Commentary on Ukraine civil war - 07/06/2014

Forgive us for not dying in Slavyansk

by Igor Druze (Igor Strelkov’s Advisor)

translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov

the Vineyard of the Saker,

6 July, 2014

The Militia was forced to leave Slavyansk. Of course, we were prepared to stand firm to the end, and were ready to obey any order to that effect from the Commander-in-Chief. All of us had prepared wills and said our farewells to our kin. But we are military people, and we also were prepared to follow a different order. All the more so, because we trust absolutely both Igor Strelkov’s decency and his military experience.

After all, this man is a veteran of four wars; as a volunteer, to boot. What would have happened if the Russian army had decided to hold Moscow to the end in 1812, or Kiev in 1941? There would not have been the taking of Paris or, respectively, Berlin; instead, the army—“Russia’s only ally”—would have perished in vain. I am absolutely certain of our victory, and that we will also liberate Kiev. The only remaining question is: at what price in blood and how quickly?

Accordingly, it is very strange suddenly to read the wild speculations of some purported patriots that Igor Strelkov is now guilty of everything under the sun. Including—of the surrender of the city. It would be better if they remembered how [Igor Strelkov] and his fearless fighters for months heroically stopped the advance of an entire army, even though they numbered only in the hundreds, and, by the end, consisted of a couple of thousands [militiamen]. Armed almost exclusively with small arms, they held back an offensive by fifteen thousand professional servicemen.

And, meanwhile, Igor Strelkov asked for help, spoke of the need for the introduction of peacekeeping troops, or, at least, for massive supplies of heavy weaponry from Russia. But no one listened to him. Nay, in the last few days, several commanders even betrayed [the Militia], thereby stripping Slavyansk of flanking defences on the side of its surburb, Nikolayevka.

Without any hope of help from Russia, further defence of the city by the numerically small forces of the militiamen against a regular army would have meant a futile death for practically the only battle-worthy, experienced units of the Donbass People’s Militia.

As well as the complete destruction of the city with its civilians. Indeed, the Ukie tactics are a form of artillery genocide. They are very concerned about losing their manpower, and that is why they simply pull up howitzers and Grad systems to our residential areas, and then pummel them, methodically devastating one district after another. Take this, for example: the Ukies almost entirely demolished Russkaya Street in Slavyansk. It looks as if the battery commander looked at his navigator, at the city map, saw the hated name, and specifically decided to level Russkaya Street.

However, there was plenty of destruction to go around for other streets as well. The scenes that I observed are indescribable in their horror: a confused 3-year old child going mad right in front of your eyes, screaming in an unnatural voice; priests performing funeral services for an entire section of an apartment block, walking around a dozen coffins set up beside the devastated homes of the deceased. It was in order to stop this monstrous Ukie “peacemaking” that the Militia Commander-in-Chief, Strelkov, decided to withdraw our forces.

And yet, there are already speculations that the Militia units left via some special “corridor” organized for them by Poroshenko. This is complete delirium. You need to understand that the blockade of Slavyansk had not yet been fully completed, and we could still leave via country roads. It is another matter that these roads were also open to artillery fire, most likely from Karachun.

That is why Igor Ivanovich gave the order for a diversion to be performed—by attacking the positions of the Ukie army with our numerically small armoured vehicle group. Our Nona and the tanks began striking at them, while, at the same time, the Militia drove toward Kramatorsk in “Ural” and “Kamaz” trucks, in microvans and cars. Some of our tankists died a heroic death; the list of their names is being confirmed, and they will be posthumously awarded Novorossiyan Orders of St. George.

Of course, we could not avoid the confusion inevitable in such a fairly large-scale operation. Having forgotten the order to maintain a blackout, some of the drivers drove with headlights turned on; they forgot to tape their headlamps. The enemy launched its drones and flare rockets. They have a huge number of drones, which I found out first-hand in a previous night time raid. As a result, the enemy was finally able to detect us, and the tail-end of our column came under Grad fire.

