The following article appeared briefly at
this URL on censor.net.ua and was quickly pulled down. Ironic? It would seem so. My translation. I bring it to you because it succinctly lays out the situation as I've been able to piece it together from multiple Russian- and Ukrainian-language sources, and because you are unlikely to come across anything this truthful from cough Western media cough.
"Panic in Kiev: Ukrainian forces surrender Donbass"
International observers report of growing panic in Kiev in connection with the successful counteroffensive of the separatists near Donbass.
Over a week of fighting the partisans have delivered a heavy blow to the Ukrainian forces. The group of Ukrainian fighters in Donbas suffered huge losses, the soldiers are demoralized, the officers are confused and unable to control the situation.
Ukrainian military leadership is seriously concerned of a new encirclement near Debaltsevo, as well as in other areas.
The situation is made worse by the fact that army and national guard reserves are almost completely depleted, and plugging the gaps in defense using small formations cannot stabilize the front. Besides, the Ukrainian forces are running low on ordnance, food and medical supplies.
In turn, the partisan field commanders report 752 killed Ukrainian military personnel, 59 destroyed tanks and a large number of people taken prisoner. In view of their combat successes, the partisans are refusing to take part in any further negotiations in the format of the Minsk agreements and threaten to continue the counterattack.
Local authorities in Ukrainian-controlled districts near the front report that Ukrainian soldiers are deserting with their weapons and taking to looting the countryside in increasing numbers.
In this critical situation the military is afraid to report to president Poroshenko the real situation in the southeast of the country, hiding from him the full scale of the catastrophe.
The head of state is still convinced that the situation is under control, and hopes that in case of a real threat he will still have the chance to ask the West for help.
And then there is this video evidence:
American "boots on the ground" have invaded Eastern Ukraine. How do you say "Get out of my face, please!" in Ukrainian? I guess the grunts aren't taught that in Basic Training... are they too busy learning how to shell civilians and then blame the other side?
Comment: It looks like Kiev's fears have come true. Zakharchenko has
announced an offensive on Ukrainian-occupied Mariupol:
I want to say the following: Today began an offensive on Mariupol [the crowd cheers], God willing in a couple of days Debaltsevo cauldron will be closed. And it will be the best answer to honor the memory of the dead. Because we will pay back everyone, we will pay those who pulled the trigger or pushed the button which launched the missiles that killed our countrymen here. Those who shot people in Gorlovka, Makeevka, Yenakievo, Shakhtersk, Zhdanovka, Kirovka. Will pay back for each of our murdered child, and each old man innocently killed here.
Now, the DPR and LPR armies have joined up and
successfully encircled Ukrainian troops in Debaltsevo: that's 7,500 Ukrainian troops trapped.
"...Ukrainian forces are running low on ordnance, food and medical supplies."
Looks like it's just about time for another cease-fire, to restock, regroup, and re-supply from their western masters.