A mother of seven has been accused of treason for calling the Ukrainian embassy about Russian troop movements in the latest sign of Moscow attempting to cover up its intervention in its neighbouring state.
Svetlana Davydova, 36, was arrested last week by a group of men in black uniforms who burst into her apartment in the town of Vyazma, west of Moscow, her husband Anatoly Gorlov told AFP.
Is it possible to commit treason when there is no enemy?
Perhaps the Russians didn't think this through.
Still, you have to admit that if the Russians aren't fighting inside Ukraine's Donbas region, Ukraine is facing the most incredibly well-armed rebels ever:
Ukrainian troops are struggling to counter artillery fire and electronic jamming by pro-Russian militants, who are flying drones to target the Kiev government forces, a top US general said Thursday.
Perhaps the Russians just don't care. They'll wage war, deny they are waging war, punish opposition to their waging of war, and dare the sainted international community to do something about it while Russia has a veto.
Say, do we have any lawyers to argue that the Soviet Union had the UN Security Council veto and not Russia?
UPDATE: With the Donbas secessionists gaining ground--seemingly on the verge of isolating Debaltseve--it is hard to say that Russians aren't directly involved in the offensive.
I imagine that the cannon fodder are mostly locals and imported men--bolstered by Russian Spetsnaz. But the heavy armor and artillery and other key support assets are Russian-manned.
On a related battle, Strategypage discusses the Ukrainian loss of the Donetsk airport. They discuss the lack of Ukrainian armor and artillery--part of my complaint that the rules of the game allow Russia to attack and Ukraine to defend only:
Ukrainian forces were forced to limit artillery use and counterattack maneuvers for political reasons. The Minsk Memorandum signed on 19th September urged all sides of the conflict to, among other things, withdraw heavy weaponry 15 kilometers away from the frontlines, withdraw foreign mercenaries, and cease offensive operations. ...
Ukraine made serious efforts to honor this agreement in order to preserve the international support it enjoys, while the rebels, since late 2014, began ignoring the ceasefire terms. That meant more rebel artillery fire on the Cyborgs in addition to moving tanks and professional soldiers direct from Russia into this battle.
Ukraine's big attack recently was botched, as well, they explain.
I find it shameful that Ukraine must cripple their own efforts to keep the support of the world.
Ukraine may have no choice but to weigh that consideration. But raising Putin's Russian soldier body count is the only way to really deter Russian aggression.