Personally, I was lucky—my men and I were at the head of the column and were unharmed. Although our vehicle was initially in the tail-end, later on (due to a local guide’s mistake), we were forced to turn everyone around, and our vehicle ended up at the head of the column.

Unfortunately, in the course of the artillery strike, the families of militiamen that were being evacuated to escape the punitive forces of the enemy came in harm’s way. A woman and a little girl were wounded; transport vehicles were damaged. The exact numbers of our losses during the evacuation from Slavyansk are being verified.

At the same time, it is even more offensive to hear criticism coming from many directions because any “conspiracy” with the Ukie government that was attempting to destroy us during the withdrawal is simply unimaginable. Similarly improbable are the rumours about our “enormous losses” during the redeployment of the forces. Why do you repeat Ukie lies?

In fact, overall, the operation was a resounding success for Strelkov, and, despite the difficulties (navoidable in such situations), he was able to evacuate almost the entire personnel of the Militia (over ninety percent of it), and practically all the weaponry. This is a great boon to the defence of Donetsk, and this is now our highest priority.

As for the office-plankton patriots that criticize Strelkov from afar, I can only say one thing to you: come here and demonstrate your talents on the field of battle, if you believe yourself smarter and braver than he is. We always need volunteers.

Forgive us for not dying in Slavyansk. We may yet have a chance to die in Donetsk if Russia will not help us.

Igor Druze

Advisor to the DPR Minister of Defence in Questions of Information and Politics

Kiev to create 'filtration camps' for East Ukrainians? us for not dying in Slavyansk

Disillusionment with the actions of Ukraine's military has reached the country's parliament. The National Guard says it will search for those who refuse to lay down arms in the retaken cities - and question them. Mark Sleboda, who's an International affairs lecturer at Moscow State University, says that locals see the army as the opposite of liberators.

Strelkov and Militia Briefings, July 5, 2014

Combined for July 5, 2014

http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/strelkov-and-militia-briefings-july-5.html

Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov

00:30 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from Alexander Mozgovoi

Today a column of the enemy, armed with heavy weaponry, was moving from Artyomovsk and was repelled by the Popasnyanskiy checkpoint At the same tim, near the Varvarovka settlement, where Msta-S and other heavy weaponry was located, our mortar group worked over the positions of the enemy. The enemy personnel suffered substantial losses. There were no losses on the part of our mortar group.

July 5, 2014 – The Ukrainian Army of Demons

Video: Posted by Ukrainian Soldiers on the Internet

These are the amusements that the Nazis engage in. These are the types of videos they post on the Maidan-related web sites to brag about their accomplishments. More than that, they boast about how many “colorados” and “vatniks” [Note: derogatory terms used for anti-Maidan activists and the citizens of Novorossiya] they have killed to date. And Ukrainian tank crews have a lot to brag about – they kill entire families.

10:10 – July 5, 2014 – Statement from Pavel Gubarev

We spoke on the phone with Igor Ivanovich Strelkov:

He has not made any further statements following his yesterday’s statement made to mass media. Anything else is disinformation.

He made it clear that he remains the Commander in Chief of [the Novorossiyan] army and that, in the nearest future, he will take up the task of consolidating the disparate forces of the Militia.

13:05 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from the Militia

Battles are ongoing in the Karlovka area and on the approaches to the Donetsk airport. At 12:35 (MSK), a pair of Su jets conducted airstrikes using NARs [Noted: unguided air-to-ground rockets] against the Donetsk airport. According to some of our information, last night the airport came under DPR [Note: Donetsk People’s Republic]control. This information is currently being verified.

July 5, 2014 – Statement from Pavel Gubarev

Igor Ivanovich Strelkov made a decision [personally] to leave Slavyansk. This was effected last night. The losses of the Militia are minimal. In an organized and cohesive manner, the forces of the Militia moved out in the direction of Kramatorsk. It is expected that the transfer will continue, evidently to Gorlovka and Donetsk.

