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

[Firn]

http://www.mamasoldata.org/

so comrade read it and weep for the countless killed Russian soldiers who were buried in unmarked graves or in the middle of the night or not buried at all while their bodies lay somewhere in the Ukraine not recovered-AND never received compensation because they were not in a "war" where they?

There certainly seems to be a rather high percentage of those Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine are from the VDV which is hardly a surprise considering it's status and use in recent conflicts. It is quite likely that of those and outsized number served in the rapid reaction battallions.

The 100+ pages of Russia's New Army are now four years old but offers some basic insight :

In order to improve the VDV divisions’ and the single VDV brigade’s rapid reaction capability, each has been given a rapid reaction battalion.

Up to 70 per cent of these battalions’ servicemen are professional soldiers many of them have real combat experience. The VDV Command is clearly aware of the shortcomings of the current system, whereby the rest of the units are manned predominantly by conscripts. But concentrating most of the available professional soldiers in the rapid reaction battalions results in a clear disparity in the standards of combat training within the VDV divisions and brigades.

All in all it seems that the Russian invasion and fighting has mostly been executed by the steel tip of a spear with a rather weak wooden shaft against an army which has been neglected and stripped for over two decades.

[kaur]

Hundreds of Russian volunteers are supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine, offering them vital experience in battle tactics and training to attack Ukrainian forces, a top rebel leader said.
Alexander Khodakovsky, commander of the Vostok Battalion in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, said there were so many Russians among the rebels that they formed their own battalions.
But he denied they had been sent by Moscow, as Western countries suggest, saying they were simply volunteers who had earlier served in various branches of the Russian armed forces.
"I think there aren't just hundreds [from Russia], there are more. It's even possible to talk of the formation of separate volunteer battalions," he told Reuters in an interview.
"They fight better than us, but one warrior cannot conquer alone, so they fight well alongside the rebels. The rebels carry out their missions, gain experience, learn to attack and not just be on the defensive," he said at his headquarters on the outskirts of Donetsk, an assault rifle at his side.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/mobile...le/507379.html

[OUTLAW 09]

Some commenters here in this thread often spoke of the need to "negotiate" and to "understand" the viewpoints of Russia and "yes Russia had justified complaints".

Let's see the results of the "negotiations" achieved in Minsk:

1. every day since the supposed "ceasefire" went into effect---Ukrainian forces keep getting attacked and pushed out of areas they in fact controlled BEFORE the ceasefire went into effect
2. Estonia had a national level intelligence officer physically kidnapped and taken out of Estonia by the FSB and charged in a Moscow court where Russia stated he had been in Russian territory although their own border security forces stated otherwise in a court document

AND now:

3. a Lithuanian fishing ship is captured today in international waters and taken to a Russian port

https://twitter.com/Conflict_Report/...60182184587264

#BRK "When the vessel command and captain refused to [follow],they were #removed_by_force and the vessel is being transported to Murmansk."

This is the same Russia that threatened to be in Kiev in two weeks and all the Baltic capitals in two days and has threatened nuclear strikes on both NATO and the US.

And commenters here still hold onto the illusion of what "negotiations will work"?

Does anyone notice a pattern here by Russia?

[OUTLAW 09]

Supposed "ceasefire" in place---Russia states it has no troops, tanks and or heavy artillery in the Ukraine and then this hits the net.

Is anyone still surprised by what Russia states and or does not state?

Notice the quality of the delivered Russian tanks--first class armaments so who argues it is all about "separatists that stole the equipment from the Ukrainian Army"?

Russian tank transports near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky ...

Anyone REALLY still surprised?!...

pic.twitter.com/isBC1Z8r0n

[OUTLAW 09]

And the Russian provocations just keep oncoming. No wonder Sweden and Finland are nudging themselves ever closer to NATO---it seems Russian leadership does not see the relationship between their threats and the moves by Sweden and Finland towards NATO.

Swedish Government Files Complaint To Russia Over Violation Of Swedish Airspace

14:49 (GMT)

As we reported yesterday, the Swedish government reported that two Russian Su-24 bombers deliberately entered Swedish airspace yesterday, and two Su-24s were escorted away from Latvian airspace as well (it's unclear if they were the same two bombers or different ones).

