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

[OUTLAW 09]

Pay a lot of attention to this series of comments--there have been some under the hand comments concerning possible Russian involvement in the Paris killings but they are still under the radar.

Today kidnapped: Gubarev accused Kadyrov of involvement in terrorist attacks in France".
http://newsdaily.com.ua/post/676642
pic.twitter.com/QnZeu5PryQ

#Novorossiya leader Gubarev reportedly detained by DNR 'authorities' fr frauds w/ hum aid.
http://ukropnews.com/news/_7122.html
pic.twitter.com/u56LMvMQhE

The Unstoppable Rise Of Ramzan Kadyrov
http://www.rferl.org/content/profile.../26802368.html …

Chechen Ismail shouts "Allah Akbar" in Donetsk before he shoots towards Ukrainian positions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDtqc-aplCA …

AND AGAIN JUST WHAT ARE RUSSIANS DOING IN PARIS PLANNING FOR ATTACKS--

A few commenters have indicated that actually the initial Paris attacks while claimed by AQAP have actually a Russian background and many laughed--and now?

Agence France-Presse ✔ @AFP
#BREAKING Five Russians held in France on suspicion of planning attack: prosecutor

AFP is reporting that 5 Russian citizens have been held in France on suspicion of planning an attack. Exact details to come.

UPDATE: 5 men 4 chechen, 1 austrian arrested in Beziers France, Suspected of preparing an attack in Austria.

John Schindler @20committee
5 Russians "from N Caucasus" arrested for plotting terrorism in France...now why on earth would they do that?

[OUTLAW 09]

And there is "no Russian invasion"?

Russian troops are now in full offensive mode and are attacking with there actual combat troops--not mercenaries and the West still believes they can talk to Putin?

Russian forces have broken through Ukrainian checkpoint 31 & are quickly advancing on Lysychansk, the heart of Ukraine-controlled #Luhansk

Remember those over 500 Russian T64/72/80/90s that were "not Russian" but were just on "vacation" well they are now on the move and what has been reported in western media and or from the US/EU/NATO---total silence but again silence could be a strategy?

Semenchenko also:
Entire National Guard is put in combat alert.
Ukraine's NSDC must decide now to defend Ukraine.
Russian army tank attack.

[OUTLAW 09]

And there is "no Russian invasion"?

Russian troops are now in full offensive mode and are attacking with there actual combat troops--not mercenaries and the West still believes they can talk to Putin?

Russian forces have broken through Ukrainian checkpoint 31 & are quickly advancing on Lysychansk, the heart of Ukraine-controlled #Luhansk

Remember those over 500 Russian T64/72/80/90s that were "not Russian" but were just on "vacation" well they are now on the move and what has been reported in western media and or from the US/EU/NATO---total silence but again silence could be a strategy?

Semenchenko also:
Entire National Guard is put in combat alert.
Ukraine's NSDC must decide now to defend Ukraine.
Russian army tank attack.

Notice the hypocrisy of the US strategy if there is one out there somewhere ie yes they can defend themselves BUT we will not help with anything that looks like a weapon to the Russians.

US Ambassador @GeoffPyatt - "We recognize Ukraine's right to protect its sovereign territory"
http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/245624.html …

[OUTLAW 09]

AND AGAIN JUST WHAT ARE RUSSIANS DOING IN PARIS PLANNING FOR ATTACKS--

A few commenters have indicated that actually the initial Paris attacks while claimed by AQAP have actually a Russian background and many laughed--and now?

Agence France-Presse ✔ @AFP
#BREAKING Five Russians held in France on suspicion of planning attack: prosecutor

AFP is reporting that 5 Russian citizens have been held in France on suspicion of planning an attack. Exact details to come.

UPDATE: 5 men 4 chechen, 1 austrian arrested in Beziers France, Suspected of preparing an attack in Austria.

John Schindler @20committee
5 Russians "from N Caucasus" arrested for plotting terrorism in France...now why on earth would they do that?

#Russia's "holy #Orthodox crusade" against the West fought in #Donbas mostly by #muslim #Chechens against Orthodox #Ukrainians...

