(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 294: Russia continues using terrorism as a legal framework for repression [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2022-12-13 Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated that #Ukraine intends to continue counter-offensives in winter 2022–2023 after the hard freeze enables maneuver warfare. 85% of Ukrainians believe victory in war with Russia requires liberating all territories, including Crimea and Donbas. "Russian efforts around #Bakhmut indicate that Russian forces have fundamentally failed to learn from previous high-casualty campaigns concentrated on objectives of limited operational or strategic significance." Russia continues to use concepts of terrorism as a legal framework for domestic repression. Independent Russian outlet Meduza noted on December 13 that Russia has been expanding the concept of terrorism under Russian legislation over the course of the last two decades, and as recently as December of this year the State Duma proposed new amendments to the Russian Criminal Code that equate sabotage with an act of terrorism.[20] Meduza amplified an investigation by another independent Russian outlet, Novaya Gazeta, that noted that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has transitioned from focusing on defining Islamist militant activity in the Caucasus as terrorism to orienting terrorism around the concept of Ukrainian "saboteurs."[21] FSB Head Alexander Bortnikov relatedly claimed on December 13 that there has been an increase in "terrorist" activity within Russia in 2022, which he related to Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) supposedly operating with Western support.[22] Russian authorities seem to be weaponizing the backdrop of the war in Ukraine to justify expansions of terrorism legislation under the guise of protecting domestic security. Such measures likely afford Russian security authorities greater latitude in cracking down on domestic dissent. As ISW has previously reported, Russian authorities have taken similar steps to use legal frameworks to broadly define individuals and actions as dangerous to Russian security and have recently proposed new bills on expanding the definition of "foreign agents" and the punishment for crimes considered to be sabotage.[23] BBC Russian’s ongoing project counting Russia’s war dead in Ukraine has now reached over 10,000 confirmed names. These include over 400 newly mobilised recruits, and 95 serving prisoners. The new death toll also includes nine more fighter pilots and four more special forces officers. Krasnodar is now the region to have suffered the highest losses, followed by Dagestan and Buryatia. Since the start of the war, BBC Russian, has been working with the media outlet ‘Mediazona’ and a team of volunteers, to keep a count of Russian casualties in Ukraine. As of December 9th, we have been able to confirm the details of 10,002 dead soldiers and officers. We include only reported deaths that we have been able to confirm, so the collected data does not necessarily reflect the full extent of the casualties. We think that our list, at a lower estimate, contains 40-60% fewer names than the actual number of soldiers that have been buried in Russia. We came to this conclusion having studied monuments, memorial plaques, and cemetery records in over 60 Russian settlements. Consequently, at a conservative estimate, Russian army and national guard casualties may be over 20,000 people. More generally, Russian losses (including deaths and anyone missing or out of action because of injury) may be conservatively estimated to be at 90,000 people. bbcrussian.substack.com/... x In Balashikha, the Stroypark shopping center Russia is on fire pic.twitter.com/Nj3RfE5zzF — Xx1796579NLD (@xx17965797NLD) December 13, 2022 BALASHIKHA, Russia, Dec 12 (Reuters) - A shopping centre in the Moscow region was damaged in a major fire on Monday, emergency services said, the second such blaze in less than a week. Pictures published on Telegram by Russia's emergencies ministry showed that the fire at a construction supplies hypermarket in Balashikha, a satellite town of 500,000 people on the outskirts of the Russian capital, had caused part of the roof to collapse, with smoke billowing into the air. www.reuters.com/... x Practical advice for Russian soldiers from the Ukrainian leadership. There's also the surrender hotline. Russian troop leaders should put that number on speed-dial. https://t.co/wdvbNE1CwH — Michael Kies (@SpockNC) September 30, 2022 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that from now on, Russian servicemen can surrender with the help of Ukrainian drones and published a step-by-step video instruction on how to do this. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram Quote from the General Staff: "Instructions for military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces on how to safely surrender." Details: The video was recorded in Russian so that the invaders could understand. It is reported the decision to use drones was made to make capture safer. www.pravda.com.ua/... As Russia continues to hurl what is left of its offensive power at entrenched Ukrainian positions in and around the city, experts have wondered whether the losses in manpower and equipment will match the potential prize. "We are scratching our heads," a Western official told AFP this week when asked about Russia's focus on Bakhmut. "We don't know the answer." With Ukrainian forces pressing forward with counter-offensives, Russian troops have largely dug in along the meandering front in an effort to hold the line as winter weather sets in. Bakhmut, however, remains one of the few areas where the Kremlin's forces have fought to advance. To gain control of the city, Russia is believed to have relied on mercenaries, prison conscripts, and newly mobilised soldiers to send waves of attacks against Ukrainian positions, resulting in brutal trench warfare and artillery battles that have flattened large portions of the city and its surroundings. The assault follows a well-worn pattern eked out by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, where cities are pummelled under withering assaults at great cost until the Ukrainian military retreats. www.france24.com/... x Ukrainian Bm-21 Grad outside of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast pic.twitter.com/JyKVCVEUx6 — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) December 12, 2022 x It’s debatable whether the issue is that RU mil hasn’t learned from the April-June attrition grind in the Donbas, or more likely that Putin has Donetsk as a core objective, and won’t allow Surovikin to pursue a defense focused strategy even though ammo conservation is a priority. — Michael Kofman (@KofmanMichael) December 12, 2022 Russian Subordinate Main Effort—Donetsk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas) Russian sources claimed that Russian troops made marginal advances within Bakhmut on December 13. A Russian milblogger reported that Wagner Group forces broke through Ukrainian defensive lines in the eastern part of Bakhmut and established full control of the Bakhmut Champagne Winery and "Siniat" enterprise.[31] Russian milbloggers also claimed that Russian troops are advancing down several streets in the southeastern and eastern sectors of Bakhmut.[32] The Ukrainian General Staff noted that Ukrainian troops are continuing to repel Russian assaults northeast of Bakhmut near Verkhnokamianske, Soledar, Yakovlivka, and Bakhmutske and south of Bakhmut near Klishchiivka, Kurdiumivka, and Mayorsk.[33] A Russian milblogger claimed that Russian troops have established control of 90% of Opytne, 3km south of Bakhmut.[34] Russian sources continue to emphasize heavy Ukrainian losses and claim that Ukrainian troops are rotating or entirely withdrawing from parts of Bakhmut.[35] Russian forces continued ground assaults in the Avdiivka-Donetsk City area on December 13. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops unsuccessfully attacked in the areas of Avdiivka and Marinka (on the southwestern outskirts of Donetsk City).[36] The Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) 11th Regiment posted footage of strikes on Ukrainian positions reportedly in Pervomaiske (10km southwest of Avdiivka), and a Russian milblogger claimed that the 11th Regiment and "Somalia" battalion are active in repelling Ukrainian counterattacks near Pervomaiske.[37] Russian sources additionally claimed that Russian troops have taken control of the road that runs from Marinka to Krasnohorivka (5km north of Marinka), which they highlighted as a major blow for the Ukrainian grouping on the southwestern outskirts of Donetsk City.[38] Geolocated footage shows that Ukrainian forces have retaken positions east of Druzhby Prospekt in central Marinka, suggesting that ground in Marinka’s city center is constantly contested.[39] Russian sources continued to claim that Ukrainian forces are conducting limited counterattacks in the face of Russian advances southwest of Donetsk City in the Vuhledar area.[40] www.understandingwar.org/... x First video of Russian Tor-M2DT at r defense system reportedly in Ukraine. Interestingly, the post says this is a Southern Military District unit. Tor-M2DT we’re designed for Arctic units. https://t.co/VvytSpphQr pic.twitter.com/5J7MgLjPKI — Rob Lee (@RALee85) December 13, 2022 Eastern Ukraine: (Eastern Kharkiv Oblast-Western Luhansk Oblast) Russian forces continued limited counterattacks to regain positions northwest of Svatove on December 13. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops unsuccessfully attacked toward Novoselivske and Stelmakhivka, both about 15km northwest of Svatove.[24] A Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian troops northwest of Svatove are reinforcing positions in preparation for an anticipated Russian offensive in the area.[25] Russian forces reportedly struck Kupyansk (45km northwest of Svatove) with S-300 surface-to-air missiles.[26] Russian forces conducted limited counterattacks west of Kreminna in order to regain lost positions along the Svatove-Kreminna line on December 13. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Ukrainian troops repelled Russian attacks near Novoyehorivka (35km northwest of Kreminna), Makiivka (22km northwest of Kreminna), Chervonopopivka (5km north of Kreminna), and Bilohorivka (10km south of Kreminna).[27] A Russian milblogger warned that Ukrainian forces are massing for a new offensive along the Svatove-Kreminna line and concentrating manpower and equipment in this area.[28] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Ukrainian forces west of Kreminna conducted unsuccessful ground attacks near Terny and Yampolivka.[29] Another Russian source claimed that Russian troops are trying to push Ukrainian detachments back across the Zherebets River, also west of Kreminna.[30] www.understandingwar.org/... Likely Ukrainian actors downed a bridge in Melitopol, Zaporizhia Oblast amid increased reports of Ukrainian strikes against Russian military assets near Melitopol within the past few days. Images from December 13 show significant damage and fallen spans of the M14/E58 bridge across the Molochna River in Melitopol (roughly 100km behind the front lines), and Russian occupation officials claimed that Ukrainian "saboteurs" detonated 15-20kg of explosives to down the bridge overnight.[45] Zaporizhia Oblast occupation officials claimed that Russian authorities will erect a temporary bypass bridge within two weeks and publicized alternate routes for ground transportation.[46] Russian officials claimed that the bridge attack did not affect Russian logistics routes between Melitopol and Crimea, but some milbloggers claimed otherwise and criticized occupation officials for not guarding the bridge.[47] The Ukrainian General Staff reported on December 13 that Ukrainian strikes destroyed the command post of the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army in Melitopol, and further strikes against Enerhodar, Tokmak, and Hulyaipole cumulatively wounded 150 personnel and destroyed three artillery installations and 10 pieces of equipment.[48] A Russian milblogger noted that ongoing Ukrainian strikes against rear areas in Zaporizhia Oblast resemble the Ukrainian strategy in advance of the Kherson counteroffensive, and cautioned Russian forces to learn from military failures in Kherson Oblast.[49] www.understandingwar.org/... Activity in Russian-occupied Areas (Russian objective: consolidate administrative control of and annexed areas; forcibly integrate Ukrainian civilians into Russian sociocultural, economic, military, and governance systems) Ukrainian partisans conducted an assassination attempt against a Russian occupation official on December 12. The Ukrainian Resistance Center reported that Ukrainian partisans conducted an improvised explosive device (IED) attack against Kherson Oblast occupation Deputy Head Vitaly Bulyuk in his car in Skadovsk, Kherson Oblast, killing the car’s driver and injuring Bulyuk.[74] Kherson Oblast occupation head Vladimir Saldo condemned the assassination attempt, claiming that "Ukrainian terrorists" committed the attack.[75] Saldo stated that Bulyuk’s resulting injuries are not life-threatening.