the naval confrontation was planned in advance
a week before the "incident" new Russian ships came in to Azov
there is talk of declaring "Martial Law" in Ukraine
elections coming up...
More and stronger sanctions by the international community against Russia? I don't know if there's any Russians or any Russian companies left in Russia to sanction?
The concern -- that Russia is ready to go with a water based invasion via the Azov sea -- the fact is that it is ready to go ,It is highly likely that any invasion will be on multiple fronts.
This is by far the most dangerous situation Ukraine has faced -- and it looks like the west has deserted Ukraine again and will leave it to face Russia alone.
It is a pathetic weak west .
FWIW -- it would be quite simple to fix this -- send the US destroyer that is in the region to sail into the Azov sea -- see how smart that f..wited Putin really is !!!
If Putin were to invade Mariupol from the sea that would end any possible doubts that Russia is behind the war in eastern Ukraine. Sanctions against Russia would intensify and the ruble would drop in value like a stone.
Sending a US destroyer and its escorts into the Azov Sea would certainly send a message to Putin that the world is watching.
Anyone who has witnessed history will tell you that sending an un-protected destroyer through a pair of defended shores is not something that the US navy would ever consider. If the US were to make a move, it is much more likely that the current naval complement in the Black Sea would be increased (substantially) and would probably be comprised of naval vessels from more NATO countries than just the United States.
Sending a US destroyer and its escorts into the Azov Sea would certainly send a message to Putin that the world is watching.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7828639/ukraine-set-to-impose-martial-law-amid-fears-of-fresh-conflict-with-russia-after-kremlin-fires-on-ships-and-captures-sailors/
there shall be war, and rumors of war
Obama sent single destroyers into the Black Sea and Islands in the China Sea. It didn't stop Russia or China. Destroyers in other nations are their capital ships and have smaller escorts. American destroyers don't have escorts, they are escorts. A carrier fleet would send a message. One carrier and it's battlegroup has hundreds of missiles and an air force stronger than most nations have.
Some people talk of sanctions. Haven't worked. Never worked. To stop guns you have to use guns. You don't have to go to war but putting enough guns in the area my discourage war.
Anyone who has witnessed history will tell you that sending an un-protected destroyer through a pair of defended shores is not something that the US navy would ever consider. If the US were to make a move, it is much more likely that the current naval complement in the Black Sea would be increased (substantially) and would probably be comprised of naval vessels from more NATO countries than just the United States.
Will the west ever wake up? This is a much need opportunity to react in the strongest possible way-- and not with finger waving ! It needs a fast --very clear statement -- and I do not mean token words.
The west can help itself if it faces up to this.
In this dark hour, where are Ukraine’s allies?
Faced with overt and undeniable Russian military aggression, tantamount to a declaration of war by all reasonable interpretations of international law, Ukraine’s allies have so far failed to respond in an adequate way.
For all the talk of upholding Ukrainian sovereignty and defending its territorial integrity, supporting European integration and the importance of Ukraine as NATO’s eastern flank: what are Ukraine’s allies doing, when it really matters?
It takes 30 seconds and 90 characters to issue a strongly-worded condemnation on Twitter. It’s easy, quick and it has almost no value.
But for every single G7 country and NATO member state, it’s all they’ve been able to muster so far, after Russia attacked Ukrainian navy vessels in neutral waters, gunned down, wounded and captured their sailors and illegally seized their vessels on Nov. 25.
Warning about the prospect of further aggression from Russia, even a full-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine as tanks, troops and aircraft reportedly mass near the Ukrainian border, lawmakers in Kyiv put in place martial law on Nov. 26 and the fear and uncertainty here in the Ukrainian capital is palpable.
And still, Western leaders seem incapable or unwilling to do little more than draft strongly-worded statements. As Europe’s largest country comes under attack, the silence from the leaders of Ukraine’s most important allied countries is absolutely deafening.
And Moscow is grinning from ear to ear as they pay close attention to such a weak response.
http://www.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/jack-laurenson-in-this-dark-hour-where-are-ukraines-allies.html
In this dark hour, where are Ukraine’s allies?
You're definitely correct that an aircraft carrier fleet and escorts sailing into the Azov Sea would send a more definite message to Putin than a single or multiple destroyers.Some technical info to restrict the speculations.
Some technical info to restrict the speculations.
