Updates From Ukraine (15-Feb-2022)

Updates:

Large-Scale Cyber Attack On Ukrainian Banks And Defense Website Currently Underway -Ukrainian media reports say there are issues with some Ukrainian banks, in addition with the Defense Ministry site being down. Privat and Oschad apps are not working and people can't pay with their cards.Ukrainian Ministry of Defense website is currently down. None of the members in our intel channel can open it. When I finally was able to get in, the site was not operational but a message displayed about the site being under maintenance. The time it took for the page to load indicated a DDOS attack on the server.

The fact that the Ukrainian banks and Defense Ministry site would not be hosted on the same server indicates it's a large-scale attack hitting a number of Ukrainian servers. DDOS attack suspected. 

Russian State News Says LPR Prevented Terrorist Attack In Luhansk - Russian State news TASS claimed that the LPR prevented a terrorist attack in Luhansk. TASS said the department announced 'possible' involvement in the attempted attack of 'sabotage'. Remember to always read Russian state news with a grain of salt. The report may be part of Russia's pretext for justifying an invasion on Ukraine.

"The Ministry of State Security of the LPR has reason to believe that the detonation of an improvised explosive device should have been carried out during a rally dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of combatants who performed their duty outside the Fatherland, which was scheduled for 10:00 on February 15" the statement allegedly said.

U.S. Embassy In Kyiv Says Duma Vote Another Attempt To Violate Ukraine's Sovereignty And Violates Minsk Agreements - The United States Embassy in Kyiv says "Today’s Duma vote on the “LPR/DPR” is yet another odious attempt to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and a clear violation of the Minsk agreements, which commit signatories to reintegrate these regions. We Stand With Ukraine". 

Russian State Duma Passes Resolution Appealing To Putin To Recognize Independence Of DNR and LNR - Russian State Duma reportedly passed resolution appealing to Putin to recognize independence of the DNR and LNR (Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republic), the pro-Russian separatist regions of eastern Ukraine known as Donbass. Resolution is now set to be passed on to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine: Russia's Recognition Of So Called L/DPR Will Cause Blow To Politco-Diplomatic Settlement - Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs put out a statement saying "Russia's recognition of the so-called "L/DPR" will be tantamount to its deliberate withdrawal from the Minsk Agreements. Such a move will cause a blow to the politico-diplomatic settlement that Ukraine and its partners have been actively engaged to promote".

Ukraine Says They Don't Believe What They Hear, But What They See - Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba says regarding statements of withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border, they have a rule that they don't believe what they hear, they believe what they see, and that if a real withdrawal follows Russia's statements of withdrawal then they believe in the beginning of a real de-escalation. 

"On Russian statements regarding withdrawal of some forces from the Ukrainian border. We in Ukraine have a rule: we don’t believe what we hear, we believe what we see. If a real withdrawal follows these statements, we will believe in the beginning of a real de-escalation".

Russian Defense Ministry Says Troops Are Withdrawing - The Russian Defense Ministry says that they are withdrawing troops and have shown video footage of tanks moving back to their bases. They say Southern and Western Military District troops have completed their exercises and will return to their permanent bases. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense put out the following statement "February 15, 200 will go into history as the day western war propaganda failed. They have been disgraced and destroyed without a single shot being fired".

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