informnapalm--2020-07-14--Derkach tapes as part of Russian hybrid war against Ukraine

The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov called the audio recordings of the conversations made public by the Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach , part of the Russian information war .
The new audio recordings that Andriy Derkach presented at a press conference on July 9 , 2020 as a conversation between the fifth Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and former US vice president Joe Biden , contained a discussion about sabotage operations against Russian occupation forces , allegedly prepared by Ukrainian intelligence services in Crimea in August 2016 .
On the tapes , a voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , criticizes an alleged attempt of the Ukrainian intelligence services to carry out a sabotage operation against the Russian invaders in Crimea and demands that the Ukrainian side do not repeat this , as it does not contribute to a diplomatic solution of the conflict .
In response , a voice presented as the voice of Petro Poroshenko , states that he was not aware of the operation , and promises to conduct an internal investigation .
Earlier , Petro Poroshenko himself called the “ Derkach tapes ” fabricated and part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Kremlin against Ukraine : “ By pulling us into the US election campaign , they are trying to undermine the bipartisan support of Ukraine.
” Biden campaign also reacted to the Derkach tapes , calling them They view the publication of such recordings a continuation of the efforts of the Russian intelligence services to undermine the former vice president .
How disinformation about Ukraine spread through social networks in the USA ( translation of a NBC News study ) Faking any voice is a trivial technical task nowadays .
Two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software , which requires mere five seconds of input voice record for voice mimicking .
The authors of the voice generator program published examples of its output .
The result is really amazing : a synthesized voice is almost indistinguishable from a real one .
It is still unknown whether the Derkach tapes are fully fabricated or are bits of real conversations presented in a manipulative way .
According to Andriy Derkach himself , he received the tapes from “ investigative journalists.
” However , experts note that usually “ investigative journalists ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not pass them on to lawmakers to present at press conferences .
Russian Federal Security Service ( FSB ) is considered one of the most plausible sources of the Derkach tapes .
The biography , of Andriy Derkach strongly suggests his possible connection to the Russian intelligence services .
Thus , from 1990 to 1993 , he attended the Academy of Russian FSB , where he received a law degree .
The topic of his thesis is no less interesting : “ Organization and conduct of meetings with secret agents.
” Andriy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliament in 1998 running as an independent in a single-mandate constituency .
In 2010 , the Holy Synod of Russian Orthodox Church inducted Derkach into the Inter-Council Presence of Russian Orthodox Church .
Obtaining religious privileges from the Russian church in Ukraine was a popular tribute to politicians closely associated with Russia .
Read more about various aspects of the subversive activities of Russian church in Ukraine in our FrolovLeaks series , where informNapalm volunteers analyze the e-mail dumps of Kirill Frolov , who worked as the head of the department at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duma member Konstantin Zatulin ) .
Pre-assault media bombardment on the eve of aggression The likelihood of an escalation of hostilities and large-scale Russian military aggression against Ukraine in the fall of 2020 has also been more actively discussed in the media in the recent months .
One of the signs of the preparation of such an escalation will be powerful cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns , said former commander of the US Armed Forces in Europe , Lieutenant General ( ret . )
Ben Hodges in his recent interview .
In early July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence about the significant buildup of the Russian troops at the borders of Ukraine and in the occupied territories in Crimea and the Donbas .
InformNapalm volunteers also provided an analysis of two scenarios for the possible involvement of the Russian troops in military operations against Ukraine in the southern and north-eastern areas .
Read and share more on this topic from InformNapalm • Proofs of the Russian Aggression : InformNapalm releases extensive database of evidence • Volunteers gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kredo-M1 PSNR-8 portable radar station in the Donbas ( VIDEO ) Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome !
( Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 ) InformNapalm social media pages :

The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov called the audio recordings of the conversations made public by the Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach, part of the Russian information war.
The new audio recordings that Andriy Derkach presented at a press conference on July 9, 2020 as a conversation between the fifth Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and former US vice president Joe Biden, contained a discussion about sabotage operations against Russian occupation forces, allegedly prepared by Ukrainian intelligence services in Crimea in August 2016.
On the tapes, a voice presented as the voice of Joe Biden, criticizes an alleged attempt of the Ukrainian intelligence services to carry out a sabotage operation against the Russian invaders in Crimea and demands that the Ukrainian side do not repeat this, as it does not contribute to a diplomatic solution of the conflict. In response, a voice presented as the voice of Petro Poroshenko, states that he was not aware of the operation, and promises to conduct an internal investigation.
“Derkach’s tapes”: genuine or hoax?
Earlier, Petro Poroshenko himself called the “Derkach tapes” fabricated and part of a large-scale special operation of the fifth column of the Kremlin against Ukraine: “By pulling us into the US election campaign, they are trying to undermine the bipartisan support of Ukraine.”
Biden campaign also reacted to the Derkach tapes, calling them “heavily edited” They view the publication of such recordings a continuation of the efforts of the Russian intelligence services to undermine the former vice president.
Read more: How disinformation about Ukraine spread through social networks in the USA (translation of a NBC News study)
Faking any voice is a trivial technical task nowadays. Two years ago, programmers launched an open source software, which requires mere five seconds of input voice record for voice mimicking. The authors of the voice generator program published examples of its output. The result is really amazing: a synthesized voice is almost indistinguishable from a real one.
It is still unknown whether the Derkach tapes are fully fabricated or are bits of real conversations presented in a manipulative way. According to Andriy Derkach himself, he received the tapes from “investigative journalists.” However, experts note that usually “investigative journalists” publish their sensational materials themselves, and do not pass them on to lawmakers to present at press conferences. Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is considered one of the most plausible sources of the Derkach tapes.
Intriguing biography of “whistleblower” Derkach
The biography, of Andriy Derkach strongly suggests his possible connection to the Russian intelligence services. Thus, from 1990 to 1993, he attended the Academy of Russian FSB, where he received a law degree. The topic of his thesis is no less interesting: “Organization and conduct of meetings with secret agents.” Andriy Derkach first got into the third Ukrainian parliament in 1998 running as an independent in a single-mandate constituency. In 2010, the Holy Synod of Russian Orthodox Church inducted Derkach into the Inter-Council Presence of Russian Orthodox Church. Obtaining religious privileges from the Russian church in Ukraine was a popular tribute to politicians closely associated with Russia.
Read more about various aspects of the subversive activities of Russian church in Ukraine in our FrolovLeaks series, where informNapalm volunteers analyze the e-mail dumps of Kirill Frolov, who worked as the head of the department at the Institute of CIS Countries (under State Duma member Konstantin Zatulin).
Pre-assault media bombardment on the eve of aggression
The likelihood of an escalation of hostilities and large-scale Russian military aggression against Ukraine in the fall of 2020 has also been more actively discussed in the media in the recent months. One of the signs of the preparation of such an escalation will be powerful cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns, said former commander of the US Armed Forces in Europe, Lieutenant General (ret.) Ben Hodges in his recent interview. In early July, Ukraine handed over to the OSCE intelligence about the significant buildup of the Russian troops at the borders of Ukraine and in the occupied territories in Crimea and the Donbas. InformNapalm volunteers also provided an analysis of two scenarios for the possible involvement of the Russian troops in military operations against Ukraine in the southern and north-eastern areas.
Read and share more on this topic from InformNapalm
Translated by Andrii Gryga, edited by Artem Velichko.
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome!
(Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0)
InformNapalm social media pages: Facebook / Тwitter / Telegram.


informnapalm--2020-07-13--Ben Hodges: “If Kremlin moves, there will be massive cyberattacks against Ukraine to disrupt communi

Ben Hodges: “If Kremlin moves, there will be massive cyberattacks against Ukraine to disrupt communications, command, and control infrastructure”