[76] www.understandingwar.org/... x Russians may have shelled Kherson with cluster munitions after fleeing city / The New Voice of Ukraine https://t.co/BU5TRcXLpK #Ukraine #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineUnderAttack #UkraineWarNews — Sue Stone (standing with 🇺🇦) (@knittingknots) December 13, 2022 x ISR and Tanker support around the Ukrainian theater RAF KC2 RRR9912 Italian Air Force G550 CAEW PERSEO71 USAF E-8C JSTARS REDEYE6 US Navy P-8A Poseidon NATO E-3A Sentry NATO11 pic.twitter.com/ktZCEq11ZN — Zaes (@ZaesADSB) December 13, 2022 x Russian residents report explosions/strike in Klimovo, Klintsy in the direction of military bases Approximately 14 and 48 km from border with Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/LqKNcDF1OV — Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) December 12, 2022 x ℹ️ 🇧🇾‼️A large echelon with the equipment of the 103rd Vitebsk brigade is heading in the direction of the Brest region of Belarus right now, - reports the Belarusian Gayun monitoring group.#UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineWar #NAFOfellas pic.twitter.com/LrT8Wyg7Ll — Ukraine War Now ✙ (@uarealitynow) December 13, 2022 Belarusian forces remain unlikely to attack Ukraine despite a snap Belarusian military readiness check on December 13. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered a snap comprehensive readiness check of the Belarusian military on December 13. The exercise does not appear to be cover for concentrating Belarusian and/or Russian forces near jumping-off positions for an invasion of Ukraine. It involves Belarusian elements deploying to training grounds across Belarus, conducting engineering tasks, and practicing crossing the Neman and Berezina rivers (which are over 170 km and 70 km away from the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, respectively).[1] Social media footage posted on December 13 showed a column of likely Belarusian infantry fighting vehicles and trucks reportedly moving from Kolodishchi (just east of Minsk) toward Hatava (6km south of Minsk).[2] Belarusian forces reportedly deployed 25 BTR-80s and 30 trucks with personnel toward Malaryta, Brest (about 15 km from Ukraine) on December 13.[3] Russian T-80 tanks reportedly deployed from the Obuz-Lesnovsky Training Ground in Brest, Belarus, to the Brest Training Ground also in Brest (about 30 km from the Belarusian-Ukrainian Border) around December 12.[4] Russia reportedly deployed three MiG-31K interceptors to the Belarusian airfield in Machulishchy on December 13.[5] These deployments are likely part of ongoing Russian information operations suggesting that Belarusian conventional ground forces might join Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.[6] ISW has written at length about why Belarus is extraordinarily unlikely to invade Ukraine in the foreseeable future.[7] www.understandingwar.org/... x APCs, mortars, reconnaissance vehicles, trucks: the first units of the Belarusian Armed Forces left their permanent deployment points to carry out the tasks of a sudden inspection of combat readiness, which was announced this morning:https://t.co/f9TQeKOpzm pic.twitter.com/0ZQudxwUOm — Belarusian Hajun project (@MotolkoHelp) December 13, 2022 x Moscow told India it will help it get use of large tankers to avoid the price cap put on Russian oil, as well as access to insurance and shipping.https://t.co/60mLTLkBMZ — Asia Financial (@Asia_Financial) December 14, 2022 x Daily report for 13 December, 2022 (UTC) 6 tankers sailed from Russian ports. 340,000 tons of crude oil 110,000 tons of oil products Destinations: 🇧🇬 2 🇪🇸 1 🇫🇷 1 🇮🇳 1 🇳🇱 1#russianoil #osint #sanctions — RussianOilTracker (@RuOilTracker) December 14, 2022 x "It is high time that Western powers wake up to the threat that #Russia’s meddling in the Balkans poses to their interests. Here, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And they have several options at their disposal." https://t.co/RUBkGY4Yna — Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 13, 2022 x I wonder if Professor Sachs has ever watched any of Solovyov's shows? Or had a Russian-speaking RA do so for him? If he did, he would be embarrassed to be on with him. Or ... well ... he should be embarrassed. Tragic to watch. https://t.co/t0KMUabqUH — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) December 14, 2022 [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/13/2141640/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-294-Russia-continues-using-terrorism-as-a-legal-framework-for-repression Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/