Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Prelude to the Russian invasion of Ukraine" in English language version.
Putin framed the invasion and eventual annexation of Crimea as an act of salvation rather than a clear violation of international law and turned a revolution which could have marked the end of his rule into a much-needed popularity booster ...
These days, Simferopol, the second-largest city on the Crimean Peninsula, gets water for three hours a day on weekdays and for five hours on weekends.
Photograph by Alexei Alexandrov (AP Photo)
The Russian Defense Ministry described the deployment of the U.S. warships USS Mount Whitney and USS Porter, which sailed into the Black Sea last week, as a "threat to regional security and strategic stability." "The real goal behind the U.S. activities in the Black Sea region is exploring the theater of operations in case of Kyiv's attempts to settle the conflict in the southeast by force," the ministry said in a statement.
Vladimir Putin's inaccurate and distorted claims are neither new nor surprising. They are just the latest example of gaslighting by the Kremlin leader.
Additionally, Russia recently deployed other critical combat capabilities to the region.
'He does not understand that the collapse of the Soviet system was predetermined, therefore he believes his mission is to restore the Soviet system as soon as possible,' he (Vladimir Bukovsky) says.
Photographs by Reuters. Many countries, including Australia, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan have told their citizens to leave Ukraine. Some have also evacuated diplomatic staff and their families.
In recent weeks, Russian tanks have been moving west towards Ukraine once again, prompting fresh, even starker warnings from US intelligence circles that a cross-border offensive could be on the cards.
Photographs by Reuters, Getty Images, and the Russian Defence Ministry: Ukraine has accused Russia of blocking its access to the sea as Russia prepares for naval exercises next week amid spiralling tension in the region.
Photograph by Reuters
This practice lost favor, perhaps not coincidentally, right around the time the Soviet Union's sphere popped like a balloon in a Chuck E. Cheese brawl. That left the United States alone with a world-sized balloon, at which point everybody agreed spheres of influence were passé. Now, with the growing shakiness of the Pax Americana as Chinese and Russian powers grow, this ugly game is rebooting yet again, Andreas warns.
US intelligence officials have determined that Russian planning is underway for a possible military offensive against Ukraine that could begin as soon as early 2022 and would include an estimated 175,000 personnel, according to an administration official.
...сьогодні вранці стало відомо, що український консул Олександр Сосонюк затриманий в російському місті Санкт-Петербург. Його затримала ФСБ нібито "під час отримання інформації закритого характеру під час зустрічі з громадянином РФ".[...this morning it became known that the Ukrainian consul Alexander Sosonyuk is detained in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. He was detained by the FSB allegedly "while receiving confidential information during a meeting with a Russian citizen."]
Росія ввела з 20 по 24 квітня тимчасові обмеження на польоти над частиною Криму і Чорного моря. Про це йдеться в міжнародному повідомленні для пілотів (NOTAM), інформує Цензор.НЕТ із посиланням на Інтерфакс-Україна.[Russia has imposed temporary restrictions on flights over parts of Crimea and the Black Sea from April 20 to 24. This is stated in the International Notice to Pilots (NOTAM), informs Censor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.]
Contribution by Kevin Liptak, Natasha Bertrand, Maegan Vazquez, Olga Voitovych, Kareem El Damanhoury, Darya Tarasova, Sharon Braithwaite, Donald Judd and Jennifer Hansler
[...] to the likening of the current situation related to language rights to "genocide of the Russian people". [...] While there have been to date no reports of limitations or perceived threats to the use of Russian language in Western parts of Ukraine [...]
Conceptually, Russia sees Ukraine within the sphere of own 'privileged interests'; in fact, it means a modernized version of Brezhnev's doctrine of 'limited sovereignty', realized after the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
Ukrainian estimates provided to the OSCE in June 2021 show that only 12,000 Russian forces were removed from the border, and the rest remain in place.
On April 22, the Russian government appeared to turn down the heat on these deployments, with Minister Shoigu announcing a drawdown of the exercise and ordering troops to return to their permanent bases by May 1, to include the 58th Army of the Southern Military District, the 41st Army of the Central Military District, as well as the 7th and 76th Airborne Assault and 98th Airborne divisions, according to the statement. Importantly, the equipment and weapons of the 41st Army are to remain at Pogonovo, a military training ground 17 kilometers south of Voronezh.
... the (Czech) government decided to donate 4,000 artillery shells to Ukraine for about CZK 37 million. Minister Černochová described it as a gesture of solidarity. Defence Minister Jana Černochová (ODS), who proposed the donation to the cabinet, sees it as a significant act of solidarity. The Czech Republic wants to use the donation to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities. The Czech Republic will send 4006 pieces of 152-millimeter artillery ammunition to Ukraine, worth CZK 36.6 million. It will be transferred through a donation agreement.
Нові шасі від Tatra були спеціально доопрацьовані чеською Excalibur Army під вимоги ЗСУ – в рамках виконання державного оборонного замовлення. На ДП "Шепетівський ремонтний завод" прибула партія шасі Tatra для випуску нової української 220-мм реактивної системи залпового вогню "Буревій".[The new chassis from Tatra was specially modified by the Czech Excalibur Army to the requirements of the Armed Forces – as part of the state defense order. A batch of Tatra chassis has arrived at the Shepetivka Repair Plant to produce a new Ukrainian 220-mm Bureviya multiple rocket launchers.]
У ніч з 14 на 15 квітня цього року відбувся інцидент в Азовському морі між трьома малими броньованими катерами "Гюрза-М" ВМС України та п'ятьма катерами і кораблем Берегової охорони Прикордонної служби ФСБ РФ...За його словами, інцидент відбувся 25 милях від Керченської протоки, коли катери наших ВМС виконували супровід цивільних суден...Щоб зупинити провокації, нашим морякам довелось попередити про готовність застосувати бортове озброєння. За даними Клименка, інцидент обійшовся без жодних втрат для нашого флоту, усі катери ВМС України успішно повернулись назад до гавані.[On the night of April 14–15 this year, an incident took place in the Sea of Azov between three small armored boats "Gyurza-M" of the Ukrainian Navy and five boats and a ship of the Coast Guard of the FSB Border Guard...According to him, the incident took place 25 miles from the Kerch Strait, when the boats of our Navy escorted civilian ships...To stop the provocations, our sailors had to warn about the readiness to use airborne weapons. According to Klymenko, the incident was without any losses for our fleet, all boats of the Ukrainian Navy successfully returned back to the harbor.]
Тим часом спікер російської Держдуми В'ячеслав Володін заявив, що керівництво України має понести відповідальність за смерть дитини під Донецьком та запропонував виключити Україну з Ради Європи.[Meanwhile, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Ukraine's leadership should be held responsible for the child's death near Donetsk and suggested excluding Ukraine from the Council of Europe.]
Photograph by dpsu.gov.ua: У південних прикордонних районах України оголосили збори тероборони для посилення і захисту держкордону, охорони і оборони критичних об'єктів і боротьби з диверсійно-розвідувальними групами.[In the southern border areas of Ukraine announced a meeting of terrorist defense to strengthen and protect the state border, protection and defense of critical objects and the fight against sabotage and reconnaissance groups.]
According to a US official familiar with the findings, the US acquired intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date.
There is proof that Ukraine is committing atrocities against its Russian-speaking population in the country's east. [...] Allegations that Ukraine is attacking its own territory and persecuting its own citizens are absurd.
Four people familiar with U.S. intelligence said that Russia has drafted lists of Ukrainian political figures and other prominent individuals to be targeted for either arrest or assassination in the event of a Russian assault on Ukraine.
Photographs by Sergei Supinsky (AFP)
Photograph by Andrew Harnik (AFP)
Numerous sources indicated Russian troops' movements in various parts of Russia, in Belarus and in occupied Crimea. As a part of these movements, the Russian Eastern Military District's forces continued to enter Belarus ... the Russian forces already inside or moving into Belarus include those from: the 36th Army's ... the 29th Army's ... the 35th Army's ... the 5th Army's ... the Pacific Fleet's 155th Naval Infantry Brigade ... the 76th Air Assault Division's ... the 98th Airborne Division's ... the 11th Air Assault Brigade ...
11 июня 2014 года Луганская Народная Республика обратилась к Российской Федерации, а также к 14 другим государствам, с просьбой о признании её независимости. К настоящему моменту независимость республики признана провозглашенной Донецкой Народной Республикой и частично признанным государством Южная Осетия.[On June 11, 2014, the Luhansk People's Republic turned to the Russian Federation, as well as to 14 other states, with a request to recognize its independence. To date, the republic's independence has been recognized by the proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the partially recognized state of South Ossetia.]
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine from various directions, including from its ally Belarus.
A senior Biden administration official said the Russian troop deployment to Belarus raises concerns that Moscow may be planning to stage troops there to stretch Ukraine's defenses with an attack from the north.
Photographs by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via Associated Press
At that point, his own party abandoned him and called for a vote to take place. Parliament then voted to remove Yanukovych from office by a margin of 328 to 0.
