© UnknownStepan Poltorak
The fact that Poroshenko would appoint such an odious figure indicates that he is trying to appease the neo-Nazis, who are demanding a full resumption of hostilities. Interestingly, just like Geletei,Poltorak is not a military man but a person who made his career in the Ministry of Internal Affairs from where he was picked to head the notorious "national guard".
On the same day, Pavel Gubarev, the "people's governor" of Donetsk was the victim of an attack on his vehicle. Even though he was not hit by bullets, he has suffered very serious head trauma as a result of the crash of his car. He is now in a hospital in Russia in very serious condition.
© UnknownPaul Gubarev
Comment: That Gubarev is recovering in a Russian hospital makes it highly unlikely the Russian or Novorossiyan governments ordered his hit. What is 'The Saker' trying to get at here?
© Unknown
Finally, there are numerous reports of Ukrainian attacks all along the line of demarcation, including artillery strikes on Donetsk. The front has not moved much, but we are far away from the "days of silence" which had been announced (see map).
Novorussian intelligence sources are constantly reporting large concentrations of Ukie armor in various locations and the arrival of more troops. At the same time, the work for the the creation of the buffer zone seems to be continuing. I am getting the sickening feeling that just like the Georgians who worked with the Russian peacekeepers right until Saakashvili ordered his troops to attack, the Ukies will contine working on the demarcation line right up until the moment they will attack.
© Vadim Ghirda
Comment: She was obviously there to discuss strategy with her underlings.
Things look decidedly bleak and the fact that there will soon be elections in Banderastan and Novorussia will not make things better.
There is also a very real possibility that the US is considering dumping Poroshenko for another figure. I have an article on this tomorrow in Russia Insider and I will re-post it here. If that happens, we can expect an ever worse and more ruthless commander in chief for the Junta Repression Forces.
How bad could it get?
The military map shows that the Novorussian Armed Forces are in a fundamentally sound posture and that they should be able to prevent any deep Ukie incursion (unless,of course, the decide to pull the JRF in to better encircle it). I have it from an excellent source (about which I will tell you in a couple of weeks) that the morale of the Novorussians is sky high, though I cannot imagine that the infighting inside the Novorussian leadership will not have negative impact.
Comment: No need for super-secret spooky sources; it's pretty obvious to anyone observing from afar that morale is better with the rebel forces that the imperial ones. Why wouldn't it be? As for "infighting inside the Novorussian leadership", 'The Saker' is making an assumption here. Again we have to ask, what is 'The Saker' getting at? By such suggestive notions, it's almost like he's trying to introduce confusion into Novorossiya's situation.
The fact that Russia has, for the time being, decided to turn off the "aid-spigot" must also be demoralzing and no amount of guarantees given by the Kremlin can change that. Still, the NAF are far better trained, often better equipped (in qualitative terms only), their current posture is sound and Russia will, I am sure and my sources fully concur with this, re-open the "aid spigot" should the JRF attack again. The Ukies have their usual advantage in numbers (men, armor, artillery). I therefore have no reasons to believe that they will be more successful the next time around.
© UnknownSuperior morale and training: he will win
© Unknown
this clinical idiot Poltorak has scored its own "hit," he said the phrase "in the NORTH-SOUTH of Lugansk."