Isw: “He responded with a degree of panic and bias similar to what he tends to display when experiencing significant information shocks.” Intelligence GB: “Moscow will claim to be a victim of war”
“Russian news has responded with a degree of panic, bias and inconsistency similar to what it tends to display when it experiences significant information shocks.” This was written by the Institute for the study of war (Isw), commenting on yesterday’s events in Belgorod and focusing in particular on the way in which the news of the incursion into the Russian region by pro-Ukrainian Russian saboteurs was communicated.
“Some pro-war bloggers – write analysts of the US think tank – focused on the fact that the pro-Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Legion of Freedom of Russia (LSR) – which yesterday conducted a raid on the Belgorod oblast – consist mainly of Russians, called them traitors to Russia, unfoundedly accusing them of working for Ukrainian Intelligence (GUR). Other bloggers suggested that the attack was a targeted intelligence operation, aimed at divert attention from Russia’s recent capture of Bakhmut and sow panic in the Russian information space ahead of a possible Ukrainian counter-offensive.”
“Former Russian officer and ultranationalist Igor Girkin noted that he had long warned that such cross-border raids could be part of a larger Ukrainian counter-offensive strategy. Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin used the incident to blame the Russian government and his bureaucratic inaction for facilitating the attack. Prigozhin criticized the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for its failure to enforce Russian borders and protect Russia.”
GB: “MOSCOW WILL CLAIM TO BE A VICTIMY OF THE WAR”
British intelligence, commenting on yesterday’s attack on Belgorod, wrote on Twitter that “Russia is facing an increasingly serious security threat in its border regions, with losses of fighter planes, attacks with improvised explosive devices on the railways and now direct partisan actions. Russia will almost certainly use these incidents to bolster the official story that it is a victim of war.”
“Between 19 and 22 May 2023, Russian security forces most likely clashed with partisans in at least three locations within Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, close to the Ukrainian border,” the Defense Ministry said in London. The identity of the partisans remains unconfirmed, but Russian anti-regime groups have claimed responsibility.”
“The most serious incident occurred near the city of Grayvoron – he writes again – In addition to the firefights with small arms, there has been an increase in drone attacks or indirect fire in the vicinity of the incidents. Russia has evacuated several villages and has deployed additional security forces in the area.”
Source-www.adnkronos.com