This will permit us to win time, while Ukies relocate their personnel and artillery units (Ukies fight primarily by artillery shelling of peaceful cities). The advantage so gained will permit us to conclude the process of consolidating the forces of the Militia, of centralizing them under unified command, and to improve the quality of communications and logistics of the army and to strengthen the supplies of the armed forces, primarily in the area of heavy weaponry (artillery and armoured vehicles).

Kutuzov once retreated as well, and there was a plan to his retreat. And, in any event, Russians retreat only before a decisive victorious battle.

Right now we must improve the humanitarian support of Donbass. There were greater number of refugees on the Russian border yesterday then there were during the entire last month.

13:22 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from the Militia

Our friend, a militiaman called Dmitry, continues to remain in Slavyansk, at the front lines, together with his comrades. He informed us that the city is under full Militia control and commented on the nonsensical statements of the president of the former Ukraine:

“We invite Pyotr Poroshenko personally to hang the flag [over Slavyansk] … and make sure [to tell him] to take fresh linens. Slavs have a tradition to lay even our enemies to rest, but we always bury in clean linen.”

According to eyewitness and Ukrainian mass media reports, 2 tanks, 3 Kamaz trucks, an APC and 15 light vehicles with militia passed along the highway from Slavyansk. Later we received information that they were located in Kramatorsk, near the Militia headquarters.

Last night, there was indeed a transfer of personnel, equipment and armoured vehicles of the Militia that was necessitated by operational requirements. There were battles and the movement of large units.

15:01 – July 5, 2014 – Information from Eyewitnesses

The clean-up of the Donetsk airport area has been almost completed by the Militia. Today, Su jets came to assist Ukie [troops]. They made four [rocket] strikes and left. Battles continue.

Su jets have been observed in the Krasnoarmeysk-Donetsk area. They are shooting at the roads – probably looking for St. George ribbons.

15:01 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from the Militia

In Nikolayevka, there is enormous destruction and significant numbers of civilian victims. The information that civilian deaths have exceeded a thousand people in the last two days is receiving confirmation. There is ongoing expulsion of civilians from their places of residence in the areas where NazGuard [Note: National Guard] are being quartered following battles.

In Slavyansk and other centres of resistance the forces of the Militia are being regrouped and redeployed. The information about the surrender of Slavyansk is not confirmed – the redeployment of the Militia forces is continuing. I am calling attention to the fact that there is almost no communication with Slavyansk; any statements about the actions of the Militia in the areas of the military theatre, where communications are absent, should, at a minimum, be scrutinized carefully until there is video confirmation online.

In the morning, there were artillery strikes coming from the side of Krasniy Liman, closer to Raigorodok. The situation is difficult, but not critical.

15:13 – July 5, 2014 – Information from a Militiaman in Krasnodon

A [Militia] sniper, an Afghan veteran, who fought in the battle last night when Junta [troops] tried to break through into Krasnodon, is completely bewildered [by their actions].

He says that Ukies were either wasted drunk or completely drugged; in brief, it was like a scene from a movie about the Great Patriotic War, when the German [infantry] would advance, standing up straight and showering everything in front with automatic weapons’ fire. Ukies showed no self-preservation instinct whatsoever. Just like in the movies, he said. They walked without bending down at all. He personally shot at least three of them. Their personnel losses were huge. And then our tanks joined in and threw them back.

Today, after lunch, you could hear our howitzers pummeling the Junta troops. Pity we have so few of them. Right not it’s quiet.

July 5, 2014 – Briefing from the Militia

DPR saboteurs destroyed a Ukrainian border observation checkpoint on the shore of the Azov sea. On July 5, from 01:20 and until 02:15, militiamen conducted a shelling barrage against the technical inspection checkpoint on the shore of the Azov sea in the Donetsk region.