Ukraine's defense minister estimated Friday that Russia has amassed more than 94,000 troops near their borders and said there is a probability of a "large-scale escalation" in late January.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow would not further escalate the Ukraine crisis. Macron also said it would take time to find a diplomatic solution to the rising tensions, which represent the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
Сьогодні, 2 квітня, в російських джерелах, зокрема, на популярному телеграм- каналі 'Военный обозреватель', що афілійований з російськими силовими структурами, опублікували відео прольоту групи російських ударних вертольотів Ка-52 'Алігатор' і Мі-28 'Нічний мисливець', підкреслюючи при цьому, що проліт нібито відбувся на кордоні з Україною. Деякі регіональні джерела повідомляли, що російські вертольоти тільки наблизилися до кордону з Україною у районі Ростовської області РФ, але не перетинали його.[Translated via Google Translate: Today, 2 April, in Russian sources, in particular, on the popular telegram channel 'Military Observer', affiliated with the Russian security forces, published a video of the flight of a group of Russian attack helicopters Ka-52 'Alligator' and Mi-28 'Night Hunter'. emphasizing that the flight allegedly took place on the border with Ukraine. Some regional sources reported that Russian helicopters had just approached the border with Ukraine in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation but did not cross it.]
He wants to rebuild the former Soviet sphere of influence that extended from Central Europe through Central Asia, and views this effort as a restoration of Russian greatness.
В Черном море пройдут учения, в котором будут задействованы корабельные тактические группы Черноморского флота РФ, сообщила пресс-служба флота в четверг. [Translated: An exercise will be held in the Black Sea, in which naval tactical groups of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation will be involved, the press service of the fleet said on Thursday.]
8 февраля в Минобороны РФ сообщили, что отряд из шести больших десантных кораблей ВМФ России направился в Черное море для учений ... 'Отряд больших десантных кораблей Военно-морского флота России в составе 'Королев', 'Минск', 'Калининград', 'Петр Моргунов', 'Георгий Победоносец' и 'Оленегорский горняк' завершил межфлотский переход вокруг Европы. В настоящий момент корабли заходят в главную базу Черноморского флота — город Севастополь', — говорится в сообщении.[Translated via DeepL Translator; photographs by Paul Lvov of RIA Novosti: On February 8, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that a detachment of six large landing ships of the Russian Navy has headed to the Black Sea for exercises ... 'A detachment of large landing ships of the Russian Navy consisting of the 'Korolev', 'Minsk', 'Kaliningrad', 'Pyotr Morgunov', 'Georgy Pobedonosets' and 'Olenegorsk Miner' has completed an inter-fleet crossing around Europe. At the moment the ships are calling at the main base of the Black Sea Fleet – the city of Sevastopol,' the report said.]
Дураков сражаться за Украину нет. А нам с вассалами дело иметь бессмысленно. Дела нужно вести с сюзереном ... Бессмысленность и даже вредность отношений с нынешними руководителями Украины состоит еще и в том, что во главе этой страны стоят невежественные и необязательные люди. Они постоянно меняют позицию в угоду своим заокеанским хозяевам и политической конъюнктуре ... Тогда встает извечный и главный вопрос: что делать в этой ситуации? А ничего. Дождаться появления на Украине вменяемого руководства, которое нацелено не на тотальную конфронтацию с Россией на грани войны, не на организацию дебильных 'Крымских платформ', созданных для оболванивания населения страны и подкачки своих мускулов перед выборами, а на выстраивание равноправных и взаимовыгодных отношений с Россией. Вот только с таким руководством Украины и стоит иметь дело. Россия умеет ждать. Мы люди терпеливые.[There are no fools to fight for Ukraine. And it is pointless for us to deal with vassals. Business must be done with the suzerain ... The senselessness and even harmfulness of relations with the current leaders of Ukraine also lies in the fact that ignorant and unnecessary people are at the head of this country. They constantly change their position to please their overseas masters and the political situation ... Then the eternal and main question arises: what to do in this situation? But nothing. Wait for the emergence of a sane leadership in Ukraine, which is aimed not at a total confrontation with Russia on the brink of war, not at organizing moronic 'Crimean platforms' created to fool the population of the country and pump up their muscles before the elections, but at building equal and mutually beneficial relations with Russia. That's just with such a leadership of Ukraine and it is worth dealing with. Russia knows how to wait. We are patient people.]
За недавними протестами против вакцинации от COVID-19 в Киеве и другими митингами на Украине стоит Россия — это подготовка к масштабному военному вторжению, заявил руководитель главного управления разведки Министерства обороны Украины Кирилл Буданов.[Translation via DeepL Translator; Photo by the Office of the President of Ukraine: Russia is behind the recent protests against COVID-19 vaccination in Kiev and other rallies in Ukraine in preparation for a large-scale military invasion, said the head of the main intelligence department of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Kirill Budanov.]
Ожидать активных действий, по его словам, следует в январе-феврале будущего года.[Expect active action, he said, should be in January–February next year.]
В Киеве это восприняли как однозначную угрозу. Там с уверенностью говорят о практически неминуемом масштабном конфликте с Россией. Такие опасения 3 декабря высказал министр обороны республики Алексей Резников, выступивший перед депутатами Верховной рады.[In Kyiv, this was perceived as a clear threat. They speak with confidence about an almost inevitable large-scale conflict with Russia. Such fears were expressed on December 3 by the Minister of Defense of the Republic Oleksii Reznikov, who spoke to the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. "There is a possibility of a large-scale escalation from Russia. The most likely time to achieve readiness for escalation will be the end of January," Mr. Reznikov warned.]
During the recent Direct Line, when I was asked about Russian–Ukrainian relations, I said that Russians and Ukrainians were one people – a single whole.
I have not seen such alarmist declarations, so far, at least. But I suppose it is as you say. Indeed, the United States and their NATO allies are presently conducting an unscheduled, and I want to stress that it is unscheduled, drill in the Black Sea.
Секретар Ради безпеки Росії Микола Патрушев на нараді, яку він провів в анексованому Криму 14 квітня, заявив, що 'українські спецслужби намагаються організувати теракти і диверсії' на території півострова.[Russia's Security Council Secretary Mykola Patrushev said at a meeting in annexed Crimea on April 14 that 'Ukrainian special services are trying to organize terrorist attacks and sabotage' on the peninsula.]
... their top aim is federalization of the country through all-Ukrainian referendum, one step from secession from the nation. 'It should be a federation in the borders of Ukraine, but with the right to separate if people demand this,' Kariakin said, confident that 85 percent of people in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's seventh most populous with 2.2 million people, support him.
Photograph by Office of the Lithuanian President
Російська Федерація оголосила про закриття з наступного тижня до жовтня 2021 року частини акваторій Чорного моря в напрямку Керченської протоки для військових кораблів та державних суден інших країн під приводом військових навчань. Такі дії Російської Федерації є черговою спробою в порушення норм і принципів міжнародного права узурпувати суверенні права України як прибережної держави, оскільки саме Україна наділена правами регулювати судноплавство в цих акваторіях Чорного моря.[The Russian Federation has announced the closure from next week to October 2021 of part of the Black Sea in the direction of the Kerch Strait for warships and state vessels of other countries under the pretext of military exercises. Such actions of the Russian Federation are another attempt in violation of the norms and principles of international law to usurp the sovereign rights of Ukraine as a coastal state, as it is Ukraine that has the right to regulate navigation in these Black Sea areas.]
These propaganda attacks demonstrate that the Alliance and its member countries want to justify their more intensive military activities in Ukraine and near it. ... I would like to remind you that throughout this year alone NATO is planning seven military exercises in Ukraine. ... NATO warships are entering the Black Sea ever more frequently; the number of such visits increased by one-third last year.
В связи с нарастанием военной активности у внешних границ Союзного государства и обострением ситуации на Донбассе, Президентами Республики Беларусь и Российской Федерации принято решение проверку сил реагирования Союзного государства продолжить. [Translation via Google Translate; Photograph by Yan Gorbanyuk: In connection with the increase in military activity near the external borders of the Union State and the aggravation of the situation in the Donbass, the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation decided to continue testing the response forces of the Union State.]
За повідомленням Української делегації для участі у Тристоронній контактній групі, 'Українська сторона Спільного центру з контролю та координації 5 квітня 2021 року надіслала Спеціальній моніторинговій місії ОБСЄ в Україні ноту щодо намірів окупаційної адміністрації фальсифікувати події в н.п. Олександрівське Донецької області України'.[According to the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the Tripartite Contact Group, 'On April 5, 2021, the Ukrainian side of the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Center sent a note to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine regarding the occupation administration's intentions to falsify events. Oleksandrivske, Donetsk region of Ukraine'.]
