ARKADY SAVITSKY | 29.11.2018 | SECURITY / WAR AND CONFLICT | WORLD / MIDDLE EAST

With Azov Sea Events Stealing Spotlight, US Gathers Huge Military Force in and Around Syria

While the world attention is riveted to the situation in the Azov Sea and the relationship between Russia and Ukraine, US forces are getting prepared for a large-scale military operation in Syria.

US President Donald Trump announced this past March that the military personnel would be leaving Syria “very soon.” Looks like he has changed his mind since then. The five-ship strong Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group has recently entered the Mediterranean Sea. American, British, French and Israeli aircraft are conducting round the clock flights across the Syria’s airspace under the pretext of holding an exercise. The US-led anti-ISIS coalition aircraft are constantly on patrol. French Dupuy de Lome intelligence gathering vessel is also there, coordinating its activities with the American ships.

The US Army has rushed another 500 Marines to the Al Tanf base straddling the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq. 1,700 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which operates under US command, have also moved to reinforce the garrison. There are over a dozen of US military locations in northeastern Syria, including at least four air strips stretched from Manbij in the vicinity of the Turkish border to Al-Hasakeh, the hub of the pro-American Kurds-dominated SDF forces located in northern Syria.

VIDEO -- PT -- Marinheiros ucranianos confirmam que entraram, deliberadamente, em águas russas

Marinheiros ucranianos confirmam que entraram, deliberadamente, em águas russas

5435 Visualizações 26 de Novembro de 2018  31 Comentários

Nota: Este vídeo foi disponibilizado ao público pelo FSB russo e mostra o interrogatório dos marinheiros ucranianos. Verifiquem que eles confirmam completamente a versão russa dos acontecimentos. Como é uma situação de crise, não tivemos tempo de legendar o vídeo, no entanto, graças a Ollie e Angelina, oferecemos a transcrição completa abaixo. Um grande obrigado a ambos pelo seu trabalho (já tarde, durante a noite) !!

The Saker

Indivíduo # 1:

Sou Andrey Dratch. Sou membro da tripulação do navio “Nikopol”, das Forças Navais Ucranianas. No dia 23 (de Novembro) recebi a ordem de seguir a rota Odessa-Mariupol, através do Estreito de Kerch. Seguindo a rota para Mariupol através do Estreito de Kerch, entramos nas águas territoriais da Federação Russa, quando a Guarda Costeira da Federação Russa nos alertou que estávamos a violar a legislação da Federação Russa. Fomos informados, repetidamente, para deixar as águas territoriais da Federação Russa. Quando parámos para ancorar, a Guarda Costeira alertou-nos, mais uma vez, que era necessário deixar as águas territoriais da Federação Russa e sair para a zona das 12 milhas e esperar por mais decisões relativas à nossa passagem através do estreito de Kerch, até à cidade do Mariupol.

Indivíduo # 2:

Sou Vladimir Vladimirovich Lesovoy, Comandante da unidade militar 1828. Desde 22 de Novembro de 2018, estive na estrutura do grupo de navios das Forças Navais da Ucrânia, comando o rebocador "Yana Kapa" e os barcos "Nikopol" e "Berdyansk". Fiz uma passagem pelo Estreito de Kerch. Depois de atravessar as fronteiras do Estado da Federação Russa, observei visualmente os navios do Serviço de Fronteiras do FSB, da Federação Russa, e ignorei conscientemente os seus pedidos, efectuados através da estação de rádio, para parar. No momento da passagem, estavam a bordo armas irrelevantes e metralhadoras com munições. Eu sabia que as acções dos navios ucranianos no Estreito de Kerch, tinham um carácter provocativo. Estava a cumprir ordens e planeava realizar a transferência dos navios do porto de Odessa para o porto de Mariupol.

Indivíduo # 3:

Sou Sergey Andreevich Tsybizov. Na manhã de sexta-feira, deixámos Odessa às 08:00 e fomos para Berdyansk, através do Estreito de Kerch. Quando nos aproximamos do Estreito de Kerch, entramos nas águas da Rússia, após o que nos foi dado ordem de parar e aguardar novas ordens. Antes do fogo começar, foram observadas dois clarões verdes. Continuamos a navegar no “Nikopol” e depois os navios russos contactaram-nos. O nosso comandante decidiu parar o barco. Fomos retirados do barco e é tudo.

