Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 21. April 2022 (Updates: Briefings Washington, Kiew, Moskau)

Im anhaltenden russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine hat Russland seien Sieg in der umkämpften Hafenstadt Mariupol erklärt – und Präsident Wladimir Putin verzichtet auf die endgültige Eroberung der Widerstandsnester im Azow-Stahlwerk. Der Sammler am 22. April 2022:

• Die wesentlichen Aussagen zu Mariupol trafen Putin und der russische Verteidigungsminister Sergej Schoigu bei einem Arbeitstreffen am (heutigen) Donnerstag, über das der Kreml ausführlich berichtete. Die wichtigsten Passagen aus dem Transkript:

Wladimir Putin hatte ein Arbeitstreffen mit dem russischen Verteidigungsminister Sergej Schoigu.

Sergej Schoigu: Lieber Wladimir Wladimirowitsch!
Mariupol wurde von den Streitkräften der Russischen Föderation und der Volksmiliz der Volksrepublik Donezk befreit. Die Überreste der Nationalistenformation flüchteten in das Industriegebiet des Azovstal-Werks.
Mariupol ist ein wichtiger Industrie- und Hauptverkehrsknotenpunkt am Asowschen Meer. 2014 erklärte das Kiewer Regime die Stadt de facto zur vorübergehenden Hauptstadt der Region Donezk und verwandelte sie innerhalb von acht Jahren in ein mächtiges befestigtes Gebiet und einen Zufluchtsort für radikale ukrainische Nationalisten. Dies ist eigentlich die Hauptstadt von „Azov“ – dem Bataillon „Azov“.
Eine große Anzahl schwerer Waffen, militärischer Ausrüstung, darunter Panzer, MLRS „Smerch“, „Hurricane“, Artilleriesysteme hoher Leistung und Raketensysteme „Tochka-U“ wurden in die Stadt gezogen. Tochka-U hat eine Reichweite von 120 Kilometern, und unser Taganrog ist 94 Kilometer von Mariupol entfernt, die Hauptstadt des südlichen Föderationskreises Rostow liegt ungefähr in dieser Entfernung. (…)
Bei der Befreiung von Mariupol haben die russische Armee und Einheiten der Volksmiliz der DVR alle Maßnahmen ergriffen, um das Leben von Zivilisten zu retten. Hier werden auf Ihre Anweisung, Wladimir Wladimirowitsch, seit dem 21. März täglich humanitäre Korridore für die Evakuierung von Zivilisten und ausländischen Bürgern geöffnet. (…)
Heute steht ganz Mariupol unter der Kontrolle der russischen Armee, der Volksmiliz der Volksrepublik Donezk, und das Territorium des Azovstal-Werks mit den Überresten von Nationalisten und ausländischen Söldnern ist sicher blockiert. (…)
Gegenwärtig ist die Situation in der Stadt ruhig, was es uns ermöglicht, mit der Wiederherstellung der Ordnung, der Rückkehr der Bevölkerung und dem Aufbau eines friedlichen Lebens zu beginnen. Was diejenigen betrifft, die aus dem Azovstal-Werk geflohen sind und dort und rund um den gesamten Umkreis gründlich blockiert wurden, brauchen wir etwa drei oder vier Tage, um diese Arbeit in Azovstal abzuschließen.

Wladimir Putin: Ich halte den geplanten Sturm auf das Industriegebiet für unangemessen.
Ich befehle Ihnen zu stornieren.

Sergej Schoigu: Ja.

Wladimir Putin: Dies ist der Fall, wenn wir daran denken müssen – das heißt, wir müssen immer daran denken, aber in diesem Fall noch mehr –, das Leben und die Gesundheit unserer Soldaten und Offiziere zu erhalten. Es ist nicht nötig, in diese Katakomben zu klettern und unterirdisch durch diese Industrieanlagen zu kriechen.
Sperren Sie dieses Industriegebiet ab, damit die Fliege nicht durchfliegt.

Sergej Schoigu: Ja.

Wladimir Putin: Laden Sie noch einmal alle dazu ein, die ihre Waffen noch nicht niedergelegt haben. Die russische Seite garantiert ihr Leben und eine menschenwürdige Behandlung in Übereinstimmung mit den einschlägigen internationalen Rechtsakten. Alle Verletzten erhalten qualifizierte medizinische Hilfe.
Der Abschluss der Kampfhandlungen zur Befreiung von Mariupol ist ein Erfolg. Herzliche Glückwünsche. Senden Sie Ihren Dank an die Truppen. Bitte reichen Sie Vorschläge für die Verleihung unserer ausgezeichneten Soldaten für staatliche Auszeichnungen ein. Es ist klar, dass es in solchen Fällen nicht anders sein kann, das sind verschiedene Auszeichnungen, aber ich möchte, dass sie alle wissen: Nach unserem Verständnis sind sie alle Helden, nach dem Verständnis von ganz Russland. Sie alle sind Helden.
(übersetzt mit Google Translate)

Die Darstellung des Kreml verfolgt gleich mehrere Ziele: Aus russischer Sicht wurde Mariupol komplett befreit – und die Aufzählung der dort stationierten ukrainischen Waffen soll belegen, dass von dieser Stadt eine Gefahr für Russland ausging. Darüber hinaus sollen die verbliebenen ukrainischen Kämpfer – und so weit auch bekannt auch Zivilisten – praktisch ausgehungert werden, ohne dass sich die russischen Streitkräfte auf einen verlustreichen Kampf in der Industrieanlage des Azow-Stahlwerks einlassen müssen. Alles wichtige Meilensteine im Hinblick auf Erfolgsmeldungen, die voraussichtlich bei der Parade am 9. Mai in Moskau zum Jahrestag des Sieges über Deutschland im Zweiten Weltkrieg präsentiert werden sollen.

• Das britische Intel Update:

Russia likely desires to demonstrate significant successes ahead of their annual 9th May Victory Day celebrations. This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date.
Russian forces are now advancing from staging areas in the Donbas towards Kramatorsk, which continues to suffer from persistent rocket attacks.
High levels of Russian air activity endure as Russia seeks to provide close air support to its offensive in eastern Ukraine, to suppress and destroy Ukrainian air defence capabilities.

• Das Morgenbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

The fifty-seventh day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion continues. A russian federation continues its full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine.
The russian enemy is trying to continue offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone in order to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
The russian enemy continues to launch missile and bomb strikes on military and civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine.
In the Volyn, Polissya and Siversky directions, the russian enemy did not take active action, no changes in the condition and position of groups of russian troops were detected.
In the Slobozhansky direction, the russianenemy continues to increase the system of technical support.
In Balakleya, wounded russian servicemen began to be placed in the city’s polyclinic, despite the fact that a hospital for the russian military was set up in the building of the local music school. The location of the russian occupiers in the city polyclinic indicates a significant increase in the number of wounded and problems with their subsequent medical evacuation.
The russian enemy continues to partially block and shell the city of Kharkiv.
In the Donetsk and Tavriya directions, the enemy continues to carry out artillery shelling along the entire line of contact.
In the Kherson oblast, the russian invaders plan to organize the forced mobilization of the population for war with Ukraine. At the same time, the russian occupiers set a goal to completely stop the humanitarian support of the region from the Ukrainian authorities. The terror of the Ukrainian population by russian occupiers continues.
Thus, in the village of Zolota Balka, Kherson oblast, representatives of the russian occupation forces held a meeting with the local population, where they stated that there would be no more „green corridors“ and forbade people to leave the settlement. In addition, they warned that in case of shelling of their positions by units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the russian invaders will start shelling the settlement. The russian occupiers continue to patrol the apartments and conduct searches.
In the South Buh direction, the russian enemy is shelling the positions of our troops.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has hit four air targets in the previous day: three unmanned aerial vehicles and one cruise missile.
Nine enemy attacks have been repulsed in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts over the past 24 hours, one tank, ten armoured units and two vehicles, one artillery system, two special engineering units, an anti-aircraft missile system and an enemy ammunition depot have been destroyed.