За даними Головного управління розвідки Міністерства оборони, станом на початок листопада 2021 року біля нашого кордону та на тимчасово окупованих територіях Російською Федерацією зосереджено угруповання військ (сил) загальною чисельністю близько 90-та тисяч осіб. До його складу входять війська 8-ї,20-ї армій Південного та Західного військових округів, а також сили та засоби Чорноморського флоту РФ. Крім того, поблизу нашого кордону базуються окремі з'єднання та частини 4-ї,6-ї армій військово-повітряних сил та протиповітряної оборони повітряно-космічних сил збройних сил Російської Федерації.[According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence, as of early October 2021, the Russian Federation has established a grouping of troops (forces) of an estimated 90,000 troops near our border and in the temporarily occupied territories. It includes forces of the 8th and 20th Armies of the Eastern and Western Military Districts, as well as forces and equipment of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. In addition, some units of the 4th and 6th Armies of the Military and Air Defence Forces and the anti-aircraft defense forces of the Russian Federation are based near our cordon.]
З метою зміцнення взаємної довіри домовлено про візит аташе з питань оборони Республіки Білорусь в Україні на заходи навчань «Заметіль – 2022», а також про візит аташе з питань оборони України у Республіці Білорусь на заходи білорусько-російських навчань «Союзна рішучість - 2022». [Translated: In order to strengthen mutual trust, the visit of the Defense Attaché of the Republic of Belarus to Ukraine to the "Snowstorm - 2022" exercise, as well as the visit of the Defense Attaché of Ukraine to the Republic of Belarus to the Belarusian-Russian exercise "Union Determination - 2022" were agreed upon.]
Внаслідок обстрілів двоє українських військовослужбовців отримали осколкові поранення несумісні з життям. Четверо військовослужбовців отримали поранення різної ступені важкості та знаходяться у лікувальних закладах. Один військовослужбовець отримав бойове травмування.[As a result of the shelling, two Ukrainian servicemen received shrapnel wounds incompatible with life. Four servicemen received injuries of varying severity and are in medical facilities. One serviceman received a combat injury.]
Росія, як заявляється у рамках навчань, перекидає кораблі з Каспію на Чорне море. Про це пише Интерфакс. Міжфлотський перехід почали десантні та артилерійські катери Каспійської флотилії. Заявляється, що екіпажі та кораблі Каспійської флотилії будуть здавати підсумкові морські навчання у взаємодії з Чорноморським флотом. [Translated: Russia, as stated in the exercise, is transferring ships from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea. This was reported by Interfax. The landing and artillery boats of the Caspian flotilla began the inter-naval crossing. It is stated that the crews and ships of the Caspian Flotilla will pass the final naval exercises in cooperation with the Black Sea Fleet.]
Russia has more than 92,000 troops amassed around Ukraine's borders.
In September 2020, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved Ukraine's new National Security Strategy, which provides for the development of the distinctive partnership with NATO with the aim of membership in NATO.
Бій біля селища Шуми (Донецька область) стався вдень 26 березня. Бойовики прицільно обстріляли українські позиції близько 13:45. ... Внаслідок обстрілу загинули четверо українських військовослужбовців, ще двох було поранено.[The battle near the village of Shumy (Donetsk region) took place in the afternoon of March 26, 2021. The militants fired at Ukrainian positions at about 1:45 p.m. ... Four Ukrainian servicemen were killed and two others were wounded in the shelling.]
M141 Bunker Defeat Munition действует таким Украина получила новую партию военной помощи от Вашингтона. Речь идет о ручных одноразовых гранатометах M141 Bunker Defeat Munition или SMAW-D. Кроме того, была передана и партия ПТРК Javelin. [Ukraine has received a new batch of military aid from Washington. These are M141 Bunker Defeat Munition or SMAW-D disposable grenade launchers. In addition, the Javelin ATGM party was transferred.]
[w]e have credible information [...] indicates Russian forces are creating lists of identified Ukrainians to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation. [R]ussian forces will likely use lethal measures to disperse peaceful protests or otherwise counter peaceful exercises of perceived resistance from civilian populations.
American officials had expected additional Russian troops to stream toward the Ukrainian border in December and early January, building toward a force of 175,000.
Russia has amassed more troops on the Ukrainian border than at any time since 2014.
No one expected much progress from this past week's diplomatic marathon to defuse the security crisis Russia has ignited in Eastern Europe by surrounding Ukraine on three sides with 100,000 troops and then, by the White House's accounting, sending in saboteurs to create a pretext for invasion.
And the "swift and severe" response that U.S. officials have promised could roil major economies, particularly those in Europe, and even threaten the stability of the global financial system, analysts say.
The lesson of the past year may be that while the Cold War is long over, Cold War-like behavior lives on. And in the three decades since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the tension between the world's two principal nuclear adversaries has never been worse — making the pathway to a peaceful de-escalation harder to discern.
Senior American officials believe an incursion to secure the water supply remains a real threat. ... Senior Defense Department officials said that close to 80,000 Russian troops remained near various strips of the country's border with Ukraine, still the biggest force Russia has amassed there since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. ... The Russian military did order some units back to their barracks by May 1 — and they did move from the border — the officials said. But many of the units left their trucks and armored vehicles behind, a signal that they could go back if President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia decided to deploy them again.
In Washington, senior American officials believe that an incursion to secure the water supply remains a real threat, though the costs and difficulty of such a move appear to have been sufficient to dissuade Russia for now.
President Biden said on Wednesday that he now expected President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia would order an invasion of Ukraine, delivering a grim assessment that the diplomacy and ... 'The answer is that I think he still does not want a full-blown war, No. 1. No. 2, do I think he'll test the West, test the United States and NATO as significantly as he can? Yes, I think he will, but I think he'll pay a serious and dear price for it that he doesn't think now will cost him what it's going to cost him. And I think he will regret having done it.'
The White House accused Moscow on Friday of sending saboteurs into eastern Ukraine to stage an incident that could provide President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia with a pretext for ordering an invasion of the country.
The British government said Saturday that the Kremlin was developing plans to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine — and had already chosen a potential candidate [...]
The programs are part of the country's strategic defense plan in the event of a potential invasion by Russia — to foster a civilian resistance that can carry on the fight if the Ukrainian military is overwhelmed. [...] He described how the volunteers might resist based on the tactics of Islamist militias in Aleppo, Syria.
He pointed to American support for the mujahedeen in Afghanistan against the Soviet invasion there in the late 1970s and 1980s, before the rise of the Taliban.
These units include elements of the 41st Combined Arms Army's 74th and 35th Motorised Brigades, 120th Artillery Brigade, and 119th Missile Brigade, as well as limited elements of the 90th Tank Division's 6th Tank Regiment. Since late November, Janes has identified the 41st Combined Arms Army's 55th Motorised Brigade (Mountain) beginning to deploy over 4,000 km from the Tuva region to Yelnya, including the brigade's three Tigr armoured car battalions and elements of its Nona-SVK self-propelled mortar battalion. ... Janes has identified the likely deployment of several new units to the Crimean Peninsula since the start of the October buildup. This includes elements of the 247th Airborne Regiment, at least one 42nd Motorised Division T-72B3 battalion, a Buk-M2 battalion likely from the 90th Air Defence Brigade, and a 34th Motorised Brigade (Mountain) battalion tactical group. Subsequent video footage indicates at least some of this equipment has since returned to its base in the Caucasus Mountains.
The result heightened Kremlin's fears of encirclement and of losing the strategic depth that enabled Russia to prevail over Western invaders twice ... no amount of assurances that NATO is not a threat to Russia, that its purpose is purely defensive or that none of its weapons would ever be used except in response to an attack could assuage Moscow.
Contribution from Erin Banco, Jacopo Barigazzi, Lili Bayer, Quint Forgey, Cristina Gallardo, Jakob Hanke Vela, Paul McLeary, Nahal Toosi, Hans von der Burchard and Giorgio Leali; Photograph by Sergey Bobok (Agence-France Presse) via Getty Images. [U].S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan declined to describe specific intelligence, but insisted the attack could begin before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on February 20.
16 березня прикордонний наряд ДПСУ в Сумській області зафіксував заліт вертольоту (за ознаками – Мі-8 -ред.) з Російської Федерації на відстань близько 50 метрів на територію України. Після чого гелікоптер повернув у зворотному напрямку і залишив повітряний простір нашої держави.[On March 16, the SBGS border patrol in the Sumy region recorded a helicopter (Mi-8-ed.) flying from the Russian Federation at a distance of about 50 meters into Ukraine. Then the helicopter turned in the opposite direction and left the airspace of our state.]
Росія не підтримала пропозицію голови української делегації в ТКГ Леоніда Кравчука поновити режим припинення вогню на Донбасі з 00:00 1 квітня.[Russia did not support the proposal of the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG Leonid Kravchuk to renew the ceasefire in the Donbass from 00:00 on April 1.]
