#1
Very informative but overwhelming for myself this morning. Day off and mental vacation mind. I will review later when the fog of mind clears. Very comprehensive but I was not comprehensive.
[NYPOST] A high-ranking Russian defense official in the war against Ukraine was found dead Wednesday after falling from a 16th-floor window in an apartment building.
Marina Yankina, 58, was discovered by a passerby at the entrance of a high-rise on Zamshina Street in St. Petersburg, Russian news Telegram channel Mash reported.
She is believed to have fallen 160 feet to her death. Her personal belongings and documents were found on a 16th-floor balcony in the building.
According to a preliminary investigation, it is believed Yankina did away with himself.
Mash reported that a few minutes before allegedly taking her own life, Yankina called her ex-husband and told him what she was about to do.
She also asked the man to summon police to the high-rise on Zamshina Street where he lived.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/17/2023 00:00 ||
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Posted by: M. Murcek ||
02/17/2023 10:50 Comments ||
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#11
Is the fan fiction that the Soviets put a gun to her head forcing her to call her husband to ask him to summon police to clean up the body before 'suiciding' herself?
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 22:38 Zelensky said in an evening video message that he held a regular meeting of the Headquarters today, in which all commanders of the operational areas took part: "We heard in detail about the situation in each of the areas and prospects - also in each of the operational areas. Supply of weapons, supply of ammunition, training of our military. The plans and capabilities of the enemy. The potential of the Ukrainian response. Maintaining the situation at the front and preparing for any escalation steps of the enemy is a priority for the near future. Moving forward in the further liberation of our land is a priority that we are carefully preparing."
22:29 Russian propaganda has new narratives that give reason to fear that the Russian special services are preparing provocations under a false flag on the territory of the Russian Federation, Stanislav Zharin, Commissioner for the Security of the Information Space of Poland, said.
21:50 Russians today fired at Bakhmut of the Donetsk region from cannon artillery and MLRS Grad: five people were killed, nine were injured, the Office of the Prosecutor General said.
21:31 The High Anti-Corruption Court transferred to the state ownership of Ukraine enterprises owned by the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska: the Nikolaev alumina plant, the Glukhovsky quartzite quarry, the Khust and Zhezhelevsky quarries and others.
21:04 The European Commission has abandoned plans to impose sanctions on the Russian nuclear sector or its representatives in its next package of sanctions, Bloomberg writes, citing sources among diplomats.
20:58 Zelensky said that he had met in Kiev with the leader of the Labor Party and the Official Opposition of Great Britain Cyrus Starmer: "We discussed the situation on the front line and possible developments at the front in the coming months, issues of sanctions and confiscation of Russian assets, their direction for the restoration of our state, as well as the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine."
20:52 Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Commission of the Israeli Parliament - Knesset - Yuli Edelstein confirmed in an interview with RTVI the information that the United States handed over weapons to Ukraine from American warehouses in Israel: "It's no secret that most of the weapons that were in warehouses in Israel, the Americans delivered to Ukraine." At the same time, he noted that such a step did not cause a negative reaction from Israeli politicians.
Edelstein explained Israel's refusal to directly supply weapons to Ukraine by the difficult situation in Israel itself. He also expressed hope that Israel would support Ukraine more in the future, and stressed that Russia's "main friend and partner" now is Iran.
20:29 Zelensky said that during a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, he discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation in various areas: "I invite Israel to join the implementation of our peace formula. I am grateful for the humanitarian assistance provided. We considered the country's participation in post-war construction. Ukraine could use Israel's experience in demining."
20:26 The Prime Minister of Japan invited Zelensky to the summit of G7 leaders, Kyodo reports, citing a source in the government. On the anniversary of the full-scale invasion on February 24, at an online summit, the leaders of the G7 intend to reaffirm their unity in countering Russian aggression, the agency notes.
20:22 The Russian offensive has already begun, Zelensky said in an interview with BBC News. According to him, Russian attacks are already coming from several directions. At the same time, the president added that Ukrainian forces would continue to resist the Russian offensive until they were able to launch a counteroffensive. But this requires even more military assistance from the West, he added.
19:47 France is sending the first batch of 14 AMX-10RC armored fighting vehicles to Ukraine, Forces Operations reports, citing its own sources. According to the publication, the Ukrainian crews have already completed the training program - they were trained by French instructors at the Saumur cavalry school.
19:28 Estonia offers EU countries to invest 4 billion euros in the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine, writes Bloomberg. The proposal sent to the EU countries refers to the joint purchase of 1 million ammunition. This money will make it possible to produce the number of 155-mm shells necessary for Ukraine over the next six months.
19:26 The United States and its partners in the G7 intend to introduce a new large-scale package of sanctions against Russia on February 24, said US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland. The restrictions will concern, in particular, the flow of technology into the Russian defense industry, high-tech equipment, etc. Sanctions will also be imposed on individuals "helping and supporting this war," Nuland added. In addition, according to her, the restrictions will be directed against countries that help Moscow avoid sanctions.
19:23 NATO must be ready for a new era of confrontation with Russia, which can last "many, many years", Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with AFP: "Putin wants a different Europe, he wants a Europe where he can control his neighbors, where he can decide what countries can do. We need to be prepared for a long journey, it can take many, many, many years."
At the same time, he does not exclude that changes can come suddenly, as it has already happened in history: "We saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, or September 11." According to Stoltenberg, NATO "will always look for opportunities to find itself again in a situation where there is room for better relations, but with the current behavior of the Russian regime, this is impossible."
19:18 Slovakia has not let German howitzers from Ukraine in for repairs for several weeks, Business Insider writes, citing sources. Bratislava cites unresolved legal issues regarding import duties. The Germans sometimes have to transport weapons through neighboring countries, which means not only hundreds of kilometers of detours, but also a significant loss of time.
19:16 The Israeli Embassy in Ukraine has resumed its work, which was stopped with the start of the Russian invasion a year ago, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said during a visit to Kiev.
19:11 Reznikov summed up the two-day work of the Ukrainian delegation in Brussels. According to him, "the results are optimistic": threats from the sky will be better rebuffed; the army will be better supplied with ammunition; more Ukrainian soldiers will receive quality training.
"The main thing is that the 'armored fist' is being strengthened, which in a few months will be able to solve the problem in accordance with the plan of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the General Staff. Today we discussed the practical aspects of the 'tank coalition' with partners. Several important steps have been taken," the Minister of Defense stressed.
19:07 Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in London to meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during which he is going to discuss assistance to Ukraine, writes Sky News. "There is nothing we are more united about than our unwavering support for Ukraine... And I know that we will talk about this later today - what else can we do to ensure that Ukraine wins this conflict," Sunak said.
18:58 In Mariupol, the Russians are taking measures to "mobilize" individual members of society: from now on, the homeless, as well as those with alcohol or drug addiction, are taken to the occupation army, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
In turn, the adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, Petr Andryushchenko, said that the mobilization of workers from public utilities began in the city (the first three employees of Avtodor were sent to the front), as well as teachers from one of the colleges who received Russian passports.
18:40 One civilian released today from Russian captivity is the first deputy mayor of Energodar Ivan Samoydyuk, who refused to cooperate with the enemy and was kidnapped by the invaders on March 19 last year, the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said.
18:33 Zelensky said that he had a telephone conversation with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: "We discussed cooperation at international platforms. He also thanked Kazakhstan for humanitarian support for Ukraine."
18:21 The head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, said in an interview with the Financial Times that Russia's war against Ukraine will end at the negotiating table, and neither side will achieve its military goals: "It will be almost impossible for the Russians to achieve their political goals by military means "It's unlikely that Russia will take over Ukraine. It just won't happen... It's also very, very difficult for Ukraine this year to kick Russians out of every inch of occupied territory. That doesn't mean it can't happen... But it's extremely difficult. And this will require, in fact, the collapse of the Russian army."
According to Milley, both sides are "quite obsessed with their goals" and are unwilling to negotiate. In his opinion, this conflict recalls the lesson of World War II that aggression must be stopped by "toughness, deterrence, military force," although the stakes are now higher with Russia's nuclear arsenal.
18:08 An "anti-war" rally is planned in the United States demanding to stop military assistance to Ukraine and start peace talks. The event is organized by the Libertarian and People's Parties of the USA. During the rally, the speakers plan to address Biden with a number of demands, in particular regarding the "cessation of financing the war" in Ukraine and "a diplomatic settlement of the conflict."
The announcement contains Russian narratives that NATO's eastward expansion provoked a Russian invasion, and the war against Ukraine led to the threat of a nuclear war with Russia, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council. Among the invited speakers are former politicians, journalists, activists and musicians who have repeatedly broadcast pro-Russian rhetoric in the past. The rally is scheduled to take place on February 19 near the Lincoln Memorial in downtown Washington.
18:03 101 people returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity - 100 military and one civilian, Yermak said. Among the released fighters are the National Guardsmen, border guards and the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Of these, 94 are the defenders of Mariupol, including 63 soldiers from Azovstal.
17:51 Israel will allocate $200 million for the development of Ukraine's medical infrastructure, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said during a visit to Kiev.
17:45 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that on February 16, 101 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory of Ukraine on exchange.
17:14 Russia has decided to massively use aviation in Ukraine, the oppositional Russian publication Important Stories reports , citing a source close to the Russian Defense Ministry. Journalists note that earlier aviation was protected, and it almost did not fly into the zone of operation of the Ukrainian air defense, but now they decided to change tactics. Russia expects planes and helicopters to shoot down en masse, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine will still have problems.
17:08 Two Russian servicemen were captured by the Ukrainian military for the second time - after they had previously been exchanged and sent to the Russian Federation, Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets said: "Whoever they return, they are immediately sent to the front. We believe that this is an indicator of that there is an insane understaffing of manpower."
16:47 Sweden handed over to Ukraine six boats that can be used as pontoon crossings, the Ministry of Infrastructure reported. These are the first such special equipment received by civilian road builders - previously they were used exclusively by military engineers. When unfolded, these pontoon crossings have a length of 8 m and can be used to resume transport links in the liberated territories.
16:24 The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has worsened its GDP growth forecast for Ukraine in 2023 from 8% forecast in September 2022 to 1%. If fighting in Ukraine in 2023 remains limited to the current territory, which produced less than 20% of GDP before the war, it is likely that real output will stabilize at around 70% by 2021 levels, analysts say.