• Das Morgenbriefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums:

Units of the Russian Armed Forces and the Lugansk people’s militia have taken full control of Kremennaya, which had been turned into a stronghold by Ukrainian nationalists.
As a result of the rapid and coordinated actions of the assault troops, severe destruction of urban infrastructure and residential buildings was avoided.
Operational-tactical and army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces struck 20 areas of concentration of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment near Shnurki, Novonikolaevka and Aleksandrovka during the night.
Missile troops and artillery hit 1,001 military assets of Ukraine.
Among them: 58 command posts, 162 Ukrainian artillery firing positions, and 771 strong points and aareas of concentration of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in Mayaki, Dibrovnoe, Mazanovka, Dolina Krasnopol’e, Velikaya Kamyshevakha, Chervonoe, Vernopol’e, Pashkovka, Dmitrovka, Novaya Dmitrovka, Vysokiy, Chernoglazovka, Slatino, Zolochev, Partizanskoe, Aleksandrovka and Shevchenkovo of Nikolaev region.
Russian air defence means destroyed 13 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Berezovaya, Brazhkovka, Verkhnetoretskoe, Debrovka, Izyum, Kalinovka, Kiselevka, Lozovaya, Novobogdanovka, Novoalexandrovka and Chuvakovka.
Also, 1 Tochka-U tactical missile was shot down near Donetskoe.
In total, 140 aircraft and 106 helicopters, 511 unmanned aerial vehicles, 254 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,410 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 262 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,046 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,259 units of special military vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed during the operation.

Update: US-Präsident Joe Biden kündigte weitere Waffenlieferungen für die Ukraine an, zudem weitere Sanktionen wie ein Einlaufverbot für russische Schiffe in US-Häfen. Die Waffen nannte das Pentagon in einer Übersicht:

Capabilities in this package include:
72 155mm Howitzers and 144,000 artillery rounds;
72 Tactical Vehicles to tow 155mm Howitzers;
Over 121 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems; and
Field equipment and spare parts.
This commitment, together with the 18 155mm howitzers announced on April 13, provides enough artillery systems to equip five battalions.

Ein wenig Verwirrung gab es zunächst angesichts der – bislang unbekannten – Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems. Wie US-Reporter unter Berufung auf das Pentagon berichten, soll es dabei um eine neu entwickelte Drohne, vermutlich eher loitering munition, gehen:

(Zum Thema deutsche Debatte über Waffenlieferungen siehe den gesonderten Thread)

• Notizen aus dem täglichen Pentagon-Briefing, vor allem zu den angekündigten Waffenlieferungen, von Caitlin Doornbos von Stars&Stripes:

Two senior U.S. defense officials briefing today:
– The first flights of military aid from Biden’s new $800 million military aid package will leave the U.S. „in the next 24 to 48 hours.“
The Air Force rapidly developed the new Phoenix Ghost tactical drone system „specifically in response to Ukrainian requirements.“
The U.S. is sending Ukraine 121 those systems.
The first deliveries from the new $800 million package „will be across the border into Ukraine by the end of the weekend.“
The new Phoenix Ghost tactical drone system designed for Ukraine’s needs „provides the same sort of tactical capability that a Switchblade [drone] does. As you know, Switchblade is a one-way drone, if you will, and it clearly is designed to deliver a punch.“
U.S. will need to train Ukraine forces on some systems in the new package, such as howitzers.
„These aren’t infantry drum men that are learning to fire artillery. These are artillery men that know how to do this, that are learning the nuances of a slightly different system.“
The new Phoenix Ghost drone designed for Ukraine, which defense officials aren’t giving a lot of detail on, was manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace.
The 72 howitzers, along with the 18 sent in last week’s aid, can equip 5 Ukrainian battalions.
„We think it could add significant additional firepower for the Ukrainians. If we didn’t believe that, we wouldn’t have moved forward with that many howitzers & that many more rounds.“
Why aren’t we sending tanks?
„We don’t have tanks to give them – They use T-72 tanks and other nations have helped add to their inventory of tanks, which of course, we were supportive of other nations who want to do that.“
Official says Ukraine has more tanks in Ukraine than Russia does right now.
„The Ukrainians have tanks available for them now. Where they’re using them, how they’re using them – that’s up to them.“

