Ukraine: military (Aug '14 to mid-June '15) closed

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems that the problem with "an altered state of reality" is that the people who voice it actually believe it--examples:

The LNR wants to separate from the Ukraine and become "New Russia" but they want the Ukraine to pay for everything.

An amusing piece on Rossiya 24: a young guy at an LNR rally in Luhansk: we will keep on rallying to get our salaries/benefits back from Kiev

AND the problem with Russian fascists is they do not really know what they want--this from their ideological father.

Dugin, ideologist of Russian imperialism, dreaming about alliance between #Russia and #Germany against #USA and #UK: http://dynacon.ru/content/articles/5053/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl34H11Qv0I …#Russia TV: "Foreigners understood that #Putin was a sincere&normal person."

Luhansk People's Republic promised better life without Kiev. They failed. People are jobless, hungry and angry. pic.twitter.com/g9WiTSoBMk

[OUTLAW 09]

#Update from #Azov in #Shyrokyne
Russian forces punded the town for the whole night with mortars but stopped around 5:40. Small arms cont.

From Situation Map East #Ukraine it appears #Russia intent is to gradually encircle territory & seize it #Minsk2 Joke pic.twitter.com/SB7OkHr1Mh

UTTER BS! #Putin Spox"Kremlin:#Donbas militia not #Russia puppets "YOU RUN THIS SH******! http://tass.ru/en/russia/784314 … pic.twitter.com/duqhgHv91w

Convoy of app 12 #Russia(n) tanks enter #Horlivka WITHIN #Minsk2 (JOKE) Security Zone http://www.5.ua/ato-na-shodi/Vnochi-do-Horlivky-zaishla-cherhova-kolona-rosiiskykh-tankiv--Shkiriak-74165.html … pic.twitter.com/pdCMrKQv4h

[OUTLAW 09]

When the NATO SACEUR starts criticizing the Obama Whitehouse and with it the NSC then one knows we have no clear strategy on how to handle either Russia and or the eastern Ukraine.


NATO Chief: Obama’s Plan Isn’t Stopping Russia http://thebea.st/1alOmcc

Battles near Avdiyivka, Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Airport, Opytne, Peski, Shirokino & on Bakhmutka highway http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-399-another-bomb-blast-in-odessa/#7617 …

Attacks Throughout Night On Several Fronts http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-399-another-bomb-blast-in-odessa/#7617 …

Russian regime TV celebrates the fall of #Debaltseve with impressive drone views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMGlwSR9Oqk …
Advice: Turn off the music!

[OUTLAW 09]

NATO Chief: Obama’s Plan Isn’t Stopping Russia http://thebea.st/1alOmcc

After watching the interactions between the NATO SACEUR and the National Command Authority as an American residing in Germany going on 30 something odd years the current relationship to say the least is a disaster.

I am no longer exactly sure just what the American strategy is concerning Putin as Putin is Russia and the Ukraine where 43M Ukrainians made a clear civil society decision on what they wanted for their society and have been punished for that decision by a far stronger/larger neighbor.

This Whitehouse and it's NSC seem to locked in fear as what to do --meaning will it damage my legacy, will it lead to war, do I want to get involved in basically an European issue, if we supply weapons they will sold on the black market or worse Ukraine will then invade Russian, or if supply weapons Russia will escalate and escalate and on and on go the negative comments.

Never once hearing that the US has a moral reason to support the Ukraine just alone on the 1994 Budapest Memorandum that we the US convinced the Ukrainians to sign and this President was also involved in that process of disarmament.

This article is literally full of contradictions --it is being argued "well if we supply defensive emphasis on defensive then Russia will escalate--has not Russia already escalated four times since Crimea and the US has sent nothing in the way of defensive arms and it is escalating daily over the last five days alone. Has not Russia actually threatened to use nuclear weapons against the US and several NATO countries the last one being Denmark and was it the US that suspended the concept of MAD or was it Russian in the last year?

Is in fact the Minsk 2 agreement after the clear violations of Russian troops and her mercenaries firing heavy weapons from inside the clear zone over the last five days a "failure"--is not the continuous Russian military rail shipments in the Ukraine of Russian troops and her mercenaries, weapons and munitions in the last week not a clear violation of Minsk 2, is the failure to pull back Russian troop and her mercenaries heavy weapons and place them under OSCE monitoring also not a clear violation of Minsk 2.

Was not the massive 80K man Russian exercise a clear violation of the Vienna Convention and related OSCE agreements--and yet still no comments by this WH and it's NSC.

Sometimes I have a gut feeling that social media and a homeless man living in a box under a bridge have more insight and common sense.

From the Ukraine today:
Two OSCE statements today, alarmed by intensified fighting at #Shyrokyne, east of Mariupol. Monitors unable to access the village.


NATO Chief: Obama’s Plan Isn’t Stopping Russia

The U.S. and its allies are giving nonlethal supplies to Ukraine—and punishing Putin financially. But that’s ‘not changing the results on the ground,’ NATO’s top general admits.

NATO’s top commander bluntly told the Pentagon on Wednesday that the allied effort to slow Russia’s advance in Ukraine isn’t working. He delivered that message as the Obama administration appeared to back away from earlier indications that the U.S. would arm the Ukrainian army against pro-Putin forces.

“Right now we are not arming the Ukrainians with lethal weapons, and what we see is that Russians continue to provide their force, continues to build the capability,” Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, the supreme allied commander of NATO and commander of U.S. European Command, told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday after testifying before the House Armed Services Committee hours earlier.

A decision to provide that lethal aid “could cause positive results, could cause negative results,” he added. “But what we’re doing now is not changing the results on the ground.”

Breedlove, however, said he was ready with plans for the U.S. to provide military assistance to a beleaguered Ukrainian Army fending off Russian backed rebels—should the Obama administration ever make a decision.

The U.S. has conducted comprehensive studies of Ukrainian military needs, he added, and has a good sense of what it could provide to assist with an effective defense with Russian troops in the east.

Breedlove—once an advocate for a stronger U.S. stance in the Ukraine conflict—painted a bleak picture of a Russia increasingly intervening in the war there, as the West debates whether to help.

“It’s getting worse everyday,” Breedlove told reporters. “We have seen a steady escalation.”

Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s involvement in the conflict had evolved from opaque to direct, Breedlove said. The commander added that Russia had sent “well over” 1,000 combat vehicles.

Breedlove also said Wednesday he could not say “what’s going on in Mr. Putin’s head,” but that Putin’s goal “is to keep Ukraine out of the West and the West out of Ukraine.”

Advocates for arming Ukraine are growing increasingly aghast at the passing time without lethal aid from the United States.

A decision to arm Ukraine “could cause positive results, could cause negative results. But what we’re doing now is not changing the results on the ground.”

“It’s disappointing that it still hasn’t occurred,” Sen. Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told The Daily Beast. “[The Obama administration has] put the decision off. We’ve pressed them in Congress, we’ve passed legislation. It passed unanimously on the Senate floor to authorize them to [provide lethal defensive arms to the Ukrainians].”

Supporters of providing such weapons argue Ukraine cannot defend itself otherwise and Russian aggression cannot go unanswered.


“The West is endangering their own interests by taking so long. If Ukraine is forced to capitulate to Putin’s agenda, then all of those worst fears that the West has will begin to materialize because based on the rhetoric and everything that we hear coming from the Russian state, Ukraine is not the end. Ukraine is just the beginning,”Pavel Yarmolenko, a spokesman for the Ukraine Freedom Support Group, told The Daily Beast.

But there are risks—serious risks—to providing those arms. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry acknowledged that it was impossible to know how Putin might react if the United States were to provide more lethal aid to Ukraine, but retorted that the world has seen “how he has responded without us providing weapons, and that isn’t going very well.”

Breedlove stopped short of advocating for lethal defensive weapons as some has urged in the last few weeks. The administration now appears to have moved away from such a decision in the face of vehement opposition from the U.S.’s NATO partners. Instead, he called the military part of a multifaceted arsenal that includes diplomatic and economic efforts.

“This will not end militarily,” the supreme allied commander told reporters. But Breedlove did not describe his own personal opinion on the issue of lethal aid.

“Gen. Breedlove has supplied his best military advice to the chain of command on options so that Administration can make their decision. To openly discuss his [position] jeopardizes his best advice and our role to inform our leaders on what we assess to be options,” Captain Gregory Hicks, a spokesman for the general, told The Daily Beast.

[OUTLAW 09]

Clashes rage in Ukrainian town, making mockery of truce

Associated Press
By MSTYSLAV CHERNOV
40 minutes ago

SHYROKYNE, Ukraine (AP) — To reach rear-guard government positions in the seaside town of Shyrokyne, Ukrainian soldiers gingerly wind their off-roaders through private gardens hugging a precipice along the Azov Sea.

The truce announced in mid-February has never taken here, so traveling by the main roads is too dangerous.

Government and Russian-backed separatist forces face off in daily gun and artillery battles across an unseen line cutting through the town. The skirmishes are fierce, but contained — for now. Still, the enduring unrest arouses deep anxieties that a conflict which has already claimed more than 6,000 in eastern Ukraine could flare up again across the entire 450-kilometer (280-mile) front line.

Shyrokyne itself is not much of a prize. It is the industrial port city of Mariupol, 10 kilometers (6 miles) further west, that Ukrainian forces want to defend from the rebels at all costs.

Residents and government troops alike believe the separatists' ultimate aim is to take Mariupol — and eventually create a land bridge between Russia and Crimea, which Russia annexed last March. Crimea has no physical link to Russian territory now and a bridge being discussed is years away from completion.

Government forces in Shyrokyne are only truly at ease behind three defensive lines separating them from the heat of fighting in the center. At a makeshift garrison installed there, on the grounds of a restaurant near the shore, two tanks stood parked Sunday under a striped awning.

Several hundred meters away, mortar shells landing in the sea sprayed up columns of water.

"They are hurling anti-tank shells at the lighthouse. Another one just came this way," said a bearded, barrel-chested fighter with the government's Azov Battalion who gave only his nom de guerre, Al.

As reports came that two enemy tanks had been spotted, Al's thoughts turned to the combat ahead. "It is all about to start," he said.

To proceed closer to the area where the battle is fiercest, soldiers abandon their cars and race on foot toward a school, climbing through a hole in the fence. The asphalt on the road had been torn up by explosives, so only armored vehicles could get through with ease.

The responsibility for defending Shyrokyne is shared between the Azov and Donbass battalions, who take weekly turns to serve in the town. Coordination is sometimes poor, however.

As Azov troops jogged for cover behind the school Sunday, one soldier shouted: "What are you doing? Are you crazy running like that? There are booby traps there."

Another soldier corrected him. "Nah, the booby traps are over there," he said, waving his hand vaguely to the left. "The Donbass guys put them there."

Inside the school, children's drawings still decorated the walls. One man fried sausages and another chowed down on boiled oats as a mobile phone blared out music by a Russian death metal band. Underfoot, amid the spent bullet cartridges and shrapnel, students' art collages lay covered in fallen plaster.

As the sound of mortars grew more intense, all the men ducked inside for cover.

"There they go, they've started again," said an Azov spotter with the nickname Mathematician.

A cease-fire between Ukrainian and rebel forces was forged after marathon negotiations between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France on Feb. 12. Under the truce, fighting was supposed to stop and heavy weapons were to be pulled back from the front line. Responsibility for verifying the cease-fire lies with monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Mathematician said the rebels always wait for the OSCE teams to leave before resuming their attacks.

"As soon as the OSCE leaves, the firing starts," he said. Separatists accuse Ukrainian forces of similar deviousness, and it's hard to know definitely even at the front line who started any specific round of firing.

A short while later, a sound resembling outgoing mortars could be heard from a nearby field. Soldiers refused to give an AP reporter access to the area.

"We don't have any mortars," Mathematician said, smiling. "They only allow us to have small arms. But when they (rebels) get really brazen, we call in support and flatten them."

Many in the Azov Battalion have unabashed Ukrainian nationalist sympathies, prompting rebels to label them neo-fascists.

From time to time, Azov fighters in Shyrokyne greeted one another with ironic Roman salutes and then grinned at their own humor. That kind of idle larking and the battalion's flirtation with neo-Nazi symbolism is seized upon as confirmation of their critics' worst fears.

The infamy appears only partly deserved, however.

Some embrace fervent Ukrainian nationalism as a repudiation of the heavily Russian-dominated Soviet legacy, all while serving with fighters from a wide array of political and ethnic backgrounds. Chit-chat switches casually from Ukrainian to Russian and back again.

The best view of the skirmishes raging inside the village is from the House of Culture, a building in the faux Neo-classical style popular across the Soviet Union during Josef Stalin's rule. From there, fighters unleashed salvoes from an automatic grenade launcher and 73 mm caliber anti-tank guns.

Ukrainian forces hold the elevated sections of Shyrokyne, giving them a tactical advantage. Smoke could be seen billowing from houses in the lower-lying buffer zone. One shell apparently flying in from rebel positions landed by a church.

All at once, the men on the House of Culture roof cried out in a jubilant chorus, pointing toward the village.

"Did you see those flames? We hit a tank. Two direct hits," one government fighter said.

By the day's end, the final Ukrainian tally was at least one enemy tank destroyed and two relatively light injuries among their ranks.

Almost every day brings new casualties — on occasion, some fatal — but their determination to stop the rebel advance along the Azov Sea coast is intense.

One Azov fighter calling himself Tantsor — Russian for dancer — said the rebels were clearly hoping to take Mariupol by stealth.

"They are violating the cease-fire everywhere and using any chance they get to advance even by one centimeter toward peaceful Ukrainian towns," he said.

[OUTLAW 09]

More Russian military exercises:

Russian logistics brigade (1,300 troops, 300 equip, Kemerovo reg, CMD) put on alert for combat readiness. RIA 23 Mar http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150323/1053978452.html …

1/3rd of Russian artillery training carried out at night during recent exercises in Far East. http://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12011314@egNews … http://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12011313@egNews

Russian Central MD logistics brigade exercises involved transporting fuel for over 1,000 vehicles. RU MoD 23 March http://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12011212@egNews …

Russian Western MD (Kursk region) combat training under nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) conditions. RU MoD 23 Mar http://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12011380@egNews …

Bordyuzha: Post-Soviet CSTO bloc ready to send peacekeepers to Ukraine if decision is made. TASS 19 Mar http://tass.ru/en/world/783808

Bordyuzha: Joint military drills of CSTO peacekeeping forces to be held in Armenia in September. TASS 23 Mar http://tass.ru/en/world/784457

[OUTLAW 09]

Clashes rage in Ukrainian town, making mockery of truce

Associated Press
By MSTYSLAV CHERNOV
40 minutes ago

SHYROKYNE, Ukraine (AP) — To reach rear-guard government positions in the seaside town of Shyrokyne, Ukrainian soldiers gingerly wind their off-roaders through private gardens hugging a precipice along the Azov Sea.

The truce announced in mid-February has never taken here, so traveling by the main roads is too dangerous.

Government and Russian-backed separatist forces face off in daily gun and artillery battles across an unseen line cutting through the town. The skirmishes are fierce, but contained — for now. Still, the enduring unrest arouses deep anxieties that a conflict which has already claimed more than 6,000 in eastern Ukraine could flare up again across the entire 450-kilometer (280-mile) front line.

Shyrokyne itself is not much of a prize. It is the industrial port city of Mariupol, 10 kilometers (6 miles) further west, that Ukrainian forces want to defend from the rebels at all costs.

Residents and government troops alike believe the separatists' ultimate aim is to take Mariupol — and eventually create a land bridge between Russia and Crimea, which Russia annexed last March. Crimea has no physical link to Russian territory now and a bridge being discussed is years away from completion.

Government forces in Shyrokyne are only truly at ease behind three defensive lines separating them from the heat of fighting in the center. At a makeshift garrison installed there, on the grounds of a restaurant near the shore, two tanks stood parked Sunday under a striped awning.

Several hundred meters away, mortar shells landing in the sea sprayed up columns of water.

"They are hurling anti-tank shells at the lighthouse. Another one just came this way," said a bearded, barrel-chested fighter with the government's Azov Battalion who gave only his nom de guerre, Al.

As reports came that two enemy tanks had been spotted, Al's thoughts turned to the combat ahead. "It is all about to start," he said.

To proceed closer to the area where the battle is fiercest, soldiers abandon their cars and race on foot toward a school, climbing through a hole in the fence. The asphalt on the road had been torn up by explosives, so only armored vehicles could get through with ease.

The responsibility for defending Shyrokyne is shared between the Azov and Donbass battalions, who take weekly turns to serve in the town. Coordination is sometimes poor, however.

As Azov troops jogged for cover behind the school Sunday, one soldier shouted: "What are you doing? Are you crazy running like that? There are booby traps there."

Another soldier corrected him. "Nah, the booby traps are over there," he said, waving his hand vaguely to the left. "The Donbass guys put them there."

Inside the school, children's drawings still decorated the walls. One man fried sausages and another chowed down on boiled oats as a mobile phone blared out music by a Russian death metal band. Underfoot, amid the spent bullet cartridges and shrapnel, students' art collages lay covered in fallen plaster.

As the sound of mortars grew more intense, all the men ducked inside for cover.

"There they go, they've started again," said an Azov spotter with the nickname Mathematician.

A cease-fire between Ukrainian and rebel forces was forged after marathon negotiations between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France on Feb. 12. Under the truce, fighting was supposed to stop and heavy weapons were to be pulled back from the front line. Responsibility for verifying the cease-fire lies with monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Mathematician said the rebels always wait for the OSCE teams to leave before resuming their attacks.

"As soon as the OSCE leaves, the firing starts," he said. Separatists accuse Ukrainian forces of similar deviousness, and it's hard to know definitely even at the front line who started any specific round of firing.

A short while later, a sound resembling outgoing mortars could be heard from a nearby field. Soldiers refused to give an AP reporter access to the area.

"We don't have any mortars," Mathematician said, smiling. "They only allow us to have small arms. But when they (rebels) get really brazen, we call in support and flatten them."

Many in the Azov Battalion have unabashed Ukrainian nationalist sympathies, prompting rebels to label them neo-fascists.

From time to time, Azov fighters in Shyrokyne greeted one another with ironic Roman salutes and then grinned at their own humor. That kind of idle larking and the battalion's flirtation with neo-Nazi symbolism is seized upon as confirmation of their critics' worst fears.

The infamy appears only partly deserved, however.

Some embrace fervent Ukrainian nationalism as a repudiation of the heavily Russian-dominated Soviet legacy, all while serving with fighters from a wide array of political and ethnic backgrounds. Chit-chat switches casually from Ukrainian to Russian and back again.

The best view of the skirmishes raging inside the village is from the House of Culture, a building in the faux Neo-classical style popular across the Soviet Union during Josef Stalin's rule. From there, fighters unleashed salvoes from an automatic grenade launcher and 73 mm caliber anti-tank guns.

Ukrainian forces hold the elevated sections of Shyrokyne, giving them a tactical advantage. Smoke could be seen billowing from houses in the lower-lying buffer zone. One shell apparently flying in from rebel positions landed by a church.

All at once, the men on the House of Culture roof cried out in a jubilant chorus, pointing toward the village.

"Did you see those flames? We hit a tank. Two direct hits," one government fighter said.

By the day's end, the final Ukrainian tally was at least one enemy tank destroyed and two relatively light injuries among their ranks.

Almost every day brings new casualties — on occasion, some fatal — but their determination to stop the rebel advance along the Azov Sea coast is intense.

One Azov fighter calling himself Tantsor — Russian for dancer — said the rebels were clearly hoping to take Mariupol by stealth.

"They are violating the cease-fire everywhere and using any chance they get to advance even by one centimeter toward peaceful Ukrainian towns," he said.

#News
The @OSCE_SMM sees an escalation in the fighting around #Shyrokyne and "calls on all parties to cease hostilities."

Russian forces use #Shyrokyne as a "training ground under realistic circumstances", attacking, withdrawing and learning. - Tymchuk

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian guerrilla unit "Shadows" --new reported activities:

#Ukraine Guerrilla"Shadows"Eye for an Eye eliminated Pro #Russia(ns) who tortured ukr soldiers http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...h/&prev=search … pic.twitter.com/Bn5zQs1fe7

[OUTLAW 09]

Ppl in occupied #Luhansk are out on the streets to demand social payments from... #Poroshenko http://informator.lg.ua/?p=79040 pic.twitter.com/BgGrnmrxeC

I just used Ukr TV footage to make my #Donbas #map more accurate in the area of #Zolote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJpxjNQvDMQ&t=32 … pic.twitter.com/0ThovG0ra4

Nuking the Danish Navy. TASS changes Amb'r Vanin's threatening words from "nuclear weapons" to "precision weapons". http://tass.ru/en/world/784466

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-hPZs49cmo … #Poroshenko takes on #Kolomoisky publicly.#Russia grabs the popcorn.Let's c #Ukraine implode. pic.twitter.com/uPnujbpufj

VIDEO #Ukraine Machinist/Gunsmith converts #Russia AK Rifle into a Bullpup design https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvsgSsiq1QE … Ingenious! pic.twitter.com/IOJXEAedcf

Burnt land near #Debaltseve.Doctors says 50 #Ukraine mil.died at the last day of fight-Jan.80more during weeks before pic.twitter.com/SmVlRrNL2V

[OUTLAW 09]

Major Udovyk of Ukrainian Army was liberated from captivity thanks to Defense Ministry, Afghan vets Union https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=398563570328251&set=a.251450688372874.1073741855.100005238330609&type=1 … |EMPR

Vehicle w/ cargo200 marking KIAs spotted at Kerch Strait ferry line on exit from #Crimea to #Russia, via @HromadskeTV pic.twitter.com/97iocipqIY
This is unusual as most of the Russian KIAs head towards Rostov.

Captured #Russia|n soldiers caught fighting in #Ukraine & #Kremlin claim they 'don't exist?'
https://youtu.be/-AitK5LeV9I pic.twitter.com/TkoEAGE6aT

VIDEO #Russia(n) Strela-10 (SA-13) Gopher Anti-Aircraft units in #Donetsk #Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3KV1F4g0LI … pic.twitter.com/fctegdCE43

Militants fired almost each hour at Avdiivka, #Donetsk region incl w/ 120mm mortars, Ukr forces repelled an attack https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/969423786401761 …

#Footage
The Russian front near #Donetsk #airport getting heavily pounded by Ukraine mortars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEsZXEOtO4U … pic.twitter.com/tFGGvVI8eR

What the heck!
3 primed Russian army Strela-10 systems on duty near #Donetsk city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9nJSICBAtA …
#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/NI1g35eWPR

[OUTLAW 09]

First formal sighting on new Russian MBT:

NEW Russian MBT
The first ever photo of the Object 148 'Armata' new-generation MBT, taken today! pic.twitter.com/prRX4LvD9m

[OUTLAW 09]

"Fighting ceasefire" --Russia is now attempting to force the Ukraine to formally violate the Minsk 2 by constantly attacking Ukrainian positions.

Today:
#News
We are back to regular #war at the N-W #Donetsk front.
There were attacks "almost every hour" vs. Av.,Pi. & Op. pic.twitter.com/wpbVZkcAPr

[OUTLAW 09]

First formal sighting on new Russian MBT:

NEW Russian MBT
The first ever photo of the Object 148 'Armata' new-generation MBT, taken today! pic.twitter.com/prRX4LvD9m

Video from March 23rd claiming to show T-14 Armata chassis. Source: http://defence-blog.com/?p=4384 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYhyzJ7jdGE … pic.twitter.com/xMrihssRld

Appears to be near a Russian airborne training area.

For comparison here is a recent 25 minute video of the T90 which has been seen inside eastern Ukraine for what I think is combat field testing purposes as the Armata chassis seems to be a further development of the T90.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLC2eYExinc

Same chassis on a train in Albino. pic.twitter.com/4zTDw5Inqh

[OUTLAW 09]

#Statement by #Putin's jester "Just Russia"
"The right to send troops to Ukraine should be reinstated in case of U.S. supplies lethal arms."

Russian terrorists haven't pulled back MRLS they just scattered them among civilian houses. Grad 2km from frontline pic.twitter.com/3f5XtGuLQB

Leonid Ragozin @leonidragozin
Kremlin's Markov says on FB Russia should use the conflict between Kolomoysky & Poroshenko to seize Mariupol, Kharkiv & Odessa

#Ukraine Air Force radar vehicle attacked w/RPGs 200 km away fr. #Donbas frontline, in the town of #Milove n. #Russia border - Govr. #АТО

And Milove is about 100 km to "frontline" pic.twitter.com/qcRjjcvFvg

"I will soon go to war". In #Donbass brave Bohdanchyk tells about his life in a war. In pictures of tanks and... http://fb.me/3yBrath71

At night militants fired at Ukr positions 8 times - slightly less than in the last days, used 120mm mortars at Pisky https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/969677223043084 …

Under #Stalin the #Nazis didn't make it to St. Petersburg.
Under #Putin they finally did... and #Russia welcomed them with open arms.

Air Policing jets in airspace near Latvias border identified RU AF 2x Tu-22M, and 2x Su-27 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-march-air-policing-jets-in-international-airspace-above …

Militants fired Pisky and Avdiivka with heavy weapons http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-march-militants-fired-pisky-and-avdiivka-with-heavy-weapons … pic.twitter.com/dg1ZuItIz3

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian "informational conflict" is alive and well.

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
From War Is A Crime - The Russian Military Asked Me to Publish Its Propaganda
http://warisacrime.org/content/russian-military-asked-me-publish-its-propaganda …

MFA of Ukraine ✔ @MFA_Ukraine
#StopFake Top-4 Fakes of the Week abt Ukraine. Fake#2: In Lviv Veterans are Advised not to Wear their Medals on May 9 pic.twitter.com/LLG3SBvpFy

Do we need to add anything?!
#PutinsRussia = #FascistsFavoutire pic.twitter.com/pXtB0aeH6V

While some #brainwashed sheeple dream of #Russia citzship & pensions, #Putin set 2 build a railway 2 detour #Donbas) pic.twitter.com/HJgPCmzAav

How Russia Today is using YouTube - The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/03/23/how-russia-today-is-using-youtube/?wpisrc=nl_cage&wpmm=1 …

[OUTLAW 09]

#News
The @OSCE_SMM sees an escalation in the fighting around #Shyrokyne and "calls on all parties to cease hostilities."

Russian forces use #Shyrokyne as a "training ground under realistic circumstances", attacking, withdrawing and learning. - Tymchuk

Fighting has picked up again today--Ukrainians hold about 20% of the town but strategically they hold the high ground and the Russians the low ground and the Russians are not making any headway in infiltrating the high ground.

A grinding fight as the Ukrainians are losing manpower both wounded and killed on a daily basis.

Militants fired w/ anti-tank missiles at Chermalyk, used small arms at Shyrokyne, 4 Ukr r WIA http://www.0629.com.ua/news/776488 pic.twitter.com/emVdJBUP8x

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems that the Russian gangs in Donetsk are having "misunderstandings and or communications problems":

Shootout at night in #Donetsk among illegal criminal groups resulted in 2 killed, 3 cars burnt http://informator.lg.ua/?p=79103 pic.twitter.com/EoeYF6ZHG1

#Donetsk, night skirmish aftermath:
@evergreen_dn: '2 dead, 3 burnt-out cars'
@JuMistress: 'Chechens vs Abkhazian'
pic.twitter.com/0WsZSgDLEv

[OUTLAW 09]

While I largely agree with the author in his points—I think that he missed the simple fact that right now the US has no defined Strategic Strategy reference Russia and the Ukraine that has either been written about and or voiced. Obama is simply right now tap dancing with several ongoing items—let the Europeans led as it is an European problem, the Ukraine is not a strategic issue for the US foreign policy and lastly Obama and his NSC are not exactly sure what to do as they had set themselves on the path of “softpower” as the way forward as the way to back the US out of having to be the world’s policeman.

Having to revert to using “hardpower” in the mix is actually difficult for them as it requires decisions to be made that would impact the concept of a President’s legacy.

Well worth the read as it brings in several ongoing Russians points of view that is not often heard in mainstream media.

Yuval Weber is assistant professor on the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University, Higher School of Economics in Moscow.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/03/18/why-the-u-s-does-nothing-in-ukraine/

Monkey Cage


Why the U.S. does nothing in Ukraine
By Yuval Weber March 18

The ongoing war in Ukraine recently passed the first anniversary of the highly dubious referendum that split Crimea off from Ukraine and eventually saw it attached to Russia. Over the course of the conflict that followed, over 6,000 people have died, large swathes of eastern Ukraine have been destroyed, and Russian support for separatists rendered insecure by the change of government in Kiev has gone from highly suspected to fairly open. Reaction in Washington has been equally vitriolic with politicians and commentators pushing for President Obama either to escalate the challenge to Russia by providing greater amounts of military aid to Ukraine more quickly or to come to some sort of great power accommodation instead, effectively ceding a low-importance country in exchange for an end to the conflict to a much more resolved adversary. Recent expert interviews conducted by my colleague Andrej Krickovic and I here in Moscow on Russian strategic interests, and insights derived from the bargaining theory of conflict, suggest that the current policy – doing little at the cost of watching the collateral damage rise – may best fulfill U.S. foreign policy interests by refusing to give Russia the fight it wants at the time and issue of the latter’s choosing.

For a recent paper, Krickovic and I interviewed a number of foreign policy experts here in Moscow to understand the extent of Russian strategic interests. The interview subjects clearly indicated that the war in Ukraine is a symptom of greater dissatisfaction with the post-Cold War international order. As Evgeny Lukyanov, the Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, has said, “We need to sit down [with the United States] and renegotiate the entire post-cold War settlement.” The experts further stated that the potential loss of Ukraine directly threatens Russia’s ability to pursue Eurasian integration, which is central to the country’s larger strategic vision of developing a Eurasian bloc (through bolstering the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization) to resist the consequences of U.S. unipolarity and to compete in the multipolar world it expects to emerge.

In terms set out by our interviewees, Russia seeks a “grand bargain” that explicitly identifies the role of the United States in the international order and puts limits on U.S. behavior to make America more predictable in its behavior and to prevent it from overstepping its own authority. Three tenets of this bargain that would assure Russian security include a collective security treaty binding Russia, the United States, and the leading European states; a supranational decision-making body (Security Council of Europe of NATO, the European Union, and CSTO) as previously proposed by Dmitry Medvedev that would end NATO dominance in Europe; and a “Monroe Doctrine” for the post-Soviet space that legitimizes a sphere of influence in the region. These ideas follow along Vladimir Putin’s “collective leadership” offer at the latest Valdai meeting: a new world order based on competing hierarchies of states, mutual non-interference in spheres of interest, and coordinated responses to transnational problems of mutual interest, such as Islamist terrorism. Eventually, all these institutional developments would lead to an “integration of integrations” so that a bigger EEU could associate with the European Union and other Western institutions as a full-fledged partner enjoying the same status as these powerful institutions.

These terms set out exactly why Russia is motivated to fight over the resolution of Ukraine now rather than later. By Russia’s own bloc-oriented view of the future of international relations, the failure to “get” Ukraine means that the Eurasian bloc has roughly reached its apex (Kyrgyzstan will accede in May 2015 while other regional states are seemingly getting cold feet). Facing a negative shift in future bargaining power means that it should fight now before it gets too weak in the future to mount a credible challenge to revise the international order later.

This very well explains what Russia is doing, but how can we explain Obama’s reluctance either to commit greater resources to the conflict or to cut bait and leave? Why has Obama settled on a policy of seemingly strenuous inaction? It is very likely that Obama can observe that Russia’s bloc-oriented strategy has led to the same apex, and that future decline by Russia’s own standards is approaching. Thus, to accommodate Russia in this bargaining framework would not only involve upsetting European allies and the Ukrainians, but would give a lifeline to an adversary by ameliorating the decline. Moreover, to challenge Russia over Ukraine would be to escalate a conflict that the United States is less able and less resolved to win with acceptable costs.

This places Obama in a different position relative to formulating strategy regarding a rising challenger like China that needs to be accommodated or challenged because the latter is dissatisfied with the international distribution of benefits. Russia is instead a declining challenger (by its own standards) that offers the United States a third policy course of maintaining the status quo and waiting to negotiate later from a position of greater strength. If Obama believes that Russia has internal structural contradictions (resource-dominated economy) and is externally at its peak, then he finds himself roughly in the same position as Dwight Eisenhower roughly 60 years ago: confident of prevailing in a long war or arms racing against an adversary with internal structural contradictions (command economy), but wary of entering into short-term conflicts close to Russia. Just as Eisenhower failed to intervene in Hungary in 1956, Obama is failing to intervene decisively in Ukraine and giving Russia a fight at the latter’s time and place of choosing.

[OUTLAW 09]

This article is extremely important for several reasons:

1. There has been since the Crimea annexation a number of comments coming from Moscow that Putin in fact wants a new "Yalta Agreement" defining the "spheres of influence" and defining that "sphere of influence" for Russia to be it's influence over all former Warsaw Pact countries and or former members of the Soviet Union.

2. It is an attempt to "allow" Russia to appear to be a equal superpower again-equal to that of the US

3. It is and or there is the attempt by Russia to degrade both the EU and NATO by inserting the Russian controls organizations EEU and CSTO as equal partners to the EU and NATO when in fact they are simply creations created by Russia to continue dominance in areas formerly part of the Soviet Union.

Putin's three strategic geo political goals has never changed since 2002--these goals should not surprise the US as they have been mentioned numerous times by Putin and his inner circle since 2002 especially from his Chief Ideologue (often stated in aggressive fascist terms) Dugin ;

1. disconnect the US from Europe
2. discredit and degrade the EU
3. discredit and degrade NATO

Thus ensure Russian influence and dominance over all of Europe at minimum costs to itself and ensuring continued Russian economic growth which is needed to fuel their current military growth.

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference Minsk 2:

Facts on #Minsk:
5-6 Ukraine soldiers KIA/week by separatists.
GoU passed spec status law. @OSCE_SMM says separatist hinder verification.

Mar 22: @OSCE_SMM observed #Minsk violations, as Russian-backed separatists attacked th Ukrainain village of Pisky.
http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/146186 …

President of Ukraine and UN Deputy Secretary General discussed the issue of sending peacekeepers to Donbas... http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/32535.html …

Message not getting thru: Every time @Poroshenko discusses sending @UNPeacekeeping to Donbas, Russia uses it to justify CSTO "peacekeepers".

[OUTLAW 09]

Extensive Russian social media sources indicate executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian airborne troops:


Troops from the Russian army's 247th Airborne Regiment upload pictures. (also executed Ukrainian soldiers)
http://censor.net.ua/photo_news/329762/dokazatelstva_voennyh_prestupleniyi_na_donbasse_ro ssiyiskih_desantnikov_iz_247go_polka_vdv_fotorepor taj …

[OUTLAW 09]

Another major example of Russian "altered state of reality":

Russia Duma now threatens again : If US delivers weapons to Ukraine then Russia will have the right to use Armed Forces in Ukraine

Is it not strange that Russia argues it will send in their Army if the US sends in weapons WHEN the US has sent in no weapons and Russian soldiers are constantly posting via Russia social media "they are in fact inside the Ukraine along with their very own photos"?

AND at the same time the Russian FM states "show us evidence of Russian troops in the Ukraine".

Great example of Russian troops contradicting their own FM and their own Duma with extensive photos.

Troops from the Russian army's 247th Airborne Regiment upload pictures. (also executed Ukrainian soldiers)
http://censor.net.ua/photo_news/3297...v_fotoreportaj …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian FM asked of evidence of Russian troops inside the Ukraine:
Video: @EliotHiggins @bellingcat present verification of Russia's war against #Ukraine : http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/60147648/highlight/612163 … #skup2015

#News
Some of the Russian ceasefire violations east of #Mariupol yesterday (official account).
4 Ukr troops WIA. pic.twitter.com/gMXhquYLlo

#BREAKINGNEWS
Russian special forces invaded northern #Luhansk last night and destroyed an Ukr air defense system. pic.twitter.com/cgXwdjRPiG

In Ukraine, some Russians take up arms against Putin https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-russians-arms-against-putin-092931982.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons&soc_trk=tw … via @YahooNews pic.twitter.com/wDxGyul2Pm

Militants' Grads are deployed a couple of kilometers from demarcation line.
Ukrainian drone image
http://24today.net/open/352600 pic.twitter.com/dZ2TUhvBg7

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian mercenaries tied into Russian military command and control-in German
Ost-#Ukraine. Separatisten, gefangen in Befehlskette aus #Moskau. Ein Ex-Insider berichtet> http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/separatisten-in-der-ostukraine-gefangen-in-der-befehlskette-1.2406228 … pic.twitter.com/Bms3vOi6cy

Donetsk airport Ukrainian fighter recalls
BBC News - Ukrainian "cyborg" recounts war and captivity horrorshttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32028559 … pic.twitter.com/oXPBvJrhAn

It should be noted that the Minsk 2 agreement called for the release of ALL POWs to include civilians--Russian mercenaries and Russian troops still hold over 400 verified POWs.

The echo of Ilovaisk: new evidence of the Russian Army’s involvement in the Ilovaisk tragedy: https://en.informnapalm.org/evidence-of-the-russian-army/ … pic.twitter.com/FCgzV6Czi5

Yesterdays TASS disinformation repeated again today:
Kremlin lies. TASS quotes DPR (proxies for Russian ground forces under Lentsov): "Kiev’s military breached truce 50 times over 24 hours"

[kaur]

Outlaw:


Putin's three strategic geo political goals has never changed since 2002--these goals should not surprise the US as they have been mentioned numerous times by Putin and his inner circle since 2002 especially from his Chief Ideologue (often stated in aggressive fascist terms) Dugin ;

1. disconnect the US from Europe
2. discredit and degrade the EU
3. discredit and degrade NATO

Thus ensure Russian influence and dominance over all of Europe at minimum costs to itself and ensuring continued Russian economic growth which is needed to fuel their current military growth.

Remarkable analysis by CIA from 1983 "Soviet Thinking on the Possibility of Armed Confrotation with the United States"

http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/17/19831230.pdf

[OUTLAW 09]

I usually post Russian comments that are in the realm of "altered state and or states of reality"--these though have left that realm and are more along the lines of "holy heck what have you been smoking.....?"

#Breaking
Former Russian presidential adviser Alexander Nekrassov demands #Russia to declare #war on #Estonia,#Latvia,#Lithuania and #Poland
Alexander Nekrassov @StirringTrouble
#Russia should declare a state of war with the #Baltics and #Poland and cut off their gas supplies and trade links with them.

Alexander Nekrassov @StirringTrouble
@bloodless_coup This crsisi will not stop until the prostitutes who govern the Baltics and Poland continue to fuel it.

