Ukraine crisis prompts German debate on restocking military

   BERLIN (Reuters) --- Germany is considering buying more tanks in the light of the Ukraine crisis and Russia, after years of drastic cuts left the military operating with just 75 percent of the heavy equipment it needs.

Europe's deteriorating relations with

   At the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, the then West Germany had more than 3,500 tanks. Today it has 225. Senior Western officials accused Russia last week of redrawing the map of Europe by force, and posing a threat to the Baltic states.

   "Land defense and defense of our alliance has always been an important duty for the German military and over the last year this has only gained in importance," said Jens Flossdorf, a spokesman for German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen.

   "NATO has set new goals on flexibility and rapid reaction time. That is why we are examining what appropriate modernizations and revisions we can make to boost existing structures," he added.

   Internally there is deep scorn for the German military's so-called "dynamic availability management" - which in practice means soldiers having to share tanks and heavy equipment across different units. The military has also been hit by procurement gaffes and equipment faults.

   Lawmakers on both sides of Germany's right-left coalition have called for Germany to properly restock its military.

   "We cannot allow ourselves any hollow structures given the actual security situation," said Social Democrat Peter Bartels.

   Germany should increase its number of Leopard 2 tanks to 300 and reverse the cancellation of an order for 50 Puma tanks, he said. The Leopard is made by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and the Puma by Rheinmetall and KMW.

   Any restocking would be particularly welcomed by Germany's arms industry, which has seen sales squeezed by European defense budget cuts and tighter restrictions on arms exports.

   Western security officials are considering a potential crisis scenario where the Baltic states' large Russian minority stage a Moscow-backed uprising, as in eastern Ukraine. This would oblige NATO to secure its 2,000 kilometer eastern border through the Baltic states and Poland.

   Germany would need to play a key role, for which its 225 tanks would not suffice, a high-ranking German officer said.

   Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "real and present danger" to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and said NATO is getting ready to repel any aggression.

Ukraine War Update - 26 February 2015

Thursday, February 26, 2015  7:13 AM PST

Organizers of terrorist attack in Kharkiv detained - Turchynov

   KIEV, February 26 (Ukrinform). --- The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Interior Ministry have detained the criminals, involved in the terrorist attack in Kharkiv on February 22.

   This has been reported by information-analytical center of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC), citing the statement of the NSDC secretary Oleksandr Turchynov.

   According to him, on February 26, members of the terrorist group were arrested during a special operation carried out in Kharkiv.

   "The police seized weapons and ammunition, including plastids, detonators for explosives and grenades," Turchynov said, adding that among the detainees there are "organizers of the crime, as well as direct perpetrators of the terrorist act."

   Two other criminals, associated with this group, were detained by the Interior Ministry officers in Mariupol, where they were preparing a terrorist attack.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  6:56 AM PST

"MT-12 guns should be withdrawn first" - Ukrainian detachments started pulling out heavy weapons from Mariupol.

   (Censor.NET) --- The Ukrainian units deployed near Mariupol started withdrawal of heavy weapons according to Minsk agreements.

100 mm caliber MT-12 guns should be withdrawn to the agreed distance in the first place, Censor.NET reports.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  6:34 AM PST

Russia deployed more than a thousand units of military equipment to the Donbas in recent months - NATO Secretary General

   (Censor.NET) --- Russia has deployed more than one thousand units of military equipment on the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as of Feb. 26.

   NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg statement, published on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization official website reads, Censor.NET informs citing Ukrainski Novyny.

   Stoltenberg stated that Russia has redeployed more than a thousand units of military equipment, tanks, artillery and air defense systems in recent months.

   According to him, Russia should withdraw this equipment and stop supporting militants in the Donbas.

   Stoltenberg praised the signs of declining intensity of hostilities in Ukraine and expressed hope that the parties to the conflict will observe the cease-fire.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  4:42 AM PST

Ukraine to start withdrawal of heavy weapons from the demarcation line - Joint Staff

   (Censor.NET) --- In compliance with the Minsk agreements of Feb. 12, Ukraine will start to withdraw 100-mm canons from the demarcation line Thursday.

