The Ukraine civil war - update - 08/06/2014

US Missile-Cruiser Returns To Black Sea To "Promote Peace And Stability"

Zero Hedge

6 August, 2014

The last time the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) crossed the Bosphorus was three weeks ago to depart the Black Sea, following the end of the Bulgaria-led NATO exercise Breeze 2014. Back then, the departure of the cruiser left no American ship in the Black Sea but the numbers of NATO ships have been on the rise since March. Ahead of Vella Gulf’s departure, there were nine NATO ships in the Black Sea on July 9, according to Russian state news service RIA Novosti.

The reason for the departure: all warships from countries without a coast on the Black Sea operate under the 1936 Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits, whose rules call for foreign warships to depart the Black Sea after 21 days.

It's time to reboot the Montreux 21 day countdown, and following a rest in the Mediterranean and as a result of the most recent deterioration in second Cold War, the USS Vella Gulf has re-entered the Black Sea, the ship's third trip to the Black Sea. The reason: "to promote peace and stability in the region."

Here is how Vella crew was killing time before its re-repeat entry into the Black Sea.

From the US Navy:

Vella Gulf’s mission is to improve interoperability and work toward mutual goals, demonstrating the United States’ commitment to strengthening the collective security of NATO allies and partners in the region.

The U.S. Navy’s forward presence in Europe allows us to work with our allies and partners to develop and improve ready maritime forces capable of maintaining regional security.

Vella Gulf, homeported in Norfolk, Va., is deployed in a multi-mission role in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to contribute to regional maritime security, conduct bilateral and multilateral training missions, and to support NATO operations and deployments throughout the region.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

Meanwhile, considering the rest of the world is as much a powder keg as it was a hundred years ago, here is the full breakdown of the US fleet around the globe courtesy of Stratfor.

Carrier Strike Groups

• The USS George H.W. Bush CSG with CVW 8 embarked is underway for a deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR supporting maritime security operations and conducting theater security cooperation efforts.
• The USS Ronald Reagan with CVW 2 embarked is underway in the Pacific Ocean participating in the Rim of the Pacific 2014 naval exercises.
• The USS George Washington CSG with CVW 5 embarked is underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet AOR for its summer patrol.
• The USS Nimitz is on a scheduled port visit to Naval Magazine Indian Island in Port Townsend, Wash., for ammunition offload.

Amphibious Ready Groups/Marine Expeditionary Units

• The USS Bataan ARG with the 22nd MEU embarked is underway for a deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR supporting maritime security operations and conducting theater security cooperation efforts.
• The USS Peleliu is underway in the Pacific Ocean participating in the Rim of the Pacific 2014 naval exercises.
• The USS Essex is on a scheduled port visit to Seattle, Wash., for Seattle Seafair Fleet Week.
• The USS Kearsarge is underway in the Atlantic Ocean for routine training.
• The USS Iwo Jima is underway in the Atlantic Ocean for routine training.
• The USS Makin Island is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a scheduled deployment.

From MSM

Ukraine crisis: Nato raises fears of invasion as Russian troops ‘mass on Ukraine’s borders’

the Independent,

6 August 2014

Russia has amassed about 20,000 combat-ready troops on Ukraine’s eastern border and could use the pretext of a humanitarian or peace-keeping mission to invade, Nato has warned.

Stating that the conflict in Ukraine was fuelled by Russia, Nato said the troop build-up had further escalated “a dangerous situation”.

“We are not going to guess what is on Russia’s mind, but we can see what Russia is doing on the ground – and that is of great concern. Russia has amassed around 20,000 combat-ready troops on Ukraine’s eastern border,” said Oana Lungescu, a Nato spokeswoman.

Nato was concerned that Moscow could use “the pretext of a humanitarian or peace-keeping mission as an excuse to send troops into eastern Ukraine”, she added. Moscow denies Western accusations that it has armed and supported rebels fighting Ukrainian forces in the east. It announced new military exercises to take place all this week, involving bombers and warplanes, in a show of strength near the border with Ukraine.