Barring significant strategic changes on the ground, Ukraine's GDP growth in 2024 is likely to be 3%, the EBRD expects.
16:09 The Ukrainian energy system has reached a plateau today - no further degradation occurs, Volodymyr Kudrytsky, chairman of the board of NPC Ukrenergo, said in an interview with Bloomberg: "We can restore the energy system at the same speed with which destruction occurs, sometimes even faster. The enemy is largely lost the ability to inflict significant damage. However, one should not relax and consider that the Russian air strike campaign is over. Victory in the energy sector has not yet been achieved."
16:02 Israel will support the Ukrainian peace initiative within the UN next week, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said during a visit to Kiev. He stressed that Israel supports the people of Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.
15:43 As a result of repeated Russian shelling of Volchansk, Kharkiv region, one person was killed, the head of the OVA, Oleg Sinegubov, said.
15:38 The Polish Volunteer Legion will appear in Ukraine. According to Visegrád 24, a recruiting office will open in Poland to recruit volunteers, which will also include special forces veterans. The unit will be used for reconnaissance and sabotage tasks. The base of the unit will be located in the Kyiv region, the impromptu headquarters is already working in secrecy. A number of volunteers are already preparing for combat operations.
15:36 The Slovak parliament has recognized the Russian regime as terrorist, and the Russian Federation as a sponsor of terrorism. The deputies also condemned the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.
15:18 In the Kirovograd region, as a result of a Russian night attack, tanks with oil products were damaged, a fire broke out, which has already been localized, said the head of the OVA Andrey Raikovich.
15:03 Representatives of the UK, Denmark, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands met in The Hague to discuss common challenges and ongoing support for Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense reported.
14:56 Ukrainian and Russian telegram channels report a strong explosion in Crimea near Armyansk. Oleg Kryuchkov, adviser to the "head" of Crimea, said that the Russian military allegedly "carry out combat coordination using various ammunition."
14:33 In Moldova, after a Russian night attack, fragments of a rocket were again found near the border with Ukraine, the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. The border guards found the remains of a rocket in the Largi area (Bricheni district), after which they cordoned off the territory and reported the incident to the external service and law enforcement officers.
14:20 Lukashenka said that there was no deceit in the Minsk agreements, and statements from the West that they were allegedly signed to give Ukraine time - "this is just such a trend." "Now Hollande and Merkel want to show that they played an important role in keeping Ukraine going," Lukashenka said.
14:16 The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The document condemns the unprovoked aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the war crimes of the Russians, the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories, the policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing, the Russian blockade of grain exports from Ukraine, etc. The resolution notes that the Russian war against Ukraine has become the largest armed conflict on the European continent since the end of World War II. This Russian aggression reflects a deepening conflict between authoritarianism and democracy, the document says.
The MEPs expressed firm solidarity with the people and authorities of Ukraine, support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. The document also contains provisions calling on the EU countries and the international community to continue to provide economic and military assistance to Ukraine.
MEPs paid special attention to the issues of Russia's responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In particular, the EP called on the leadership of the European Union and the international community to take coordinated actions to bring Putin and other officials of Russia and Belarus to justice for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
At the same time, the European Parliament rejected amendments to the resolution with reservations about the danger of a nuclear conflict and calls for negotiations, which were made by the left.
13:57 The United States will provide the Czech Republic with an additional $200 million for the modernization of the army as partial compensation for the military assistance transferred to Ukraine, said the American ambassador to Prague, Bizhan Sabet. The new package of financial assistance to the Czech Republic will be transferred in addition to the $106 million that Washington provided last fall.
13:54 The Norwegian Parliament Storting approved a support package for Ukraine in the amount of NOK 75 billion (about $7.4 billion). The plan provides for the allocation of 15 billion crowns per year for civilian and military assistance between 2023 and 2027. According to the document, Ukraine will receive money regardless of the political composition of the Norwegian government, which will be formed following the results of parliamentary elections in 2025.
13:48 More refugees from Ukraine arrived in Germany in 2022 than in total from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq in 2014-2016, the Federal Statistical Office reported. Thus, 1.1 million Ukrainians arrived in the country after February 24, 68% of them in the first three months. Of these, 139 thousand people left. In 2021, about 13 thousand arrivals from Ukraine and 6,000 who left back were registered.
13:26 Italy, at the request of Ukraine, will provide it with means of protection against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said: "Italy will provide it with such assistance as generators, blankets. Although it is less expensive than tanks, it will also needs attention. Therefore, we approved these materials for the sixth aid package to Ukraine and will send them."
13:21 At night, Russia attacked an oil refinery in Kremencheg with X-22 missiles, which cannot be intercepted by air defense systems that are in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat said. He stressed that these weapons are equated with terrorist weapons when they are fired at peaceful, densely populated cities. According to Ignat, these rockets also hit Pavlograd.
13:10 The number of people injured as a result of an air strike on the city of Volchansk, Kharkiv region, has increased to six people - all of them are specialists who carried out repair work on communication lines, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the IVA.
12:49 The latest modernization of the Russian X-101 cruise missile did not live up to the expectations of the Russian Federation, said Nikolai Danilyuk, a representative of the Center for Research on Captured and Advanced Weapons and Military Equipment of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to him, the Kh-101 is one of the latest developments of the Russian military-industrial complex, which Moscow is proud of, at the same time, the Russians are forced to modernize this missile due to the insufficient accuracy and high efficiency of Ukrainian air defense.
Danilyuk stressed that a massive breakthrough of Ukrainian air defense is not happening, and Russian missiles are increasingly falling on their own territory, not reaching Ukraine. "The idea of modifying the missile indicates that the Russian Federation does not abandon its tactics of terrorism. That is why new modifications and technical solutions may appear to increase the accuracy and lethality of Russian missiles," he explained.
Danilyuk also said that the stocks of Kh-101 in the Russian Federation have been greatly reduced, so the enemy is already using missiles made in 2023. In particular, fragments of such missiles were found after the February 10 strike.
12:40 Lukashenka said he was ready to meet Biden and Putin in Minsk: "Let's meet here three of us - two aggressors and a peace-loving president. Why not? For the sake of stopping the war." According to him, three presidents can "sit down and solve the whole problem."
12:13 In Kherson, as a result of morning Russian shelling, one person was killed, the OVA reported.
12:09 The Russians once again shelled Volchansk in the Kharkiv region in the morning, Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA, said. According to preliminary information, the shelling was carried out by enemy aircraft, two missile strikes were recorded. As a result of the shelling, an employee of Kharkovoblenergo was injured. The building of one of the enterprises and a private house were damaged.
12:05 Lukashenko said he was ready to join the war against Ukraine in the event of an attack on his country: "I am ready to fight together with the Russians from the territory of Belarus only in one case so far: if at least one soldier comes from there to the territory of Belarus to kill my people" . He added that in the event of an attack, he was ready to inflict a "severe response", specifying that this applies not only to Ukraine, but also to other countries.
12:03 EU ambassadors failed to agree on a new package of sanctions against Russia, writes Politico. According to the publication, disputes have arisen around a ban on the import of Russian synthetic rubber: Italy and Germany opposed such a measure, Poland - for.
12:00 The Biden administration still believes that Ukraine's return of Crimea is a "red line" for Putin and is fraught with serious escalation. At the same time, Washington does not deny Ukraine's right to retake the peninsula, Politico writes, citing its sources. According to them, Blinken, during a conversation with a group of experts on February 15, said that Putin would clearly perceive Ukraine's attempt to return Crimea as crossing a "red line", and this could provoke Russia into a massive reaction.
Blinken also stressed that the United States does not particularly encourage Ukraine to return Crimea, but the decision is "solely for Kiev." The Biden administration sees the primary goal as helping Ukraine succeed in the battles in the east. At the same time, the State Department refused to comment on the details of this closed conversation.
11:44 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that "components of civilian infrastructure in space provided to Ukraine for military purposes may become a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike."
11:25 Danilov said in an interview with the BBC that Medvedchuk, after his exchange, offered Putin a plan "B" - to divide Ukraine along the lines of North and South Korea. Putin still considers Medvedchuk the main expert on Ukraine. According to the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, the current people's deputies from the former Opposition Platform for Life faction, Yanukovych's team and pro-Russian political technologists in Ukraine have been mobilized to promote the idea of "two Ukraines". The project is supervised by Russian "politician veterans" who worked on the Budapest Memorandum.
Danilov noted that although plans to occupy Ukraine have failed, Russia seeks to completely occupy the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, maintain a land corridor to Crimea, and then plans to implement the "Korean scenario."
11:19 Russian overnight attack will not lead to a limitation of electricity consumption, Ukrenergo said. There has been no shortage of power in the energy system for the fifth day in a row, and today is also not predicted. Only in Odessa, due to damaged infrastructure, there are still network restrictions, hourly outage schedules apply. Power plants produce enough electricity to cover consumption. Meanwhile, imports of electricity are declining as a result of the stabilization of electricity supply in the country.
Ukrenergo also reported that after the first massive attacks, from October 11, 2022, Ukraine stopped exporting electricity to Europe. Today, electricity is being imported, and on February 14, the European energy association ENTSO-E decided to increase the technical possibility of supplying electricity to Ukraine up to 700 MW at any time. Prior to this, the maximum possible import from Europe was 700 MW at night and 600 MW at other hours of the day. The possibility of a further increase in commercial exchange limits is currently being assessed.
11:08 Spokesman for the Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat confirmed that Russia is using a new tactic for attacks on Ukraine: "The enemy usually used "Shaheds" in order to check our air defense somewhere, to identify our positions - so as to correct a possible missile strike in the morning. This time we see a night attack, and there were no "Shaheds", rockets immediately went, cruise missiles of various types."
10:55 As a result of the morning Russian shelling of the village of Zmievka, Beryslav district, Kherson region, two people were killed - a shell hit a residential building, the OVA reported.
10:37 Russian troops are trying to take control of Bakhmut by the anniversary of the war on February 24, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexei Danilov said in an interview with the BBC: "They promised to give this city to Putin for his birthday on October 7. This did not happen, something else happened in Crimea , bang. This country lives by anniversaries and dates.
10:22 Canada will additionally allocate 7.5 million Canadian dollars for demining and training of Ukrainian specialists, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said during a visit to Kiev.