[Р]осія стягує війська до кордону з Україною – у Брянську і Воронежську області РФ та до окупованого Криму. ... [с]таном на 30 березня вздовж російсько-українського кордону та на окупованих територіях Донбасу і Криму перебувають 28 батальйонних тактичних груп противника. ... Українське командування очікує, що незабаром біля українського кордону і в Криму Росія збере ще 'до 25 батальйонних тактичних груп, що в сукупності з наявними розгорнутими силами та засобами поблизу з державним кордоном України створює загрозу воєнній безпеці держави'. ... році Росія збільшила свою військову присутність на півострові до 32,7 тис. військових. ... на окупованому Донбасі розгорнуті 14 полків російської армії у складі 28 тисяч військових. ... На сході України перебуває також апарат військових радників та інструкторів у складі 2 тисяч осіб.[[R]ussia is withdrawing troops to the border with Ukraine – at Bryansk and Voronezh and at occupied Crimea. ... As of 30 March, there are 28 battalion tactical groups of the enemy along the Russian–Ukrainian border and in the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea. ... The Ukrainian command expects that Russia will soon assemble 'up to 25 more battalion tactical groups near the Ukrainian border and in Crimea, which, together with the deployed forces and means near the state border of Ukraine, threatens the state's military security.' ... Russia increased its military presence on the peninsula to 32.7 thousand troops. ... 14 regiments of the Russian army consisting of 28,000 troops were deployed in the occupied Donbass. ... In the east of Ukraine there is also a staff of military advisers and instructors consisting of 2 thousand people.]
За його словами, це не має викликати 'ані найменшого занепокоєння'. 'Росія не є загрозою ні для однієї країни світу, в тому числі не є загрозою для України', – сказав Пєсков.[According to him, this should not cause 'the slightest concern.' 'Russia is not a threat to any country in the world, including not a threat to Ukraine,' Peskov said.]
Висланий український консул Олександр Сосонюк виїхав з Російської Федерації вчора, 21 квітня. Він візьме коротку відпустку, після чого повернеться до роботи у зовнішньополітичному відомстві України.[The deported Ukrainian consul Oleksandr Sosonyuk left the Russian Federation yesterday, April 21. He will take a short vacation, after which he will return to work in the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.]
Україна направила ноту російському дипломату. Щоб покинути країну, у нього є 72 години. Про це повідомив в коментарі РБК-Україна речник Міністерства закордонних справ України Олег Ніколенко.[Ukraine sent a note to a Russian diplomat. He has 72 hours to leave the country. This was announced in a comment to RBC-Ukraine by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko.]
Photographs by Maxar Technologies
Underscoring Ukraine's regional divisions, leaders of Russian-speaking eastern provinces loyal to Yanukovich voted to challenge anti-Yanukovich steps by the central parliament.
'My impression is that the Russian side is trying everything to provoke a reaction,' German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told public broadcaster ARD television on April 14. ... [R]ussia has amassed more than 40,000 troops both on Ukraine's eastern border and in the occupied Crimean Peninsula.
На брифинге Захарова подчеркнула, что на происходящее Москва и Минск вынуждены адекватно реагировать. В частности, путем совместного патрулирования воздушного пространства, регулярных совместных тренировок, а также учений. Так, уже в феврале пройдет совместное учение "Союзная решимость-2022". На территорию Беларуси уже начали прибывать подразделения из состава ВС РФ.[At the briefing, Zakharova stressed that Moscow and Minsk were forced to respond adequately to what was happening. In particular, through joint patrolling of the airspace, regular joint training, and exercises. So, in February, the joint exercise "Allied Resolve-2022" will be held. Units from the RF Armed Forces have already begun to arrive on the territory of Belarus.]
Президент назвал русофобию первым шагом к геноциду. [Translated: The President called Russophobia the first step towards genocide.]
Putin's key trope is that Ukrainians and Russians are 'one people', and he calls them both 'Russian'. He starts with a myth of common origin: 'Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians are all descendants of Ancient Rus', which was the largest state in Europe' from the 9th–13th centuries AD.
Als Datum für den möglichen Beginn der Invasion wurde der 16. Februar genannt. [Translation: February 16 was mentioned as a possible date for the start of the invasion.]
6 квітня Спеціальна моніторингова місія ОБСЄ в Україні підтвердила смерть дитини. Повідомляється, що вона померла 'в результаті вибухової травми й множинних осколкових поранень'. Інформація про те, що дитина загинула в результаті удару українського безпілотника відсутня.[On April 6, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine confirmed the death of a child. She reportedly died 'as a result of an explosive injury and multiple shrapnel wounds.' There is no information that the child died as a result of a Ukrainian drone strike.]
Historically speaking, the idea that a dictator in another country decides who is a nation and who is not is known as imperialism.
Бойовики самоназваної 'ДНР' отримали дозвіл на ведення 'упереджувального вогню на знищення'. ... У заяві бойовиків ідеться, що 'підрозділам народної міліції дано дозвіл на ведення попереджувального вогню на придушення і знищення вогневих точок противника'.[Militants of the self-proclaimed 'DPR' received permission to conduct 'preemptive fire for destruction'. ... The statement of the militants states that 'the units of the people's militia were given permission to conduct warning fire to suppress and destroy enemy firing points.']
У Міністерстві закордонних справ України припускають, що затримання консула Генерального консульства України Олександра Сосонюка у Санкт-Петербурзі готувалось за заздалегідь спланованим сценарієм.[The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine assumes that the detention of the Consul General of Ukraine Oleksandr Sosonyuk in St. Petersburg was prepared according to a pre-planned scenario.]
"В связи с нарастанием военной активности у внешних границ Союзного государства и обострением ситуации на Донбассе президентами Республики Беларусь и Российской Федерации принято решение проверку сил реагирования Союзного государства продолжить", - заявил белорусский министр обороны Виктор Хренин. [Photograph by Petr Kovalev (TASS). Translated: In connection with the increase in military activity near the external borders of the Union State and the aggravation of the situation in the Donbass, the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation decided to continue testing the response forces of the Union State," Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said.]
The Post-Cold War era is over. Russia has informed it will not send any observers to the Norwegian-led large-scale winter exercise soon to start.
The two 'people's republics' carved out over the past seven months by pro-Russia rebels have not been recognised by any countries, and a rushed vote to elect governments for them on Sunday was declared illegal by Kiev, Washington and Brussels.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, today repeated his warning that Moscow would view any attempt to expand NATO to its borders as a 'direct threat'.
But that fear has gone hand-in-hand with chauvinistic bluster that indicates Moscow has a distorted view of modern Ukraine and the goals it wants to achieve there.
They are present in Donbas, and we have seen attempts to stage pretext, false-flag operations to provide an excuse for invading Ukraine.
As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision," he said, explaining his confidence by saying: "We have a significant intelligence capability.
The Kremlin said later Monday that Medvedev's article "runs in unison" with Russia's view of the current Ukrainian government.
[D]ays after the Inauguration of President Joe Biden, America's allies in Kyiv decided to get tough on Medvedchuk. The Ukrainian government took his TV channels off the air, depriving Russia of its propaganda outlets in the country. The U.S. embassy in Kyiv applauded the move. ... The first inkling of Putin's response came less than two days later, at 7 a.m. on Feb. 21. In a little-noticed statement, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the deployment of 3,000 paratroopers to the border with Ukraine for 'large-scale exercises,' training them to 'seize enemy structures and hold them until the arrival of the main force.'
Ukraine's president has said some 100,000 Russian troops are amassed near his country's border.
В Белоруссии стартовали совместные с Россией масштабные маневры 'Союзная решимость – 2022'. Военнослужащие будут тренироваться отражать внешнюю агрессию и вести оборонительные операции, пресекать проникновение диверсантов и перекрывать каналы незаконной поставки оружия. [Translation via Google Translate: Large-scale maneuvers 'Allied Resolve – 2022' jointly with Russia have started in Belarus. The servicemen will train to repel external aggression and conduct defensive operations, prevent the penetration of saboteurs and block the channels of illegal supply of weapons.]
Decree No. 117/2021 of March 24 on enactment of the relevant decision of the National Security and Defense Council was published on the website of the Head of State.
Photograph by LETA
Внаслідок обстрілу українських позицій російськими найманцями поблизу населеного пункту Невельське, що на Донеччині, загинув український військовий. Ще один захисник загинув поблизу Степного через підрив на невідомому вибуховому пристрої. [Translated: A Ukrainian serviceman was killed as a result of shelling of Ukrainian positions by Russian mercenaries near the town of Nevelske in the Donetsk region. Another defender was killed near Stepny by an unknown explosive device.]
У Донецькій області внаслідок обстрілу знеструмлена насосна станція першого підйому Південно-донбаського водогону. Постачання води споживачам припинене. Як передає Укрінформ, про це увечері 6 квітня повідомили в комунальному підприємстві 'Компанія 'Вода Донбасу'. Повідомляється, що від цієї насосної станції вода постачається майже до 50 населених пунктів регіону, на чотири фільтрувальні станції ... [Translated: In the Donetsk region, as a result of the shelling, the pumping station of the first rise of the South Donbas water supply system was de-energized. Water supply to consumers has been suspended. According to Ukrinform, this was announced in the evening of April 6 at the utility company 'Water of Donbass'. It is reported that from this pumping station water is supplied to almost 50 settlements of the region, to four filtering stations ...]
У Пентагоні заявили, що Росія зосередила поблизу кордону з Україною більше військ, ніж у 2014 році. Про це заявив речник оборонного відомства США Джон Кірбі, передає "Радіо Свобода".[The Pentagon said that Russia had concentrated more troops near the border with Ukraine than in 2014. This was stated by spokesman for the US Department of Defense John Kirby, reports "Radio Liberty".]
