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Ukraine is mining territory next to the Russian border

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From Fort Russ

February 12, 2018 – FRN –

The Ukrainian army is mining the territories at the border with the Russian Federation. This was stated on Tuesday at a briefing by the official representative of Lugansk, Andrei Marochko, referring to intelligence data.
On February 11, the body of a Ukrainian soldier was brought to a morgue of the hospital in Severodonetsk, controlled by Kiev.
“It is known that the serviceman died as a result of an explosion by an unidentified explosive device in the vicinity of Kamyshnoye settlement. As it turned out, this site is where a group of Ukrainian soldiers, which included the deceased, was engaged in the mining of territories near the state border with the Russian Federation.”
– said Marochko.

U.S. forces attack and kill up to 100 Syrians investigating ISIS cell

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From RT

True US goal in Syria is control over resources, not fighting ISIS – Russian MoD

February 8, 2018

The US-led coalition’s attack on pro-government forces in Syria has again proven that Washington’s true goal is to capture “economic assets” instead of fighting terrorism, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The MoD was referring to an incident which took place on Tuesday in Deir Ez-Zor province, as a Syrian militia unit was moving against a “sleeper cell” of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). The operation was prompted by a surge in shelling of the positions of Syrian government forces in the area over the past few days, attributed to the covert activities of IS terrorists, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

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FILE PHOTO A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet © Ina FassbenderUS-led coalition conducts ‘defensive’ airstrikes against Syrian forces

A unit of the pro-government militia was conducting a reconnaissance search mission on February 7 near the former oil processing plant of Al-Isba. While there, “the militiamen came under a surprise mortar and MRLS shelling, and were attacked by helicopters of the US-led ‘international coalition.’”

As a result, 25 members of the pro-government unit were injured. Initial media reports, citing unnamed US officials, suggested that some 100 Syrian soldiers had died in the assault by the coalition forces.

The US Central Command earlier called the attack on Syrian militiamen “self-defense,” claiming that the troops allegedly launched an “unprovoked attack against well-established Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] headquarters.”

The US version of events, however, raises “lots of questions,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

Following the incident, the Russian military talked to the coalition through the established communication channels, with the latter stating that Al-Isba was under the control of SDF and US troops. The immediate cause of the incident, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry, was the fact that the militia unit acted on its own, without consulting Russian advisers first.

The case exposes a greater problem, however, as according to the MoD the attack by the coalition “once again proved that the true goal of the continuous illegal presence of US forces in Syria is already not the fight against ISIS international terrorist group, but the capture and control of the economic assets belonging solely to the Syrian Arab Republic.”

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FILE PHOTO. © Bassam KhabiehUS eyes partitioning of Syria, gave up on promise that fighting ISIS ‘only goal’ – Lavrov

Damascus has decried the attack as a “war crime”and a “crime against humanity,” SANA reports, citing a letter to the UN issued by the Foreign Ministry. The US-led coalition is illegal and should be disbanded altogether, the ministry stressed.

“We demand [the international community] condemn this massacre and hold the coalition responsible for it,” the ministry said, adding that this is not the first time the US-led coalition has targeted Syrian government forces.

The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned the US-led coalition’s presence on its soil, calling it an act of blatant aggression and violation of the country’s sovereignty.

Damascus has also urged the UN to press the US to leave, especially following the successful defeat of the main IS forces. The US, however, has stated that it may remain in Syria indefinitely to counter what it describes as Iranian influence and to secure “post-Assad leadership” for the country.

Recent developments indicate that the US might be effectively shifting towards partitioning Syria altogether, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned earlier on Wednesday.

“It’s very likely that the Americans have taken a course of dividing the country. They just gave up their assurances, given to us, that the only goal of their presence in Syria – without an invitation of the legitimate government – was to defeat Islamic State and the terrorists,” Lavrov stated.

“Now, they are saying that they will keep their presence until they make sure a steady process of a political settlement in Syria starts, which will result in regime change.”

https://www.rt.com/news/418227-syria-us-resources-grab/

U.S. claims aerial attack on Syrian ‘pro-regime’ forces

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From Fort Russ

February 8th, 2018 – Fort Russ News –
– By Joaquin Flores for FRN –

WASHINGTON DC, USA – In a major development, the US’s Central Command (Centcom) has just released an official statement, claiming that it has conducted an aerial attack on what it terms ‘Syrian pro-regime’ forces, about eight miles east of the Euphrates river.

The attack was strategically important for the US as control by the legal and duly elected Syrian government would allow it to link Syria and Lebanon via Iraq to Iran.

The Centcom statement included: “”Syrian pro-regime forces initiated an unprovoked attack against well-established Syrian Democratic Forces headquarters Feb. 7.”