10:19 In the Poltava region during a massive night attack, a group of enemy UAVs was recorded, including in the Poltava region, air defense systems were working, said the head of the OVA Dmitry Lunin. The Russians also fired missiles at the territory of the region - two of them hit a critical infrastructure facility in Kremenchug. According to preliminary information, there were no dead or injured.
10:15 Russia today can carry out a massive attack for the second time, Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of OK Pivden, warned. According to her, the Russian Federation is looking for a new tactic that would be effective.
10:12 In the Kirovograd region, a Russian missile hit an infrastructure facility in the Kropyvnytskyi district during a night attack, people were not injured, said the head of the OVA Andrei Raikovich.
10:04 British intelligence notes that the number of Russian combat aircraft involved in the war against Ukraine has not changed recently, but the number of sorties has increased over the past week. Currently, air activity is roughly in line with the average daily rate observed since the summer of 2022.
At the same time, analysts believe that Russian aviation is far behind and is held back by a high threat from Ukrainian air defense and dispersed basing due to the risk of attacks on Russian airfields. Russian combat aircraft operate almost exclusively over Russian-controlled territory, which prevents them from effectively fulfilling their key strike role.
At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces probably kept a fleet of approximately 1,500 crewed combat aircraft virtually intact, despite the loss of more than 130 units since the beginning of the invasion. Intelligence considers it unlikely that the Aerospace Forces are currently preparing for a sharp expansion of the air campaign, since in the current conditions of the battle they would suffer unacceptable losses of aircraft.
09:43 Russia is probably planning a massive attack on Ukraine on February 23-24, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said. At the same time, he stressed that Ukraine is ready for this.
09:39 According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Russia has lost about half of its modern tanks in the war against Ukraine. We are talking about the T-72B3 and T-72B3M tanks. Before the war, there were at least 1800 of them in Russia.
09:37 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that the costly Russian military campaign in Ukraine has significantly depleted the Russian reserves of equipment and manpower necessary for a successful large-scale offensive in the east. And the inability of the Russian Federation to restore equipment in the short term further limits the possibilities of maneuverable mechanized warfare.
ISW predicts that Putin is unlikely to announce a further escalation of the war in Ukraine, major new Russian mobilization initiatives, or anything significant in his planned February 21 address to the Federal Assembly.
Analysts say Ukraine will have the opportunity to launch a large-scale counter-offensive over the next few months, but this will largely depend on how quickly and on what scale the West provides the necessary military assistance, including tanks and armored vehicles.
09:35 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, six people were killed - three in Pokrovsk, two in Bakhmut and one in Avdiivka. Another 13 people were injured in the region, Pavel Kirilenko, head of the OVA, said.
09:21 Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrived in Kyiv. According to The Jerusalem Post, he intends to visit Bucha, Babi Yar and reopen the Israeli embassy in Kyiv, which was closed due to the Russian invasion. The minister will also meet with Zelensky, Kuleba and members of the Jewish community.
09:06 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of February 16.
personnel - about 140,460 (+690) people liquidated,
tanks - 3296 (+6),
armored combat vehicles - 6517 (+10),
artillery systems - 2306 (+3),
MLRS - 466 (+0) units,
air defense systems - 239 (+3),
aircraft - 298 (+0),
helicopters - 287 (+1),
UAV operational-tactical level - 2012 (+1),
cruise missiles - 857 (+0),
ships/boats - 18 (+0),
automotive equipment and tankers - 5167 (+6),
special equipment - 219 (+0).
08:48 On the night of February 16, air defense shot down 16 out of 36 missiles fired by the Russians , Zaluzhny said. In particular, Russia fired 12 Kh-101/555 air-launched cruise missiles, eight Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles, 12 Kh-22 air-launched anti-ship cruise missiles, three Kh-59/31 guided air-launched missiles, and one Oniks anti-ship missile into Ukraine. For launches, Tu-22M3 and Tu-95ms strategic aviation aircraft from the Kursk region and the Caspian Sea, respectively, Su-35 tactical aircraft from the Melitopol region and cruise missile carriers in the Black Sea were used.
The air defense forces destroyed 14 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, Caliber and two Kh-59 guided air missiles. Part of the X-22 cruise missiles reached their targets, hitting critical infrastructure. At present, there are no means in service in Ukraine capable of destroying this type of missiles, the command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized.
08:24 The Russian army is concentrating its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Shakhtersky directions, in the areas of Gryanikovka, Bakhmut, Avdeevka, Maryinka and Ugledar, the General Staff said in the morning summary .
Over the past day, units of the Defense Forces repelled enemy attacks in areas of more than 15 settlements. In particular, near Belogorivka and Serebryansky forestry of the Lugansk region and Fedorovka, Bakhmut, Dilievka, Avdeevka, Vodyany, Pervomaisky, Maryinka, Novomikhailovka, Ugledar, Prechistovka and Novoselka of the Donetsk region.
In Simferopol, the local Blood Center has begun mass collection of blood from local residents and the delivery of blood from other blood transfusion stations in the Crimea. Propaganda is also being actively carried out in institutions and institutions of all forms of ownership to involve as many people as possible in blood sampling due to the large number of wounded Russian servicemen in all areas of hostilities. Additional blood transfusion stations are being opened in the Rostov, Belgorod and Voronezh regions.
08:11 At night, the Russians fired missiles at Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region, said the head of the OVA, Serhiy Lysak. According to preliminary information, one person died and seven were injured. An industrial enterprise was damaged, private houses were destroyed and damaged.
07:49 At night, the Russian launch vehicle, which was monitored by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, fired its entire charge - eight Calibers, however, the air defense of the Southern direction worked perfectly, Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of OK Pivden, said: "All eight Caliber missiles were shot down - six over Mykolaiv region, two over Kherson region Unfortunately, along with this, the enemy also used other methods of destruction - it was a mixed attack, in particular, using drones and strategic aircraft ... We know that there is a hit in the Lviv region."
07:08 The Russians launched UAVs and missiles on the territory of Ukraine at night. According to Yermak, there are hits in the North, West of Ukraine, as well as in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovograd regions. According to the head of the OP, the Russians have somewhat changed their tactics: they are conducting active reconnaissance, using false targets. "But the air defense dealt with most of the enemy missiles and UAVs," he added.
06:02 Ukraine is open in matters of accountability for the use of US aid and is actively cooperating with the United States at many levels in providing all the necessary information, said Daphne Rand, head of the Department of International Assistance at the State Department. She noted that the data obtained allows us to give a clear answer to taxpayers, as well as to the government and Congress, how and where American funds are used.
According to her, the issue of controlling spending allocated to support Ukraine is the top priority of the US administration: "We are focused on this, we are monitoring every dollar and striving for the highest level of accountability."
04:45 The Russians hit a critical infrastructure facility in the Lviv region at night. There were no casualties, the fire has already been extinguished, said the head of the OVA Maxim Kozitsky.
04:39 Norwegian intelligence urged the world to pay attention to the presence of Russian submarines in the Arctic, which can carry tactical nuclear weapons. Intelligence notes that the threat is becoming "more significant", and the world must make efforts to contain nuclear threats from Russia. The scouts noted that the key nuclear deterrence forces are now on the submarines of the Russian Northern Fleet.
02:52 The UK government announced on February 24, 2023, the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a nationwide minute of silence. It will take place at 11:00 (13:00 Kyiv time). Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will also join the moment of silence in his residence. The British government is calling for a minute of silence from people and organizations across the country.
01:09 Russia may be preparing a new missile attack on Ukraine from the Black Sea, said Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of OK Pivden. According to her, there are half as many enemy ships in the Black Sea as it was in previous days - this may be indirect evidence of preparations for a massive missile strike. Gumenyuk added that the Russians are deploying their ships near Novorossiysk because they fear being hit by Ukrainian missiles amid reports of the arrival of long-range weapons.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Petr Akopov
[RIA] The Atlantic elites are always looking for new arguments to convince the Europeans that "Ukraine is Europe", so nothing is a pity for it. The head of the pan-European government, Ursula von der Leyen, speaking in the European Parliament, even altered the national motto of the Independent, declaring: "Long live Europe! Glory to Ukraine!" Although there are many in the Old World itself who are sure that the health of their union, on the contrary, only decreases as Ukraine is glorified, this does not stop the combat frau, rather, on the contrary, it even gives it more eloquence:
"Ukraine is a nation defined not only by its history and heritage. It is a nation defined by its dreams, and Europe is one of those dreams. So, dear members (of the European Parliament), let's honor those dreams by defending Ukraine for as long as it takes So that one fine day the representatives of the Ukrainian people take their place in this very hall."
Here, however, the Europeans should ask their prime minister about "where dreams lead." Or even so: what does following someone else's dream lead to? Of course, there are also enough people in Europe who really want to see Ukraine as their part (while agreeing that for this you first need to defeat Russia), but still it cannot be said that it is Europe that initiates the process of "abduction of Ukraine".
No, this is originally an Anglo-Saxon, Atlantic idea, carried out, among other things, by the hands of the Euro-Atlantists. The Anglo-Saxons once again make the Europeans weep over the suffering of yet another freedom-loving people, "tormented" by the Russians, and agree that we must accept the dream of this people as our own, European. But, having accepted the "Ukrainian dream" for the European one, the Old World will have to accept everything that is included in it. And this is not even about radical nationalism, which is categorically incompatible with European standards: you can turn a blind eye to this for some time. Much more important is something else - what the "Kyiv dreamers" offer Europe, what they believe in.
And they believe not just in the greatness of their fictitious people (fictionalized because the Little Russian part of the Russian people turned into "non-Russian Ukrainians", and then Russophobes), but in its great mission. The mission of destroying Russia, and not independently, but just together with Europe.
"If before that Russia as an empire determined the fate of Ukraine from Europe, now Ukraine as a part of Europe will determine the fate of the Russian Empire . In fact, 300 years of history will be turned upside down. The Russian Empire was created by the French, Germans and Ukrainians, and now we need to decide what to do with her next.
It doesn't matter what Kuleba emphasized: this is his personal point of view, which is not an official position. Statements about the need to eliminate the "Russian threat" through the "decolonization of Russia" have been heard more than once not only from Kiev , but also from the West, including from the Polish leadership. So this is not just Kuleba's fantasies - this is a conscious position. This is the same "Ukrainian dream" that von der Leyen suggests Europe follow.
This dream of Russia's deconstruction rests on the myth of a separate Ukrainian people who were part of Europe until the 17th-century Muscovites wrested them from her hands. Subsequently, this very Ukrainian people created the whole Russian empire for the Muscovites, and the Germans (Ostsee, who became Russian subjects under Peter) and the French (we are talking about Duke Richelieu and other emigrants who fled after the French Revolution) helped him. But now the wind of history has changed. And the Ukrainians, together with the Europeans, decide the fate of Russia: either divide it, or dissolve it, or bring it under European influence. But in any case, first you need to defeat her.
This "Ukrainian myth" is absolutely anti-historical, but it has already firmly settled in the minds of a considerable part of the population of the Nezalezhnaya. Moreover, the most cunning of the manipulators go further and simply call Ukraine the "heir of Rus'" and the Ukrainians "real Russians", thereby canceling both the Russians and Russia. Then everything turns out even more wonderful: "real Russians" and "real Russia" are eager, asking for Europe, begging for its protection from the invasion of a wild horde of Genghis Khan's heirs, who have appropriated a Russian name and Russian lands. It is necessary to defeat this self-proclaimed Russian Federation and take away from it everything that was created by the common labor of Europeans and "real Russians", that is, Ukrainians.
This is the task of the "Ukrainian dream" for Europe - and there is nothing unexpected in this. Mankurts,
...the term for an unthinking slave in the Soviet novel The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years, published in 1980...
that is, people who have abandoned their history, their people, their civilization, will hate those whom they have renounced. And if the Europeans share their dream with the mankurts, then they will have to go with them to the end.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:50 Report about a series of explosions in Kharkov. And about new rocket launches in the Kharkov direction.
Judging by the fact that the number of sorties in Kharkiv corresponds to the number of arrivals, Ukrainian air defense is powerless to do anything.
22:09 An air alert was announced in four regions of Ukraine on Thursday evening, follows from the data of the official service for alerting citizens.
The siren sounds in the Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
21:36Ukrainians filmed a video in which I openly greet each other with a Nazi salute -video
21:32 Investigators of the Russian Investigative Committee are investigating data of shelling of the Ukrainian civil infrastructure of Donetsk. As a result of the shelling by Ukrainian nationalists of the Budyonnovsky and Leninsky districts of Donetsk, two local residents were injured. The buildings of the hospital and the management of the metallurgical plant were damaged.
20:50 A correspondent of one of the Danish media, working at the front from the Ukrainian side, recorded another fact of schizophrenia of the Ukrainians. One of the soldiers was wearing the emblem of a terrorist organization. Thus, foreign media once again confirmedinvolvementUkrainian side to terrorist organizations.
20:47 High-ranking official liquidated in Kherson employee SBU.
19:15 The Nazi takes pictures of their broken positions on the phone. The picture is of course harsh - broken dugouts, a blood stain soaked into the ground. But what really surprised me is that this dick with a camera in the course of his movement is also looting from his own brothers. At 44 seconds of the video, this not up to Nazi takes a knife in a case, examines it and takes it for himself -video
This is the modern day Nazi...
18:55 Today, February 16, as a result of the negotiation process with the territory controlled by the Kyiv regimereturned101 Russian servicemen who were in mortal danger in captivity.
Aircraft of the military transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces will deliver the released servicemen to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Defense Ministry. All those released are provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance.
18:26 Four Ukrainians of military age tried to escape abroad by swimming across the Prut River on an air mattress.
The photo is published by the State Border Service and reports that the men were detained at the border with Romania while preparing the mattress for the “crossing.”
18:12 Another batch with a hundred bodies of Ukrainian servicemen, which PMC "Wagner" sends to the Ukrainian side -video
17:13 Army of Ukraine: Nazis throw up their hands in a Hitler salute -video The salute was bogus. They may have been Nazis but that was no "Nazi salute." 16:15 Footage of a search of one of the buildings in the LPR, where special forces found documents from the US Agency for International Development -video
The textbooks of American instructors, created for the leaders of local governments, contained information that discredited Russia.
16:12 SBU Lieutenant Colonel from Western Ukraine Vasily Shiyka - liquidated by the Russian Army in the NVO zone on February 13.
15:41 CNN showed footage of the destruction of a group of American mercenaries in Artemovsk video
15:14 Oil refinery in Kremenchug hit under attack during a night shelling, - speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ignat
According to him, the plant was attacked by Kh-22 missiles, which the Ukrainian air defense forces cannot intercept.
15:11 ISIS fans in Ukraine should not be surprised. The owner is the same for Islamic terrorists and Ukrainian Nazis. Both are tools of American politics.
14:59 Strike on the refinery in the Kirovograd region -video
Early in the morning on February 16, the RF Armed Forces launched a missile attack on a target in the Kirovograd region. According to our information, the object of the raid was an oil refinery near the village of Shestakovka, owned by the Kirovograd Oil Company.
A large fire broke out at the landing site. Judging by the large cloud of thick black smoke, the ammunition hit the tanks with fuel stored there. This indicates that the enterprise was functioning by the time of the attack.
It is curious that even before the start of the SVO, this refinery appeared in corruption scandals. Ukrainian law enforcement agencies accused its owners of illegal processing of oil from fields in the Chernihiv region with subsequent sale in circumvention of taxes and excises.
It was these small, semi-legal refineries that helped the Kyiv authorities to partially counteract the effect of Russian attacks on oil depots in the spring, as well as avoid a severe fuel shortage with a decrease in the supply of fuel and lubricants to Ukrainian formations.
14:38 The main thing from the new briefing Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation:
Russian troops destroyed up to 65 Ukrainian soldiers in the Kupyansk direction during the day;
The RF Armed Forces destroyed up to 135 military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the offensive in the Donetsk direction;
Russian troops destroyed the ammunition depot of the 54th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Verkhnekamskoye region in the DPR;
The RF Armed Forces hit four ammunition depots of the Armed Forces' territorial defense brigades in the Kherson direction;
Russian troops destroyed more than 100 military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnoliman direction;
Russian air defense systems destroyed 20 Ukrainian drones and four HIMARS MLRS shells in a day;
More than 55 military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed by the troops of the Russian Federation in the Yuzhno-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions;
The RF Armed Forces hit the command posts of three brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the DPR;
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed a storage of fuel and lubricants for military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Poltava.
14:35 RF Armed Forces are continuously working on Ukronazi positions non-stop, not letting them raise their heads -video
14:33Ukrainians continue to actively mine and undermine roads in an attempt to stop the advance of Russian troops -video
13:39 According to information from our source from the close circle of the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, yesterday in the area of the settlement. Belozerka (Kherson region) was an artillery strike destroyed 152mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B with ammunition, and the unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered losses: six - military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were disposed of; three were seriously injured.
13:18 Air raid alert announced throughout the territory of Ukraine.
12:50Ukrainians themselves damaged railway tracks at the Kherson railway station or, rather, they simply falsely claimed damage. The goal is to stop the movement of passenger trains so that civilian passengers do not see the delivery of military cargo. After all, trains with equipment, weapons and personnel continue to come to Kherson without obstacles.
12:45 The consequence of the arrival at the object in the Kirovograd region -video
12:43 The Nazis destroyed the Informatics College in Yenakiyevo by firing three HIMARS missiles at it -video
As you can see, the building can be said to be completely destroyed.
12:42 Destroyed enemy ammo warehouse in N. p. Malinovka in the Zaporozhye direction -video
11:46 In Kremenchug, following the Kirovograd region confirmed missiles hitting infrastructure
At the same time, there is a serious fire on the spot, just like at the Kirovograd CHPP. In the Poltava region, they said that the air defense systems worked, but they failed to shoot down the missile.
Most likely, the blow fell on one of the local thermal power plants - most likely, on Kremenchug. So now this city can go without electricity for a while.
11:45 Russian artillery covers the Nazis on the Zaporozhye front -video
Precise work of cannon artillery of the 35th Army of Group V on hidden enemy mortar positions in the Zaporozhye direction.
11:25 Destruction of a boat from the DRG of nationalists, approaching the left bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region -video
Artillerymen destroy enemy boats with DRGs approaching our shore.
Two minutes before the first shot, the 152mm D-20 howitzer crews received data from scouts: it is necessary to destroy an enemy boat with a landing party. Artillerymen react instantly - they send three gifts to the enemy at once. So the military calls high-explosive fragmentation projectiles that accurately hit the target. Mission accomplished. The boat with the landing on board was sunk.
The fire is adjusted with the help of drones. All coordinates are passed to our gunners, and they, in turn, hit the enemy’s water transport
11:17 Another UkroSushka shot down by Russian air defense systems in one of the directions -video
11:16 Due to the colossal irretrievable losses in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the criminal Kiev regime began to mobilize more and more young girls -video
10:58 Consequences of shelling of Pavlograd, Dnepropetrovsk region, - OVA
Previously, eight people were injured as a result of a missile attack, one woman could not be saved. Destruction was received by private houses and the building of the enterprise.
10:50 In the Lviv region, a critical infrastructure facility was damaged as a result of the strike, - the head of the OVA Kozitsky
The fire that broke out at the scene was reportedly extinguished. There were no injuries or casualties.
09:20 Russian artillery continues to work on the denazification of Ukrainians -video
09:07 Dozens of bodies of destroyed Ukrainian militants and wrecked armored vehicles - the results of the successful offensive of the 5th brigade in Maryinka -video
Marinka is an important settlement, control over which gives a significant tactical advantage. The 5th Brigade of the 1st Donetsk Army Corps, together with other units of the RF Armed Forces, are advancing daily, destroying the entrenched enemy. Artillery, armored vehicles and infantry inflict huge losses on the Armed Forces of Ukraine - the bodies of the Ukrainian military are thrown both on the streets and in houses throughout the settlement; In the basement of one of the buildings, the retreating soldiers discovered an improvised morgue, in which several dozen bodies of Ukrainian militants were thrown.
08:11 Destroyed over the past two weeks near ArtemovskBanderafrom the Ukrainian nationalist battalion "Freedom":
1. Vladimir Gornovich, call sign "Grandfather";
2. Alexander Maksimenko, call sign "Alex";
3. Sergey Lemishko, call sign "Nirvana";
4. Dmitry Sokolov, call sign "Rocker";
5. Igor Ryabenko, call sign "Crimea";
6. Ruslan Izemenko;
7. Alexander Tucha, callsign "Doc Kai".
08:10 Per day on the territory of the DPR injured two people - Headquarters TerO DPR.
Over the past day, from 00:00 on February 15 to 00:00 on February 16, two civilians were injured as a result of shelling of the VFU on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:59 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 02/16/2023 to 00:00 02/17/2023
Over the past day Representationreported about 25 facts of firing by the VFU.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy made 18 attacks from the MLRS, 155mm artillery.
-- On Gorlovsky one artillery attack from 152mm artillery.
-- On Yasinovatsky four artillery attack from artillery 155mm and 152mm.
-- On Enakievo two artillery attacks from the Himars MLRS.
Having fired 119 units of various ammunition.
The region of six settlements of the Republic came under enemy fire: Horlovka (Kalininsky district), Enakievo, the capital city. Donetsk (Kyiv, Kuibyshev, Kirovsky, Petrovsky districts), Yakovlevka, Mineralnoe, Makeevka (Chervonogvardeysky district).
Over the past day, information was received about the wounding of a civilian - a woman, in the Petrovsky district of Donetsk.
A total of 13 houses were damaged in Petrovsky and Kievsky districts of Donetsk, Yenakiyevo, as well as two civil infrastructure facilities.
INprevious 24 hours, 16 artillery attacks were recorded from the side of the VFU.
21:57 Soledar direction situation by the end of February 16, 2023
To the north of Bakhmut, assault detachments of the Wagner PMC are fighting in Paraskovievka. Now the attack on the suburb of Bakhmut is advancing from three sides, and the most intense clashes are noted in the south. Despite the rather difficult situation, the Ukrainian formations still hold their positions - in fact, the struggle continues for every house.
At the same time, Russian units entrenched themselves in several sections of the Bakhmut-Slavyansk highway in the directions of Orekhovo-Vasilevka and Berkhovka, advanced close to the village of Zaliznyanskoye, and also occupied the heights west of Blagodatny, knocking out the forces of 10 Separate Mountain Assault Brigade for a reservoir nearby.
Also, the "Wagnerites" are advancing on Berkhovka from two directions: from the northern regions of Bakhmut to the eastern outskirts and from the north from controlled sections of the highway. At the moment, fighting continues for important positions on the hills.
The advance to Berkhovka and the reservoir will make it possible to encircle the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Paraskoviyivka, so the Ukrainian authorities are transferring reserves of 30 Separate Mechanized Brigade through country roads and underground communications to hold the fortified area.
Positional battles continue in Bakhmut. Assault detachments from the northern districts of the city conducted a sortie to the line of defense of Ukrainian units in the area of the Bakhmutsky nursery in Yagodnoye.
In the southwest of Bakhmut, the "Wagnerites" advanced close to the outskirts of Krasnoe, advancing from the southwest and southeast. The section of the highway to Konstantinovka is actually in the gray zone - none of the parties has full control over it.
21:52 Russian servicemen used a portable demining unit UR-83P on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the zone of the NMD in Ukraine -video
21:19 Ukrainian militants fired upon Petrovsky district of Donetsk.
20:52 A separate reconnaissance battalion of special forces of the naval infantry unit "Sparta" successfully eliminated the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the UAV—video
20:33 artillery attack was recorded from the side of the VFU in the direction: n.p. Thin - Donetsk (Kiev region): five rounds of 155mm caliber were fired.
SCKK
20:16 Assault detachments of PMC "Wagner" are advancing in the village of Paraskovievka in the suburbs of Bakhmut, pushing back the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Reported by Telegram channel IZ.RU
19:50 Destruction of the observation post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the ATGM crew in the Zaporozhye direction— video
19:29 Fighting near Donetsk: artillerymen support infantry with fire from howitzers -video
Towed 152mm guns 2A65 "Msta - B" hit the enemy, allowing motorized riflemen to advance in front. Between combat missions, they rest in a specially equipped shelter with a cup of hot tea.
18:15 58th Special Forces continues to hunt for groups of enemy UAVs -video
Scouts of the 58th separate special-purpose battalion (formerly 3 Special Forces of the NM of the DPR) discovered the advancement of another group of enemy UAVs. The identified target was destroyed with the help of ATGMs.
18:09 Another work of scouts in conjunction with tankers -video
Intelligence is daily engaged in monitoring the enemy, identifying new targets.
When the target is detected, heavy weapons come into play. Scouts adjust the fire of artillery and tanks to inflict maximum damage on the enemy.
The footage shows the work of the tank on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
17:19 We are already working northeast of Artemovsk -video
The General Staff of the Kyiv regime continues to deny defeat in the northeastern suburbs of Artemovsk. Well, it's an old song. And Krasnaya Gora is ours, fierce battles continue in Paraskovievka. The fighters of the PMC "Wagner" are crushing the enemy, but the formations of the Kyiv regime are not going to give up. We work in the suburbs of Artemovsk.
16:21 Strike on the Ukrainian 152mm howitzer "Hyacinth-B" in the Bogoyavlenka area -video
16:19 UAV-kamikaze "Lancet" destroys the 122mm MLRS "Grad" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the vicinity of Kremennaya -video
15:52 American missiles destroyed the lyceum in Yenakiyevo -video
14:44 Artillery units of the Southern Military District, during a special military operation, successfully destroyed a boat with an enemy DRG that was approaching the left bank of the Dnieper River—video
14:36 Warriors from the "Center" group in the Svatov direction discovered an enemy infantry fighting vehicle and successfully destroyed it -video
14:27 Scouts of the 58th separate special-purpose battalion (formerly 3 Special Forces of the NM of the DPR) successfully destroyed the detected enemy UAV with the help of ATGMs -video
13:56 Summary of Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation on February 16, 2023
In the Kupyansk direction, active actions of units and artillery fire of the "Western" group of troops defeated accumulations of manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of settlements Novoselovskoye of the Lugansk People's Republic of Dvurechnaya, Krakhmalnoye and Olshana of the Kharkov region. Up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, five vehicles and a Grad MLRS combat vehicle were destroyed.
In the Krasno-Limansky direction, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems of the "Center" group of forces hit enemy units in the areas of the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Kuzmino of the Luhansk People's Republic. Over 100 servicemen, three armored combat vehicles, four pickup trucks, a 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle, two 152mm D-20 howitzers and a 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer were destroyed in this direction in a day.
Up to 135 Ukrainian servicemen, two launchers of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, three tanks, three armored combat vehicles, eight vehicles, two 152mm D-20 howitzers were destroyed in the course of offensive operations and artillery fire from the "Southern" group of forces in the Donetsk direction and 122mm D-30, the 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, as well as the US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar.
In addition, an ammunition depot of the 54th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed near the village of Verkhnekamenskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic.
In the South-Donetsk and Zaporizhia directions, artillery fire from the Vostok group of forces hit units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Ugledar and Prechistovka of the Donetsk People's Republic. Enemy losses in this area per day amounted to more than 55 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, four armored combat vehicles, two vehicles, as well as 152mm D-20 and 122mm D-30 howitzers.
In the Kherson direction, as a result of a counter-battery fight, the following were destroyed in a day: the 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer and the 152mm towed Msta-B howitzer. In addition, in the area of the city of Kherson, the settlements of Dudchany and Berislav, four ammunition depots of the 123rd and 126th territorial defense brigades were hit.
During the day, army aviation, missile troops and artillery of groups of troops (forces) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation hit the command posts of the 36th Naval Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlement of Avdieivka, the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlement of Uglesborochnaya, the 102nd brigade territorial defense in the area of the settlement Malinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as 92 artillery units in firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 118 districts. A storage of fuel and lubricants for military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed near the city of Poltava.
Russian air defense systems shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force near the village of Doroshovka, Kharkiv region. In addition, four rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system were intercepted during the day, and 20 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Stelmakhovka, Zhovtneve of the Luhansk People's Republic, Oleksandrivka, Novomayorskoye, Vladimirovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, Konovalova, Yablokovo of the Zaporozhye region, Kalanchak, Kherson region and Kislovka, Kharkov region.
13:32 Russian air defense successfully intercepted the American AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missile over Makiivka on February 15, 2023 —video
13:10 Tonight in the area of n.p. Kizomys (Kherson region) was hit by an artillery strike, as a result of which, the Akatsiya, a 152mm self-propelled howitzer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with ammunition, and four Ukrainian militants were destroyed. Reported by Telegram channel Kherson Herald.
12:56 South-west of Donetsk and rear cities, Makiivka - air defense is working. Reported by Tekegram channelAGS Z Donbass
12:50 Chronicle of promotion of RF Armed Forces in the north of Maryinka
Russian troops continue the assault on the Maryinsky fortified area. Due to the difficulty in the offensive through the central quarters of the city, the RF Armed Forces switched to the tactics of enveloping the units of the 79th Airborne Infantry Brigade of Ukraine from the north and south.
In the north, the fighters of the RF Armed Forces advanced through the fields and came close to the farmer's bases in the area of the pigsty to the west of Geologichnaya Street. Now, with the fire support of artillery, the cleaning of warehouses continues.
In the south, units of the Russian Army are fighting in the vicinity of a tire repair plant and a gas station, gradually pushing through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Maryinka.
12:26 As a result of the artillery attack of the Kievsky district of Donetsk, the glazing and the gas pipeline in a private residential building on the street were damaged. Freedom. Reported by Telegram channel Alexey KulemZin.
12:20 Air defense shot down two Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea, said the governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, indicating that Russian forces continue to fight off the attack.
11:47 In the Donetsk direction, the RF Armed Forces attacked enemy positions in Avdievka, Pobeda and Krasnogorovka. Reported by Telegram channel Rybar.
11:26 Under fire Kyiv district of Donetsk. four rounds of 155mm caliber were fired from the village of Orlovka, according toSCKK.
11:10 In Maryinka, our fighters cover the fortified points of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in skyscrapers from the south and north, after cleaning up the tire repair plant, the battles moved to Chapaev Street. To the north of the city, the combined forces of the Ukrainian territorial defense and the 79th brigade were moved away from Geologichnaya Street and driven out of the warehouse area. Reported by Telegram channel DONTSTOPWAR.
10:57 Russian troops occupied all the main heights in the vicinity of Artemovsk, adviser said Pushilina Kimakovsky.
