Exclusive: Russia masses heavy firepower on border with Ukraine
Source: Reuters
Wed May 27, 2015 4:26pm EDT
Russia's army is massing troops and hundreds of pieces of weaponry including mobile rocket launchers, tanks and artillery at a makeshift base near the border with Ukraine, a Reuters reporter saw this week.
Many of the vehicles have number plates and identifying marks removed while many of the servicemen had taken insignia off their fatigues. As such, they match the appearance of some of the forces spotted in eastern Ukraine, which Kiev and its Western allies allege are covert Russian detachments.
The scene at the base on the Kuzminsky firing range, around 50 km (30 miles) from the border, offers some of the clearest evidence to date of what appeared to be a concerted Russian military build-up in the area.
Earlier this month, NATO military commander General Philip Breedlove said he believed the separatists were taking advantage of a ceasefire that came into force in February to re-arm and prepare for a new offensive. However, he gave no specifics.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/27/us-ukraine-crisis-russia-military-idUSKBN0OC2K820150527?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
= new reply since forum marked as read
The woman is fiendishly clever!
...until the EU came out with a crappy economic package, whereby Russia had a much better and lucrative one (don't know if the EU had an "understanding" with Russia as they certainly weren't on board with sanctions initially until a lot of US coaxing or maybe "Greek Fatigue"
. It wasn't "he just suddenly decided", there was a legitimate economic reason.
Now I'm going to guess you believe the protests were indeed organic, and I'll agree that some of it was. But I'm also very wary of the imperialist nation I reside in. Historically since the fall of the Soviet Union, its done its best to weaken or contain Russia for nothing more than to have influence and access. So I'm of the view that much more of it was incited to get to critical mass. That being, having a massacre of the protestors (which would have severely put Russia at a disadvantage) or vacating the office and having the parliament illegally changing the government...then making it legal. I don't believe however, that the US calculated that there would be enough disenfranchisement in the east that they would take up arms and that the Russian government was willing to help prop the east up....just as they underestimated the armed Iraqi populace.
And the corruption wasn't just with the previous government, its been that and many before...and the current hasn't been that much of an improvement.
Nor do I like imperialism. But it is the world we live in and nations/governments/leaders/etc. who choose to ignore other countries with imperialistic aspirations, do so to their folly.
Russia has a massive reserve components, and like most "active reserves" they have to practice and "Train" once in a while (like once a year). Schools let out, and Reservists go to "Summer Camp". Thus an expansion in Russian Military activity starting in May is expected, the US does the same thing with its Reserves and National Guard (once every five years each unit has to do a "Winter Camp" but the other four years the two week training sessions are in the Summer starting in May and ending in September, with most in June, July and August.
Now, that does NOT rule out that these troops could be used to invade the Ukraine, but if Russia was going to do that, they be doing a better job of hiding the call up.
School is out, the planting has been finished, harvest starts in August or September, thus it is time to train.
Now, this does not mean that the Russian can not divert these troops to invade the Ukraine, but that would require movement right up to the border, something no one is saying is occurring. i.e. The scene at the base on the Kuzminsky firing range, around 50 km (30 miles) from the border. 30 miles that is a US Eastern County and a half away. The area held by the rebels is smaller then the distance any Russia forces would have to travel from that Firing Range to the Ukrainian border.
I suspect this is much to do about nothing. If I was in command I would keep on eye on the activities (To see if they is any movement to the Border), but unless they move closer to the border dismiss them as training exercises.
To call this a prelude to an invasion is to call the NATO maneuvers in the Baltic a preparations to attack Russia. Can both be converted to an attack. Yes. Will they be? I suspect the answer to that second question is NO.
One more detail, Russian military doctrine, dating back to Soviet days, depends on moving not only troops and tanks, but air bases in combat. In the days of the Soviet Union, jet fighters could take off from one field, where they had spent the night, take off, do they combat mission, and land in another field, where they ground crews have moved to and set up support areas (fuel, ammo, bombs, missiles extra parts all go on the road between these two
"airfields" . The Soviets even had a procedure to move air craft by ROAD from one air field to another so they could take off from a field miles away from where they landed. Today's Russia military is NOT up to that level, but that basic doctrine reminds. Thus you have to keep in eye on them, but you need more then the fact they are in an area where Russia forces have trained in the past (and where Soviet Forces trained in the days of the Soviet Union).
As to removing insignia, that is standard practice in all Armies given what is known as "Snipers". "Snipers" prefer to hit officers and key personal, thus removing insignia is one way for such officers and key personal to blend in with the rest of the troops. Same with removing unit designation, that is done as part of training so that when you go into combat it is second nature to remove such designation. Out of combat those designation may be useful, but more danger in combat then useful. This does NOT mean that these troops are headed for the Ukraine, but it also does not mean these troops are just doing routine Summer Training.
The drone was reportedly initially flying at a height of 1000 metres before descending to 250 metres to conduct reconnaissance, at which point Ukrainian forces were able to shoot it down. Its operational radius is 250km.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia now has 11 such pilotless drones in its arsenal.
The drone captured by Ukraine cannot be restored to service, but the country has offered it as further evidence of Russian aggression.
http://uatoday.tv/society/russian-army-in-ukraine-ukraine-displays-6m-spy-drone-shot-down-near-donetsk-429380.html
Russian FORPOST UAV #923 at JSC “Ural Works of Civil Aviation” factory in 2013
Russian FORPOST UAV #923 at JSC “Ural Works of Civil Aviation” factory in 2013
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=edit&forum=1002&thread=6728077
The Putin people here were very quiet when I posted this, wonder why?