The Swedish newspaper The Local provides some additional details:

The two Su-24 attack planes took off from Kaliningrad and skirted the Polish coast before heading north at low altitude towards the Swedish island of land in the Baltic Sea, newspaper Expressen reports...

The Armed Forces declined to comment on what happened until it has conducted a full analysis.

Expressen's source however said the Armed Forces believed Russia had sent the fighter jets to test how ready Sweden was to respond.

The Aviationist is running with a story titled "Two Russian Attack Planes Intentionally Violated The Swedish Airspace To Probe Local Air Defense." They note that this fits a pattern of aggressive Russian action:

Last year Russian Tu-22 bombers conducted some mock attacks on Sweden; more recently an airliner almost collided with a Russian spyplane off Sweden. The increased Russian activity in the area and the crisis with Moscow caused by the situation in Ukraine, pushed Stockholm to move some Gripen jets to Gotlad island, off the eastern coast of Sweden, in the Baltic Sea.

The Su-24 Fencer is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union and serving, among the others, with the Syrian, Iranian and Libyan Air Force. Its twin-engined two-seater plane with a variable geometry wing, designed to perform ultra low level strike missions.

The Swedish government has officially filed complaint to Russia today over the incident, according to Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.

[OUTLAW 09]

Seems like Russia and the mercenaries' cannot figure what is a legal election these days.

Ukraine Liveblog: Russia Says Scottish Referendum Did Not Meet Standards, Separatists Cry Foul

http://bit.ly/1p3SEWl

[OUTLAW 09]

Notice--the first social media reporting of Russian troops changing into "separatist" uniforms in order to continue the charade of "no troops inside the Ukraine" rhetoric from Russia.

The Russian army using tanks & artillery ambushed Ukrainian forces near Debaltsevo #Ukraine, killing 2 & wounding 16

http://nvua.net/ukraine/Sily-ATO-pop...nik-12745.html …

#Russia'n militaries in #Donbass massively change to #separatists uniforms -

http://www.unian.net/politics/987269...polchenie.html …

Another mention of Russian troops converting to "separatists" but it appears to be the Russian peacekeeping force---has to be the 15th Russian Peacekeeping Brigade as there have been no reports of it leaving the Donetsk region.

Another #report and #confirmation:
Thousands of reg.Russian #MC troops are in #Ukraine,disguised as "local militia".

http://www.unian.net/politics/987269...polchenie.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

For those that doubt that the Russians do not have tactical nuclear abilities inside the Ukraine.

Near #Donetsk two #Russia'n heavy 240 mm Tyulpan 2S4 self-propelled mortar batteries Под Донецком замечены батареи--

http://obozrevatel.com/crime/41682-p...ov-tyulpan.htm …

Further evidence of Russian troops as this weapons system was never in the Ukraine.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia has achieved the following since the Crimea annexation, and Russian troop invasion into eastern Ukraine.

AND done even in the face of a damaged economy as sanctions came far to late and started out to weak to influence anything as all elements were already in motion before the sanctions occurred.

1. it has proved the Putin Doctrine is valid and indicated Putin is ready to use it on any country containing a Russian minority

2. it has tested and verified the new Russian UW strategy "New Generation Warfare" up through phase seven of that strategy

3. it has effectively tested the UW strategy as the key supporting element in implementing political warfare against a country

4. most importantly it has actually field tested under combat conditions their new military (C&C, intel, recon) and heavy weapons systems to include their new guided precision artillery shells which the US ARMY rarely fires due to costs of each shell

5. it has conducted a large scale field exercise around the tactical use of nuclear weapons against Poland and the Baltics

AND this exercise is far more critical to watch as it unfolded---an actual field exercise in the invasion of a medium sized country ie anyone one of the bordering Russia NATO countries---in full view of the West/NATO to watch.

AND what was the West/NATO response --no much really.

Taken from the ukraineatwar.blogspot.nl today.
Saturday, September 20, 2014

Russian 'Vostok 2014' military exercise 19-25 September

@GorseFires reported about a Russian military command and control exercise and why this is important for the world to know about this.
Here are the appropriate tweets about it:
Posted by P. Martin at 4:53 AM

[OUTLAW 09]

First concise gathering of Russian social media inputs to prove that Russian Spetnaz personnel were physically on the Maidan during the phase where many were being shot at and killed and all blamed the Ukrainian Special Police.

I had posted elements of this over the last three weeks as they came out on the net.

