“Besides – added Shoigu – aviation perform flights to simulate the near the state border.”
According to the Head Office, in a military operation against civilians in the south-east of Ukraine Ukrainian troops acting group of more than 11 thousand people, it uses 160 tanks, more than 230 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, at least 150 guns, a large number of aviation.
“The situation in Ukraine is a major concern. On April 22, the new Ukrainian leadership began the so-called active phase of operations in the south-eastern borders of Ukraine . Already there are human victims, “- ITAR-TASS quotes words Shoigu.
He said that “against civilians are National Guard units and battalions of extremists” right sector “(Kharkiv, Slabozhanets), initiated the formation of the battalion” Donbass “. Crackdown civilians carried redeployed in Donetsk and Lugansk special forces soldiers Ukrainian Security Service and Interior Ministry “, – said the head of the military department.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, April 9, 2014. Hagel met with Xi to discuss mutual state and defense issues. (DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo/Released)
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014
Posted by Lee Jayhttp://www.moderntokyotimes.com/
Cyber Transparency for Thee, But Not For Me
Publication: China Brief Volume: 14 Issue: 8 By: Joe McReynolds The Jamestown FoundationIn Beijing, a reminder for Hagel that the U.S. and China face divergent incentives on cyber policy
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s latest trip to Beijing represented a new milestone in Sino-U.S. military-to-military information-sharing. According to media reports, the U.S. side laid out in detail the makeup of America’s cyber forces, their command and control structures and U.S. policy regarding red lines and escalation in the network domain. Unfortunately, the Chinese haven’t responded in kind. In his speech at National Defense University closing out the trip, Hagel reiterated his desire for mutual transparency, but the tone was one of palpable disappointment. Chinese media largely ignored this section of Hagel’s remarks, with the only publications addressing it describing it as “hypocritical” in light of recent allegations regarding American cyber-spying and attacks on Huawei (Xinhua, April 9). Despite the Secretary’s wishes, China is unlikely to acquiesce to a regime of symmetric cyber transparency in the foreseeable future.
Why is China so hesitant to join the United States in sharing information regarding its network warfare capabilities? At the risk of oversimplifying, there are three primary reasons. The first is that China operates a massive peacetime industrial espionage apparatus, and the Chinese military (the object of Hagel’s desired transparency) plays a major role in providing the cyber-exploitation component of this capability. The second is that the leaks and accusations made by Edward Snowden have improved China’s diplomatic position in the context of any discussion of network warfare doctrine. The third is that Chinese military theoreticians’ views regarding the inherent battle-space characteristics of the network domain predispose the Chinese toward attempting to retain a degree of uncertainty and ambiguity around China’s offensive network warfare capabilities.
via US and China: Cyber Transparency for Thee, But Not For Me | Modern Tokyo Times.
Simon Ostrovsky Has Been Released | VICE News
April 24, 2014
By VICE News
April 24, 2014 | 12:40 pm
VICE News is delighted to confirm that our colleague and friend Simon Ostrovsky has been safely released and is in good health. We would like to thank everyone for their support during this difficult time. Out of respect for Simon and his family’s privacy, we have no further statement at this time.
via Simon Ostrovsky Has Been Released | VICE News.
On the Information War – Volunteers
April 24, 2014
Bordyuzha (left), Mikhail Fedorov (standing right) and Igor Panarin at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum on the establishment of the University League CSTO. Photo by Aleksey Kunilova.
It looks like Russia is ramping up their information warfare efforts in a big way. Translation from the original Russian from my Chrome Browser.
APRIL 23, 2014, 9:35
The Collective Security Treaty, signed 20 years ago by a group of countries – participants of the CIS, provides not only protect them from military threats, but also contributes to the maintenance of information, food, energy, transport, environmental and other types of security of our states. This was discussed in the past in Yekaterinburg within the founding conference of the University League and I CSTO Youth Forum of the CSTO meeting with journalists Nikolai Bordyuzha, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty.
The meeting was also attended by the Head of Administration of Sverdlovsk Region Governor Sergei Perestoronin, coordinator of the Association of Analytical CSTO Igor Panarin, and the rector of the Ural State University of Economics Mikhail Fedorov.
Noted that the provision of, for example, information security is particularly important in a time when the U.S. and NATO countries announced Russia and its allies a real information war that the degree of impact and consequences can be compared with past military aggression.
The question of “regional newspaper” about what, in his view, the causes of the tragic events taking place today in Ukraine, and what conclusions are made in the CSTO Nikolay Bordyuzha said that what is happening in this country – the result of years of efforts by the United States with the aim to split the Commonwealth of Independent States. Western-backed government of Ukraine not only stubbornly refused to cooperate closely with Russia, CSTO Customs Union, but always sought to hold a special position in the discussion of any initiatives and in the CIS. At the same time for two decades abroad trained Ukrainian fighters and from abroad come to Ukraine and openly worked special operations instructors and special propaganda. So after the collapse of the USSR a whole generation of young Ukrainians, many of whom brought up on dense Russophobia.