VIDEO -- Ukrainian sailors confirm that they deliberately entered Russian waters

Ukrainian sailors confirm that they deliberately entered Russian waters

5435 ViewsNovember 26, 2018 31 Comments

Note: This video was made available to the public by the Russian FSB and shows the interrogation of the Ukrainian sailors.  Notice that they fully confirm the Russian version of events.  Since this is a crisis situation, we did not have the time to subtitle the video, however, thanks to Ollie and Angelina we are offering you the full transcript below.  A big THANK YOU to both for their (late night) work!!

The Saker

Guy #1:

I am Andrey Dratch. I am a crew member of the “Nikopol” ship of the Ukrainian Naval Forces. On 23 (November) I received a task to follow the route Odessa-Mariupol, through the Kerch Strait. Following the route to Mariupol through the Kerch Strait we entered the territorial waters of the Russian Federation, when the Coast Guard of the Russian Federation warned us that we were violating the legislation of the Russian Federation. We were repeatedly told to leave the territorial waters of the Russian Federation. While stopping for anchoring the Coast Guard warned us one more time that there is a need to leave the territorial waters of the Russian Federation and to exit to the 12-mile zone and to wait for further decisions concerning our passage through the Kerch Strait to the city of the Mariupol.

Guy #2:

I am Vladimir Vladimirovich Lesovoy, commander of military unit 1828. Since November 22, 2018 I have been in the structure of the group of ships of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, I lead the tug “Yana Kapa” and the boats “Nikopol” and “Berdyansk”. I made a passage through the Kerch Strait. After crossing the state borders of the Russian Federation I visually watched the ships of the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation and I consciously ignored their requests to stop over the radio station. At the time of the passage small arms and machine guns with ammunition were onboard. I was aware that the actions of the Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait had a provocative character. I was following orders and planned to carry out the transfer of ships from the port of Odessa to the port of Mariupol.

Guy #3:

I am Sergey Andreevich Tsybizov. On Friday morning we left Odessa at 08:00 and headed to Berdyansk through the Kerch Strait. When we approached the Kerch Strait, we entered the waters of Russia, after which we were given the command to stop and wait for further orders. Before fire was opened, two green flares could be seen. We continued to move on “Nikopol” and then Russian ships contacted us. Our commander decided to stop the boat. We were taken off the boat and that’s all.

US Doesn’t Want to Talk! Russian Proposal For Discussion of Kerch Incident REJECTED in UNSC

Showdown in the Sea of Azov? Why Tensions Are Growing Between Ukraine and Russia

Showdown inthe Sea of Azov? Why Tensions Are Growing Between Ukraine and Russia.

This Russia conflict scenario would make operations in Syria look like a round of croquet.

by Lyle J. Goldstein

The story of astronauts Nick Hague and Alexey Ovchinin careening back toward Earth in a daring and successful escape from a failed space mission was stirring to be sure. Even as Russian intrigues swirl around every corner in Washington, some of the “best and brightest” of both countries have engaged in a joint, high-tech endeavor for the most honorable goal of exploring the scientific mysteries of space and Earth. Leaders in Moscow and especially Washington may want to study this exemplar of Russian-American cooperation under pressure.

The sad reality is this extremely crucial bilateral relationship is in dire straits—even worse than many likely imagined. As the current U.S. president is excoriated on a daily basis for being “pro-Russian,” the chances of great-power conflict in either Syria or Ukraine have escalated precipitously. When, in February 2018, a group of U.S. special forces killed a large number of Russian mercenaries in Syria, Moscow warned Washington starkly “not to play with fire.” A couple of months later, U.S.-built Javelin anti-tank missiles arrived in the volatile Ukraine situation. The Obama administration had steadfastly refused to give Kiev such lethal aid, knowing that escalation of the conflict would benefit no one, least of all Ukrainians.

Yet, Trump’s myriad hawkish advisors have prevailed and thwarted the president’s attempts to improve relations with the Kremlin. If the anonymous opinion piece of Sept 5 regarding “internal resistance” to the president is accurate, then the total demolition of U.S.-Russian relations seems to be a major thrust of this defiance to the president’s authority. Perhaps these hawks will be finally sated when Americans and Russians are killing each other in earnest? Let’s all hope that the bloodbath would stop before an exchange of nuclear weapons .

Unfortunately, most Americans are too obsessed with the workings of Facebook and Twitter—discussed in connection with Russia with nauseating regularity in the conventional press since 2016—to know what is actually going on in U.S.-Russian relations. Thus, few Americans and hardly any international relations scholars seem to be aware that U.S. Army tanks and armored vehicles have deployed beyond the confines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and directly into Georgia earlier this year, while U.S. Air Force planes will be operating from an airfield inside of Ukraine over the next month as part of NATO Operation Clear Sky .