Voices of Ukraine

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
10.23.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

Russian-terrorist troops continue trying to provoke ATO forces to open fire. Actions by militant reconnaissance fighters have been observed, and the activity of Russian electronic intelligence was recorded in a number of sectors.

At different sections of the contact line, the withdrawal of enemy tanks was observed, which in a number of cases turned out to be a deception. In potentially dangerous areas, where the advance of Ukrainian troops is possible, terrorists are actively laying minefields and setting up artificial obstacles.

To the west of the settlement of Molodizhne, in the region of Popasna, two enemy groups (15-25 strong each) monitored the positions of the ATO forces from the “greenery” in the “gray band” [neutral zone]. Before departing, the terrorists opened fire in the direction of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ stronghold, and, when their fire was not returned, moved in the direction of Molodizhne.

Chaotic fire was observed from the direction of the Donetsk Airport. In this area, terrorists operate in the greenery, using small groups of 10-15 people.

Isolated instances of shooting at the neutral zone and in the direction of the ATO forces’ positions from small arms and AGS-17 were recorded near the settlements of Mar’inka and Dokuchajevsk.

Enemy snipers were observed operating near the settlements of Holmivskyi, Luhanske, Shchastya, Stanytsia Luhanska, Donetsk, as well as in the coastal areas.

Movements:

• Concentrated in the center of Luhansk are 24 tanks, 40 vehicles and 18 armored combat vehicles of various types – BMP-1.2, MT-LB;

• On the outskirts of Donetsk, terrorists equipped a camouflaged “layover point” for armored vehicles in some dilapidated manufacturing premises. 10 tanks and more than 20 BBMs [armored combat vehicles] of various types, mainly BMP-2, were noted here. During the day, six army trucks with armed militants were transferred here;

• In the vicinity of Uspenka and Lisne, 18 tanks were observed on the march in several columns, as well as six D-30 and D-30A guns, deployed at positions south of Lisne. In the adjacent forested areas, up to 30 ACVs, including BMP-1 and MT-LB (four of them with “Strela-10M” anti-aircraft systems) have been recorded;

• In the area of Stakhanov, 4 tanks and 12 armored personnel carriers (BTR-70, 80 and 6 MT-LB) are located at positions;

• A motorcade with five D-30 guns in tow left Antratsyt in the direction of Krasnyi Luch.

Reorganization of the recently created so-called “border service of the DNR Ministry of State Security” is underway. The process entails downsizing at least two thirds of the recently hired staff, and is viewed by the militants as “abandonment of Novorossiya.”

A power struggle continues between Oleksander Zakharchenko and Oleksander Khodakovsky. The “head of the DNR” is taking measures to decrease the influence of the “secretary of the security council” on illegal armed gangs. The “Vostok” gang is being reorganized: some 40% of its terrorists are cut from the staff, and the rest are being transferred to different departments of the so-called “DNR Ministry of Internal Affairs” (at least a third of them have previous convictions). At the same time, the active creation of special forces battalion “Legion” is underway. The battalion, up to 500 people in strength, will be controlled directly by Zakharchenko and is to be included into the “Oplot” gang.

In Yenakijevo, Donetsk oblast, persons (and family members thereof) who received injuries during clashes of the “DNR” gangs with the ATO forces, received top-priority treatment during the distribution of humanitarian aid provided by Rinat Akhmetov’s charity foundation.

By order of the so-called “DNR minister of health care,” accreditation has been withdrawn from representatives of the international organization “Doctors Without Borders” located in the territory occupied by terrorists. Taking into account the fact that representatives of this organization have mainly been working in the tuberculosis dispensary and prisons, and supplied their own medication, medical specialists believe that an outbreak and epidemic of serious illnesses is possible in the “DNR.”

