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

[OUTLAW 09]

VIDEO BUK on fire at May 09 parade in #Chita, #Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r-fD9yvQQI …
@loogunda pic.twitter.com/P3mpYxU1nP
tvrain.ru/teleshow/here_and_now/na_parade_pobedy_v_chite_zagorelsja_buk_video-387067/ … pic.twitter.com/0YcWZ6sjIM

#Russia-backed militants freed 2 American aid workers of @theIRC seized 10 days ago in #Donetsk http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32671002 …

Gun fire, explosions 40km from #Macedonia capital.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKSJlS--Scc …
Police fights w/ unknown armed group
@MaximEristavi

Today the world faces a deeply corrupt #Russian state.Why? Past&current International Mistakes http://empr.media/opinion/analytics/learning-military-and-intelligence-lessons-past-and-current-international-mistakes … pic.twitter.com/CRxEPV6cGS

Soviet craze in Moscow vs somber procession in Kyiv.
Have never seen Ukraine & Russia differ so much.
Tectonic shift pic.twitter.com/ClHMyfWMgY

3 policemen killed, 12 wounded in #Kumanovo, #Macedonia during battle with armed men:
http://portalb.mk/170442-koha-tre-polic-te-vrare-dhe-12-te-plagosur-ne-kumanove/ …

Another video of heavy fighting in #Kumanovo in #Macedonia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gIIHjsshHw …

@MarQs__ Video of troops coming in there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpM5l6uCGbc …

Article says that police and army is fighting about 70 armed men in #Kumanovo.
http://novatv.mk/index.php?navig=8&cat=2&vest=22207 …

Highway Belgrade-Skopje is closed due the fighting in #Kumanovo. Things are getting serious https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOtZEcl8Xlo …
via @VincentTriest

Last reports--15 police wounded 3 seriously--they were taking down an armed gang.

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Map. Situation in eastern #Ukraine, May 9, 12:00 EET pic.twitter.com/GBDdkld5PW

#Russia’s new armor: First analysis at @defenseupdate – Part I http://wp.me/p3cRXG-emZ http://fb.me/7tsoWUNLD #armata pic.twitter.com/OuWIlDd3uj

Underappreciated part of history: Did Russia Really Do It Alone? How Lend-Lease Helped the Soviets Defeat the Germans http://www.historynet.com/did-russia-really-go-it-alone-how-lend-lease-helped-the-soviets-defeat-the-germans.htm …

Lend-Lease to Russia: The Persian Corridor delivered more than 5 million tons of weapons & supplies to Soviet Russia http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/lend-l

NOTICE: Russia never says a word about US supplies to it during WW2--
BTW--their first BMP-1 used a copy of a 1945 Ford engine.

[OUTLAW 09]

Video of the full 70th Anniversary Victory Day Parade in Moscow https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TYRuFAJMGZo …

#Footage
The Russian invasion army's #May9 parade in #Yanekijeve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmjwl8VtMhQ …
pic.twitter.com/geMxhuRZEu

While everyone watches fascist parades, Dep Cmdr Russian Ground Forces Col-Gen Lentsov invisible: too busy preparing. pic.twitter.com/nsxBHOuqgN

Was there a parade hiccup? Half a dozen tanks and vehicles never made it to Red Square, stayed on Pushkin Sq: pic.twitter.com/x2JoijWndE

Not so subtle threat against the Ukraine by Putin:
#Putin hinted at Rsa's claim of new threat of fascism (in Ukraine). Says 30s Europe missed deadly danger of Nazism at first. Shld be alert

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems that the Russian military does not want the Russian population to know what a BUK looks like --wonder why??---- MH17 shot down????

A Buk missile system was the only type of military kit displayed at the Red Square parade but not named by the announcer

[OUTLAW 09]

This is where Russian hybrid army is playing hide&seek with @OSCE - Telmanove, near #Mariupol https://archive.is/TCqa9 pic.twitter.com/PjQAZVaoQA

SBU prevents terrorist attack in Kharkiv, detains former Interior Ministry employee http://24today.net/open/403998 pic.twitter.com/L2dF9wEqkF

Russian Military Systems We Should See In Coming Years http://www.rferl.org/content/russian-military-systems-we-should-see-in-coming-years/27006106.html … via @RFERL

2 of Russia’s new vehicles based on Armata platform (Kurganets & T-15) didn’t make it to Red Square. pic.twitter.com/4YKJQF1hxb

Putin doesn't tell Russians story of how his NKVD dad was dropped behind enemy lines in Estonia
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-may-9-2015/#8265 …

Timothy Snyder @TimothyDSnyder
Video of my talk at the European Parliament: "The Second World War in Europe: Beginnings and Endings" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkYZfi2o2Zw&feature=player_detailpage#t=1422 …

"When #Stalin was #Hitler's ally" by Timothy Snyder http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2015-05-08-snyder-en.html#.VU4RREA15iE.twitter … via @eurozine

[OUTLAW 09]

Loaded w/ fake medals and alcohol, DNR terro & RU mil stage "Victory Parade" occupied #Donetsk http://zn.ua/UKRAINE/v-donecke-glavari-boevikov-prishli-na-parad-s-butaforskimi-medalyami-175511_.html … pic.twitter.com/2KZNCbs3MY

Video of the day: Drunk #DPR leader #Zakharchenko at #VictoryDay parade in #Donetsk,E #Ukraine http://empr.media/video/conflict-zone/drunk-dpr-leader-zakharchenko-at-victory-day-parade-in-donetsk … pic.twitter.com/7gZgJELN6w

Rising Russian Influence Over Central Europe Is ‘Troubling’ - @Jan_Svejnar of @ColumbiaSIPA
http://buff.ly/1EG0VJT pic.twitter.com/Ij5em5JzF9

Putin's Russia is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory over fascism with ... fascism http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2015/05/07/70th-anniversary-of-world-war-ii-marked-by-fascism-in-russia/ …

Hedging Over #Stalin’s Legacy. Open debate on Stalin period could help #Russians come to terms w/ that terrible time. http://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-hedges-over-stalins-legacy-1431077407 …

Russia's EU Ambassador Chizhov defended Russia's invasion of Poland in 1939, as an act of 'necessity' " https://euobserver.com/foreign/128645

Army Recognition @ArmyRecognition
#Russia #T14 #Armata main battle #tank #technical #data sheet pictures updated Read http://bit.ly/1K2Cp7w pic.twitter.com/B3qlqXPywL

Russian militants in Amvrosiivka http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/9-may-russian-militants-in-amvrosiivka … #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/4OwkRsqaPF via @BuTaJIu4eK

[OUTLAW 09]

9 May Parades are over and the fighting/shelling begins again-----and all those T72sand MRLSs that were in the parades and in direct violation of Minsk 2 are back in their storage areas and monitored by OSCE ---sure………….

17:22 #Donetsk @AlfaNubovsky Yet another battle in the airport direction can be heard

18:15 #Donetsk Kirovsky ds @UrriKara4en Active skirmish fr/the north in #Pisky area, small arms & heavy

[OUTLAW 09]

#BREAKING
#Ukraine accepts loss of air space over occupied #Donbas.
Rus jumps @ #Saur_Mohyla.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKkYSWSNKSI … pic.twitter.com/oaE9NzGGcT

#Ukrainian checkpoint in #Lugansk Region attacked last night. One soldier seriously wounded. http://lugansk-news.com/ukrainian-checkpoint-in-lugansk-region-attacked-last-night-one-soldier-seriously-wounded/ … pic.twitter.com/qTy4Jbo9mG


#Alchevsk fuhrer #Mozgovoy today, the same Russian army uniform and self awarded medals@LUGANSK_TODAY pic.twitter.com/v31GZLa60z

#Khartsyzk @natroso 22buses w/abt 1000 [Donetsk parade viewers ordered] by allocation plan, the same fr/other towns

СММ ОБСЄ в Україні @OSCE_SMM
Latest from SMM: heavy weapons along contact line; large concentration tanks in “DPR”-controlled area near Mariupolhttp://bit.ly/1zSXtgi

Occupied #Alchevsk today: parade of left #extemists from #Europe. @LUGANSK_TODAY pic.twitter.com/Oc0At6QZvj

Reference Chechnya:
kadyrov_95's video https://instagram.com/p/2b4o09iRlo/ This new Kadyrov video is totally mesmerizing.

[OUTLAW 09]

9 May Parades are over and the fighting/shelling begins again-----and all those T72sand MRLSs that were in the parades and in direct violation of Minsk 2 are back in their storage areas and monitored by OSCE ---sure………….

17:22 #Donetsk @AlfaNubovsky Yet another battle in the airport direction can be heard

18:15 #Donetsk Kirovsky ds @UrriKara4en Active skirmish fr/the north in #Pisky area, small arms & heavy

Ukrainian army statement and numerous eye witness accounts confirm each other.
Shelling started around an hour ago.

Russian forces/militia have already started attacking Ukrainian positions near Donetsk. #FF @loogunda https://twitter.com/loogunda/status/597065969752797184 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian army statement and numerous eye witness accounts confirm each other.
Shelling started around an hour ago.

Russian forces/militia have already started attacking Ukrainian positions near Donetsk. #FF @loogunda https://twitter.com/loogunda/status/597065969752797184 …

.@UaForces "UKR forces in #Horlivka area were shelled 5 times today w/122mm artillery, mortars and tanks"

Horlivka residents take photos with their ocupiers pic.twitter.com/20U5Z7GU84

Fr/13:40 to 14:30 @UaForces "Support point of ATO forces was shelled/fired w/120mm mortars, GL and small arms"

From 6am to 7am @UaForces 'Occupants shelled/fired #Pisky w/82mm mortars, GLs & small arms'

[about 19:20] #Horlivka @from_diana1 'greetings part started - volleys from #Rtutny-#Michurino area tow/#Mayorsk-#Shumy direction'

19:08 #Maryinka @faina_ukr "Battle in progress. Rumble from all sides"

#Donetsk @DonetskUA555 Battle in #Trudovski-#Maryinka [area]

20:03 #Maryinka @faina_ukr "Real heavy here"

[OUTLAW 09]

DNR Frees Two American Aid Workers Held For Ten Days http://bit.ly/1Kuzm7J pic.twitter.com/zRj3V4B4ZP

#Alchevsk today. Communists-extremists from #Europe on a parade. Many of them are fighting against #Ukrainian Army. pic.twitter.com/g8bTvl6NKD

Self-Awarded Medals and Russian-Supplied Military Parades In Donetsk Mark Victory Day
http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-446-russian-backed-insurgents-hold-victory-day-celebration/#8270 … pic.twitter.com/nITDlJpZ3v

All the #Donbas monkeys sport around 30 medals on their #Russia|n uniforms.
Medals - the only growth industry in Donbas

MIA: detained the officer, seized in the trunk of his car 11 RPGs and 23 grenades. pic.twitter.com/KcR8nKCo3B http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/9-may-mia-detained-the-officer-seized-in-the-trunk-of-his …

Chechnya is just getting weirder and weirder......

Red Army assault on Reichstag staged in Grozny for Victory Day, captured Nazi flags thrown at Kadyrov’s feet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-loZylBBoXM …

#Donetsk 20:44
Airport area - shooting, mortars, machine guns, and something else, don't recognise the sound. https://twitter.com/14720Maro/status/597095126645768193 …

#Kurakhove 19:28
Towards #Marinka- #Aleksandrovka single heavy shots. https://twitter.com/14720Maro/status/597088141024043008 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian SBU voice intercept:

Russians want to Fire with artillery at 9 pm on Katerinovka today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP1p8sQhth4 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Strange Russian Foreign Minister statement:

Lavrov says "We will continue to counter aggressive nationalism, chauvinism.." pic.twitter.com/mQ6dwrqXcH

Was he talking about Russia???

Amazing #VDay in #Sevastopol, #Crimea. Banner says: "#Moscow RIP" @DoctorGachet pic.twitter.com/txTimu9M60

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian SBU voice intercept:

Russians want to Fire with artillery at 9 pm on Katerinovka today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP1p8sQhth4 …

UA counter intel intercepted militant talk where one orders to another to destroy Katerynivka, #Donetsk region at 9pm http://www.unian.net/war/1076346-kontrrazvedka-perehvatila-razgovor-boevikov-s-planami-raznesti-ekaterinovku-v-2100.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian SF is being used in a far more aggressive C-UW and sabotage role.

Ukrainian SOF in a heliborne vehicle interdiction https://youtu.be/6EDL_Ml8fFg

[OUTLAW 09]

.@UaForces "UKR forces in #Horlivka area were shelled 5 times today w/122mm artillery, mortars and tanks"

Horlivka residents take photos with their ocupiers pic.twitter.com/20U5Z7GU84

Fr/13:40 to 14:30 @UaForces "Support point of ATO forces was shelled/fired w/120mm mortars, GL and small arms"

From 6am to 7am @UaForces 'Occupants shelled/fired #Pisky w/82mm mortars, GLs & small arms'

[about 19:20] #Horlivka @from_diana1 'greetings part started - volleys from #Rtutny-#Michurino area tow/#Mayorsk-#Shumy direction'

19:08 #Maryinka @faina_ukr "Battle in progress. Rumble from all sides"

#Donetsk @DonetskUA555 Battle in #Trudovski-#Maryinka [area]

20:03 #Maryinka @faina_ukr "Real heavy here"

21:16
#Marinka - russian infantry attacks, mortars cover. https://twitter.com/tombreadley/status/597102755770142720 …

@Guderian_Xaba Incoming mortar shelling from #Stepne.

19:57 #Maryinka, #Novomykhailivka @14720Maro MG fire was heard, now #Grad volleys, no explosions heard

21:06
#Slavne-#Taramchuk very active gunfire, assault rifles and machine guns. https://twitter.com/Darren_Aro/status/597100274247958528 …

19:28 #Kurakhove @14720Maro Direction H15 road-#Maryinka-#Oleksandrivka - single heavy various [calibre], very frequent

20:41 @Darren_Aro #Grad impacts somewhere in #Maryinka-#Oleksndrivka area "I didn't hear volleys just distant hits"

#Makiivka 10PM
White smoke rising, tracers in the sky. - via @14720Maro

20:44 #Donetsk @14720Maro Skirmish in the airport area - mortars, MGs and smth else, not clear what

#Donetsk 22:10
On the highway fr Trudovsky to Petrovka ds buzz off armor. https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/597116784530071552 …

20:53 #Maryinka @faina_ukr It is noisy near Chertkov (=estate of a PoR member on Maryinka-Donetsk border)

#Donetsk 22:10
Kirovsky district - through the rain hearing heavy outgoing shelling from east and falling on #Pisky https://twitter.com/UrriKara4en/status/597117303885529088 …

20:58 #Donetsk @levzeja "It's getting dark and here&there in dusk one can hear small arms bursts".

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian soldier from Nizhny Novgorod in Bryanka/Luhansk Oblast pic.twitter.com/gq6W9Yxmg8

Russian soldiers from Sakha Republic (Far East) in Donbas pic.twitter.com/W19q6SN2nR

Separatist forces effectively function as an extension of #Russian military power. -@USOSCE http://goo.gl/7uyT1J pic.twitter.com/bokPI7cFPW

[OUTLAW 09]

Serious Russian assault tonight:

SOF Sich: All units in #Pisky are on battle alert pic.twitter.com/xRZnKc5iIMhttp://liveuamap.com/en/2015/9-may-sof-sich-all-units-in-pisky-are-on-battle-alert …

Sich battalion: Threat of an enemy breakthrough at #Pisky and by #Marinka. All units in battle alert.22:30https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/597127405405216769 …

May.9 UA regiments are on full alert in Pisky where RU forces advance is being prepared https://twitter.com/pravda_1/status/597122414292672512 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Serious Russian assault tonight:

SOF Sich: All units in #Pisky are on battle alert pic.twitter.com/xRZnKc5iIM http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/9-may-sof-sich-all-units-in-pisky-are-on-battle-alert …

Sich battalion: Threat of an enemy breakthrough at #Pisky and by #Marinka. All units in battle alert.22:30 https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/597127405405216769 …

May.9 UA regiments are on full alert in Pisky where RU forces advance is being prepared https://twitter.com/pravda_1/status/597122414292672512 …

21:05 #Donetsk @manirtal Fr/Putilovka&Spartak intense SA fire is heard. Fr/the north direction tank or heavy gunfire is heard

#Maryinka and #Pisky or #Opytne are under #Russia|n attack tonight

#Marinka 22:30
"I see now glare from explosions and machine gun fire from west." https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/597121659053731840 …

21:06 @Darren_Aro #Slavne-#Taramchuk line - active small arms & MG fire

21:09 #Donetsk @malinaliss Rumble behind ponds in #Pisky area

21:09 #Donetsk @funkermanjke Red tracers fr/#Spartak area and suddenly fireworks

21:15 #Donetsk @UkraineSuper1 SPG "fireworks" from Tochmash-Artemivska St

21:21 #Maryinka @faina_ukr Short lull and again rumble in [former road police checkpoint], SA bursts closer to the center

21:34 #Maryinka [former road police checkpoint] @faina_ukr Heavy impacts
21:38 @allex1984 Almost 3hr already

Militants fired Ukrainian villages from 120mm mortars, heavy machine guns, and grenade launchers on May 9 http://en.censor.net.ua/n335523

Three Russian drones were spotted over last 24 hours http://en.censor.net.ua/n335496

[OUTLAW 09]

SBU detained one leader of the "Kharkiv partisans" who was preparing a terrorist attack in Kharkiv on May 9-10 # http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/9-may-sbu-detained-one-of-the-leaders-of-the-kharkiv-partisans …

In Kharkov, SBU detained a terrorist when he set magnetic mine under a fuel tank pic.twitter.com/WVmBNTSxco http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/9-may-in-kharkov-sbu-detained-a-terrorist-when-he-set-magnetic …

SBU prevents terrorist attack in Dnipropetrovsk on May 9 http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/sbu-prevents-terrorist-attack-in-dnipropetrovsk-on-may-9-388192.html …

Read Snyder on Hitler-Stalin Pact. Every sentence packed w/ important history, forgotten +or distorted today. http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2015-05-08-snyder-en.html …

In 2013 Russia said it would attack Ukraine for attempting to join the EU.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/22/ukraine-european-union-trade-russia … pic.twitter.com/OYfkp4y6QR

[OUTLAW 09]

#Donetsk
22:00 @14720Maro Thunderlike explosion after the flash
22:02 @CatBoobon Confirm,windows vibrated in DonbasArena area

22:03 #Maryinka @faina_ukr Heavy incoming to [former road police checkpoint], small arms battle sounds like everywhere

22:02 #Donetsk @GirkinGirkin Volleys seen from windows in Naberezhna St, not fireworks

#Donetsk @14720Maro
21:59 Not fireworks already
22:00 Visually behind the bridge in Mira Ave- blue massive flash (continued)
22:04 #Donetsk @0954771 Moisy in the centre, mostly SA and larger caliber

Signal flares may mean anything, the certain color or lights may be a signal for one or another action.
22:06 #Donetsk @14720Maro Green signal rocket now tow/#Makeevka

22:11 #Donetsk @Donetsk_Ukraine "#Pisky are shelled on the sly. It's *not* fireworks"

#Donetsk @0954771
22:10 Small arms fire heard in RozyLuksemburg St
22:11 "Friends still observe fireworks in Scherbakova"
22:04 #Donetsk @14720Maro Tracers burst to the sky
22:05 @hamradiobot Maybe wastes behind the gob pile, Chernovetska St

[OUTLAW 09]

EXCLUSIVE: Leaked Emails Reveal What Vladimir Putin Tells World Leaders at Private Meals http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/05/08/russia-leaked-emails-reveal-what-vladimir-putin-tells-world-leaders-at-private-meals/ … prin @AricToler

Watch completely drunk leader of Donetsk rebels hosting Soviet-inspired #VictoryDay paradehttps://twitter.com/dmitryzaksafp/status/597095753232850944 …

Russia's 2015 Victory Day Parade in its entirety. Foreign troops at ~31:32s, vehicles+hardware at ~54:15s. https://youtu.be/VqpbR2oEz2I

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings and attacks still ongoing--will be interesting to see if Obama, Hollande and Merkel say something or will it be total silence again.

May 9th Vicory Day in #Shyrokyne. Continuous fighting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFRD11x4NIk …
via @Guderian_Xaba

#Horlivka23:36 @sv_inaya "Party's coming I can hear volleys"
Center @DobryShubin And impacts.
@Notka_Fa_ Only once

22:50 #Maryinka @WTF_1984 2 lightly wounded, "info fr/there"

22:35 #Donetsk @evergreen_dn "My fiend says they've set a cannon near school #51 near stadium and are shelling from there

@sterion75 fight in the centre of Marinka right now

22:30 @BylByleva_ [From #Donetsk] "Petrovka one can see burning sky over #Maryinka"
23:12 Abt 50min it is quiet in #Maryinka

#Maryinka @tombreadley Since 7 there was a massive shelling, impacts on GAI checkpoint & sovkhoz. Warded off. Quiet for 1hr

[OUTLAW 09]

#RussiaInvadesUkraine 1917 - 1921. People, this isn’t new.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian%E2%80%93Soviet_War … http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CU%5CK%5CUkrainian6Sov ietWar1917hD721.htm … pic.twitter.com/KbM2v7I6ck

Last night #Russia's proxies fired at Ukr forces 35 times, used heavy weapons. Ukr repelled attack near Maryinkahttps://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/996107107066762 …

Typical Russian disinformation targeting their own population:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwnCScZp7b8 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-9lr8aHpj4 … W/ few #WWII vets left alive,fakes paraded w/ #Putin.#Russia #VEDay70 pic.twitter.com/GRmgwVGkJK

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/10/us-ukraine-crisis-soldiers-specialreport-idUSKBN0NV06Q20150510?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter

World | Sun May 10, 2015 4:22am EDT

Special Report: Russian soldiers quit over Ukraine



MOSCOW/DONETSK | By Maria Tsvetkova
Some Russian soldiers are quitting the army because of the conflict in Ukraine, several soldiers and human rights activists have told Reuters. Their accounts call into question the Kremlin's continued assertions that no Russian soldiers have been sent to Ukraine, and that any Russians fighting alongside rebels there are volunteers.

Evidence for Russians fighting in Ukraine – Russian army equipment found in the country, testimony from soldiers' families and from Ukrainians who say they were captured by Russian paratroopers – is abundant. Associates of Boris Nemtsov, a prominent Kremlin critic killed in February, will soon publish a report which they say will contain new evidence of the Russian military presence in Ukraine.

Until now, however, it has been extremely rare to find Russian soldiers who have fought there and are willing to talk. It is even rarer to find soldiers who have quit the army. Five soldiers who recently quit, including two who said they left rather than serve in Ukraine, have told Reuters of their experiences.

[OUTLAW 09]

https://en.informnapalm.org/the-analysis-of-the-combat-situation-and-the-prediction-of-warfare-on-may-7-2015/

(с) This material was prepared exclusively for InformNapalm, a reference to the source is required when using the information.

The Analysis of the Combat Situation and the Prediction of Warfare on May 7, 2015
2 hours ago


After releasing the Cossacks, who fought as part of the illegal armed groups of so-called Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR), to control of command of the Russian armed forces a similar action was started in DNR.

During May 6, 2015 year in Donetsk there was fighting between the private military company of Rinat Akhmetov and the Vostok battalion, representatives of the Russian armed forces and the Cossack’s units. In particular, the operations were noticed in the area of the Forum shopping centre, the 76th school, the Sokol market and etc.

The next stage of the work of the contact group was held in Minsk on May 6, after which the representative of the Russian Federation dropped a hint about the autonomy of the Donbass region in Ukraine. The leadership of the Russian armed forces continue of the elimination of uncooperative Cossacks and building the full-fledged armed forces on the occupied territory. In addition, we should mention the proclamation of martial law in Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts.

Donetsk:

The terrorists continue to exercise in operational coordination; the artillery salvos were heard in the area of Durna Balka settlement where the militant training centre is located. In addition, according to unverified data, there was the movement of the military equipment in Petrovskyi district of the city (the movement of column from 14:00 to 16:00), which may indicate the preparation of attack towards Mariinka.

Disturbing military activities continue in Pesky.

The analysis of the movement of the convoys on N21 route through towns of Shakhtarsk, Torez, Snizhne towards the East can indicate the possible rotation of units of the Russian armed forces based in Donetsk. This is most likely connected to mopping–up operation against militants. So, the movement of convoys of vehicles to a total of 30 units was seen in Shakhtarsk, the military equipment was preceded in an easterly direction. There is also the Strela-10 air missile system was seen. Delivery of the fuel and ammunition from Russia continues to the anchor station of Ilovaisk (on May 6 the arrival of new troop train was noted, as well as the sending of up to 154 fuel servicing units from Ilovaisk).

We should note that activity of terrorists on Dzershinsk’s direction. City is shelled by militants regularly. The rotation was held in Horlivka. Units of the local terroristic-militants were sent to the Mariupol area. Instead of them was noticed arrival of the Russian Armed Forces. Close to Mykytivka villiage militants demonstratively organize the fortified area. From the 7th of May there are excavators and cranes working.

The illegal armed groups in Lugansk oblast continue to acute situation in the Shchastya area by raids of artillery and shootings. Also they are trying to give false information to the Ukrainian Armed forces commandment. That is why they imitate gathering of the armoured vehicle and tank group. In Lysychansk direction terrorists are continuing to increase their forces: it was noticed in the area of Slovyanoserbsk.

Fighting in the area of Shyrokyne is continuing. Terroristic-militants are gaining new forces, including those from Horlivka, which were mentioned before. Also terrorists are more active in area of Hranitne shelled by artillery.

Event analysis shows that terrorists continue to keep tension by constant manoeuvres with forces and weaponry to cover their further intentions.

Increasing of the militant’s activity in Horlivka can be the sign of preparations to attack on direction Horlivka- Kostiantynivka and Horlivka-Artemivsk. It is confirmed by demonstrative building of the checkpoint and arrival of the new forces to the town.

Sending of the locals out of Horlivka to Shyrokyne is one more prove that attack from Novoazovsk to Mariupol has the second priority, unless the risk is still exists.

The attack on Pervomaisk -Artemivsk line is still actual, but imitation in Mykolaivka makes us to think that direction of Shchastya and Stanytsia Luhanska has no first priority. We should note the activation of the active resistance in the crisis area. During May 6 we have notes about explosions on the weapon storage in Stakhaniv, extermination of the vehicles in the Samsonove and Sakhanka areas. It can be the sign that partisan movement got under central command.
Prepared by Artyom Vasilenko, exclusively for InformNapalm.

Translated by Eugenia Zlamanuk

русский https://informnapalm.org/8810-analyz-operatyvnoj-obstanovky-y-prognoz-hoda-boevyh-dejstvyj

[OUTLAW 09]

Morning in #Shyrokyne started from dense militant artillery shelling at Ukr positions. An #Azov serviceman is WIAhttps://www.facebook.com/azov.batalion/photos/a.879163718780418.1073741828.879147128782077/1050462831650505/?type=1 …

Close combat clash took place in #Mariinka - ATO

Cemetery in #Alchevsk, dozens of new graves, all look same, mostly Aug 2014 and Feb. 2015
48.452738, 38.754937 pic.twitter.com/smN97Z00V5

#Russia-backed militants fired at Pavlopil, #Mariupol sector from a tank last night https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/996107107066762 … pic.twitter.com/mY5KOnxnQ0

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/10/us-ukraine-crisis-soldiers-specialreport-idUSKBN0NV06Q20150510?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter

World | Sun May 10, 2015 4:22am EDT

Special Report: Russian soldiers quit over Ukraine

Key takeaways:

In campaign for #Debaltseve in February 2015 #Russia sent Buryats because soldiers from regions closer to Ukraine were unwilling to fight.

In summer 2014 Russian soldiers fighting in #Ukraine were from Central #Russia, North Caucasus, Volga region. http://ru.reuters.com/article/topNews/idRUKBN0NV06M20150510?sp=true

What is interesting here is WHY did it take mainstream media so long to pickup on the different Russian units WHEN they had been repeatedly identified by social media open source analysis together with geo tagging??

EVEN the Buryats were picked up via an independent Russia media interview together with video footage of the video and open source social media analysis had even identified the actual Russian unit.

WHY is there such an distaste by mainstream media to work together with social media sources to get a better product out to all readers??

[OUTLAW 09]

Here's the updated map of war situation in eastern #Ukraine today by @uacrisis & @NSDC_ua https://www.facebook.com/uacrisis/photos/a.623138151088277.1073741832.604241389644620/817675618301195/ … pic.twitter.com/mq29X8limz

Excellent reporting on the Debaltsvev fighting by a Ukrainian officer who fought there and made the somewhat hectic but successful tactical field commanders self planned strategic withdrawal.

Next to the Donetsk airport fighting--one of the hardest fights yet of this Russo Ukrainian war WHERE even Putin was crowing about the expected major victory over the UA BUT yet the UA was highly resilient and inflicted heavy loses on the Russians and her mercenaries.

Please, read all 8 parts of my English-language #Debaltseve Battle Diary by this link https://viktorkovalenko.wordpress.com/category/battle-of-debaltseve/ … 9th part to publish today.

[OUTLAW 09]

A "typical Mother's Day" in eastern Ukraine:

#Breaking
Russian army troops from #Vladikavkaz w/ #Orlan_10 drone in #Amvrosiivka last summer
http://www.unian.net/war/1076422-rossiyskie-soldatyi-ne-skryivayut-chto-prodoljayut-voevat-na-donbasse-rassledovanie-foto.html … pic.twitter.com/RawjAML5f1

#Donetsk 14:50
(At least) 3x D-30 howitzers towed by Kamaz trucks through Kalinovka towards east. https://twitter.com/Serzzze/status/597368882769235970 …

Terrorists suffer losses in Marinka fight. VIDEO http://en.censor.net.ua/n335539

#Donetsk 14:15 - Constant fresh troop movements along Kyivsky Ave to the airport direction in high-sided covered trucks
Via @loogunda

13:52 #Pervomaysk @LodarGorobec 5 BTR cruise around the town, no tanks [there were rumours about]

Electricians' vehicle out for repair work hit a mine near Novoluhanske (Artemivsk reg) yesterday, 2 injured. https://twitter.com/InfoResist/status/597358009598214144 …

13:03 #Shyrokyne area @dertien1488 Battle sounds,rumble
#ATO M-Sector speaker 'For 3 months in #Shyrokyne 20 servicemen were killed, abt 100 wounded' http://bit.ly/1RqSHfy
13:15 [UKR] arty became more intense
12:22 Arty&mortars still shell

At least one cannot say the Russian mercenaries are not “capitalists”???
Most of these LNR-DNR-whatever medals are up for sale now on ebay, with the document in blank (fill with your name). https://twitter.com/novostidnua_en/status/597357245077311488 …

11:00 #Stanytsia_Luhanska @sdv_girtrest "Incoming mortar bombs, cannot get where exactly"

Militants using heavy machine guns to shell Ukrainian troops on May 9 - read on - http://uatoday.tv http://uatoday.tv/politics/militants-using-heavy-machine-guns-to-shell-ukrainian-troops-on-may-9-426418.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

US Mission to NATO ✔ @USNATO
Russians +separatists working together, training together, same command and control: Amb Baer: http://goo.gl/sQwH1o pic.twitter.com/3Qd2TumI4W

@MarQs__ both villages under attack since yesterday evening. Infantry with mortar cover, close combat in #Mariinka pic.twitter.com/8J6DMcUCkX

Family members of killed Russian soldiers in Donbas get 5 Mio RUB compensation http://goo.gl/2TKDnh

Putin - a TRUE fascist - has chosen to name the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact a piece of good foreign policy... http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2015-05-08-snyder-en.html# …

Ukrainian positions from #Shyrokyno was shelled today from 2 directions simultaneously http://www.0629.com.ua/news/822247?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter …

Two Azov Reg. troopers injured (easy) in fights today at #Shyrokyno. https://twitter.com/Polk_Azov/status/597381319979569152 …

[OUTLAW 09]

From the Merkel press conference on her visit to Moscow today.

Some interesting Putin remarks that clash with his previous statements over the last week or so. BUT Putin "double-speak" is normal for him.

Merkel says Russia's annexation of Crimea is illegal, & damages relations with Europe. Diplomatic solution is needed. http://youtu.be/GbyUqvkPrwA

First question to Putin is about the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Yikes. http://youtu.be/GbyUqvkPrwA

Merkel says Germany has to accept the sad part it played in the Nazi-Soviet Pact & all its horrible consequences.

Putin suggests the pact with Hitler was a self-preservation necessity—a response to European appeasement.

Putin says the Soviet-Nazi nonaggression pact can be discussed forever, but he wants to focus on the future.

Merkel thanks the USSR for liberating E.Europe from the Nazis, but laments the lack of freedom that followed.

Putin says Russia the USSR tried for a long time before the Pact to create an Anti-Nazi Union with Western Europe.

Merkel calls on the rebel leaders in Donetsk and Lugansk to observe the ceasefire.

Merkel says the ceasefire Europe hoped for in eastern Ukraine hasn't happened. OSCE reports prove it.

Merkel: "Minsk process very complicated. We still have no ceasefire." Violations on both sides. Difficult humanitarian situation

Brief summary:
Merkel: Really sorry for WW2. Stop messing around in Ukraine
Putin: What about Yemen?
Merkel rolls eyes
Putin looks bored
Fin

[OUTLAW 09]

From the Merkel press conference on her visit to Moscow today.

Some interesting Putin remarks that clash with his previous statements over the last week or so. BUT Putin "double-speak" is normal for him.

Merkel says Russia's annexation of Crimea is illegal, & damages relations with Europe. Diplomatic solution is needed. http://youtu.be/GbyUqvkPrwA

First question to Putin is about the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Yikes. http://youtu.be/GbyUqvkPrwA

Merkel says Germany has to accept the sad part it played in the Nazi-Soviet Pact & all its horrible consequences.

Putin suggests the pact with Hitler was a self-preservation necessity—a response to European appeasement.

Putin says the Soviet-Nazi nonaggression pact can be discussed forever, but he wants to focus on the future.

Merkel thanks the USSR for liberating E.Europe from the Nazis, but laments the lack of freedom that followed.

Putin says Russia the USSR tried for a long time before the Pact to create an Anti-Nazi Union with Western Europe.

Merkel calls on the rebel leaders in Donetsk and Lugansk to observe the ceasefire.

Merkel says the ceasefire Europe hoped for in eastern Ukraine hasn't happened. OSCE reports prove it.

Merkel: "Minsk process very complicated. We still have no ceasefire." Violations on both sides. Difficult humanitarian situation

Brief summary:
Merkel: Really sorry for WW2. Stop messing around in Ukraine
Putin: What about Yemen?
Merkel rolls eyes
Putin looks bored
Fin

Me saying "what about Yemen" to Merkel reminds me to re-up my blog on the logical fallacy that is "whataboutism".

#MERKEL: can't say Minsk will succed but it's all we have. what does implementing mean? return sovereignty+territorial integrity of ukraine.

Leonid Ragozin @leonidragozin
There is something late Brezhnev about Putin in today's presser. Doesn't seem his usual self.

RU prof. Zubov: Putin defeated in #war against #Ukraine, he didn't fulfill #military objectives, so war has no sense. http://espreso.tv/article/2015/05/10/profesor_andriy_zubov__viynu_z_ukrayinoyu_kreml_vz he_prohrav …

THEN this statement from Putin---“double-speak” again??? Especailly since it is Russian support, money, weapons and fighters that keeps eastern Ukraine in a state of war.

We'll Exert All Our Influence On Leadership Of Donetsk, Luhansk People's Republics - Putin http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/10-may-well-exert-all-our-influence-on-leadership-of-donetsk …

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference MH17 shot down:

Seems the recently released "Secret" Russian analysis indicating the BUK as the shot down reason for MH17—while having the wrong launch site—DID in fact actually verify the social media open source analysis launch site—how strange is that??

@MikaPeltokorpi This pic: attack angle -30 deg, elevation 25 degrees. So their own evidence points to Snizhne pic.twitter.com/avkMqyV4lF

Russian Engieers/Zaroschens'ke, then missile aimed ~32 deg from ground level and attack angle vs. #MH17 ~ -80 deg pic.twitter.com/Wr9wuevVOG

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems that the recent Russian MoD and FM statements that the US was lying about Russian AD systems being in eastern Ukraine was a typical Russian "double-speak".

The Russian AD systems have been there awhile now--were spotted and tracked by social media open source analysis.

Russian 9K35 Strela-10 SAM launcher, Shakhtarsk, Donetsk reg, Ukr 29 March, pic.twitter.com/g7CNqdtaaD via @GirkinGirkin pic.twitter.com/B2x6wpQz5a

[OUTLAW 09]

Here's the updated map of war situation in eastern #Ukraine today by @uacrisis & @NSDC_ua https://www.facebook.com/uacrisis/photos/a.623138151088277.1073741832.604241389644620/817675618301195/ … pic.twitter.com/mq29X8limz

Excellent reporting on the Debaltsvev fighting by a Ukrainian officer who fought there and made the somewhat hectic but successful tactical field commanders self planned strategic withdrawal.

Next to the Donetsk airport fighting--one of the hardest fights yet of this Russo Ukrainian war WHERE even Putin was crowing about the expected major victory over the UA BUT yet the UA was highly resilient and inflicted heavy loses on the Russians and her mercenaries.

Please, read all 8 parts of my English-language #Debaltseve Battle Diary by this link https://viktorkovalenko.wordpress.com/category/battle-of-debaltseve/ … 9th part to publish today.

Final section of the nine part series on the Ukrainian military fighting at Debaltseve---well worth reading the entire series.

Next update in my Debaltseve Diary. Part 9. Separatists’ Ultimatum by Radio http://wp.me/pTnnT-Iu

Maybe the decision makers in the US, France and Germany should actually be reading this article---better insight than most western mainstream media is providing. the decision on lethal aid ie ATMs might then be far easier to achieve.


I recorded a fragment of the radio conversation and – despite C Sector’s accusation that we had illegally negotiated with the enemy – the audio proves that our commander refused to surrender or quit. Here is the transcript:

COMMANDER: I’m asking you, where did you get my radio?
BONDAR: From a captive. He’s alive …
COMMANDER: Brother, please tell me his nickname.
BONDAR: Not now. I have to find those who took him. My people are going for him now … Man, I don’t know what you think of our talks, but let’s resolve the issue!
COMMANDER: I’m repeating to you that yesterday a ceasefire was declared. We don’t want to kill anyone. We want peace. Do you understand me?
BONDAR: I understand you. But this ceasefire … Look, we don’t attack your Poltava or Kyiv! Not one of us went to your EuroMaidan protest when you stood there with guns.
COMMANDER: I came not from Maidan. I’m a professional army officer. I have my orders. I came here according to my instructions. What should I do – become a coward?
BONDAR: No, I don’t say that. But you should consider that you are fighting ordinary people – miners. And you have children at home. Why do you shell us? We want to stop this stupid war.

[At this point, other Ukrainian servicemen from a volunteer battalion nicknamed “Donbas” joined the radio conversation …]

DONETSK: Hey, “Bondar”, I hear you well. I’m personally from Donetsk and fight for my land. If you want peace, come to us in peace, and there will be no war. But if you want war, then it will continue.
BONDAR: I understand. Then let’s meet! Are you really from Donetsk?
DONETSK: Yep, brother, I’m from Donetsk. And I saw how all this separatism scenario started, and who paid for it and managed it! So please stop assuring us that you guys came in peace. I want to make my home in Donetsk. And 80 per cent in my detachment are Donetsk citizens. But you f***ers fight against our own people, our citizens, and my parents: so stop saying that you fight against the West!
[There was no reply from “Bondar”…]
DONETSK: Look, I’m talking to you in the proper Russian language! But we continue firing at each other. Your DPR or LPR – it doesn’t matter to me what state formation you’re trying to set up – you should finally chose: where are you going and what do you want? But people know what they want for a long time – people want peace! Why do you need to fire at anyone?
BONDAR: I agree with you! I am also against this war: so I am going to talk with you in person, but without being targeted by weapons. Let’s solve the issue!

[The commander of 40 Battalion rejoins the conversation …]

COMMANDER: And I’m telling you as well – let’s sort something out. Let’s make peace. But you and I alone will not make peace, right? I will not leave my positions. Do you hear and understand me?
BONDAR [sadly]: I hear you … Some of yours are firing at us from grenade launchers now.
COMMANDER: And I was just shelled by something heavier … Look, I am for peace. But if we agree to make peace, then this peace will not be according to your rules only, but by mutual consent.
BONDAR: Let’s have mutual consent! Let’s solve it! But tell your guys to stop firing at us. And let’s meet finally to talk in person, not by radio!

[OUTLAW 09]

Dumb or gullible? UN Sec General goes Against UN adopted resolutions on the Crimea and Ukraine and praises Putin. http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1431220807 …

Forgetting a lifetime of diplomatic training, UN Sec.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon reportedly says Putin of Russia "deserves the support of his people."

[OUTLAW 09]

Depicts the launching of a BUK missile!!
VIDEO found in phone of dead Russian officer.
Could it be missile that took down AN-26 on July 14th 2014?http://youtu.be/wCPYQyMiynE
@pharaon01

8 #Russian Mi-8 helicopters were spotted patrolling #Ukraine-#Russia border from Ukraine's #Luhansk region y-day http://mediarnbo.org/2015/05/10/zve

#Luhansk @100007182042214 There was a skirmish in #Stanytsia_Luhanska again about 5pm, one serviceman wounded.

Putler defends Molotov-Ribentrop pact and says Poland brought Nazi invasion upon itself http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/10/7067409/ …
Wonder what the Poles would say about this statement especially after the SU executed 22K Polish POWs taken under the 1939 Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact--did Putin forget that small fact of history??

Army Recognition @ArmyRecognition
#Russia #T15 #BMP #Armata #AIFV #Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle technical data details Read http://bit.ly/1ySkXBx pic.twitter.com/ht6h6R5Jm1

Russia decided to salute to Merkel w/ GRADS -on Mariupol, showing what they really think of all her diploefforts https://twitter.com/NataliLeman/status/597384714337579009 …

Putin justified today in the presence of Merkel Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, no reports about that in German media so far.

