Kiev Is Burning

[Gregory]

 

Brothers and sisters,

Here’s the Summary for April 30, 2014 (for the previous day’s summary, please see the Summary for April 29).

The bad news:

1. The exponential capture of administrative buildings in eastern Ukraine continues.

The Interior Ministry of Ukraine has reported: as of today, separatists have seized 15 administrative buildings in Donetsk Oblast [region]. These are the local public authorities, city police departments and the SBU subdivisions in different cities [of the region].

Also, terrorists set up and arrange checkpoints in Donetsk Oblast wherever they please. Police are trying not to disturb the creative process of the citizens. Only near Sloviansk do special forces regularly remove such roadblocks, and retreat thereafter, thus allowing separatists to return to their places of duty.

Obviously, this is a fun game that’s exciting for both sides. But to an outside observer, it looks a little bit strange at minimum.

A similar circus seems to be gaining momentum in Luhansk Oblast. After yesterday’s events in Luhansk, the seizure of administrative buildings has been reported in Alchevsk today.

2. Ukrainian leadership continues to look for those guilty of the anti-terrorist operation’s failure.

After yesterday’s disclosure of the “secret de Polichinelle” [open secret]–that is, that local security forces in eastern Ukraine are mostly saboteurs and traitors, today our government authorities have yet again begun terrorizing the SBU special ops team, i.e.: “Alpha.” Allegedly, they refused to obey orders, and the “Alpha” commanders have been dismissed from duty.

“Alpha” has already refuted the statement regarding the removal of its leadership.

We have also issued our statement regarding this situation. According to our data, no one gave orders to “Alpha.” If an order was given–please specify, by whom and when. Then you can talk about cowardice and failure to obey orders. Until then, all of this is more like a “witch hunt.”

And I think, instead of all of these accusations, the uncles in high places could shed some light on that order to special forces that they had verifiably given. Namely–to avoid using weapons to kill under any circumstances. But alas, we don’t hear any commentary on that. And how should “special” ops be held under such circumstances–no one cares to elaborate.

3. Russian troops continue to hold large-scale military exercises near the Ukrainian border.

We don’t currently observe an increase in the number of troops. But the ones which are already playing hide and seek at our border are quite enough to “assist” in any “referendum” in some Luhansk.

The good news:

1. The Defense Ministry has announced the formation of territorial defense battalions comprised of civilians to ensure protection of the state border and strategically important facilities.

At the same time, the SBU opened a telephone “hotline” for citizens with military training who wish to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Citizens who have law enforcement or army experience, as well as those willing to join the special detachments to maintain public order, should call the following number +38 (044) 235-55-18.

This initiative is quite correct. I have already said this, let me repeat it again: if we do not want to plunge into the abyss of civil war, “self-defense” troops should only be organized under the wing of law enforcement agencies.

The only question is who and how will they use these specialized battalions. They already “held” mobilizations–all the mobilizations turned into a sad circus. If this fate awaits specialized battalions, it’s better not to start this process. For it’s not funny.

2. The Acting Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, Sergei Pashinsky, predicts that the situation in [the town of] Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast will be localized and stabilized in the coming days.

Please forgive me Mr. Pashinsky, but I strongly doubt his psychic abilities. I don’t know what crystal ball he used to see stability in Sloviansk. But such promises and predictions from government authorities still sound at least comforting. If these words are confirmed by action–praise and honor to the Ukrainian authorities.

3. With all the negativity in Luhansk, a rather comforting event took place there as well.

National Guard servicemen prevented a seizure of the General Directorate of the Interior Ministry building in Luhansk Oblast. Yesterday, separatists attempted to storm a regional police building with weapons and demanded Guardsmen surrender their weapons and leave the building. The Guardsmen sent the extremists packing.

As a result, only 27 conscripted servicemen left the building. Officers and contract soldiers remained on duty. Today, there were no [extremists] willing to attack them.

 

http://maidantranslations.com/

Edited May 1, 2014 by Gregory

[Gregory]

 

Regarding accusations against “Alpha” Group, the special ops division of the SBU

Today, representatives of the Ukrainian authorities accused the leadership and operatives of special ops division Alpha, of failing to follow orders.