The statement continued: ” In defense of Coalition and partner forces, the Coalition conducted strikes against attacking forces to repel the act of aggression against partners engaged in the Global Coalition’s defeat-Daesh mission.”

It should be noted that the language used by Centcom greatly obfuscates the legal framework of this conflict. The US is operating illegally, with an overt invasion force, and also continues to fund and direct a side in what it frames as a civil war .

 While many international legal experts, as well as the Syrian government have concluded that the war in Syria is a US and ‘Coalition’ backed invasion, it is nevertheless also illegal to fund or control a side in a civil war, which is what the US claims it is doing. The US also claims this alongside its phantom war against its own ISIS creation.
Thus, any attack by the SAA and it’s allied fighting groups upon an illegal, internationally backed, terrorist or otherwise ‘militia’ group existing on the territory of Syria, can not rationally be described in any existing framework as either ‘aggression’ or ‘unprovoked’.

Centcom claims that US bombers struck ‘pro-regime forces’. This is the area where there have been successful Syrian military advances because the US created ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) moved out. The SDF is a rebranding of some of the US backed Kurdish forces which are operating in areas which include sizable Arab populations.

As we reported previously, Kurdish-led and US backed forces have deployed elsewhere to fight Turkish backed forces.

It is unclear at the time of publishing whether these ‘pro-regime forces’ were auxiliary militias, or the Syrian Arab Army itself. FRN still awaits confirmation on more reliable details from the officials of the SAA. Centcom official statements are historically inaccurate and rife with factual ambiguities and legal untruths.

Diplomatically, and legally, this difference – whether the SAA or allied militias were attacked – may result in a different response from the Syrian government, and its allies in the conflict: Iran and Russia.

In either event, this represents another major escalation in the US’s growing and direct role in the conflict which it has supported through various proxies since the start of this decade.

This story at the time of publishing, is still developing.

U.S. Defense Attaché to visit the Donbass front Feb. 7-8

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Current U.S. ambassador to Ukraine is Marie Yovanovitch.
U.S. Defense Attaché is Colonel Thomas Wofford.

From Fort Russ

February 7, 2018 – Fort Russ News –

– Novorosinform, translated by Tom Winter –

American Defense Advisor will visit the front line in Donbass.

In the coming days, a foreign commission headed by the defense attaché at the US Embassy in Ukraine will arrive in the occupied territory of Donbass, and the situation on the frontline is expected to worsen Lieutenant-Colonel Andrei Marochko told journalists today. Marochko is an official representative of the People’s Militia of the Lugansk Peoples Republic,

“In the coming days, we do not exclude situation on the line of contact getting worse, in connection with the arrival of a foreign commission headed by the Defense Attaché at the US Embassy in Ukraine,” the lieutenant colonel said.

According to him, the foreigners plan to visit the settlement of Svetlodorsk in the period from February 7-8.

“The work of a military delegation from the United States can be connected with testing the readiness of units of  mechanized brigade 54 of the Armed Forces to carry out offensive operations. It is during this period that we expect provocations from Ukrainian forces in the area of the Svetlodarskaya arc,” the representative of the Defense Ministry stressed.

“In addition, in the vicinity of the settlement Mironovsky, we note the arrival of a group of foreign officer-instructors. According to preliminary information, the mercenaries arrived from Canada for special tasks on the contact line,” Andrei Marochko added.

Recall, according to the Ministry of Defense of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Ukrainian troops in the interval between March and June intend to begin a full-scale war in the Donbass.

Some related background:
Yesterday presidential candidate and Yabloko party leader Yavlinsky said that Russia should give up supporting the Donbass.

Recall that Ivan Vynnyk, the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the Bloc of Peter Poroshenko and secretary of the Committee on National Security and Defense, believes that after the adoption of the bill on the reintegration of Donbass Ukraine legally can cleanse the DNR and LNR.

Andrei Biletsky, MP, and leader of the Nazi “National Corps” *, the founder of the regiment “Azov” * MP Rada, in turn, said that the leadership of Ukraine should decide to give the order on the approach of the Armed Forces in the Donbass. And in parallel, Kiev must start a war of sabotage within the Russian Federation.

http://www.fort-russ.com/2018/02/american-defense-attache-to-visit.html

Pentagon staff now in the Donbass

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February 8, 2018 – Fort Russ News –

– Novorosinform, translated by Tom Winter –

A group of Pentagon officers have arrived in Donbass to check the readiness of the armed forces for an offensive, said Eduard Basurin, deputy head of the operational command of the Donetsk People’s Republic. [See also US commission to visit front]

According to him, the American officers are accompanied by representatives of the Ukrainian General Staff.

“At the moment, brigades of the Armed Forces, which are part of the “Donetsk” operational-tactical group, are being tested,” Basurin added.