Putin "Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was justified" http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/10/7067409/ … …

Reuters with another story on Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Paratrooper from Voronezh came home headless as Gruz 200: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/10/us-ukraine-crisis-family-idUSKBN0NV06S20150510 …

An excellent article on Russian aims in the ME.
http://fride.org/publication/1259/conflicting-aims,-limited-means:-russia-in-the-middle-east

[OUTLAW 09]

21:05 #Donetsk @manirtal Fr/Putilovka&Spartak intense SA fire is heard. Fr/the north direction tank or heavy gunfire is heard

#Maryinka and #Pisky or #Opytne are under #Russia|n attack tonight

#Marinka 22:30
"I see now glare from explosions and machine gun fire from west." https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/597121659053731840 …

21:06 @Darren_Aro #Slavne-#Taramchuk line - active small arms & MG fire

21:09 #Donetsk @malinaliss Rumble behind ponds in #Pisky area

21:09 #Donetsk @funkermanjke Red tracers fr/#Spartak area and suddenly fireworks

21:15 #Donetsk @UkraineSuper1 SPG "fireworks" from Tochmash-Artemivska St

21:21 #Maryinka @faina_ukr Short lull and again rumble in [former road police checkpoint], SA bursts closer to the center

21:34 #Maryinka [former road police checkpoint] @faina_ukr Heavy impacts
21:38 @allex1984 Almost 3hr already

Militants fired Ukrainian villages from 120mm mortars, heavy machine guns, and grenade launchers on May 9 http://en.censor.net.ua/n335523

Three Russian drones were spotted over last 24 hours http://en.censor.net.ua/n335496

Seems when the mercenaries shell the Ukrainians "they count it as an Ukrainian shelling on them"--typical Russian "double-speak".

#News
"DNR defense minister" tells (Novo)Russian TV channels, Ukraine violated ceasefire 63 times in last 2 days. pic.twitter.com/GTFQsgmmIk

[OUTLAW 09]

Depicts the launching of a BUK missile!!
VIDEO found in phone of dead Russian officer.
Could it be missile that took down AN-26 on July 14th 2014?http://youtu.be/wCPYQyMiynE
@pharaon01

8 #Russian Mi-8 helicopters were spotted patrolling #Ukraine-#Russia border from Ukraine's #Luhansk region y-day http://mediarnbo.org/2015/05/10/zve

#Luhansk @100007182042214 There was a skirmish in #Stanytsia_Luhanska again about 5pm, one serviceman wounded.

Putler defends Molotov-Ribentrop pact and says Poland brought Nazi invasion upon itself http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/10/7067409/ …
Wonder what the Poles would say about this statement especially after the SU executed 22K Polish POWs taken under the 1939 Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact--did Putin forget that small fact of history??

Army Recognition @ArmyRecognition
#Russia #T15 #BMP #Armata #AIFV #Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle technical data details Read http://bit.ly/1ySkXBx pic.twitter.com/ht6h6R5Jm1

Russia decided to salute to Merkel w/ GRADS -on Mariupol, showing what they really think of all her diploefforts https://twitter.com/NataliLeman/status/597384714337579009 …

Putin justified today in the presence of Merkel Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, no reports about that in German media so far.

Putin "Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was justified" http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/10/7067409/ … …

Reuters with another story on Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Paratrooper from Voronezh came home headless as Gruz 200: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/10/us-ukraine-crisis-family-idUSKBN0NV06S20150510 …

An excellent article on Russian aims in the ME.
http://fride.org/publication/1259/conflicting-aims,-limited-means:-russia-in-the-middle-east

Reference dead Russian officers cell phone video:

Video dead Russian officers phone most likely shows launch Tochka-U missile.
So Russians used Tochka-U in Ukraine. https://twitter.com/DajeyPetros/status/597404458453176320 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Putin—quote/unquote:

Who said this last month? After WWII, Russia "imposed own model by force" on E. Europe. "This has to be admitted." http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/49261 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian shellings and ground attacks are rising tonight----

22:08 #Stanytsia_Luhanska @NataButikova: At 20:40 a batlle on bridge started w/SA&mortars,heavies then, rare volleys for now

21:10 #Mariupol @GirkinGirkin "Rumble and it isn't thunder now"

Loud sound of artillery impacts in #Shyrokyne can be heard in #Mariupol right now http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/10-may-loud-sound-of-artillery-impacts-in-shyrokyne-can-be …

#Shyrokyne As of 18:30 shelling still ongoing, but less intensity. Beat all day w mortars, AGS, tanks, machine guns. https://twitter.com/UaForces/status/597439520305487872 …

Fight in #Shirokino subsided. Two soldiers wounded pic.twitter.com/ggt9QFvYo2 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/10-may-fight-in-shirokino-subsided-wounded-two-soldiers …

#Donetsk 19:58
Something shooting in #Yakovlevka/Zasyadko coal mine, hearing like volleys of self prop art/howitzer https://twitter.com/nixer79/status/597448494954258433 …

In the afternoon the enemy fired at our forces'positions in #Chermalyk area with 120-mm mortars. https://twitter.com/UaForces/status/597443542043250688 …

#BreakingNews
Ukrainian forces in #Shyrokyne are under heavy mortar and small arms attack "from two directions".
- Ukr army sector "M" spox

Terrorists are firing at Shyrokyne for 11th time today http://en.censor.net.ua/n335591

10:23PM
Shooting resumed in #Horlivka. Can be heard from west. https://twitter.com/tgorlovka/status/597482192097439744 …

#Snizhne @ml_deva Yesternight 2 young women were shot to death [in their car by RUS]

22:19 #Donetsk @AMykhailova #Pisky & #Opytne are shelled w/tanks, heavy rumble

Shelling in #Shyrokyne is audible in some districts of #Mariupol. It's 19th time town is shelled today. 2soldiers WIA http://www.0629.com.ua/news/822383

#Donetsk 22:35
Kyivsky district: Sharp outgoing shelling from Tochmash plant area, hitting #Pisky. https://twitter.com/UrriKara4en/status/597485621276446721 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Gen Breedlove: "We've had a long conversation with the Russians on Europe's missile defense shield"
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2564248

Putin Says “Minsk Process is Moving Forward,” Evidence Says Otherwise http://bit.ly/1FXsfFU pic.twitter.com/iSA9VHyIFg

After #Putin once again tries to defend the #Nazi-#Soviet Pact, here is a blog post I wrote last time he tried... http://historian-at-large.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/defending-indefensible-vladimir-putin.html …

Recommended reading for #Putin on Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact
http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2015-05-08-snyder-en.html … pic.twitter.com/BzVXARCd4U

Russia must compensate Ukraine $350 billion of losses – Ministry of economy http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/10-may-russia-must-compensate-ukraine-350-billion-of-losses …

[OUTLAW 09]

Final section of the nine part series on the Ukrainian military fighting at Debaltseve---well worth reading the entire series.

Next update in my Debaltseve Diary. Part 9. Separatists’ Ultimatum by Radio http://wp.me/pTnnT-Iu

Maybe the decision makers in the US, France and Germany should actually be reading this article---better insight than most western mainstream media is providing. the decision on lethal aid ie ATMs might then be far easier to achieve.

New important update in my #Debaltseve Diary. Part 10. The Start of Our Withdrawal. http://wp.me/pTnnT-IC

[OUTLAW 09]

Time for the entire western civilian leadership to sit up and pay massive attention--when the truth is spoken by a fascist leader the train has left the station so to speak.

This same individual in 2009 outright stated the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact was the worst thing ever for Europe/condemned it and THEN yesterday----

His statement was not just an accident nor a slip of his tongue--it is his political belief--and he was prepared for the question coming as it was directed to him yesterday--this was not a per chance reporters question.

#Putin has defended the Nazi-Soviet #Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Time for the west to wake up | Linas Linkevičius http://gu.com/p/4364v/stw

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-defends-ribbentrop-molotov-pact-in-press-conference-with-merkel/520513.html

Putin Defends Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact in Press Conference with Merkel

By Anna Dolgov
May. 11 2015 11:22


Russian President Vladimir Putin defended 1939's Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany as Moscow's response to being isolated and having its peace efforts snubbed by Western nations.

At the close of his Sunday meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow — a day after Russian held grand-scale celebrations of the allied victory in World War II — Putin offered a lengthy defense of the controversial agreement that led to the carving up of Eastern Europe.

"The Soviet Union made massive efforts to lay the groundwork for a collective resistance to Nazism in Germany, made repeated attempts to create an anti-fascist bloc in Europe. All of these attempts failed," Putin told journalists at a joint news conference with Merkel, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin.

"And when the Soviet Union realized that it was being left one-on-one with Hitler's Germany, it took steps to avoid a direct confrontation, and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed," Putin said.

Merkel offered a diplomatically phrased objection, telling the joint news conference that the "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is difficult to understand without considering the additional secret protocol. With that in mind, I think it was wrong, it was done illegally," she said, according to the Kremlin's Russian-language transcript.

The secret protocol, which accompanied what was officially presented as a non-aggression treaty, divided up the territories of Poland, Romania, the Baltic nations and Finland into German and Soviet "spheres of influence." It led to the German and Soviet invasions of Poland, and to the Soviet annexation of the three Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — and parts of Romania.

Putin's defense of the pact comes after Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine last year, and amid Eastern European countries' concerns their territories could be seized next.

Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski described this weekend's Victory Day parade in Moscow as a "demonstration of force," The New York Times reported.

Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna said that the end of World War II should not be celebrated in Russia because it was among the countries where it originated, the report said.

Putin's recent remarks mark a sharp about-face from his comments a few years earlier.

During a visit to Poland in 2009, Putin, then prime minister, denounced the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact as a "collusion to solve one's problems at others' expense."

"All attempts between 1934 and 1939 to pacify the Nazis by making various kinds of agreements and pacts with them, were unacceptable from the moral point of view, and from the political point of view were pointless, harmful and dangerous," Putin said in 2009 during a visit to Poland's Gdansk, according to a transcript posted on the Russian Cabinet website.

But amid Western sanctions against Moscow for its annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin has shifted to an increasing glorification of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and his regime's pact with Nazi Germany.
Putin said last November that the pact was not so bad.

"The Soviet Union signed a non-aggression treaty with Germany," he told a meeting with historians. "They say: Oh, this is so bad. But what's so bad about it if the Soviet Union did not want to go to war? What's so bad about it?"

Following his speech, Russia's Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky in the run-up to this year's Victory Day celebrations praised the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact as a "colossal achievement

[OUTLAW 09]

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-defends-ribbentrop-molotov-pact-in-press-conference-with-merkel/520513.html

Putin Defends Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact in Press Conference with Merkel

By Anna Dolgov
May. 11 2015 11:22

And here is #Putin's interpretation of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact:
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/49455 … pic.twitter.com/POvfkH3H1u

Notice in his statement he utterly fails to mention that the Soviet Union invaded northern Poland taking over 22K POWS which they later executed and it allowed them to start a war with Finland---all done under the auspices of the Secret Addendum to the 1939 Pact. Plus it gave the SU then Baltics and a part of Romania--all again not mentioned at l all by Putin.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian-backed militants launched multiple attacks in east #Ukraine overnight http://uatoday.tv/politics/pisky-schastia-shyrokyne-under-enemy-mortar-fire-at-night-426523.html … pic.twitter.com/8eSBbjbQGU

May 9 two girls killed by separs in #Snezhnoye. Just shot on the spot for curfew violation. http://obozrevatel.com/crime/30786-terroristyi-dnr-rasstrelyali-dvuh-devushek-v-den-pobedyi-smi.htm …

#Donetsk @mr_untitle "Russia is in a stalemate situation. To authorize further war they need to kill civilians, I hope this won't happen"

Looks like RU occupation authorities in #Crimea don't mind training cossacks, which were seen fighting in E. Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTxLYdRD98c …

Jane's Defence Weekly: "SACEUR, analysts see #Russia renewing invasion of #Ukraine in next two months": http://www.janes.com/article/51295/saceur-analysts-see-russia-renewing-invasion-of-ukraine-in-next-two-months …

As Kerry heads to Sochi to meet Putin, "U.S.’s intel assessment is that a renewed offensive by Ukr rebels is coming" http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-11/kerry-to-meet-putin-in-russia-for-the-first-time-in-two-years …

"Givi" went from store guard to POW torturer, murderer for the Russian's in #Ukraine, which #Russia rewarded him for. pic.twitter.com/j6J8C1dunn

Zoomed in video of Russians launching a Tochka-U missile in Ukraine. Found on phone of dead Russian officer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dyesgU4GCs …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian ground fighting and shellings started early today--if this keeps up it will be a very long evening and night.

14:49 #Donetsk #Makeevka @666_mancer "I can see the smoke pillar in Gvardeyka direction"

14:56 #Donetsk @14720Maro Again smoke in Gvardeyka in the same place

14:48 #Donetsk @14720Maro Something's on fire in Gvardevka, also in Proletarka and in #Yasynuvata direction far away

Civilian Killed By Shelling In Village Near Donetsk. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-448-heavy-fighting-near-peski-stanitsa-luganskaya-and-shirokino/#8281 …

Something is burning in #Gvardeyka, something is burning at Proletarka, something is burning far away in #Yasinuvata https://twitter.com/14720Maro/status/597730107260870656 …

Heavy Fighting Near Peski, Stanitsa Luganskaya And Shirokino. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-448-heavy-fighting-near-peski-stanitsa-luganskaya-and-shirokino/#8279 …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Russia should compensate #Ukraine USD 350 bln for #Donbas damage – Economy Ministry http://uatoday.tv/politics/russia-should-compensate-ukraine-usd-350-bln-for-donbas-damage-economy-ministry-426549.html … pic.twitter.com/c28ce5iBMF

Alleged explosion of #Putin's "Humanitarian" convoy in Stavropol,#Russia en route to #Donbas,#Ukraine https://youtu.be/i7o8okfpavo

Must have been the canned Russian beans that exploded instead of the munitions they always seem to carry as the humanitarian convoys are nothing more than a smokescreen for military resupply runs to include diesel fuel for the Russian tanks and armored vehicles.


European humor:
Putin----
We are not supporting "rebels" in Ukraine. We're supporting members of Russian Intelligence pretending to be rebels

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears that since the Russian troops and her mercenaries cannot seem to hold to a ceasefire, cannot exchange fully their held POWs, cannot withdraw their heavy weapons and are constantly attacking daily--NOW they want to move onto "federalization" as envisioned by Putin ie the Bosnian solution.

The Ukraine has committed to a form of "decentralization" but that is massively different from what Russia is envisioning. AND the Ukraine will hold those responsible for killing Ukrainians libel for criminal trials also envisioned in Minsk 2.

Plus Russia cannot seem to stop shipping troops, munitions and heavy weapons into the Ukraine.

Meaning the mercenary held areas would be able to override any Ukrainian laws such as joining NATO or the EU thus making AND they can reach separate economic and political agreements directly with Russia without Ukrainian approval--notice they did not indicate they would except the Ukrainian free elections using Ukrainian election laws in their occupied zones---a key point in the Minsk 2 agreement WHICH they really seem to ignore as does Russia.

Pushilin is blowing smoke when he talks about independence because right now his occupied zones are virtually unable to economically support themselves as a state. In order to achieve that they need the cities of Odessa and Mariupol which if taken means massive new sanctions on Russia which Russia cannot afford right now.

DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC ORIENTED TOWARDS AUTONOMY WITH SPECIAL STATUS AND BROAD POWERS – PUSHILIN

UNLESS #DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC BECOME AUTONOMOUS, ITS MOVEMENT TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT HOSTILITIES – PUSHILIN

IF #KIEV FAILS TO HONOR #MINSK AGREEMENTS, #DPR WILL BE COMPELLED TO MOVE TOWARDS FULL INDEPENDENCE – PUSHILIN

#DPR agrees to autonomy w/out detriment to its interests - Pushilin
#LPR ready to discuss autonomy after #Kiev honors #Minsk accords in full

NOTICE--nothing is said about the withdrawal of foreign fighters and Russian troops and no heavy weapons or troops crossing into the Ukraine from Russia--they seem to want the Ukraine to "fulfill Minsk" BUT they themselves " feel" that they have no Minsk 2 responsibilities which they in fact have.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://maidantranslations.com/2015/05/11/dmitry-tymchuk-military-update-5-08-freesavchenko/

Dmitry Tymchuk: Military update 5.08

Posted on May 11, 2015 by chervonaruta

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine


Operational data from Information Resistance:

Over the past 24 hours, we observed over 40 attacks by Russian-terrorist forces on Ukrainian positions in the ATO zone, including attacks with the use of heavy armaments (caliber over 100 mm).

In addition to the “traditional” Donetsk and Mariupol springboards, the terrorists are active in the Artemivsk and Luhansk sectors. Armed gangs delivered fire strikes on Pisky, Doslidne, Avdiivka, Shyrokyne, Hranitne, Luhanske, Svitlodarsk, Mayorske, Kurdyumivka, Zolote, Rosadki, Lozove, Sokolniki, Trokhizbenka, Stanytsia Luhanska, and Krymske.

In the Luhansk sector, Russian insurgents used heavy-caliber machine guns, 120-mm mortars, and AGS-17 Plamya automatic grenade launchers, while sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempted to penetrate the tactical rear of the Ukrainian forces.

During shelling of the Ukrainian positions near Shyrokyne, the terrorists used 122-mm artillery and 120-mm mortars. Near Pisky and Opytne, armored vehicles (BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles, and BTR-80 armored personnel carriers) were used as part of several firing groups which have advanced towards the front line.

Movement of terrorist forces and equipment:

• Over the last 24 hours, 38 Russian-terrorist transport vehicles were on the move – mainly in the vicinity of Luhansk, between Alchevsk, Stakhanov, and Pervomaisk, as well as between Makiivka, Horlivka, and Yenakijeve. Convoys were also actively moving through Donetsk, and in the Telmanove – Novoazovsk sector.

• The Bezimenne–Novoazovsk terrorist group is being supplied with fuel, ammunition, and personnel, mainly transferred from Russia through Maksymove.

• Materials and supplies for the Seaside (Novoazovsk) group of Russian-terrorist troops are being delivered by motor vehicles, through Telmanove and directly from Russia (we observed convoys of 8 and 18 transport and armored vehicles, respectively).

• Two terrorist units, with total strength of up to two reinforced companies, equipped with 14-15 armored vehicles and 20 transport vehicles, was spotted moving through Makiivka in the direction of Donetsk and Yasynuvata.

• The terrorist group in the vicinity of Pervomaisk – Stakhanov – Bryanka is being reinforced. The insurgents are equipping additional positions for armored vehicles to the northeast of Bryanka, and improving positions in the area of the Bakhmut motorway (by constructing platoon strongpoints).

• An insurgent mortar unit (accompanied by 4 armored vehicles and 3 trucks) was deployed in the direction of Telmanove, to reinforce terrorist units stationed near Hranitne.

• The terrorist group near Horlivka, in the Artemivsk sector, is being reinforced. Reinforcements continue arriving in the northern and northwestern parts of the “Horlivka garrison.” In addition to the armored vehicles transferred to this area previously, an additional 6 tanks, 3 Strela-10M missile systems, and 8 armored combat vehicles were transferred here over the last 48 hours, moving through Yenakijeve.

• A similar situation is observed on the left flank of the Svitlodarsk–Mironivka springboard. During the last three days, at least 10 tanks were transferred here, as well as a mechanized infantry formation (90 personnel on board of 11 BMP-2 and BTR-80), 82-mm mortars, and anti-tank missile systems.

[OUTLAW 09]

Third video of truck explosion at Nadezhda Stavropol Region, Russia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4sHOX5RCM4 …
@bernofdima pic.twitter.com/hLQbAV1tHT

More European Putin humor:
Tomorrow @JohnKerry will get "stuck" in Sochi traffic for 45 mins, be made to wait for 4 hours & then lied to for 3 hours by me & Lavrov

Notice the great resemblance between the current attack doctrine of the Russian army and their mercenary army—into to attack mode with little to no warning.
NATO says Russian-backed separatists equipped to launch new attacks with little warning http://nato.trendolizer.com/2015/05/nato-says-russian-backed-separatists-equipped-to-launch-new-attacks-with-little-warning.html … pic.twitter.com/7leUdhTm2A

[OUTLAW 09]

World Affairs @WAJournal

Veteran #Ukraine-watcher Taras Kuzio reports that pro-#Kyiv forces seem to be making gains over pro-#Russian ones http://ow.ly/MIDoA

Ukraine's Orange Blues

Alexander J. Motyl

The State of Ukraine


7 May 2015

The following is an interview with Taras Kuzio, a leading expert on Ukraine and post-communist politics.


MOTYL: You’ve just completed a tour of the Ukrainian territories adjoining the Donbas enclave controlled by Russia and its proxies. What are some of your key conclusions?

KUZIO: Since the Euromaidan Revolution I’ve made six visits to southeastern Ukraine for research on a book on the Donbas (supported by the US-based Ukrainian Studies Fund). My just-completed visit was to Mariupol and Volnovakha, which is on the road to Donetsk and 20 kilometers from the front line. I have also visited Donetsk (during the Euromaidan) as well as Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, both of which have been controlled by Ukrainian forces since summer 2014. The visit to Mariupol was with four journalists (two from Kharkiv, one from Kyiv, and one from Lutsk). It was funded by the EU through the Association of Polish Journalists and the TeleKrytyka Ukrainian media monitor and coordinated by Yuri Lukanov, president of the Trade Union of Independent Journalists of Ukraine.

The eight Russian-speaking Ukrainian provinces that comprise Vladimir Putin’s “New Russia” project can be divided into three parts. The first consists of Luhansk and Donetsk, which are similar to Crimea in that they have a Soviet identity and a third of the population supports separatism (either independent statehood or union with Russia). The second consists of Kharkiv and Odessa, which are swing regions that experienced street battles in spring 2014 that were won by pro-Ukrainian forces backed by Kyiv. The third consists of the four clearly pro-Ukrainian regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kherson, and Mykolayiv. Putin’s “New Russia” project failed to take into account these regional differences. He remains unable to comprehend the very notion of a patriotic Russian-speaking Ukrainian, because in his imperialist mind-set to be Russophone means to be Russian. Putin’s views are strikingly similar to Nazi pan-Germanism.

In most of the regions I visited, the population can be divided into three more or less equal groups: those who support Ukraine, those who are neutral and only want peace, and those who support Russia. Today, the vast majority of activists are pro-Ukrainian due to the fact that a political and social vacuum was created after the Communist Party and pan-Slavic groups either fled to the self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) or disintegrated, as in the case of the Party of Regions. Many in the pro-Russian camp are deeply demoralized. In spring 2014, when the separatist disturbances first began, there was euphoria among the pro-Russians, who believed that Putin would invade and annex much of Ukraine’s southeast, just as he did Crimea. When he didn’t and Ukraine fought back, the euphoria collapsed.

MOTYL: So the pro-Ukrainian forces have the upper hand?

KUZIO: Yes, in western and southern Donbas and in northern Luhansk. Putin and the separatists not only did not capture “New Russia”: they only control a third of the Donbas. To pursue your comparison of the Donbas with the postbellum American South: with the pro-Russian pan-Slavists, Communists, and Regionnaires leaving the scene, space was opened for the repressed and marginalized Ukrainians to come out of the shadows. Ukrainian NGOs are very active in Mariupol and Slovyansk, and the main one in the former, New Mariupol, is run by Professor Mariya Podybaylo, originally from Ternopil. Women are playing a leading role as civil activists on the front line: such as those we witnessed sewing sniper camouflage and painting road block-posts. Journalist Olena Mokrynchuk heads the Volnovakha-based “Soldatska Poshta” [Soldiers’ Mail] NGO. These pro-Ukrainian forces have the support of the military, the National Guard, and the Security Service, which has been filled with new patriotic personnel since the Euromaidan.

NOTE: What is interesting is that in fact if one looks at the current heavy ground fighting and shellings---the Ukrainian forces on the whole are actually faring extremely well and are repulsing virtually all ground attack attempts with loses mounting on the Russian side--they are showing IMO a certain resilience that the Russians have greatly underestimated after they saw how the UA folded in Crimea.

They have improved greatly as a fighting force over the last year of fighting--meaning they have up to the level of COL solid leadership and the junior SGT ranks have developed into a leading force for the new recruits and draftees. One advantage they have optimized is their fighting rotation policy--meaning no unit remains longer than two weeks in many cases only one week on the forward contact line that allows the units to recover from the heavy shellings and fighting and keeps their loses low--and surprisingly they have become exceptionally good at RIP/TOA on the fly and passing onto to the incoming unit all of what they have learned from their week or two of engagements with the Russians.

Seems they have mastered the ability to adapt on the fly.

Still have a rather weak General Staff that many question as to where their loyalty lies based on some of their early strategy decisions and the battles they planned.

More importantly they have learned to survive the shellings and have greatly improved in their defensive counter attacks both with heavy weapons and actual ground attacks.

What Russian has totally missed was the inherent deep support by the Ukrainian civil society for their fighters/military that is making up for a poorly/mismanaged MoD.

They still are having problems in the anti tank side and counter battery fire but are mastering the use of drones and countering Russian drones by shooting them down as they do not have much in the way of jammers.

[OUTLAW 09]

Need to remember JFK's sage advice during the Berlin Crisis... pic.twitter.com/indoLeM35K

The question below is--did in fact Russia know of the potential hiding of Syrian chemical weapons--especially since their GRU/SVR has a deep footprint in Syria--would have been virtually impossible for them to not have known.

If confirmed,what will Putin say?Syria might be hiding chemical weapons from international inspectors: https://news.vice.com/article/syria-might-be-hiding-chemical-weapons-from-international-inspectors … via @vicenews

[OUTLAW 09]

The entire set of Russian military exercises since January 2015 have all centered on the single ability--that of moving out of their garrisons straight into combat--something that during the Cold War was intently watched by western intelligence agencies--NATO/US are now behind the proverbial power curve in catching up on Russian military activities.

Interesting that the Russian military has imparted that ability in their mercenary militia.

SACEUR made a recent Atlantic Council presentation concerning the intelligence gap shortcomings he has in attempting to understand and gauge Russian military activities.

Just a side note---USAREUR had a Russian intel desk until 2013 until they disbanded it and sent a very knowledgeable GS14 Russian linguist/analyst back to the US because they thought there were no problems with Russia thus no need--that is how bad it got on the US intel side.

Stoltenburg: Russia forces and separatist militias have capabilities "which enable them to launch new attacks with very little warning time"

NATO Jens Stoltenberg: Russia has built up forces on the border with Ukraine and sent more military hardware into eastern Ukraine (Reuters)

1/ Stoltenberg: "There has been a Russian build-up, both along the borders between Russia and Ukraine but also inside eastern Ukraine...

2/ Stoltenberg: ...with a steady flow of heavy equipment, tanks, artillery, ammunition, air defense systems and a lot of training" (Reuters)

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian military experts named Ukrainian Oplot tank the best in the world.

11.05.2015 16:18

As reported by Censor.NET, Russian military experts modeled a virtual tank range and placed 12 major tank models of the world on it. The computer system ranked a Pakistani tank the worst, and named the Ukrainian Oplot tank made in Kharkiv the safest for a crew and most dangerous in a headlong collision.

Video can be seen here:
http://24today.net/open/405243

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings not that intense this evening but several strong ground attacks.

19:14 #Donetsk Budenovsky ds @UrriKara4en One more boom

19:15 #Donetsk Kalinovsky ds @postz5
Rumbles

19:11#Donetsk Budenovsky ds @UrriKara4en Single very distant boom. "Fireworks or what?"

.@SPaWN_ua "This night a Donbas btln assault group mopped up #Kominternove near #Mariupol, national guard entered after"

#Donetsk 7:15PM
Kalininsky district - shooting can be heard. https://twitter.com/postz5/status/597797122684133376 …

18:51 #Mariupol @Shimshen "What's the terrible sound of shooting/gunning can be heard now? Sounds strange"

The war in #Donbas is a war of artillery, subv groups, electronic warfare. Arming Ukr citizens en mass wont help - Col.Fedichev, EspresoTV

1 22 y.o. #KIA and 3 WIA in #Ukraine's 81st brigade at #Pisky/#Vodiane. https://twitter.com/tombreadley/status/597799086385926144 …

The OSCE in #Ukraine really counts..
"in Shyrokyne [the OSCE heard] over 400 explosions [&] at Donetsk railway station heard 148 explosions"

A year after: what did so-called “DPR” and “LPR” give back to the ppl of #Donbas? Infographics http://uacrisis.org/what-did-dpr-and-lpr-give-back-to-the-people-of-donbas/ … pic.twitter.com/8Dbpqi4X1p

10 #Ukrainian soldiers killed & 76 wounded during the period of 1-10 May. Don't dream about #ceasefire @novynar_smert http://goo.gl/fb/7Bl3c6

U.S. Intelligence concerns about new attacks on #Mariupol & #Kharkiv in #Ukraine via @bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-11/kerry-to-meet-putin-in-russia-for-the-first-time-in-two-years …

Poroshenko says tank attack biggest threat from militantshttp://www.unian.info/society/1076620-poroshenko-says-tank-attack-biggest-threat-from-militants.html … pic.twitter.com/Yk8YvE8HYy

[OUTLAW 09]

Separatist Conference Attracts The European Far-Right And Left. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-448-heavy-fighting-near-peski-stanitsa-luganskaya-and-shirokino/#8285 …

The deputy "DNR" defence minister is originally from Moscow pic.twitter.com/D6k6mAUkio

DNR, land of ops, from car washer to mass murder - Motorola, replete with fake medals, DNR Terrorist from Ru w/ hate pic.twitter.com/5YizhUYA4R

Russians "probing everywhere & have acquired an anti-access/area denial capability as element of a larger strategy"http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/interview-with-henrik-liljegren …

[OUTLAW 09]

#Russia should compensate #Ukraine USD 350 bln for #Donbas damage – Economy Ministry http://uatoday.tv/politics/russia-should-compensate-ukraine-usd-350-bln-for-donbas-damage-economy-ministry-426549.html … pic.twitter.com/c28ce5iBMF

Alleged explosion of #Putin's "Humanitarian" convoy in Stavropol,#Russia en route to #Donbas,#Ukraine https://youtu.be/i7o8okfpavo

Must have been the canned Russian beans that exploded instead of the munitions they always seem to carry as the humanitarian convoys are nothing more than a smokescreen for military resupply runs to include diesel fuel for the Russian tanks and armored vehicles.


European humor:
Putin----
We are not supporting "rebels" in Ukraine. We're supporting members of Russian Intelligence pretending to be rebels

Reference Russian compensation for their taking Crimea and invading Ukraine.

Ukraine is using the precedent of Iraq's reparations for the invasion of Kuwait; demanding $350 billion from Russia for it's invasion

[OUTLAW 09]

First true Russian troop and mercenary numbers being released by the Ukrainian Army today:


ATO Dep Cmdr Col. Valentyn Fedychev: 9,000 Russian armed forces personnel + 34,000 (pro-)Russian militiamen in Donbas http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/11/7067504/ …

ATO Dep Cmdr Fedychev: Russian forces/militia have Tochka-U (Scarab-B) tactical ballistic missiles in eastern Ukraine http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/11/7067504/ …

Ukraine faces threat of militants' tank attack so it focuses its defenses on anti-tank http://24today.net/open/405405

[OUTLAW 09]

First true Russian troop and mercenary numbers being released by the Ukrainian Army today:


ATO Dep Cmdr Col. Valentyn Fedychev: 9,000 Russian armed forces personnel + 34,000 (pro-)Russian militiamen in Donbas http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/11/7067504/ …

ATO Dep Cmdr Fedychev: Russian forces/militia have Tochka-U (Scarab-B) tactical ballistic missiles in eastern Ukraine http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/11/7067504/ …

Ukraine faces threat of militants' tank attack so it focuses its defenses on anti-tank http://24today.net/open/405405

Video dead Russian officers phone most likely shows launch Tochka-U missile.
So Russians used Tochka-U in Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCPYQyMiynE&feature=youtu.be

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings not that intense this evening but several strong ground attacks.

19:14 #Donetsk Budenovsky ds @UrriKara4en One more boom

19:15 #Donetsk Kalinovsky ds @postz5
Rumbles

19:11#Donetsk Budenovsky ds @UrriKara4en Single very distant boom. "Fireworks or what?"

.@SPaWN_ua "This night a Donbas btln assault group mopped up #Kominternove near #Mariupol, national guard entered after"

#Donetsk 7:15PM
Kalininsky district - shooting can be heard. https://twitter.com/postz5/status/597797122684133376 …

18:51 #Mariupol @Shimshen "What's the terrible sound of shooting/gunning can be heard now? Sounds strange"

The war in #Donbas is a war of artillery, subv groups, electronic warfare. Arming Ukr citizens en mass wont help - Col.Fedichev, EspresoTV

1 22 y.o. #KIA and 3 WIA in #Ukraine's 81st brigade at #Pisky/#Vodiane. https://twitter.com/tombreadley/status/597799086385926144 …

The OSCE in #Ukraine really counts..
"in Shyrokyne [the OSCE heard] over 400 explosions [&] at Donetsk railway station heard 148 explosions"

A year after: what did so-called “DPR” and “LPR” give back to the ppl of #Donbas? Infographics http://uacrisis.org/what-did-dpr-and-lpr-give-back-to-the-people-of-donbas/ … pic.twitter.com/8Dbpqi4X1p

10 #Ukrainian soldiers killed & 76 wounded during the period of 1-10 May. Don't dream about #ceasefire @novynar_smert http://goo.gl/fb/7Bl3c6

U.S. Intelligence concerns about new attacks on #Mariupol & #Kharkiv in #Ukraine via @bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-11/kerry-to-meet-putin-in-russia-for-the-first-time-in-two-years …

Poroshenko says tank attack biggest threat from militantshttp://www.unian.info/society/1076620-poroshenko-says-tank-attack-biggest-threat-from-militants.html … pic.twitter.com/Yk8YvE8HYy

19:50 #Donetsk Kyivsky ds @UkraineSuper1 Outgoing [volleys] started

#Donetsk 20:10
Railway station area - loud
Gorky mine - outgoing shelling towards airport https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/597811545855275008 …

20:30 #Donetsk Kyivsky ds @UrriKara4en Something heavy shells fr/Putilovsky bridge area

@Guderian_Xaba Well, now at 21:30 there are clear signs of low-intensity fighting in area to the north of Donetsk (around Spartak probably)

20:41 #Horlivka @xy_gorlov4an Small arms fire in 6-7 coalmine direction

KOMINTERNOVO under full control of our brave Ukrainian forces

Night shelling at #Pisky / #Vodyane. The 81st brigade lost one soldier (KIA) and two wounded. https://twitter.com/tombreadley/status/597799086385926144 …

21:28 #Donetsk @manirtal Single tank or heavy artillery shots are heard fr/airport area, sporadic small arms fire

#Donetsk Railway station area @HuAdvokatos
21:22 Clear various calibre battle sounds, maybe #Pisky
21:27 Rumble
21:29 Heavy

[OUTLAW 09]

Any Kremlin leader who repeatedly states Hitler-Stalin Pact was no big deal is signaling *exactly* what his intentions are. Not complicated.

Putin's desire is to win a second Yalta. If he does, the independence of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine will end.

The Kremlin's 'welcome' message to @JohnKerry before his visit to #Sochi ... https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/597807815328137216 …

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
Washington, against international law, introduced visa and property sanctions against Russian individuals, companies, banks & organisations

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
The White House groundlessly blamed Russia for the Ukrainian crisis, which in fact was largely provoked by US itself, trying to isolate it

Michael McFaul ✔ @McFaul
.@mfa_russia "groundlessly"? Russian annexed Ukrainian territory. That's "grounds" for blame.

@McFaul @mfa_russia Putin *really* thinks international laws are applied to everyone but him.

German Chancellor #Merkel on #Russia breaking international law in #Ukraine: http://goo.gl/H2o0w4 pic.twitter.com/p00IapLHcv

Merkel "The criminal and illegal annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine have led to a serious setback" in German-Russian coop.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
Russian-US relations are passing through a difficult period caused by targeted unfriendly actions by Washington

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#NATO military infrastructure is approaching our borders, including a buildup of armed forces contingents in East. Europe,US missile defence

[OUTLAW 09]

First Russia steals complete Ukrainian factories, then it steals coal only to sell it back to the Ukrainians and NOW they steal "steel scrap metal".

Can it be that Russia is "broke"???? OR is it just multiple examples of Russian corruption at work????

20:15 #Donetsk @UkraineSuper1 For a week already RUS take away [cut for scrap] garages and airport steel structures.

[OUTLAW 09]

In Russia's proxy states, criminals often run the show. This DNR "deputy defense minister" is wanted by Moscow police pic.twitter.com/oNPyNEN3XU

Russians in #Shyrokyne
http://youtu.be/pFkKL0kty4Q
via @Guderian_Xaba

#Alchevsk, MLRS disposition @GirkinGirkin pic.twitter.com/xwIDex8fMx

More disregard to Minsk agreement by #Russia|n side. Banned heavy weapons within buffer zone https://twitter.com/loogunda/status/597849664478695424 …

DPR thinks that teachings of "Right sector" contradict Minsk agreements http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/11-may-dpr-thinks-that-teachings-of-right-sector-contradict …

Pushilin denied words of NATO Secretary General about impending attacks http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/11-may-pushilin-denied-words-of-nato-secretary-general-about …

#Holodomor 12 May 1934. On this day, a "special report" about "displaced farmers" in Ukraine was produced by the Soviet secret police. Within this report we have arguably one of the most explicit admissions about the real intent of the Holodomor as ethnic cleansing. It quotes a Communist party leader in Kharkiv as saying that the "Famine in Ukraine" was deliberately brought on "to decrease the number

Hennadiy Moskal wants to block all communication with occupied territory. "Anyway, permit system is failure", says he pic.twitter.com/Dbf8DPdQAX

Aleksiy Zhuravlyov, Russian MP and member of Defense Committee taking part in "Day of Republic" parade in #Donetsk. pic.twitter.com/vHzJDvVmJo

#Donetsk: a representative of Moscow Patriarchy Ukrainian orthodox church celebrated 'referendum' w/RUS@WIN_WF pic.twitter.com/FQpdJYH1kx

[OUTLAW 09]

Since Putin supports now the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact:

Putin defends the NKVD handing over Jews to the Gestapo whilst performing the sieg heil. #NaziSovietPact pic.twitter.com/Z81LmBaKTB

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems as if "soft power" ie diplomacy is not working and yet DC keeps on trying.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
In dialogue w/US,we are open to cooperation based on equal rights, non-interference in internal affairs & due consideration for our interests

In Russian double-speak—it really means we took and will keep Crimea and we will take eastern Ukraine and the Ukraine and the Baltics are our “sphere of influence” AND we are an equal super power doing what we want.

Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom
How diplomacy works now: #Russia saves time and humiliates SecState by issuing the "doesn't matter" statement before he even gets there.

It’s ‘Complicated’ - White House Defends John Kerry Trip To Visit Russia's Putin -

Kremlin transcript removes Merkel's word "criminal" to describe Russia's annexation of Crimea.http://www.golos-ameriki.ru/content/putin-merkel-tallks-galperovich/2763327.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter … pic.twitter.com/M23NcUtlTQ

BUT in Putin's support for the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact the West forgets this rather simple point of history which occurred daily from 1939 to 1941.

Putin defends the NKVD handing over Jews to the Gestapo whilst performing the sieg heil. #NaziSovietPact pic.twitter.com/Z81LmBaKTB
Happened daily from 1939 to 1941.

[OUTLAW 09]

Shooting in Stanitsya Luhanska at night. Ours didn't respond to RU mortars for a while, maybe Kyiv did not gave "OK" https://twitter.com/100007182042214/status/597954912698376192 …

In #Odesa began to appear such leaflets.
#Odessa https://twitter.com/Donetsk_Live/status/597895302935347202 …

There was two explosions in #Odesa around 2AM.

Reports about explosion in Odesa http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-reports-about-explotion-in-odesa …

Militants are armed with 4 complex "Tochka-U" and more than 700 tanks - Defence Ministry http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/11-may-militants-are-armed-with-4-complex-tochkau-and-more …

Near Debaltsevo killed about 70 soldiers from Russia, - Nemtsov's report http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/11-may-near-debaltsevo-killed-about-70-soldiers-from-russia …

UXO, Made in Ru, 1994 fired on the village of #Pavlopol More evidence of RU criminal act
https://www.facebook.com/mariupol.oborona/photos/pcb.621903597946577/621903451279925/?type=1&theater … pic.twitter.com/XBtrlLXBVS

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian military loses are over 140 killed and over 550 wounded since the so called “ceasefire” went into effect and now 9,000 confirmed Russian troops and over 700 tanks are now in the Ukraine and yet the Ukraine is only in second place on the US discussions list--???

Syria, not #Ukraine, takes pride of place on Kerry's agenda for Putin, Lavrov meetings in Sochi via @nytimes M.Gordon http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/12/world/middleeast/kerry-searching-for-answers-on-syria-conflict-to-meet-with-putin.html?ref=world …

Kind of explains the utter lack of US involvement politically in the Ukraine outside of the VP, SACEUR and one Ambassador--strange is it not????

AND the US President has nothing to say??? Utter silence for the last weeks.

[OUTLAW 09]

Putin might yet come to regret the execution on a Kremlin bridge in front of eight CCTVs cameras of a major Russian opposition leader who it appears is reaching out from his grave and critiquing "Putin's Ukraine War" .

#Russia's war in #Ukraine costs $2.6B for fighters & refugees, $55B in losses to citizens' salaries & savings, says leaked #Nemtsov report

#Nemtsov's report on #Russia's war on #Ukraine to be available at putin-itogi.ru in just 10 minutes. RBC has a scoop http://top.rbc.ru/politics/12/05/2015/5550b8869a794770c68a8207 …

#Russia soldiers were forced to resign, then sent as "volunteers" to #Ukraine with promises of compensation in case of death, @ru_rbc says.

Nemtsov's 64-page report "Putin. War" -- 70 Russian troops died at Debaltsevo in Jan-Feb. About R135 billion spent. http://bit.ly/1K3hRi9

Relatives of 150 #Russia soldiers killed in #Ukraine last August got 2 million rubles, pledged silence, according to leaked #Nemtsov report.

