Bob Homans April 7
20220407
Note: email may be truncated; see https://grahamseibert.substack.com for the full post
Ukraine – 4/7 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
April 7, 2022
Good News Bees (Bad News Bees if You’re a Russian Soldier) –
Several hungry Russian soldiers decided to open a container of bees that had been dormant during the Winter. The bees were not amused, and they proceeded to sting the soldiers. 3 died from beestings. A Ukrainian friend of mine has recently gone into beekeeping. She is also active in territorial defense. Now I know the connection.
The Internally Displaced Cat –
Below is the latest report from the wife of a friend of mine, who has been doing amazing work in Poland and Ukraine, supporting refugees. This is her last email before returning to the U.S., about the magical mystery tour she took, to get internally displaced cat into the U.S. I would not want to meet this cat in a dark alley.
Velida’s Notes from the Border, Day 40 of War (April 4): of Vets and Refugee Pets
When we fled Ukraine to Poland with Sara the IDP/refugee cat on Feb 24, with a Ukrainian pet passport but no microchip, intending to bring her back to the U.S., we expected to have to follow the procedures of two countries and one airline.
Six weeks later, I am here to tell you that there are no clear instructions on how to handle the situation. Poland says: check with the airline. The airline (Polish LOT) says: check with your country of destination. U.S. states (Virginia and New York) seemingly differ. The U.S. federal CDC says: everything for cats is simple and rosy, but please check with your airline…
The first Polish vet we visited a month ago dismissed Sara’s Ukrainian passport with all her vaccinations because she did not have a Euro-chip. In order for the cat to travel, we were told, you need the chip, then a rabies shot, an EU pet passport, wait for 21 days, then get another paper from the vet 48 hours prior to travel, then another from an office at the airport, then u are good to go. Supposedly.
The state of Virginia wants a rabies vaccination no less than 30 days, but after the chip. I inquired: would they take the Ukrainian rabies vaccination and the Euro-chip later? No!
Now, 40 days later, in a second, different Polish vet office, I discover that the first vet made a mistake in the pet passport that only she can fix. I started to cry. I could not hold myself.
Over the past six weeks, I have managed to figure out much more complicated issues with Ukrainian refugees and IDPs, getting friends successfully out of cities under siege/bombardment, and friends and strangers’ placements in willing host families in countries across Europe, etc.
But this morning, dealing with the bureaucracy surrounding an IDP cat, born in the besieged city of Mariupol and reared in occupied Crimea, I fell apart. I was sobbing and could not stop.
After a 20 min Uber drive to the old vet, vet #1 cancelled the old pet passport and issued another, popped a deworming pill into my (ElinaAlem’s) terrified cat’s mouth, and issued a paper that she is not sick.
Her Ukrainian assistant had a daughter with husband back in Ukraine. They are in Zaporizhya and refuse to leave. Her father is fighting in the Ukrainian military. “I keep asking my daughter to come here, but she is refusing to do so,” the vet assistant said with a sigh.
Then another 30 min Uber ride to a Polish government veterinary service office which issues yet another paper. Why? Not clear.
I found a tiny room with a window which had at least six people there waiting for the papers. They were all Ukrainians. Another focus group.
A woman from Kharkiv had a cat with sphinx markings hiding in her coat and growling like a dog.
--“She acts like a dog,” her owner explained.
--“Maybe her genetic predisposition is to guard a pharaoh?” I suggested.
Another woman from Kharkiv said that they did not leave their flat until a bomb struck their apartment building entrance. Luckily, they were away.
--“Why did not you leave earlier?” I inquired.
--“Hope. We thought the war would not touch us,” came the now familiar reply. Until it did.
“Where are you all from?” I started to ask around.
Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, came the replies.
“Where are you going?”
Italy, Spain, Germany, Canada…
An older lady from Mariupol did not have much emotion on her face. She was simply staring into space. Her daughter of about 30, with a mane of long black hair, was more talkative: “We are from Mariupol. For many days there were no chances for evacuation, so-called green corridors. We had to wait and hoped to stay alive,” said she.
I did not dare to ask more questions. I could not.
But one of the other Ukrainians did. “Do you know such and such district?” A young girl in a knitted cap with huge holes in her earlobes (fashion statement) asked. “My grandparents are there, but we have no contact with them.”
The 30 year old black-haired woman thought for a moment before replying carefully: “if you wanted to choose the district least hit in Mariupol, you would chose the one where your grandparents are. This district had the least damage and action.”
A flicker of hope flared in the knitted cap girl’s eyes, but it disappeared quickly. “I went abroad 12 days before the war…We have not heard from my grandparents for a while.”