Alexander Nekrassov @StirringTrouble
@bloodless_coup Well, they are providing fighters who kill ethnic Russians in the east of Ukraine. That's war.

Alexander Nekrassov @StirringTrouble
@bloodless_coup You need to take tough measures to stop the bloodshed. The Baltics and Poland are already waging war against Russia

And the best: The #US and #Europe are SUPPORTING most of the Mullahs' territorial grabs across the Middle East.
How the tide has turned ...

[OUTLAW 09]

Another day of Russian AF activity over the Baltic:

They're all over the place in the Eur airspace, with no transponders, yet NATO is the one threatening Russia? Russian logic

Here we go again. Russian military planes intercepted by Sweden while sniffing around the Baltics with transponders off. Complete lunacy.

[OUTLAW 09]

Again today, Russian Air Force Il-76 heavy transports fly on the route Voronezh-Kubinka (via @Alexfly35)

#Update
Swedish air force jets intercepted two TU-22M and two SU-27, which were "training" around #Gotland and #Bornholm w/o transponders

Imperialism:Only a bare majority of Russians wants #Russia to stay within its current borders:
http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/03/24/only-a-bare-majority-of-russians-wants-russia-to-stay-within-its-current-borders/ … pic.twitter.com/dEADWzpjr9

It's #Ukraine or Bust: https://goupillon.wordpress.com/2015/03/24/rus

So, the #Russia|n's are breaking Minsk by preventing @OSCE inspecting, verifying heavy weapons withdrawal in #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/aKusRSMQEK

WHAT??? FORMER PUTIN ADVISOR SAYS #RUSSIA SHOULD DECLARE WAR ON #BALTICS AND #POLAND http://upnorth.eu/former-putin-advisor-says-russia-should-declare-war-on-baltics-and-poland/ …

#Russia wants own international tribunal for war criminals to replace #Hague court "that depends on sponsors of the war crimes in #Ukraine"

[OUTLAW 09]

Fighting continues close to Mariupol as ‘ceasefire’ fails to stop militant attacks (Video)
http://www.unian.info/war/1059320-fighting-continues-close-to-mariupol-as-ceasefire-fails-to-stop-militant-attacks-video.html …

The Moscow Times ✔ @MoscowTimes
#Russian Imperialism Will Unleash New Yugoslavia http://tmt-go.ru/517977 #opinion

Former MI6 head: #Putin could get more dangerous http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/former-m

Head of #Russia's Foreign Affairs Committee Urges #Obama: 'Don't Be Like George Bush, Forget #Ukraine'
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-politician-urges-obama-dont-be-like-george-bush-forget-ukraine/517932.html …

Information warfare. Internet mentions of "Ukraine fascism" double after Euromaidan's victory
http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/03/24/5-reasons-why-in-russia-the-word-fascist-means-putins-enemy/ … pic.twitter.com/8qDqfszy1W

#Russian militants shell #Ukrainian positions at Peski with 120-mm mortars, while UKR army had all the guns withdrawn http://24today.net/open/353479

Ukrainian "Cyborg" Sergeant Major Anatoly Svyryd and his wife survived the battle for Donetsk airport, captivity... http://fb.me/77wUwEsdo

[OUTLAW 09]

Zacharchenko holds emergency press conference http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-march-zacharchenko-holds-emergency-press-conference … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EA3jFUNUJl

Zakharchenko Claims Russian General Lentsov, OSCE Monitors And Journalists Fired On Near Shirokino. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-400-governor-claims-russian-forces-attacked-air-defence-unit-far-from-front-line/#7639 …

DNR confirms Russian general Lentsov "was shelled by Ukrainian forces at Shyrokhyno", while he was "coordinating peace"

Someone at @mfa_russia explain why Russian general is always innocently and coincidentally at place of shelling...

#Analysis #Map
Final evidence, Russian forces control BOTH sides of the Seversky-Donets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbf2GK7kXAk … pic.twitter.com/MVHtHTmAKx

Russian volunteer received 150 dollars for three months in Donbass.
http://orsk.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54357&Itemid=74 … pic.twitter.com/EZPDpElunT

Ukrainian soldier killed in fresh militant attacks as fighting continues despite ceasefire http://uatoday.tv/politics/ukrainian-soldier-killed-in-fresh-militant-attacks-as-fighting-continues-despite-ceasefire-417334.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

State Duma wants to reinstate Putin’s right to send troops to Ukraine: U.S. wants to prevent Russia from "developing into a new superpower"
24.03.2015 11:50

It is reported by Censor.NET citing Liga.

"We believe that our parliament should not ignore this statement (by the U.S. Congress - ed.). If the United States actually commences supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine, we should not hesitate to begin supporting the "militia", including by [the supply of] arms and reinstating the president's right to send troops into the territory of Ukraine," Kremlin's RIA Novosti news agency cites the lawmaker.

According to the representative of the Putin's regime, the Russian Federation cannot "allow turning Ukraine into an international militant, honed against Russia," calling the decisions of the U.S. congressmen on arming Ukraine 'provocative'.

"The United States is trying to arm Ukraine at all costs ... to prevent Russia from developing into a new superpower," Emelyanov said.

In February, Mikhail Emelyanov called to place "Ukrainian government in exile" in the Donbas, repeating the 'wishes' of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who also argued for such a scenario.

On March 1, 2014 the Russian Federation Council considered the appeal of Vladimir Putin on the use of Russian troops in the territory of Ukraine, which was supported by the senators. On June 25, the decree was revoked.

[OUTLAW 09]

We are shelled from grenade launchers and 120-millimeter mortars but we have nothing to answer with - the artillery was withdrawn" - Ukrainian soldiers in Pisky. VIDEO
http://24today.net/open/353538

Kyiv proposes OSCE SMM launch spot checks on heavy weapons in Donbas http://24today.net/open/353570 pic.twitter.com/yVWAewtLNv

Russia's Orthodox Soft Power http://bit.ly/1N4SMCs [via @1Nasra] pic.twitter.com/8gVQ6tApyX

Coast near Mariupol is securely covered by the Coast Guard artillery batteries, some ar http://24today.net/open/353491

[OUTLAW 09]

60members of SBU special unit "Alpha" went to #Dnipropetrovsk in order to detain ppl suspected in SBU commander murder near #Volnovakha

Hm ... The Ukr army (sector M) reports mortar and AT fire at Staromar'ivka.
I thought, it was on the right bank of the Kalmius and Rus-held.

"Top US Commander under arrest for refusing to fire nukes at #Russia" is untrue & RU provocation, propaganda: http://www.eutimes.net/2015/03/top-us-commander-under-arrest-for-refusing-to-fire-nukes-at-russia/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Zacharchenko holds emergency press conference http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-march-zacharchenko-holds-emergency-press-conference … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EA3jFUNUJl

Zakharchenko Claims Russian General Lentsov, OSCE Monitors And Journalists Fired On Near Shirokino. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-400-governor-claims-russian-forces-attacked-air-defence-unit-far-from-front-line/#7639 …

DNR confirms Russian general Lentsov "was shelled by Ukrainian forces at Shyrokhyno", while he was "coordinating peace"

Someone at @mfa_russia explain why Russian general is always innocently and coincidentally at place of shelling...

#Analysis #Map
Final evidence, Russian forces control BOTH sides of the Seversky-Donets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbf2GK7kXAk … pic.twitter.com/MVHtHTmAKx

Russian volunteer received 150 dollars for three months in Donbass.
http://orsk.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54357&Itemid=74 … pic.twitter.com/EZPDpElunT

Ukrainian soldier killed in fresh militant attacks as fighting continues despite ceasefire http://uatoday.tv/politics/ukrainian-soldier-killed-in-fresh-militant-attacks-as-fighting-continues-despite-ceasefire-417334.html …


Seems to be another case of pure propaganda by the leader of the DNR who held an emergency press conference to state the Ukrainians had shelled members of OSCE and a Russian General:

@OSCE_SMM says they did not get under fire, just heard something firing not far from #Shyrokine

'Black flag' operation to "attack" Lentsov, Commander of Russian Ground Forces/militias in Occupied Ukraine: a prelude to Russian offensive.

Of course, a "group of Russian journalists" and OSCE observers just "happened" to be with Lentsov at exact time of the "attack"!

Russian forces stage 'black flag' attack (blamed on Ukrainian forces) on Col-Gen Lentsov at #Shyrokyne nr #Mariupol. http://tass.ru/en/world/784646

[OUTLAW 09]

#News
Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions and fortifications all across the front today. Almost 20 locations.
http://censor.net.ua/news/329855/boeviki_skontsentrirovali_ognevye_udary_iz_minomet ov_na_mariupolskom_napravlenii_presstsentr_ato …

In small towns in rebel-held Lugansk, some surviving on bread + a bowl of soup a day. Some not getting medicine for diesease like cancer

20:45 #Donetsk @902Albi 'It's hot in #Pisky again, we can hear booms and skirmish in that direction'

Russian Occupation Of Crimea ‘Worse Than Soviet’ One | The Interpreter http://www.interpretermag.com/russian-occupation-of-crimea-worse-than-soviet-one/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect example of a Russian inforwar messaging effort today referencing the shelling of a Russian General and OSCE- allegedly by Ukrainians:

FIRST THIS:

Zacharchenko holds emergency press conference http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-marc...ess-conference … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EA3jFUNUJl

Zakharchenko Claims Russian General Lentsov, OSCE Monitors And Journalists Fired On Near Shirokino. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukrain...ont-line/#7639 …

DNR confirms Russian general Lentsov "was shelled by Ukrainian forces at Shyrokhyno", while he was "coordinating peace"


THEN TASS:

OSCE observers, Russian journalists come under fire in eastern Ukraine — DPR
TASS-World
March 24, 18:08 UTC+3

Russia’s representative in the OSCE Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime in east Ukraine Col. Gen. Alexander Lentsov came under fire among others

MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. A group of observers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Russian journalists have come under fire near the village of Shirokino in eastern Ukraine, the defense ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic reported Tuesday.

"When the OSCE joint monitoring mission was moving in the inhabited locality of Shirokino to control the regime of ceasefire, the convoy came under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces," the Donetsk news agency quoted an army spokesman as saying.

"A group of Russian journalists also came under fire," the agency said.

DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko said Tuesday that Russia’s representative in the OSCE Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime in east Ukraine Col. Gen. Alexander Lentsov came under fire near Shirokino.

"He has come under fire for a second time. This shows once again that Ukraine opens fire intentionally. Each instance of firing is an attempt to make us shoot and then say the Minsk agreements were violated," Zakharchenko said.

Russian television channel REN TV said Tuesday its journalists, who also came under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces, barricaded themselves on the outskirts of Shirokino.

A REN TV correspondent, Dmitry Vakhnitsky, got in touch with the editorial office. He said the house where journalists hid is constantly under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces.

Vakhnitsky said by phone that a REN TV driver was wounded and taken out of the locality.

"We came here yesterday to film violations of the ceasefire. OSCE representatives arrived today. There was silence for two hours. We wanted to leave, but a bullet hit our car’s tire and the car crashed into a tree. The driver was taken away as wounded," he said.

© AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky

OSCE drones register shelling of east Ukraine's Shirokino by Kiev troops — daily update

THEN the truth comes out:

@OSCE_SMM says they did not get under fire, just heard something firing not far from #Shyrokine

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect example of a Russian inforwar messaging effort today referencing the shelling of a Russian General and OSCE- allegedly by Ukrainians:

FIRST THIS:

Zacharchenko holds emergency press conference http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-marc...ess-conference … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EA3jFUNUJl

Zakharchenko Claims Russian General Lentsov, OSCE Monitors And Journalists Fired On Near Shirokino. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukrain...ont-line/#7639 …

DNR confirms Russian general Lentsov "was shelled by Ukrainian forces at Shyrokhyno", while he was "coordinating peace"


THEN TASS:

OSCE observers, Russian journalists come under fire in eastern Ukraine — DPR
TASS-World
March 24, 18:08 UTC+3

Russia’s representative in the OSCE Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime in east Ukraine Col. Gen. Alexander Lentsov came under fire among others

MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. A group of observers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Russian journalists have come under fire near the village of Shirokino in eastern Ukraine, the defense ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic reported Tuesday.

"When the OSCE joint monitoring mission was moving in the inhabited locality of Shirokino to control the regime of ceasefire, the convoy came under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces," the Donetsk news agency quoted an army spokesman as saying.

"A group of Russian journalists also came under fire," the agency said.

DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko said Tuesday that Russia’s representative in the OSCE Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime in east Ukraine Col. Gen. Alexander Lentsov came under fire near Shirokino.

"He has come under fire for a second time. This shows once again that Ukraine opens fire intentionally. Each instance of firing is an attempt to make us shoot and then say the Minsk agreements were violated," Zakharchenko said.

Russian television channel REN TV said Tuesday its journalists, who also came under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces, barricaded themselves on the outskirts of Shirokino.

A REN TV correspondent, Dmitry Vakhnitsky, got in touch with the editorial office. He said the house where journalists hid is constantly under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces.

Vakhnitsky said by phone that a REN TV driver was wounded and taken out of the locality.

"We came here yesterday to film violations of the ceasefire. OSCE representatives arrived today. There was silence for two hours. We wanted to leave, but a bullet hit our car’s tire and the car crashed into a tree. The driver was taken away as wounded," he said.

© AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky

OSCE drones register shelling of east Ukraine's Shirokino by Kiev troops — daily update

THEN the truth comes out:

@OSCE_SMM says they did not get under fire, just heard something firing not far from #Shyrokine


Activist Victoria Ivleva blames @OSCE_SMM directly for cooperating w/ Russia-backed militants

http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/03/24/human-rights-advocate-detailed-by-militants-osce-betrayed-us/ … pic.twitter.com/WhlLVPLGTd

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian violates the INF with a long range nuclear capable cruise missile and bases nuclear capable Ikskander missiles in the Crimea and Kaliningrad which could in fact threaten Berlin, flies nuclear armed bombers near and or over the UK and threatens to target the Danish Navy with nuclear missiles , and per doctrine can use a nuclear strike on a major city or NATO target to "deescalate" and then this today:

Russia is doing everything possible to distract from their own INF violations and to distract from their Danish ambassadors comments concerning the use of nuclear missiles against the Danish Navy.

Russia: US Must remove Its Nuclear Weapons From Europe

Tuesday, 24 Mar 2015 09:07 AM

Russia called for a ban on American nuclear weapons in parts of Europe, saying the U.S. is breaking an international agreement by holding joint nuclear training missions with NATO allies that don’t possess such weapons.

Using ships and airfields as well as training crews from non-nuclear states from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in such exercises is “in direct contradiction to the letter and spirit” of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT, ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement on its website.

“There can be only one solution,” Lukashevich said. Russia is calling for “the return of all nonstrategic nuclear weapons” to U.S. territory as well as “a ban on stationing them abroad, elimination of infrastructure for their rapid deployment, and denial of training for the preparation and use of nuclear weapons” by the militaries of non-nuclear states.

The dispute flared as relations between Russia and the U.S. and NATO are at their worst since the Cold War over the conflict in Ukraine.

Deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons on the territories of NATO allies “is consistent with the NPT” and the treaty doesn’t prohibit such basing and planning arrangements, which were in place before it came into force in 1970, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on March 19.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/russia-nuclear-weapons-us/2015/03/24/id/634132/#ixzz3VKmVSHFy

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian state bank forgives $500 million in debt to businessman who happens to sponsor separatists http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2693846

07:15 #Donetsk @nixer79: 'Battle in #Spartak-#Opytne area again, multiple small arms fire, grenades, and as if tanks'

07:14 #Donetsk @dnavtoparts:
Putilovka: small arms
Gladkovka: rumble

07:27 #Horlivka @Soniyka_777: Rumble in 6-7 coal mine area.

07:22 @vzglyd2: 'At 5am I saw together 2 planes flying in one direction and one more to the opposite one'

Vladimir Ryzhkov: "Nightmare that Russian leadrs managd 2 avoid in early 1990s has suddnly taken form 20 years later" http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/russian-imperialism-will-unleash-new-yugoslavia/517977.html …

@offliner_s "international delegation" ... nice euphemism for illegal fighters, illegal press and ("invited") Russian army on foreign soil.

A series of good articles from The Moscow Times

Andrei Malgin: "Putin considers each European politician who accepts his money as an agent of influence abroad" - http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/opinion/article/putins-love-affair-with-europes-far-right/517978.html …

Andrei Malgin: Putin's Love Affair With Europe's Far Right | Opinion | The Moscow Times http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/opinion/article/putins-love-affair-with-europes-far-right/517978.html …

Serve Crimea or Leave – Russia Mulls Ultimatum for Western IT Companies | Business | The Moscow Times

[OUTLAW 09]

Outlaw:



Remarkable analysis by CIA from 1983 "Soviet Thinking on the Possibility of Armed Confrotation with the United States"

http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/17/19831230.pdf

kaur--actually a very interesting find of a document and it leads me to ask why is the CIA so bad at their analysis work now and not in 1983?--maybe technology is not always the way forward in the intel world--I worked with CIA analysts for a number of years here in Berlin and was impressed by their sheer individual knowledge simply because without the computer they were literally forced to read everything and simply confirm or deny-thus they built up an individual wealth of knowledge and were "subject matter experts" long before the term became popular during Iraq by defense contractors.

That aside the document brings up an interesting question--namely is the current Russian disinformation/info warfare so different now than it was in 1983 or even in 1973--and while the Russian military has added a large number of new and modern weapons systems and modernized their army to support their hybrid warfare and they have successfully merged their conventional forces around SOF in a true joint fashion and yes they have a very effective "whole of government approach" we cannot match HAS their informational warfare or what their call "informational conflict" really changed much from 1983 and is the success and or failure of the Russian non linear warfare DEPENDENT on a successful and continuous "informational conflict".

IMHO once you stymie their "informational conflict" the military side can be countered militarily BUT if you do not successfully push back 24 x 7 365 in real time their massive informational warfare you are doomed to failure--therein lies the cornerstone of their "hybrid warfare"---"weaponization of information"--their cyber capabilities has not played that much of a role in current events in the Ukraine.

In the early 80s the KGB was using local German peace groups and German leftists and students to carry the anti Pershing 2 and cruise missile NATO stationing debates using leaflets, pamphlets, and demos and then the TV reporting of those events--all time consuming/slow and if one did not watch TV then the inforwar messaging was lost---now at the speed of the internet, a 24 hour news cycle with hundreds of internet paid and unpaid Russian trolls and massive use of social media everything is in real time--AND now you can truly influence and persuade entire civil societies.

BUT this time around it is again with leftist groups and something "new" is tying themselves into the European wide neo Nazi and ultra nationalist groups attempting to influence national decisions by influencing the entire civil society of the target nation.

Therein lies the power of the new Russian non linear warfare---the power to influence an entire civil society and it's leaders.

That is why they envision in their eight phases not having to use pure military force until phase seven or potentially not at all if possible.

[OUTLAW 09]

If true then this is extremely interesting as eight of his closest political allies inside the Ukraine have “died of unexplained reasons or it was declared suicide” and his youngest son died last week from falling through an ice covered lake—all utterly unusual incidents.

BREAKING: Press List reports former Ukrainian president Yanukovych is in comahttp://press-list.ru/viktor-yanukovich-v-kome/ … pic.twitter.com/BgoMBF2NEQ

And on top of that Crimean authorities know nothing about funeral of Yanukovychs son... http://goo.gl/fb/WNH496 pic.twitter.com/C6SWVXqvEo

Has anybody actually seen Yanukovych's dead son? Or do we only have old photos, flowers on a grave and a story? pic.twitter.com/VY2Uhap88n

NEW RUSSIAN EQUIPMENT spotted in Luhansk. IRM Zhuk is very useful for a river assault. pic.twitter.com/Is9jpskQrL

Ооps!
Russian terrorists "forgot" to withdraw self propelled howtizers, artillery and MRLS and got caught by #OSCE

Russian hopes of money, glory die on Ukraine battlefields http://fw.to/AwYYTHT pic.twitter.com/d1WOKb0hOI

[OUTLAW 09]

Putin’s Corrupted Orthodoxy http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/putins-corrupted-orthodoxy/ …
pic.twitter.com/m1CZQ7ctOp

A Russian Paratrooper from the 98th Airborne Division in Stanytsia-Luhanska Raion of Ukraine: https://en.informnapalm.org/a-russian-paratrooper-from-the-98th-airborne-division-posing-in-stanytsia-luhanska-raion-of-ukraine/ … pic.twitter.com/VEcgQKLYT9

More fake Russian disinformation ie “news”:
Civil war imminent, Poroshenko doomed. The sober, impartial paragon of reporting excellence that is @lifenews_ru: http://lifenews.ru/news/151755

MFA of Ukraine ✔ @MFA_Ukraine
#StopFake Top Fakes of the Week abt UKR.Fake#3:Kyiv Administ. Plans to Demolish Monument to Soviet Military Commander pic.twitter.com/AdoBDw0WiL

Russian Col-General Lentsov (with OSCE bodyguard) making second visit to inspect frontline east of #Mariupol today. pic.twitter.com/OOLDyGd7CX

He claimed via TASS that he and his inspection team had been shelled by the Ukrainians which turned out later to be an outright lie-verified by OSCE.

He seems to want to be "shelled" in order to have a "provocation".

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia still violating the terms of the Minsk 1 and 2 agreements and yet claim the Ukrainians are constantly in violation:

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
20 train carriages full of ammunition arrived from Russia to #Krasnodon railway station, Luhansk region

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
UA servicemen spotted 5 enemy UAVs by #Mariupol and #StanytsiaLuhanska; 2 more UAVs near the admin border with occupied Crimea

General Staff: Militants fire mortars 10 times overnight
http://www.unian.info/war/1059695-general-staff-militants-fire-mortars-10-times-overnight.html … pic.twitter.com/Khj5aWifBP

More Russian disinformation:
Abdujalil A @abdujalil
Russian tv reports Donetsk airport controlled by rebels was shelled ystday. We were there ystday & heard outgoing fire, no incoming

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
UA heroes: #Kirovohrad Special Forces: "cyborgs" of #Donetsk airport, defended #Artemivsk arsenal, #Mariupol pic.twitter.com/GSvisINnRH

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
#Lviv policemen on duty in #Donetsk region to prevent crimes and improve inter-regional understanding, linking East & West Ukraine.

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
SBU detained 4 #DPR and #LPR insurgents: 3 informers in #StanytsiaLuhanska, #Krasnohorivka, #Mariupol. 1 militant in #Sloviansk

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Militants violated ceasefire 4 times after midnight, using grenade launchers, anti-tank arms & mortars. UA troops fight off every attack.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Hotspot: #Donetsk airport area. UA foothold in #Avdiivka attacked from tanks. No heavy artillery use recorded over the last day.

#Russia(ns) confirm fighting in #Spartak & In #Shyrokyne app 70% village destroyed https://vk.com/strelkov_info?w=wall-57424472_52595 … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/zFCSnFV3nI

Ukrainians still are holding successfully the high ground thus denying forward advance by Russian troops and her mercenaries.

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect example of a Russian inforwar messaging effort today referencing the shelling of a Russian General and OSCE- allegedly by Ukrainians:

FIRST THIS:

Zacharchenko holds emergency press conference http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/24-marc...ess-conference … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EA3jFUNUJl

Zakharchenko Claims Russian General Lentsov, OSCE Monitors And Journalists Fired On Near Shirokino. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukrain...ont-line/#7639 …

DNR confirms Russian general Lentsov "was shelled by Ukrainian forces at Shyrokhyno", while he was "coordinating peace"


THEN TASS:

OSCE observers, Russian journalists come under fire in eastern Ukraine — DPR
TASS-World
March 24, 18:08 UTC+3

Russia’s representative in the OSCE Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime in east Ukraine Col. Gen. Alexander Lentsov came under fire among others

MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. A group of observers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Russian journalists have come under fire near the village of Shirokino in eastern Ukraine, the defense ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic reported Tuesday.

"When the OSCE joint monitoring mission was moving in the inhabited locality of Shirokino to control the regime of ceasefire, the convoy came under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces," the Donetsk news agency quoted an army spokesman as saying.

"A group of Russian journalists also came under fire," the agency said.

DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko said Tuesday that Russia’s representative in the OSCE Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime in east Ukraine Col. Gen. Alexander Lentsov came under fire near Shirokino.

"He has come under fire for a second time. This shows once again that Ukraine opens fire intentionally. Each instance of firing is an attempt to make us shoot and then say the Minsk agreements were violated," Zakharchenko said.

Russian television channel REN TV said Tuesday its journalists, who also came under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces, barricaded themselves on the outskirts of Shirokino.

A REN TV correspondent, Dmitry Vakhnitsky, got in touch with the editorial office. He said the house where journalists hid is constantly under fire from the Ukrainian armed forces.

Vakhnitsky said by phone that a REN TV driver was wounded and taken out of the locality.

"We came here yesterday to film violations of the ceasefire. OSCE representatives arrived today. There was silence for two hours. We wanted to leave, but a bullet hit our car’s tire and the car crashed into a tree. The driver was taken away as wounded," he said.

© AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky

OSCE drones register shelling of east Ukraine's Shirokino by Kiev troops — daily update

THEN the truth comes out:

@OSCE_SMM says they did not get under fire, just heard something firing not far from #Shyrokine

Repeated again today by OSCE--no shellings from Ukrainian Forces --seems the Russian General and his mercenary leader were both wrong or out right lying.

"FACT CHECK: #OSCE_SMM confirms NO fire targeted at our monitors [24th] near #Shyrokyne. Though we have heard fire in vicinity of Shyrokyne"

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian spy ships (fishing boats and or research boats) are coming back into vogue:
Research vessel Nikolay Trubyatchinsky moored near joint air exercise area, Finnish Border Guard investigating why. http://yle.fi/uutiset/rajavartiolaitos_selvittaa_havittajaharjoituksen_l ahelle_pyrkineen_laivan_yhteyksia_venajaan/7889094 …

13:10 #Makeevka @VasyaMakeevskiy: Shelling sounds from #Opytne area

13:02 #Shyrokyne @vladicvp: Unquiet, 82mm or 120mm mortars and small arms

A step back from the brink? Peskov says Iskander missiles withdrawn from Kaliningrad region: http://www.unian.info/world/1059680-peskov-says-iskander-missiles-withdrawn-from-kaliningrad-region.html …

[davidbfpo]

There is a very interesting exchange on SWJ Blog, under the piece:
http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/nato-commander-breedlove-discusses-implications-of-hybrid-war

Unconventional Warfare (UW) features, with an educational exchange, notably with Dave Maxwell's input.

[OUTLAW 09]

VIDEO #Russia General UNMARKED CAR #Shyrokyne #Ukraine is fired on &HE NOT #OSCE speak on it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1_t2qszkHM&feature=youtu.be … pic.twitter.com/eSYERIgGGC

#Analysis #Map
The new @Ruptly live cam in #Donetsk city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zftGs0TGc …
#Ukraine #Russia #war pic.twitter.com/ts5UR3Q9D0

Complete Western silence about continued Russian terrorist attacks, this time on Dnipropetrovsk train lines http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/03/25/7062640/ …

Fresh infographics!
"Have the #Minsk agreements been implemented?" pic.twitter.com/ZYpjE8zReh

[OUTLAW 09]

Coincidence? Putin awards airborne units - including one from Buryatia - honors for bravery http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1854248 …

Brzezinski: Putin’s next targets may be Baltic States, Moldova and Poland http://www.unian.info/world/1059867-brzezinski-putins-next-targets-may-be-baltic-states-moldova-and-poland.html …

Wow. The Russian planes weren't just flying over Baltic w transponders off, they were flying at supersonic speed.
http://theaviationist.com/2015/03/24/tu-22-supersonic-over-baltic/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter …

This is a common problem for western mainstream media—either they pickup the Russia fakes and simply pass them or simply ignore important stories.
Better Late Than Never: UK's Guardian picks up burned Russian tank soldier in Ukraine story after three weeks. http://gu.com/p/46d3m/stw

Hard to argue Mariupol isn't next.
Fighting continues around #Mariupol in east #Ukraine, leaving truce in tattershttp://www.unian.info/war/1059808-fighting-continues-around-city-of-mariupol-in-east-ukraine-leaving-truce-in-tatters-video.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Repeated again today by OSCE--no shellings from Ukrainian Forces --seems the Russian General and his mercenary leader were both wrong or out right lying.

"FACT CHECK: #OSCE_SMM confirms NO fire targeted at our monitors [24th] near #Shyrokyne. Though we have heard fire in vicinity of Shyrokyne"

The incident seems to be "deeper" on the lying side--

Appears that the OSCE SMM traveled in their own convoy independent of that of the Russian JCCC General who travelled with "invited Russian jounralists" and "two OSCE members"--now the strange bit

1. OSCE was not aware of the "invited Russian journalists"

2. the two individuals in OSCE jackets WERE not members of OSCE so Russia SF in disguise?

When the real OSCE listened to the recorded video of the shooting incident it was virtually impossible to say if in fact it was a single shot as it was so quiet --the "Russian journalists" claimed it was a possible sniper but the closest Ukrainian position was 1.8 kms away.

[OUTLAW 09]

Usuaully quiet the last 24 hours in the fighting ceasefire zone--actually to quiet.

While Russia has achieved a form of a "frozen conflict" it definitely is not to their advantage at the moment as it appears momentum has shifted on the political front to the Ukrainian side as has the military as the several attempts to expand territorial wins by Russian mercenaries has been largely pushed back by the UA with the general perception that the Ukraine is fulfilling Minsk 2 and the Russians are not.

It actually appears Russia ie Putin does not quite know what the next step should be.

Unusual is the Russian announced callup today of another 150K conscripts in July which is outside their normal callup cycles as they just completed a large call up.

If one takes the simple fact that after the last large snap exercise involving 80K plus troops and virtually the entire Russian military services which while back into their bases are still maintaining a relative high state of readiness coupled with the unusually large conscript callup in July would place them on an effective war footing.

Question is why the high levels of alert status and the unusually high manpower levels when NATO and the US has not taken similar stances.

[OUTLAW 09]

Azov destroyed Russian tank and Terrorists HQ near Shyrokyne #Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xEd4lCuq8s …

Russian version of Blackwater:
A private military company from Russia at Donbass http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/25-march-a-private-military-company-from-russia--at-donbass … pic.twitter.com/4kIqij4ru0

Denmark's Bornholm, a strategic island in Baltic Sea. Russian bombers practice attacking it. http://cphpost.dk/news/independent-report-sas-near-collision-tops-russian-aggression-list.11594.html … pic.twitter.com/eeKHspWaWR

Does this mean Iraq/Syria or eastern Ukraine:
Putin calls on FSB to stop Russian militants returning from ‘hot spots’http://www.unian.info/politics/1060352-putin-calls-on-fsb-to-stop-russian-militants-returning-from-hot-spots.html … pic.twitter.com/9LFaqDkjNg

[OUTLAW 09]

US 'losing information war' against Russia and Islamic State, says new report (Video)
http://www.unian.info/world/1060341-us-losing-information-war-against-russia-and-islamic-state-says-new-report-video.html …

Putin accuses West of seeking to destabilize Russia
http://www.unian.info/world/1060334-putin-accuses-west-of-seeking-to-destabilize-russia.html … pic.twitter.com/E1aeIYtQPp

More Russian "altered state of reality":
Russian hyprocrisy reaches new heights. #Lukashevich: "US and NATO Air Force drills in Estonia ...increase military presence near Russia"

Make-believe. #Lukashevich: "This could be an indication of NATO plans to deploy nuclear-capable strike aircraft on Russia’s borders"

[OUTLAW 09]

Latest photo taken of the new Russian MBT Armata:

Rpt new photo of #Russia #Armata MBT (Main Battle Tank) showing armoured side skirt and glacis plate
pic.twitter.com/ksnoEJxNpW

[OUTLAW 09]

Regiment "Azov": "If @OSCE really wants the shelling to stop, they should be monitoring the border, not #Mariupol or #Shyrokyne.

СММ ОБСЄ в Україні @OSCE_SMM
Hug:what we saw today in #Shyrokyne-catastrophic.Not one building SMM saw was untouched by LiveFire or ShrapnelDamage pic.twitter.com/AhpF36Fuvb

Keyboard Warriors: One Professional Russian Troll Tells All http://bit.ly/1BraiIN pic.twitter.com/6nX2M9d5o2

Extremely “altered state of reality”:
Chechen politician calls to arm Mexico for reconquest of California if US arms Ukraine (Video)
http://www.unian.info/world/1060356-chechen-politician-calls-to-arm-mexico-for-reconquest-of-california-if-us-arms-ukraine-video.html …

Kremlin Spokesman Denies Plans to Supply Mexico w Weapons After Chechen Calls for Deployment http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-march-26-2015/#7680 … pic.twitter.com/pfga71Q8HF

[OUTLAW 09]

Drunk RU officer revealed the secrets abt "humanitarian" convoys http://uainfo.org/blognews/518226-gumkonvoy-rakety.html …

Norway MoD Soreide: Even if Moscow backs down in Ukraine today, Russia will pose a problem for years to come http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/meet-europe-s-rising-defense-stars …

English Kremlin transcript from today's Putin address to his KG, ups, FSB comrades: http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/23772

#Russia sniper reveals prices for #Ukraine lives: $100/soldier, $1000/officer +2000 Eur on tophttp://en.censor.net.ua/video_news/286781/russian_sniper_detained_by_security_service_of_ukr aine_told_of_prices_for_ukrainians_lives_video … pic.twitter.com/6esWbNvOiW

More fuel for the Russian Army:
#Russia sends another "aid convoy" to #Ukraine. Is anybody keeping track which number it is?
http://www.unian.info/war/1060143-russia-sends-another-aid-convoy-to-donbas.html … pic.twitter.com/4f4eLANA4b

[OUTLAW 09]

After the Berlin Wall fell,there was one word I thought I'd never hear again. Kremlinologist

Note that the twice-daily trainloads of "stuff" to Ilovaisk & Debaltseve go unreported by Western media.

Russia denies its soldiers are in Ukraine but this account, from an injured conscript, tells a different story http://gu.com/p/46d3m/stw

LT MFA STRATCOM @LT_MFA_Stratcom
War by non-military means: Understanding #Russian #information warfare http://www.foi.se/ReportFiles/foir_4065.pdf …

Moscow Realizing It Can’t Control Islam in Russia the Way It Would Like, Malashenko Says https://www.googleapis.com/urlshortener/v1/url?key=AIzaSyBSnqQOg3vX1gwR7y2l-40yEG9SZiaYPUQ …

Yawn. "#Putin accuses West of anti-Russian plots." http://www.rferl.org/content/putin-accuses-west-of-anti-russian-plots/26922017.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Shyrokyne 25 March, Lentsov played #OSCE_SMM in front of TV cameras to make him/Russian Army look like "peacemakers" pic.twitter.com/VTghYT8zh5

Russians shoot their own wounded as well as prisoners #Debaltseve pic.twitter.com/1xQ5v27NEP

Insider describes a Russian social-media "troll" factory. Quota of 135 comments/12-hour shift. http://trib.al/wqe5G8b pic.twitter.com/6MeQt3I7ti

Russians shot at their own retreating soldiers near #Debaltseve pic.twitter.com/zzE6zcwe2n

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect example of Russian disinformation run against even the US Ukrainian Ambassador.

Geoffrey Pyatt ✔ @GeoffPyatt
Outrageous fabrication from Rossiya-1, claiming I said in interview with Ukrainian media I’d advised Kolomoisky to resign. Simply a lie.

For doubters, read/listen to Russian version of interview for yourself. Not a word about Kolomoisky resigning. http://www.echo.msk.ru/programs/beseda/1516942-echo/ …

Such outright falsehoods underscore why RU state media faces a crisis of credibility. Why lie when the facts can easily be checked?

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian FSB opsec got caught off guard on the videos and photos of their new MBT--this video was immediately challenged by the "owner" and taken offline.

Shows the importance of open source analysis.

VIDEO New Russian BMP T-15 "Armata"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbA43tBs_ro …

[OUTLAW 09]

Fighting ceasefire still continues:
#News
Russian forces attacked #Pisky, #Slavne, #Sokolniki and #Shyrokyne 8 times between 8pm yday and 5am today. pic.twitter.com/yfXFKANRkx

Reminder: Russia's 11th and 83rd airborne got prez distinction Wednesday for "mass heroism," def not for Ukraine though . http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1854248 …

DNR still hasn't worked out all the kinks. Rebel legislator gunned down in drive-by last night http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2015/03/27/n_7054065.shtml … pic.twitter.com/PYRj20sYsK

Seems that the OSCE seems to want to project an overall feeling that the truce is taking hold but then seems to ignore what the Ukrainian Army is reporting and supporting with videos.

@OSCE_SMM What are you talking about?! #Shyrokyne was attacked day+night over the last 48 hours acc. to the Ukr army
http://censor.net.ua/news/330233/terroristy_prodoljayut_nanosit_ognevye_udary_iz_ty ajelogo_artvoorujeniya_presstsentr_ato …

More Russian disinformation:
MFA of Ukraine ✔ @MFA_Ukraine
#StopFake Top-4 Fakes of the Week about Ukraine. Fake #4: Carpathian Rusyns Demand Autonomy pic.twitter.com/lPAZF79Z5d

#BreakingNews
Russian forces fired an ATGM vs. an Ukrainian border guards #Cougar MRAP, missing it by some meters. pic.twitter.com/Sc9Q04JtMS

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian disinformation has many thinking the Ukraine is awash with independent paid for oligarch supported armed gangs.

Alexander Motyl, Ukrainian nationalism expert, says 'warlord problem' exaggerated, 'hardly Ukraine's FARC or Taliban.'http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/03/26/ukraine-doesnt-have-a-warlord-problem-russia-donbas/ …

'Small. Victorious. Nuclear'. My piece for @dw_russian on Russia's new flirtation with nukes (in Russian) - http://dw.de/p/1ExMO

More Russian mercenary infighting in Donetsk:
Mar26 abt 23:00 #Donetsk @100007182042214 : 'Mirazh' battalion commander Voznik was killed at Chelyuskintsev St - Vatutina Ave crossroad.

'Small. Victorious. Nuclear'. My piece for @dw_russian on Russia's new flirtation with nukes (in Russian) - http://dw.de/p/1ExMO

#NSC: latest updates from the #conflictzone in E #Ukraine at 12:00 March 27,2015 pic.twitter.com/f4LZhQvW3P
Indicates the still “hot spots” where fighting is still occurring regardless of what the OSCE states.

