Turchynov Stated the Possibility of Full-Scale Hostilities in Donbass

Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ

31st May, 2016

Lenta

Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov said that the clashes in Donbass can become "full-blown hostilities", reports the press service of the NSDC on Monday, May 30th.

He announced this at a meeting with the Chairman of the Seimas Parliament of Lithuania — Loreta Graužinienė. Turchynov also stressed for that Kiev, "it is extremely important to obtain military assistance from the West". "We can't meet the needs across the spectrum of weapons," he admitted.

On May 25th, Turchynov, after the attack on his wife Anna Turchynov, assured that attempts to intimidate him and his family would not succeed. Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced that a resident of the uncontrolled by Kiev territory of the Donetsk region attacked Anna Turchynov with a knife. "She was attacked with a knife, shouting: "you will respond for what you did ,**** ", — wrote the Minister.

A day earlier, Turchynov said that on May 23rd, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (UAF) suffered record losses in Donbass last year, seven soldiers were killed and nine were injured. Also, according to him, the use of strike and reconnaissance drones intensified in the combat zone.

The armed conflict in the Donbass began in April 2014 after Ukrainian authorities announced the antiterrorist operation (ATO), and Kiev attempted to forcefully suppress protests in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, caused by the change of power in Ukraine.

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NAF Strike UAF Artillery, Causing It to Explode (VIDEO)

Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ

31st May, 2016

Newsfront

One can look at it endlessly. After the treacherous and inhuman shelling of residential areas of cities of the Donetsk People's Republic, UAF howitzers and self-propelled guns  could not withstand NAF's battery, and massively exploded.

The reason may be also the violation of safety regulations, smoking in prohibited areas, drinking alcohol, or a trivial violation of the Minsk agreements.

As a result of such failures, the whole arsenal of the valiant punitive battalion became scattered in the Donetsk fields.

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Information Released on June NATO Exercise in Kherson

Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ

31st May, 2016

cont.ws

[Disclaimer: This information has not been confirmed by NATO or related persons or bodies]

During the intelligence activities by the "Odessa" brigade it became known that military exercises under the auspices of NATO will be held on the territory of the Kherson region in the first half of June. Such countries as Ukraine, USA, Turkey, and other contingents of NATO forces will take part.

Military equipment and heavy weapons involved in the above event will arrive and be unloaded at the deep-sea ports of Odessa and Nikolaev. With the above mentioned ports, it will spill over into the territory of Kherson region, namely the venue of military maneuvers.

One of the notable nuances is that the Western-controlled media is silent about these exercises. This occurs despite the fact that previously such plans were preceded any public statements or publication in the news.

In addition, another factor is that the accumulation of troops and military equipment will be in close proximity to the state border with the Russian Federation, namely the Crimean Peninsula.

Also, attention should be paid to the fact that over the past week Israeli vessels, in very small volumes and with an urgent speed, exported concentrated vegetable oil and grain through the Nikolaev seaport. It was very similar to the desire in short notice to remove liquid assets from certain territories. At the same time, given the agility of the Israelis, all this can have an ulterior motive.

The "Odessa" brigade focused on the fact that because of a combination of the information received in light of the aggressive policy of the West, the vassal government in Kiev, and also the created and supported armed groups, it looks quite alarming. Thus, there is a definite probability of a possible aggravation of the military-political situation in the southern regions of Ukraine in the form of armed aggression against the Russian Federation, namely Crimea.

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ISIS Vehicles Use Ukrainian Steel

Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ

31st May, 2016

Korrespondent

Steel from Ukraine was found on an armoured car in the garage of militants in Iraq.

A video was published on the Internet of the Iraqi military investigating a "Islamic state" building captured the day before.

The video was posted on Live Leak. The description of the video states that the soldiers of the Iraqi army seized a cache of explosives and a garage with armored vehicles of ISIS.

It is alleged that the steel sheets that covered the cars were made in Ukraine. In the video the corresponding marking "Made in Ukraine" can be seen.

Earlier it was reported that ISIS had included Ukraine on the list of enemies. In November last year, the militants released a video where Ukraine and 60 other states were labelled as the enemy.

Recall that on November 20th, Kuwait announced the arrest of a group of six people who supplied weapons to ISIS from Ukraine. Note that the Defense Ministry did not confirm the information that Ukraine is allegedly involved in the supply of weapons to ISIS.

The "Islamic State" spoke about Ukraine for the first time in mid-November. The militants called Ukraine a battleground between the West and Russia.

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UAF & "Azov" Looted Civilian Targets in Shirokino – UN Report

Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ

31st May, 2016

Politnavigator

The mission of the Office of the High Commissioner of the UN, in its regular report on the observance of human rights, said that members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and militants of the "Azov" battalion were  engaged in the looting of civilian property in the village of Shirokino, which has long been on the border between the positions of the UAF and the army of the DPR, but in the end were captured by the Ukrainian side.

