Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 5. April 2022 (Update)

Auch wenn es die üblichen Morgenbriefings aus Kiew und Moskau (noch) nicht gibt (Update: inzwischen unten nachgetragen), Lesestoff ist am (heutigen) Dienstagmorgen schon da: Das Briefing des nationalen Sicherheitsberaters der USA zum Ukraine-Krieg. Und damit der Start des Sammlers am 5. April 2022:

• Aus dem Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan:

Sullivan: At this juncture, we believe that Russia is revising its war aims. Russia is repositioning its forces to concentrate its offensive operations in eastern and parts of southern Ukraine, rather than target most of the territory. All indications are that Russia will seek to surround and overwhelm Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
We anticipate that Russian commanders are now executing their redeployment from northern Ukraine to the region around the Donbas in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces are already well on their way of retreating from Kyiv to Belarus as Russia likely prepares to deploy dozens of additional battalion tactical groups, constituting tens of thousands of soldiers, to the frontline in Ukraine’s east.
We assess Russia will focus on defeating the Ukrainian forces in the broader Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, which encompasses significantly more territory than Russian proxies already controlled before the new invasion began in late February.
Russia could then use any tactical successes it achieves to propagate a narrative of progress and mask or un- — or try to discount or downplay prior military failures.
In order to protect any territory it seizes in the east, we expect that Russia could potentially extend its force proje- — projection and presence even deeper into Ukraine, beyond Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. At least that is their intention and their plan.

In the south, we also expect that Russian military forces will do what they can to try to hold the city of Kherson, to enable their control of the waterflow to Crimea, and try to block Mykolaiv so that Ukrainian forces cannot proceed to retake Kherson.
In the north, Russia will likely keep pressure on Kharkiv.
During this renewed ground offensive in eastern Ukraine, Mas- — Moscow will likely continue to launch air and missile strikes across the rest of the country to cause military and economic damage — and, frankly, to cause terror, including against cities like Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Lviv.
Russia’s goal, in the end, is to weaken Ukraine as much as possible.

• Das britische Intel Update ergänzt das:

Ukrainian forces have retaken key terrain in the north of Ukraine, after denying Russia the ability to secure its objectives and forcing Russian forces to retreat from the areas around Chernihiv and North of Kyiv.
Low-level fighting is likely to continue in some parts of the newly recaptured regions, but diminish significantly over this week as the remainder of Russian forces withdraw.
Many Russian units withdrawing from northern Ukraine are likely to require significant re-equipping and refurbishment before being available to redeploy for operations in eastern Ukraine.

Update: Die Morgenbriefings aus Kiew und Moskau – zunächst das vom ukrainischen Generalstab:

The forty-first day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion began.
A russian enemy is regrouping troops and concentrating its efforts on preparing an offensive operation in the east of our country. The goal is to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The russian enemy is trying to improve the position of units in the Tavriya and Pivdennobuzhsky operational areas.
The units withdrawn from Polissya and Sivershchyna are moving to new operational areas. The redeployment of troops of the Central Military District from the territory of Ukraine has been completed. The designated units of the above, after the completion of the restoration of combat capability, will be moved to the area of the settlement Valuyki and included in the offensive groups of troops.
The movement of columns of armaments and military equipment on the territory of the republic of belarus in the direction of the railway stations Gomel, Yelsk and Mozyr for loading on railway echelons is noted. A significant part of the aircraft and helicopters of the Air and Space Forces of the Armed Forces of the russian federation were relocated from the airfields of the Republic of Belarus to the territory of Russia.
The russian enemy concentrated its main efforts on preparations for the resumption of the offensive with the help of separate units of the 6th and 20th All-Army, 1st Tank Army, Baltic and Northern Fleets, as well as attempts to surround the Joint Forces. The enemy replenishes supplies of food, fuel and oil and ammunition.
The russian occupiers continue to blockade Kharkiv, continuing artillery shelling and further destroying the city’s residential neighbourhoods and infrastructure.
In the direction of Slovyansk, the russian enemy is trying to resume offensive operations. In the direction of Barvinkove it has partial success, advanced 7 km, took control of the village of Brazhkivka. Also, it attacked by the battalion tactical group of the 1st Tank Regiment in the direction of the settlement of Sulyhivka, but had no success.
The russian enemy is working to restore the bridge in the city of Izyum to improve the movement of russian troops in this direction and to ensure the crossing of the river Siversky Donets.
In the Donetsk and Luhansk areas, the russian occupiers are focusing their efforts on taking control of the Popasna and Rubizhne districts, establishing full control over Mariupol, and preparing offensive operations near the Zolota Nyva settlement.
In the areas of Borivske, Novoluhanske, Solodke, Marinka, Zolota Nyva, the enemy continued artillery shelling of positions of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and civilian infrastructure.
The russian enemy carried out assault operations near the settlements of Novotoshkivske, Nyzhne, Popasna, Kalynove, Stepne, Rubizhne, Troitske, Novobakhmutivka, and Novoselivka Druha, but was unsuccessful.
Russian invaders inflicted massive artillery and air strikes on the city of Mariupol.
In the direction of the Pivdennobuzhsky direction the occupying forces carry out assault actions with the support of artillery for the purpose of taking control of the settlement of Alexandrivka, have partial success. In the area of the settlements of Lyubyne, Myrne, and Kopani, the russian occupiers fired artillery at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The russian troops carried out attacks of Mykolayiv with the cluster munitions forbidden by the Geneva convention. Civilian quarters and medical facilities, including a children’s hospital, came under enemy fire. There are dead and wounded, including children.
The russian occupying forces continue to suffer losses. They have big problems with the staffing of combat units and support units. The enemy’s personnel were demoralized, which led to an increase in the number of desertions and the refusal of servicemen of the armed forces of the russian federation to take part in the war on the territory of Ukraine.

