Dmitry Kiselev in the "News of the week" said:
“To “squeeze out” the Russians from Ukraine – this is a widely used term now – in addition to infantry, artillery and tanks are needed. Compositions with equipment – Paladin self-propelled guns and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles – were seen in the Riga region. They are being pulled to Poland, and from there to Ukraine. The tanks will come later."
Kiselev talks about some strange logistics: for some reason, American equipment is being transported (obviously by sea) to Latvia, from there through Lithuania to Poland, and then to Ukraine. What is the meaning of such a strange route, given that Poland has its own ports on the same Baltic Sea, is not clear.
But everything is explained very simply: the equipment that was seen in Latvia is not intended for Ukraine. On February 1, the Latvian TVNet portal actually published a video filmed at the Riga Central Station, through which a train with American military equipment passes. But the train is moving in an easterly direction – not towards Lithuania and Poland, but towards the border with Russia. TVNet explains what the technique is:
“Last Wednesday, the US cargo ship ARC Defender arrived in Riga, which, as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, delivered military equipment and equipment, including M109 self-propelled howitzers < modern modifications of the M109 are called Paladin. — The Insider >.
As noted by the National Armed Forces, the United States and Latvia have close military cooperation, which is expressed, among other things, in the constant presence of allies in Latvia.
The Atlantic Resolve operations demonstrate the ability of the United States, in cooperation with the host state, to quickly deploy equipment and personnel in Europe to respond to any threat.
Such an operation allows the US and Latvia to improve cooperation and the overall implementation of the objectives of the procedure.
It has already been reported that after Russia's annexation of Crimea in the spring of 2014 and aggression in eastern Ukraine, the United States launched a training operation Atlantic Resolve.
The purpose of the operation is to confirm the continued contribution of the United States to the collective security of NATO member countries, contributing to peace and stability in the Baltic countries and Poland. The operation is also deployed in Romania and Bulgaria.”
To the east of Riga are the US military base in Adazi and the air force base at the former Soviet military airfield Lielvarde. Last year, the creation of two more American bases was also announced – between Aizkraukle and Jekabpils and in the vicinity of Ludza near the Russian border. Apparently, a train with equipment was sent to one of these bases.
It remains unclear why Kiselyov needed this fake, because the NATO countries do not hide the fact that both Paladin and Bradley are supplied to Ukraine. Latvia also handed over 6 M109 howitzers to Ukraine, but this was back in August last year.