Nemtsov report: At least 220 Russian soldiers killed in fighting in Ukraine
http://www.unian.info/politics/1076725-nemtsov-report-at-least-220-russian-soldiers-killed-in-fighting-in-ukraine.html … pic.twitter.com/IuGr1sfLCn

[OUTLAW 09]

@Euan_MacDonald https://www.facebook.com/euan.macdonald.3/posts/10153968910044968?ref=notif&notif_t=like …

My initial translation of the RBK report on the release of the Nemtsov report on Russia's involvement in the war in Ukraine. Shortened in length.

Original RBK report in Russian here: http://top.rbc.ru/politi…/…/05/2015/5550b8869a794770c68a8207

Nemtsov discovered 70 Russian soldiers were killed near Debaltseve

By Zhanna Ulyanova and Maxim Solopov


RBK has obtained a copy of the report "Putin. War" prepared by a group of experts using notes from [the late Russian opposition figure] Boris Nemtsov. The study attempts to evaluate the total losses of the army and the budget of Russia from war in Ukraine

How the text was prepared

The instigator of the report "Putin. War "on Russia's role in the annexation of Crimea and the possible participation of the Russian military in combat operations in Ukraine was co-chairman of the RPR-Parnassus and Yaroslavl regional Duma deputy Boris Nemtsov. The politician intended the report to contest the official version of events. “I’ve figured out what to do,” Nemtsov is quoted as saying in the report. “I have to write a report, called ‘Putin. War,’ publish it in huge numbers and hand it out on the streets. Tell people how Putin unleashed this war. This is the only way we’ll beat the propaganda.”

But the time was not given for Nemtsov to write the text of the report. On February 27 he was murdered near the Kremlin. His colleagues and friends say his work on the report was one of the theories for the motive for his murder. But Nemtsov did leave a plan for the report, handwritten notes, documents – all of which were used in the preparation of the report, the document says.

"Putin. War " is a 64-page report, combining evidence published earlier in the media, and Nemtsov’s own data on Moscow’s interference in Ukrainian politics and the presence of the Russian armed forces in the east of Ukraine. The study is divided into 11 chapters, covering events in Ukraine since the beginning of the revolution, when, according to the report, the Kremlin worked out a plan of action for "the return of Crimea" and up to the present time.

Working to create the report were former Deputy Prime Minister Alfred Koch, journalists Aider Muzhdabaevand Oleg Kashin, members of the political council of political party RPR-Parnas Ilya Yashin and Leonid Martyniuk, and the executive director of the party, Olga Shorina.
The report has been issued with an initial minimum print run of 2,000 copies - enough only to be given out at presentations, Yashin told RBK. Apart from in Moscow, presentations are planned in Russia’s regional centers - St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, Chelyabinsk and other cities. At the same time, a campaign will be started to raise funds to print more copies of the report for wider distribution. But the size of the next print run will depend on how much money is raised, said a member of the political council of RPR-Parnassus.

The printed report contains no publishing information: the print run and publisher are not indicated . It is only marked "Release: May 2015. Moscow City.” RPR-Parnassus did not disclose how much the report cost to publish.

Nemtsov and the paratroopers

Nemtsov started to collect materials for the report at the beginning of 2015. He worked with open sources a lot, finding people who could share information. He made deputies' inquiries to the [Russian security service the] FSB about the participation in the conflict in the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk of armed people from Chechnya, and asked the Prosecutor General’s Office to verify reports on the participation of Russian troops in the fighting in the east of Ukraine. All of his inquiries went unanswered.

In early February, representatives of the relatives of Russian soldiers killed in the Donbass, in particular from Ivanovo, contacted Nemtsov. The politician made a note about this to his assistant Shorina. The materials of the report state that the relatives of the dead soldiers were seeking help to obtain compensation from the Ministry of Defence. They also talked about the mass deaths of Russian soldiers during the summer counteroffensive by [Russian-backed] militia near Ilovaisk in Ukraine and during the winter battles for Debaltseve. According to Nemtsov, about 70 troops from Russia were killed in Debaltseve, at least 17 of whom were paratroopers from Ivanovo. The Russian soldiers, before being sent to the Donbas, officially resigned from the Russian armed forces at the request of their commanders, the sources told Nemtsov.

In this way it was planned to hide the Russian soldiers participating in the battle under the cover of their being military volunteers. The soldiers’ commanders gave their word that in the case of the soldiers’ injury or death, their relatives would be eligible for compensation in amounts comparable to those that were paid in the summer of 2014, the report reads. But in actual fact the compensation never came.

Five abstracts from the report by Boris Nemtsov

At least 150 Russian soldiers were killed in August 2014, according to estimates of Nemtsov’s sources. The Ukrainian army was at that time on the offensive, but was halted by Russian troops near Ilovaisk. The relatives of Russian soldiers killed, according to the report, received RUB 2 million rubles, in return for a written promise not to disclose the circumstances of their relatives’ deaths.

About 70 Russian soldiers (including at least 17 paratroopers from Ivanovo), according to Nemtsov, died in January and February 2015 near the [Ukrainian] town of Debaltsevo. The representatives of the interests of the relatives of the servicemen turned to Nemtsov for help in February, because they could not get compensation. The report says that at that time Russian soldiers sent to the Donbas were being dismissed from the army and sent into battle as volunteers. The Russian Defense Ministry promised to pay compensation for deaths and injuries, despite the soldiers’ dismissal. However, according to the report, this promise was not fulfilled.

Russia spent about RUB 53 billion from its budget on the war in the southeast of Ukraine over ten months – according to one of the report’s co-authors, economist Sergei Aleksashenko. He said that RUB 21 billion had been required to pay 6,000 volunteers, RUB 25 billion to support of 30,000 local militants, and RUB 7 billion on the operation, maintenance and repair of military equipment.

The authorities of the Russian regions have spent RUB 80 billion on supporting refugees from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine since July 2014, the report also says, citing Aleksashenko.

Russians have lost RUB 2 trillion in salaries and RUB 750 billion in saving due to Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, Aleksashenko estimated in the report. The economist said that due to Western sanctions and a retaliatory self-imposed Russian food embargo, food prices rose by a further 5.5%. That figure was used as the basis of his calculations.

Relatives were afraid to speak in public because they had signed nondisclosure agreements. Nemtsov was told by his sources that the relatives of the victims were threatened with criminal prosecution, and cited as an example a case against the mother of many children Svetlana Davydova on charges of treason in favor of Ukraine.

Nemtsov’s murder has convinced the relatives to give up their claims. "If Nemtsov can be shot near the Kremlin, then we can’t do anything for our clients in Ivanovo at all," the authors of the report quoted a lawyer the relatives of two dead Marines, giving the common position the families.
Ministry of Defense denies army's participation in the conflict denies.
The authors of the report did not appeal for assistance from well known human rights activists. "Boris did not appeal to us. Neither did Parnassus, nor Ilya Yashin, nor Vadim Prokhorov,” the executive secretary of the Union of Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, Valentina Melnikova, told RBK. According to her, at a seminar of the regional organizations of the union their representatives also confirmed that no representative of the opposition had been trying to get information from them about Russian soldiers returning from Ukraine. Melnikova supported the attempt in the report to summarize the already known data.

[OUTLAW 09]

The Ukrainian Army is facing a tank threat never even seen by NATO--- initially with limited to no AT defensive weapons and even asking the US for TOWs and getting a NO---they rushed into production and are now deploying their own version of the US TOW that is 50% the price of a US TOW and has the same capabilities if not better—this is why they are getting more comfortable in anti-tank defenses. Anti- tank hunter/killer teams have been undergoing extensive field training with the weapon and have now deployed to the front contract line. With the reported range these h/k teams can hit from a safe secure distance from the front lines thus will be hard to target by Russian troops and her mercenaries.

Antitank weapons system ’Stugna’ began service with Ukrainian Army. VIDEO http://ln.is/en.censor.net.ua/vid/PdQqW …

Denied Javelins, #Ukraine now fields its own - reportedly better - LG antitank missile: Stugna http://www.ukroboronprom.com.ua/en/view/1/11940

[OUTLAW 09]

Texas has the “Alamo”, the US Army has “Bastogne” and the Ukrainian Army has “the Airport” where even the defenders earned the name “Cyborgs” from their enemy for their resilience at a time when the UA needed a morale booster indicating they could indeed fight. The encirclement went on for 242 days outlasting even Stalingrad which lasted only 181 days. In the first turmoil days of the mercenaries taking over Ukrainian facilities and buildings they lost control of the Donetsk airport only after an airmobile assault retaking it and then holding on under massive artillery and MRLS fire and tank/infantry assaults even from Russian SF and GRU units.

Well worth the 50 minutes it takes to watch this video: "The Airport" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoV6fRQ-YTY

[OUTLAW 09]

Separatist Conference Attracts The European Far-Right And Left. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-448-heavy-fighting-near-peski-stanitsa-luganskaya-and-shirokino/#8285 …

The deputy "DNR" defence minister is originally from Moscow pic.twitter.com/D6k6mAUkio

DNR, land of ops, from car washer to mass murder - Motorola, replete with fake medals, DNR Terrorist from Ru w/ hate pic.twitter.com/5YizhUYA4R

Russians "probing everywhere & have acquired an anti-access/area denial capability as element of a larger strategy"http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/interview-with-henrik-liljegren …

Yesterday social media exposed the deputy DNR defense minister as being a wanted criminal in Moscow AND NOT 24 hours later this--seems Russian does not want "criminals" running their "New Russia" government--but wait there are tons of Russian mercenaries fighting there that are in fact convicted criminals released if they would fight in the Ukraine:

Ah…….the power of social media at work:

Russian interior ministry removes Donetsk republic's 'deputy defence minister' from the wanted list after bloggers find him there.

#Russia|n police deletes"WANTED"profile of #Donbas"rebel deputy defense minister"(born in RU)https://twitter.com/tvrain/status/598027137325658112 …

[OUTLAW 09]

The Ukrainian Army is facing a tank threat never even seen by NATO--- initially with limited to no AT defensive weapons and even asking the US for TOWs and getting a NO---they rushed into production and are now deploying their own version of the US TOW that is 50% the price of a US TOW and has the same capabilities if not better—this is why they are getting more comfortable in anti-tank defenses. Anti- tank hunter/killer teams have been undergoing extensive field training with the weapon and have now deployed to the front contract line. With the reported range these h/k teams can hit from a safe secure distance from the front lines thus will be hard to target by Russian troops and her mercenaries.

Antitank weapons system ’Stugna’ began service with Ukrainian Army. VIDEO http://ln.is/en.censor.net.ua/vid/PdQqW …

Denied Javelins, #Ukraine now fields its own - reportedly better - LG antitank missile: Stugna http://www.ukroboronprom.com.ua/en/view/1/11940

#Footage
Ukrainian president @poroshenko visited anti-tank weapons exercises yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTipgK67dDI …

[OUTLAW 09]

This is highly interesting if true as that would indicate a Russian move to "annex" eastern Ukraine and to do that they must have a viable state which includes, Odessa, Mariupol and Kharkiv which means a massive new offensive to take these towns.

Convoy w/ milit equipm, ammo arrived in Torez, #Donetsk region. Had also ballots for "plebiscite" on joining #Russia https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/997204113623728 …

Just as there is about three different myths about Putin's KGB service in Potsdam and his claiming he was a LTC instead of his actual rank a MAJ--now there are some myths about his father as well who was allegedly NKVD and who fought in Estonia.

Update: Comparing Different Versions of Putin's Stories of His Father Before and During WWII
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-may-11-2015/#8293 … pic.twitter.com/jJt9lqjPLN

Militants again fire heavy weapons at several towns and villages
http://www.unian.info/war/1076762-militants-again-fire-heavy-weapons-at-several-towns-and-villages.html … pic.twitter.com/72yXb5qwRF

[OUTLAW 09]

Referencing Putin's stated support of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact complete with the Secret Addendum:

TALK about attempting to divert the ”Putin” narrative of his support for the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact by first calling Poland “expansionist” NOW this attempt to divert attention from his comments and muddy the waters.

Kremlin-friendly magazine slams Poland, Czechoslovakia for post-war deportations, but hardly mentions East Prussia. http://expert.ru/expert/2008/30/izgnany_i_ubity/ …

Moscow still avoids admitting they executed 22K Polish POWs under the R/M Pact and sent thousands of Jews to the Gestapo during 1939-1941 all under the R/M Pact.

Chillingly Soviet: Imprisonment without a Crime in Crimea
http://khpg.org/index.php?id=1431294799 …
pic.twitter.com/XFGPbDruka

AND Putin "claimed" that he would protect the Tartars after their
brutal deportations by Stalin from the Crimea their native home--OR at least that is what he stated in a press conference to students concerning the Crimea.

[OUTLAW 09]

It is not by "accident" concerning Putin's recent sudden support for the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact as he really wants a "new Yalta agreement with the West" giving him the old Soviet empire as his "sphere of influence".

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.de/2015/05/as-in-1939-kremlin-said-mulling.html
Tuesday, May 12, 2015

As in 1939, Kremlin Said Mulling ‘Preventive Occupation’ of the Baltic States

Paul Goble


Staunton, May 12 – People of decency and good will around the world have been horrified by Vladimir Putin’s defense this week of the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact which made Hitler and Stalin allies, opened the way to World War II, and allowed the Soviet Union to occupy Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, portions of Poland and Bessarabia for half a century.

But they should be even more horrified by the fact that some near the Kremlin are once again thinking about “a preventive occupation” of the Baltic countries, a step that, as Kseniya Kirillova points out today, could trigger the collapse of the West or a third world war (nr2.ru/blogs/Ksenija_Kirillova/Rossiya-gotovitsya-okkupirovat-strany-Baltii-96466.html).

Moreover, and just as in 1939, they should be disturbed by Moscow’s duplicity and cynicism about such a move, one nominally taken in the name of improving Russia’s defense capability but in fact threatened in order to advance Russian imperialism and to disorder and confuse the Western powers.

In her commentary, Kirillova does two things: First, she points to a recent article by Moscow commentator Rostislav Ishchenko calling for a “preventive” strike against the Baltic littoral in order to block what he sees as a threat from NATO; and second, she interviews former RISI analyst Aleksandr Sytin on why Ishchenko’s words are more than the ravings of one man.

Continues………

[OUTLAW 09]

It appears the Russian used the 9 May parade argument to send into the city of Donetsk more tanks in direct violation of Minsk 2 and after being warned by OSCE they still sent them arguing they would be pulled out after the parade------ sure………..has Russian held to anything they stated about Crimea or the Ukraine???

Tymchuk: Tanks paraded in Donetsk by militants not to be removed from city
http://www.unian.info/society/1076772-tymchuk-tanks-paraded-in-donetsk-by-militants-not-to-be-removed-from-city.html … pic.twitter.com/Q1My3hTsxN

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
@OSCE_SMM also recorded movement of “DPR” & “LPR” heavy weapons – tanks, howitzers, Grad MRLS – all banned by Minsk II

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
@OSCE_SMM observed training of 50 pro-RU fighters on “LPR” controlled territories

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
3 Ukrainian servicemen KIA, 1 wounded got wounded in the last 24 hours

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Militants attacked areas of Shchastya & Stanytsia Luhanska from small arms

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Hotspots in Donetsk sec: airport area – from Maryinka to Avdiivka & outskirts of Horlivka

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Militants fired at Shyrokyne from the area of Sakhanka in Mariupol sector.

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Pro-Russian militants continued firing at Ukrainian military positions from 120 & 122mm mortars banned by Minsk accords

[OUTLAW 09]

Putin might yet come to regret the execution on a Kremlin bridge in front of eight CCTVs cameras of a major Russian opposition leader who it appears is reaching out from his grave and critiquing "Putin's Ukraine War" .

#Russia's war in #Ukraine costs $2.6B for fighters & refugees, $55B in losses to citizens' salaries & savings, says leaked #Nemtsov report

#Nemtsov's report on #Russia's war on #Ukraine to be available at putin-itogi.ru in just 10 minutes. RBC has a scoop http://top.rbc.ru/politics/12/05/2015/5550b8869a794770c68a8207 …

#Russia soldiers were forced to resign, then sent as "volunteers" to #Ukraine with promises of compensation in case of death, @ru_rbc says.

Nemtsov's 64-page report "Putin. War" -- 70 Russian troops died at Debaltsevo in Jan-Feb. About R135 billion spent. http://bit.ly/1K3hRi9

Relatives of 150 #Russia soldiers killed in #Ukraine last August got 2 million rubles, pledged silence, according to leaked #Nemtsov report.

Nemtsov report: At least 220 Russian soldiers killed in fighting in Ukraine
http://www.unian.info/politics/1076725-nemtsov-report-at-least-220-russian-soldiers-killed-in-fighting-in-ukraine.html … pic.twitter.com/IuGr1sfLCn

Nemtsov's party colleague @MKasyanov who helped finish the report vows to find Nemtsov's murderers #PutinAtWar http://newcaster.tv/putin-war_en.html …

Yashin: Nemtsov report has found that Russian mercenaries in eastern Ukraine get 60k-90k rubles a month

But very valuable in #Nemtsov report is a list of 155 sources the used, so very well documented. Will be a standard reference in the future.

[OUTLAW 09]

Was the Russian invasion of Crimea and eastern Ukraine just a "real time test drive" of their non linear military doctrine, use of private contracting companies, the use of military "contractors"/volunteers/vacationers, intelligence operations/SF/conventional force integration, and field testing of their new weapons systems all "under wartime conditions"????

To add to what @ChristopherJM was saying: rebels in the east are also saying Russians had state-of-the-art weaponry they had no access to

[OUTLAW 09]

#Footage
The Ukrainian army fleeing #Debaltseve under heavy fire.
Armored vehicles get hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBwKOk0UAfw … pic.twitter.com/KvzNfIurO9

#Pisky - large concentration of militia forces near a cement factory at #Petrovka and the village of #Alexandrovka. https://twitter.com/felixsteal/status/598099917517774848

#Analysis #Map
1. new picture from @PLnewstoday shows,Russians also "silently" advanced towards #Pisky.
Map adjusted. pic.twitter.com/DKRGtYKUt9

UA soldier wounded near Shchastya in #Lugansk Region. LPR terrorists broke cease-fire 15 times http://lugansk-news.com/ukrainian-soldier-wounded-near-shchastya-in-lugansk-region/ … pic.twitter.com/Vy3CYnJBNf

Secret Service of #Ukraine has published the record about "300 Chechens arrived in three days" in #Ukraine #donetsk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNXnGngM3-g …

Video of Azov soldiers firing at #Russia|ns at night, tracers in the sky:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAqty2-p-So …

11 cargo trucks that were trying to get to occupied #Lugansk illegally stopped. Read more athttp://lugansk-news.com/the-head-of-lugansk-region-moskal-stopped-11-cargo-trucks-that-were-trying-to-get-to-occupied-lugansk-illegally/ … pic.twitter.com/sCC9VPux7C

Photos of two of the trucks indicated they had been purchased and or stolen out of Germany.

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems the Russian FM Larvov is really in another state of mind----

We are not the ones responsible for the current crisis in relations with Washington," #Russia's Lavrov tells Kerry http://ria.ru/politics/20150512/1064119541.html …

Seems he forgot a minor set of problems --the annexation of the Crimea, the invasion of eastern Ukraine and the TOTAL failure to adhere to Minsk 2.

BUT Russia seems to think these are really just minor problems and ALL the fault lies with the Ukraine and the US.

[OUTLAW 09]

Nemtsov's party colleague @MKasyanov who helped finish the report vows to find Nemtsov's murderers #PutinAtWar http://newcaster.tv/putin-war_en.html …

Yashin: Nemtsov report has found that Russian mercenaries in eastern Ukraine get 60k-90k rubles a month

But very valuable in #Nemtsov report is a list of 155 sources the used, so very well documented. Will be a standard reference in the future.

Nemtsov's report on Sochi (read it here) was so damaging to Putin that Kremlin likely feared his new Ukraine report http://bit.ly/1aGxx44

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems the Russian FM Larvov is really in another state of mind----

We are not the ones responsible for the current crisis in relations with Washington," #Russia's Lavrov tells Kerryhttp://ria.ru/politics/20150512/1064119541.html …

Seems he forgot a minor set of problems --the annexation of the Crimea, the invasion of eastern Ukraine and the TOTAL failure to adhere to Minsk 2.

BUT Russia seems to think these are really just minor problems and ALL the fault lies with the Ukraine and the US.

Amazing. #Russia just rattled tanks, ballistic missiles on Red Square and America is the threat. That takes work https://twitter.com/MoscowTimes/status/598162443924316160 …

Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom
It's almost like there's not a war going on in the middle of Europe or anything. https://twitter.com/WBStevens/status/598144196118183936 …

[OUTLAW 09]

This needs to be carefully watched--just a Russian airborne exercise or actual CSTO peacekeeping operation going into the Ukraine?????

Both of these Russian units are part and parcel of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent. The Russian General who is based in the Ukrainian JCCC is in fact the Commander of the CSTO peacekeeping forces.

Russian 31st & 98th VDV: Some units already preparing for deployment/are transfering to airfields for loading http://cursiv.ru/?publication=18669 … #CSTO

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian Secret Service claimes they recorded a conversation which testifies Russia's presence in Donbas. pic.twitter.com/T6LQcFUous

[OUTLAW 09]

Now we have the Russian response to the Ukrainian elections to be held in the occuppied zone under Minsk 2----seems the mercenaries want the part of the passed law indicating that it must be held under Ukrainian law eliminated from the special zone law--BUT it is so stated in Minsk 2--not excatly sure what they have been drinking lately??

http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-449-three-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-one-wounded-over-last-24-hours/#8308

Separatists Make Proposals For Elections, Effectively Barring Pro-Ukrainian Parties
16:57 (GMT)


The pro-separatist Donetsk News Agency (DAN) reports that the representatives for the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DNR and LNR) to the tripartite Contact Group, Denis Pushilin and Vladislav Deynevo, have presented their proposals for the holding of local elections in separatist-controlled territory.

The local elections are a key component of the Minsk agreement and are mandated under the so-called Special Status law on self-governance passed by the Verkhovna Rada.

The separatist representatives today laid out their conditions for such elections, and they appear to exclude any pro-Ukrainian parties from participating.

The Interpreter translates:

"Ukrainian parties, whose representatives participated in the administration of the ATO regime, the economic blockade, in stirring up militaristic propaganda and social and ethnic hatred, will not be allowed in the elections," emphasises the statement by Pushilin and Deynevo. The elections must be observed by international organisations, including the ODIHR and the ASCE.

Readers should note that the ASCE must not be confused with the OSCE.

The ASCE - the Association for Security and Cooperation in Europe - was first reported on in November last year when journalists were invited to a press conference in Donetsk.

The apparently intentionally misleadingly named body is a sham monitoring body formed by members of Europe's extreme-right and left. Members include Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, a member of France's Rassemblement Blue Marine who was in Donetsk yesterday, Austrian Ewald Stadler, Marton Gyongyosi of Jobbik and Frank Creyelman of Vlaams Belang.

One question raised by today's statement is whether the Opposition Bloc, the Ukrainian political party formed out of the remnants of Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions, will be allowed to take part.

Pushilin also said that amendments made to the Special Status Law on March 17 this year would have to be removed for the peace process to progress.

According to the amendment, elections must be held in accordance with Ukrainian law in the occupied territories before the Special Status can come into effect
The Russian mercenaries really are having a hard time in accepting Minsk 2 requirements WHICH they themselves signed twice--Minsk 1 and 2 to be exact.

[OUTLAW 09]

http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/05/12/why-is-putin-meeting-with-kerry/

Why is Putin meeting with Kerry?

2015/05/12 • ANALYSIS & OPINION


Article by: Vitaliy Portnikov, Espreso TV
When it comes to the meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi, sources from both sides differ in their explanations.

In Washington there is talk about the need to discuss a range of issues with Moscow, including the “normalization” of relations between Russia and the US. Similarly, observers differ considerably on why the meeting is even taking place. Some call this meeting a diplomatic victory for Russia. After all, it was Kerry who flew to Sochi, and not Lavrov to Washington. Others consider it a victory for the US, arguing that Americans were able to reach an important agreement on an agenda with the Russians for stabilizing the situation.

However, the meeting between Putin and Kerry is an obvious indication of which side has the ball in this visit. It is not really necessary to point out that from the perspective of the Russian president, who imagines himself the master of the universe, the only suitable partner for discussing the future would be the president of the United States.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama himself, who had maintained constant telephone contact with Putin during the Crimean crisis and even at the beginning of the Donetsk one, has actually minimized even the possibility of dialogue with his Russian counterpart after the “Boeing” matter (downing of Malaysia airline — Ed.). And in this situation of demonstrable neglect, Putin has agreed to meet with the US Secretary of State. It is clear that had such a meeting not been planned, Kerry simply would not have arrived in Sochi, leaving Lavrov to sunbathe alone.

This willingness to meet with an official whose rank, in Putin’s view, is inferior to his own greatness, demonstrates that contact with the United States is needed primarily by Moscow and only then by Washington. It also indicates that Putin is now seeking to stabilize rather than to aggravate the situation. Otherwise, there would have been no need to invite Kerry to Sochi only to announce that the confrontation would continue.

In addition, Kerry’s trip is part of a much larger string of consultations at the highest level. Only recently Putin met with French President François Hollande in Yerevan, and Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has paid a brief visit to the Russian capital. At the same time, after each of these meetings, it became clear that the Western leaders are not preparing to concede. On the contrary, there is information that the French are prepared to sink the Mistrals rather than give them to Russia. In Moscow, for the first time, there was mention about the “criminality” of the Crimean annexation.

This means that the West is not afraid of aggravating Putin. And Putin himself continues to maintain these contacts because he finds them necessary.

Despite our conviction that the Russian president does not fully realize the extent of the crisis in his country, I would not underestimate Putin’s awareness. Yes, today the consequences of Western sanctions and the decline in the price of oil are not yet really noticeable. But with each month the reserves of the Russian regime are decreasing, and Putin is looking for a way out of the situation that he has created for himself.

There are two ways out of this situation. The first is to go ahead with a major war. The second is to try to find ways to reach agreements with the West and to reject further escalation of the crisis in Ukraine. Kerry’s visit shows that right now Putin is taking the second path. But whether he reaches the end will depend on the terms of the compromise — including those that are negotiated during the meeting in Sochi.

[OUTLAW 09]

Mark A Welsh III ✔ @GenMarkWelsh
If the @usairforce doesn't establish a major command devoted to information in the next 10 yrs, we're wrong. Info is the coin of the realm.

[OUTLAW 09]

I have been saying for awhile here Putin has three geo political goals--

1. discredit and damage NATO
2. discredit and damage the EU
3. completely disconnect the US from EU

AND exactly what is meant by this Russian FM statement???

BREAKING: Russian MFA - "Russia wants to cooperate with US without being constrained" http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-international-20116622-rusia-doreste-cooperare-sua-data-fara-dictat-sau-constrangeri-ministerul-externe-moscova.htm …

It means we want to be able to do what we want without interference by the US--basically Putin wants a new "Yalta" and a meeting with Obama and he has not gotten neither.

Notice the lengths Russia will go to in avoiding having their own civil society fully understand what is going on around them.

Kremlin Omits The Word "Criminal" From Transcript of Merkel's Remarks on Crimea Annexation http://bit.ly/1cOCocO pic.twitter.com/ctXYR1Rh21

[OUTLAW 09]

EU has already prepared stronger sanctions against Russia - Eliseev pic.twitter.com/W9V1AH8IGZ http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-eu-has-already-prepared-the-stronger-sanctions-against …

Almost half of #Luhansk is without water because of war. pic.twitter.com/U0KOpMlLV5

#Kremlin trolls who engage publicly with #Russia's propaganda goof Graham Fiblips on Twitter.
http://kremlintrolls.com/t/20150512-In_Conversation.html … pic.twitter.com/pZ4m7S2pke

Defense Ministry has already paid to soldiers 7 million UAH for destroyed enemy equipment pic.twitter.com/BN93QCAsCM http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-defense-ministry-has-already-paid-to-soldiers-7-million …

In Odessa saboteurs mined a pipeline pic.twitter.com/3MYbhdKykZ http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-in-odessa-saboteurs-mined-the-pipeline …
Security forces have prevented bombing in #Odessa on gas pipeline https://twitter.com/StopRussia2014/status/598184455275065344 …

In Avdiivka, discovered a warehouse where was hidden away by militants humanitarian aid pic.twitter.com/4zyGpwVvg0 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-in-avdiivka-discovered-a-warehouse-where-was-hidden

Terrorists concentrate heavy weapons and conduct exercises near the line of contact - ATO speaker http://en.censor.net.ua/n335773

[OUTLAW 09]

While DoS Kerry just listed what the US expects russia to do under Minsk 2--the following is ongoing--what a waste of time in Sochi.

IS gets the greater mention in the press conference -- BUT IS is a far greater threat to Russia where there is a serious ongoing Islamist fight than the US.


#Russia moves more T-72B3 tanks towards #Ukraine during so-called #ceasefire Video http://empr.media/video/conflict-zone/russia-moves-more-t-72b3-tanks-towards-ukraine-during-ceasefire … pic.twitter.com/XRlodTj1ZJ

[OUTLAW 09]

Now we have the Russian response to the Ukrainian elections to be held in the occuppied zone under Minsk 2----seems the mercenaries want the part of the passed law indicating that it must be held under Ukrainian law eliminated from the special zone law--BUT it is so stated in Minsk 2--not excatly sure what they have been drinking lately??

http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-449-three-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-one-wounded-over-last-24-hours/#8308

Separatists Make Proposals For Elections, Effectively Barring Pro-Ukrainian Parties
16:57 (GMT)


The Russian mercenaries really are having a hard time in accepting Minsk 2 requirements WHICH they themselves signed twice--Minsk 1 and 2 to be exact.

Notice at the Sochi press conference Russian FM Lavrov DID NOT say which version they are supporting??

WANT to take a coffee bet that it is this version of elections????

BREAKING: We agreed to hold local elections in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, - Lavrov pic.twitter.com/T2PNl5fON0 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-we-agreed-to-hold-local-elections-in-the-donetsk-and

OR is Russia seriously trying to find an "off ramp"???

[OUTLAW 09]

Moskal: Militants cut off the electricity from Stanitsya Luhanska.

He threatens to turn off the water from rebels. https://twitter.com/InfoResist/status/598196817352925186 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference the recently "leaked" Russian document on MH17.

Novaya Gazeta's analysis of the "leaked" Russian #MH17 report concludes the launch site claims are wrong http://www.novayagazeta.ru/inquests/68376.html …

Confirms what social media already proved and proved in under 30 minutes after the report hit the interent.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian shellings and ground probing attacks are really light this evening.

Was to quick-let's see if it picks up later this evening.

#Donetsk 9:14PM
Putilovka - Again volleys started, far away. https://twitter.com/donetsk_ukrop/status/598189580261654530 …

#Marinka
20:50 Shooting, several locations in the state farm area, at traffic police post machine guns.
21:05 Quiet https://twitter.com/audrius1977/status/598186056735940608 …

After lunch militants shelled our positions nr #Luhanske, #Lozove and Svìtlodars′ke w 122mm artillery & 82mm mortars https://twitter.com/UaForces/status/598191837849985024 …

[OUTLAW 09]

While DoS Kerry just listed what the US expects russia to do under Minsk 2--the following is ongoing--what a waste of time in Sochi.

IS gets the greater mention in the press conference -- BUT IS is a far greater threat to Russia where there is a serious ongoing Islamist fight than the US.


#Russia moves more T-72B3 tanks towards #Ukraine during so-called #ceasefire Video http://empr.media/video/conflict-zone/russia-moves-more-t-72b3-tanks-towards-ukraine-during-ceasefire … pic.twitter.com/XRlodTj1ZJ

.@JohnKerry should note there's a reason #Russia have complete information dominance in #Ukraine —
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/russia-has-complete-informational-dominance-in-ukraine …

[OUTLAW 09]

Think Putin got the "message"--better yet will they continue forward with their military operations??

And those [#Minsk] agreements must be fully implemented, the sooner the better." - .@JohnKerry pic.twitter.com/ivXY4SPpqN

Russia gives Kerry commemorative T-shirt, tomatoes http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/john-kerry-russia-visit-gifts-t-shirt-tomatoes-117857.html …

Not much else was achieved though--actually some are saying that Russian gifts of tomatoes and potatoes have a secondary Russian meaning--that of humilation aimed at the receiver of the gifts.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia still is looking for an attack excuse-----

Desperate propaganda: Kremlin media says Russians in Ukraine under threat of being sent to 'concentration camps.' http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150512/1022058084.html?utm_source=t.co%2FeTf1MnjoKY&utm_medium=short_url&utm_content=kng&utm_campaign=URL_shortening …


Map of T-90 sightings in Ukraine https://twitter.com/yanevsky/status/598210338379673600 …

Amazing documentary on Right Sector fighters in the Donbas by @Belsat_TV https://youtu.be/SCoqcou79ZY @ARomasze pic.twitter.com/JlFWgBwwI7

[OUTLAW 09]

Newsweek Europe @NewsweekEurope

In an "unprecedented" operation, Ukraine has thwarted Kremlin plot to create separatist state: http://europe.newsweek.com/ukraine-claims-foil-kremlin-plot-new-breakaway-state-327171 … pic.twitter.com/Qkcc5oGnML

[OUTLAW 09]

Think Putin got the "message"--better yet will they continue forward with their military operations??

And those [#Minsk] agreements must be fully implemented, the sooner the better." - .@JohnKerry pic.twitter.com/ivXY4SPpqN

Russia gives Kerry commemorative T-shirt, tomatoes http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/john-kerry-russia-visit-gifts-t-shirt-tomatoes-117857.html …

Not much else was achieved though--actually some are saying that Russian gifts of tomatoes and potatoes have a secondary Russian meaning--that of humilation aimed at the receiver of the gifts.

IMO this confirms the European and Ukrainian rumors that the US has swapped the Ukraine to Russia in exchange for Russian support in Iran and Syria.

Kerry: US doesn't advise Kiev to continue military operation pic.twitter.com/O05YiDf2HM http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/12-may-usa-do-not-advise-to-kiev-to-continue-military-operation …

DoS does realize the US has a signature on the Budapest Memorandum and up to know the US has not done much to insure many other countries will trust a US document even with US signatures—NOW we wonder why the Gulf States do not trust the US unless it is firm in a formal defense document and stated so to the entire world especially Iran and Russia.

Does DoS Kerry realize exactly what he is saying—right now the Russian mercenaries are not even holding to the Minsk “ceasefire” ie stop firing with verified weapons withdrawals and have moved their troops and heavy weapons back in to the contact zone, has not exchanged ALL the prisoners they hold which is estimated in the 400 range, and yesterday stated they will not hold the same “elections” in their occupied zones that are envisioned in Minsk.

AND the Ukrainians have largely resisted the urge to return fire with their heavy weapons and have taken over 100 KIAs and way over 500 WIAs just sitting in their own positions AND during the Minsk 2 “ceasefire” the mercenaries have taken 28 more villages and towns under their control.

SO tell me exactly again WHY they should stop defending their own territorial integrity—BECAUSE if they totally stop all defensive operations THEY will lose even more territory???

QUESTION to DoS Kerry WHY is he so sure the Russians will adhere to the Minsk 2 WHEN up to today they have basically refused to implement anything—come on DoS is the Iranian agreement worth tossing all US values overboard ie rule of law, good governance and transparency of government—the exact things that drove the Ukrainian Maidan??--that is what we preach as US "values" the last time I checked.

Sometimes I really do wonder about our current foreign policy and our current DC leadership—is tossing all these values in the name of “soft power" worth it??—AND you wonder just why many countries mistrust anything coming out of DC---you still have not convinced Europeans that TTIP is the way forward—BUT by holding to our stated values they might in the end be convinced.

I am also not sure even DC believes anymore in the so called US "values".

[OUTLAW 09]

ATO Headquarters: Militants massed 700 tanks for offensive in Donbas
http://www.unian.info/war/1077240-ato-headquarters-militants-massing-700-tanks-for-offensive-in-donbas.html …

Have not read 1 analyst say it's likely Minsk agreement will be *fully implemented*. Not even ceasefire fully holds https://twitter.com/markmackinnon/status/598196937318408194 …

#Turkey's Foreign Minister says nothing can justify #Russia's actions in #Ukraine http://www.straitstimes.com/news/world/europe/story/turkey-says-nothing-justifies-russia-policy-ahead-nato-talks-20150513 … via @STcom pic.twitter.com/L2lVbh1LQL

A local resident was blown up in #Donetsk Region. Explosives was under the seat of his car.
#hirnyk #ukraine #russia pic.twitter.com/EjjVLP4g4b

WHEN cell towers go down --beware usually an indicator of impending Russian ground probes and shellings.
MTS is also down in #Donetsk
13:55 @UrriKara4en Kyivsky ds
11:34 @ropogckou #Donetsk, down for 30-40 min already


13:59 #Donetsk @AlfaNubovsky Sporadic heavy gunshots approx from Tochmash area, no explosions heard

#Horlivka @xy_gorlov4an Freudian slip by RUS 'Gorlovka Self-Defence' - 'Horlivka shelling *results*', not aftermath or damages.

Fuel supplies in the mercenary occupied zones are getting extremely low to none.
13:25 #Donetsk @DoneckiiPatriot Parallel petrol station in Zaperevalna is closed, only diesel at the other one pic.twitter.com/O8tZYYnlQN

These odd formations explain why we see #Russia|n VDV/Spetsnaz troops riding tanks to the frontline in east #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/XuM5PPlOYE

[OUTLAW 09]

MTS (mobile communications) down in #Makeevka, #Khartsyzk, #Yenakiieve, #Horlivka, #Shakhtarsk, #Dzerzhynsk, #Alchevsk.

12:30 #Donetsk Petrovka @tekstilevskia Massive shelling was heard in #Kreminna_Balka/#Maryinka, rarely in #Staromykhaylivka

No lethal casualties in ATO in the last 24hrs. 10 Ukr servicemen were WIA mostly in the militant mortar attack on Svitlodarsk - ATO spox

Antrazyt. Konzentration von Militrtechnik und Munition der VRSK auf dem Territorium der... http://fb.me/2g5CpBHIY

Cossacks to Fill the Ranks of the Druzhinniki Volunteer Police
http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-may-13-2015/#8319 pic.twitter.com/FFof5L7HyL

There is a large #Russia force massing in Oleksandrivka, Petrovsky district of #Donetsk, as well as in #Ilovaisk

Intense fighting in #Donetsk sector, stretching from #Krasnohorivka to #Avdiivka
#Russia soldiers use 152mm artillery pic.twitter.com/4ALtdsBUqg

[OUTLAW 09]

I will provide a comment later on just why the Sochi meeting was a 'farce" and the US got suckered into it as it was for propaganda purposes only ie consumers were the Russian civil society and Russian supporters in Europe.

John Kerry ✔ @JohnKerry
Reiterated to FM @PavloKlimkin that the United States continues to support the people and sovereignty of #Ukraine

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: But we are unanimous in our beliefs that it can only be solved peacefully through implementation of the Minsk Agreements

Russia Army preparing offensive in #Ukraine. Big Army convoy arrrives #Donetsk City.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlE2FW1YvpU …

Looks like most of the tanks still have the orange markings from when they were used at the #VEDay70 parade
pic.twitter.com/8hTvRwPKnk

Giant columns of #Russia|n military equipment in #Donetsk and #Luhansk yesterday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlE2FW1YvpU …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TsUHSHrQfA …

Large #Russia|n military column,inc tanks, armor, Strela-10 SAMs filmed in #Donetsk yesterday
https://youtu.be/tlE2FW1YvpU?t=20s … pic.twitter.com/XWa5XEecsw

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: President Putin has confirmed our readiness for wide-ranging and close cooperation on the basis of equality

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia #Lavrov: We hope that #Ukrainian authorities will draw conclusions from the @OSCE leaders’ appeals concerning these unfounded assertions

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: #Russia and #US hold different opinions on the origins and development of #Ukrainian crisis

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: #Russia proposed to amend #Minsk2 with an accord on withdrawing not only heavy weapons >100 mm caliber, but also tanks and mortars

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov:Representatives of Lugansk and Donetsk, Russian envoy in the Contact Group, @OSCE representatives were ready to sign these documents

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: The Joint Centre for Control and Coordination is a promising mechanism for tracking violations that all of us would like to reduce

[OUTLAW 09]

#Donetsk 11:14PM
Incoming shelling in airport area, powerful, with small interval https://twitter.com/062_Region/status/598582161231470594 …

#Makiivka 23:00
Artillery working, outgoing shelling https://twitter.com/OldHistoric/status/598579075322621952 …

Heavy explosions in Stanitsa Luhanska http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/13-may-heavy-explosions-in-stanitsa-luhanska …

Night battle at #Shyrokyno https://youtu.be/4zF5w4tC-bE via @YouTube

#Donetsk 9:16PM
Proletarka - hear distant artillery salvos. The traditional direction: North-North West https://twitter.com/levzeja/status/598552521188184065 …

#Donetsk 10:03PM
Railway station - again shooting, IMO the automatic mortar-gun. https://twitter.com/HuAdvokatos/status/598564177452597248 …

#Makiivka 21:40
Hearing shooting probably in Yakovlivka area https://twitter.com/OldHistoric/status/598559107776442369 …

#Donetsk
9:41PM Railway station area - artillery firing https://twitter.com/HuAdvokatos/status/598558811062927360 …

23:10 #Donetsk @hu_ukrop Rumble in #Pisky direction
23:10 #Pisky @litator Heavy rumble

23:25 #Donetsk @LeL1k Small arms fire in #Olenivka/Yelenovka direction

23:35 #Makeevka @OldHistoric Arty still rumbles fr/the place behind Gvardeyka,maybe fr/old positions in Yakovlivka/Hryhorivka

23:36 #Stanytsia_Luhanska area @Edward_Lugansk Very intense battle, lots of heavies

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems the Russian FM Lavrov cannot quite figure out exactly what is written in the Minsk 2 agreement--just as he seems to not remembering the Budapest Memorandum

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: But we are unanimous in our beliefs that it can only be solved peacefully through implementation of the Minsk Agreements

Had assumed he would have fully understood what it means to have a verified heavy weapons pull back and a true "ceasefire"--nothng but Russian "double=speak and the DoS falls for it.


