The head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, on the air of the Russia 24 TV channel, announced the readiness of the armed forces of the self-proclaimed republic to respond to the aggression of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to him, the people's militia receives up-to-date intelligence information and conducts exercises.

“Yes, we are ready for aggressive actions on the part of Ukraine ... A number of exercises have been carried out, elements of coordination between relevant departments, joint actions between emergency services are being worked out, because no one can rule anything out,” RIA Novosti quoted Pushilin as saying.

The head of the DPR estimated the probability of a new large-scale aggravation in the Donbas at more than 60%.

On January 24, in a commentary to the hosts of the 60 Minutes program on the Rossiya 1 TV channel, Pushilin said that the intelligence of the republic had recorded activities indicating the preparation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the offensive.

In particular, he noted that a concentration of tanks and artillery systems was recorded, including multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) Smerch and Uragan.

Also, according to Pushilin, the appearance of military instructors from the United States and Great Britain at the line of contact causes concern in the DPR.

At the same time, as Pushilin emphasized, the people's militia of the republic has experience and means of countering potential military actions of the Ukrainian army.

At present, according to Donetsk, a 120,000-strong group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is deployed near the line of contact in Donbass.

"Inspires hotheads"

Earlier, the Deputy Head of the People's Militia Department of the DPR, Eduard Basurin, made a number of statements about the preparation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for offensive operations and the intensification of the activities of Ukrainian nationalist formations.

So, speaking to reporters on January 26, he said that measures were being taken in hospitals in the territory controlled by Kiev that would allow them to receive a large number of wounded soldiers.

At the same time, according to him, ammunition is being transported for the needs of the units deployed in the Donbass.

At the same time, Basurin noted that Kiev is experiencing a shortage of a certain kind of shells and is now trying to make up for their shortage through supplies from NATO countries.

  • American Javelin anti-tank systems in the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

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“In this regard, the Ukrainian political leadership is negotiating with NATO countries that have in storage old ammunition for Soviet-made artillery systems,” Basurin said.

On January 24, Basurin noted that Kiev was reinforcing advanced units and assault groups in the zone of operation of the combined forces.

According to him, DPR intelligence recorded the transfer of tank crews and artillery crews to the areas of Volnovakha, Andreevka and Dobropolye. 

In addition, according to Basurin, militants from nationalist formations, servicemen of the 3rd separate special forces regiment, trained under the guidance of British instructors, snipers from the 74th reconnaissance battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the special unit of the SBU "Alpha" were pulled into the Donbass.

Along with this, Western countries are trying to strengthen the Ukrainian troops with traditional types of lethal weapons.

According to the Ukrainian side, on January 25, about 300 American Javelin anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs) and 79 tons of other military equipment for the Ukrainian army were delivered to Boryspil airport.

Kiev said that on January 22, the United States sent 200,000 pounds (about 91 tons) of "military aid" to Kiev.

Its full range is not disclosed, but the US Embassy in Kiev specified that the cargo, among other things, included ammunition.

In the nearest plans of Washington to transfer to Ukraine five Mi-17 helicopters (modification of Mi-8) from the warehouses of the Pentagon.

Another source of "military assistance" to the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the UK.

In January, the Ukrainian army received a batch of NLAW (Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon) anti-tank grenade launchers from London. 

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, preparations for the use of British weapons have been launched at the 184th training center of the National Academy of the Ground Forces named after Hetman Petro Sahaydachny.

However, according to DPR intelligence data, the complexes have already been delivered to the JFO zone.

The authorities of Lithuania and Latvia declared their desire to provide Kiev with military support, including through the supply of weapons.

The issue of the transfer of weapons is also being considered by Warsaw.

Russia has repeatedly warned NATO member countries against supplying the Armed Forces with military equipment, including lethal weapons. 

“Together with the political and material support of Washington, neo-Nazis, in fact, receive carte blanche for provocations and holding power actions in the Donbass,” the Russian Embassy in Washington noted on January 26.

On January 24, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, expressed a similar point of view in a comment to journalists.

He noted that foreign military assistance is pushing Ukraine to use force in the Donbass.

The Kremlin spokesman believes that the threat of provocations from Kiev in the Donbass has become "higher than before."

“Indeed, each individual weapon, whether defensive or offensive, once again inspires the “hot heads” in Kiev to start this operation.

This cannot but worry us - we have been talking about this for a long time, ”Peskov said.

"It's Escalating"

In a conversation with RT, the head of the Center for Global Studies and International Relations of the IAMP Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vadim Kozyulin, admitted that the supply of foreign weapons could provoke Kiev into a military operation.

According to him, in the current situation, the leadership of Ukraine may have a deceptive idea that “one throw can solve the problem of Donbass.”

“We see that the situation around Ukraine is very tense, there is an escalation, and, as history shows, conflicts sometimes start because of someone’s stupidity, mistake, misunderstood command.

It may happen that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will launch an offensive.

In addition, Kiev feeds the confidence that the West will support it in one way or another,” says Kozyulin.

At the same time, the expert doubts that foreign military assistance can radically change the balance of power in the Donbass.

Kozyulin recalled that Western states refrain from transferring heavy weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

“There is enough revanchism in the special services and the political elite of Ukraine.

And military supplies from abroad only support these sentiments.

This weapon in a certain sense enhances the potential of the Ukrainian army, however, if you take a sober look at the range of supplies, then it is clearly not capable of bringing a truly tangible advantage to the region.

This is not artillery, not armored vehicles and not aircraft, ”Kozyulin explained.

In a RT commentary, a military observer, retired colonel Viktor Baranets noted that the basis of the lethal weapons received by the Armed Forces of Ukraine are anti-tank systems.

The expert called them "serious", but whimsical to use weapons.

“NLAW and Javelin require mastering and cannot be used in any weather.

Eastern European NATO members are also helping Ukraine, but mainly supplying old Soviet weapons.

Yes, all this does not radically increase the military power of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but the trend itself is certainly negative.

It can be described as pumping the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a variety of weapons,” Baranets said.

The expert believes that it is becoming harder for the militia to fend off the military actions of the Ukrainian army.

As a last resort, as Baranets noted, the DPR and LPR will mobilize to increase the number of people's militia formations.

“The Ukrainian troops that have accumulated near the line of contact are armed mainly with outdated weapons, but their numbers are large, this cannot be ignored.

In this situation, Moscow’s warnings about the inadmissibility of a new punitive operation by Kiev and the possibility of mobilizing a significant part of the population of Donbass to repulse Ukrainian troops can be called deterrents,” Baranets emphasized.