The Ukrainian Week met with General ( ret . )
Ben Hodges , former commander of , now a Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis ( CEPA ) to discuss possible Russian attacks on Ukraine , Western answers on such actions , and the problems of the Black Sea region .
This article was taken from The Ukrainian Week magazine with the editorial permission .
Do you find current political , economical , and military situations as favourable for Russia to invade ?
If not – why ?
– For certain , all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September with the summer drought and the lack of water in Crimea , the disinformation operation that the Kremlin is conducting in this region , where they have talked about the humanitarian crisis .
And , of course , the new Constitution for the Russian Federation .
Basically , they try to take a legal claim to former parts of the Soviet Union .
They are also issuing Russian passports to Ukrainians .
All of these things are political and economic conditions .
Then you need to think of the Kavkaz 2020 exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Russian Federation forces in the region .
And you need to think about the United States .
We are distracted , right now we have plenty of challenges of our own because of the COVID-19 , domestic violence going on and especially because of the presidential elections .
September would be just a few weeks before our election .
Then you can add this huge mistake in the decision to withdraw 9500 Americans from Germany .
And most of these troops are essential for logistics , rapid reinforcement .
So , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessarily , that there would be an attack .
But the conditions are there .
This is why it is so important that not only Ukrainian Armed Forces ( UAF ) are vigilant , but also everyone in the region , like Georgia , Romania , and Turkey .
And the United States pays attention too , same for NATO .
I think Germany and France should be really putting the pressure on the Kremlin , but they haven ’ t done so yet .
They also have their own internal challenges with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kremlin thinks that the West would really respond in a minimal way , then I think , there is a risk .
They could do the calculation , that could lead to an attack of some sort .
Obviously , I hope I ’ m wrong .
And I ’ m sure that the UAF will do all the right things to be prepared , to maintain surveillance .
It is really important that Ukraine works closely with Georgia , Moldova , and Romania to watch very closely this exercise , but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sea and in the Sea of Azov .
You need the whole combination of intelligence capabilities : signal intelligence , aerial platform intelligence .
Ukraine has become very good at working with drones , this would also be very important .
But also maritime surveillance of what is going on out there .
What could be used as a casus belli ?
And what is the reason for Russia to make such a move ?
– Of course this water shortage in Crimea , partly as a result of weather conditions and partly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kremlin is talking about the humanitarian crisis , and they are not able to solve this problem by themselves with bringing more water or creating desalination capability .
I think the pretext for them would be to tell “ We have a humanitarian crisis , we have no choice and need to open the dam near Nova Kakhovka.
” There are already some information operations that are kind of saying this , in that region .
I don ’ t know what this invasion would look like .
It could be helicopters with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who infiltrate not in uniform , or it could be an airstrike .
The main goal is to disable the dam , but there are a variety of things that they could do to get the water going on again .
If Russians do that and if the West does respond in a minimal way , I don ’ t know where could be the end of it .
They wouldn ’ t go if they only destroy the dam and leave .
In fact , if they control the area of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seashore of Crimea and 10 thousand troops in Transnistria , all that is left for Ukraine is a tiny area near Odesa .
And the Russian Navy is always conducting military exercises , which include the blockade of this area .
So , for me , that ’ s the long-term goal , to completely control the entire Black Sea coast and isolate Ukraine from it .
You already have troubles with the Sea of Azov , and the Kremlin saw that the West didn ’ t react .
In the Kerch Strait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , there was the Russian Navy , which seized Ukrainian vessels .
If the Western community doesn ’ t push back on that , then de facto it will become Russian territorial water .
Because , obviously , they are not leaving .
Since they saw there was no real reaction to their actions in Azov , they became emboldened .
When you combine that with the US having been distracted and lack of strong actions by American administration against Russia , I think they can make a miscalculation , that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , take advantage of all these factors .
Which developments ( political and military ) from the Russian side could be an early sign of preparation for invasion ?
– Number one is the construction of medical capabilities , like field hospitals , more than there would be necessary for just regular exercises .
Of course , ammunition and similar things .
Logistical preparation is what takes the most time .
And then I could imagine and expect that the Ukrainian intelligence services are listening to whatever they can .
At the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces would be disciplined in their operational security .
And of course , we need to look at the information space , if there would be a significant increase in the news on the humanitarian crisis .
Potentially , Ukraine could gather some human intelligence on Donbas , because there are thousands of Russian officers there .
They could tell somehow about what is going on .
I hope that the OSCE will take a bold step for its SMM to listen to the development of the situation .
But as we hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibit free access to SMM observers , telling that this measure is to stop the pandemic .
– At this point I ’ m disappointed in Germany and France and the UK , they all don ’ t do more to put international pressure on the Kremlin to allow the OSCE to do its job .
To me , it ’ s absolutely unacceptable .
And the Kremlin sees that .
It is a shame because there are a lot of brave men and women in the OSCE , that are taking risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps for the West and Ukraine to prevent possible invasion ?
– If you think in terms of diplomacy , Ukraine should be working overtime through diplomatic channels with Berlin , Paris , London as well as Washington and Brussels .
To raise awareness of all of these things .
To draw attention and to remind people , that Ukrainian soldiers are still getting killed every week , that Russia still illegally occupies Crimea , that Moscow is making plans which are completely illegal .
Kyiv needs to build up a proof collaboration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Together they could be a louder diplomatic voice that could be heard in Brussels and Washington .
To me , it ’ s the first step .
In the information space , there need to be steady efforts by the Ukrainian government to communicate to all its citizens , explain what ’ s going on , and build up resilience in the society .
So that people would not be susceptible to the Russian disinformation .
That ’ s easier for me to say , harder to do , but that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the military space – continuing to maintain surveillance on the coast as well as in the air watching for the indicators , what we have talked about .
You can not have the whole army just sitting in alarm mode ready to go , which is not sustainable .
We don ’ t talk about alerting everybody .
But I would focus my intelligence efforts , while at the same time making sure that all of our forces are doing the proper things to be ready , like maintenance and training .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the countries of Europe to declare that any vessel that sails from any port in Crimea is contraband .
Crimea should be some kind of poison to them and it should not be allowed to enter any European port , no matter whether it is Russian Navy or commercial vessel .
This could be an effective way to remind , that Russian annexation of Crimea is illegal .
As I remember , president Poroshenko has declared all ports closed .
So , this ban could be an important step within the legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why there is not much attention to the Black Sea and why the West does not have a strategy for this region the way Russia does , is despite all the respect for Ukrainian and Georgian people , there are no investments .
There is no skin in the game .
If France , Germany , the US , the UK , or other countries do not have a major economic investment in Georgia , Ukraine , and Romania , then , to be honest , there is nothing for them to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia wants .
Moscow made it impossible for Georgia to make progress with the Anaklia port , for example .
If they had that port in Georgia , then the country becomes a logistic hub between Eurasia and Europe .
So , all involved countries would be interested in Georgia ’ s security .
Then you could have traffic going to Odesa and Constanta which could change the whole economic dynamic of the whole region .
And that ’ s the last thing Russia wants .
The Kremlin needs to have total control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to continue to operate in Syria and Libya , for them it ’ s one region .
We in the West don ’ t see it that way .
Earlier Russia has weaponized refugees from Syria , now they can repeat that in Libya .
The civil war , in which Russia is supporting general Haftar , generates millions of refugees , which will come to Europe again .
And this is not an accident .
If we are talking about the worst-case scenario when the Russian invasion has happened , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , first of all , of the USA , Germany , France ?
What about China and Turkey ?
– What should happen immediately , is all the usual diplomatic condemnation from everybody in the EU as well as in the United States .
Even in China , I think .
After that , a significant increase in sanctions , like something we have discussed above .
Germany should immediately cease Nord Stream 2 , which needs to be done on Day-1 .
If Russia does something , that must be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know what type of military action would be taken , but I think in this case Ukraine should ask Turkey to deny any Russian maritime movement through the straits under the Montreux Convention .
I would hope that Ukraine does such diplomatic work with Turkey right now , so that Ankara would be prepared to do this .
Of course , Russia has huge leverages to pressure on Turkey as well .
For sure , our Romanian allies would be very concerned .
Russia has already seized Ukrainian gas platforms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exclusive economic zone .
They already are up against Romanian EEZ , but underwater with the perimeter for the gas fields there is an overlap of what Russia claims to be their EEZ .
I think the United States and the rest of the NATO members should make it very clear , that they are ready to defend our Romanian and Bulgarian allies .
Another thing that the West could do , would be to hit Russia in another place , like in Syria for example .
A cyber strike of some sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operate in Tartus or some other places .
And for sure we should shut down more than two major Russian banks , so this would be a real pain , not just sanctions .
Otherwise , the Kremlin will know that we are very concerned , but not serious .
Do you find such steps by the West possible or Ukraine would have just another round of “ deep concern ” expressions ?
– Of course , unfortunately , that is very likely .
Strong unquestioned American leadership is so important in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that the American leadership right now does not seem as strong and consistent and clear on the Kremlin .
Which is why the risk is higher .
As we are in a hybrid conflict , which non-kinetic means the Kremlin could use in addition to conventional forces ?
– Without a doubt , if the Kremlin moves , there will be massive cyberattacks against Ukraine to disrupt communications , command , and control infrastructure .
As well as the disinformation efforts , they will continue .
I would expect to see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also imagine the possibility of massive civil disturbances that would be generated by Russian special forces in different communities .
They want to distract attention in such a way .
So , there would be many places in all regions of Ukraine , not only in the South , with multiple problems for Kyiv , in order to keep people away .
Ben Hodges .
Born in 1958 .
In 1980 graduated from the United States Military Academy , became an infantry officer , serving as a platoon leader .
In 1993 graduated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2001 graduated from the National War College .
After his first assignment as an Infantry Lieutenant in Garlstedt , Germany , he commanded Infantry units at the Company , Battalion , and Brigade levels in the 101st Airborne Division , including Command of the First Brigade Combat Team “ Bastogne ” of the 101st Airborne Division in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM ( 2003-2004 ) .
His other operational assignments include Chief of Operations for Multi-National Corps-Iraq in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM ( 2005-2006 ) and Director of Operations , Regional Command South in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In November 2012 took command of Allied Land Command .
Hodges became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014 , holding that position until retiring from the army in early 2018 .
From 2018 he is the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis ( CEPA ) .
Read and share more from InformNapalm • • Proofs of the Russian Aggression : InformNapalm releases extensive database of evidence • Volunteers gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea • Signs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Horlivka • Obstruction of OSCE SMM activity in Donbas by the Russian Federation – Q1 2020 analysis • Ukraine at the OSCE spoke about Russian anti-personnel mines in the Donbas , which are prohibited by international conventions • Russia continues to supply carloads of ammunition for armed groups in the Donbas Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome !
( Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 ) Follow InformNapalm on Facebook / Twitter

