Swedish/Danish NATO mercenary/observer John G.O. Christensen identified/arrested/freed.

a reply to: maghun

The guy in the video is clearly not the same man, his bone structure is completely different.

If the man appearing in the images purportedly of him in Iraq and Afghanistan are genuinely him, this is not strange and unusual. The OSCE chooses people who have experience in combat zones, just as the UN chooses people who have relevant experience in those fields too.

This is no different to a cop becoming a security guard after retirement.

Clutching at straws?

It's also funny that RT only produced this when their OWN active extremist armed men were photographed leading evens in Crimea and E Ukraine. These are men seen brandishing Russian weapons and protecting seized buildings. While the best they can come up with is outing a former serving military man now working for the OSCE.

Russia needs to try a hell of a lot harder with their digital propaganda.

Rocker

www.liveleak.com...


This old video I linked in this thread shows a member of the political group fatherland being shown to
Have a silenced sniper rifle in his car:-/ one of the men getting in the car is more than likely the shooter

Why you anti Russians avoiding the elephant in the room?

Have a look at the vid and come back with a reasonable explanation if you can find the time

a reply to: DJW001

Thank you for another nice info! Translated end note:

The observers were not part of the official OSCE mission in Ukraine, but sent to the Federal army leadership after the Ukrainian transitional government had asked the OSCE countries for help.

He was observing the Majdan fight in February with that telescope in hotel "Ukraine" non-officially? Ukraine asks OSCE for help officially and non-officially?

He is a civilian in almost every sense of the word. Being a "mercenary" is explicitly illegal under UN law as far as I know. It is, however, almost impossible to be convicted of it and I don't know of anyone or organization that has. It looks as though he was more or less acting as a consultant.

Wherever there is a land in strife with fractured or ambiguous government and armed conflict, you will find individuals selling their military skills.

Umm, is that Liam Neeson in that second to last photo?? Where there is two side by side? I swear that is Liam Neeson in the A Team lol somebody back me up I think OP is pulling a fast one.

a reply to: 200Plus

I was trying to be careful and not offensive with what I wrote so we are on the same page pretty much. Sorry for reading your post as criticism of the people in the West, who haven't lived through Iraq and the other countries the elitist had demanded our governments send their armies to. Its our families in the past that worked themselves into the gorund to get us where we are today, sad we are sliding back down quietly. The American history I suspect has always been run through money which always seems to lead back to London, regardless of what soldiers actually went to fight for. Money never cares for the right or wrong of differences between north and south just that we are all slaves to the central banks and their oligarch who sits pretty in the UK having slid in behind the monarchy.

Personally I could see how Iraq, Libya and now Syria were going to unfold and the fact that business only wanted the places wrecked so they could expect the oil those countries hold to pay for the job of rebuilding. I suspect its not so easy today to get people to go there, regardless of the salaries, so the whole lot has been a lost cause for the people there and their aspirations, although its great to see them deciding to try to change things.

I don't like the idea of mercenaries being used by governments to assassinate people but it obviously goes on outside government also. We are supposed to be civilised and follow rules during war but the dealings and interfering that goes into forcing other country's to have government representation that is acceptable in the West all over the world is something I thinbk we need a lot of discussion on.

Oh dear more lies and provocation coming from Moscow... It must be a real sorry desperate state for Moscow's terrorists in Ukraine, this is starting to become a huge embarrassment for Putin and a huge financial loss for Russia

It also seems there have been a huge cut in communications from Moscow to its special forces and handful of pro Russian supporters in some Eastern Ukrainian towns and city's... The rhetoric was quite in lime and parrot like and now it's clearly jumbles and confused, what the chances it's because of fears of interception and Ukraine's forces massed on the boarders?

Ah well I guess that one way to cut the puppet strings

originally posted by: Rocker2013
a reply to: maghun

The guy in the video is clearly not the same man, his bone structure is completely different.

