Kalubio-Kikikoa Belinski Crisis

The Kalubio-Kikikoa (or “Belinski”) crisis was a notorious political scandal that occurred in early 2002 following the assassination of UKM vice commander Stefano Belinski at the hands of a KFAF special operations unit. The assassination uncovered a string of undercover operations being illegally conducted by Kalubio in Kikikoa’s borders to hunt down BBA fugitive Marko Marachkii Whiksi.

Due to diplomatic immunity and foreign preventative measures, Kalubian Föcan Reinder Stuhy was immune from being prosecuted in Kikikan court. However, his close friend and ally HSCA commander Joseph Reece Rodenski was not, and was subsequently charged with multiple counts of terrorism and homicide, conspiracy, and international trespassing. While initially found guilty and sentenced to public execution for the killing of Belinski, intervention from Hamlin Zoller recovering omitted evidence revealing Belinski’s corruption to the BBA (thus indicting him of treason) caused the sentence to be overturned. Eventually, Joseph was acquitted of all homicide charges, but still faced substantial penalties for his co-operation with the notorious Bã’d-ãferr. The issue was solved under-the-table by Stuhy, and all charges were eventually dropped, though diplomatic relations between Kalubio and Kikikoa became permanently damaged.

Following the incident, Joseph married Lilya Katyusha Kamarova and became a partial citizen of Kikikoa, effectively annulling any connection to his previous charges. Joseph would cement this by volunteering to help the UKM in an ambassador operation turned hostage crisis on the human world of Yešua’esnéxa.

Timeline
While rumours began circulating about suspicious activity since Kämy’ydösma’ano in Dvitma’ad (late December of the Gregorian Human Calendar), when journalists noted activity at Stuhy’s private landing base, his public address of the region dissuaded many of the allegations against him. Meanwhile, gang violence had increased dramatically in Kikikoa since the beginning of Dvitma’ad.

Kalubian involvement with the Bã'd-ãferr did not become public until a covert UKM unit led by Stefano Belinski betrayed KFAF operatives in Kikikoa following the assassination of Marko Marachkii Whiksi, and confirmed their presence in a political address. Shortly after, the operatives began hunting down Belinski’s allies and eliminating them. Belinski went into protective custody, and was in the process of being evacuated from Nuvobokur when his convoy was intercepted and he was killed.

Stuhy had managed to bribe his way into avoiding all-out war, citing that there was a wanted fugitive responsible for substantial war crimes hiding in Kikikoa. However, he could not extend his protection to his allies, who were charged by Kikikan law with murder, conspiracy and treason. The main target of the accusations was HSCA commander Joseph Reece Rodenski, who was the actual killer of Belinski. Rodenski was initially found guilty and sentenced to execution, but was acquitted seconds before his sentence could be carried out thanks to intervention by Hamlin Zoller. Zoller produced evidence withheld by Belinski’s defense attorney proving his connection to the BBA and intent to incite violence against the Kalubian government. Effectively, this made him guilty of terrorist collusion, which gave Kalubio rights to intervene to protect their homeland. Humiliated and furious, Rodenski was cleared of all charges, though relations were permanently damaged between Kalubio and Kikikoa. A weary Joseph Rodenski would soon after marry Lilya Katyusha Kamarova, and would begin the process of becoming a Kikikan citizen, adding salt in the wound to the Kikikan government (Reinder Stuhy also managed to blackmail the Kikikan officials into allowing his friend to obtain citizenship under threat of exposing further corruption related to the gang violence and notorious “Apocalypse” incident).

In Kalubio, Stuhy's welcome had various reactions. His supporters hailed him as a hero for his front-line intervention to prevent the BBA from amassing further power, and for standing up to the perceptibly racist Kikikan government. His detractors skewed him as a deranged psychopath with an insatiable bloodlust, a violent war criminal with illegitimate diplomatic immunity, and a destroyer of Kalubio-Kikikoa relations that previously had helped keep the region afloat financially. Much of the criticism regarding financial crisis would eventually dissolve once policies instated by the Reformist Alliance allowed Kalubio to pay off many of its debts worldwide, and collect on outstanding ones, which set it on a path to an economic breakthrough that it would reach in early 2008, just before the election. However, Stuhy's reputation as a warlord would only increase following his action in Schremn against the radical KER factions emerging there.

Kalubian Reaction
Conspiracies regarding Kikikan compliance Luvvar-supporting fugitives operating in their borders had been widespread in Kalubio since the revolution in 1975; Luvvar Kalubio and Kikikoa had strong economic and military ties, and Kikikoa had initially reacted negatively to the violent overthrow of Kamaru Luvvar. While this sentiment started to fade during the days of the Provisional Council, tensions would intensify as several Kikikan students studying abroad in Equalwi were abducted or killed over the course of the Kalubian Civil War.

Kikikan response was mixed, with some government officials opting to hold Stuhy and the Reformists responsible for failing to protect against invasion, while others condemned ERAF for their continued failure to return Kikikans. The reveal of BBA warmongering against the Reformist Alliance was a global shock that only intensified existing views on the matter.

Following the murder of Stefano Belinski in 2002, it was revealed that he actually had been taking kickbacks to allow Bravstva-BBA activities to persist in Kikikoa, bringing to light government corruption with the regional syndicates. Kikikoa’s initial defense of Belinski and the trial of Joseph Rodenski further increased Kalubian animosity towards Kikikoa, with Stuhy imposing sanctions and breaking many of their previous ties. He attempted to mend these relations during the 2006 Earth Rescue Effort but was met with limited success. Stuhy stepped down as Föcan before the 2008 election, however he remained active with the Reformist Alliance for their third election.

Kikikan Reaction
Initial reactions were widespread outrage against Kalubio for allying with the Bã’d-ãferr and for what had been deemed military sabotage. Civilian protests called for severe embargos against Kalubio, or even occupation and dismantling of the Reformist government.

However, following the leaks of UKM complacency and Belinski’s co-conspiring with BBA Brigadier General Whiksi to wage a follow-up war against Kalubio, the outrage shifted towards the Kikikan government for allowing Whiksi to be able to enter and operate undetected. There was still animosity towards Stuhy and Kalubio for their actions, but it was much more justifiable in the eyes of the Kikikan public.