The Ukrainian Week met with General (ret.) Ben Hodges, former commander of United States Army Europe, now a Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) to discuss possible Russian attacks on Ukraine, Western answers on such actions, and the problems of the Black Sea region.
This article was taken from The Ukrainian Week magazine with the editorial permission.
Author: Yuri Lapaiev.
Do you find current political, economical, and military situations as favourable for Russia to invade? If not – why?
– For certain, all of the conditions will be in place in September with the summer drought and the lack of water in Crimea, the disinformation operation that the Kremlin is conducting in this region, where they have talked about the humanitarian crisis. And, of course, the new Constitution for the Russian Federation. Basically, they try to take a legal claim to former parts of the Soviet Union. They are also issuing Russian passports to Ukrainians. All of these things are political and economic conditions. Then you need to think of the Kavkaz 2020 exercise, where you have a significant amount of Russian Federation forces in the region. And you need to think about the United States. We are distracted, right now we have plenty of challenges of our own because of the COVID-19, domestic violence going on and especially because of the presidential elections. September would be just a few weeks before our election. Then you can add this huge mistake in the decision to withdraw 9500 Americans from Germany. And most of these troops are essential for logistics, rapid reinforcement. So, all of these things together do not mean necessarily, that there would be an attack. But the conditions are there. This is why it is so important that not only Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) are vigilant, but also everyone in the region, like Georgia, Romania, and Turkey. And the United States pays attention too, same for NATO. I think Germany and France should be really putting the pressure on the Kremlin, but they haven’t done so yet. They also have their own internal challenges with post-pandemic recovery.
So, if the Kremlin thinks that the West would really respond in a minimal way, then I think, there is a risk. They could do the calculation, that could lead to an attack of some sort. Obviously, I hope I’m wrong. And I’m sure that the UAF will do all the right things to be prepared, to maintain surveillance. It is really important that Ukraine works closely with Georgia, Moldova, and Romania to watch very closely this exercise, but also what is going on in the Black Sea and in the Sea of Azov. You need the whole combination of intelligence capabilities: signal intelligence, aerial platform intelligence. Ukraine has become very good at working with drones, this would also be very important. But also maritime surveillance of what is going on out there.
What could be used as a casus belli? And what is the reason for Russia to make such a move?
– Of course this water shortage in Crimea, partly as a result of weather conditions and partly of Ukrainian blocking of the North Crimea Canal. The Kremlin is talking about the humanitarian crisis, and they are not able to solve this problem by themselves with bringing more water or creating desalination capability. I think the pretext for them would be to tell “We have a humanitarian crisis, we have no choice and need to open the dam near Nova Kakhovka.” There are already some information operations that are kind of saying this, in that region. I don’t know what this invasion would look like. It could be helicopters with special forces, it could be people, who infiltrate not in uniform, or it could be an airstrike. The main goal is to disable the dam, but there are a variety of things that they could do to get the water going on again. If Russians do that and if the West does respond in a minimal way, I don’t know where could be the end of it.
They wouldn’t go if they only destroy the dam and leave. In fact, if they control the area of Nova Kakhovka in addition to the whole seashore of Crimea and 10 thousand troops in Transnistria, all that is left for Ukraine is a tiny area near Odesa. And the Russian Navy is always conducting military exercises, which include the blockade of this area. So, for me, that’s the long-term goal, to completely control the entire Black Sea coast and isolate Ukraine from it. You already have troubles with the Sea of Azov, and the Kremlin saw that the West didn’t react. In the Kerch Strait, there were no “green men”, there was the Russian Navy, which seized Ukrainian vessels. If the Western community doesn’t push back on that, then de facto it will become Russian territorial water. Because, obviously, they are not leaving. Since they saw there was no real reaction to their actions in Azov, they became emboldened. When you combine that with the US having been distracted and lack of strong actions by American administration against Russia, I think they can make a miscalculation, that the Kremlin could be tempted to do something, take advantage of all these factors.
Which developments (political and military) from the Russian side could be an early sign of preparation for invasion?
– Number one is the construction of medical capabilities, like field hospitals, more than there would be necessary for just regular exercises. Of course, ammunition and similar things. Logistical preparation is what takes the most time. And then I could imagine and expect that the Ukrainian intelligence services are listening to whatever they can. At the same time, I could expect that Russian forces would be disciplined in their operational security. And of course, we need to look at the information space, if there would be a significant increase in the news on the humanitarian crisis. Potentially, Ukraine could gather some human intelligence on Donbas, because there are thousands of Russian officers there. They could tell somehow about what is going on. I hope that the OSCE will take a bold step for its SMM to listen to the development of the situation.
But as we hear in the news, terrorists in Donbas prohibit free access to SMM observers, telling that this measure is to stop the pandemic.
– At this point I’m disappointed in Germany and France and the UK, they all don’t do more to put international pressure on the Kremlin to allow the OSCE to do its job. To me, it’s absolutely unacceptable. And the Kremlin sees that. It is a shame because there are a lot of brave men and women in the OSCE, that are taking risks doing their job.
Are there any steps for the West and Ukraine to prevent possible invasion?
– If you think in terms of diplomacy, Ukraine should be working overtime through diplomatic channels with Berlin, Paris, London as well as Washington and Brussels. To raise awareness of all of these things. To draw attention and to remind people, that Ukrainian soldiers are still getting killed every week, that Russia still illegally occupies Crimea, that Moscow is making plans which are completely illegal. Kyiv needs to build up a proof collaboration with Romania, Georgia, and Turkey. Together they could be a louder diplomatic voice that could be heard in Brussels and Washington. To me, it’s the first step.
In the information space, there need to be steady efforts by the Ukrainian government to communicate to all its citizens, explain what’s going on, and build up resilience in the society. So that people would not be susceptible to the Russian disinformation. That’s easier for me to say, harder to do, but that’s what leadership is about.
In the military space – continuing to maintain surveillance on the coast as well as in the air watching for the indicators, what we have talked about. You cannot have the whole army just sitting in alarm mode ready to go, which is not sustainable. We don’t talk about alerting everybody. But I would focus my intelligence efforts, while at the same time making sure that all of our forces are doing the proper things to be ready, like maintenance and training.
In the field of economics Ukraine should get all the countries of Europe to declare that any vessel that sails from any port in Crimea is contraband. Crimea should be some kind of poison to them and it should not be allowed to enter any European port, no matter whether it is Russian Navy or commercial vessel. This could be an effective way to remind, that Russian annexation of Crimea is illegal. As I remember, president Poroshenko has declared all ports closed. So, this ban could be an important step within the legal framework. Also part of the reason why there is not much attention to the Black Sea and why the West does not have a strategy for this region the way Russia does, is despite all the respect for Ukrainian and Georgian people, there are no investments. There is no skin in the game. If France, Germany, the US, the UK, or other countries do not have a major economic investment in Georgia, Ukraine, and Romania, then, to be honest, there is nothing for them to fight for. And that is exactly what Russia wants. Moscow made it impossible for Georgia to make progress with the Anaklia port, for example. If they had that port in Georgia, then the country becomes a logistic hub between Eurasia and Europe. So, all involved countries would be interested in Georgia’s security. Then you could have traffic going to Odesa and Constanta which could change the whole economic dynamic of the whole region. And that’s the last thing Russia wants. The Kremlin needs to have total control over the Black Sea. That allows them to continue to operate in Syria and Libya, for them it’s one region. We in the West don’t see it that way. Earlier Russia has weaponized refugees from Syria, now they can repeat that in Libya. The civil war, in which Russia is supporting general Haftar, generates millions of refugees, which will come to Europe again. And this is not an accident.
If we are talking about the worst-case scenario when the Russian invasion has happened, what could be the reaction of the Western countries, first of all, of the USA, Germany, France? What about China and Turkey?
– What should happen immediately, is all the usual diplomatic condemnation from everybody in the EU as well as in the United States. Even in China, I think. After that, a significant increase in sanctions, like something we have discussed above. Germany should immediately cease Nord Stream 2, which needs to be done on Day-1. If Russia does something, that must be the end of this project. I don’t know what type of military action would be taken, but I think in this case Ukraine should ask Turkey to deny any Russian maritime movement through the straits under the Montreux Convention. I would hope that Ukraine does such diplomatic work with Turkey right now, so that Ankara would be prepared to do this. Of course, Russia has huge leverages to pressure on Turkey as well. For sure, our Romanian allies would be very concerned. Russia has already seized Ukrainian gas platforms, so, Kremlin claims to expand its exclusive economic zone. They already are up against Romanian EEZ, but underwater with the perimeter for the gas fields there is an overlap of what Russia claims to be their EEZ. I think the United States and the rest of the NATO members should make it very clear, that they are ready to defend our Romanian and Bulgarian allies. Another thing that the West could do, would be to hit Russia in another place, like in Syria for example. A cyber strike of some sort, which shuts down their ability to operate in Tartus or some other places. And for sure we should shut down more than two major Russian banks, so this would be a real pain, not just sanctions. Otherwise, the Kremlin will know that we are very concerned, but not serious.
Do you find such steps by the West possible or Ukraine would have just another round of “deep concern” expressions?
– Of course, unfortunately, that is very likely. Strong unquestioned American leadership is so important in this situation. What is so concerning, is that the American leadership right now does not seem as strong and consistent and clear on the Kremlin. Which is why the risk is higher.
As we are in a hybrid conflict, which non-kinetic means the Kremlin could use in addition to conventional forces?
– Without a doubt, if the Kremlin moves, there will be massive cyberattacks against Ukraine to disrupt communications, command, and control infrastructure. As well as the disinformation efforts, they will continue. I would expect to see a total blockade of Azov. I would also imagine the possibility of massive civil disturbances that would be generated by Russian special forces in different communities. They want to distract attention in such a way. So, there would be many places in all regions of Ukraine, not only in the South, with multiple problems for Kyiv, in order to keep people away.
Biography
Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges. Born in 1958. In 1980 graduated from the United States Military Academy, became an infantry officer, serving as a platoon leader. In 1993 graduated from the School of Advanced Military Studies. In 2001 graduated from the National War College. After his first assignment as an Infantry Lieutenant in Garlstedt, Germany, he commanded Infantry units at the Company, Battalion, and Brigade levels in the 101st Airborne Division, including Command of the First Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne” of the 101st Airborne Division in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2003-2004). His other operational assignments include Chief of Operations for Multi-National Corps-Iraq in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2005-2006) and Director of Operations, Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2009-2010). In November 2012 took command of Allied Land Command. Hodges became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014, holding that position until retiring from the army in early 2018. From 2018 he is the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
Read and share more from InformNapalm
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0) Follow InformNapalm on Facebook / Twitter