[OUTLAW 09]

Captured tank" video deleted. Proven propaganda.
More things and footage start to make little sense in the "failed Ukr assault" story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTKatUeaNdI …
Russians claim it's Ukrainian tank. But 'Волки' is Terrorussian nickname, so it's Russian

#Donetsk: intense outgoing mortar fire near apartment in Kievsky, firing towards #DonetskAirport
http://ln.is/www.youtube.com/HV2NE …

1st #Footage
Rus invaders ordered an "emergency evacuation" of #Frunze near Rus army assault.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlhQR2V2Uxs …
pic.twitter.com/2lviOUdZYH

Reported terrorist attack on railway bridge at Kuznetsovka on line Zaporizhzhia-Polohy to #Volnovakha (where it joins Donetsk-Mariupol line)

Terrorists blew up a key rail bridge to supply Ukr operations.
Loation: #Kuznetsovka,Zaporozhye region.
ic.twitter.com/E4Y8QtYqz4

"Partisan War" (e.g. terrorism) spreading across southern Ukraine. http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com...ng-across.html …
Karma will be ugly for Russia.

Different reports about CP31 and 29 now, some say CP29 under #Russia|n attack, some say #Ukraine forces regrouped at CP29 and attacking CP31
1 #Ukraine soldier killed, 7 injured at CP#31
#UPDATE
CP31 was surrendered
1 Ukr KIA, 7 WIA
8 Russian tanks attacked
More on the way from Luhansk
Ukr low on ammo
https://www.facebook.com/newapplecrysis?fref=nf

Russian Forces & militias in occupied Donbas mount offensives to gain ground. Part of this is ratchet-up disinfo' & agitprop to create 'fog'

Beware Russian (LifeNews) propaganda story: Interviewed POW could be an actor/militiaman in Ukrainian jacket "supervised" by Russian GRU.

VIDEO #Ukraine soldiers near #Donetsk Airport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5pQzOZoWyU …
pic.twitter.com/NFZE4A96PX

[OUTLAW 09]

AND AGAIN JUST WHAT ARE RUSSIANS DOING IN PARIS PLANNING FOR ATTACKS--

A few commenters have indicated that actually the initial Paris attacks while claimed by AQAP have actually a Russian background and many laughed--and now?

Agence France-Presse ✔ @AFP
#BREAKING Five Russians held in France on suspicion of planning attack: prosecutor

AFP is reporting that 5 Russian citizens have been held in France on suspicion of planning an attack. Exact details to come.

UPDATE: 5 men 4 chechen, 1 austrian arrested in Beziers France, Suspected of preparing an attack in Austria.

John Schindler @20committee
5 Russians "from N Caucasus" arrested for plotting terrorism in France...now why on earth would they do that?

There are more Chechen mercenaries on Putin's payroll than there are roaming radicalized Chechens looking to kill foreigners.

25,000 Chechens reside in Austria and the targets were to be Russian

CHECHNYA’S KADYROV CALLS FOR JIHAD AGAINST CHARLIE HEBDO
http://sheikyermami.com/chechnyas-ka...charlie-hebdo/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

We should often not forget to go back and reread articles that came out in the August 2014 timeframe in reference to the aims of the Russian Army in the Ukraine.

And we always should go back and inhale the new Russian UW strategy that they are actively implementing---in all the fog of war we must never forget the three main Russian strategic goals that their political warfare is aiming at;

1. the discrediting of NATO as a defense organization
2. splitting the US from Europe
3. discrediting the EU as a political and economic group

RF doing plan revealed Aug: Donetsk airport done, north of Luhansk doing now, next Mariupol etc.

http://www.interpretermag.com/moscow...n-novorossiya/ …

[OUTLAW 09]

These statements by a US General do in fact point to the need for a US strategy which is markedly missing in the Ukraine.

Gen Hodges: "the Baltic states & Georgia appear to be safe for now, but possibly not for long" http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs...ons-us-general …
pic.twitter.com/qLemYaRnPA

Gen. Hodges: Russia's neighbors "thinking they have got 2 or 3 years to get ready before they may become the target" http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs...ons-us-general …

NATO strategists giving thought to possibility Russia could stage Crimea-style operation in a country such as Estonia http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs...ons-us-general …

NATO officer: Russia has "capability to mass quickly & conduct an offensive before we could milt respond fast enough" http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs...ons-us-general …

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian #army from #Rostov-on-Don in #Russia to #Doneck in Donbas #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/grR2U1SNFL

#Ukraine has lost control over 13 villages in #Lugansk oblast after retreating from two checkpoints.”

