Russia declares war on Ukraine. Live updates from inside Ukraine

Julian Borger @julianborger
Reuters: German defence ministry says unable to contact group of #OSCE military monitors in Eastern #Ukraine

marqs @MarQs__
#UN AMBASSADOR #CHURKIN REITERATES THAT #RUSSIA CAN INVOKE ARTICLE 51 OF THE CHARTER - SELF DEFENCE TO MOVE IN TO #UKRAINE

a reply to: Dutzy

Article 51

Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security.

Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.

UN

PM’s phone call with other world leaders on Ukraine

Following the phone call, a Downing Street spokesperson said: The Prime Minister spoke today to President Obama, Chancellor Merkel, President Hollande and Prime Minister Renzi about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

The 5 leaders welcomed the efforts by the Ukrainian government to implement the Geneva agreement, including cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and working towards constitutional reform and decentralisation. They condemned the absence of any efforts on the part of Russia to support the implementation of the Geneva agreement, and the further efforts to destabilise Ukraine and to undermine the 25 May elections.

While they continued to hold open the door to a diplomatic resolution of this crisis, based on the Geneva agreement, the 5 leaders agreed that in the light of Russia’s refusal to support the process, an extension of the current targeted sanctions would need to be implemented, in conjunction with other G7 leaders and with European partners.

NATO warship entering the Black Sea.

@Interpreter_Mag: BREAKING: According to @itvnews, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Reports OSCE Monitors Abducted By Gunmen In Slavyansk t.co...

Given the fact that the majority of the monitors in Ukraine are from NATO countries I wonder how they will react. I also wonder what procedures OSCE have in place for incidents like this.

@myroslavapetsa: Interior Ministry: Terrorists in #Slovyansk took 7 OSCE monitors hostage, placed them in SBU office that serves as separatists' prison

mvs.gov.ua...

Hostages are indoors local USBU . Negotiations for their release.

April 25, 2014 against 11.40 at the entrance to Slovyansk on the part of Kramatorska unknown persons stopped the bus with 13 passengers have . Among them were 7 OSCE representatives , 5 representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the driver of the vehicle.

The terrorists took the bus with passengers on the territory of USBU Slovyansk . Currently, there are passionate citizens .

Currently, negotiations with representatives of the pro-Russian forces . They refused to liberate the hostages , citing the need to communicate them to the competent authorities of the Russian Federation.

Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Debunked the Russian BS on Jamming The USS Donald Cook

A Russian Su-24 bomber buzzed the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea in early April, escalating the military standoff over Ukraine and outraging American officials.

Now Russian media claims that the Su-24 managed to jam Donald Cook’s Aegis air-defense system, which combines radars and long-range missiles. “The algorithm of the radar in the Aegis system on the destroyer did not load under the influence of jamming by the Su-24,” the Russian Radio Website reported.

It’s a bull# story.

Read the full Story Here

medium.com...

Readout of the President’s Call with President Hollande, Chancellor Merkel, Prime Minister Renzi, and Prime Minister Cameron

Today the President spoke with President Hollande of France, Chancellor Merkel of Germany, Prime Minister Renzi of Italy, and Prime Minister Cameron of the UK to consult about the alarming situation in eastern Ukraine. The leaders noted the positive steps that Ukraine had taken to move forward on the actions to which it committed in the April 17 joint statement by Ukraine, Russia, the European Union, and the United States – including proposing an amnesty law for those who will peacefully leave the buildings they have seized in eastern Ukraine, supporting the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and committing themselves once again to a process of constitutional reform and decentralization. The leaders also agreed that Russia had not reciprocated – including by not publicly supporting the Geneva accord, nor calling on armed militant groups to lay down their arms and leave the government buildings they’ve occupied – and had in fact continued to escalate the situation through its increasingly concerning rhetoric and threatening military exercises on Ukraine’s border. The President noted that the United States is prepared to impose targeted sanctions to respond to Russia's latest actions. The leaders agreed to work closely together, and through the G7 and European Union, to coordinate additional steps to impose costs on Russia. The leaders underscored that Russia could still choose a peaceful resolution to the crisis, including by implementing the Geneva accord.

a reply to: Catacomb

Wut? My God, what are you talking about?! Are you implying that Russia is the Trhird Reich in this situation? Are you watching Fox news or something? Can you even find Ukraine on the map? And are you aware that some 2 years ago the Ukranian Neo-Nazis attacked WW2 veterans when they were trying to celebrate Victory day? And the police did NOTHING to stop them. Has any of your grandpas fought in the war? Mine have. 2 of them. 1 died. Do you know that former SS members march on the streets of Vilnus and Tallin? Wearing SS uniform. Would you like the Japaneese and Germans in WW2 uniform to march through the streets of American cities on the 4th of July and declare that the "blody occupation of West Germany and the nuclear bombing of Japaneese cities are american war crimes and that the 3d Reich is still strong" and all? Are you on drugs or something?
What is happening now in Ukraine is an ordinary revolution whre one part of the population has one idea of what the country should be and the other part has yet another vision of it. And the guys with money, that Taruta and Kolomoiski and co, a pack of money-bags, pay for the show. You wine the woman - you dine the woman. If you capture the White house, it doesn't mean that you're president. But that's modern Ukraine.