#Donetsk 11:14PM
Incoming shelling in airport area, powerful, with small interval https://twitter.com/062_Region/status/598582161231470594 …

#Makiivka 23:00
Artillery working, outgoing shelling https://twitter.com/OldHistoric/status/598579075322621952 …

Heavy explosions in Stanitsa Luhanska http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/13-may-heavy-explosions-in-stanitsa-luhanska …

Night battle at #Shyrokyno https://youtu.be/4zF5w4tC-bE via @YouTube

#Donetsk 9:16PM
Proletarka - hear distant artillery salvos. The traditional direction: North-North West https://twitter.com/levzeja/status/598552521188184065 …

#Donetsk 10:03PM
Railway station - again shooting, IMO the automatic mortar-gun. https://twitter.com/HuAdvokatos/status/598564177452597248 …

#Makiivka 21:40
Hearing shooting probably in Yakovlivka area https://twitter.com/OldHistoric/status/598559107776442369 …

#Donetsk
9:41PM Railway station area - artillery firing https://twitter.com/HuAdvokatos/status/598558811062927360 …

23:10 #Donetsk @hu_ukrop Rumble in #Pisky direction
23:10 #Pisky @litator Heavy rumble

23:25 #Donetsk @LeL1k Small arms fire in #Olenivka/Yelenovka direction

23:35 #Makeevka @OldHistoric Arty still rumbles fr/the place behind Gvardeyka,maybe fr/old positions in Yakovlivka/Hryhorivka

23:36 #Stanytsia_Luhanska area @Edward_Lugansk Very intense battle, lots of heavies

[OUTLAW 09]

Reflection on #NemtsovReport #Crimea & #Donbas take-over "has been a #Russia'n-engineered operation from the first". https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/first-thoughts-on-nemtovs-posthumous-putin-war-report-on-russian-operations-in-ukraine/ …

"This is not responsible language from a nuclear nation" -- SACEUR calls out Kremlin nuclear saber-rattling http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/13/us-nato-ministers-breedlove-idUSKBN0NY2C120150513 …

Putin ordered strategic missile forces be ready to solve "any task" immediately http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/13-may-putin-ordered-strategic-missile-forces-be-ready-to …

Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom
@ixaos There haven't been nuclear missiles in Europe since 1988. And you don't understand alliances, but that's because Russia has no allies

Seems "separatist" DNR Army new Minister of Defense is a wanted man in Moscow. Page since deleted. #Russia #Ukraine https://twitter.com/GraniTweet/status/597834606608523265 …

Nice skills transfer: wanted in #Russia for 8+million ruble theft, he fled to Crimea, wound up w/ Strelkov. https://twitter.com/xuilolala/status/598543687136731136 …

“Deputy Defense Minister” of #Russia's puppet government in #Donbas is a fugitive fraudster: http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/05/13/deputy-defense-minister-of-dnr-is-a-fugitive-fraudster/ … pic.twitter.com/VF60ZJPWBH

Russian trolls attempting to give Russia a reason for pushing a new offensive. Great example of how Russian pushed disinformation into the news cycle.
pic.twitter.com/7BR73HjO4C

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference the Russian shot down of MH17:

Evidence Mounts That #Russia Supplied Buk Missiles To #Ukraine Separatists.V @CanadaNATO http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-buk-missiles-ukraine-mh17-vkontakte-evidence/27014165.html … #MH17 pic.twitter.com/qY6wtHF4Ww

Exhaustive @bellingcat study tracking a #Russian BUK linked to #MH17https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2015/05/13/tracking-the-trailers-investigation-of-mh17-buks-russian-convoy/ … pic.twitter.com/jVZXNkJ0j2

[OUTLAW 09]

2 Tochka-U (SS-21 Scarab-B) ballistic missile systems were brought to occupied #Makiivka - ATO https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/997943513549788 …

Druzhinniki Volunteer Police Patrols, a Staple of CCCP, Revived in Russia&full of Cossacks http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2339727

Confirmed: 3 days ago Batt. Donbass, Nat Guard units took #Kominternove under control
https://www.facebook.com/serega.misura?fref=ts … pic.twitter.com/dGNph9NVWA

#Russia militants move the "Grad" from their hiding places to #Donetsk City
pic.twitter.com/dBy8NyGjxL

[OUTLAW 09]

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
Vitaly Churkin praises Kerry's warning over Kiev's intention to regain Donetsk airport http://tass.ru/en/world/794533

One of the best examples od Russian disinformation in the last few days BUT it is normal for what has been coming out of the Russian FM.

Russian diplomat praises Kerry's warning over Kiev's intention to regain Donetsk airport
May 13, 20:09 UTC+3

John Kerry warned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko against attempts to regain control over the Donetsk airport

CHECK THE USE OF THE PHOTO--makes it appear Kery is lecturing Poroshenko and reinforces the Russian FM messaging.
John Kerry and Petro Poroshenko (archive)


MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. The Russian side finds the statement by US Secretary of State John Kerry who warned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko against attempts to regain control over the Donetsk airport, to be a very important one, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin told Rossiya’24 news channel.

THIS is a rather misleading statement as the Donetsk Airport was in both Minsk 1 and 2 found to be Ukrainian controlled but after a heavy Russian troop assault by Russian Spetznaz and GRU the airport was captured by mercenaries--so in fact the Ukrainians are correct in their statements about wanting to take it back over. Remember Debaltseve was also Ukrainian by Minsk 1 and 2 YET assaulted by Russian troops.

BTW--it is interesting that Russia fails to mention that it is the US that stated a number of times the Ukrainians have the right to defend themselves--seems Russia blew completely past that previous comment by Kerry and it seems that the Russian FM has overlooked the massive nightly heavy shellings of Pisky which is next to the airport to include 152mm SPG shelling.

"It’s an important thing that Kerry made this statement and that he said the US believed it was crucial to observe the accords reached in Minsk on February 12," he said. "Let’s hope the Americans would send this signal to Kiev in private contacts (with the Ukrainian officials), too."

NOTICE--no mention by Russia that it has whispered in the ears of her mercenaries that they should stop their shelling with heavy weapons a CLEAR violation of Minsk 2--YET it is always the Ukrainians that are violating Minsk 2.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the Donetsk airport, controlled by the militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), will be recaptured. "I do not doubt that we will free the airport because it is our land. And we will restore the airport," Poroshenko said.

Kiev forces controlled Donetsk airport terminals for several months, shelling the city’s suburbs from their positions. In January, DPR authorities said that the self-defense forces had regained full control over the airport. Ukrainian forces made several attempts to recapture their positions. DPR defense ministry said around 600 Ukrainian military were killed or injured during the armed stand-off around the airport.

Ceasefire is one of the key point of the Minsk agreements on the Ukrainian settlement. Other points include heavy weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local elections in Donbas and a constitutional reform in Ukraine.

NOTICE--not a single mention that Russian troops and her mercenaries are shelling heavily Ukrainian positions over the last ten days nor the moving of heavy weapons by the mercenaries back into the line of contact nor the new convoys coming out of Russia with troops and weapons.

[OUTLAW 09]

I will provide a comment later on just why the Sochi meeting was a 'farce" and the US got suckered into it as it was for propaganda purposes only ie consumers were the Russian civil society and Russian supporters in Europe.

John Kerry ✔ @JohnKerry
Reiterated to FM @PavloKlimkin that the United States continues to support the people and sovereignty of #Ukraine

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: But we are unanimous in our beliefs that it can only be solved peacefully through implementation of the Minsk Agreements

Russia Army preparing offensive in #Ukraine. Big Army convoy arrrives #Donetsk City.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlE2FW1YvpU …

Looks like most of the tanks still have the orange markings from when they were used at the #VEDay70 parade
pic.twitter.com/8hTvRwPKnk

Giant columns of #Russia|n military equipment in #Donetsk and #Luhansk yesterday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlE2FW1YvpU …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TsUHSHrQfA …

Large #Russia|n military column,inc tanks, armor, Strela-10 SAMs filmed in #Donetsk yesterday
https://youtu.be/tlE2FW1YvpU?t=20s … pic.twitter.com/XWa5XEecsw

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: President Putin has confirmed our readiness for wide-ranging and close cooperation on the basis of equality

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia #Lavrov: We hope that #Ukrainian authorities will draw conclusions from the @OSCE leaders’ appeals concerning these unfounded assertions

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: #Russia and #US hold different opinions on the origins and development of #Ukrainian crisis

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: #Russia proposed to amend #Minsk2 with an accord on withdrawing not only heavy weapons >100 mm caliber, but also tanks and mortars

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov:Representatives of Lugansk and Donetsk, Russian envoy in the Contact Group, @OSCE representatives were ready to sign these documents

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: The Joint Centre for Control and Coordination is a promising mechanism for tracking violations that all of us would like to reduce

IMO the recent DoS Kerry visit to Sochi actually provided "political relief" for an otherwise under massive pressure Putin.

WHY--the Merkel visit did not go well at all and via Kerry Putin "reappeared" again to be this "fearless leader" standing up for his "national superpower rights" otherwise in the Putin language "equality of relations".

It sometimes appears that the DoS, and the White House simply does not understand the "language of Russian politics" and as I have often commented on in the Iraqi threads --Putin's actions are all about the "PERCEPTIONS"--it is as simple as that.

At the height of the Ukrainian Army's taking a beating at the hands of "an invading Russian Army"--let's call it what it was actually--an invasion in August 2014 and again in Nov/Dec 2014 to save their own created "proxy army" the Western mantra was started by Germany's Merkel and then picked up by the White House and DoS "the conflict cannot be settled by military means".

Right there they affectively tied their own hands--in fact from a "perception concept of politics" right now the UA is actually militarily "winning". IF "winning" is defined as stopping the Russian invasion forces, boxing them in and not allowing a further advance THUS in effect negating Russian non linear warfare's key cornerstone of the use of joint SF/conventional forces.

The West especially the White House and at the urging of the Germans failed to provide any direct defensive weapons ie counter battery radar, night vision, counter drone/drones and most of all ATMs ie TOWs. Seems that over 700 ntanks alone in eastern Ukraine which is more than all the combined tank count of four current NATO armies did not seem to get the attention of the DoS and the White House--TOWs take a major Russian tactical advantage off the table allowing for politics to work--not the other way around.

It was argued 1) the Ukrainians would use the weapons to go on the offensive against the Russians WHICH if one thinks about totally unUkrainian in their own thinking and 2) THIS is the biggest argument THE Russians will escalate even further.

Question for the readers--- HAS not Russian ie Putin already escalated over four times since Crimea so for say 700 TOWs and night vision Putin is going to WHAT start a general war after he himself has allowed tactical ballistic missiles ie SS-21s to be sent into eastern Ukraine--even he is not that stupid. BTM the SS-21 is nuclear capable and it is sitting in eastern Ukraine NOW that should have gotten someone's attention in DC--but it did not evidently.

NOW Kerry dashes off to Sochi to achieve exactly what that could not have already been stated a number of times "Russia must implement fully Minsk 2"--WHICH the last timeI checked the news cycles last night seems to not be the case SO was Kerry being "lied to" by both Lavrov and Putin or is the DoS that naïve to believe "Russia will implement fully Minsk 2" when even the total exchange of POWs was stopped by Russian proxies?

DoS Kerry made two tactical mistakes at Sochi--he stated that he had advised the Ukrainians to end their military operations and 2) he publicly gave the impression that if there was a total ceasefire on the contact line the West would pull off the sanctions.

Both of these statements were immediately blasted to the global news media as "great achievements" achieved by and through Russian diplomacy.

AGAIN a perception "win" for Putin.

Right now it is all about perception--but back to there is a no military win possible.

By effectively blocking militarily further Russian aggression one in fact "has from a perception level actually won a major victory" as Putin did not achieve his main goals of blocking Ukrainian NATO and EU membership.

So after the great Russian FM statements in Sochi that "we fully believe in implanting Minsk 2 as the way forward"--it was back to fighting thus what did Kerry actually achieve??

So again those in the White House and DoS that believe one can achieve settlements via "soft power" forgot the simplicity of "perception".

They stumbled after the Iranian negotiations and have allowed a key demand by the Iranians AND Russians to become the narrative--1) with the signing of agreements economic sanctions are off the table and 2) there will be no snap back if the agreements are violated.

IS in fact this not exactly what Putin is arguing for in eastern Ukraine--should the fighting actually stop THEN based on DoS statements the sanctions must come off BUT what if say two weeks later the fighting resumes??--WILL the sanctions come back--no not really is the answer and the White House knows it. from European comments--has the White House in effect thrown the Ukrainians under the bus in order to get so called "Russian assistance" in Iran and Syria"--some actually here in Europe believe it based on DoS and White Houses actions as actions tend to show intent.

Visits like Kerry's feed the confidence of Putin & his elites. No matter what he does, world's leading democracies keep talking, don't act.

John Kerry's trip to Russia "worse than pointless diplomacy, worse even than the wasted prestige of his office" http://cnn.it/1e1VYT7

Churkin on snapback sanctions: “There can be no automaticity, none whatsoever” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-13/russia-rejects-automatic-sanctions-return-if-iran-cheats-on-deal …

[OUTLAW 09]

Imposing Costs on Putin Will Deter War http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/imposing-costs-on-putin-will-deter-war#.VVQ5aluI0yE.twitter … #PutinAtWar

Czechs stopped potential nuclear tech purchase by Iran - sources http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0NY2K720150514 …

#Russian Cossack "hamas" w/Grad-P light portable rocket system, there is nothing like that in UKR army @uanatolegion pic.twitter.com/EzyZ90rqgg

ATO press center: almost 9,000 Russian troops, 33,000 militants in Donbashttp://www.unian.info/war/1077693-ato-press-center-almost-9000-russian-troops-33000-militants-in-donbas.html … pic.twitter.com/W31CLwek7f

BTW--this is up from 7K Russian and 24K mercenaries in Feb 2015.

[OUTLAW 09]

Reference the Russian shot down of MH17:

Evidence Mounts That #Russia Supplied Buk Missiles To #Ukraine Separatists.V @CanadaNATO http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-buk-missiles-ukraine-mh17-vkontakte-evidence/27014165.html … #MH17 pic.twitter.com/qY6wtHF4Ww

Exhaustive @bellingcat study tracking a #Russian BUK linked to #MH17 https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2015/05/13/tracking-the-trailers-investigation-of-mh17-buks-russian-convoy/ … pic.twitter.com/jVZXNkJ0j2

Case mounts against Russians in MH17 crash https://shar.es/1rqpbe via @SkyNewsAust

Russia has released some solid evidence to contradict @EliotHiggins + @bellingcat's #MH17 report. pic.twitter.com/3leYfSoLJ3

[OUTLAW 09]

New York Times World ✔ @nytimesworld
Lviv Journal: In Ukraine, Bones of War Dead Re-emerge to Stir Political Passionshttp://nyti.ms/1cya1Ph
The Soviet Mass Graves of Ukraine Serve as a Constant Reminder of Russian Aggression

#Odesa: one more explosion this night, bomb detonated in a street manhole @boykob http://goo.gl/Dv5j2F pic.twitter.com/TuY9jCdrKS

The improvised explosive device went off in the communication ducts of house №17 on Alekseyevskoy Square in #Odessa http://nv.ua/ukraine/events/v-odesse-srabotala-samodelnaya-vzryvchatka-48469.html …

Was this used for #Lisitsa's videos?
Hackers Used Malware to Fake Views on Pro-#Russia Videos
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/hackers-used-malware-to-fake-views-on-pro-russia-videos … pic.twitter.com/tMLh4ziZSv

[OUTLAW 09]

IMO the recent DoS Kerry visit to Sochi actually provided "political relief" for an otherwise under massive pressure Putin.

WHY--the Merkel visit did not go well at all and via Kerry Putin "reappeared" again to be this "fearless leader" standing up for his "national superpower rights" otherwise in the Putin language "equality of relations".

It sometimes appears that the DoS, and the White House simply does not understand the "language of Russian politics" and as I have often commented on in the Iraqi threads --Putin's actions are all about the "PERCEPTIONS"--it is as simple as that.

At the height of the Ukrainian Army's taking a beating at the hands of "an invading Russian Army"--let's call it what it was actually--an invasion in August 2014 and again in Nov/Dec 2014 to save their own created "proxy army" the Western mantra was started by Germany's Merkel and then picked up by the White House and DoS "the conflict cannot be settled by military means".

Right there they affectively tied their own hands--in fact from a "perception concept of politics" right now the UA is actually militarily "winning". IF "winning" is defined as stopping the Russian invasion forces, boxing them in and not allowing a further advance THUS in effect negating Russian non linear warfare's key cornerstone of the use of joint SF/conventional forces.

The West especially the White House and at the urging of the Germans failed to provide any direct defensive weapons ie counter battery radar, night vision, counter drone/drones and most of all ATMs ie TOWs. Seems that over 700 ntanks alone in eastern Ukraine which is more than all the combined tank count of four current NATO armies did not seem to get the attention of the DoS and the White House--TOWs take a major Russian tactical advantage off the table allowing for politics to work--not the other way around.

It was argued 1) the Ukrainians would use the weapons to go on the offensive against the Russians WHICH if one thinks about totally unUkrainian in their own thinking and 2) THIS is the biggest argument THE Russians will escalate even further.

Question for the readers--- HAS not Russian ie Putin already escalated over four times since Crimea so for say 700 TOWs and night vision Putin is going to WHAT start a general war after he himself has allowed tactical ballistic missiles ie SS-21s to be sent into eastern Ukraine--even he is not that stupid. BTM the SS-21 is nuclear capable and it is sitting in eastern Ukraine NOW that should have gotten someone's attention in DC--but it did not evidently.

NOW Kerry dashes off to Sochi to achieve exactly what that could not have already been stated a number of times "Russia must implement fully Minsk 2"--WHICH the last timeI checked the news cycles last night seems to not be the case SO was Kerry being "lied to" by both Lavrov and Putin or is the DoS that nave to believe "Russia will implement fully Minsk 2" when even the total exchange of POWs was stopped by Russian proxies?

DoS Kerry made two tactical mistakes at Sochi--he stated that he had advised the Ukrainians to end their military operations and 2) he publicly gave the impression that if there was a total ceasefire on the contact line the West would pull off the sanctions.

Both of these statements were immediately blasted to the global news media as "great achievements" achieved by and through Russian diplomacy.

AGAIN a perception "win" for Putin.

Right now it is all about perception--but back to there is a no military win possible.

By effectively blocking militarily further Russian aggression one in fact "has from a perception level actually won a major victory" as Putin did not achieve his main goals of blocking Ukrainian NATO and EU membership.

So after the great Russian FM statements in Sochi that "we fully believe in implanting Minsk 2 as the way forward"--it was back to fighting thus what did Kerry actually achieve??

So again those in the White House and DoS that believe one can achieve settlements via "soft power" forgot the simplicity of "perception".

They stumbled after the Iranian negotiations and have allowed a key demand by the Iranians AND Russians to become the narrative--1) with the signing of agreements economic sanctions are off the table and 2) there will be no snap back if the agreements are violated.

IS in fact this not exactly what Putin is arguing for in eastern Ukraine--should the fighting actually stop THEN based on DoS statements the sanctions must come off BUT what if say two weeks later the fighting resumes??--WILL the sanctions come back--no not really is the answer and the White House knows it. from European comments--has the White House in effect thrown the Ukrainians under the bus in order to get so called "Russian assistance" in Iran and Syria"--some actually here in Europe believe it based on DoS and White Houses actions as actions tend to show intent.

Visits like Kerry's feed the confidence of Putin & his elites. No matter what he does, world's leading democracies keep talking, don't act.

John Kerry's trip to Russia "worse than pointless diplomacy, worse even than the wasted prestige of his office" http://cnn.it/1e1VYT7

Churkin on snapback sanctions: There can be no automaticity, none whatsoever http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-13/russia-rejects-automatic-sanctions-return-if-iran-cheats-on-deal

So much for Russian "full implementation of Minsk 2"--Sochi was a waste of US taxpayers money--the same results could have been gotten from a telephone call--maybe the face to face time with Putin to explain US positions was OK but also achievable via the telephone as nothing really came out of that meeting if one looks at the fighting ongoing yesterday AFTER Sochi.

Intense fighting in #Shyrokyne. Russian positions take heavy pic.twitter.com/CTbx5MOJad http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/14-may-intense-fighting-in-shyrokyne-russian-positions-take

"Why the #Russians Want Prolonged #War in #Ukraine" http://sofrep.com/41292/why-russians-want-prolonged-war-in-ukraine/#.VVQKyWr8tfQ.twitter pic.twitter.com/1snBWeDiLB

From yesterday and today--DOES this look and or sound like a Russia/Putin who "wants to fully implement Minsk 2" OR does he really want further military aggression??

Gov. Moskal: Yday from 9PM until midnight, Stanitsya Luhanska and surrounding area was under intense shelling w mortars, tanks and automats.

Strongholds of our forces in #Avdiivka area & Butovka mine was under enemy fire tday fr mortars, tanks, machine guns https://twitter.com/UaForces/status/598747690919436288 …

REMEMBER it was the White House itself that stated "we will judge Putin on his actions NOT his words"--well we have "his words and his actions"
and what will be the White House response--silence again as it has been for weeks now??

[OUTLAW 09]

Case mounts against Russians in MH17 crash https://shar.es/1rqpbe via @SkyNewsAust

Russia has released some solid evidence to contradict @EliotHiggins + @bellingcat's #MH17 report. pic.twitter.com/3leYfSoLJ3

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
A sneak peak a 60 Minutes Australia's upcoming report on the downing of MH17, coming Sunday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrodTU5MBxc

Pictures From Russian Social Media Prove Buk That Downed MH17 In Russia Before The Incident. http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-live-day-451-pictures-posted-to-russian-social-media-prove-buk-that-shot-down-mh17-was-in-russia-before-the-incident/#8334 … pic.twitter.com/IalTfXNIrq

Origin of the Separatists’ Buk: A Bellingcat Investigation
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2014/11/08/origin-of-the-separatists-buk-a-bellingcat-investigation/ … pic.twitter.com/YR53fdYJH5

[OUTLAW 09]

"Why #Russia’s threat to #BalticStates is so real"http://eesri.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Russia%E2%80%99s-threat-to-Baltic-states-2015-05-C-ENG.pdf …

The key factor for the security of Baltic states is the Russian perception of NATO’s credibility http://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary/2015-04-29/natos-presence-baltic-states-reassurance-allies-or-deterrence …

Russia shelled own town for press reasons:
#Horlivka @DobryShubin Here's the motive for May12-13 night shelling[RUS journo Steshin came] https://twitter.com/kp_steshin/status/598529592207474688 … pic.twitter.com/XJzzAPXlyI

No lethal military casualties in #ATO zone in the last day, 4 #Ukrainian servicemen were WIA - ATO spox at daily briefing

#NSC: the latest updates from the front in E #Ukraine at 12:00 May 14,2015 pic.twitter.com/zyX5cco5r0

11:27 #Shakhtarsk @Helgi__UA Quiet for now, about 1hr ago there were heavy volleys in the south

#Donbas, SPG column @GirkinGirkin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnlmVcAhrPE&feature=youtu.be … Looks like a village near Donets (sands)

#Footage
A Brazilian flag blows over the ruins of the #Donetsk airport firefighting service.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYYGOrv7HLs … pic.twitter.com/utSP8OfEoc

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian servicemen spotted 25 flights of enemy UAVs

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Pro-Russian militants attacked the Ukrainian troops from the 122mm artillery & 120mm mortars; shelled Shchastya power station

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Hotspots: Shyrokyne – Mariupol sec; Krasnohorivka, Adviivka –Donetsk sec; Shchastya & Stanytsia Luhanska – Luhansk sec

RU forces firing on Ukrainian positions with anti tank guided missiles pic.twitter.com/qrZDwpn6jC http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/14-may-ru-forces-firing-on-ukrainian-positions-with-anti …

Situation in #Shyrokyne resembles with the script of the capture of Debaltseve - NATO pic.twitter.com/6sThfFElG5 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/14-may-situation-in-shyrokyne-resembles-the-script-of-the …

[OUTLAW 09]

IMO the recent DoS Kerry visit to Sochi actually provided "political relief" for an otherwise under massive pressure Putin.

WHY--the Merkel visit did not go well at all and via Kerry Putin "reappeared" again to be this "fearless leader" standing up for his "national superpower rights" otherwise in the Putin language "equality of relations".

It sometimes appears that the DoS, and the White House simply does not understand the "language of Russian politics" and as I have often commented on in the Iraqi threads --Putin's actions are all about the "PERCEPTIONS"--it is as simple as that.

At the height of the Ukrainian Army's taking a beating at the hands of "an invading Russian Army"--let's call it what it was actually--an invasion in August 2014 and again in Nov/Dec 2014 to save their own created "proxy army" the Western mantra was started by Germany's Merkel and then picked up by the White House and DoS "the conflict cannot be settled by military means".

Right there they affectively tied their own hands--in fact from a "perception concept of politics" right now the UA is actually militarily "winning". IF "winning" is defined as stopping the Russian invasion forces, boxing them in and not allowing a further advance THUS in effect negating Russian non linear warfare's key cornerstone of the use of joint SF/conventional forces.

The West especially the White House and at the urging of the Germans failed to provide any direct defensive weapons ie counter battery radar, night vision, counter drone/drones and most of all ATMs ie TOWs. Seems that over 700 ntanks alone in eastern Ukraine which is more than all the combined tank count of four current NATO armies did not seem to get the attention of the DoS and the White House--TOWs take a major Russian tactical advantage off the table allowing for politics to work--not the other way around.

It was argued 1) the Ukrainians would use the weapons to go on the offensive against the Russians WHICH if one thinks about totally unUkrainian in their own thinking and 2) THIS is the biggest argument THE Russians will escalate even further.

Question for the readers--- HAS not Russian ie Putin already escalated over four times since Crimea so for say 700 TOWs and night vision Putin is going to WHAT start a general war after he himself has allowed tactical ballistic missiles ie SS-21s to be sent into eastern Ukraine--even he is not that stupid. BTM the SS-21 is nuclear capable and it is sitting in eastern Ukraine NOW that should have gotten someone's attention in DC--but it did not evidently.

NOW Kerry dashes off to Sochi to achieve exactly what that could not have already been stated a number of times "Russia must implement fully Minsk 2"--WHICH the last timeI checked the news cycles last night seems to not be the case SO was Kerry being "lied to" by both Lavrov and Putin or is the DoS that nave to believe "Russia will implement fully Minsk 2" when even the total exchange of POWs was stopped by Russian proxies?

DoS Kerry made two tactical mistakes at Sochi--he stated that he had advised the Ukrainians to end their military operations and 2) he publicly gave the impression that if there was a total ceasefire on the contact line the West would pull off the sanctions.

Both of these statements were immediately blasted to the global news media as "great achievements" achieved by and through Russian diplomacy.

AGAIN a perception "win" for Putin.

Right now it is all about perception--but back to there is a no military win possible.

By effectively blocking militarily further Russian aggression one in fact "has from a perception level actually won a major victory" as Putin did not achieve his main goals of blocking Ukrainian NATO and EU membership.

So after the great Russian FM statements in Sochi that "we fully believe in implanting Minsk 2 as the way forward"--it was back to fighting thus what did Kerry actually achieve??

So again those in the White House and DoS that believe one can achieve settlements via "soft power" forgot the simplicity of "perception".

They stumbled after the Iranian negotiations and have allowed a key demand by the Iranians AND Russians to become the narrative--1) with the signing of agreements economic sanctions are off the table and 2) there will be no snap back if the agreements are violated.

IS in fact this not exactly what Putin is arguing for in eastern Ukraine--should the fighting actually stop THEN based on DoS statements the sanctions must come off BUT what if say two weeks later the fighting resumes??--WILL the sanctions come back--no not really is the answer and the White House knows it. from European comments--has the White House in effect thrown the Ukrainians under the bus in order to get so called "Russian assistance" in Iran and Syria"--some actually here in Europe believe it based on DoS and White Houses actions as actions tend to show intent.

Visits like Kerry's feed the confidence of Putin & his elites. No matter what he does, world's leading democracies keep talking, don't act.

John Kerry's trip to Russia "worse than pointless diplomacy, worse even than the wasted prestige of his office" http://cnn.it/1e1VYT7

Churkin on snapback sanctions: There can be no automaticity, none whatsoever http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-13/russia-rejects-automatic-sanctions-return-if-iran-cheats-on-deal

Does this appear to be a Putin/Russia intent on full implementation of Minsk 2???

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: But we are unanimous in our beliefs that it can only be solved peacefully through implementation of the Minsk Agreements

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
@OSCE_SMM reported of disappearance of 6 Grad rocket launchers & 4 self-prop howitzers from DPR holding sites

NOTE: OSCE is constantly monitoring Ukrainian holding areas and shows not a single heavy weapon has been moved vs. little to no OSCE verification of all heavy weapons being removed by Russian proxies, nor is OSCE allowed into a majority of proxy controlled areas AND where they had depots OSCE has seen and verified movement out of those depots of proxy heavy weapons.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia #Lavrov: We hope that #Ukrainian authorities will draw conclusions from the @OSCE leaders appeals concerning these unfounded assertions

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Pro-Russian militants use @OSCE_SMM insignia to gather intel. Drive cars not in use by OSCE.

NOTE: The Ukrainian government has complained on a number of occasions of direct violations of OSCE procedures ie mercenaries riding in OSCE vehicles to one Dutch OSCE member being sent home for being blatantly proRussian in his tweets. Russia has currently 23 members of the OSCE SMM staff and want to send more to the Ukraine AND at the JCCC there are two Russian senior Generals and a staff of 73 over half estimated to be SVR/GRU agents. Now this charge.

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems being a Russian wanted criminal is not a hindrance to holding a public office at least in eastern Ukraine. Seems to be a job enhancer.

A list of actual wanted Russian criminals who now lead the DNR/LNR---

The police showed "mummers" criminals, who led the parade in #Donetsk on 9of May pic.twitter.com/hHA9P1WLoF http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/14-may-the-police-showed-mummers-criminals-who-led-the-parade …

[OUTLAW 09]

With Russia and her proxy mercenaries constantly throwing in the face of the Ukraine and the US they are not adhering to the Minsk 2 Agreement it behooves one to go back and actually read the English translation or actually the Russian version to see exactly what is required of all the parties to be "complainant" with fulfilling fully Minsk 2.

Remember this is what the Russian FM stated shortly after the Sochi meeting this week with DoS Kerry.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: But we are unanimous in our beliefs that it can only be solved peacefully through implementation of the Minsk Agreements

IF the Russians claim Minsk 2 is the "peaceful way forward" THEN just why is it that they are not even attempting at least in "good faith" to try to adhere to and or fulfill the individual points of Minsk 2--ALL the time claiming--"it is the Ukrainians who are not adhering to Minsk 2" is their standard mantra.

NOTE: since the Minsk 2 date the Ukrainian Army has lost over 120 killed and over 540 wounded Ukrainian military members AND has mainly refrained for even returning counter battery fire when shelled--example when they did return fire it was with a 82mm mortar vs a Russian 152mm SPG.

So is Russia really intent on fulfilling Minsk 2 or is it just another piece of disinformation to confuse the West in order to gain time for another military offensive??

The bolded points are being seen as the most critical to be fulfilled initially.

12:11PM GMT 12 Feb 2015


• Immediate and full ceasefire in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine and its strict fulfilment as of 00.00 midnight (Kiev time) on Feb. 15, 2015.


• Pull-out of all heavy weapons by both sides to equal distance with the aim of creation of a security zone on minimum 50 kilometres apart for artillery of 100mm calibre or more, and a security zone of 70km for MLRS and 140 kilometres for MLRS Tornado-S, Uragan, Smerch and tactical missile systems Tochka U.

– for Ukrainian troops, from actual line of contact;

– for armed formations of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine, from the contact line in accordance with the Minsk memorandum as of Sept. 19, 2014


• The pullout of the above mentioned heavy weapons has to start no later than the second day after the ceasefire and finish within 14 days.

• This process will be assisted by OSCE with the support of the Trilateral Contact Group.

• Effective monitoring and verification of ceasefire regime and pullout of heavy weapons by OSCE will be provided from the first day of pullout, using all necessary technical means such as satellites, drones, radio-location systems etc.

• On the first day after the pullout a dialogue is to start on modalities of conducting local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine “On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” and also about the future of these districts based on the above mentioned law.

• Without delays, but no later than 30 days from the date of signing of this document, a resolution has to be approved by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, indicating the territory which falls under the special regime in accordance with the law “On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” based in the line set up by the Minsk Memorandum as of Sept. 19, 2014.

• Provide pardon and amnesty by way of enacting a law that forbids persecution and punishment of persons in relation to events that took place in particular departments of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine.

• Provide release and exchange of all hostages and illegally held persons, based on the principle of “all for all”. This process has to end – at the latest – on the fifth day after the pullout (of weapons).

• Provide safe access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid to the needy, based on an international mechanism.

• Define the modalities of a full restoration of social and economic connections, including social transfers, such as payments of pensions and other payments (income and revenue, timely payment of communal bills, restoration of tax payments within the framework of Ukrainian legal field)

• With this aim, Ukraine will restore management over the segment of its banking system in the districts affected by the conflict, and possibly, an international mechanism will be established to ease such transactions.

• Restore full control over the state border by Ukrainian government in the whole conflict zone, which has to start on the first day after the local election and end after the full political regulation (local elections in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts based on the law of Ukraine and Constitutional reform) by the end of 2015, on the condition of fulfilment of Point 11 – in consultations and in agreement with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.

• Pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision. Disarmament of all illegal groups.

• Constitutional reform in Ukraine, with the new Constitution to come into effect by the end of 2015, the key element of which is decentralisation (taking into account peculiarities of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, agreed with representatives of these districts), and also approval of permanent legislation on special status of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts in accordance with the measures spelt out in the footnotes, by the end of 2015.

[OUTLAW 09]

Just how is it possible that it seems the entire Russian government has somehow forgotten it has ship literally tons of munitions, 700 tanks and hundreds of MRLSs and heavy artillery into eastern Ukraine AND how do they seem to forget that much of the heavy infrastructure destruction came as the hand of the Russian troops and mercenaries in their relentless shellings. At the height of the Feb fighting Russian troops and her mercenaries were going through 150 tons of munitions per day.

http://tass.ru/en/world/794684

Russian official says Ukraine's eastern regions may opt for Crimean pathway


World
May 14, 15:53 UTC+3


A member of Russian parliament's upper house said Kiev will have to treat Donbas as a special region and take account of the losses it has suffered during the military operation if it wants to keep it

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions may opt for the pathway already trodden by Crimea, Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the foreign policy committee in the upper house of Russian parliament wrote on his blog on Thursday.

He recalled a recent remark that the leader of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, Yuri Lutsenko, made in Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, saying Donbas was not entitled to getting any special autonomous status.

Lutsenko drew a comparison between Donbas and Crimea. "In 1991, the contrived special status (of the former Crimean region of what used to be the Ukrainian Soviet Social Republic - TASS), which transformed the regional council into the Crimean Supreme Rada, brought up separatism and put a part of the country into an opposition to all other parts," he said.

"In reality, everything happened the other way round," Kosachev said. "It was the underestimation of Crimea’s specificity by the Kiev authorities and the persistent diminishing of its status over a period of more than twenty years that generated all the subsequent problems."

"Exactly the same thing will happen or won’t happen in the southeast of Ukraine depending on what scenario of actions the Kiev government opts for," Kosachev said.

He believes that decentralization tailored along the ‘one size fits everyone’ formula, which Kiev is seeking to impose on Donbas won’t be accepted by its residents.

"If Ukraine wants to keep Donbas within its sovereign borders, the government will have to treat it as a special region and to take account of the losses it suffered during the so-called Antiterrorist Operation, which actually turned out to be a war against fellow-countrymen," Kosachev said.

[OUTLAW 09]

Case mounts against Russians in MH17 crash https://shar.es/1rqpbe via @SkyNewsAust

Russia has released some solid evidence to contradict @EliotHiggins + @bellingcat's #MH17 report. pic.twitter.com/3leYfSoLJ3

Deleted DNR tweet confirming Russian rebels indeed have a BUK-M1 pic.twitter.com/prJ2AMDV13

Did Russian soldier Eugeny Siutkin fire the BUK missile that downed #MH17?
https://twitter.com/OccupySPb/status/598867143686549505 … pic.twitter.com/VwtnY8Un8K

[OUTLAW 09]

1 Killed, 3 Injured as Car Reportedly Runs Over Mine Near Donetsk http://bit.ly/1JKXIKj pic.twitter.com/g3HDq2oMLS

WHO says American firms do not support Russia:
PayPal confirms to @RFERL it blocked account for Netmsov report on Ukraine war over campaign's "political" goals: http://www.rferl.org/content/paypal-russia-nemtsov-report-ukraine/27016665.html …

BREAKING: RAF Typhoons scrambled after Russian aircraft tracked flying towards UK airspace: http://frces.tv/H0XT5p pic.twitter.com/f3E7cupadm

Five biggest crimes of the Soviets committed against the Ukrainian civilians during the WWII http://info-news.eu/five-biggest-crimes-of-the-soviets-committed-against-the-ukrainian-civilians-during-the-wwii/ …

13 and 7-years-old boys injured by terrorists’ artillery strikes on Avdiivka and Luhanske villages http://ln.is/en.censor.net.ua/new/Kp360 …

Air Policing jets on 14 MAY in international airspace above the Baltic Sea near LV border identified RU AF 1x ELINT Il-20.

U.S. Mission to OSCE ✔ @usosce
US today on evidence #Russia-backed separatists still acquiring new kinds of weapons, & more: http://1.usa.gov/1bSCgrp pic.twitter.com/40peCPaKuk

[OUTLAW 09]

DoS Kerry openly stated that if the ceasefire actually holds and there is no fighting THEN the sanctions would be lifted against Russia. OR at least that is the Russian understanding of his comments--so did he misspeak as it would not be the first time.

Seems today and this evening the shellings and ground probes are effectively not occurring or at the least very limited at best --so did the Russian mercenaries "hear Putin" say no shellings as I need sanctions to be lifted.

#Donbas battalion and Right Sector boldly hijacked KRAZ vehicle from militants in #Shyrokyne http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3880/pod_mariupolem_bojcy_donbassa_ugnali_bronevik_iz_p od_nosa_boevikov.html … pic.twitter.com/CSJvUVrAx3

#NATO and #EU to work together to counter Crimea-style hybrid warfare http://reut.rs/1KNEdRv via @Reuters pic.twitter.com/1q3ChqRIsh

[OUTLAW 09]

Why is it that Russian officials seem to be totally incapable of "seeing and understanding reality".

Let's see---1. most of the Donbas infrastructure was destroyed deliberately by Russian troops and her mercenaries, 2. Russian mercenaries and Russian troops control the occupied zones so who is going to cross the sanctions line to invest, 3. there is no formal legal entity in place to even talk to about investing, 4. lastly and most important the mercenaries are extorting "protection money's" from every company doing business in the occupied zone so why even go there in the first place--BUT this Russian official is simply" blaming the West as usual.

Noticed he missed the more important reasons of ---functioning rule of law, good governance and no corruption------

http://tass.ru/en/world/794735

Western donors in no hurry to help residents of Ukraine's east — Russian diplomat
World
May 14, 20:45 UTC+3

The Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for the supremacy of law and human rights says efforts to assist people in Ukraine should continue.


MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Western donors are in no hurry to help residents of Ukraine's embattled eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions while their efforts in other areas are much more efficacious, Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for the supremacy of law and human rights said on Thursday at a session of a committee for public support to the population of southeastern Ukraine that was hosted by the Federation Council, the upper house of Russian parliament.


"Officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross are visiting people in detention and facilitating the search for those listed as missing," Dolgov said. "These areas of activity are crucial if you take account of the data on the people kept in custody without investigation or trial, which is very unrewarding for Kiev."

"The Red Cross adds to the aid granted by the authorities of the [self-proclaimed] Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics and appropriate NGO's and we believe the vital efforts to assist people in Ukraine should continue, particularly via the channels of international organizations," he said.

"But international donors are somehow reluctant to unstring their purses and help the Ukrainians, and particularly the ones who live in the southeast of the country," Dolgov said. "Frankly speaking, Western donors' efforts are much more productive along other geographic azimuths."

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect example of Russian "double speak" that Orwell mentions in his "1984" novel.

Over the last ten days or so--if the Ukraine NDSC announces they were shelled a total of 45 times THEN the Russian mercenaries "announce they were shelled 45 times"---they just flip what they themselves do and claim it was "the Ukrainians".

If you take this TASS press release and substitute the word Russian mercenaries for everything they claim the Ukrainians are doing you will fully understand what the mercenaries are currently doing--strange that they do not see the "narrative rut" they have gotten into with their "fake" press releases.

http://tass.ru/en/world/794698

Kiev sets up field depots with 2,000 tons of munitions in Donbas — militia intelligence

World
May 14, 21:46 UTC+3


The self-proclaimed Donetsk republic's reconnaissance has reported movement of Uragan and Grad multiple rocket launch systems, infantry combat vehicles, self-propelled artillery units


MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops have set up field depots holding up to 2,000 tons of munitions along the line of engagement with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Eduard Basurin, a spokesman for the DPR defense ministry, said on Thursday.

"The Ukrainian side continues to scale up heavy weapons and munitions in the zone of the so-called anti-terrorist operation [Kiev’s military operation in eastern Ukraine - TASS]. Thus, DPR reconnaissance has reported movement of Uragan and Grad multiple rocket launch systems, infantry combat vehicles, self-propelled artillery units towards the engagement line," Basurin told the Rossiya-24 television channel.

"Also, we have information about Ukraine’s deployment of additional field depots, which, according to our estimates, are holding more than 2,000 tons of munitions," he said.

[OUTLAW 09]

IMO the recent DoS Kerry visit to Sochi actually provided "political relief" for an otherwise under massive pressure Putin.

WHY--the Merkel visit did not go well at all and via Kerry Putin "reappeared" again to be this "fearless leader" standing up for his "national superpower rights" otherwise in the Putin language "equality of relations".

It sometimes appears that the DoS, and the White House simply does not understand the "language of Russian politics" and as I have often commented on in the Iraqi threads --Putin's actions are all about the "PERCEPTIONS"--it is as simple as that.