[OUTLAW 09]

Captured tank" video deleted. Proven propaganda.
More things and footage start to make little sense in the "failed Ukr assault" story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTKatUeaNdI …
Russians claim it's Ukrainian tank. But 'Волки' is Terrorussian nickname, so it's Russian

#Donetsk: intense outgoing mortar fire near apartment in Kievsky, firing towards #DonetskAirport
http://ln.is/www.youtube.com/HV2NE …

1st #Footage
Rus invaders ordered an "emergency evacuation" of #Frunze near Rus army assault.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlhQR2V2Uxs …
pic.twitter.com/2lviOUdZYH

Reported terrorist attack on railway bridge at Kuznetsovka on line Zaporizhzhia-Polohy to #Volnovakha (where it joins Donetsk-Mariupol line)

Terrorists blew up a key rail bridge to supply Ukr operations.
Loation: #Kuznetsovka,Zaporozhye region.
ic.twitter.com/E4Y8QtYqz4

"Partisan War" (e.g. terrorism) spreading across southern Ukraine. http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com...ng-across.html …
Karma will be ugly for Russia.

Different reports about CP31 and 29 now, some say CP29 under #Russia|n attack, some say #Ukraine forces regrouped at CP29 and attacking CP31
1 #Ukraine soldier killed, 7 injured at CP#31
#UPDATE
CP31 was surrendered
1 Ukr KIA, 7 WIA
8 Russian tanks attacked
More on the way from Luhansk
Ukr low on ammo
https://www.facebook.com/newapplecrysis?fref=nf

Russian Forces & militias in occupied Donbas mount offensives to gain ground. Part of this is ratchet-up disinfo' & agitprop to create 'fog'

Beware Russian (LifeNews) propaganda story: Interviewed POW could be an actor/militiaman in Ukrainian jacket "supervised" by Russian GRU.

VIDEO #Ukraine soldiers near #Donetsk Airport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5pQzOZoWyU …
pic.twitter.com/NFZE4A96PX

As always in the fog of war---CP31 back in Ukrainian hands tonight.

Inter TV jurno denies reports that CP31 was captured by #Russia|ns, #Ukraine soldiers regrouped and back on positions
http://uatoday.tv/news/unian-rumors-...sk-403988.html …

29th and 31st checkpoints were attacked, combat w/ regular Rus troops are currently on between Zemygirya and Slovianoserbsk - ATO spox

[OUTLAW 09]

Now open and direct combat between Russian Army units and units of the Ukrainian military.

No mercenaries involved---Putin's eighth phase of their new UW strategy in play now.

More specifically Lysenko said Ukr. forces were facing regular Russian army units between Slov'yanoserbs'k & Zymohir'ya in Luhansk region

#Donetsk airports runway completely out of service, fierce combat is on. #Ukraine forces attacked by #Russia|n regular army – Lysenko

Large #Russia|n army column near #Ukraine border, location not exactly known yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvbj...ature=youtu.be …

On the #DonetskAirport Lysenko said Ukr. forces holding their positions but facing sustained attack

[OUTLAW 09]

Now open and direct combat between Russian Army units and units of the Ukrainian military.

No mercenaries involved---Putin's eighth phase of their new UW strategy in play now.

More specifically Lysenko said Ukr. forces were facing regular Russian army units between Slov'yanoserbs'k & Zymohir'ya in Luhansk region

#Donetsk airports runway completely out of service, fierce combat is on. #Ukraine forces attacked by #Russia|n regular army – Lysenko

Large #Russia|n army column near #Ukraine border, location not exactly known yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvbj...ature=youtu.be …

On the #DonetskAirport Lysenko said Ukr. forces holding their positions but facing sustained attack

For the first time since August #Ukraine admits that the country is under attack of the #Russia|n Armed Forces

And where are the immediate sanctions the West loudly stated would occur if things got worse on the part of Russia---well do Russia troops in actual combat inside a country now count as a serious incident worth more sanctions or just business as usual and silence.

Actually, the war in Ukraine is like a command & conquer game where 1 side has a cheat code for unlimited ammo but denies it is even playing

[OUTLAW 09]

Now open and direct combat between Russian Army units and units of the Ukrainian military.

No mercenaries involved---Putin's eighth phase of their new UW strategy in play now.

More specifically Lysenko said Ukr. forces were facing regular Russian army units between Slov'yanoserbs'k & Zymohir'ya in Luhansk region

#Donetsk airports runway completely out of service, fierce combat is on. #Ukraine forces attacked by #Russia|n regular army – Lysenko

Large #Russia|n army column near #Ukraine border, location not exactly known yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvbj...ature=youtu.be …

On the #DonetskAirport Lysenko said Ukr. forces holding their positions but facing sustained attack

NATOSource @NATOSource
Dempsey: For 1st time in a "very long time," US & allies are facing "very distinct threats" from Russia & terrorism http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosour


Putin’s #Russ.Do traces of KGB,FSB & GRU lead to #IS?
http://bit.ly/1BzPlkl
by @LaurinaviciusM

[OUTLAW 09]

And the US strategy is what again?

