From Russian sources, Interfax and TASS, respectively. [The Russian Interfax site uses the Ukrainian government spelling of the nation’s capital.]
Kremlin sees Kyiv’s military buildup near LPR, DPR border as preparations for offensive
Ukraine’s military buildup along the border with the self-proclaimed Luhansk (LPR) and Donetsk (DPR) People’s Republics indicates ongoing preparations for an offensive, and such threat really exists, the Kremlin said.
“Indeed, the Ukrainian authorities are massing enormous forces and hardware along the border with the self-proclaimed republics on the contact line. Indeed, the nature of this buildup points to ongoing preparations for an offensive, and such a threat does exist at the moment,” Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“And, indeed, each given piece of weaponry, whether it be a defensive weapon or an offensive one, once again prompts the hotheads in Kyiv to launch this operation. We can’t help but be concerned about it. We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” he said.
“And in this case we certainly would like NATO countries in their numerous statements to call on Kyiv every time to not even contemplate any possible military settlement in Ukraine,” Peskov said. [?!]
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Kiev actively preparing for forceful resolution of Donbass conflict, DPR says
Ukraine continues its attempts to destabilize the situation in Donbass and is actively preparing to resolve the conflict by force, Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) People’s Militia deputy head Eduard Basurin stated Monday.
“Ukraine not only continues its attempts to destabilize the situation in Donbass by shelling settlements, and preparations are well underway to resolve the conflict by force. The People’s Militia command strongly urges its adversary to drop its criminal intents,” says the emergency statement, published in the People’s Militia’s Telegram channel.
The People’s Militia registered Ukrainian Armed Forces’ (UAF) inside the Kiev’ force operation in Donbass preparing for an offensive. According to Basurin, the Ukrainian command is pulling the UR-77 self-propelling minesweepers to the contact line, and military vehicles are being prepared for combat. Vacations for all personnel in individual battalions and brigades have been suspended, while all commanders were ordered to remain in their temporary deployment locations. In addition, commissions arrived in tank battalions from brigade headquarters to supervise the preparation of weapons and combat vehicles.
The DPR intelligence also obtained information about the formation of armored brigades deeper in Ukrainian territory and their dispatch to Donbass. Furthermore, Ukraine is relocating forces from their permanent deployment location in the Odessa region, disguised as a “planned tactical special exercise.” All these facts confirm that the UAF is preparing for aggression against the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Basurin says.
The People’s Militia stated that it will provide a response, should Kiev commence the forceful resolution of the Donbass conflict, and it will cause irreparable damage to the UAF.
“Acts of Ukrainian aggression against the DPR and LPR will not be left without an appropriate reaction. The Ukrainian army will suffer irreparable damage that it will not recover from,” Basurin said, calling on Ukrainian servicemen to “reject taking part in hostilities and executing the criminal orders of their command.”
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Donetsk Republic head confirms US Javelin anti-tank missiles present in Donbass
US-made Javelin anti-tank missile systems are present on the territory of Donbass, Head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said in a live broadcast on the Rossiya-1 TV Channel on Monday.
“As for the Javelins, they are present on the territory of Donbass but not at the engagement line,” the DPR head said.
The information on deliveries of NLAW anti-tank missile systems to Ukraine has so far not been confirmed. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues conducting reconnaissance with the help of Turkish-made Bayraktar drones “actually on a daily basis,” he added
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