Information Resistance group failed to find any evidence that Alpha Group received a military order which it would not fulfill.

Indeed, there was the issue with using Alpha in Sloviansk. At the same time, according to our data, Alpha commanders, indicated the conditions necessary for special forces to conduct such an operation–clearly identified goals and operation objectives, exploration and reconnaissance, complete blockage of the area of the operation, and providing cover [for operatives].

None of this was provided.

Nevertheless, the Alpha team agreed to follow the military order in accordance with the tasks it was prepared to perform. Moreover–the commanders and special forces operatives actually demanded the same adequate order in their engagement (this is the release of buildings, the neutralization of terrorists, and the release of hostages in all modes of transport and types of premises, the neutralization of leaders of organized crime groups, etc.).

But such an order was never given.

However, Alpha operatives note a number of glaring deficiencies in the organization of their activity.

Thus, the technical condition of body armor (bulletproof vests), with which Alpha operatives are equipped, absolutely does not meet minimum requirements. The airfield base in Kramatorsk, where the security forces base camp is located, is practically open to [gun] fire, taking into account the shortage of forces and means for organizing combat outposts. Yesterday, terrorist groups armed with portable air defense systems (MANPADS) were detected in the vicinity of the airfield. Special forces [also] face a catastrophic shortage in vehicles and secure communication systems.

https://www.facebook.com/dmitry.tymchuk/posts/491434880985172?stream_ref=9

[Coldsteel]

"Radio Yerevan - Are there Russian troops involved in Eastern Ukraine?"

Radio Yerevan answered: "In principle no, all Russian troops operate within the western border of the Russian Federation."

[Lav]

Nice map. Doesn't show recent unrest in Zakarpatye though. Not sure how serious that one is, but from what information I have, it deserves at least a "small rally" flag.

 

And it would really be nice to find a map detailing actions of Maidan protesters, just to be fair. :-)

 

UPDATE

 

http://112.ua/kiev/vooruzhennye-lyudi-v-kamuflyazhe-blokiruyut-zdanie-kabmina-56417.html

 

"Armed people in camouflage are blocking the Cabinet of Ministers building, gunfire is heard".

 

Some shit seems to be going there right now, but no clear information.

Ok, so according to Ukrainian news, that was military maneuvers organized by Kiev's city administration. Both the army and the national guard denied any knowledge of such maneuvers.

 

Military maneuvers. In the center of the capital. With armor. Without knowledge of the Army or the National Guard. By the city administration. At night and without advance warning. In the area where there are plenty of armed people split into many conflicting (and sometimes fighting) groups...

 

I'm in awe.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Lav

[Gregory]

Members of the territorial volunteer battalion "Donbass" have taken over a separatist checkpoint near the town of Kramatorsk. Several separatists have been captured and turned over to the police, 3 AK rifles and multiple blunt weapons confiscated.

[glenn239]

 

Forget religion & Ireland. Look at Wales & Scotland. Mostly English-speaking, especially Scotland, but I wouldn't call a Welshman or a Scot English, unless I was looking for a fight. Language does not equal nationality.

 

 

True, but if I lost a bet and had to pick between calling a big Scot in a bar either an Englishmen or calling him a Frenchmen, I wouldn't pick French.

[crazyinsane105]

So important and actually relevant update about this matter...I know, it doesn't have anything to do with ridiculously good looking Ukrainian girls..

 

I decided to take a tour of Chernobyl through a travel agency in Ukraine. The radiation levels of the areas we went too were extremely low (the Soviets did a pretty damn good job of decontaminating most of the area) and during the tour we got to see the working nuclear reactors and the new structure being built that would house the destroyed reactor for another hundred years.

 

Now during the tour, from the drive to Chernobyl from Kiev (to give you an idea...Chernobyl is about 30 km from the border of Belarus), our tour guide pointed out an an anti-aircraft missile battery that was set up in the distance field. It was camouflaged and obviously at the speed the car was going at and at the tour guide's discretion, I did not take any photographs. However, a truck came from the opposite direction on the same highway and it was carrying a single SA-2 missile! What a sight!