informnapalm--2020-07-18--Russian multipurpose armored vehicle Tigr, part of MK-BLA-01 drone system spotted in the Donbas (vid

Russian multipurpose armored vehicle Tigr, part of MK-BLA-01 drone system spotted in the Donbas (video)

On July 8 , 2020 , one of the modifications of the Tigr Russian armored vehicle was spotted by a drone in the Donbas .
InformNapalm volunteer intelligence community received photos and videos confirming the sighting , carried out geolocation and identified the vehicle modification .
It was established with a high degree of certainty that the spotted armored vehicle is the chassis of the modern Russian mobile drone system MK-BLA-01 .
Read more below in this investigation .
Video recording of the Russian armored vehicle and geolocation InformNapalm volunteers examined the video frames , geolocated and determined the exact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48.093482 , 37.787252 .
The Russian multipurpose armored vehicle Tigr has several modifications , from commanders ’ vehicles for transporting command personnel to a chassis for electronic warfare ( EW ) systems or infantry mobility vehicle ( IMV ) with roof firing stations .
In this case , the absence of a roof hatch on this Tigr , the absence of armament and other combat elements , as well as the presence of elements similar to a satellite dish next to it , suggest that this vehicle is a chassis of the modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of armored vehicle Tigr in the Donbas on July 8 , 2020 .
Right : comparison photo of the modification with a hatch .
Left : screenshot from video recording of the Tigr armored vehicle and a nearby element resembling a satellite dish .
Right : comparison photo of the MK-BLA-01 system .
According to volunteer intelligence , units of the Russian occupation forces have been based at the premises of the depot of the Donetsk-Severny railway station since 2015 , using it to assault the area of the ventilation shaft of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , the Joint Forces Operation headquarters reported that on July 8 , the Ukrainian military had destroyed one Tigr-type vehicle in the Donbas .
MK-BLA-01 is designed to monitor the situation and conduct aerial reconnaissance over important strategic objects .
It is used for radar surveillance and signals intelligence during special operations .
The system has a capability for high-accuracy short range cartographic surveying .
The system supports collection and verification of operational information .
In the armored cabin of the car , there are special containers for transporting UAVs of two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zala 421-08 ) and Lastochka ( Swallow , type Zala 421-04M ) .
It also houses special equipment for their diagnostics and maintenance , in particular , two workstations for UAV operators with LCD displays and personal computers .
One of the operators controls the UAV in semi-automatic and automatic modes .
The other processes the data coming from the UAV .
The drones of the system have different flight performance in terms of height and range , and are equipped with different payload equipment .
Each of them is designed to solve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control equipment allows for simultaneous operation of two or more UAVs of a helicopter or aircraft type .
Other cases of Tigr vehicles spotted in the Donbas In From 2014 to 2016 , GAZ-233014 Tigr infantry mobility vehicle ( IMV ) modification was identified in the Luhansk Oblast in several investigations of InformNapalm .
This IMV belongs to the 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade ( MRB ) , military unit 63354 , Buynaksk , Dagestan , of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation Professional servicemen and equipment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in direct participation in the in hostilities in the Ukrainian Donbas .
Read more in the materials of InformNapalm Russian Agression Database .
The photo with the Tigr armored vehicle in the background with the tactical signs of the 136th MRB in the Donbas was posted by Russian mercenary Oleg Rakhimov .
In 2016 , OSINT investigator @ Askai707 posted and geolocated on Twitter the photos of militants of the Russian occupation forces who posed with Tigr armored vehicles in the Luhansk Oblast .
Two Russian Tigr armored vehicles were seen in Luhansk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014 .
A militant of illegal armed groups Andrei Pen ( listed in the Myrotvorets Center database ) posted the photo in his social network account .
The same Tigr was featured in a photo with militants in Luhansk in the same area in December 2014 .
Coordinates : 48.572747 , 39.413714 .
Another tigr armored vehicle and Russian military radio station R166-0,5 were photographed on the territory of the military enlistment office on the Krasnodonska Street in Luhansk in 2014 .
Let us compare the photo with a still frame from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV filmed in Luhansk .
It is worth reminding , that Russian invaders actively used Tigr IMVs for blocking and assaulting the Ukrainian military facilities during the occupation operation in the Crimea .
The video shows a convoy of the Russian Tigr armored vehicles in Sevastopol in March 2014 .
Besides old Soviet weapons and equipment , the Russian occupation forces in the Donbas continue to actively use newer hardware , adopted by the Russian Army at the beginning of the 21st century .
Despite Russia ’ s false rhetoric , the escalation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the active use of Russian weapons , intelligence and electronic warfare evidently shows the presence the Russian troops in the east of Ukraine with another type of sophisticated new military equipments , as Russian Federation continues active hybrid operations and does not plan to withdraw from the Ukrainian Donbas .
The InformNapalm international intelligence community appeals to Ukrainian and international diplomats , journalists and politicians to pay more attention to the facts confirming the Russian military activity in the Donbas .
These materials must be used to increase international pressure on Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to force the military and political leadership of Russia , and personally Vladimir Putin , to fulfill the commitmentsunder the Minsk Protocols to withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine .
Read and share more from InformNapalm • Intelligence data on 1st and 2nd Army Corps of the Russian Federation in the occupied Donbas • Newest Russian equipment in Donbas in aerial photo ( photo and coordinates ) • Residents of occupied Donbas provide unique photos of the Russian 1L259 Zoopark-1 system • Exact coordinates of location with newest Russian EW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems in Donbas .
Specialists from EW company of Russian 19th Motorized Rifle Brigade detected • Volunteers gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea • List of armament and military equipment of the Russian Army in Donbas .
• Award stigma of war criminals from the Russian Army , database and video overview Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome !
( Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 ) InformNapalm social media pages : Facebook / Twitter / Telegram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not receive any financial support from any country ’ s government or large donors .
Our information resources are funded by our volunteers , as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations .
You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform .
Together we will achieve more !