Well worth a read and this fits perfectly into the UW aspects of the new Russian military strategy "New Generation Warfare".

Concise gathering can be found at ukraineatwar.blogspot.nl.

[OUTLAW 09]

There has been a massive explosion at a Ukrainian military weapons/chemical factory near Donetsk that was started by Russian fired rockets and or artillery that has been ongoing for over four hours now.

Russia RAI press releases blame the Ukrainians for firing two missiles at the factory---but the Ukraine has not fired anything the last two days in and or near the Donetsk.

Now starts a Russian media drumbeat that the Ukrainians were firing at their aid convoy and hit the plant---second version of the first story since it did not grab news tractions globally.

NOW this comes up via western social media taken from Russia media sources.

Kremlin is pushing the lie that Ukrainian missiles fired at unloading Russian aid convoy started explosions at Donetsk.
Excuse for MC op?

[kaur]

In 1974 French general Beaufre explained things. It seems to me that at page 1 he talks about Crimea and page 2 he talks about present situation in Donbas region.

[kaur]

Legendary bearded cossack Babai is back in Donbass. He left the area, when Ukrainian forces advanced. Now, there is peace treaty signed and he is back. Comment under the pic says that another fighter and head of one of the separatist group Motorola went after injury to Cirme and came back after treatment. So the safe haven for fighters is Crimea. Is there fast boat route between Donbass and peninsula?

http://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/1810673.html

[mirhond]

Now, there is peace treaty signed

There are no peace and no treaty,
Minsk memorandum -which is not a treaty- says nothing about peace, only about ceasefire



Moreover, I bet Ukraine will never sign "a peace treaty" because it creates DPR/LPR/Donbass/Novorossia as legal subject, there will be vague memorandums ageements and protocols.

[OUTLAW 09]

There are no peace and no treaty,
Minsk memorandum -which is not a treaty- says nothing about peace, only about ceasefire



Moreover, I bet Ukraine will never sign "a peace treaty" because it creates DPR/LPR/Donbass/Novorossia as legal subject, there will be vague memorandums ageements and protocols.

comrade mirhond---guess this is the Russian definition of the term "ceasefire"==Russian term "ceasefire" just means on what receiving end of the rocket fire and artillery fire one sits at---notice the firing is coming from the so called "separatist side" which claimed they never signed the agreement but you mirhond just proved they did in fact sign it.

From 36 minutes ago :
No ceasing of fire in #Donetsk, where volleys of incoming and outgoing rockets roared through the night and continue to pound city today.

[OUTLAW 09]

comrade mirhond---guess this is the Russian definition of the term "ceasefire"==Russian term "ceasefire" just means on what receiving end of the rocket fire and artillery fire one sits at---notice the firing is coming from the so called "separatist side" which claimed they never signed the agreement but you mirhond just proved they did in fact sign it.

From 36 minutes ago :
No ceasing of fire in #Donetsk, where volleys of incoming and outgoing rockets roared through the night and continue to pound city today.

comrade mirhond---appears the only one participating in the "ceasefire" is the Ukraine---certainly not Russian troops and their mercenaries.

Russian heavy artillery shelling towns near #Mariupol
two Ukrainian soldiers killed
pic.twitter.com/ICKOeptsvS


#Lutugino, #Lugansk reg - terrorists killed 40 local civilians for helping Ukrainian Army (food, water)
http://inforesist.org/v-lutugino-boe...-zhitelej-smi/ … RT

Heavy fighting still ongoing at Donetsk airport with GRAD and artillery from Russian troops and mercenaries--21 minutes ago

#Mariupol, Shirokine, Bezymenne: Russian heavy artillery shelling towns--42 minutes ago

#Russia has blocked 600 web sites deemed “extremist” under new internet law this yr, inc news sites critical of Kremlin

[OUTLAW 09]

comrade mirhond---guess this is the Russian definition of the term "ceasefire"==Russian term "ceasefire" just means on what receiving end of the rocket fire and artillery fire one sits at---notice the firing is coming from the so called "separatist side" which claimed they never signed the agreement but you mirhond just proved they did in fact sign it.

From 36 minutes ago :
No ceasing of fire in #Donetsk, where volleys of incoming and outgoing rockets roared through the night and continue to pound city today.

comrade mirhond---in the second Minsk agreements signed by the mercenaries as well---all heavy tanks and artillery and mercenaries went to leave the Ukraine.

seems like they cannot read Russian.

