At the moment it is known that a Ukrainian army of 120000 people is
stationed in the Donbas which is five times the number of forces of the
self-proclaimed republics combined.
The sharp increase in the presence of the armed forces of Ukraine in the
Donbas is associated with the intentions of Kyiv to quickly go on the
offensive and attack the most vulnerable areas of the DPR which by the way
is also evidenced by the last powerful attack of the armed forces of Ukraine
on dinettes.
At the moment according to western resources, a Ukrainian army of 120 000
people is stationed in the Donbas.
Nevertheless, according to western analysts due to the rather long front
line, it is necessary to increase the presence of Ukrainian troops in
certain areas and appearance. We are talking about the deployment of
additional forces of the armed forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk region.
At the moment the armed forces of Ukraine do not dare to go on the attack,
since the Russian side quite seriously warned Kyiv about the consequences of
violating the Minsk agreements Russia reserves the right to send its troops
to the Donbas to protect Russian citizens and the significant Russian forces
deployed near the borders of Ukraine, including on the territory of
neighboring Belarus, point to the fact that Russia is ready to immediately
respond to any attack on the DNR and LNR.
Meanwhile, the u.s department of defense has decided to send several B-52
strategic bombers to Europe. As it became known the bombers were sent from
Minot air force base in north Dakota USA and will be deployed at Fairford
airbase UK.
There is currently no data on the number of strategic bombers deployed to
europe. However, there is information that three bombers flew to Europe
which by the way has not yet received any confirmation.
According to the telegram channel hunter's notes, the transfer of u.s air
force strategic bombers to Europe is associated with the mission of the
bomber task force, but other details remain unknown.
In the coming days, u.s air force B-52H strata fortress bombers from Minot
AFB North Dakota will be transferred to the UK at RAF Fairford as part of
the bomber task force mission. The number of boards is still unknown, said
in the message of telegram channel notes of a hunter.
Since the beginning of this year, the united states has significantly
increased its presence in Europe, which causes very serious fears of
unleashing a full-scale armed conflict.
On the other hand, Russian-backed separatists in east Ukraine would expect
Russia's army to fight with them against Ukrainian government forces if
Moscow follows through on a parliamentary proposal to recognize their
independence, a pro-kremlin lawmaker said on Thursday.
Alexander Baradai made the comment after 11 lawmakers proposed that
parliament asked president Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of
the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Such a move would mark a major
escalation by Russia after weeks of mounting tensions around Ukraine.
A Russian military buildup and threatening rhetoric have stoked western
fears of a looming invasion though Moscow denies any such plan.
Baradai, a former Donetsk political leader who is now a member of the
Russian parliament said the separatists would look to Russia to help them
wrest control of parts of the territory they claim that is now held by
Ukrainian forces.
In the event of the republics being recognized a war will become a direct
necessity, Baradai told Reuters.
Russia would have to take on some security responsibilities and defend the
territories, he said as it did after recognizing the independence of two
breakaway Georgian regions after a 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.
The separatists took control of a swathe of eastern Ukraine in 2014 in a
conflict that continues to simmer and has killed 15,000 people, according to
Kyiv.
Ukraine has long accused Russia of having regular troops in the region,
something Moscow denies. Baradai a lawmaker for the ruling pro-Putin United
Russia party, served as prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk
people's republic in east Ukraine at the height of the conflict in 2014.
He now leads an organization of war veterans.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Pskov on Thursday responded cautiously to the
proposal on recognition, saying he could not comment until parliament had
voted on it. The lawmakers behind it are from the communist party which
casts itself as an opposition force, but actually often backs the kremlin.
Two sources familiar with government discussions of the proposal told
Reuters the idea of recognizing the regions was being seriously considered.
But a source close to the separatist leaders said the likelihood of such a
move was low because it could provoke punitive measures against Russia,
potentially entailing serious economic damage.
Orija Lutsevic a Ukraine analyst at Chatham House think tank in London said
recognition could create a legal pretext for a Russian invasion of Donbas to
protect it from Ukraine.
She said it would be a clear step of escalation
requiring a western response in the form of sanctions against Russia or
bolstering Nato forces on the alliance's eastern flank.
