Dmitry Tymchuk’s Military Blog: Summary – August 20, 2014

Posted on August 21, 2014 by tilamuse

Dmitry Tymchuk, Coordinator, Information Resistance
08.20.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Brothers and sisters!

information_resistance_logo_engHere’s the Summary for August 20, 2014 (for previous summary, please see Summary for August 19).

The bad news:

1. “Humanitarian aid” from Russia is nonetheless entering into Ukraine–the last report was that the first group of trucks have entered into the transit zone of the Russian checkpoint of “Donetsk.” The National Security and Defense Council [NSDC] reported that Ukrainian customs and border control guards will start inspection and clearance of cargo “not earlier than Thursday.”

What abomination to expect from this special operation of the Kremlin’s–is anyone’s guess. Moscow still failed to explain any “water-salt” contents of the cargo and the method of withdrawal of its transport back to Russia. Nor have we heard any clear commentary on this “aid” from the Red Cross. A lot of questions and bad forebodings.

Editor's note: recent reports say that the first 8 white trucks have crossed the border into Ukraine now. Photo: Andrew Roth, NYT Moscow Bureau

Editor’s note: recent reports say that the first 8 white trucks have crossed the border into Ukraine now. Photo: Andrew Roth, NYT Moscow Bureau tweet.

2. The Adviser to the Interior Minister A. [Anton] Gerashchenko said that the Ministry of Defense delays the issuing of heavy weapons for the Specialized Battalions of the Ministry of the Interior, whereas the latter “take the fight to the terrorists armed with Grads, canons, armored vehicles, [thus] assisting our Armed Forces.”

We clarified this situation for ourselves back in June. The Defense Ministry explained to us that for arms transfers to another agency, there is a statutory procedure, and such issues are not resolved in [only] two days. In what kind of time period is it possible to resolve this issue–we were unable to find out.

At the same time, the General Staff, in informal conversations, are of the opinion that the Specialized Battalions of the Ministry for the Interior should not operate as assault units by definition, because that’s what the army is for. And the Interior Ministry units must comply with the relevant tasks–to carry out the clearing of settlements and restore law and order in the liberated territories.

This may well be so, but it is necessary to ensure an ideal interaction between the divisions and the units of the Interior Ministry and the AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] so that every man does only his job–in particular, so that the army [can] promptly destroy any heavy equipment in the path of these same Specialized Battalions. Which, unfortunately, we do not see. So, there is one of two things remaining–either solve the problem with interaction or arm the Specialized Battalions with heavy weapons.

3. The territories controlled by the insurgents in Donbas finally plunged into an abyss of lawlessness – from terrorists thriving by looting.

According to our data, in cities occupied by terrorists, residents are trying to sell movable property for a pittance, which the fighters for Putin’s idea did not have time to “squeeze out” [from them]. A decent car can be bought from the owner for 1-2,000 Hryvnias [USD $75.50–151]. However, for a “squeezed” auto, terrorists can give a couple of cartons of cigarettes. What a sad picture of the “Russian world” …

The good news:

1. A significant part of Luhansk is under the control of our forces, the freeing of Donetsk is underway as well.

I distinguish these two red dots on the ATO [anti-terrorist operation] map for one reason: the liberation of these two towns has a huge, so to speak, military and political meaning in the context of the conflict in Donbas. Since their liberation will be a major blow to Putin’s project of “Novorossiya” [New Russia], it’s two nails with one blow in the lid of a double coffin for the DNR and LNR [Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics]. I have no doubt about the fact that this will soon happen.

2. In Moscow, the good people repainted in yellow and blue, the star on the steeple of the high-rises built under Stalin on the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment and hung a Ukrainian flag on its steeple.

Russian Polizei immediately began raking the ground. Putin’s bodyguards seized four suspects. A criminal case has been initiated against them.

This is what I think … when the current mayor of Moscow, [Sergey] Sobyanin, is replaced by the commander of the Donbas Battalion, Muscovites will still grieve in lines for Ukrainian flags in an attempt to please the new authorities. For the sale of blue and yellow paint, by the way, coupons will also have to be introduced in Russian cities.

And for now–thank you for your support, courageous local guys. We will not stay indebted to you, [we] will free you from the dictatorship, just give us time.

Detained for 48 hours: Aleksey Shyrokozhukhov
Detained for 48 hours: Yavgenia Korotkova
Detained for 48 hours: Anna Lepeshkina
Detained for 48 hours: Aleksandr Pogrebov

3. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev today shortened the list of products that are prohibited for import into Russia from the West. [It] turned out to be not so easy to hit the West with the vaunted “retaliatory sanctions.”

Here, everything is clear: Vovka’s [slang for Vladimir] bravado has failed. [People] want to eat, very much so.

4. The National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service has failed to establish the facts of inaction and sabotage by the First Deputy Minister of Defense Bohdan Butsa, accused of disrupting the procurement of the army. According to our data, the Prosecutor’s office previously reached the same conclusion.

Here, it is necessary to clarify [some facts]. B. Butsa came to the post of Deputy Minister of Defense after Maidan (he held this position during the “Orange [Revolution]” government), essentially ending up in a “hostile” environment. This spring, Butsa proposed not to put the money, allocated towards the ATO, into circulation towards the tenders for the purchase of fuel for the army from commercial enterprises (since it amounted to hundreds of millions of Hryvnias), and [instead] take the fuel from the state reserve, and only transfer the money to restock these reserves. The fact that the defense department officials in this instance were left without the “kickbacks” from the tenders, immediately made ​​Butsa their enemy number one.

Butsa also blocked attempts by some officials to commit fraud with the sale of movable property of the Armed Forces. Which made ​​him [more] enemies on the level up. After which, he got blamed for all the sins in the supplying of the army.

Honestly, I don’t know how crystally honest this bureaucrat is. However, the recent prosecution against Bohdan Butsa was clearly ordered–it is an [obvious] fact. Also, I’m confident that the acquittal of the Deputy Defense Minister should be an occasion for more thorough investigations in the abuse of the army supply and the search for true culprits. Moreover, I think that Butsa himself, after all this persecution, could suggest to the law enforcement where they should be “digging.”

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB
Image Sources: 1, 2 

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Donbas Battalion: We are paying very dearly. But, for what?

Posted on August 20, 2014 by chervonaruta

By Maks Levin, photographer at lib.ua
08.19.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Bad news, near Donetsk. From the words of Maks Dondyuk: Donbas [Battalion] is in Ilovaisk. Entrenched. Also there are motorized infantrymen there. There are armored vehicles. But really it’s a meat grinder there. Ours are being fired at with everything possible–Grads, mortars, anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft guns, tanks, snipers. In the Donbas, [there are] 4–[Cargo] 200’s [killed]. More than a dozen wounded. They cannot in any way get out of Ilovaisk. The place where Donbas is now based is being shelled–Grads, mortars. Shells completely destroyed a bus that was standing in the yard.

According to Maks, Azov and Dnipro Battalions left Ilovaisk.

Support is VERY much needed, in order to hold the city.

Semenchenko was in an armored vest, but a very serious shrapnel ended up in his shoulder blade–knocked him off his feet. And then again in the leg. And I thought that the battalion commanders are invincible.

They killed the amazing Ukrainian American “Franko” (Mark Paslavski), fuck. A cheerful diasporan with a Canadian accent, how he cussed in Ukrainian, so fantastically beautiful. I was to give him these photos–[they] printed them out. He dreamed of entering Donetsk and then returning to Kyiv, to sell an apartment in Lviv and settle somewhere comfortable in the Carpathian Mountains.

Franko, Mark Paslavski

VICE News “Russian Roulette: Dispatch 66” with Franko:
https://news.vice.com/video/russian-roulette-dispatch-66

Mikhailyna [Skoryk, journalist and wife of Shulz]. I have no words. Hang in there. ‘Schulz’–such a calm and confident guy. It seems he wasn’t afraid of anything.

Shulz,

Shulz, Serhiy Oleksandrovich, husband of journalist Mykhailyna Skoryk

Shulz:

We are paying very dearly. But, for what?

