Tag: Mariupol

Regarding the Anti-terrorist operation

Since April 18th, all coordinators of the IS group (“Informational Shield”) are out in the regions of the country. We plan to release a general review later tonite. Here is a quote from the said review regarding Anti terrorist operation (ATO).

ATO

Anti terrorist operation has not yet been manifested as it should have and it seems it has lost its momentum.
During the first stages of the operation, military forces were issued with restraints by Ukrainian government (a guarantee to avoid civilian casualties, even if they are armed and hostile, and their activity can be deemed as terrorism). These restraints were a serious hamper to successful progress of an ATO. Even more so, after Geneva agreement, these restraints became a strict condition.

The problem with the military forces is the ban of destructive arms use. One of a very few exceptions in Mariupol, where a unit of National Guard resisted an armed attack on military unit. In reality soldiers are only allowed the use weapons on occasions provided by Ukrainian law N 877-VII (877-18) changed Crew and Patrol statute. And even on those occasions the use of weaponry can only be non-destructive.

There are reported incidents of commanders ordering troops to sign against destructive weapon application. This obviously had a very negative effect on the course of events and in general the effectiveness of military forces suffered greatly.

Furthermore, particularly after Geneva agreement, ATO has become an OS(operation stabilize), according to Western terminology. Main goals being: containment of settlements and districts with high concentration of mutineers, crewing of containment check points, area patrols. Main forces – units of Ukrainian military.

For reasons unknown to us, military command did not implement the required measures for OS. At the same time, military units and their commanders exhibit their readiness for such actions.

Conclusions

For the Ukrainian military successful implementation of ATO should be a simple task. There is plenty of experience from participation in similar campaigns. For example appearance in KFOR and Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I).
Every contingent had a review about its results with recommendations for techniques of organizing further activity. Military command just need to study the reviews and set approximate guidelines for Ukrainian military forces actions in Donbass.

But most important is setting a clear order regarding employment of military forces with precise tasks and targets for the operation. And also an order for interaction between Ukrainian forces and other military groups or special forces.

On the edge

Today, the fate of Ukraine is being decided in Donbas. Unable to stir the unrest in the whole Southeastern region, Kremlin decided to act gradually and take the control of smaller regions one by one.

It must be understood that the Donetsk oblast is the “pilot project” of the second stage (the first being Crimea) of Putin’s gamble with the purpose of destroying Ukraine. If Moscow manages to achieve its goals there, a similar scenario will be enacted in Lugansk and in Kharkov. And further on.

Hromadske.tv interview with soldiers in Mariupol

Hromadske.tv interview with soldiers in Mariupol

By the way, events in the South may be initiated at the same time. The base for active Russian operations already exists – it is Transnistria. It is no coincidence that 2 000 Russian soldiers were moved there in March. Half of these soldiers are members of the special forces, already dressed as “the green men”  – groups prepared to carry out sabotage acts.

While Ukraine’s attention is directed towards Donbas, the time is suitable for implementing the same plan in Odessa. Without Odessa Ukraine would loose the whole South.

Nonetheless, Southeast is not the endpoint of the scenario. While Vladimir Putin is waving his devil’s pitchfork with the name of Viktor Yanukovych, we cannot be sure that he is not intending to go for Kiev with the pretext of “reestablishing the legitimate government in Ukraine”.

This scenario can be partly hindered by the effective work of law enforcement on the four criminal cases against Yanukovych. If they would clearly show the whole world that the “legitimate president” is a thief and a murderer, it would be more difficult for Putin to use him in his puppet-play.

Still, this is only a small fragment. What is the most important is the actions involving the use of direct force. For some decades already, there exists a prevailing pacifist notion of a flower blossom placed in a gun barrel. Our government loudly declared the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation, but at the same time limited the actions of our force structures and put those flowers into their guns.

Yes, the casualties of the supposedly “peaceful residents” are unnecessary and unwelcome. Yet, what is preventing the government from declaring the state of emergency in this turbulent region? And explaining people that those who are preventing the force structures from fulfilling their duty are outside the law?

For instance, yesterday, during the assault on the military unit in Mariupol, soldiers have wounded several participating extremists. At once, the latter declared that they were simply promenading near the military compound at around midnight, and thus were accidental victims. What is the conclusion? Of course, the soldiers are bloodthirsty maniacs. The fact that within the zone of the anti-terrorist operation, someone is attacking the soldiers, taking away their guns and attacking military units, is a complete nonsense. Certainly.

In the end, it should be understood that you cannot attempt to swaddle the soldiers following the “rules of peacetime” and hope to get miraculous results. You cannot use a knife if you haven’t pulled it out of its sheath.

I am strictly against bloodshed. Yet, there are moments when one side or the other must make a decision – to defend itself or cease to exist. If we decided to become the most peaceful nation within the Great Russia, we must say so. There is no need to be modest because it is misleading.

Yet, if we do not want to be a part of Russia, we must defend ourselves. Maybe, for some it is a difficult decision. But it must have been made already yesterday.

Yes, today are all walking on the edge. On the one hand there is a danger of “provoking” Russia into an open invasion, which would mean casualties and the loss of the country. On the other hand the country would be lost without casualties.

I respect the Christian morality. But at the same time I cannot remember any example in the history of world, when an indecisive nation was declared great and worth respect.

At the same time, government decisions are not the only problem. There are many issues concerning the chosen tactics, for instance, the actions of the command of separate units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Yesterday, the whole country was astonished by the “fighting actions” carried out by the troopers. Yet, the causes of this phantasmagoria lie not in the soldiers’ torn boots, but rather in the shoulder straps of senior officers. It is these factors that have to be analyzed and eliminated immediately.

Tomorrow, it will be too late.