Countries – CSTO members are closely watching what is happening in Ukraine and draw conclusions from the events there to prevent this at home. Battlefield information war Russia and its allies in the CSTO defense keep learned. “For example, we conduct a successful raid to identify our enemies created websites – said Nikolai Bordyuzha. – A huge number of these sites have already been closed. ” But to intervene in Ukrainian events in any way, including official statements and comments, CSTO countries do not intend to. “Although the United States and its NATO allies in the information space inflated real hysteria and try to provoke us to retaliate drastic actions, they do not succeed, – said the Secretary General of the CSTO. – For us it is much more important today are the problems associated with the designated 2014 the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. “
via On the information war – volunteers. http://www.oblgazeta.ru/politics/17423/
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the division of the Southern and Western districts of the Russian Armed Forces military exercises began in the border areas with Ukraine. Оригинал статьи: http://russian.rt.com/article/29187#ixzz2zoQfqlUI
Russia is rattling their saber, they’re getting ready to invade. …or gesturing. Or trash talking.
April 24, 2014, 16:53
“In the border areas with Ukraine began teaching battalion tactical groups combined arms southern and western military districts. Work out issues committing troops march under their own power, and deployment to perform assigned tasks, “- ITAR-TASS word defense minister .
Оригинал статьи: http://russian.rt.com/article/29187#ixzz2zoPjAlsq
Ukrainian Forces Moving on Sloviansk
April 24, 2014
Ukrainian special forces take position in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk on April 24, 2014 (AFP Photo / Kirill Kudryavtsev)
Ukrainian military forces began moving on Sloviansk, today, resulting in at least 5 pro-Russian deaths. As a result, Russian President Vladimir Putin released a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if the Kiev government “has started to use the army against the population inside the country, it, beyond any doubt, is a very serious crime.”
This would “have consequences” for those making the decisions, and for relations between the two governments, Putin said at a media forum Thursday, according to Russian state TV channel Russia 24.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/24/world/europe/ukraine-gunmen-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
The BBC released this statement:
At least two separatists were reported killed as the commandos, backed by armoured vehicles, cleared checkpoints on the outskirts of the eastern town.
Just for comparison, let’s examine what RT said about the exact same action.
Five anti-government protesters have reportedly been killed and one injured in the eastern Ukrainian town of Slavyansk after Kiev authorities sent tanks and armored vehicles against the local population.
Source: http://rt.com/news/154544-slavyansk-fighting-east-ukraine/
The numbers killed were different, most likely because the reports were filed at different times. But BBC said “separatists” and RT said “anti-government protesters”.
The other curious wording is that RT says the attack was against “the local population”, whereas it was the separatists or “anti-government protesters” who were manning the barricades.
As for the “consequences” in the CNN report above, the West is waiting for Putin to use any excuse to invade Ukraine. As for the “Legitimate cause”… if Russia has no forces in Ukraine, how can he possibly have ‘legitimate cause’? Oh, I apologize. Since when does fact matter to our former KGB Lieutenant Colonel?
By the way, where is Simon Ostrovsky? He was kidnapped from Sloviansk and that’s where the action is. Might we see and hear from him today? As a free man? Reporting freely?
Russian “Legitimate Interests”
April 23, 2014
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued Ukraine a warning today.
“If our interests, our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia for example, I do not see any other way but to respond in accordance with international law,” he said, referring to Russia’s armoured invasion of Georgia in 2008.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/biden-pledges-support-ukraines-pro-western-leaders-094545214.html
Pardon me, Sergei Lavrov, would you kindly define your interests in East Ukraine? Could they be provocateurs? Spetsnaz? FSB agents? GRU agents? Hired agents from either Ukraine or Russia?
You’re not being specific Sergei. You need to tell us so we know exactly to whom you are referring.
Oh, and while I’m asking questions, why are you still holding Simon Ostrovsky? Oh, he’s doing an “exclusive story”? On what, what it is like to be held captive by out of control pro-Russian extremists?
Your stories are quickly becoming ludicrous, Sergei. You are becoming a laughing stock, Sergei. The world sees what you are doing, saying, and what you are suggesting.
Stop while we are still laughing. At you. Yes. At you.
US Vice President Rips Russia
April 22, 2014
US Vice President Joe Biden (L) speaks during a meeting with acting president, Oleksander Turchinov © EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO
“Stop talking and start acting”. With this simple phrase, US Vice President Joe Biden rips into Russian President Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
All their bluster, all their words, all their accusations, all are for naught. Russia’s war of words is being turned around. Their web of lies is being used against them. Their deceit and illegal actions all appear for what they are: a farce.
Furthermore, Mr. Biden issued a warning to Russia that more “provocative behaviour” would lead to “greater isolation”. He further urged Moscow to cease support for pro-Russian militant extremists.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden pledged support for Ukraine, which he said “is in a struggle for its very future.” Biden said the road ahead is difficult, but that Ukrainians “will not walk this road alone.”