und das vom russischen Verteidigungsministerium. Bedeutsam darin der letzte Absatz – weiterhin wird die Anschuldigung aufrechterhalten, die Bilder ziviler Opfer in den von den ukrainischen Truppen zurückeroberten oder auch nur wieder übernommenen Gebieten seien Fälschungen für westliche Medien:

On the evening of April 4, high-precision, long-range sea-based weapons near Ochakov destroyed a training centre for Ukrainian special operations forces used, among other things, to house foreign mercenaries.
High-precision air-based missiles have destroyed 4 fuel depots for supplying groups of Ukrainian troops near Kremenets, Cherkasy, Zaporozhye and Novomoskovsk.
During the night, operational-tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit 134 military assets of Ukraine. Among them: 8 command posts and communication hubs, 1 radar for the S-300 missile system, 1 launcher of Tochka-U missile system, 6 ammunition depots and 2 fuel depots, as well as 85 strong points and areas of Ukrainian military equipment concentration.
Russian Air Defence means shot down 4 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the air near Chernobaevka, Industrialnaya, Gurty and Nizhnyaya Krynka.
In total, 125 Ukrainian aircraft and 91 helicopters, 398 unmanned aerial vehicles, 226 anti-aircraft missile systems, 1,969 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 214 multiple launch rocket systems, 852 field artillery and mortars, as well as 1,873 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation.
According to confirmed information, on the evening of April 4, in the village of Moshun, 23 kilometers north-west of Kiev, servicemen of the 72 Ukrainian main center for psychological operations carried out another staged filming of civilians allegedly killed by the violent actions of the Russian Armed Forces for subsequent distribution through the Western media. Similar events have been organized by the Ukrainian special services in Sumy, Konotop and other cities.

Was mit another staged filming … for subsequent distribution through the Western media gemeint ist, ist dabei klar: Die Bilder, die auch unabhängige Medien – deren Konzeption in der russischen Vorstellung nicht mehr zu existieren scheint – zu sehen bekommen, zum Beispiel Associated Press.

• Nach einem Bericht des Wall Street Journal (überwiegend hinter Paywall) hat Tschechien bereits – ältere – Kampfpanzer sowjetischer Bauart an die Ukraine geliefert; zudem seien sowohl Tschechien als auch die Slowakei bereit, beschädigtes ukrainisches Material in ihren Werkstätten zu reparieren:

The Czech Republic has been sending old Soviet-era tanks into Ukraine, providing badly needed heavy weapons to outgunned Ukrainian troops that are battling a much better-equipped Russian invasion force.
The efforts, described by three Czech and Slovak officials, mark the first time a foreign country has provided tanks to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began Feb. 24. In a potentially even more important development, both the Czech Republic and neighboring Slovakia, which shares a border with Ukraine, are considering opening their military industrial installations to repair and refit damaged Ukrainian military equipment.

Die Lieferung von Kampfpanzern alleine, wenn das so zutrifft, ist schon eine neue Entwicklung. Die Bereitstellung von Reparatur/Instandsetzungskapazitäten hat darüber hinaus aber eine grundlegend andere Qualität, denn diese Instandsetzungsbetriebe liegen ja auf NATO-Gebiet. Im Fall der Slowakei sogar in einem Land mit direkter Grenze zur Ukraine.

• Die britische Übersichtskarte:

• NATO-Generalsekretär Jens Stoltenberg erwartet weitere Vorstöße der russischen Streitkräfte im Osten des Landes und den seit längerem vermuteten Versuch, eine Landbrücke von der Krim bis nach Russland zu schaffen. Aus seiner Pressekonferenz vor dem Treffen der Außenminister der Allianz am (morgigen) Mittwoch:

We have all seen the horrific images of murdered civilians in Bucha and other places, controlled by the Russian military until a few days ago. This is unbearable brutality that Europe has not witnessed in many decades. Targeting and murdering civilians is a war crime.
All the facts must be established. And all those responsible for these atrocities must be brought to justice. NATO Allies are supporting investigations. Including through the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court.
The Ukrainian armed forces are putting up fierce resistance. Retaking territory from the Russian invaders. And forcing Russia to change its war plans.
But Moscow is not giving up its ambitions in Ukraine. We now see a significant movement of troops away from Kyiv. To regroup, rearm and resupply. And they shift their focus to the east. In the coming weeks, we expect a further Russian push in eastern and southern Ukraine. To try to take the entire Donbas and to create a land-bridge to occupied Crimea.