   Censor.NET reports citing the press service of the Joint Staff of the Ukrainian army.
   "This is the first step towards withdrawal of the heavy weapons. It will be conducted exclusively under monitoring and verification of the OSCE," the Joint Staff noted.
   The Ukrainian party will also demand for complete cease-fire and urgent compliance with the Minsk agreements from all the parties that signed them.
   "In case of attacks, the withdrawal schedule will be corrected. Ukrainian troops are in complete assembly for defense of the country," the Joint Staff stressed.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  4:08 AM PST

Russia continues supplying manpower and weapons to Donbas – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe

   (Censor.NET) --- The Commander of U.S. European Command says that just this month Russian troops were fighting in order to change the situation in the Donbas in favor of the militants.

   Commander of U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and Allied Command Operations for NATO Philip Breedlove stated, Censor.NET reports citing the U.S. Department of Defense.

   Speaking before the Pentagon press corps Breedlove said that Russia's actions violate international laws and norms and that a political solution is the best way to bring the conflict to a lasting end.

   But, he added, "since the beginning of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine we have seen evidence of direct, wide-ranging Russian involvement from the supply of basic military equipment to logistics, command and control, air defense, and the list goes on."

   Unidentified Russian specialized troops who first appeared in Crimea now direct and train pro-Russian separatists, Breedlove said. And evidence shows that Russia fired artillery over its border into Eastern Ukraine during the initial stages of the conflict, the general said.

   Russia has also transferred more than 1,000 pieces of Russian military equipment into Ukraine, including tanks, armoured personnel carriers, heavy artillery pieces, and other military vehicles, he noted, that have been used on the front lines against Ukrainian forces.

   "What we see on the ground is a revanchist Russia that does not play by international rules or norms [and] their activities are destabilizing to neighboring states … and have a global impact," Breedlove said.

   During a hearing in the House of Representatives Committee on law enforcement agencies in Washington Breedlove noted that just this month Russian troops were engaged in heavy fighting after the announcement of the date of the cease-fire, with a goal of changing the situation in the Donbas, Radio Svoboda reports. On Feb. 12 leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia have agreed on a cease-fire in the Donbas to start on Feb. 15, but the new agreements reached in Minsk are being constantly violated. In particular, the pro-Russian separatists and Russian troops continued their assault on the city of Debaltseve in the Donetsk region.

   Russia claims that it is not bound by any obligations under the Minsk arrangements sine it is merely a "guarantor", but not a party to the agreement. Ukraine and the West accused Russia of supporting the pro-Russian militants in the Donbas. In turn, Moscow denies any wrongdoing.

Thursday, February 26, 2015  4:01 AM PST

Four Ukrainian soldiers wounded, no one killed over the past 24 hours - NSDC

   (Censor.NET) --- Over the past day, four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the ATO area.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the ATO speaker Colonel Andrii Lysenko. 

France Warns Russia And Its Allies Not To Advance On Ukrainian Port City

   (NPR) --- French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said this morning on French radio that if separatist troops Mariupol, that would constitute a new red line.

Ukrainian servicemen stand guard on a street near a burning 

building after a shelling by pro-Russian rebels of a residential 

sector in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, last month.  

Reuters /Landov

advanced on the Ukrainian city of

   "I told my counterpart Sergei Lavrov that such a move would mean Russia wants to make a link with Crimea, and that would change everything," said Fabius.

   Then he stated that Europe would have to look at slapping new sanctions on Russia.

   Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has been making the rounds of European capitals, working to get a real cease-fire in place and to get Russian troops out of his country. Russia denies that its forces are in Ukraine and that it is assisting separatists.

   At a summit just 10 days ago in Brussels, Belgium, on the day after the second Minsk cease-fire agreement was signed, Poroshenko had seemed hopeful. He said he felt a real unity and support for Ukraine from its European partners.

   One French analyst says it is becoming increasingly painful to watch fruitless negotiations with Russia, when it is clear the separatists and their Russian allies have no intention of stopping the fight.

   Just days after the February 12 peace agreement was signed, they launched a final assault on the key train hub town of Debaltseve, forcing Ukrainian forces to withdraw.

   Now there are reports of shelling around the port city of Mariupol. If the city were to fall to separatists, a land corridor would be created between separatist territory and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia last year.

   One Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, has published what it says is a classified Kremlin document from February 2014, which meticulously plans the annexation of Crimea and the destabilizing of eastern Ukraine.

   Russia's continued denials of having soldiers or military equipment in Ukraine are becoming farcical, said one French columnist. Another French newspaper asked how it was possible to continue negotiating in the face of the extreme cynicism of Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

   Across the Atlantic, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called the Ukrainian separatists a de facto extension of the Russian army.

   Yesterday's discussions in Paris by the four signatories to the Minsk agreement (France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia) produced little but tension and disagreement. The only thing the foreign ministers agreed upon was to bolster a European peace-monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine.

China submarines outnumber U.S. fleet: U.S. admiral

   WASHINGTON (Reuters) --- China is building some "fairly amazing submarines" and now has more diesel- and nuclear-powered vessels than the United States, a top U.S. Navy admiral told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday, although he said their quality was inferior.

   Vice Admiral Joseph Mulloy, deputy chief of naval operations for capabilities and resources, told the House Armed Services Committee's seapower subcommittee that China was also expanding the geographic areas of operation for its submarines, and their length of deployment.

   For instance, China had carried out three deployments in the Indian Ocean, and had kept vessels out at sea for 95 days, Mulloy said.

   "We know they are out experimenting and looking at operating and clearly want to be in this world of advanced submarines," Mulloy told the committee.

   U.S. military officials in recent months have grown increasingly vocal about China's military buildup and launched a major push to ensure that U.S. military technology stays ahead of rapid advances by China and Russia.

   Mulloy said the quality of China's submarines was lower than those built by the United States, but the size of its undersea fleet had now surpassed that of the U.S. fleet. A spokeswoman said the U.S. Navy had 71 commissioned U.S. submarines.

   U.S. submarines are built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. and General Dynamics Corp.

   In its last annual report to Congress about China's military and security developments, the Pentagon said China had 77 principal surface combatant ships, more than 60 submarines, 55 large and medium amphibious ships, and about 85 missile-equipped small combatants.

   Mulloy did not provide details about the number of surface ships now operated by China.

   He said the U.S. military did not believe China carried nuclear missiles on its submarines, but that it had been producing missiles and testing them.

Top Secret Briefing Advising Putin on Break-Up of Ukraine Leaked

   (Newsweek) --- A top secret Kremlin briefing purportedly intended for the eyes of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of Ukraine’s revolution which discusses how to co-opt regions of the country’s east into the Russian Federation has been leaked, according to Russian media. 

   The document, which forsees the break-up of Ukraine, with eastern regions joining Russia “in some form or another”, was printed in daily newspaper Novaya Gazeta today.

   It consists of a seven-point policy brief, advising the Kremlin on how Russia should react to the likely collapse of the regime of then-president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych. The document advises Putin on how to “reorient” regions of Ukraine to Russian influence.

   Novaya Gazeta estimates that the memo dates back to the eve of Ukraine’s Euromaidan uprising between February 4 and 12, 2014 and were intended to be submitted to the presidential administration. However Novaya Gazeta could not confirm that Putin had ever seen the papers nor could Newsweek verify their authenticity independently .

   Point three of the document laments that the Ukrainian constitution doesn’t contain mechanisms by which the country’s eastern territories and Crimea might decide to secede and join the Russian Federation. The author therefore suggests that it is then right for Russia to “play on the aspirations” of eastern Ukrainian regions with pro-Russian sentiments, to allow them "ascension" to Russia "in one form or another.”