Photo: Defense of Ukraine

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
10.22.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the last two days, Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas have been actively demonstrating a “withdrawal of combat equipment” in an area across from the “C” sector. A portion of the equipment is being removed from the 15 km [adjacent to the front line], while the rest of the combat equipment and armaments remain at the front line, simply changing their positions. At the new positions, the armaments are being thoroughly camouflaged. The partial withdrawal, by the militants, of heavy armor and mortars was also observed in other sections.

Withdrawal of the equipment of two Russian-terrorist “motorized infantry companies” (including a total of 12 tanks) was observed. It is worthy of note that as the equipment is being withdrawn, the personnel of those units remains at their front line positions.

In the coastal regions, militants have concentrated 24-25 units of armored vehicles (mostly tanks) north of Bezymenna and northeast of Kominternove, allegedly in preparation for withdrawal. At the same time, a portion of militant combat equipment and vehicles have been moved north, beyond Telmanove, and camouflaged [on positions] in the stretch between Bohdanivka and Hrekovo-Oleksandrivka (a minimum of 7 tanks recorded).

Terrorists are gradually collecting armored vehicles from southern districts of Horlivka, and from the area of Panteleimonivka and Yasynuvata, moving them towards Yenakijeve and Vuhlehirsk. On average, 2-3 tanks and 3-4 ACVs per day were being transported during the past few days. Platform cars have been prepared in Debaltseve [rail junction] as a demonstration (“for the OSCE”), however, no actual loading or transportation of armaments is recorded; instead, the equipment is being concentrated in and around Debaltseve and Vuhlehirsk. According to preliminary data, militant command is forming a powerful second-tier tactical group in the Artemivsk direction, as a reinforcement to be used in case of a converging attack in the Svitlodarsk bridgehead area. This situation requires further monitoring.

Militants are performing active reconnaissance (including with the use of sabotage and surveillance groups), laying minefields, actively regrouping Russian-terrorist forces and equipment, equipping combat positions, and accumulating materials and supplies.

At the same time, militants continue armed provocations, attempting to provoke return fire from Ukrainian troops. In many cases, representatives of Russian and local (terrorist-controlled) media are present at the terrorist positions during such provocations, instructed to record the retaliatory fire by the ATO forces, should it be opened. Their presence is a testimony to the fact that these provocations are planned and authorized by Russian-terrorist command (i.e., they are not “accidental” firings or attacks on the part of “gangs not controlled by the LNR [Luhansk People’s Republic] command”).

Thus, over the past day, in the vicinity of Holmivskyi settlement, two militant infantry groups, acting in coordination, attempted to provoke Ukrainian troops into opening fire. One of the groups took positions in the neutral zone; the second, armed with 82 mm mortars (at least 2) shelled an area close to an ATO forces’ stronghold, in an attempt to provoke return fire. After that, the groups retreated behind the armed gangs’ lines, providing cover for each other. During the same day, a new militant unit arrived in this area, some 80-90 personnel strong.

Isolated bursts of small arms fire in the direction of Ukrainian positions were recorded near Mar’inka, south of Avdiivka, and in the vicinity of Hranitne. Advanced positions of the ATO forces near Opytne and DAP [Donetsk Airport] came under fire (in the latter case, by a sniper).

The enemy is employing advanced surveillance groups to scout out the frontline positions of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Krymske, Shchastya, Popasna, and Zaitseve. Terrorist reconnaissance groups are also attempting to conduct surveillance of the front line and the tactical rear of the ATO forces in the coastal regions (in several areas at once – Sakhanka, Hnutove, Naberezhne, Shyrokyne), as well as south of Volnovakha. On occasion, these reconnaissance groups are opening fire in the direction of Ukrainian positions.

Regrouping of the terrorist “motorized rifle infantry battalion” located in the western part of Petrovskyi district, Donetsk continues. The “reinforcements” that had arrived earlier (as reported by the IR Group) were distributed: partly to the unit deployed beyond Ratsionalizatoriv Street (110-120 personnel, armed with handheld grenade launchers, several 82 mm mortars, and heavy machine guns), and partly to the unit deployed near Oleksandrivka.

