via Rianovosti.
LUHANSK, June 26 (RIA Novosti) – A column of Ukrainian armored military vehicles has arrived near the eastern village of Zheltoe, approximately 20 kilometers from the city of Luhansk, the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic’s Defense Ministry Press Secretary Alexei Toporov told RIA Novosti on Thursday.Expecting fighting to flare up soon.
The secretary said the column arrived in the morning, stating “They are surrounding Luhansk.”
Toporov added that as of 12:30 p.m. local time [09:30 GMT] there have been no clashes between the Ukrainian forces and the self-proclaimed independence supporters.
There is currently no information on the number or further movement of Ukrainian armored vehicles in the area.
The situation in the city of Luhansk currently remains calm.
Since mid-April, Kiev authorities have been conducting a special military operation in the east of Ukraine to suppress the pro-independence movement.
The violence intensified after the people’s republics of Luhansk and Donetsk declared their independence from Ukraine after holding referendums on self-determination. Hundreds of people, including civilians, have died in both regions over the past months.
On June 20, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered a cease fire for all military personnel for one week. Later, Donetsk and Luhansk independence forces also promised to stop all attacks until June 27. The truce has been shaky ever since, with both parties blaming each other for new bouts of violence.
What we're seeing is both sides marshaling there forces in preparation for the coming battle.
I don't have numbers (and I'm searching like a madman for them) but if past is prologue then we can expect at least US Army sized brigade type actions supported with artillery and air.
I know most of you don't believe that this ranks as a civil war but I disagree. We're about to see a classic mechanized force on force battle and it appears that the US & EU are powerless to stop it.
According to CNN, Russia's parlament revoked Putin's right to use military force in Ukraine. I am sure he can just ask for it again if he feels the need, but what does this means in the bigger scheme of things?
ReplyDeleteIs Russia going full covert or has Putin achieved his goals already? Regardless, he appears to be playing his cards masterfully.
And on a side note... have the Donetsk separatists managed to get their mechanized units rolling?
DeleteWe can agree that we disagree. I sustain my opinion that this is not a civil war in classic meaning.
ReplyDeleteBut we also don't have a solid word do determine this type of conflict. Or maybe there is one but I just don't know about it. We have a separatist groups that control small territory, now there main "fighting" force are foreign "volunteers" strongly supported by other nation. They don't have any significant support in any different region with similar ethnic group. For now the Ukrainians fight mainly with not pro-Russian Ukrainians but literally THE Russians and citizens of Russian Federation.
What kind of conflict this is, not an open war, not an civil war, some people call this a creeping invasion/conflict.
One is sure, if Ukraine will be not able to regain control over those border areas the Pandora Box will be open in Europe. And the problems will just start... I start to think that this is one fraking experiment of Putin administration, if it succeed they will replay it in other country's.