A tall, agitated blond-bearded guy squeezes in to the tight space. “Sorry, please tell me what do I need to do in order to get my cat to England? We have nothing, we had to flee.”
After being there for an hour, I already knew the whole drill. And I spoke English and understood enough Polish. I returned to my mode of directing confused people again.
But it looked like the guy was still confused. “Sorry,“ he apologized, slowing down. “We are from Mariupol. I cannot process everything right away,” he said. So I sent him to the first stop, a vet clinic, and walked him through what he/his cat would need.
The Polish government veterinary service employee appeared to explain that for Ukrainian animals without pet passports, Polish vets no longer had blank EU pet passports. They have run out of them over the past month, given the volume of Ukrainian pets brought out by refugees.
Ukrainians (and their pets) now just need a simple paper from the Polish vet indicating the number of the Euro-chip, certification of rabies vaccine, and a health certificate, all on one paper. (I guess Sara and I were lucky to get a new pet passport this morning).
I remarked later on that no one was really wearing masks in this room. No one was really wearing masks this past month, now that I think of it.
--“But they lifted the mask mandate,” one woman said.
--”No one lifted COVID though. It is still around,” added another older lady from Kharkiv, her mask sagging under her nose.
Rather than stand shoulder to shoulder in the tiny space waiting for my time in the queue, I took some plain blank forms, some pens, and stepped outside. I met each newcomer (all Ukrainians, of course), and directed them either to fill out the forms, or go to the nearest vet on 5 Gagarina St, to get (their pet) evaluated.
After a while, people started pointing at me, saying: “ask her. She knows.”
The Polish vet service employee brought more blanks out, realizing he had a volunteer assistant outside. 🙂
Why not? I thought. I have been here for an hour already. Might as well be useful. 🙂
I was basically triaging pet owners. Some needed to come back later with more paperwork from vets. Some could fill out the vet service form. Some could step inside.
“Can she take a dog onto a plane?” one lady asked me, pointing to a chihuahua owner, with the tiny dog nestling on its owner’s chest under the coat. More info automatically flows out of my mouth.
Another young couple with a dog approaches. “What shall we do? We are flying tomorrow. The dog was chipped, but the vet could not find it. The vet said it is probably floating around the dog’s body somewhere.”
--“Did they try other parts of the body?” I ask. “Are you sure the chip reader was functional?”
Meanwhile, in between handing out forms and answering questions, I try to find a home in Germany for a family of six from Lutsk with one cat and one dog. Maybe it will work out.
I forgot my morning moment of weakness and cry. 🙂
“K__t, K__t,” called one of the Ukrainians from inside. “Your papers are done.”
An old man outside smiled. “K__t. That’s the right name for her,” he said.
So off I finally went with my papers and Sara the IDP/refugee cat from Mariupol via Crimea and Kyiv, wishing all those still waiting luck.
“Vse Bude Dobre,” (It will all be okay), I said, bidding them farewell.
Vse Bude Ukraina.
4/7 Sitrep (additions of mine are in Bold Face) –
Great Britain announced yesterday
· Total block of new investments into Russia
· Total ban on a broad range of Russian imports
· Stop imports of Russian coal by the end of 2022
· Arrest of all Sberbank and Moscow Credit Bank assets in GB
The United States refuses to take part in future G-20 summits if Russia will be in attendance. In addition to this announcement Treasury Secretary Yellen announced these sanctions:
· Total block on all financial transactions by Russia’s Alfa and Sberbank
· Total block on two thirds of Russia’s financial sector
· Personal sanctions of Myshystina and Medvedev
· Personal sanctions of Putin’s children, Lavrov’s wife and daughter
· Total block of all investments in Russia
I am sorry that Patriarch Kirill, Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, was not among the individual Russians who were sanctioned. Kirill is a senior official of the Russian Government, and it is likely that he’s allowing the Church’s financial network to be used to launder money for individual Russians who have been sanctioned, likely moving money from Russia into the Western financial system where the Russian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate has a presence.
Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State, said that the current Russian sanctions regime should give China reason to pause before considering providing Russia with military and financial aid.
NATO General Secretary Stoltenberg said yesterday that war in Ukraine may end in a couple of months or last for years.
The European Commission was unable to agree yesterday on the text of the new round of Russian sanctions. They will resume their efforts today. At the same time the commission approved a 3.5 billion Euro aid package to help EU members to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.
The hacker’s group, Anonymous, hacked the Kremlin’s security system. Anonymous displayed Kremlin staff walking, meeting and eating.
