There is very little good to report, this being Banderite Ukraine, after all–whatever good that’s left of Ukraine seems to be confined to Crimea and Donbass which, come to think of, are not Ukraine any more…
The recently uploaded video of goings-on in the Azov Regiment’s training camp, showing the unit’s tank company going through its paces. It is remarkable that most of the tanks shown are T-64BM Bulat tanks of which there are relatively few in service. It shows that the Azov Regiment, due to its political loyalty, is a heavily favored formation which has the pick of the latest equipment available to the Ukrainian military.
DPR sources are reporting that the Azov units are relocating to the vicinity of Mariupol, though it is not clear whether the unit will hold the front line, as it did at Shirokino, or will be used as a mobile reaction force.
UAF’s mobile units are also training. The photo report shows UAF troops train under the watchful eye of the conqueror of Debaltsevo, Ukrainian General Muzhenko. However, these elite formations are wearing WW2-era steel helmets and body armor that does not appear to contain any ceramic inserts…
Meanwhile, the last wave of mobilization is encouraging by its quality: фотки Judging by the photographs, the UAF appears to be entering its Volkssturm phase.
The UAF’s 92nd Brigade appears to be busy fighting (and killing) its own side’s police forces engaged in counter-smuggling operations, with even the brigade’s commander being implicated in the killings. The most recent ambush which took place in the no-man’s land between Slavyanoserbsk and Schastye, killed or wounded several members of the SBU, Border Guards, and volunteers. This is not the only incident of UAF on UAF fighting this week.
A soldier of the 72nd Brigade killed two of his comrades near Volnovakha in otherwise unclear circumstances. All soldiers involved were members of an elite reconnaissance company of the brigade.
There are also reports that the Ukrainian regular army and National Guard have engaged in skirmishes in the vicinity of Shirokino. There is speculation the clashes took place due to tensions after the recent Kiev demonstrations, though the other explanation is that it’s yet another case of fighting over smuggling revenues.
When the Ukrainian military is not fighting itself, it is fighting the civilian population. A Ukrainian soldier in Nikolayev cut up two civilians in a bar located near a military base.
The level of tension between the military, ATO veterans, and the civilian population will only increase. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has admitted about 80% of its soldiers are suffering from a mental ailment of some sort due to the strain of combat. The problem is made worse by the veterans’ inability to find a place for themselves in a society that no longer views them as heroes and which is suffering from a major economic crisis.
But it isn’t all.
Three UAF soldiers from the 79th Airmobile Brigade (an elite rapid reaction force) crossed into Russian territory under the influence of alcohol with the apparent desire to hang out with the Russian naval infantrymen and to complain about the harsh conditions of UAF military service. The three soldiers expressed a desire to return to Ukraine, but at the same time feared they would be severely punished.
And finally: Ukraine is for sale! The guided missile cruiser Ukraina, that is, which has been languishing at its pier in Nikolayev with no prospect of ever being completed. Its construction began in the 1980s.
Overall, this week’s stories confirm the earlier trend of a gradual deterioration of UAF military equipment and personnel. Its units, even the best ones, are not equipped to the same standards as they were even on the eve of the Battle of Debaltsevo, and the 6th Wave of Mobilization soldiers are not only poorly motivated, but are suffering from a poor physical condition.