10:11 The artillery attack of Donetsk does not stop. At 9:45 a.m., five rounds of 155mm caliber were fired from the village of Zhelannoye Pervoya in the Kirovsky District. Reported by Telegram channelAlexey KulemZin.
09:51 Frontline summary on the morning of 16.02.2023
In the Ugoldar sector, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, with the support of artillery, attacked in the Prechistovka area and near the southern outskirts of the city itself. Under fire Vremovka and Zolotaya Niva. The Armed Forces of Ukraine struck at Nikolsky.
On the Donetsk front, Russian troops again attempted an offensive near Novomikhailovka. With the support of artillery, they attacked at Pobeda. The tactics of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Marinka have changed. In recent days, attempts at frontal ground strikes in the western part of the city have ceased. Efforts are focused on bypassing the city from the south. There has been some success in this direction.
After the artillery preparation, the Russian troops also made a small advance towards Pervomaisky. The artillery attack of Georgievka, Krasnogorovka, Nevelskoye, Avdiivka, Kamenka and New York continues. The Ukrainian army, in turn, launched rocket attacks on Ilovaisk, Donetsk, Makeevka and Gorlovka.
To the south of Bakhmut, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired on Kleshcheevka. Russian troops fired on Chasov Yar and Ivanovsky. Near the last of these settlements, PMC Wagner resumed assault operations after a counterattack by Ukrainian troops the day before.
Fierce fighting continues on the southern and eastern outskirts of Bakhmut. To the north of the city, the Wagner operators seem to be finishing the story with the Ukrainian defense of Paraskoviivka. We have been talking about the insanity of holding this settlement for the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for several days. But the Ukrainian army has a different point of view.
To the west of Soledar, Wagner PMC is already at Zheleznyansky. And to the north it attacks, but cannot break through the defenses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Fedorovka and Rozdolovka. Also, from the side of Donetsk Belogorovka, the Wagner operators tend to go to Veseloy.
In the Luhansk direction, Russian troops on the ground are conducting offensive operations on the local Belogorovka, Torskoye and Nevskoye. And to the north there are fierce battles for Gryanivka.
09:17 Chronicle of blows and mutual shelling in the NWO zone for the night from February 15 to February 16, 2023
At night, Russian troops launched a massive attack on enemy targets in Nikolaev, Ochakov, Odessa, Pavlograd, Kirovograd, Dnepropetrovsk, as well as Zolochiv and Drohobych districts of the Lviv region.
Local residents reported at least six explosions in Kremenchug. Citizens also published information about the work of air defense in the Sumy, Poltava, Cherkassy and Zaporozhye regions.
Ukrainian formations tried to strike Sevastopol with drones in the morning, air defense systems shot down two targets. At the moment, the attack on the city continues.
Russian troops hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Yanzhulovka, Chernihiv region, as well as in Naumovka and Basovka, Sumy region.
In the Kharkiv region, the RF Armed Forces carried out strikes on enemy targets in Udy, Strelechya and Dugouts.
In the Starobelsky direction, the Russian troops worked on the concentrations of personnel and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Stelmakhivka, Terny and Novoegorovka.
In the Bakhmut (Artyomovsky) direction, Russian missile troops and artillery hit the places of concentration of Ukrainian units in Bakhmut, Sporny and Chasov Yar.
In the Donetsk direction, the RF Armed Forces attacked enemy positions in Avdeevka, Pobeda and Krasnogorovka.
In turn, the Ukrainian formations fired missiles from the HIMARS MLRS at the Lyceum of Information Technologies in Yenakiyevo.
In the Yuzhnodonetsk direction, Russian troops worked on targets in Vugledar, Prechistovka and Neskuchny.
In the Zaporozhye region, the RF Armed Forces attacked enemy positions in Temirovka, Gulyaipole and Belogorye.
On the southern sector of the front, Russian artillery hit enemy concentrations in Kherson, Berislav, Beregovoy and Zmievka.
09:11 The moment a 122mm D-30 howitzer shell hit directly into a trench with militants -video
The D-30 has recently been serviced. All components, assemblies, mechanisms were checked. Her first test shot was immediately at the enemy, at the enemy's sheltered infantry.
09:09 Representation of the DPR in the JCCC informs about 16 facts of firing by the VFU per day
The enemy fired from the Himars MLRS and 300mm BM-30 Smerch, AGM-88 HARM, 155mm artillery, firing 75 units of various ammunition across the territory of the DPR.
Under the fire of the VFU were: Gorlovka, Donetsk, Yasinovataya, Makeevka, Dokuchaevsk, Ilovaisk.
08:05 Summary on the morning of February 16, 2023
The Russian Armed Forces launched a missile attack at night on targets in the Lvov, Poltava, Zaporozhye, Cherkasy, Odessa, Sumy, Nikolaev and Dnepropetrovsk regions. During the day, false targets were actively used to open the enemy's air defense system. As daytime photographs of "downed" balloons with corner reflectors show, this method of deceiving enemy radars is effective.
Active offensive operations continue in the Soledar, Artemovsk (Bakhmut), Maryinsk directions. They report on the successes of the Russian Armed Forces in the Kremennaya-Seversk direction.
The Kupyansk direction is characterized by the effectiveness of our troops: the enemy announced the evacuation of the population in the city.
Difficult situation persists in the Ugledar direction. Against the backdrop of heavy fighting in the suburbs, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying to carry out counterattacks, publishing new videos with our prisoners.
The Russian Armed Forces inflict constant strikes with their cannon artillery, TOS "Solntsepek" is used. However, the enemy released two videos of the destruction of our heavy flamethrower systems. The enemy is drawing up reserves.
In the Kherson direction, mutual artillery attack continues across the river. Dnieper.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing for a defensive operation, the purpose of which is to exhaust our forces and go on the counteroffensive. It is reported that in the areas bordering Russia, the enemy withdrew troops three km to previously prepared positions.
The arrival of new enemy forces from Krivoy Rog is noted in the Zaporozhye direction. The task is to hold back the onslaught of our units and go on the offensive.
In the Belgorod region, our air defense shot down several missiles.
From Sevastopol, they also report a downed object (UAV) of the enemy. Local residents heard two explosions in the morning.
A total of 75 rounds ammunition were fired by the enemy in the DPR. Gorlovka, Donetsk, Yasinovataya, Makeevka, Dokuchaevsk, Ilovaisk are under fire.
Thus, over the past day, there have been no major changes in the line of contact, despite fierce battles in a number of areas. In anticipation of our large-scale offensive, the enemy is preparing defenses, the Russian Armed Forces are using a new tactic of opening and destroying enemy air defense radars.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. By Ilya Ropshin
[REGNUM] President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on awarding the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade the honorary name "Edelweiss". This name has a clear association with units of Nazi Germany that committed war crimes. Love for Nazi aesthetics in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not new for a long time, and the name "Edelweiss" was assigned to Ukrainian mountain shooters much earlier. However, for some reason, Zelensky legalized it right now.
"Assign the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the honorary name "Edelweiss" and further name it - the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade "Edelweiss" of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," read the text of the decree dated 14 February.
In Russia, this step predictably caused the most heated reaction.
Many remembered the 1st Mountain Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, which also fought in the Soviet Union. The edelweiss flower on the buttonhole of the division became its common name. It was about the soldiers of this division that Vladimir Vysotsky sang in the Ballad of the Alpine Riflemen. The 1st Mountain Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht was also marked by a number of war crimes in Greece: both against the Greeks and against their former allies, the Italians.
As "Edelweiss" and "Combat Group Edelweiss" was also known as Abvergruppe-218, a German anti-partisan unit that was noted for punitive actions in Slovakia.
"The Zelensky regime continues to demonstrate blasphemy and its Nazi nature. The Ukrainian brigade "Edelweiss" is an echo of fascism. And she got her name, apparently, for the zeal shown in the destruction of civilians and the infrastructure of peaceful cities," said, for example, State Duma deputy from Crimea Mikhail Sheremet.
Of course, there were those who did not see anything seditious in such a name. Like, in Russia there are a lot of objects with the name "Edelweiss": from beer, a football club and an art center to a military-sports patriotic center and even the 17th special forces detachment of the Russian Guard.
As for the latter, officially this unit of internal troops stationed in the northern Caucasus did not have such a name, and among the unofficial ones there were others - just "Minvody" (at the place of deployment) and even the "Yermolovsky detachment" (referring to the history of the Caucasian War of the XIX V.). In 2016, the official name "Vanguard" appeared. It was probably introduced to avoid those very unpleasant associations. Despite the fact that even on the unofficial logos of the unit there was never an image of that same mountain flower. Yermolovsky detachment is possibly a reference to the early 19th century Russian Imperial Army General Aleksey Yermolov, who fought in the Caucasian War
An attempt to justify Zelensky by this is naive at best: the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other armed formations of Ukraine have repeatedly fallen into scandals using Nazi symbols. We give only the most illustrative example.
In the spring of last year, Zelensky’s press service had to clean up a photo with a Ukrainian fighter with a chevron of the Totenkopf SS division. This picture was included in a selection of photographs that Zelensky decided to congratulate Ukrainians on May 9.
In September, Zelensky again got into a scandal with the chevron of the same SS division. During a visit to Izyum, he posed with the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. One of them wore a characteristic image of a skull and bones on his body armor.
The last such incident happened just a few days ago. Again, a selection of front-line personnel in the official telegram channel of the President of Ukraine, and on the very first fighter with the same SS patch on his shoulder.
As they say, two times is a coincidence, and three times is already a statistic. It is explained quite simply. Nazi symbols and aesthetics are indeed very popular among the Ukrainian troops.
However, in the case of the 10th separate mountain assault brigade, Zelensky only consolidated at the legislative level what had existed for several years.
WHAT IS EDELWEISS?
The history of the Ukrainian brigade "Edelweiss" begins on September 1, 2015, when the 10th Separate Mountain Infantry Regiment was created in Bila Tserkva in accordance with the directive of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine dated July 30. Initially, Chernivtsi was determined to be the location of the regiment, but the very next day after its creation - on September 2 - the regiment was redeployed to Kolomyia, in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Where soon a brigade was deployed on its basis.