15:13 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from the LPR Militia

The army of LPR [Note:Lugansk People’s Republic] destroyed an Il-76 and 7 APCs of the enemy at the [Lugansk] airport.

In the course of the entire day yesterday, the enemy was subjective the settlements of Alexandrovsk and Bolshaya Vergunka to intensive artillery and mortar fire. Close to the evening, the detachment of the Ukrainian army, including tank units, attempt to entrench themselves in the area of Krasniy Yar, but were forced out of that location by the detachments of the LPR Army. In return, the Ukrainian forces conducted strikes against the positions of the Lugansk militiamen using Grad MLRS systems. The actions of the infantry forces received cover fire from three Mi-24 helicopters.

Thereafter, the Ukrainian army attempted to assault the city from three separate directions: Krasniy Yar, Metallist and Alexandrovka. All the attacks were successfully repelled by the LPR Army. The enemy lost 2 howitzers, a mortar detail and approximately thirty men dead.

On our part, the Lugansk militiamen conducted a successful operation in the area of the Lugansk airport, which is currently in the hands of the aeromobile detachments of the enemy. The enemy was shelled with heavy mortars and Grad MLRS systems, losing the an Il-76, seven APCs, a mortar detail, one anti-aircraft installation ZU 23-2, five vehicles and about a hundred fighters.

The situation near Sverdlovsk remains moderately tense; the enemy is actively shelling the centre of the city; the soldiers of the Ukrainian army engage in looting and are constantly getting inebriated.

15:50 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from LPR Press Service

Provocations are being readied.

According the information of the operational headquarters of the Luganks Battalion “Zarya,” NazGuard are preparing provocations in the settlements neighbouring the Russian Federation: Kruzhilovka, Davydo-Nikolskoye and Parkhomenko. The HQ has become aware of saboteur groups, wearing Militia uniforms with St. George ribbons, who might try to shell the above-mentioned settlements with mortar fire in order to undermine their trust in the LPR defenders! Also, the HQ does not exclude the possibility that the Russian Federation army may be blamed for these provocations!

16:02 (MSK) – July 5, 2014 – Information from Alexander Zhuchkovskiy

The name of the second volunteer from St. Petersburg that died in Slavyansk has become known. His name was Matvey Efremov. He is survived by a wife and three children. In the nearest future we will meet with them to tell them about what happened and to provide assistance.

Vladimir Melnikov (on the photo, second from the left) had no one left; he lived alone. Before departing for Novorossiya, he left his documents and a large sum of money with friends, asking them to spend the money on the needs of militiamen in the event of his death.

On July 2, I wrote that, on that day, Matvey and Vladimir died in an unequal battle during the transfer from Slavyansk to Semyonovka. They were covering the retreat of their comrades.

18:33 – June 5, 2014 – Information from a Militiaman

The Slavyansk garrison has redeployed, spreading its forces among Donetsk, Kramatorsk and Enakievo.

In Donetsk there very many Slavyansk militiamen, thousands. Arrests have already taken place in the Donetsk regional police headquarters, OGA. Strelkov is restoring order there.

The detainees were taken outside. A much more substantial cleaning of the ranks from traitors and provocateurs is coming. There is a large number of foreign journalists. And this is very good. We need the truth to come out.

The airport is ours. At this time, it is being bombed by Ukies from the air. Purgin is the only one out of the entire DPR leadership who is in Donetsk.

All the rest (Pushilin, Borodai, etc.) are, for some reason, in Moscow.

I think that, in the very near future, we will witness significant changes in Donetsk and in the Donetsk region.’’

July 5, 2014 – Information from a Journalist

A RIA Novosti journalist is reporting that he saw Igor Strelkov in one of the administrative building in Gorlovka; everything is fine with him. The detachments that were formerly deployed in Slavyansk are also in the city; a part of them is already in Donetsk. At this time, the situation in Gorlovka is calm.