 

The tour guide said the anti-aircraft battery was just placed here a few weeks ago due to the mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

[Noble713]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-01/imf-warns-ukraine-fight-east-or-no-money

IMF approved the $17bn tranched loan to Ukraine last night, Gazprom gets paid; Ukraine gets its cash; and the door's wide open for the US and EU to pour more 'controlling influence' into the divided nation... Except there's one thing:

 

IF UKRAINE GOVERNMENT LOSES EFFECTIVE CONTROL OVER EAST OF COUNTRY, $17 BLN IMF BAILOUT WOULD NEED TO BE REDESIGNED

 

Which, roughly translated, appears to mean go to war with pro-Russian forces (and thus Russia itself if Putin sees his apparent countrymen in trouble) or you don't get your money!

which quickly led to......

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-01/ukraine-admits-helpless-against-pro-russian-forces-reinstates-military-conscription

Days after acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval warned "the Armed Forces are not ready for this," Ukraine has announced the return of military conscription. After Mr Turchynov admitted his security forces were 'helpless' to quash the pro-Moscow insurgency that has tightened its grip on the increasingly chaotic east of the country, Koval believes "if there were conscripts in military units, then the situation might be different." Of course, this is exactly what the IMF 'demanded' as yet more cities in the East fall to pro-Russian separatists. We can only imagine how pro-Russian 20-23 year old men will feel when they get their call-up papers to fight... against themselves.

Like I said before, central banking is how the West annexes territory in the 21st century. No flag-planting required.

[Gregory]

There is no possible connection between reimplementation of conscription and reimposing government control over Eastern Ukraine. As member of Tank Net, it should be reasonably obvious to you why.

[Mr King]

There is no possible connection between reimplementation of conscription and reimposing government control over Eastern Ukraine. As member of Tank Net, it should be reasonably obvious to you why.

 

No no no, evul banks

[ink]

BBC: Ukrainian government forces begin assault on Sloviansk.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

How will Russia respond? Last time Ukrainian government troops moved, so did Russian army forces. Will they respond in the same way now? Will they cross the border?

[bojan]

Pilot of shot down hello in Sloviyansk:

Shod down hello supposedly:

 

 

Government Mi-24 firing rockets:

[Marek Tucan]

FWIW I am pretty glad that Czech Republic got tainted

 

EDIT: Our news report there were two helicopters shot down already.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Marek Tucan

[crazyinsane105]

FWIW I am pretty glad that Czech Republic got tainted

 

EDIT: Our news report there were two helicopters shot down already.

 

Two shot down, one more badly damaged according to Al Jazeera.

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/05/ukraine-forces-begin-assault-slovyansk-20145235428643470.html

[urbanoid]

Shod down hello supposedly:

 

 

 

Mi-26 shot down in 2002 in Khankala, Chechnya with a MANPAD, 127 passengers killed.

[Marek Tucan]

AFAIR there was a MAPADS rack for one missile in each BMP, I guess might be in BMD as well. Plus all the reports about troubles among Ukrainian units etc... It is probably quite easy to get to the heavy weapons (at least man packed) if you know the people.

[swerve]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-01/imf-warns-ukraine-fight-east-or-no-money

IMF approved the $17bn tranched loan to Ukraine last night, Gazprom gets paid; Ukraine gets its cash; and the door's wide open for the US and EU to pour more 'controlling influence' into the divided nation... Except there's one thing:

 

IF UKRAINE GOVERNMENT LOSES EFFECTIVE CONTROL OVER EAST OF COUNTRY, $17 BLN IMF BAILOUT WOULD NEED TO BE REDESIGNED

 

Which, roughly translated, appears to mean go to war with pro-Russian forces (and thus Russia itself if Putin sees his apparent countrymen in trouble) or you don't get your money!

 

I recommend thinking. Would you lend money to an organisation which didn't have access to its assets? What would be the point? How could it use the money constructively? It's not a threat, it's not a demand to go to war, it's simply setting out reasonable (from a bankers point of view) conditions. You want to borrow money to refurbish a factory? Well, we can't lend to you while it's full of squatters, or the neighbours are camped out in it & disputing your ownership, can we?