The report says that the looting of civilian property in the village of Shirokino has led to migration flows and the emergence of civilian refugees.

Paragraph 25 of the report says: "The Ukrainian Armed Forces and armed groups held their ground and brought their weapons and personnel deeper into populated areas, thus violating their obligations under international humanitarian law."

Shirokino, a key locality in the "gray zone" between the government-controlled city of Mariupol and the city of Novoazovsk is under the control of armed groups. The OHCHR (the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the UN) has documented the widespread use of civilian buildings and facilities by the Ukrainian military and the "Azov" battalion, as well as the looting of civilian property, which led to migration.

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Pushilin: Ukraine will rejoin Russia soon enough

May 31, 2016 - 

PolitRussia - 

Translated by J. Arnoldski 

Ukraine’s regions will soon re-unify with Russia, stated the head of the National Council of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin.

“I am sure that the regions of Ukraine, in the near future, will have to think over what is more important for them - the idea of rabid nationalism, or the safety and welfare of their people. I think that first and foremost such questions should be put forth in Zaporozhya and Kharkov. It is logical that if they reject the ideas of rabid nationalism, then Ukraine will rejoin Russia,” Pushilin said in an interview with lenta.ru.

He added that the longer that Kiev fails to fulfill the Minsk Agreements, the more realistic this scenario will become.

According to Pushilin, the Ukrainian government is refraining from a large-scale offensive in Donbass because it fears resistance from the DPR and LPR.

“These are no longer disparate militia groups. The republics now have a fully-fledged army. Kiev knows that they will be be met with resistance, so it becomes smoother and easier to justify their hesitation with the claim that Russia could intervene,” he remarked and added that the republics are now discussing the fulfillment of the Minsk Agreements with Moscow. 

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Did Russia Bomb Al-Nusra in Idlib on 30th May?

By Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ

31st May, 2016

On the evening of Monday, 30th May 2016, the Syrian province of Idlib was attacked by mysterious missiles from mysterious jets. The attacks were numerous and pinpoint. Various photos of the aftermath appeared on social networks within minutes, as well as a video from the definitely-not-a-US-NGO White Helmets.

US gov funded White Helmets at the site of the Russian airstrikes on Al Nusra (Al Qaeda in Syria) positions in Idlib pic.twitter.com/b3hGhzWcss

— M Green (@MmaGreen) May 30, 2016

Numerous Twitter accounts published information that the Russian airforce had been given the green light for airstrikes, although where they flew to exactly was not specified.

10 Russian Sukhois Take off from hamimim airport towards terrorists areas #VivaRussia

— Yusha Yuseef (@MIG29_) May 30, 2016

Both Western media (Reuters et al) and eastern independent media (Al Masdar) published articles citing Russia being the source of the airstrikes:

Hundreds of casualties as Russian bombs rain on #Idlib overnight https://t.co/ILy0Zqo9sA #Russia pic.twitter.com/SYCC9lYVRZ

— Al-Masdar News (@TheArabSource) May 31, 2016

But then, on the afternoon of May 31st, the Russian Ministry of Defence issued a statement denying their involvement in the attacks:

MORE: Russia rejects allegations that airstrikes targeted a number of sites in #Idlib, incl one next to hospital https://t.co/Jy1R6iXyWl

— RT (@RT_com) May 31, 2016

Information Warfare

The mainstream media has established a system whereby al-Nusra & Co. have been camouflaged as 'civilians'. Any 'hospital' that is bombed by Russia is instantly portrayed as an innocent place where children go when they get sick, from Assad's sieges and barrel bombs, naturally. There is no mention of the actual purpose of these hospitals, and why the White Helmets are so quick on the scene, or even who they are... 

The most probable reason for this statement is that Russia is countering the US' simulacra with its own simulacra. The overlapping of these hyper-realities creates a digital environment where only the US can bomb not only civilian infrastructure  but also the Syrian Army itself with impunity, as lapdogs like CNN and Fox News can cover for them using its web of phoney NGOs (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, for example) should any information on civilian casualties leak out.

State run media is essentially words from the horse's mouth in this era of fourth generation warfare, and when we see Reuters and Russia Today publish contrary versions of events (and later Reuters will cite the MoD's statement), we are seeing another battle in the information war unfold before our very eyes. What actually happened becomes irrelevant (the terrorists are dead regardless), and the new reality is what must be swallowed by media consumers: Idlib was  bombed and civilians were killed; Russia denies it was their doing. 

Regardless of what the media says, Russia bombed Al-Nusra last night in Idlib, and it's a real shame that we are now living in an era where this good deed is contorted by Capitol Hill into something sinful. 