If the man appearing in the images purportedly of him in Iraq and Afghanistan are genuinely him, this is not strange and unusual. The OSCE chooses people who have experience in combat zones, just as the UN chooses people who have relevant experience in those fields too.

This is no different to a cop becoming a security guard after retirement.

Clutching at straws?

It's also funny that RT only produced this when their OWN active extremist armed men were photographed leading evens in Crimea and E Ukraine. These are men seen brandishing Russian weapons and protecting seized buildings. While the best they can come up with is outing a former serving military man now working for the OSCE.

Russia needs to try a hell of a lot harder with their digital propaganda.

While I agree with you in your post

I don't agree Russia needs to do more with its propaganda as seen on ats in recent months, pro Russian goons are repeating every laughable accusation that comes from Moscow, they await he new propaganda to push there agenda

Nobody see the outcome and bunk they see the initial lie to condition them and eat it without checking the date so to speak

originally posted by: maghun
He fought the Taliban in Afghanistan:

He fought for Irak's democracy:

He fought policemen and protesters in Ukraine as freedom-fighter sniper:

Recognisable?

He get caught by terrorists in Eastern Ukraine, Slavyansk according to unconfirmed sources.

Swedish mercenary John G.O. Christensen was arrested in #Slavyansk today. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/yqfQs1arCa

He was freed as OSCE observer in Slavyansk:

Are mercenaries covered by any of the Geneva Agreements?

My first guess is that he was part of a small, contracted security detail (which obviously didn't do a very good job providing security)..

a reply to: clay2 baraka

When the so called terrorists let them (unofficial OSCE and their ukrainian fellow) go just for free (don't think about money, preferably arrested friends), I did not understand.

I thought official senior sergeant's salary is good enough without abroad bonus...

a reply to: TritonTaranis

I wish I could feel that the news we get in the UK was based on truth and not propaganda. RT tonight said the Russians are pis--d with the reporting in the West which they say is inaccurate. But in truth unless one is out there or has family who can actually travel around and check this out, we are all only able to see the 'official' line.

A good friend was a camera man with the BBC and he filmed both the miners and police charge (which many Brits will remeber and the Poll tax riots. Both occasions he complained because the film he shot was edited and showed a different happening to the ones he actually filmed. He left the BBC disgusted because, like allk of us then we stupidly trusted our Government and its institutions. So Although I doubt the Russians are any better , I won't be duped into having 'those nasty Russians' propaganda just because my government has had a ruck with the USSR and Cameron is jealous of Putin's home popularity.

One salient point made by an expert in London on RT was that the Kiev government is not actually engaging with dialogue in any areas where there is opposition to them or trying to open discussion with the dissidents. It simply sends in troops which is only making the situation worse.

a reply to: Shiloh7Coincidentally the freed observers was under ukrainian army's fire after leaving Slavyansk.

Czech source

Another unconfirmed source:

The OSCE stressed that the eight soldiers were not working for they OSCE. The soldiers are in Ukraine, as military observers, under a bilateral agreement made on the basis of an OSCE document. In an interview, broadcast by the Austrian TV Channel ORF, OSCE Spokesman Claus Neukirch said:

“But I also have to say, that they, to be exact, are not working for the OSCE, but that they are military observers who are active there (Ukraine) under a bilateral agreement based on an OSCE document. We have, parallel to them, also an OSCE-mission, an observer mission, that already has over 125 civilian observers in the country, including that region”.

originally posted by: Whereismypassword
Rocker

www.liveleak.com...


This old video I linked in this thread shows a member of the political group fatherland being shown to
Have a silenced sniper rifle in his car:-/ one of the men getting in the car is more than likely the shooter

Why you anti Russians avoiding the elephant in the room?

Have a look at the vid and come back with a reasonable explanation if you can find the time

I watched the video, and I read the description, and I don't see any evidence of anything other than a group of men around a car with a gun in the back.

Everything in and surrounding this video is conjecture, suggestion and suspicion.

