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Forgive us for not dying in Slavyansk

by Igor Druze (Igor Strelkov’s Advisor) translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov The Militia was forced to leave Slavyansk. Of course, we were prepared to stand firm to the end, and were ready to obey any order to that effect from the Commander-in-Chief. All of us had prepared wills and said our farewells to our kin. But we are military people, and we also were prepared to follow a different

Strelkov and Militia Briefings, July 5, 2014

Combined for July 5, 2014 Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov 00:30 – July 5, 2014 – Briefing from Alexander Mozgovoi Today a column of the enemy, armed with heavy weaponry, was moving from Artyomovsk and was repelled by the Popasnyanskiy checkpoint At the same tim, near the Varvarovka settlement, where Msta-S and other heavy weaponry was located, our mortar group worked over the positions of the enemy. The enemy

July 6th Iraq SITREP by Mindfriedo

5th July: Rumour spreads that Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi is killed in airstrikes near the Syrian border and has been taken to Syria for medical treatment. Daash disputes this and releases a video of Baghdadi addressing Friday worshippers in Mosul. The government in Baghdad calls the video a fake. 5th July: Two civilians are killed and six injured when two car bombs go off in Basra, Southern Iraq. The number

On traitors, rebels, terrorist and loyalist

by Petri Krohn By what name to call the antifascist resistance in the Ukraine? Kyiv calls them terrorists some call them separatists or rebels. I call them loyalists. Why? They are loyal to the Motherland, to the Rus’ nation, to the Orthodox church, to Mother Russia, to their fathers and grandfathers who defended the nation. They are loyal to the soldiers of the Red Army, to the partisans, to the

A couple of simple reminders and an request for advice

Dear friends,I feel that I have to post the following few basic reminders:1) If I post somebody else’s article, it does not mean that I agree with it.  All it means is that I find it an interesting contribution to the analysis and discussion of the topic.2) I never said that a disaster had happened, only that the fall of Slaviansk means that Russia must take action now.3) I also

What the Kremlin’s inaction over the Ukraine means for Russia’s geopolitics, international relations, and the Eurasian Union

by Mark SlebodaWhat the Kremlin’s inaction over the Ukraine means for Russia’s geopolitics, international relations, and the Eurasian Union: All moral and national security issues aside for a moment, the precedent that Russia’s inaction is setting in the Ukraine in terms of both geopolitics and foreign policy alone is crippling. The surrender of Ukraine to the West by Russia inevitably means exactly that the US achieves its primary goal –

Does the shelling of the Russian border posts really matter?

For days now the Ukie forces have been regularly shelling Russian border posts “by mistake”.  So far, I think that only one officer was wounded, but that nobody has been killed.  Russian ammo-disposal control specialists have been sent to get rid of the unexploded ordinance, and some border crossings had to be closed, typically for a couple of hours.Does that matter and should anybody care?Absolutely.  Just like the fall of

A musical requiem (of sorts) for those who died in Slaviansk

Warning: the language of war is not a delicate one, nor is the language used in this song.  To those who might be shocked by the kind of “non-normative lexicon” used here by Grebenshchikov, and who clearly have never been anywhere near a Russian military unit, I will say that this is nothing compared to what you could have heard form the defenders of Slaviansk.  As for the message of

Slavyansk is out of sight now …

by Dmitry Steshin (Komsomolskaya Pravda)Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov I understand and share in the bitterness and resentment of those who found out this morning that the Militia has left Slavyansk. The news washed over everyone – the hoorah-patriots, the all-is-lost-patriots and even the cold analytical types. And now, please listen to a person who spent the last month and a half in Slavyansk. From the time of the

The Fall of Slaviansk, its meaning and implications

Military analysis: So today Slaviansk has finally fallen to the Nazis.  Those of us with a military background all understood that this was pretty much inevitable and, obviously, so did the leaders of the Novorussian resistance.  The fact that it took so long for the entire Ukie army to take that small town really says a lot about the amazing courage of its defenders and/or about the no less amazing

July 5th IRAQ SITREP by Mindfriedo

4th July: Iraqi and US security personnel are warning of rebel sleeper cells within Baghdad numbering 1500 in Western Baghdad and 1000 on the outskirts that are waiting for “zero hour.” Their plan would be to attack and hold sections within the city in anticipation of a rebel push from without. Sunni residents of Baghdad are complaining of atrocities being committed by Shia militias such as the Asahb Ahl al

A lesson in hope from Roger

I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t feel very festive today.  I just was outdoors with my son and we heard the distance sounds of fireworks going off.  From time to time, a rocket shot up into the night sky.  And even though this will sound trite, I have to tell you that my thoughts went to the night sky over Slaviansk, Kramatorsk and Nikolaevka who, in some

For the record: Strelkov, Iazov and my position concerning a Russian intervention in Novorussia

Today, as soon as I published the appeal by Strelkov I got comments apparently telling me (“sorry Saker”) that Strelkov was not very credible.  Now that I have also posted a report about Iazov’s views, I suppose that others will accuse me of “waiting too long” or for, as always, “worshiping Putin”.  So, again – I have done so many times already – I will try to explain my personal

Keeping things in perspective – it’s not only Putin

It is natural to try to personify the current stance of Russia by saying that “Putin did this” or “Putin did that” but the danger of this Putin-centric view is that if overlooks a far more complex reality.  In particular,1) This approach implies that Putin is all-powerful and does not have to take other people or powers into account.2) It overlooks the role of Russian public opinion.Contrary to the western

4th July Iraq SITREP by Mindfriedo

“defendants will be safe in our hands; for as Imam Ali said, ‘If you have the ability to oppress people, then you should remember the power of god over you.’” —Kurdish judge Ra’ouf Rashid Abdul-Raham who sentenced Saddam to death. 4th July: The Iraqi army has taken over the village of Awja, birth place of Saddam Hussain. The village lies 8 kilometres south of Tikrit. Fighting has left 50 rebels

Video: Urgent Appeal by Igor Strelkov, July 3, 2014 (incl. transcript)

Good day. I would like to make a short statement with respect to what is happening around Slavyansk. With respect to what is happening here. And, well, make an appeal, if you will. Yesterday, the enemy completely surrounded Nikolayevka. The enemy shelled the city in the fiercest possible way, using all types of weapons. Using heavy MLRS systems, howitzers, mortars, tanks, APCs. The destruction is enormous. It is simply impossible

Strelkov, Berezin and Militia Briefings, July 3, 2014

Combined for July 3, 2014 Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov July 2, 2014 – Interview with Fyodor Berezin, July 2, 2014 The ceasefire was used by the Junta troops to regroup, resupply, re-staff the army with reserves, and so on. The war continues. It is directed at forcing the Donbass people to completely exit the territory and, preferably, as far as possible. This is true genocide. Video: Interview with

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