   Thus, the author of the document highlights the need for Russia to first “sign contracts for cross-border cooperation [ed with these regions], after which [they can] establish direct government-agreed relations with these Ukrainian territories where there are durable pro-Russian electoral sympathies."

   The author highlights Crimea and Kharkiv as regions pro-Russian groups are already strong enough to push for “maximum integration” with Russia, also listing Luhansk and three other eastern Ukrainian regions. Crimea was annexed by Russia in March last year, while pro-Russian separatists are currently battling pro-Kiev forces for control of Luhansk.

   Interestingly the region of Donetsk, which has seen some of the most invigorated pro-Russian militias and fiercest fighting, is omitted from that list as the author believed local Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov’s control there was too strong.

   In Novaya Gazeta’s notes on the document, the paper highlights how pragmatic the document is, in juxtaposition with the image of the Ukrainian conflict which the Kremlin have presented to the world “There is no ‘spiritual-historical’ justification for Russian interference in Ukraine [in the document],” Andrey Lipsky, Novaya Gazeta’s political editor writes. “There are no arguments about ‘Novorossiya’ [New Russia] or the protection of Russian-speakers, or the ‘Russian world’ or the resurgent ‘Russian Spring’. Only geopolitics and cold expediency.”

   Instead, the reason for Russian interference in regions of Ukraine given by the author is retaining control over Ukraine’s gas pipelines and strengthening Russia’s role in Eastern and Central Europe.

   Elsewhere Yanukovych is notably described rather negatively as an individual “of inconsiderable moral will”. The author of the document does not believe he would stay in power for long, saying that there is no longer a need for “the Russian federation to provide any political, diplomatic, financial or informational support”.

   According to Lilia Shevtsova, Kremlinologist and Russia expert at Moscow’s Carnegie Endowment for Peace, the leaked document’s publication is very significant.  

   “This ‘plan’ suggests that the attempts of the forces close to the Kremlin, apparently working on Kremlin orders, to find ways to subjugate Ukraine had been undertaken before Yanukovych’s collapse, thus we are dealing with a certain strategy that fits Putin's new survival doctrine adopted in 2012-2013,” she says.

   “The interesting part is the fact that the plan includes a demand to the change the Ukrainian constitution which has become the Kremlin's demand and recently became the condition of the Minsk-2 truce, endorsed by the Merkel- Hollande tandem,” Shevtsova adds, referring to the ceasefire meeting in Minsk a fortnight ago negotiated between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.

   According to Newsweek’s Russia correspondent, Anna Nemtsova, another interesting aspect of the leaked documents is how it came into Novaya Gazeta’s possession.

   “The most interesting part about the document was the motivation of the Kremlin-insider source,” Nemtsova says.

   “Novaya Gazeta’s deputy editor has known the source for many years and he tells me that there are people in the Kremlin who feel concerned about Russia's future and want to stop the war with somebody's hands, or at least change the public opinion,” Nemtsova adds

   “On the other hand, other Kremlin experts tell me that the document in Novaya had no significance - that Putin had received many similar briefings in the past decade.”

   The newspaper stated that a figure possibly linked with the memo is Kremlin-ally and billionaire Constantine Malofeev. According to the newspaper, however, Malofeev’s press representative “categorically denied” his alleged involvement in drafting the document as soon as the Novaya Gazeta announced that they would publish it and linked them to Malofeev on the Echo of Moscow radio station last week.

   Malofeev’s representative told the paper he will pursue legal action because of their claims he is linked to the document.

Russian paratroopers in drills on border with Estonia, Latvia

   Moscow (AFP) --- Up to 2,000 Russian soldiers took part in drills in the country's west on Wednesday as conducted an inspection of its paratrooper units in the latest show of strength likely to alarm its neighbours.

Russian paratroopers march outside Moscow on April 20, 

2011 (AFP Photo/Natalia Kolesnikova)

Moscow

   Some 500 units of equipment were also to be included in drills in the western Pskov region which borders EU members Estonia and Latvia, defence ministry spokeswoman Irina Kruglova told AFP.