Source: Maks Levin

“Urban warfare is the most difficult art of all close combat tactics. The enemy can wait for you anywhere and shoot from an attic, basement or a kindergarten. The terrorists are firing mortars from the part of the city they control not caring whether they hit residential buildings. Last night after the death of Ulybka (Smiley) four other heroes of the National Guard Donbas Battalion were killed as well as four heroes from the Shakhtarsk special police battalion. Also a Ukrainian citizen of American origin call sign Franko from the Donbas battalion was killed,” –Adviser to the Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko on his Facebook page.

Source: censor.net.ua. 

Mikhailyna Skoryk FB:
He wanted to go out a hero. He went. In Ilovaisk. For Ukraine, for friends, for victory and for a peaceful Donbas.

No need to call. Or write. It’s enough to pray for peace and an end to this nightmare.

 The Media Center of Donbas Battalion informs: August 18th

After fierce daytime fighting Defense Force Donbas entered Ilovaisk, which is a key defense object of separatists situated to the west from Donetsk.
As of 19:00 terrorists are dislodged from half of the city. The fighting is still going on.

Ilovaisk

Semyon Semenchenko, Donbas Battalion Commander, FB post August 19th:

We are in Ilovaisk.

Yesterday the Donbas Battalion, a separate company of the Dniepr Battalion, and the 2nd Azov Battalion platoon were engaged in heavy fighting on the outskirts of the city. Faced with fierce resistance, suffering losses, Dniepr and Azov gained a foothold on the outskirts of the city. Their job was done perfectly. Attack units of the battalion Donbas, sweeping away terrorist roadblocks, entered the city from several directions, and by 19:00 took control of the eastern part of the city. Judging by the desperate running away of  supporters of the “Russian world,” we have already learned to do coverage and raids. We are entrenched for the night right in the city, nutrition and psychological assistance to residents who are in the basements of office buildings and bomb shelters has been organized. To build on the success, it was decided not to be a static target at night but to organize a night raid. During the night, three checkpoints and four enemy firing points were destroyed. It has not even helped the separatists to fire the Grad at Donbas, into the very center of city, which the terrorists held onto directly from the territory of Donetsk. The movement of the column [convoy] which was supposed to help the terrorists was also blocked. By 5 am, about two thirds of the city was under control, the city is completely surrounded. We ask people not to leave their shelters, we will try to finish everything quickly. The rotation of combined BMP APU [auxiliary power unit] also could not get into the city, but the morning brought armored vehicles, they are now with us. Glory to Ukraine!

Posted in "Voices" in English, English, English News, Eyewitness stories, Pictures, South&Eastern Ukraine, Video, War in Donbas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sibirischer Aktivist mit einem abgetrennten Schafskopf bedroht

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Euromaidan NRW (Verein aufgelöst)
Artyom-Loskutov-Siberia

Der Nowosibirsker Künstler Artjom Loskutow – VK

von Alexej Eremenko, 18. August 2014, The Moscow Times (Übersetzung)

Lokale Medien berichteten, dass ein abgetrennter Schafskopf vor der Haustür eines sibirischen Aktivisten gefunden wurde, nachdem er die lokalen Behörden durch die Ankündigung einer Kundgebung zur Unterstützung des Artikels 1 der russischen Verfassung, der den Föderalismus fördert, verärgert hatte.

Das ekelerregnede Geschenk wurde am vergangenen Wochenende vor der Haustür von Alexej Baranow in Nowosibirsk abgelegt, dem Organisator einer geplanten Demonstration für die Unverletzlichkeit der verfassungsmäßigen Ordnung, sagte Nazaccent.ru.

“Demonstration für die Verfassung”

Oberflächlich betrachtet handelte es sich um eine loyale Veranstaltung, die jedoch in Wirklichkeit darauf abzielte, die Aufmerksamkeit auf einen Widerspruch in der Kreml-Politik zur Ukraine zu lenken, und damit provozierte man den Zorn der lokalen Beamten.

Die Kundgebung sollte die föderalistische Natur Russlands feiern – und dabei folgerichtig eine größere Autonomie Sibiriens befürworten.

Die Organisatoren benutzten dieselbe Rhetorik wie der Kreml in seinem Drängen nach mehr Föderalismus in der Ukraine, wo pro-russische Rebellen einen blutigen Krieg gegen ukrainische Regierungstruppen führen.

Eine separatistische Bewegung existiert im ressourcenreichen Sibirien bereits seit dem 19. Jahrhundert, hat aber die regionale Politik nie dominiert.

Ende Juli wurde eine Kundgebung zur Unterstützung des russischen Föderalismus in Nowosibirsk angekündigt.

Eine Parodie nimmt eine ernste Wendung

Der ursprüngliche Veranstalter war der Nowosibirsker Künstler Artjom Loskutow, der in der Region für die Inszenierung augenzwinkernder politischer Provokationen bekannt ist, weil er ernstzunehmende politische Ereignisse “entfremdet” hat. Diese Parodien von Demonstrationen – die er als “Monstrationen” bezeichnet – wurden bekannt dadurch, dass sie unter dem Motto augescheinlich unsinniger Parolen wie “Wer ist dort?” und “Linsen sind böse” standen.

Loskutow blieb sich treu: Ein vorgesehener Slogan für die Föderalismuskundgebung zeigte einen Karte von Westsibirien in der Form eines Phallus mit dem Slogan: “Zeigt Moskau, wie Sibirien aussieht”.

Die Nowosibirsker Stadtverwaltung verbot die Kundgebung als verfassungswidrig, und die staatliche Internet-Aufsichtsbehörde Roskomnadzor  ging auf bisher beispiellose Art vor: sie Verbot den Zugang zu mehr als einem Dutzend Medienberichten und Seiten auf sozialen Netzwerken über die Demonstration.

Die Planung wurde dann von der marginalen radikalen Gruppe der Nationalbolschewistischen Plattform übernommen, die die Demonstration umfunktionierte in ein Ereignis zur Förderung des Föderalismus, der durch Artikel 1 der russischen Verfassung garantiert wird.

Die Nowosibirsker Behörden verboten auch die neue Demonstration.

“Wir werden keine Kundgebung erlauben, die die verfassungsmäßige Ordnung in Russland bedroht,” sagte Bürgermeister Anatoli Lokot zu der geplanten Demonstration für die Verfassung, wie News.ngs.ru am Freitag berichtete.

Rigoroses Durchgreifen gegen die Dissidenten

Die Veranstalter beschweren sich in den sozialen Medien und Interviews lokaler Nachrichtenmedien über weit verbreitete Repressalien, u.a. lange Verhöre und angebliche Bedrohungen durch die Strafverfolgungsbehörden, dass man Drogen oder gestohlene Handys unterschieben werde, wenn sie die Planunge für die Kundgebung nicht einstellen.

Beamte spekulierten auch darüber, dass die Veranstaltung “von der Ukraine finanziert” sei, schrieb der Mitorganisator Roman Popkow auf seiner Facebook-Seite.

Nach dem angeblichen Vorfall mit dem Schafskopf ist das eigentliche Ereignis schnell im Sande verlaufen: Nur etwa 15 Personen versammelten sich in Nowosibirsk, sagte BBC Russland.

Die meisten Organisatoren verbrachten den Sonntag in Haft und konnten nicht teilnehmen, obwohl sie später ohne Anklage wieder freigelassen wurden, so die Berichte am Montag.

Die Polizei konnte allerdings bei der Suche nach den Tätern mit dem Schafskopf-Vorfall keinen Erfolg vermelden.
Quelle: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/siberian-activist-threatened-with-severed-sheep-s-head/505291.html

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Dmitry Tymchuk’s Military Blog: Summary – August 19, 2014

Posted on August 19, 2014 by tilamuse

Dmitry Tymchuk, Coordinator, Information Resistance
08.19.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Brothers and sisters!

information_resistance_logo_engHere’s the Summary for August 19, 2014 (for previous summary, please see Summary for August 18).