[BLAH]

Considering most of the more serious looking rebels have LAW analogues slung over their shoulders, MANPADS are sure to be around when they are.

[crazyinsane105]

Some disturbing news...my friend from Dotensk got a call from her mom saying the drinking water to the entire city has been poisoned. What's more is that the local police warned all residents not to use the water for the time being. This is just one more step towards the Russian military stepping foot in Eastern Ukraine...

[X-Files]

Pro-Russian forces in Slovyansk shot down two Ukrainian helicopter gunships after Kiev launched an operation against the separatist stronghold that was condemned by Russia.

Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on Friday "unknown groups" had shot down two Mi-24s, while an Mi-8 transport helicopter was also damaged. The SBU security service earlier said one pilot was killed and another captured.

The SBU said man-portable missiles were used against one helicopter - proof that "trained, highly qualified foreign military specialists" were operating in the area "and not local civilians, as the Russian government says, armed only with guns taken from hunting stores".*

Arsen Avakov, Ukrainian interior minister, said on his Facebook page that troops had taken control of nine checkpoints around Slovyansk despite heavy resistance. He blamed "terrorists" for the army's losses.

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/05/ukraine-forces-begin-assault-slovyansk-20145235428643470.html

 

* Specious logic, considering the number of veterans that would still remember the firing procedures for a

Strela.

 

 

Pro-Russian separatists have seized the control centre for Donetsk railways in eastern Ukraine, all but stopping trains from running, a spokesman for the Donetsk railway said.

The rebels had seized the command post near Yasynuvata, just north of Donetsk, and had cut all electricity, he said. "Movement has all but stopped."

 

- See more at: http://diaalnews.com/news/15144#sthash.eU9u9Kph.dpuf

 

 

DONETSK, Ukraine — This eastern Ukrainian city took another step toward mob rule Thursday as pro-Russian separatists stormed the state prosecutor’s office and forced dozens of riot police deployed to guard the building into a humiliating surrender.

The attackers, who threw stones and wielded sticks, were backed by a crowd of at least 1,000 men and women of all ages. They chanted “fascists” and “traitors” at the riot police and waved Russian flags as well as those of the self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic.

 

 

On Thursday, citing Russian interference in his country’s affairs and “threats of encroachment” from tens of thousands of Russian troops massed just across the border, Oleksandr Turchynov signed a decree reintroducing compulsory military service for men ages 18 to 25.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/vladimir-putin-demands-ukraine-withdraw-troops-from-troubled-eastern-regions/2014/05/01/37912286-d132-11e3-9e25-188ebe1fa93b_story.html

Edited May 2, 2014 by X-Files

[X-Files]

 

Ukrainian officials said troops overran rebel checkpoints around the city in an operation launched before dawn and it was now "tightly encircled". They pointed to the heavy fire that hit the helicopters as proof of the presence of Russian forces, despite repeated denials from Moscow that it has troops on the ground or is controlling the uprising. - See more at: http://diaalnews.com/news/15142#sthash.p6lLNNJ8.dpuf

[Mistral]

It appears the fractions war has started. Ukrainian officials are claiming their forces control one half of Sloviansk.

[glenn239]

Like I said before, central banking is how the West annexes territory in the 21st century. No flag-planting required.

 

 

That was an old imperial era tactic too - first, you find a weak, corrupt regime. Then, you lend them money. Then, they can't repay you, so you turn in the screws. Wash, rinse, and repeat as necessary until annexation.

[T19]

PM Harper just confirmed CAF sending soldiers to Poland for ex to support Ukraine. That's pretty good the Army RCN and RCAF are deployed and none of the political parties in Ottawa is saying a thing... even the NDP are in support.

[crazyinsane105]

PM Harper just confirmed CAF sending soldiers to Poland for ex to support Ukraine. That's pretty good the Army RCN and RCAF are deployed and none of the political parties in Ottawa is saying a thing... even the NDP are in support.

How many soldiers exactly? I don't think anybody right now has the military capability to actually support Ukraine...a few hundred here and there won't make s damn difference.