On July 8, 2020, one of the modifications of the Tigr Russian armored vehicle was spotted by a drone in the Donbas. InformNapalm volunteer intelligence community received photos and videos confirming the sighting, carried out geolocation and identified the vehicle modification. It was established with a high degree of certainty that the spotted armored vehicle is the chassis of the modern Russian mobile drone system MK-BLA-01. Read more below in this investigation.
Video recording of the Russian armored vehicle and geolocation
InformNapalm volunteers examined the video frames, geolocated and determined the exact position of this piece of equipment: 48.093482, 37.787252.
The Russian multipurpose armored vehicle Tigr has several modifications, from commanders’ vehicles for transporting command personnel to a chassis for electronic warfare (EW) systems or infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) with roof firing stations.
Photos of the spotted Russian Tigr armored vehicle
In this case, the absence of a roof hatch on this Tigr, the absence of armament and other combat elements, as well as the presence of elements similar to a satellite dish next to it, suggest that this vehicle is a chassis of the modern Russian MK-BLA-01 system.
Left: photographs of armored vehicle Tigr in the Donbas on July 8, 2020. Right: comparison photo of the modification with a hatch.
Left: screenshot from video recording of the Tigr armored vehicle and a nearby element resembling a satellite dish. Right: comparison photo of the MK-BLA-01 system.
According to volunteer intelligence, units of the Russian occupation forces have been based at the premises of the depot of the Donetsk-Severny railway station since 2015, using it to assault the area of the ventilation shaft of the Butovka mine.
On July 9, 2020, the Joint Forces Operation headquarters reported that on July 8, the Ukrainian military had destroyed one Tigr-type vehicle in the Donbas.
Mobile complex MK-BLA-01
MK-BLA-01 is designed to monitor the situation and conduct aerial reconnaissance over important strategic objects. It is used for radar surveillance and signals intelligence during special operations. The system has a capability for high-accuracy short range cartographic surveying. The system supports collection and verification of operational information. In the armored cabin of the car, there are special containers for transporting UAVs of two modifications: Strekoza (Dragonfly, type Zala 421-08) and Lastochka (Swallow, type Zala 421-04M). It also houses special equipment for their diagnostics and maintenance, in particular, two workstations for UAV operators with LCD displays and personal computers. One of the operators controls the UAV in semi-automatic and automatic modes. The other processes the data coming from the UAV. The drones of the system have different flight performance in terms of height and range, and are equipped with different payload equipment. Each of them is designed to solve its own set of tasks. The control equipment allows for simultaneous operation of two or more UAVs of a helicopter or aircraft type.
Other cases of Tigr vehicles spotted in the Donbas
In From 2014 to 2016, GAZ-233014 Tigr infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) modification was identified in the Luhansk Oblast in several investigations of InformNapalm. This IMV belongs to the 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade (MRB), military unit 63354, Buynaksk, Dagestan, of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation Professional servicemen and equipment of the 136th MRB have been repeatedly recorded in direct participation in the in hostilities in the Ukrainian Donbas. Read more in the materials of InformNapalm Russian Agression Database.
The photo with the Tigr armored vehicle in the background with the tactical signs of the 136th MRB in the Donbas was posted by Russian mercenary Oleg Rakhimov.
In 2016, OSINT investigator @ Askai707 posted and geolocated on Twitter the photos of militants of the Russian occupation forces who posed with Tigr armored vehicles in the Luhansk Oblast. Two Russian Tigr armored vehicles were seen in Luhansk near the Vostochny business center in autumn 2014. A militant of illegal armed groups Andrei Pen (listed in the Myrotvorets Center database) posted the photo in his social network account.
The same Tigr was featured in a photo with militants in Luhansk in the same area in December 2014. Coordinates: 48.572747, 39.413714.
Another tigr armored vehicle and Russian military radio station R166-0,5 were photographed on the territory of the military enlistment office on the Krasnodonska Street in Luhansk in 2014. Let us compare the photo with a still frame from the news story of the Russian Channel One TV filmed in Luhansk.
It is worth reminding, that Russian invaders actively used Tigr IMVs for blocking and assaulting the Ukrainian military facilities during the occupation operation in the Crimea. The video shows a convoy of the Russian Tigr armored vehicles in Sevastopol in March 2014.
Conclusions
Besides old Soviet weapons and equipment, the Russian occupation forces in the Donbas continue to actively use newer hardware, adopted by the Russian Army at the beginning of the 21st century. Despite Russia’s false rhetoric, the escalation of the situation on the battle line and the active use of Russian weapons, intelligence and electronic warfare evidently shows the presence the Russian troops in the east of Ukraine with another type of sophisticated new military equipments, as Russian Federation continues active hybrid operations and does not plan to withdraw from the Ukrainian Donbas.
The InformNapalm international intelligence community appeals to Ukrainian and international diplomats, journalists and politicians to pay more attention to the facts confirming the Russian military activity in the Donbas. These materials must be used to increase international pressure on Russia, stepping up of economic sanctions in order to force the military and political leadership of Russia, and personally Vladimir Putin, to fulfill the commitmentsunder the Minsk Protocols to withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine.
Read and share more from InformNapalm
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0) InformNapalm social media pages: Facebook / Twitter / Telegram
InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country’s government or large donors. Our information resources are funded by our volunteers, as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations. You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform. Together we will achieve more!


informnapalm--2020-07-21--Russia announces surprise inspection of 150 thousand of troops near borders of Ukraine (VIDEO)

On July 17 , Russia announced the beginning of a large-scale surprise check of combat readiness of 150,000 Russian servicemen of the southern and western military district and some other formations .
This was stated by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu .
The announcement of a surprise inspection of Russian troops was made on the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack that shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in the sky over the occupied part of the Ukrainian Donbas by a Russian missile from the Buk missile system which belonged to the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and military aggression of Russia According to Minister Shoygu , this inspection should assess the army ’ s ability to secure its functions in southwestern Russia where supposedly ” and prepare for the Caucasus 2020 exercises scheduled for September this year .
Overall , almost 150,000 servicemen , more than 26,000 pieces of military equipment , 414 aircraft , and 106 ships , including support vessels , are engaged in the drill .
On July 17 , the official YouTube channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense also posted a video about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the borders of Ukraine .
Soldiers of the tank regiment of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division ( MRD ) of the Western Military District began a surprise check of combat readiness in Smolensk Oblast .
As part of the inspection , tankmen organized the advance of tank , motorized infantry , artillery , reconnaissance , engineering , and logistics units to combat areas .
The servicemen marched on unfamiliar training grounds using regular equipment where they began to prepare units to perform tasks .
According to the inspection plan , the units of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with tank patrols , defense of bases , deployment of firing positions and command channels at tactical level , as well as fortification of motorized infantry positions .
About 1,000 servicemen , as well as more than 300 units of armaments , military and special equipment of the tank regiment , including T-72B tanks and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles , are engaged in the combat readiness check .
We remind you that on July 8 , volunteers of InformNapalm international intelligence community published an analysis of the operational situation and the scenario of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North-Eastern part of Ukraine .
On the first stage of the inspection , about 150 planes and helicopters of operational-tactical , assault , bombing and army aviation of aviation formations of the 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Army of the Southern Military District ( military units 211206 and 40911 ) were checked for readiness to relocate to operational airfields .
The units were brought to full combat readiness , the aircraft got ready for departure , the planes and helicopters were refueled , and the aircraft weapons were loaded .
Ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The command of the 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Army is stationed in the city of Rostov-on-Don .
Let ’ s remind you that in 2016 , InformNapalm volunteers established the data of 116 members of the Russian Air Force crews who were involved in combat operations in Syria , including the destruction of civilian objects and infrastructure .
This caused panic in the Russian media , which called it a “ provocation ” and a “ leak of top-secret information “ .
We continue to watch for key markers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The beginning of the “ muscle flexing ” on the symbolic date of the sixth anniversary of the MH17 catastrophe , for which the world community put responsibility on Russia , may also indicate Putin ’ s desire to demonstrate military power to the West .
Within Russia itself , after a fake referendum on amendments to the Constitution dissatisfaction is growing .
The Russian President can “ let off steam ” of the dissatisfaction with one of the worked-out scenarios of external victories .
A similar situation was in 2014 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embezzlements in preparation for the Winter Olympics in Sochi .
Putin redirected this “ steam of discontent ” to the victory hysteria after the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea , which quickly raised his support rating among Russians .
On June 24 , 2020 , the former commander of US Armed Forces in Europe General Ben Hodges warned that in September Russian could conduct another military invasion operation in the southern region of Ukraine under guise of the Caucasus 2020 military exercise .
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — CC BY 4.0 ) InformNapalm social media pages : Facebook / Twitter / Telegram InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country ’ s government or large donors .
Our information resources are funded by our volunteers , as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations .
You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform .
Together we will achieve more !