Following Tracks of a Russian Soldier. Part 1: Train: https://en.informnapalm.org/following-tracks-of-a-russian-soldier-part-1-train/ … pic.twitter.com/wWEwnghRy0

[OUTLAW 09]

More Russian mercenary “ethnic cleansing” by unnamed others:
Commander of DNR terrorist battalion "Mirazh" Roman Voznyk &2 bodyguards killed in #Donetsk. His wife and son,... http://fb.me/7cYUJD8IV

Europe is belatedly waking up to Russia’s information warfare http://econ.st/1EZXTzX pic.twitter.com/PzMlof6QsM

#Kremlin downplays Chechen threat to arm Mexico for invasion of #America http://uatoday.tv/politics/kremlin-downplays-chechen-threat-to-arm-mexico-for-invasion-of-america-417950.html … pic.twitter.com/ajKKF8KxbJ

Wow—Russian “heroism” for two Airborne Brigades but just not for combat????? But the Ukrainian Army has Russian IDs from killed soldiers from those two units.
We deny our brigades who received honorary titles for "courage displayed in military hostilities" were in #Ukraine.
http://tass.ru/en/russia/784910 …

Wow—threatening the Danish Navy with nuclear strikes and flying nuclear armed bombers over the UK does not qualify as rhetoric???? Or moving nuclear capable Iskander missiles into Crimea and Kaliningrad???
We deny using "nuclear rhetoric." http://in.sputniknews.com/russia/20150325/1013881282.html …

THEN this report:
Two fresh columns of heavy equipment entered #Luhansk from #Russia http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-two-columns-of-heavy-equipment-from-russia-moved …

[OUTLAW 09]

Bones of 32 people executed in 1930s found at old NKVD prison site in Novosibirsk have been handed over to 'Memorial' http://www.zona.media/news/ostanki/

US Mission to NATO ✔ @USNATO
MT @USEmbTallinn Watch: Pilots train w/ Estonian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers at Tapa: http://ow.ly/KScPp pic.twitter.com/poYcMD8wgr

Ukrainian officials predict renewed Russian aggression prior to 9th May. http://nv.ua/publications/putin-hochet-zakonchit-operaciyu-v-ukraine-do-9-maya-vice-spiker-parubiy-ob-ugroze-nastupleniya-i-oruzhii-ot-makkeyna-41069.html … Contradicts Kasparov. http://ru.tsn.ua/politika/do-9-maya-putin-ne-dolzhen-predprinimat-aktivnyh-deystviy-kasparov-417490.html …

12:45 #Horlivka @ItechVK: At 07:30 a column of BMP and BTR (10 items) w/Jesus Christ on flag went towards hospital #3. 4 men on each vehicle

WATCH: @OSCE_SMM Monitoring withdrawal of weapons https://youtu.be/T_vKQ1GTF5c

[OUTLAW 09]

http://defendingrussia.ru/news/rossija_mozhet_nikogda_ne_poluchit_mistrali …
Russian Ministry of Defense enters grief phase over Mistrals, finally admits France may never deliver them

Suspected killer of SBU officer detained while trying to cross border
http://www.unian.info/society/1060641-suspected-killer-of-sbu-officer-detained-while-trying-to-cross-border.html … pic.twitter.com/aEVrsPWVka

More Russian disinformation this time from Putin:
http://top.rbc.ru/politics/27/03/2015/551531ba9a794742396c1f7b … NATO Gen Sec Jens Stoltenberg says Putin’s remark yesterday about foreign secret agencies was pure “propaganda.”

Putin speech bodes ill for Ukraine ceasefire https://euobserver.com/foreign/128173

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian policemen uncovered arms arsenals in #Artemivsk and #Kramatorsk. pic.twitter.com/S6s1Keyduw

SBU prevented the attack, which was planned on meeting in Dnipropetrovsk http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-sbu-prevented-the-attack-which-was-planned-on-meeting …

[OUTLAW 09]

Preparing the case for a Russian-led "peacekeeping" mission? Kelin (RU-OSCE) accuses Ukraine of "blockading" Donbas! http://tass.ru/en/world/785390

AND so much for the Russia and her mercenaries maintaining Minsk 2 while they complain about the Ukraine actions:

Russia-Backed Militants at Gun Point Forced OSCE Observers to Leave Town in Luhansk Region http://ukraineunderattack.org/en/russia-backed-militants-at-gun-point-forced-osce-observers-to-leave-town-in-luhansk-region.html …

Additions and clarifications to the InformNapalm Team Situation Report of March 24, 2015: https://en.informnapalm.org/additions-and-clarifications-to-the-informnapalm-team-situation-report-of-march-24-2015/ … pic.twitter.com/uqCHDM5kF5

#Russia|n Self-propelled artillery in #Perevalsk contrary to #Minsk pic.twitter.com/UeZ0NuDVNV http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-russian-selfpropelled-artillery-in-perevalsk- …

U.S. Mission to OSCE ✔ @usosce
The stark disparity between #Russia + separatists’ words & actions in #Ukraine continues READ: http://1.usa.gov/1ydYMjF pic.twitter.com/YGDlwdm6J8

Lavrov calls for #Minsk ceasefire progress despite #Russia still arming militants in east #Ukraine http://uatoday.tv/politics/lavrov-calls-for-progress-in-ukraine-peace-deal-417967.html …

Now Russia has gone from a direct nuclear strike threat against the Danish Navy to the use of the word “neutralize”:
Russian foreign ministry repeats warnings to Denmark. Says can "neutralize" any missile defense on Danish soil. http://www.b.dk/globalt/det-er-ikke-en-trussel.-det-er-en-advarsel …

[OUTLAW 09]

Battle in #Shyrokyne going on for >1 hour now. Militia shelling with 82 mm mortars, grenades, machine gun - AZOV regiment [via @ua_ares]

Interesting article as shortly after the Crimea Russian military invasion occurred there was a former Russian military advisor to Putin who now is in the West that stated the Crimea military annexation plans had been of the shelve for over five years and where not the “sudden Putin decision concept” that was depicted in his recent Crimea documentary.

'Putin Lies Again: Plans to annex Crimea are far older than Putin's new documentary suggests' http://www.interpretermag.com/putin-lies-again/ …

Surprisingly Soros has been extremely accurate on his comments in the past concerning the Ukraine:

Soros - Ukrainians willing to fight and sacrifice lives to be part of Europe - who ignore them. Big mistake! http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/soros_europes_ignorance_of_ukraine_terrible_mistak e_330150 …

RT @UnianInfo: Parubiy: #Putin may start large-scale military operation in #Ukraine by May 9
http://www.unian.info/politics/1060725-parubiy-putin-may-start-large-scale-military-operation-in-ukraine-by-may-9.html … pic.twitter.com/Ms0qQaJtyz”

[OUTLAW 09]

In #Avdiivka started a serious fight near Spartak-Opytne.Tank shots, machine guns http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-in-avdiivka-started-a-serious-fight-near-spartakopytnetank …

BBC: What happened to Putin on a dramatic night in Germany 25 years ago http://24today.net/open/357784 pic.twitter.com/eq8RSVDNTx

#News
Russian forces attack Ukrainian troops from Regiment #Azov since hours(!) in #Shyrokyne. They use 82 mm mortars, AK and heavy MG.

"Azov" was shelled with launchers in Shyrokyne pic.twitter.com/DPin8g5bQG http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-azov-was-shelled-with-launcher-in-shyrokyne …

[OUTLAW 09]

Obama failed to find time to meet the NATO SG—now his NSC Chief does—what a strange leadership style?? A snub is still a snub in the political relations world regardless of who then meets whom.

US Mission to NATO ✔ @USNATO
National Security Advisor Susan Rice’s Meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: http://goo.gl/Hu2WZq pic.twitter.com/I806FfhPj6

NOW we see Russian hybrid activity forming more clearly in Lativa:

The Baltic Times @thebaltictimes
Leader of #Latvia Non-Citizens' Congress asks for legal aid from Russia, Duma condemns "violation of rights"
http://www.baltictimes.com/latvian_non-citizens__congress_asks_for_legal_aid_from_russian _duma/

[OUTLAW 09]

Well worth the complete read as these are translations of the Debaltseve fighting from the side of the Russian mercenaries and it was not a "glorious victory" to say the least.

Kazzura translations: "Bitter truth about Debaltsevo operation."
Inside look from Russian side
http://kazzuraengsubs.tumblr.com/post/114752671611/bitter-truth-about-debaltsevo-operation-both … pic.twitter.com/M7oyjYA0Ea

[OUTLAW 09]

After darkness Rus-backed militants re-started shelling Shyrokyne w/ 120-mm mortars. Shock wave is felt in #Mariupol https://www.facebook.com/azov.batalion/photos/a.879163718780418.1073741828.879147128782077/1025740660789389/?type=1 …

#Kirovsk outgoing MLRS Grad shelling in direction of Bakhmutka http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-kirovsk-outgoing-mlrs-grad-shelling-in-direction …

MLRS Grad shelling in Horlivka http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/27-march-mlrs-grad-shelling-in-horlivka …

Another Russian altered state of reality comment
Alexander Yakovenko ✔ @Amb_Yakovenko
#Lavrov:US support of ousted President in #Yemen but not in #Ukraine exposes double standards. Russia calls for reconciliation in both cases

[OUTLAW 09]

Prisoner exchange between separatists and Ukraine has broken down. @IBTimes http://buff.ly/1HT7lJh

According to @OSCE_SMM, a "ceasefire" is enduring Russian shelling & civilian deaths without firing back. #Shyrokyne pic.twitter.com/Rfe3fmDAqo

18:23 #Shakhtarsk @olegdon3:10 RUS Ural trucks towards #Donetsk, towing 5 cannons Msta-B or Rapira,'it is dark [hard to see]'

Kadyrov Takes Chechen Special Forces Training to New Heights
#Putin #Kadyrov #Chechnya #Russia http://www.jamestown.org/programs/nc/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=43709&cHash=fade9036eb28557fb84a84e89b8fce3c …

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings are on the increase==

21:17 #Kirovsk: Outgoing #Grad towards #Bakhmutka
'heard in #Lysychansk', in #Stakhanov

15:00 #Shyrokyne: OSCE car was fusilladed from small arms, grenade launcher and 82mm mortar, observers hid in UKR trtenches.

#Shakhtarsk
-18:23 -10 Ural towards #Donetsk, towing 5 cannons on trailers
-20:20 -2 "Gvozdika" & 1 Ural towards

21:29 #Kirovsk @galeks2904: #Grad|s tow/ UKR positions.
21:29 #Kirovsk @thisnameerror: Full #Grad volley tow/29th check point

[OUTLAW 09]

When social media challenges even the OSCE SMM referencing possible Russian GRU in OSCE uniforms they even get blocked on Twitter by OSCE—so is the OSCE SMM really just part and parcel of the Russian hybrid warfare—interesting question as they have been caught several times giving mercenaries rides and passing UA position information to the mercenaries.

It should be noted that the individual pointed out below was with the Russian General during an incident where the Russians claimed they had been shelled by Ukrainians but he was in an OSCE uniform and the actual physical OSCE team at that location was in a totally different location so in fact he is not “really” OSCE --the group that "claimed" they were shelled were the Russian general, Russian "journalists" and two so called OSCE members--TASS reported the shelling and later even OSCE SMM stated it had not occurred.

@GorseFires Of course, we would like to ask @OSCE_SMM, but they and @mikeybbq SMM spox blocked us. So we cannot. pic.twitter.com/e39v8Jx9gj

1/4 We acknowledge that many contingents in #OSCE_SMM are doing their best within the mandate. But... pic.twitter.com/RJJHCom2rL

2/4 Who is "Blondy" next to Russian Col-Gen Lentsov like a Praetorian Guard? #OSCE_SMM monitor, protection or spook? pic.twitter.com/9f89aoI2m7

3/4 Photo of "Blondy" by Russian TASS photographer Valery Matytsin (Валерий Матыцин) http://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/1771659 … pic.twitter.com/qh3IukM1Bz

4/4 Other photos of #OSCE_SMM "Blondy". Maybe an innocent explanation? He just looks like a Russian GRU "spook"? pic.twitter.com/HNz7pKV0xo

[OUTLAW 09]

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Hodges understands the Putin Pillar of Power--the Lie. pic.twitter.com/gqlxN6hlpO

Meet The Kremlin's Young Army Of Cybersnitches http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-mediagvardia-stalin-era-internet-snitching/26921838.html … via @RFERL

Stories from Inside the Putin Propaganda Machine, via @Newsweek, "The majority of the assignments were geared... http://fb.me/3R6CiZ7cu

Far more European extreme right and extreme leftists join Donbas terrorists than go to join ISIS so why the silence? http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2015/03/27/guest-post-far-more-europeans-join-separatists-in-donbas-than-isis-in-syria/ …

The photos were taken by a Russian Today UK reporter who has posted over the entire fighting a number of videos and photos depicting Ukrainian POW tortures and killings:

#Russia|n military elite VDV troops ID'd on pics Phillips posted today from the day of #Crimea's illegal referendum: pic.twitter.com/w8QFtrxBUE

[OUTLAW 09]

Tymchuk: non-stop buildup of Russian forces in Ukraine continues. In the last day alone, Russia sent in 48 vehicles with weapons/fuel/ammo

#Novotoshkivske @loogunda ...20 more rockets hit residential area. At 23:50 #Avdeevka was shelled from 120 mm mortars

#ATO press center: Yday at 21:30-21:40 #Novotoshkivske was shelled w/#Grad|s, 40 rockets hit check point area

[OUTLAW 09]

Fighting ceasefire seems to be back on again if the increased activity is any indicator especially reporting on artillery and GRAD strikes which are a clear violation of Minsk 2.

The tones out of Moscow have become far more aggressive especially since he Putin FSB/KGB speech this week and it seems to appear Putin is going for a military expansion push one more time to complete the building of "New Russia" to include Mariupol and potentially Odessa to cut the Ukraine off from it's harbors making it virtually dependent on Russia-thus ending EU/NATO options for the Ukraine as he has seen the Ukraine politically stabilize itself since January complete with revoking non alignment status .

That is the only explanation for the massive amount of weapons/fuel/munitions and troops that have been shipped into eastern Ukraine since the ceasefire in full violation of Minsk 2 by Russia who still claims they "ain't involved"--but for some strange reason all those supply trucks and trains are coming out of Russia. Thus now the DPR claiming "an exercise" which seems to focus on four attack avenues of approach.

Putin feels that the West will not respond to these military moves and if so then only via sanctions which have proven to be not that successful as the falling oil price has been.

More photos of Russian forces of occupation conducting "exercises" 50km from Donetsk city, Ukraine pic.twitter.com/QaIz20yGiE
pic.twitter.com/ASEd8SUZl1

Novotoshkivs'ke #Novotoshkivka was shelled after 21:30 with GRAD's, hit residential area and near the checkpoint.
According to G. Moskal also enemy infantry (recon group) tried to enter the village, fighting was on from 12PM to 3:30AM today

G. Moskal: During the night continued skirmishes between Ukrainian security forces in #Krymske and cossacks from #Sokolniki.

G. Moskal: In Stanytsia Luhanska there was machine gun fire from 21 to 23 hour and periodically mortar shells exploded

Terrorists fire on Avdiyivka, Artemivsk today with mortars, small arms http://24today.net/open/358326

WATCH THIS MOVE—this is a typical Russian military move—out of exercises straight into attacks:
DRP is not a signatory of the OSCE agreements so Russia is attempting to gain OSCE recognition thus legally claiming nation status for DPR as well as setting the conditions for a military attack at will and without warning.

Will be interesting to see if DPR allows OSCE monitors of those “exercises”.

'DPR' tells OSCE it will hold military exercises http://24today.net/open/358331 pic.twitter.com/KJsI9Eo3nH

[OUTLAW 09]

#Lugansk today: RUS tanks @100007182042214 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq5yBZ6kuJ4&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop …

InfoResist reported earlier the transfer of armored group: 2 tanks and 3 BTR-80 from #Bezimenne to #Shyrokyno area.

"Militants in #Lugansk region fire Grad first time after #Minsk truce –Moskal"http://www.unian.info/war/1061007-militants-in-luhansk-region-fire-grad-first-time-after-minsk-truce-moskal.html … #Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/bracljCz9J

Russian #ceasfire: Novotoshkivs'ke #Novotoshkivka shelled w grad yday - video of aftermath - https://youtu.be/kRmTqTZUrYE

At the Russia/ Montenegro soccer game yesterday—a lot of the “New Russia” flags in the Russian fans section together with Russian shirtless soccer fans heavy with Nazi tattoos.

Video has surfaces from abandoned #Montenegro v #Russia game. The uploader claims Russia fans burned NATO flag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLKJpTemVh8 …

Interesting: RU channel @lifenews_ru blamed SERBIANS for trouble at #Montenegro.v #Russia Tweet hastily deleted! https://twitter.com/SobiNews_com/status/581803182088708096 …


Now the ROC is “peaceful”
UPDATE: Russian Orthodox Church suspends priest who blessed #Ukraine-bound fighters http://uatoday.tv/politics/reuters-russian-orthodox-church-suspends-priest-who-blessed-ukraine-bound-fighters-418080.html … pic.twitter.com/FvDbbrb14X

[OUTLAW 09]

Question is why the US pressure—was not answered in the Russian article-suspect they were afraid that Russia would exploit it which they initially attempted to do via social media and TASS:

Shocking: the Obama administration put pressure on Kiev to fire the popular Dnipropetrovsk governor Igor Kolomoisky http://blogs.pravda.com.ua/authors/leschenko/551589f637c05/

Russian diplomat Sapogov, who coordinated military intelligence, expelled from Ukraine http://24today.net/open/358407

AP Interview: #Ukraine PM: #Russia could spark new offensive http://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-ukraine-pm-russia-could-spark-offensive-191344629.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons&soc_trk=tw …

More Russian disinformation attempts at hiding killed Russian soldiers:
Oh my,huge Russian propaganda outlet NTV tries to debunk @sranysovok's tweet(!) abt Russian paratroopers killed in UA http://youtu.be/9S976THDeBg

13:58 #Dzerzhynsk @blessmaster: Half an hour an active [heavy] cannonade can be heard, now from #Shumy direction.

12:30 #Makeevka @padresancho1: Outgoing #Grad volley [from the east or NE of the city].

[OUTLAW 09]

Terrorists escalate the war in eastern Ukraine
PUBLISHED: Today, 28 March, 11:34
Adam Lelonek
kontakt@defence24.pl

Russian-terrorist troops once again carried out an attack on Szyrokine and fired on the night of Friday (27.03) on Saturday (28.03) Ukrainian position, thus violating the agreement with Minsk.

Only on Friday, Ukrainian troops were fired from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and mortars caliber 82 and 120 mm in Szyrokine near Mariupol. Another day going there regularly fight, because the Ukrainian forces responsible for firing. This lasted for several hours yesterday and started after 15:00 local time. However, no data is yet available regarding casualties.

In Szyrokine, located 20 km from Mariupol, 50-60% of the buildings were destroyed by the war. This is confirmed by the OSCE observers. Yesterday's shelling of terrorists in the village was so intense that the explosions could be felt even in Mariupol.

From 21:30 to 21:40 there was shelling the village Nowotoszkiwske in Luhansk region by Grad rocket launchers, from the Stakhanov. Terrorists fired 40 missiles in the direction of the Ukrainian forces, and another 20 fell on the area inhabited by civilians.

At 23:50 he, in turn, place another shelling of the city Avdiivka in Donetsk region. Were used caliber 120 mm mortars. Leninsky wheel while Artemivsk, Donetsk Oblast was fired from machine guns. Only from 20:00 to 24:00 on Friday reported five attacks Ukrainian position. Another 3 occurred from 24:00 to 6:00 in the morning on Saturday.

As pointed out by the press center of Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation, not only military, but civilians are threatened and regularly bombarded with weapons, which was to be withdrawn from the "line of demarcation" in the east of the country. The official statement also states: "fighters in a planned attempt to pull our troops in the armed confrontation, which in the first place is aimed at the destruction of the Ukrainian state."

[OUTLAW 09]

Convoy of tanks and trucks spotted near #Luhansk today https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=az51wOzvDh4 …

.@DariusTamauskas is currently in #Pisky #Ukraine: "Ceasefire? Nope, never heard of it. Constant explosions of incoming mortars."

This is what's going on right now: #Russia keeps pumping #Ukraine with weapons & saboteurs.
pic.twitter.com/P8uatX2z2c

VIDEO #Ukraine troops firing on attacking #Russia(ns) #Shyrokyne near #Mariupol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCww94GxThY …
pic.twitter.com/D8KuBvJiXS

#Ukraine SBU arrested #Putin DNR terrorist in #Dnipropetrovsk planning attack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o9pZb-NB-g … #Donetsk pic.twitter.com/DgfaKLi5Lc

[OUTLAW 09]

Combat starts in #Pisky, near #Donetsk. No #Ceasefire in E #Ukraine http://www.informator.su/v-piskah-rozhorivsya-serjoznyj-bij-video/ … pic.twitter.com/cYKlUj73D7

[EN] #OSCE Observes Tank Exercises of the Russian Hybrid Army in #Luhansk Oblast http://fb.me/3Q4oMaKNY

The Little Green Men of Millerovo -
An open source exploration of a Russian military base near the Ukrainian border https://medium.com/@antoine_sans/the-little-green-men-of-millerovo-5e2905c2c3d …

Spot report: Escalation in Shyrokyne, #OSCE_SMM aggressively treated at “DPR” checkpoint http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/148151 …

Watching several interviews with foreign fighters in Ukraine seems they have been promised lands and permissions to live in East Ukraine

VSS and AS Val rifles, only issued to Russian special forces, in hands of "desperate Donbas rebel" pic.twitter.com/WzyVAIL4Sx

[OUTLAW 09]

RLS shellings by Russian mercenaries are on the increase and that is a direct violation of Minsk 2 and yet the West seems to be looking the other way following the mantra "at least some of the ceasefire still holds".

Russia is attempting to provoked the Ukrainian Army into returning fire so they can declare Minsk 2 dead because with the new Ukrainian law in place giving the regions more political say comes together with holding free elections under Ukrainian law in the occupied zones which Russia will never allow as the mercenaries would lose as they are not the majority ethnic population.

Rus-backed militants fired w/ Grad MRLS yet again, this time at Smeele, #Luhansk regionhttp://www.unian.net/war/1061131-posle-polunochi-obstrelov-v-zone-ato-ne-zafiksirovano-atts.html … pic.twitter.com/sbjzydWkRc

500+ unmarked graves added to Rostov-On-Don cemetery between 2014-07-01 & 2014-09-28 pic.twitter.com/JaZ2TKhcmY
pic.twitter.com/8w9sZdW1ad

Education as an Object in Russia's Information War Against Ukraine: http://empr.media/opinion/interviews/education-as-an-object-in-russia-s-information-war-against-ukraine …
pic.twitter.com/PfwdNF11mm

harrowing video: OSCE observers assess Ukraine ceasefire in the presence of a Russian general http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32085544 …

Ukrainian “miners and truck drivers” from Russian Far East fighting in eastern Ukraine:
pic.twitter.com/CZRMV2eGvU

Doubly Bad News for the Kremlin – Russia Losing Out to More Technically Advanced Arms Sellers
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.ca/2015/03/doubly-bad-news-for-kremlin-russia.html …

60,000 Russian troops mass near Ukraine border - Parubiy #Ukraine http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/03/28/600

[OUTLAW 09]

inscription on some of the gravestones: "surgical leftovers"... pic.twitter.com/sKGCcaDagq

[OUTLAW 09]

The definition of psychological sickness ...
#DNR #Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPAh42T3jHc … pic.twitter.com/n0URJithvT

Fake Odessa ‘mass riots’ staged for Russian TV
http://khpg.org/index.php?id=1427458492 …
With attempts to cause... http://fb.me/1MHfYCo3B

#ATO spox #Stelmakh:
Mar29
18:10 #Sokilnyky area was shelled w/120mm mortars
18:30 #Smile was shelled w/#Grad|s http://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2015/03/29/7063020/ …

08:30 #Horlivka @vladicvp: Quiet night, distant battle sounds, yday's DNR's skirmish - 1 dead, 1 badly wounded.

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian police detained arms arsenal owner in #Kramatorsk. Confiscated mines, anti-aircraft guns, ammo pic.twitter.com/NkpZ6G4VQJ

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian counter-intelligence detained 3 militant informers in #Donetsk region pic.twitter.com/d7iVaQDrwl

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
SBU uncovered a scheme that funded #DPR militants. 2 enterprises delivered goods to #Kharkiv region / cash for militants.

[OUTLAW 09]

Least we forget that Russia “claims” to respect international treaties and agreements they repeatedly state they do:
Russia’s annexation of Crimea violated 5 treaties, 2 UN texts and 2 constitutions (those of Crimea and Ukraine) http://bit.ly/1Borpfi

“#Putin’s Concept of the ‘#Russia'n World’ Threatens All Territories with a #Russian Population”. http://imrussia.org/en/opinions/2210-andrei-piontkovsky-putins-concept-of-the-russian-world-threatens-all-territories-with-a-russian-population?utm_content=buffer7838c …

Social media has done more to push back against Russian disinformation that the entire western mainstream media and the western governments:

Social media battle between #Canada & #Russia for the truth about Putin's actions in #Ukraine http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/03/26/chris-alexander-vladimir-putin-russian-embassy_n_6948284.html … pic.twitter.com/MHmZIrGHyd

While this article refers to the Canadian efforts there have been equally strong European and US push back as well. Sad to see that it is social media that has stepped up and not the mainstream journalists who have mass amounts of fact checking available that many social media types do not have.

[OUTLAW 09]

It is well worth going back into Google and searching on the various comments made by Putin's chief ideologue Dugin in order to fully understand the current Russia far right drift into fascism and yes it is possible that a former Communist country drifts into fascism as the two ideologies are actually quite close to each other.

I will go back and post some of his more "challenging" comments from Crimea and the Ukraine in the coming days. He has been very good at weaving fascist ideas into the slogans of the Bolshevik days.

More “altered reality statements” from Putin’s chief ideologue:
Dugin: GB and US are engaged in a grand geopolitical game to prevent a German-Russ alliance. Ancient Bolshevik view. http://svpressa.ru/politic/news/116246/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Notice the KSA argument that Russia is far more involved in Syria and Yemen to the detriment of the Arab world and one could in fact say Russian involvement in the Ukraine is a similar pattern of foreign involvement.

Notice just how Putin uses disinformation as well in the ME but gets called out for it by KSA.

Sometimes one wonders why the West does not push back as hard as the KSA is right now.

The Saudi argument could equally be applied to Russian interference in Ukrainian affairs.

Putin letter to Arab summit triggers strong Saudi attack

Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:40am EDT

By Yara Bayoumy and Mahmoud Mourad

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy on Sunday, telling an Arab summit that he should not express support for the Middle East while fuelling instability by supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

In a rare move, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced that a letter from Putin would be read out to the gathering in Egypt, where Arab leaders discussed an array of regional crises, including conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Libya.

"We support the Arabs' aspirations for a prosperous future and for the resolution of all the problems the Arab world faces through peaceful means, without any external interference," Putin said in the letter.

His comments triggered a sharp attack from Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.

"He speaks about the problems in the Middle East as though Russia is not influencing these problems," he told the summit right after the letter was read out.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia have been cool over Moscow's support for Assad, whom Riyadh opposes. The civil war between Assad's forces and rebels has cost more than 200,000 lives in four years.

"They speak about tragedies in Syria while they are an essential part of the tragedies befalling the Syrian people, by arming the Syrian regime above and beyond what it needs to fight its own people," Prince Saud said.

"I hope that the Russian president corrects this so that the Arab world's relations with Russia can be at their best level."

The Saudi rebuke may have been awkward for summit host Egypt, which depends heavily on billions of dollars in support from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab allies, but has also improved ties with Moscow.

In February, Putin received a grand welcome in Egypt, signaling a rapprochement.

(Writing By Shadi Bushra; Editing by Michael Georgy and Raissa Kasolowsky)

[OUTLAW 09]

More Russian mercenary “altered state of reality” statements—the 600 or so Russian tanks were not taken from the Ukrainian Army as were
the BM27s/30s:
"We dont get help from Russia. All military vehicles are trophies from Ukrainian Army" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBdtZRmB0n4 …

#Ukraine milit. journ. #Butusov warns about pro-#Russian forces preparation for offensive in sector C, #Luhansk obl. https://www.facebook.com/butusov.yuriy/posts/954541344586162?__mref=message_bubble …

Putin designates 2 VDV Bdes as Guards for "massive heroism...in military action" -- But where? Is Russia at war? http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/presidential-award-for-paratroopers-has-nothing-to-do-with-ukraine--kremlin/518096.html …

"DNR" field commander #Motorola gives his wife a Peugeot 2008 for B-day. http://goo.gl/vM0YAO pic.twitter.com/xY9nfxUlHp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7HH8zAZaEA … #Russian TV: Ever since #Prague '68, most #Czechs can't stand tanks, esp. #US+#NATO. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/0dhCbKuBRP

Occupied territory of #Luhansk region receives all its drinking water from #Ukraine for free: #Luhansk Obl governor #Moskal

[OUTLAW 09]

Now that we fully understand there is absolutely no US ME strategy one could in fact actually argue there is none for Russia and the Ukraine other than "tap dancing".

Have never seen such confusion on the part of American senior leaders in over 100 years--they truly need to get out of DC.


Washington Post Politics

Former intelligence official: Obama’s Middle East policy is ‘willful ignorance’

By Josh Hicks March 29 at 10:09 AM 

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. (DIA Public Affairs)

The former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency on Sunday described President Obama's Middle East policy as one of "willful ignorance," saying the administration needs a clearer strategy for dealing with conflicts emerging across the region.

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday" that recent developments in the Middle East are moving in a bad direction for the United States, with Iran "clearly on the march" to influence events in a "regional sectarian war."

Critics of the administration have pointed out that the United States appears to be siding with Iranian-backed rebels against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria but opposing such fighters in Yemen.

“At the end of the day, we have just this incredible policy confusion — never mind what our strategy is to execute that policy," Flynn said. "We have to stop what we’re doing and take a hard look at everything going on the Middle East because it’s not going in the right direction."

[OUTLAW 09]

Notice the KSA argument that Russia is far more involved in Syria and Yemen to the detriment of the Arab world and one could in fact say Russian involvement in the Ukraine is a similar pattern of foreign involvement.

Notice just how Putin uses disinformation as well in the ME but gets called out for it by KSA.

Sometimes one wonders why the West does not push back as hard as the KSA is right now.

The Saudi argument could equally be applied to Russian interference in Ukrainian affairs.

Putin letter to Arab summit triggers strong Saudi attack

Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:40am EDT

By Yara Bayoumy and Mahmoud Mourad

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of hypocrisy on Sunday, telling an Arab summit that he should not express support for the Middle East while fuelling instability by supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

In a rare move, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced that a letter from Putin would be read out to the gathering in Egypt, where Arab leaders discussed an array of regional crises, including conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Libya.

"We support the Arabs' aspirations for a prosperous future and for the resolution of all the problems the Arab world faces through peaceful means, without any external interference," Putin said in the letter.

His comments triggered a sharp attack from Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.

"He speaks about the problems in the Middle East as though Russia is not influencing these problems," he told the summit right after the letter was read out.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia have been cool over Moscow's support for Assad, whom Riyadh opposes. The civil war between Assad's forces and rebels has cost more than 200,000 lives in four years.

"They speak about tragedies in Syria while they are an essential part of the tragedies befalling the Syrian people, by arming the Syrian regime above and beyond what it needs to fight its own people," Prince Saud said.

"I hope that the Russian president corrects this so that the Arab world's relations with Russia can be at their best level."

The Saudi rebuke may have been awkward for summit host Egypt, which depends heavily on billions of dollars in support from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab allies, but has also improved ties with Moscow.

In February, Putin received a grand welcome in Egypt, signaling a rapprochement.

(Writing By Shadi Bushra; Editing by Michael Georgy and Raissa Kasolowsky)


#Putin: #Yemen needs peaceful solution. Saudi FM: is that why in #Syria you've armed #Assad for 4 years to kill 200,000?

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian keeps messaging this distinct disinformation for now a little over seven months
Russia keeps saying "the US paid $5B for Ukraine revolution".
Fails to mention $20B went to Russiapic.twitter.com/ltIo7D2vYg

Security Service detained terrorist who attacked Ukrainian Army soldiers for $300 reward. Read http://lugansk-news.com/security-service-detained-terrorist-who-attacked-ukrainian-army-soldiers-for-300-reward/ … pic.twitter.com/1zfvGGTMEv

Putin’s soldiers killed in Ukraine. Russia’s Ghost Army in Donbashttp://en.ua-today.com/news-from-ukraine/12218 … pic.twitter.com/rW5FmjyFYK

#Footage
Russian forces firing at Ukrainian positions along the front in #Donbas.
During the "ceasefire" of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSdmulTDhCA …

More GRAD shelling by Russian troops or her mercenaries
-clear violation of Minsk 2
29.03 night - 15 DNR's GRAD strikes hit #Horlivka residential area fr betw Hol'mivs'kyi,and Zaitseve.
pic.twitter.com/lHMHY3PWjw

Ukraine's Security Service detains informants of militants in #donbas
http://uatoday.tv/news/ukraine-s-security-service-detains-informants-of-militants-in-donbas-418302.html … pic.twitter.com/3QDGT1MW6i

Another Russian Minsk 2 violation In #Donetsk militants were unloading boxes w/ Grad rockets from the trucks of #Russia's "humanitarian convoy" http://donoda.gov.ua/?lang=ru&sec=02.03.09&iface=Public&cmd=view&args=id:25474;tags%24_exclude:46 …

#Putin's useful idiots:
Leftists, Liberals, and #Ukraine: A Tale of Double Standards
http://shar.es/1gWgYO

[OUTLAW 09]

CSIS has been doing some solid Ukrainian work lately--their first was the over hour video on the Russian hybrid warfare inside eastern Ukraine which was posted here and now this interactive timeline.

Great overview: The #Ukraine Crisis Timeline http://csis.org/ukraine/index.htm#43 …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Putin: #Yemen needs peaceful solution. Saudi FM: is that why in #Syria you've armed #Assad for 4 years to kill 200,000?

Notice the double standards disinformation put out by Putin in Syria--- he is all for "international laws" but in the Ukraine and Crimea he violates a total of 8 different international agreements and treaties.

Taken from the letter the KSA is highly critical of:

In the message carried by the Russian Interfax news agency, Putin stated that he insists on settling the Syrian crisis peacefully and based on international law principles.

[OUTLAW 09]

#News
Russian forces conducted 14 attacks between midnight and 6pm on Shyrokyne, Avdeevka, Leninske Mayorsk and other locations

VIDEO #Russia General UNMARKED CAR #Shyrokyne #Ukraine is fired on &HE NOT #OSCE speak on it? Appears #Putin not like exposing his" #OSCE" BS he shut down another Youtube channel https://twitter.com/raging545/status/580725541734608896 … pic.twitter.com/Xkfcwue5wZttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1_t2qszkHM&feature=youtu.be …

17:51 #Mariupol @EmMemvm: Artillery can be heard again in Vostochny micro-ds, #Talakivka, #Sartana from the east & northeast.

Mar27 #Stakhanov, central market, text: 'Enough [or - fed up with] war, we are hungry' pic.twitter.com/UJGY4pXbzY

28/03/15 #Putin sent 22 new tanks into #Donetsk #Ukraine https://twitter.com/pressdonoda/status/582193897704685569 … pic.twitter.com/OqtMnUGNK5

[OUTLAW 09]

This is an interesting piece as this Russian general is now the JCCC in eastern Ukraine and some say is the “Russian Commander” of all Russian troops and mercenaries inside eastern Ukraine.

It should be noted that this same Russian general attempted to pull a “false flag” this week alleging Ukrainian shelling on his convoy which made it to the TASS news agency and even OSCE denied the accusations—it appears as well that two individuals wearing OSCE uniforms who always accompany him are not OSCE members but potentially GRU bodyguards. OSCE has not answered questions concerning these two.

Tigers never change their stripes nor do Russian Generals change their political views if one understands the career he has taken since 1998.

General Nikolai Leonov in 1998 explaining that Russian needs a "Pinochet" http://hacer.org/pdf/Leonov00.pdf … pic.twitter.com/CSjlubNphs

General Nikolai Leonov in a 1998 speech describing the end of the Soviet Union http://www.hacer.org/pdf/Leonov00.pdf … pic.twitter.com/mFilT88Px4

General Nikolai Leonov in a 1998 speech describing the end of the Soviet Union
http://www.hacer.org/pdf/Leonov00.pdf … pic.twitter.com/LfN9AwtDim

General Nikolai Leonov speaking about Gorbachev http://www.hacer.org/pdf/Leonov00.pdf … pic.twitter.com/xNyjrPdwxB

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia has opened up another front in the Czech Republic

Protest rally against NATO troops overnight in Vyskov, organized by the Czech Communist Party on March 26 at the Vyškov Masaryk Square.. Image: ČTK Zehl Igor

2015/03/29 • Politics

Article by: Nicole Gallina

While eastern Europeans are talking about possible next targets in Ukraine (Mariupol, Kharkiv, or everything in between), the occupation of the Baltics (or Moldova, Georgia or even parts of Kazakhstan), Russia is targeting a very central European country: the Czech Republic.

Russia’s efforts to discredit the Czech Republic on an international stage have intensified recently. The so-called “Dragoon Ride” has been a welcomed occasion: soldiers of the American 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment are currently driving Stryker combat vehicles from Estonia Bavaria, Germany via Poland and the Czech Republic.

This fact has been used by Russian agents, Russophiles and others to stage a loud verbal anti-NATO campaign in the Czech Republic (and to distract attention from own large-scale war preparation efforts).

First those efforts were quite successful, as NATO supporters belong to the silent majority – 82% of Czechs have no problems with Americans driving through the country. Thus several civic organizations and the media outlet Svobodné Forum decided to act, and organized the support campaign “Hi Friends” and Pro konvoj 2015, taking place from 28 until 31 March 2015.

The Facebook-account of one of the organizers and chief of Svobodné Forum Pavel Šafr, in the last days was blocked twice due to Russian influence as he claims. It’s noteworthy that several days ago, access to a Czech and Slovak support letter of Ukraine stating “There is War in Europe: Let’s not Repeat the Munich Betrayal of 1938″ was also restricted.

