About the Gorlovka bombings
By Nahia Sanzo, Slavyangrad.es
Feb. 22: The increase in Ukrainian shelling has led to all kinds of rumors and reactions on both sides of the front line. While the authorities of the Donetsk and Lugansk People\’s Republics and the representatives of their armies seek to remain calm — the objective is always to maintain the truce and not return to open battles — and claim to have responded to the attack, the most alarmist see in the Ukrainian acts the restart of a larger-scale war. The bombings of recent days, which come, as was the case in Poroshenko\’s time, just a few days after the visit of Ukrainian President Zelensky to the front, make clear a change in trend: that truce in which the bombings had been significantly limited appears to have been broken and there is again the use of heavy weapons, constant attacks in numerous areas of the front, and casualties on both sides.
What has not changed is the Ukrainian argument. Almost seven years after the start of the war in Donbass in April 2014, Kiev continues to claim that they are complying with the Minsk agreements and the agreed truce, and make the People\’s Republics bear the blame for each escalation, despite the fact they have not advanced on Ukrainian positions for several years. The same cannot be said of Ukraine, which even in this truce has advanced and fortified itself in the supposedly neutral zone — and the ability of the Donbass defenders to respond to the Ukrainian fire is seriously limited by orders to maintain the truce at all costs. Even so, Ruslan Jomchak, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated on Saturday that \”Russian formations opened fire on their own positions.\” Kiev thus uses the same excuse so often used in Poroshenko’s time to justify Ukrainian bombing and blame, not even the DPR and LPR, but Russia.
Original article below: Colonel Cassad
Igor Bezler claims that the DPR militia has suffered heavy casualties in the vicinity of Gorlovka and speaks of up to 20 dead and numerous wounded.
On Telegram he says: “About the situation in Gorlovka. A full count of the dead and wounded has not yet been made. Officially there are seven deaths, but different sources say that there may be more. It is known that one of the checkpoints of the third battalion of the people’s militia was completely destroyed by an artillery attack. When they began to retreat from their positions, there were two explosions. According to sources, it was likely the result of the work of a Ukrainian sabotage group the night before. Ukrainian artillery and small arms fire do not allow evacuation groups of the people\’s militia to reach the various positions to collect the dead and wounded,” the veteran notes.
***
“When I was in the militia and participating in combat operations, I was, like other comrades, very afraid. Everything that happened was terrifying. There were terrible pains, I was afraid of dying, there was a lot of fear. But the worst part was dying as an unknown soldier. I was afraid of disappearing without my family and friends knowing what had happened … They would not know what you had done or what the meaning of your death was.
\”When the line of combat moves in one direction or another, it is already called the front. When this movement occurs and when there is a strategy in which that movement is the objective, then it makes sense to hide the casualties so that the enemy is not fully aware of what the operational situation is in a very tight time. But after many years of static situation, the presence of the internet and social media, it makes no sense to hide the casualties. It will only demoralize the surviving soldiers, who will not want to die without anyone knowing in the next battle and convince the recruits that serving in the army is stupid.
\”I wonder if any high-ranking commander of any army in the world who has decided to hide casualties has experienced that fear himself. How can they take away the right to memory of the fallen soldiers? It is a rhetorical, philosophical and very abstract question of deep theory that does not concern them but someone else.”
-Daniil Bezsonov
\”On Saturday there was talk of a dead soldier in the DPR and a dozen in the Ukrainian Army in addition to the destruction of a Ukrainian Army ammunition depot in the Vodyanoe area.
“After the Ukrainian Army launched a massive artillery attack against our positions in the Gorlovka area, which caused casualties, our soldiers responded effectively. Casualties occurred in the 35th Brigade of the Ukrainian Army in the Gorlovka area and in the 56th Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Army (a warehouse exploded in the Vodyanoe area). The total number of casualties is up to 11 soldiers killed, the information on the wounded is being clarified.\”
-Daniil Bezsonov
Fire at the positions of the 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Maidan\’s seventh anniversary celebration continues. \”The war has stopped.\”
“Judging by the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine this week, they are testing the entire line of defense of the Republics.
\”Phosphorus shelling near Marinka\’s positions for more than twenty minutes.
\”Signal attacks with 73mm artillery and mortar. In the Gorlovka area there was a battle yesterday in which there were deaths and injuries on both sides.
\”The south of the DPR suffers from a daily fever of bombings that are not even included in the reports. The soldiers of our positions say that the Ukrainian Army works with mortar and artillery. Svetlodarsk has been activated.
\”OSCE reports show that Kiev is bringing long-range artillery, tanks and armor. Yes, residents on both sides confirm the increase in military personnel.\”
-Reporter Rudenko
In reality, a new escalation was expected and has occurred, with deadly consequences. It is necessary to increase the intensity of the mantras about the Minsk agreements and the absence of any other alternative.
Translated by Greg Butterfield
Red Star News + Translations 