At the height of the Ukrainian Army's taking a beating at the hands of "an invading Russian Army"--let's call it what it was actually--an invasion in August 2014 and again in Nov/Dec 2014 to save their own created "proxy army" the Western mantra was started by Germany's Merkel and then picked up by the White House and DoS "the conflict cannot be settled by military means".

Right there they affectively tied their own hands--in fact from a "perception concept of politics" right now the UA is actually militarily "winning". IF "winning" is defined as stopping the Russian invasion forces, boxing them in and not allowing a further advance THUS in effect negating Russian non linear warfare's key cornerstone of the use of joint SF/conventional forces.

The West especially the White House and at the urging of the Germans failed to provide any direct defensive weapons ie counter battery radar, night vision, counter drone/drones and most of all ATMs ie TOWs. Seems that over 700 ntanks alone in eastern Ukraine which is more than all the combined tank count of four current NATO armies did not seem to get the attention of the DoS and the White House--TOWs take a major Russian tactical advantage off the table allowing for politics to work--not the other way around.

It was argued 1) the Ukrainians would use the weapons to go on the offensive against the Russians WHICH if one thinks about totally unUkrainian in their own thinking and 2) THIS is the biggest argument THE Russians will escalate even further.

Question for the readers--- HAS not Russian ie Putin already escalated over four times since Crimea so for say 700 TOWs and night vision Putin is going to WHAT start a general war after he himself has allowed tactical ballistic missiles ie SS-21s to be sent into eastern Ukraine--even he is not that stupid. BTM the SS-21 is nuclear capable and it is sitting in eastern Ukraine NOW that should have gotten someone's attention in DC--but it did not evidently.

NOW Kerry dashes off to Sochi to achieve exactly what that could not have already been stated a number of times "Russia must implement fully Minsk 2"--WHICH the last timeI checked the news cycles last night seems to not be the case SO was Kerry being "lied to" by both Lavrov and Putin or is the DoS that nave to believe "Russia will implement fully Minsk 2" when even the total exchange of POWs was stopped by Russian proxies?

DoS Kerry made two tactical mistakes at Sochi--he stated that he had advised the Ukrainians to end their military operations and 2) he publicly gave the impression that if there was a total ceasefire on the contact line the West would pull off the sanctions.

Both of these statements were immediately blasted to the global news media as "great achievements" achieved by and through Russian diplomacy.

AGAIN a perception "win" for Putin.

Right now it is all about perception--but back to there is a no military win possible.

By effectively blocking militarily further Russian aggression one in fact "has from a perception level actually won a major victory" as Putin did not achieve his main goals of blocking Ukrainian NATO and EU membership.

So after the great Russian FM statements in Sochi that "we fully believe in implanting Minsk 2 as the way forward"--it was back to fighting thus what did Kerry actually achieve??

So again those in the White House and DoS that believe one can achieve settlements via "soft power" forgot the simplicity of "perception".

They stumbled after the Iranian negotiations and have allowed a key demand by the Iranians AND Russians to become the narrative--1) with the signing of agreements economic sanctions are off the table and 2) there will be no snap back if the agreements are violated.

IS in fact this not exactly what Putin is arguing for in eastern Ukraine--should the fighting actually stop THEN based on DoS statements the sanctions must come off BUT what if say two weeks later the fighting resumes??--WILL the sanctions come back--no not really is the answer and the White House knows it. from European comments--has the White House in effect thrown the Ukrainians under the bus in order to get so called "Russian assistance" in Iran and Syria"--some actually here in Europe believe it based on DoS and White Houses actions as actions tend to show intent.

Visits like Kerry's feed the confidence of Putin & his elites. No matter what he does, world's leading democracies keep talking, don't act.

John Kerry's trip to Russia "worse than pointless diplomacy, worse even than the wasted prestige of his office" http://cnn.it/1e1VYT7

Churkin on snapback sanctions: There can be no automaticity, none whatsoever http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-13/russia-rejects-automatic-sanctions-return-if-iran-cheats-on-deal

"Kerry Is So Very Nice to Putin; Easing sanctions if #Russia settles for what its already grabbed" http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is-so-very-nice-to-putin-1431559190

The @nytimes says #SecKerry was "wise to engage in diplomacy" w/#Putin
The @WSJ less thrilled. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is-so-very-nice-to-putin-1431559190 pic.twitter.com/JbKntcJRm7

[OUTLAW 09]

DoS Kerry openly stated that if the ceasefire actually holds and there is no fighting THEN the sanctions would be lifted against Russia. OR at least that is the Russian understanding of his comments--so did he misspeak as it would not be the first time.

Seems today and this evening the shellings and ground probes are effectively not occurring or at the least very limited at best --so did the Russian mercenaries "hear Putin" say no shellings as I need sanctions to be lifted.

#Donbas battalion and Right Sector boldly hijacked KRAZ vehicle from militants in #Shyrokyne http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3880/pod_mariupolem_bojcy_donbassa_ugnali_bronevik_iz_p od_nosa_boevikov.html … pic.twitter.com/CSJvUVrAx3

#NATO and #EU to work together to counter Crimea-style hybrid warfare http://reut.rs/1KNEdRv via @Reuters pic.twitter.com/1q3ChqRIsh

Apparently all quiet on the Ukrainian side of the contact line.

#Dokuchaevsk 9:51PM
Hearing something like explosions on city outskirts. https://twitter.com/whicard5/status/598923563387723777 …

"It becomes louder. Not clear the direction, source and cause."
"Ukr positions silent, so the RU might entertain themselves

[OUTLAW 09]

ATO: Militants using OSCE symbols to cover movement in Donbas conflict zone http://www.unian.info/war/1077891-ato-militants-using-osce-symbols-to-cover-movement-in-donbas-conflict-zone.html …

Facebook faces calls for separate office on Ukraine after accusations of Kremlin trolling - http://uatoday.tv http://uatoday.tv/society/facebook-faces-calls-for-separate-office-on-ukraine-after-accusations-of-kremlin-trolling-427246.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

ATO: Militants using OSCE symbols to cover movement in Donbas conflict zone http://www.unian.info/war/1077891-ato-militants-using-osce-symbols-to-cover-movement-in-donbas-conflict-zone.html …

Facebook faces calls for separate office on Ukraine after accusations of Kremlin trolling - http://uatoday.tv http://uatoday.tv/society/facebook-faces-calls-for-separate-office-on-ukraine-after-accusations-of-kremlin-trolling-427246.html …
ook.

Facebook still has not really respond to the Ukrainian complaints that Russian trolls have been blocking countless proUkrainian accounts but not proRussian accounts even when complained about.

We have seen Twitter in the same bind especially since 700M USD was invested into them from a Russian oligarch--Russian oligarch investments also went into PayPal and Face Book.

Interesting question is just how independent are US internet firms when they have large Russian oligarch investors in the hundreds of millions of USDs???

Facebook's Zuckerberg Responds to Ukrainians’ Complaints, But Is His Answer Enough?

Posted 15 May 2015 0:31 GMT


Mark Zuckerberg has addressed the appeals of Ukrainian Facebook users for better content moderation and calls to create a dedicated Ukrainian office. His answer? Facebook “might consider” opening an office in Ukraine some time “in the future.”

Earlier this week, numerous users in Ukraine complained of their posts and accounts being taken down or blocked without any discernible violations of Facebook's community guidelines. They claimed these takedowns were politically motivated and the posts were being reported for violations by masses of “Kremlin supporters.” A mass appeal to Zuckerberg even garnered the support of Ukraine's President, Petro Poroshenko, who publicly joined the calls for a Ukrainian Facebook office.

In a Townhall Q&A with the Facebook founder, livestreamed online, Ukraine was the top item on the agenda, with the initial appeal to Zuckerberg gathering 45,000 likes—a record for the Townhall, according to the event moderator. Support for the issue from Poroshenko also got a mention.

Zuckerberg said he “did some research” ahead of the Q&A to “make sure he had the right answer” to Ukrainian complaints. Besides the creation of a Ukrainian HQ, he also addressed the content takedowns and unfair moderation practices that users claimed were “politically motivated.”

Zuckerberg said some of the Ukrainian posts in question did contain content that violated Facebook's community standards, namely the rule against “hate speech,” though he did not give specific examples.


We don't allow content that is overtly hateful, contains ethnic slurs, or incites violence. There were a few posts that tripped that rule, and I think we did the right thing according to our policies by taking down that content.

Acknowledging the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Facebook's founder also addressed the “meme” perpetuated by many Ukrainian users that the content of the Ukrainian segment was moderated from a Russian office by “Russians who were anti-Ukrainian.” He reiterated what other Facebook representatives had previously confirmed: that Facebook has no Russian office, and that the reported content for the Ukrainian segment is reviewed by an international team speaking different languages based in the Dublin office.

Zuckerberg admitted to the Facebook team making one mistake when reported content from Ukrainians was being taken down.


We did make one mistake. When we reached out to people to tell them why we took stuff down, there was a bug in the software: the reason [for blocking] content was given as ‘nudity’ instead of ‘hate speech.'[…] But we fixed that and apologized. And we'll try not do this again.

Zuckerberg then addressed the question of a dedicated Ukrainian office, which many Ukrainians believe would help mitigate unfair blocking. His response, though, was rather vague.


Are we willing to put an office in Ukraine? Over time, it's something we might consider in the future. There are advantages to people working for Facebook not spread out around the world, but in a smaller number of offices. it makes sense to have local teams for sales, marketing, but for engineering and things like that it makes sense to centralize. But as we look to expand over time, we will, of course, consider all of these countries.

These answers are unlikely to satisfy Ukrainian Facebook users, many of whom have come to view Facebook as “a platform where truth can be sought for and found, thoughts shared and discussed and many moves of civil society coordinated.” While they address some of the issues, like why some of the posts were taken down for nudity when they didn't contain any, they fail to explain why content like this photo of a late Ukrainian soldier's daughter or a portrait and a quote from a classical Ukrainian poet were taken down (they hardly qualify as hate speech). Ukrainian Facebook community, it seems, will have to fight harder for their right to free expression and might have to continue their demands for more granular and more sensitive content moderation.

[OUTLAW 09]

"Kerry Is So Very Nice to Putin; Easing sanctions if #Russia settles for what its already grabbed" http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is-so-very-nice-to-putin-1431559190

The @nytimes says #SecKerry was "wise to engage in diplomacy" w/#Putin
The @WSJ less thrilled. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is-so-very-nice-to-putin-1431559190 pic.twitter.com/JbKntcJRm7

Seems Kerry's playing nice in Sochi and diplomacy still has not changed the attitude of Putin towards the US NOR slowed down the propaganda flow out of Moscow ie--it's all the West's fault as "we have nothing to do with anything" ie "we are the injured party" as we have done nothing wrong since Stalin's days.

NOTICE the use of the words "norms of international law"--a rather large question to SWJ commenters HAS anyone seen an actual definition of what Russia means by "norms of international law"--has anyone seen them quote outside of the UN Charter a single other legal standard, agreement, treaty or memorandum??? NOTICED--they failed to mention they themselves are in direct violation of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum which they did sign or they are in violation of the Helsinki Agreements and four other treaties especially the INF.

BTW--they run an inherent danger in quoting the UN Charter as they could in fact be under the UN Charter declared "an aggressor" and the Ukraine has the right of "self defense" if attacked by an "aggressor".

They use the Orwellian term "double speak" when using the term "norms of international law"--as a sound bite great but nothing more than a fig leaf of legality.
http://tass.ru/en/russia/794802

Russia will provide Serbia with necessary assistance on Kosovo issue — Russian FM
Russia
May 15, 11:19 UTC+3

Russia will only accept such decisions on settling the issue that will satisfy Serbia




MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Moscow will provide its Serbian partners with the necessary assistance on Kosovo, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, stressing that Russia will accept only those decisions on settling the issue that will satisfy Serbia.

Lavrov commented on the Kremlin’s official stance on Kosovo’s independence with due regard to the new realities in an interview with the Serbian Politika newspaper ahead of his visit to Belgrade on Friday.

"We warned that introducing into the international practice a model of declaring the independence of certain territories would create a precedent," the Russian foreign minister said.

"We have stated many times that the western alliance led by the US has been broadly applying double standards of late thus violating the fundamental principles of the international law and without hesitating to directly interfere in the domestic affairs of sovereign states," he said.

The consequences of this stance have affected the people of the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya and today Ukraine where ultranationalists took power as a result of the February 2014 coup in Kiev backed by Washington and Brussels and "by their actions brought the country to the brink of collapse and unleashed the bloody civil war," he said.
Amid those events, the citizens of Crimea "in full compliance with the norms of the international law," namely with the right of people to self-determination enshrined in Article 1 of the UN Charter and many other international documents, called at a referendum in March 2014 for proclaiming independence from Ukraine and rejoining Russia, Lavrov said.

"In this context, the attempts to cast doubt on the Crimeans’ free expression of will by those who orchestrated Kosovo’s separation from Serbia, without any referendum, are purely absurd," he said.

Lavrov stressed that Russia’s position on the Kosovo issue is simply clear and unchanged. "Solving this issue is possible only based on the international law and in the framework defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244," he said.

Speaking on Belgrade’s efforts in this direction, Lavrov said "we would accept only those decisions that will satisfy Serbia." "On our part, we are ready to provide our Serbian partners with further necessary assistance," he stressed.

[OUTLAW 09]

It is not only in the Ukraine where we see virtually no clear US foreign policy and or strategy--whatever the foreign policy was for the ME is also falling about and notice the axis Iran/Russia is always in the background AND yet Kerry "assumes" Russia really wants a negotiated settlement in eastern Ukraine?

NOTICE--it was in fact the Saudi's that have invested fully in the newest AN designed tactical jet cargo carrier.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/saudi-obama-rift-keeps-getting-162612938.html

The Saudis just went nuclear on their Obama snub

15 May 2015

Business Insider
By Pamela Engel
17 hours ago


President Barack Obama's summit with Arab leaders doesn't seem to be going as planned.

First, King Salman of Saudi Arabia embarrassed the Obama administration when he backed out of the summit after the White House announced he was going to attend.

The last-minute move was widely perceived as a deliberate snub, and the Saudis offered only a vague excuse for King Salman's absence.

Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz attended the talks in Salman's place.

Obama then incorrectly introduced the deputy crown prince and misnamed the founder of the kingdom.

Then came today's big news: The New York Times reported that Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries intend to match Iran's nuclear capacity if the US reaches a deal that allows some aspects of the country's nuclear program, including uranium enrichment and ballistic missiles research, to continue.

One unnamed Arab leader who is participating in the talks told the Times that Sunni Arab countries "can't sit back and be nowhere as Iran [a Shiite regime] is allowed to retain much of its capability and amass its research."

David Rothkopf, CEO and editor of the group that publishes Foreign Policy magazine, weighed in on the implications of this, saying that Saudi Arabia's expression of intent to match Iran's nuclear development is a bigger blow to Obama's summit than King Salman's absence.

While the nuclear deal would allow international monitoring of Iran's nuclear activities, many worry that Iran intends to eventually construct a nuclear weapon and would not hold up its end of the agreement.

Obama's summit, which includes high-level officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain and is being held at the White House and Camp David, was designed to reassure Arab leaders that the US is still keeping their security in mind as negotiations over Iran's nuclear program progress.

NOTE: The reason the Arab leaders want a more than just lip service assurance of their security comes from the perception that this administration will sell the bath tube if it makes the "legacy" appear to be great. They saw no US leadership/still see no leadership in dealing with Syria/Hezbollah and Iran in Syria and the failure to hold to a stated red line in Syria and yet chemical weapons are still being used on Sunni's, they see the failure to keep Russia from shipping more weapons to Syria and Russian support for Iran and they definitely see a lack of US will to lead in the Ukraine.

But so far, the talks don't seem to be having their desired effect.

"My guess is that the summit is going to leave everybody feeling a little bit unsatisfied," Jon Alterman, the Middle East director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Associated Press.

The rift between the US and Sunni Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, has gotten so wide that some leaders from the region may be counting the days until Obama is out of office.

Emile El Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies told The Wall Street Journal: "They hope what they have is an Obama problem, not a US problem. They’re looking toward 2016."

For his part, Obama seems intent on finalizing the landmark deal with Iran while also assuaging the concerns of Gulf Arab leaders.

NOTE: It is this drive for a "legacy" not for a more secure region that bothers the Sunni ME States and it concerns as well from some in Europe who actually openly state the US walked away from the Budapest Memorandum and has thrown the Ukraine under the bus in order to get Russian support for an Iranian settlement

Both the Sunni States and some Europeans may actually be correct in their assumptions but notice both the Sunni States and European concerns do not seem to make it into US mainstream media.

Deeper than nuclear negotiations

Other sources of strain between the US and Saudi Arabia that go beyond the US' handling of the nuclear negotiations make that more difficult.

The US has been working in parallel with Iran-backed Shiite militias to help drive the Islamic State terror group out of Iraq. The US has also become less dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil, and this changing economic relationship has altered the relationship between the two allies.

The Saudis, in turn, are increasingly taking regional matters into their own hands. A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing Houthi positions in Yemen in an effort to beat back forces that are aligned with Iran and Yemen's former president, who was overthrown during the Arab Spring uprisings.

With Washington reorienting its policies in the region and with Riyadh feeling less constrained by its relationship with the US, Saudi Arabia could continue its assertive policies, enhancing its regional power and prestige.

As David Ottaway, a scholar at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, told Bloomberg: "We are witnessing the first real attempt to see whether Saudi Arabia can become the new military and political superpower of the Arab world. A younger generation of impatient Saudi hawks is coming to power that is fed up with the failure of the kingdom to project its military and political influence."

[OUTLAW 09]

Does this below reflect a Russia and a Putin that is seriously intent on implementing ALL points of Minsk 2-that should be a question for the White House and DoS Kerry--so really was Sochi just one large farce and a waste of US taxpayers money????

This is from today After a long night of shellings, probes and attempted small mini ground attacks.


VIDEO Russian( proxie)s firing at Adviivka.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MwnExCGbcc …

#Russian mercenaries shell #Avdiivka near #Donetsk despite the #Minsk agreements http://empr.media/video/conflict-zone/russian-mercenaries-shell-avdiivka-near-donetsk-despite-the-minsk-agreements … pic.twitter.com/Zbs6HODAmJ

VIDEO Boathouses in #Shyrokyne under Russian mortar fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsVzlmFy8cw …

13:20 #Donetsk Razdolna @DoneckiiPatriot Rumble became more frequent and massive

13:28 #Rovenki @olegroven9 No MTS either

13:12 #Donetsk Kalinovka @donchanin36 Rumble for 1/2hr, freq = 1 shot each 2min, howitzer, maybe D-30. Kalmius area, center

13:05 #Stakhanov @NO_VODKA Loud explosions, "no such ones for ages"

12:51 #Donetsk @PVB40 "Leninsky: heavy distant volleys are heard"
"Zaperevalna St also can hear

Yesterday, RU forces again shelled UKR positions in Shyrokyne with howitzer D -30 guns - ATO spox
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=623195287817408&id=492506714219600&refid=17&_ft_=top_level_post_id.623195287817408&__tn__=%2As …

Situation in east Ukraine tense, militants shell Ukrainian army positions overnight http://24today.net/open/410150 pic.twitter.com/swE1Yrj4EQ

#NSC: the latest updates from the #front in E #Ukraine at 12:00 May 15,2015 pic.twitter.com/XW4PRvQVXx

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
BU prevented terrorist act in Mariupol: uncovered an explosive stored by “DPR” militants close to Kalynivka, Donetsk region

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Fighting continues in Shyrokyne. Pro-Russian militants used small arms & 122mm artillery, firing from Sakhanka

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian servicemen spotted 7 flights of enemy UAVs

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian servicemen came under fire from a tank, 122mm mortar and BMP on the outskirts of Horlivka & Svitlodarsk

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Militants move more tanks and 122mm & 152mm artillery closer to the frontline. Hotspots: airport area, Maryinka, Kamyanka

At a checkpoint in the Dnipropetrovsk region #SBU seized weapons and ammunition https://twitter.com/ServiceSsu/status/599130850324779009 …

US Mission to #OSCE: Russia's ongoing violations in #Ukraine http://uatoday.tv/politics/us-mission-to-osce-russia-s-ongoing-violations-in-ukraine-427405.html … pic.twitter.com/bud0eYzXlZ

[OUTLAW 09]

Does this below reflect a Russia and a Putin that is seriously intent on implementing ALL points of Minsk 2-that should be a question for the White House and DoS Kerry--so really was Sochi just one large farce and a waste of US taxpayers money????


From a Russian held Donetsk mercenary press conference today.

Zakharchenko: Yanukovych betrayed the east, betrayed Russia.

Zakharchenko: we are not autonomous, not federal region, we are an independent republic

Zakharchenko repeats promise to "liberate" rest of Donetsk, Lugansk regions. "And we will cleanse them of Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk, turchinov cannot say how

Seems clear #Zakharchenko thinks militia has backing of Russian forces (c/o Lentsov) to "liberate" more of Donbas. Expect an offensive soon.

Zakharchenko: Kiev government illegitimate, ours legitimate

Zakharchenko: we aren't going back down the path we've chosen. We've shown we can fight, defend ourselves pic.twitter.com/1DQ6WLg1yq

#Russia & proxies can ignore #MinskAgreements at will as there is no penalty for doing so. What did the gullible brokers Hollande and Merkel really expect

What did Kerry and Obama expect out of the Sochi meeting? All talk and no actions

[OUTLAW 09]

There has been setup at the insistence of Russian a Joint Coordination Center referred to as the JCCC to and dealing with the regulation of the contact line and dealings between the Russian mercenaries and the Ukrainian Army--both the Russian and Ukrainian military has military personnel to the JCCC.

Russia is represented by two senior Generals one of which is at the same time the overall Commander of the CSTO RFF which is the CSTO "peacekeeping force". The Russians have a total of 73 officers assigned to the JCCC and are allowed to "roam" the entire fighting area on both sides--the Ukrainians are on the other hand undermanned and have not been allowed to "roam" into the mercenary areas--restricted as much as the OSCE has been in their "roaming abilities".

During the last two months this particular General has injected himself more and more into the actual scenes of fighting and has been trying to use the OSCE in the various Russian news media releases--basically misusing the neutrality of the OSCE--BTW he moved his headquarters out of Debaltseve exactly two weeks before the attack by Russian troops on the troops.

This particular General now has released four news videos all depicting quite the opposite of what was actually occurring and has "claimed to have been shot at by the Ukrainians twice" which was proven later by OSCE to have been "fake reports".

NOTICE that he is attempting to get the OSCE to stand behind him again during a live news broadcast where Russian mercenaries are actually firing at Ukrainian positions "WHILE claiming the Ukrainians were firing first and the mercenaries were simply returning fire--BUT even OSCE stated later this was not the truth. BUT who cares as the live news broadcast had already hit the Russian news cycles as well as international news cycles.

SO exactly how is it possible that a Russian CSTO RFF Commander can produce disinformation and WHY is he still being allowed to conduct himself as a "propagandist" AND is using the OSCE as his props???

SMM Deputy Chief Monitor: Only "temporary lulls" in fighting throughout night in Shirokino, Grad Ps spotted near Samsonovo.

Via @OSCE_SMM: Six self-propelled howitzers (Gvozdika) missing from “DPR” heavy weapons holding area http://bit.ly/1KNSSMH #PutinAtWar

Russian Col-Gen Lentsov tells the #OSCE_SMM what to believe at Sakhanka near #Shyrokyne 14 May http://www.1tv.ru/news/world/283758 … pic.twitter.com/736dyohTTW

Russian Col-Gen Lentsov (JCCC) with staff, spetsnaz and #OSCE_SMM at #Sakhanka (Саханка) 5km NE of #Shyrokyne 14 May pic.twitter.com/KfsjC0fVok

Lentsov sets up OSCE SMM in front of Russian TV cameras: Russians fire back to Sakhanka (nr Shyrokyne) blame Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/qeDaG1av7l

[OUTLAW 09]

Amazing what Russian troops in eastern Ukraine place into their Russian Face Book pages.

Source of these militia photos and more (mugshots of Russian enemy occupiers, tanks etc): https://vk.com/dnrarmy pic.twitter.com/MVqrxtigb9

So-called "Armed Forces of the Donetsk People's Republic" #DPR #DNR Russian militia photos uploaded 14 May pic.twitter.com/rswklNxcxm

DPR #DNR Russian militia photos uploaded 14 May pic.twitter.com/7rdLTLP3V8

DPR #DNR Russian militia photos uploaded 14 May pic.twitter.com/ERVEd3U1Pm

DPR #DNR Russian militia photos uploaded 14 May pic.twitter.com/v2X0UHs2g3

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Government Confirms Degradation of Russian Health Care Since Putin Invaded Ukraine http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2015/05/russian-government-confirms-degradation.html …

#Luhansk citizens go to gov. controlled Stanitsa Luhanska to buy food at affordable prices pic.twitter.com/vu6LOXP5e0 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/15-may-citizens-of-luhansk-go-to-government-controlled-stanitsa …

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
Next week we're launching another phase of the Ukraine vehicle tracking project, more details to come https://bellingcat-vehicles.silk.co/

This particular project tracks movement of Russian military vehicles inside eastern Ukraine.

[OUTLAW 09]

At Sochi both the Russian FM Lavrov and and Putin "reaffirmed" the Russian seriousness in achieving a last peace via Minsk 2.

Does any of the below comments indicate to anyone that Russia intends in fulfilling all of the Minsk 2 points?

DoS Kerry and the White House really do need to ask themselves --were we in fact being lied to???

This indicates Russia & separatists don't want international community to know the real situation on ground-@USOSCEpic.twitter.com/fRUQvO3pKy

Russian MP @iponomarev "30.000 Russians are fighting in Donbas" http://ru.tsn.ua/politika/na-donbasse-voyuet-do-30-tysyach-rossiyan-deputat-gosdumy-425773.html …

#Russia’s NATO ambassador sees nothing preventing Moscow basing nuclear weapons in #Ukrainehttp://www.unian.info/society/1078490-russias-nato-ambassador-sees-nothing-preventing-moscow-basing-nuclear-weapons-in-ukraine.html …

#Russia says it can deploy weapons to #Crimea while respecting intl law. Logically impossible: Crimea is part of #Ukraine.

#Russia plans to build up forces in Crimea,blaming #NATO.False cause&effect:NATO actions=response to Russia's destabilization of #Ukraine
Russian General Staff plan to secure "Fortress Crimea" requires 100% flank control: that means Mariupol and Odessa
https://twitter.com/natomission_ru/status/599234089414168576 …

[OUTLAW 09]

More Jane's information on the new Russian MBT.

Jane's @IHS4DefRiskSec in-deth look at Russia's new fighting machines http://www.janes.com/article/51469/r...our-revolution … http://www.janes.com/images/assets/4...9/p1633366.jpg …

[OUTLAW 09]

This statement is from the same Russian NATO group that was downsized by 50% by NATO as the 50% were verified as spying for Russia.

http://tass.ru/en/world/794928

Russia hopes NATO will stop attempts of absorbing Georgia, Ukraine — envoy

World
May 15, 16:41 UTC+3


Russia’s envoy to NATO said division lines may be created inside Ukraine and Georgia in case of the counties' consistent rapprochement with NATO

MOSOW, May 15. /TASS/. Moscow expects that NATO will stop attempts of absorbing Georgia and Ukraine into the alliance, Russia’s envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said on Friday during a Moscow-Brussels video linkup.

Moscow sees NATO’s consistent rapprochement with Georgia in an effort to switch the country’s armed forces to NATO standards and to integrate it in the alliance, the diplomat said.

"But there are many realistic people in NATO and many understand the risks of the thoughtless ‘open door policy’," he said.

"Such development of events could result in serious consequences for the European security," the diplomat said. "In case with Ukraine and Georgia, division lines may be created inside the countries," he said.

"I believe that common sense will prevail and such thoughtless attempts will be abandoned," Grushko stressed.

[OUTLAW 09]

This statement is from the same Russian NATO group that was downsized by 50% by NATO as the 50% were verified as spying for Russia.

http://tass.ru/en/world/794928

Russia hopes NATO will stop attempts of absorbing Georgia, Ukraine — envoy

World
May 15, 16:41 UTC+3

Well worth the reading of this article.

While Putin's spies run amok, US intelligence continues to pretend that counterintelligence is unimportant. Not good. http://20committee.com/2015/05/15/cant-anybody-here-play-this-game/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russians seem to be getting an early start today with their shellings.

15:19 #Debaltseve @Debaltsevo_UA Rumble, incoming not far away.

20:02 #Kirovsk @kish_fish Rumble again and again, distant but audible for 5 min already

#Russia terrorists shelled #Krymske with mortars during the transfer of humanitarian aid, one civilian wounded

Close combat between #Ukraine's forces and #Russia terrorists begins in #Krymske, #Luhansk Region" pic.twitter.com/DF5Hyvq5PP

#Russia|n tank destroyed near #Shyrokyne by #Ukraine Army
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcdnyd2d52s …

#Russia terrorists attacked #Avdiivka with heavy weapons today
#ukraine #donetsk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=20&v=oOglYUoInbo …

#Ukraine woman blown up by #Russia landmine during stretching near a cafe in #Avdiivka

Ukraine gives #OSCE information about positions of Russian Tochka-U near demarcation line.
http://nv.ua/ukraine/events/ukrainskie-voennye-peredali-obse-dannye-o-kompleksah-tochka-u-terroristov-48773.html … pic.twitter.com/SD4ja0zg1h

No power, water or doctors.
It gets worse near Ukraine's latest hot spot of #Shyrokyne
http://buff.ly/1zISEWy pic.twitter.com/ECRk5kq1LQ

[OUTLAW 09]

More on Russian informational conflict and those in the US that support it.

We've been blocked by Russians at NATO @natomission_ru. We must be doing something right :)

Diplomacy used to have class... How trolling could become the new international language of diplomacy, by @dandreznerhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-trolling-could-become-the-new-international-language-of-diplomacy/2015/05/15/5b092014-f9a0-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html …

Trent Lott's Firm Made a Fortune Lobbying for the Kremlinhttp://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-15/washington-insiders-reap-windfall-peddling-influence-for-kremlin …

Anatomy of an Info-War: How Russia’s Propaganda Machine Works, and How to Counter It: http://www.cepolicy.org/publications/anatomy-info-war-how-russias-propaganda-machine-works-and-how-counter-it …

[OUTLAW 09]

At Sochi both the Russian FM Lavrov and and Putin "reaffirmed" the Russian seriousness in achieving a last peace via Minsk 2.

Does any of the below comments indicate to anyone that Russia intends in fulfilling all of the Minsk 2 points?

DoS Kerry and the White House really do need to ask themselves --were we in fact being lied to???

This indicates Russia & separatists don't want international community to know the real situation on ground-@USOSCE pic.twitter.com/fRUQvO3pKy

Russian MP @iponomarev "30.000 Russians are fighting in Donbas" http://ru.tsn.ua/politika/na-donbasse-voyuet-do-30-tysyach-rossiyan-deputat-gosdumy-425773.html …

#Russia’s NATO ambassador sees nothing preventing Moscow basing nuclear weapons in #Ukraine http://www.unian.info/society/1078490-russias-nato-ambassador-sees-nothing-preventing-moscow-basing-nuclear-weapons-in-ukraine.html …

#Russia says it can deploy weapons to #Crimea while respecting intl law. Logically impossible: Crimea is part of #Ukraine.

#Russia plans to build up forces in Crimea,blaming #NATO.False cause&effect:NATO actions=response to Russia's destabilization of #Ukraine
Russian General Staff plan to secure "Fortress Crimea" requires 100% flank control: that means Mariupol and Odessa
https://twitter.com/natomission_ru/status/599234089414168576 …

Never forget: Russian citizens with Russian army weapons are ...
Ukrainian separatists.

[OUTLAW 09]

I thought the so called Russian separatists were to be protecting their ethnic proRussian Ukrainians????

Is there not a non corrupted Russian mercenary in all of the occupied Donbas???

They stole from the dead passengers of MH17, they have looted stores and stolen vehicles and sold them in Russia and or kept them for themselves, they have stolen coal and shipped it to Russian, they have cut up scrap metal from destroyed infrastructure and shipped it to Russia and they have stolen complete Ukrainian factories---seems to be an army of thieves not an army fighting for a "cause".

Tymchuk: in Russian-occupied Ukraine, officials are selling criminals/Russian mercenaries info about property belonging to locals who fled.

[OUTLAW 09]

A bumper edition of Top Extremism- and Terrorism-Related Stories in Russia (2-15 May) http://extremistrussia.com/2015/05/15/top-extremism-and-terrorism-related-stories-in-russia-2-8-may-2015/ …

World War II mass grave of discovered in West Ukraine http://24today.net/open/410650 pic.twitter.com/i8t5TNvkrN

Latvia spots Russian Navy's Tarantul-class corvette near its borders
http://www.unian.info/world/1078540-latvia-spots-russian-navys-tarantul-class-corvette-near-its-borders.html … pic.twitter.com/LgpFuBrvWP

[OUTLAW 09]

Sometimes one has to wonder what the Russian OSCE members are smoking as they mentioned in this press release "Ukrainian volunteer units
---effectively all former "volunteer units" has been merged into the Ukrainian Army, or the National guard and or the MoI.

How can they now be in charge of a Minsk 2 Working Group when they do not even understand reality on the ground and especially are seemingly rejecting the simple fact that the Russian mercenaries and Russian troops are not even in compliance with Minsk 2?

http://tass.ru/en/world/795011

Ukrainian combat activities threatening ceasefire near Shirokino — Russia’s OSCE envoy
May 15, 21:44 UTC+3


Kelin is doubtful that relevant agreements would be negotiated at a next meeting of the working group in charge of military affairs at the Contact Group on resolving the Ukraine conflict

VIENNA, May 15. /TASS/. Activity of volunteer battalions near the village of Shirokino in embattled Donbas hampers the conclusion of an agreement on a local ceasefire, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Andrei Kelin told TASS on Friday.

Kelin is doubtful that relevant agreements would be negotiated at a next meeting of the working group in charge of military affairs at the Contact Group on resolving the Ukraine conflict.

"All this is not so realistic since Ukrainian forces, especially volunteer battalions, are interfering, and in particular, are hampering the OSCE observers’ work," he said adding "Azov battalion fighters have been occupying an OSCE permanent observation point in the area of Shirokino for about two weeks and they have not abandoned it yet."

At the same time, Kelin underscored that participants of the Contact Group "are exerting all the efforts for reaching agreements to stop reciprocal shelling and to disengage troops near Shirokino.".NOTICE the Orwellian "double speak" in progress---it is the fault that the Azov BN is creating a problem---BUT at the same time OSCE has verified countless artillery strikes by Russian mercenaries on positions of the Azov.

AND BBC news teams have verified it as well complete with video and audio evidence.

[OUTLAW 09]

Sometimes one has to wonder what the Russian OSCE members are smoking as they mentioned in this press release "Ukrainian volunteer units
---effectively all former "volunteer units" has been merged into the Ukrainian Army, or the National guard and or the MoI.

How can they now be in charge of a Minsk 2 Working Group when they do not even understand reality on the ground and especially are seemingly rejecting the simple fact that the Russian mercenaries and Russian troops are not even in compliance with Minsk 2?

http://tass.ru/en/world/795011

Ukrainian combat activities threatening ceasefire near Shirokino — Russia’s OSCE envoy
May 15, 21:44 UTC+3

Will the OSCE Working Group as part of Minsk 2 Agreement recognize finally that Russian troops are in the Ukraine--that might make finding a way forward really easy.

To give them some assistance the following is provided.

Russian VDV (spetsnaz?) Nikolay Semenov (L) in Ukraine somewhere between border and #Shyrokyne with 'friends' (R) pic.twitter.com/BzkOb2viJk
Source: https://vk.com/albums106286742?profile=1 …

Photos: Russian VDV soldier now in Novoazovsk Raion, Ukraine (E of Shyrokyne) https://vk.com/albums106286742?profile=1 … pic.twitter.com/KS8DpSeQ1S

Archive: https://archive.is/vymqN Photos of Nikolay Semenov (VDV, spetsnaz) from Novoazovsk May 2015 back to Georgia War 2008

Nikolay Semenov, Russian VDV: Dec 2013 photos (for unit ID) Photos of him back to Georgia 2008 pic.twitter.com/t6aGRwdsXW

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems the Russian mercenaries truly did not read the Minsk 2 document they themselves even signed—border control belongs to the Ukrainians per the Minsk 2 document and OSCE is to roam the entire mercenary occupied areas BUT is not being allowed to do that thus a direct violation of Minsk 2.

'LNR' Tells OSCE That They Control All Border Crossings With Russia http://bit.ly/1A77cQ3

#Russian-occupied #Crimea's "Deputy Minister of Interior" has some racy past well documented in some risky photos. https://twitter.com/krymrealii/status/599279560094576640 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Will the OSCE Working Group as part of Minsk 2 Agreement recognize finally that Russian troops are in the Ukraine--that might make finding a way forward really easy.

To give them some assistance the following is provided.

Russian VDV (spetsnaz?) Nikolay Semenov (L) in Ukraine somewhere between border and #Shyrokyne with 'friends' (R) pic.twitter.com/BzkOb2viJk
Source: https://vk.com/albums106286742?profile=1 …

Photos: Russian VDV soldier now in Novoazovsk Raion, Ukraine (E of Shyrokyne) https://vk.com/albums106286742?profile=1 … pic.twitter.com/KS8DpSeQ1S

Archive: https://archive.is/vymqN Photos of Nikolay Semenov (VDV, spetsnaz) from Novoazovsk May 2015 back to Georgia War 2008

Nikolay Semenov, Russian VDV: Dec 2013 photos (for unit ID) Photos of him back to Georgia 2008 pic.twitter.com/t6aGRwdsXW

Someone needs to tell the Russian OSCE members that they have a Russian Special Forces unit "lost" somewhere close to major hot spot in current fighting inside the Ukraine so what the heck is he doing there???

Anyone recognise/decipher this flag? Russian VDV soldier currently in Ukraine somewhere east of Shyrokyne /old photospic.twitter.com/JUb4M3XQdf

2nd Separate Brigade of Special Operation Forces, Special Forces of Russian armed forces.

2nd Independent Spetsnaz Brigade of GRU is based in Pskov, Russia https://burkonews.info/about-the-russian-2nd-independent-spetsnaz-brigade-of-gru/ … and http://warfare.be/db/catid/239

More info on the 2nd Independent Spetsnaz Brigade of GRU https://translate.google.ie/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spec-naz.org%2Fdossier%2FGRU_special_forces%2Fobrspn_gr u_gsh_mo_v_ch_%2C_raneje_v_ch%2F&edit-text= … and https://informnapalm.org/1624-2-ya-otdelnaya-brygada-spetsyalnogo-naznachenyya-gru-v-ukrayne …

[OUTLAW 09]

http://maidantranslations.com/2015/05/15/dmitry-tymchuk-military-update-5-15-freesavchenko/

Dmitry Tymchuk: Military update 5.15

Posted on May 15, 2015 by chervonaruta

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:


During the last 24 hours, Russian troop terrorist formations shelled the ATO forces positions and civilian objects in the vicinity of Pisky, Krasnohorivka, Mariinka using heavy weapons (120-mm mortars, multiple firings from 122-mm cannon artillery). In the area of Avdiivka and Lozovoye, militants have used armored vehicles (“roaming” tanks and firing groups on board of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers).

Near Shyrokyne, Russian-terrorist infantry groups made repeated attempts to engage Ukrainian advanced units with heavy fire from small arms, as well as 82-mm and 120-mm mortars.

In Luhansk oblast, near Hirske, Novotoshkivske, Krymske, and Sokolniki, [pro-Russian] insurgents continue to fire mortars and small arms; we are also observing increased activity of the enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

In the vicinity of Vesela Hora and Shchastya, sniper pairs are operating under cover provided by insurgent firing groups (AGS plus heavy machine guns, or units armed with 82-mm or 120-mm mortars).

Also, in the region of Stanytsia Luhanska, terrorists opened fire several times, using AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers and heavy-caliber machine guns.

* * *

Two insurgent tactical groups concentrated in the Petrovskyi and Kirovskyi districts of Donetsk continue receiving renovated and restored military equipment. We have reports of the arrival of 4 refurbished tanks (one T-64, three T-72) and infantry fighting vehicles: three BMP-2 and 1 BMP-1. The equipment is being concentrated mainly in the industrial areas. Terrorist formations in the area of Spartak and in the Kyivskyi District of Donetsk also received reinforcements – 8 MT-LB, 6 BTR-80 and 3 BTR-70.

In the Kyivsky District of Donetsk, we identified camouflaged heavy weapons (“remaining after the parade”): D-30 122-mm howitzers and MSTA-B 152-mm howitzers, a total of 28 units. Some of these weapons are occasionally used for shelling the settlements of Pisky, Avdiivka and Opytne.

A group of Russian servicemen (up to 25 people) arrived into Olenivka from the Petrovskyi District of Donetsk (2 APCs and two Ural trucks). The group’s weapons includes two “Pecheneg” PKP machine guns (officially only used by the military in Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).

Reinforcements continue arriving to the units stationed in the northwestern part of the “Horlivka Garrison” (which are shelling and making occasional attempts to attack Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Mayorska and Shumy). Over the last 3 days, the following forces have arrived in this area: a composite tank company (seven T-72B3 tanks), two infantry groups (total strength up to 200 personnel), and an artillery-mortar unit (six 120-mm caliber mortars, three 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery guns, and several D-30 howitzers).

An insurgent tactical group of up to 100 personnel, which had earlier incurred heavy losses in clashes with the ATO forces, has been withdrawn from the vicinity of Shyrokyne to the area of Novoazovsk, for resupplying. The tactical group is being resupplied with Russian mercenaries (some 50 personnel), who arrived from Russia and underwent training in the training center in Rostov oblast (Russia).

Over the last 24 hours, we observed increased traffic of insurgent transport vehicles in the northern part of the occupied territory – between Luhansk and Alchevsk, from Alchevsk and Perevalsk towards Stakhanov and Pervomaisk; at nighttime, armored vehicles were seen moving along the Bakhmut highway from Slovyanoserbsk towards Zholobok, as well as between Horlivka, Makiivka, and Yenakijeve. We also observed active movement of military transport around the Donetsk “hub” and to the south of Luhansk (in the direction of Lutuhyne – Krasnyi Luch).