US ambassador to #Ukraine Pyatt: hundreds of units of [Russian] military equipment are crossing the border"
http://24today.net/open/279243

Tanks from Russia cross Ukrainian border https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=7qMNO2z8qH4 …
pic.twitter.com/ulMEUce4c4

According this article's sources, the West is more concrned with not creating conflict w/ Russia than saving Ukraine
http://www.wsj.com/articles/john-vin...ine-1421702240 …

Only Kyiv can start dialogue within #Ukraine to end war – Moscow
Spksman says Ukraine soldiers came under attack from Russian regular forces in north of conflict zone in east Ukraine on Jan20.
Actually, the war in Ukraine is like a command & conquer game where 1 side has a cheat code for unlimited ammo but denies it is even playing

The cheat code are the humanitarian convoys.

Donbas: Sept-Dec: Build up forces.1/2 Jan non-stop bombardment/small attack.1st mini Ukraine counter-move LAUNCH Russian military offensive.

I count 25 in 1 minute. Tanks from Russia cross Ukraine's border
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=7qMNO2z8qH4 …
pic.twitter.com/ZU2I5SeiSW

Putinitis: a self-harming condition afflicting leaders with no policy apart from opportunism and obstructionism

[OUTLAW 09]

Since August 2014 I have seen numerous European information/disinformation articles written by both fake and real writers BUT one written by an American surprises me greatly as he seems to have completely missed the entire social media which has been covering the Russian invasion inch by inch with videos, photos and open source analysis.

This author seems to want to imply that all of the above has not been done and it the fault of the West that Russian invasion troops are actively fighting in the Donbas.

Strange to see this type of article from an American although reuters has been involved in carrying articles that later proved to be false.

Opinion: Perhaps you missed it: We’re at war with Russia
Published: Jan 20, 2015 9:55 a.m. ET

But nobody has explained what our vital interest is in Ukraine

By
Chris
Martenson
Reuters

Secretary of State John Kerry has accused Russia of providing heavy arms to Ukrainian separatists, but has offered no proof.

The U.S. has been waging economic, financial, trade, and political war against Russia and even kinetic war-by-proxy in Ukraine. Worryingly, nobody in power in the U.S. or Europe really seems willing to tell us exactly why.

From the Russian point of view, everything from their plunging ruble to bitter sanctions to the falling price of oil are the fault of the U.S., either directly or indirectly. Whether that is fair or not is irrelevant; that’s the view of the Russians right now. So no surprise, it doesn’t dispose them towards goodwill negotiations with the West generally, and the U.S. specifically.

Recently the anti-Russian stance in the U.S. press has quieted down, presumably because the political leadership has moved its attention on to other things, and that means Russia is largely out of the U.S. news cycle. However, there’s plenty of serious action going on in Russia and Ukraine, as well as related activity in the U.S. that deserves our careful attention.

The U.S. (via John Kerry) and NATO have steadily accused Russia of having funneled hundreds of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy equipment to the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

These assertions bring to mind the Sherlock Holmes case of the dog that did not bark where the absence of a piece of evidence leads us to a very different conclusion than the one the U.S. political establishment would like us to believe.

The sorts of weaponry that NATO and the U.S. have charged Russia with providing are virtually impossible to conceal from the air. Snapping high-resolution photos of such war machinery is child’s play for today’s military satellites, and even civilian ones too. If the assertions were true, we should have seen a flood of photographs of Russian heavy equipment every step of the way as it passed into Ukraine.

But none have been offered, not even one so far. And the simplest explanation for this is that none exist. If they did, you can be 100% certain they’d have been released and replayed over and over again on CNN until everybody and their uncle could distinguish a T-72 tank outline from that of a T-64.

What concerns me even more than these undocumented charges are two especially ill-conceived, if not overtly confrontational, pieces of legislation passed by the Congress in December.
The first is H.Res 758 passed on Dec. 4, which, among other charges, accused Russia of having invaded Ukraine again without providing or referring to any sort of evidence photographic or otherwise. Entitled “Strongly condemning the actions of the Russian Federation, under President Vladimir Putin, which has carried out a policy of aggression against neighboring countries aimed at political and economic domination” the resolution is packed with a variety of one-sided assertions and leaves no diplomatic wiggle room for the possibility that Russia has a different view of what has transpired in Ukraine.