• Das Bundeswirtschaftsministerium hat in diesem Jahr bisher Rüstungsexporte von fast 190 Millionen Euro an die Ukraine genehmigt. Das geht aus der vorläufigen Übersicht zu den Rüstungsexporten im ersten Quartal 2022 hervor:

Zudem spiegelt sich die geleistete Unterstützung für die Ukraine aufgrund des russischen Angriffskriegs in den Quartalszahlen wider: Für die Selbstverteidigung der Ukraine wurden Genehmigungen im Wert von ca. 186 Mio. € erteilt.

Die Zahlen sind nicht weiter aufgeschlüsselt. Deshalb ist unklar, was davon bereits geliefert wurde. Da aber ausschließlich von Genehmigungen die Rede ist, scheint klar, dass die so genannten Länderabgaben des Verteidigungsministeriums für die Ukraine darin nicht enthalten sind; damit müssen die von Ministerin Christine Lambrecht genannten rund 80 Millionen Euro hinzu addiert werden.

• Fürs Archiv noch nachgetragen: Die Abendbriefings…

… vom ukrainischen Generalstab:

Measures to regroup the troops of the russian federation continue. The enemy did not abandon the purpose of the operation to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russian enemy is trying to improve the position of units in the Tavriya and Pivdennobuzhsky operational districts.
Russian troops, defiantly ignoring the rules of international humanitarian law, continue to use aircraft and artillery to strike at civilian infrastructure and industry. Thus, as a result of the shelling of the city of Rubizhne, Luhansk oblast, the occupiers damaged a tank with nitric acid.
In the western military district of the russian federation, in order to recruit units that have suffered losses on the territory of Ukraine, covert mobilization measures are being carried out. In addition, the command of the armed forces of the russian federation is trying to make up for the loss of personnel by involving representatives of military schools. The Chita Suvorov Military School of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia conducted a written survey of teaching staff on their readiness to take part in a „special operation“ outside the russian federation. Many teachers have given up on possible involvement in the „performance of tasks“ and are ready to be discharged from military service.
The export of military equipment of the armed forces of the russian federation from the territory of the republic of belarus by rail and military transport planes continues in the Siversky direction. At the same time, the movement of certain units of the armed forces of the republic of belarus in the direction of the state border of Ukraine was revealed. The rotation of units involved in strengthening the protection of the state border of belarus is not ruled out.
In the Slobozhansky direction the blockade by the russian enemy of the separate area of the Kharkiv region proceeds. In the settlements of Velykyi Burluk, Prykolotne and Fedorivka, the russain occupiers are searching for pro-Ukrainian residents and illegally detaining them.
In the city of Izyum, the russian occupiers are fabricating evidence on the alleged crimes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. To this end, they are shelling the settlement and creating a kind of „documentation“.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy, with the support of aircraft and artillery, continues to storm the city of Mariupol.
In the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporizhzhya oblast, in the city of Berdyansk, local residents are being detained.
In Tokmak, medical staff at local health facilities are being forced to sign so-called „contracts“ with the russian Ministry of Health.

… und vom russischen Verteidigungsministerium:

The grouping of troops from the Lugansk People’s Republic continues to attack the positions of the Ukrainian 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade and is fighting on the eastern outskirts of Novotoshkovskoe.
On the Severodonetsk direction, units of the Lugansk People’s Republic have broken through the defence of the Ukrainian 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade, destroying up to 50 personnel and 9 armoured vehicles, and are fighting on the northern outskirts of Zamulovka.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation strike at the assets of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
High-precision air-based missiles near Zolochev and Chuguev destroyed the command post of territorial defence unit, fuel depot and armoured vehicle repair plant.
During the day, operational-tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit 33 military assets of Ukraine.
Among them: 8 command posts, 3 logistics depots, as well as 21 stronng points and areas of Ukrainian military equipment concentration.
Russian air defence means shot down 5 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle in the air.
In total, 125 aircfaft and 93 helicopters, 403 unmanned aerial vehicles, 1,981 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 854 field artillery and mortars, as well as 1,876 units of special military vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed during the operation.
On the morning of 5 April, another attempt by the Kiev regime to evacuate the leaders of the Azov nationalist battalion was foiled near Mariupol.
Two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters attempting to break through to the city from the sea were shot down by man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems.
Earlier, we have repeatedly and through all available channels informed the Kiev regime of our proposals on the possibility of the Ukrainian Armed Forces withdrawing from Mariupol after voluntarily laying down their arms.
Today, once again, starting at 6am Moscow time, Ukrainian servicemen were asked to stop hostilities, lay down their weapons and withdraw along an agreed route to Kiev-controlled territory.
However, these proposals have been consistently ignored by the Kiev regime.
Given Kiev’s disinterest in saving the lives of its servicemen, Mariupol will be liberated from nationalists by units of the Russian Armed Forces and the Donetsk People’s Republic.