Три источника в окружении российского президента подтвердили, что именно эта история с уничтожением информационного ресурса Медведчука и тем, что его начали «кошмарить», стала последней каплей в принятии Путиным решения о подготовке к военной операции. К инструментам «мягкой силы» в Кремле решили больше не прибегать. Наезд, когда у него отобрали телевидение и партию стали фигачить, — это прям сильно завело Путина, — рассказывает один из давних знакомых российского президента... Именно Ковальчук убедил Путина, что Европа разделена противоречиями и сейчас самое лучшее время для быстрой операции, говорит источник, близкий к Кремлю.[Three sources in the Russian president's entourage confirmed that this story about the destruction of Medvedchuk's information resource and the fact that he was being “harassed” was the last straw in Putin's decision to prepare for a military operation. The Kremlin decided not to resort to the tools of “soft power” anymore. The attack, when they took away his television and began to shake down the party - that really turned Putin on,” says one of the Russian president's old acquaintances... It was Kovalchuk who convinced Putin that Europe was divided by contradictions and that now was the best time for a quick operation, says a source close to the Kremlin.]
To the West, it's a statement of autonomy; to Russia, it's a threat.
While Ukrainian assessments have said Russia has approximately 94,000 troops near the border, the U.S. map puts the number at 70,000.
I will say realistically if Russia decides to enhance their escalation, of course they are going to do this on those territories where historically there are people who used to have family links to Russia. Kharkiv, which is under Ukraine government control, could be occupied. Russia needs a pretext: They will say that they are protecting the Russian-speaking population ... If we are going to protect ourselves against one of the most powerful armies in the world, then this will be war. And if this will be war, it's going to be a very strong war, and everyone will lose.
"The operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia's own proxy-forces," the U.S. official said.
[t]hat the Russian government was considering trying to make a Russia-leaning former member of Ukraine's parliament, Yevhen Murayev, the country's new leader.
The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia also have received permission from the Biden administration to send U.S.-made weapons [...] Canada also has a military training program with Ukraine, and Ottawa recently sent a contingent of special forces to assist Kyiv. [...]
На брифинге Захарова подчеркнула, что на происходящее Москва и Минск вынуждены адекватно реагировать. В частности, путем совместного патрулирования воздушного пространства, регулярных совместных тренировок, а также учений. Так, уже в феврале пройдет совместное учение "Союзная решимость-2022". На территорию Беларуси уже начали прибывать подразделения из состава ВС РФ.[At the briefing, Zakharova stressed that Moscow and Minsk were forced to respond adequately to what was happening. In particular, through joint patrolling of the airspace, regular joint training, and exercises. So, in February, the joint exercise "Allied Resolve-2022" will be held. Units from the RF Armed Forces have already begun to arrive on the territory of Belarus.]
11 июня 2014 года Луганская Народная Республика обратилась к Российской Федерации, а также к 14 другим государствам, с просьбой о признании её независимости. К настоящему моменту независимость республики признана провозглашенной Донецкой Народной Республикой и частично признанным государством Южная Осетия.[On June 11, 2014, the Luhansk People's Republic turned to the Russian Federation, as well as to 14 other states, with a request to recognize its independence. To date, the republic's independence has been recognized by the proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the partially recognized state of South Ossetia.]
American officials had expected additional Russian troops to stream toward the Ukrainian border in December and early January, building toward a force of 175,000.
Ukrainian estimates provided to the OSCE in June 2021 show that only 12,000 Russian forces were removed from the border, and the rest remain in place.
The lesson of the past year may be that while the Cold War is long over, Cold War-like behavior lives on. And in the three decades since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the tension between the world's two principal nuclear adversaries has never been worse — making the pathway to a peaceful de-escalation harder to discern.
This practice lost favor, perhaps not coincidentally, right around the time the Soviet Union's sphere popped like a balloon in a Chuck E. Cheese brawl. That left the United States alone with a world-sized balloon, at which point everybody agreed spheres of influence were passé. Now, with the growing shakiness of the Pax Americana as Chinese and Russian powers grow, this ugly game is rebooting yet again, Andreas warns.
Conceptually, Russia sees Ukraine within the sphere of own 'privileged interests'; in fact, it means a modernized version of Brezhnev's doctrine of 'limited sovereignty', realized after the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
At that point, his own party abandoned him and called for a vote to take place. Parliament then voted to remove Yanukovych from office by a margin of 328 to 0.
Underscoring Ukraine's regional divisions, leaders of Russian-speaking eastern provinces loyal to Yanukovich voted to challenge anti-Yanukovich steps by the central parliament.
... their top aim is federalization of the country through all-Ukrainian referendum, one step from secession from the nation. 'It should be a federation in the borders of Ukraine, but with the right to separate if people demand this,' Kariakin said, confident that 85 percent of people in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's seventh most populous with 2.2 million people, support him.
Putin framed the invasion and eventual annexation of Crimea as an act of salvation rather than a clear violation of international law and turned a revolution which could have marked the end of his rule into a much-needed popularity booster ...
'He does not understand that the collapse of the Soviet system was predetermined, therefore he believes his mission is to restore the Soviet system as soon as possible,' he (Vladimir Bukovsky) says.
He wants to rebuild the former Soviet sphere of influence that extended from Central Europe through Central Asia, and views this effort as a restoration of Russian greatness.
Photograph by Office of the Lithuanian President
These days, Simferopol, the second-largest city on the Crimean Peninsula, gets water for three hours a day on weekdays and for five hours on weekends.
Senior American officials believe an incursion to secure the water supply remains a real threat. ... Senior Defense Department officials said that close to 80,000 Russian troops remained near various strips of the country's border with Ukraine, still the biggest force Russia has amassed there since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. ... The Russian military did order some units back to their barracks by May 1 — and they did move from the border — the officials said. But many of the units left their trucks and armored vehicles behind, a signal that they could go back if President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia decided to deploy them again.
In Washington, senior American officials believe that an incursion to secure the water supply remains a real threat, though the costs and difficulty of such a move appear to have been sufficient to dissuade Russia for now.
During the recent Direct Line, when I was asked about Russian–Ukrainian relations, I said that Russians and Ukrainians were one people – a single whole.
Historically speaking, the idea that a dictator in another country decides who is a nation and who is not is known as imperialism.
But that fear has gone hand-in-hand with chauvinistic bluster that indicates Moscow has a distorted view of modern Ukraine and the goals it wants to achieve there.
Vladimir Putin's inaccurate and distorted claims are neither new nor surprising. They are just the latest example of gaslighting by the Kremlin leader.
Putin's key trope is that Ukrainians and Russians are 'one people', and he calls them both 'Russian'. He starts with a myth of common origin: 'Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians are all descendants of Ancient Rus', which was the largest state in Europe' from the 9th–13th centuries AD.
[D]ays after the Inauguration of President Joe Biden, America's allies in Kyiv decided to get tough on Medvedchuk. The Ukrainian government took his TV channels off the air, depriving Russia of its propaganda outlets in the country. The U.S. embassy in Kyiv applauded the move. ... The first inkling of Putin's response came less than two days later, at 7 a.m. on Feb. 21. In a little-noticed statement, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the deployment of 3,000 paratroopers to the border with Ukraine for 'large-scale exercises,' training them to 'seize enemy structures and hold them until the arrival of the main force.'
Три источника в окружении российского президента подтвердили, что именно эта история с уничтожением информационного ресурса Медведчука и тем, что его начали «кошмарить», стала последней каплей в принятии Путиным решения о подготовке к военной операции. К инструментам «мягкой силы» в Кремле решили больше не прибегать. Наезд, когда у него отобрали телевидение и партию стали фигачить, — это прям сильно завело Путина, — рассказывает один из давних знакомых российского президента... Именно Ковальчук убедил Путина, что Европа разделена противоречиями и сейчас самое лучшее время для быстрой операции, говорит источник, близкий к Кремлю.[Three sources in the Russian president's entourage confirmed that this story about the destruction of Medvedchuk's information resource and the fact that he was being “harassed” was the last straw in Putin's decision to prepare for a military operation. The Kremlin decided not to resort to the tools of “soft power” anymore. The attack, when they took away his television and began to shake down the party - that really turned Putin on,” says one of the Russian president's old acquaintances... It was Kovalchuk who convinced Putin that Europe was divided by contradictions and that now was the best time for a quick operation, says a source close to the Kremlin.]
Бойовики самоназваної 'ДНР' отримали дозвіл на ведення 'упереджувального вогню на знищення'. ... У заяві бойовиків ідеться, що 'підрозділам народної міліції дано дозвіл на ведення попереджувального вогню на придушення і знищення вогневих точок противника'.[Militants of the self-proclaimed 'DPR' received permission to conduct 'preemptive fire for destruction'. ... The statement of the militants states that 'the units of the people's militia were given permission to conduct warning fire to suppress and destroy enemy firing points.']