The Czech Communist Party KSČM organized a protest-booth on 26 March 2015 in Vyškov (with the meager outcome of 50 participants), where a part of the troops were to stay overnight. The KSČM is in fact one of the main players for Russia in the Czech Republic: the party is proud of its past as a communist hardline party until the breakdown of socialism in Czechoslovakia in 1989. It is since ever tightly connected to Russia and Russian/socialists sensibilities, and can be compared for example with the German party “Die Linke.” Its average support-rates are at 14%. Its current head and Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Vojtěch Filip was also listed as collaborator of the Czechoslovak state security (a court decided he had not collaborated consciously). Recently, Filip participated in a demonstration in Prague against western sanctions against Russia (Russia’s propaganda-outlet Sputnik eagerly quoted him at this occasion in English and German). In the recent escalation of events, he told cz.Sputniknews that there was no “Russian danger” and that common military exercises and US presence in Europe would make the situation worse.

The political environment in the last months has much supported Russian ambitions: the pro-Russian positions of the country’s president Miloš Zeman (who, interestingly, is in support of “Dragoon Ride”) and his predecessor Klaus are widely known. Less known is that the governing coalition has repeatedly questioned the sense of sanctions against Russia, and be it not for German pressure, it is unlikely that the two bigger coalition parties would have consented to them.

The first party of interest is the “Protest movement” ANO – which critics say is in fact a protest movement against democracy. Its current support rates are around 30%. The party founder and Slovak-born leader Andrej Babiš is a former member of the Czechoslovak Communist Party KSČ later turned businessman (with the business conglomerate Agrofert), and now additional owner of the country’s most important media and finance minister. Since several months, he staffs the state administration and also his party with his people, absolutely loyal to him, and some therefore call ANO the “Führerpartei.” There has been a high percentage of persons in his entourage who are “siloviki” (i.e. connected to police agencies) that formerly studied at Communist cadre schools, were members of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, or are suspected of having worked for the Czechoslovak Security Service StB. ANO’s party leader is still involved in court proceedings in Slovakia, because he denies the authenticity of state security documents of the Slovak Nation’s Memory Institute identifying him as collaborator for the Czechoslovak state security. There is even a former spy heading a Prague district mayor’s office. ANO has kept a low profile on its position towards Russia, and the new party’s vice president recently claimed ignorance on foreign policy.

The second party is the Czech Social-Democratic Party ČSSD – the party’s program can be called rather socialist, and its position toward Russia is comparable to the appeasing-position of the German SPD. Some have characterized their stances as “pro-Russian or neutral”. The current ČSSD foreign minister is one of the few western politicians who still speak to Lavrov. ČSSD-head and Prime Minister Sobotka keeps a very low profile on all questions related to Ukraine and Russia.

Plus, the concentration of pro-Russian servers and news-portals in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is also astonishing: there are over 40 websites with this mission, and several institutes engaged for the Russian cause – such as the ISSTRAS that in summer 2014 claimed Russia was not responsible for the 1940 Katyń-massacre, when the NKVD murdered over 20.000 Polish officers. One of the most notorious pro-Russian services in the Czech Republic has been Aeronet, active since summer 2014. For example, they have been propagating a theory that the November 2014 street protests against Czech President Zeman were organized by Americans (directly from the US embassy).

There are some other serious points to consider: The Czech Republic – in particular Prague – is considered Russia’s outpost in central Europe. The Russian embassy is the biggest base for Russian spying in the region. With its 125 people it is totally overdimensioned (in comparison, the Americans have 70 people there). The Czech security service for several years now has warned that a significant amount of those persons are spies. The Czech parliamentary deputy Gabal suggested to reduce this amount significantly.

Moreover, the Russian embassy in Prague has been actively engaged in actions against “Dragoon Ride” and spreads hard-core Russian propaganda. They retweet, of course, the statements of their boss Lavrov, the claims of the Russian propaganda agencies Tass, Ria Novosti, RT, Sputnik, its Czech outlet Sputnik ČR, (the Czech conspiracy-site) Protiproud or the pro-Russian AC24.cz. For example the embassy featured the AC24.cz fake that American forces, the FBI and the CIA are already in Ukraine. The embassy puts a great focus on war propaganda, i.e. Soviet heros and victories of WWII – in a mental preparation for the 9th May anniversary and further military actions. They also retweededthe link for the notorious video “I’am a Russian occupant” (initially spread by the Russian Vice-Prime Minister Dimitri Rogozin). The video indirectly called for an occupation of the Baltics, Central Asia and Ukraine. Additionally, the Czech media outlet Echo24.cz reported the Coordination Council for Russians living in the Czech Republic – directed by the Russian embassy – requested its members to compile lists of their “military-patriotic activities” until the end of April 2015. In regard to the situation this has to be interpreted as preparations of para-military and propagandistic units.

All those measures are components of Russia’s hybrid warfare.

Russia is trying to take over the Czech Republic.

[OUTLAW 09]

Illiarionov: DNR plans to surround Mariupol in next few days. Another post-ceasefire Debaltseve?! http://newsland.com/news/detail/id/1521388/?_utl_t=fb …

TOS-1A spotted in #Russia. Camouflage suggests that it might be heading for #Iraq. We reportedly have 10 already. pic.twitter.com/l19H42DK53

In the last few days, Russian forces have intensified attacks on Ukrainian positions, a precursor of an approaching major Russian offensive.

Residents of Stanytsia Luhanska got inflammatory SMS calling on Ukr army officers to go home http://informator.lg.ua/?p=80616#more-80616 … pic.twitter.com/qyCmjzTXYX

Militants approached Tryokhizbenka by a ruined bridge, opened fire. 2 Ukr servicemen r wounded http://www.moskal.in.ua/?categoty=news&news_id=1619 … pic.twitter.com/mpwo7nxQY2

Families of #Russia's soldiers who died in #Ukraine asked #Nemtsov to help w/ death benefits. https://www.facebook.com/yashin.ilya/posts/823967384323575:0 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Rus-backed militants attacked Ukr forces in Shyrokyne, Lebedynske - E of #Mariupol 3 times, used 120mm mortars once http://www.0629.com.ua/news/782157

Russian Nationalist Claims FSB Jailed Him When He Refused to Commit 'Terrorism' in UA - @KSHNhttp://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-march-30-2015/#7705 … pic.twitter.com/2sjFd89ugY

In Russian;
Russian nationalist leader Belov says he was asked to kill Ukrainian oligarch Kolomoisky https://meduza.io/news/2015/03/30/natsionalist-belov-rasskazal-ob-otkaze-organizovat-ubiystvo-kolomoyskogo …

Shoring Up Morale? Putin gives "wartime" honors to Russian units identified as having fought, taken losses, in Donbashttp://www.matthewaid.com/post/114925710946/russia-gives-high-level-awards-to-combat-units#_=_ …

In Russian:
Leading defense mag in Russia with detailed plan of physically wiping out the American continent http://vpk-news.ru/articles/24405 Good morning

#News
Russian invaders attacked #Lebedynske with mortars and #Shyrokyne with small arms overnight.
#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/fVPY543EC0

In Russian:
#Russia defence minister says "[Russian] media is yet another part of the military"http://www.rg.ru/2015/03/27/shoigu-site.html …

The importance of "informational conflict" as part of the Russian non-linear warfare:

Russian defense minister says:
"Media in the wrong hands can cause serious, serious injury."
pic.twitter.com/oqrjDUbKrf

[OUTLAW 09]

A third of Russian diplomats in #Lithuania work for or have links to Russian intelligence services: http://en.delfi.lt/lithuania/defence/russian-consul-to-klaipeda-was-spy.d?id=67570994 …

#Lithuania's counterintelligence service has just announced that #Russia's consul in Klaipeda port city was intelligence officer.

#Russian #Navy #Kilo class (project 636) #submarine Stary Oskol is conducting sea trials in the Baltic Sea. pic.twitter.com/W0vrlNPhwH

Brzezinski: Russia's invasion of the Baltics would mean total war https://lnkd.in/dsDFSEz

Canada at NATO ✔ @CanadaNATO
#Russia is in search of a new ideology http://on.ft.com/1EleIba pic.twitter.com/lPFQPjYXmS

Situation in #Ukraine's eastern regions. Map| Ukrinform http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/situation_in_ukraines_eastern_regions_map_330178 …

[OUTLAW 09]

400 #Russian militants armed with grenade launchers, anti-tank systems deployed in Donetsk http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/400_fighters_with_grenade_launchers_anti_tank_syst ems_deployed_in_donetsk_330179 …

#Russian militants shell Novotoshkivske with Grads at night| Ukrinform http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/militants_shell_novotoshkivske_with_grads_at_night _330182 … #StopRussianAggression

Four columns with #Russian supplies arrive in #Donbas in the last 24 hours http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/four_columns_with_russias_supplies_arrive_in_donba s_in_past_24_hours_330186 …

#Russia|n invader launched a heavy D-30 & Msta-B artillery attack on #ATO forces in #Hranitne #Ukraine, 1 Ukr KIA,1 WIA.

Not a fun movie to watch. Russian aggression against #Georgia 08.Many similarities w/ Ukrainehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8AIE7eWtSY#t=10 … pic.twitter.com/zS5Amt9TlR

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian arms sales http://j.mp/1Id09o7

Putin awards prestigious "guards" title--not given in peacetime--to 3 units. Acknowledgement they fought in Ukraine? http://news.yahoo.com/putins-mystery-military-award-points-ukraine-involvement-212125679.html …

Militants fire three times on Ukrainian army near Mariupol
http://www.unian.info/war/1061373-militants-fire-three-times-on-ukrainian-army-near-mariupol.html … pic.twitter.com/n6cCSYiIIs

#Russia may resort to "hidden military measures" against #NATO member –report http://en.delfi.lt/lithuania/defence/russia-may-resort-to-hidden-military-measures-against-nato-member-report.d?id=67572020 … @lithuaniatribun pic.twitter.com/Vx6Qs6P8xA

Carnegie Europe @Carnegie_Europe
Read @baunov's take on the meeting of #Europe far-right parties in St. Petersburg and why it has failed| http://ceip.org/1NiFmCY

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Investigation of Cpt. Mandzyk murder: Group of Denis Gordyevev, engaged in smuggling, robbery and torturing in #Donetsk region

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Hotspots: #Shyrokyne, #Hranitne village between #Mariupol & #Volnovakha.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian Armed Forces clashes with pro-Russian militants near #Tryokhizbenka. Attack repelled.

Russian “altered state of reality” is getting weirder and stranger:
Russia's top defense journal calls for plans to destroy the West with tsunamis to make the Yellowstone Caldera erupt: http://vpk-news.ru/articles/24405

22 Russian tanks enter #Ukraine on March 28 – #Donetsk regional administration, UNIAN reports http://uatoday.tv/politics/22-russian-tanks-enter-ukraine-on-march-28-donetsk-regional-administration-418389.html … pic.twitter.com/Y6yMRQTLzs

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian-backed militants continue to attack Ukrainian army positions with Grad rockets http://uatoday.tv/politics/russian-backed-militants-continue-to-attack-ukrainian-army-positions-with-grad-rockets-418383.html … pic.twitter.com/gjK1DnbTlR

#Analysis #Map
An Ukrainian army T-64 moves along the beach of #Shyrokyne.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5gziMVAKfk …
pic.twitter.com/F1HsbuVjOO

For Putin, Russia’s Isolation is a Strategy Not a Misfortune, Lipsky Says http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-putin-russias-isolation-is-strategy.html …

DPR to disarm militants outside ‘power structures’
http://www.unian.info/war/1061425-dpr-to-disarm-militants-outside-power-structures.html … pic.twitter.com/4XKKSB6OyV

Russian saboteurs hoping for a larger explosion:
In Kharkiv unknown blew up a railway gas tank http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/30-march-in-kharkiv-unknown-blew-up-a-railway-gas-tank … pic.twitter.com/jqMtqsb8mk

[OUTLAW 09]

US Embassy Brussels ✔ @usembbrussels
In contrast to #Russia, US sees #Ukraine making great efforts to implement its responsibilities under #Minsk agrmnts http://goo.gl/NGw294

Yes social media when it comes to open source analysis has a speed factor that even the intel world cannot rival. This reporting was never picked up on the entire western mainstream media—ever wonder why??

Satellite Photos Show Mass Graves in Rostov Reported by Bloggers in November 2014 http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-march-30-2015/#7707 … pic.twitter.com/S6zf9R01T3

Here's the original story FWIWhttp://inforesist.org/v-rostove-na-donu-za-tri-mesyaca-vyroslo-kladbishhe-na-500-mogil/ … it's visible on Google Earth
https://twitter.com/DajeyPetros/status/582128538926649344 …

Igor Mazur: "By May 9 militants want to capture #Berdyansk and #Mariupol"
http://inforesist.org/unso-k-9-maya-boeviki-xotyat-zaxvatit-mariupol-i-berdyansk/ …

Russian General at a loss of words when confronted by BBC that the OSCE has no access to the Ukrainian Russian border crossing points:
BBC reports on @OSCE_SMM lack of access to the Russian border - RU General Nemtsov acts surprisedhttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32085544 …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trG7VPT3ga8 … SS-21 (Aug '14), the only tactical missile in #Ukraine's arsenal after #NATO-led disarmament. pic.twitter.com/sCOWrTEmUs

Yashin: soldiers families paid 3 million roubles to maintain silence over deaths. Heavy toll during Debaltseve. http://www.segodnya.ua/world/rodstvennikam-pogibshih-na-donbasse-rossiyskih-soldat-platili-po-3-milliona-za-molchanie-doklad-nemcova-603900.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

The Russian military doctrinal term for information warfare is "informational conflict" and I have often used the term "weaponization of information".

In fact the Russians actually view information as a "weapons system" much as we used "money as a weapons system" in Iraq.

Russian media is part of #Russia's military & is a weapon, Shoigu announces at RU media awards
http://ukrainewarlog.blogspot.com/2015/03/shoigu-russian-media-is-part-of-russias.html … pic.twitter.com/6P7wzToHaw

General Shoigu is the Russian Ministry of Defense.

[OUTLAW 09]

The role of social media in gathering potential witnesses of the MH17 shot down using a Russian BUK—this video was pushed out to the internet by the Dutch Police MH17 Investigation team asking for answers to specific questions—social media is now trying to figure out how to push it across all of the Ukraine and into Russia as the Dutch team also translated the questions into Russian.

#MH17 investigation: it was a Buk.
This video by the #Netherlands police calls for witnesses to come forward:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olQNpTxSnTo&sns …

[OUTLAW 09]

Social media picking up quickly on the BBC report of the Russian General being caught lying about OSCE access to the border regions.
Russian General lying right to OSCE's face about no access to RU-UA borderhttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32085544 … pic.twitter.com/fwLYxpS9EV

What is interesting is the social media picked this up right after BBC released their article-but vice versa meaning when social media breaks something it takes literally days before the western mainstream picks it up--wonder why??

#Russia begins large-scale air defense drills in Siberia http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/30-march-russia-begins-largescale-air-defense-drills-in- … pic.twitter.com/ryDKF9dLha via @SputnikInt

Can anyone seriously explain to me the current US Ukrainian strategy is—it cannot simply be “waiting for something big to happen”????
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ST7EbodHf8 … Fmr #US Amb to #Ukraine: #Obama awaits "another big blow" by #Russia to "definitely" get serious abt lethal mil aid

Starting to see the DoS get active on the disinformation push back side via social media—interesting to see them more often now—a large help to the social media side.

US-Botschaft Berlin ✔ @usbotschaft
Pro-Russian #separatists maintain heavy weapons near the front line in violation of the #Minsk agreements http://goo.gl/NGw294

[OUTLAW 09]

And a large plus for the NYTs which is now getting into pushing back on the various Russian disinformation “myths”.

"#Putin has buttressed his domestic standing by bending history to justify attempts to reclaim #Russia’s lost glory"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/opinion/moscows-twisted-history-lessons.html?_r=0 …

Ukraine Claims Russian-Backed Fighters Shelled Gorlovka With Grads. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-406-claims-of-continued-use-of-heavy-artillery/#7709 …

Claims Of Continued Use Of Heavy Artillery http://goo.gl/4dpldF

Seems Russian troops and her mercenaries are not playing nice with each other these days;

Blogger claims three militants killed by Russian troops in camp near Mariupol after quarrel. http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3152/pod_mariupolem_v_rezultate_ssory_s_rossijskimi_des antnikami_ubity_troe_separatistov.html …

Ukrainians Report Use Of Heavy Mortars And Fighting Near Mariupol. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-406-claims-of-continued-use-of-heavy-artillery/#7708 …

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For those that would like to see Russian disinformation at work here is Russian Today (RT) pushing back on the Dutch clearly pointing the finger at the Russian Buk as the missile downing M17—Rt is calling Reuters report a lair.

RT released the following:
‘Reuters lied’: MH17 witness says reporter falsified testimony

Published time: March 30, 2015 08:30
Edited time: March 30, 2015 11:07

A Lugansk Region resident, whom Reuters cites as saying he saw evidence of a surface-to-air missile launched from rebel-held territory on the day MH17 was downed, told RT the news agency gave a false report of his interview.

For its March report on the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 tragedy Reuters talked to Pyotr Fedotov, a 58-year-old resident of the village Chervonniy Zhovten in the Lugansk Region of eastern Ukraine.

“When interviewed by Reuters, Fedotov, the witness who described the 'wiggling' rocket, at first said on camera that it was fired from territory held by the Ukrainian army. Later, off camera, he said it was launched from a nearby rebel area. Asked why he had originally said the opposite, he said it was because he was afraid of the rebels," the news agency said.

RT contacted Fedetov who, after some persuasion, agreed to be filmed. He told RT that Reuters correspondent Anton Zverev was "less than accurate" with Fedetov's testimony.

NOTE: RT has not released their video to the internet for review.

“When we talked about the Boeing on camera, I explained everything as it was. The things that I allegedly said off-camera were just made up by the journalist. It's all lies. Off-camera, we never discussed the Boeing,” Fedotov told RT.

He added that the Reuters journalist contacted him after taking the interview, but never showed him a draft of the article. Instead he was asking whether Fedotov had got into trouble for speaking to him.

“The journalist called me and asked if I was in trouble. I was really surprised. Why would I be in trouble if I told the truth? And then my friends told me in the article I was saying different things when the cameras were on and off. That's when I understood why he was asking if I was in trouble,” the witness explained.

“So it's mere fantasy from the journalist or maybe he was doing it for his own benefit,” he added.

NOTE: notice this is all words and not in an actual video as was the Reuters reporting.

RT’s request to Reuters for comments on the controversy and raw footage of Fedotov’s interview was not replied to as of publication of this article.

NOTE: another blatant RT lie as Reuters has offered anyone a verified copy of their interview video and RT did not ask for one.

Reuters’ reporting was not based solely on Fedotov’s testimony. The agency cited three other eyewitnesses from the village, but only Fedotov was cited as pointing to either side of the conflict as firing the missile. The report emphasized that the eyewitness accounts didn’t conclusively prove that the rocket they saw was the one that downed Flight MH17.

NOTE: Russia again attempts to show maybe the Ukrainians fired as well RT does not mention there were one still photo of the launched missile and another missile video in the internet that was analyzed as well.
The Malaysian Boeing 777 airliner was downed over eastern Ukraine on July 17 last year, killing 298 people on board. The incident became an instant controversy, with Ukraine and its Western backers accused rebel forces and Russia of being behind the downing.

An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Netherlands, but the preliminary report released last year didn’t point even to a kind of weapon used in the downing of the aircraft, only that an outside force destroyed it mid-air.

NOTE: The Dutch released report was this year not last year and clearly pointed to a Russian Buk

Russia called not to jump to conclusions and made military radar data public which indicated the presence of Ukrainian surface-to-air batteries and warplanes in the area on the day of the Boeing shooting.

NOTE: both these Russian myths were totally shredded and have been proven to be totally false and misleading.

Earlier Ukrainian media falsely claimed that Dutch investigators concluded that MH17 had been shot down by the rebels with a Buk missile, citing a report in the Dutch media that outlined the popular theory, but didn’t claim it to be proven. Dutch prosecutors told RT at the time that the investigation had not been concluded.

NOTE: again a totally misleading Russian statement as the Dutch investigation was extremely clear in their views as to what shot down MH17.
Notice RT does not specify a date they contacted the Dutch for a comment?

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It will be interesting to see just how RT responds to the Dutch Police Investigative Team video with specific shot down questions being disseminated via the internet also in Russian asking for witnesses for come forward and report what they saw and or what they know.

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Joint Investigation Team #MH17 calls for witnesses transport & launch #BUK http://youtu.be/olQNpTxSnTo

Strong evidence found of separatist involvement in downing of MH17by Arjen Schreuder


News Flight MH17 seems to have been shot down with a BUK-missile launched by separatists from Ukraine. At least, this is the main scenario that’s being considered by the international investigation team researching the cause of the crash on the afternoon of July 17th, last year.

New video and audio footage were released by the so called Joint Investigation Team (JIT), in which police and public prosecutors from Belgium, Australia, Ukraine, Malaysia and the Netherlands work in tight cooperation to bring the culprits of the attack on MH17 to justice.

The team is looking for witnesses who can provide more information on the transport of the BUK-missile system by a group of separatists called Bibliotekar. Based on the information of the investigators, this BUK-missile system was spotted several times, shortly before and after the crash. The BUK-missile was transported on a Volvo-truck, confiscated later on. The truck arrived in the region on the morning of the crash.

During that day, the missile system was transported to Torez, which is not far from the crash site.

‘Another truck is coming in from Russia’

The evening of the crash, the separatists discussed where to take the BUK-missile. “It’s at the checkpoint”, one of them said during one of the telephone conversations that were bugged by the Ukrainian Intelligence Service. Some critics claim that these tapes could be fake, but according to the Dutch public prosecutor the audio footage is genuine. A phone conversation between separatists on the morning of July 18th suggests that by that time, the BUK-missile had been taken to Russia. “Yesterday was a mess”, the first separatist said. The other said: “The truck is in Russia.” The first separatist responded: “####, yesterday I just said I had no idea.”

Twenty minutes later, in another telephone conversation, the separatists speak about “a disaster”. It is mentioned that the Bibliotekar separatists won’t have to be without weapons for long. “Another truck is coming in from Russia.”

Other scenario

The Dutch public prosecution underlines that, despite the release of this information, there is still no irrefutable proof that explains the crash. “It is too early to be drawing any conclusions regarding the cause of the crash.” The investigation team is researching another scenario, in which MH17 was the target of an airborne assault. Two other scenarios, a terrorist attack and technical failure, have been ruled out.

Witness protection

Through websites, social and news media, witnesses are called to provide information on the missile system’s transport, its crew and the launching of the missile. If witnesses fear for their safety they can receive protection, as is stated on the JIT’s website, www.jitmh17.com (http://www.jitmh17.com).

The Boeing 777 crashed on Thursday July 17th at 4:20 pm while flying over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board died, 196 of whom were Dutch. The remains of two people have not been recovered yet. Earlier, the Safety Board investigating the facts about the crash determined that the aircraft had been broken into pieces, “by a large amount of objects piercing the aircraft at a high speed.”

Since the very first reports on the crash, a BUK-missile attack was frequently mentioned as the most likely cause. A few hours before the attack, the launcher was seen close to the spot from where locals saw and heard a missile lift off later on. The missile’s smoke trail was photographed from Torez and the electronic communication between the missile and its launcher was supposedly registered as well. Investigation team Bellingcat found clues that the launcher had come from Russia.

Jeroen Akkermans, a journalist working for the Dutch broadcasting company RTL, found tiny shrapnels at the crash site, at least one of which is traceable to a BUK-missile. The metal strongly resembles a piece of the fragmentation mantle of a BUK-warhead.

(Translation by Welmoed Smith)

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Reuters: One Ukrainian soldier killed, three wounded, in clashes with militants #Ukraine http://uatoday.tv/politics/reuters-one-ukrainian-soldier-killed-three-wounded-in-clashes-with-militants-418491.html … pic.twitter.com/U4HCLOYHFK

More Russian disinformation:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wT9EFFl7g … #US can't wait to nuke #Russia over #Ukraine, #Baltics. #Russian TV knows every dirty trick. pic.twitter.com/7LW1waXZH2

Mortar and machine gun fire heard in Avdiivka http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/30-march-mortar-and-machine-gun-fire-heard-in-avdiivka …

Luhansk. Russian convoy brought fuel for the Russian TNK http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/30-march-luhansk-russian-convoy-brought-fuel-for-the-russian …
pic.twitter.com/H7LOCsTq1J

Still yet another Russian Minsk 2 violation:
A second #Russia|n convoy including tanks and APCs entered #Ukraine last night
http://ukrainianwall.com/ukraine/snegirev-kolonna-bronetexniki-boevikov-voshla-v-lugansk/ …

Ukrainian Troops Wounded In Attack Across Seversky Donets Near Tryokhizbenka http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-406-claims-of-continued-use-of-heavy-artillery/#7712 … pic.twitter.com/5KtdS5GsG6

[OUTLAW 09]

Really worth checking this website for their research.

Russian weapon and soldiers in Ukraine. Check this @uatodaytv project http://russianweapons.uatoday.tv/ pic.twitter.com/N5faLXSX4L

[OUTLAW 09]

Pro-Russian Rebels Preparing Advance ‘On All Fronts’, Warn Ukraine Fighters

By Damien Sharkov 3/10/15 at 3:13 PM
March 8, 2015. Marko Djurica/REUTERS

Pro-Russian rebels are preparing an advance “on all fronts” in Ukraine’s eastern territories by the end of this week, according to purported conversations between rebels, which were reportedly intercepted by Kiev-loyal forces.

A statement on Facebook by the pro-Ukrainian Azov volunteer battalion, said that rebels are planning a possible attack on the town of Lysychansk, situated northwest of the rebel-held city of Luhansk, as well as pushes “in other directions” after today.

[OUTLAW 09]

An excellent over hour long presentation by CSIS on the topic of hybrid warfare or what the Russians call non-linear warfare.

The Russian Military Forum: Russia's Hybrid War Campaign: Implications for Ukraine and Beyond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WA1rP5WGfY

A great collection of the top Russia "myths":
Hot off the press! Brand new installment of #Russia's propaganda fakes
"Russia’s top 120 lies about #Ukraine" http://www.examiner.com/list/russia-s-top-120-lies-about-ukraine …

Ukraine Today Special Project: From Russia With Love - Russian soldiers and weapons in Ukraine http://russianweapons.uatoday.tv/ pic.twitter.com/k5PO5qD6Kd

The Russian Mass Media and the Western Far Right http://goo.gl/iLNfv6

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#Russian army has spent years equipping #Kaliningrad with state-of-the-art weaponry http://www.newsweek.com/2015/04/03/kaliningrad-putin-builds-arms-depot-inside-europe-317651.html … pic.twitter.com/48kszPVI8a

#Avdiivka under attack again, machine guns, grenades, mortars.

Latest from SMM: Fighting continues around Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne http://bit.ly/1Hf1Ilb

Western non-lethal aid to Ukraine has had little impact. E.g. Ukrainian-made drones are no match for Russian mil tech http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32085542 …

#OSCE claims #Shyrokyno is fully under #DPR control
http://inforesist.org/obse-shirokino-polnostyu-pod-kontrolem-dnr/?_utl_t=tw …
this is the situation since a while, #Ukraine forces are just in control of heights at the edge of #Shyrokyne

Shoigu: Russian military has deployed a self-sufficient contingent on the Crimean Peninsula, consisting of 96 units http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150330/1020214322.html …

Military vehicles on highway m-4 Don http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/30-march-military-vehicles-on-highway-m4-don- … pic.twitter.com/xnvlbiD58W

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Unusually quiet night yesterday on the fighting front--all Russian resupply/fuel convoys have occurred, all Russia troops have gone through a complete replacement cycle and still in three locations there is relatively heavy fighting being carried out by mercenaries-BUT still unusually quiet.

Kazakhstan joins Ukraine & rebels against Russian propaganda http://joinfo.com/world/1001818_Kazakhstan-joins-Ukraine-and-rebels-against.html …

Bugged calls suggest #MH17 was shot down with #Russian-made missile http://dailym.ai/1GH3HAt

#Ukraine Says Rebel Attacks Ebb as Tanks Said to Cross Border http://bloom.bg/1NqLiYH

Lithuanian Counter-Intel says RUS spies taking increased interest in country's military & strategic infrastructure http://en.delfi.lt/lithuania/defence/russian-consul-to-klaipeda-was-spy.d?id=67570994 …

UA military deliver aid from all over #Ukraine to the front-line in #Avdiivka, near #Donetsk http://empr.media/news/ukrainian-military-deliver-aid-from-all-over-ukraine-to-avdiivka-near-donetsk … pic.twitter.com/sToK7mtqWu

@jensstoltenberg: #NATO may consider a #cyber-attack as an Article 5 offense, triggering collective response if an ally calls for it

Recently a Russian official asked this exact question and here is now the NATO response.

[davidbfpo]

A short Polish paper that tries to make sense of the claims for 'international brigades' and smaller numbers of foreign fighters in the Ukraine; excluding the Russian military:http://www.pism.pl/files/?id_plik=19434

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/31/report-from-the-belly-of-the-putin-apologetics-beast.html


Out to Lunch-ski

03.31.15

Putin Bootlickers Assemble in D.C.

The World Russia Forum was once a respectable affair. Now it’s just a nest of Putin apologists and has-beens and both. Dead Souls indeed.

Andrei Sakharov must be rolling in his grave.

The late Russian nuclear physicist was the most prominent dissident in the Soviet Union. For his warnings against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and in defense of basic civil rights, the Kremlin targeted him with vicious slander campaigns and forced him into internal exile. When Sakharov won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1975, Soviet authorities prevented him from traveling to Oslo; he sent his wife, Elena Bonner, to accept it. In honor of his memory, the European Parliament awards an eponymous prize to activists who embody the spirit of the late Russian human rights campaigner.

So it was a bit odd to hear Edward Lozansky, president of the American University in Moscow, invoke Sakharov’s name when he called the 35th annual World Russia Forum to order last Thursday afternoon in a cavernous Senate hearing room. The first such confab transpired on May 21, 1981, in honor of Sakharov’s birthday, and at a time when U.S.-Russian relations were at a low point. Ronald Reagan had just entered office, the Soviets were ramping up their intervention in Afghanistan, and both sides were beginning to fight a proxy war in Angola. It was this rise in tensions that prompted Lozansky to inaugurate the Forum as a means of fostering dialogue between the two rival superpowers.

Whatever noble purpose the event might have served back in the heady days of the Cold War, however, it has since lost its luster. Today, the World Russia Forum is no more than a gathering of Kremlin apologists, conspiracy theorists, and other assorted nut jobs.

Offering introductory remarks was Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who, over the course of a three-decade career in Washington, has made the improbable journey from Cold Warrior to slavish defender of the Russian regime. Rohrabacher, who came to Washington as speechwriter for the Reagan White House, is now doing the same sort of legwork for his old nemeses in the Kremlin, who, in his view, are worthy allies in our shared struggle against militant Islam. “We could not have done it without them,” is how he described Russian cooperation in our overthrowing the Taliban, apparently laboring under the belief that granting the United States overflight rights to bring down a radical Islamist regime on its southern flank somehow represented a concession on the part of Moscow.

Rohrabacher told the audience how, following the 2004 Beslan school massacre, in which nearly 200 children were killed after being taken hostage by Chechen terrorists, he called a “high-level person” in the George W. Bush administration to propose that the president “go to Beslan and stand shoulder to shoulder with Putin.” Tying America’s struggle against Islamist terrorism with Russia’s would be inadvisable on several levels, not the least of which is that Russia’s way of dealing with the problem largely consists of leveling entire cities. Indeed, this is a tried-and-true Russian strategy dating back to their war in Afghanistan—a war that Rohrabacher himself took part in as a fighter with the mujahideen—when the Russians inflicted nearly a million deaths. As for Beslan, to this day, parents of the victims criticize Putin for his handling of the crisis, alleging that their children lost their lives as a result of the botched rescue effort, as was the case when Putin ordered his security services to pump poison gas into a Moscow theater seized by Chechen terrorists. Thankfully, wiser heads within the White House prevailed, and the Bush-Putin photo op never happened. (Rohrabacher was the only elected official who turned up at the event. Lozansky said that Senator Amy Klobuchar reserved the room, revealing a strange Minnesota connection: at last year’s World Russia Forum, which took place just months after the annexation of Crimea, the Minnesota Secretary of State spoke in opposition to sanctions, complaining about how a “U.S.-Russia Innovation Forum” scheduled to take place in St. Paul had to be cancelled on order of the State Department).

Next up was the redoubtable Stephen Cohen, America’s most notorious Kremlin apologist. Falsely labeling the conflict in Ukraine a “civil war,” Cohen called for a “new détente” between Russia and the United States. This would suit Cohen well, as the old détente effectively conceded Soviet mastery over Eastern Europe, which is exactly what Cohen wants the West to do today. Cohen lamented how, not long ago, “both sides had legitimate spheres of influence,” (or what he prefers to call “zones of national security”) yet after the collapse of the Soviet Union, America and its allies disregarded the “conception of parity” and “treated Russia as a defeated nation.” Washington’s relationship to Moscow has since been characterized by “constant meddling in Russia’s internal affairs,” and the problem has only gotten worse. “This vilification of a Russian leader is unprecedented,” constituting nothing less than “an illness.” Cohen would presumably prefer all those gays, journalists, and other liberals—in the true sense of the word, not the form in which Cohen and other “progressives” of his ilk have perverted it—would just shut the hell up.

Following his rant, I posed a question to Cohen. Let us concede that the United States has a “sphere of interest” in Europe, called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is a defensive alliance composed of democratic nations that employ their sovereign decision-making powers to join a voluntary group. The Russian sphere, as the Soviet sphere before it, consists of countries that are cajoled, blackmailed, threatened, and then—if those tactics don’t work—invaded by Russian occupation troops. That was the case when Hungarians bravely rose up in protest of Soviet-imposed communism in 1956, and it is no less the case today when Ukrainians decided to move West and endured the annexation of their territory and an ongoing bloody war as a consequence. The Russian “zone of security” produces exactly the opposite: insecurity, since it is established by brutal invasion and maintained by violent subjugation.

There was very little coherence in Cohen’s meandering response, other than his assertion that the “original intent of NATO has been lost” now that the Soviet Union is no more. Many would have agreed with Cohen before February 2014, when Russia hadn’t yet invaded Ukraine, but I would simply ask Cohen to survey people in Poland or the Baltic States whether NATO still serves an important purpose. Donning the cap of a NATO strategist, a bizarre pose for him to take considering how much he loathes the alliance, Cohen asserted that the “only criteria” for membership should be whether “admission of additional countries increase security” in Europe.

What really irks Cohen is that, with the downfall of the Soviet Union, there was no one left to challenge America as the world’s sole superpower.

“Twenty years of evidence shows this has not been the case,” he claimed, before mouthing verbatim Kremlin talking points with the assertion that “the Ukraine crisis is a direct outcome of the decision to expand NATO,” bemoaning the “insecurity created by reckless NATO expansion.” On the contrary; had the Baltic States and former Warsaw Pact members not joined NATO, the security situation in Europe would be much more tenuous than it already is today. Before their membership, these nations’ status vis a vis Russia was ambiguous, constituting a security gray area. Today, they all have—at least in theory—a rock-solid security guarantee as members of the world’s strongest military alliance.

But all this talk about NATO and its role distracts from the more basic moral question: Who is Stephen Cohen to decide the fates of tens of millions of people in Central and Eastern Europe? What really irks Cohen is that, with the downfall of the Soviet Union, there was no one left to challenge America as the world’s sole superpower. That unipolarity is simply something that leftists such as Cohen cannot accept. And so they are willing to defend any thug and tyrant, no matter how illiberal, who stands in America’s way.

It says something about your intellectual credibility as a scholar of Russia when the only outlets to feature your work are Russia Today and The Nation, the magazine edited by your spouse. Addressing the confab, editor Katrina vanden Heuvel praised her publication as one that “repeatedly champions ideas labeled ‘heretical’ only to see them championed as conventional wisdom later.” People who challenge the conventional wisdom on the situation in Ukraine are “marginalized and vilified” here in these United States, she complained (as opposed to those who express “heretical” ideas in Russia, who—if they’re not shot in the back four times like opposition leader Boris Nemtsov—are thrown in jail). Like her husband, vanden Heuvel criticized the “demonization” of Putin, as if the man’s critics needed to invent facts about his horrible record, and took a surprising swipe at The Washington Post, where she writes a column, calling it “Pravda on the Potomac. A regime change newspaper.” (Which is more than can be said of The Nation. It’s just Pravda, in English).

Vanden Heuvel introduced a panel of has-bens, “formers” all around: former AP reporter Robert Parry, former UPI editor Martin Sieff, former International Herald Tribune Asia bureau chief Patrick Smith, and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, now the proprietor of the internationally renowned news source RayMcGovern.com. On and on and on

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Last night militants crossed the ruined bridge, attacked Ukr forces in Tryokhizbenka, 1 WIA http://moskal.in.ua/?categoty=news&news_id=1620 … pic.twitter.com/qXjuLMbO8c

Another Ukrainian Soldier Wounded In Tryokhizbenka. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-407-does-ukraine-still-control-shirokino/#7721 … pic.twitter.com/iBpYUxoUxw

"Rebel" from St.Petersburg: Russian Generals in charge of #Debaltseve offensive http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/international/2015/03/150325_donetsk_rebel_interview … pic.twitter.com/Zg5LFzsZW7

Former Ukrainian General: Separatist leaders were attending FSB 'youth camps' run by Dugin since 2000. http://rus.postimees.ee/3140383/moskva-davno-gotovila-liderov-separatistov-kiev-ne-reagiroval …

#Russian special forces try to destabilize situation in #Kharkiv region#Ukraine http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/31-march-russian-special-forces-try-to-destabilize-situation …

Bombing In Kharkiv Railway Station. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-407-does-ukraine-still-control-shirokino/#7722 …

[davidbfpo]

Even if it is US Army PA film clip this shows you the Czech public response to the Dragoon Ride from an exercise in the Baltics back to Germany:https://www.flickr.com/photos/16thsb/16796124319/

A very, very different public reaction to the last time Russian (Soviet) tanks rumbled through in 1968. Memories may fade, that particular one I expect is embedded in everyone's ememory today.

