We're all focused on Iraq but things are definitely still smoking in Ukraine. Check this out...via The Daily Star.
One military source said 4,000 separatists were involved, while rebels sources in Donetsk said Ukrainian infantry supported by 20 tanks and many other armored vehicles were storming the village of Yampil, about 12 km east of Krasny Liman.For all those saying that this isn't a civil war I say bullshit.
A top rebel commander, Igor Strelkov, reported “heavy losses” in equipment and arms among the separatists, faced with a huge superiority in heavy armor on the government side at Yampil.
“We beat off the first attack and destroyed one tank. But it is difficult to take on 20 tanks. The battle is going on. Our people are holding but we can’t rule out that they [government forces] will break through,” Strelkov, who is also known as Girkin, said in a statement caught on video. He urged Moscow to “take some measures.”
There was no word on casualties from the government side.
From the nearby town of Siversk, artillery blasts, small arms fire and machinegun-fire could be heard from about 3 km away. From high ground, smoke could be seen billowing from rebel positions under attack.
4,000 separatists?
20 Tanks?
Assuming that the attacking side has at least an equal number of Infantry then you're talking about some major force on force action here. How this isn't on mainstream news is beyond me but this is getting interesting.
20 tanks that, while far from perfect, are logistically supportable over a long time in the field and also can fire a proper, dedicated, simple, HE round. Very useful as an "infantry support" tank in the old ways.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that there are 4000 seperatists. That figure may be propoganda but if it was true.....you dont get 4000 armed fighters in a low'sih population country without the movement being actually popular, or should i say, democratic.
ReplyDeleteStill it's hard to classify this as Civil War, the separatist movement is contain to small area without any significant support of population. It's fueled by different bands of armed men that fight with government forces and each others. Most of them are rather classic criminals as lately actions of "purge" local separatist by "volunteers" from so called Vostok battalion that were accused of being simple bandits.
ReplyDeleteThe core of separatist forces are not locals but armed groups from outside that cross in to conflict region from Russia with, lets not delude yourself a strong support from them in both men and equipment.
It's this a classic civil war? Definitely no. It's that a type of "civil war" that we can see on Middle East where armed groups of religious fanatics from all over the word draw in to conflict zone like it was and is in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan? Yep... but this time they are not religious fanatics but nationalist under Russia favoritism and support.
If the government forces will be unable to push them back thru the borders and restore order then what? ONZ peackeepers?
Shas, you seem Eastern European. Can you verify through your local media the number of seperatists to actually be 4000 ?
DeleteI'm from Poland, that's Central Europe lad ;)
DeleteIt's hard to determined number of separatist now, casualties are also a mystery. Both sides take them, Ukrainian government for sure maybe don't lower too much number of Ukrainians dead but they rather exaggerate number of dead separatists. That's nothing new in times of conflict, there is always less dead then you admit.
But, number of separatist in last two weeks grow in numbers with more better and heavy equipment and definitely better training. But exact number is rather unknown.
If the current attrition ratein the ukrainian air force keeps the same level, they might not have an airforce within 2-3 months.
ReplyDeleteThe ukrainian forces are lucky the rebels/freedom fighters , do not have enough ATGMs. But still the ukr. forces are suffering high casualties that are not being reported in western media.
The ukrainians have only they're selfs to blame, 20+ years after independence , the coruption , oligarchy and complacency in that country had its affect on the military.
They never really modernized they're military, just keept selling what they had from soviet era.
So what l see in this is: Separatists...by their own admission... are in the beginning stages of a route. They have therefore made appeals to Russia for direct intervention. Meanwhile there are media reports of Russia beefing up their forces on the border again...perhaps Putin has put an invasion back on the table due to the rebels' failure.
ReplyDeleteIf this is the British daily star its probably bullshit.
ReplyDelete