Here's what happened in simple words.

HEY MODERATOR! I declare you a filthy liar and a thief and hereby declare myself Supreme Moderator. From now on I shall moderate and own this site and have full authority of anything that is done here. You, Catacomb, shut up or I will put you in jail for opposing the new rules of this site. Asen_y2k, I declare you terrorist and enemy of the site and I grant my UserArmy to shoot you on sight. From now on User1 will be my minister of censorship. Say something that I don't like and my Boys will come to your house, beat you up and "show you the right way". User2 will be in charge of the guys with guns. If someone doesn't like it - they will come for you. User 3 and User 4 are my sponsors, so I declare them moderators for political and economic topics.
You ok with that? Because you pretty much said you ARE. Right now Russian women and men from 18 to 60 are denied entry into the Ukraine, almost all Russian journalists have been sent back and denied entry for several years. 4 years, I believe. People are being beaten up for wearing the Georg ribbon, a symbol of victory in WW2, as well as for any opposition to the current power in Kiev. Do keep in mind, that they ere not THE OFFICIAL power. They are the guys that "captured the White house and appointed themselves the leaders of the country". Russian language, a language on which 90% of the population of Ukraine fluently speak on, has been banned. Now army is shooting guys who did the same as the guys on Maidan, but without killing any cops and burning down buildings. One really has to be mad to support the gys in power in Ukraine. Or if you're a nizi - feel free to do so. The Turks are currently building a concentration camp for the opposition in Ukraine. As they call it "a center for African refugees". Hey, Catacomb, feel free to apply for warden. You're ideologically suited for this kind of job. maybe you can even do some big-time Drang nach Osten when you're bored with that. Feel free. And Heil Ukraine! Put the Russians on knives! Who doesn't hop, is a Russian! Heil Bendera(Hitler's ally in Ukraine. Learn your history)! Beat the Jews! Hey, you ok with that too, I assume. Heil Ukranian SS troops! Heil mass murder, accused during the Nurnberg process. Bendera did in Belarus and East Ukraine things much worse then what Bisimungu did in Rwanda. Bet you like toddlers tied to lamp-posts with barbed wire or un-born-children cut our ot their mother's womb and cats put inside the womb and sewed up. Hey, you like that, don't you? Because you wouldn't support it otherwise. Crimea was Suderland? Well, yes and no. Crimea was taken on the wave of chaos in Kiev, but the Crimea was gifted to Ukraine by a Ukranean-born General Secretary Kruschev. If you are familiar with history, Russia has been fighting for this region for many centuries. Russia. Not Ukraine. There was no ukraine back then. There was no ukraine when it was gifted to them. Many people lost their lives there. And it was just goddamned gifted to the Ukraine some 50 years ago. Just like that. Hey, If your president Jose Manuel Alvares gives away Texas to Mexico, would you agree? Without any referendum or consent from the Congress.... But you should.
I am all hands for strong Ukraine. It makes it easier for all of us. But what's happening now is big mistake.

PS. Do learn your history, Catacomb. I have 12 tomes of the Nurnberg process at home and I have never been that terrified in y life. Something, I believe, you missed out on.
PPS.Specially for you.
Heil Bendera! Heil Ukraine! Put the Russians on knives! Beat the Jews! (Hey, that's what they shout in the Ukraine. And I know you're ok with that.)
Hail Ukraine! Hail to the Heroes! (By heroes I mean the Bendera forces.)

Interesting post from Antimaidan vkontakte profile:
vk.com...

Slovyansk : Kiev aggressors carried out reconnaissance

After attempts to crush the rebellion in the South East by the army and the shameful failure of this attempt , the junta moved to a new tactic , when the main centers of resistance against the People's Republic of Donetsk steel use pivot battle groups designed to suppress the centers of resistance in the city and stripping residential neighborhoods .

In summary , these groups included :
- Interior Ministry special forces " Omega" and " Jaguar" ;
- Special Forces SBU "Alpha" ;
- Units " National Guard " ;
- A group of militants "right sector " ;
- Punitive battalions "Dnepr" and "Donbass" .

The total number of groups of order 2 thousand 500 - 3 thousand people. Most are trained departmental special forces armed with modern weapons as well as armor . Other components of consolidated groups armed with small arms and have a fairly low combat capability . To give them a fighting stability , to help such groups assigned punitive military equipment of the Ukrainian army , brought in from Western Ukraine - tanks T -64 , BTR- 80 , BMP-2 and Mi- 24B and Mi-8 . In addition, under the guise of Ukrainian law enforcers are employees of private military companies " Greystone " , about 100-150 people.