The Italian Corriere della Sera, reported that activist tried to burn Vladimir Soloviov’s villa on lake Como. Soloviov is an official Russian propagandist who makes almost daily appearances on Russian television justifying the Kremlin’s acts and words. Unfortunately, the blaze was extinguished before causing damage.
President of the European Commission stated that Russian soldiers that surrender their equipment and refuse to continue fighting will be granted refugee status in the EU.
Russia’s Ministry of Finance stated that a foreign bank refused its request to make a coupon payment for Russian sovereign obligation, on Russia’s behalf. Russia faces financial default if the payment is not made by May 4.
Pope Francis in his daily audience lifted a Ukrainian flag delivered from Bucha. The flag was given to him by a group of Ukrainian children refugees. The Pope prayed for peace.
Russian soldiers that retreated from Ukraine are sending looted goods from Ukraine home to their families using a Russian courier service SDEK. On the way to redeployment Russian forces are stopping in Mozyre, Belarus to send the loot home. A Belarus internet news site “Mediazona” has published countless photos. The most unexpected loot pictured was a heavy Renault transport truck.
The names and mobile numbers of Russian soldiers who have looted and re-sold their stolen booty in flea markets in Belarus have been posted on Ukrainian social media. The soldiers in question are getting numerous phone calls from Ukrainians. We assume that the soldiers in question will be hunted down by Ukrainian State Security and liquidated, in much the same way as Mossad hunted down and liquidated all those responsible for the murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The same applies to the perpetrators of the mass murders of Ukrainians in Bucha, and other cities and towns in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Government has already given autorization for summary execution of Russian soldiers who fire artillery and multiple rocket launchers into Ukrainian cities.
List of EU countries that expelled Russian diplomats
· Poland 45 expelled
· Germany 40 expelled
· France 35 expelled
· Slovakia 35 expelled
· Slovakia 35 expelled
· Slovenia 33 expelled
· Italy 30 expelled
· Spain 25 expelled
· Belgium 21 expelled
· EU 19 expelled
· Netherlands 17 expelled
· Denmark 15 expelled
· Estonia 14 expelled
· Latvia 13 expelled and ambassador expelled
· Bulgaria 10 expelled
· Romania 10 expelled
· Lithuania 10 expelled and ambassador expelled
· Northern Macedonia 5 expelled
· Ireland 4 expelled
· Austria 4 expelled
· Sweden 3 expelled
· Czech 1 expelled
Two Belarusians were arrested in Poznan and charged with Espionage. The men were gathering information regarding critical military and civilian infrastructure and sending it to Belarus.
Polish President Duda said there is no sense in trying to dialogue with Russia. Instead, Russia should be presented with ultimatums and told that if they don’t accept them then there is nothing to talk about.
A survey of Finnish military officers found a spike in support for joining NATO. In 2021 65% of the officer corps supported NATO membership, in March 2022 support leaped to 91%. Russia threatened Finland with an adequate reaction if Finland continues to seek NATO membership.
The United States senate voted unanimously in support of Biden activating the World War II Era Lend lease Law to speed up delivery of US military equipment to Ukraine. The lend lease law provided Great Britain and the Soviet Union with the military backbone to confront Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
Belgium blocked 196.4 billion Euro of Russian financial transactions and froze 2.7 billion Euro of Russian financial assets.
The EU Minister of Foreign Affairs said it is unconscionable that EU has paid Russia 35 billion Euro for energy resources but has only given Ukraine 1 billion Euro in aid. After all, the Ukrainian Armed Forces has effectively become the Armed Forces of the EU
NATIONAL
Pres. Zelensky said yesterday that the United States, Germany, Great Britain, Turkey, Poland, France and Israel are ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees as part of a Ukraine/Russia peace deal. However, the countries named have not agreed amongst themselves what the security guarantee would entail. Work on details is ongoing.
The commander of the Georgian legion fighting for Ukraine said they will not take Russian prisoners.
Before retreating from Vorzel, in Kyiv Oblast, Russian soldiers were crucifying dogs and skinning them alive.
Ukraine’s parliament adopted in first reading a law requiring Ukraine’s government to pay for reconstruction and or construction of housing destroyed by the war.
Ukraine’s government changed regulations governing territorial self-defense forces and now allows them to use artillery and ballistic rockets.
An investigative report by the BBC found that every fifth killed Russian soldier in Ukraine was an officer. The journalists used official Russian military bulletins for their investigation.
Russian forces that retreated from Ukraine have been relocated near the eastern Ukrainian Russian border in field camps. Reports from these camps indicate that the soldiers there refuse to continue fighting in Ukraine.
Russia has relocated its attack helicopters from Belarus to Briansk. Briansk Oblast borders Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv Oblasts.
