Brothers and sisters!
Here’s the Summary for August 18, 2014.
The bad news:
1. During a withdrawal of refugees from the settlements of Khryashchuvate and Novosvitlivka near Luhansk, insurgents struck the convoy with a massive attack of mortars and “Grads.” The convoy was moving under white flags, but this did not save it from almost total destruction. Dozens of civilians, many [of them] children were killed.
We are accustomed to the fact that the insurgents deliberately fire at the houses of local residents, at [combat] ambulances with the wounded, and use peaceful civilians as human shields. But today’s occurrence is the apotheosis of savagery and villainy. This is the very essence of terrorism under the Russian flag.
… And some still manage to call these creatures “militias.” It is not surprising that, according to the results of a poll published today, the majority of Ukrainians–55%–believe that it is necessary to continue the ATO [even] further. Rabid animals can only be destroyed, so as to convince them that something is meaningless.
2. Not for nothing does Putin save his miscarriages of “The Russian World” in Donbas, in the last few days he has been throwing all the new swarms of mercenaries and columns of military equipment here. This immediately affected the course of the ATO-and not for the best outcome for us.
The insurgents have sharply increased counterattacks in many directions. From the vicinity of the settlement of Snizhne, their groups went fighting towards Stepanivka and Marynivka; there are constant attacks on our positions in the area of Savur-Mohyla. Fierce fighting is currently underway for the settlements of Yasynuvata, Makiivka, Zhdanivka, and others. And during this time, the Kremlin keeps throwing in more new “Grads” to the border…
3. And again about the “humanitarian aid” from Russia. During the discussion of the issue of its entry into the Ukrainian territory, everything seemed to have been taken into account: the imported cargo will be physically inspected, and in theory nothing but food will be left for the little fighters.
But there is another factor [here]–Russia’s very own trucks, painted from the heart in the “peaceful” white [color]. Considering that they will be traveling on territory controlled by terrorists, the question arises: what is the procedure for their withdrawal back to Russia? Remaining in Donbas, they can become a great cover for blocking the actions of the ATO forces in separate directions. Since it’s obvious that the Ukrainian troops won’t fire in areas where this transport remains. And [we] must agree that 270 trucks is a lot.
The good news:
1. President Petro Poroshenko talked about a change in tactics of the ATO forces. According to him, the tactic now is to “cut the territories controlled by the terrorists into zones, to tightly reduce the ring [around them] and to prevent the possibility for a re-supply of weapons and ammunition.”
It is quite obvious that such operations should be carried out at lightning speed. We have already learned a bitter lesson that we cannot move teams and units into the zones between the enemy formations and put them on the defensive–[or] the systematic destruction of our forces begins. In order [for them] to act quickly, they need reserves. In theory, the mobilization should have taken care of that, and therefore let’s hope that this strategy will be successful.
2. Donetsk, Luhansk, and Horlivka are practically encircled by our forces. The blocking off of Alchevsk is currently underway, the ATO forces [will have] entered into Ilovajsk by evening. In the direction of Zhdanivka-Nyzhnya and Verkhnya Krynka, the cutting off and blocking of the terrorist groups near Yenakiieve is planned.
This is the same tactics of “dissection and fragmentation” in action. Let us only hope that the ATO forces’ command won’t disperse its forces and means, and will [instead] focus them on the most important areas, working step by step. However, we do not take on the role of advisers and critics of the military leadership, even without us these come a dime a dozen.
3. German Chancellor Angela Merkel supports the continuation of sanctions against Russia “in order to show it our seriousness.”
I think I’ve recently become quite partial towards Mrs. Angela. For a very long time, she demonstrated some obscure sympathy for Putin, trying to reconcile it with [her] democratic values. But after the disaster with the “Boeing,” the German leader [behaves] as if she has been replaced [with someone else]: [it’s] a pleasure to observe.
That is, as I understand [it], a woman. If she really disliked you, then to the last bullet. Ah, if only there were more warrior broads like this in Europe.