Morning of April 24 , one of these groups began to move into the area from the Sloviansk Raisin , which is a base area of the junta in the Donetsk region . Estimated to witnesses, the group consisted of 10-12 armored cars , 160-200 people - Goats " Omega" and " Alpha" and " National Guard ." From the air offensive covered three attack helicopters Mi- 24B, as well as two Mi-8. As a means of development success was supposed to use another 15 BTR-80 fighters from the " National Guard " , 4-6 tanks T -64 and 3-5 attack helicopters Mi- 24B .

Split into teams , consolidated group attacked the roadblocks with militias Sloviansk Izyumske direction. Brunt roadblocks at CES and fodder plant , while for the expansion front of attack near one of the checkpoints were landed from a helicopter , which , after a brief skirmish with the militia retreated into the forest. Taking the advantage of firepower (at roadblocks fired APCs ) , after a short battle junta troops occupied three checkpoint on the outskirts Sloviansk . Group of sappers began to check the entrances to the city for roadside bombs , which was supposed to go technique . When you try to get involved in city Sloviansk militia began to have fire resistance , resulting in offensive petered out as commandos SBU "Alpha" refused to attack the city , and went to Kiev requests demanding to allow air strikes on the city , as the attackers openly feared high losses .
About an hour tramping on the outskirts Sloviansk , consolidated group began withdrawal from the occupied positions , which were re-occupied by militias . Roadblocks began hastily to recover , and the city continued construction of new barricades.

By 15.00 in the direction of the downed roadblocks began to move tanks and armored vehicles from the Raisin supported by attack helicopters. The main forces Sloviansk defenders were concentrated in the city center, where they were concentrated and antitank weapons . It was quite a sensible idea in terms of savings of the main forces , so they are not hit by parts at checkpoints . At the same time over the city with helicopters began to scatter leaflets urging residents to stay at home and not maintain militias , similar in meaning Nazi leaflets WWII .

At this point, estimated loss by militias were 7 killed ( radio reported 15 ) and about 30 wounded. Loss junta unknown, but reportedly there were also killed and wounded. Passed the information that ground fire damaged one of the helicopters junta. In general , the total number killed during yesterday's fighting for Slovyansk could reach 20 people , and obviously will be specified . Also yesterday received information that in the Raisin unknown on red " Opel " was badly injured girl who was injured by bullets of 7.62 .

After lunch , amid reports nomination armored with raisins in Slavonic fell posts on nomination large mechanized units of the Russian army to the border of Ukraine. Through only one Novoshahtinsk in the Rostov region to Ukrainian border proceeded full mechanized brigade . The air was constantly fighting with tactical aviation suspension.

Large-scale movement of troops under the pretext of exercises took place in the area of ​​other border crossings in the south- east of Ukraine . It became quite obvious that Russia is concentrating superior ground forces to protect the civilian population of the South- East of the punitive operation junta.

In Kiev, the beginning of a growing awareness that the continued operation in the area Sloviansk fraught full replication " Olympic scenario " when the attack on the army Slovyansk follow the deployment of Russian troops followed the defeat of the Ukrainian army demoralized units and consolidated units junta. In the area of ​​16-17 hours was a political decision , and armored vehicles start to be delayed junta back to raisins. City , however , has remained locked and small groups of special forces and " National Guard " attempted infiltration in Slavic , as roadblocks were left overnight militias in anticipation of the night of the assault.

In general , the resistance Sloviansk militia , as well as a direct threat to Russian troops on the evening of April 24, the junta forced to abandon the attempt to capture until Sloviansk . According to official statements , this was done ostensibly because well planned, and it was only a part of one of the stages of the punitive operation that ended .

But in fact, received information about the retreat of the vehicle to the raisins and problems with loyalty advancing parts indicate that the de facto carried out reconnaissance , behind which was to be followed assault on the city . As reconnaissance operation , perhaps, may be considered successful , but as part of an operation to seize the city, it ended in failure .
You should consider a different scenario when reconnaissance initiated shortly after the arrival of U.S. Vice President Biden to Ukraine , was to provoke Russia to send troops in order to expose her aggressor. Under this scenario , Special Forces and PMC troops under the guise of " national guard " simulated attack on the slave from a small number of victims , so that when entering the Russian troops have time to remove troops from the border and substitute a blow minor part of the " National Guard ." That is, in fact, was to counter possible scenario " plan Ossetian " when Russia tried to catch the action template , hoping that it will bring troops ahead of time and it can be branded as the aggressor.

a reply to: ProfessorT

That is so sweet.

part 2:

In Moscow , apparently , perfectly understood this opportunity and so making sure that the scale of the bloodshed has not allow impunity to send troops , limited condemnation of crimes of the junta and capacity groups on the borders with Ukraine, waiting for the next step of the junta .