19:33 – July 5, 2014 – Statement by Alexander Borodai

The forces of DPR, taking into account the insurmountable numerical superiory of the Ukrainian military, were forced to leave their previous positions on the northern part of the front and to redeploy to the positions previously prepared.

In an organized fashion, and retaining their personnel and their weaponry, our armed forces have entrenched themselves at the reserve defence positions. We were prepared for this eventuality, as we are forced to confront a grouping numbering several dozen thousands of men and hundreds of armoured vehicles – in other words, the entire battle-worthy Ukrainian army.

Our armed forces continue to fight; their morale is high, and we are confident in our abilities.

20:00 – July 5, 2014 – Hourly Briefings from Locations

It is relatively calm in Donetsk now.

18:35 (MSK) – For several hours now, artillery from Karachun has been shelling some of the Slavyansk districts. A pair of Su jets performed sorties in the area of the quarry near Krasnodon. Another pair flew over Krasniy Liman. In the course of the battle at the Lugansk airport, an Il-76, 7 APCs, a mortar detail, an anti-aicraft gun, five vehicles, and over a company of troops were eliminated.

19:45 (MSK) – Loud explosions heard in Lugansk, in the area of Metallist-Shchastye.

20:00 (MSK) – Heavy artillery shelling of Slavyansk is ongoing. Part of the Artyom district and the districts of Lesnoy, Severniy and Tselinnaya are being targed. There have been over a hundred volleys as of this hour. Automatic weapons’ fire can be heard in the city.

There is such a concept as a military stratagem: there is much that cannot be made public that happens on the battlefield. Time may come when much becomes known or is revealed. In his time, Kutuzov surrendered Moscow, so as to later smash Napoleon head on. Motorolla, Babay and Strelkov are alive; and, however it may sound, a decision was made to abandon Slavyansk.

The main reason for this decision is the salvation of the civilian population. The problem is that the nightly and daily shelling of Slavyansk by the Ukrainian army, using MLRS, was a serious threat to the remaining population in Slavyansk. That which the fascists did to Nikolayevka was a very real fate for Slavyansk. However, in the fascists’ place I would not be calm in the streets and behind the walls of Slavyansk. They will soon understand this.

At this time, what is truly important is to same the lives of as many Donbass people and the militiamen as possible; a human life, and I mean specifically human, not fascist – is what is most precious. Redeployment is almost over and the main battles are still ahead. Victory will be ours, it will be Novorossiyan!

July 5, 2014 – Information from the Militia in Severodonetsk

Video: Ukrainian Military Supplies Intercepted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb2KbCJRT3w

Ukrainian military sent supplies, equipment and uniforms to their soldiers via private postal service. The militiamen found this out, and, now, extend their deepest gratitude for the gifts.

23:55 – July 5, 2014 – Overview of the Military Sitiuation from the Militia

22:30 (MSK) – Tselinnaya is burning; maneuvering battles are ongoing; Rex’s guys are working. According to unconfirmed information, there are still several Ukrainian tanks on the outskirts of Kramatorsk. They are not entering the city; looks like they may be waiting for fresh underwear. Serious problems with telephone communications continue in the areas of the military theatre.

23:05 (MSK) – They are hitting Karlovka from Galitsinovka and Zhelannoye; the artillery cannonade is very intensive.

23:15 (MSK) – Artillery fire coming from the Izyum side, directed at Krasniy Liman. Something is burning on the outskirts of Krasniy Liman.

Igor Strelkov's First Interview After the Breakout from Slavyansk, July 5, 2014

Igor Strelkov: Advancing against us are real fascists, fascists in the very same sense that our predecessors understood this word. Monsters. Murderers. Bandits. Marauders. Pure Polizei. Banderovtsy, just as they once were.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-mH1kt2Pao

Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov

Q: What happened today? This is the key question that all of us, without exaggeration, want answers to.