Allerdings, zur Ergänzung: Pentagon-Sprecher John Kirby hat die Details zur Phoenix Ghost-Drohne später noch mal korrigiert:

• Das Abendbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

russian enemy continued offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone in order to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. At the same time, missile and bomb strikes on military and civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine continue.
In the Volyn, Polissya and Siversky directions russian enemy did not take active actions, no signs of formation of offensive groups were found. There is a significant reduction in the intensity of the movement of columns of russian military equipment on the territory of the republic of belarus. Some units of the belarusian Armed Forces continue to carry out tasks to cover the Ukrainian-belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions.
The situation in Slobozhanshchyna has not changed significantly. The partial blockade of Kharkiv and the destruction of the city’s infrastructure by artillery continue. In the temporarily occupied territory of Kharkiv region, russian occupying forces prohibit the movement of the local population towards the territory controlled by the Defense Forces of Ukraine, the delivery of humanitarian aid from the Ukrainian side is blocked.
In the Donetsk and Tavriya directions, russian enemy tried to take full control of Mariupol. It continued to carry out air strikes and attempted assaults in the area of ​​the seaport and the Azovstal plant.
In the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson oblast, the self-proclaimed occupation authorities announced the mobilization of males. In addition, according to available information, a so-called „referendum“ is planned for May 1 in the russian-occupied part of the Kherson region. And in the period May 2-10 there is planned to be a „census“. Locals are prohibited from moving between settlements.
The shelling of Mykolayiv continues in the South Buh direction, russian enemy is trying to improve its tactical position and get closer to the city, but has no success.
russian enemy continues to suffer significant losses in personnel and military equipment. According to updated data, commander of the First Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Second Motorized Rifle Division of the First Tank Army of the Western Military District, Lieutenant Colonel Denis Mezhuyev, was eliminated by the defenders of Ukraine. Two members of the leadership of the same unit, Colonel Kharitonov and Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, were also seriously injured and are being treated in Moscow.
In addition, the mobilization of russian occupying units is significantly demoralized by the forced mobilization in unrecognized territorial formations of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, poor nutrition, low financial and material support of the personnel who arrived to replenish regular units of the russian federation.

• Das Abendbriefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums:

During the day, 14 Ukrainian assets were hit by high-precision air-based missiles.
The strikes hit 1 command post, 2 ammunition depots, 2 areas of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 2 nationalist strongholds near Popasnaya.
Ammunition depots were destroyed in Shnurki and Slavyansk and the Ukrainian Armed Forces‘ manpower and equipment were also hit in Cherkasskoe and Aleksandrovka.
Up to 120 nationalists, as well as more than 30 armoured vehicles and cars, were destroyed.
Operational-tactical and army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit 64 military assets of Ukraine. Among them: 17 areas of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentration near Krasnyi Liman and Drobyshevo, as well as 2 missile and artillery weapons depots near Zaporozhye.
Missile troops and artillery hit 450 enemy assets during the day. Including: 14 command posts, as well as 429 strong points and areas of manpower and military equipment concentration in Velikaya Kamyshevakha, Chervonoe, Pashkovo, Novaya Dmitrovka in Kharkov Region.
Russian air defence means shot down 1 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle near Yasnoe, Donetsk People’s Republic.
In total, 140 aircraft and 106 helicopters, 512 unmanned aerial vehicles, 254 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,422 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 266 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,051 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,274 units of special military vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed during the operation.