   The drills, which will see some 1,500 paratroopers parachute en masse, were to continue until Saturday, she said, adding that soldiers would also capture and destroy a fictional enemy's airfield.

   Since the start of the Ukraine crisis, Russia has staged a series of drills that have alarmed its post-Soviet neighbours and the West.

   "It's an unpleasant surprise to learn of these sudden exercises but not something we're worried about," Normunds Stafeckis, spokesman for Latvia's defence ministry, told AFP.

   "Nevertheless, when you have an airborne division and attack helicopters operating near the border, it isn't pleasant."

   Lithuania said on Tuesday it would return to limited conscription later this year.

   Estonia marked its independence day on Tuesday with a military parade on its eastern border with Russia.

   Last week NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Adrian Bradshaw, said that Russia could try to seize territory from NATO states off the back of fighting in Ukraine.

   The Russian drills came amid a faltering truce in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have been battling government troops since April.

Ukraine War Update - 25 February 2015

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  9:06 AM PST

Russian tanks from 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade in service with ‘Oplot’ terrorists.

   (Censor.NET) --- The Russian tanks of the 15th Motorized Rifle Brigade discovered being in service with the ‘Oplot’ and ‘Vostok’ terrorist groups.

   Censor.NET informs citing report by investigative blogger Al Gri for InformNapalm.

   "The news that the Russian Army detachments were not found in the Rostov region which was first voiced by the Ukrainian and then by the Dutch inspectors, was very necessary for Moscow as a counterargument to the numerous well-founded charges. But if you look at the photographs provided by Google, you may clearly see that there are troops and equipment in the military camps located close to the border with Ukraine. So, where have they all gone?

   "Everyone remembers the events that were taking place in Ukraine in the spring of 2014. It was the upsurge of violence, the occupation of Crimea, appearing groups of the separatist movement, which were able to resist the Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation detachments, and even shoot down military planes and helicopters. Some of these groups got their own armoured equipment by the summer. The main detachments with tanks in "militia" were the so called 'Vostok', 'Zaria', and 'Oplot' battalions.

   "The 'Oplot' battalion tanks were the main participants of all significant operations in the Donbas war including Ilovaisk, Donetsk, and Debaltseve," the author of the report notes.

   "Tanks of the battalion supported and protected the actions of Motorola, Givi, and other chieftains-criminals. However, it is still unknown why this battalion, which, according to Moscow's assurances was conducting some Orthodox-communist-anti-fascist struggle, had chosen death's head as its symbol.

   'Oplot' was one of the first separatists' detachments which demonstrated a remarkable ability to simultaneously operate two types of tanks, which have the same functions but almost completely non-concurrent spare parts. It seems to me that there is no need to once again point to the fact that both types of tanks were produced only by Russia," the report reads.

   

   "It goes without saying that there were losses.

   "But the destroyed 'Oplot' battalion's tanks were replaced by new ones which is very strange for the war-ravaged Donbas. Some of them have even been given their own names: "Granit", "Viking", etc.

"These abovementioned tanks reached Debaltseve itself though not quite in a good condition. And for some reason, there are traces of the old identification numbers, which were applied in red paint on the spare parts boxes of both tanks.

"And the following photos by RIA Novosti were just yesterday managed to be found in the abyss of the Internet:

   "The photo clearly shows standard Russian side number of the tank that has already been disfigured by the inscription of "Viking". But, more importantly, the Russian tactical sign of tank detachment, stenciled in red paint may be clearly seen. And if you look at the tactical mark of the 15th Motorized Rifle Brigade, you will find a surprising similarity with the sign on the side of the "Viking" tank. So, that's where all the Russian troops have gone! It turns out that the Russian troops should be searched for not in the Rostov region but on the Ukrainian territory already. In particular, it's worth examining the armament of the 'Oplot' battalion," the blogger wrote.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  8:59 AM PST

Two Russian propaganda journalists detained in downtown Kiev to be deported to Russia with further ban on entry to Ukraine - SBU

   (Censor.NET) --- Two Russian journalists were detained in the capital of Ukraine. Today they will deported from the country.

