Brothers and sisters!

Here’s the Summary for July 17, 2014 

The bad news:

1. Today, Rashists [a neologism for Russian fascists, in this case referring to pro-Russian terrorists] downed an airliner of Malaysia Airlines over Donetsk Oblast [region]. Nearly 300 foreign nationals, including children, were killed. 

Immediately, the fool Girkin-Strelkov started running around, leaping for joy and gleefully proclaiming, “Hey, we shot down a plane!” The Russian media joined him in that. The time and place of the tragedy entirely coincide [with Girkin’s statement].

Once they realized that instead of taking down a Ukrainian aircraft, [they] downed a Malaysian [plane], the morons from the “DNR” [Donetsk People’s Republic] and their intellectual equals from Moscow did an immediate 180, yelling that it wasn’t them, and trying to point fingers at the ATO forces (without stopping to think–what do the ATO forces need air defense systems for, when the insurgents have no air force?). Right now, the dumb lying bastards are busy trying to cover up the tracks of their monstrous crime.

…I recall that just this morning, Moscow threatened to give a ‘response’ to the Western sanctions against it. These threats appear in a completely new light when you realize that the plane was shot down only a few hours after they had been made…

2. Something I have been saying since this Monday [July 14], was confirmed by the Ukrainian security forces today: Russia is conducting a covert military invasion of Ukraine. Russian servicemen are operating in Donbas. This is not “assistance for insurgents,” this is a full-blown, while still covert, Russian-Ukrainian war. 

The RNBO [National Security and Defense Council] also confirmed that our Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jet had been shot down yesterday by a Russian plane. This is another fact of Russia’s war against us.

Putin will stop at nothing in his efforts to crush Ukraine. I don’t know when this creature will have finally had enough of Ukrainian blood. But he is forgetting that those who start fires often end up burning in them. And Putin will not become an exception to this rule.

3. We keep losing our boys. The security officials confirmed the reports about the found bodies of two pilots from the downed AN-26 plane. 

Every day, [Ukrainian] Armed forces suffer losses on the “frontlines.” We are losing brave border guards, who now resort to guerrilla warfare to reclaim and keep control over the state border, while the borderlands are packed with mercenaries and Russian aggressors. The National Guard servicemen and volunteers keep dying as well.

In this war, there are no charges with bayonets. Our guys, who are shedding their blood for a unified and independent Ukraine, hardly ever get to see the faces of their enemies. This is a covert war. But it doesn’t make it any easier for our hearts, bleeding for each and every one of our dead heroes…

The good news:

1. The U.S. may become Ukraine’s ally. The Russian Aggression Prevention Act 2014, bill S.2277, has been introduced in the U.S. Congress.

For us, this cooperation is [much] more than a declaration of friendship. It may be [our] salvation from the Russian invasion.

…Damn, back when I was a military school cadet, trained for a war with NATO, could I ever imagine that I would rejoice at the alliance with the United States, made to stop my country becoming a victim of Russian aggression? Lord, you do work in mysterious ways.

2. Over the past 24 hours, [Ukraine] celebrated success at the international front. The U.S. and the EU, after a long warm-up, finally went to strengthen sanctions against the aggressor, i.e. Russia.

Not only did the Americans expand the list of “personal” sanctions, but they also dealt a serious blow to the Russian economy. In particular, the sanctions list included virtually all major Russian defense enterprises (such as, Kalashnikov Concern and “Almaz-Antey” concern, “Basalt” Scientific Production Association, etc.), as well as the following companies – JSC “Gazprombank,” JSC Novatek, “Rosneft” and Vnesheconombank. This is serious stuff.

The EU is still pretending to be “working on it”–but with words more than deeds. At a summit in Brussels, the Europeans “agreed to extend punitive measures” against Moscow. The list of companies that should fall under those sanctions should be delivered by the European Commission by the end of July (they failed to specify which year). Upon receiving the desired list, the EU will obviously continue its long-running session of geopolitical jerkaround.

Putin responded to the U.S. sanctions immediately. While wiping Ukrainian blood from his hands, [he] accused the U.S. of “inciting fratricidal war” in Ukraine. Pardon my French, but the only thing I can call this guy is a hypocritical son of a bitch. But, if it’s starting to crawl around on its belly, then the American challenge must have struck home.

3. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko instructed the General Staff to develop a new tactic for the ATO. He also charged the RNBO [National Security and Defense Council] with ensuring a maximum efficiency of our army’s combat operations.

The conflict has moved onto another level, the President stated. Whether our generals will be able to respond to these changes adequately, we’ll see. But the understanding [of the situation] has been demonstrated, and the task is set. Now to wait for the results.