Ukraine’s military has completed training in the United States on how to use American Switchblade attack drones
Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs said they are uncovering Russian military abuse of the civilian population in every community that has been liberated.
NORTHERN UKRAINE
Taking a page from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s playbook, as well as Israel’s playbook, the governor of Sumy Oblast said yesterday that after the war Ukraine must build a wall on the border with Russia. He said that defensive positions should also be established on the Ukrainian side of the wall. I am sure that over the next several months there will a number of delegations of Ukrainian security experts visiting Israel.
The Russian general that commanded the troops in Bucha, Vitali Shchkolenko, is from Ukraine.
Kyiv’s mayor said that after 40 days of war 89 civilians were killed, of which 4 are children, 398 were wounded of which 20 children.
The mayor of Borodianka, Kyiv Oblast, said that Russian soldiers shot civilians who were trying to rescue people buried under rubble. The buried were in the rubble of apartment buildings destroyed by rockets or artillery fire.
KHARKIV – I will use separate maps for Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts until the situation there is less intense.
Russian forces continue trying to encircle Kharkiv and continue shelling the city with artillery fire, mortars, and ballistic rockets. The shelling is mostly at night.
Kharkiv Oblast military administration recommends that civilians in Barvenko and Lozova evacuate as they expect these communities will be in the line of fire. Ukraine military and civil authorities expect that Russian forces will be attempting to move south from Izium in an attempt to create a pincer around Ukrainian forces in the Donbas.
Russian forces shelled the communities of Kozakovi Lopany, Lozova and Barvenko yesterday.
Street to street fighting and shelling continues in Izium.
Personally, I don’t see how Russia has enough troops to: Surround Kharkiv; launch an attack from Kharkiv toward Izium; transition troops fighting in and around Mariupol and move north to Izium, and thereby encircle Ukrainian troops along the Line of Contact with the people’s republics. This may be an excellent opportunity for Ukraine to wipe out Russian formations operating out in the open, without air cover, just as Ukraine did around Kyiv, to devastating effect.
DONBAS
Head of Luhansk Regional State Administration, reported that Russian troops shelled Zolote, Popasno, Rubizhno and Hirske in the region, occupiers shelled hospital in Severodonetsk and houses in Lysychansk. Entire blocks of housing have been levelled in Popasno, Rubizhno and Lysyschansk.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense advised that Russia will be focusing its attacks on Popasne, Rubizhno and Mariupol today. Ukraine’s Office of the President indicated that Russian forces are moving from Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, in the direction of Slaviansk and Kramatorsk in neighboring Luhansk Oblast. They added that this advance is being supported by artillery, ballistic rockets and air support. The Luhansk administration expects them to arrive in the next three to four days.
Drunk Russian soldiers attempting to cross Severo Doentsk river in an armored personnel carrier drove it into the river and drowned.
Ten apartment buildings were hit by fire in Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, overnight and damage is extensive.
Marianka, Novomykhailivka, Avdiivka, Ocheretnoi, Uhledar, and Toretsk, in Donetsk Oblast, were hit by artillery and aerial fire overnight. Russian ground forces attacked on three directions overnight but were thrown back. The shelling of Uhledar took place while humanitarian aid was being distributed. Four were killed and seven wounded.
Russia bombed Mariupol 118 times in the last twenty four hours and continues trying to advance into the city. In street battles in Mariupol Ukrainian forces destroyed two tanks and a truck with munitions.
The mayor of Mariupol issued a statement yesterday that from the start of the blockade approximately 5,000 killed of 210 were children. The worst incident was a phosphorus bomb that burnt 50 people to death.
Russian forces continue forcibly deporting civilians from Mariupol.
SOUTHERN UKRAINE
Ukrainian forces have pushed Russians out of Mykolaiv Oblast and retook half of Kherson Oblast on the right bank of the Dnipro River. Explosions and fighting are heard in Kherson city.
Although Mykolaiv and Odesa do not face immediate ground threats Russia continued sending surveillance drones. Both cities continue facing sporadic rocket and cruise missile attacks.
The mayors of Skadovsk and Kakhovka on the left bank of Kherson Oblast fled the city as he was warned that he would shortly be placed under arrest.
Russian forces in the occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts are starting to round up and press civilian men into their army.
Russia is maintaining a force of 500 soldiers and 50 units of military at Ukraine’s Nuclear station in Enerhodar, Zaporizhia Oblast. Civilians in Enerhodar have run out of food and are facing shortages of medicine.
CENTRAL UKRAINE I
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.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQBD3wxTrZ6XUU7IdXeHUfjVCydekezQCCGuwYnT6qPd1r7n1aVbFIewa6ng6Lis