   This was stated by SBU spokesperson Olena Hitlianska on Wednesday, Censor.NET reports citing Interfax-Ukraine.

   "The Security Service of Ukraine detained two journalists of Russian NTV and ORT channels in Kiev; a decision was made to cut the duration of their stay in Ukraine short. Today, they will be deported to the Russian Federation with a further ban on entry to Ukraine for five years," she said.

   She stressed that these actions of the SBU are due to "anti-Ukrainian propaganda by these journalists."

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  7:16 AM PST

Ukrainian positions shelled 17 times, no victims reported

   KIEV, February 25 (Ukrinform). --- Over the past day Ukrainian positions in the area of the anti-terrorist operation were fired at 17 times, there are no victims reported.

   Spokesman for the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kiev on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

   "Over the past day shelling of our positions in the east of Ukraine was observed 17 times ... There are no victims, one soldier has been wounded," Lysenko said.

   He also noted that the enemy conducts regrouping of its forces.

   "Despite the claims of LPR and DPR gang leaders to start withdrawal of military equipment from the line of contact in accordance with the Minsk agreements, over the past two days, movement of GRAD multiple launch rocket systems, armoured vehicles, off-road vehicles, fuel trucks and significant number of covered trucks with personnel and ammunition from the territory of the Russian Federation were observed,” he said.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  6:41 AM PST

Volunteers from Lviv, Western Ukraine, construct drones and teach soldiers how to use them.

   (Censor.NET) --- Volunteers from the Western Ukrainian city of Lviv construct their own drones and teach Ukrainian soldiers how to operate them.

   As reported by Censor.NET, the volunteers, who have been doing this for only a few months now, buy all the parts abroad and put them together in one of Lviv's workshops. They assure that technically, their drones are not worse than those of foreign construction, and at the same time much cheaper.

   The volunteers test their drones every day outside the city. They are very proud with what they do - their drones can fly for nearly 40 kilometers without recharge and up to 3,000 m high.

   In order to pilot the drone, one needs to be trained. Now, a soldier from the ATO area is being trained by the volunteers outside Lviv, and in a few days the military will go back to the front line with the presented Unmanned aircraft.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  5:28 AM PST

Russia redeployed large batch of military equipment and weapons to Donbas terrorists – ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Russia continues to supply weapons to the terrorists in the Donbas.

   The staff of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) stated that Russia was redeploying a large number of equipment and weapons. This was announced at a briefing of the ATO speaker Andrii Lysenko, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainian News.

   "The enemy is regrouping and restoring combat capability of its units, replenishing ammunition, technical means, fuel and lubricants. Despite the claims of "DPR" and "LPR" warlords about commencement of the military equipment withdrawal from the demarcation line in accordance with the Minsk agreements, there was movement of MLRS Grad, APCs, all-terrain vehicles, fuel trucks, and a significant number of tent vehicles with personnel and ammunition from the territory of the Russian Federation through the Izvaryne checkpoint. In addition, there was recorded movement of a large number of tanks, Grad systems and other military equipment to Novoazovsk," Lysenko said.

   According to him, the terrorists are withdrawing the damaged equipment to Russia in order to restore it.

   Earlier, the ATO command refuted the beginning of heavy weapons withdrawal from the demarcation line claimed by the terrorists.

   The past 24 hours passed without losses among the Ukrainian troops with one soldier wounded.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  5:04 AM PST

"These sniper complexes can be operated by specially trained military only" - Ukrainian soldiers speak of Russian army presence in Donbas.

   (Censor.NET) --- Ukrainian soldiers say that Russian terrorists use weapons which need special skills and lengthy training.

   As reported by Censor.NET, Ukrainian soldiers believe that 'students from Horlivka' are not qualified enough to effectively use such weapons, this is why, most probably, Ukrainian detachments at the front line fight with Russia's regular troops.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  2:54 AM PST

No one killed, one soldier wounded in the ATO area Tuesday - NSDC

   (Censor.NET) --- One Ukrainian soldier was wounded over the past 24 hours in the ATO area, no one was killed.

