Saturday 3 September 2016

Ukrainian Intelligence Agency Say Russia is deploying more Personnel and Warplanes to Crimea

UNIAN news agency reported that Russia is deploying more personnel and warplanes to Crimea.

Vadym Skibitskyy of the Ukraine Defense Ministry's main Intelligence Agency has reported said that "the buildup of forces and equipment on the territory of occupied Crimea continues - namely, combat subunits of the Russian Armed Forces."

Skibitskyy said that personnel and equipment from the 76th Airborne Assault Division of the Airborne Assault Troops of the Russian Federation were being flown to the Kirovske airfield in Il-76 transport aircraft. In addition, over 20 Su-34, Su-35 and MiG-29 warplanes were deployed to the Kirovske and Belbek airfields.

"The air defences of the Crimean peninsula are being strengthened on account of the deployment of a battery of S-400 anti-aircraft missile complexes to Crimea over the Kerch strait. In August, this battery was included in the 18th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. It will go on combat duty on the Crimean peninsula from 1 December," he said.

Skibitskyy also reported that the forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics were increasing the intensity of bombardments and assaults in the conflict zone using banned weapons and drones.

"The situation in the antiterrorist operation zone remains difficult and is characterised by a growth in the intensity of bombardments and assaults using banned weapons and drones."

He said that high-readiness battalion, company and tactical groups were being formed and the threat was growing of an intensification of hostilities in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors.

Skibitskyy also said that Russia has been strengthening its command structures in the southwestern strategic sector through the appointment to senior posts of generals with combat experience in Ukraine.

UNIAN quoted him as saying that the commander of the 20th Army of the Western Military District, Maj-Gen Sergey Kuzovlev, had been appointed commander of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District. Skibitskyy noted that Kuzovlev was directly involved in the formation of the 1st and 2nd army corps of the "Russian occupation forces" in Donbass in 2014.

In addition, Skibitskyy said the deputy commander of the 58th Army, Maj-Gen Yevgeniy Nikiforov, who "less than a month ago was replaced as commander of the 2nd corps on the territory of Ukraine", had been appointed commander of the 20th Army of the Western Military District.

0 comments: