Another big question now is whether #Russian military forces that are deployed by Putin to separatist-controlled #Donbas would fire or come under fire from #Ukraine forces. This can lead to armed Ukraine-Russia conflict in #Donbass & other parts of Ukraine #UkraineRussiaCrisis
My article shows that Russian military forces were covertly deployed in support of #Donbas separatists in Aug 2014 & Feb 2015. #Russian military then fought, encircled & defeated #Ukrainian forces & far-right led units during Ilovaisk & Debaltsevo battles.
researchgate.net/publication/29…
researchgate.net/publication/29…
Far right organizations & their volunteer battalions & paramilitary units "had a significant role in the civil war in Donbas but a comparably minor role in fighting with several regular Russian military units during direct military interventions by Russia" researchgate.net/publication/30…
Deployment of Russian military forces in separatist-controlled #Donbas also poses challenge to propaganda by #Ukrainian & Western governments & much of media that #Russia & #Russian regular military forces already wage war with #Ukraine in #Donbass for 8 years #UkraineConflict
Satellite photos & videos of deployment of #Russian troops near #Ukraine & in #Crimea, Western intelligence reports, Biden statement & UK Defense Ministry map confirmed my study findings that there were no significant #Russian regular military units in #Donbas since 2015. #Russia
#Ukraine president #Zelenskyy in his video statement suggests that deployment of #Russian regular forces to separatist-controlled #Donbas is not such big deal, because, as he falsely claims, there were already regular Russian troops in #Donbass for 8 years
My analysis shows that 95% of about 1,000 POWs, who were exchanged to #Donbas separatists & Russia in 2014-19, were Ukrainian citizens, 1.5% Russian military members & 3.5% Russian volunteers and mercenaries. Russian POWs were mostly taken during Russian intervention in Aug 2014.
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