This strategy is not as simple as it seems the townsfolk - there is a very thin line that separates the " peacemaker " of the " aggressor " , so Russia waits junta providing an opportunity to decide - or release Donetsk and Lugansk regions through referendums , or do you start a full-fledged military operation for which the input and follow " peacekeepers ." The junta is well aware that it was driven into the funnel with the obviously unacceptable decisions and desperately seeking a way out , by organizing provocations. In this regard , the main thing is not to succumb to them and wait for X hours , or when the junta will be forced to go to fulfill the requirements of the Russian ultimatum , or else try to solve the problem by force and Russia will go to the " Ossetian variant ."

originally posted by: SajeevJino

Debunked the Russian BS on Jamming The USS Donald Cook

A Russian Su-24 bomber buzzed the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea in early April, escalating the military standoff over Ukraine and outraging American officials.

Now Russian media claims that the Su-24 managed to jam Donald Cook’s Aegis air-defense system, which combines radars and long-range missiles. “The algorithm of the radar in the Aegis system on the destroyer did not load under the influence of jamming by the Su-24,” the Russian Radio Website reported.

It’s a bull# story.

Read the full Story Here

medium.com...

This article does not give any technical arguments as to refute the Russian story. Also, Russians themselves do not give any serious technical evidence of jamming the Aegis.

So other than propaganda from both sides the only factual matter will be that Su-24 buzzed the USN Destroyer from a distance for 90 min. and no hostile action took place.

One cheer up for Russian electronics can be given that AVTOBAZA electronic intelligence complex was used by Iranians to jamm and control the USAF advanced drone. So Russians have come some distance in electronic jamming etc.

As to they jammed the Aegis that is still up in the air........propoganda aside.

As ProfessorT pointed out in his own thread -

Russian jets cross into Ukraine airspace

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say Russian fighter jets flew into Ukrainian airspace a handful of times over the last 24 hours, in what one called a continued provocation of the heightened tensions in the region.

The officials say it's not clear what the intent was, but the aircraft could have been testing Ukrainian radar or making a show of force. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk publicly about the issue.

The flights come as Russia increases military exercises along the Ukraine border, including moving a broad array of fixed wing and rotary aircraft, infantry and armor troops.

The West has threatened additional sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean region and the ongoing escalation of military operations along the border.

Russian Defense Minister Won't Return Defense Secretary Chuck #Hagel's Calls shar.es... #Russia #Ukraine

More information on the OSCE military monitors being held captive by Russian Special Forces...

DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Pro-Russian forces detained a team of military observers traveling across eastern Ukraine with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an official said late Friday. The team was being held in the eastern city of Slovyansk, according to Stella Khorosheva, a spokeswoman for the town's self-proclaimed separatist mayor. She said the group possessed "suspicious materials," but said they were unharmed and would be released after further investigation.

The OSCE wrote on Twitter that they had lost communication with the German-led team, but that all members of the OSCE monitoring team were safe. Germany's Defense Ministry said it had lost contact with the team, which it said was made up of eight people — three German soldiers, a German translator and one soldier each from the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden and Denmark. Contact broke off around lunchtime and, as of Friday evening, "we are still not in contact," a German Defense Ministry spokesman said on condition of anonymity in line with department rules.

However, he said the ministry couldn't confirm reports from Ukraine that they were being held by separatists. But Czech military spokesman Jana Ruzickova confirmed that the team was detained. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was quoted on ARD television's website as saying, "At the moment, we cannot rule out that the international OSCE military observers are being held in Ukraine."

"We have not had contact since midday ... they are in Ukraine on a neutral, international mission to give the international community an objective picture of the situation," said von der Leyen, who added that Germany is using all diplomatic channels to restore contact.

Pro-Russian insurgents have seized police stations and government buildings in at least 10 cities and towns in eastern Ukraine in April. Militia groups have kidnapped several journalists over the past week in the increasingly unstable region.

AP

originally posted by: ProfessorT

@Interpreter_Mag: BREAKING: According to @itvnews, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Reports OSCE Monitors Abducted By Gunmen In Slavyansk t.co...

Given the fact that the majority of the monitors in Ukraine are from NATO countries I wonder how they will react. I also wonder what procedures OSCE have in place for incidents like this.

@myroslavapetsa: Interior Ministry: Terrorists in #Slovyansk took 7 OSCE monitors hostage, placed them in SBU office that serves as separatists' prison

There just cementing the fact there terrorists at this point. What i mean is now the UN will see them as terrorists as well making there future rather bleak because this sets the stage for any country to enter and remove the threat. If i was them id expect a visit from a large military contingent. See when the US got permission to enter Iraq it was the fact that Saddam was considered a threat and a terrorist.