The bad news:

1. Unfortunately, we can confirm the fact that the column of Russian military equipment broke through to Luhansk today to back up the local militants. Some of the equipment arrived from Russia earlier, while other vehicles entered Donbas today from the territory of the Russian Federation.

According to our data, a few dozen units of military equipment broke through into the neighborhood of Luhansk, up to 40 of them are heavy armored vehicles. Part of this column entered the city.

How the column of vehicles could have broken through the blockade line, considering the fact that Luhansk is being blocked by a circle of checkpoints and fortified strongpoints of ATO forces–we currently cannot say.

2. LNR [Luhansk People’s Republic] terrorists argue that the shooting of the refugee convoy yesterday near Luhansk–was not them. This claim was made by I. [Ihor] Plotnitskiy, one of the insurgents’ leaders.

This statement could possibly confuse a casual observer who might erroneously think that this sinful deed that was committed, that such a terrible crime could be attributable to the ATO forces who shelled the convoy by mistake. If it were not for one “but.” The leader of the terrorists began swearing that the insurgents do not get thrown weapons from Russia, he said, “all military equipment is battle loot and was captured in battle.”

And here everything falls into place. It’s hard to assume that the insurgents could seize dozens of tanks and MLRS [Multiple Launch Rocket Systems] from the Ukrainian army, and it’s even less understandable where Ukrainian troops would get weapons and equipment available only in the Russian army, such as armored KamAZ trucks, the newest armored BTR-82 vehicles, Kord machine guns, AK [Kalashnikov] Series 100 automatic rifles, etc. etc.–this list is endless.

This lie about the weapons also proves the lie about the [fact of] the shelling of the convoy. But this little warlord, stuck deep in his lies, didn’t even use his brains when feeding his lies to the public.

The good news:

1. Our troops continue to liberate the land of the Donbas from pro-Russian and Russian filth. The cleanup of Ilovaysk is finishing, step by step Donetsk and Luhansk are being liberated. Combat is underway in the raion [district] settlements of Horlivka, Yasynuvata, Zhdanivka.

Moscow is seeking in any way to save its minions, already throwing them equipment and weapons without much secrecy. But only a maniac like Putin can continue to believe that the game is not over, and hope for some prospects for such criminal projects as the DNR and LNR [Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics]. Tragically, this maniacal Kremlin is paid for with the blood of our guys, but in no way cancels the impending victory.

2. The Ministry of the Interior reported that it fired nearly 3,700 law enforcement officers in the Donetsk and Luhansk region throughout the duration of the ATO. Dozens of criminal cases were filed against local police officers who changed their oath.

It is a process, the value of which can hardly be overestimated. Because what would be the point of the ATO, if yesterday’s terrorist accomplices controlled the city of Donbas again today, waiting for the “whistle” from Russia to start all over again?

To this, [I] can only add that such a process should have been aggressively launched against the local authorities as well. Since it was already begun, it recently somehow started clearly to abate.

3. The Deputy Chairman of the European Parliament R. [Ryszard] Czarnecki said that the Ukrainian authorities should not agree to negotiations with terrorists in the Donbas, as they are not a worthy partner for dialogue, and should make every effort to drive them out of the country.

These are, in my understanding, the words of a man, not a boy. Kyiv announced that it would welcome a peaceful dialogue, if such were possible (remember the sad experience of the “ceasefire” of June 20-30th?). But since [we] cannot come to an agreement amicably, we will have to postpone the ceremonies. It is wonderful that the European Parliament, earlier blinded by an unconvincing pacifism, began to understand this fact.

Meanwhile, a terrorist is nevertheless a terrorist, [even] in Africa. And this statement by the representative of the European Parliament can be considered an unofficial recognition of the DNR and LNR [Donetsk- and Luhansk People’s Republics] as terrorist organizations, albeit by individual MEPs [Members of European Parliament]. Well, it’s up to an official recognition [now], which Ukraine is so yearning for.