* * *

In Luhansk, local “bodies of the LNR [Luhansk People’s Republic] Ministry of State Security” are searching for a group of “phone terrorists” consisting of pro-Ukrainian local residents. Specifically, unknown people have been purposefully trolling and mocking the “LNR state authorities” for a long time already, using publicly available telephone numbers (information desks, official duty numbers, etc.)

In the territory controlled by the “LNR” and “DNR” [Donetsk People’s Republic], the “state authorities” of the terrorist organizations are widely using the tax and notary databases for illicit activities – specifically, concerning the property of people who were forced to relocate to other regions of Ukraine or abroad. The newly-sprung “officials” are actively selling information about the property of people who present an interest to insurgents and other criminals.

According to the statements of the “government” representatives of the “DNR” and “LNR,” the problems with food supply to the occupied regions are being “gradually resolved.” The “humanitarian convoys” of Rinat Akhmetov play a significant part in the “improvement of the situation.”

In settlements controlled by the “LNR” and “DNR,” members of the local criminal world are increasingly often attacking Russian mercenaries and servicemen who receive considerable money rewards for their participation in combat in Donbas. In Luhansk, a Russian mercenary was victim of an armed assault and robbery (receiving multiple stab wounds). Local “law enforcers” are also investigating an assault and robbery of a Russian officer, who was attacked by unknown persons who beat him and took his “two months’ wages.”

[OUTLAW 09]

Sometimes one has to wonder what the Russian OSCE members are smoking as they mentioned in this press release "Ukrainian volunteer units
---effectively all former "volunteer units" has been merged into the Ukrainian Army, or the National guard and or the MoI.

How can they now be in charge of a Minsk 2 Working Group when they do not even understand reality on the ground and especially are seemingly rejecting the simple fact that the Russian mercenaries and Russian troops are not even in compliance with Minsk 2?

http://tass.ru/en/world/795011

Ukrainian combat activities threatening ceasefire near Shirokino — Russia’s OSCE envoy
May 15, 21:44 UTC+3



NOTICE the Orwellian "double speak" in progress---it is the fault that the Azov BN is creating a problem---BUT at the same time OSCE has verified countless artillery strikes by Russian mercenaries on positions of the Azov.

AND BBC news teams have verified it as well complete with video and audio evidence.

Maybe this is the reason they are so agitated.
"Azov" destroyed separatists' firing points in #Shyrokyne. pic.twitter.com/CBqS9Z3gIB

[OUTLAW 09]

It appears the Russian mercenaries have the night off---little to no shellings or ground probes as of yet--last night began seriously between 00:00 and 01:00.


VIDEO This is how Russian Hybrids are digging trenches: with handgrenades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAbIb1tiR4g … pic.twitter.com/n1FbukxmIE

[OUTLAW 09]

All quiet on #Ukraine's eastern front. Dawn on the Sea of #Azov pic.twitter.com/Qs7ChWAS0Q

Seems that the Russia's heard the misspoken statement or was it "misspoken" that if the ceasefire is fully peaceful THEN sanctions come off.

Relatively quiet night--to quiet actually.

[OUTLAW 09]

Now that it is a few days after Sochi AND we now fully understand Russia and Putin will not implement Minsk 2--SO what is exactly the next move by Kerry and Obama other than allowing Russia to annex eastern Ukraine/

Notice after all the heavy shellings and ground attacks that occurred since Sochi--all we have had out of DC is utter SILENCE --that is now no longer strange as it is a signal they have thrown the Ukraine under the bus in exchange for Iran and Syria--there cannot be any other explanation for their total silence.

There can be no other explanation for Obama vetoing the defense funding for 300M USDs for the Ukraine. He and Kerry stating Russia "must" implement fully Minsk 2 is just a waste of words as Russia will not accept free elections in the occupied zones UNDER Ukrainian election laws--not after the massive cost in money and blood Putin has invested into eastern Ukraine.

#BREAKINGNEWS
The "People's Republic of #Luhansk" declares 2 km wide corridor along entire Ukrainian-Russian border #NoGoZone for @OSCE_SMM.

Forget #Minsk2. Russia & its local puppet regimes have no interest in it.
It was a stillbirth fr. the very beginning.http://zn.ua/UKRAINE/boeviki-lnr-zapretili-obse-nahoditsya-vozle-granicy-rf-176229_.html …

Did Kerry #Russia visit signal start of West capitulation on #Ukraine? Are sanctions failing? Does #Putin always win? http://nyti.ms/1d4hab1

Canada OSCE ✔ @Canada2OSCE
We recall the need for #Russia to finalise its troop/ammo withdrawal from Transnistrian region of #Moldova in line w/ Istanbul commitments

NOTE: a large number of the Russian tanks in eastern Ukraine were scheduled for destruction under the OSCE disarming plans BUT Russia kept asking for a delay due to first Chechnya and then it appears the OSCE went to sleep at the wheel and never declared Russia in non compliance AND where are those tanks today?

NOTICE that they even violate the Transnistrian agreement with OSCE??

SO Obama and Kerry--what is next as it seems that "soft power" ie diplomacy has actually now been proven to have failed badly at achieving anything when dealing with Putin other than making it appear the US is basically weak in it's leadership role and has a weak President driving the car wreck.

If we really are honest--Putin is slowly achieving one of his top geo political goals--that of disconnecting the US totally from Europe--he is about 80% of the way there after Sochi.

[OUTLAW 09]

VIDEO Azov returning fire to Russian RPG (or so) in the night at #Shyrokyne 2 days ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAqty2-p-So … pic.twitter.com/aYulosKQbM

VIDEO Azov battle footage #Shyrokyne yesterday. #geolocated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o33TQfzKv44 … pic.twitter.com/k2i3upetEq

#OSCE reports decreased fighting at #Shyrokyne & increased tensions around #Donetsk airport http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/158136 … pic.twitter.com/MQPcN5CHK7

VIDEO In February a Russian tank was hit by a Ukrainian mine near Debaltseve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJv4Yd4UMKY … pic.twitter.com/5aB1RdWquO

Do you want to know what's going on in #Chechnya? Watch "Chechnya, war without trace", the new film by Manon Loizeau
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCxejgKjL7Q …

NATO Worried By Russia Crimea Build-Up http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/international/europe/2015/05/13/nato-worried-by-russia-crimea-build-up/27272341/ … via @defense_news

U.S. Mission to OSCE ✔ @usosce
#Russia repeatedly argues - wrongly - that #Ukraine has failed to engage in dialogue with its citizens in the east: http://1.usa.gov/1bSCgrp

Russian separatists in Ukraine are 10 hours drive to Kiev 20 hrs drive to Warsaw 24 hrs to Berlin this war much closer than people realise

[OUTLAW 09]

It looks like the circle is getting tighter around the Russian firing of a BUK to down MH17. Reference the shot down of MH17.

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One witness claims they saw the launch of a missile from the same area previously identified as the launch site south of Snizhne

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
A number of wittnesses in the Volkskrant MH17 aritcle also say they risk being disappeared or executed if they talk about

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
In the Volkskrant MH17 piece they've found more witnesses to the launch, and witnesses who saw the Buk in Torez

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One man says he won't give his name because "they take you to a forest and then you disappear for good."http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/heeft-u-hier-een-buk-raket-gezien~a4024652/

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One witness of the missile that shot down MH17 "if someone had recorded, he would get a bullet through his head." http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/heeft-u-hier-een-buk-raket-gezien~a4024652/

Post summarising details of the new Volkskrant article on #MH17, some very interesting stuff in there
https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/posts/388738477981276 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Adviser to Poroshenko: Artemivsk arms cache (largest in Europe) w/ 1900 armored vehicles/huge # of firearms was moved away from front lines.


World War II mass grave of Ukranian nationalist insurgents discovered in West Ukraine. #WW2 http://uatoday.tv/society/world-war-ii-mass-grave-of-discovered-in-west-ukraine-427500.html … pic.twitter.com/TTuW1slWGl

This was an alleged NKVD execution site of captured Ukrainians--had been rumored in the area of years but never located until now.

So Putin now wonders why there is a whip lash against the Russians after his actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine and why the numbers of Ukrainians wanting to join NATO has massively risen in the last year.

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems like Putin and his FM "did not hear whatever message Kerry was carrying"--does the White House honestly believe Putin will implement fully Minsk 2??

Maybe the entire WH, the NSC and the DoS should sit down and read this article and ask themselves "does Putin even want a solution or is he determined to annex eastern Ukraine??

Bill Browder @Billbrowder
Very smart analysis of how Russia uses propaganda and lies to run circles around a western leaders http://www.cepolicy.org/publications/anatomy-info-war-how-russias-propaganda-machine-works-and-how-counter-it …

Leonid Ragozin @leonidragozin
Russian volunteer Zhuchkovsky: Military buildup [in LDNR] radically intensified this spring, as if they really want to seize all of Ukraine

Butusov: #Donbas will be a constant hotspot instead of frozen. He has a point. https://twitter.com/zn_ua/status/599502124343525376 …

US Mission to NATO ✔ @USNATO
Actions, not words. Russia and the separatists must live up to their Minsk commitments: http://goo.gl/w3C42q pic.twitter.com/KZ6nVV4dbb

The US tells the Ukraine it must restrain itself and hold to the Minsk 2 agreement and that even means do not return fire or if then against a 152mm SPG you can fire a 82mm mortar—kind of like just sit there and take it –currently since Minsk 2 was signed over 120 KIAs and over 550 WIAs on the Ukrainian side—so does this seem like Putin and his mercenaries really want Minsk 2 to be implemented??

#News
1 Ukrainian soldier got killed and 3 wounded in fighting and Russian attacks yesterday.

[OUTLAW 09]

Now that it is a few days after Sochi AND we now fully understand Russia and Putin will not implement Minsk 2--SO what is exactly the next move by Kerry and Obama other than allowing Russia to annex eastern Ukraine/

Notice after all the heavy shellings and ground attacks that occurred since Sochi--all we have had out of DC is utter SILENCE --that is now no longer strange as it is a signal they have thrown the Ukraine under the bus in exchange for Iran and Syria--there cannot be any other explanation for their total silence.

There can be no other explanation for Obama vetoing the defense funding for 300M USDs for the Ukraine. He and Kerry stating Russia "must" implement fully Minsk 2 is just a waste of words as Russia will not accept free elections in the occupied zones UNDER Ukrainian election laws--not after the massive cost in money and blood Putin has invested into eastern Ukraine.

#BREAKINGNEWS
The "People's Republic of #Luhansk" declares 2 km wide corridor along entire Ukrainian-Russian border #NoGoZone for @OSCE_SMM.

Forget #Minsk2. Russia & its local puppet regimes have no interest in it.
It was a stillbirth fr. the very beginning.http://zn.ua/UKRAINE/boeviki-lnr-zapretili-obse-nahoditsya-vozle-granicy-rf-176229_.html …

Did Kerry #Russia visit signal start of West capitulation on #Ukraine? Are sanctions failing? Does #Putin always win? http://nyti.ms/1d4hab1

Canada OSCE ✔ @Canada2OSCE
We recall the need for #Russia to finalise its troop/ammo withdrawal from Transnistrian region of #Moldova in line w/ Istanbul commitments

NOTE: a large number of the Russian tanks in eastern Ukraine were scheduled for destruction under the OSCE disarming plans BUT Russia kept asking for a delay due to first Chechnya and then it appears the OSCE went to sleep at the wheel and never declared Russia in non compliance AND where are those tanks today?

NOTICE that they even violate the Transnistrian agreement with OSCE??

SO Obama and Kerry--what is next as it seems that "soft power" ie diplomacy has actually now been proven to have failed badly at achieving anything when dealing with Putin other than making it appear the US is basically weak in it's leadership role and has a weak President driving the car wreck.

If we really are honest--Putin is slowly achieving one of his top geo political goals--that of disconnecting the US totally from Europe--he is about 80% of the way there after Sochi.

Do the Russian actions listed below indicate a clear intent by Russia and her mercenaries to fully implement Minsk 2--IMO --no.
Shellings are getting heavier and heavier and going now through most of the day.

ATO spox: Russian forces shelling Ukrainian positions as attrition/provocation before new offensive on #Mariupol http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3920/obstrelami_po_vsej_linii_fronta_terroristy_prikryv ayut_nastuplenie_na_mariupol.html …

10:35 #Donetsk center @papandopoolo distant rumble

10:37 #Avdeevka @rechnikato quiet

11:02 #Horlivka Stroitel @ahab7822 distant volleys are clearly heard

10:31 #Starohnativka @Staroignatievca close #Grad hits, "we didn't hear for quite some time"

10:41 8-9 explosions and lull

13:06 #Donetsk @fhntv29 for 20 min volleys from [Durna] Balka are heard

#Dokuchaevsk @whicard5 "Have someone seen militants today?I didn't see any walking all day thru. They say, many a one set off for #Olenivka"

#Donetsk
12:39 @BylByleva_ Rumble
12:55 @CatBoobon Dull volleys are audible

11:02 #Horlivka Stroitel @ahab7822 distant volleys are clearly heard

Does anyone of you have footage/pictures of the aftermath of severe Russian shelling on #Stanytsia_Luhanska last night?Playground was hit.

AND what the US foreign policy again for the Ukraine???

All words and no actions.

The Ukraine is facing over 700 tanks and hundreds of artillery and MRLSs and we send MREs and blankets and trainers as replacements for anti tank weapons SO we do not agitate Putin into escalating which he has already done four times. WHEN we send nothing.

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian unity festival held 800 meters away from Russian proxy forces near Luhansk http://24today.net/open/411115 pic.twitter.com/KVOmfAIUcL

#Analysis #Map
This is the closest Ukrainian army position to #Donetsk #airport.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYRiZSsr8G8 …
pic.twitter.com/16uLFvXavF

Yet when you hear the Russian FM and his mercenaries THERE is a major attack by the Ukrainians being planned and or the Ukrainians are constantly attacking the airport.

[OUTLAW 09]

It looks like the circle is getting tighter around the Russian firing of a BUK to down MH17. Reference the shot down of MH17.

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One witness claims they saw the launch of a missile from the same area previously identified as the launch site south of Snizhne

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
A number of wittnesses in the Volkskrant MH17 aritcle also say they risk being disappeared or executed if they talk about

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
In the Volkskrant MH17 piece they've found more witnesses to the launch, and witnesses who saw the Buk in Torez

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One man says he won't give his name because "they take you to a forest and then you disappear for good."http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/heeft-u-hier-een-buk-raket-gezien~a4024652/

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One witness of the missile that shot down MH17 "if someone had recorded, he would get a bullet through his head." http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/heeft-u-hier-een-buk-raket-gezien~a4024652/

Post summarising details of the new Volkskrant article on #MH17, some very interesting stuff in there
https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/posts/388738477981276 …

Russian Foreign Ministry is whining about the "fakes stories being spread by social media concerning the Russian involvement in the shot down of MH17".

Sometimes the truth hurts but that is something the Russian FM knows nothing about until now with MH17 and their BUK missile.

[OUTLAW 09]

Do the Russian actions listed below indicate a clear intent by Russia and her mercenaries to fully implement Minsk 2--IMO --no.
Shellings are getting heavier and heavier and going now through most of the day.

ATO spox: Russian forces shelling Ukrainian positions as attrition/provocation before new offensive on #Mariupol http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3920/obstrelami_po_vsej_linii_fronta_terroristy_prikryv ayut_nastuplenie_na_mariupol.html …

10:35 #Donetsk center @papandopoolo distant rumble

10:37 #Avdeevka @rechnikato quiet

11:02 #Horlivka Stroitel @ahab7822 distant volleys are clearly heard

10:31 #Starohnativka @Staroignatievca close #Grad hits, "we didn't hear for quite some time"

10:41 8-9 explosions and lull

13:06 #Donetsk @fhntv29 for 20 min volleys from [Durna] Balka are heard

#Dokuchaevsk @whicard5 "Have someone seen militants today?I didn't see any walking all day thru. They say, many a one set off for #Olenivka"

#Donetsk
12:39 @BylByleva_ Rumble
12:55 @CatBoobon Dull volleys are audible

11:02 #Horlivka Stroitel @ahab7822 distant volleys are clearly heard

Does anyone of you have footage/pictures of the aftermath of severe Russian shelling on #Stanytsia_Luhanska last night?Playground was hit.

AND what the US foreign policy again for the Ukraine???

All words and no actions.

The Ukraine is facing over 700 tanks and hundreds of artillery and MRLSs and we send MREs and blankets and trainers as replacements for anti tank weapons SO we do not agitate Putin into escalating which he has already done four times. WHEN we send nothing.

Shellings are now spreading to the entire eastern front contact line.

14:06 #Debaltseve @Debaltsevo_UA "Traditional rumble in the west/northwest

[OUTLAW 09]

Both Russian tactical and strategic intelligence operations are part and parcel of their UW doctrine non linear warfare.

Please read this brilliant analysis of why the west is losing the spy war against Russia http://20committee.com/2015/05/15/cant-anybody-here-play-this-game/ ….

[OUTLAW 09]

Somehow the White House, the NSC and the DoS seem to be getting nowhere with their concept of "soft power" ie diplomacy.

After meeting in Sochi increased massive shelling and ground attacks AFTER Putin and his FM state they support full implementation of Minsk 2.

Now our supposedly negotiation partners called Iran state this today.

Khamenei says US is "main sponsor and designer of terrorism" in the world. http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81610085/ …
So we seem to be the Great Satan again after years of talking with them.

We seem to have a really thoroughly well thought out set of foreign policies. OR we are just inherently bad at picking our negotiation partners.

[OUTLAW 09]

The #DNR will issue a combined credit and identity card instead of passport. http://donbass.hromadskeradio.org/2015/05/16/v-dnr-pasporta-hotyat-zamenit-plastikovyimi-kartami/ … pic.twitter.com/xS5aL0V87M

More stolen items by Russia from eastern Ukraine—first factories, then coal, then scrap steel and now literature?????

#Russia has stolen archives of science fiction writers Arkady and Boris #Strugatsky brothers from #Donetsk http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1408997/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

AND the Russian FM/CoE has been smoking what again?? Seemed to have forgotten Crimea and eastern Ukrainian.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
.@CoE is to help creating #Europe without dividing lines, stregthening democracy,#humanrights,rule of law,intercultural dialogue @CoE_Russia

[OUTLAW 09]

Do the Russian actions listed below indicate a clear intent by Russia and her mercenaries to fully implement Minsk 2--IMO --no.
Shellings are getting heavier and heavier and going now through most of the day.

ATO spox: Russian forces shelling Ukrainian positions as attrition/provocation before new offensive on #Mariupol http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3920/obstrelami_po_vsej_linii_fronta_terroristy_prikryv ayut_nastuplenie_na_mariupol.html …

10:35 #Donetsk center @papandopoolo distant rumble

10:37 #Avdeevka @rechnikato quiet

11:02 #Horlivka Stroitel @ahab7822 distant volleys are clearly heard

10:31 #Starohnativka @Staroignatievca close #Grad hits, "we didn't hear for quite some time"

10:41 8-9 explosions and lull

13:06 #Donetsk @fhntv29 for 20 min volleys from [Durna] Balka are heard

#Dokuchaevsk @whicard5 "Have someone seen militants today?I didn't see any walking all day thru. They say, many a one set off for #Olenivka"

#Donetsk
12:39 @BylByleva_ Rumble
12:55 @CatBoobon Dull volleys are audible

11:02 #Horlivka Stroitel @ahab7822 distant volleys are clearly heard

Does anyone of you have footage/pictures of the aftermath of severe Russian shelling on #Stanytsia_Luhanska last night?Playground was hit.

AND what the US foreign policy again for the Ukraine???

All words and no actions.

The Ukraine is facing over 700 tanks and hundreds of artillery and MRLSs and we send MREs and blankets and trainers as replacements for anti tank weapons SO we do not agitate Putin into escalating which he has already done four times. WHEN we send nothing.

And the shellings have now started with the airport again.

Shooting already since 10 mins in Airport area. #Donetsk
- via @donetsk_ukrop

#Donetsk 14:20
Kirovsky distr. - heavy single shots in north/west.
- via @UrriKara4en

[OUTLAW 09]

It looks like the circle is getting tighter around the Russian firing of a BUK to down MH17. Reference the shot down of MH17.

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One witness claims they saw the launch of a missile from the same area previously identified as the launch site south of Snizhne

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
A number of wittnesses in the Volkskrant MH17 aritcle also say they risk being disappeared or executed if they talk about

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
In the Volkskrant MH17 piece they've found more witnesses to the launch, and witnesses who saw the Buk in Torez

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One man says he won't give his name because "they take you to a forest and then you disappear for good."http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/heeft-u-hier-een-buk-raket-gezien~a4024652/

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
One witness of the missile that shot down MH17 "if someone had recorded, he would get a bullet through his head." http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/heeft-u-hier-een-buk-raket-gezien~a4024652/

Post summarising details of the new Volkskrant article on #MH17, some very interesting stuff in there
https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/posts/388738477981276 …

Here's the key points from today's Volkskrant article on the downing of #MH17, lots of good stuff https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/posts/388738477981276 …

[OUTLAW 09]

I have been writing here that the Obama "legacy" is far more important to Obama than a solid long term foreign policy strategy towards Russia and especially Putin.

It is argued in DC that the US needs Russian help in getting an Iranian deal BUT at what cost?? And Russian help is needed in settling the Syria issue--actually the Syrian issue was compounded by US policy failure one after another--and what will Russia bring to the table since they refused for over four years to allow humanitarian aid into the country and have repeatedly sent weapons to Assad basically keeping him in power as well as blocking UNSC actions on Syria.

Now it seems that the US TOW has become the great equalizer and is shifting the fighting to a potential "win" for the Syrian moderate Islamists who are actually "winning against IS as well as Assad"--AND just as they are "winning" we need Russian assistance--wht is wrong with this picture??

It was not Russian TOWs or MILANs that are "winning" by any means especially when Russia has had the GRU there for years.

WHAT has Russia brought to the table on Iran--right after the last set of meetings Russia announces shipments of S-300s to Iran and closed a large trading deal AND stated publicly there will be no "snap back" on sanctions if Russia has it's way.

Then Obama tries to sell a really poor Iranian deal to the Congress all the while fully knowing Iran is a striving regional hegemon who will stop at nothing to achieve that status and can go nuclear in under three years shorter if it wants to. AND his shift to Iran has greatly impacted the Sunni Arab states in believing the US will support them if Iran "acts out in the region"--which by the way we would not do at least under this President.

But throwing an entire country under the bus to achieve one's "legacy" is a bit unusual even for US President's--especially a country that is striving to built itself on the same "US values" we claim to adhere to and "preach to the world" that is the supposed basis of our own "democracy"--rule of law, good governance and transparency in government.

Actually this NYT's article goes a long way in explaining the apparent silence on the part of Obama for the last three months or so AND it confirms the throwing of the Ukraine under the bus for one's own "legacy".

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/world/europe/a-diplomatic-victory-and-affirmation-for-putin.html?ref=world&_r=1

Europe | News Analysis

A Diplomatic Victory, and Affirmation, for Putin

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORNMAY 15, 2015
continued......


Mr. Kremenyuk and other analysts, however, said they believed the major motivation of the United States was to seek Russia’s assistance on other more pressing problems.

“There are some issues in which Americans cannot make progress without Russia,” Mr. Kremenyuk told Svobodnaya Pressa. “For instance, Iran and the Iranian nuclear program. Or Syria, where nothing can be done without us. Of course, they will not yell: ‘Help us!’ No way. But within the last couple of years Americans found some areas in the Middle East where they cannot do much, but Russia can.”

Alexander G. Baunov, a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center, a research group, said that based on a recent visit to Washington he believed that Middle East issues were more important to the Americans than Ukraine.
“It’s clear that Obama is thinking about his legacy, his place in history,” Mr. Baunov said in an interview. “Not to achieve the final deal with Iran will be a big defeat for him, so he needs Russia for this

[OUTLAW 09]

I have been writing here that the Obama "legacy" is far more important to Obama than a solid long term foreign policy strategy towards Russia and especially Putin.

It is argued in DC that the US needs Russian help in getting an Iranian deal BUT at what cost?? And Russian help is needed in settling the Syria issue--actually the Syrian issue was compounded by US policy failure one after another--and what will Russia bring to the table since they refused for over four years to allow humanitarian aid into the country and have repeatedly sent weapons to Assad basically keeping him in power as well as blocking UNSC actions on Syria.

Now it seems that the US TOW has become the great equalizer and is shifting the fighting to a potential "win" for the Syrian moderate Islamists who are actually "winning against IS as well as Assad"--AND just as they are "winning" we need Russian assistance--wht is wrong with this picture??

It was not Russian TOWs or MILANs that are "winning" by any means especially when Russia has had the GRU there for years.

WHAT has Russia brought to the table on Iran--right after the last set of meetings Russia announces shipments of S-300s to Iran and closed a large trading deal AND stated publicly there will be no "snap back" on sanctions if Russia has it's way.

Then Obama tries to sell a really poor Iranian deal to the Congress all the while fully knowing Iran is a striving regional hegemon who will stop at nothing to achieve that status and can go nuclear in under three years shorter if it wants to. AND his shift to Iran has greatly impacted the Sunni Arab states in believing the US will support them if Iran "acts out in the region"--which by the way we would not do at least under this President.

Even with the Iranian IRGC captures under gunfire a US flagged ship regardless of reasons--this President and his NSC "look the other way"--is the Iranian nuclear deal that important ---as in the end Iran can still break out when it wants to--seems this President is simply throwing the problem into the lap of the next President all in the name of "legacy".

But throwing an entire country under the bus to achieve one's "legacy" is a bit unusual even for US President's--especially a country that is striving to built itself on the same "US values" we claim to adhere to and "preach to the world" that is the supposed basis of our own "democracy"--rule of law, good governance and transparency in government.

Actually this NYT's article goes a long way in explaining the apparent silence on the part of Obama for the last three months or so AND it confirms the throwing of the Ukraine under the bus for one's own "legacy".

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/world/europe/a-diplomatic-victory-and-affirmation-for-putin.html?ref=world&_r=1

Europe | News Analysis

A Diplomatic Victory, and Affirmation, for Putin

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORNMAY 15, 2015
continued......

I have also written here many times that that the Russian UW doctrine of non linear warfare is in direct support to the current Russian political warfare--non linear warfare is simply the "means" to drive to a political warfare "end state".

Putin who believes in the destruction of western neo liberalism and is basically an up and coming Russian "fascist" on an neo imperialistic expansion campaign repeatedly has stated his three geo political goals to achieve Russian hegemon status over all of Europe and an equal footing with the US via what he has often referred to as his wanting "a new Yalta" to divide up the world between the US and Russia into new "spheres of influence" which Russia states as their ability to have "equality of control". Yet we seem to not understand this particular term BUT the Baltics and Poland does understand.

His three geo political goals are:

1. discrediting and damaging for good NATO
2. discrediting and damaging for good the EU
AND
3 total disconnecting of the US from Europe ----in order to achieve his vision of a Europe from Portugal to the Russian Far East UNDER Russian political/military/economic dominance.

He is not shy in the least bit in stating and restating these goals.

AND what is the WH, NSC and DoS response to all of the above--silence, silence and more silence ALL in the name of a "legacy"--does that make sense to any SWJ reader.

BTW on the three targeted geo political goals Russia via Putin is about 75% of the way to his "end state" and the current US leadership is helping and helping and helping him met his stated goals.

Have never seen in the last 40 years such a weak NSC and an equally weak President and yet we claim to "led the free world"????

[OUTLAW 09]

Militants shell residential area in town of Zolote
http://www.unian.info/war/1078760-militants-shell-residential-area-in-town-of-zolote.html … pic.twitter.com/bn3FBLhQ6S

BREAKING updates: #Donetsk airport. #Avdyivka & #Opytne - under shelling. Don't dream about #ceasefire

BREAKING #Donetsk city is under artillery fire right now

Russian Propaganda at work. Now the Russian tank hit near #Shyrokyne suddenly is Ukrainian :P. pic.twitter.com/guxKDEmBPP

While the #EU sleeps, #Russia has opened a new #propaganda front in #Moldova: http://sputnik.md/
Link via @ChristAlexander

#Russia wants to annex #Moldova next, which makes Moldovans want to finally reunite with #Romania. #Putin winning...
http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova-unification-rally-chisinau-romania/27020131.html …

From what I heard, Ukrainians caught two Russian officers. wonder how since they're not there. https://twitter.com/Guderian_Xaba/status/599647608810921984 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Declassified: Kremlin's order of 1932 on Russian colonisation of Donbass after Stalin's Holodomor. via @vitaliy00700

Top Russian Detective Removed From Nemtsov Murder Casehttp://www.rferl.org/content/russia-nemtsov-murder-case-detective-removed/27018992.html …

bellingcat @bellingcat
Bellingcat's report tracking the convoy that supplied the Buk that downing #MH17 https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2015/05/13/tracking-the-trailers-investigation-of-mh17-buks-russian-convoy/ … #PutinAtWar pic.twitter.com/8ODSjjaPId

Unlike S Ossetia, #Abkhazia is dragging feet over recognizing the #Ukraine separatists.
Why? https://twitter.com/GazetaRu_All/status/599677093891432448 …

Gas station reportedly blasted in #Horlivka, territory in E #Ukraine occupied by #Russia's proxies

#Germany is the main opponent in #Ukraine's progress on free trade with EU “All the keys are in Berlin"
https://euobserver.com/foreign/128699

Russia and Ukraine are trying to dump war-torn Donbass to each other, this Ukrainian analysis suggestshttp://news.liga.net/articles/politics/5773000-seraya_zona_kiev_i_moskva_sporyat_ob_otkaze_ot_cha sti_donbassa.htm …

Latvia has recorded more than 150 incidents of Russian planes approaching its airspace since March 2014.' http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2015/may/14/russia-nato-twenty-feet-from-war/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Will go into later today whether US social media companies ie Twitter, YouTube and Face Book are potentially being controlled by Russian investors and are being used as part of the Russian propaganda machine against the West.

#Zuckerberg lies - Russian oligarch Milner owns Dublin moderation of the FB region incl Ukraine!
Move to Google+ !! pic.twitter.com/xKlogbXmpl

To: #Zuckerberg - Left photo from Ukraine was the reason why many Ukraine accounts were blocked by Facebook. pic.twitter.com/F8GWmcQ4Dt

[OUTLAW 09]

"Kerry Is So Very Nice to Putin; Easing sanctions if #Russia settles for what its already grabbed" http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is-so-very-nice-to-putin-1431559190

The @nytimes says #SecKerry was "wise to engage in diplomacy" w/#Putin
The @WSJ less thrilled. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is-so-very-nice-to-putin-1431559190 pic.twitter.com/JbKntcJRm7

Open ended question to DoS Kerry and the White House/NSC--do you really think you were successful at Sochi after meeting the Russian FM and meeting with Putin the Russian FM states--"we are seriously interested in seeing the full implementation of Minsk 2".

After that you all stated "we judge Russia on it's actions not words"

SO what do the actions below indicate???--a Russia interested in implementing Minsk 2 and just more aggression--it is now a full five days since Sochi AND you must be asking yourselves has anything changed???--answer is simple--Russia still basically is in an aggressor mode--Sochi changed nothing.

Subversives that engaged in fighting w Ukr border guards in Herasymivka-Mozhaevka border area retreated to Rus territ http://dpsu.gov.ua/ua/about/news/news_7109.htm …

Ukr border guards discovered group in camo cloaks near the border. Fighting started, 1 border guard was WIA @DPSU_ua pic.twitter.com/D6RV4DBm0s

Tymchuk: FSB trying to launch proxy state in Bessarabia (Odessa reg. Ukraine) like in Donetsk. Russian TV already top source of news there.

UPDATE: 2 #Ukraine soldiers killed, 5 wounded in battle near #Artemivsk yesterday, shelled by tanks and artillery
https://m.facebook.com/brtcomua/posts/881897825204206?pnref=story …

Attacks on Ukrainian positions near Mariupol apparently continued this morning, two soldiers wounded http://www.0629.com.ua/news/828713

Chermalyk and #Shyrokyne were fired upon this am. 2 #Ukrainian servicemen were WIA in M sector (#Mariupol area) y-day http://www.0629.com.ua/news/828713

#Moskal: Yday after 20:00 #Stanytsia_Luhanska was shelled w/#Grad|s, mortars, GL & small arms http://moskal.in.ua/?categoty=news&news_id=1739 …

The head of #Lugansk Region #Moskal says that terrorists used MRLS "Grad" last night. Read http://lugansk-news.com/terrorists-of-lugansk-peoples-republic-continued-heavy-shelling-of-residential-areas-of-stanytsia-luhanska/ … pic.twitter.com/QG6GdzIqpC

#Donetsk
00:04 Proletarsky @DoneckiiPatriot Heavy cannon volleys were heard
@idinmor 'After midnight shells hit airport area'

May16 #RozyLuksemburg village, Novoazovsky raion @GirkinGirkin 'Putin gangs tanks and BMP' pic.twitter.com/msD5dAmrjx

#Spartak near #Donetsk, the 1st photo posted on May14 to http://vk.com http://archive.is/xRZZR @anisim pic.twitter.com/3Na13QdGeZ

General Staff of Armed Forces reports that 1st #defense line in eastern #Ukraine is fortified by 95% https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua

Withdrawal of heavy weapons has not yet completed in Donbas - OSCE http://en.censor.net.ua/n336449

Terrorists fire main guns at Donetsk sector http://en.censor.net.ua/n336454

[OUTLAW 09]

I have been writing here that the Obama "legacy" is far more important to Obama than a solid long term foreign policy strategy towards Russia and especially Putin.

It is argued in DC that the US needs Russian help in getting an Iranian deal BUT at what cost?? And Russian help is needed in settling the Syria issue--actually the Syrian issue was compounded by US policy failure one after another--and what will Russia bring to the table since they refused for over four years to allow humanitarian aid into the country and have repeatedly sent weapons to Assad basically keeping him in power as well as blocking UNSC actions on Syria.

Now it seems that the US TOW has become the great equalizer and is shifting the fighting to a potential "win" for the Syrian moderate Islamists who are actually "winning against IS as well as Assad"--AND just as they are "winning" we need Russian assistance--wht is wrong with this picture??

It was not Russian TOWs or MILANs that are "winning" by any means especially when Russia has had the GRU there for years.

WHAT has Russia brought to the table on Iran--right after the last set of meetings Russia announces shipments of S-300s to Iran and closed a large trading deal AND stated publicly there will be no "snap back" on sanctions if Russia has it's way.

Then Obama tries to sell a really poor Iranian deal to the Congress all the while fully knowing Iran is a striving regional hegemon who will stop at nothing to achieve that status and can go nuclear in under three years shorter if it wants to. AND his shift to Iran has greatly impacted the Sunni Arab states in believing the US will support them if Iran "acts out in the region"--which by the way we would not do at least under this President.

But throwing an entire country under the bus to achieve one's "legacy" is a bit unusual even for US President's--especially a country that is striving to built itself on the same "US values" we claim to adhere to and "preach to the world" that is the supposed basis of our own "democracy"--rule of law, good governance and transparency in government.

Actually this NYT's article goes a long way in explaining the apparent silence on the part of Obama for the last three months or so AND it confirms the throwing of the Ukraine under the bus for one's own "legacy".

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/world/europe/a-diplomatic-victory-and-affirmation-for-putin.html?ref=world&_r=1

Europe | News Analysis

A Diplomatic Victory, and Affirmation, for Putin

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORNMAY 15, 2015
continued......

SO which media article aptly fits the current reality on the ground in eastern Ukraine five full days after Sochi--any changes in Russian aggression to be seen anywhere????

"Kerry Is So Very Nice to Putin; Easing sanctions if #Russia settles for what its already grabbed" http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is...tin-1431559190

The @nytimes says #SecKerry was "wise to engage in diplomacy" w/#Putin
The @WSJ less thrilled. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is...tin-1431559190 pic.twitter.com/JbKntcJRm7

After the heavy shellings and fighting of the last three days--Sochi was an utter failure and time to admit it--great for a Presidential "legacy" but that is about it.

[OUTLAW 09]

Will go into later today whether US social media companies ie Twitter, YouTube and Face Book are potentially being controlled by Russian investors and are being used as part of the Russian propaganda machine against the West.

#Zuckerberg lies - Russian oligarch Milner owns Dublin moderation of the FB region incl Ukraine!
Move to Google+ !! pic.twitter.com/xKlogbXmpl

To: #Zuckerberg - Left photo from Ukraine was the reason why many Ukraine accounts were blocked by Facebook. pic.twitter.com/F8GWmcQ4Dt

Seems American social media companies to include PayPal seem to want to truly believe they do not live in a "political world". In the current 21st century--there is no such animal called "non political".

Russian oligarch and "black money" has flowed heavily into Twitter---to the tune of 700M USD, unlisted heavy inflow by Russian oligarch into Face Book both as investments but also in controlling the European FB operations, massive Russian oligarch monies into YouTube and Paypal as so called "investments.

So the question becomes are in fact US companies "beholden" and answer to the current Russian information warfare campaign?

It is interesting that currently GlobalVoices was able to identify recently a 20,000 Russian bot system using Twitter and FB for spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation AND they were not blocked BUT countless western and Ukrainian accounts which support the Ukraine and western journalists are being blocked for reasons sometimes really vague by Russian accounts--AND not much in the way of responses by the US companies on their apparently proRussian "political" stances.

In the Information Age, you'd think a giant like Facebook would be prepared for the Information War
https://twitter.com/euromaidanpress/status/599607890786258944 …

Users in #Ukraine Complain of @Facebook #Censorship; Zuckerberg Says Censored Posts Are Hate Speech http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/05/15/facebooks-zuckerberg-responds-to-ukrainians-complaints-but-is-his-answer-enough/ … by @tanyalokot

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian FM never seems to get the international relations concept of "cause and effect". One never sees in the following type of PR the words Crimea annexation and or invasion into eastern Ukraine being muttered.

So here we go again with Russian nuclear threats towards the US even in the face of Russian INF violations.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
Mikhail Ulyanov: The actions of #US under certain conditions may push Russia to building up its nuclear arsenals http://tass.ru/en/russia/795145 …

[OUTLAW 09]

SO which media article aptly fits the current reality on the ground in eastern Ukraine five full days after Sochi--any changes in Russian aggression to be seen anywhere????

"Kerry Is So Very Nice to Putin; Easing sanctions if #Russia settles for what its already grabbed" http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is...tin-1431559190

The @nytimes says #SecKerry was "wise to engage in diplomacy" w/#Putin
The @WSJ less thrilled. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is...tin-1431559190 pic.twitter.com/JbKntcJRm7

After the heavy shellings and fighting of the last three days--Sochi was an utter failure and time to admit it--great for a Presidential "legacy" but that is about it.

Does not seem that Russia wants a full implementation of Minsk 2--so really what was the thinking in DC--reality on the ground and a solid foreign policy or just on one's "legacy".

Seems they do not mind in the least Ukrainian loses if the "legacy" works.

#News
20 Ukrainian troops became victims of the Russian aggression in #Ukraine yesterday.
3 KIA
17 WIA

New Putin Invasion Coming This Summer: Moscow piling up troops and weapons. http://thebea.st/1FgCtPL via @michaeldweiss, @thedailybeast 17 May

Frontline fighting rattles residents of Krymske in Luhansk regionhttp://uatoday.tv/politics/frontline-fighting-rattles-residents-of-krymske-in-luhansk-region-427700.html … #lugansk #Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/PXmSP3WWsR

Ukrainians informed OSCE on barbaric Dzerzhynsk shelling. PHOTOS http://24today.net/open/411776 pic.twitter.com/s3pfBZ0BYh

[OUTLAW 09]

Ever wonder what drives central and eastern European countries to join NATO and the EU????

Just maybe history of the Soviet Union until Russia in the eastern Ukraine--death and destruction.

At Bykivnia Forest, commemorating 100thousand Ukr, Rus, Polish, Jewish victims of Stalinist executions, 1937-40. RIP. pic.twitter.com/f0saZClNgJ

[OUTLAW 09]

Notice the use of Russian disinformation and outright subtle lies in this Russian media Sputnik press release--Sputnik is totally owned by Russian government.

with all the recent Russian AF activity over the Baltic Sea that has shown them to fly within 20 feet of aircraft, to fly with their transponders off in civilian air traffic lanes and in general create unsafe flying conditions over the Baltic "it was the Lithuanians who shot it down" JUST like it was "the Ukrainians who shot down MH17"???

BTW--the AN-2 is a WW2 aircraft that has a history of crashes centering around engine failures and or fuel problems due to aging --SO what is potentially just a routine aircraft failure BECOMES from Sputnik a perfect chance to demonstration disinformation.

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150517/1022238415.html#ixzz3aOrlKgFS

An-2 Aircraft Feared Shot Down Over Lithuania
© Sputnik/ Vladimir Astapkovich

14:03 17.05.2015(updated 15:18 17.05.2015)


A Soviet-made An-2 aircraft has gone missing in Lithuanian airspace and its two pilots have gone missing as a result of what the plane's owner said was a possible shooting down of the craft.

A Soviet-made An-2 (NATO reporting name "Colt") aircraft is feared shot down after it went missing in Lithuanian airspace while it was en route from Sweden to Lithuania on Saturday.

Lithuania has been ramping up air defense efforts in response to what it alleges are airspace violations by Russian planes. The aircraft's two pilots, both of whom have over 40 years experience flying, are missing.

"I know that they were in Lithuanian airspace and were in contact with Palanga Airport, but then the signal disappeared. Maybe the plane got shot down, maybe something else," the head of Klaipeda Airlines which owns the plane told Delfi.

The company bought the Soviet-made plane in Sweden and was transporting it to Lithuania for agricultural use.

A Lithuanian navy helicopter has been searching for the missing craft, but was unable to find it and rescue ships have continued the search. The country has asked its neighbor Latvia for assistance.

