Bob Homans April 6

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Apr 06, 2022

Ukraine – 4/6 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
April 6, 2022

Kyiv Developments –

As reported by my collaborator, the curfew in Kyiv is being lifted tomorrow. Bars are opening again, and alcohol sales permitted. He said that de-mining in the direction of the City of Borispol and Borispol International Airport has been completed. He also said that while Kyiv is relatively safe, outside the City limits is unsafe, primarily because of cruise missiles. Air defenses around Kyiv are very strong, but that is not necessarily the case outside.

BBC News/Ukraine –

This is the broadcast from last Monday hosted from London by my wife’s daughter. To me, she looks tired. I have asked her, how she can manage to cover the death and destruction going on in her Country. She said that she tries to block it out or perhaps, as we say, as an “out of body” experience. Personally, I don’t see how that’s possible. She said that BBC/Sweden is covering their broadcast, as news. I suspect that she’ll be in demand as a speaker, from schools of journalism everywhere. There aren’t many hosts who have ever been asked to do what she is doing.

The RIA Novosti Article –

Here is the complete English translation of the article in RIA Novosti, justifying genocide. I trust that the author, and I use the word loosely, will be added to the sanctions list.

4/6 Sitrep -

Dead men tell no tales. The 62nd Battalion Tactical Group, which occupied Bucha, will arrive this morning on the front lines of the battle for Kharkiv. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense estimates that the group lost almost 40% of its equipment and over 30% of its forces. 2 days spent in travel would allow one day to bring the group back to strength which is not enough. Moscow is cleaning its tail.

Ukrainian prisoners of war freed in the exchange of 86 for 86 included women soldiers. The women said that after their capture they were sent to Briansk, Russia. During captivity they were stripped, encircled by men, heads were shaved, not allowed to sleep, and bombarded with questions.

The EU and G7 will announce new Russian sanctions today. Preliminary reports from Reuters are that the sanctions will consist of:

· Complete import ban of Russian coal, wood, chemical and other raw materials – estimated at 9 billion Euro annually.

· Total export ban on parts and goods for the energy extraction and transportation sectors, computers and chips, and parts for transportation equipment estimated at 10 billion Euro annually.

· Close ports for Russian vessels except for deliveries of energy, food, and medicines.

· Increase severity of financial sanctions particularly on Russian state banks, and on inbound investments.

· Additional sanctions on individuals.

The United States announced a billion USD in humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees and for countries temporarily accepting them.

The UN security council meeting highlights:

· Ukraine’s president said that the security council must be reformed to limit veto powers or if not reformed should dissolve itself;

· Kenya’s representative said reforming the council should be a priority;

· Brazil’s representative said that the war is causing a global food crisis;

· Ireland, USA, France, Great Britain representative’s said Russia committed war crimes and must suffer the consequences;

· Russia vetoes resolution

Estonia made a monumental sacrifice by transferring 220 million Euro of arms and munitions to Ukraine. That is the equivalent of 1.5% of its budget for 2022.

Czech Republic sent Ukraine Soviet T-72 tanks and armored personnel carriers. The founder and owner of Czech internet search engine donated 100 million Czech Crowns, or $4.5 million, to the Ukrainian military.

The United States announced an additional $100 million of immediate military aid to Ukraine, including the latest Switchblade drones.

Anonymous threatened companies that have not curtailed Russia operations with hacker attacks.

Residents of Belhorod, across the border from Kharkiv, have started poisoning pigeons. Apparently they believe Russian propaganda that Ukraine developed biological weapons designed to be delivered by birds.

There were a series of explosions in Belhorod yesterday. There was no explanation regarding the explanation.

Real Madrid donated 1 million Euro for humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees.

A Belarus NGO, MOTOLKO, intercepted radio communication between a Russian attack helicopter and Russian military flight control. The helicopter was part of a formation leaving Belarus. Part way through the flight one helicopter broke formation and signed off with flight control. The helicopter turned and flew to Ukraine. We assume the pilot wanted to take part in Ukraine’s reward program for turning over military equipment. If so, the helicopter crew will earn $500,000 and the right to obtain Ukrainian citizenship.

Expulsions and closures of Russian diplomats across the EU continues in full swing. Yesterday:e

· Latvia closed Russian consulates in Dauhavpylsi and Liepae

· Slovenia expelled 33 Russian diplomats

· Estonia expelled 14 Russian diplomats

· Sweden expelled 3 Russian diplomats

· Italy announced it is expelling Russian diplomats

· Romania expelled 10 Russian diplomats

· Portugal expelled 10 Russian diplomats

Bloomberg estimates that Russia’s invasion has led to losses of $120 billion in global grain markets.

The United States sanctioned Russia’s darknet service Hydra and crypto exchange Garantex

New Zealand announced an additional 35% tariff on all Russian imports

Canada’s Prime Minister publicly chided Mexico’s president for not imposing sanctions on Russia

United States general Milley said that there is a strong possibility the war in Ukraine may widen to a broader conflict.

White House spokesperson Psaki said that Russia does not endless resources to continue the war and that the war will end in defeat or exhaustion.

Joseph Borrel, EU foreign affairs, said that Bucha rates as a war crime but does not rate as genocide. However, the EU intends to keep arming Ukraine.

Israel’s Prime Minister decried the massacre in Bucha without naming Russia as responsible. Concurrently the Israeli Foreign Minister said yesterday that Russia is responsible for the massacre and it must pay for it.

NATIONAL

Kharkiv’s zoo released a statement last week that it may be forced to destroy animals unless it can find homes for them. Zoo’s in Odesa, Lutsk, Rivno and Kyiv responded that they would take the animals. Animal transfer began today and is expected to be completed by tomorrow.

President Zelensky signed into law changes to customs and imports tariffs. Tariffs have been set at zero for the duration of the war.

British Intelligence satellite photos confirmed that the bodies found scattered over the streets of Bucha were there on March 21. Yesterday NYTimes using Maxar technology images said that the bodies were there on March 10.

Survey results by Razumkov of refugees fleeing Ukraine found that 64% of the refugees were Russian speakers and that 52% were from the east and south, regions that Russia said it is liberating.

Of the cities that have suffered the most are primarily Russian speaking according to the survey company Rating:

· Mariupol 98% Russian speaking

· Kharkiv 94% Russian speaking

· Mykolaiv 83% Russian speaking

· Chernihiv 80% Russian speaking

· Severodonetsk 90% Russian speaking

The company added that approximately half of the inhabitants of Bucha were refugees who left Donbas in 2014 – 15, to escape the Russian puppet states.

The language learning site, Duolingo, said that following the Russian demand for Ukrainian language training grew by 557%. The biggest increase of those desiring to learn Ukrainian was in Poland where demand increased by 2,677%. In terms of actual numbers of new students, the United States had the highest numbers and enrollment there increased by 554%.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense daily update:

· Russia is mobilizing reserves to cover personnel losses

· Over the last twenty four hours Ukraine shot down 8 cruise missiles.

· Russian fighter/bomber jets are avoiding Ukrainian territory and dogfights with Ukrainian planes because of the likelihood of being shot down

· Russia is regrouping to attack Ukrainian forces in Donbas but the threat of rocket and missile attacks remains across the entire country.

NORTHERN UKRAINE

Yesterday a beautician identified one of the bodies found lying in Bucha by the design on the victim’s fingernails. The victim had the design installed on February 23, the day before the invasion.

Bucha’s current population is 3,700. Prior to the war it was estimated at 30,000. Bodies continue to be discovered.

After 35 days of occupation more than 400 people remain missing in Hostomel. The brother of Zelensky’s spokesperson, Arestovich, is a doctor who stayed in Hostomel providing care. No one revealed his identity to the occupiers.

Ukrainian authorities returned to Borodianka yesterday and are starting operations to find the dead and to demine the city. The city center is flattened with the ground.

Authorities in Chernihiv are advising refugees from the city to wait a bit before returning. They will advise when it is safe to return after mines and ordinance is cleared and destroyed.

Five lorries with medical goods and equipment reached Chernihiv yesterday. This was the first aid convoy to reach the city.

Ukraine’s border guard is now manning Ukraine’s border with Belarus and Russia in Zhytomir, Kyiv, Chenihiv and Sumy Oblasts.

KHARKIV – I will use separate maps for Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts until the situation there is less intense.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said that Ukrainian ground forces intercepted communication that indicate Russia has sent in a camera team to document atrocities in Izium. The ministry added that Russians are starting to hunt for Ukrainian speakers in Velykii Burluk, Prykolotnoe, and Fedorovka.

Izium residents that Russian forces are able to capture are being forcibly deported to Russia

Kharkiv was shelled almost continuously for the last twenty four hours.

DONBAS

The pink and purple areas show the area of the 2 “People’s Republics,” occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian Armed Forces has constructed 3 defensive rings around the people’s republics which, so far, the Russians have been unable to penetrate. The Russians appear to be driving south from the area of Kharkiv, and north, from Mariupol, to cut off Ukrainian forces in front of the people’s republics. The Russians have 2 problems: They have been unable to capture Mariupol, preventing the release of Russian troops for a push north; lack of adequate personnel, resulting from losses around Mariupol and in the north, Izyum.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that it will is forced to free Mariupol of nationalists because the Ukrainian army refuses to surrender.

5 councilors, including the Russian army elected mayor of Mariupol, were collaborating with Russian targets providing them with targeting information. All belong to the Opposition Party for Life.

The Donbas engineering Academy is relocating from Kramatosk to Ternopil.

Rubizhno, Lysychansk, Popasnoi, Severodonetsk, and Toshkovka in Luhansk faced intensive shelling yesterday. Approximately 11 people were injured.

The Ukrainian administration of Donbas is trying to evacuate all the civilians it can because it expects major battles are imminent.

In Rubezhnoye, five victims and one person died, 11 more houses were destroyed in the region, - the head of Luhansk OVA Sergey Gaidan. These are the consequences of yesterday's shelling by the Russian army of residential neighborhoods in Rubezhnoye, Lisichansk, Popasnaya, Severodonetsk, and Toshkovka.

SOUTHERN UKRAINE

Russian forces are trying to force Ukrainian medical personnel in Tokmak, Zaporizhia Oblast, to sign labor contracts with the Russian Ministry of Health. There are no takers. Villagers in nearby villages said that Russian soldiers are shooting civilians indiscriminately.

It appears that Russian forces are preparing to retreat from the city of Kherson according to Ukrainian intelligence. Ukrainian forces are within 20 kilometers of the city and fighting in ongoing.

Ukrainian forces liberated another batch of villages in northern Kherson Oblast.

Head of Mykolaiv said that yesterday Russian rockets hit Mykolaiv city children’s hospital.

Ukraine’s intelligence service laid treason charges against Mykolaiv Oblast head prosecutor. The Prosecutor confessed to providing Russia with military intelligence.

Head of Odesa Military Administration that Russian surveillance drones and flights have increased substantially. The military is doing what it can to intercept the flights.

CENTRAL UKRAINE I

Dnipro mayor said that territorial defense forces arrested Russian bandits in Pavlograd who were systematically looting. The bandits came from Crimea. He also said that the city territorial defense force and National Guard currently exceed 5,000 men and that they could easily put as many again in the field if they had equipment.

Two Russian rockets hit Dnipro yesterday destroying a fuel storage and a factory. The factory is located in Novomoskovsk.

Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.