On July 17, Russia announced the beginning of a large-scale surprise check of combat readiness of 150,000 Russian servicemen of the southern and western military district and some other formations. This was stated by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu.
The announcement of a surprise inspection of Russian troops was made on the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack that shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in the sky over the occupied part of the Ukrainian Donbas by a Russian missile from the Buk missile system which belonged to the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian armed forces.
Read also: Cyber-COVID-19 and MH17: Information and military aggression of Russia
According to Minister Shoygu, this inspection should assess the army’s ability to secure its functions in southwestern Russia where supposedly “serious terrorist threats remain” and prepare for the Caucasus 2020 exercises scheduled for September this year.
Overall, almost 150,000 servicemen, more than 26,000 pieces of military equipment, 414 aircraft, and 106 ships, including support vessels, are engaged in the drill.
On July 17, the official YouTube channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense also posted a video about the beginning of this large-scale surprise inspection near the borders of Ukraine.
144 Motorized Rifle Division (Yelnya)
Soldiers of the tank regiment of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division (MRD) of the Western Military District began a surprise check of combat readiness in Smolensk Oblast.
As part of the inspection, tankmen organized the advance of tank, motorized infantry, artillery, reconnaissance, engineering, and logistics units to combat areas. The servicemen marched on unfamiliar training grounds using regular equipment where they began to prepare units to perform tasks.
According to the inspection plan, the units of the tank regiment are to practice reconnaissance with tank patrols, defense of bases, deployment of firing positions and command channels at tactical level, as well as fortification of motorized infantry positions.
About 1,000 servicemen, as well as more than 300 units of armaments, military and special equipment of the tank regiment, including T-72B tanks and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, are engaged in the combat readiness check.
We remind you that on July 8, volunteers of InformNapalm international intelligence community published an analysis of the operational situation and the scenario of a possible offensive by Russian troops towards the North-Eastern part of Ukraine .
Military aircraft of the Southern Military District
On the first stage of the inspection, about 150 planes and helicopters of operational-tactical, assault, bombing and army aviation of aviation formations of the 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Army of the Southern Military District (military units 211206 and 40911) were checked for readiness to relocate to operational airfields.
The units were brought to full combat readiness, the aircraft got ready for departure, the planes and helicopters were refueled, and the aircraft weapons were loaded. Ground support services inspected the readiness to relocation.
The command of the 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Army is stationed in the city of Rostov-on-Don.
Let’s remind you that in 2016, InformNapalm volunteers established the data of 116 members of the Russian Air Force crews who were involved in combat operations in Syria, including the destruction of civilian objects and infrastructure. This caused panic in the Russian media, which called it a “provocation” and a “leak of top-secret information“.
Conclusions
We continue to watch for key markers and signs of preparation for large-scale Russian aggression. The beginning of the “muscle flexing” on the symbolic date of the sixth anniversary of the MH17 catastrophe, for which the world community put responsibility on Russia, may also indicate Putin’s desire to demonstrate military power to the West. Within Russia itself, after a fake referendum on amendments to the Constitution dissatisfaction is growing. The Russian President can “let off steam” of the dissatisfaction with one of the worked-out scenarios of external victories. A similar situation was in 2014 when the Russians were dissatisfied with the large-scale embezzlements in preparation for the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Putin redirected this “steam of discontent” to the victory hysteria after the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea, which quickly raised his support rating among Russians.
On June 24, 2020, the former commander of US Armed Forces in Europe General Ben Hodges warned that in September Russian could conduct another military invasion operation in the southern region of Ukraine under guise of the Caucasus 2020 military exercise.
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0) InformNapalm social media pages: Facebook / Twitter / Telegram
InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country’s government or large donors. Our information resources are funded by our volunteers, as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations. You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform. Together we will achieve more!


informnapalm--2020-07-22--Putin has arrived in occupied Crimea. Timely data about Russian Army maneuvers near Ukrainian Border

Putin has arrived in occupied Crimea. Timely data about Russian Army maneuvers near Ukrainian Border.

On July 20 , the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has arrived in Crimea , a region of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation .
The official version is that this trip is the laying of new warships for the Russian navy .
We remind our readers that Putin ’ s arrival in Crimea took place right after the Russian Federation had , on July 17 , suddenly announced a large-scale overhaul of its troops and military fleets positioned at its southwestern regions .
Military Exercises of the Russian Federation Under the Guise of a Sudden Checkup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the operational tactical missile systems of the missile unit of the 49th Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation , which are located in the Kuban region , have electronically launched the Iskander-M rockets targeting on-shore objects of the conditional adversary , claiming it to be within the plan of an unannounced inspection of the combat readiness .
At the shooting ranges of the Rostov and Volgograd regions of the Russian Federation , and also in the temporarily occupied Crimea , the military exercises were carried out with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation .
The REC units have gone through the routine of radio-electronic disabling of the radio communication at various wavelengths and hit a number of checkpoints and communication hubs of the conditional adversary , including the channels of control and transmission of data for small unmanned flying devices .
The Russian specialists perfected the sabotage of the navigation field in the vicinity of the tactical groups involved in a sudden overhaul and constructed the devices for blinding the precision weapon guidance systems of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air forces ’ strikes .
To complete these tasks , the Russians used the Murmansk radio electronic combat complex , whose location had been revealed by the InformNapalm volunteers all the way back in 2015 .
Also , the Russian REC specialists of the Southwestern military district worked tactic problems using the Krasukha , Borisoglebsk , and Layer-3 complexes , as well as the Zhytel automated obstruction station .
The use of all these REC devices was also uncovered by the volunteers of the InformNapalm international intelligence community in occupied Donbas in 2014-2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crimea .
In 2018 , the Ukrinform agency , based on the results of the investigation done by the InformNapalm , published iconographics illustrating how Russia turns the annexed peninsula into a large-scale military base .
In 2019 , the Prometheus Center of the Secure Environment Investigations published a unique research , titled , “ Crimea Behind the Curtain .
Guide to the Occupied Zone.
” The InformNapalm volunteers also have gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea .
Translated by George Pinchuk .
Distribution and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcome !
( Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 ) InformNapalm social media pages : Facebook / Twitter / Telegram InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country ’ s government or large donors .
Our information resources are funded by our volunteers , as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations .
You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform .
Together we will achieve more !

On July 20, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has arrived in Crimea, a region of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. The official version is that this trip is the laying of new warships for the Russian navy.
We remind our readers that Putin’s arrival in Crimea took place right after the Russian Federation had, on July 17, suddenly announced a large-scale overhaul of its troops and military fleets positioned at its southwestern regions.
Military Exercises of the Russian Federation Under the Guise of a Sudden Checkup Near the Ukrainian Border
On July 20, the operational tactical missile systems of the missile unit of the 49th Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation, which are located in the Kuban region, have electronically launched the Iskander-M rockets targeting on-shore objects of the conditional adversary, claiming it to be within the plan of an unannounced inspection of the combat readiness.
At the shooting ranges of the Rostov and Volgograd regions of the Russian Federation, and also in the temporarily occupied Crimea, the military exercises were carried out with the troops of the Radio-Electronic Combat (REC) of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.
The REC units have gone through the routine of radio-electronic disabling of the radio communication at various wavelengths and hit a number of checkpoints and communication hubs of the conditional adversary, including the channels of control and transmission of data for small unmanned flying devices. The Russian specialists perfected the sabotage of the navigation field in the vicinity of the tactical groups involved in a sudden overhaul and constructed the devices for blinding the precision weapon guidance systems of the conditional adversary during the preparation for Russian air forces’ strikes.
To complete these tasks, the Russians used the Murmansk radio electronic combat complex, whose location had been revealed by the InformNapalm volunteers all the way back in 2015. Also, the Russian REC specialists of the Southwestern military district worked tactic problems using the Krasukha, Borisoglebsk, and Layer-3 complexes, as well as the Zhytel automated obstruction station. The use of all these REC devices was also uncovered by the volunteers of the InformNapalm international intelligence community in occupied Donbas in 2014-2020.
Militarization of Crimea
Russia continues to militarize the occupied Crimea. In 2018, the Ukrinform agency, based on the results of the investigation done by the InformNapalm, published iconographics illustrating how Russia turns the annexed peninsula into a large-scale military base.
In 2019, the Prometheus Center of the Secure Environment Investigations published a unique research, titled, “Crimea Behind the Curtain. Guide to the Occupied Zone.”
The InformNapalm volunteers also have gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea.
Translated by George Pinchuk. Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0) InformNapalm social media pages: Facebook / Twitter / Telegram
InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country’s government or large donors. Our information resources are funded by our volunteers, as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations. You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform. Together we will achieve more!


informnapalm--2020-07-27--Maneuvers in times of COVID-19: sudden inspection of Russian Armed Forces, Sea Breeze 2020, and war

Maneuvers in times of COVID-19: sudden inspection of Russian Armed Forces, Sea Breeze 2020, and war in Donbas