Why can't the weapon have belonged to a Russian sniper? Why is it assumed that this was someone else?

Even if it did belong to someone at the protest, this still proves nothing, and it still doesn't change the FACT that Russia has invaded another nation.

You speak of Elephants in the room, but you still ignore the FACT that Russia is the one that has invaded, Russia is the one that stole Crimea, Russia is the one threatening an invasion and Russia is the one REFUSING to hold talks when every other party and every other country has repeatedly asked it to come to discussions.

originally posted by: Shiloh7
a reply to: TritonTaranis

I wish I could feel that the news we get in the UK was based on truth and not propaganda. RT tonight said the Russians are pis--d with the reporting in the West which they say is inaccurate. But in truth unless one is out there or has family who can actually travel around and check this out, we are all only able to see the 'official' line.

But you implicitly trust RT?

All good ATS'ers know that no mainstream news outlet can be trusted 100%, and that's why most of us look for information everywhere and form our own opinions. We watch RT, BBC, CNN, Reuters, we follow Twitter, we watch YouTube videos, we read blog posts and investigative articles... and we form an opinion from the information given.

What really irritates me is that many here scream about "western propaganda" while believing everything RT says without question, posting YouTube videos that are clearly not proof of anything and claiming that they are, or repeating nonsense that we all know is factually incorrect.

Here's one simple fact - Russia invaded Crimea. Forget everything else, ignore all the BS from both sides for one moment, and just consider this known and present FACT. Russia broke international law and invaded another country.

This should really be all anyone needs to know to form an accurate picture of who is the aggressor in this case. It's a criminal act, it's an act of war, and Russia is responsible for it.

a reply to: Rocker2013

Here's one simple fact - Russia invaded Crimea. Forget everything else, ignore all the BS from both sides for one moment, and just consider this known and present FACT. Russia broke international law and invaded another country.

This should really be all anyone needs to know to form an accurate picture of who is the aggressor in this case. It's a criminal act, it's an act of war, and Russia is responsible for it.

Considering the number of times the west has broken international law in the last decade, and the massive scope of those crimes, Russia's actions are a minor infraction. They mobilized to protect their assets in Crimea after the Kiev coup. Can you say the west wouldn't have done the same, only with a hell of a lot more bloodshed? In fact, it seems to me they might have saved the Crimeans from the slaughter that is happening in Eastern Ukraine.

originally posted by: maghun
After being caught he transformed to OSCE observer?

The 8 member team under Col Axel Schneider was NOT operating under the auspices of OSCE.
They had no business being where they were caught, and the OSCE expressly distanced itself from their mission.
This is currently investigated in Germany, since it was a german-led mission.
As it looks like now this wa a reconnaissance team, likely working in cooperation with the German BND, which is all very uncomfortable.

Lol rocker I knew you would say Something like that

Why couldn't it belong to some Russian sniper you say! Look at where the car was stopped and filmed in between so many anti government protesters surely any Russian or Ukraine government employe being caught there would at the least get a good beating at the worst a lynch mob

Can see the car number plate as well,you realy think the anti Russian west media would ignore this vid if it was evidence of Russian snipers! The reason it's ignored is a member of the Fatherland party is bringing into the city a silenced sniper rifle and at least one shooter

Russia never invaded Crimea,they had permission to have base there with troops and when the population decided rightly the west government was dangerous they voted by the ballot box to unite with Russia

Pensions are a lot higher too,expect they will be far better off and they knew it

America and the west poured money into the Ukraine to get the leader they wanted,someone who would not deal with Russia
Anyone who has heard the "f EU" fully knows America was desperate to get people they wanted in power

Still amazed that people who visit this website still believe the lies the media tells them every day

a reply to: ColCurious

Let us count a little:

The eight captured men in the Ukrainian city Slaviansk are not OSCE observers, affirmed OSCE official Claus Neukirch. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday, to discuss Moscow’s possibilities to intervene on behalf of the 4 German, 1 Danish, 1 Polish, 1 Czech and 1 Swedish soldiers who were arrested in civilian clothing, in a vehicle displaying the OSCE name.