1. Aircraft carriers are not allowed the passage in Black Sea by Montreux Convention regarding the regime of the straits. Only if Turkey will get involved in the war against Russia. Though it can be settled at the expense of huge benefits for Turkey, I guess.
2. A standard american aircraft carrier has а height of about 60 m above water, and a draft under water 11-12 m. The ship has to sail in the Azov sea from Black Sea under Crimean bridge which has 35 m clearance space below. Probably the carrier can sacrifice its superstructure and break into. After that the carrier will strike aground because the average depth in the Azov Sea is around 7 m.
Some technical info to restrict the speculations.
1. Aircraft carriers are not allowed the passage in Black Sea by Montreux Convention regarding the regime of the straits. Only if Turkey will get involved in the war against Russia. Though it can be settled at the expense of huge benefits for Turkey, I guess.
2. A standard american aircraft carrier has а height of about 60 m above water, and a draft under water 11-12 m. The ship has to sail in the Azov sea from Black Sea under Crimean bridge which has 35 m clearance space below. Probably the carrier can sacrifice its superstructure and break into. After that the carrier will strike aground because the average depth in the Azov Sea is around 7 m.
On Saturday the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney joined the USS Ross in the Black Sea to "conduct maritime security operations," according to a statement from the US Navy's 6th Fleet, which oversees US naval operations in the region. It's the first time two US Navy warships have been in the Black Sea since July 2017.
1. Aircraft carriers are not allowed the passage in Black Sea by Montreux Convention regarding the regime of the straits.
It is not a grey area.
A foreign Naval vessel may not have more than 15,000 tons Dead Weight to pass thru the Bosporus. Aircraft carriers now a days weigh + + 20,000 DW. On a regular basis 'foreign' naval vessels visit the Black Sea. There is a system (convention) that has been in place for almost a 100 years. It works.
Also there are two conventions or understandings one for the Black Sea, the other for the Sea of Azov. The Sea of Azov is not part of the Black Sea, but rather a tributary with separate rules and conventions.
A light of common sense in a sea of fog.
The carrier based group would not enter the Black Sea let alone the Azov Sea.It would sit much further south -not far from where it is now . Much as I would love to see the carrier knocking Putins bridge down ( it would be way to large to pass underneath) there is no possibility of that happening.
Sending a single destroyer would be enough -- that would be making a statement -- and -- the carrier group is in effect - backing it up.
The Ukraine needs either Nato, the US or the UK to station a significant amount of tanks, troops, jets & other hardware on its soil. Russia won't invade if it becomes obvious that it will draw in another major power it will be too much bother for them. Otherwise Ukraine looks ripe for an easy invasion and Putin will take advantage of the current to date lack of visible commitment to assist Ukraine by western powers beyond sanctions. I don't think sanctions will save Ukraine, I think Putin is after all of its territory to bring Ukraine into an enlarged Russia as part of its territory again. The west need to send in forces to stop this easy land grab by Putin.
The Ukraine needs either Nato, the US or the UK to station a significant amount of tanks, troops, jets & other hardware on its soil. Russia won't invade if it becomes obvious that it will draw in another major power it will be too much bother for them. Otherwise Ukraine looks ripe for an easy invasion and Putin will take advantage of the current to date lack of visible commitment to assist Ukraine by western powers beyond sanctions. I don't think sanctions will save Ukraine, I think Putin is after all of its territory to bring Ukraine into an enlarged Russia as part of its territory again. The west need to send in forces to stop this easy land grab by Putin.
The West has still not learned from meddling in regions outside their sphere of influence ... look at the resulting chaos in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Ukraine. Loyalties are split in eastern Ukraine, and so your proposed solution would be unwelcome to many Ukrainians.
Poroshenko is an unpopular and useless President who has done nothing to unite his country. You need to understand the Russian psyche about being attacked 3 times by western countries. I have met plenty of older Ukrainians who still prefer Moscow to Kiev. Poroshenko's decision to celebrate Bandera has upset both Poles and Ukrainians, and underlines his lack of credibility.
There are always two sides to every argument!
The West has still not learned from meddling in regions outside their sphere of influence ... look at the resulting chaos in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Ukraine. Loyalties are split in eastern Ukraine, and so your proposed solution would be unwelcome to many Ukrainians.