In 2016, on the Independence Day of Ukraine, the brigade received a battle flag. By that time, the fighters of the brigade managed to fight in the Donbass. From May 28 to October of that year, they carried out combat missions in the DPR and LPR. At this time, the brigade suffered losses: 22 people were killed.
And in February 2017, the brigade went on rotation to Avdievka near Donetsk. Thanks to the film made for the fifth anniversary of the 10th brigade, we can see the stripes on the sleeves of the fighters of the company tactical group of the brigade. They also depict edelweiss. Below it is a crossed mace and an ice ax, above it are the coats of arms of Kolomyia and Ivano-Frankivsk. These are old-style patches made in the style that was popular in the Armed Forces of Ukraine even before the Maidan and before the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense thought about a large-scale “rebranding” of the armed forces.
But in the report of the Ukrainian Channel 5, filmed on February 5, 2018, in Katerynivka, in the LPR, a brigade fighter already has a sleeve badge similar to a modern one. On this patch there is a large edelweiss on two crossed Hutsul axes-bartkas.
Officially, the sleeve insignia of the brigade and its battalions were approved on November 2, 2018. The symbol of the brigade will be the emblem of the mountain infantry (a separate branch of the Ground Forces of Ukraine) - edelweiss and crossed barts - on a shield with the brigade number in the Roman numeral X at the bottom.
It is noteworthy that edelweiss also flaunts on the sleeve insignia of the more famous 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade.
But even before the official approval of the new symbols, on May 8, 2018, the presentation of the video “Give me a zbroyu” (“Give me a weapon”) took place - the anthem of the 10th Guards Brigade, written by one of its fighters Gleb Babich and performed by the popular Ukrainian group Kozak System.
“Boys-Edelveisi go; Take a fee from the heap," sang the soloist of the group Ivan Leno.
This chorus shows that "edelweiss" was the nickname of the brigade's fighters at least five years before Zelensky signed the decree that so excited many.
Their brothers-in-arms from the 128th Guards Brigade did not compete for this name with the 10th Guards Brigade: the history of the latter is richer, older (some historians indicate 1918) and brighter - it is no coincidence that on the sleeve patches of the brigade fighters at one time there was an inscription "Turkestan".
But the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade, with its modest history, came in handy.
It only remains to add that the orchestra that has existed in the brigade since March 2016 is called Edelweiss.
But why is Zelensky just now legalizing something that has already existed for at least five years?
TROLLING ATTEMPT, NEUROSIS AND DISSERVICE
The logic of the actions of the Ukrainian authorities, especially in terms of symbols, can very often be described with the word trolling.
Five days before Zelensky's decree, a monument was demolished in Kiev to Soviet General Nikolai Vatutin, who died in 1944 from a wound received in a shootout with UPA militants. On the same day, the 80th anniversary of the destruction of the Polish village of Parosl Pervaya in Volhynia by Ukrainian nationalists was celebrated. Before that, a monument to the Soviet pilot Valery Chkalov was demolished in Kyiv.
The assignment of the 10th brigade of the name "Edelweiss" fits into this logic. These days, 80 years ago, Soviet climbers threw down the banner of the Third Reich from Elbrus, set there by those same mountain shooters.
"From childhood I remember Vysotsky’s song about the battle of our soldiers from former climbers and German shooters of the 1st Mountain Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht Edelweiss. Ours won. Now Zelensky is trying to replay everything," Oleg Tsarev, a former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, and now a Russian politician, wrote on his Telegram channel.
Once, Zelensky himself, when he was just going to the presidency, said that he was "very familiar" with the work of Vysotsky. “The fact that we were born on the same day played a role for me even in my youth. I began to get involved in his work, thinking that something connects people born on the same day, ”the Ukrainian showman told reporters. So there is no doubt that the song about the “shooters from Edelweiss” is well known to Zelensky.
Apparently, after a noisy European tour, the promises of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for an early supply of weapons and the retention of his Ukrainian colleague Alexei Reznikov, Zelensky decided to once again tease Russia.
The fact that Zelensky called the 10th Brigade "Edelweiss" for the sake of trolling is also confirmed by his address to Ukrainians yesterday.
In it, he thanked the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade. Hetman Ivan Mazepa, the 10th Edelweiss Brigade, the 25th Sicheslav Brigade, the 81st brigade and the 95th brigade. The latter was noted recently by the fact that its fighter, Sergei Marchenko, posted a video of the execution of unarmed Russian prisoners of war.
At the same time, Zelensky is a troll in his appeal, hinting at the battles near Ugledar, saying that “in all of Russia soon, it will probably be difficult to find, for example, a marine.” He pronounces the last word in Russian.
However, judging by the appearance of Zelensky himself, there is another version that explains his defiant behavior. It could be neurosis. Especially against the backdrop of warnings about a possible offensive by the RF Armed Forces. It is significant that Zelensky wrote down this appeal in a bunker, and not in his usual office on Bankovaya.
These days, when a number of Western states have been calling for their own citizens to leave Russia, and some Western analysts are predicting another offensive by the Russian Armed Forces on the eve of the anniversary of the special operation, the actions of the Ukrainian president are reminiscent of what happened a year ago.
Then, on February 19, at a speech in Munich - again against the background of statements about the upcoming offensive of the Russian Armed Forces on Ukraine - Zelensky, instead of trying to establish contact with Russia, on the contrary, said that he would initiate consultations within the framework of the Budapest Memorandum and was ready to revise renunciation of the non-nuclear status of their state.
Be that as it may, Zelensky did a disservice to the fighters of the 10th Guards Brigade, christening it in the Nazi spirit. Whatever the choice of name is explained by: trolling "orcs", love for Nazi aesthetics, or all together. After the exchange of command of Azov (an organization banned in the Russian Federation) and foreign mercenaries, the atrocities of individual Ukrainian soldiers against prisoners of war, Russian fighters on the ground are very tough.
The 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received the honorary name "Edelweiss" by Zelensky's decree.
The 1st Mountain Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht had the same common name... The coincidence, of course, is purely accidental (actually not).
Edelweiss can be called a shop, a hairdresser, a bottle of water, a shopping center, a police squad, or even an office for collecting horns and hooves. This is fine. And to call it that, moreover, during the war, MINING-ASSTORM assault, knowing the history - this is a direct analogy can be traced.
Zelensky is not shy, the Germans are happy: tanks with crosses in Ukraine, edelweiss, swastikas and dead heads - Scholz relaxes. The conversation is no longer just about the distorted consciousness of Zelensky and the company, but about the schizophrenic-manic desire to be like the Nazis during the Second World War. Probably in the minds of these figures is the idea that by giving such names they thereby strengthen the morale of the soldiers included in these units.
"And that guy, he is also here
Among the shooters from the" Edelweiss "
They must be thrown off the pass!"
V.S.Vysotsky
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[REGNUM] The Russian embassy in Copenhagen said that the DRTV video, which showed a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a patch of the terrorist group "Islamic State" (an organization whose activities are banned in the Russian Federation), demonstrates the values that Ukrainian soldiers follow. The press service of the Russian Embassy in Copenhagen wrote about this on February 16 on its page on the social network.
“Correspondents of the Danish TV channel (DRTV) captured a Ukrainian soldier, whose uniform is “decorated” with a chevron with the symbols of ISIS. Another clear example of the values that the Ukrainian military adheres to," the press service reports.
As REGNUM reported, the Ukrainian authorities, with the assistance of representatives of Western countries, are openly recruiting militants from the Islamic State and other terrorist groups in the Middle East who are ready to "kill Russians."
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry officially announced that foreign mercenaries would not be able to count on the status of prisoners of war and on the protection of international conventions.
Recall that "Western" mercenaries have long been present in the Ukrainian nationalist battalions.
Posted by: badanov ||
02/17/2023 00:00 ||
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Link to the news article supplied by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin
[Telegra] With the outbreak of the armed conflict in Ukraine, the problem of outrageous corruption that existed before was not only not resolved by the authorities, but, on the contrary, grew to truly African proportions, and Ukraine itself began to resemble snow-covered Nigeria. Corruption schemes exist at all levels of Ukrainian state power, and with an increase in the social status and official position of an official, the amount of budget funds stolen by him increases exponentially.
In our investigation, we will examine in detail a number of corruption schemes that allow those in power to enrich themselves even in the conditions of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine.
SCHEME NO. 1 - FRAUD WITH PROPERTY.
For these purposes, the Kyiv elites combine, it would seem, absolutely opposite mechanisms of nationalization and privatization - depending on which way it is easier and easier to establish control over the tidbits of the Ukrainian economy.
On the one hand, there is an appropriation of property owned by the state. Officials, relying on a hastily created regulatory framework, authorize the transfer of ownership of state facilities to private individuals. The process of transit of property rights, as a rule, is carried out through controlled firms.
Thus, according to the latest data, the Security Service of Ukraine submitted to the National Agency for the Detection, Search and Management of Assets Obtained from Corruption and Other Crimes (ARMA) massive dossiers on more than 230 illegally privatized institutions.
For example, SBU officers detained Volodymyr Saenko, Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, for organizing a large-scale corruption scheme to assign property rights to a number of sanatoriums, rehabilitation centers and educational and sports institutions. These objects were first taken out of state ownership, then sold. The damage caused to the state amounted to about UAH 25 million. (680 thousand US dollars).
Previously, dishonest officials of Ukraine, under the direct leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky, began to implement corruption schemes in the energy sector. So, lots for the upcoming auction were published on the website of the State Property Fund of Ukraine. Among them are 5 thermal power plants and 6 regional power distribution enterprises.
Analysts agree that the President of Ukraine, in collusion with the oligarchs, decided to privatize all energy infrastructure facilities. It is assumed that the oligarchs will buy up the objects destroyed as a result of the strikes of the RF Armed Forces for a pittance, Kyiv will allocate budgetary funds for them for restoration, which will subsequently be plundered by all participants in corruption schemes. At the same time, it is possible that subsequently these assets will again be transferred to the ownership of the state. The story is as old as the world: profits for themselves, losses for the state.
At the same time, a campaign to nationalize strategically important facilities is in full swing in Ukraine. Thus, President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to transfer the assets of strategically important enterprises to the state: Motor Sich JSC, Zaporizhtransformator PJSC, AvtoKrAZ PJSC, Ukrnafta PJSC and Ukrtatnafta PJSC.