I have read several reports of Russians volunteering to fight with the Rebels. Putin has acknowledge that, but denies he authorized them to do so. One of the problem with the area in question is people have relatives on both sides of the border, the border between the Ukraine and Russia is like the border between Ohio and Indiana, a line drawn in the dirt, with farms on both sides of that line (and some farms on both sides of that line).
Now the Ukraine has built a fence on its border with Russia that is NOT held be rebels
I love this from the Daily Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2579168/Ukraine-warns-scale-invasion-Russia-moves-artillery-close-borders-Kiev-security-chief-says-Putins-troops-run-three-hours.html
270 tanks? This is the RUSSIAN Army not some tin plated third world dictator, 270 tanks would be used to put down a old fashioned tea and crumpet party, when it comes to invading countries Russia thinks in terms of THOUSANDS NOT HUNDREDS.
Today, Russia has the following fighting Vehicles:
Main battle tanks..................2,562.......with about 12,500 in reserves
Infantry fighting vehicles........3,229,,,,,,,with at last another 16,500 in reserves
Armored personnel carriers......2,876.......with at least another 5,000 in reserves
Russia has NO threats on its border with Kazakhstan, Belarus or China, thus no need to keep reserves of tanks on those borders. Russia is the object of "Fear" in Finland, Latvia and Estonia, but can handle those areas with tanks called up from reserves that when called up brought up to fighting level. Thus Putin could put all of his 2562 latest and most up to date tanks on the Ukraine border not 270 tanks. The same with "Armored vehicles" he has over 6000 such armored vehicles in active use, and another 21,500 in reserves, thus he can send in more then 180 such vehicles if he was planning to move into the Ukraine.
This is almost like someone saying "He has a KNIFE, a 3 inch plastic kitchen knife, he plans to kill us all".
In March 2015 the US moved over "120 armored vehicles to Latvia" did that mean the US was going to Invade Russia? The Answer is NO, but they were on the Borders of Russia, a lot closer then these Russian vehicles are to the Border of the Ukraine:
http://rt.com/news/239021-us-tanks-latvia-arrive/
Some here distrust RT, but it was the first one up on the US Armored vehicles in the Baltics but here are some other cites:
http://www.vocativ.com/world/russia/us-troops-latvia-russia-border/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/13/world/army-convoy-through-europe/
Here are US and British troops BRAGGING about being 300 yards from the Russian Border IN THEIR ARMORED VEHICLES:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/british-and-us-troops-parade-300-yards-from-russian-border-in-show-of-western-unity-10069412.html
This Article is saying 350 pieces of US Armor is headed for the Russian border"
http://dailycaller.com/2015/03/10/us-military-to-send-3000-troops-750-pieces-of-armor-to-eastern-europe/
Remember the above Amour is NOT staying within the country the Armor is coming from, but going to a THIRD country on the border of that country to threaten Russia. Russian Troops and Armor are ALL IN RUSSIA, where they are expected to be.
As to the volunteers, foreign volunteers, including at least one American, have been fighting for the Ukrainian government. No one is calling for the arrest of these Volunteers, thus why should Volunteers not be allowed for the Rebels?
How come the problems are on the Russian Borders but NEVER the Russian side of the border? One reason is when these borders were drawn, it was the intention of Moscow to have a large Russian speaking population in these Countries, and today these countries want to get rid of these Russian Speakers, but most had lived they all their lives and can trace their family to these areas since the 1950s (Latvia, Estonia) or the 1930s or earlier (The Ukraine).
In regards to the Ukraine, why is part of the Drainage area of the DON River in the Ukraine? The Don is considered a Russian River for it comes within 50 miles of the Volga River. Rivers unite people, and the Russia People came to see themselves as one people along the Volga. The Ukrainian did the same along the Dnieper, the Poles along the Vistula River (The Germans along the Elbe, Rhine and Upper Danube Rivers). The Don ends up connecting to the Volga and became a "Russian River". Kharkov in on the Donets which starts in Russia, flows through the Ukraine, then flows back into Russia before it flows into the Don River. The Area in Rebellion is on the Donets. Stalin when he put the Donets in the Ukraine, it was to put a large Russian Speaking population in the Ukraine. The Donets River should be in Russia and the sooner Kiev accept that, either by agreeing to a Federation or the people of the Don River declares themselves independent, the sooner this conflict will end.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnieper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donets
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donbass#Demographics_and_politics
Interesting Chart: 60% of the area in revolt say they are Ukrainians, but just over 20% speak Ukrainian. with just under 80% speaking Russian:
Up river from the Dombass is Kharkov and you see similar results, 70% Ukrainian by Nationality, but 44% speak Russian as their native language, through you also have greater support to stay in the Ukraine then you see in the Dombass area:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharkiv_Oblast
Sorry, you have a lot of people on both sides of that border who do NOT see that border as real. Thus you will seen citizens of Russians volunteering to help their fellow Russians keep their rights in the Ukraine. So far federation would be a first step in achieving peace, but the Government lacks the internal support to agree to a federation (to many people in the Western Ukraine want a strong central government they control, thus they would have control over all of the Ukraine, something the Russian Speakers in the East reject). Some how a deal has to be made, but except for Putin and his proposal for Federalizing the Ukraine no one has come up with one.