..Poroshenko is an unpopular and useless President who has done nothing to unite his country. You need to understand the Russian psyche about being attacked 3 times by western countries. I have met plenty of older Ukrainians who still prefer Moscow to Kiev. Poroshenko's decision to celebrate Bandera has upset both Poles and Ukrainians, and underlines his lack of credibility...
..There are always two sides to every argument!
so I want to go on record now
and tell all the westerners living in or owning property in Ukraine
unless you are in the north western part of Ukraine, sometime within the next 4 years, you're going to be living in Russia!
plan ahead accordingly
and I'm a guy who used to live in Crimea who saw this exact same thing coming 10 years ago
IT'S WHY I LEFT!!!!
So far I have refused to learn Ukrainian.
Will that mean I must then refuse to learn Russian?
Did you see the Captain of one of the Ukrainian ships when appearing in the Russian court said he needed an interpreter to understand the proceedings as he did not speak Russian !1and only speaks Ukrainian !
That is extremely unlikely, unless he is (a) from Western Ukraine AND (b) under 30. It's more about making a point.
US, allies must check Putin’s latest move against Ukraine
Ukraine is on the front lines of defense against Russia’s pernicious espionage, military, cyber and economic attacks. The time is ripe for U.S. leadership, and Ukraine’s sovereignty is where we should draw and enforce a red line.
http://thehill.com/opinion/international/418633-us-allies-must-check-putins-latest-move-against-ukraine
...If I was advising Trump
I disagree that Ukraine's affairs are their own. The same attitude led Hitler to overun much of Europe unchallenged. Sooo much easier to stop an aggressor from taking territory on the first place than have to go through all of it fighting to free it bit by bit. Ukraine has made it clear that they do not wish to be in Russia's sphere of influence. Complacently terming Ukraine under the old rules of the Soviet Union just makes it easy pickings for Russia. I'm sure Ukraine would more than welcome the intervention of western forces and invite us onto their territory to help them out.
I wonder if there is much initiative within Ukrainian expats in western countries to form Lobby groups to press for their countries to take action in sending forces to station in Ukraine.
It does not help when organisations like the BBC keep using the terms separatists and rebels to describe the Russians who have invaded Ukraine and keep quoting Moscow based journalists on Ukraine affairs.
so I want to go on record nowI toyed with the idea of buying an apartment in Odessa - you can get a nice place for 50,000USD or less with ongoings of ~1,000USD/year, but am baulking at the idea for this exact reason.
and tell all the westerners living in or owning property in Ukraine
unless you are in the north western part of Ukraine, sometime within the next 4 years, you're going to be living in Russia!
So far I have refused to learn Ukrainian.Which side of the Dnieper River are her properties? East bank may become Russian!
Will that mean I must then refuse to learn Russian?
Should wife offer her Kyiv properties for sale now, or wait a while longer?
She has some properties west of Kyiv also.
How far west in Ukraine must one live to be safe?
so I want to go on record now
and tell all the westerners living in or owning property in Ukraine
unless you are in the north western part of Ukraine, sometime within the next 4 years, you're going to be living in Russia!
plan ahead accordingly
and I'm a guy who used to live in Crimea who saw this exact same thing coming 10 years ago
IT'S WHY I LEFT!!!!
If there's a massive tank build up then Russia is likely to invade soon. It tends to be expensive to locate such a large force in to an area. I'm guessing with not a great economy Putin will not want to waste that cost of doing so. If he waits it gives time for Ukraine to try and build up forces to counter and dig in more so were greater help forthcoming.
The gas to Ukraine is probably of little concern to Putin. Most of the time a lot of it went unpaid, pipelite syphon ed, etc. Plus if he invades he can still sell the gas to Ukrainians, it doesn't stop that. That only stops if Ukrainian and stop a Russian advance which is probably unlikely. I think Ukraine could cause significant damage potentially due to the training up and better equipment it has been getting but I think they'll lack the army size to win against Russia not to metikn much loss of territory during a conflict will hamper their ability to access needed resources.
Gas sales are likely to be far higher during winter. This may not bother Putin too much. Spring as Krimster previously suggested would make strategic sense but with modern warfare equipment Putin may prefer to get straight to it and mount a winter offensive within hours, days, weeks - who knows.