The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, said the threat of a “direct intervention” by Russia in Ukraine was “definitely greater than it was a few days ago, or two weeks ago”.

Previously, Russia has used military exercises as cover for intervention, analysts say.

The EU and US agreed tough new sanctions last week against Russia over its actions in Ukraine, marking a new phase in the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

Today, President Vladimir Putin ordered government agencies to restrict imports of food and agricultural products from all countries that had imposed sanctions. Imports would be “banned or limited” for a year, he said in a decree.

The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Alexei Alexeenko, of the sanitary oversight agency, as saying: “From the US, all products produced there and brought to Russia will be prohibited.” A full list would be issued, but he thought all fruits and vegetables from EU countries would be banned.

Message: “Move on. Change the narrative'

I had a brief look on You Tube and entered "Ukraine crisis" for today - there was nothing from western media

MH17: Dutch prime minister calls halt to search for victims

Mark Rutte praised the effort of the recovery mission but said that it was too dangerous to continue at this time

the Guardian,

6 August 2014

The Netherlands' prime minister has called a halt to the search for remains of victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight 17 disaster in Ukraine, saying it is too dangerous to continue.

At a press conference in the Hague on Wednesday, Mark Rutte praised the effort of the recovery mission so far and promised victims' families the search would resume at some time in the future.

MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine on 17 July, killing all 298 on board. Around 228 coffins have been returned to the Netherlands.

Rutte also said that information from a Ukrainian military doctor who had overseen operations in the days immediately following the crash "has changed the recovery team's perception of an earlier effort undertaken by local authorities".

"There was an intensive search in the area with 800 volunteers," he said.

The Dutch-led international recovery team that arrived in the area later has not found a large number of human remains.

He said that it appears "fortunately, more was done after the disaster than we thought until now".

Soldier tells of at least 4 

thousands killed in the area 

of ATO

A soldier returning from the East describes problems associated with the special operation

Солдат рассказал о минимум 4 тысячах погибших в зоне АТО

Вернувшийся с востока солдат объяснил проблемы организации спецоперации

Vesti,

6 August, 2014

A member of the National Guard, who visited the area of the “anti-terrorist operation”, said that according to his information, at least 4 thousand soldiers have been killed in the East

He told about that, answering the question gordonua.com that according to the official version 363 military have been killed:

"It's a lie. Know that If they tell you on TV said that over the past day two or three soldiers were killed over the last 24 hour period, that in fact 12-13 were killed, maybe more. For all time of ATU in Donbas killed at least four thousand military. Official sources lying about 363's why I don't know," says the soldier.

He also explained how such a number cannot be hidden: "You know that many are even not listed in official lists of the ATO(anti-terrorist operation)? If someone received a bullet in the head in Donbas they will give the cause of death as "Причина смерті – необережне поводження зі зброєю"(death caused by careless handling of weapons). The same paratroopers who liberated Semenovka, according to the documents on the teachings were registered," he explains.

He also commented on the video witmess statemetns of forces of DND and LNR throwing the corpses of their "brothers in arms" on the roadside. In particular, explained there is no such thing in the army : "We always take our own. Always. However, it sometimes breaks that there is nothing to collect. For example, if someone is hit by a mine – everytihng, eq is blown to shreds. In such cases solders are listed as "missing in action". But if there's one piece of the body - arm, leg, chest tattoo - which can identify an individual, parents are told they have been found".

In his opinion, many deaths could have been avoided, but the problem is in the internal organization of ATO, - more precisely by its absence:

"Everything depends on chance -it may take a wounded man, maybe not. It is possible to wait a long time for helicopters for hospitalisation just because the papers are not filled in correctly," - explained the soldiers.

Earlier in the NSDC has informed that for the last day in the zone of the ATO 18 Ukrainian soldiers.were killed and 54 wounded.