[OUTLAW 09]

Here's the key points from today's Volkskrant article on the downing of #MH17, lots of good stuff https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/posts/388738477981276 …

Best thing Kremlin could do now is admit #MH17 culpability, start talks on compensation. The evidence is building, and getting more damning

60 Minutes Australia ✔ @60Mins (Full programme not yet broadcast, it is on tonight and will try to link Monday).
#60Mins shows how this satellite picture produced by the Russian media is stitched together from Google Earth images. pic.twitter.com/rPIdje5yDp

bellingcat @bellingcat
We'll be releasing a new #MH17 report before July 17 with details of which soldiers could have been operating the Buks

[OUTLAW 09]

Mod's Note: copied here from the Syrian SOF raid thread and edited:
Bill--actually we did drop the get rid of Assad because the ground fighting was going nowhere and Hezbollah and the IRGC were so heavily involved the US never figured the ground fighting would reach a culminating tipping point which has now has been achieved and the Assad military is defacto now actually losing the fight all because someone is training and shipping a large number of TOWs into the fight--last rough count--there have been well over 300 fired with a high success rate--ie it has decimated the Assad armor and artillery and is being now used to crack open critical defensive Assad military positions.

Am a firm believer that the TOW is the great equalizer when armor is in play--even during the Cold War in Europe TOWs were mounted on just about anything that could shoot and scoot.With COIN it simply fell out of favor due to civilian loses when it was used.

The more interesting question--who are the trainers and who in the US is signing the purchase orders and more importantly who is flying them into country--SF or CIA??

Now that it appears Assad is actually losing the US feels they need Russia to figure out that he is losing and come up with an exit plan in order to save face basically for the Russians --while we seem to be so involved in "Russian face saving in Syria" we seem to be letting Putin continue along the lines of "let's let the Ukrainians fight 700 tanks even if the TOW is the critical weapon of choice" and can make a "non military win" or at least keep Russian troops and her mercenaries bottled up and allow no further territorial gains at the expense of the Ukraine--that is the least the US can do under the impression that the Budapest Memorandum really meant nothing even with a US signature.

I would argue that even Iran after watching the US basically run from their responsibilities on really what was a nuclear disarming memorandum fully understands they can violate the ongoing nuclear deal any time they want to with no back lash.

Just as long as we do not get involved and it does not cost us to much and it appears we really are involved in Europe--a kind of on the cheap approach that is basically not working after Sochi or why else is Nuland now in Moscow after Sochi?--did not Putin get the message the first time around in Sochi?

That is if we even provided a message--if we did then he did not understand it based on the massive shellings and ground attacks since Sochi costing the Ukrainians 17 KIA and 50 WIA in just this week alone.

BTW the supplier of choice for the more critical defensive systems ie night vision and counter battery radar/drones has been the Canadians----.

These events today out of the Ukraine and one comment out of Syria from yesterday in fact shows an indication that the rag tag Ukrainian Army on their own are actually holding on well and are starting to use their version of our TOW--all without US assistance as we stand on the sidelines trying to "rescue Putin's image because we think it is the right thing to do"??

AND the comment out of Syria is indicating that the current fighting is decimating IRGC and Hezbollah--both incidents are getting absolutely no US news media coverage.

Ukrainian fired ATGM is actually filmed by Russian mercenaries as it is inbound and hits their bunker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pupp2pkyfRA
UA is improving in their AT skill sets and are now firing their own version developed themselves and allegedly better than our TOW.

Ukraine border guard patrol attacked by saboteurs who retreat to #Russia.http://lugansk-news.com/ukraine-border-guard-patrol-attacked-by-saboteurs-who-retreat-to-russia/ … pic.twitter.com/o83gYPyONA
Rumint has it that it was a Russian spetznaz team crossing into the Ukraine from physical Russia--when they were ambushed they fled back into Russian territory.

Aidar captures two Russian special operations officers in ATO zone (Photos)
http://www.unian.info/politics/1078842-aidar-captures-two-russian-special-operations-officers-in-ato-zone-photos.html … pic.twitter.com/zLeQKoXcsv

Russians captured after attack on central positions. Aidar soldr says both were injured, one w broken hip — "had no choice but to speak" (2)

Oliver Carroll @olliecarroll
More info (in Russ) regarding R special forces said to have been captured in Schastya yday. via @olivkaoliva https://www.facebook.com/grigory.maximets/posts/569709399835357 …

Two Russian soldiers were captured near #Shchastya yesterday.
Here is one of them, being treated by Ukr mil doctors. https://twitter.com/HetmanAndrij/status/599934960628310018 …

#Map
What we know so far about Russian army soldier Alexander Alexandrov, captured in #Shchastya,#Ukraine, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/XVcBYMfwzZ

[OUTLAW 09]

#News
#Stanytsia_Luhanska was shelled by small arms, grenades, mortars and even #Grad missiles last night.
Bus station, many buildings hit.

#Rifle #SVD after tuning for snipers from 79th Brigade #Army of #Ukraine. via @antmrufka pic.twitter.com/65Ou2VrlZk

BLOG Russian military base and trainingscamp at Komsomolske
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/russian-military-base-and-trainingscamp.html …
@GorseFires pic.twitter.com/PjuR0Dkgqh

The BMP-97 Vystrel is ONLY used by Russian commanders even INSIDE Ukraine. Very remarkable to see a destroyed one. pic.twitter.com/bT6rfkjVWP

[OUTLAW 09]

Ah......the speed of social media----one has to like it----wonder if the US IC is this fast--concerning Russian Spetnaz POWs and the Assad Army taking a beating. Wait long enough and social media will have their entire life histories if they placed it into the net.

The other Russian POW is badly wounded and gets medical help. (Russia tortures and executes Ukrainian POWS!).
pic.twitter.com/HeCr2Z2ONh

VK-page of Alexander Russian Spetnaz captured near Shchastya
http://vk.com/id66695424
via @tombreadley

Alexander Alexandrov from Togliatti is one of these 2 Russian POWs pic.twitter.com/xwKpESJoKO

Facebook page reporting about the two captured Russian GRU officers near Schastya.
https://www.facebook.com/mil.in.ua/p...514378/?type=1 … pic.twitter.com/MUBZ4xkoim

Kremlin again denies that Russian soldiers were taken POWhttp://goo.gl/X3ifXl

[OUTLAW 09]

So called Russian mercenary training center identified as a regular Russian Army training center using regular Russian Army personnel.
Russian #LittleGreenMen wait in woods for Col-Gen Lentsov's orders. Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/GTyWUjlIE7

Russian ground forces masquerade as "DPR armed forces" at Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/kedv6txsoY

Russian ground forces ("Vikings" Infantry Battalion, DPR) exercises, Donetsk region 15 Mayhttps://vk.com/album-93369497_215703572 … pic.twitter.com/MYxFH8ApX1

Occupation: Russian Ground Forces training ground/staging post at Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/Z9jDfxr1Fv

NOT "separatists", "militants" or "rebels" BUT highly skilled Russian army trainers. Donetsk region Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/Ej3e6ZPtK0

Accomodation units (behind trees) for Lentsov's #LittleGreenMen. Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/aVZxoZr1uR

[OUTLAW 09]

Ah......the speed of social media----one has to like it----wonder if the US IC is this fast--concerning Russian Spetnaz POWs and the Assad Army taking a beating. Wait long enough and social media will have their entire life histories if they placed it into the net.

The other Russian POW is badly wounded and gets medical help. (Russia tortures and executes Ukrainian POWS!).
pic.twitter.com/HeCr2Z2ONh

VK-page of Alexander Russian Spetnaz captured near Shchastya
http://vk.com/id66695424
via @tombreadley

Alexander Alexandrov from Togliatti is one of these 2 Russian POWs pic.twitter.com/xwKpESJoKO

Facebook page reporting about the two captured Russian GRU officers near Schastya.
https://www.facebook.com/mil.in.ua/p...514378/?type=1 … pic.twitter.com/MUBZ4xkoim

Kremlin again denies that Russian soldiers were taken POWhttp://goo.gl/X3ifXl…

#UAF black humor. #Lavrov says he got lost trying to find his lost friends. pic.twitter.com/XASxgCmGar

This is his unit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Guards_Spetsnaz_Brigade … He called his colonel Щепин Schepin which has been in charge of the unit since 2010

Wounded captain of the 3rd brigade of GRU SoF Erofeev and Sergeant Alexandrovpic.twitter.com/yQVkPO0zu2

Sgt.Aleksandrov also says
-his group of 14, goal:surveillance
-he wasn't tortured
-he is a contract soldier
-there's another 1 Rus group

A bit more than a claim! Here's another GRU in Novoazovsk districthttps://twitter.com/GorseFires/status/599478369164603392 …

Russian GRU 2nd Independent Spetsnaz Brigade: Nikolay Semenov (VDV) in #Novoazovsk district Ukraine (11 May photo up) pic.twitter.com/GHF9TGhO8s

People's army of the LNR has announced that two of their fighters have been captured by UA army. https://twitter.com/rianru/status/599980698368356352

[OUTLAW 09]

Perfect example of ethnic Russian Ukrainian proRussian supporters calling the kettle blacker than black--what a turn of events.

#Luhansk #communists complain about oppression, call LNR leaders fascist, oligarchic http://vlada.io/vlada_news/kommunistyi-luganska-zhaluyutsya-na-pritesneniya-i-nazyivayut-vlasti-lnr-fashistami/ … pic.twitter.com/SyqLpq8tmr

[OUTLAW 09]

I have also written here many times that that the Russian UW doctrine of non linear warfare is in direct support to the current Russian political warfare--non linear warfare is simply the "means" to drive to a political warfare "end state".

Putin who believes in the destruction of western neo liberalism and is basically an up and coming Russian "fascist" on an neo imperialistic expansion campaign repeatedly has stated his three geo political goals to achieve Russian hegemon status over all of Europe and an equal footing with the US via what he has often referred to as his wanting "a new Yalta" to divide up the world between the US and Russia into new "spheres of influence" which Russia states as their ability to have "equality of control". Yet we seem to not understand this particular term BUT the Baltics and Poland does understand.

His three geo political goals are:

1. discrediting and damaging for good NATO
2. discrediting and damaging for good the EU
AND
3 total disconnecting of the US from Europe ----in order to achieve his vision of a Europe from Portugal to the Russian Far East UNDER Russian political/military/economic dominance.

He is not shy in the least bit in stating and restating these goals.

AND what is the WH, NSC and DoS response to all of the above--silence, silence and more silence ALL in the name of a "legacy"--does that make sense to any SWJ reader.

BTW on the three targeted geo political goals Russia via Putin is about 75% of the way to his "end state" and the current US leadership is helping and helping and helping him met his stated goals.

Have never seen in the last 40 years such a weak NSC and an equally weak President and yet we claim to "led the free world"????

Any SWJ reader think Putin is truly interested in full implementation of Minsk 2????--I do not.

Ukraine under Occupation: Russian Army establish 5th Donetsk Independent Motor Rifle Brigade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmrKnLBMmBQ&feature=youtu.be … pic.twitter.com/wj39tRFQzh

16 May. This Russian Army officer appears to be Cmdr of 5th Donetsk Independent Motor Rifle Brigade. Any more info?pic.twitter.com/2HRWb7mCHI

So much for Putin and his Foreign Minister wanting a full implementation of Minsk 2----.

Terrorists stopped 4 cars of OSCE for inspection at a roadblock near Pervomaiskpic.twitter.com/Hcag1ed3K6 http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/17-may-terrorists-stopped-4-cars-of-osce-for-inspection-at …

[OUTLAW 09]

16:37 #Shakhtarsk @Helgi__UA 5 new Ural trucks w/troops tow/#Donetsk

12:02 #Donetsk @Serzzze a BMP via Kalinovka westwards

@tassagency_en: Iskander-M missile systems to be deployed in #Kaliningrad region till 2018 http://tass.ru/en/russia/795113 … [via @VeikoSpolitis
The SS-21 is a nuclear capable tactical missile able to hit Berlin.

Moskal: "RIP, Heroes!" Hunter vehicle tripped land mine near Popasna killing three, wounding one http://en.censor.net.ua/n336486 17 May

Russian forces provoke Ukrainian soldiers to open fire in #Shyrokyne http://en.censor.net.ua/n336487 17 May

[OUTLAW 09]

http://uaposition.com/the-osce-gave-to-the-terrorists-in-eastern-ukraine-the-coordinates-for-attacks-military-expert-dr-phillip-a-karber/

The OSCE gave to the terrorists in Ukraine coordinates of Ukrainian forces
Posted on Sunday, 17 May, 2015 - 19:03


Dr. Phillip A. Karber, the President of the Potomac Foundation, expert in defense and national security matters, presented the report “Beyond Minsk II: Prospects for a new Russian offensive”.

Phillip A. Karber states that the OSCE inspectors are ineffective and have never been used to monitor any military activities:

“The OSCE was never intended to oversee military operations. I characterize them more as marriage counselors rather than divorce lawyers,” Karber said.

The President of the Potomac Foundation said that during his visit to Mariupol the Russian observers from the OSCE in Ukraine recorded the coordinates of the Ukrainian forces with the use of their mobile phones:

“The idea is that they will do their job, to insist on inspections and fast reports… They are just not able to do that because the team includes the Russians. When I was in Mariupol, the number of Russian observers was much higher than [the number of] representatives of other countries. They went near the positions of the Ukrainian military and input the coordinates of their location in their mobile phones. The OSCE is not an independent body.”

In addition Phillip A. Karber says that the OSCE inspectors have no access to the Russian-Ukrainian border, where the Russian forces cross the border and deliver the goods and equipment to terrorists from the illegal republics in Eastern Ukraine.

“The OSCE inspectors have only 25% of the time that was to be initially granted to them at their disposal, 50% in other regions Even though – any inspection or operation needs to be authorized by the Russians either way,”underlined Phillip A. Karber.

[OUTLAW 09]

Here's the key points from today's Volkskrant article on the downing of #MH17, lots of good stuff https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/posts/388738477981276 …

bellingcat @bellingcat
60 Minutes #MH17 report http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/05/17/05/37/60-minutes-digs-into-mystery-surrounding-destruction-of-mh17 …

Redundant YouTube links for the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4zZzbzqcPU …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoFKqyGzjk …

[OUTLAW 09]

#UAF black humor. #Lavrov says he got lost trying to find his lost friends. pic.twitter.com/XASxgCmGar

This is his unit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Guards_Spetsnaz_Brigade … He called his colonel Щепин Schepin which has been in charge of the unit since 2010

Wounded captain of the 3rd brigade of GRU SoF Erofeev and Sergeant Alexandrovpic.twitter.com/yQVkPO0zu2

Sgt.Aleksandrov also says
-his group of 14, goal:surveillance
-he wasn't tortured
-he is a contract soldier
-there's another 1 Rus group

A bit more than a claim! Here's another GRU in Novoazovsk districthttps://twitter.com/GorseFires/status/599478369164603392 …

Russian GRU 2nd Independent Spetsnaz Brigade: Nikolay Semenov (VDV) in #Novoazovsk district Ukraine (11 May photo up) pic.twitter.com/GHF9TGhO8s

People's army of the LNR has announced that two of their fighters have been captured by UA army. https://twitter.com/rianru/status/599980698368356352

Come on Russian mercenaries you have got to get a far better cover story going here—they were captured long before you basically admitted they were captured.

At 19:01 "LNR" reported, UKR group intruded their territory and captured 2 POWs. Poor fantasy @LUGANSK_TODAY pic.twitter.com/G7wmP5OSua

Just what the heck of a propaganda story are they selling to well trained Spetnaz personnel OR there has been some rumors the Russia has been organ harvesting of wounded Ukrainian POWs before executing them so maybe Spetnaz believes the same will happen to them.

Captured officers asked doctors to operate without anesthesia, cause they afraid their organs will be cut for sale pic.twitter.com/QepZoSgEps

We used to avoid publishing faces of POWs. But scum from Russian GRU killed two of our colleagues recently. So... pic.twitter.com/euVDy3AN4e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhRUb6JTD50 … Meet 1 of 2 'rebels' fr 3rd Guards Spetsnaz Bde (#Tolyatti, #Russia) captured in #Shchastia, #Luhansk Obl

From his interview:
The"6-8" refers t # groups working fr Luhansk->as he says they work "autonomously",he may not be sure they r Russian, rats out only 1 group!

[OUTLAW 09]

Clashes today indicate tht Russians are clearly increasing their activity in new spots on th frontline.It's not only Shyrokyne&Pisky anymore

2 wounded fighters of batallion #Azov in #Shyrokyne

#BREAKINGNEWS
#Russia|n Forces fire with GRAD-MLRS on #Ukraine positions today
#donetsk #luhansk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbAhNCONQ8Y … …

@14720Maro Track traces point out, they crossed Kuprina and along Pukhova went fr/there. 10-12 troops on each armour.

#Donetsk @14720Maro Abt 5pm 4 BMD (1st 'Sparta' marked), Ural trucks, fuel truck along Ivan Tkachenko St tow/center

FYI, @EgoRZemtsoV is photographer with Russian main intel directorate (yes, GRU) been assigned for months in Donbas.

[OUTLAW 09]

Remember recently when the Russian FM and the Russian MoD basically called the US statement that there were Russian AD systems close to and in the contact line a "lie".

Both stated there were absolutely NO Russian AD systems inside the Ukraine THEN this:

#Breaking
Ukrainian drone films #RussianArmy 9K35 Strela-10 in #Oktyabr, 25 km from #Mariupol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbXWMTLIXiQ … pic.twitter.com/PDqBFcZXPl

So who is actually lying these days?????

[OUTLAW 09]

Bloomberg: #Russia to spend more on war with #Ukraine , and less on their health (A message to all Russians) #Moscow
http://ukraineenglishnewsforum.createaforum.com/general-discussion/ukraine-crisis-news-in-brief-sunday-17-may-(ukrainian-sources)/msg6781/#msg6781 …

Nothing like a little Russian "fascism".

New Russian textbooks must stress existence of ‘Great Russian Aryan Race,’ Duma deputy says http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/05/17/new-russian-textbooks-must-stress-existence-of-great-russian-aryan-race-duma-deputy-says/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems American social media companies to include PayPal seem to want to truly believe they do not live in a "political world". In the current 21st century--there is no such animal called "non political".

Russian oligarch and "black money" has flowed heavily into Twitter---to the tune of 700M USD, unlisted heavy inflow by Russian oligarch into Face Book both as investments but also in controlling the European FB operations, massive Russian oligarch monies into YouTube and Paypal as so called "investments.

So the question becomes are in fact US companies "beholden" and answer to the current Russian information warfare campaign?

It is interesting that currently GlobalVoices was able to identify recently a 20,000 Russian bot system using Twitter and FB for spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation AND they were not blocked BUT countless western and Ukrainian accounts which support the Ukraine and western journalists are being blocked for reasons sometimes really vague by Russian accounts--AND not much in the way of responses by the US companies on their apparently proRussian "political" stances.

In the Information Age, you'd think a giant like Facebook would be prepared for the Information War
https://twitter.com/euromaidanpress/status/599607890786258944 …

Users in #Ukraine Complain of @Facebook #Censorship; Zuckerberg Says Censored Posts Are Hate Speech http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/05/15/facebooks-zuckerberg-responds-to-ukrainians-complaints-but-is-his-answer-enough/ … by @tanyalokot

Seems that Face Book censored and removed this photo after Russian trolls complained about--without checking at all.

Where is graphic violence? Russian Trolls target picture of mourning child.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32720965 … pic.twitter.com/hGrlYhlj3j

[OUTLAW 09]

#UAF black humor. #Lavrov says he got lost trying to find his lost friends. pic.twitter.com/XASxgCmGar

This is his unit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Guards_Spetsnaz_Brigade … He called his colonel Щепин Schepin which has been in charge of the unit since 2010

Wounded captain of the 3rd brigade of GRU SoF Erofeev and Sergeant Alexandrovpic.twitter.com/yQVkPO0zu2

Sgt.Aleksandrov also says
-his group of 14, goal:surveillance
-he wasn't tortured
-he is a contract soldier
-there's another 1 Rus group

A bit more than a claim! Here's another GRU in Novoazovsk districthttps://twitter.com/GorseFires/status/599478369164603392 …

Russian GRU 2nd Independent Spetsnaz Brigade: Nikolay Semenov (VDV) in #Novoazovsk district Ukraine (11 May photo up) pic.twitter.com/GHF9TGhO8s

People's army of the LNR has announced that two of their fighters have been captured by UA army. https://twitter.com/rianru/status/599980698368356352

Captured Russian soldiers, the captain of the 3rd Brigade and Special Forces Sergeant Alexander Yerofeyev, testified how their team is fighting against Ukraine.

They belonged to the 3rd separate Guards brigade of special purpose GRU of the General Staff (3rd separate Guards Warsaw-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov III level team of special purpose / h 21208, city Togliatti, the brigade commander - Colonel Guard Schepin SA).

Interesting military unit honorifics

They arrived at the territory controlled by the rebels in March 2015 as part of its brigades and divisions to carry out combat reconnaissance and sabotage missions against the forces of ATU.

May 16 it was tasked to reconnoitre the Lugansk TES for future operations.

Reconnaissance group commander, Captain Evgeny Erofeev (18.01.1985 GN, a native of Kuibyshev, Russia, callsign "Dolphin")

Senior intelligence officer, Sergeant service contract Alexander A. Alexandrov (07.01.1987 GN, a native of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russian Federation, callsign "Alex").

RU media are in denial that captured RU soldiers confessed on tape to being regular Spetznaz. Here's the RU version > http://ria.ru/world/20150517/1065013925.html …

So, the captured #Russia|n soldiers admit they are Spetsnaz but Trolls still claim it's 'militia fighters'? Can't stop laughing..

LNR "government" says two of its "rebel fighters" were captured by Ukraine. Same rebel fighters who admitted they are RU regular soldiers

I am Russian soldier, says this man, captured by Ukrainian forces near Shchastya, while his country abandoned him... pic.twitter.com/xS6fhiWAjn

Russian POW: Well, Alexander Alexandrov won't be seeing his girlfriends for a long time... pic.twitter.com/oIK1NVyrKW

Vadim Pugachev, killed by Russian GRU Spetsnaz (fr. Tolliatti) in #Schastya.
Russian defending his land #Ukraine RIP pic.twitter.com/KfxwT8LpKK

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears that the recent Russian mercenary loses are actually quite high.

The Ukrainian Army must be doing something right.

Fresh graves with wooden crosses stretching to horizon in rebel military cemetery photographed in #Donetsk https://twitter.com/PierreCrom/status/599991315703685121 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Plenty more photos of Russian Ground Forces training in Donetsk region, Ukraine May 2015 https://vk.com/album-93369497_215422239 … pic.twitter.com/u5DpvhOSaW

E #Ukraine was artificially resettled by Russians/Belarusians after 1932/33 Holodomor genocide
http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/05/17/holodomor-and-separatism-in-the-donbas/ … pic.twitter.com/A6Pm1MJFCg

ISIS Militants Use Popular Russian Web Payment System To Raise Cash http://www.rferl.org/content/islamic-state-funding-russian-web-payments-qiwi/27021379.html … prin @RFERL

[OUTLAW 09]

Russians used mortars to try to kill their own captured officers!!
http://www.unian.ua/war/1078873-rechnik-genshtabu-viyskovi-z-tolyatti-mayut-ponesti-kriminalnu-vidpovidalnist-za-svoji-vchinki.html … pic.twitter.com/tAFajvB7kE

Talk about the length Russia will go to ---to have plausible deniably

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia is attempting to open a new front.

The "people's republic of Besarabia" just held its second conference

http://maidantranslations.com/2015/05/17/dmitry-tymchuk-regarding-the-national-cultural-autonomy-of-bessarabia-freesavchenko/

Dmitry Tymchuk: Regarding the “national-cultural autonomy of Bessarabia”

Posted on May 17, 2015 by chervonaruta

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Regarding the “national-cultural autonomy of Bessarabia:”


Yesterday, on May 16th in Odesa, the so-called “People’s Council of Bessarabia” held its second conference, at which they presented some “draft law on the national and cultural autonomy of the Bessarabian Region.”

This is a new round of the Russian special service’s activities on the territory of Ukraine. While preparing a large-scale offensive in Donbas, the Kremlin is also trying to ignite a “second front,” so as to destabilize the situation in the South as much as possible, and divert our defense forces and equipment from the ATO zone. At the same time [the Kremlin] is testing the waters for further splitting Ukraine and stealing its territories using a third scenario (after the first two: the bloodless “Crimean scenario” and the bloody “Donbas” one). The proximity of a Russian military springboard in the form of Transnistria makes this scenario not at all unrealistic.

The newly-minted “Bessarabians” are not trying very hard to conceal the fact that they are controlled by Russia. The conference participants received a greeting from Moscow, by Alik Vetrov, one of the founders of the “People’s Council” and a Russian anti-Ukrainian activist known in Odesa, who stated, “Together with you, I will continue fighting for the bright future of Bessarabia!” There were several more infamous Russian lapdogs on the video call, including the former “Foreign Minister” of Transnistria Vladimir Yastrebchak. (It should be noted that Yastrebchak and Vetrov had long been proclaimed personae non grata by other states in the region that are conscious of their national security – for example, Azerbaijan.)

The “Bessarabians” also did not bother to hide the fact that the “draft law on the national and cultural autonomy of the Bessarabian Region” was written by people whose relation to Ukraine was tenuous at best. That paper slip is chock full of borrowed Russian words (e.g. the phrase listed in this Law translated as перелічені в цьому Законі [an amalgam of Russian and Ukrainian words] instead of перераховані в цьому Законі [correct Ukrainian translation]; the term aimed translated as направлених [Russian] instead of спрямованих [Ukrainian], etc.). If the Russian FSB [Security Service] lacks the wits and finances to pay a Ukrainian-speaking editor $10 to proofread their masterpiece – then I feel sorry for the degenerate agents of this Russian special services that operate under cover of freak shows like the “People’s Council of Bessarabia.”

No-one should let themselves be fooled by “camouflage” stunts such as spreading the statement about a “purely cultural autonomy of Bessarabia as part of Ukraine.” The purpose of this project is to use the cover of language- and culture-related messages to carve a whole region out of our state, and subsequently turn it into a quasi-state formation, much like the neighboring Transnistria. And it’s painfully obvious whose rule it will be under.

The fact that the “Bessarabians” (whose relation with another Russian project, the “LNR” [Luhansk People’s Republic] has been proven by the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine]) are listing tasks for the Verkhovna Rada [Parliament] of Ukraine in their “draft law” and are essentially trying to change the Constitution of Ukraine – that is, of course, a joke. But the real problem lies in the fact that this Russian initiative can actually receive support from certain demographics in the districts of the Odesa oblast listed in the “draft law” (areas that, according to Moscow’s design, should make up “Bessarabia”). The reason for that is simple – those districts are either partially or entirely outside the Ukrainian media field, and have no Ukrainian digital TV coverage (while the TV is the main source of information for the local residents), as the IR group has reported earlier. Instead, the locals spend years being brainwashed by Russian TV, broadcast from Transnistria, even though there is a technical capacity to rectify the situation (without significant costs to the state budget!). The IR group has access to relevant estimates made by professionals. But those are issues for the attention of our Ministry of Information Policy (I have already addressed a relevant query to Yuriy Stets [Minister of Information]).

Thus, seeds of hatred and separatism sowed by the FSB may fall on very fertile soil in the Odesa oblast. With all ensuing consequences…

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings are again starting up this evening--five hotspots are being struck now.

[OUTLAW 09]

A Russian army BMP-1, driven by a volunteer from wherever, is still a Russian army BMP-1.
pic.twitter.com/NejNVDryDO

There was a battle near #Novomihaylovka in the evening http://censor.net.ua/n336528

SBU assures there are no 'people's republics' in Odesa region: The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) jointly w... http://bit.ly/1ddnSeV

Ouch
"President #Putin has given us a certain relevance"
German officer steps into media trap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDAy7bOrJzU … pic.twitter.com/vqSuC3o6wx

Chechnya's Kadyrov Claims Tsarnaevs Were Framed; Changes Position from Previous Denunciation http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-may-18-2015/#8391 … pic.twitter.com/n7UK9gOjzX

[kaur]

Outlaw said


Sgt.Aleksandrov also says
-his group of 14, goal:surveillance
-he wasn't tortured
-he is a contract soldier
-there's another 1 Rus group

He mentioned also quite many names of his unit. Head of this 14 man unit has captain rank. At the same time head of company has senior lieutenant rank. Unit has two sub-units. In 14 man unit there are 2 MG guys, 2 snipers, 1 explosives expert. His unit arrived to Ukraine in March. Their mission lasts 4-5 days and then they are replaced and have a rest. In Luhansk there are 6-8 units like his. Units are working independently. In contact with local rebels, but no joint action. Moving around in Urals, no IFV-s.

[OUTLAW 09]

Outlaw said



He mentioned also quite many names of his unit. Head of this 14 man unit has captain rank. At the same time head of company has senior lieutenant rank. Unit has two sub-units. In 14 man unit there are 2 MG guys, 2 snipers, 1 explosives expert. His unit arrived to Ukraine in March. Their mission lasts 4-5 days and then they are replaced and have a rest. In Luhansk there are 6-8 units like his. Units are working independently. In contact with local rebels, but no joint action. Moving around in Urals, no IFV-s.

kaur--many thanks for the additional info as it does now tend to round out their unit composition as a armed recon, surveillance and sabotage unit.

What surprises me though is the shelling of his unit by Russian artillery--it was Russian artillery not mercenary so they must have picked up the radio chatter of the ongoing fighting and someone was carrying GPS on them as artillery normally needs an accurate grid to strike accurately. The Sr. SGT was hit by a blast wave thus the hip injury.

Since it was Russian artillery then in fact the Russian army has placed their fighting units close to the contact line but apparently hidden as no one on the social media side is "seeing" them.

A SA-10 was seen via UAV in the open yesterday 5kms from the contact line near Mariupol.

[OUTLAW 09]

Come on Russian mercenaries you have got to get a far better cover story going here—they were captured long before you basically admitted they were captured.

At 19:01 "LNR" reported, UKR group intruded their territory and captured 2 POWs. Poor fantasy @LUGANSK_TODAY pic.twitter.com/G7wmP5OSua

Just what the heck of a propaganda story are they selling to well trained Spetnaz personnel OR there has been some rumors the Russia has been organ harvesting of wounded Ukrainian POWs before executing them so maybe Spetnaz believes the same will happen to them.

Captured officers asked doctors to operate without anesthesia, cause they afraid their organs will be cut for sale pic.twitter.com/QepZoSgEps

We used to avoid publishing faces of POWs. But scum from Russian GRU killed two of our colleagues recently. So... pic.twitter.com/euVDy3AN4e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhRUb6JTD50 … Meet 1 of 2 'rebels' fr 3rd Guards Spetsnaz Bde (#Tolyatti, #Russia) captured in #Shchastia, #Luhansk Obl

From his interview:
The"6-8" refers t # groups working fr Luhansk->as he says they work "autonomously",he may not be sure they r Russian, rats out only 1 group!

Ongoing battle near #Troitske with enemy sabotage and recon group http://www.ukrinform.ua/ukr/news/pid_troiitskim_ide_biy_2054115 …

VIDEO (with Engl subs) Interrogation with wounded Russian Spetsnaz captured at Shchastyahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fSP6-Ldg3Q …
via @ReggaeMortis1

Putin's spokesman denies Russian soldiers captured by the Ukrainians are Russian soldiers http://m.ria.ru/world/20150518/1065103068.html …

Majority of recon group that engaged in combat w/ Ukr infantry near Shchastia was killed, both detained Rus servicemen r injured - #ATO spox

Tomorrow 2 #Russian servicemen detained in combat near Shchastia will meet mass media, #ATO spox says there will b an announcement - presser

Russia has long insisted any soldiers in ukraine are 'volunteers' on leave. Russian military not previously renowned for generous holidays..

Propaganda Victims: Russian troops caught in Ukraine say commanders told them Ukrainians might harvest their organs. http://apne.ws/1QWuOLz

More details about the two captured men purported to be Russian officers: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ed7162d8c20f48b992026831de5f0d55/russians-troops-captured-ukraine-their-way-capital …

[OUTLAW 09]

VIDEO 11/05/15 Large column of US supplied #Ukraine HUMVEES being deployed to the frontline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KK5pHO6Rwc … pic.twitter.com/aBv5Jz6qBj

J#BREAKING
New maps reveal further evidence of the Russian army's invasion last year. https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.299132%2C47.533462&z=16&l=sat%2Cskl …
pic.twitter.com/Ow9iF2jrLv

The large volume of photos/video of Russian ground forces (incl DPR/LPR) training in May means only one thing: preparations.

Pushkov: Ukraine has nothing to offer West except confrontation with Russia
http://www.unian.info/politics/1079059-pushkov-ukraine-has-nothing-to-offer-west-except-confrontation-with-russia.html … pic.twitter.com/A4HXQPgZ7E

The NSDC of Ukraine reported 2 KIA and 4 WIA in battles yesterday.

There is a fight near Troitske in the Donetsk region pic.twitter.com/v2PYxrOd2V http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-there-is-a-fight-near-troitske-in-the-donetsk-region …

Professional guerrilla rail cut on rail lines being used by Russian rail resupply in the Ukraine.
pic.twitter.com/9547xr7d9P

[OUTLAW 09]

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Joint forces of Ukrainian servicemen and the police confiscated grenades, ammunition & mines from 2 clandestine arsenals in Donetsk region

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
UA soldiers engaged in combat near Troyitske, Luhansk region. Clash lasted for 2 hours. Militants used anti-aircraft gun, IFV, small arms

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Hotspots: Chermalyk – Mariupol sect; airport, Horlivka, Svitlodarsk in Donetsk sec – militants used 120mm mortars & 152mm artillery

Today 70 years ago:
Over 230,000 Crimean Tatars were deported from #Crimea by Stalin regime pic.wtitter.com/PFH724M06w

Further annexation of eastern Ukraine.
From 16 May 2015 all Donetsk militia are de facto auxilliary units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation https://translate.google.ie/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Frg-dnr.info%2Fpage%2Fparlament-dnr-prinyal-zakon-o-sozdanii-voorujennyih-sil&edit-text= …

Almost 50,000 Russian soldiers redeployed to the border with Ukraine - Joint Staff http://en.censor.net.ua/n336530

Police found 132 artillery shells in #Donbass pic.twitter.com/8IzEeDiQ3A http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-police-found-132-artillery-shells-in-donbass- …

Militants clash with Ukrainian army near Novomykhailivka
http://www.unian.info/war/1079021-militants-clash-with-ukrainian-army-near-novomykhailivka.html … pic.twitter.com/8WqtodoOYv

[OUTLAW 09]

#Shakhtarsk 11:55
10x BMP w fighters, 12 tented Ural/Kamaz trucks w field kitchens, water tank fr #Donetsk to East https://twitter.com/Helgi__UA/status/600238766314389504

Tymchuk: ATO forces repel militants’ attacks in area of Troitske and near coast
http://www.unian.info/war/1079082-tymchuk-ato-forces-repel-militants-attacks-in-area-of-troitske-and-near-coast.html … pic.twitter.com/imNhEkyJFO

We suspect Mikhail Tikhonov (if that's his real name) is officer of the Russian military planted in Donetsk. pic.twitter.com/nP91n9ZliG

Col. Mikhail Tikhonov (Михаил Тихонов) is commander of newly created 5th Donetsk Independent Motor Rifle Brigade. pic.twitter.com/SwjnyIio2V

Out of nowhere! Deputy of so-called "Council of Donetsk People's Republic" becomes a 'Colonel' of DPR Armed forces pic.twitter.com/JxcVt3llXt

Russian army APC, overpainted tactical markings. Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk reg, Ukraine 17 May https://vk.com/photo205292010_363778656?all=1 … pic.twitter.com/P3RVYpJKJQ

[OUTLAW 09]

Ongoing battle near #Troitske with enemy sabotage and recon group http://www.ukrinform.ua/ukr/news/pid_troiitskim_ide_biy_2054115 …

VIDEO (with Engl subs) Interrogation with wounded Russian Spetsnaz captured at Shchastyahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fSP6-Ldg3Q …
via @ReggaeMortis1

Putin's spokesman denies Russian soldiers captured by the Ukrainians are Russian soldiers http://m.ria.ru/world/20150518/1065103068.html …

Majority of recon group that engaged in combat w/ Ukr infantry near Shchastia was killed, both detained Rus servicemen r injured - #ATO spox

Tomorrow 2 #Russian servicemen detained in combat near Shchastia will meet mass media, #ATO spox says there will b an announcement - presser

Russia has long insisted any soldiers in ukraine are 'volunteers' on leave. Russian military not previously renowned for generous holidays..

Propaganda Victims: Russian troops caught in Ukraine say commanders told them Ukrainians might harvest their organs. http://apne.ws/1QWuOLz

More details about the two captured men purported to be Russian officers: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ed7162d8c20f48b992026831de5f0d55/russians-troops-captured-ukraine-their-way-capital …

Captured Russian soldiers to be prosecuted for terrorism
http://www.unian.info/society/1079167-captured-russian-soldiers-to-be-prosecuted-for-terrorism.html … pic.twitter.com/acuUUTbGeV

Detained #Russian servicemen are not to be exchanged but charged w/ committing terrorist activities in #Ukraine - SBU http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/05/18/7068249/ …

Here is the bind Russia is now in—by constantly stating they have no Russian troops in the Ukraine—technically now the “captured Russian Spetsnaz” are actually terrorists as they illegally entered the Ukraine and were killing Ukrainians as "civilians" or worse yet "mercenaries".

AND since Russia restated via Putin’s spokesperson they are not Russian soldiers Putin technically put them in front of a court of law as terrorists.

One should be able to argue that the Geneva Convention applies but in fact by Putin declaring the captured Spetsnaz to be not Russian soldiers they can only be then civilians thus not covered by the GC nor IIRC visits.

One could stretch the GC and say they had a common uniform, carried weapons on the outside for all to see and had a common ID --that would then make them "guerrillas" covered under the GC, BUT again Russia has repeatedly stated it is not involved in the Ukraine in any way and that those fighting are "miners and truck drivers".

Will be interesting to see how Russia spins the trial of these Spetsnaz.

[OUTLAW 09]

Livestream of Ukrainian MoD on captured Spetsnaz troops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6821QyVnGc&feature=youtu.be …

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Russian soldiers allegedly seized in Ukraine believed story about doctors harvesting organs, asked not to be sedated: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ed7162d8c20f48b992026831de5f0d55/russians-troops-captured-ukraine-their-way-capital

Meduza Project @meduza_en
Kiev is offering Moscow back its 2 "intelligence officers." All it wants in return is 401 Ukrainian POWs. https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/05/18/kiev-wants-to-swap-two-russian-pows-for-savchenko-and-400-ukrainians

Ukraine defence min starts presser on captured Russian soldiers by displaying gun it says used against its forces pic.twitter.com/Y6CnRx32m8

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Ukrainian military show off new assualt rifle it says was used by captured Russian soldiers. pic.twitter.com/cdP5HHa7z2

Vintorez rifle belonging to #Russians(3rd Guards Spetsnaz Bde,#Tolyatti,#Russia) captured yest in #Shchastia,#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/B0qUtNlJd7

[OUTLAW 09]

Livestream of Ukrainian MoD on captured Spetsnaz troopshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6821QyVnGc&feature=youtu.be …

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Russian soldiers allegedly seized in Ukraine believed story about doctors harvesting organs, asked not to be sedated: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ed7162d8c20f48b992026831de5f0d55/russians-troops-captured-ukraine-their-way-capital

Meduza Project @meduza_en
Kiev is offering Moscow back its 2 "intelligence officers." All it wants in return is 401 Ukrainian POWs. https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/05/18/kiev-wants-to-swap-two-russian-pows-for-savchenko-and-400-ukrainians

Ukraine defence min starts presser on captured Russian soldiers by displaying gun it says used against its forces pic.twitter.com/Y6CnRx32m8

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Ukrainian military show off new assualt rifle it says was used by captured Russian soldiers. pic.twitter.com/cdP5HHa7z2

Vintorez rifle belonging to #Russians(3rd Guards Spetsnaz Bde,#Tolyatti,#Russia) captured yest in #Shchastia,#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/B0qUtNlJd7

Ukrainian MoD: the POWs came to eastern Ukraine on March 26, this is the third dispatch from their brigade.

Ukr commander claims Spetsnaz's confessed task was to capture a bridge for a rebel group to move in and capture a power station

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Ukrainian official claims Russian forces tried to kill captured soldiers by shelling so they wd not reveal presence of Russ army in Ukraine.

If "There are no Russian troops in Ukraine", then how can you interrogate Russian soldiers in Ukraine ? Just askin*

Russia disowned its captive special forces operatives: "They are members of militia" http://en.censor.net.ua/n336519

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
BBC: journalists in Tolyatti given order not to write about captured men in Ukraine said to be GRU officers frm therehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/rolling_news/2015/05/150518_rn_tolyatti_protest_russia

Kremlin ‘can’t confirm’ Russian troops captured in Donbas are Russian troops
http://www.unian.info/politics/1079150-kremlin-cant-confirm-russian-troops-captured-in-donbas-are-russian-troops.html …

Ukraine To Present 'Captured Russian Soldiers' To Media http://bit.ly/1EetxWW pic.twitter.com/rHxo5iXzdH

The Russian task was to kill our soldiers - Taranov http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-the-russian-task-was-to-kill-our-soldiers--taranov …

[OUTLAW 09]

Reports coming in that Hladosove and Lozove are back in Ukrainian control. Even MilitaryCraps shows it!
via @MarQs__ pic.twitter.com/8eYVv9xfNL

Veteran Chechen fighters locked in fierce battle with Russian-backed militants in east Ukraine http://uatoday.tv/politics/veteran-chechen-fighters-locked-in-fierce-battle-with-russian-backed-militants-in-east-ukraine-427917.html …
Video:unian.info/war/1079231-veteran-chechen-fighters-locked-in-fierce-battle-with-russian-backed-militants-in-east-ukraine-video.html
How Russia fakes news. Detailed expose of countless faked Ukraine war stories. http://www.cepolicy.org/publications/anatomy-info-war-how-russias-propaganda-machine-works-and-how-counter-it …

Pentagon considers all options of military assistance to Ukraine without exceptionshttp://en.censor.net.ua/n336558

Tracking #Russia's maritime and airborne provocations: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11609783/Mapped-Just-how-many-incursions-into-Nato-airspace-has-Russian-military-made.html … pic.twitter.com/RTLXZV5L42

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian MoD: the POWs came to eastern Ukraine on March 26, this is the third dispatch from their brigade.

