Ukraine War Update - 3 July 2015

Friday, July 3, 2015  6:27 AM PDT

Putin's deeds is what the world hasn't seen since WWII, Albright says

   (Censor.NET) --- Deterioration of relations between the U.S./NATO and Russia occurred through the fault of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

   As reported by Censor.NET citing Inopressa, this was announced by the former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (1997-2001) in an interview to Die Welt.

   She explains that Putin's deeds is what the world hasn't seen since WWII: abuse of power with the purpose to occupy a sovereign state.

   The former secretary of state deems it rather important for the people to realize this conflict was provoked by Putin.

   Albright is sure it is important that people show unanimity reacting to his actions, adding that it is incidents in the crisis area people have to fear, not a new cold war.

   She explains that the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer says that most concerns are provoked by possible incidents in the conflict zone. Russians fly over the Northern Sea Route with transponders turned off. Moreover, the "little green men" - armed militants supported by Russia - are trying to control the population.

   Albright also draws parallels between the conflict in Ukraine and the war in Yugoslavia. She complains that when Bill Clinton became president, the war in Bosnia was a serious problem. People thought that if Bosnia was in Europe, the problem should be dealt with by Europeans. As a result it took quite a long time until the international community reacted with actions. Ukraine is the same. People also believe that Ukraine is in Europe and it is Europeans who should care.

   In general, with the exception of Iraq, Albright appreciates the presidency of Barack Obama.

   She finds he has done a very good job in an extremely difficult situation. Albright says the war in Afghanistan, unfortunately, was necessary because the natives of the country were the people who had committed attacks on Sep. 11. On the contrary, there had been an unnecessary war in Iraq. It was one of the most disastrous political decisions of the U.S. foreign policy both because of the large number of dead and lots of harm to the image and budget of America.

Friday, July 3, 2015  6:21 AM PDT

Russian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Ukrainian border

   (Censor.NET) --- Military aircraft MiG-29 crashed during a training flight in the Krasnodar region.

   This is reported by Censor.NET citing Interfax.

   "At 3 p.m. (Moscow time) MiG-29 conducting a training flight fell in the vicinity of Kushchevskaya village. According to preliminary data, the pilot ejected," a source in the emergency service of the region stated.

   The details of the incident are being specified.

   In early June, a fighter jet of the same model crashed near Astrakhan.

   MiG-29 is a is a twin-engine super-maneuverable jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union in the 1970's. It entered into service in 1983.

Friday, July 3, 2015  5:50 AM PDT

Four Ukrainian soldiers wounded in Donbas conflict zone in last day

   (UNIAN) --- No Ukrainian soldiers were killed but four were wounded in the Donbas conflict zone over the last 24 hours, head of the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters, Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk said at a briefing on Friday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

   "Over the last day, we haven't lost any Ukrainian soldiers, but four were injured as a result of military clashes," Motuzianyk said.

   The day before, on July 1, casualties in the Donbas conflict zone were similar: no Ukrainian soldiers were killed but four were injured.

   As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian-backed militants attacked Ukrainian army positions and civilian areas in eastern Ukraine only three times from midnight to Friday morning.

Friday, July 3, 2015  4:35 AM PDT

Militants committed large-scale provocation near Krymske resulting in hour and a half battle, - АТО speaker.

   (Censor.NET) --- Militants continue firing banned weapons. In particular, in the village of Pesky the terrorists used tanks and 120-mm mortars. An hour and a half battle occurred near Krymske.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced today by the Presidential Administration representative on ATO matters Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk.
   In Luhansk direction there are ongoing everyday mortar shellings of Stanytsia Luhanska, resulting in new destructions. At the same time, thanks to the work of our repairmen, supply of electricity and mobile connection has been restored. Moreover, a large-scale provocation has been committed by militants near Krymske: the battle lasted more than hour and a half. Also, some armed provocations by illegal armed units have occurred in other areas - in Shchastia, Triokhizbenka, Zolote.

   In Donetsk direction situation near Horlivka remains relatively stable: in spite of the numerous firings in the western area (the villages of Leninske and Kirove), the use of large-caliber weapons by illegal armed units has not been recorded. To the west of Donetsk the situation is more tense with Pesky being the epicenter of confrontation yesterday. At our lines near airport the use of enemy tanks, 120-mm mortars and snipers has been recorded.

   In Mariupol direction situation has somewhat stabilized. Illegal armed units used heavy weapons (guns and mortars) only in the coastal area (from Sopine to Shyrokine). At the same time, the haphazard fire by militants in the village of Chermalyk has resulted in destructions and severe damage to infrastructure.
   Yesterday within Donetsk and Luhansk area 12 flights of enemy drones were recorded. Two more drones and a Mi-8 helicopter of the aggressor have been noticed by border guards at the administrative border with the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Friday, July 3, 2015  4:27 AM PDT

Terrorists attacked checkpoints near Berezove and Stanytsia-Luhanska – State Border Guard Service

   (Censor.NET) --- The situation in the ATO area remains complicated. The terrorists kept violating the terms of the cease-fire deal over the past 24 hours.

   Censor.NET reports citing the State Border Guard Service press center.

   "The Russian mercenaries fired at Berezove checkpoint which was guarded both by the Armed Forces soldiers and border guards. The bandits opened fire with small arms. The Ukrainian soldiers' retaliation fire forced the enemy to retreat. The terrorists also shelled the Border Guard Service Department in Stanytsia-Luhanska from mortars. Any Ukrainian soldier was hurt as a result of the attacks.

   12 unmanned aerial vehicles were recorded flying within the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The bandits are actively using them to carry out aerial reconnaissance of the Ukrainian armed forces' places of deployment. Two drones and a Mi-8 helicopter were recorded by the border guards near the administrative border with the occupied Crimea.

Thursday, July 2, 2015  22:48 PDT

Ukraine sends to US list of Russian generals commanding rebel troops

   (Zik) --- Ukraine Security Service sent a memo to Washington, saying five Russian army generals are in command of the rebel forces in Donbas, Gazeta.ru reports July 3.

   The memo, published by Bloomberg, says there are 9,000 regular Russian troops in Donbas.

   The memo also points to a large number of Russian army tanks, APCs, Grad missile systems and artillery. 

   The Ukrainian government has repeatedly accused Moscow of moving its forces to Donbas. Pres Putin, however, refused point blank to admit their presence in Ukraine calling them Russian servicemen who went to Donbas “on their own will while on vacation.”

Thursday, July 2, 2015  12:08 PDT

Rebels withdraw from Shyrokine

   (Zik) --- Rebel troops have left Shyrokine and took defense positions to the east of the city, Ukraine army spokesman says July 2.

   The city is silent, and OSCE is going to set up its observation post there.

   “At last, the breakaway republics leaders realized the need to implement the Minsk agreements [withdrawing from Shirokine was one of its provisions – Ed.] It took the rebels 9 long months to comply with the agreements.

   The utter cynicism of the separatists lies in the fact that, ahead of the upcoming talks in Minsk, they returned to Ukraine the destroyed city without its residents, describing the move as the implementation of the Minsk agreements,” Ukraine army spokesman says.