Igor Strelkov: Last night, we effected a breakout from within a closing enemy ring, which was, in fact, already closed off. We performed a diversion against the positions of the enemy at the “Slavyansk” stella [Note: the Slavyansk city sign]. Our armoured group conducted the assault.

Unfortunately, and I will not hide it, the larger part of armoured group was eliminated in the course of the attack. This was so not so much connected with ... well, regrettably, this was an error on the part of the commander of the armoured group led to this. He made a wrong decision in carrying out his assigned task.

Nevertheless, between 80%-90% of the personnel and 90% of the armaments were transferred out of the city. The number of dead and wounded is not that great, we have confirmed it. As well, we were able to evacuate a significant number of the families of our servicemen and other individuals that helped us, for whom to remain in the city was life threatening.

The breakthrough took the enemy completely by surprise. We adopted the necessary concealment measures. In that regard, we are awaiting those heroes that are now breaking through on their way to us, who gave us fire cover as a distraction from the trenches and demonstrated our presence on the defence positions.

Q: Igor Ivanovich, this deals with the outcome of what happened, but many are equally concerned about a plan for the future.

Igor Strelkov: We will continue our military activities. We will try not to make the mistakes we made in the past. These errors, in reality, were not mistakes as much as simply the consequence of a blatant lack of weapons and of ammunition.

We hope that we will be able to prepare for the next enemy offensive in a more diligent manner and without giving the enemy the opportunity to capture the key strongholds that they were able to take over so easily when we had only a few automatic rifles to our name.

Q: Some have claimed that your have apparently abandoned your responsibilities and removed yourself from your role, that you have even fled to Crimea, to Krasniy Perekopsk. Have your resigned or not?

Igor Strelkov: (smiling) Well, if this [around us] were Crimea or Krasniy Perekopsk, then, well … I don’t know … I guess so … But I am currently in Donetsk.

In addition to my direct duties I plan to create, tomorrow, by my Order as the Minister of Defence, a Central Military Council, which will include all the key field commanders, independent of their direct responsibilities, and where we will coordinate all questions related to the defence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and, possibly, in part, those dealing with the Lugansk People’s Republic, provided they are within our jurisdiction in the military theatre. And, moreover, until one is appointed, I will be performing the functions of the Military Commandant of the city, as well as those of the commander of the city garrison.

In other words, we will be preparing Donetsk for active defence, to ensure that it is not taken over by the enemy. Well, at the very least, as much as we did in Slavyansk, and certainly much more. In reality, with sufficient troops, Donetsk is much easier and more convenient to defend than the small city of Slavyansk.

Q: A final request. Regardless of how strongly I may sympathize with your circumstances, as a journalist, I have a duty to ask this question: with respect to those who remained in Slavyansk, what can you tell those people who stayed behind?

Igor Strelkov: (sighing deeply) First of all, I would like to ask them for their forgiveness for failing to retain the city. Our decision to break out of the city, not to die there, was motivated not only by a desire to save the garrison itself, which is natural for any commander, but also by the fact that we realized that we could not hold it, and that, meanwhile the city would be subjected to ever greater destruction and suffer even more victims.

Right now I am receiving information that, just as was expected, unfortunately, despite the fact that we evacuated the majority of those who helped and volunteered with us, the enemy has engaged in a massacre there. In Slavyansk, in Kramatorsk and in Nikolayevka.

Because today, pursuant to my order, we also withdrew our garrison from Kramatorsk. The battalion that defended it has been redeployed here, to Donetsk, in order to reinforce our positions. Defending it became entirely futile after the enemy had taken Artymovsk. It would simply have led to another city being encircled.

In any event, of course, the information that they engaged in a massacre there, first in the Artyom district, I am waiting for confirmation of it, but I already have several sources reporting the same information, that the NazGuard [Note: Ukrainian National Guard] exacted vengeance for their numerous losses on the people [of Slavyansk]. All the same, our endeavour to avoid victims among the civilian population did not save the population from being victimized.