   This was announced by the ATO speaker Andrii Lysenko on a Wednesday briefing, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainska Pravda.

   "On Tuesday, one soldier was wounded and no one killed," Lysenko said.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  2:38 AM PST

Ukrainian Troops Complete Training Near Lviv

   (RFE/RL) --- More than five thousand Ukrainian troops completed basic training at a military firing range near the western city of Lviv on February 24. The average age of the recruits, some of whom are volunteers while others have been mobilized, is 40. They will be sent for further training with units, before eventually being deployed in the war zone.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  2:38 AM PST

Ukraine Imposes More Controls On Foreign-Currency Purchases

   (RFE/RL) --- Ukraine’s central bank has imposed a temporary ban on purchases of foreign currencies by authorized banks on behalf of their customers.

   The ban, in effect from February 25 to February 27, is the latest move by Ukraine’s National Bank aimed at supporting the troubled hryvnya currency.

   The central  bank also increased the waiting time from three to four business days for the purchase of foreign currency through deposits in special accounts, or for making advance payments on imports worth more than $50,000.

   Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk criticized the move, saying it was made without consultation with the government and would not bring stability to the hryvnya.

   Yatsenyuk also called on parliament to convene urgently to debate how to stabilize Ukraine’s financial system.

   Ukraine’s conflict has hit the economy hard, with the hryvnya losing about 70 percent of its value on foreign-exchange markets during the past year.

   On February 23, with the hryvnya trading about 9 percent lower than its level the previous week, the central bank capped payments in foreign currencies at $500,000 without letters of credit from foreign banks.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  1:18 AM PST

Terrorists attacked Ukrainian army's positions near Shyrokyne again and shelled Popasna from mortars - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- The volume of terrorists' shelling of the Ukrainian army positions continues to decrease but remains significant. Attempts to take the ATO forces' positions by storm continue.

   This was reported by the ATO press center, Censor.NET informs.
   "For the second day in a row, a significant decrease in the volume of terrorists' shelling of the ATO forces and Ukrainian villages is noted in the ATO area.

   "There was no shelling at the Mariupol, Luhansk, and Donetsk directions in the night.
   "However, fire attacks over certain towns continue. Last night, the terrorists shelled Popasna town near Debaltseve twice.
   "In total over the past day, the mercenaries used artillery and mortars for 15 times, small arms and grenade launchers for four times. The ATO forces repelled the enemy's attack near Shyrokyne at about 5 p.m. yesterday.
   "Air reconnaissance of the enemy has also become more active with usage of drones. Nine drone flights were recorded by the air defense forces of Ukraine over the past day.
   "Despite provocations, Ukrainian soldiers maintain their positions and abide by the cease-fire regime along the demarcation line," the message concludes.
   As reported earlier, the General Staff of the Ukrainian army announced that the withdrawal of the heavy weapons will not be possible until total cease-fire.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015  12:47 AM PST

Rebel forces regrouping along touchline – Tymchuk

   (Zik) --- Russian/rebel troops in Donbas are regrouping along the touchline instead of pulling their heavy artillery back, military expert Dmytro Tymchuk writes in Facebook Feb. 25.

   Although the intensity of enemy shelling has decreased, the Russian and rebel troops continue to violate the Minsk agreements, firing on Ukraine army positions and civilian homes. In some areas, the enemy continues active offensive operations using small groups, Tymchuk says. 

   For instance, in the Mariupol zone the enemy forces include an infantry battalion(550 – 600 servicemen), 15 tanks, 25 APCs and 20 trucks. This group is supported by about 15 artillery guns and 8 missile batteries. The group is spearheaded toward Shyrokine close to Mariupol, the army expert said.

   The enemy is increasingly involved in mounting large caliber machine guns and mortars on trucks, the expert said.