16 березня прикордонний наряд ДПСУ в Сумській області зафіксував заліт вертольоту (за ознаками – Мі-8 -ред.) з Російської Федерації на відстань близько 50 метрів на територію України. Після чого гелікоптер повернув у зворотному напрямку і залишив повітряний простір нашої держави.[On March 16, the SBGS border patrol in the Sumy region recorded a helicopter (Mi-8-ed.) flying from the Russian Federation at a distance of about 50 meters into Ukraine. Then the helicopter turned in the opposite direction and left the airspace of our state.]
Бій біля селища Шуми (Донецька область) стався вдень 26 березня. Бойовики прицільно обстріляли українські позиції близько 13:45. ... Внаслідок обстрілу загинули четверо українських військовослужбовців, ще двох було поранено.[The battle near the village of Shumy (Donetsk region) took place in the afternoon of March 26, 2021. The militants fired at Ukrainian positions at about 1:45 p.m. ... Four Ukrainian servicemen were killed and two others were wounded in the shelling.]
Росія не підтримала пропозицію голови української делегації в ТКГ Леоніда Кравчука поновити режим припинення вогню на Донбасі з 00:00 1 квітня.[Russia did not support the proposal of the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG Leonid Kravchuk to renew the ceasefire in the Donbass from 00:00 on April 1.]
These propaganda attacks demonstrate that the Alliance and its member countries want to justify their more intensive military activities in Ukraine and near it. ... I would like to remind you that throughout this year alone NATO is planning seven military exercises in Ukraine. ... NATO warships are entering the Black Sea ever more frequently; the number of such visits increased by one-third last year.
[Р]осія стягує війська до кордону з Україною – у Брянську і Воронежську області РФ та до окупованого Криму. ... [с]таном на 30 березня вздовж російсько-українського кордону та на окупованих територіях Донбасу і Криму перебувають 28 батальйонних тактичних груп противника. ... Українське командування очікує, що незабаром біля українського кордону і в Криму Росія збере ще 'до 25 батальйонних тактичних груп, що в сукупності з наявними розгорнутими силами та засобами поблизу з державним кордоном України створює загрозу воєнній безпеці держави'. ... році Росія збільшила свою військову присутність на півострові до 32,7 тис. військових. ... на окупованому Донбасі розгорнуті 14 полків російської армії у складі 28 тисяч військових. ... На сході України перебуває також апарат військових радників та інструкторів у складі 2 тисяч осіб.[[R]ussia is withdrawing troops to the border with Ukraine – at Bryansk and Voronezh and at occupied Crimea. ... As of 30 March, there are 28 battalion tactical groups of the enemy along the Russian–Ukrainian border and in the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea. ... The Ukrainian command expects that Russia will soon assemble 'up to 25 more battalion tactical groups near the Ukrainian border and in Crimea, which, together with the deployed forces and means near the state border of Ukraine, threatens the state's military security.' ... Russia increased its military presence on the peninsula to 32.7 thousand troops. ... 14 regiments of the Russian army consisting of 28,000 troops were deployed in the occupied Donbass. ... In the east of Ukraine there is also a staff of military advisers and instructors consisting of 2 thousand people.]
За його словами, це не має викликати 'ані найменшого занепокоєння'. 'Росія не є загрозою ні для однієї країни світу, в тому числі не є загрозою для України', – сказав Пєсков.[According to him, this should not cause 'the slightest concern.' 'Russia is not a threat to any country in the world, including not a threat to Ukraine,' Peskov said.]
On April 22, the Russian government appeared to turn down the heat on these deployments, with Minister Shoigu announcing a drawdown of the exercise and ordering troops to return to their permanent bases by May 1, to include the 58th Army of the Southern Military District, the 41st Army of the Central Military District, as well as the 7th and 76th Airborne Assault and 98th Airborne divisions, according to the statement. Importantly, the equipment and weapons of the 41st Army are to remain at Pogonovo, a military training ground 17 kilometers south of Voronezh.
Сьогодні, 2 квітня, в російських джерелах, зокрема, на популярному телеграм- каналі 'Военный обозреватель', що афілійований з російськими силовими структурами, опублікували відео прольоту групи російських ударних вертольотів Ка-52 'Алігатор' і Мі-28 'Нічний мисливець', підкреслюючи при цьому, що проліт нібито відбувся на кордоні з Україною. Деякі регіональні джерела повідомляли, що російські вертольоти тільки наблизилися до кордону з Україною у районі Ростовської області РФ, але не перетинали його.[Translated via Google Translate: Today, 2 April, in Russian sources, in particular, on the popular telegram channel 'Military Observer', affiliated with the Russian security forces, published a video of the flight of a group of Russian attack helicopters Ka-52 'Alligator' and Mi-28 'Night Hunter'. emphasizing that the flight allegedly took place on the border with Ukraine. Some regional sources reported that Russian helicopters had just approached the border with Ukraine in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation but did not cross it.]
Тим часом спікер російської Держдуми В'ячеслав Володін заявив, що керівництво України має понести відповідальність за смерть дитини під Донецьком та запропонував виключити Україну з Ради Європи.[Meanwhile, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Ukraine's leadership should be held responsible for the child's death near Donetsk and suggested excluding Ukraine from the Council of Europe.]
За повідомленням Української делегації для участі у Тристоронній контактній групі, 'Українська сторона Спільного центру з контролю та координації 5 квітня 2021 року надіслала Спеціальній моніторинговій місії ОБСЄ в Україні ноту щодо намірів окупаційної адміністрації фальсифікувати події в н.п. Олександрівське Донецької області України'.[According to the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the Tripartite Contact Group, 'On April 5, 2021, the Ukrainian side of the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Center sent a note to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine regarding the occupation administration's intentions to falsify events. Oleksandrivske, Donetsk region of Ukraine'.]
6 квітня Спеціальна моніторингова місія ОБСЄ в Україні підтвердила смерть дитини. Повідомляється, що вона померла 'в результаті вибухової травми й множинних осколкових поранень'. Інформація про те, що дитина загинула в результаті удару українського безпілотника відсутня.[On April 6, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine confirmed the death of a child. She reportedly died 'as a result of an explosive injury and multiple shrapnel wounds.' There is no information that the child died as a result of a Ukrainian drone strike.]
Внаслідок обстрілу українських позицій російськими найманцями поблизу населеного пункту Невельське, що на Донеччині, загинув український військовий. Ще один захисник загинув поблизу Степного через підрив на невідомому вибуховому пристрої. [Translated: A Ukrainian serviceman was killed as a result of shelling of Ukrainian positions by Russian mercenaries near the town of Nevelske in the Donetsk region. Another defender was killed near Stepny by an unknown explosive device.]
У Донецькій області внаслідок обстрілу знеструмлена насосна станція першого підйому Південно-донбаського водогону. Постачання води споживачам припинене. Як передає Укрінформ, про це увечері 6 квітня повідомили в комунальному підприємстві 'Компанія 'Вода Донбасу'. Повідомляється, що від цієї насосної станції вода постачається майже до 50 населених пунктів регіону, на чотири фільтрувальні станції ... [Translated: In the Donetsk region, as a result of the shelling, the pumping station of the first rise of the South Donbas water supply system was de-energized. Water supply to consumers has been suspended. According to Ukrinform, this was announced in the evening of April 6 at the utility company 'Water of Donbass'. It is reported that from this pumping station water is supplied to almost 50 settlements of the region, to four filtering stations ...]
Росія, як заявляється у рамках навчань, перекидає кораблі з Каспію на Чорне море. Про це пише Интерфакс. Міжфлотський перехід почали десантні та артилерійські катери Каспійської флотилії. Заявляється, що екіпажі та кораблі Каспійської флотилії будуть здавати підсумкові морські навчання у взаємодії з Чорноморським флотом. [Translated: Russia, as stated in the exercise, is transferring ships from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea. This was reported by Interfax. The landing and artillery boats of the Caspian flotilla began the inter-naval crossing. It is stated that the crews and ships of the Caspian Flotilla will pass the final naval exercises in cooperation with the Black Sea Fleet.]
...сьогодні вранці стало відомо, що український консул Олександр Сосонюк затриманий в російському місті Санкт-Петербург. Його затримала ФСБ нібито "під час отримання інформації закритого характеру під час зустрічі з громадянином РФ".[...this morning it became known that the Ukrainian consul Alexander Sosonyuk is detained in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. He was detained by the FSB allegedly "while receiving confidential information during a meeting with a Russian citizen."]
У Міністерстві закордонних справ України припускають, що затримання консула Генерального консульства України Олександра Сосонюка у Санкт-Петербурзі готувалось за заздалегідь спланованим сценарієм.[The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine assumes that the detention of the Consul General of Ukraine Oleksandr Sosonyuk in St. Petersburg was prepared according to a pre-planned scenario.]
Висланий український консул Олександр Сосонюк виїхав з Російської Федерації вчора, 21 квітня. Він візьме коротку відпустку, після чого повернеться до роботи у зовнішньополітичному відомстві України.[The deported Ukrainian consul Oleksandr Sosonyuk left the Russian Federation yesterday, April 21. He will take a short vacation, after which he will return to work in the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.]
Україна направила ноту російському дипломату. Щоб покинути країну, у нього є 72 години. Про це повідомив в коментарі РБК-Україна речник Міністерства закордонних справ України Олег Ніколенко.[Ukraine sent a note to a Russian diplomat. He has 72 hours to leave the country. This was announced in a comment to RBC-Ukraine by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko.]
Секретар Ради безпеки Росії Микола Патрушев на нараді, яку він провів в анексованому Криму 14 квітня, заявив, що 'українські спецслужби намагаються організувати теракти і диверсії' на території півострова.[Russia's Security Council Secretary Mykola Patrushev said at a meeting in annexed Crimea on April 14 that 'Ukrainian special services are trying to organize terrorist attacks and sabotage' on the peninsula.]
У ніч з 14 на 15 квітня цього року відбувся інцидент в Азовському морі між трьома малими броньованими катерами "Гюрза-М" ВМС України та п'ятьма катерами і кораблем Берегової охорони Прикордонної служби ФСБ РФ...За його словами, інцидент відбувся 25 милях від Керченської протоки, коли катери наших ВМС виконували супровід цивільних суден...Щоб зупинити провокації, нашим морякам довелось попередити про готовність застосувати бортове озброєння. За даними Клименка, інцидент обійшовся без жодних втрат для нашого флоту, усі катери ВМС України успішно повернулись назад до гавані.[On the night of April 14–15 this year, an incident took place in the Sea of Azov between three small armored boats "Gyurza-M" of the Ukrainian Navy and five boats and a ship of the Coast Guard of the FSB Border Guard...According to him, the incident took place 25 miles from the Kerch Strait, when the boats of our Navy escorted civilian ships...To stop the provocations, our sailors had to warn about the readiness to use airborne weapons. According to Klymenko, the incident was without any losses for our fleet, all boats of the Ukrainian Navy successfully returned back to the harbor.]
Російська Федерація оголосила про закриття з наступного тижня до жовтня 2021 року частини акваторій Чорного моря в напрямку Керченської протоки для військових кораблів та державних суден інших країн під приводом військових навчань. Такі дії Російської Федерації є черговою спробою в порушення норм і принципів міжнародного права узурпувати суверенні права України як прибережної держави, оскільки саме Україна наділена правами регулювати судноплавство в цих акваторіях Чорного моря.[The Russian Federation has announced the closure from next week to October 2021 of part of the Black Sea in the direction of the Kerch Strait for warships and state vessels of other countries under the pretext of military exercises. Such actions of the Russian Federation are another attempt in violation of the norms and principles of international law to usurp the sovereign rights of Ukraine as a coastal state, as it is Ukraine that has the right to regulate navigation in these Black Sea areas.]
У Пентагоні заявили, що Росія зосередила поблизу кордону з Україною більше військ, ніж у 2014 році. Про це заявив речник оборонного відомства США Джон Кірбі, передає "Радіо Свобода".[The Pentagon said that Russia had concentrated more troops near the border with Ukraine than in 2014. This was stated by spokesman for the US Department of Defense John Kirby, reports "Radio Liberty".]
Росія ввела з 20 по 24 квітня тимчасові обмеження на польоти над частиною Криму і Чорного моря. Про це йдеться в міжнародному повідомленні для пілотів (NOTAM), інформує Цензор.НЕТ із посиланням на Інтерфакс-Україна.[Russia has imposed temporary restrictions on flights over parts of Crimea and the Black Sea from April 20 to 24. This is stated in the International Notice to Pilots (NOTAM), informs Censor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.]
Дураков сражаться за Украину нет. А нам с вассалами дело иметь бессмысленно. Дела нужно вести с сюзереном ... Бессмысленность и даже вредность отношений с нынешними руководителями Украины состоит еще и в том, что во главе этой страны стоят невежественные и необязательные люди. Они постоянно меняют позицию в угоду своим заокеанским хозяевам и политической конъюнктуре ... Тогда встает извечный и главный вопрос: что делать в этой ситуации? А ничего. Дождаться появления на Украине вменяемого руководства, которое нацелено не на тотальную конфронтацию с Россией на грани войны, не на организацию дебильных 'Крымских платформ', созданных для оболванивания населения страны и подкачки своих мускулов перед выборами, а на выстраивание равноправных и взаимовыгодных отношений с Россией. Вот только с таким руководством Украины и стоит иметь дело. Россия умеет ждать. Мы люди терпеливые.[There are no fools to fight for Ukraine. And it is pointless for us to deal with vassals. Business must be done with the suzerain ... The senselessness and even harmfulness of relations with the current leaders of Ukraine also lies in the fact that ignorant and unnecessary people are at the head of this country. They constantly change their position to please their overseas masters and the political situation ... Then the eternal and main question arises: what to do in this situation? But nothing. Wait for the emergence of a sane leadership in Ukraine, which is aimed not at a total confrontation with Russia on the brink of war, not at organizing moronic 'Crimean platforms' created to fool the population of the country and pump up their muscles before the elections, but at building equal and mutually beneficial relations with Russia. That's just with such a leadership of Ukraine and it is worth dealing with. Russia knows how to wait. We are patient people.]
The Kremlin said later Monday that Medvedev's article "runs in unison" with Russia's view of the current Ukrainian government.
The Russian Defense Ministry described the deployment of the U.S. warships USS Mount Whitney and USS Porter, which sailed into the Black Sea last week, as a "threat to regional security and strategic stability." "The real goal behind the U.S. activities in the Black Sea region is exploring the theater of operations in case of Kyiv's attempts to settle the conflict in the southeast by force," the ministry said in a statement.
In recent weeks, Russian tanks have been moving west towards Ukraine once again, prompting fresh, even starker warnings from US intelligence circles that a cross-border offensive could be on the cards.
Ukraine's president has said some 100,000 Russian troops are amassed near his country's border.
While Ukrainian assessments have said Russia has approximately 94,000 troops near the border, the U.S. map puts the number at 70,000.
I have not seen such alarmist declarations, so far, at least. But I suppose it is as you say. Indeed, the United States and their NATO allies are presently conducting an unscheduled, and I want to stress that it is unscheduled, drill in the Black Sea.
За недавними протестами против вакцинации от COVID-19 в Киеве и другими митингами на Украине стоит Россия — это подготовка к масштабному военному вторжению, заявил руководитель главного управления разведки Министерства обороны Украины Кирилл Буданов.[Translation via DeepL Translator; Photo by the Office of the President of Ukraine: Russia is behind the recent protests against COVID-19 vaccination in Kiev and other rallies in Ukraine in preparation for a large-scale military invasion, said the head of the main intelligence department of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Kirill Budanov.]
Ожидать активных действий, по его словам, следует в январе-феврале будущего года.[Expect active action, he said, should be in January–February next year.]
В Киеве это восприняли как однозначную угрозу. Там с уверенностью говорят о практически неминуемом масштабном конфликте с Россией. Такие опасения 3 декабря высказал министр обороны республики Алексей Резников, выступивший перед депутатами Верховной рады.[In Kyiv, this was perceived as a clear threat. They speak with confidence about an almost inevitable large-scale conflict with Russia. Such fears were expressed on December 3 by the Minister of Defense of the Republic Oleksii Reznikov, who spoke to the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. "There is a possibility of a large-scale escalation from Russia. The most likely time to achieve readiness for escalation will be the end of January," Mr. Reznikov warned.]
Ukraine's defense minister estimated Friday that Russia has amassed more than 94,000 troops near their borders and said there is a probability of a "large-scale escalation" in late January.
These units include elements of the 41st Combined Arms Army's 74th and 35th Motorised Brigades, 120th Artillery Brigade, and 119th Missile Brigade, as well as limited elements of the 90th Tank Division's 6th Tank Regiment. Since late November, Janes has identified the 41st Combined Arms Army's 55th Motorised Brigade (Mountain) beginning to deploy over 4,000 km from the Tuva region to Yelnya, including the brigade's three Tigr armoured car battalions and elements of its Nona-SVK self-propelled mortar battalion. ... Janes has identified the likely deployment of several new units to the Crimean Peninsula since the start of the October buildup. This includes elements of the 247th Airborne Regiment, at least one 42nd Motorised Division T-72B3 battalion, a Buk-M2 battalion likely from the 90th Air Defence Brigade, and a 34th Motorised Brigade (Mountain) battalion tactical group. Subsequent video footage indicates at least some of this equipment has since returned to its base in the Caucasus Mountains.
US intelligence officials have determined that Russian planning is underway for a possible military offensive against Ukraine that could begin as soon as early 2022 and would include an estimated 175,000 personnel, according to an administration official.
Numerous sources indicated Russian troops' movements in various parts of Russia, in Belarus and in occupied Crimea. As a part of these movements, the Russian Eastern Military District's forces continued to enter Belarus ... the Russian forces already inside or moving into Belarus include those from: the 36th Army's ... the 29th Army's ... the 35th Army's ... the 5th Army's ... the Pacific Fleet's 155th Naval Infantry Brigade ... the 76th Air Assault Division's ... the 98th Airborne Division's ... the 11th Air Assault Brigade ...
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine from various directions, including from its ally Belarus.
A senior Biden administration official said the Russian troop deployment to Belarus raises concerns that Moscow may be planning to stage troops there to stretch Ukraine's defenses with an attack from the north.
I will say realistically if Russia decides to enhance their escalation, of course they are going to do this on those territories where historically there are people who used to have family links to Russia. Kharkiv, which is under Ukraine government control, could be occupied. Russia needs a pretext: They will say that they are protecting the Russian-speaking population ... If we are going to protect ourselves against one of the most powerful armies in the world, then this will be war. And if this will be war, it's going to be a very strong war, and everyone will lose.
8 февраля в Минобороны РФ сообщили, что отряд из шести больших десантных кораблей ВМФ России направился в Черное море для учений ... 'Отряд больших десантных кораблей Военно-морского флота России в составе 'Королев', 'Минск', 'Калининград', 'Петр Моргунов', 'Георгий Победоносец' и 'Оленегорский горняк' завершил межфлотский переход вокруг Европы. В настоящий момент корабли заходят в главную базу Черноморского флота — город Севастополь', — говорится в сообщении.[Translated via DeepL Translator; photographs by Paul Lvov of RIA Novosti: On February 8, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that a detachment of six large landing ships of the Russian Navy has headed to the Black Sea for exercises ... 'A detachment of large landing ships of the Russian Navy consisting of the 'Korolev', 'Minsk', 'Kaliningrad', 'Pyotr Morgunov', 'Georgy Pobedonosets' and 'Olenegorsk Miner' has completed an inter-fleet crossing around Europe. At the moment the ships are calling at the main base of the Black Sea Fleet – the city of Sevastopol,' the report said.]
В Черном море пройдут учения, в котором будут задействованы корабельные тактические группы Черноморского флота РФ, сообщила пресс-служба флота в четверг. [Translated: An exercise will be held in the Black Sea, in which naval tactical groups of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation will be involved, the press service of the fleet said on Thursday.]
Photographs by Reuters, Getty Images, and the Russian Defence Ministry: Ukraine has accused Russia of blocking its access to the sea as Russia prepares for naval exercises next week amid spiralling tension in the region.
В Белоруссии стартовали совместные с Россией масштабные маневры 'Союзная решимость – 2022'. Военнослужащие будут тренироваться отражать внешнюю агрессию и вести оборонительные операции, пресекать проникновение диверсантов и перекрывать каналы незаконной поставки оружия. [Translation via Google Translate: Large-scale maneuvers 'Allied Resolve – 2022' jointly with Russia have started in Belarus. The servicemen will train to repel external aggression and conduct defensive operations, prevent the penetration of saboteurs and block the channels of illegal supply of weapons.]
Contribution from Erin Banco, Jacopo Barigazzi, Lili Bayer, Quint Forgey, Cristina Gallardo, Jakob Hanke Vela, Paul McLeary, Nahal Toosi, Hans von der Burchard and Giorgio Leali; Photograph by Sergey Bobok (Agence-France Presse) via Getty Images. [U].S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan declined to describe specific intelligence, but insisted the attack could begin before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on February 20.
Contribution by Kevin Liptak, Natasha Bertrand, Maegan Vazquez, Olga Voitovych, Kareem El Damanhoury, Darya Tarasova, Sharon Braithwaite, Donald Judd and Jennifer Hansler
Photographs by Reuters. Many countries, including Australia, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan have told their citizens to leave Ukraine. Some have also evacuated diplomatic staff and their families.
З метою зміцнення взаємної довіри домовлено про візит аташе з питань оборони Республіки Білорусь в Україні на заходи навчань «Заметіль – 2022», а також про візит аташе з питань оборони України у Республіці Білорусь на заходи білорусько-російських навчань «Союзна рішучість - 2022». [Translated: In order to strengthen mutual trust, the visit of the Defense Attaché of the Republic of Belarus to Ukraine to the "Snowstorm - 2022" exercise, as well as the visit of the Defense Attaché of Ukraine to the Republic of Belarus to the Belarusian-Russian exercise "Union Determination - 2022" were agreed upon.]
Photograph by Reuters
В связи с нарастанием военной активности у внешних границ Союзного государства и обострением ситуации на Донбассе, Президентами Республики Беларусь и Российской Федерации принято решение проверку сил реагирования Союзного государства продолжить. [Translation via Google Translate; Photograph by Yan Gorbanyuk: In connection with the increase in military activity near the external borders of the Union State and the aggravation of the situation in the Donbass, the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation decided to continue testing the response forces of the Union State.]
Photograph by Alexei Alexandrov (AP Photo)
Four people familiar with U.S. intelligence said that Russia has drafted lists of Ukrainian political figures and other prominent individuals to be targeted for either arrest or assassination in the event of a Russian assault on Ukraine.
[w]e have credible information [...] indicates Russian forces are creating lists of identified Ukrainians to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation. [R]ussian forces will likely use lethal measures to disperse peaceful protests or otherwise counter peaceful exercises of perceived resistance from civilian populations.
The British government said Saturday that the Kremlin was developing plans to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine — and had already chosen a potential candidate [...]
[t]hat the Russian government was considering trying to make a Russia-leaning former member of Ukraine's parliament, Yevhen Murayev, the country's new leader.
[...] to the likening of the current situation related to language rights to "genocide of the Russian people". [...] While there have been to date no reports of limitations or perceived threats to the use of Russian language in Western parts of Ukraine [...]
There is proof that Ukraine is committing atrocities against its Russian-speaking population in the country's east. [...] Allegations that Ukraine is attacking its own territory and persecuting its own citizens are absurd.
Photograph by dpsu.gov.ua: У південних прикордонних районах України оголосили збори тероборони для посилення і захисту держкордону, охорони і оборони критичних об'єктів і боротьби з диверсійно-розвідувальними групами.[In the southern border areas of Ukraine announced a meeting of terrorist defense to strengthen and protect the state border, protection and defense of critical objects and the fight against sabotage and reconnaissance groups.]
M141 Bunker Defeat Munition действует таким Украина получила новую партию военной помощи от Вашингтона. Речь идет о ручных одноразовых гранатометах M141 Bunker Defeat Munition или SMAW-D. Кроме того, была передана и партия ПТРК Javelin. [Ukraine has received a new batch of military aid from Washington. These are M141 Bunker Defeat Munition or SMAW-D disposable grenade launchers. In addition, the Javelin ATGM party was transferred.]
The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia also have received permission from the Biden administration to send U.S.-made weapons [...] Canada also has a military training program with Ukraine, and Ottawa recently sent a contingent of special forces to assist Kyiv. [...]
He pointed to American support for the mujahedeen in Afghanistan against the Soviet invasion there in the late 1970s and 1980s, before the rise of the Taliban.
Photograph by LETA
Photograph by Reuters
Russia has amassed more troops on the Ukrainian border than at any time since 2014.
No one expected much progress from this past week's diplomatic marathon to defuse the security crisis Russia has ignited in Eastern Europe by surrounding Ukraine on three sides with 100,000 troops and then, by the White House's accounting, sending in saboteurs to create a pretext for invasion.
The lesson of the past year may be that while the Cold War is long over, Cold War-like behavior lives on. And in the three decades since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the tension between the world's two principal nuclear adversaries has never been worse — making the pathway to a peaceful de-escalation harder to discern.
President Biden said on Wednesday that he now expected President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia would order an invasion of Ukraine, delivering a grim assessment that the diplomacy and ... 'The answer is that I think he still does not want a full-blown war, No. 1. No. 2, do I think he'll test the West, test the United States and NATO as significantly as he can? Yes, I think he will, but I think he'll pay a serious and dear price for it that he doesn't think now will cost him what it's going to cost him. And I think he will regret having done it.'
I will say realistically if Russia decides to enhance their escalation, of course they are going to do this on those territories where historically there are people who used to have family links to Russia. Kharkiv, which is under Ukraine government control, could be occupied. Russia needs a pretext: They will say that they are protecting the Russian-speaking population ... If we are going to protect ourselves against one of the most powerful armies in the world, then this will be war. And if this will be war, it's going to be a very strong war, and everyone will lose.
"The operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia's own proxy-forces," the U.S. official said.
The White House accused Moscow on Friday of sending saboteurs into eastern Ukraine to stage an incident that could provide President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia with a pretext for ordering an invasion of the country.
Four people familiar with U.S. intelligence said that Russia has drafted lists of Ukrainian political figures and other prominent individuals to be targeted for either arrest or assassination in the event of a Russian assault on Ukraine.
[t]hat the Russian government was considering trying to make a Russia-leaning former member of Ukraine's parliament, Yevhen Murayev, the country's new leader.
The programs are part of the country's strategic defense plan in the event of a potential invasion by Russia — to foster a civilian resistance that can carry on the fight if the Ukrainian military is overwhelmed. [...] He described how the volunteers might resist based on the tactics of Islamist militias in Aleppo, Syria.
The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia also have received permission from the Biden administration to send U.S.-made weapons [...] Canada also has a military training program with Ukraine, and Ottawa recently sent a contingent of special forces to assist Kyiv. [...]
He pointed to American support for the mujahedeen in Afghanistan against the Soviet invasion there in the late 1970s and 1980s, before the rise of the Taliban.
