Alarm in the Donetsk People’s Republic
By Colonel Cassad
August 12: Events in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) continue to escalate.
1. After the Ukrainian Armed Forces (APU) shelling of Gorlovka on August 9, the militias of the DNR and Lugansk People’s Republic (LC) were put on high alert. Notably, activity in the DNR is much higher than in the LC. Troops are returning from leave.
2. Since yesterday the use of MLRS [Multiple Launch Rocket Systems] was seen, which had previously been only sporadic. Last night the sides exchanged artillery fire. Near Gorlovka sporadic fighting continues.
3. Equipment is being brought to the front by both sides (we have tightened the second line), the junta has officially renounced any restrictions on the withdrawal of artillery and openly allowed (legalized) its application.
4. The DNR and LC are now actively strengthening their positions at the front in anticipation of an offensive by the APU. There is increased activity in the military structures. http://cassad.net/vazhnoe/16232-v-dnr-obyavlena-boevaya-trevoga.html
5. In Donetsk city today, people were released from work early because they fear massive shelling. In the cities, the DNR is preparing bomb shelters, and notably, talking about the possibility of air strikes.
6. Officials openly say that fighting (high-intensity) can erupt at any time. The Minsk format shows no signs of life. (The next meeting should be held in late August plus announced “conversations” in September.)
7. According to various sources, the beginning of the active phase is expected in the coming days if diplomacy does not slow down the current situation.
8. In general, the activity points to the possibility of a return to massive bloodletting in the coming days, rather than continuation of the trench warfare of April-July 2015.
Of course, if the fighting gets hot we will resume daily broadcasts online.
Update: August 12, 16:02 – DNR contact group envoy Denis Pushilin said that full-fledged fighting could flare up at any moment. According to him, the number of attacks considered full-fledged fighting is 150-180 a day. During most of the ceasefire, shelling incidents were not more than 30 per day, but in recent days the number had increased to 60-80.
News: APU is preparing a full-scale offensive.
http://cassad.net/tv/videos/11756/ – Ukraine may declare a third wave of mobilization [military draft].
http://cassad.net/konflikty/voyna-na-ukraine/16207-lenta-voennyh-sobytiy-v-novorossii-za-12082015.html – Online broadcast on Cassad News for 08/12/2015
http://cassad.net/konflikty/voyna-na-ukraine/16147-lenta-voennyh-sobytiy-v-novorossii-za-11082015.html – Chronicle of military events on Cassad News for 08/11/2015
http://cassad.net/vazhnoe/16228-zamkomanduyuschego-suhoputnymi-voyskami-rf-popal-v-zasadu-na-donbasse.html – “Zam.kom Russian ground troops ambushed in Donbass” — about one Ukrainian fake story.
Eduard Limonov:
“The situation is complicated. The losses among the civilian population are large. Battles are going on around the entire periphery. Yesterday, our guys on leave were ordered to return to their locations.
We are waiting for the war. Our equipment passed through the city to the position. Among the fighters yesterday were conversations that we declared war.”
Update: By the way, General Petrovsky [head of DNR intelligence] also said a few days ago that there is not any withdrawal of Ukrainian equipment from the Donbass. It is all for show.
The junta no longer hides the massing of troops.
“Turchinov justified the build-up of military equipment to the front line in the Donbass
“Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchinov explained escalating the build-up of security forces and military equipment in the Donbass region as need to strengthen defense. He made the statement during the inspection of new weapons that Kiev is going to relocate to the war zone, the press-service said.
“’We are forming in the area of the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation] proactive defense, strengthening the armed forces with new weapons and technology,’ said Turchinov.
“He stressed that Ukraine does not thereby violate the Minsk Agreement. According to him, the new artillery, which is already deployed in the Donbass, is allowed by all the agreements. Turchinov said that the active defense provides a quick and effective response.”
Against this background, the Kremlin hosted a meeting of the Security Council, which discussed the worsening of the Donbas and the shelling of the OSCE Mission.
Update: Information about the concentration of enemy forces.
In the territories of the DNR and the LC controlled by the Ukrainian junta, there is “complete preparation for a major offensive.”
Data obtained from local residents confirmed this information in full.
- Kharkov. At the railway station on August 11 several hundred soldiers were seen, with backpacks, but without weapons.
- Novoaydar, at a local poultry farm. On the territory are shrouded fighting vehicles (what kind, the residents do not know).
- Towards Schastye from Novoaydar, 30 tanks and two BM-21 were seen being moved. In addition, replenishment of staff and many new pieces of equipment were noted.
- Gnutova village. Occupiers heading toward Donetsk [city] with 14 guns, D-30 and “Rapier”. Villagers are preparing to wait out shelling in cellars. Past the village, towards Donetsk, passed trucks with personnel, minibuses, ambulances. According to the source, “Over the weekend, Ukrops took all the diesel fuel for tanks, they were all drunk. Right now, the nearest delivery in 7-10 days. “
- Druzhkovka. On August 12 at 5 am, a column of tanks, two columns of light armored vehicles, several units with howitzers, tank trucks passed through the city. An hour later, a column of tanks returned by the same route.
- Alekseevka. The Ukrainian military arrived in the village, including 9 women snipers, everyone speaks a foreign language, but not English. Rather, it is one of the Baltic or Scandinavian languages. According to observations of local residents, the unit plans to move further in the direction of Dokuchayevsk.
- Schastye. All “karbaty” left the village, leaving only part of the APU. Residents were told that if militia try to take the village, it will be levelled.
- Lugansk village. Occupiers are using empty home for target practice with RPGs and grenade launchers and residents were required to leave the village.
http://q99.it/JnII9lp – Zinc
Update: As a result of the night bombardment of Makeyevka, a pipeline that supplies gas to the local steel plant was damaged. A few shells hit Makeyevka, but there were no casualties.
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| Makeyevka |
Update: “According to information received from local residents and militias, in the village of Zaitsevo, a Gorlovka suburb, there is now fierce combat with armored vehicles from the APU. From Gnutova, Ukrainian tanks left in the direction of Donetsk, Ukrops at checkpoints are drunk and they brought up a lot of weapons. In the LC, from the direction of the village Katerinovka, the APU fired tanks and BMPs near the village of Youth. One person was injured in the bombardment, and a power cable was ignited. Shots were fired at a T-shaped intersection near Trehizbenki by anti-aircraft ZU-23-2, from the area of the bridge near the village of Trёhizbenka. The most intensive shelling currently is in Spartak in the suburbs of the capital and around the territory of the Donetsk airport. Gorlovka and several other settlements are under fire from the APU. “
Update: Information from military source in Khartsyzsk.
1. The city itself is in the rear and is not subjected to shelling, but all along the line of contact, enemy DRG’s are firing at Khartsyzsk.
2. Sources in Khartsyzsk confirm that a warning of the possibility of enemy aircraft on the frontline passed through military channels
3. Whether to order an evacuation of the city has not yet been resolved.
Translated by Greg Butterfield
Red Star News + Translations 