The bad news:
1. Putin awarded the Order of Courage to terrorist accomplices from the Russian TV channel LifeNews, Saychenko and Sidyakin. Previously, these doers were detained by the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] near Kramatorsk with a portable anti-aircraft missile system, as part of a terrorist group.
What “achievements” these criminals were awarded for is unclear. Obviously, the “courage à la Putin”–to help terrorists kill people. The logic of the Kremlin in all its glory.
2. The Russian Foreign Ministry has sent a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine offering delivery of Russian humanitarian aid to the eastern regions of Ukraine. As if, to Moscow are sent “multiple appeals” for help from some Ukrainian “public organizations.”
Our dear Mr. Lavrov: Thank you so much for your kindness. Donbas terrorists regularly receive your “humanitarian assistance” in the form of arms and mercenaries. You are so eager to transfer it quickly, that our border guards don’t have time to respond to the breakthroughs of convoys loaded with this “help” crossing our border.
Better help your snitches who are in charge in Abkhazia. Now they definitely need “humanitarian aid” since this criminal pseudo-state, concocted by Moscow, is flying into chaos. And we ‘ll survive somehow without your vile intervention.
3. As soon as we reported today that terrorists in Donbas used ambulances to transport arms, ammunition, and insurgents, the Donetsk Regional State Administration [DRSA] immediately refuted us. Like, all the ambulances are accounted for, no one hijacked them.
Ironically, a couple of hours later, a video traveled around the Internet where an ambulance is clearly visible in a convoy of terrorist vehicles.
If the DRSA is so sure that nobody hijacked the ambulances, then there’s only one conclusion. Namely–that local authorities courteously provide ambulance cars to terrorists. I don’t see other options.
It wouldn’t hurt for law enforcement authorities to find out from where the Donestk authorities have gotten such a thirst to aid insurgents.
The good news:
1. There is hope that the problem of the defense of our border with Russia will be resolved afterall. Just yesterday, we submitted an IR report on the issue, and pointed out that it is necessary to strengthen the border service with army units.
And today, the head of the State Border Service reported that in the near future a decision regarding the strengthening of border guard units with military units in eastern Ukraine will be made. It will be strengthened both by the Army and the National Guard. They will create a “buffer zone” in the border area.
The initiative is badly needed and overarching. The main thing [about it] is that it be implemented, and the sooner the better.
By the way, today is a professional holiday for border servicemen. The whole IP group and I congratulate those who defend the borders of our country. Good luck and courage to you!
2. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC MP] has briskly disowned terrorists. As in, if someone takes hostages and seizes entire regions–they are evil. The UOC MP press secretary Georgiy Kovalenko announced this today.
Ah, I would be glad to believe the representative of the UOC MP, but somehow their behavior comes out strangely. They say one thing, but by their deeds [do another]–the church representatives and the clergy head terrorist groups, the monasteries have been turned into temporary insurgent bases, and the churches into centers of anti-Ukrainian propaganda.
But the fact that the UOC MP publicly opposes the thugs in the East–is a positive thing. If only they could bring their views to their flock in Donbas. Because it’s pretty obvious that not all the people there are aware of such a position.
3. The ATO forces managed to put out of action the airborne self-propelled mortar 2S9 “Nona-S,” earlier captured by terrorists in Sloviansk. We got a message about it this morning, but couldn’t confirm that. The ATO headquarters have finally given the confirmation.
In general these are the “main forces of the insurgent artillery.” I don’t know what they, with their usual panache, called this unfortunate “Nona:” an artillery shell or their “vundervaffe.” The fact is that in the hands of the terrorists, she really drank a lot blood.
Dmitry Tymchuk, Coordinator, Information Resistance
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