Number of OSCE "unofficial" observers is 8.

The situation is, in other words, as follows: Eight soldiers were sent to Ukraine under a bilateral agreement; The agreement is a “parallel agreement” to the agreement about the OSCE observer mission. 4 of the capture soldiers are German, serving at the Center for Verification Tasks. The others are from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic and Poland.

Number of OSCE observers is 9.

Vojenské experty z Česka, Dánska a Polska Berlín k účasti v misi přizval.

Military experts from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland and Berlin to participate in the mission invited.

A swedish were sent home due to his diabetes, and 8 men was feed. But the OSCE unofficial team was only of 8.

Axel Schneider. Captured German soldier from the German Federal Defense Forces Center for Verification Tasks.

Rescue effort gone wrong.

originally posted by: Flatcoat
Considering the number of times the west has broken international law in the last decade, and the massive scope of those crimes, Russia's actions are a minor infraction.

Doesn't change the fact that Russia has invaded another country.

As I have said numerous times before, my lack of faith in the US has little bearing on the reality the people of Ukraine (and potentially Europe) are now facing thanks to the aggression of Russia.

Again, listing every military move by every other government as though it's some kind of excuse for Putin does not change the fact that Russia has invaded another country.

originally posted by: Whereismypassword
Why couldn't it belong to some Russian sniper you say! Look at where the car was stopped and filmed in between so many anti government protesters surely any Russian or Ukraine government employe being caught there would at the least get a good beating at the worst a lynch mob

Can see the car number plate as well,you realy think the anti Russian west media would ignore this vid if it was evidence of Russian snipers! The reason it's ignored is a member of the Fatherland party is bringing into the city a silenced sniper rifle and at least one shooter

Context.
You see this video as proof of something. I see this video as proof of nothing. Anyone in that crowd could have a weapon, and anyone in that crowd could be filming this for propaganda purposes.

As you cannot prove the events surrounding this video, and neither can I, all we can do is frame it amongst all the other information we have.

Perhaps that's the difference between us, I require proof, you just require something you can paint as being something you favor.

originally posted by: Whereismypassword
Russia never invaded Crimea,they had permission to have base there with troops and when the population decided rightly the west government was dangerous they voted by the ballot box to unite with Russia

A military presence under contractual agreement does not give Russia permission to seize control of Crimea, and you know it. The fact that you suggest the base there is excuse enough to invade and take control shows just how utterly biased you are.

The referendum was a joke, but you know this too. It was not held under any basic standards of international law. The installed leader had less than 5% of public support prior to Putin putting him in control.

originally posted by: Whereismypassword
America and the west poured money into the Ukraine to get the leader they wanted,someone who would not deal with Russia
Anyone who has heard the "f EU" fully knows America was desperate to get people they wanted in power

Wrong again.
Where is this money? Where is the evidence? Hundreds of thousands of people in Kiev protested for a fresh election and the removal of their dictatorial leader - one who changed the constitution without consulting the people, but you won't want to mention that little nugget will you?

As for not dealing, it's Putin who has rejected talks over and over and over again. Ukraine asked Russia numerous times to come to talks, and Russia refused. When it finally did (after invading) it agreed to roll back troops from the border, and IT HAS NOT DONE IT.

You talk about people not being willing to discuss this and come to a peaceful solution, but you ignore that Russia has been asked to talk hundreds of times. Every time the interim Ukrainian PM spoke to media he outright asked Putin to talks, and Putin ignored it.

originally posted by: Whereismypassword
Still amazed that people who visit this website still believe the lies the media tells them every day

And yet you believe every word RT says.

It's amazing that so many people here are constantly criticizing the media, but not when that media reports the things they personally agree with.

Let me guess, all western media is propaganda, and RT is shining a beacon of light out of their behinds?