Moscow tries to rebuild Black Sea Fleet, RIAN's infographic showing order-of-battle at Sevastopol and Novorossiysk.
http://bit.ly/1muxzKk .
Moscow tries to rebuild Black Sea Fleet, RIAN's infographic showing order-of-battle at Sevastopol and Novorossiysk.
http://bit.ly/1muxzKk .
News
#Ukraine's troops took a height near Novotroits'ke, now overlooking enemy positions.
http://censor.net.ua/video_news/3678...oitskogo_video
Russian officers seem to suddenly be having "heart attacks" a mass.......
Within a week Russia's Military Intel chief Sergun & Airborne troops General Shushukin died.Both involved in Ukraine
pic.twitter.com/zI7HfOWoU4
A week ago the general who led the invasion of Crimea died. Today the head of Russia’s mil intelligence (GRU) died. Putin killing witnesses?
Deaths of top Russian military recently possibly due to:
a) Kremlin purge;
b) excessive New Year celebration;
c) something else.
Armed conflict in east #Ukraine slowly evolves to a frozen one: Ukrainian #military casualties in 2015, Jan to Dec
pic.twitter.com/SLELyMLKON
Ukrainian Military Reports 10 Attacks Near Donetsk Today
http://bit.ly/1JpAvBT
pic.twitter.com/1aAFtBLCjl
LTC Podgorski ("below mountain"), CO of #Russia'n Black Sea Naval Spetsnaz (388-й МРП) in #Sevastopol. Army in Navy.
pic.twitter.com/kDZahdyLFF
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 01-04-2016 at 05:48 PM.
New Kremlin management of Donbas: Dep PM Kozak has replaced Surkov & Boris Gryzlov new Russian chief negotiator.
http://bit.ly/1O6wD5Khttp://bit.ly/1O6wD5K
A blackout in Ukraine on December 23rd was caused by a cyber-attack. Details :
http://www.welivesecurity.com/2016/0...ower-industry/ …
DNR Leader Zakharchenko Says Peacekeepers In Donbass Would Be 'Unacceptable'
http://bit.ly/1Z1dcAk
Ukraine's intel reports to #OSCE Russian militant MBTs, self-propelled guns near #Makyivka, #Mospine
http://www.unian.info/war/1228701-uk...a-mospine.html …
Ukraine's intelligence reports to #OSCE SMM presence of large-caliber weapons in #ATO area.
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/315498.html …
Reference shot down of MH17..........
bellingcat @bellingcat
We continue to monitor and archive social media accounts of 53rd Brigade members, taking note of those who delete content #mh17
53rd is a Russian BUK AD unit.....
The Unexpected Death of Russias military intelligence (GRU) chief, Igor Sergun
by Mark Galeotti
SergunToday, news broke about the death yesterday (3 January) of 58-year-old Colonel General Igor Sergun, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, better known as the GRU.
No cause of death has yet been announced, but there has been no suggestion of anything shady or strange about his demise, even at this relatively young age (especially by the standards of Russian military gerontocracy!). No doubt more details will follow tomorrow; today it's just the hurried eulogies. Putin issued a statement that said "Colleagues and subordinates knew him as a real military officer, an experienced and competent commander, a man of great courage, a true patriot. He was respected for his professionalism, strength of character, honesty and integrity." Defence Minister Shoigu and the Collegium of the ministry extolled "the bright memory of a wonderful man, a true son of Russian patriots of the Motherland [...who...] forever remain in our hearts."
Sergun was an extremely important figure in the revival of the fortunes of the GRU, an agency that was pretty much at rock bottom when he took it over at the end of 2011. Since then, it has regained control over the Spetsnaz special forces, been crucial in the seizure of Crimea and operations in the Donbas, emerged as the lead agency for dealing with violent non-state actors and generally consolidated its position as a crucial instrument of today's "non-linear war." Indeed, it was a perverse accolade to this effect that he was included in the EU's post-Crimea Western sanctions list.
It will be interesting to see who replaces Sergun and whether they are able to consolidate and maintain this turnaround. Reportedly -- and thanks for Michael Kofman for bringing this to my attention -- one of Sergun's deputies is recently-promoted Lt. Gen. Alexei Dyumin, formerly of the Presidential Security Service (SBP) and close to Putin not just from that role but also as a dacha neighbour and ice hockey team player. If Dyumin gets the job, he'll have a solid krysha, political cover, and it will also represent one more example of the colonisation of the security structures by veterans of the SBP and its parent organisation, the FSO. But on the other hand, Dyumin -- unlike Sergun -- is not a career military intelligence officer but essentially a security guard. Whether or not he will be anywhere near as successful operationally, and whether he is willing to bring unwelcome news to the president may well be another matter.
In any case, we await details. I'll follow up as they emerge.
