Experts discover new evidence of presence of Russian military hardware in Donbas

Their conclusions are presented in the article.

“While Russia has decreased the number of active duty servicemen and heavy weaponry sent to eastern Ukraine, it has maintained — if not increased — both the quantity and quality of non-lethal equipment, along with continuing to provide the necessary personnel with technical knowledge of these systems, such as electronic warfare specialists,” the article reads.

In particular, it is told about Auriga-1.2V satellite communications system (it went into production in 2014 and was detected in Syria in 2016) and Barrier-T battlefield communications system. Photos of these systems were posted on social networks. Having analyzed them, the experts came to the conclusion that the pictures had been taken in the Donetsk suburb of Makiivka, the territory controlled by the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic”, in the spring or summer of 2017.

These systems, in addition to more kinetic Russian assistance, significantly enhance Russian-led separatist fighting capabilities through support mechanisms such as psychological operations via signal interception, reconnaissance, and enhanced communications, the report reads.

Although the experts cannot name the exact time when the systems were used, it is clear to them that the Russian-led separatist forces continue to heavily rely on Russian military resources and expertise.

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