Ukraine Discussion Thread

[Ivan the Colorado]

This will be the site of the new Ukraine discussion.

I asked the mods if we could continue the thread from MP.net and they agreed except for a few changes. Discussion is allowed but it MUST be on topic. Any form of flame baiting or trolling will not be tolerated at all. The mods will simply ban anyone if anybody tries to get passed the rules. There will not be anymore warnings nor will there be any second chances. This thread will be heavily enforced.

I will try to start the discussion. Is the situation between Right Sector and the Ukrainian Government still tense?

[Sneeuwbaard]

The Netherlands officially ended its MH-17 salvage mission in Eastern Ukraine. As of now, two Dutch casualties are yet to be identified.

Source: http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/04/30/mh1...icially-ended/

[Guest]

Movement on including the RF into official units discussion between UA and NG.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the leadership of the Right Sector are holding talks on the ultra-nationalist volunteer battalion joining the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said.

Read full article at: http://sputniknews.com/europe/201504...#ixzz3Yp1lwD9I

[Guest]

Possible use of 'hard discipline' on the Kiev side of the ceasefire line. Excerpt from TASS more at link http://tass.ru/en/world/792684

Eduard Basurin, an official spokesman for the Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed unrecognized Donetsk People’s Republic said on Thursday "About 5 a.m., our reconnaissance registered a brief exchange of fire at the positions of the Ukrainian armed units," he said. "Our reconnaissance officers said in their reports that an unknown unit of commandoes had stormed and seized a platoon-level fortified strongpoint set up by punitive expeditioners from a nationalistic battalion." The case in hand might be precisely targeted elimination of the freewheeling warlords in charge of nationalistic Ukrainian battalions by foreign mercenaries dispatched to the zone of the conflict, Basurin said "That’s the first time since the outbreak of the conflict that we see an operation of this kind conducted on Kiev’s side in an area adjoining the frontline," he said. "The thing is the unit that stormed the positions of the Ukrainian punitive battalion used silent killer weapons that didn’t belong to the Kalashnikov family of assault rifles and was obviously manufactured by a Western company."

[Guest]

It seems, according to Sputnik, that at least Poro is now calling it what it is, a war, not ATO, so could be translation error.By including Crimea in those conditions it seems like he is expecting hostilities to continue for at least his lifetime.

"The war will end when Ukraine regains Donbas and Crimea," Poroshenko said in an interview with Ukraine's STB television channel. The Ukrainian president added that combat operations in the conflict zone would be carried out "for as long as it is necessary."
Read the rest at: http://sputniknews.com/politics/2015...#ixzz3YpGW9Prk

[Guest]

General 'just a fighter pilot' Breedlove eating his words previously uttered today in Senate ASC hearing.

http://sputniknews.com/military/2015...021581120.html

[Cowboy's daughter]

It seems, according to Sputnik, that at least Poro is now calling it what it is, a war, not ATO, so could be translation error.By including Crimea in those conditions it seems like he is expecting hostilities to continue for at least his lifetime.

"The war will end when Ukraine regains Donbas and Crimea," Poroshenko said in an interview with Ukraine's STB television channel. The Ukrainian president added that combat operations in the conflict zone would be carried out "for as long as it is necessary."
Read the rest at: http://sputniknews.com/politics/2015...#ixzz3YpGW9Prk

Well, persons in Eastern Ukraine know what to expect from him and Kiev, then.

[Annihilator9112]

Anyone notice from the pictures some military parade vehicles in donetsk look almost brand new/unused/repainted.

https://twitter.com/tendertorg21/sta...75612554657793
https://twitter.com/FPaidinfull/stat...00658047488000

[ISNJH]

http://news.yahoo.com/us-now-sees-ru...ory&soc_trk=tw

US Commander: Russia Seems set for new offensive in Ukraine WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. commander for NATO said Thursday that America needs better intelligence on the ground in Ukraine, but that it appears Russian forces have used a recent lull in fighting to reposition for another offensive.
Gen. Philip Breedlove, commander of NATO forces in Europe, told the Senate Armed Services Committee, that the situation in Ukraine is volatile and fragile and urged Congress to bolster U.S. intelligence capabilities to better understand President Vladimir Putin's intent in the region.

[Dforce]

Yup, it seems like Moscow is on the warpath again with more and more stuff ending up in Ukraine. I wonder if they are going the full mile this time or if it is yet another minor attack; it will not be easy to grab Mariupol.

[Guest]

Yup, it seems like Moscow is on the warpath again with more and more stuff ending up in Ukraine. I wonder if they are going the full mile this time or if it is yet another minor attack; it will not be easy to grab Mariupol.

Perhaps but I doubt they will attack Mariupol directly, the political and physical damage, let alone lives lost makes it too big a risk and whatever one thinks about Russia so far stupid they are not.