This just further confirms, for those who believe that, if the Militia leave without putting up a fight, it would save them from repressions, that it would not save them. Advancing against us are real fascists, fascists in the very same sense that our predecessors understood this word. Monsters. Murderers. Bandits. Marauders. Pure Polizei. Banderovtsy, just as they once were. Despite the fact that eighty years have passed. Not eighty, seventy.

They are genuine Nazis that hide behind the ideas of “United Ukraine” to perpetrate ethnic cleansing. And they are effecting it. And that is why we will be resisting in Donetsk just as we had been resisting them in Slavyansk, only far more successfully.

"Liberation" of Slavyansk the fascist way--rounding up citizens declared to be "terrorists." "Integration" with Europe (or NATO expansion) demands it.

THE UKRAINE - THE DAY 

AFTER

Alexander Mercoulis

Via Facebook

I admit to having felt very depressed yesterday. Now on the day after the moment has come to take stock:

1. I wrote on a thread on Mark Sleboda's Page that the resistance's northern front had collapsed. I now realise that this was wrong and that those who were saying otherwise - first and foremost Leos Tomicek who was replying to me on the same thread but also the Saker and Anatoly Karlin - were right. On the contrary Strelkov successfully extricated 90% of his troops and 90% of his equipment from a situation where the junta were claiming to have had them surrounded and has consolidated them in what appears to be a stronger military position. The fact that Strelkov was able to do this speaks highly of his qualities as a commander and of the discipline and morale of his troops. I would point out that there has been no mass surrender, no mass of prisoners or captured equipment for the junta to parade and no sign of any significant desertions from Strelkov's force. There has also incidentally been no sign of any cheering civilians greeting their Ukrainian "liberators". I only make the last point because Poroshenko continuously talks about "liberating" Ukrainians who are supposedly being held "hostage" by the resistance. The silent streets of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk give the lie to that claim. (NB: I make the last point not because anyone who reads this Facebook page seriously believes Poroshenko's absurd claims but because it is worth pointing out to anyone who either does or who pretends to).

2. Though it must in military terms be an epilogue to the heroic defence of the two towns, reports this morning appear to the confirm that there is still some fighting going on in both Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. The courage of whoever is still resisting in these places is astonishing and should not be forgotten whatever happens next.

3. It is perhaps worth saying (though difficult to say) that when Slavyansk rebelled against the junta in April the junta was still in control of Donetsk. As recently as May the junta was even seeking to hold one round of its sham round table talks there. Donetsk is now firmly under the resistance's control. There are apparently no more troops answering to the junta there and according to reports that were coming out yesterday the resistance has finally captured Donetsk airport (though I am not absolutely sure that this is the case).

4. Meanwhile the Russian government preserves its silence. The only information it has provided is that it has given details of a telephone conversation Lavrov had yesterday with Steinmeier and Fabius in which they supposedly all agreed on the need for implementation of the Berlin Statement. The latter required an unconditional, unlimited ceasefire and three party talks to be mediated by the OSCE and Russia.

In a telephone conversation with Biden on Thursday Poroshenko tried to link the issue of the ceasefire with the return to the junta's control of two border posts which have been captured and which are still held by the resistance. In a telephone conversation Merkel and Hollande had with Poroshenko on Friday that particular linkage was rejected with Merkel insisting that the Russian offer of Ukrainian monitors in Russian border posts fully satisfied the requirements for a ceasefire. Poroshenko then sabotaged the three party talks which were supposed to happen on Saturday by refusing to convene them either in Donetsk or in Russia. The resistance leaders for their part refuse to travel to an EU capital because of the risk they might be arrested there.

Poroshenko's refusal to allow the tripartite talks to take place in Donetsk or in Russia was a transparent device to sabotage them. The reports the Russians have released of Lavrov's conversation with Steinmeier and Fabius show that the Germans renewed their commitment to the talks and to the ceasefire as agreed in Berlin and promised to resolve the question of the venue. Frankly, it is an insignificant question. Obvious venues for the talks might be Geneva (the traditional venue for such talks) or Minsk where Lukashenko has attempted to preserve some appearance of neutrality in the conflict.

