Sunday, February 27, 2022

Russian Strategic Forces Reportedly on High Alert

As Fighting in Ukraine Intensifies


27th February 2022 | By David Vergun DOD News

U.S. officials don't doubt reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed Russia's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert, a senior defense official said at a press briefing today.

"We have no reason to doubt the validity of these reports," the official said.

Two soldiers look out from a large military vehicle.

This is an unnecessary step for Putin to take because Russia has never been under threat from NATO and certainly not from Ukraine, the official said.

It is escalatory because it's potentially putting at play forces that could, if there's a miscalculation, make things much more dangerous, the official said.

"We remain confident in our ability to defend ourselves and our allies and our partners, and that includes in the strategic deterrent realm," the official said.

Regarding the situation in Ukraine, the official said that roughly two-thirds of Russian forces arrayed along the border are now inside Ukraine, an increase over the last 24 hours when roughly half of those forces were inside Ukraine.

Ukrainians are putting up stiff resistance in the face of invading Russian forces, the official said, adding that no major cities inside Ukraine have yet been captured.

Four soldiers walk around two tactical vehicles.

"We believe that their advance was slowed both by resistance from the Ukrainians, who have been quite creative in finding ways to attack columns, and, number two, by the fuel shortages and the sustainment issues that they have had," the official said.

Logistics shortages have been particularly acute in their advanced on Kharkiv," which is in northeast Ukraine, the official said.

Some Russian reconnaissance elements have been in Kyiv over the last two days, and there are reports that they are wearing Ukrainian military uniforms to disguise themselves, the official said. In some cases, they have been identified by locals and by the Ukrainian military.

Russian forces, which are converging from the northeast and northwest, remain about 30 kilometers from the city center of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, the official said.

In the south of Ukraine, Russian forces are moving northeast toward Mariupol and are now about 50 kilometers from the center of that city, the official said. They are also moving northwest toward the city of Kherson.

"Our assessment is that Mariupol is defended, and the Ukrainians will put up stiff resistance there," the official said.

The airspace over Ukraine is still contested, and that means that Ukrainians are still using their own aircraft and air and missile defense systems, which are believed to be still intact and still viable, although somewhat degraded, the official said.

In flight, a long tube extends from one plane to a jet flying below it.

Russians continue launching missiles against targets in Ukraine, mostly short-range, ballistic missiles, the official said. There are indications that some of the missiles launched have experienced failures.

There are indications that Russian forces are adopting siege tactics around the city of Chernihiv, which is northeast of Kyiv. This is particularly troubling as it could result in civilian casualties, the official said.

The U.S. and NATO continue providing Ukraine with lethal and nonlethal assistance, the official said.

An increased number of people, including some Americans, are leaving Ukraine, with many going to Poland, the official said. The 82nd Airborne Division is poised near the border and prepared to assist should the need arise.

"Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is still governing his country, still viable, still active," the official said. "He still has command and control over his armed forces."

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Russian Armed Forces hit 821 military objects of Ukraine

 Updated-26th February 2022

Updates from the Russian Defence Ministry-February 26, 2022

Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson: Groupings of troops of Donetsk and Luhansk, with the fire support from the Russian Armed Forces, expanded the areas of the breakthrough in the enemy's defence during the day and continue to develop the success of the offensive.

The grouping of troops of the Luhansk People's Republic advanced to a depth of 30 kilometers and captured the settlements of Bakhmutovka and Grechishkino.

Formations and military units of the Donetsk People's Republic, advancing in the direction of Novomayskoye, covered another 6 kilometers. Nationalist battalions, retreating, blow up power substations and bridges across rivers behind them.

The units of the Russian Armed Forces have established full control over the city of Melitopol. Russian servicemen are taking all measures to ensure the safety of civilians and exclude provocations by Ukrainian special services and nationalists.

During the night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation struck with high-precision long-range weapons using air- and sea-based cruise missiles at the objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.

I would like to emphasize once again that the fire is conducted only on the objects of the military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, excluding damage to residential and social infrastructure.

In total, the Russian Armed Forces hit 821 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.

Among them: 14 military airfields, 19 control points and communication centers, 24 S-300 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 48 radar stations. Downed: 7 combat aircraft, 7 helicopters, 9 unmanned aerial vehicles.

87 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 28 multiple rocket launchers, 118 units of special military vehicles were destroyed.

The forces of the Russian Navy destroyed 8 military boats of the Ukrainian Navy.

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Oleksiy Danilov: Ukraine will return the temporarily occupied territories

 21st February 2022 at 14:59

But solely by peaceful means

Ukraine’s task is to return the temporarily occupied territories solely by peaceful means. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov emphasized this at a press conference within the National Forum “Safe and Capable Communities of the Future”, organized by the NSDC Staff together with the Association of Small Towns of Ukraine under the patronage of the President of Ukraine.

Answering journalists’ questions, the NSDC stressed that security issues are under the constant control of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “The security and defense sector is working 24/7”, - he added.

The NSDC Secretary noted that Russia is trying to create a casus belli, underlining that the Russian occupation forces are conducting shelling but not the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“They won’t manage to provoke us. We will not conduct warfare against our population”, - Mr. Danilov stated adding that “President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plan is a political and diplomatic way of de-occupying territories”.

Mr. Danilov also noted that the Russian Federation is conducting a powerful information campaign against Ukraine, and called to “calm down and not give in to panic”. “Our military and our society are ready for any challenge”, - he said.

Issued by National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Putin has added additional military capability in Belarus

Russian Border with Ukraine, Kirby Says

14th February 2022 | By David Vergun DOD NEWS

Over the last couple of days, Russian President Vladimir Putin has added additional military capability along his border with Ukraine, as well as in the Belarus area that borders Ukraine, said Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby, who briefed the media today. 

A U.S. soldier of 1st Battalion, 185th Infantry Regiment, Battle Group Poland, chats with a Romanian soldier as the pair line up respective battle fighting vehicles Feb. 12, 2022, during a hand over, take over ceremony at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland. Photo By: Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza
                                                            
The United States is being very transparent with Kyiv about its intelligence assessments of those Russian forces, he said. Among those added assets, he said, are combined arms capabilities that include: artillery; air and missile defense; landing craft in the Black Sea; infantry; armor; offensive air; special operations; logistics and sustainment; cyber; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. 

"[Putin] continues to do the things that you would expect one to do if one were planning on a major military action, that is, to sharpen the readiness and to add to the capabilities of his force," Kirby said. 

"We obviously don't want that to be the outcome, and neither do Ukrainians and certainly neither do our NATO allies," he added. 

An F-15C Eagle assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron taxis to a parking space after a local area familiarization flight in support of the NATO operations at Lask Air Base, Poland, Feb. 11, 2022. Photo By: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob Albers

Russian Foreign Minister Sergeĭ Lavrov seemed to indicate earlier today that he still thinks there's room for diplomacy, Kirby said. "We would welcome a pursuit of that path by the Russians, because we, too, believe that there still should be and can be a diplomatic path forward." 

Should Putin decide to invade, many Russian and Ukrainian lives would be lost, Kirby said. Russia can deescalate immediately and take a diplomatic path forward. "It's within Mr. Putin's power to make the right decision now. And obviously, we hope to see him do that." 

Courtesy Link: U.S. Department of Defense