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

 

 

 

 

 

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Peter Kroengen zur Lage in der Ostukraine vom 19.08.14

Posted on August 19, 2014 by tftranslate

Mein Kommentar zur Lage in der Ostukraine

Peter Kroengen

Peter Kroengen

Putin ist nicht nur bereit für eine Eskalation – er will, ja er braucht diesen Krieg um weiter in die Ukraine vorzudringen. Ihm geht es nicht darum den Krieg im Donbass ein bisschen am Köcheln zu halten wie viele vermuten, sondern (wie ich bereits so oft geschrieben habe) immer noch um die Landverbindung von der Grenze im Donbass bis nach Transnistrien um damit die Krim versorgungstechnisch/militärisch abzusichern und um, ja, um die Verwirklichung von Novorossija. Darüberhinaus will und kann Putin NICHT auf die Schwer- und Rüstungsindustrie im Donbass verzichten – er hat dafür schlichtweg keinen Ersatz. Das alles ist kein Zufall, sondern ein Plan der seit mindestens 2008 in den Schubladen des Kremls schlummert. Sobald man sicher davon ausgehen konnte die Ukraine endgültig an den Westen zu verlieren, sollte es losgehen. Das ist nun jetzt definitiv der Fall.

Allerdings haben sich die Strategen im Kreml das alles viel leichter vorgestellt – man rechnete wahrscheinlich fest damit, dass die Ukrainische Armee keine Chance hat gegen die fürsorglich aus Russland unterstützten Söldner. Sicher wäre es im Sinne Putins gewesen wenn man das alles als eine “logische Entwicklung aus dem Inneren der Ukraine heraus” hätte verkaufen können. Daher ja auch die Idee der von Russland aus initiierten und aus den Regionen heraus ausgerufenen LNR/DNR. So konnte es zu Hause in den Medien als eine Revolte der Bürger im Donbass und Abspaltung von der Regierung in Kiev verkauft werden.

Was jetzt im Donbass wahrscheinlich folgen wird folgt einem Drehbuch – das haben wir bereits im März/April auf der Krim erlebt:

Stegiger Zustrom von grünen Männchen in den Lugansker und Donetsker Oblast mit modernstem Kriegsgerät zur Unterstützung der Separatisten.
Verstärkter Einsatz von Flugabwehr gegen die Ukrainische Luftwaffe.
Zurückdrängen der ATO, Zurückgewinnen der militärischen Kontrolle in Donetsk und Lugansk.
Versprechungen an die vollkommen zermürbte Bevölkerung über Soforthilfe und Hilfe beim Wiederaufbau und der Versuch ein Referendum über den Anschluss an Russland abzuhalten.
Parallel dazu Beginn von Ersten Destabilisierungsmassnahmen in den Nachbaroblasten. (Kharkov, Zaporozhie, Dnepropetrovsk, Nikolaev, Kherson, Odessa)

So wird man sich Schrittchen für Schrittchen weiter Richtung Westen/Süden vortasten wollen. Sicherlich geht das alles nicht von heute auf morgen und sicherlich auch nicht gegen massive Widerstände, aber Putin verfolgt einen langfristigen Plan und in 2-3 Jahren dürfte dieses Ziel mit Hilfe der Militärischen Überlegenheit Russlands erreichbar sein – natürlich die bisherige Untätigkeit des Westens und ein Nichteingreifen der NATO oder von UN-Friedenstruppen vorausgesetzt.

Steinmeiers end- und ergebnislose Verhandlungsrunden spielen Russland dabei perfekt in die Hände. Solange sich Russland brav mit an den Verhandlungstisch setzt, eine Waffenruhe fordert, Hilfskonvois vorbereitet und somit “erkennbaren guten Willen” zeigt, wird der Westen WEDER neue Sanktionen beschliessen, noch sonstige Massnahmen gegen Russland einleiten. Im Donbass hingegen lässt Russland sich nicht beirren und macht einfach weiter wie bisher….

Ach ja, fast vergessen, Sanktionen – das ist nicht das Mittel vor dem Putin auch nur irgendwelchen Respekt hat. Wenn der Westen bei seiner Haltung bleibt, ist dieser Konflikt für Russland bereits gewonnen…

Quelle: Peter Kroengen auf Facebook

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