[OUTLAW 09]

Last night militants crossed the ruined bridge, attacked Ukr forces in Tryokhizbenka, 1 WIA http://moskal.in.ua/?categoty=news&news_id=1620 … pic.twitter.com/qXjuLMbO8c

Another Ukrainian Soldier Wounded In Tryokhizbenka. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-407-does-ukraine-still-control-shirokino/#7721 … pic.twitter.com/iBpYUxoUxw

"Rebel" from St.Petersburg: Russian Generals in charge of #Debaltseve offensive http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/international/2015/03/150325_donetsk_rebel_interview … pic.twitter.com/Zg5LFzsZW7

Former Ukrainian General: Separatist leaders were attending FSB 'youth camps' run by Dugin since 2000. http://rus.postimees.ee/3140383/moskva-davno-gotovila-liderov-separatistov-kiev-ne-reagiroval …

#Russian special forces try to destabilize situation in #Kharkiv region #Ukraine http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/31-march-russian-special-forces-try-to-destabilize-situation …

Bombing In Kharkiv Railway Station. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-407-does-ukraine-still-control-shirokino/#7722 …

This BBC interview on the Russian Generals is stirring up the Russian disinformation side greatly today:

Here we go again—translation errors when the interview is done in Russia just as RT accused Reuters of lying about the Russian interview which claimed a BUK had been fired where they claimed Reuters twisted the answers

DNR blames translation error after volunteer talks of RU involvement http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2015/03/31/n_7065849.shtml … Intrview done in Russian http://m.bbc.co.uk/russian/international/2015/03/150325_donetsk_rebel_interview …


Mounting evidence of crucial Russian military role in attacking #Debaltseve, #Ukraine. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32114522 …

More evidence that Russian tanks were key in the capture of Debaltseve by pro-Russia forces #Ukraine http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32114522 …

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Even if it is US Army PA film clip this shows you the Czech public response to the Dragoon Ride from an exercise in the Baltics back to Germany:https://www.flickr.com/photos/16thsb/16796124319/

A very, very different public reaction to the last time Russian (Soviet) tanks rumbled through in 1968. Memories may fade, that particular one I expect is embedded in everyone's ememory today.

There was a sign at the first rest stop for the 3/2 CAV inside the Czech Republic which read---"70 years to late" referencing Patton having not remained in Czechoslovakia in 1944.

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In #Lugansk Region bridge between #Ukraine controlled #Severodonetsk and #Rubizhne restored http://lugansk-news.com/bridge-between-ukraine-controlled-severodonetsk-and-rubizhne-restored/ … pic.twitter.com/E5CBQeQoqB

Ukraine to close Cuciurgan & Platonovo customs points on Transnistrian sector of Moldova-UKR border for transporting excisable goods.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: We will never recognise unilateral sanctions imposed by the #US, #EU or other countries, whether against #Iran or any other nation

Great article for Russian speakers on how Russian disinformation twists words and their meanings straight out of Orwell’s 1984 and doublespeak:
Putin spokes Peskov: Russian media may write that Russian soldiers are in #Ukraine, but they're not. War is peace... http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/03/31/7063254/ …

Canada at NATO ✔ @CanadaNATO
How #Putin and #ISIL stand together in opposition to Euro-Atlantic values and security: http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=59496 … pic.twitter.com/t5exyxckP3

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UN suspends humanitarian assistance to occupied Donbas due to funding shortfall
http://www.unian.info/society/1061955-un-suspends-humanitarian-assistance-to-occupied-donbas-due-to-funding-shortfall.html … pic.twitter.com/f9ql2oEFJT

Explosive was found at railway bridge near Dnipropetrovsk http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/31-march-explosion-was-found-at-railway-bridge-near-dnipropetrovsk …

Heartbreaking story of Ukrainian soldier: highest price to stay alive
Everybody speaks of the dead - but the... http://fb.me/7f6n8rvLy

Business Insider: Why Russia suddenly wants to supply cheap gas to Ukrainehttp://uatoday.tv/news/business-insider-why-russia-suddenly-wants-to-supply-cheap-gas-to-ukraine-418706.html … #gas pic.twitter.com/X4RxYfvMxy

Militant provocations continue on frontline in east Ukraine amid bomb blast in city of Kharkiv
http://uatoday.tv/geopolitics/militant-provocations-continue-on-frontline-in-east-ukraine-amid-bomb-blast-in-city-of-kharkiv-418753.html …

Rostov region, Russian military column near Shahty pic.twitter.com/rREU9PhjUj http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/31-march-rostov-region-russian-military-column-near-shahty …

Interesting take on a Russian loan to French right wing nationalist Le Pen:
#KremLeaks: @mfa_russia askeed Marine Le Pen to serve as election observer in Crimea.. Then she got a 9 m loan pic.twitter.com/9HAgEPy8tf

[OUTLAW 09]

This is dedicated to all of those "vacationing non Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine" as well as to all those "miners and truck drivers who are not Russian":
Due to all those non Russian soldiers who are not fighting in eastern Ukraine as there are no Russians there---a lot of non heroes:

The Kremlin has been giving away so many medals lately that it needed to place an order for another $200k-worth. https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/03/31/the-kremlin-commissions-more-than-200-000-worth-of-medals …

[OUTLAW 09]

Finally a US Army General calls what has been ongoing in eastern Ukraine exactly what it has been---pure undulated war with a very large W.

Gen. Hodges:"The fighting that has been going on in Ukraine is a very serious, kinetic, violent steel-on-steel fight" http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/general-hodges-ukraine-target-of-massive-amounts-of-artillery-and-rocket-fire …

US general says new Russian offensive in Donbas ‘possible after Easter’
http://www.unian.info/world/1062027-us-general-says-new-russian-offensive-in-donbas-possible-after-easter.html … pic.twitter.com/lOsDXgPEje

Russia had to supply 150 tons of artillery shells and rockets per day of fighting—NOTE: there is no artillery munitions and or rocket munitions plant inside eastern Ukraine---all came from Russia.

Gen. Ben Hodges: "We have never been under Russian artillery like the volume that they are experiencing" in Ukraine

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/general-hodges-ukraine-target-of-massive-amounts-of-artillery-and-rocket-fire …

[OUTLAW 09]

Major Russian assault across the Minsk 2 contact line currently in progress and in full violation of the Minsk 2---WHILE France, the US and Germany are all in Switzerland dealing with Iran--AND that is not a coincidence?????

Confirmation
Russian troops are trying to storm the front in #Shyrokyne.
This is no "regular" fire,but a breakthrough attempt.
- @news112ua

Russian Heavy SP artillery in use today against Ukrainian positions-violation of Minsk 2:
#Shyrokyne and #Berdyansk under #Russia|n attack, self propelled heavy artillery used for 1st time since a while. 2 Azov soldiers WIA.

Regiment #Azov uses 120 mm mortars, automatic grenade launchers, tanks and small arms to fight off the Russians. They use heavy artillery

#BREAKING #ANALYSIS #MAP
SEVERE RUSSIAN ASSAULT ON SHYROKYNE, BERDYANSKE AND SOPYNE ONGOING
2 #Azov troops WIA so far pic.twitter.com/CGX4m662xL

Here is the source: http://novosti.dn.ua/details/248194/
Battalion Donbas was called to "redeploy to Kiev" ...

#Coincidence?!
This morning #BattalionDonbas was withdrawn from #Shyrokyne by the Ukr MIA.
In the afternoon the Rus assault starts.
#treason

this is not about the West.
It's about pro-Russian traitors within the Ukr administration and military structure

http://www.gazeta.ru/social/2015/03/31/6619981.shtml … The volunteer “Donbass” battalion has apparently received an order to leave Mariupol & make way for “Azov."

The latest @OSCE_SMM report is full of inaccuracies & even false claims about the situation in #Shyrokyne.
I marked 2 pic.twitter.com/Xan0mhXID1

[OUTLAW 09]

More active Russian "informational conflict".

Great Czech article on ongoing Russian disinformation inside the Czech Republic
There's a storm of disinformation raging in #CzechRepublic "Czech Echoes of Kremlin's InfoWar" http://goo.gl/BEhlNa
by @SlawomirBudziak

#Propaganda
Czech citizens welcoming #DragoonRide = "Mass Protests" on #Kremlin TV
https://www.flickr.com/photos/atlanticresolve/with/16966022861/ … pic.twitter.com/MDT1EWDhgD

Khodorkovsky Center @mbk_center
Baltic countries, Moldova and Poland have suddenly acquired new “People’s Republic” social media pages this year... http://www.newsweek.com/2015/04/03/russia-launches-next-deadly-phase-hybrid-war-ukraine-318218.html

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/in-ukraine-the-real-fight-is-for-europe?utm_content=buffer9e366&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

March 31, 2015


In Ukraine, the Real Fight is for Europe

Putin’s War is Not Over Donbas, but a New Russian Empire

By Stephen Blank

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees Crimea and Ukraine as "where the spiritual sources of Russia’s nationhood lie," says Stephen Blank, a Senior Fellow for Russia at the American Foreign Policy Council. (Reuters/Maxim Zmeyev)

According to Vladimir Putin, Crimea and Ukraine are where the spiritual sources of Russia’s nationhood lie. And he “always saw the Russians and Ukrainians as a single people. I still think this way now.”

People observing the crisis triggered by Putin’s aggression against Ukraine therefore ought to understand what these words mean. Quite simply they mean that for Putin—and for much of Russia as well, even without the constant incitement of Kremlin propaganda—there is no such thing as a separate Ukrainian people, national identity, culture, or history. Seen through this Russian lens, the concept of a Ukrainian state independent of Russia is at best a legend or fantasy. At worst it incarnates a threat to the very existence of the Russian state. And obviously Moscow will meet that threat with violence.

But the implications of Putin’s rhetoric and actions go deeper. If no Ukrainian state has the right to exist, the entire settlement of 1989-91 in Eastern Europe, and especially in the former Soviet Union, is illegitimate and a standing threat to the Russian state. Thus Putin not only aims to overthrow the entire post-Cold War order in Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, he is also saying that the Russian state as such not only cannot tolerate an independent Ukraine, it can only survive as an empire.

We need to be clear about this point and what it means because empire, to put it bluntly, means permanent war or conflict. The imperial concept inherently denotes the domination of one people by another and the subjugation of the weaker state by the stronger without any possibility of democratic political expression in the colony. Given Russian history it is equally obvious that no autonomous political life can therefore occur in Russia itself. For Russia, empire is the logical corollary if not precondition for the preservation and extension of Putin’s autocracy. Indeed, it is the only form of state that he and his entourage can envision for Russia or that they have ever known. Moreover, a Russian empire is intrinsically an inherent extra-legal form of rule whose basis is violence (as well as Dostoevsky’s triune formula of mystery, miracle, and authority).

Putin’s objective, then, can only lead only to a perpetual state of war within the former Soviet space and a state of siege with Europe and the world. That means another Cold War, if not a series of hot wars along Russia’s periphery. Russia has already been a state in a permanent war condition since 1994 when the Chechen war broke out as what used to be called a war of national liberation. Now the entire North Caucasus is aflame with a militant Islamist uprising that Moscow cannot quell and that has become ever more brutal. The Kremlin’s 2008 war with Georgia, which Putin admitted to planning from 2006, its coercive incorporation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia into Russia, and the war with Ukraine all represent a working out of this logic of imperialism and war.

Even if the Ukraine war devolves into a so-called frozen conflict, that logic will still be operative. We already have seen how quickly frozen conflicts can become unfrozen and how they corrode civility and democracy throughout their regions. Beyond that, a renewed Russian empire essentially reincarnates the idea that Russia is not safe unless everyone connected to it, and not only its immediate neighbors, is unsafe or insecure.

This state can only be preserved then by what the late Russian defense analyst, Vitaly Shlykov, called structural militarization. And we see that happening now with the growth of the defense sector as the rest of the economy shrivels due to sanctions and falling energy prices.

This is what is at stake in Ukraine. It is not just a quarrel over the fate of Ukraine. It is a war for the future of Russia, and beyond that for the long-term future of European and Eurasian security. And to the extent that we hide behind rhetoric that masks a deeper inaction or complacency about Russia and Ukraine, we are only storing up for ourselves and future generations a larger continental crisis. That crisis, even if we ignore it now, will inevitably occur when the unsustainability of this imperial adventure becomes fully clear not to analysts in the West but to the Russian people and their government. For this regime, unlike Gorbachev’s, will not go peacefully. In a country that is arming itself to the hilt, and that possesses nuclear weapons, that is a terrifying future. Thus inactivity today only ensures and accelerates the onset of the much larger conflict that Putin’s action will inevitably bring upon Russia.

Dr. Stephen Blank is a Senior Fellow for Russia at the American Foreign Policy Council.

[OUTLAW 09]

Major Russian assault across the Minsk 2 contact line currently in progress and in full violation of the Minsk 2---WHILE France, the US and Germany are all in Switzerland dealing with Iran--AND that is not a coincidence?????

Confirmation
Russian troops are trying to storm the front in #Shyrokyne.
This is no "regular" fire,but a breakthrough attempt.
- @news112ua

Russian Heavy SP artillery in use today against Ukrainian positions-violation of Minsk 2:
#Shyrokyne and #Berdyansk under #Russia|n attack, self propelled heavy artillery used for 1st time since a while. 2 Azov soldiers WIA.

Regiment #Azov uses 120 mm mortars, automatic grenade launchers, tanks and small arms to fight off the Russians. They use heavy artillery

#BREAKING #ANALYSIS #MAP
SEVERE RUSSIAN ASSAULT ON SHYROKYNE, BERDYANSKE AND SOPYNE ONGOING
2 #Azov troops WIA so far pic.twitter.com/CGX4m662xL

Here is the source: http://novosti.dn.ua/details/248194/
Battalion Donbas was called to "redeploy to Kiev" ...

#Coincidence?!
This morning #BattalionDonbas was withdrawn from #Shyrokyne by the Ukr MIA.
In the afternoon the Rus assault starts.
#treason

this is not about the West.
It's about pro-Russian traitors within the Ukr administration and military structure

http://www.gazeta.ru/social/2015/03/31/6619981.shtml … The volunteer “Donbass” battalion has apparently received an order to leave Mariupol & make way for “Azov."

The latest @OSCE_SMM report is full of inaccuracies & even false claims about the situation in #Shyrokyne.
I marked 2 pic.twitter.com/Xan0mhXID1

The Minsk 2 has now formally failed and the fighting in back on again-with all Western FMs in Switzerland--notice the fighting has been ongoing now for hours BUT not a single western comment.

Heavy fighting outside #Mariupol #Ukraine right now Heavy artillery & mortars for hours. #Shyrokyne is in flames pic.twitter.com/2rBRHT46f3

#Shyrokyne on fire from separatist heavy artillery just outside #Mariupol #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/zQoX1fMAQA

Give @OSCE_SMM one day to "confirm", the Ukrainian side is responsible for this attack! ...

"This might be #war":Azov soldier in #Mariupol #Ukraine today as heavy artillery attack continues. pic.twitter.com/3p9JcYwkuN
https://twitter.com/nolanwpeterson/status/582940638028685312 …

[OUTLAW 09]

What is now coming????????? This is a totally unscheduled meeting.

Putin Convenes Urgent Russian Security Council Meeting
16:53 (GMT)

President Vladimir Putin convened an urgent meeting of the Russian Security Council, TV Rain reported.

The agenda included the situation in Yemen, the talks in Lausanne about the Iranian nuclear program, the current situation in the southeast of Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk agreement, said presidential administration spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Also on the agent was the internal situation in Russia. The Security Council, chaired by Nikolai Patrushev, meets regularly to prepare decisions for the president.

[OUTLAW 09]

Another great example of the Russian “altered state of reality”:

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
Australia still in utter confusion over root causes of Ukrainian crisis http://tass.ru/en/world/786243 @RusEmbAU

[OUTLAW 09]

The Minsk 2 has now formally failed and the fighting in back on again-with all Western FMs in Switzerland--notice the fighting has been ongoing now for hours BUT not a single western comment.

Heavy fighting outside #Mariupol #Ukraine right now Heavy artillery & mortars for hours. #Shyrokyne is in flames pic.twitter.com/2rBRHT46f3

#Shyrokyne on fire from separatist heavy artillery just outside #Mariupol #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/zQoX1fMAQA

Give @OSCE_SMM one day to "confirm", the Ukrainian side is responsible for this attack! ...

"This might be #war":Azov soldier in #Mariupol #Ukraine today as heavy artillery attack continues. pic.twitter.com/3p9JcYwkuN
https://twitter.com/nolanwpeterson/status/582940638028685312 …


#BreakingNews
#Azov says, it repulsed the Russian attack on #Shyrokyne for today, killing at least 3 enemy troops.

[OUTLAW 09]

Donetsk rebel eagerly recounts Russian generals' key role in the Ukraine conflict. "I thought everybody knew!" Oops. http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/international/2015/03/150325_donetsk_rebel_interview …

Photographs Expose Russian-Trained Killers in Kiev http://thebea.st/1wi7Pjt

#Russia-terrorist forces violated the "ceasefire regime" 26 times over last 24 hours - ATO press center
http://novosti.dn.ua/details/248249/

[OUTLAW 09]

Finally a US Army General calls what has been ongoing in eastern Ukraine exactly what it has been---pure undulated war with a very large W.

Gen. Hodges:"The fighting that has been going on in Ukraine is a very serious, kinetic, violent steel-on-steel fight" http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/general-hodges-ukraine-target-of-massive-amounts-of-artillery-and-rocket-fire …

US general says new Russian offensive in Donbas ‘possible after Easter’
http://www.unian.info/world/1062027-us-general-says-new-russian-offensive-in-donbas-possible-after-easter.html … pic.twitter.com/lOsDXgPEje

Russia had to supply 150 tons of artillery shells and rockets per day of fighting—NOTE: there is no artillery munitions and or rocket munitions plant inside eastern Ukraine---all came from Russia.

Gen. Ben Hodges: "We have never been under Russian artillery like the volume that they are experiencing" in Ukraine

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/general-hodges-ukraine-target-of-massive-amounts-of-artillery-and-rocket-fire …


Gen. Clark: RU pullback is to regroup after AFU survived RU testing mil technology not seen in 21st century warfare
Armed Forces of the Ukraine AFU

[OUTLAW 09]

This #Russia radio jamming system pictured in #Luhansk is unique, couldn't B used by other countries, or any "rebels" pic.twitter.com/it82PmA0xt

Russian Soldiers Have Given Up Pretending They Are Not Fighting in Ukrainehttps://news.vice.com/article/russian-soldiers-have-given-up-pretending-they-are-not-fighting-in-ukraine … @ASLuhn @vicenews pic.twitter.com/9ZoyW0KgkA

Militants mark own tanks w/ #ATO insignia. 8 such tanks were spotted near Mayorsk. ATO command warms of provocations

In Krasnodon, #Luhansk region militants used locals and miners to unload ammunition on 29 Mar - Deputy #ATO Head Fedichev

[Dishonesty]

Dragoon ride is Russian&Czech pro-Russian Great Propaganda debacle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJATG2iVYhg

Ratio Pro-US/EU/NATO Czech citizens versus pro-Putin maybe 1000:1 and it is number pro-Putin very optimistic.

But yes,is it might as well leaderships challenge-imminence dehydration

https://twitter.com/ErbenTom_C4M/status/582981601631535104

[OUTLAW 09]

20 #Russia|n BTR's arrived by train in #Debaltseve yesterday - via @xyevii_kharkov

Ukrainian officer: "we got a good deal; we gave up nukes like the US asked & now they're giving us some used cars (Humvees) for our defense"

Russia Launches Next Deadly Phase of Hybrid War on Ukraine http://www.newsweek.com/2015/04/03/russia-launches-next-deadly-phase-hybrid-war-ukraine-318218.html#.VRrseUAJBa0.twitter …

#OSCE report points to militant grad attack on Ukrainian positions despite ceasefire #Ukraine http://uatoday.tv/politics/osce-report-points-to-militant-grad-attack-on-ukrainian-positions-despite-ceasefire-418799.html … pic.twitter.com/a2pRzKIKGs

More Russian disinformation
Purgin: the centers of recruitment of volunteers in Ukraine are financed by the U.S> http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/31-march-purgin-the-centers-of-recruitment-of-volunteers …

Ex-KGB officer: #Putin's been lying about what his rank really was within the KGB:
http://www.businessinsider.com/putins-lied-about-his-rank-within-the-kgb-2015-3 … pic.twitter.com/fvunXjDbHj

[OUTLAW 09]

Even Russian disinformation gets April fooled and taken for a ride—seems their mainstream media broke out in a mild “panic” as they all believed it to be true:


RIA called the EU to ask whether France planned to sell Mistrals to EU and man them with Benelux sailors: http://ria.ru/world/20150401/1055853909.html …

Russia's official news agency goes in detail on the "Mistral sale to EU" story, infographics and all http://ria.ru/world/20150401/1055853909.html …

Russian sites reporting EU to buy Mistrals, name them "Juncker" and "Mogherini," man them with Benelux Battle Group https://euobserver.com/news/128217

LifeNews tried to get confirmation of the Mistral sale to EU from French gov't, "Paris had not mentioned such plans" http://lifenews.ru/news/152069

Ahah..State-run RIA news agency contacted EC, and were told "this is an April Fools story. Do not take it seriously" http://ria.ru/world/20150401/1055853909.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Putin's internet #trolls spread propaganda in 3-person teams: Villain. Picture. Link.
http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-internet-trolls-are-trained-to-spread-propaganda-in-three-person-teams-2015-3 … pic.twitter.com/vpYTFbpna0

Geoffrey Pyatt ✔ @GeoffPyatt
Painfully detailed report on Kharkiv/Russia's tactics of hybrid war on Ukraine: http://buff.ly/1BI4TNw by @MaxRTucker

Russia Increases Repression against Crimean Tatars.Ukraine urges to condemn actions of RU occupiers pic.twitter.com/ldRLg4KRvr

How Russia protects minorities: Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR taken off air by the occupation authorities in Crimea

Ukr servicemen were feeding a German Shepard at a blockpost. Discovered a hidden cam on it - militants used it as spy http://www.0629.com.ua/news/784785

[OUTLAW 09]

#News
Russian forces attacked #Mayorisk, #Leninske, #Troitske, #Avdeevka and #Shyrokyne 13 times between 6 pm and midnight last night.

Rare Russian Electronic Warfare units spotted
03-02 Bryanka
31-3 Lugansk
http://nevskii-bastion.ru/rtut-bm/ pic.twitter.com/cfot8QbQc2

DRONE VIDEO Volunteers uncovered Russian terrorist positions in Schastya.
http://www.ukrinform.ua/ukr/news/volonteri_rozkrili_pozitsiii_teroristiv_pid_shchas tyam_video_2038588 …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVqybDqe5wA …

Belsat in English @Belsat_Eng
#Lukashenka: No stability possible in #Ukraine without Americans
http://www.belsat.eu/en/articles/lukashenka-no-stability-possible-ukraine-without-americans/ …

In Kharkiv bridge near circus closed after bomb threat http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/1-april-in-kharkiv-bridge-near-circus-closed-after-bomb-threat … pic.twitter.com/8OTOlyQxRs

[OUTLAW 09]

Notice that Russia has repeatedly demanded an open and transparent MH17 investigation then they block the Dutch investigators from releasing in Russia a series of questions they needed to have answer.

Russ media ignored call (in Russian) for potential witnesses of #MH17 disaster. Not on TV nor in press http://s.trouw.nl/3939891

This is the fifth Russian “myth” to be released about who and or how MH17 was shot down—notice now it is US intelligence lies when Russia asked for the US to release any information they had on the downing:
RT headline "MH17 investigation going off in ‘wrong direction’ could embarrass ‘many powerful people" http://rt.com/op-edge/245441-mh17-us-intelligence-lies/ …

Millerovo military base http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/1-april-millerovo-military-base-- … pic.twitter.com/OvJ0ABCycM

Following The Tracks of a Russian Soldier. Part 2. Millerovo base https://en.informnapalm.org/following-the-tracks-of-a-russian-soldier-part-2-millerovo-base/ … via @en_informnapalm pic.twitter.com/vm2e75IZFc

[OUTLAW 09]

Militants launched most attacks at Artemivsk direction. Used 120mm mortar on Avdiivka https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/973918372618969 … pic.twitter.com/tZ47mI1EBc

NOTE: Artemivsk is the world’s largest weapons and munitions underground depot –from Soviet Army days—would not be surprised to see Russian troops and her mercenaries attempting to take it..

Thanks to #EU law, #Gazprom is crumbling. Now it's high time to deliver the final blow. My latest for @euobs https://euobserver.com/opinion/128201

How #Ukraine "rebels" rely on #Russians
Who are the Russian "volunteers" serving with pro-Russian rebel forces... http://fb.me/3slsKCwVD

First time mentioning of this alleged group—in Russian:
"Kharkiv guerillas" promising "hell in next 48 hours" http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/1-april-kharkiv-guerillas-promising-hell-in-next-48-hours … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSTNm13VE0w …

[OUTLAW 09]

General Staff: Most difficult situation near Avdiivka and Mariupol
http://www.unian.info/war/1062461-general-staff-most-difficult-situation-near-avdiivka-and-mariupol.html … pic.twitter.com/ZiXVCctu3E

Russian-Backed Forces Continue To Attack Key Fronts. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-408-russian-backed-forces-continue-to-attack-key-fronts/#7739 …

It's so hard to find good rebels these days. Russian cops arrest former Luhansk minister for defrauding Russian oil. https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/04/01/ukrainian-separatists-former-defense-minister-detained-in-st-petersburg …

#Footage
Regiment #Azov heavy armor base in #Mariupol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS6A0OGov1w …
#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/Ql9OrNNeJs

#Analysis #Map
The Ukr army moves two SA-11 #Buk systems away from #Donetsk city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij8F05CnX1Y …
pic.twitter.com/qEFDLRLUoU

Any idea why Ukraine removes its air defense systems from the front?
Fearing imminent offensive?!

Prepping to fall back to less exposed positions when the attack comes?

[OUTLAW 09]

"Shots on border between #Ukraine & #Transnistria. Kiev is afraid of a second front". http://bit.ly/19J3VKc #Ukraina pic.twitter.com/MWEnBRmlJq

#Ukraine says shooting at #Moldovan Border involved #Transnistrian guards.
Ukraine disproves allegations of... http://fb.me/7hfz2E9qF

'Sweet Couple' BAZ-6306 and Giatsint-B on the Border of Ukraine: https://en.informnapalm.org/sweet-couple-baz-6306-and-giatsint-b-on-the-border-of-ukraine/ … via @en_informnapalm pic.twitter.com/s0kgWrLPpK

Reports that representatives of #Russia|n FSB arrived at the frontline in eastern #Ukraine, preparing the offensive
http://nv.ua/ukraine/events/na-peredovye-pozicii-terroristov-pribyli-predstaviteli-fsb-gotovitsya-nastuplenie-shtab-ato-41816.html …

Russian #Luhansk vehicle not latest «Ртуть-БМ» (1Л262 ) EW-system, but mobile HF/VHF-station (Р-161Б)
pic.twitter.com/KJuxzSlcTn

Another Russian base/camp near Ukraine http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/1-april-another-russian-basecamp-near-ukraine- … pic.twitter.com/QO0l6QxWFV

Once again: #Ukraine needs mil. aid: Here’s When the Next Incursion Into Ukraine Could Happen http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/03/heres-when-next-incursion-ukraine-could-happen/108955/ …

Fighting continues near #Mariupol despite ceasefire http://uatoday.tv/politics/fighting-in-shyrokyne-418890.html … pic.twitter.com/Eb3DhMUxqU

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference the Dutch Investigation Team for the MH17 shot down released video yesterday:

Appears the Ukrainian State Security has identified one of the individuals on the tape who was talking about the Russian BUK in the Ukraine.

Russian Army Officer Recognized in #MH17 Prosecutor Tape
RT@StevenDerix 28 min.
http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/04/01/russische-legerofficier-herkend-op-justitietape-mh17/ … …

The Ukrainian SBU identified Sergey Petrovsky, an ex-GRU officer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVAOTWPmMM4 …

[OUTLAW 09]

What is now coming????????? This is a totally unscheduled meeting.

Putin Convenes Urgent Russian Security Council Meeting
16:53 (GMT)

President Vladimir Putin convened an urgent meeting of the Russian Security Council, TV Rain reported.

The agenda included the situation in Yemen, the talks in Lausanne about the Iranian nuclear program, the current situation in the southeast of Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk agreement, said presidential administration spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Also on the agent was the internal situation in Russia. The Security Council, chaired by Nikolai Patrushev, meets regularly to prepare decisions for the president.

Unusual as normally one of the main Russian mass media agencies usually makes a comment on what was discussed or decided -- along just general generic comments--but this time nothing has been released.

Silence is not a good thing--two main items being discussed were--the Iranian negotiations and eastern Ukraine/Minsk. Potentially also the massive rebuff of Putin's speech about the ME ie Yemen/Syria by the KSA FM.

[OUTLAW 09]

General Staff: Most difficult situation near Avdiivka and Mariupol
http://www.unian.info/war/1062461-general-staff-most-difficult-situation-near-avdiivka-and-mariupol.html … pic.twitter.com/ZiXVCctu3E

Russian-Backed Forces Continue To Attack Key Fronts. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-408-russian-backed-forces-continue-to-attack-key-fronts/#7739 …

It's so hard to find good rebels these days. Russian cops arrest former Luhansk minister for defrauding Russian oil. https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/04/01/ukrainian-separatists-former-defense-minister-detained-in-st-petersburg …

#Footage
Regiment #Azov heavy armor base in #Mariupol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS6A0OGov1w …
#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/Ql9OrNNeJs

#Analysis #Map
The Ukr army moves two SA-11 #Buk systems away from #Donetsk city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij8F05CnX1Y …
pic.twitter.com/qEFDLRLUoU

Any idea why Ukraine removes its air defense systems from the front?
Fearing imminent offensive?!

Prepping to fall back to less exposed positions when the attack comes?

After the last few days of Russian activity ie actual attacks, armed probes and shellings it has been relatively quiet today and into the evening.

Today several attacks were physically turned back and the UA maintained their control on the attacked locations.

All current Russian resupply and rearming efforts point to a Russian offensive as it would be impossbile for them to accept a full implementation of Minsk 2 with Ukrainian conducting free elections under Ukrainian election laws as well as the Ukraine and OSCE controlling the border to Russia in the occuppied regions especially after paying a rather high cost in manpower loses and wounded just to hang onto the occuppied regions which the mercenaries were on the verge of losing in August 2014.

They have actaully been forced into this move as they assumed they could "freeze" the Donbas and apply pressure on Kyiv but Kyiv has been rather successful in actually "freezing" Russia in place and forcing them to support financially Donetsk at a time when Russia has limited funds and tying up a greater portion of her professional military units in the Ukraine driving the estimated daily cost into the 20 to 35M USDs per day and that since August 2014.

The question tremains just how much will the Russian troops and her mercenaries attempt to take and what will the Western response be.

Will it be a total takeover of all the Donbas region inclduing Kharkiv, Mariupol and Odessa or a combination of the three cities or a push to go past the Donbas and physically threaten Kyiv as the Russian end goal of keeping the Ukraine out of the EU and NATO has not been working and if anything it has driven Ukrainian support for NATO into ever increasing approval ratings with a massive decrease in a positive view of Russia which was previously always high?

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian heavy equipment in a warehouse in #Debaltseve today.
pic.twitter.com/uGxUrBWfcd

Russian army to have more than 350,000 contract servicemen by year end http://tass.ru/en/russia/7861

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia threatens to use nuclear force over Crimea & Baltic states, plan to use ethnic Russians to destabilize Baltics http://ind.pn/1GhRzpf

#Putin Lies Again. Plans to annex #Crimea are far older than Putin's new documentary suggests.
http://www.interpretermag.com/putin-lies-again/ … pic.twitter.com/xArOAcjxaP

#Russia-backed militants well placed to launch a devastating offensive in #Ukraine very soon.
http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/03/heres-when-next-incursion-ukraine-could-happen/108955/ … pic.twitter.com/CTte0jgrph

Russia’s economic outlook worse than thought, World Bank says http://on.wsj.com/1Cwm7Rx

[OUTLAW 09]

#News
The @OSCE_SMM is in #Shyrokyne today so the Russian side stopped attacking. Last mortars fired at 3 am tonight.

NOTE: Russian supported mercenaries always seem to know when OSCE and where OSCE will be –before they themselves know it—23 members of the OSCE SMM are either Russian officers and or former Russian officers.

From retired General Clark:
Spot on accurate. #OSCE and Russian troops http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/03/heres-when-next-incursion-ukraine-could-happen/108955/ … pic.twitter.com/trnmRSksUQ

#Odessa #Ukraine: Security Service arrests 3 suspects for 10 bombings in the city. http://dumskaya.net/news/podrobnosti-zaderganiya-odesskih-bombistov-oni-s-045222/ … pic.twitter.com/XtvpdaWxyx

Fearing #Russia, growing numbers of Poles are joining volunteer paramilitary groups http://www.themoscowtimes.com/multimedia/photogalleries/fearing-russia-poland-arms-itself/5679.html … #poland pic.twitter.com/zApp4Rc8FU

One of the key Minsk 2 requirements was the immediate release of all POWs on BOTH sides—to this date the mercenaries that Russia back thus Russia is not in compliance and is in direct violation of Minsk 2.

POW cyborg commander from Donetsk airport still not releasedpic.twitter.com/RbzCBGH7GS

[OUTLAW 09]

#Donetsk direction stands as hottest, Avdiivka came under fire from 120-mm artillery, mortars https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/974473519230121 … pic.twitter.com/5vMoKBwTn7

TYPICAL Russian MH17 disinformation and myths and RT knows how to manipulate Youtube:
Type "MH17" into youtube and you get three RT documentaries, "MH17: What you're not being told" and faked sat photos. pic.twitter.com/PnSyG4xD1F
More from the Dutch MH17 investigation team released video:
.@StevenDerix found 'this little gem' about Petrovsky, GRU-officer recognised in #MH17 tapes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6TGhrGyMrM …
pic.twitter.com/lnX9TkgGAH

#Footage
Russian army BMP-97 - after Donbas now also in #Crimea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC5Z61lgoXk …
pic.twitter.com/uD7u3On8S4

Militants fire heavy artillery at Ukrainian forces ten times overnight
http://www.unian.info/war/1062750-militants-fire-heavy-artillery-at-ukrainian-forces-ten-times-overnight.html … pic.twitter.com/ABP9dKRNRt

Notice that while the western FMs are in Switzerland and not getting anywhere Russian troops and her supported mercenaries are busy violating Minsk 2 and nothing absolutely nothing is being said by the Us, France and or Germany.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia keeps closing itself from the rest of the world:

Incredible. New bill proposed by ruling party envisages monitoring of foreigners' social media, banning entry to RU for negative statements

Russian mercenaries being the Russia criminal elements they were inside Russia:

Separatist A. Zhuchkovsky from #Russia: separatists are selling humanitarian aid in #Donetsk and #Luhansk. http://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/2121276.html

Russia disinformation over the border shooting incident yesterday between the Ukraine and Transnistria—this is the same myth –the Ukrainians shell civilians that Russia has been throwing against the wall since August 2014 when in fact her mercenaries have been extensively shown to have been behind the shellings.

Now same Rus state TV channel claims #Ukraine border guards "have opened fire on the inhabitants of #Transnistria: http://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i_mire/content/201504021049-kf8o.htm …

Really badly done Russian MoD disinformation attempt:
#Russia MoD News Channel: Unknown tank in #Donbas!
so they photoshoped #Ukraine's coat of arms on a #US Abrams tank.pic.twitter.com/fS5lkWQsdE

Seems to be a Russian attempt to "prove" US has delivered weapons to the Ukraine.

[OUTLAW 09]

"...the Russian Orthodox Church is becoming more like an auxiliary government agency for ideology." > @kvoneggert http://dw.de/p/1F0ZB

Appears that yes even the Russian disinformation news agencies sometimes get their own story wires crossed—not the first time in the last ten days—they seem to be losing the plot and their focus in order to just crank out their daily numbers:

What now?
@tassagency_en Russia Consulate in Aden attacked by Houthi rebels

@RT_com Russia consulate in Aden damaged by coalition airstrikes

Here is the inherent contradiction in Russian accusation’s against the Ukraine which they claimed was a “Nazi junta” and “Nazi’s” were going to kill Russians in the Crimea and Ukraine—then they send Russian far right mercenaries and other neo Nazi groups (six different Russian far right groups to fight in eastern Ukraine and THEN this meeting—Russia seems to want it both ways:

What does the fascist conference in St. Petersburg tell us about contemporary Russia?http://anton-shekhovtsov.blogspot.no/2015/04/what-does-fascist-conference-in-st.html … pic.twitter.com/R7bcucKNpw

Igor Strelkov, "The Man Who Started the War in Ukraine"http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/the-ukraine-war-from-perspective-of-russian-nationalists-a-1023801.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Accusations that Aidar battalion seized a bakery aren't true. Soldiers on their positions; those marauding have no relation to battalion.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Militants disguise as UA soldiers. #DPR and #LPR textile enterprises got samples of UA mil chevrons, preparing provocations vs civilians

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Another group detained in #Dnipropetrovsk who were promised funding from RU Communist Party for organizing terrorist acts

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
SBU uncovered large arms arsenal with explosives in #Kurakhove, Donetsk region pic.twitter.com/DxGfVyWqb2

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
UA counter-intelligence detained #DPR informer who gathered intel on Ukrainian forces pic.twitter.com/eH2Mj1RR0w

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Precisely these RU forces were used as barrier squads during the battle for #Debaltseve. Now they liquidate disobedient militants.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Internal skirmishes escalate in #KrasnyuLuch, Luhansk region. RU forces attacked by unknown group of insurgents.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
1,500 RU military advisors train pro-RU mercenaries on 6 firing ranges on occupied territories of #Donetsk & #Luhansk regions

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian Armed Forces fought off RU-backed insurgents by #Zolote, Luhansk region

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
#DPR covertly relocate its weapons along the contact line in the area of #Maryinka & #Kurakhove

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Pro-Russian militants used tanks and the artillery against the Ukrainian troops based near #Avdiivka

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
#Avdiivka: major hotspot yesterday. Around 50% ceasefire violations in #Donetsk airport area.

[OUTLAW 09]

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lukashevich: On April 10, Sergey Lavrov will hold the annual meeting of #Russian #NGOs that specialise in foreign affairs

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lukashevich: Settlement of the #Ukraine conflict, implementation of the February 12 Minsk Agreements will be discussed, among other things

Garry KASPAROV: “Putin is using the Minsk Accords as a smoke screen” | The Day newspaper http://www.day.kiev.ua/en/article/economy/garry-kasparov-putin-using-minsk-accords-smoke-screen …

[OUTLAW 09]

Still have not seen the mainstream western media pick up on this particular Russian nuclear threat against the US and NATO.

I have been saying since the Crimea--- Putin and his inner circle of advisors have been basically "trapped" by their own propaganda since 2002 which is inherently dangerous why--when a leader who has a nuclear button "loses" touch with reality then it makes a misstep into war that much easier as he can no longer effectively make rational decisions--his decision making becomes then a reflect based on his own biases which are "colored" by the propaganda .