Ukraine has now banned Russian men aged 16-60 from entering the country.It seems Russia won't go tit for tat as they did with direct airline flights.
I don't say action should be taken because I'm pro Ukrainian & anti-Russian, I'm not. I'm pragmatic on where I date rather than biased towards a particular nation through personal liking or whatever. Even if I were dating a girl in Russia or Ukraine I wouldn't let that colour my judgement. I've been to Moscow and it's a fair enough city & people to date & maintain relations with.
Thing is Mobers an invasion of Ukraine could be bad for all of us on here. It could bring down a new Iron Curtain with Russia, Ukraine & Belarus behind it and WM all stuck on the outside. An invasion could spell a new cold war with Visa bans on travel to Russia & vice versa to all western nations. They might also ban their citizens from moving abroad, marrying WM, etc. If Ukraine is invaded it will become a part of Russia and if Lucashenko becomes unsteady or gets toppled in Belarus, Russia will move in there too.
I really do think that NATO moving into Ukraine would be thd best response, it's what it was set up for. It would steady the situation and probably help bring a resolution to the table of tge present problem areas in Ukraine. I for one don't really see the point of NATO existing with pristine hardware sat around doing nothing but to give it a polish every now and again. It's an appropriate response to the situation that I think would help bring a civilised nature to the region.
I wasn't aware Ukraine was a member of NATO? Is this new and unknown to the public information you provide? or.. You don't really know what NATO is about? How would an invasion on Ukraine (who is not a memberstate) trigger article 5?
No its not a member state but it's ridiculous for it to stand aside where it's in everyone's best interest for it to intervene. That shouldn't be an issue, it should press to make use of itself and relieve itself of its near 3 decade dormant status. That's why few members wish to stump up the necessary money they should have been for it as for too many years now it has shown too little reason for being.
No its not a member state but it's ridiculous for it to stand aside where it's in everyone's best interest for it to intervene. That shouldn't be an issue, it should press to make use of itself and relieve itself of its near 3 decade dormant status. That's why few members wish to stump up the necessary money they should have been for it as for too many years now it has shown too little reason for being.
It seems Russia won't go tit for tat as they did with direct airline flights.
http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-bans-russian-men-from-entering-ukraine-escalating-crisis/29629790.html
This is a fairly major escalation. I'm guessing there's plenty of Russian businessmen who will need to make alternative arrangements so am curious how it impacts both Russian and Ukrainian businesses.
If there planning to invade in the next few weeks or so it won't be an issue. No reason to do a tit for tat with a country that may soon no longer exist.
If so we can then go go back to calling it 'The' Ukraine instead of Ukraine ;D
The closure of the Sea of Azov is going to have serious economic consequences for Ukraine, an estimated 2% slowdown in the GDP, most of it felt in the southI would have guessed more than 2%. Maybe the port in Odessa is about to get really busy...
Sadly this is what will happen either a lot of sabre rattling and not much action or Russia will invade Ukraine and Belarus and NATO will do nothing but control the borders of the former Ukraine. Russian and Belarus border is already there. The Ukranian to Russian border is too long to defend. People along the border are both Russain and Ukrainian so NATO will be entering a cival war and it's hard 5 years to do so in the eastern Ukraine. NATO stood by and watched the former Yugoslavia self distruct. People who have never been in battle are pro war. Logistics how is NATO going to land and supply it's troops the distances are massive. You want to go up against the Russian army be my guest you can parachute in we need pathfinders trust me you email soldiers will crawl away.
Sadly this is what will happen either a lot of sabre rattling and not much action or Russia will invade Ukraine and Belarus and NATO will do nothing but control the borders of the former Ukraine. Russian and Belarus border is already there. The Ukranian to Russian border is too long to defend. People along the border are both Russain and Ukrainian so NATO will be entering a cival war and it's hard 5 years to do so in the eastern Ukraine. NATO stood by and watched the former Yugoslavia self distruct. People who have never been in battle are pro war. Logistics how is NATO going to land and supply it's troops the distances are massive. You want to go up against the Russian army be my guest you can parachute in we need pathfinders trust me you email soldiers will crawl away.
I would think that Europeans would understand that when Nord Stream 2 and South Stream will be complete in 2019 that they are "signing Ukraine's Death Warrant" by accepting gas without depending on Ukrainian transit
so I can only assume that this is tacit European approval of Russia reabsorbing Ukraine, since Ukraine is not at all vital to Europe's economic interests, but Russian gas is...