It does seem strange that Breedlove is complaining about a lack of intelligence in a part of the world that one would have thought was absolutely saturated with US assets. Maybe they are not all they are cracked up to be?

[GhostPirate]

In Odessa, May 2 will take place on the Cathedral Square pro-Ukrainian meeting dedicated to the events of May 2, 2014. This was reported in the press service of the "Right Sector". "May 2 last year, thanks to the coordinated actions of citizens of Odessa and bold plans for the occupiers and their collaborators have been thwarted. On that day we all fought and won!" - Said in a statement.
It planned a memorial service for the victims of pro-Ukrainian activists, honoring the memory of the heroes a minute of silence and the laying of flowers.

You can't make this up. May 2nd last year, was the day when Trade Unions House was set on fire during clashes in Odessa. 48 people died and over 200 were injured.

Source: http://112.ua/obshchestvo/v-odesse-p...ia-225797.html

[Godfather057]

This lunatic used Israel as an example of a country that's constantly at war. You can't make this stuff up. I can only hope this guy gets dealth with ASAP for the well-being of the Ukrainian people.

Considering that his forces are constantly being shot at and slowly loosing territory during the cease fire. What do you expect him to say? How about you advocate sacking the Rebel commanders and politicians who are also guilty of prolonging this war?

[Khepesh]

The disposition of forces on both sides from Donetsk to Shirokino indicates an attack by UA along a front stretching from Marinka to Elenovka and to Volnovakha. The attack from Volhovakha will be towards Telmanovo and co-incide with an attack east out of Mariupol towards Novoazovsk. This to force VSN in the southern sector to retreat into Russia, for even if UA do not inflict terminal damage on VSN forces on that front, it will be sufficient to drive them over the border, the Kiev calculation being that Russia will not blatantly interfere and if UA forces are along the border, then they will, except by succesful counter attack from the general area of Starabashevo, stay there. The attack out of Elenovka will co-incide with a UA attack out of Marinka into Petrovsky district and around the southern flank of Donetsk. The Elenovka forces will essentially act as force protection and hope to draw the strategic reserve onto them, and not the attack out of Marinka and or Volnovakha, they will be a "piggy in the middle". In early January I believe a "dry run" was carried out by UA as regards the Marinka/Elenovka scenario in order to test VSN defences and to see from where and how fast reinforcements arrived. I believe that though the two attacks failed on the ground, and were probably not expected to succeed, unfortunately UA gathered the information they needed. However, if you are attacked then you must defend, and to be honest there are limited possibilities of where to station the various elements of the strategic reserve. Tho we hear these noises about divisions worth of Russian forces in Donbass ready to strike to Mariupol and even to Melitipol and the Dnepr at Kherson, this is hogwash. A brief glimpse at a map will show that essentially VSN are in a bad position as regards the south and it will be a huge struggle to repel a major UA assault, talk of any VSN offensive in the south, with or without any Russian help, is laughable at this time. As regards what may or may not happen along the northern front, then we will have to wait and see what UA do, and what the counter attack will be.

[Asheren]

The disposition of forces on both sides from Donetsk to Shirokino indicates an attack by UA along a front stretching from Marinka to Elenovka and to Volnovakha. The attack from Volhovakha will be towards Telmanovo and co-incide with an attack east out of Mariupol towards Novoazovsk. This to force VSN in the southern sector to retreat into Russia, for even if UA do not inflict terminal damage on VSN forces on that front, it will be sufficient to drive them over the border, the Kiev calculation being that Russia will not blatantly interfere and if UA forces are along the border, then they will, except by succesful counter attack from the general area of Starabashevo, stay there. The attack out of Elenovka will co-incide with a UA attack out of Marinka into Petrovsky district and around the southern flank of Donetsk. The Elenovka forces will essentially act as force protection and hope to draw the strategic reserve onto them, and not the attack out of Marinka and or Volnovakha, they will be a "piggy in the middle". In early January I believe a "dry run" was carried out by UA as regards the Marinka/Elenovka scenario in order to test VSN defences and to see from where and how fast reinforcements arrived. I believe that though the two attacks failed on the ground, and were probably not expected to succeed, unfortunately UA gathered the information they needed. However, if you are attacked then you must defend, and to be honest there are limited possibilities of where to station the various elements of the strategic reserve. Tho we hear these noises about divisions worth of Russian forces in Donbass ready to strike to Mariupol and even to Melitipol and the Dnepr at Kherson, this is hogwash. A brief glimpse at a map will show that essentially VSN are in a bad position as regards the south and it will be a huge struggle to repel a major UA assault, talk of any VSN offensive in the south, with or without any Russian help, is laughable at this time. As regards what may or may not happen along the northern front, then we will have to wait and see what UA do, and what the counter attack will be.

Pile of bull excrements. Zacharchenko like few days ago in exclusive interview to one of Polish media pretty much admited that they are ready to go on another offensive.