John Schindler @20committee
“Russia will use its nuclear weapons against NATO.” Stop fighting about pizza in Indiana for a couple minutes here. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/putin-try-to-take-crimea-away-and-i-will-give-you-a-nuclear-war/story-fnb64oi6-1227289725875 …

John Schindler @20committee
ICYMI: Kremlin threatened US/NATO with nuclear war over Crimea, Baltics. Kinda important. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/putin-try-to-take-crimea-away-and-i-will-give-you-a-nuclear-war/story-fnb64oi6-1227289725875 …

At Elbe Group mtg, RU interlocutors were on-message, reflecting how Putin & Kremlin actually think. That top US reps were surprised.....UGH.

"US party @ Elbe Group talks appears to have been surprised to discover RU scty experts believe the US is bent on destroying their country."

John Schindler @20committee
"Russia regards US as ailing superpower trying 2 create crisis situations 2 preserve its position of strategic superiority around the world"

[OUTLAW 09]

Still have not seen the mainstream western media pick up on this particular Russian nuclear threat against the US and NATO.

I have been saying since the Crimea--- Putin and his inner circle of advisors have been basically "trapped" by their own propaganda since 2002 which is inherently dangerous why--when a leader who has a nuclear button "loses" touch with reality then it makes a misstep into war that much easier as he can no longer effectively make rational decisions--his decision making becomes then a reflect based on his own biases which are "colored" by the propaganda .

John Schindler @20committee
“Russia will use its nuclear weapons against NATO.” Stop fighting about pizza in Indiana for a couple minutes here. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/putin-try-to-take-crimea-away-and-i-will-give-you-a-nuclear-war/story-fnb64oi6-1227289725875 …

John Schindler @20committee
ICYMI: Kremlin threatened US/NATO with nuclear war over Crimea, Baltics. Kinda important. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/putin-try-to-take-crimea-away-and-i-will-give-you-a-nuclear-war/story-fnb64oi6-1227289725875 …

At Elbe Group mtg, RU interlocutors were on-message, reflecting how Putin & Kremlin actually think. That top US reps were surprised.....UGH.

"US party @ Elbe Group talks appears to have been surprised to discover RU scty experts believe the US is bent on destroying their country."

John Schindler @20committee
"Russia regards US as ailing superpower trying 2 create crisis situations 2 preserve its position of strategic superiority around the world"

Typical Russian disinformation moves—first they actually release the threat and then they deny they released the threat:

Apocalypse a bit later: The meaning of Putin’s nuclear threats. Brookings 1 Apr http://brook.gs/1P2l16I

Russia denies threatening use of nuclear weapons - http://China.org.cn http://on.china.cn/1FljWBi

BUT they did:
Russia Did Not Threaten West With Nukes to Protect Crimea – Kremlin / Sputnik (ie Kremlin) International http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150402/1020357197.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian COL in eastern Ukraine identified along with his GRU bodyguard:
Russian colonel Pan'kov and his GRU bodyguard identified in #Donbass http://fb.me/1ZFtDEfyu

Ukraine Claims More Russian Troops Have Arrived In Donetsk As Attacks Continue To The North http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-409-more-russian-troops-claimed-to-arrive-in-donetsk-as-attacks-continue-to-the-north/#7757 … pic.twitter.com/q5531fysv2

Perfect example of the Russian media being in “an altered state of reality as well”:
This particular Russian graveyard for those unknown killed in fighting in the Ukraine has been identified as well from sat photos and geo tagged BUT to the Russia media it did not exist????

Gazeta.ru Reporter Investigates Rostov Cemetery; Finds No New Mass Graves of Russian Soldiers
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-april-2-2015/#7756 … pic.twitter.com/VbZnN38EA1

#Russia’s new #military doctrine requires coordination with #Belarus". http://tass.ru/en/world/768187 #CSTO pic.twitter.com/jTSchUMy8w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-4igAC9d9Y … #Russia's Prokhanov, a #NorthKorea buff, pornifies #Russian-#Ukrainian "civil war." pic.twitter.com/UP5gwnjUE

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian military says militants are secretly relocating heavy weapons http://24today.net/open/364127 pic.twitter.com/TSKg1z27TP

This report says former DNR leader Alexander Borodai says Mariupol wasn't captured bc Akhmetov needs it for exports. http://www.ostro.org/general/society/news/467592/ …

Now more Russian disinformation focusing on the Ukraine as a whole—sometimes it borders on the “altered state of reality” levels:

Director, Russ. Inst. Strategic Studies: Spring/summer Donbas war highly likely. Predicts decay/collapse of Ukraine.http://www.materik.ru/rubric/detail.php?ID=19895

Important: Dir. RISS, reports to Ivanov: makes clear strategy shift to Russ NGOs. 'On direct orders of President.' Baltics?

Again it is the Ukraine’s fault more Russian disinformation or outright lies:
Not just lies, but threatening words by @DRogozin: "Ukraine is whipping up tensions on its border w/ Transnistria". Russian OCCUPIED Moldova

[OUTLAW 09]

Proof that US was warned about potential Russian aggression against Ukraine and asked to prepare. Note pts 3 and 4. https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09WARSAW1164_a.html …

US was warned about Russian threat to Crimea in 2009 http://www.unian.info/politics/1063011-us-was-warned-about-russian-threat-to-crimea-in-2009.html …

Old man after "DNR" shelled his farm house in #Sopyne near Shyrokyne:
"Russian bastards!"
http://censor.net.ua/video_news/331129/pyat_snaryadov_zaletelo_ne_nashi_strelyali_a_eti_i dioty_russkie_svolochi_rossiyiskie_boeviki_obstrel yali … pic.twitter.com/bdYlM7LGgG

When Russia news media are ever in doubt—blame the US:
From Kremlin's SputnikNews French site: "Did the US bring down the German A320?" When in doubt, blame the US/CIA/NATO http://fr.sputniknews.com/points_de_vue/20150401/1015437372.html?utm_source=t.co%2F9jm9avHWZf&utm_medium=short_url&utm_content=aS9&utm_campaign=URL_shortening …

[OUTLAW 09]

This is the actions of a Russia that claimed when they annexed Crimea “they would protect the Crimean Tartars as they have been massively mistreated, tortured and then deported by Stalin—well so much for Russian “statements”. Was not this the reason Russia “claimed” was the main reason for going into the Crimea and eastern Ukraine in the first place “to protect ethnic Russians”?

Russia closes last #Crimea Tatar TV station. #Russia-backed PM accuses station of "intentionally" closing itself. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/world/europe/russia-shuts-down-tv-station-serving-crimean-tatars.html?_r=0 …

Crimean Tartars tried four times to get the necessary reregistration done for their ATR TV but the "Russians failed to respond a single time".

A number of Crimean Tartars have been tortured, killed and or simply disappeared after Russian annexation and the son of the Tartar leader has been jailed in an attempt in blackmail his father into cooperating with the Russians.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian-terrorist forces attack Pisky under Donetsk with mortars and infantry - OUN battalion
https://www.facebook.com/euromaidanpr/posts/381664718684003 …

Russian 9S737 "Ranzhir" mobile command centre for anti-aircraft battery (eg Tunguska, Strela-10) in Luhansk 31 March pic.twitter.com/9xbvq2Oync

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Illustrates Moscow's Foreign Policy Objectives in Syria, Yemen, Ukraine & Beyond http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-april-2-2015/#7760 …

Russians view "NATO troop deployments in eastern Europe & the Balkans" as "particularly dangerous" for nuclear powershttp://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/report-russia-makes-nuclear-threats-to-the-baltics-and-nato …

Terrorists shot dead Russian soldiers, who stood blocking detachments in #Debaltseve - intell pic.twitter.com/dsO4mbVKYw http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/2-april-terrorists-shot-dead-russian-soldiers-who-stood-blocking …

300 Russian soldiers arrived to Donetsk from Ulan-Ude - ATO headquartershttp://en.censor.net.ua/n331046

Russians torture & mock their POWs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRyvQbNrgb0 …

"Russian equipment is regularly coming over. Russian units are regularly coming over."http://bit.ly/1xy4CBg pic.twitter.com/4irogh4YnW

[OUTLAW 09]

Ivan Sukhov: "...ever since 1991, Russia's image has always taken precedence over its reality." http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/518550.html …

Is Russia a Kamikaze Country?
By Ivan Sukhov
Apr. 02 2015 18:57
Last edited 18:58


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov played an active role in the negotiations between the six world powers and Iran. That is one tool Kremlin strategists can use to pretend that things are not so bad, to create the illusion that Russia is still an important and respected player in the international arena — influencing the resolution of global problems.

Meanwhile, Russians are breathing an almost audible sigh of relief as they see the value of the ruble gradually climbing upward again. Of course, the exchange rate is not as good as it was a year ago, but it is still much better than a month ago, and hopefully, they think, everything will return to normal soon.

That hope that the situation will somehow normalize without any serious effort on Moscow's part shows that Russia is now, more than ever before, a victim of wishful thinking.

In fact, this question of which is more important — Russia's image or its reality — has quietly become the most pressing issue of the day. In fact, ever since 1991, Russia's image has always taken precedence over its reality.

Russian leaders think they have duped the rest of the world into believing the illusions that they themselves have long taken as fact.

The main illusion that the Kremlin has attempted to foist on the Russian people and the world is that Russia is somehow the Soviet Union in new garb, and that as such, it has not only the power, but also the privilege to settle any questions arising on former Soviet territory.

It remains a mystery as to how much of that tale Kremlin officials actually believe, and how much is intended for public consumption.

That distorted perception of Russia and the world stems directly from the early 1990s. For the first few years after 1991, Russian officialdom interpreted the Soviet collapse as the result of a democratic revolution.

That burgeoning Russian democracy ostensibly inherited the legal, financial and nuclear structures of the Soviet Union and even had to shell its own parliament building with tanks in 1993 to weather the political storm threatening its survival. From the rubble of that conflict arose the Russian Constitution, still in force today and presented to the world as a charter of democracy.

There are now two prevailing points of view in Russia concerning democracy. The first is that democracy is absolute evil and that it was the advocates of democracy who brought down the Soviet Union.

The second is that democracy is not so bad, but that the way it was implemented during the early post-Soviet period discredited it in the eyes of many Russians.

Characteristically, those holding the latter point of view are often the same people who did everything in their power to discredit democracy during the 1990s and 2000s. They deceptively referred to the Soviet collapse as a "democratic revolution" when, if it was a revolution at all, it was more a revolution of government bureaucrats who got rid of bothersome Soviet controls by dismantling the entire Soviet Union — with the silent and passive citizenry looking on.

And after 1991, they referred to that citizenry as "civil society" to keep Western observers from guessing that they intended to trample on the reforms initiated by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. These were people who had not participated in anything themselves, but who associated that supposedly democratic government with the horrors that caused the collapse of the Soviet Union.

From the very beginning, post-Soviet Russia tried to appear to its citizens, its neighbors and even to itself as something that it was not. By indulging in this game of mimicry, leaders missed the moment when the new country needed to understand the reason it had come into being, for whom it would serve as a home and refuge, and what goals would guide it into the future.

When a new country appears in the place of an older one, a window of political opportunity opens. However, it cannot remain open as long as 25 years.

Russia used that time to engage in a strange role-playing game, trying to act as both a democracy and as the successor to the Soviet Union, on one hand denying the Soviet legacy, and on the other perpetuating it.

However, something went wrong, and now it is clear that, unlike the Soviet Union, modern Russia has no ideas to offer.

At first it seemed like technocratic chic: after years of Soviet ideological intoxication, to have the luxury of not thinking about any ideas at all. Then it turned out that without some form of national idea, nothing would work. However, new ideas arise only after a country has undertaken the gargantuan task of understanding itself and the hard reality of its history.
Russia is still avoiding that work. All of the ideas that today's officials pull out of their hats are from the same bag of tricks that Soviet leaders, and before them the tsars, first conjured up.

Of course, the West does not take a very fond view of Russia.

Anyone not viewing this country through the prison window of state-controlled Russian television sees all too clearly Moscow's ridiculous attempts to hide its lack of a meaningful national agenda with its pretentious facade of Olympic Games, wars in Georgia and the Donbass, the annexation of Crimea, the ostentatious attempts to settle the Syria problem and its participation in six world powers negotiating with Iran on its nuclear program.

This is not a new Cold War — but not because Russia still acts as a relatively equal partner in certain international structures. This is not a new Cold War because it is obvious to everyone outside of Russia that this country has spent a quarter of a century fruitlessly pondering whether it wants to break with its Soviet past or return to it, that it has no heart, mind or means for waging a confrontation with the West that would revive the bipolar world of the past.

This does not mean, however, that the West should dismiss Russia as a potential threat. At a conference in Moscow last week devoted to the question of whether a new Cold War had begun, one Russian political analyst compared the Russian state to a suicide bomber.

He argued that Moscow suffers from an anxiety complex stemming from the realization that the country will either collapse or find itself hopelessly far behind Western levels of development, and that this has prompted leaders to ever more frequently hint at using its nuclear weapons in a last-ditch effort to assert its right to exist.

Russia and the West must find an escape from this dangerous deadlock.

And yet Moscow leaders continue pretending that nothing unusual is happening: Foreign Minister Lavrov casually speaks about Iran and everyone watches as the ruble strengthens to 58 against the dollar.

In the end, Russia's leaders know they have a nuclear button, and that if this country cannot — or will not — solve its problems any other way, it can always opt out of the game by triggering global Armageddon.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Southern MD Special units received another batch of #Kamaz 63968 #Typhoon read http://bit.ly/1yyxFzQ pic.twitter.com/wqfxTCDCXm

Here Russian defence ministry channel lies about US-made hardware deployed in Eastern Ukraine http://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i_mire/content/201504021023-chms.htm …

New report by International Crisis Group : The #Ukraine Crisis: Risks of Renewed Military Conflict after Minsk II http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/europe/ukraine/b073-the-ukraine-crisis-risks-of-renewed-military-conflict-after-minsk-ii.aspx …

Battle for East #Ukraine: Russian-backed militants violate ceasefire again near Donetsk http://uatoday.tv/politics/battle-for-east-ukraine-russian-backed-militants-violate-ceasefire-again-near-donetsk-419253.html …

Militants plan provocations: to mine passenger buses heading from occupied areas to #Mariupol and blame it on Ukr mil http://donoda.gov.ua/?lang=ru&sec=02.07.09&iface=Public&cmd=view&args=id:25623 …

ATO staff: Militants preparing a bloody provocation - mining buses towards Mariupol and Berdyanske http://www.ostro.org/general/society/news/467660/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter …

[OUTLAW 09]

Unusual activity by two Russian Generals inside eastern Ukraine---both Generals are members of the OSCE SMM/JCCC.

BOTH are currently AWOL from the Ukraine-----

Both have actually disappeared from any reporting in the last two days ie no photos nor press conferences etc.

THEN this late today

Our understanding (based on Mariupol rumint) is that #OSCE_SMM has "lost sight" of both Vyaznikov and Lentsov. Commanders meeting in Rostov?

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia just keeps on escalating their threats------

1. nuclear threats against the Baltics

NOW threats against Romania-----

BREAKING: RUSSIAN MFA: "ROMANIA MUST BE AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF BUILDING NATO CAPABILITIES ON ITS TERRITORY"http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-international-19817493-ministerul-rus-externe-romania-trebuie-fie-constienta-consecintele-suplimentarii-capacitatilor-nato-teritoriul-sau.htm …

AND then Estonia----

Russian Paratroopers building fortifications near Estonian border today "we prepare for war" https://twitter.com/nordalin/status/583653118023442432 …

Russian air-borne troops building fortifications on the border w Estonia - "preparing for war" pic.twitter.com/E8BJLG8Nq7 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/2-april-russian-airborne-troops-building-fortifications-on …

[OUTLAW 09]

Fantastic new article from one of the best (@askai707) on Russian tanks, weapons, and soldiers in Debaltseve in Feb.
http://sled-vzayt.livejournal.com/2099.html

When #Russia attacks the Baltic states, nobody will help, says @noclador. Harsh realities&Western betrayals to comehttp://euromaidanpress.com/2015/04/02/harsh-realities-and-western-betrayals-to-come/ …

#Putin hybrid war in #Balticstates: #Lithuania calls for #EU unity amid #Russia|n cyberattackshttp://www.ibtimes.co.uk/vladimir-putin-hybrid-war-baltics-lithuania-calls-eu-unity-amid-russian-cyberattacks-1494820 … pic.twitter.com/JcDIgHa44Z

Volunteer engineers of #Mykolayiv made a drone for 79th brigade @ expense of locals' donations http://nikvesti.com/news/public/67484 … pic.twitter.com/7oDo7Zf5H3

#Artemivsk April 1
Russians shelled the city outskirts with 152-mm Howitzers (which they've pulled back, of course). pic.twitter.com/8weEg3dTlE

Even Taco Bell seems more in tune w/direction of Putin's Russia than Obama. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/taco-bell-portrays-mcdonalds-communist-society-new-ad-campaign/ …

#Mariupol mayor -Fortifications need to be built immediately around city http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://interfax.com.ua/&prev=search … pic.twitter.com/c5iuvx58Jl

Oligarch Rinat #Akhmetov and Donetsk terrorists have cooperation agreement--former #DNR "prime minister."http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/04/02/akhmetov-cooperating-with-donbas-terrorists-dnr-leader/ …

[Bill Moore]

Outlaw,

I think I grabbed this from one of your numerous links. In my words, Russia's ability to mobilize quickly presents an OODA loop challenge to the bureaucratic NATO decision making process. There is more involved in deterring Russia than investing more in defense, NATO needs to reform its decision making process.

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/the-nato-russia-exercise-gap


By demonstrating an ability to mobilize so quickly in Kaliningrad, Moscow further validated Central European concerns over the potential for Russia to launch a sudden strike for limited territorial gain. Such a swift attack could establish a fait accompli before NATO decision-makers convened to agree on what had transpired and how to respond.


The speed in which Russia mobilizes its military exercises may be even more troubling than their size. In order to restore deterrence in Europe, NATO must balance both.

[OUTLAW 09]

Outlaw,

I think I grabbed this from one of your numerous links. In my words, Russia's ability to mobilize quickly presents an OODA loop challenge to the bureaucratic NATO decision making process. There is more involved in deterring Russia than investing more in defense, NATO needs to reform its decision making process.

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/the-nato-russia-exercise-gap

Bill---now do you see why I have said for a long time now Putin is far more dangerous for us than any black flag wavers.

If you go back and Google Russian exercises held just before the August 2014 Ukrainian invasion you will see that the entire Russian military held in the far east a complete run of an invasion of a mid sized nation ie say a Poland or a Baltic and potentially a Bulgaria and or Romania--all services were exercised with 65K, then just in the last weeks they exercised 80K.

By the way in complete disregard of the Vienna Convention and OSCE registering and monitoring requirements and they moved tactical capable nuclear missiles into Kaliningrad and Crimea with no notice.

When it comes to speed NATO cannot match the current Russian professional units--not their conscripted units--but these are their elite units and their Spetsnaz and GRU units.

AND the worst fear of the Cold War has been realized--meaning they are now fully capable of going out of a laid back garrison mode straight to attack with little to no warning.

If Breedlove was correct with his recent comments NATO and the US did not even have Indications and Warnings in place for both events --hybrid and conventional attack--and that alone is a massive failure on the part of the current IC and depicts an IC focused on GWOT and nothing else.

Right now two things are a problem ---the unusual series of threats issued by Russia against the Baltics, Estonia and today Romania and the disappearance of the two Russian Generals assigned to the JCCC and OSCE SMM.

Over the year I have come to the conclusion based on Putin and his military actions--he has ditched the MAD concept and his is willing to now I believe actually confront NATO militarily.

Putin has now become a true loose cannon which believes his own propaganda and that is dangerous as he does not fully understand the reality around him making 1914 potentially possible.

[Bill Moore]

Bill---now do you see why I have said for a long time now Putin is far more dangerous for us than any black flag wavers.

It isn't one or the other, both threats must be dealt with. Both are serious, but serious in different ways, and need different approaches. Russia clearly has the most potential to launch WMDs and shatter the post WWII peace in Europe. In addition to massive destruction and death, the global economy will also take a major hit.

Just saw a news clip where LTG Tovo (Deputy CDR) USSOCOM was testifying on growing Russian influence in South and Central America. So much for a post Cold War peace, it was little more than an illusion to begin with.

[OUTLAW 09]

It isn't one or the other, both threats must be dealt with. Both are serious, but serious in different ways, and need different approaches. Russia clearly has the most potential to launch WMDs and shatter the post WWII peace in Europe. In addition to massive destruction and death, the global economy will also take a major hit.

Just saw a news clip where LTG Tovo (Deputy CDR) USSOCOM was testifying on growing Russian influence in South and Central America. So much for a post Cold War peace, it was little more than an illusion to begin with.

Bill--fully agree that the post Cold War era is now formally dead.

What bothers me is that Russia appears to be on a irrational path--vs say IS that if one really looks at every move they make it is calculated to the ten degree of possible outcomes--why they simply do not have the manpower and must maximize every move.

Take a look at their tactical strategy on the ground alone in Tikrit--heavy use of IEDs, forced the US and the Iraqi's to attack and destroy Tikrit causing further Sunni alienation, and against a force of 30K plus air they had on the ground no more than 400 and Tikrit is still in some spots under IS control regardless of what the ISF says--if that is not force maximum I do not know what it.

On the other hand take Russia-before the crash of the oil price and further crashes over the next few days due to the Iranian negotiations Russia could have effectively brought the Ukraine under full sway just via economics and their deep economic ties--but why did they not go that route is the puzzlement I have and honesty it is a puzzlement.

Instead they selected the non linear approach and practically full scale metal on metal almost as it they wanted to "punish a child for misbehaving".

Instead it whiplashed back on them and they then had to go further down the selected path and passed literally the point of no return or what Obama called "exits" four times and did not realize it as they are literally kept going on the selected path.

Talk of inflexibility--then they when they woke up started the series of nuclear threats as that is about the only thing they have left in their decision making arsenal that impress people.

But making that shift ie clearly abandoning MAD and the ability to launch a full scale steel on steel attack is what makes them for me far more dangerous than anything IS has thrown at us which is one looks at them is not outside of their clearly defined "Caliphate" from al Baghdadi's first mosque speech in Mosul.

While their activities in Central/South American are a problem it is usually tied around their AF--right now the Russian Navy is definitely not a "blue water" navy nor will it be until about 2030 as they have started a rebuild program that is being hit now by their lack of a home based solid shipbuilding industry (yes their can produce subs but somehow surface ships are alluding them) and a serious lack of funds---all of their modern gas turbines by the way for their three newest surface ships come actually from the Ukraine of all places and construction has been halted for exactly that reason.

Social media response to the Russian nuclear threats who probably right now understands every Russian move better than the Obama NSC:

When Kremlin publicly denies nuclear showdown, we should REALLY start to get worried. They always say the opposite. pic.twitter.com/9MLG3aDtEl

#Kremlin denies #Russia gearing up for #nuclear showdown with West http://ow.ly/L8s8h pic.twitter.com/zzspClkvV1




.

[OUTLAW 09]

Breaking news on the shot down of MH17 today out of Moscow—the power of open source social media efforts to get the Dutch investigative teams video widely distributed—NOTICE not much of the Dutch video was ever reported in the mainstream western media.

Immediately after the video release the Ukrainian SBU was able to identify the individual in the intercepted cell call concerning the bringing in of the Russian BUK and crew.

Oleg Bugrov, who was involved with MH17 Buk intercepted calls, arrested in Russia https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/04/01/ukrainian-separatists-former-defense-minister-detained-in-st-petersburg … https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=45&v=MVAOTWPmMM4 …

Maybe 'arrest' of Oleg Bugrov has somewthing to do with Dutch request for witnesses? They are closing in on offenders pic.twitter.com/STUv6drJ9V

[OUTLAW 09]

Here is just how Russia then the SU runs from its historical past---they took over the eastern portion of Poland in 1939 under the guise of “protecting ethnic nationalities—and surprise surprise—Ukrainians” all the while never revealing the secret protocol of the Ribbentrop Malenkov agreement.

75 years ago today Stalin's Soviet Union began murdering 22,000 Polish POWs: http://www.rferl.org/media/photogallery/by-the-number-march-2015/26881377.html … pic.twitter.com/r3t7qVj44M”

[OUTLAW 09]

"USA is OK." Azov Battalion's "Kharkiv" & "Croat" troll Russia's propaganda machine, pose as US troops in #Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5hIynVcKRo …

LOL: USA = OK. American soldiers fighting in Ukraine finally exposed. Russian propaganda was right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5hIynVcKRo …

VIDEO In one of the defensive trenches near #Mariupol #Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbQaqfZ3TfQ … w supp Croatian volunteers pic.twitter.com/DyqDfmtDFw

Security Service #Ukraine arrested ex-minister of '#Lugansk People’s Republic'
http://lugansk-news.com/security-service-of-ukraine-arrested-ex-minister-of-so-called-lugansk-peoples-republic/ … pic.twitter.com/JgooTfoLnt

[OUTLAW 09]

#Ukraine's military says 1,500 Russian special forces are training mercenaries in Rostov region, #Russia. pic.twitter.com/01fs6npIZH

The General is very pleased." Training and fighting: v good @NatVasilyevaAP on the Russian role in E Ukraine. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/df1222f1070a41f19dc649571a06b057/russias-role-ukraine-seen-shifting-training-rebels …

Alexei, Debaltseve: "I'm not going to hide it: Russians were here. They went in and left quickly."

Nataliya Vasilyeva @NatVasilyevaAP
Andrei, outside Luhansk: "If they hadn't gone in (to Debaltseve), I don't know what we would have done."

Between Pavlopil-Shyrokyne militants form antitank fire groups, are reinforced w Fagot anti-t guided missiles, SPG-9 https://www.facebook.com/dmitry.tymchuk/posts/673873962741262 …

Radical communist group that made 10 terrorist attacks in #Odessa neutralized. Read details at http://lugansk-news.com/terrorist-communist-group-neutralized-in-odessa-by-security-service-of-ukraine/ … pic.twitter.com/vptwrWZg1C

Civil construction teams from #Odesa and #Volyn regions will build fortifications in #Mariupol, military will oversee http://marsovet.org.ua/news/show/id/8825 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Peace is over for Sweden. Sharp, disturbing article by @noclador on Swedish #defence, #Russia, the island of #Gotland http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/04/03/sweden/ …

Leonid Ragozin @leonidragozin
Here is a Russian website dedicated to Kremlin's war on theatres http://www.stopartcensura.com

2 engagements in #Donetsk area last night: near Novhorodske, Dutovka mine. Attacks repelled https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/974944159183057 … pic.twitter.com/f1R9LY1elS

List of key traits to help spot a fake report.pic.twitter.com/uREAejOGf4
via @StopFakingNews

Great site for Russian news in English:
The Interpreter @Interpreter_Mag
Russia Update: April 3, 2015 http://goo.gl/MQqKAF

[OUTLAW 09]

And that great Gazprom pipeline to China that Putin so touted recently during his China visit is costing and costing and costing—will impact eventually what Putin wants to spend for his military:

'Siberian Strength' gas pipeline to China could cost 1 trln rubles, says @vedomosti http://www.vedomosti.ru/business/articles/2015/04/03/stoimost-sili-sibiri-mozhet-previsit-1-trln-rub#.VR5XB1I5ENg.twitter …

Solid site for Ukrainian information in English:
UkraineInvestigation @uainvestigation
http://ukraineinvestigation.com/empty-streets-and-ruins-in-the-occupied-donetsk-photo/

Interesting comment from US journalist about European media in general:
Anne Applebaum
‏@anneapplebaum In most of EU, media is weak, poor, easily manipulated. That, and not quality of Russia Today, is why Russian disinformation spreads easily.

[davidbfpo]

Whilst Outlaw09 clearly posts a lot, too often for some, Forum readers have visited this thread 3,300 times in the last week. Which is good going when sometimes the "doldrums" affect us.

Now just who those readers are I've no idea. Perhaps they are all @ SHAPE!

[OUTLAW 09]

#Footage
Russian invaders happy, they downed an Ukrainian quadrocopter drone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe6ByUZoEFE …
#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/FTTpYwhjK9

Kasparov: Some EU leaders linked to Russian money
http://www.unian.info/world/1063295-kasparov-some-eu-leaders-linked-to-russian-money.html … pic.twitter.com/H7tEYKRHjE

SACEUR Commander:
Phil Breedlove @PMBreedlove
Excellent report about the current Russian training efforts in #Ukraine
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/df1222f1070a41f19dc649571a06b057/russias-role-ukraine-seen-shifting-training-rebels#

US learning about effectiveness of own counter-mortar radars in Ukraine & capabilities of Russian EW systems. http://www.dodbuzz.com/2015/04/01/us-army-eyes-ukraine-conflict-for-intel-on-russian-military-technology/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Footage
Russian BTR-80 "firing at the front in #Shyrokyne".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SlDlMk8m-A …

#Analysis #Map
4 destroyed Ukrainian & Russian armored vehicles at the E exit of #Vuhlehirsk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utoNtGVQamY … pic.twitter.com/DxbFHp5bGj

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian banking workers donated drugs and medical equipment to one of the Special Forces regiments & mil hospital pic.twitter.com/CqFeUGNxRy

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
#Donetsk police investigates killing of "Sokil" battalion policeman. His killer, Mykola Hrynenko, was trained in Rostov, Russia.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
SBU detained militant in #Kharkiv region who joined pro-RU forces in #Sloviansk last year. Promised good pay – didn't get a penny.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
#DPR militants search for pro-Ukrainian activists in #Donetsk

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
UA intelligence confirms that #DPR militants steal humanitarian aid delivered as a relief to Donbas civilians

The #Russian_Army stopped painting its fuel trucks orange,it seems
#Luhansk #Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH8iu_XK5hI … pic.twitter.com/F1bB6k7fcZ

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Pro-Russian militants continues instigating armed provocations against UA forces

[OUTLAW 09]

Welcome back 2d dark age!
"Traitors of the Donetsk People's Republic will be hung by the legs in front of the post."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-cS08vN2B4 …

World Affairs: #Russia expected to escalate war in #Ukraine soon
http://uatoday.tv/news/world-affairs-russia-expected-to-escalate-war-in-ukraine-soon-419351.html … pic.twitter.com/FHI3nEVGIo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TuQmPJ1cwQ … In #Russia-held #Stakhanov, pro-#Russian workers say Russia won't buy their railcars. Guess who they blame? #Ukraine

To #OSCE attention! Warehouse in #Debaltseve,E #Ukraine. #Russian tanks & SPGs get lost there https://www.facebook.com/rostyslav.demchuk/posts/626463760830967 … pic.twitter.com/ctTNCWdjiu

Russian military near Novocherkassk, Rostov region http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/3-april-russian-military-near-novocherkassk-rostov-region … pic.twitter.com/ScFsuBQlrh

Foreign Affairs ✔ @ForeignAffairs
Russia and Chechnya are once again facing off -- this time in Ukraine. http://ow.ly/L9tVh pic.twitter.com/xf5d6kk67T

[OUTLAW 09]

First social network analysis (SNA) I have seen done on the Russian Twitter bot campaign which has been needless to say massive and is the core of the Russian "informational conflict".

A really well done SNA depicts the depth of the Russian informational conflict abilities that the West just does not seem to fully understand and the various attempts ie NATO/EU or the Ukraine will never be able to address as there needs to be a centralized control system much as the Russians do it and that will never happen in the West--and the Russians work on speed and volume--certainly not on quality.

A SNA on say the news agency side of the Russian informational conflict would be as interesting in depicting how the Russian manipulate the 24 hour news cycle and how a fake report is placed in order to get picked up into that news cycle by the unsuspecting western mainstream media.

Social Network Analysis Reveals Full Scale of #Kremlin's Twitter Bot Campaign http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/04/02/analyzing-kremlin-twitter-bots/

[OUTLAW 09]

First social network analysis (SNA) I have seen done on the Russian Twitter bot campaign which has been needless to say massive and is the core of the Russian "informational conflict".

A really well done SNA depicts the depth of the Russian informational conflict abilities that the West just does not seem to fully understand and the various attempts ie NATO/EU or the Ukraine will never be able to address as there needs to be a centralized control system much as the Russians do it and that will never happen in the West--and the Russians work on speed and volume--certainly not on quality.

A SNA on say the news agency side of the Russian informational conflict would be as interesting in depicting how the Russian manipulate the 24 hour news cycle and how a fake report is placed in order to get picked up into that news cycle by the unsuspecting western mainstream media.

Social Network Analysis Reveals Full Scale of #Kremlin's Twitter Bot Campaign http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/04/02/analyzing-kremlin-twitter-bots/

This even got picked up in Russia:

Vedomosti covers @runetecho bot story! RT @Vedomosti: Число "кремлеботов" оценили в 20 000 http://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/articles/2015/04/03/issledovatel-otsenil-chislo-kremlebotov-v-20-000 … pic.twitter.com/JXHpITPrvk

Russian propagandists busted attempting to manipulate the truth using 'Twitter bots'. These guys just don't give up.

[OUTLAW 09]

More Russian disinformation and or outright lies:--now focusing harder on the US as the "principle enemy" and the cause of all of Russia's problems:

MID says US "rolling out Russophobic tales", "portraying Russia as enemy", promoting "hatred of everything Russian" http://www.mid.ru/brp_4.nsf/newsline/FDC1824E6E7D968A43257E1C00384920 …

Russia BS continues, "USA is preparing to seize #Crimea " http://inforesist.org/rossijskie-smi-shokirovali-zayavleniem-chto-ssha-gotovyatsya-zaxvatit-krym/?_utl_t=fb … pic.twitter.com/M5FIcTqzTM

Russian OSCE envoy say West has to accept there are no Russian troops in east Ukraine http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/3-april-russian-osce-envoy-say-west-has-to-accept-there-are …

Russian Foreign Ministry says 'Cold War Knights' driving US anti-Russia fury http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/3-april-russian-foreign-ministry-says-cold-war-knights-driving … @tassagency_en

Some how Russia has overlooked the simple fact that the so called "Cold War Knights" are all in their 60/70s these days.

Most Americans could not even define the word "fascist" much less Cold War.

[OUTLAW 09]

The stupidest of the stupid ...
Colored "DNR" soldier from South America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq2fGHucQ7Q …
pic.twitter.com/swDRkNI2Qp

Russian invader from Novosibirsk: "I'm in #Donetsk again, alive as can be."
http://vk.com/gans54nsk
v @hohland_gosdep pic.twitter.com/zUuyl5At2h

OSCE still has no access to two areas in Donbas conflict zone
http://www.unian.info/war/1063422-osce-still-has-no-access-to-two-areas-in-donbas-conflict-zone.html … pic.twitter.com/qvamG5KV0W

Reports That Attacks Continue, Albeit In Reduced Numbers. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-410-attacks-continue-albeit-in-reduced-numbers/#7774 …

The Ukrainian "Maginot Line" East of #Mariupol is fit for tanks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqZ2I7n_N0U …
Azov pic.twitter.com/NznWtiL340

Ukrainian Military Claims Russian-Backed Fighters Preparing For Offensive Operations And Large-Scale Terror Attacks. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-410-attacks-continue-albeit-in-reduced-numbers/#7772 …

General Staff: Militants planning to bomb public transport in Donbas at Easter
http://www.unian.info/war/1063352-general-staff-militants-planning-to-bomb-public-transport-in-donbas-at-easter.html … pic.twitter.com/ppSvNewVdd

In the meantime, #Russia's proxies start mortars shelling in #Pisky, E #Ukraine. Another prove that warfare continues & NO #ceasefire

Hm ... Interesting, Russian "tourists" in northern #Sweden keep an eye on military maneuvers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-fsxn9-kzs … pic.twitter.com/MqudNGWqnn

[OUTLAW 09]

To be a superpower requires a number of things;

1. strong financially
2. strong politically
3. strong militarily

And to project that power requires;

1. a strong Army
2. a strong AF
3. a strong Navy

Right now Russia is not an economic powerhouse and their Navy is not a "blue water" Navy so are they really a superpower?

The Russian Navy is on the verge of collapse http://theweek.com/articles/545980/russian-navy-verge-collapse …

[OUTLAW 09]

Increasing militarization by Ru occupation forces in #Sevastopol #Crimea, S-300AA (SA-20 Gargoyle) pic.twitter.com/gjzBa9VUBB

If RU hasn't invaded UA,
why RU state uni issued diplomas for students studying in #Donbas? http://dnr-online.ru/news/pervye-vypuskniki-vuzov-dnr-poluchili-rossijskie-diplomy-magistrov/attachment/dipl/ … pic.twitter.com/z2Ugykbcrl

Latest from SMM to Ukraine 02 April: SMM observed fighting continued in areas around Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne.http://bit.ly/1IvkGEk

ATO Staff spokesman: Militants attack Ukrainian positions by Novhorodske
http://uacrisis.org/rechnik-shtabu-ato-10/ …

Why bodies of "#Donbass militants" buried in #Rostov (#Russia) & not Donbass (E #Ukraine)? http://politolog.net/analytics/pochemu-boevikov-xoronyat-ne-na-donbasse-v-rostove-foto/ … pic.twitter.com/QqRsqJZxLK

3 Ukrainian soldiers wounded in 24 hours, attacks continue on Bakhmuta highway & Seversky Donets River http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-410-attacks-continue-albeit-in-reduced-numbers/#7774 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukraine: Russian vehicles still crossing border at Izvarino, new convoys spotted headed to Debaltsevo http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-410-attacks-continue-albeit-in-reduced-numbers/#7772 …

The video shows how Rus psy-ops work on TV: whole studio shouts at 1 dissenting person (guy fr Odesa), threaten himhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1pUOHtXRbo …

a Ukraine army with 1970's equipment versus a modernized Russian one with advanced EW, networked ISR, no fly zone, hybrid war

"Russian troops specifically stormed a fortified area outside Debaltseve that the rebels had been trying to capture for weeks."

[OUTLAW 09]

Massive amounts of photos concerning Russian tanks, weapons and troops fighting in Debaltseve. Written in Russian but extensive photos makes this an easy "read".

Fantastic new article from one of the best (@askai707) on Russian tanks, weapons, and soldiers in Debaltseve in Feb.
http://sled-vzayt.livejournal.com/2099.html

[OUTLAW 09]

Dutch Prosecutors believe Gen. Petrovskiy of Russian military intelligence GRU may be responsible for downing MH17. http://goo.gl/nTTHna

Is The MH17 Joint Investigation Team Avoiding The Question Of Kremlin Guilt? http://onforb.es/19P6meE

No matter how many "rebels" come fr #Russia & its regular army, Western media will talk "civil conflict" on #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/MpFkmbHk64

Further evidence of 9K135 #Kornet ATGWs found in #Ukraine http://www.armamentresearch.com/further-evidence-of-9k135-kornet-atgws-found-in-ukraine/ … vía @Arms_Research pic.twitter.com/EA4UvCApD4

Well so much for being a Russian “contract soldier”—no benefits or maybe punishment for talking about his fighting in eastern Ukraine at Debaltseve during an interview.

