Rebels Inflict Heavy Damage on Ukrainian Military Vehicles; Anti-Putin Sanction Alliance Crumbles

Contrary to the unsubstantiated rumor (most likely a complete fabrication) that Ukraine Destroyed a Russian Convoy, the rebels have inflicted serious damage on the Ukrainian military machine. And unlike the zero-proof offered by Ukraine, I have a few videos to show.

Descriptions from Jacob Dreizin, a US citizen who speaks Russian and reads Ukrainian.

Video 1: Stepanovka



Translated Text from Video URL:

"The defeat of Ukrainian troops in Stepanovka part 1. In Stepanovka Ukrainian army left dozens of pieces of equipment, a large quantity of ammunition, classified material. Locals said that the Ukrainian officers fatten when their soldiers were starving. In the Ukrainian army thrives drunkenness and panic."

Dreizin Synopsis 1:

Destroyed or abandoned Ukrainian equipment in/near Stepanovka in the south, the first of two Stepanovka videos. The first couple of minutes are very interesting, with lots of destroyed or abandoned equipment and milia carting off captured munitions and rummaging through stuff. Then a funky local man who tells the cameraman about how the Ukrainian officers didn't take care of their men and darted off leaving their men stranded, how the Ukrainians all drink heavily, how their morale is low and they panic during any kind of battle, and how they don't want to engage the militia up-close. Also you can see a stack of grad rockets on the ground around 5:50 and then again around 7:20.

But the most memorable quote is from around 7:18 to 7:52, as follows ...

"In the Stepanovka area, guys are jumping to go into battle, to kill the enemy even with bare hands.  In particular, in the assault units that captured Stepanovka, there are very many volunteers from Semyonovka [a town near Slaviansk that was largely destroyed by Ukrainian shelling], who are just burning with a thirst for vengeance for the acts of genocide that the fascists waged there.  I think that for Ukrainian soldiers, it's really best not to run into these guys. This is the mindset the Ukrainian army is fighting."

Video 2: Stepanovka



Translated text from the video URL "In Stepanovka Ukrainian army left dozens of pieces of equipment, a large quantity of ammunition, classified material. Showing the shocking footage of the deceased in the fire department of a Ukrainian paratroopers."

Dreizin Synopsis 2:

Destroyed or abandoned Ukrainian equipment near Stepanovka in the south, the second of two Stepanovka videos. This video is more interesting, much more equipment here, best part starts around 2:50.

Overall, for both (1) and (2), the narrator is describing the abandoned weapons, the tactical situation, and the human situation. In part (2) from 3:09-3:21, the narrator says that a militia burial party has already been to that particular spot, and along with a priest has taken the remains of 40 Ukrainians killed there and buried them nearby.

Video 3: Lugansk

Dreizin says "Warning! This may kill your appetite" Video URO description says "Consumed column Lviv airmobile brigade APU by the people's militia".



Dreizin Synopsis 3:

Dreizin describes this as the remains of a convoy of Ukraine's 95th Airmobile Brigade. I question the recentness of the video based on rotting flesh.

Video 4: Marinovka



Video URL Customs post with Russia "Marinovka" August 14, 2014

Dreizin Synopsis 4:

These militiamen are touring the captured border post of Marinovka, one of the points that plugs the western flank of the new cauldron in the south.  They are obviously really happy, and the tall guy with the beard and mustache even finds the occasion to shout out his own paraphrase of an excerpt from Pushkin's "Ruslan i Liudmila" at around 0:22-0:25 (roughly translated as "It now smells like Russia here".) 

Anti-Putin Sanction Alliance Crumbles

As the war rages on, and sanctions mount, support for those sanctions is now being reconsidered. Zero Hedge provides a nice synopsis in "Anti-Putin" Alliance Fraying: Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Czech Republic Urge End To Russian Sanctions

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com