Horlivka, January 4
Russian military vehicles moved from Donetsk in winter camouflage
Decided to spend the winter...
https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/sta...55968020316161 …
OSCE sees 10 armed militants in reportedly occupied Kominternove
http://www.unian.info/war/1229041-os...internove.html …
pic.twitter.com/fmg6x5egzj
Cold snap is starting to freeze Kerch Strait further isolating #Crimea
http://krymsos.com/ru/news/cherez-si...operevezennya/ …
pic.twitter.com/Enu93MlQ32
In 2015, 3 pro-Moscow rebel commanders (Dremov, Mozgovoy & Bednov) "were killed in a professional fashion" #Ukraine
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs...wAefQw.twitter …
He knew too much.Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09
Vladimir #Putin's spy chief dies suddenly aged 58, #Kremlin reveals
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...arebar_twitter …
In the news about Sergun's death Vesti.RU changes headline: falling https://archive.is/i56Jq
replaced by demise https://archive.is/90w9G
Sergun, GRU chief who just died, led "most of complex operations" of GRU, i.e. wars abroad. Stepashin won't say more
http://crimea-24.com/novorossiya/120...hen-bereg.html
Concerning - "highly destructive" malware has caused several days of blackouts in Western #Ukraine
http://arstechnica.com/security/2016...ng-escalation/
Frequency Of Enemy Attacks In ATO Increased, – ATO Staff
http://ukraineunderattack.org/en/511...ato-staff.html …
Btw, not only head of GRU Sergun + general Shushukin died. Earlier: Nov05 - #Putin's adviser Lesin, Dec10 - ex-mayor of Sevastopol Saratov
Unidentified men in camouflage uniform abduct people in #Kherson region
http://humanrights.org.ua/en/materia...ljudej__svidki
Two Troubling Questions about Putin: Is He Sick? And Is He Getting Rid of Witnesses?
http://www.interpretermag.com/two-tr...tnesses/#11741 …
pic.twitter.com/xVQURtRi7w
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Two Troubling Questions about Putin: Is He Sick? And Is He Getting Rid of Witnesses?
Paul Goble
Staunton, January 5 – In the dies non that exists in Russia over the winter holidays, two uncomfortable and potentially dangerous questions have been raised about Vladimir Putin: Does his fall off in public activity mean he is sick? And are recent deaths evidence that the Kremlin leader is getting rid of witnesses to his crimes?
That such questions are being asked at all is more important in terms of public attitudes than the answers that anyone may give to one or the other.
Yesterday, Moscow’s independent Dozhd television, citing a report by the Center for Economic and Political Reforms (cepr.su/2016/01/04/kolvo-ukazov/), said that in recent weeks, Putin’s activity has fallen to “a record low for the past 15 years,” sparking concerns that he is either tired or sick (tvrain.ru/news/ustalost_prezidenta-401269/).
Between 1994 and 2012, the center’s analysts found, Russia’s three presidents, Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev issued between 123 and 149 decrees monthly. But since 2013, they found that Putin had issued “almost half as many” and that “the number has contracted further.” In 2013, he issued 970; in 2014, 837; and in 2015, 638.
Nikolay Mironov, the center’s director, says that this fall off in activity “may be connected with physical problems” or simply the result of the wearing down of someone who has long been in office. The decline began in May 2013, and since that time, many have suggested that Putin doesn’t look as well as he did earlier.
He notes that the decline in official activity includes not just decrees but other forms of orders issued to subordinates. Over the last year, Mironov continues, the president has distanced himself “from all important questions,” as shown as well by the way in which he answered questions at his recent press conference.
But the director points to the most important consequence of this: Under Russian conditions, if the president doesn’t formulate his orders in a written form, many in the bureaucracy and society do not know what they are supposed to do – and being at a loss, they may either do nothing or go their own ways.
Today, Zoryan Shkiryak, an advisor to the Ukrainian interior ministry, suggested that the recent deaths of two military commanders who undoubtedly have access to many of Putin’s most closely held secrets suggests that the Kremlin leader may be killing off witnesses to his own crimes (nr2.com.ua/News/world_and_russia/Putin-izbavlyaetsya-ot-opasnyh-svideteley-svoih-prestupleniy-ekspert-114437.html).
He points specifically to the death on December 27 of Major General Aleksandr Shushukin, who led the occupation of Crimea, and of Col.Gen. Igor Sergun, the head of the GRU, who has long done secretive dirty work “at the order of the Kremlin in the war against Ukraine.”
Of course, the two deaths may be a coincidence, but they are convenient and getting rid of the executors of regime policy has long been a tradition for the Soviet and Russian security services. They in this as in much else operate according to the principle “no person, no problem.” That Putin might do the same should not surprise anyone, Shkiryak says.
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 01-05-2016 at 07:03 PM.
Numbers-Stations.com @Spy_Stations
Numbers Stations Newsletter is out!
http://paper.li/Spy_Stations/1430766...9-0cc47a0d1605
Unexplained fuel shortage in #Luhansk #LNR #LPR region including cities near the Russian border #Ukraine
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