20/08/2014
If it isn't an invasion, it's looks like something very close it, as reports
come in from
here, seemingly confirmed by a
Ukrainian official, that a Russian convoy of 150 vehicles, including 40 MBTs, has broken through into the greater Luhansk city area.
What seems to stack this up is a report in the
Mail, which has picked up tank transporters carrying what it says are T-90s heading towards the Ukrainian border, and returning empty (top and below). As of this morning, the
Kiev Post is endorsing the earlier reports, and it has been picked up by the
Polish press.
Even as we see
a graphic report of an air attack on Luhansk,
Reuters seems way behind the curve, and I don't see any other media reporting the convoy breakthrough. But if the reports are correct, we are about to see a major turnaround in the fortunes of the separatists, with the Russians seemingly unconcerned about concealing their involvement.
It could, of course, be the case that the tanks seen by the
Mail have merely been laagered close to the Ukrainian border, awaiting orders. But that much heavy metal close to a war zone bodes no good. At the very least, this racks up the tension, despite the
New York Times talking of a "fading rebellion". At worst, the
NYT is hopelessly off beam and we're looking at all-out war.
As to the situation
on the ground in Luhansk, all we can get is that it "remains critical", with fighting reported in the city in the early hours of today. Luhansk city council says that people have been without electricity, water, mobile and landline communications for 18 days. Power supply cannot be restored due to "permanent military action on the territory of the city".
Several residential buildings in the city have been damaged by explosions, bread and the essential foods are available in the city's shops, but the supply of food, medications and fuel has long stopped. People have not been paid wages, pensions and social benefits for several months.
We also see disparate
reports about the strains and stresses affecting the separatists, but very little reflecting the events of the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile,
ITAR-TASS relays a communication from the Ukrainian National Guard's press service which says that Ukrainian troops have taken control of Donetsk.
"The Donbas troops together with servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the territorial defense battalions Dnepr and Shakhtersk are continuing the operation to liberate Ilovaisk", the press service says, going on to claim that the Ukrainian army is controlling the entire city, while militias are conducting artillery-and tank-led counter-attacks.
The agency says it is unable to confirm these reports.
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