern waters, President Kennedy agreed to send military aid in the form of soldiers and military equipment to stop the rebels. Furthermore, she wanted to use this crisis to reduce the international criticism against the Republic of Ethalria for installing a puppet government led by Tubolt in Yor. Faced with a common enemy, Kuthernburg and the Republic of Ethalria joined forces to combat the threat of the Opposition Fighters.

The Opposition Fighters led by Simon Skoglund stated goal was overthrown the Tubolt government because it was seen as a colonial subject of the Republic of Ethalria. They subscribed to the extremist communist ideals of Al-Jeehad. The Republic of Ethalria's forces launched a military attack in support of the Tubolt government that day. The Opposition Fighters destroyed a Kuthern helicopter carrying five Kuthern marines led by Lieutenant Colonel Ivar Blomqvist believing that Kuthernburg was also an illegitimate force. Some of the marines survived and tried to rendezvous with Republic of Ethalria forces. The Opposition Fighters also destroyed another helicopter belonging to the Republic of Ethalria. Following these military successes, the Opposition Fighters went after wealthy civilians.

Following the destruction of the helicopters and reports of attacks on civilians, a squadron of D-22 bombers of the Republic of Ethalria Air Force began an aerial bombing campaign of Al-Jeehad targets. This included the use of chemical warfare through dropping a chemical agent known as napalm. Lt Col Blomqvist led the survivors into a building occupied by Opposition Fighters forces. They defeated the poorly trained forces and commandeered a radio. Private Elisabeth Naslund managed to get a telephone line to Republic of Ethalria forces and she informed them of their location and the fact that the Opposition Fighters had sent at least 300 of their fighters to search for the Kuthern survivors.

Shmaaya ben Sorek, commander of the Opposition Fighters led a maritime attack against a container port using small military vessels like large patrol boats. After receiving the radio from Private Naslund, Republic of Ethalria forces sent a team to rescue them. Admiral Yuki Hempi of the 2nd Naval Fleet of the Republic of Ethalria Navy received clearance in the later afternoon from the Yor Military Command to attack Opposition Fighters vessels.

Queen Naomi Truden II of Kuthernburg addressed the planet later that evening. She congratulated the forces of the nations involved in assisting the Latianburg insurgency, earlier that year. She commended the forces fighting in Yor and condemned the Al-Jeehad. Furthermore, Naomi Trudent conferred the Blue Medal (Kuthernburg's highest honours) on Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Ehe II of the Oan Isles and Magistrate Jacopo d'Arrigo of Furnifold.

After 12 hours of intensive bombing, 5000 members of the Opposition Fighters were reported dead by the Republic of Ethalria Armed Forces. The RKS Blueacia, a military vessel from the Kuthern navy arrived to offer support to the Republic of Ethalria and Yor forces. Republic of Ethalria Marines and Yor Self-Defence Force troops clashed with the 300+ Opposition Fighter troops that Private Naslund had informed the Republic of Ethalria forces of. Lt Col Blomqvist and his team were rescued.

The FMS Sandcrawler, a Furnofoldian merchant ship rescued York refugees off the coast of the Republic of Ethalria. After radioing the Republic of Ethalria coastal authorities, the FMS Sandcrawler was instructed to transfer the refugees to the RES Irving (a Republic of Ethalria Coast Guard ship) for processing. The captain of the Sandcrawler decided to drop off the refugees at the next port-of-call rather than hand them over to Republic of Ethalria forces because he did not trust them, furthermore they were far-enough from the Republic of Ethalria that they were no longer in their territorial waters. This caused a massive diplomatic incident because the Republic of Ethalria felt that there may have been Opposition Fighter/Al Jeehad terrorists among the refugees. President Kennedy called Magistrate d'Arrigo and demanded that he order the Sandcrawler to hand the refugees to the Irving as requested.

The Republic of Ethalria sent the Irving with an escort of destroyers to intercept the Sandcrawler. The Sandcrawler received a warning radio from the Irving. The Sandcrawler radioed the Blueacia to help them. Captain Vlador of the Blueacia was suspicious of the Republic of Ethalria and instead opted to rescue the Sandcrawler with the aid of its naval escort. They radioed the Irving and demanded that they step back because the Sandcrawler was in international waters. The Irving was forced to step down. The Blueacia escorted the Sandcrawler to safety. In light of this incident, President Kennedy declared an official blockade of Yor to prevent anyone from getting in or out. The Sandcrawler headed to Nuremkastel, Kostoria-Obertonia.

One of the refugees recounted the horrors of the invasion of Yor by the Republic of Ethalria to the captain of the Sandcrawler. The refugee spoke about how the Republic of Ethalria had invaded Yor and installed the Tubolt government as a puppet state. This created conditions for Al-Jeehad to capitalise on the anger that the people felt to start a civil war and create a beachhead for Al-Jeehad. Most of all, the refugee recounted the humanitarian implications of this war including the incredible human rights abuses that the Republic of Ethalria was committing. News of this report reached Magistrate Jacopo d'Arrigo in Furnifold. He was so moved by this story that he contacted President Kennedy and refused to order the Sandcrawler to hand over the refugees.

In light of the serious allegations of war crimes and sapient rights violations, President Kennedy sought to salvage her country's reputation by proposing a ceasefire to rescue civilians. The Republic of Ethalria government contacted the Opposition Fighters of Yor to begin negotiations.

Republic of Ethalria Civil War

Not long after Queen Naomi Truden II's speech, President Kennedy granted the head of the Republic of Ethalria National Intelligence Agency unofficial powers to wiretap communications lines throughout the Republic of Ethalria after receiving a tip-off that her government was under threat. The story of the refugee as well as the seeming weakness of Kennedy's government gave the perfect opportunity for Erwina Pipua and the fascists to launch a coup d'etat against Kennedy.

On 28 May 2017, half of the Republic of Ethalria Armed Forces under the command of General Erwina Pipua mutinied. They captured and killed President Kennedy and her Cabinet as well as most of the Parliament of the Republic of Ethalria. The Glitzernd Stock Exchange was ordered to close. Pro-Republic of Ethalria forces held off at Fort Wahington and fought against the mutineer forces. The city of Laona was a bastion for Pro-Republic forces and continued to send supplies.

Unfortunately, the mutineers took control of four ICBM silos and seized half of the nuclear submarines of the Republic of Ethalria Navy that carried nuclear-armed ICBMs. Protests and insurgencies ensued in the streets supporting and resisting Erwina Pipua's takeover. What remained of the Republic of Ethalria government installed Roberta Jones as the President of the Republic of Ethalria.

Sani Bursil Summit

Invitation

On 29 May 2017, King Lambertus VII of Great Morstaybishlia on behalf of the Cabinet of Great Morstaybishlia and on the advice of Prime Minister Walter Johannes sent an invitation to the remaining member states of the Auroran Continental Assembly and sympathetic nations from all over the world to a summit at the Sani Bursil Royal Palace in Sani Bursil to discuss and potentially form an alliance to collectively respond to the military threat posed by the Rivendale powers.

Attendance

Of the nations outside of Aurora, the following were in attendance. Rurik Lukin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Stratarin was sent by former General-Secretary of Stratarin Viktor Drugov to attend the summit on his behalf. This arose amidst tensions in that country about whether to side with the Bursil or Rivendale alliances with the latter receiving support from a faction of the Stratarin Communist Party led by Mikhail Starikov. Queen Naomi Truden II of Kuthernburg was en route to a diplomatic visit to Blueacia. In light of the severity of the situation she diverted her trip to Sani Bursil to attend the summit. President Alyona Petrovavich of Tuvaltastan attended on behalf of her country. Jurgen Oppenheimer attended on behalf of Asendavia. Mr Leader of Mexregiona attended as well. Prime Minister James Stevenson represented Tretrid while Melissa Gray took charge as Acting Prime Minister of Tretrid in his absence.

Of the nations in Aurora, several attended. Grand Duke Jeymian Drachenburg III of Dragonia and Lord Mayor Jeymi Vorlynovich of Oceansend represented their respective nations. The government of the Oan Isles sent then Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Ehe II to represent the country at the summit. Crown Prince Oahoanu accompanied him to the summit. Although President Leon Jolva of Axdel had intended to visit the military base at Montakaan Citadel to inspect the preparations of the Axdel Armed Forces for a potential conflict with the Greater Ethalrian Empire, he diverted his itinerary to Sani Bursil to attend the summit. Alongside the King and Prime Minister of Great Morstaybishlia, Lord Governor Frederik of Caltharus and Chief Minister Frode Humblack of then-South Staynes attended. Mario Capuzzi and King Calvin I of Atlae were also in attendance. Roberta Jones and Owen Tubolt of the government-in-exile of the Republic of Ethalria attended. Some nations declined the invitation. Jacopo d'Arrigo, the Magistrate of Furnifold declined the invitation.

Deliberations and decisions

To open the session, King Lambertus VII addressed the gathered leaders. He spoke of the fascists that had overthrown the legitimate government of the Republic of Ethalria and replaced with the Greater Ethalrian Empire which his government (and several others) categorically did not recognise as a legitimate state as they continued to recognise the government-in-exile of Roberta Jones. He asked the attended leaders to form the Bursil alliance and join forces to defeat the Rivendale forces. He appealed to their shared ideologies and interests as well as the fact that the instability caused by the Rivendale powers had allowed the Al-Jeehad terrorist group to take root in Aurora, potential threatening many nations. The other leaders applauded and committed to the Bursil alliance. Viktor Drugov delivered a speech speaking to the commonality among the attended nations despite salient ideological difference. This speech was not only poorly received but preceded a coup d'etat in his home nation that occurred shortly after.

Coup d'etat in Stratarin

Planning and preparation

Mikhail Starikov, then the Minister of Law Enforcement of Stratarin, approached Sergey Vasileyvich, the head of the Sem'ya criminal syndicate on 13 January 2017 to assist him to overthrow the Strataric government. Sergey Vasileyvich was killed after refusing to comply however Leonid Lychnikoff another senior member of that syndicate agreed to help Starikov with his request. Lychnikoff approached a member of the Sem'ya running an operation in the Vistari West Pacific named Vladimir Zvyagin to execute the assassination of Viktor Drugov in a meeting in Raspubirsk, Stratarin. During a parade in Coyden, Stratarin, on 18 May 2017, Zvyagin planned to shoot Drugov from a vantage point one a building towering above the parade route. Before he could succeed, he was intercepted and captured by Strataric forces under STP Major Lenya Dragomirov. Given the botched assassination attempt, Starikov significantly crippled the Sem'ya crime syndicate through the destruction of the Draelis, a sun-group in that organisation that carried out vital tasks for the syndicate as a whole.

Failed attempts

Another assassination attempt took place. Officer Sasha Orlov attempt to shoot Viktor Drugov at point blank in his office in the Velikolepnyy Building in Coyden. Drugov reacted quickly and shot Orlov dead. Yuri Kustarnik, First Deputy Prime Minister of Stratarin was arrested on suspicion of orchestrating the entire plot. Following an interrogation in which Dragomirov used torture on Kustarnik, it was discovered that Kustarnik was not the mastermind. Suspicion pointed to Procurator General Mikhail Starikov.

In a ploy to strengthen his international credentials, Mikhail Starikov manipulated the desire of the Oan Isles to seem morally superior to a supposed backwater like Stratarin. The Oan Centre for Law at the University of Anapa in Anapa, the Oan Isles wanted to award Starikov with the Ehe II Award for Most Outstanding Officer of the Law for allegedly killing Sergey Vasileyvich and destroying the Draelis in the name of justice. The award was personally granted by the Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Ehe II himself, further legitimising and inadvertently shielding Mikhail Starikov from closer scrutiny. He sent a representative to accept the award on his behalf but declined the invitation to lecture.

Having realised that the Sem'ya could no longer be useful to him, Starikov commanded Colonel Demenok to destroy whatever remained of the Sem'ya. Sometime thereafter, Administrator of Affairs, a senior member of the Strataric government mysteriously vanished. On 29 May 2017, Colonel Demenok assassinated both Major Dragomirov and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Rurik Lukin in Coyden. Mikhail Starikov arrived at the scene to file a report in his capacity as Procurator General.

Execution

After the speech at the Sani Bursil Summit, opinion in the Stratarin Communist Party turned so violently and completely against Viktor Drugov that Mikhail Starikov took the opportunity to overthrow the Drugov government. The Coyden Harbinger announced the assassination of the entire executive branch of that country including Minister of Foreign Affairs Rurik Lukin. News of this reached the leaders attending the summit and was so shocking to Viktor Drugov that he felt ill and went outside to calm down. He was attacked by an unknown Stratarian. This coup completely took the Bursil Alliance by surprise to the extent that it disrupted the proceedings at the summit. This coup also disrupted the South East Pacific Coalition because Stratarin was predicted to fundamentally and irreversibly change policy under the newly declared General Secretary Mikhail Starikov (who was widely believed to have orchestrated the coup) to the extent that it would tear that alliance apart.

Immediate aftermath

After taking control of the Strataric government, Starikov appointed Fyodr Lyvov as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Conflict in the SEPC

In light of the coup d'etat in Stratarin, the South-East Pacific Coalition (SEPC) held a meeting in Akhalip'ort'isi, Vistari West Pacific to discuss the way forward on 5 June 2017. Mario Capuzzi flew from the Sani Bursil Summit to represent Atlae. Remis Yurikov represented Tuvaltastan. Capuzzi openly insinuated that the assassination of the Council of Ministers of Stratarin was a coup d'etat. Molotov (representing Stratarin) denied the allegations. Yurikov sided with Capuzzi. Molotov provided a convoluted and fantastical explanation of the deaths of the members of the Council of Ministers of Stratarin and denied that Mikhail Starikov and his new government had committed any human rights violations.

Capuzzi and Yurikov were left dumfounded as Molotov went on a tirade about how the members of the Council of Ministers committed suicide and some were killed by senior members of the military. Molotov denied that Starikov had been involved. Attempts to get Molotov to admit that this was a coup did not work at all.

The Oan Isles sent a letter to the members of the SEPC on 14 June 2017 urging them to expel and declare war on Stratarin. Furthermore, they proposed an ultimatum on Starikov. The Oans officially severed ties with Stratarin and imposed economic sanctions and threatened military force if Stratarin did not release political prisoners captured during the coup to the Oan Isles, order all naval vessels preparing to support the Rivendale powers did not return to point and a new elective conference for the General Secretary was not called. The newly appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fyodr Lyvov refused to comply with the ultimatum .

The sessions of the SEPC ended without resolution. At that point the SEPC was rendered moribund. On June 14, Tretrid announced that it was suspending all relations with and declaring war on Stratarin. Oan News published a story alleging that Fyodr Lyvov was facing marital strife. The story had been published as an attempt to destabilise Starikov's government. Unfortunately, this gave Starikov the perfect excuse to replace Lyvov to salvage Stratarin's failing international image. On 13 June 2017, Lyvov was dismissed and Yekaterina Drugova was summoned to Starikov's office for a meeting.

Yekaterina Drugova succeeded Fyodr Lyvov as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Stratarin. She urged the Oan Isles and Tretrid to reconsider their positions in light of the fact that the Strataric Procurator's Office had conducted an investigation that determined that the death of the Council of Ministers could not be blamed on Mikhail Starikov. The Oan Isles suggested a tribunal of the ACA and SEPC to resolve the issues between their nations, a request that was ignored. Further driving a wedge between Stratarin and the rest of the SEPC, Stratarin accepted the GEE's offer for military and trade alliance (a thinly veiled back to Stratarin becoming part of the Rivendale Alliance.

Attempted Stevenson Assassination

Upon his return to Tretrid, Prime Minister James Stevenson declared war on the GEE on 31 May 2017. On 1 June 2017, Prime Minister James Stevenson was shot by Benjamin Morris, a supporter of the GEE . Acting Prime Minister Melissa Gray announced to the Tretridian and international media that Stevenson had been shot but was still alive undergoing surgery. Stevenson suffered significant injuries. Following the surgery, Stevenson began to recover, regaining consciousness and some mobility.

In light of this attempted assassination, the government of Tretrid revised and intensified the declaration of war. Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister Matthew Irvine presented the revised declaration of war to Stevenson in hospital for his signature. On 9 June 2017 James Stevenson attended a meeting with Mr Leader II of Mexregiona and King Calvin I of Atlae in Civilmagna, Mexregiona to discuss action against the GEE. The nations agreed to coordinate their actions and work with the Auroran-half of the Bursil Alliance to fight the GEE.

Tokapa Summit

In light of the summit held by Mexregiona, Tretrid and Atlae, the Oan Isles was to coordinate military action on the GEE with them. On Saturday, 18 June 2017, the monarch of The Oan Isles, Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Ehe II invited the heads of state of Mexregiona, Tretrid and Atlae to a meeting in Tokapa to request military assistance to combat an invasion of the Oan Isles from Stratarin. The government of the Oan Isles asked Oahoanu to assist Ehe II to host the event and represent the Oan Isles in the negotiations.

The talks came amid domestic issues for the invited nations. There were mixed reactions to the invitation. The public in Atlae was split with some people being isolationist and others being imperialistic. These differences manifested in protest action. Coupled with the fact that the national holiday celebrating the founding of Atlae was imminent, the government of Atlae was divided on the invitation from the Oan Isles as well as involvement in the Auroran-Pacific War. Nevertheless, the government of Atlae sent King Calvin I to represent that country in the talks. The talks came on the heels of the imminent retirement of Bartholomew Smith from the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tretrid at the projected end of the tenure Prime Minister Stevenson. In the midst of these domestic entanglements, Smith was sent to represent Tretrid at these talks. Similarly, Mr Leader of Mexregiona also agreed to attend.

Upon the arrival of the invited guests, Oahoanu, then the Crown Prince of the Oan Isles, addressed the attendees due to his father having an illness. He appealed to the democratic heritage and ancient relationship between the Bursil forces and their respective nations. Admiral Tukama Uataka was in charge of the Oan part of the war. He informed the leaders of a plan to cut off sea and air routes to the Greater Ethalrian Empire, occupy its southern territory and to expel its forces from Yor with a view to getting a negotiated settlement. He gave them a breakdown of the materiel and personnel shortages which included 2500 troops and an air craft carrier.

To the relief of the Oans, the Atlaesian and Tretridian militaries were able and willing to assist by sending their respective forces and fortunately, they had preempted the Oan request by partially mobilizing their forces in anticipation of potential conflict. However, the Mexregionans refused to send soldiers to maintain an occupation of the southern territory of the GEE, a sentiment shared by Atlae and Tretrid. During the discussions, Queen Naomi Truden II of Kuthernburg was invited and after holding discussions with her government, agreed to assist the Oan invasion forces with 78,000 soldiers from Latianburg. Mexregiona, Tretrid and Atlae agreed to support the Oans with two joint air craft carrier strike groups for the purpose of enforcing maritime and aerial blockade, transporting soldiers to GEE and securing the port city of Glitzernd.