Several “reconnaissance” groups of Russian military servicemen disguised as local militants were recorded near Sverdlovsk, Krasnodon, Amvrosiivka, and Antratsyt. The mission of these groups is to find places for “layover” of armaments and military equipment. We forecast that some of these armaments and military equipment, originally supplied to militants from Russia, might be withdrawn towards the state border, for subsequent return to Russia; alternatively, they will be concentrated for rotation, repairs, and maintenance.

Regulation works for seasonal maintenance of equipment and armaments started in militant units and divisions, according to the order of the Russian-terrorist command. However, these works are erratic and slow, due to disruptions in supply of spares and consumables.

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
10.22.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance: (the socio-political situation in the regions of Donbas on 10/22/2015)

Russian command has declared terms for the return to Russia of citizens of the Russian Federation that are fighting in Donbas among Russian-terrorist troops (servicemen of the Russian Federation Armed Forces as well as mercenaries). Such citizens will be allowed to return only if they conclude a contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for an onward posting to Syria. To sign this contract, the persons concerned must provide an identity photo in triplicate and copies of personal documents. So far, only a small number of servicemen of the Russian Federation Armed Forces and Russian mercenaries in Donbas have agreed to sign this contract.

* * *
In occupied areas of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, special units of the Federal Security Service [FSB] of the Russian Federation, working together with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces [GRU], have initiated “persuasion” measures against commanders and fighters of the armed gangs who have not been following orders to cease fire on the front line. The most common threats used as part of the “persuasion” process are imprisonment and physical violence. An “FSB liquidator unit” is due to arrive in the Luhansk People’s Republic [LNR] from the Russian Federation on 10.25.2015 in order to carry out a purge of individuals who disagree with the change of [LNR’s] strategy from “joining the Russian Federation” to “Donbas as a special-status region of Ukraine,” along with the worst criminal elements. According to received reports, a low-level purge of this type is already underway in the Krasnodonskyi district of Luhansk oblast.

* * *
After the end of the “conscription for military service,” military commissariats in the “Donetsk People’s Republic [DNR]” have launched an urgent appeal for contract recruitment to the ranks of the “DNR” armed forces. “Contract soldiers” (rank and file) are promised a monthly pay of RUR 20,000 [$320]. Given the high level of unemployment in the temporarily occupied territories, local residents may find this type of “job placement” attractive. At the same time, serious problems with wage and social benefit payments have arisen in the “DNR,” owing to difficulties with receiving financing from Russia. It is not clear whether the financing of “DNR servicemen’s pay” is guaranteed.

* * *

At the “DNR” checkpoint near Oleksandrivka (Mar’inskyi district, Donetsk oblast), a local civilian has been shot dead while attempting to leave the temporarily occupied territory. The “DNR” top leadership has forbidden the media to cover this incident. According to the terrorists’ official version, a militant was forced to use his weapon after being “assaulted by a civilian.”

* * *

Gas deliveries from Russia to the “DNR” through the “Prokhorivka” checkpoint have been stopped. In this regard, the “Donbassgaz” state corporation has been making urgent calls to industrial customers, demanding that they stop consuming natural gas.
* * *

The Russian “supervisors” of the “LNR” are considering the possibility of appointing the “LNR Minister of Justice,” Oleksander Shubin, as “Chairman of the Central Election Commission” to ensure “an effective local election campaign” (elections are scheduled for 21 February, 2016). Previously, Oleksander Shubin figured in several corruption scandals in the “LNR.” In the summer of this year, a group [of employees] at the “LNR Ministry of Justice” lodged a complaint with the “LNR Prosecutor General” concerning the “misappropriation by the Minister of Justice, Oleksander Shubin, of funds collected by territorial departments.” Following that, some of the “ministry’s” most enterprising employees were sacked.

Militant SAU [search attack unit, self-propelled artillery] stands on logs. Source

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.