5. My opinion of the diplomatic process remains what it was yesterday. As it stands it is effectively deadlocked. Left to himself Poroshenko with the support of the US will go on coming up with one pretext after another to postpone the ceasefire and the talks. He will only change this position if the Germans and the French force him to. They in turn will only pile the diplomatic pressure on Poroshenko if the Russians start to put real pressure on them. For that to happen the Russians need to state clearly what their red line is and what they will do if Poroshenko crosses it.

6. In other words the Russians must now harden their position significantly even if the intention remains to try to resolve this crisis diplomatically. In my opinion it is quite clear what that red line should be: an assault on Donetsk and Lugansk of the sort just experienced by Slavyansk and Kramatorsk

7. Those who understand these things better than me say that Donetsk and presumably Lugansk are more defensible than Slavyansk and Kramatorsk were. It is also the case that as Anatoly Karlin says an assault on Donetsk and Lugansk of the sort we have seen in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk would trigger a humanitarian catastrophe on an altogether different scale from that which we have seen up to now and that this would make the case for Russian intervention much easier.

8. Having said this, the priority must be to prevent such a humanitarian catastrophe from taking place - not allowing a humanitarian catastrophe to happen in order to make use of it later. That would be too cynical and ruthless certainly for me. That is why the Russians need to make their position clear now.

What Next For Ukraine - Ethnic Cleansing?

Zero Hedge,

6 July, 2014

Authored by Daniel McAdams via The Ron Paul Institute,

Global chessboard enthusiast Zbigniew Brzezinski has a plan for Ukraine. In a recent speech to the Woodrow Wilson Center, excerpted by the Atlantic Council, he argues forcefully in favor of the United States providing the Ukrainian military far more weapons. 

Under the guise of preventing a Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been the rallying cry of those who seek more US involvement in the region, Brzezinski believes that the US must provide Ukraine with enough weapons to deter Russian aggression toward Ukraine.

The odds of defending against the invading Russian military being very low, Brzezinski has a different idea of how the US should arm the Kiev government.

Said the former National Security Advisor:

I feel that we should make it clear to the Ukrainians that if they are determined to resist, as they say they are and seemingly they are trying to do so (albeit not very effectively), we will provide them with anti-tank weapons, hand-held anti-tank weapons, hand-held rockets—weapons capable for use in urban short range fighting.

The US must provide urban warfare equipment to the Kiev government, he says, in order to forestall the impending Russian invasion.

But what else could a huge shipment of urban warfare weapons and the advisors that go with them be used for? 

Ethnic cleansing. 

We already see with the resumption of Kiev's attacks on the east, a sharp turn toward the targeting of civilian apartment blocks and non-military targets. We know from a recent United Nations report that more than 100,000 have already fled eastern Ukraine. The country's post-coup president, Petro Poroshenko, was very clear, ending the ceasefire (that wasn't much of a ceasefire) by stating that "We will attack and we will liberate our land!"

Does that mean liberating it from the "others" who do not accept rule by the post-coup government? Those who Kiev's prime minister Arseniy "Yats" Yatsenyuk has already called "subhumans"? 

Urban warfare equipment and training for the Kiev military machine would, as 

Russian political scientist Yevgeny Minchenko points out, mean "municipal infrastructure will be destroyed, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe." In his view, “[t]he war will continue, and people will gradually leave their homes. It will be bad for both sides, but neither one can stop now.”

Brzezinski has long advocated US domination of Ukraine to deprive Russia of any productive relationship with its neighbor. "Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be a Eurasian empire,” he wrote in his 1997 book book, The Grand Chessboard. 

Ethnic cleansing of ethnic Russians and Russian speakers may be exactly what Brzezinski has in mind.