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War, War, War See other War, War, War Articles Title: Ukraine army deflated as guerrilla warfare unfolds SLOVYANSK, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's armed forces suffered devastating new losses Thursday, underlining the scale of the challenge the country faces in quelling a guerrilla-style insurgency that has proven to be agile and ruthless. A rebel rocket attack brought down a military Mi-8 helicopter ferrying out troops, including a general, on the outskirts of Slovyansk, killing at least 12 people onboard. Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov told parliament in Kiev that rebels used a portable air defense missile against helicopter. Slovyansk, a city of 120,000 people, has become a focal point for the armed pro-Russian insurgency and has for weeks been encircled by Ukrainian troops. While Ukrainian forces may be better equipped than their opponents, fears that the standoff could degenerate into brutal urban warfare have so far held authorities back from ordering an all-out assault. "It is extremely difficult to fight against guerrillas. You just cannot destroy them. They are not regular troops," said Igor Sutyagin, a research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. "It's the classic problem which Russia had in Chechnya and the United States had in Vietnam." In recent days, Ukrainian troops have taken to deploying mortar shells in their bid to retake Slovyansk, causing civilian casualties and prompting some residents to flee. The tactic has produced few immediate results other than deepening distrust toward the government and instilling fear. "They are shooting at us from grenade launchers, we hear explosions. The windows of our house are shaking," said resident Olga Mikhailova, who said she was leaving the city for the safety of her family. "I have four children. It is terrifying being here, because I am afraid for their lives." Russia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday denounced the use of aircraft and artillery against the rebels and demanded that Kiev end a "fratricidal war and launch a real political dialogue with all political forces and representatives of the regions." The ministry said it would be impossible to restore peace in Ukraine without ending the government's military action against the rebels and withdrawing Ukrainian troops from the east. It called on the West to use its clout with Kiev to "stop Ukraine from sliding into a national catastrophe." View gallery Conflict in Ukraine Members of the Ukrainian army inspect an area near Slovyansk, Ukraine, Friday, May 30, 2014. The Ukr … The Kiev government condemns the insurgency as the work of "terrorists" bent on destroying the country and accuses Russia of fomenting it. Russia denies the accusations, saying it has no influence over rebels, who insist they are only protecting the interests of Russian-speakers in the east. Ukraine's military effort has been hindered by a lack of experience in waging operations of the sort underway in eastern Ukraine. The military, police troops, a newly formed National Guard and a number of often unaccountable volunteer battalions are all ostensibly operating under an "anti-terrorism operation," but it is clear communication has been poor. And lack of military prowess among the most freshly minted units often shows. "As they have gained experience, they are becoming more efficient. But this has been limited by lack of cooperation, organization, and coordination between divisions," said Mykola Sungurovskiy, a defense analyst with the Kiev-based Razumkov Center. "There have been some cases where there was an attack but no reinforcement, or when 30 rebels were killed in one day and yet KAMAZ trucks are bursting across the Ukrainian border from Russia." Bad coordination was most vividly on display on when insurgents attacked a government checkpoint in the town of Volnovakha on May 23. Aerial reinforcements apparently shot on their own men. Sixteen soldiers died. Rebels have also shown signs of disunity. On Thursday afternoon, dozens of fighters from the insurgent Vostok Battalion surrounded separatist headquarters in the regional government building in Donetsk — the most serious insurgent infighting to date. The standoff was apparently provoked by anger in the Vostok Battalion, understood to have many combatants from Russia's North Caucasus, at reports of looting by their allies from a supermarket near the airport, the scene of bloody clashes Monday. Several dozen Vostok Battalion militiamen were killed in that fighting. The confrontation ended with the militiamen seizing the looted goods and bulldozing the barricades that have lined the building since early April, when the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic announced its formation. On the government side, every deadly incident is only likely to sap morale among Ukrainian armed forces that have sometimes been shown to lack basic equipment. In one episode this week, reported by pro-Kremlin Russian channel NTV, the parents of conscripts serving at an Interior Ministry base in Luhansk region, where rebels have also declared independence, descended en masse to take their sons home. And acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval likely further soured moods by announcing Thursday that no troops involved in operations in east Ukraine would be rotated out as there is not enough personnel. Ukraine's president-elect, billionaire candy magnate Petro Poroshenko, has promised to negotiate with people in the east but also vowed to uproot the armed rebels. He will not be in charge, however, until his inauguration on June 7 and has not spoken publicly about the insurgency since his victory speech Monday. The separatists in Ukraine have pleaded to join Russia, but President Vladimir Putin has ignored their appeal in an apparent bid to de-escalate tensions with the West and avoid a new round of Western sanctions. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Thursday that Russia has agreed to send "humanitarian aid" to eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, at least one analyst argues that Ukraine's military leaders will push for maximum and swift results before Poroshenko is installed and is given grounds for reshuffling top officers. "The Ukrainian generals wanted to show Poroshenko they could act more effectively," said Kiev-based political analyst Vladimir Fesenko. "If operations in Donbass are ineffective, then Poroshenko will come to power and appoint new people." __________________ Leonard reported from Donetsk, Ukraine. Laura Mills in Kiev, Ukraine, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow also contributed to this report. Poster Comment: [American] Indeed it is beneficial to say it was a missile so Jane Psaki can blame on Putin again and it is not so embarrassing for the Ukrainian army when untrained civilians have brought down already 7 helicopters. You can bring Mi8 down with AK. Just target the tail rotor hub, tail rotor 90-deg gearbox, transmission shaft connecting the main rotor gearbox with the tail rotor gearbox. It is not really so difficult if Mi8 is hovering 300feet away from you and you need to hit a target of water melon size with AK 47 which is a very accurate and we have seen pictures of heavier calibers on pro_russkiys. Just remember these Russkiys destroyed 5 mill German army with nearly no weapons and poor ammunition. Just think about what these people are capable to accomplish if they are given modern weapons. Nothing will stop them when they get angry and roll all the way to Atlantic+3-1. [Alice] They brought down two US drones over Crimea a couple months ago, just 1or 2 average Russian soldiers, as if it was nothing. S. I feel like the new president is going to be as idiot as his predecessors: He would have used his election to promote national reconciliation but he choose to use the army against his own population. How is he going to govern eastern Ukraine when every family in the region has lost one son or daughter? Death and destruction make reconciliation even more complicated. I think that the resentment in Eastern Ukraine is real despite the fact that our US media want to present the problem as Russia creating trouble, after all haven't we supported the Maidan? I still have the picture and video of the old floppy guy from Arizona (John McCain) in the main square in Kiev talking to our neo nazi "friends" and Ms Nuland giving away sandwiches.+22-4 [tony] I agree with you.. but the president isn't Ukrainian.. he is Jewish and his tribe will take everything.. as they already have.. and men dying doesn't matter to him.. because they are not Jews.+3-5. The regular Ukraine Army leaders need to step up and get rid of the civilian coup leaders, all of whom are Jews (how is that even possible in a country where only about 2% of the people are Jewish?). The top three are Turchynov, Yatsenyuk, and now Poroshenko, all three are Jews and this can't be a random circumstance...it stinks, especially when you consider that the U.S. leader for the coup was Victoria Nuland (Jew), married to major neo-con Robert Kagan (Jew). Most of the billionaires in Ukraine are Jews (Tymoshenko, also ran for President; Parubiy; Avakov; Kolomoisky -- who was responsible for killing the anti-Kiev young people in Odessa; Firtash (a close ally of Poroshenko); Pinchuk; and Rabinovich. The Army needs to kick the Jews out and give the country back to the people, and realize that Ukrainians and Russians are the same as family, and the EU and IMF should not be allowed to pit them against one another. Think about it -- Russia was willing to give Ukraine a loan of 15 billion dollars, no strings attached and continue giving them a 50% discount on gas for heating. Does this sound like an evil empire trying to subjugate them? Absolutely not. On the other hand, the IMF loans will come with lots of strings and the people of Ukraine will suffer, just as they are suffering in Greece and other EU countries. Their money will lose another 30% of its value, their wages will go down, and their pensions will be cut in half or eliminated. Who sounds like the friend to Ukraine? People, use your brains and stop listening to the Western propaganda -- it's deafening, and stupid, fairy tales concocted in Hollywood to satisfy the masses. Grow up.+13-4 [Cousin_If] You got it Brother, JEWS are the one and only problem!+2-4 [Paul] As is the case in US, Jews acting on behalf of Israel which wants Ukraine in Western camp, supporting its theft of Palestinian lands and also trying to punish Russia for dealing with Israel's enemies. http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-army-deflated-guerrilla-warfare-unfolds-170833583.html?soc_src=copy Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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