However, experts note that the ongoing processes of nationalization are only conditional, but in fact, executives in these strategic enterprises are appointed by Zelensky's quota, whose main goal is money laundering in the interests of the head of state and his inner circle.
Ultimately, the war only exposed the most egregious problem areas of Ukrainian statehood to the limit. Even now, when the country is on the verge of collapse, high-ranking deceitful and greedy bureaucrats, driven by the thirst for easy money, are ready to go to the most vile tricks to earn themselves an extra penny.
SCHEME NO. 2 - EMBEZZLEMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
Using their official position and access to the budget, Ukrainian officials appropriate a significant part of public property.
Thus, in the city of Berdichev, Zhytomyr region, Pavel Kotik, deputy mayor and head of the municipal emergency rescue service, was dismissed due to suspicion of theft of 31 tons of fuel, which was classified as a strategic reserve. More than a million hryvnia worth of fuel should have gone to defense needs, but it was divided between certain firms, entrepreneurs and unknown public organizations.
Another resonant episode of Ukrainian corruption was the transfer of the Dnepropetrovsk OVA tender for construction work in the region to Yana Hlanta, the mistress of the head of administration Valentin Reznichenko, who is also his fitness trainer.
In addition, Acting Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine Olesya Savchuk, Director General of the state enterprise Ukrpatent Andriy Kudin, and Head of the Breath of Mercy charity Andriy Cherny illegally seized state funds in the amount of UAH 250 million. The money was intended for the purchase of body armor for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but in fact it was embezzled by the participants in the illegal transaction through a number of "laying companies".
Along with this, Anatoly Ilyukha, head of the Department of Capital Construction of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, is suspected of embezzling more than 18.66 million hryvnia allocated for the purchase of housing for military personnel. The Office of the President of Ukraine was also involved in corruption scandals.
SCHEME NO. 3 - PLUNDERING WESTERN HUMANITARIAN AID FOR ITS FURTHER RESALE TO THE POPULATION.
As you know, from all over Europe, Ukraine receives food, essential goods, as well as automotive equipment and other goods worth tens of millions of dollars.
The authors of the Bihus journalistic project (Ukraine) found out that the deputy head of the presidential office, Kyrylo Timoshenko, used a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV on business trips, transferred by the American company General Motors for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Trying to explain his decision by the lack of armor in the car and its uselessness in the war zone, Tymoshenko actually appropriated the transport, which was caught by the Ukrainian media.
In addition, according to NABU, Kyrylo Tymoshenko is involved in the theft of humanitarian aid in the Zaporozhye region. So, checks in the region revealed that out of the delivered 240 tons of food packages, only 25 tons were distributed to local residents, that is, a little more than 10%. At the same time, the amount of theft amounted to 322 million hryvnia ($8.7 million): 22 sea containers, 389 railway cars, 220 trucks. It is noteworthy that the stolen humanitarian aid was sold in the stores of the ATB and Selpo chains.
According to NABU agent Andriy Shevchenko, the head of the Zaporozhye regional military administration Oleksandr Starukh, the secretary of the Zaporizhzhya city council Anatoly Kurtev, the deputy of the Zaporizhzhya regional council Viktor Shcherbina, and the deputy head of the Zaporizhzhya OVA Zlata Nekrasova were involved in the embezzlement.
“Do you know who in our country is the main person responsible for the control and distribution of international humanitarian aid? <…> Deputy Chairman of the Office of the President Kirill Timoshenko,” said the agency's agent.
The publication notes that earlier Shevchenko announced the participation in the theft of humanitarian aid of the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, and the head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia. However, he did not disclose the details of the crime due to the secrecy of the pre-trial investigation.
SCHEME NO. 4 - ASSISTANCE TO EVADERS FROM MOBILIZATION IN LEAVING UKRAINE.
A large number of Ukrainians liable for military service are trying to escape from the country in various ways. The most common ways to do this are the acquisition of forged documents, as well as bribing officials at the border.
In the Kyiv-controlled part of the Zaporozhye region, the SBI exposed a large-scale corruption scheme by officials to illegally issue permits to cross the demarcation line in the region. Individual officials from the Zaporizhzhya District Administration, the city council, and law enforcement agencies organized a criminal scheme to receive funds for the “accelerated” and positive consideration of travel applications.
They developed a whole system of fees from citizens, depending on the means of transportation and the speed of consideration of the issue. In particular, a bribe from one car could be up to 800 US dollars. The daily illegal profits of corrupt officials amounted to 2 million hryvnias.
In addition, Andrei Babich, a deputy of the Chernihiv District Council from the Opposition Platform - For Life party, resorted to a similar scheme. He offered conscripts to leave the country for $1,500.
Along with this, the SBU regularly reports the detention of members of criminal groups who help evaders cross the border despite the established martial law restrictions. As a rule, this service costs from 2.5 to 8 thousand dollars. The main directions of illegal migration of Ukrainian conscripts are:
1. Through the border areas of the Sumy region to Russia (along detour routes, bypassing the checkpoint).
2. Through the western border (for example, under the guise of drivers of agro-industrial enterprises).
3. To the territory of Moldova to the area of the transit section of the Odessa-Reni highway.
In total, according to the State Border Service of Ukraine, since the beginning of the conflict, more than 8,000 men liable for military service have tried to leave Ukraine. More than half of them (5.6 thousand) did it outside the checkpoints.
SCHEME NO. 5 - ARMS SMUGGLING.
Corruption has reached the most impressive scale in the arms and defense industry of Ukraine. Naturally, corruption in the military-industrial complex reached its apogee with the beginning of the armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia, when a huge amount of Western weapons resold abroad, with which the United States and NATO countries literally flooded Ukraine, began to be written off as combat losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Arms smuggling is a privileged area of business interests of the so-called. "Odessa pool" of oligarchs and high-ranking security officials. Corrupt deals on the illegal re-export of weapons from Ukraine are supervised by high-ranking leaders of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the military, one of the “aces” of the shadow arms market has become the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kirill Budanov. In addition to Budanov, Odessa businessmen Boris Kaufman, Roman Mileshko, Sergei Slyusarenko and Konstantin Cherednichenko played a key role in the implementation of resonant arms export deals from Ukraine.
A cursory analysis of the documents at our disposal shows that all arms purchase deals were carried out using multi-level schemes and using a large number of “shim firms”. In most cases, the role of an intermediary in such transactions belongs to the Incompass company, which is led by businessman Sergei Slyusarenko. More details about the machinations of Slyusarenko and his powerful patron Kirill Budanov in the export arms market, as well as other “weapons barons” of Ukraine, will be discussed in a new investigation.
Roman Mileshko, director of Expedition Aviation FZC and head of the board of trustees of the Constanta airline, is another "big man" of the arms market. In the area of his tacit competencies is the organization of transportation of weapons sold on the black market. To implement criminal schemes, he actively promoted his man, the former officer of the State Security Department Yevgeny Gavrilov, to a high position in the Antonov State Enterprise.
As a result, on December 3, 2020, on the second attempt (for the first time, the president of the company, Alexander Los, interfered), Gavrilov, without any experience in the field of aircraft manufacturing, was appointed to the position of First Deputy General Director of the Antonov State Enterprise. In the fall of 2022, Gavrilov received the post of CEO of the company.
Even more "big fish" in comparison with Mileshko is another gray eminence, Ukrainian oligarch Boris Kaufman. The dealers have known each other since 2014, when Mileshko, after studying at courses in the United States, returned to Ukraine. Both businessmen have common business interests related, in particular, to the air transport division of the Antonov State Enterprise.
Last year, the Ukrainian press published material about Kaufman’s interest in business in the field of international air transportation carried out by Antonov Airlines, as well as the facilities of Antonov State Enterprise, in particular its two airfields - “factory” (in the Svyatoshino area in Kiev ) and "test" (near the city of Gostomel).
Taking into account the fact that Mileshko succeeded in appointing his protégé Yevgeny Gavrilov as CEO of the Antonov State Enterprise, the way to a raider seizure of the state enterprise and the division of its property between Kaufman and Mileshko, and, possibly, other Ukrainian oligarchs, is open.
The iconic figure of the shadow arms market in Ukraine is the former deputy general director of the Ukrinmash company, Konstantin Cherednichenko, against whom the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has filed a criminal case. According to investigators, back in 2014, being a top manager of the company, he learned that Ukrinmash was looking for firms to support external contracts.
With the participation of the then director of Ukrinmash Vladimir Omelyanchuk and his successor Yuri Slyusarenko (the same head of Incompass), the heads of the relevant departments of the company, Cherednichenko organized a fictitious tender, as a result of which an offshore company Triangle registered in Latvia became an agent for searching for foreign partners of Ukrinmash Group Incorporated, owned by his close friend Mikhail Buyanov.
To date, it has been established that Triangle Group Incorporated did not, in fact, provide any intermediary services, since the firms found as buyers of products have been cooperating with Ukrinmash for a long time. However, agency payments totaling 138 thousand euros were transferred to the accounts of the Latvian company Triangle Group Incorporated.
Another high-profile NABU criminal case on the machinations of Ukrinmash is no less impressive. In July last year, NABU detectives established that in 2018 Ukrinmash carried out a major overhaul of AL-31F aircraft engines and external aggregator boxes for Su-27 aircraft for the needs of the Air Force of the Republic of Indonesia in the amount of $2.8 million. The repairs were carried out directly by SE "Lutsk repair plant "Motor" (part of the State Corporation "Ukroboronprom").
Despite the conclusion of a contract with the Lutsk Motor Repair Plant and the pre-contract work carried out by it, the management of Ukrinmash entered into an agency agreement with a private company (whose name was not disclosed), according to which it assumed the obligation to ensure the signing of another similar contract and accompany its implementation. However, as the investigation found out, the services were not actually provided, and the act of work performed was forged. NABU investigators found that Ukrinmash had to transfer 488,000 US dollars to a private company (UAH 11.7 million at the NBU exchange rate at the time of the crime).
Thus, the hallmark of corruption in Ukraine is the involvement of representatives of the entire vertical of state power in it. The war is on, the officials are getting richer.
The link, found on my Facebook feed, goes to a post with drawings of Sergey Zakarov's time in prison in the early time of the separatist takeover of Donetsk in 2014. The drawings were made about almost five years ago, about the way Russian speaking separatists treated Ukrainian artists, such as himself, in Donetsk.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