According to Ron Paul, these sorts of resolutions are dangerous because they politically commit the U.S. political structure to rigid stances that are politically difficult to back down from and have historically been a stepping stone on the path to war.

The Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, or S.2828, was passed by the Senate on Dec. 11. This goes even further than merely condemning Russia and authorizes the distribution of both lethal and non-lethal military aid to Kiev, including sniper and assault rifles, mortars and shells, stinger missiles, anti-tank missiles, night vision goggles, radar systems and a host of other hardware items.

If the tables were turned, and it were the Russian lawmakers passing a resolution condemning the U.S. for a variety of international crimes for which exactly zero proof was offered, and then were actively arming a dangerous conflict right on the U.S. border, I think we all know just how ablaze with indignity the U.S. political leadership would be. And rightly so.

So is it any surprise that Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in response, “Both houses of the U.S. Congress have approved the Ukraine Freedom Support Act bypassing debates and proper voting. The overtly confrontational message of the new law cannot but evoke profound regret. Once again Washington is leveling baseless sweeping accusations against Russia and threatening more sanctions.”

The really bizarre part of this story is that I cannot yet find any credible analysis or commentary explaining exactly what the U.S.’s interests are in Ukraine that are so compelling as to risk increasing confrontation with Russia. And it bothers a great many analysts that the U.S. is on an increasingly combative course with yet another country without providing any evidence in support of its accusations and actions. Again.

In response, Russia is rapidly withdrawing from additional dialog with the U.S. and Europe, while drawing ever closer to China, Turkey and India. Russians feel that they are already under siege from the U.S., and that acts of war have already been committed.

Despite being almost completely out of the U.S. news cycle, events are in and around the Ukraine situation are actually picking up pace. On Jan. 15, Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree mobilizing 50,000 new servicemen to the front lines, and Russia just announced that Europe will have to accept gas via Turkey as the Ukraine route is being shut down.

This situation remains much more fluid and nuanced than we’re being told by the Western media, with much more to this story than a short column allows, Those interested in delving deeper can read our latest report here.

But in short, the situation is getting more strained, not less, and it has the very real chance of blossoming into something far larger and more deadly than the sparse coverage in the Western press might imply.

If it looks like a war, acts like a war and smells like a war, it may just be a war. Everyone should be very concerned by these events, but especially European readers.

Chris Martenson is an economic researcher and futurist specializing in energy and resource depletion, and co-founder of PeakProsperity.com
.

[OUTLAW 09]

Now open and direct combat between Russian Army units and units of the Ukrainian military.

No mercenaries involved---Putin's eighth phase of their new UW strategy in play now.

More specifically Lysenko said Ukr. forces were facing regular Russian army units between Slov'yanoserbs'k & Zymohir'ya in Luhansk region

#Donetsk airports runway completely out of service, fierce combat is on. #Ukraine forces attacked by #Russia|n regular army – Lysenko

Large #Russia|n army column near #Ukraine border, location not exactly known yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvbj...ature=youtu.be …

On the #DonetskAirport Lysenko said Ukr. forces holding their positions but facing sustained attack

#News
The Ukrainian army "stopped the advance of #regular Russian troops between Checkpoint 31 and 29. Fiercest fighting continues." - ATO

[Firn]

The reasons why there is no stronger diplomatic response to Russia's invasion is the seemingly expendiency of denying open war by many political players in Europe, the US and other parts of the world like China. As I stated before that doesn't make it less of a war of aggression by Russia.

[OUTLAW 09]

The reasons why there is no stronger diplomatic response to Russia's invasion is the seemingly expendiency of denying open war by many political players in Europe, the US and other parts of the world like China. As I stated before that doesn't make it less of a war of aggression by Russia.

#BREAKINGREPORT
100 RUSSIAN ARMY TANKS, 70 GRAD SYSTEMS APPROACH #LUHANSK CITY RIGHT NOW.
http://informator.lg.ua/?p=63027

[OUTLAW 09]

For those policy makers that never believed there was not a war and an invasion and that one can "talk" with Putin and there is not such a thing as Russian neo nationalistic imperialism ie Russian fascism think again.

We now have the Russo Ukrainian war thanks to those that felt "soft power" was the way forward. National foreign policy built strictly on soft power without a hard power backup will always fail and since 9/11 the US European hard power projection option was reduced to absolutely nothing by all Presidents.