We present the review of the situation in the occupied part of the Ukrainian Donbas and in the information space around COVID-19 , which was published by the Ukrainskyi Tyzhden magazine on July 24 , 2020 .
The review was prepared by Roman Burko , the founder of the InformNapalm international volunteer community .
You can also send to the author via Facebook important information and insights from the occupied territories of Crimea and the Donbas , which could be used in future reviews .
Why does Russia continue to “ flex its muscles ” near Ukraine ’ s borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s military and media aggression , as well as the attempts by Russian hackers to steal data and hinder the development of the COVID-19 vaccine .
Meanwhile , we are seeing the escalation of the scandal over the alleged involvement of the Russian intelligence agencies and the government in financing of terrorism , namely the bounty to Taliban militants for killing of US troops in Afghanistan .
A former US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker called the latest case of Russian intervention to be one of the many in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If new sanctions are imposed , they could affect Russian President Vladimir Putin personally , based on the bill , which has been introduced in the US Senate .
Meanwhile , Putin has continued to “ flex muscles ” near Ukraine ’ s borders .
On July 17 , on the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack against Flight MH17 , which was shot down by a missile launched by a Russian Buk anti-aircraft system , the President of Russia announced a surprise inspection of troops .
The maneuvers involved 150,000 servicemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises of various levels .
Most of these were overland maneuvers , with no sanitary restrictions against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic .
According to official statistics on the spread of the disease , Russia currently ranks fourth in the world in the number of COVID-19 .
More than 795 thousand Russians have tested positive for disease .
On July 20th , Putin was already in the occupied Crimea , where in the city of Kerch he took part in the ceremony of laying down the new Project 23900 amphibious assault ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Russian Black Sea Fleet in seven years .
Thus , the policy of militarization and military capacity buildup continues illegally on the occupied peninsula .
The annexed Crimea now serves not only as a potential springboard for the expansion of military aggression against Ukraine , but also as a major starting point for the Syrian Express , the transfer of weapons and equipment to participate in proxy wars in the Middle East or Africa .
Meanwhile , on July 20 , the 20th Sea Breeze 2020 international Ukrainian-American exercise started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s large-scale maneuvers , in which numerous military groups roamed the land training ranges , the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the Sea Breeze 2020 international exercise to the naval component with some aircraft involvement .
At the same time , all joint activities took place in the Black Sea and minimized personnel contacts .
This is an illustrative comparison of the difference in approaches to the value of life and health .
Russia professes the principle of scale , ignoring the epidemiological situation and human health .
On the contrary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeks to adhere , value the lives and health of their military personnel and seek to adjust the learning process to the realities .
And while Russia was flexing its muscles on Ukraine ’ s eastern borders , Ukraine and its allies also made the aggressor nervous .
On July 22 , US Air Force units based at air bases in Europe conducted a large-scale training as a part of the Sea Breeze 2020 exercise .
F-16 fighters from the 31st Airborne Wing of the US Air Force operated in international airspace over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drones from a military base in Poland and the MC-130J Commando II from the 352nd Wing of Special Operations also arrived in the training area .
The P-8 Poseidon patrol plane arriving in the neutral waters of the Black Sea probably also embarrassed the Russian military too much , as they launched a Su-27 fighter to intercept it .
The Donbas and yet another proclamation of “ truce ” While relative parity and seemingly stable security situation remain in the Black Sea , a real war continues in the Donbas , where Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on one .
On July 22 , Joint Forces Operations ( JFO ) Command informed BBC News Ukraine that the body of a Ukrainian military medic who had recently been killed in Donbas had been mutilated by the occupiers , who cut out some bones and tissue .
This was probably done in an attempt to conceal the fact that the medic had been killed by a Russian POM-2 anti-personnel mine , which is manufactured in Russia and banned by the Ottawa Convention .
At the same time , on July 22 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine reported a “ breakthrough in the Minsk process.
” There was even the promise of a complete and comprehensive ceasefire along the demarcation line starting on July 27 .
Against this background , it is worth remembering that exactly a year ago , in July , such promises were made and after the first week of the “ truce ” the official reports of the JFO even faked the absence of shelling by the occupiers .
InformNapalm volunteers then drew attention to this communication anomaly and investigated whether Russian hybrid armed groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian defenders .
As it turned out , in the first weeks of the “ truce ” , the JFO reports deliberately significantly underestimated the data on enemy shelling , probably to conform with the “ quick peace ” line promoted by President Zelensky .
Only in the fifth week of the “ truce ” and public coverage of the inadmissibility of underestimating the data on enemy shelling , the JFO Press Center began to provide more objective data , which corresponded to the data of international observers .
Therefore , even now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new loud statements about a “ complete and comprehensive ceasefire.
” The only key to peace is in Moscow , and it is too naive to hope that the aggressor will suddenly abandon his plans .
Read also previous reviews on COVID-19 in the Donbas : Cyber-COVID-19 and MH17 .
Information and military aggression of Russia Fires and exacerbations in the Donbas and infestation of the information space Blockade of the check points and Russia ’ s policy of segregation in the Donbas in terms of COVID-19 Masks dropped : a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the occupied Donbas COVID-19 and a parade in masks in dense rows : how the occupiers risk the health of children in the Donbas Pandemic and coal miners ’ protests in the occupied territories Postponed military parade and a new wave of pandemics in the occupied territories Pandemic in the occupied territories and Russian diplomatic hysteria The scale of the COVID-19 epidemic in Russia and the escalation of aggression in the Donbas How is the COVID-19 pandemic used in Russia and ORDLO Pandemic in occupation : fakes and special operations around COVID-19 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : InformNapalm releases extensive database of evidence Volunteers gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea Translated by Andrii Gryganskyi .
Edited by Max Alginin .
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome !
( Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 ) InformNapalm social media pages : Facebook / Twitter / Telegram InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country ’ s government or large donors .
Our information resources are funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our readers sponsoring our project with small donations .
You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform .
Together we will achieve more !

We present the review of the situation in the occupied part of the Ukrainian Donbas and in the information space around COVID-19, which was published by the Ukrainskyi Tyzhden magazine on July 24, 2020. The review was prepared by Roman Burko, the founder of the InformNapalm international volunteer community. You can also send to the author via Facebook important information and insights from the occupied territories of Crimea and the Donbas, which could be used in future reviews.
Why does Russia continue to “flex its muscles” near Ukraine’s borders?
The previous review covered Russia’s military and media aggression, as well as the attempts by Russian hackers to steal data and hinder the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, we are seeing the escalation of the scandal over the alleged involvement of the Russian intelligence agencies and the government in financing of terrorism, namely the bounty to Taliban militants for killing of US troops in Afghanistan. A former US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker called the latest case of Russian intervention to be one of the many in recent years that justify further strengthening of sanctions. If new sanctions are imposed, they could affect Russian President Vladimir Putin personally, based on the bill, which has been introduced in the US Senate.
Meanwhile, Putin has continued to “flex muscles” near Ukraine’s borders. On July 17, on the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack against Flight MH17, which was shot down by a missile launched by a Russian Buk anti-aircraft system, the President of Russia announced a surprise inspection of troops. The maneuvers involved 150,000 servicemen who took part in 50 types of exercises of various levels. Most of these were overland maneuvers, with no sanitary restrictions against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to official statistics on the spread of the disease, Russia currently ranks fourth in the world in the number of COVID-19. More than 795 thousand Russians have tested positive for disease.
On July 20th, Putin was already in the occupied Crimea, where in the city of Kerch he took part in the ceremony of laying down the new Project 23900 amphibious assault ship, which is planned to enter service with the Russian Black Sea Fleet in seven years. Thus, the policy of militarization and military capacity buildup continues illegally on the occupied peninsula. The annexed Crimea now serves not only as a potential springboard for the expansion of military aggression against Ukraine, but also as a major starting point for the Syrian Express, the transfer of weapons and equipment to participate in proxy wars in the Middle East or Africa.
Sea Breeze 2020
Meanwhile, on July 20, the 20th Sea Breeze 2020 international Ukrainian-American exercise started in the Black Sea. In contrast to Russia’s large-scale maneuvers, in which numerous military groups roamed the land training ranges, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the Sea Breeze 2020 international exercise to the naval component with some aircraft involvement.
At the same time, all joint activities took place in the Black Sea and minimized personnel contacts. This is an illustrative comparison of the difference in approaches to the value of life and health. Russia professes the principle of scale, ignoring the epidemiological situation and human health. On the contrary, NATO countries, to whose standards Ukraine seeks to adhere, value the lives and health of their military personnel and seek to adjust the learning process to the realities.
And while Russia was flexing its muscles on Ukraine’s eastern borders, Ukraine and its allies also made the aggressor nervous. On July 22, US Air Force units based at air bases in Europe conducted a large-scale training as a part of the Sea Breeze 2020 exercise. F-16 fighters from the 31st Airborne Wing of the US Air Force operated in international airspace over the Black Sea. The MQ-9 Reaper drones from a military base in Poland and the MC-130J Commando II from the 352nd Wing of Special Operations also arrived in the training area. The P-8 Poseidon patrol plane arriving in the neutral waters of the Black Sea probably also embarrassed the Russian military too much, as they launched a Su-27 fighter to intercept it.
The Donbas and yet another proclamation of “truce”
While relative parity and seemingly stable security situation remain in the Black Sea, a real war continues in the Donbas, where Ukraine is fighting the insidious Russian aggression one on one. On July 22, Joint Forces Operations (JFO) Command informed BBC News Ukraine that the body of a Ukrainian military medic who had recently been killed in Donbas had been mutilated by the occupiers, who cut out some bones and tissue. This was probably done in an attempt to conceal the fact that the medic had been killed by a Russian POM-2 anti-personnel mine, which is manufactured in Russia and banned by the Ottawa Convention.
At the same time, on July 22, the official website of the President of Ukraine reported a “breakthrough in the Minsk process.” There was even the promise of a complete and comprehensive ceasefire along the demarcation line starting on July 27. Against this background, it is worth remembering that exactly a year ago, in July, such promises were made and after the first week of the “truce” the official reports of the JFO even faked the absence of shelling by the occupiers. InformNapalm volunteers then drew attention to this communication anomaly and investigated whether Russian hybrid armed groups were really firing on the positions of Ukrainian defenders. As it turned out, in the first weeks of the “truce”, the JFO reports deliberately significantly underestimated the data on enemy shelling, probably to conform with the “quick peace” line promoted by President Zelensky. Only in the fifth week of the “truce” and public coverage of the inadmissibility of underestimating the data on enemy shelling, the JFO Press Center began to provide more objective data, which corresponded to the data of international observers.
Therefore, even now, one should be very careful about the new loud statements about a “complete and comprehensive ceasefire.” The only key to peace is in Moscow, and it is too naive to hope that the aggressor will suddenly abandon his plans.
Read also previous reviews on COVID-19 in the Donbas:
Cyber-COVID-19 and MH17. Information and military aggression of Russia
Fires and exacerbations in the Donbas and infestation of the information space
Blockade of the check points and Russia’s policy of segregation in the Donbas in terms of COVID-19
Masks dropped: a large outbreak of the epidemic is expected in the occupied Donbas
COVID-19 and a parade in masks in dense rows: how the occupiers risk the health of children in the Donbas
Pandemic and coal miners’ protests in the occupied territories
Postponed military parade and a new wave of pandemics in the occupied territories
Pandemic in the occupied territories and Russian diplomatic hysteria
The scale of the COVID-19 epidemic in Russia and the escalation of aggression in the Donbas
How is the COVID-19 pandemic used in Russia and ORDLO
Pandemic in occupation: fakes and special operations around COVID-19 in the Donbas
Read and share additional important InformNapalm materials:
Proofs of the Russian Aggression: InformNapalm releases extensive database of evidence
Volunteers gathered evidence of 32 Russian military units taking part in the invasion of Crimea
Translated by Andrii Gryganskyi. Edited by Max Alginin. Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0) InformNapalm social media pages: Facebook / Twitter / Telegram
InformNapalm is a fully independent community that does not receive any financial support from any country’s government or large donors. Our information resources are funded by our volunteers, as well as our readers sponsoring our project with small donations. You can also support the community by signing up for monthly mini-donations through the Patreon charitable platform. Together we will achieve more!