Russia has a unique window of opportunity for seizing Ukraine
a lot of upsides for doing this, and as long as Trump is commander in chief, very little down side
if the West gives Russia any trouble, or refuses to remove sanctions use Russian proxies in Syria to disrupt mideast oil and gas pipelines
this past September, was the largest military exercise in Russia's history, 300,000 men
this was the test run for the full invasion of Ukraine, + troops from other directions
goal is to take Odessa in 4 days
straight outa Krim,
The closure of the Sea of Azov is going to have serious economic consequences for Ukraine, an estimated 2% slowdown in the GDP, most of it felt in the south east...
In 2018, the Mariupol and Berdyansk ports, the two most important on the Azov Sea, received approximately 5 million tons and 1.6 million tons of goods, respectively.
They are now effectively blocked by Russia, with Ukrainian vessels being barred from leaving and entering Azov Sea. Currently, 35 ships cannot get to their final destinations
A total of 18 vessels cannot enter the Azov Sea from the Black Sea to get the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, and nine cannot exit the Azov Sea. Another eight ships remain moored in the ports. Only ships bound for Russian ports on the Sea of Azov are being allowed through the Kerch Strait by the Russians
Two large Mariupol-based firms owned by billionaire oligarch Rinat Akhmetov — Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol and AzovStal — are particularly dependent on the port in Mariupol to ship their finished goods to consumers. And besides steel, the ports are also critical export conduits for other top Ukrainian industries: agriculture and coal.
roughly 20 percent of Ukraine’s steel exports (or approximately 5 percent of total exports), and 5 percent of its grain exports pass through the Azov ports.
With a full blockade, the (Azov) ports will lose up to $2 billion
without Azov Sea shipping, Ukraine would lose 2 percent of its gross domestic product.
aaaannnnnnnnnddd then next year Nord Stream 2 comes online and Ukraine will lose its gas transit fee to Europe which is 3% of its GDP, and Russia will demand a higher price from Ukraine, and maybe pay in advance, expect frequent gas disruptions throughout Ukraine in 2020 adding another 5% drop in GDP...
$1 = 50 UAH end of 2020
there will be much tougher currency controls in Ukraine
no real estate sales in dollars, etc., UAH only, etc
Jamesukjames given your limited English language skills I'm assuming you're not a native speaker? Are you Ukrainian or Russian?
this summer I photographed Iskander missiles in Simferopol heading to the railway station to be shipped up north towards Kerch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K720_Iskander
when they are equipped with a thermobaric warhead it is the equivalent of several tons of TNT!
it makes them the deadliest non nuclear missile in Russia’s inventory, these can now hit almost any point in southern Ukraine from Kerch
now with Ukrainian navy cut off from the sea of Azov, Ukrainian ground forces in southern Ukraine are exposed to the sea either by direct attack or amphibious landing their tactical situation deteriorated immensely as a result of this "incident"
so now...
Russian aircraft and missiles attack from two directions
Russian ground forces attack from two directions
and naval bombardment followed by amphibious landing and ground assault in third direction
6 Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant Reactors secured by airborn assault in 30 minutes and shutdown
Ukraine defensive line collapses in 24 hours
Russian forces outside Odessa 24 hours later
meanwhile, Belbeck shock battalion paralyzes all Odessa communication and transportation
this summer I photographed Iskander missiles in Simferopol heading to the railway station to be shipped up north towards Kerch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K720_Iskander
when they are equipped with a thermobaric warhead it is the equivalent of several tons of TNT!
it makes them the deadliest non nuclear missile in Russia’s inventory, these can now hit almost any point in southern Ukraine from Kerch
now with Ukrainian navy cut off from the sea of Azov, Ukrainian ground forces in southern Ukraine are exposed to the sea either by direct attack or amphibious landing their tactical situation deteriorated immensely as a result of this "incident"
so now...
Russian aircraft and missiles attack from two directions
Russian ground forces attack from two directions
and naval bombardment followed by amphibious landing and ground assault in third direction
6 Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant Reactors secured by airborn assault in 30 minutes and shutdown
Ukraine defensive line collapses in 24 hours
Russian forces outside Odessa 24 hours later
meanwhile, Belbeck shock battalion paralyzes all Odessa communication and transportation
Fake news. You don't store your tanks like that in times of war you spread them out. Computer graphics.