Recall that on January 29, President of Ukraine Poroshenko signed a law allowing foreign military forces on the territory of Ukraine, thereby legalizing the presence of the US military in the country.

On January 26, Canada sent an additional 50 military instructors to Ukraine.

In October, the representative of the European Command, (EUCOM, USCOM) US Armed Forces, said that the Pentagon plans in 2018 to prepare four more battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In August, the US began construction of a naval base in Ochakov.

On October 4, the US Army Army said that more than 200 US soldiers had already arrived at the International Peacekeeping Center near Yavorov to train the militia fighters.

http://www.fort-russ.com/2018/02/pentagon-staff-now-in-donbass.html

Dangerous moves: Is Russia selling off the commons, the public’s assets?

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“Privatization can increase the efficiency of business,  restructure the branches of the economy, replenish the budget revenues.” Alexei Kudrun

This is Western hogwash. The reality is far different and very well known to citizens of Western nations or those who countries are resource-stripped by Western powers and their patron companies.

Privatization leads to new powerful oligarchs who finance candidates (or color revolutions) and change companies into unsafe, low-paying businesses. Vital maintenance and oversight are neglected to keep profits high. Employees get lower and lower wages and benefits, and are “downsized” (fired) when it suits the company. Impacts to public health from business operations are ignored. When candidates can be bought, their pick of judges can be bought, and the selection of regulatory agency directors can be bought. Privatization leaves the public with little recourse even in a court of law.

Businesses are not efficient except in the extraction of wealth for the top executives, managers, and investors.

When the debacle of privatization, asset stripping, and “democracy” occurred in the 1990s, people suffered greatly in Russia. Let Russia chart a new way and demonstrate  a healthy system for the world to emulate.

Back to the 1990s? Kudrin proposes country-wide privatization

February 6 , 2018 – FRN –
KtovKurse – translated by Inessa Sinchougova
Center for Strategic Research, Alexei Kudrin and analysts of the Russian Academy of Science and Technology proposed an alternative to raising taxes – large-scale privatization of enterprises.
The economy of Russia is returning to a cyclical growth, but without structural reforms it will be low – about 1.5-2% per year, according to the economic monitoring of the Russian Academy of Science.
Russia needs to infuse about 2.3% of GDP into human capital and infrastructure, and the authorities are looking for money. One solution could be an increase in personal income tax from the current flat 13%.
According to the calculations of the CSR, the share of the public sector in Russia’s GDP increased from 39.6% to 46%, in the ten years to 2015 – the value of state companies is now $ 175 billion.
Among the OECD countries, this indicator is greater only in India, South Korea and Italy. According to experts of the CSR, Russia faces a strategic dilemma: to continue to develop state capitalism or to privatise.
In 2019-2020, privatization could provide up to 0.5% toward the GDP, said the CSR and former liberal Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.
“Privatization can increase the efficiency of business,  restructure the branches of the economy, replenish the budget revenues.
Today, incomes from privatization are set at just over 36.5 billion rubles. It is necessary to privatize about 80 of the remaining largest companies.”
The CSR proposes to completely keep the state’s shares in only 50-100 strategic companies, and conduct at least four large privatization transactions per year, two of which should involve foreign investors.
Proceeds from the sale of assets reached the level planned Ministry of Finance level only in 2016 due to the privatization of Bashneft. In 2010-2015, plans for privatization were not met by even 20%.

OSCE confirms the delivery of Ukrainian heavy artillery to the Donbass

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From Fort Russ

February 6 , 2018 – FRN –

 

Ukrainian troops continue to build up their groupings in the Donbass, which has been confirmed by international observers.
This is reported on the official website of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.
“On February 3, observers found 18 self-propelled howitzers newly transferred near the city of Artemovsk, 67 km north of Donetsk, where they are in violation of the relevant regulations,” the OSCE reported.