Mother Of Russian Soldier, Severely Burnt In Ukraine, Says Family Receiving No Help From Statehttp://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-410-attacks-continue-albeit-in-reduced-numbers/#7776 … pic.twitter.com/J54izrZTFR

Mariupol Defense Headquarters: Residents of occupied territories asking militants to leave...http://www.unian.info/society/1063342-mariupol-defense-headquarters-residents-of-occupied-territories-asking-militants-to-leave-donbas.html … pic.twitter.com/Ad5PYts6Yl

Current spokesperson for Putin:
Dmitry Peskov in 2008: Ludicrous to compare modern Russia with the Soviet Union. We respect our neighbours' borders.http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/dec/17/russia-not-soviet-union-putin …

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2015/04/nuclear_weapons_suddenly_matter_more_than_ever_how _these_weapons_of_mass.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_bot

An Old Threat Made New


Why nuclear weapons suddenly matter more than ever.
By Anne Applebaum

One friend of mine laughs when he remembers the nuclear “drills” of his childhood that involved crouching under the desks in his school classroom. Another friend has a vivid memory of a lesson featuring photographs of mushroom clouds. On older buildings in some U.S. cities, one can still see faded yellow-and-black “fallout shelter” signs. Nowadays they look almost quaint, adding character to a street the way an old-fashioned gas lamp would.

In politics, the discussion of nuclear weapons has for the most part faded into the world of high theory. We do talk about “nuclear proliferation” as a bad thing, and periodically U.S. presidents offer utopian visions of a world free of nukes altogether. But since the collapse of the Soviet Union, most of the time we in the West—not just the United States but Germany, France, and Britain, too—act as if nuclear weapons don’t exist and aren’t important. Except, of course, that they do and they are. They also continue to shape international politics in fundamental ways we don’t often acknowledge.

The current Russian war in Ukraine is an excellent example. On the surface, it does seem perplexing that NATO, the largest, most powerful military alliance in the world, with access to all of the most advanced U.S. technology, cannot aid Ukraine, a country in NATO’s backyard—by which I mean that it is unable even to lend a few anti-tank weapons to a would-be democracy that is defending itself against a kleptocratic authoritarian state.But even though we have helped other countries defend themselves in the past, we can’t seem to help Ukraine. None of the excuses quite makes sense. The German chancellor keeps repeating that there is “no military solution” to this conflict, when there most evidently is. The American president keeps trying to downplay the Russian-Ukrainian war as a minor “regional” problem, when it most evidently is not.

If we want to be safe, we might have to drop a mention of NATO’s nuclear weapons into the conversation.

No one wants to acknowledge the truth: We won’t sell even defensive weapons to Ukraine because Russia is a nuclear power, and because Russia keeps reminding us of that fact. Last month, the Russian government declared it had put nuclear-capable missiles near the city of Kaliningrad, in striking range of Warsaw, Stockholm, and possibly Berlin. To underline the point, they also put a few more missiles in Crimea. During the last NATO summit, Russia suddenly decided to get out its nuclear weapons and “practice” loading them. During its 2009 military exercises, Russia also “practiced” a nuclear strike on Warsaw. Of course these are bluffs and threats, designed to make everyone nervous. But because there is a sliver of a chance that Putin is crazy enough to kill millions of people, they work.

Bluffs and threats have also worked well for Iran, which hasn’t acquired nuclear weapons yet but keeps threatening to do so. In truth, the Iranian regime poses multiple, critical dangers to its own citizens, one of whom was recently sentenced to death for “insulting the prophet,” as well as to its neighbors. Without Iranian support for Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian crisis might have been resolved long before ISIS ever appeared; Iranian support has long kept Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in business, and by some accounts, Iraq will soon be an Iranian satellite state, too. Nevertheless, Western diplomacy toward Iran has for a long time been sharply and almost exclusively focused on—one might even say distorted by—nuclear weapons. Because there is a sliver of a chance the Islamic republic is crazy enough not only to acquire nukes but also to use them to kill millions of people, this tactic works.

It’s a curious reversal of roles: In the 1980s, the Soviet leadership was terrified that a cowboy in the White House—someone who was so nutty he made jokes about signing “legislation that will outlaw Russia forever”—might just flip a switch and send a missile. Nowadays, it’s we who fear the madmen in foreign capitals, while our own large nuclear arsenal goes unmentioned and unacknowledged by a Western political class that is frankly embarrassed that it still exists.
And this, paradoxically, is extremely dangerous. If we truly want ourselves and our allies to be safe, we might occasionally have to drop a mention of NATO’s nuclear weapons into the conversation. There is no need to resurrect the Cold War, but the resurrection of the word deterrence might not be such a bad idea, if only to make the madmen think twice before they carry out nuclear exercises or secretly enrich some plutonium.Ninety-nine percent of nuclear strategy is a stupid psychological game, which no one plays with enthusiasm. But if you refuse to play it at all, then you lose.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://uatoday.tv/news/osce-still-has-no-access-to-two-areas-in-donbas-conflict-zone-419414.html

16:13 Apr. 3, 2015

OSCE still has no access to two areas in Donbas conflict zone

Monitoring mission often unable to verify whether ceasefire is holding in militant-controlled areas

UNIAN: The representatives of the OSCE special monitoring mission still do not have access to all areas in the Donbas conflict zone, the head of the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (SMM) Michael Bociurkiw said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

According to Bociurkiw, the experts from the mission have no access to the south of Luhansk region and the east of the Donbas.

"Militant groups that do not obey anyone and that are acting at their sole discretion are located there," he said.

At the same time, Bociurkiw expressed hope that the OSCE observers would still be able to negotiate access to these areas for monitoring in future.

Earlier Russian-backed militants have prevented OSCE observers from visiting Horlivka.

There are regular reports in the Ukrainian media that the militants are building up concentrations of troops and weapons in Horlivka ahead of a future offensive.

[OUTLAW 09]

When Russian troops were captured and or killed by the Ukrainian Army in August 2014 Russia declared they were "lost while patrolling the border"--

Then when they were shown on TV they were "vacationing and for some strange reason took their own private APCs/tanks with them" and now when they are killed and or captured they are being called by Russia as being "contract personnel".

Early this week there was an announcement out of the Russian MoD that they were increasing the number of "military contract servicemen" to 350,000.

THEN this today was announced by the Russian MoD;

Russia's Military to Replace All Junior Officers With Contract Servicemen | Business | The Moscow Times http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russias-military-to-replace-all-junior-officers-with-contract-servicemen/518598.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems that US diplomacy is failing everywhere these days --especially in the Ukraine BUT even with Iran.

Notice now how the Iranians are even challenging the DoS statements as being false and stating that the sanctions will be pulled immediately.

When will the Obama administration ever learn diplomacy without a military option remaining on the table leads nowhere—the ME is now thoroughly in turmoil and our normal allies do not know who we are any longer:

Amir Taheri @AmirTaheri4
Zarif: US is misleading American people with the State department version of the outcome of nuclear talks. Only Iran's version is true.

Sounds like what we hear out of Putin and his Russian FM all the time.

[OUTLAW 09]

Great site for those interested in Russian terrorism issues.

This week’s Top Extremism- and Terrorism-Related Stories in Russia http://extremistrussia.com/2015/04/03/top-extremism-and-terrorism-related-stories-in-russia-28-march-3-april-2015/ …

SBU opened investigation into torture and murder of #Cyborg Ihor Branovytsky by Rus proxies http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv-post-plus/murder-of-ukrainian-prisoner-by-russian-backed-separatists-investigated-videos-385322.html … pic.twitter.com/QKUIbagGoi

#Russia's propaganda in #Ukraine: #Moscow press cooks up ethnic separatism in Transcarpathia: http://economist.com/news/europe/21647828-russian-press-cooks-up-ethnic-separatism-transcarpathia-long-live-ruthenia … pic.twitter.com/CfoLv3uGOr

After the final rejection of the #CFE Treaty by #Russia,#NATO can & should deploy on permanently its troops on the eastern flank

[OUTLAW 09]

The Ukrainian government has offered to open the archives 1917-1991 years
Russia ... get nervous!

Murder of Ukrainian prisoner by Russian-backed separatists investigated (VIDEOS)
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv-post-plus/murder-of-ukrainian-prisoner-by-russian-backed-separatists-investigated-videos-385322.html … pic.twitter.com/2AxEOUuzYZ

While Ukr soldiers were being murdered @GrahamWP_UK was posing+boasting abt learning 2 shoot. wonder if Phillips shot any1.

This particular RT journalist was a UK citizen and was videoed often being in and or near Ukrainian POWs being either tortured and or executed while he was reporting for the Russian military channel in eastern Ukraine after being fired by RT UK.

Social media has documented a number of his released videos as well as his reporting while in eastern Ukraine and has openly questioned him via Twitter which he refuses to answer since he arrived back into the UK after receiving an honor award from the Russian Border Police when in Moscow.

[OUTLAW 09]

When Russian troops were captured and or killed by the Ukrainian Army in August 2014 Russia declared they were "lost while patrolling the border"--

Then when they were shown on TV they were "vacationing and for some strange reason took their own private APCs/tanks with them" and now when they are killed and or captured they are being called by Russia as being "contract personnel".

Early this week there was an announcement out of the Russian MoD that they were increasing the number of "military contract servicemen" to 350,000.

THEN this today was announced by the Russian MoD;

Russia's Military to Replace All Junior Officers With Contract Servicemen | Business | The Moscow Times http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russias-military-to-replace-all-junior-officers-with-contract-servicemen/518598.html …

This is a perfect example of what happens to a "contract service member" when wounded in the Debaltseve fighting.

Mother Of Russian Soldier, Severely Burnt In Ukraine, Says Family Receiving No Help From Statehttp://www.interpretermag.com/ukrain...-numbers/#7776 … pic.twitter.com/J54izrZTFR

[OUTLAW 09]

Bill--fully agree that the post Cold War era is now formally dead.

What bothers me is that Russia appears to be on a irrational path--vs say IS that if one really looks at every move they make it is calculated to the ten degree of possible outcomes--why they simply do not have the manpower and must maximize every move.

Take a look at their tactical strategy on the ground alone in Tikrit--heavy use of IEDs, forced the US and the Iraqi's to attack and destroy Tikrit causing further Sunni alienation, and against a force of 30K plus air they had on the ground no more than 400 and Tikrit is still in some spots under IS control regardless of what the ISF says--if that is not force maximum I do not know what it.

On the other hand take Russia-before the crash of the oil price and further crashes over the next few days due to the Iranian negotiations Russia could have effectively brought the Ukraine under full sway just via economics and their deep economic ties--but why did they not go that route is the puzzlement I have and honesty it is a puzzlement.

Instead they selected the non linear approach and practically full scale metal on metal almost as it they wanted to "punish a child for misbehaving".

Instead it whiplashed back on them and they then had to go further down the selected path and passed literally the point of no return or what Obama called "exits" four times and did not realize it as they are literally kept going on the selected path.

Talk of inflexibility--then they when they woke up started the series of nuclear threats as that is about the only thing they have left in their decision making arsenal that impress people.

But making that shift ie clearly abandoning MAD and the ability to launch a full scale steel on steel attack is what makes them for me far more dangerous than anything IS has thrown at us which is one looks at them is not outside of their clearly defined "Caliphate" from al Baghdadi's first mosque speech in Mosul.

While their activities in Central/South American are a problem it is usually tied around their AF--right now the Russian Navy is definitely not a "blue water" navy nor will it be until about 2030 as they have started a rebuild program that is being hit now by their lack of a home based solid shipbuilding industry (yes their can produce subs but somehow surface ships are alluding them) and a serious lack of funds---all of their modern gas turbines by the way for their three newest surface ships come actually from the Ukraine of all places and construction has been halted for exactly that reason.

Social media response to the Russian nuclear threats who probably right now understands every Russian move better than the Obama NSC:

When Kremlin publicly denies nuclear showdown, we should REALLY start to get worried. They always say the opposite. pic.twitter.com/9MLG3aDtEl

#Kremlin denies #Russia gearing up for #nuclear showdown with West http://ow.ly/L8s8h pic.twitter.com/zzspClkvV1




.

Taken from inmoscowshadows:

3. The death of optimism. How does a regime soothe such feverish sentiments? Indeed, can it do so? I do not believe Putin is intent on World War III, or wants to create a neo-Stalinist terror-state, or do any of the other things the more extreme critics aver. But I suspect that in the name of holding onto power (his greatest ambition) and asserting the true sovereignty of Russia (his second greatest), regardless of the opposition of liberals at home, Ukraine, the West, or whoever, Putin has taken a step too far along a dark and dangerous path for him ever to be able to step back or even, worst yet, stop walking forward…

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems that US diplomacy is failing everywhere these days --especially in the Ukraine BUT even with Iran.

Notice now how the Iranians are even challenging the DoS statements as being false and stating that the sanctions will be pulled immediately.

When will the Obama administration ever learn diplomacy without a military option remaining on the table leads nowhere—the ME is now thoroughly in turmoil and our normal allies do not know who we are any longer:

Amir Taheri @AmirTaheri4
Zarif: US is misleading American people with the State department version of the outcome of nuclear talks. Only Iran's version is true.

Sounds like what we hear out of Putin and his Russian FM all the time.

If this is the results of seven days of diplomacy then we are in trouble---seems the two parties have no idea what was being agreed to---- no wonder the Ukraine diplomacy has failed.

Khamenei.ir @khamenei_ir
We reject US fraudulent offer of reaching a deal w #Iran first then lifting sanctions. Lifting sanctions is a part of deal not its outcome.

Kerry said "the exact timing and the exact process" for lifting Iran sanctions remain to be negotiated. No wonder official statements differ

[OUTLAW 09]

#Putin has discovered populism as the soft underbelly of liberal democracy - his support is strategic

Marine Le Pen hit by controversy as details emerge of hacked Kremlin text messages http://ind.pn/1FtcKDn pic.twitter.com/u6XJ6cl9yn

Ukraine Reporter @StateOfUkraine
Kremlin and France’s far-right National Front discussed backing Russia in Crimea by becoming “observer” of annexation http://www.newsweek.com/hackers-claim-leak-messages-between-kremlin-and-frances-front-national-319442 …

Hacked email w Kremlin confirms: 9 mn euro loan to France’s National Front a reward for Putin support on Crimea http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/marine-le-pen-battered-by-controversy-as-details-emerge-of-hacked-kremlin-text-messages-and-holocaustminimising-from-her-father-10154589.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

From the Russian chambers of the "altered state of reality":

Another Russian FM lie about the Minsk 2 agreement—it does not state just how the Ukraine is to institute their own special laws for the occupied regions of the Donetsk:

Lavrov says Ukraine's law on Donbas status challenges Minsk agreements http://24today.net/open/366580 pic.twitter.com/KfztzV61FR

Even more Russian FM lies---the Russian troops and her mercenaries have not even pulled back the heavy weapons they were to have pulled back as confirmed by OSCE:

Maskirovka. Don't believe a word of it. Reuters: 'Russia's Lavrov calls for pull-back of more weapons in Ukraine' http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/0

[OUTLAW 09]

#Poland, #Baltics and #Scandinavia rally troops as #Russia growls. http://missilethreat.com/poles-baltics-and-scandinavia-rally-troops-as-russia-growls/ … pic.twitter.com/kMkYW9ulRQ

Top ten Russian military gadgets now found in #Ukraine https://en.informnapalm.org/top-10-evidence-russian-aggression-ukraine-materials-informnapalm/ … pic.twitter.com/jyXhTaAogg

Noticed shipping to Ukraine a large nr of russian engineering units that "DNR" reps explain as necessary to demine farmland.

Large #Russia|n Army tank convoy moving through #Lugansk towards #Donetsk today. Location confirmed! —@LUGANSK_TODAY
https://youtu.be/w12metD_Q2w

Lugansk News Today @LUGANSK_TODAY
@LUGANSK_TODAY location and direction the tanks are moving is same as reported in this article http://lugansk-news.com/video-of-russian-army-convoy-in-lugansk-with-several-bpm-97-vystrel-armored-vehicles-that-are-used-only-in-russian-army/ …

Switzerland is assisting Russian in their fighting in the Ukraine—so much for Swiss neutrality-German.
#Schweiz hilft #Russland, Krieg in der #Ukraine zu gewinnen – @anneapplebaum im @tagesanzeiger-Magazin pic.twitter.com/kZsqvPtSGq

UPDATED: At least three Ukrainian soldiers killed over past 24 hours
http://uatoday.tv/politics/three-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-over-past-24-hours-in-east-ukraine-419559.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

More Russian troops inside the Ukraine which Russian claims are not there:Askai @askai707
Под флагом пиратов на Донбассе. pic.twitter.com/VnafHyyWRQ

Tymchuk: RU terrorists are repairing GRADs and Gvozdika's in Gorlovka and Snizhne. In #Gorlovka are 11 russian 2S1 Gvozdika in repair shop.

In #Snizhne repair shops: 4x MLRS BM-21 "Grad", 1x MLRS BM-27 "Hurricane", 2x ACS 2S3 "Acacia "and 4 units 2S1 "Gvozdika".

And just across the border from Ukraine in Russia, a major new base continues to grow https://www.facebook.com/freedonbas/photos/pcb.1586681128215639/1586680948215657/?type=1&theater … pic.twitter.com/Ti6RDaa61y

Photofact: Russian military establish permanent field camps next to the Ukrainian border, as analysts predict a... http://fb.me/33Ai4ybfO

[OUTLAW 09]

Roman Burko: Large number of russian serviceman arrived in #Alchevsk, either to clean the city from cossacks or prepare an attack.

Putin, the defender of Christians prepares terror attacks on Ukraine on Easter https://twitter.com/2111015/status/584338308685258752 …

#Russia|n soldiers have given up pretending they are not fighting in #Ukraine.http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-soldiers-have-given-up-pretending-they-are-not-fighting-in-ukraine-2015-4 … pic.twitter.com/ROcfmmqpkr

Ukraine needs immediate military assistance in seven critical areas:
http://www.newsweek.com/wesley-clark-ukraine-must-be-armed-right-now-319348 …

New Ukrainian assault troops prepare for deployment to front line
http://uatoday.tv/politics/new-ukrainian-assault-troops-prepare-for-deployment-to-front-line-419564.html … pic.twitter.com/9USUdVYoN9

[OUTLAW 09]

Slovaks protest Russia's ‘imperial and aggressive foreign policy' in Ukraine
http://uatoday.tv/politics/slovaks-protest-russia-rsquo-s-lsquo-imperial-and-aggressive-foreign-policy-rsquo-in-ukraine-419572.html … pic.twitter.com/g3Lh5xpOxo


Russian Trolls' Vast Library Of Insulting Images http://j.mp/1FtnQYU

Kremlin PRAVDA goes into overdrive: US gets ready to attack Russian regions with Ukraine's hands http://english.pravda.ru/news/hotspots/03-04-2015/130186-usa_russia_ukraine_war-0/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Poland, #Baltics and #Scandinavia rally troops as #Russia growls. http://missilethreat.com/poles-baltics-and-scandinavia-rally-troops-as-russia-growls/ … pic.twitter.com/kMkYW9ulRQ

Top ten Russian military gadgets now found in #Ukraine https://en.informnapalm.org/top-10-evidence-russian-aggression-ukraine-materials-informnapalm/ … pic.twitter.com/jyXhTaAogg

Noticed shipping to Ukraine a large nr of russian engineering units that "DNR" reps explain as necessary to demine farmland.

Large #Russia|n Army tank convoy moving through #Lugansk towards #Donetsk today. Location confirmed! —@LUGANSK_TODAY
https://youtu.be/w12metD_Q2w

Lugansk News Today @LUGANSK_TODAY
@LUGANSK_TODAY location and direction the tanks are moving is same as reported in this article http://lugansk-news.com/video-of-russian-army-convoy-in-lugansk-with-several-bpm-97-vystrel-armored-vehicles-that-are-used-only-in-russian-army/ …

Switzerland is assisting Russian in their fighting in the Ukraine—so much for Swiss neutrality-German.
#Schweiz hilft #Russland, Krieg in der #Ukraine zu gewinnen – @anneapplebaum im @tagesanzeiger-Magazin pic.twitter.com/kZsqvPtSGq

UPDATED: At least three Ukrainian soldiers killed over past 24 hours
http://uatoday.tv/politics/three-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-over-past-24-hours-in-east-ukraine-419559.html …


#Luhansk-#Donetsk bus passes massive #Russian tanks column in occup #Donbas pic.twitter.com/kNIVqgWMbi https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w12metD_Q2w …

New arrivals in Occupied Ukraine: Russian Ground Forces tank company
Clean (ie recently transported #H2200) Russian tank company in Luhansk city, Ukraine, 4 April

[OUTLAW 09]

Our special report. Residents of northern Luhansk region mostly speak Ukrainian, not Russian http://uatoday.tv/society/residents-of-northern-luhansk-region-mostly-speak-ukrainian-not-russian-419575.html … pic.twitter.com/Vvckd9gH36

On 7/16, the Dutch embassy in Ukraine reported that a Russian anti-aircraft system shot down a Ukr AN-26 on 7/14: http://content1b.omroep.nl/urishieldv2/l27m51b2054e2e82d69a00551ff6f6000000.6b3ec9f627d54 2bdbc430f8b217bcab7/kro/documents/journalistiek/argos/E-mail%20briefing%20Kiev.pdf …

A supermarket in #Donetsk. Half of the space is not in Use. Empty shelves are filled up with vodka and canned fish. pic.twitter.com/SkGdZp2bq6

[OUTLAW 09]

If this is the results of seven days of diplomacy then we are in trouble---seems the two parties have no idea what was being agreed to---- no wonder the Ukraine diplomacy has failed.

Khamenei.ir @khamenei_ir
We reject US fraudulent offer of reaching a deal w #Iran first then lifting sanctions. Lifting sanctions is a part of deal not its outcome.

Kerry said "the exact timing and the exact process" for lifting Iran sanctions remain to be negotiated. No wonder official statements differ

We negotiate and yet we "know nothing"--and that is what this White House calls "diplomacy"????

We could extend the article to include the Ukraine and Russia where we even know far less as to exactly what Putin's end state/goals are and all the while "self denying" his nuclear threats as if they never occurred.

The US intelligence community has basically zero insight into Khamenei's intentions. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/world/middleeast/an-iran-nuclear-deal-built-on-coffee-all-nighters-and-compromise.html?_r=1&referrer … pic.twitter.com/ooacRTsDMc

[OUTLAW 09]

We negotiate and yet we "know nothing"--and that is what this White House calls "diplomacy"????

We could extend the article to include the Ukraine and Russia where we even know far less as to exactly what Putin's end state/goals are and all the while "self denying" his nuclear threats as if they never occurred.

The US intelligence community has basically zero insight into Khamenei's intentions. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/world/middleeast/an-iran-nuclear-deal-built-on-coffee-all-nighters-and-compromise.html?_r=1&referrer … pic.twitter.com/ooacRTsDMc

There has been some serious accusations floating on the net that the core reason the US has been rather easy with Russia in the Ukraine and or willing to not rock Putin's boat with defensive ATMs to the Ukraine is because they needed Russian assistance with Iran.

Meaning if the net is correct Obama and his NSC "traded Ukrainians" to the Russians in exchange for an Iranian agreement.

Did anyone notice that in face of the countless attacks on Ukrainian positions since Minsk 2 went into effect and or the Debaltseve attacks, the killing and wounding of UA soldiers via constant shellings by heavy weapons which were not pulled back by Russia verified by OSCE, and the countless Russian weapons and troops still coming into the Ukraine---ABSOLUTELY not a single comment from either Kerry, Obama and or his NSC.

The only comments being made have been those of the US Ambassador to the Ukraine--no one else--is that not strange or what??

Did anyone notice that when the NATO SG arrived for three days in DC Obama had no meeting with him and only after heavy social media pressure his NSC chairwoman met with the SG.

Taking all of the Obama and NSC lack of actions over the last six months in aggressively countering Russian moves in the Ukraine and the lack of interest in providing serious defensive aid to the Ukrainians there might in fact be some "truth" to the allegations the US "swapped the Ukraine for Iran".
CatherineFitzpatrick @catfitz
Sometimes, I just don't believe what comes out of the State Department https://twitter.com/WBStevens/status/584234971612733440Russia's role in negotiations "incredibly important" - @marieharf
We are grateful for our cooperation with #Russia

Right now if one takes at face value the "US deal with Iran" it in fact places Russia in the position of verifying whether Iran is in compliance WHEN at the same time they "deny" their troops are in the Ukraine, they deny they are supplying heavy weapons into the Ukraine and they are actively threatening the US and NATO members with nuclear strikes.

Not only has the US recent actions confused the Ukrainians-- the US actions in the new Iranian deal also seems to have confused the Arab world even though the US telephoned all of the key Arab leaders.

Arabs Blast "Obama's Deal" With Iran

by Khaled Abu Toameh
April 4, 2015 at 5:00 am

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5493/arabs-blast-obama-deal-with-iran


Does that make sense to anyone?????

[OUTLAW 09]

There are two senior Russian generals assigned to the Ukrainian Soledar JCCC who have for some strange reason not been seen in the JCCC headquarters going on four days now.

It should be noted that the senior of the two moved their JCCC headquarters out of the Ukrainian town of Debaltseve ten days before the actual Russian assault on the town to the current town of Soledar.

So is their "disappearance" a foreboding of a coming Russian general assault to expand Russian occupied Ukrainian territory??

The Arctic is a deception. Russian VDV + CSTO Rapid Reaction Force = Maj-Gen A. Vyaznikov of JCCC Soledar, Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/AqePPXWtRT

One "event". One "humanitarian emergency". It will only take ONE excuse for Russian-led VDV/CSTO CRRF "peacekeepers" to land inside Ukraine.

Vyaznikov is Deputy Commander VDV in charge of 5,000 Russian peacekeeping brigade and the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force.
Note: the CSTO met last week as well as Putin's NSC.

Notice the Russian FMs comments from today about the withdrawal of weapons of 100mm and less and then this report today of new clean H2000
(Russian railroad shipping number) tanks arriving in Donbas and those tanks have the 120mm cannons on them--is this not a contradiction??

#Russia calls for pullback of more weapons in #Ukraine...Lulling Ukraine and West to surprise with another offensive? http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-urges-more-weapons-pullback-ukraine/26938474.html …

#Luhansk-#Donetsk bus passes massive #Russian tanks column in occup #Donbaspic.twitter.com/kNIVqgWMbi https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=w12metD_Q2w …

New arrivals in Occupied Ukraine: Russian Ground Forces tank company
Clean (ie recently transported #H2200) Russian tank company in Luhansk city, Ukraine, 4 April

Appears that the Russian FM does not want to admit that the new tanks arriving in the Ukraine are in fact a blatant violation of Minsk 2.

[OUTLAW 09]

Does this makes sense to anyone--humanitarian evacuation from the Artic or is this an exercise for another area just practiced out of sight of NATO:

No joke. Russian VDV paratroopers and CSTO Rapid Reaction Forces plan mass "humanitarian" assault landing in Arctic. http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20150404/1056578516.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Soldiers from Sverdlovsk region Russia posing in Donbass house
Residents fled http://politolog.net/analytics/privet-ot-rossijskix-dobrovolcev-foto-v-otzhatyx-domax-donbassa-ne-tolko/ (http://politolog.net/analytics/privet-ot-rossijskix-dobrovolcev-foto-v-otzhatyx-domax-donbassa-ne-tolko/) …
pic.twitter.com/5gmS2WGXqv

VIDEO Clean, recently transported T72 Russian tank company (13 pieces) in Luhansk city
Ukraine April 4th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w12metD_Q2w …

#Russia|n imperialism and anti-Americanism feed worldview of key #Putin's strategist: http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/04/04/rabid-anti-americanism-and-russian-imperialism/ …
pic.twitter.com/hwcTVWVEmY

Evidence of the participation of 61st Marine Brigade in the fighting in Donbas: https://en.informnapalm.org/evidence-of-the-participation-of-61st-marine-brigade-of-the-northern-fleet-of-the-russian-navy-in-the-fighting-in-donbas/ … pic.twitter.com/VqRoSSYFb5

Donetsk. More Military Equipment of the Russian Hybrid Army: https://en.informnapalm.org/donetsk-more-military-equipment-of-the-russian-hybrid-army/ … via @en_informnapalm pic.twitter.com/YnDApyoJNg

Security Service of #Ukraine arrested #LPR terrorists who were hiding in #Rubizhne city http://lugansk-news.com/security-service-of-ukraine-arrested-lpr-terrorists-who-were-hiding-in-rubizhne-city/ … pic.twitter.com/DKVCTFL4KY

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian FM has now reached a new height in his “altered state of reality”:

#Lavrov has lost the plot. He's talking about normalizing EU-Russia relations to "solve the problems in the world" !! http://bit.ly/1CE7Wd6

[OUTLAW 09]

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.de/2015/04/novorossiya-will-never-be-part-of.html?spref=tw

A must read article that provides an unusual view into Putin ie Russian end state goals in the Ukraine, the "altered state of reality" they reside in and to a degree a certain amount of paranoia:

Saturday, April 4, 2015


Novorossiya Will Never Be Part of Ukraine Again, Kremlin Advisor Says
Paul Goble

Staunton, April 4 – Leonid Reshetnikov, a retired SVR general, director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISI), and an advisor to Vladimir Putin, says that there is no possibility that Novorossiya will be part of Ukraine ever again because “the people of the south-east do not want to be Ukrainians.”

He also rules out the likelihood that the territories of the Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic, with their “millions of people,” could become something like a Transdniestria, a partially recognized country within the borders of another country recognized by most.

And thus he suggests that the immediate future is more war and the longer term future is the annexation of these areas and ultimately the rest of Ukraine and much of the former Soviet space into a new Russian state that will combine “the best features” of the pre-1917 Russian Empire and the USSR.

These are just some of the views that Reshetnikov offers in the course of a wide-ranging interview he gave to Aleksandr Chuikov, a journalist for “Argumenty Nedeli” (rgumenti.ru/toptheme/n481/394395).

Reshetnikov says that his institute which began as a secret part of the SVR has long specialized on “the analysis of available information on the far and near abroad,” information “which is needed not only for intelligence but for the structures which define the foreign policy of the country.”

“However strange it may seem,” until very recently, “there were no such serious analytic centers in the Presidential Administration of Russia,” the former SVR general says. Instead, what the Kremlin had too many of were “’institutions’” which consisted of “a director, a secretary, and the wife of the director” but without the staff that could make them effective.

RISI is different, he continues. It was created by Vladimir Putin, “and all government assignments for its investigations are signed off by Sergey Ivanov, the head of the Presidential Administration.”

When RISI was set up as a separate institution in 2009, Reshetnikov says he thought then that if Moscow would finance it the way Stratfor or RAND are financed, he would be in a position to leave Western analytic centers in the dust because “Russian analysts are the very strongest in the world.”

“I can say this with confidence,” he adds, “on the basis of 33 years of analytic work initially in the First Chief Directorate of the KGB of the USSR and then in the SVR.”

Reshetnikov says that his institute was one of two that has been working most intensively on Ukraine. (The other is the Institute of CIS Countries.) “From the very beginning of our activity, we wrote analytic reports about the growth of anti-Russian attitudes in central Ukraine and the intensification of pro-Russian ones in Crimea.”

He says that RISI was not alarmist about this but rather urged that Moscow take steps to use NGOs in both places to promote pro-Moscow feelings, something the Russian embassy in Kyiv did not do as much as it should have and as Russian embassies are now doing thanks to the intervention of President Putin.

The probability that there will be more war in Ukraine in the coming months is “very high,” Reshetnikov says, because the idea of the federalization of Ukraine has been rejected by Kyiv which is operating under pressure from the United States which wants a united Ukraine so that it can put cruise missiles there to be directed at Russia.That is so important to Washington, the RISI director says, that “the US will fight for the Donbas down to the last Ukrainian.”

When Yanukovich was ousted by the Maidan, Moscow lost its “SOB” in Ukraine, even as the US installed its “SOB,” he says. But both Russia and the US received “compensation.” Russia got Crimea and the resistance of Ukraine’s south-east, even though “the enemy also received an enormous territory which was part of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire.”

At the same time, Reshetnikov says that it is “too early” for Moscow to go for broke and attempt to seize all of Ukraine. That is because Putin understands that “in Europe there are taking place certain processes which are hidden for outsiders,” processes which “give hope that we will be able to defend our interests by other methods and means.”

Putin understands as many do not, Reshetnikov says, that the US has organized a plan to dismember Russia – something he says is “not propagandistic but real” -- even as it keeps its dominance over Europe. Washington is acting in Central Asia as well as Ukraine. Indeed, the US may strike first at Turkmenistan using various proxies, as some in Moscow have suggested.

According to Reshetnikov, Russian-American cooperation in the struggle with terrorism is “a fiction,” because the US “creates, feeds, provides for and then gives orders” to groups like ISIS for its own purposes. “Perhaps,” it will shoot attack one group of terrorists but only to be in a position to better control the others.

But all these American actions, the RISI director says, are part of a general plan and thus they must be countered as a whole rather than responded to piecemeal. That affects how Putin acts in Ukraine, even if many do not recognize the reasons that he does one thing or another, Reshetnikov adds.

According to the RISI director, what is occurring in Ukraine is not a fight between Ukrainians and Russians, “but a war of world systems. Some consider they are ‘all Europe’ but others that they are Russia. For our country is not simply a territory; it is a separate and enormous civilization which has brought to the attention of the entire world its views on world organization.”

The next year is going to be difficult for Russia, he continues, but “in the course of the next five or six years, we will see” the restoration of “a Russian empire as a model of eastern Slavic civilization. The Bolsheviks destroyed it,” but they brought “a new civilization idea.” Now, Reshetnikov says, Russia is moving toward “a good symbiosis” of its two predecessors.

The West understands that and consequently, “an attack has begun” on Russia “from all sides,” he says. That attack is being made by American presidents, but the real power lies with “secret forces,” including “transnational financial corporations” which want to define the new rules of the game.

But both the attractiveness of what Russia is offering and the ugliness of what the West is doing is leading to “an explosive growth of anti-American attitudes,” in Hungary, Greece, Italy, Austria, France and so on. “If Russia holds out now,” he says, “then processes will occur in Europe that will not be helpful to those now seeking world domination.”

At the end of his interview, Reshetnikov says that he is “extremely” opposed to the idea of uniting the SVR and the KGB. Were that to happen, he argues, the number of sources of information available to the president would be reduce to one, and thus he would be subject to distortions that that one would almost inevitably introduce.

He says that when he was a captain in the KGB in Soviet times, he was aware of “such manipulations with information” by his employer.

Chuikov appends a biographical sketch of Reshetnikov. The RISI director was born in Potsdam in East Germany in 1947. He graduated from the Kharkiv State University and did graduate work at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria. From 1974 to 1976, he worked at the Moscow Institute of the Economics of the World Socialist System.

NOTE: Putin as a KGB Major assigned to the KGB headquarters in Potsdam. Was the RISI a child of a Russian KGB member assigned to :Potsdam after the end of WW2?

Then, from 1976 to 2009, when he became RISI director, Reshetnikov served in the analytic sections of Soviet and then Russian foreign intelligence. His last post was as chief of the SVR’s Information and Analysis Administration. In addition to his native Russian, he speaks Serbian and Bulgarian and can communicate in Greek.

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Ukr colonel claims that Stirol factory (owned by Firtash) in DNR-occupied Gorlivka repairs Russian tanks, SPGs, APCs

http://donoda.gov.ua/?lang=ru&sec=02.07.09&iface=Public&cmd=view&args=id:25664 …

Russian militants push MLRS and other heavy armor to frontline http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/4-april-russian-militants-push-mlrs-and-other-heavy-armor … pic.twitter.com/wynJdmgjmt

Kadirov-Chechens in Antratsyt pic.twitter.com/VrOIqRJd11

The @OSCE_SMM shakes hands with Russian puppet forces on the UKRAINIAN side of the #Minsk demarcation line. pic.twitter.com/tQ62lniTjf

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Militants shelled Pisky and Opytne - ATO press center http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/5-april-militants-shelled-pisky-and-opytne--ato-press-center … pic.twitter.com/O7meabtsDP

Reciprocal relationships within GrahamWP’s network split between media people and… others. #KremlinTrolls pic.twitter.com/HX4uYAGGz8

Graham Phillips video shows captured Igor Branovitskiy WITHOUT face wounds. He was tortured!
https://youtu.be/TWMhis4qUO0?t=5m7s … pic.twitter.com/zF2IA2iSXH

BLOG Cyborg Igor Branovitskiy POW Jan 20 Donetsk Airport, executed by 'Motorola'/Arseny Pavlov
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/motorola-can-officially-be-considered.html … pic.twitter.com/foZ9339HhG

Russian Trolls' Vast Library Of Insulting Images http://www.rferl.org/content/russian-trolls-vast-insult-cartoon-database/26938435.html …

Russian Orthodox Church-linked group opens center for the study of Russophobia http://www.rferl.org/content/russian-group-sets-up-russophoia-research-center/26937439.html …

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Orwellian Russian doublethink:
Doublethink - The Dutch gov was responsible for MH17 because they knew about Russian surface to air missiles, and Ukraine shot down MH17

Another doublethink Russian statement:
Peskov "Even if Russian Media is reporting that Russian troops are in Ukraine I can assure that there are no Russian troops"

Even more doublethink:
Trust me, this is hilarious. Kremlin says "What trolls? Where's the proof? Why do you call them trolls anyway" >> http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150

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5th Tank Brigade of the Russian Army in the Battle for Debaltseve: https://en.informnapalm.org/5th-tank-brigade-russian-army-battle-debaltseve/ …
pic.twitter.com/K08LAfBH6V

In the meantime, battle between #Ukrainian 'Donbas' Volunteer Battalion & #Russia's proxies continues in #Shyrokyne, #frontline E UA

Let's not forget that Russian Gen. Lentsov is there in the area since a few days now. I'm sure you know why.

He disappeared fr #Debaltseve few days before the decisive RU attack. When he'll leave #Shyrokyne, we can expect offensive

Another non Russian soldier in eastern Ukraine who forgot to take off his 5th tank brigade unit insignia:http://censor.net.ua/photo_news/331280/5aya_tankovaya_brigada_vs_rf_v_boyah_za_debaltsevo _fotoreportaj …

Video compilation of #Russian Army trucks driving around #Lugansk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzC-TJuHGr8 …

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Clear Russian violation of Minsk 2 heavy weapons and tank pull backs:

#BREAKING
The @OSCE_SMM observed "15 “DPR” main battle tanks in areas around #Shyrokyne".
They prepare for war under the eyes of the world.

