Junta’s troops have to leave completely from DNR and LNR territories

The deputy minister of State Security of DNR Leonid Baranov answers the questions of the Internet portal «The world and we» about how the Ukrainian junta uses the armistice for preparation of new approach and increases the production of armoured machinery for this purpose.

— Do the Ukrainian troops keep so called armistice at least to some extent or is it the formality in a greater degree?

The armistice is really formality because the military operations proceed on the main directions, attacks of Donetsk were conducted and conduct till now, the airport is still not under our control and it is almost the downtown. Besides in Kharkov and Lviv the plants which are letting out armoured machinery work at full capacity on repair and production of tanks. It testifies to preparation of big attack because of which there will be many victims. But if the correct strategy would be built, we won’t allow them.

In my opinion, we released the enemy and gave them chance to rearrange. The attack was successful, we already took the South side, the city of Mariupol was surrounded. The panic began in the ranks of the Ukrainian army. All command structure ran from Mariupol. 3−5 days of attack more and it would be in other cities of the republic. But the decision on armistice was made for some reason. In my opinion, it was necessary to crush them because there is no any trust to the Ukrainian party.

— Thus, the Ukrainian party uses an armistice for concentration of forces, equipment and means for implementation of further attack?

As for troop withdrawal — 15 km for «Grad» are about 15 minutes of driving. And the Ukrainian equipment in the shortest time can take the same positions as had before. All leaders of DNR and LNR perfectly understand it. Until the Ukrainian troops overstep the bounds of the Donetsk and Lugansk national republics, I don’t see sense in any armistice. How I have to explain to inhabitants of my republic that Donetsk is our and Mariupo not?! It wasn’t such and can’t be. Or when, for example, the things of our republic’s citizens are turned inside out in Volnovakha, they are searched and threaten. Volnovakha is less than in 40 km from Donetsk. Directly beyond Gorlovka there is a post of the Ukrainian army. It is impossible to be reconciled with it. It is impossible to speak about an armistice until they overstep completely the bounds of our republic.

— In your opinion, when the renewal of the Ukrainian army attack is possible?

Now there is a full reformatting of junta forces. Firstly, more or less efficient troops gather, secondly there is a repair and production of tanks and armoured machinery. And receipt of new armoured machinery will represent an obvious problem. Such tank as «Oplot» is quite good tank, it is the analog of t-90. It would be extremely dangerous for us to allow them to make these tanks in large quantities.

— Some commanders of punitive battalions in connection with their withdrawal from anti-terrorist operation zone declare that are going to transfer the activity to the territory of the Russian Federation where they plan to carry out numerous acts of terrorism. What do you think of such statements?

These so-called commanders want too much. The Russian part and their intelligence services work well unlike the Ukrainian. Therefore it is one matter to want and really to carry out is another. Therefore in this case they give out what they wish.