The bad news:

1. According to President Poroshenko, there will be a weeklong pause in the ATO [anti-terrorist operation].

We know that this is a very serious political step. We understand that [Ukrainian authorities] are counting on the possibility to nevertheless settle the conflict in Donbas with a minimum of casualties. We know that this decision was made after a thorough analysis of the situation, taking into account intelligence data. Also, within the past day, Ukrainian security forces conducted a very serious (and most importantly rather successful) action to block off the border.

But the border is still not “under lock.” And one can only assume that a cease-fire under these conditions is necessitated by circumstances for which we have no information as yet. I’d like to believe that the Ukrainian President knows what he is doing.

2. Yesterday, new tanks, armored personnel carriers, and “Grad” MLRS [multiple launch rocket system] broke into Ukraine from the territory of Russia.

No comment needed. Each one of these combat units represents new provocations and new combat. Today, the insurgents are in possession of at least six “Grad” systems, enough to launch a local Armageddon.

At the same time, terrorist leaders promised to turn Donbas into Stalingrad.

We have no doubt that Putin and his mongrels will lose Donbas just as badly as their spiritual mentor, Hitler, blew it in Stalingrad in 1943. But these are new rivers of the blood of our brothers.

3. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine has begun criminal proceedings for the illegal suspension of the procurement of body armor for the Army by the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine.

Behind the front lines wherever you look, there are oddities smacking strongly of betrayal and sabotage [in the bureaucratic offices]. Maybe it’s high time to hang those responsible [for such acts] by their privates in the town squares? It’s inhumane, but who knows, maybe the number of those willing to interfere with the ATO will be instantly diminished.

The good news:

1. Aside from problems with the border (although this one issue does eliminate many advantages, why hide that fact), ATO forces localized the point of infestation.

In fact, the terrorists are blocked in a separate area in some raions [districts] of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts [regions].

2. A delegation of Sloviansk residents appealed to the little terrorist leader Girkin with the demand [for him] to get out of town. Girkin categorically refused.

The fact that terrorists are a headache and a bone in the throat of the civilian population in Donbas is widely known. But yesterday, people talked about it in a whisper. Today, they talk about it out loud. Although [they are] well aware that the insurgents from the “People’s Republic” can shoot them for such things.

By the way, there are leaflets currently distributed in Luhansk, in which city residents are also asking terrorists and subversives to leave the city, and not hide behind civilians.

Let this voice sound louder. Both the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian society, and Donbas residents in particular are dreaming only about peace. Only the terrorists and their masters in the Kremlin are craving bloodshed. The world should know about this.

3. While regaining control over the border in the vicinity of ​​”Dolzhanskiy” [checkpoint], security forces cut terrorist groups, which ruled the roost there, off from the checkpoint. Among the insurgents were Russian mercenaries who opened mortar fire. During the skirmish, a Russian customs official was wounded.

Moscow immediately went into action. Gentlemen from the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation immediately arrived at the “Dolzhanskiy” [checkpoint], “for inspection and recording evidence of shelling of the Russian territory.” I feel there will be a lot of snot and stink [on the matter].

For starters, what would be valuable for these uncles to explain is why on earth was there a Russian customs officer there, if the Ukrainian border crossing checkpoint was closed, and Russia was supposed to close on its [side of the border]?

But since these kids decided to play in close cooperation with terrorists, let them disentangle this mess. If Russian customs officers, border guards, and the military continue to die from weapons Putin throws by the ton to the insurgents–I don’t see a tragedy in it. They have no one else to blame…

Dmitry Tymchuk, Coordinator, Information Resistance

Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine