The bad news:
1. Combats continue in Donbas. The hotspots today are Donetsk, Debaltseve, Avdiivka.
Earlier, analysts from IR [Information Resistance] presumed that the entire bloody terrorist game around the airport in Donetsk was a cover for the accumulation of Russian-terrorist forces to the north (near Yasynuvata-Panteleymonivka) for a further attack on Avdiivka [Donestks Oblast]. Obviously, this is an option.
By shooting at residential areas in Donbas cities, as is known, the mercenaries are carrying out another function which is important for them: cultivating hatred for Ukrainian troops, who allegedly are the ones firing among the locals. We have known about this vile tactic of the terrorists for a long time, but as IR surveys prove, the local citizens, deprived of free access to information, in their majority really do religiously believe that the shootings are indeed the handiwork of ‘Banderas.’
2. DNR [Donetsk People’s Republic] mercenaries plan to hold elections for the ‘head of the republic’ and their own so-called ‘parliament’ on November 2nd on the territory they occupied. Meanwhile ‘DNR Prime Minister’ A. Zakharchenko claimed the terrorists would not allow carrying out the elections to the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament] in Donbas, which will take place on October 26.
People will soon start dying of starvation at the hands of these unique individuals, and they are still carrying on. According to our information, the local ‘commands’ in cities controlled by the DNR were given orders to prepare voters’ lists and start ‘educational work,’ threatening reprisals against those who do not show up for this ‘election.’ It looks strange: everyone understands that the ‘head of the republic’ for these soldiers of the Alcoholic Front will be appointed in Moscow. What is the reason for this circus?
3. The Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration stated today that the morgues in the oblasts that are adjacent to the antiterrorist operation zone have over a thousand deceased Ukrainian servicemen, 552 of which have not been identified yet.
I don’t know where these numbers come from, but it’s not that – it’s true that a lot of fallen soldiers have not been identified and are listed as ‘missing in action,’ especially after the events at the end of August. Then, when in the world it is customary to consider that the war isn’t over until the last fallen soldier is buried, and if we are a civilized state and a civilized society, when making agreements regarding peace in Donbas, we cannot forget about the fallen heroes.
If we don’t know or won’t remember the names of those who gave their lives for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, then how much is this sovereignty worth?
The good news:
1. The intensity of the shelling of Ukrainian troop positions has decreased significantly. Information that the Russian-terrorist troops have withdrawn artillery greater than 100 mm in caliber from the ‘front line’ is confirmed. Ukrainian troops are also withdrawing weaponry on their side.
However, the process of removing the mercenaries’ artillery was only documented in individual areas. Unfortunately, we cannot speak of a full implementation of the ceasefire conditions. But, the beginning of a positive process is launched, though we do not exclude the possibility that Russian troops and terrorists simply mimic the process of de-escalating the conflict.
2. Defense Minister V. Heletey stated that the Defense Ministry is reviewing the ‘concept of the Ukrainian army.’ “We are fully reviewing the concept of the Ukrainian army – in order to understand what it is that Ukraine needs today,” he said.
To begin with, it is understood that we need a new Military Doctrine – thankfully, the Cabinet of Ministers has already set a target to develop it. And here begins the most important thing: a clear analysis and integration of reform of the armed forces, intelligence agencies and the intelligence community.
In the examples of Crimea and Donbas, we have seen that the conflicts that are relevant to Ukraine today cannot be solved using the power and resources of only one institution, but only by using all the resources, and only in close cooperation (which is exactly what our “security forces” are not very used to doing). Accordingly, the processes of reforming the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Border Services, the State Security Service and the Foreign Intelligence Service should be closely related, as we cannot ensure cooperation by reforming each institution separately.
It is very unclear how this will work out, as the military structures are used to playing tug-of-war and pursuing absolute secrecy from the ‘competition.’ Without overcoming these unhealthy tendencies, we simply cannot talk about self-sufficient and effective reform within the state security sector.
3. I was quite pleased by the results of a sociological survey carried out by the Russian Sociological Service Fund to Fight Corruption. According to Russian sociologists, in Odesa and Kharkiv oblasts, 34% of local residents see the future of Ukraine as being together with Europe, meanwhile only 17% see it with Russia.
In this case, 87% of respondents see the future of their region only in a united Ukraine. Comments are superfluous.
4. And now from the humorous news. The Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation stated that Russia plans to launch a “full-scale exploration of the Moon” in the late 20’s – early 30’s.
As I understand it, by hanging the subsidization of Crimea around Russian taxpayers’ necks, and seeking to ‘master’ a subsidized Donbas, the Kremlin is looking for new spaces for ‘the Russian World.’ This immediately reminds me of an old joke about the boy who comes to his father and shouts: “Father, they said on the radio that the Muscovites have gone to space!” to which the father happily replies: “What, all of them?”
Esteemed denizens of the Kremlin, if you’re not going to the Moon all together, at least send Putin there first, please. We will even chip in for this happy occasion to happen before the end of the 20’s. We, Ukrainians, are not against Russia’s space expansions – just do us a favor and don’t come back.