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Serbian mercenary in #Ukraine Potrujic "Grizzly" says over 1k Serbs are ready to fight in DNR:
http://youtu.be/mngzJFyrdqU?t=13s … pic.twitter.com/1aMVvDPjuh

Did Putin Blow Up the Whole Polish Government in 2010? A Second Look. http://thebea.st/1oCcnfu
Sound like MH17 all over again??? What is interesting is that the Russians did not allow in 2010 the Polish to be involved in the crash investigation nor have they shipped back to Poland the crash debris of their own jetliner for a complete investigation into the actual cause of the crash.

A year on, Putin's Ukraine gamble has brought neither win nor loss.However, "Putin will neither give up nor back off" http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-a-year-on-putins-ukraine-gamble-brings-mixed-results-2015-4?IR=T …

Russian mercenary deliberate and or indiscriminate shelling destroyed a large number of bridges and rail lines, vast amounts of housing, basic infrastructure and businesses causing increased unemployment and yet they want someone else to pay for the fixing of their own destruction and what the mercenaries did not destroy the Russian artillery finished for them.

"We break it, you fix it": Russian-backed militants appeal to Merkel to help restore social services in Donbas. http://uatoday.tv/news/russian-backed-militants-appeal-to-merkel-419637.html …

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There has been some serious accusations floating on the net that the core reason the US has been rather easy with Russia in the Ukraine and or willing to not rock Putin's boat with defensive ATMs to the Ukraine is because they needed Russian assistance with Iran.

Meaning if the net is correct Obama and his NSC "traded Ukrainians" to the Russians in exchange for an Iranian agreement.

Did anyone notice that in face of the countless attacks on Ukrainian positions since Minsk 2 went into effect and or the Debaltseve attacks, the killing and wounding of UA soldiers via constant shellings by heavy weapons which were not pulled back by Russia verified by OSCE, and the countless Russian weapons and troops still coming into the Ukraine---ABSOLUTELY not a single comment from either Kerry, Obama and or his NSC.

The only comments being made have been those of the US Ambassador to the Ukraine--no one else--is that not strange or what??

Did anyone notice that when the NATO SG arrived for three days in DC Obama had no meeting with him and only after heavy social media pressure his NSC chairwoman met with the SG.

Taking all of the Obama and NSC lack of actions over the last six months in aggressively countering Russian moves in the Ukraine and the lack of interest in providing serious defensive aid to the Ukrainians there might in fact be some "truth" to the allegations the US "swapped the Ukraine for Iran".
CatherineFitzpatrick @catfitz
Sometimes, I just don't believe what comes out of the State Department https://twitter.com/WBStevens/status/584234971612733440Russia's role in negotiations "incredibly important" - @marieharf
We are grateful for our cooperation with #Russia

Right now if one takes at face value the "US deal with Iran" it in fact places Russia in the position of verifying whether Iran is in compliance WHEN at the same time they "deny" their troops are in the Ukraine, they deny they are supplying heavy weapons into the Ukraine and they are actively threatening the US and NATO members with nuclear strikes.

Not only has the US recent actions confused the Ukrainians-- the US actions in the new Iranian deal also seems to have confused the Arab world even though the US telephoned all of the key Arab leaders.

Arabs Blast "Obama's Deal" With Iran

by Khaled Abu Toameh
April 4, 2015 at 5:00 am

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5493/arabs-blast-obama-deal-with-iran


Does that make sense to anyone?????

With the constant heavy weapons shelling violations by the Russian mercenaries, the constant attacks occurring almost daily in two areas on the contact line, constant new tanks and equipment arriving from Russia, and the OSCE verifying Russian violations--NOT a single comment out of DC and other western capitols TENDS to lend credence to the theory that the US swapped the Ukraine for Iran does it not????

THEN this today and still no western comments:

#Ukraine: 4 Ukrainian soldiers died after being hit by an anti-tank missile in #Donbas. pic.twitter.com/n2UnKvnPKZ

Four more Ukrainian soldiers killed, this time due to shelling. I am so sick of the continued killings not being retaliated by the West.

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It feels good to know that there is FAR more dead russian aggressors in #Shyrokyne then what is is ukrainian defenders. #A3OB #Ukraine

Clear violation of the Minsk 1 and 2 and YET the West says nothing absolutely nothing.
Donetsk militants announce halt to POW swap
http://www.unian.info/war/1063836-donetsk-militants-announce-halt-to-pow-swap.html … pic.twitter.com/TcpKpvKj8J

Bukovsky on SU invasion:"they can't tolerate collapse of friendly govt on their own borders" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dNuUY34r0rk … pic.twitter.com/J0F2ZolOOG

Sounds familiar to Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

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With the constant heavy weapons shelling violations by the Russian mercenaries, the constant attacks occurring almost daily in two areas on the contact line, constant new tanks and equipment arriving from Russia, and the OSCE verifying Russian violations--NOT a single comment out of DC and other western capitols TENDS to lend credence to the theory that the US swapped the Ukraine for Iran does it not????

THEN this today and still no western comments:

#Ukraine: 4 Ukrainian soldiers died after being hit by an anti-tank missile in #Donbas. pic.twitter.com/n2UnKvnPKZ

Four more Ukrainian soldiers killed, this time due to shelling. I am so sick of the continued killings not being retaliated by the West.

Social media comment is actually quite true if one goes back and reads numerous comments made by the German, France and US civilian leaders.

What ever happened to the numerous declarations, that should ceasefire be violated, US/EU would up the sanctions etc?

Incident:
Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed on Sunday in the east of the country when their vehicle was struck by a shell fired by Russian-backed separatists, regional police said.

The military vehicle was hit as it drove across a bridge in Schastye, a government-held town about 170 kilometers north east of the city of Donetsk, they said in a statement.

The deaths underscored the fragility of a cease-fire technically in force since February, when it was brokered by leaders from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France

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There has been numerous comments posted by me concerning the Russian internet trolls and their activities.

The question I now have can in fact a US Congressman be a Russian troll and or "an agent of influence"?????

This twitt by the Congressman was not a per accident twitt.

Dumb and Dumber: @DanaRohrabacher 1) is apparently fooled by Russian propaganda, 2) lies in public on own Twitter acc pic.twitter.com/NiuE6t7cCA

Chair of House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and emerging threats, everyone. pic.twitter.com/rduRg1VdkQ

Saved, for after the inevitable deletion or claims of being "hacked." Sadly, this is a sitting U.S. Congressman. pic.twitter.com/gKMl7F6FN1

He also apparently has a very poor memory. He accused UA of "assassination" of Yanukovych 26 hours before this:
https://twitter.com/DanaRohrabacher/status/584484635880640513 …

Is this a U.S. Congressman or an ill-informed Duma deputy?
https://twitter.com/DanaRohrabacher/status/584084222882816000 …

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Is in fact the OSCE truly "neutral" in the eastern Ukraine????

Retired U.S. General Wesley Clark about dysfunctional OSCE in East Ukraine http://wp.me/p5IvUD-kG

Social media has expressed a number of times the potential that OSCE has been less then neutral to the point of being proRussia from passing geo locations of UA positions to the mercenaries to allowing mercenaries to use OSCE vehicles for transportation to meeting the mercenaries without informing the Ukrainian Army of their travels.

OR to the point of being wrapped into Russian accusations that the Ukrainians attempted to shell OSCE patrols only to have social media "correct" OSCE.

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There is some truth to this social media comment: Question is why the West is refusing to touch this topic especially in the ME??

Kremlin's on a big push right now to show it's the only world power speaking out for Christians under attack. Which happens to be true.

Lavrov says Russia will bring issue of Christian persecution to UN, ROC calls it genocide. Kremlin is winning an issue West won't touch

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The West is not saying a single comment as the war in eastern Ukraine is slowly starting to pick up the pace to full scale war again.

Russian forces killed 9 Ukrainian soldiers in the last 48 hours laying ground for the upcoming open war on Eastern Ukraine.

#BreakingNews
Russian invasion forces attacked an Ukrainian armored vehicle near #Shchastya with an #ATGM and destroyed it.
4 Ukr KIA
2 WIA

Now the Russians are moving to a more intensive economic war with the Ukraine:

Russia Orders Mass Inspections of Ukrainian Goods Amid Trade War | Business | The Moscow Times http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-orders-mass-inspections-of-ukrainian-goods-amid-trade-war/518618.html …

#BreakingNews
Russian terrorist/army troops detonated a mine under a SUV near #Shyrokyne, killing 2 and injuring 1 Ukrainian trooper

[OUTLAW 09]

There is some truth to this social media comment: Question is why the West is refusing to touch this topic especially in the ME??

Kremlin's on a big push right now to show it's the only world power speaking out for Christians under attack. Which happens to be true.

Lavrov says Russia will bring issue of Christian persecution to UN, ROC calls it genocide. Kremlin is winning an issue West won't touch


BUT:
Kremlin has run roughshod over every sort of Christian not under their control for centuries....this is not news, Read some history.

AND:

Kremlin/ROC viewpoint is well captured in its new(ish) website here: http://orthodoxrights.org/ -- which has the usual biases,

[OUTLAW 09]

#BREAKING #ANALYSIS #MAP
I can confirm,#Chechen forces are fighting WITH #Azov in #Shyrokyne.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIXKukwuFug … pic.twitter.com/fc2i3NHBA0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRWK_lNqiQY … pic.twitter.com/j5k5FJ7Mzm

Thanks a lot to @HetmanAndrij for mentioning the video to me!
This is a new turn in the frontline action. #Russia pulls its enemies to it.

Hearing the shout of "Allah hu akbar" through the streets of burning #Shyrokyne,I can understand why the Rus army pulls its tanks together.

From the Russian side of the fighting:
VIDEO #Russia(ns) (controlled by #Putin) attacking #Ukraine troops #Shyrokyne near #Mariupol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl8tCfYbv-Y … pic.twitter.com/uaXyk4ncrs

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http://uatoday.tv/news/afp-trolling-for-putin-419648.html …


Trolling for Putin: Russia's information war explained

AFP
By Marina Koreneva

Saint Petersburg (AFP) - Lyudmila Savchuk says it was money that wooed her into the ranks of the Kremlin's online army, where she bombarded website comment pages with eulogies of President Vladimir Putin, while mocking his adversaries.

"Putin is great," "Ukrainians are Fascists," "Europe is decadent": Savchuk, 34, listed the main messages she was told to put out on Internet forums after responding to a job advertisement online.

"Our job was to write in a pro-government way, to interpret all events in a way that glorifies the government's politics and Putin personally," she said.

Performing her duties as an Internet "troll", Savchuk kept up several blogs on the popular Russian platform LiveJournal, juggling the virtual identities of a housewife, a student and an athlete.

While the blogs themselves would be filled with apolitical content about life in Russia, she was paid to use the account identities to comment on other news sites and online discussions, leaving 100 comments on an average day.

Every morning, she says, she would get assignments for the day, a list of subjects on which to comment and ideas to propagate.

"Ukraine has approved a reform plan to secure IMF aid" was the title of one recent assignment that Lyudmila had kept on her cellphone.

The instructions were for her to respond to the potentially positive Ukrainian news story with negative comments, such as "For the Ukrainian government, military needs are more important than those of the people."

Savchuk spent two months as a cyber-warrior, or what fans of news comment sections call "trolls", because they join to provoke or to spread propaganda, ruining what would usually be exchanges of opinion in good faith.

She said she worked in a nondescript grey building on Savushkin Street in a busy neighbourhood in the north of the city of Saint Petersburg before quitting in March.
Her short job interview was conducted by a man who only gave his first name,
Oleg. His first question was: "What do you think of our policy in Ukraine?"

"Like many others, I was seduced by their salary," said Savchuk, who is raising two children. Her monthly pay was 40,000 to 50,000 rubles ($700-870), considered good money in Russia's second largest city.

- 'Work is hard' -

The online onslaught of identical, often abusive Internet comments discrediting Russia's opponents, and especially the United States, while hailing the Russian government, began even before Russia's standoff with Ukraine.

A journalist with Novaya Gazeta opposition newspaper visited the Saint Petersburg agency in 2013 undercover and reported there were about 400 employees based out of a small building on the outskirts of the city.

Since then many Russian newspapers, and even foreign-language outlets that cover Russian events, have been forced to close comments sections because of the trolling torrent.

Local media reported that the operation moved to the larger, new four-storey building in October.

Now the Kremlin trolling centre's focus is the conflict in Ukraine, and it has reportedly added departments for people with foreign language skills and those able to Photoshop images.

Prospective trolls initially respond to employment opportunities on popular websites, where seemingly innocuous jobs titled "editor" or "content manager" are posted by an entity calling itself an agency for Internet studies.

AFP found job ads as recently as March 17 asking candidates to send a CV through a website. An automated reply then promises to contact the applicant in the future.
The employee turnover is huge, Savchuk said. "The work is hard. You have to write an enormous amount and a lot of people were laid off since they lacked the skill or simply couldn't express these ideas."

Most of the staff are young, often students. "They were completely indifferent to politics and did not take anything seriously. For them it's just a way to earn money."

But there were also other kinds of employees roaming the building who were older and full of enthusiasm. "There weren't many of them, but for them this work was a true mission," she said.

The bland space -- christened a "troll factory" by some Russian media -- is closed to the public. In fact, the only clear sign of the agency's existence at all are the job ads. Inside, most workers hardly speak to each other, often giving just a brusque "Excuse me, I'm in a hurry," said Savchuk.

Some seemed afraid to talk at all, she said: "They have cameras everywhere."

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Convoy of Russian tanks in Ukraine moving through Lugansk. Video

Russian Military Assessment

4 April at about 9am convoy of Russian tanks was recorded moving in Ukraine through Lugansk city. In total there were 15 tanks and at least one army truck with ammunition. Locals also report that they saw another convoy with 19 tanks and 5 army trucks that was going same route same day some time before the convoy in the video. Both convoys were moving out of Lugansk on the road that goes to Donetsk.

https://en.informnapalm.org/convoy-of-russian-tanks-in-ukraine-moving-through-lugansk-video/

Russian Snipers are working on the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk Road . National Guard suffered 2 KIA

Seems that Putin and his FM cannot quite get the Russian military to adhere to the Minsk 2 agreement--more convoys into the Ukraine from Russia.

#News
A Russian army column was seen passing Roven'ky and Krasnyi Luch towards the north west today.
Probably entered #Ukraine via Gukovo

[OUTLAW 09]

There has been numerous comments posted by me concerning the Russian internet trolls and their activities.

The question I now have can in fact a US Congressman be a Russian troll and or "an agent of influence"?????

This twitt by the Congressman was not a per accident twitt.

Dumb and Dumber: @DanaRohrabacher 1) is apparently fooled by Russian propaganda, 2) lies in public on own Twitter acc pic.twitter.com/NiuE6t7cCA

Chair of House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and emerging threats, everyone. pic.twitter.com/rduRg1VdkQ

Saved, for after the inevitable deletion or claims of being "hacked." Sadly, this is a sitting U.S. Congressman. pic.twitter.com/gKMl7F6FN1

He also apparently has a very poor memory. He accused UA of "assassination" of Yanukovych 26 hours before this:
https://twitter.com/DanaRohrabacher/status/584484635880640513 …

Is this a U.S. Congressman or an ill-informed Duma deputy?
https://twitter.com/DanaRohrabacher/status/584084222882816000 …

Sometimes even US Congressmen should have a little humility for making mistakes and take responsibility for their tweets. Or better yet let sleeping dogs lay sleeping. Meaning he should have reread his deleted tweet before the below statements.

Dana Rohrabacher ✔ @DanaRohrabacher
@Mr_Bundesliga I never said assassination.shows honesty of supporters of violent removal of elected Ukr prez,precipitating current crisis

Dana Rohrabacher ✔ @DanaRohrabacher
@Mr_Bundesliga thanks 4 reminder. I thought I consistently described events as violent overthrow,apparently once I used word assassination.

IMO the Congressman does not quite understand the depth of the social media that supports Ukrainian efforts and are quick to fact check even US Congressmen.

The latest from @DanaRohrabacher, who accuses supporters of Ukrainian democracy of "dishonesty" for exposing his lies.

Their answer back to the US Congressman:

Is this true, @DanaRohrabacher? Ever got $$$ from RF, directly, through lobbyists or Ketchum? http://watchingamerica.com/WA/2015/02/09/who-in-the-us-is-receiving-a-salary-from-putin/ … pic.twitter.com/HK40aBdVJZ

Taken from the article quoted above:
Behold, for example, Republican Rep. from California Dana Rohrabacher, who voted last March against legislation to introduce sanctions against Russian and render assistance to Ukraine. A longtime admirer of Vladimir Putin, he became a hero to several notable America media publications. Sixteen Republicans voted against the delivery of financial assistance to Kiev, but their complaint was related to using the money of American taxpayers. But Rohrabacher and Florida Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson supported the Kremlin “ideologically.” Grayson, referring to the annexation of Crimea, declared at the hearings: “We should be pleased to see, pleased to see, when a virtually bloodless transfer of power establishes self determination for two million people somewhere in the world, anywhere in world.”

Thus, the ultra-left Grayson and the ultra-right Rohrabacher united in defense of Putin. The Republican congressman from California loves to reminisce about how in the mid-90’s he participated in a friendly arm-wrestling match. The match took place in one of the Irish pubs close to Congress. After several pints had been finished by the congressmen and the Russian delegation, among them the deputy governor of St. Petersburg, an argument broke out about who won the Cold War. A Russian guest proposed that the argument be settled in a match. Rohrabacher did not know that before him was the holder of a black belt in judo, and he lost. And “the strong, wiry deputy mayor from St. Petersburg named Vladimir Putin” made an indelible impression on him. Today Rohrabacher admits that Putin has “many flaws,” but he argues that the U.S. “should not be trying to antagonize him.”

[OUTLAW 09]

Militants shelled Ukrainian army positions in Leninske http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/5-april-militants-shelled-ukrainian-army-positions-in-leninske …

Russian Snipers are working on the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk Road . National Guard suffered 2 KIA

“Soviet Disinformation on #Katyn Poland and the Role of the Orthodox Church,” Krystyna Piorkowska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUCeJI7ES4U …

[OUTLAW 09]

There has been some serious accusations floating on the net that the core reason the US has been rather easy with Russia in the Ukraine and or willing to not rock Putin's boat with defensive ATMs to the Ukraine is because they needed Russian assistance with Iran.

Meaning if the net is correct Obama and his NSC "traded Ukrainians" to the Russians in exchange for an Iranian agreement.

Did anyone notice that in face of the countless attacks on Ukrainian positions since Minsk 2 went into effect and or the Debaltseve attacks, the killing and wounding of UA soldiers via constant shellings by heavy weapons which were not pulled back by Russia verified by OSCE, and the countless Russian weapons and troops still coming into the Ukraine---ABSOLUTELY not a single comment from either Kerry, Obama and or his NSC.

The only comments being made have been those of the US Ambassador to the Ukraine--no one else--is that not strange or what??

Did anyone notice that when the NATO SG arrived for three days in DC Obama had no meeting with him and only after heavy social media pressure his NSC chairwoman met with the SG.

Taking all of the Obama and NSC lack of actions over the last six months in aggressively countering Russian moves in the Ukraine and the lack of interest in providing serious defensive aid to the Ukrainians there might in fact be some "truth" to the allegations the US "swapped the Ukraine for Iran".
CatherineFitzpatrick @catfitz
Sometimes, I just don't believe what comes out of the State Department https://twitter.com/WBStevens/status/584234971612733440Russia's role in negotiations "incredibly important" - @marieharf
We are grateful for our cooperation with #Russia

Right now if one takes at face value the "US deal with Iran" it in fact places Russia in the position of verifying whether Iran is in compliance WHEN at the same time they "deny" their troops are in the Ukraine, they deny they are supplying heavy weapons into the Ukraine and they are actively threatening the US and NATO members with nuclear strikes.

Not only has the US recent actions confused the Ukrainians-- the US actions in the new Iranian deal also seems to have confused the Arab world even though the US telephoned all of the key Arab leaders.

Arabs Blast "Obama's Deal" With Iran

by Khaled Abu Toameh
April 4, 2015 at 5:00 am

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5493/arabs-blast-obama-deal-with-iran


Does that make sense to anyone?????

It seems that it is not only the Ukrainians that are doubting the US and Obama--- it seems the entire Sunni ME is as well--never has there been a series of such negative reporting out of Europe and the ME when it comes to the current lack of a US foreign policy and or a FP that seems to favor both Russia and Iran.

Really does seem that the US no longer wants to lead on anything other than what is necessary for a political legacy starting in 2017.

"Something fundamental has changed in mindset of moderate Sunni Arab states...fed up with world powers" & with #Iran http://buff.ly/1IABPwA

Taken from the article above.


The way they see it, President Barack Obama is obsessed, for domestic political reasons, with trying to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran, and this may be why he has abandoned the entire Middle East to Tehran’s whims: The Iranians can run wild in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, but the US government will not lift a finger as long as Tehran agrees to sign a memorandum of understanding concerning its nuclear project.

The Arab states are also disgusted with Russia, which assists the Shiite axis in every way possible, including militarily. Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, went as far as mocking Russian President Vladimir Putin in his address to the Arab League summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh this weekend. “Russia offers us a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria, but yet continues to arm the regime there,” he stated dryly.

Hence the decision which dominated the Arab League summit, namely, to set up a joint Arab military force within three months. The goal, in other words, is to take rapid military action to stop the Iranians. The Arab states are tired of waiting for the US government, and they have decided to stop Tehran’s advances in the region even at the cost of war.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/518640.html

Russian Law Enforcement Steps Up in Information War Against UkraineBy Gabrielle Ttrault-Farber
Apr. 05 2015 20:06
Last edited 20:06


The glut of criminal cases Russia's Investigative Committee has launched over incidents that occurred on Ukrainian territory in recent months is more of a political ploy than an impartial legal procedure, perpetuating an unflattering portrayal of Ukraine to buttress the Russian state's rhetoric about the crisis in the former Soviet republic, political analysts told The Moscow Times.

In addition to probing crimes that have taken place across Russia, Russia's Investigative Committee seems to have conferred an informal mandate upon itself: bring to justice those it deems responsible for committing crimes on Ukrainian territory.

Last week, the committee opened an investigation into the desecration of some of Ukraine's World War II monuments, which it said were dedicated to the "struggle against fascism" and the "military glory of Russia." These acts, the committee said, were in violation of Russia's legislation on vandalized burial places and its law forbidding the "rehabilitation of Nazism."

In the aftermath of the deadly shelling of a public transport stop in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk in January, the committee announced it was launching a criminal investigation into the incident. No Russian nationals were reported to be among the victims.

Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin employed colorful and emotive language in a statement about the tragedy, accusing Ukrainian forces of perpetrating the attack and lashing out at Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk for having "hurriedly accused" Russia of being behind the tragedy.

"Yatsenyuk can be congratulated on the creation of a propaganda ministry," Markin said, adding that the Ukrainian prime minister had "learned well" from Nazi German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

With its repeated calls for justice to be served on Ukrainian territory including its call to arrest Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky and Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov for "murders and illegal warfare methods, obstructing the work of journalists and kidnapping" the Investigative Committee has not overstretched the boundaries defined by international law, according to Russian legal scholars.

Alexander Domrin, а professor at the law faculty of Moscow's Higher School of Economics, said that international law allows any given state to pursue criminal cases in foreign countries over a crime against humanity, even if the victims are not nationals of that country. Dmitry Labin, a professor in the international law department of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, said the Russian Criminal Code's articles on crimes against peace did not contain any territorial limits in terms of jurisdiction.

The practice of opening investigations into incidents that occurred abroad is common if citizens of the state in question have been victims of a crime. The Investigative Committee opened another case a week after the mutilated bodies of two Russians 5-year-old Nikita Leontyev and his 35-year-old mother, Anna Leontyeva were found in suitcases on the banks of the Pasarel reservoir in Bulgaria.

But the Investigative Committee's seemingly tentacular reach does not transpose effectively to actual prosecutions or cross-border arrests and prosecution, according to some lawyers.

"No one [from the Russian side] will be going to Kiev or anywhere else to arrest anyone," said Pyotr Kazakov, a Moscow criminal lawyer. "It would be illegal to go and arrest someone in another country. That would be out of line."

This is precisely the issue Ukraine and the West have reproached Russia for in the high-profile case of Nadezhda Savchenko, a Ukrainian military pilot who was taken prisoner in Ukraine by pro-Russian rebels in June before being handed over to Moscow. Russian authorities have accused Savchenko, who is currently being held at Moscow's high security Lefortovo prison, of complicity in the deaths of two Russian journalists killed by mortar fire in eastern Ukraine last summer. She denies involvement and says she was brought over the Russian border against her will.

Legal experts interviewed by The Moscow Times said that the sensitivity of the issue of the Ukrainian conflict and the cultural, linguistic and geographic proximity of Russia and Ukraine made the Investigative Committee more likely to pursue cases in that former Soviet republic rather than in a foreign state with weaker ties to Russia.

But Russian political analysts view the multiplication of Russia's Ukraine-based criminal cases as an attempt to criticize their Ukrainian counterparts and convince the domestic audience that the Russian authorities are working to serve a population President Vladimir Putin has said constitutes "one single people" with Russia.

"There is no other value in this [launching criminal investigations in Ukraine] than pure propaganda," said Nikolai Petrov, a professor of political science at Moscow's Higher School of Economics. "The legal grounds stated are not the reason for this practice."

The Investigative Committee had not replied to a request to comment for this story by the time of publication.

Since the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine, Russian officials and state media outlets have repeatedly painted a dire portrait of their Ukrainian counterparts. Putin partially justified Russia's annexation of Crimea last March by labeling the new authorities in Kiev as "nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites." Russian media designated the new leaders in Kiev a fascist junta in the direct aftermath of the ouster of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Although Russian state media has toned down its rhetoric as pro-Russian rebels captured large territories of eastern Ukraine, the country continues to be portrayed as a lawless nation hostile to its Russian-speaking population.

"Opening criminal cases in Ukraine is far more rewarding for Russian investigators than carrying out investigations at home," said Stanislav Belkovsky, an opposition-leaning political commentator. "The Investigative Committee has turned into one of the branches of the Kremlin's press service."

[kaur]

Outlaw posted head of RISI SVR/KGB retired general's interview yesterday translated by P. Goble. I think PG missed one important point.


И что нужно этому пресловутому «мировому правительству»?

– Проще сказать, что им не нужно: не нужна федеративная Украина, это будет плохо контролируемая территория. На ней невозможно разместить свои военные базы, новый эшелон ПРО. А такие планы есть. От Луганска или Харькова крылатые тактические ракеты достигают Зауралья, где находятся наши основные силы ядерного сдерживания. И со 100%-ной вероятностью смогут поражать баллистические ракеты шахтного и мобильного базирования на взлётной траектории. Сейчас этот район для них недоступен ни из Польши, ни из Турции, ни с Юго-Восточной Азии. Вот главная цель. Поэтому за Донбасс США будут сражаться до последнего украинца.

My sloppy translation. Mirhond could much better :o


- What this "world government" wants?

- It is easier say, what they don't want: they don't want federialized Ukraine, this will be badly controlled territory. There will not be possible to locate their military bases, new line of anti-missile defence. This kind of plans exist. From Luhansk or Harkov tactical cruise missiles reach territory behind Urals, where are located our main nuclear deterrent forces and with 100% probability can destroy fixed and mobile ballistical rockets. Today this area is not reachable from Poland, Turkey, South East Asia. This is main goal. This why USA will fight for Donbas until last Ukrainian dies.

http://argumenti.ru/toptheme/n481/394395

This point reminds me 1980. and anti-missile campaign in Europe.

[OUTLAW 09]

Outlaw posted head of RISI SVR/KGB retired general's interview yesterday translated by P. Goble. I think PG missed one important point.



My sloppy translation. Mirhond could much better :o



http://argumenti.ru/toptheme/n481/394395

This point reminds me 1980. and anti-missile campaign in Europe.

kaur--it is exactly the same arguments as those by the SU during the NATO Pershing 2 and cruise missile stationing debate that the leftists and peace movements tried to stop.

Many miss the connection.

[OUTLAW 09]

Tymchuk: Russia uses the regular army for major advances inside Ukraine & relies on mercenaries/smaller # of reg units during relative quiet

Kremlin documents leak- Putins Propaganda Instructions for the Media http://uatoday.tv/news/kremlin-documents-leak-419642.html …

'Anonymous International' Leaks Kremlin's Instructions to Russian TV http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/03/28/anonymous-international-leaks-kremlins-instructions-to-russian-tv/ …

Can anyone makes heads and or tails of this statement and in what context?
Putin "Our (Russians) genetic code is almost certainly one of our main competitive advantages in today's world"
pic.twitter.com/jkavQQs0OS

New footage of #Russia|n attack on #Debalseve in February, very intense shelling, crazy..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pnxrcIqSTg …

NEW footage from Russian bombing of/completely destroying #Debaltseve in Feb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pnxrcIqSTg …
pic.twitter.com/uNVt8FZG1m

[OUTLAW 09]

#Poland to strengthen security on border with #Russia's #Kaliningrad region http://belsat.eu/en/articles/poland-strengthen-security-border-russia/ … pic.twitter.com/rtT8OUkZGD

#Katerynivka village located on neutral territory returned under #Ukraine control. Read at http://lugansk-news.com/katerynivka-village-located-on-neutral-territoryg-returned-under-ukraine-control/ … pic.twitter.com/ZE7XrBgmAH

Head of Donetsk police releases details about 40 militants from Motorola unit
http://www.unian.info/war/1064017-head-of-donetsk-police-releases-details-about-40-militants-from-motorola-unit.html … pic.twitter.com/8ChUF1AMt3

This is an interesting way of distributing Russian disinformation--use the western media to give the cover that it is a real story--check the actual link and see exactly what social media tends to disagree with Forbes on.

Something though is of interest in the article that social media has not picked up on--the Ukrainian government has been blockading the occupied region by cutting off all banking and social/pension payments into the occupied zone stating if we cannot control it and control the money flow then we will not have a money flow into the occupied zones which has really hurt the mercenaries and those ethnic Russians still remaining in the zones. Russian has repeatedly stated the Ukraine must resume those payments basically because Russia cannot financially carry the Donbas and the Crimea which we now see. Ukrainian argument return the occupied territories to Ukrainian control and we will resume payments--actually a very elegant twist on countering the Russian non linear warfare and it effectively ups the financial costs for Russia.

Poroshenko Offered Donbass to Putin But He Wouldn't Take It - Forbes
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-april-6-2015/#7804 … pic.twitter.com/hBDuuHMp6k

Ukrainian colonel: Amid infighting, militants preparing offensive on Stanytsia Luhanska
http://www.unian.info/war/1064006-ukrainian-colonel-amid-infighting-militants-preparing-offensive-on-stanytsia-luhanska.html … pic.twitter.com/FVFmgzxHsM

Tactical Situation in #Donbas, #Ukraine as at April 6, 2015
The rumors are spreading among the... http://fb.me/3vb8PP3SD

[OUTLAW 09]

Strelkov "New offensive starts from April 16th". On the same day new Russian aid convoy arrives http://www.theinsider.ua/politics/552238d88de35/ …

05.04.2015 #Luhansk: About 47 #Russia|n vehicles in the field:
https://www.facebook.com/newapplecrysis/posts/1606240029589809 … pic.twitter.com/dnh4WXGY5q

Russian Cossack bomb squad clears mines on front lines in #Ukraine http://on.mash.to/1GXCdH2 Photos: @EvgenyFeldman pic.twitter.com/WAM9oyPHAE

4 Ukrainian soldiers killed by mines yesterday were victims of Russia's growing covert military presence in Ukrainian-controlled territory

Pisky area at #Donetsk direction was shelled most intensely. Near Sokilnyky, #Luhansk reg militants fired w AA mount https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/976737535670386 …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Poland to strengthen security on border with #Russia's #Kaliningrad region http://belsat.eu/en/articles/poland-strengthen-security-border-russia/ … pic.twitter.com/rtT8OUkZGD

#Katerynivka village located on neutral territory returned under #Ukraine control. Read at http://lugansk-news.com/katerynivka-village-located-on-neutral-territoryg-returned-under-ukraine-control/ … pic.twitter.com/ZE7XrBgmAH

Head of Donetsk police releases details about 40 militants from Motorola unit
http://www.unian.info/war/1064017-head-of-donetsk-police-releases-details-about-40-militants-from-motorola-unit.html … pic.twitter.com/8ChUF1AMt3

This is an interesting way of distributing Russian disinformation--use the western media to give the cover that it is a real story--check the actual link and see exactly what social media tends to disagree with Forbes on.

Something though is of interest in the article that social media has not picked up on--the Ukrainian government has been blockading the occupied region by cutting off all banking and social/pension payments into the occupied zone stating if we cannot control it and control the money flow then we will not have a money flow into the occupied zones which has really hurt the mercenaries and those ethnic Russians still remaining in the zones. Russian has repeatedly stated the Ukraine must resume those payments basically because Russia cannot financially carry the Donbas and the Crimea which we now see. Ukrainian argument return the occupied territories to Ukrainian control and we will resume payments--actually a very elegant twist on countering the Russian non linear warfare and it effectively ups the financial costs for Russia.

Poroshenko Offered Donbass to Putin But He Wouldn't Take It - Forbes
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-april-6-2015/#7804 … pic.twitter.com/hBDuuHMp6k

Ukrainian colonel: Amid infighting, militants preparing offensive on Stanytsia Luhanska
http://www.unian.info/war/1064006-ukrainian-colonel-amid-infighting-militants-preparing-offensive-on-stanytsia-luhanska.html … pic.twitter.com/FVFmgzxHsM

Tactical Situation in #Donbas, #Ukraine as at April 6, 2015
The rumors are spreading among the... http://fb.me/3vb8PP3SD

It is interesting that a number of social media tweeters picked up the Forbes article but did not reference the counter statements by the Ukrainian FM referencing the “apparent” misstating of the spoken Ukrainian vs Russian.

A great example of Russian disinformation being spread via a false statement and how it is shifted then into the social media side of the news cycle.

Cannot believe Forbes fell for the article without fact checking which a social media actually did thus the definitive Russian false translation out of the Ukrainian which Forbes did not point to.

Peskov does not deny leaked "report" that @ Minsk, Putin told Poroshenko: "No thanks, we don't want Donbass,

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman @YPerebyinis says Putin mistook "Get out of Donbass" for "Take Donbass" http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-april-6-2015/#7804 …

greg white ✔ @whitegl
Putin tells business tycoons that Poroshenko in Minsk told him to "take Donbas," Forbes reports http://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya/vlast/284619-donbass-rossiiskii-putin-rasskazal-o-neozhidannom-predlozhenii-poroshenko …

Boris Reitschuster @reitschuster
Putin: "Poroschenko hat mir Donbass angeboten." Antwort des Kreml-Chefs: "Bist Du durchgeknallt oder was?" https://www.facebook.com/reitschuster/posts/1086730678008786

END Result of their disinformation cycle--they then do not have to even comment as they got the false message out---"the Ukrainians wanted to give away the Donbas"--this is a disinformation game they play all day long and western media does not even seem to be able to simply do fact checking--ever wonder why??

*Russian Market @russian_market
Kremlin refuses to comment on Poroshenko’s alleged ‘take Donbas’ offer to Putin. pic.twitter.com/fKNBDsApIH

[OUTLAW 09]

Kremlin is finalizing preparation for the new assault in Donbas, three strike forces are ready - via @DmitryTymchuk pic.twitter.com/5tcO1JW0Iy

IF this does in fact occur as it is being predicted just what will Obama and his NSC and the Europeans does--look the other way and agree the US has "swapped the Ukraine" for Iran??

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
SBU eliminated one of the schemes that funded pro-RU militants. Uncovered coal that was illegally transferred to #Cherkasy.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Internal conflicts among militants escalate – lack of funding and deteriorating morale. Eg. Shooting in #Krasnoarmiyske near #Novoazovsk

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian government restores control over #Katerynivka, Luhansk region. It has to be under UA acc to Minsk II

Grenade thrown at Right Sector members this morning during a patrol in / near #Mariupol, 2 WIA.
http://www.0629.com.ua/news/789632

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian military engineers deactivated more than 40 mines (82-mm to 300-mm calibers) pic.twitter.com/BONCjYL0Qd

[OUTLAW 09]

Crimes of Soviet partisans against humanity in #Belarus , the #Baltic States and #Finland (WARNING: graphic images) http://fakeoff.org/war/voennye-prestupleniya-sovetskikh-partizan-v-belorussii-pribaltike-i-finlyandii#.VSJPZ409IrE.twitter … …

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
SBU detained 2 militants & 1 female informer who gathered intel on the Ukrainian military

Anonymous International managed to crack Prokopenko's heavily encrypted telegram messenger. Stand by for gems, assuming there are.

[OUTLAW 09]

It is interesting that a number of social media tweeters picked up the Forbes article but did not reference the counter statements by the Ukrainian FM referencing the “apparent” misstating of the spoken Ukrainian vs Russian.

A great example of Russian disinformation being spread via a false statement and how it is shifted then into the social media side of the news cycle.

Cannot believe Forbes fell for the article without fact checking which a social media actually did thus the definitive Russian false translation out of the Ukrainian which Forbes did not point to.

Peskov does not deny leaked "report" that @ Minsk, Putin told Poroshenko: "No thanks, we don't want Donbass,

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman @YPerebyinis says Putin mistook "Get out of Donbass" for "Take Donbass" http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-april-6-2015/#7804 …

greg white ✔ @whitegl
Putin tells business tycoons that Poroshenko in Minsk told him to "take Donbas," Forbes reports http://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya/vlast/284619-donbass-rossiiskii-putin-rasskazal-o-neozhidannom-predlozhenii-poroshenko …

Boris Reitschuster @reitschuster
Putin: "Poroschenko hat mir Donbass angeboten." Antwort des Kreml-Chefs: "Bist Du durchgeknallt oder was?" https://www.facebook.com/reitschuster/posts/1086730678008786

END Result of their disinformation cycle--they then do not have to even comment as they got the false message out---"the Ukrainians wanted to give away the Donbas"--this is a disinformation game they play all day long and western media does not even seem to be able to simply do fact checking--ever wonder why??

*Russian Market @russian_market
Kremlin refuses to comment on Poroshenko’s alleged ‘take Donbas’ offer to Putin. pic.twitter.com/fKNBDsApIH

Disinformation: Inside the Russian-born Science of Influence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM6fmpef_Ig&list=WL&index=5 …