Russian-terrorist heavy machinery and artillery simply transferred to other areas – primarily in district of Donetsk and Avdiivka

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears that the FSB cannot stop tanks, artillery and mercenaries from crossing into the Ukraine but if it is "hamsters"---both the FSB and the Customs Security Force seem to be able to stop as least "hamsters".

Russian authorities reject 90 hamsters they say a Ukrainian was trying to bring illegally across the border to Russia

http://lifenews.ru/news/141444

[OUTLAW 09]

I had written here several weeks ago that I felt that the Ukraine had in fact "suckered in Russia into the eastern Ukraine" and AP took offense at the comment.

Now that the dawn of light has shed more light on a couple of things --these new items tend to support that argument I made.

1. The Ukrainian President's comment at a press conference that 65% of the heavy Ukrainian military equipment---that means tanks, artillery and MRLS's had been destroyed in eastern Ukraine---at the same time there was a small comment coming out of the UA HDQs that the General Staff had wanted to ut more equipment into the Donbas but did not due to their understanding that the Russians would use high precision artillery shells against the heavy equipment which they indeed do---while yes they lost troops killed and wounded/missing--nothing on the scale of the mercenaries and Russian troops

2. the Russian Army had unusually large numbers of KIAs/WIAs and missing and that seemed to point towards excellent artillery strikes and prior knowledge of Russian troop movements coming from somewhere

3. the Minsk agreements even as argued by Russia that they were based on Putin's input --effectively slanted all the agreements to exactly what the Ukraine had stated was their solution back in June 2014 and basically repeated to the world from June onwards as the Ukrainian position---so the end solution was in fact Ukrainian not Russian

4. in these agreements any financial support to the New Russia from the Ukraine will not occur unless they are "under" the Ukrainian flag--Russia has sent food but did anyone notice credits/monies flowing to the separatists from Russia---nothing ----notice Russian has been extremely silent on the subject--the Ukraine has on the other not been silent---no support unless under the Ukrainian flag

5. the Donetsk New Russia government stated they wanted a series of economic decisions agreed to by Kyiv before the political decisions could be reached---notice the Ukraine response---no

6. the Ukrainian forces used in the east were "light weight types" ie SF, airborne, two armored brigades and a bunch of independent BNs against over in the final stages 15-20K mercenaries and Russian troops--in fact not a bad show of military fighting if the Russian loss figures are anywhere close to being accurate

7. western economic sanctions for Russian actions have been heavy and are in fact deeply hurting the Russian economy weakening Putin overall and will remain in effect for a long while---they would have not kicked in the final and heaver sanctions if Russia had stayed outside the Ukraine--Russian troops only came in when it appeared that in fact the Ukrainians were winning on the ground against the mercenaries

8. Russian military costs just for the exercises around the Ukraine and sending in Russian troops/weapons has got to be in the 100s of millions of USDs per day at a time when the overall Russian economy is sinking and it will be literally be at some point bullets vs butter in the coming year or two

9. also a small remark made by the Ukrainian President in his recent press conference---when asked why the West had not sent anti tank weapons to deal with the Russian heavy tank concentrations---his response is really interesting---"we did not need them" as we have enough of our own and they are more accurate and far cheaper"---that begs the simple question---then why were they not used in large numbers to stop Russian tank movements? Almost like someone wanted Russian tanks running all over the place to show to the world Russian intentions which then drove quickly the heavier sanctions regime.

[OUTLAW 09]

While the Russian info war is part and parcel of their new military UW strategy against the Ukraine and the SOCEUR called it a "blitz krieg" and part of their "new hybrid warfare" we saw absolutely no response by the US BUT then this today in the NYTs.

NYTs from today:
U.S. Uses Social Media to Rebut Propaganda

By BRIAN KNOWLTON

A government team’s striking video and other postings are being disseminated through Twitter and Facebook to counter skillful online campaigns.

Seems again there is effectively no US strategy for central Europe, Russia and the Ukraine other that "take a break and drink tea".

Simply amazing---if the US civilian leadership thinks the IS social media usage is "skillful online campaigns" then what is the Russian info war classified as---second class peanuts played in the backrooms of say RIA/ITASS/Interfax using a total of three bloggers?

Can it be that the US is so fixated on the IS it "somehow forgot the rest of the world"?