Fake news. You don't store your tanks like that in times of war you spread them out. Computer graphics.
If that's the border the tanks would be deployed in battle groups with infantry support and camouflaged. Can you imagine the logistics of spreading that number of tanks out. Also the risk of having so many assets in one place.
If that's the border the tanks would be deployed in battle groups with infantry support and camouflaged. Can you imagine the logistics of spreading that number of tanks out. Also the risk of having so many assets in one place.
the story of Russian tanks on the border with Ukraine, or within Ukraine has been well covered by Bellingcat, links here:
http://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2017/04/02/tankspotting-t-90as-donbass/
and
http://www.bellingcat.com/tag/tanks/
This past September 900 Russian tanks were on the move in the largest military exercise in Russia since the breakup of the USSR, total of 300,000 military personnel
I was in Sevastopol two months before this and saw a map of the exercise in a large chart in a training room while I was visiting a Russian military base
basically, if instead of heading East, if the exercise headed West, then this exercise is an exact depiction of how Russia is going to take Donbas in 48 hours with 900 tanks + 300,000 + attack from south and from west in Transnistria
the fact that the US hasn’t sent ships to sea of Azov to dock in Ukraine, is a clear capitulation to Putin
he’s free to go on to the next step...
James,
c'mon dewd, calm down
tanks aren't deployed if they're parked in "tank parks" in large numbers near the border
it's just much quicker to deploy them from this location when the opportunity presents itself, like major civil unrest in Ukraine.
so they're getting ready to be deployed, do you know how much maintenance there is on 900 tanks after a major military maneuver?
from this location they have the ultimate vantage point to attack Ukraine, instead of being based in their normal bases.
turn on the ignition, and less than 30 min later they're in Ukraine, open terrain, flat as a pancake, tanks can go fast!
if you think about it, why go through all the hassle of moving 900 tanks to a new location, establish permanent facilities, etc,
UNLESS you're planning on DEPLOYING them!
you want to hear a funny one?
USA has transferred Javelin missiles to Ukraine
but USA doesn't trust Ukrainians not to sell the missiles on the black market
so missiles are stored in special bunkers around kharkiv with 24 hr video and alarm
Russia knows location of each bunker!
Kablamo!
word is Wagner is offering his people 5 million USD to capture one for payback to what the USA did to him in Syria!
Jay h . I have realised this is a forum for key board warriors. I have just returned from the ukraine russian border. I have also served in Ireland and the former Yugoslavia. I have also been shot in the past an incredibly painful experience. My grandfather was a military diplomat in Moscow Germany and France. I have a son who serves and I certainly don't want him thrown into a European continental civil war. I have not said anything stupid I have expressed my views. As I don't date UK women anymore I'm on my 5th f s u relationship. So maybe you don't like what I say . Tactically do you really think the Russians would deploy their tanks to one place as a sitting target or spread them along the borders as a fast moving invasion force . If they are all there they are reserves waiting to reinforce the positions they already hold in the east. I'm not pro either side. I'm just stating that that is not a battle deployment.
My present g f and the lady I dated before are the daughters of officers killed in action.
All that and 2 weeks ago you had never been in Ukraine !
Sumy ? On the Russian border?mmm There are quite a few others here who have been in Ukraine recently -- and a lot lot closer to the Russian border and in particular the frontline than you .
For the record -- there are some on the forum here that have served in Ukraine, people who have lost relatives & friends killed,maimed,injured etc etc
Keyboard warrior? You make a pretty fair attempt at a pissing contest-- given you know jack sh.t about me and show even less respect for Ukraine in your posts you might look a lot smarter if you just shut up.
Given your national broadcaster does it's stories on Ukraine from Moscow and the "expert" commentators refer to "THE" Ukraine and follow the Russian BS fake ( that is invented /untrue) "news" storylines and still refers to the Russian troops who invaded & occupy Ukraine as "separatists" & rebels it is easy enough to see how you have it arse about !
massive amounts of new Russian military hardware moving in last few days to juncture point of Northern Crimean Canal at Armyansk
so many vehicles main highway is jammed
10 new Su-31s flew in to Belbeck, there is no longer parking space for any more aircraft, even after recent expansion!