informnapalm--2020-07-26--Joint Forces Operation Headquarters: Body of killed medic was cut with bones excised, and wounded ma

Joint Forces Operation Headquarters: Body of killed medic was cut with bones excised, and wounded marine bled to death

The BBC News Ukraine agency received a report from the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters with some details about the death of a wounded marine who could not be evacuated from the battlefield .
What happened to the wounded marine ?
On July 13 , a group of Ukrainian servicemen tried to pick up the body of a killed Ukrainian scout from a spot of “ gray zone ” ( no-man ’ s land ) near Zaitseve and got shot at .
The Ukrainian side insists that the Ukrainian troops acted under a cease-fire agreement and wore white helmets , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drone .
Nevertheless , the troops were shot at and a wounded sergeant Yaroslav Zhuravel was left on the battlefield .
Officials from the Joint Forces Operation headquarters told representatives of the BBC Ukraine agency that the Ukrainian side had repeatedly used the SMM OSCE as go-between in their communication with pro-Russian armed groups , asking to allow them to pick up the wounded serviceman .
The Ukrainian troops explained that “ the wounded person had special white labels on his clothes , meaning that he was a member of an evacuation team.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it made a timely search and rescue mission impossible “ Meanwhile , ” says the JFO report , “ the enemy conducted their own search and played for time .
This deliberate playing for time had terrible consequences .
The wounded serviceman did not receive the necessary medical help and bled to death.
” What Happened to the Medic ’ s Body ?
The JFO officials also told the BBC Ukraine some details regarding the return of the bodies of the killed Ukrainian troops .
The return was repeatedly delayed , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fallen Ukrainian troops became available for pickup by an Evacuation-200 Ukrainian evacuation group , these bodies showed irreversible postmortem changes , which can mean that the bodies had not been preserved at a morgue as the rules request .
The dead troops did not have their military uniform on .
Also , the body of a military medic Mykola Ilin showed signs of incisions .
The Ukrainian side noted “ the weird and outrageous fact that someone cut open the body of a military medic who had been killed on a battlefield.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” say the JFO officials , “ to establish the kind of weapon that killed the military medic because the injured organs and bones had been excised from the body by representatives of the Russian occupier troops at the morgue of the city of Horlivka on the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region.
” The Joint Forces Operation Command also reports that the evacuation team found a Russian POM-2 antipersonnel mine .
“ Such mines are prohibited by the Ottawa Convention and are manufactured exclusively in the Russian Federation .
POM-2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period of self-liquidation from 4 to 100 hours , ” – said JFO represenatives in response to the press service .
Such mines are placed behind RPG-7 grenade launchers , the radius of continuous damage is up to 16 meters .
The mine is triggered when a person touches one of the four thin threads , up to 10 meters long each .
“ The use of POM-2 by the armed forces of the Russian Federation , with the provision of photo evidence to international organizations , was recently recorded on the territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a few kilometers from Zaytsevo – in Novolugansk in Donetsk region , ” theJFO command said .
Russia denies the involvement of its military personnel in the war in Donbass , despite the fact that since 2014 , the Ukrainian military has captured active-duty Russian servicemen and also found weapons that are produced only for the Russian army .
The JFO command also draws attention to the fact that the whole situation of obstructing the search for the wounded and the evacuation of bodies is contrary to the Geneva Convention relative to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier , the so-called “ Donetsk People ’ s Republic ” stated that the Ukrainian evacuation group allegedly moved without white helmets and identification marks .
The day before , the Office of the President of Ukraine announced a “ complete and comprehensive ceasefire ” in the Donbas , which should begin on July 27 Translated by George Pinchuk .
Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome !
( Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 ) InformNapalm social media pages : Facebook / Twitter / Telegram

The BBC News Ukraine agency received a report from the Joint Forces Operation Headquarters with some details about the death of a wounded marine who could not be evacuated from the battlefield.
What happened to the wounded marine?
On July 13, a group of Ukrainian servicemen tried to pick up the body of a killed Ukrainian scout from a spot of “gray zone” (no-man’s land) near Zaitseve and got shot at.
The Ukrainian side insists that the Ukrainian troops acted under a cease-fire agreement and wore white helmets, which was confirmed by pictures taken from a drone.
Nevertheless, the troops were shot at and a wounded sergeant Yaroslav Zhuravel was left on the battlefield.
Officials from the Joint Forces Operation headquarters told representatives of the BBC Ukraine agency that the Ukrainian side had repeatedly used the SMM OSCE as go-between in their communication with pro-Russian armed groups, asking to allow them to pick up the wounded serviceman. The Ukrainian troops explained that “the wounded person had special white labels on his clothes, meaning that he was a member of an evacuation team.”
Nonetheless, the adversary refused, and it made a timely search and rescue mission impossible
“Meanwhile,” says the JFO report, “the enemy conducted their own search and played for time. This deliberate playing for time had terrible consequences. The wounded serviceman did not receive the necessary medical help and bled to death.”
What Happened to the Medic’s Body?
The JFO officials also told the BBC Ukraine some details regarding the return of the bodies of the killed Ukrainian troops. The return was repeatedly delayed, too.
At the moment when the bodies of fallen Ukrainian troops became available for pickup by an Evacuation-200 Ukrainian evacuation group, these bodies showed irreversible postmortem changes, which can mean that the bodies had not been preserved at a morgue as the rules request.
The dead troops did not have their military uniform on.
Also, the body of a military medic Mykola Ilin showed signs of incisions. The Ukrainian side noted “the weird and outrageous fact that someone cut open the body of a military medic who had been killed on a battlefield.”
“Besides, it was impossible,” say the JFO officials, “to establish the kind of weapon that killed the military medic because the injured organs and bones had been excised from the body by representatives of the Russian occupier troops at the morgue of the city of Horlivka on the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region.”
A Russian Mine
The Joint Forces Operation Command also reports that the evacuation team found a Russian POM-2 antipersonnel mine.
“Such mines are prohibited by the Ottawa Convention and are manufactured exclusively in the Russian Federation. POM-2 is installed remotely, it has a period of self-liquidation from 4 to 100 hours,” – said JFO represenatives in response to the press service.
Such mines are placed behind RPG-7 grenade launchers, the radius of continuous damage is up to 16 meters.
The mine is triggered when a person touches one of the four thin threads, up to 10 meters long each.
“The use of POM-2 by the armed forces of the Russian Federation, with the provision of photo evidence to international organizations, was recently recorded on the territory of CJSC Bakhmut Agrarian Union, located just a few kilometers from Zaytsevo – in Novolugansk in Donetsk region,” theJFO command said.
Russia denies the involvement of its military personnel in the war in Donbass, despite the fact that since 2014, the Ukrainian military has captured active-duty Russian servicemen and also found weapons that are produced only for the Russian army.
The JFO command also draws attention to the fact that the whole situation of obstructing the search for the wounded and the evacuation of bodies is contrary to the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Victims of War.
Earlier, the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” stated that the Ukrainian evacuation group allegedly moved without white helmets and identification marks.
The day before, the Office of the President of Ukraine announced a “complete and comprehensive ceasefire” in the Donbas, which should begin on July 27
Original
Translated by George Pinchuk. Distribution and reprint with reference to the source is welcome! (Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0) InformNapalm social media pages: Facebook / Twitter / Telegram