Update.
Lugansk is partially surrounded, and rebel lines are cut. Rebel leadership declares a counter-offensive, to unblock the city. I say partially because fighting seems to be continuing, and Ukrainian physical control is tenuous. However this is a definite success for government troops. The last attempt to surround Lugansk had failed with some losses. And the rebels ability for offensive operations seems to be quite limited. A brief push to the border, against relatively low resistance at Saur-Mogila took them forever.
Вахтенный журнал Ñтареющего пирата - Тем временем - Болотов...
Rebels are withdrawing from Lisichansk and Severo-Donetsk. A few units remain there, but they're under heavy government attack.
Сводка за первую половину Ð´Ð½Ñ 22 Ð¸ÑŽÐ»Ñ 2014 года
Íîâîñòè NEWSru.com :: Óêðàèíñêèå âîåííûå çàíÿëè êðóïíûé ïðîìûøëåííûé öåíòð â Ëóãàíñêîé îáëàñòè - ãîðîä Ñåâåðîäîíåöê
Dzerzhinsk has definitely fallen.
КрыÑа из нержавеющей Ñтали - Ðад ДзержинÑком поднÑли украинÑкий флаг
A group of 75 Ukrainian soldiers from the 79th Airmobile Bde managed to escape from the southern maneuver element positions, surrounded by the rebels. They brought out many wounded. The officer leading them did not have orders to do so, and acted on his own initiative.
ÐиколаевÑкие деÑантники прорвали оцепление и вывезли Ñ‚Ñжелораненых в тыл
Meanwhile the rebels have completed encirclement of the government forces, and have reached the Russian border at Kozhevnaya and Chervona Zarya. In the video you can see rebel armor, and mortars. Note the improvised rebel gun trucks.
The last link is the location of the video.
Вахтенный журнал Ñтареющего пирата - Таки "котёл"?..
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKe-uuuA87Y"]25-Ñ Ð°ÑÑ€Ð¾Ð¼Ð¾Ð±Ð¸Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð°Ñ Ð±Ñ€Ð¸Ð³Ð°Ð´Ð° оказалаÑÑŒ зажата отрÑдами защитников ДÐÐ - YouTube[/nomedia]
https://www.google.com/maps/place/K...2!3m1!1s0x40e1af558385c441:0xac3ed92d71dacfe2
A brief interview with rebels, near the Russian border, the ones responsible for cutting off maneuver element south. The describe government use of heavy arty against population points like the village they're in. They also say they're up against a professional army.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suXejksS4wY"]Ополченцы окружили Ñиловиков, отличившихÑÑ Ð¿Ð¾Ð´ СлавÑнÑком - YouTube[/nomedia]
Photos of rebels.
Вахтенный журнал Ñтареющего пирата - Донецк. Ополчение...
Rebel T-64BV in Donetsk.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iedf1ABRBhM"]Battalion Vostok Tank in Donetsk (21.07.14) - YouTube[/nomedia]
Rebel arty column, with 3 guns towed by 3 MT-LBs. Looks like a standard arty platoon.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nF6tPmQH_0"]ДÐÐ . Донецк. Бронетехника и Ñ‚ÑÐ¶ÐµÐ»Ð°Ñ Ð°Ñ€Ñ‚Ð¸Ð»Ð»ÐµÑ€Ð¸Ñ ÐµÐ´ÑƒÑ‚ защищать город. 21.07.2014 / DPR - YouTube[/nomedia]
Government troops found a rebel IMR-2 abandoned by the rebels. And some videos of government forces moving into Dzerzhinsk.
jerry24_it:
Ukraine is declaring another partial mobilization, to replace casualties and some of the personnel that's been in the conflict zone too long.
Ð”ÐµÐ½Ð¸Ñ ÐœÐ¾ÐºÑ€ÑƒÑˆÐ¸Ð½ - Мобилизаци на Украине
Ukrainian Finance Minister said that a month of the war costs 130 mln dollars. That's roughly 4.3 mln per day. That's up from 3 mln, but still extremely low. Part of the reason for the low cost is the tiny pay and horrible food the soldiers get. Another part is the relatively high reliance on Soviet era stockpiles which don't cost money.
Russia promises to pressure the rebels for a full investigation of the shoot down.
Íîâîñòè NEWSru.com :: Ïóòèí: ÐÔ áóäåò âîçäåéñòâîâàòü íà ñåïàðàòèñòîâ, ðîññèéñêèå âëàñòè ñîáèðàþòñÿ áîðîòüñÿ ñ ðàäèêàëèçìîì
Eyewitness reports say that at the time of the Boeing shoot down they observed two missile launches at what looked like a jet fighter.
Personal speculation: could they have been firing at a military jet, but accidentally re-acquired a different target (the Boeing)?
jerry24_it:
