Kyiv, April 15, 2016. Russian Aerospace and Aviation Forces of the Black Sea Fleet rehearsed an attack operation on blocking Black Sea straits in the sky over Krasnodarskiy Krai and the Black Sea. In particular, simulated missile strike on Bosporus area and blocking sea bases of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey were rehearsed, informed Vadym Skibitskyi, representative of the Chief Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
According to him, Russia is strengthening its military presence near Ukrainian borders. “Russia is supporting readiness to full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, demonstrating the Western governments and international organizations its potential in advocating its interests using military force,” stated Skibitskyi. For these purposes, the Russian Federation renews its previously dissolved units and creates new units, junctions and subdivisions both on its territory and in the occupied Crimea. “The 1st Tank Army in Moscow and 20th combined arms army in Voronezh dissolved in 1999 and 2009 correspondingly are being recreated as a part of troops buildup of the West military command,” explained the intelligence representative. According to him, the South military command is forming new motorized rifle regiment at Novocherkask, Rostov oblast, on the basis of the 33rd mountain separate motorized rifle brigade from the Republic of Adygeya.
Skibitskyi informed that militants intensified attacks at Ukrainian positions this week: 578 attacks, which is 200 more than the previous week. Militants are actively using 82-mm and 120-mm mortar launchers and armored personnel carriers. 123 attacks took place in the Donetsk sector. According to the military intelligence, militants are actively using modern electronic warfare devices from the inventory of the Russian army near Donetsk, Avdiivka, Dokuchaivsk and Horlivka, including RB-531 Infauna and R-330ZH Zhytel electronic warfare systems located near the frontline.
Military intelligence found 62 facts of the Minsk Agreements violation relating to withdrawal of weapons and military equipment this week, which is twice as much as the previous week. These were 41 tanks, 15 mortar launchers, over 153 artillery systems and self-propelled artillery mounts and 32 pieces of 122-mm Grad multiple rocket launcher systems. According to the representative of the Chief Intelligence Department, air reconnaissance using unmanned aerial vehicles considerably intensified. In total, 19 flights of UAVs were registered within a week. They were conducting reconnaissance and adjusting artillery fire at ATO troops. A reconnaissance aircraft SU-24MR from Marynivka airdrome conducted a reconnaissance flight along the state border of Ukraine for the purpose of identifying the number of ATO troops on April 14.
Such escalation in the east of Ukraine and military exercise on the territory of the Russian Federation and in the occupied Crimea are taking place just before Russia-NATO Council meeting in Brussels on April 20.