Ukr commander claims Spetsnaz's confessed task was to capture a bridge for a rebel group to move in and capture a power station

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Ukrainian official claims Russian forces tried to kill captured soldiers by shelling so they wd not reveal presence of Russ army in Ukraine.

If "There are no Russian troops in Ukraine", then how can you interrogate Russian soldiers in Ukraine ? Just askin*

Russia disowned its captive special forces operatives: "They are members of militia" http://en.censor.net.ua/n336519

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
BBC: journalists in Tolyatti given order not to write about captured men in Ukraine said to be GRU officers frm therehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/rolling_news/2015/05/150518_rn_tolyatti_protest_russia

Kremlin ‘can’t confirm’ Russian troops captured in Donbas are Russian troops
http://www.unian.info/politics/1079150-kremlin-cant-confirm-russian-troops-captured-in-donbas-are-russian-troops.html …

Ukraine To Present 'Captured Russian Soldiers' To Media http://bit.ly/1EetxWW pic.twitter.com/rHxo5iXzdH

The Russian task was to kill our soldiers - Taranovhttp://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-the-russian-task-was-to-kill-our-soldiers--taranov …

Ukrainian commander tells about the joint army-SBU operation that resulted in capture of Spetsnaz POWspic.twitter.com/EYHyinMJF2

Army commander Muzhenko says 2 Russian soldiers captured give Kiev "undeniable evidence" of Russian military presencepic.twitter.com/a694xxmfCe

The 92th Brigade commander showing a gun, which is held by the Russian spetsnaz only pic.twitter.com/4lgFlD6IID

Police Disperse Anti-War Demonstration at Togliatti Army Base Where Captured POWs are From
Meanwhile an impromptu protest has broken out at the Spetsnaz base in Russia, Russian BBC reports #PutinAtWar
https://twitter.com/bbcrussian/status/600296596266430466 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian commander tells about the joint army-SBU operation that resulted in capture of Spetsnaz POWs pic.twitter.com/EYHyinMJF2

Army commander Muzhenko says 2 Russian soldiers captured give Kiev "undeniable evidence" of Russian military presence pic.twitter.com/a694xxmfCe

The 92th Brigade commander showing a gun, which is held by the Russian spetsnaz only pic.twitter.com/4lgFlD6IID

Police Disperse Anti-War Demonstration at Togliatti Army Base Where Captured POWs are From
Meanwhile an impromptu protest has broken out at the Spetsnaz base in Russia, Russian BBC reports #PutinAtWar
https://twitter.com/bbcrussian/status/600296596266430466 …

DPR's Basurin draws attention to Geneva Convention on treatment of POWs. These are Ukrainian POWs executed by DPR!!!pic.twitter.com/xutsxw8hax

Kremlin disowns spetsnaz POWs, says they are "militia". However, DPR says all militia units are now "armed forces" http://rg-dnr.info/page/parlament-dnr-prinyal-zakon-o-sozdanii-voorujennyih-sil …

SBU spokesman: the POWs' relatives have not contacted us so far, but we will do anything possible to let them communicate

SBU spokesman: we are a humane people, we are rendering medical aid to the POWs and will allow them to speak to relatives

SBU spokesman claims undeniable proof that the POWs are Russian citizens and soldiers, although cannot divulge everything

Ukrainian MoD: we shall invite OSCE reps to observe the POWs who are now in a hospital in Kyiv

[OUTLAW 09]

1) #DPR officials leave for #Minsk for negotiations
2) DPR, #LPR envoys not to attend subgroups' meeting in Minsk - Pushilin
???

#NATO says not clear if RU serious about #Ukraine peace deal
http://reut.rs/1FnaOOb

Russia has been seriously attempting to be part of the negotiations on the FTA as an attempt to give the perception that nothing can happen without Russian approval. EU has pushed back on the Russian attempt last week and the EC has stated there will be no changes as requested by Russia.

Text of EU-Ukraine free trade area agreement will not be changed — Ukraine FM http://tass.ru/en/economy/795363 …

Ukr MoD: Russia's 98 and 106 divisions took part in the Donetsk V-day parade
https://twitter.com/superumka/status/600294997628481536 …

Ukraine banned the movement of goods in Transnistria http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-ukraine-banned-the-movement-of-goods-in-transnistria …

[OUTLAW 09]

More examples of Russian "altered states of reality".

Russian FM and MoD accused the US of lying when the US stated Russian AD systems were close to the contact line---seems they were actually lying.
Russian MoD flatly stated there are no Russian AD systems AT ALL in the Ukraine--this is the third one caught on video or geo tagged photos.

Russian Army Strela-10 in Ukraine. Uploaded 18 May on DPR Armed Forces VK site. Source: https://vk.com/dnrarmy?z=photo-47011808_368068037%2Fwall-51146063_3283 … pic.twitter.com/mDsatPE43x

Russia is urgently trying to get back "to normal business as usual"---

The Kremlin Says State Department Visits To Moscow Are Proof That Relations Are Normalizing http://bit.ly/1HcxQnY pic.twitter.com/CuqjXMS3mU

Strange way of "normalizing" if you ask me------seems like it is a long way to go before "normalizing"?

In Moscow, #Nuland comes out swinging. Says Minsk ceasefire violated daily & blames pro-Moscow separatists http://www.rferl.org/contentlive/liveblog/26805126.html?liveshare=62039#featured …

[OUTLAW 09]

Judging by other recent photos, this is Bila Kamyanka training area, Donetsk region, Ukraine. Source: https://vk.com/dnrarmy?z=phot

Photo uploaded 10 mins ago by so-called "Armed Forces of DPR" (i.e. auxilliaries of Russian Ground Forces in Ukraine) pic.twitter.com/4atm4kSUiK

Odd statement by #Russia official suggests Russia needs more nukes. 1500 strategic, 4500 total nukes not enough? http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150517/1022240247.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

More examples of Russian "altered states of reality".

Russian FM and MoD accused the US of lying when the US stated Russian AD systems were close to the contact line---seems they were actually lying.
Russian MoD flatly stated there are no Russian AD systems AT ALL in the Ukraine--this is the third one caught on video or geo tagged photos.

Russian Army Strela-10 in Ukraine. Uploaded 18 May on DPR Armed Forces VK site. Source: https://vk.com/dnrarmy?z=photo-47011808_368068037%2Fwall-51146063_3283 … pic.twitter.com/mDsatPE43x

Russia is urgently trying to get back "to normal business as usual"---

The Kremlin Says State Department Visits To Moscow Are Proof That Relations Are Normalizing http://bit.ly/1HcxQnY pic.twitter.com/CuqjXMS3mU

Strange way of "normalizing" if you ask me------seems like it is a long way to go before "normalizing"?

In Moscow, #Nuland comes out swinging. Says Minsk ceasefire violated daily & blames pro-Moscow separatists http://www.rferl.org/contentlive/liveblog/26805126.html?liveshare=62039#featured …

Notice the "different realm of reality" with the Russia press release about the same meeting where Nuland made her comments--disinformation.

http://tass.ru/en/world/795342

Russian deputy FM, Nuland discuss Russia-US cooperation in settling Ukraine crisis

May 18, 17:37 UTC+3

The two diplomats stressed the importance of a direct dialogue between the Kiev authorities and representatives of Donetsk and Luhansk


MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. Russian State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland have agreed to continue Russia-US contacts on Ukrainian settlement problems, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday after their meeting.

"The two diplomats discussed a wide range of issues linked with the Ukrainian crisis. In this context, they stressed the importance of a direct dialogue between the Kiev authorities and representatives of Donetsk and Luhansk, of strict observance by the parties to the conflict of the package of measures on the implementation of the Minsk agreement of February 12, 2015, which is a solid basis for a comprehensive settlement," the ministry said.
Now the US press release:

U.S. official says Minsk truce being violated "daily":


A senior U.S. diplomat says a cease-fire deal in eastern Ukraine "is being violated on a daily basis."
U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland spoke on May 18 after talks in Moscow with Russian officials.

Nuland said the violations of the Western-brokered agreement signed in February in Minsk by Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels "need to stop."
Nuland suggested that pro-Russian rebels were responsible for the bulk of the violations, which occurred "on the western side of the Minsk line."

She called for OSCE monitors to be allowed in the conflict zone to verify how the cease-fire is being implemented.

Nuland, who arrived in Moscow on May 17 from Ukraine, met with Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Grigory Karasin.

She said her discussions with the two were "very detailed...very pragmatic," and were centered around ways that the United States might be able to support the implementation of the Minsk deal.

[OUTLAW 09]

The Belarus leader stated recently the US had to be involved in the ongoing Ukraine negotiations—what do the Russian mercenaries fear???

http://tass.ru/en/world/795197

LPR is skeptical about US’ joining talks on settlement in Donbass - LPR envoy
May 18, 1:00 UTC+3

To involve an instigator of turmoil in the settlement process is like placing a bear in command of a bee-garden," Vladislav Deinego told


LUGANSK, May 18. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) is skeptical about the idea of the United States’ joining the negotiating process on the settlement in Donbass, LPR representatives in the Contact Group on Ukraine Vladislav Deinego said on Sunday.

"I am skeptical about the idea of the United States’ joining the talks on Donbass. To involve an instigator of turmoil in the settlement process is like placing a bear in command of a bee-garden," he told the Rossiya-1 television channel.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, who visited Kiev on Saturday, said Washington planned to expand its participation in ensuring the implementation of the Minsk agreements jointly with the European Union and the Normandy Four countries (Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine).

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS the United States had been demonstrating interest not only to the Normandy Format but to the Contact Group on Ukraine as well. However, he said, the Russian foreign ministry saw no point in that.

"I have spent much time studying speeches, statements, analyzing what is said in the contacts with us and our representatives behind closed doors," he said. "I have been fixing for quite a time the American party's aspiration for joining these formats, but we do not see reasons for that," he said.

[OUTLAW 09]

DPR's Basurin draws attention to Geneva Convention on treatment of POWs. These are Ukrainian POWs executed by DPR!!! pic.twitter.com/xutsxw8hax

Kremlin disowns spetsnaz POWs, says they are "militia". However, DPR says all militia units are now "armed forces" http://rg-dnr.info/page/parlament-dnr-prinyal-zakon-o-sozdanii-voorujennyih-sil …

SBU spokesman: the POWs' relatives have not contacted us so far, but we will do anything possible to let them communicate

SBU spokesman: we are a humane people, we are rendering medical aid to the POWs and will allow them to speak to relatives

SBU spokesman claims undeniable proof that the POWs are Russian citizens and soldiers, although cannot divulge everything

Ukrainian MoD: we shall invite OSCE reps to observe the POWs who are now in a hospital in Kyiv

So the Russian POWs were in fact Russian military but when captured suddenly they were not?????

Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev were NOT Russian servicemen "at the moment of detention" acc'd to Kremlin!

#BreakingReport
The Russian army withdraws its forces from #Bryanka after the capture of 2 troops in #Shchastya.
- Ukrainian general staff

#Russia|n special forces now quickly leave #Bryanka in the #Luhansk region - #Ukraine General staffhttp://www.mil.gov.ua/news/2015/05/18/genshtab-zsu-rosijski-speczpriznachenczi-terminovo-zalishayut-misto-bryanka-shho-na-luganshhini--/ …

#Russia is so embarassed by capture of GRU spetsnaz by #Ukraine that it admits they are Russian "former" servicemen. http://tass.ru/en/russia/795414 …

Russian Defense Ministry expects that Security service of Ukraine will release their ex-servicemen http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-russian-defense-ministry-expects-that-security-service …

More Russian disinformation
More RU media inventions "One of the captured so-called Russian soldiers graduated from Kiev University" http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2015/05/18/n_7206805.shtml …

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings are back on again,

19:13 #Donetsk @donetsk_ukrop Impact on Putilovka from DNR arty positions direction

19:08 #Donetsk Roofed Market @papandopoolo 2 loud heavy single [gunshots] were heard and far dim hum

19:07 #Donetsk Kyivsky ds @UrriKara4en Massive rumble

Ukrainian military reports shelling in Donbas http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/ukrainian-military-reports-shelling-in-donbas-388888.html …?

Russian soldiers are fighting under the disguise of 'Novorossiya', 'DPR' or 'LPR' in Donbas Ukraine.
pic.twitter.com/47XIOX63XZ
via @askai707

18:20 #Donetsk Shakhtarska Sq @PVB40 For abt 20 min something heavy shots nearby, singles

18:25 #Donetsk Vetka @donetsk_ukrop Battle sounds in railway station or #Pisky direction, outgoing fr/the city

[OUTLAW 09]

Carl Bildt ✔ @carlbildt
Seems Moscow has caved in on trying to stop the EU-Ukraine agreement . A success in advance for the Riga Summit? http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-15-4992_en.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

More Russian tanks to #Ukraine? Kamensk-Shakhtinsky 50km from Ukrainian border, today: https://archive.is/B0m4k pic.twitter.com/1UxK1pchXv

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings are back on again,

19:13 #Donetsk @donetsk_ukrop Impact on Putilovka from DNR arty positions direction

19:08 #Donetsk Roofed Market @papandopoolo 2 loud heavy single [gunshots] were heard and far dim hum

19:07 #Donetsk Kyivsky ds @UrriKara4en Massive rumble

Ukrainian military reports shelling in Donbas http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/ukrainian-military-reports-shelling-in-donbas-388888.html …?

Russian soldiers are fighting under the disguise of 'Novorossiya', 'DPR' or 'LPR' in Donbas Ukraine.
pic.twitter.com/47XIOX63XZ
via @askai707

18:20 #Donetsk Shakhtarska Sq @PVB40 For abt 20 min something heavy shots nearby, singles

18:25 #Donetsk Vetka @donetsk_ukrop Battle sounds in railway station or #Pisky direction, outgoing fr/the city

Shellings have been heavy and intense-----

#Donetsk 11:39PM
Artillery has subsided, now hearing only small arms https://twitter.com/062_Region/sta

23:42 #Donetsk @owl_ok Explosions were in #Spartak & #Pisky direction, also a BMP worked

RU hybrid army tank pos. on the outskirts of #Pisky in civilian area https://archive.is/y7BUe
https://www.google.de/maps/place/48%C2%B003'44.3%22N+37%C2%B041'38.1%22E/@48.0624128,37.694073,354m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0!6m1!1e1 … pic.twitter.com/1T64BsDwmi

23:40 #Donetsk @hu_ukrop & @jackson_villi Leninsky - rumble

23:26 #Avdeevka @rechnikato Close impacts

#Avdiivka 11:20PM
In #Spartak-Putilovka-airport area battle
#Donetsk https://twitter.com/rechnikato/status/600395552732422145 …

23:27 #Donetsk @902Albi Northeast part of the city also glows from flashes
[batteries positions?]

#Donetsk @BylByleva_
23:23 One heavy
23:25 series

#Avdiivka 11:20PM
In #Spartak-Putilovka-airport area battle
#Donetsk https://twitter.com/rechnikato/status/600395552732422145 …

#Donetsk 11:17PM
The howitzer battery at Topaz woke up!
@Buzzing_Rook "Shooting towards #Pisky/#Optyne/#Vodyane" https://twitter.com/Buzzing_Rook/status/600394910873837568 …

23:23 #Makeevka Gvardeyka @vuiko65 Volleys flashes are seen in #Donetsk center dir'n, explosions in airport-Pisky-Spartak

Heavy shelling in Horlivka http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-heavy-shelling-in-horlivka … #Ukraine via @Xykalinovka

#Donetsk 23:14
"I have balcony view of the airport, constant glow"
"Some interesting outgoing, like rockets" https://twitter.com/666_mancer/status/600394964812587008 …

23:23 #Donetsk @ropogckou at 23:15 howitzer battery started to shell heavily, for now there were 50-70 gunshots

23:21 #Donetsk @HuNeHu In the center arty can be heard even w/closed windows very loud, sounds like fr/east or southeast

23:20 #Donetsk Mirny @BylByleva_ cannonade

23:22 @Gong_Ego Azotny joined to shelling, massive rumble

#Donetsk 11:15PM
Explosions are heard in the airport area, #Pisky https://twitter.com/jackson_villi/status/600394382458691584 …

#Donetsk 11:26PM
Now howitzers shooting like hell, landing in #Pisky-airport-Putilovka https://twitter.com/UKROPSTEEL/status/600397137365573632 …

IF the Ukr army would fire #first, video recordings like this one would be impossible. #Pisky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9MxB1VWro4 … pic.twitter.com/ecUtlKoRck

#Donetsk 11:17PM
Fr Kyivvsky ds can see flashes in airport, #Pisky, #Avdiivka area, small guns, artillery, large cal https://twitter.com/062_Region/status/600394697035644929 …

23:22 #Donetsk @yupivo South of the city can hear outgoing [volleys

#Donetsk 11:16PM
From Putilovka very powerful outgoing volleys, cannot hear them falling. https://twitter.com/donetsk_ukrop/status/600394477245702145 …

Heavy #battle in #Donetsk, heavy #artillery sounds. #shelling http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-heavy-battle-in-donetsk-heavy-artillery-sounds-shelling …

[OUTLAW 09]

So the Russian POWs were in fact Russian military but when captured suddenly they were not?????

Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev were NOT Russian servicemen "at the moment of detention" acc'd to Kremlin!

#BreakingReport
The Russian army withdraws its forces from #Bryanka after the capture of 2 troops in #Shchastya.
- Ukrainian general staff

#Russia|n special forces now quickly leave #Bryanka in the #Luhansk region - #Ukraine General staffhttp://www.mil.gov.ua/news/2015/05/18/genshtab-zsu-rosijski-speczpriznachenczi-terminovo-zalishayut-misto-bryanka-shho-na-luganshhini--/ …

#Russia is so embarassed by capture of GRU spetsnaz by #Ukraine that it admits they are Russian "former" servicemen. http://tass.ru/en/russia/795414 …

Russian Defense Ministry expects that Security service of Ukraine will release their ex-servicemen http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-russian-defense-ministry-expects-that-security-service …

More Russian disinformation
More RU media inventions "One of the captured so-called Russian soldiers graduated from Kiev University" http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2015/05/18/n_7206805.shtml …

Russian active military servicemen at the moment of their detention in #Ukraine immediately become "retired & volunteer" militants

Kiev to Prosecute 2 Russian Soldiers Captured in Ukraine for 'Terrorist Acts': http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/kiev-to-prosecute-2-russian-soldiers-captured-in-ukraine-for-terrorist-acts/520992.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian hybrid army on the move in #Donetsk today: https://instagram.com/p/20Vyc8QkAy/ - at least 4 apcs. pic.twitter.com/79IPHwuQTE

OSCE visits a RU hybrid army artillery base https://archive.is/x5iro
They keep showing the same few howitzers to @OSCE pic.twitter.com/zDxVBSuvci

In 2014 #Kremlin deported Ukraine refugees from Donbass to Siberia (Baikal). Today #DNR gets re-populated by russians https://twitter.com/StateOfUkraine/status/600346825439223808 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Some more (other kind of) vehicles can be seen nearby too:
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.957340%2C47.813393&z=19&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/20BZuYMY6I

IMPORTANT for MH17
UPDATE Now Yandex shows Russian BUK battery near Marynivka in its full glory #MH17
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/never-published-before-satellite-images_20.html …
@finriswolf pic.twitter.com/d9J3S5w6LH


Forget "polite people", "holidaymakers" and "tractor drivers", @mod_russia just invented "former Russian servicemen"! pic.twitter.com/seZL5x6p9K

[OUTLAW 09]

Shellings and fighting began quite early today.

06:57 #Horlivka @Bad_Novoross [Rumble] since the very morning

02:41 #Makeevka @tatyana17112009 rumble
02:53 #Luhansk @luhansk_news Arty shelling "traditionally" at #Stanytsia_Luhanska

#Donetsk May 18, the sound of shelling in the night https://youtu.be/gHVXW6mhQfQ via @YouTube

#Donetsk 7:15AM
Kirovsk - we hear gunshots. https://twitter.com/kish_fish/status/600515389550960640 …

[OUTLAW 09]

So the Russian POWs were in fact Russian military but when captured suddenly they were not?????

Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev were NOT Russian servicemen "at the moment of detention" acc'd to Kremlin!

#BreakingReport
The Russian army withdraws its forces from #Bryanka after the capture of 2 troops in #Shchastya.
- Ukrainian general staff

#Russia|n special forces now quickly leave #Bryanka in the #Luhansk region - #Ukraine General staffhttp://www.mil.gov.ua/news/2015/05/18/genshtab-zsu-rosijski-speczpriznachenczi-terminovo-zalishayut-misto-bryanka-shho-na-luganshhini--/ …

#Russia is so embarassed by capture of GRU spetsnaz by #Ukraine that it admits they are Russian "former" servicemen. http://tass.ru/en/russia/795414 …

Russian Defense Ministry expects that Security service of Ukraine will release their ex-servicemen http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-russian-defense-ministry-expects-that-security-service …

More Russian disinformation
More RU media inventions "One of the captured so-called Russian soldiers graduated from Kiev University" http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2015/05/18/n_7206805.shtml …

Seems to be far more Russian Spetsnaz on the move inside the Ukraine if this is any indication--there has been some net comments that Russia is grinding up their SF units by multiple tours into the Ukraine. At first it was thought they were just getting good combat training not costing them anything but lately it seems as if they are being thrown into the fighting to achieve tactical bridgeheads and are being pushed back by the Ukrainian forces which in itself is slightly impressive especially since they started over a year ago as a rag tag group of people--not even an army so to speak.

Graves discovered in Russia of Russian GRU special forces operators killed in Ukraine on May 5 http://tvrain.ru/news/blogery_nashli_predpolagaemye_mogily_rossijskih_sp-387563/ … pic.twitter.com/7JSJnJkwZN

Main Intelligence Directorate (#GRU) special troops' fresh graves found in #Tolyatti, #Russia https://twitter.com/TimurKhorev/status/600539498489851905 …

3 more graves of #Russia's GRU servicemen allegedly KIA in #Donbas were discovered in Russia http://tvrain.ru/news/blogery_nashli_predpolagaemye_mogily_rossijskih_sp-387563/ … pic.twitter.com/AWw5aqzsZ2

[OUTLAW 09]

Ukrainian MoD: the POWs came to eastern Ukraine on March 26, this is the third dispatch from their brigade.

Ukr commander claims Spetsnaz's confessed task was to capture a bridge for a rebel group to move in and capture a power station

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
Ukrainian official claims Russian forces tried to kill captured soldiers by shelling so they wd not reveal presence of Russ army in Ukraine.

If "There are no Russian troops in Ukraine", then how can you interrogate Russian soldiers in Ukraine ? Just askin*

Russia disowned its captive special forces operatives: "They are members of militia" http://en.censor.net.ua/n336519

Tom Parfitt @parfitt_tom
BBC: journalists in Tolyatti given order not to write about captured men in Ukraine said to be GRU officers frm therehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/rolling_news/2015/05/150518_rn_tolyatti_protest_russia

Kremlin ‘can’t confirm’ Russian troops captured in Donbas are Russian troops
http://www.unian.info/politics/1079150-kremlin-cant-confirm-russian-troops-captured-in-donbas-are-russian-troops.html …

Ukraine To Present 'Captured Russian Soldiers' To Media http://bit.ly/1EetxWW pic.twitter.com/rHxo5iXzdH

The Russian task was to kill our soldiers - Taranov http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/18-may-the-russian-task-was-to-kill-our-soldiers--taranov …

Russian government agencies and media are getting a tad tongue tied over the two captured "vacationing, volunteers, active duty and/or then contractors".

So if the two Spetsnaz were not in the active Russian Army THEN why does the Russian MoD demand their return???

Russian old tradition: if you failed in battle, you must be forgotten.

Russian defense ministry demands release of captured Russian soldiers
http://www.unian.info/world/1079398-russian-defense-ministry-demands-release-of-captured-russian-soldiers.html … pic.twitter.com/lR0BCmVqRq

"Dmitry Peskov said: 'Both we & Defense Ministry have said multiple times there are no Russ servicemen in Donbass' " -http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/moscow-admits-two-fighters-captured-in-ukraine-were-russian-soldiers/521093.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

Dear Russian bots, who are not still banned from my twitter, please, explain the motivation of shellings residential area by imaginary UKRs.
#Horlivka 10:04AM
Kurganka - rumble, assault rifles, machine guns, towards district 6/7 https://twitter.com/xy_gorlov4an/status/600557705502273537 …

Looks like the Ukrainians finally realized that by holding their heavy weapons in OSCE controlled areas and getting attacked via shellings and ground probes was not such a good idea and realizing the West is not stopping Putin’s military moves—WHY not pull the weapons back out since the ceasefire really never was a ceasefire.

СММ ОБСЄ в Україні @OSCE_SMM
Latest from SMM: Weapons movements/presence both sides of LoC observed in areas in violation of Minsk withdrawal line http://bit.ly/1B9dLNj

Russian protesters demand withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Ukraine :: http://khpg.org http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1431988706 …

#Russia's monthly navy update:
April:Orel sub severely damaged due to fire.
May:Only carrier, Kuznetsov, breaks down. pic.twitter.com/x8ndvRotWL

Enemy UAV shot down at Kremenevka, #Donetsk reg. http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3964/za####niki_mariupolya_sbili_bespilotnik_boevikov.h tml …

Yday at 18:30 RU opened fire fr heavy machine guns and AGS on Ukr pos at #Shyrokyne, two soldiers of Reg "Azov" WIA http://www.mariupol.tv/news/war/mariupol/3962/ranenyh_v_shirokino_azovcev_dostavili_v_gospital.h tml …

[OUTLAW 09]

Notice the "different realm of reality" with the Russia press release about the same meeting where Nuland made her comments--disinformation.

http://tass.ru/en/world/795342

Russian deputy FM, Nuland discuss Russia-US cooperation in settling Ukraine crisis

May 18, 17:37 UTC+3

The two diplomats stressed the importance of a direct dialogue between the Kiev authorities and representatives of Donetsk and Luhansk


Now the US press release:

U.S. official says Minsk truce being violated "daily":

Am not the only one seeing a connection between recent US official visits giving Putin cover in order to save face--it is all about Iran and Syria and one President's "legacy"--not really about the Ukraine which they thrown under the bus.

Visits by top U.S officials give Russia something to crow about - The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/visits-by-top-us-officials-give-russia-something-to-crow-about/2015/05/18/3c562a94-fd6b-11e4-8c77-bf274685e1df_story.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

kaur--many thanks for the additional info as it does now tend to round out their unit composition as a armed recon, surveillance and sabotage unit.

What surprises me though is the shelling of his unit by Russian artillery--it was Russian artillery not mercenary so they must have picked up the radio chatter of the ongoing fighting and someone was carrying GPS on them as artillery normally needs an accurate grid to strike accurately. The Sr. SGT was hit by a blast wave thus the hip injury.

Since it was Russian artillery then in fact the Russian army has placed their fighting units close to the contact line but apparently hidden as no one on the social media side is "seeing" them.

A SA-10 was seen via UAV in the open yesterday 5kms from the contact line near Mariupol.

kaur--social media is digging deeper now for info on Russian Spetsnaz activities in the Ukraine.

Graves discovered in Russia of Russian GRU special forces operators killed in Ukraine on May 5 http://tvrain.ru/news/blogery_nashli...kih_sp-387563/ … pic.twitter.com/7JSJnJkwZN

[OUTLAW 09]

Concerning Russia attempts at derailing EU Association Agreement with the Ukraine.
Russian DCFTA intentions neither reasonable nor honourable:Riga Summit, pursued by a bear @CER_IanBond @cer_london https://shar.es/1rjZoE


Russian mercenaries seem to be having money problems.

Donbas residents striking for wages from DPR militant organization
http://www.unian.info/society/1079406-donbas-residents-striking-for-wages-from-dpr-militant-organization.html … pic.twitter.com/nC67sXYqTJ

[OUTLAW 09]

Social media open source analyst using a Russian mapping satellite actually confirms it was a Russian invasion not an incursion—maybe someone should let DoS and the White house know about this satellite imagery if the US IC does not have it.

Russian owned Yandex has been quite helpful to further expose the Russian invasion into Ukraine last summer... :P.

But Yandex also revelas this battery of D-30 heavy artillery a little bit more south.
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.299199%2C47.519270&z=19&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/lAw3IvxuHy

Like these MSTA-S reported by @JulianRoepcke
https://twitter.com/JulianRoepcke/status/600043483592847361 … pic.twitter.com/kONJFCDXql

Yandex also shows a lot of Russian artillery positions at height of Komsomolske-Telmanove. pic.twitter.com/19trsHCgRz

Yandex still shows some military vehicles on that invasion route into Ukraine.
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.820760%2C47.801835&z=18&l=sat%2Cskl …
@JmmJhnsn pic.twitter.com/GgyyxDKvsE

Yandex shows where Russians massively crossed border to cut off Ukraine army at Saur Mogila
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.812790%2C47.815813&z=17&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/HUMVmnwdVu

It looks like Russian Hollywood produced another idiot video of OSCE dragging a dead Azov soldier behind their car. https://twitter.com/hellmuthcstuven/status/600416967540002817 …

Yandex reveals where Russians crossed the border to arm and supply their militia in Dmytrivka
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.927935%2C47.873113&z=19&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/wIcjIqzmNj

Yandex reveals yet another not seen before MLRS & artillery location from Russia into Ukraine
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.917265%2C47.852363&z=18&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/83vuX6Ygju

Some more (other kind of) vehicles can be seen nearby too:
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.957340%2C47.813393&z=19&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/20BZuYMY6I

UPDATE Now Yandex shows Russian BUK battery near Marynivka in its full glory #MH17
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/never-published-before-satellite-images_20.html …
@finriswolf pic.twitter.com/d9J3S5w6LH

[OUTLAW 09]

It appears the OSCE is having more problems daily in justifying their existence in the Ukraine--basically they are a civilian organization with no power of stopping anything AND not allowed by Russians troops and mercenaries to even patrol in the occupied areas as they are tasked to do nor are they able to monitor the entire Russian border as Russia has forbidden that.

Just a cover for 23 Russian SVR/GRU types to roam at will through Ukrainian positions and report to the Russian military their locations.

If they wanted to stop the shellings then place teams 24 x 7 into the hot spots and challenge anyone to shell the positions---actually Russian mercenaries do refrain from shelling when the OSCE is physically in that location.

Just how naïve is this OSCE rep statement????

OSCE rep: I've been to #Shyrokyne many times. I spoke to "DPR" militants, no one told me "I'm from #Russia" http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mariupoltv?utm_campaign=ustre.am&utm_source=ustre.am%2F1hcWK&utm_medium=social&utm_content=20150519002422

Militants asked 4 local ceasefire in #Shyrokyne on 17May. Violated it themselves day after, 2 #Azov servicemen r WIA http://www.0629.com.ua/news/830515

Ppl outside #OSCE office in #Mariupol: OSCE often does not register militants' attacks but Ukr response as ceasefire violation livestream

At night #Russia-backed militants shelled Komsomolske - town they control to blame it on Ukr https://www.facebook.com/ato.news/posts/1001120793232060 pic.twitter.com/O1wqeYe1rh

Militants fire on Ukrainian army positions, hit residential areas
http://www.unian.info/war/1079433-militants-fire-on-ukrainian-army-positions-hit-residential-areas.html pic.twitter.com/8Z9yWM5Hkp

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian government agencies and media are getting a tad tongue tied over the two captured "vacationing, volunteers, active duty and/or then contractors".

So if the two Spetsnaz were not in the active Russian Army THEN why does the Russian MoD demand their return???

Russian old tradition: if you failed in battle, you must be forgotten.

Russian defense ministry demands release of captured Russian soldiers
http://www.unian.info/world/1079398-russian-defense-ministry-demands-release-of-captured-russian-soldiers.html … pic.twitter.com/lR0BCmVqRq

"Dmitry Peskov said: 'Both we & Defense Ministry have said multiple times there are no Russ servicemen in Donbass' " -http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/moscow-admits-two-fighters-captured-in-ukraine-were-russian-soldiers/521093.html …


Ukraine's Emb. to UK ✔ @UkrEmbLondon
#Ukraine's security chief told BBC two #Russia's soldiers captured in E Ukraine were military intelligence officers pic.twitter.com/KQr8KdcdWA

If serving, they are Russian POWs. If "former servicemen" as Kremlin claims, they are Russian mercenaries as per even Russian law pic.twitter.com/0xj3ne356I

For two “former Russian service members” who were "volunteers" in the LNR militia--- these actions now by the Russian MoD and others does seem strange??? Nice admission they were in fact active duty Russian Spetsnaz.

#Russia “on all channels” is trying to negotiate the release of detainees in#Ukraine special forces http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/19-may-russia-on-all-channels-is-trying-to-negotiate-the …

The General staffs of Russia and Ukraine may hold talks on the fate of GRU officers http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/19-may-the-general-staffs-of-russia-and-ukraine-may-hold …

Russians wanted to kill their captured officers in Luhansk reg, Ukrainian servicemen saved their lives, claims #Ukraine's FM Pavlo Klimkin.

UKR Mission to OSCE @UKRinOSCE
Russian occupants in #Donbas aren't tired of refuting myth that "Russians do not abandon their own people" http://www.firstpost.com/world/ukraine-says-russia-tried-to-kill-captured-russian-soldiers-reuters-2250938.html

[OUTLAW 09]

Photo of the ad hoc Russian field ammunition depot south of Marynivka.
pic.twitter.com/T5QfpwfKKR
via @ravelin_by

It turns out that Google Earth now also shows the Russian ammunition depot south of Marynivka. pic.twitter.com/fFYLLtC4CZ

Yandex reveals a Russian field ammunition depot south of Marynivka
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.963789%2C47.750902&z=18&l=sat%2Cskl …
via @ravelin_by pic.twitter.com/mlooUGdeTc

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Luhansk region resident voluntarily gave up large arms arsenal: tank machine gun, 7 grenade launchers, grenades, ammo pic.twitter.com/0fRGh9SIv4

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Ukrainian servicemen spotted 9 enemy UAVs

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
New hotspot: Clash near Troyitske. Ukrainian border guards eliminated 2 militants, seized weapons pic.twitter.com/PPyPGcrvsE

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Other hotspots included Donetsk airport area, Hranitne, Avdiivka & Popasna and Shchastya

NSDC of Ukraine ✔ @NSDC_ua
Fighting continues in Shyrokyne & Vodyane – Mariupol sec; Ukrainian forces retaliated to cease militants’ mortar attacks

[OUTLAW 09]

During the Sochi visit Russian FM Lavrov and Putin both stated that both sides must adhere to and implement fully the Minsk 2 agreement.

Does this sound like Russia really intends to implement Minsk 2 at all especially after it was Russia that wanted the OSCE to monitor the Minsk agreements--now Russia forbids OSCE monitoring abilities that are urgently needed--SO what is Russia attempting to hide--more Spetsnaz???

Luhansk militants ordered not to let OSCE mission into border zone http://www.unian.info/war/1079454-luhansk-militants-ordered-not-to-let-osce-mission-into-border-zone.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

LNR” military command to combat alcoholism among its insurgents with arrest, socially useful work, and penalties
http://maidantranslations.com/2015/05/18/dmi

Always amazing, the DNR always conjures new device out of the hat. Apparently a sweeping tank for their "truck drivers and miners". pic.twitter.com/pzU7V9WUPi

A brigade from Abkhazia creates on the border with Ukraine strike group pic.twitter.com/aw9jAlxbxb http://liveuamap.com/en/2015/19-may-a-brigade-from-abkhazia-creates-on-the-border-with …

Yandex reveals Russian MLRS attack into Ukraine bigger than GRAD: Uragan, Smerch or Tochka-U?
https://maps.yandex.com/?ll=38.351198%2C47.557535&z=18&l=sat%2Cskl … pic.twitter.com/lmHJonUa1m

Next Phase in Bellingcat’s Ukraine Vehicle (Russian) Tracking Project via @bellingcat https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2015/05/18/next-phase-in-bellingcats-ukraine-vehicle-tracking-project/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Two really well done POW videos from the two captured Russian Spetsnaz—target audience will be Russia and those that believe massively in the Russian disinformation.

The videos are also a way for allowing their families know they are alive and well as they fully named their Russian addresses--these will definitely be broadcast by Radio Free Europe today and the families will then via radio reports get the notification. The Ukraine has indicated they will allow family contacts if the families approach them.

Ukrainian POWS have been treated in a far more brutal fashion with executions after capture and torture. Minsk 2 stated "all for all" must be exchanged and the Ukraine has provided Russia with a list of 401 that have not been exchanged and they have no info on their locations and or conditions.

Kind of kills the Russia official line especially from Putin’s spokesperson and the Russian MoD that they were “former Russia service members”.

It will be a potent response to the Russia countless statements "we ain't in the Ukraine or it's not us-- it is the mercenaries".

The last comments by the SF CPT---the top is skimming the cream and the low are skimming the blood is a telling statement from a Russian professional officer and a Spetsnaz member.

There is no pressure on the two and from all accounts Ukraine medical treatment saved the leg of the SGT.

Security Service of #Ukraine posted NEW video of #Russian POWs with English subtitles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qLqQL7YJiI …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3khPZucwTQ …

[OUTLAW 09]

Heavy shelling is resuming very early today after a long heavy shelling during the night and into early morning—appears as if the Russians are trying to cause increased Ukrainian troops loses—there is also strong indications the Russian mercenaries and now we know with Russian Spetsnaz assistance are trying to break through the contact line in a number of places to gain more territory.

#Donetsk 13:08
Here we go again. Hammering powerfully. https://twitter.com/donetsk_ukrop/status/600603879672324096 …

Militants trying to break through Ukrainian lines in some areas - Tymchuk
http://www.unian.info/war/1079498-militants-trying-to-break-through-ukrainian-lines-in-some-areas-tymchuk.html … pic.twitter.com/sdIpVUaU3y

[OUTLAW 09]

Two really well done POW videos from the two captured Russian Spetsnaz—target audience will be Russia and those that believe massively in the Russian disinformation.

The videos are also a way for allowing their families know they are alive and well as they fully named their Russian addresses--these will definitely be broadcast by Radio Free Europe today and the families will then via radio reports get the notification. The Ukraine has indicated they will allow family contacts if the families approach them.

Ukrainian POWS have been treated in a far more brutal fashion with executions after capture and torture. Minsk 2 stated "all for all" must be exchanged and the Ukraine has provided Russia with a list of 401 that have not been exchanged and they have no info on their locations and or conditions.

Kind of kills the Russia official line especially from Putin’s spokesperson and the Russian MoD that they were “former Russia service members”.

It will be a potent response to the Russia countless statements "we ain't in the Ukraine or it's not us-- it is the mercenaries".

The last comments by the SF CPT---the top is skimming the cream and the low are skimming the blood is a telling statement from a Russian professional officer and a Spetsnaz member.

There is no pressure on the two and from all accounts Ukraine medical treatment saved the leg of the SGT.

Security Service of #Ukraine posted NEW video of #Russian POWs with English subtitles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qLqQL7YJiI …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3khPZucwTQ …

While I have liked the work done by this particular blogger---the videos have a multi purpose that he tends to overlook—but maybe because he is now a full fledged news journalist for Bild here in Germany.

Hate to say this but in the new realm of Russian UW non linear warfare (US term hybrid warfare) ALL is fair game when it comes to countering it.

Videos will:

1. it let’s their families know that are alive and well cared for via international media coverage
2. it is targeting the Russian civil society as informational warfare to provide a counter narrative that Russians are not fighting/dying in the Ukraine
3. it disputes the current statements from the Russian MoD and the spokesperson for Putin himself that they are not “former service members”
4. it should give the Russian trolls a workout in trying to deny the videos and or spin the story “there ain’t Russian soldiers in the Ukraine”.

Technical or not. Ukraine says they are Russian soldiers. They say they are Russian soldiers.
Ukraine shows them confessing on video. BAD !!

The blogger also misses the simple fact that by Russia denying they are on active duty and are just “former service members” even under Russian law they are then considered to be “mercenaries”.

One could argue under the Geneva Convention that yes they were in a standard uniform, carrying their weapons in the open and carried a common ID that they are in fact “guerrillas” entitled to GC protection BUT again Russia has repeatedly stated the only Russians in the Ukraine are volunteers helping their fellow ethnic Russians thus not a “guerrilla war” as they have repeatedly used the term "separatist".

The IIRC and OSCE will be allowed to see them thus the Ukraine is in fact treating them dual track both as mercenaries and as POWs—this should keep laywers busy for years trying to determine what their true status should be.

Some will say the videos of an interrogation should not be made public but if one knows the difference between true POW interrogations and what is referred to as “tactical questioning” this is a really light tactical questioning session nothing more nothing less.

Notice the interviewer did not dig deeper with follow up questions after the first answer to the question came forth--mark of a good interviewer.

[OUTLAW 09]

Two more examples of Russian Orwellian double-speak

Maskirovka. FM Lavrov accuses Ukraine of breaking Minsk deal by not including DPR and LPR in "constitutional reform" http://tass.ru/en/world/795570

Maskirovka. DPR's Basurin blames Russian shelling near Donetsk on Ukraine in order to breakdown Minsk working groups http://ria.ru/world/20150519/1065290519.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

NATO Secretary General Tells Russian Foreign Minister To End Support for Ukrainian Rebels http://bit.ly/1L5YmCz

NATO's Stoltenberg tells #Russia's Lavrov to pull out of #Ukraine." http://reut.rs/1Hs2iQk
via @SpecGhost pic.twitter.com/77tWrpqVk9

A warped sense of what needs to be done—stop the firing and truly pull back the heavy weapons and stop Russian troop, and heavy weapons shipments---Russia side steps every time.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: I think there is a growing understanding that building direct dialogue between Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk needs to be the key step

THEN this statement from the mercenaries—is there any disconnect between Russia and her mercenaries—no.

#BreakingNews
#Zakharchenko once again:"We will conquer entire Donbas."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SUgvMwXLXg …
#UkraineUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/RCeQUCyWT0

An interestingly fake statement by the Russian FM—none of the EU association agreements were never aimed at “harming Russia”—so what the heck does he mean???

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Lavrov: We’d prefer that relations between the EU and countries aiming for closer association develop in a way that does not harm Russia