Kiev preparing a “blitzkrieg” for the capture of DPR and LPR

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From Fort Russ

February 5 , 2018 – FRN –
DPR – translated by Inessa Sinchougova

“The enemy will be irreversibly subdued” – Basurin

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing a ‘blitzkrieg’ to seize the territories of the Donbass between March and June – as announced today by the operational command of DPR, Eduard Basurin, referring to intelligence data.
“The plan provides for military units with the support of artillery to overcome the security zone and break through the first defensive line within DPR and LPR, to take control of advantageous positions.” – he noted.
Kiev will inflict the main damage to the north and south of Donetsk.
“Strikes will be coordinated in the direction of Verkhnetortsekoye, Ilovaysk and towards Maximov, Starobeshevo, Ilovaysk. They will try to overcome the line of combat and break through the first defensive position. Then, having increased their power with the introduction of reserves, they will attempt to cut into Donetsk divisions, to encircle and seize Donetsk.” – said Basurin.
The ultimate goal is to reach Novoazovsk and seize the coast of the Azov Sea.
The invasion of the LPR is planned from the direction of Lutugino. According to Basurin, the data from aerial reconnaissance, equipment at the front line, as well as the active replenishment of fuel and ammunition supplies also testifies to Kiev’s plans.
“I note that the blitzkrieg will not bring the expected result to the Ukrainian side, and in case of armed aggression against the People’s Republics, the enemy will be irreversibly subdued.” – Busurin summed it up.
Blue waves – positions of the Ukrainian army, including numbers of tanks, artillery etc. 
Red dots – DPR/LPR defense.

What’s brewing? British, American, Canadian advisers arrive in Donbass

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From Fort Russ

February 4 , 2018 – FRN –

RT Russian – translated by Inessa Sinchougova

 

Citing intelligence sources, the representative of Donetsk, Eduard Basurin, has stated that British instructors have arrived in the Donbass, at the locations of the Ukrainian Forces.
–
“In the area of 93rd separate mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the city of Volnovaha, a group of foreign instructors has arrived – led by a representative of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, for the purpose of training of Ukrainian servicemen on how to carry out sabotage and subversive activities,” said Basurin.
–
“In addition to the British, from February 5th to the 9th, a delegation of the US military will join the Brits. They will assess the expenditure of funds that Washington has allocated to the army.”
–
The DPR stressed that rotation of the Ukrainian military has been completed in the Mariupol district. The marines which came to replace the infantry brigade have participated in the NATO exercises in Georgia in September 2017.
–
“It is possible that the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade will give an order in the near future to carry out provocative actions and practice the skills gained” said Basurin.
–
Experts admit that the arrival of foreign instructors directly to the region may indicate possible plans for the escalation of the situation. The director of the Center for Strategic Studies, Ivan Konovalov stated that “the essence of what is happening is that the training of servicemen of the Armed Forces and soldiers of the National Guard was so far, carried out in zones away from the so-called ATO. And now they decided to change the format and conduct training in conditions that are close to combat. We can assume that they will conduct local combat operations of a sabotage character, to check the preparedness of their men. ” said Konovalov.
–
The same opinion is held by the vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Vladimir Anokhin, who believes that Kiev is planning a major offensive operation in the region.
–
“There are a number of factors that can be used to judge that Ukraine is preparing for large-scale hostilities – possibly late February or early March. This may well be related to the elections in Russia, ” the expert said.
–
Note that the UK launched a training program for the Ukrainian military under the name “Orbital” in February 2015. Then it sent 75 military doctors to the country, who provide medical help on the ground. In July 2017 Orbital was extended until 2018. During this time, about 6 thousand Ukrainian soldiers were trained in its framework.
–
In addition to Britain, Canadian specialists who come to the country within the framework of NATO’s Unifer mission are also training Ukrainian soldiers. In March last year it was reported that 200 instructors had arrived from Canada. The US has recently spent $ 22 million to equip a military training center near Lviv, to accommodate the new training programme.
–
Overall, there are currently an estimated 900 foreign instructors and foreign mercenaries in the Ukraine.
–
“We know of about 129 instructors from the United States, Canada, Turkey, Algeria, Lithuania, Latvia, Britain, who coordinate the actions of the Ukrainian units,” said Basurin.
–
In addition to the above, about 500 people are part of the Georgian National Legion and the Hungarian Battalion Magyar. He also noted that there are about 200 people belonging to international private military companies.

1000 American advisers work in Idlib, where Russian plane shot down

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From Fort Russ

February 4 , 2018 – FRN –
Vesti – translated by Inessa Sinchougova
“The Russian Su-25 attack aircraft could have been shot down  for provocation purposes”, said Vladimir Shamanov, head of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee.
“It has come to light that there are more than 1,000 American instructors in Idlib, and it is impossible to rule out that they couldn’t have done this for provocation purposes,” the parliamentarian said.
A reminder, that the aircraft was flying in a de-escalation zone – as agreed to by Iran, Turkey and Russia.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, Franz Klintsevich, promised that Russia would conduct a serious investigation of the circumstances of the Su-25 attack in the de-escalation zone. He clarified that the investigation will seek to identify the MANPADS that were used to bring down the aircraft, and who provided them.
But Klintsevich also expressed his pre-investigation conviction that said MANPADS were supplied by the Americans.
The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, together with the Turkish side responsible for the de-escalation zone of Idlib, are taking measures to bring the body of the Russian pilot home.
This incident brings Russia’s loss of aircraft in Syria to eight –  four aircraft and four helicopters.