It really isn't difficult to imagine that Takfiri compounds are designed (by the US of course) in a way where a make-shift hospital is placed in the center, and a few civilians are admitted for treatment for basic complaints (it helps if they are brainwashed with Salafi ideology too). The 'hospital' could have a direct line to US NGOs also. There could even be a designated area that is barren for the US to bomb and later claim they did something.

As usual, the reader must make their own mind up... 

UPDATE: 

Learning more from sources on the ground in Idlib. Appears hospital itself was not hit, but just behind it + a public garden

— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) May 31, 2016

URGENT: US, Russia working together to uncover whose airstrike killed 23-28 in Idlib, Syria https://t.co/4henEbzZkp pic.twitter.com/pytsTlQVTB

— RT America (@RT_America) May 31, 2016

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Lavrov: "Russia is not abandoning and has not forgotten about Donbass"

May 31, 2016 - 

PolitRussia - 

Translated by J. Arnoldski

Russia is not abandoning and has not forgotten about South-Eastern Ukraine, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, stated in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda. 

“We are not abandoning and have not forgotten about the South-East of Ukraine, and we are actively supporting them with humanitarian aid and the resolving of ongoing economic problems,” the Russian minister explained.

According to Lavrov, Donbass will never agree to the deployment of any kind of international force on its territory. 

“This is not provided for in the Minsk Agreements. Donbass will never opt for this. All steps for resolving [the situation] must, without exception, be agreed upon with Donbass in according with the Minsk Agreements,” Lavrov remarked.

“The subject of security has suddenly become the most important one for President Poroshenko, but not only the ceasefire, but the ensuring of the safety of some kind of international force throughout the entire territory of Donbass,” he added. 

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Lavrov explains why Russia has not recognized DPR/LPR

May 31, 2016 - 

Life - 

Translated by J. Arnoldski

Behind closed doors, the West is now putting pressure on Kiev to fulfill the Minsk Agreements. If Russia “slams the door” and decides to recognize the DPR and LPR as separate states, then the Minsk Agreements could be forgotten. This opinion was expressed by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda. 

“The door could be slammed and an example could be taken from those who are behind such an ineptitude [to fulfill the Minsk Agreements] and use diplomatic and political instruments to start to threaten that we will recognize them, and that we will introduce sanctions,” Lavrov remarked.

“I am convinced that this would be counterproductive which, as a minimum, would mean losing the current, albeit “delicate” position of pressuring Kiev,” he continued.

The minister emphasized: “Now no one can oppose this document (Minsk 2) in any way, and it is impossible to doubt.”

“If we were to now say that ‘we have lost patience; we are going the other way,’ then they’ll say: ‘Wonderful,’ now the West does not have to put any pressure on the current Ukrainian government whatsoever.” 

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Russia-Germany hockey diplomacy in Crimea; German politicians in Crimea demand the immediate lifting of sanctions (VIDEO)

Russian text of the German speaker, from video at site: "I consider that we must lift the sanctions immediately. The German people are speaking out against the sanctions. Whenever I talk with ordinary people they all with one voice say it. "We have to get rid of the sanctions."
Video below the accompanying text.

Yuri Hempel, event organizer. Text across top of screen: "German politicians in Crimea demand immediate lifting of sanctions" Screen cap from video at site.

NewsFront.ru, May 29, 2016
Report of News Front correspondents Anastasia Shkitina and Ivan Prokopov

A German delegation of representatives of the public and political life of Germany is visiting the capital of the peninsula.

The visit was organized as part of an extensive program of "Days of German Culture" and the "People's diplomacy" project, subtitled "Mutual understanding between peoples." They are on the peninsula from 25 May to 1 June. 

In the capital of Crimea representatives of the German delegation attended a concert of the creative collectives of the people of Crimea.

The main purpose of the visit of the foreign guests is the creation of a positive image of the Crimea and Russia, as well as the breaking of the information blockade.

"The other day dozens of representatives of German business, social and political life of Germany arrived in order to get acquainted with the real situation in the country and to see what is happening. The main objective of this project - strengthening the image of our multinational peninsula in the international arena. We wish that as many people as possible in the world be aware that the Crimea is a territory of peace and harmony," said Yuri Hempel, the organizer of the event.

Also, in the Simferopol Ice Palace there was a friendly hockey match between the amateur teams from Simferopol and Stuttgart. Lagoda, the Simferopol hockey team, a part of the Night Hockey League of amateur teams of the Crimean Federal District, defeated the "Ice Wolves" from Stuttgart, whose players are former professional athletes, by a score of 8: 6.

On Monday, at 15.00 hockey players of the team Yalta "White Lion" will take to the ice against the "Ice Wolves" from Stuttgart. Free admission.

Here is the video:

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