Ukraine and Russia strengthen positions on Crimean border

The Ukrainian army continues to strengthen its positions on the Crimean section of the border with Russia, a correspondent of Kryminform news agency reports from Chongar Isthmus that connects the Crimea to the mainland.

"The work is in full swing, the Ukrainian military are rapidly digging trenches. Earlier, there were separate firing points in these places, slightly buried into the ground and lined with sandbags. Now it's full profile trenches that go in continuous lines of 100-200 meters, one after another," said the correspondent. According to him, from Chongar, there are at least four lines of trenches going into the Ukrainian territory, ITAR-TASS reports.

"On the positions, there are five disguised infantry fighting vehicles and at least two T-64 tanks. This is what can be observed on the narrow band extending from the checkpoint from "Chongar" in the direction of railway stations of Sivash and Novoalekseevka. The station of Sivash was reequipped into a strongpoint. The building of the station was protected with sandbags, and the neighborhood is also prepared for defense," said the reporter.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Russia was redeploying military hardware to the Crimea. This might be an explanation to long lines at Kerch ferry. This was reported by the United Transport Directorate of the Crimea, which is the only operator of the ferry.

• Ukraine reportedly moves heavy military equipment to the border with the Crimea as well. The rumors about the movement of Russian military equipment to the Crimea appeared amid speculation that the columns of Ukrainian military men, "Grad" rocket launchers and anti-aircraft missile systems "Wasp" ("Osa") were moving towards the border with the peninsula.

The redeployment of heavy weaponry was reportedly seen in the village of Strelkovoe of the Kherson region of Ukraine that borders on the Crimea. APCs, "Wasp" anti-aircraft systems, and Grad multiple launch rocket systems are reportedly moving to the border with the peninsula, LifeNews reports with reference to an unnamed source in the administration of the aforementioned district.

• Noteworthy, the new Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Valery Geletey, immediately after his appointment on July 3 promised to "restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine" and to hold a "victory parade in the Ukrainian Sevastopol."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in response that he would not advise anyone to attack the Russian territory of the Crimea and Sevastopol. "We have a doctrine of national security, and it very clearly prescribes the actions that will be taken in this case," Lavrov stated at a press conference in Moscow on July 9th....................http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/conflicts/11-07-2014/128023-ukraine_russia_crimean_border-0/
11/7/14
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