Humpty dumpty will never be put back together after this major failure and who would have thought that 25 years after the Wall fell and in Central Europe the US/NATO and EU would have even "allowed" the thought of war to even exist. One now has to ask are even any international agreements, treaties and or laws even worth the paper they are written on if there is a Russian signature on them?

VIDEO #Russia Spetsnaz Special Forces outside #Donetsk Airport https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5dZLRTzB30 …
pic.twitter.com/GzdAhdUfC9

Entire day in #Debaltseve and no evidence that Grad rockets hit even a single military target-only civilian #Donetsk pic.twitter.com/6Ie8uzZb2L

Russian terror squad shelling in #Horlivka.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzaY3ctbhg …
pic.twitter.com/OCZKEaM63x

#BreakingNews
Another 3 Russian army tactical battalions are waiting at the #Izvaryne border crossing ready to invade Ukraine at any moment

Lysenko on Hromadske radio right now: 3 batallions are close to the border at Izvarine, 400-450 men each”Height of Russian hypocrisy. Debaltseve is location of Ukraine-Russia #JCCC HQ for "ceasefire". No mistaking the message

At the moment, it looks like the main direction of Russian attack is Debaltseve and the area along Siverskyi Donets river.

These batallions in sum are close to a brigade size

Artillery division is close to Novoazovsk, on the Russian side of the border, but can fire at long distance

"Tanks, BTRs, all the [Russian] armor, rushing toward the [Ukraine] border,"
http://bit.ly/1yEJ4jD

What exact version of the T-72 is this, approaching Ukraine today?!
They might be in Luhansk region by now.
pic.twitter.com/cE4YEetnPZ

How close to homes can Terrorussians actually get? Next time firing from WITHIN homes? WARCRIME pic.twitter.com/tUeXqvP70c

[OUTLAW 09]

For those policy makers that never believed there was not a war and an invasion and that one can "talk" with Putin and there is not such a thing as Russian neo nationalistic imperialism ie Russian fascism think again.

We now have the Russo Ukrainian war thanks to those that felt "soft power" was the way forward. National foreign policy built strictly on soft power without a hard power backup will always fail and since 9/11 the US European hard power projection option was reduced to absolutely nothing by all Presidents.

Humpty dumpty will never be put back together after this major failure and who would have thought that 25 years after the Wall fell and in Central Europe the US/NATO and EU would have even "allowed" the thought of war to even exist. One now has to ask are even any international agreements, treaties and or laws even worth the paper they are written on if there is a Russian signature on them?

VIDEO #Russia Spetsnaz Special Forces outside #Donetsk Airport https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5dZLRTzB30 …
pic.twitter.com/GzdAhdUfC9

Entire day in #Debaltseve and no evidence that Grad rockets hit even a single military target-only civilian #Donetsk pic.twitter.com/6Ie8uzZb2L

Russian terror squad shelling in #Horlivka.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzaY3ctbhg …
pic.twitter.com/OCZKEaM63x

#BreakingNews
Another 3 Russian army tactical battalions are waiting at the #Izvaryne border crossing ready to invade Ukraine at any moment

Lysenko on Hromadske radio right now: 3 batallions are close to the border at Izvarine, 400-450 men each”Height of Russian hypocrisy. Debaltseve is location of Ukraine-Russia #JCCC HQ for "ceasefire". No mistaking the message

At the moment, it looks like the main direction of Russian attack is Debaltseve and the area along Siverskyi Donets river.

These batallions in sum are close to a brigade size

Artillery division is close to Novoazovsk, on the Russian side of the border, but can fire at long distance

"Tanks, BTRs, all the [Russian] armor, rushing toward the [Ukraine] border,"
http://bit.ly/1yEJ4jD

What exact version of the T-72 is this, approaching Ukraine today?!
They might be in Luhansk region by now.
pic.twitter.com/cE4YEetnPZ

How close to homes can Terrorussians actually get? Next time firing from WITHIN homes? WARCRIME pic.twitter.com/tUeXqvP70c

And the current US policy/strategy is again what?

Seemingly endless columns of Russian soldiers/tanks are entering an outgunned and outnumbered Ukraine. The West is readying its hashtags.

Aerial #drone footage of the battlefields of #Ukraine this winter. Horrible and captivating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2dsVMpyL40 …

This video is such a perfect portrait of the war. Russia & proxies devastate region, yet desperate to blame Ukraine