Nice, had no idea. Honestly thought Double must have nailed it while I was with the beyond with about 50 bullet holes through my torso.
Signature updated.
Operation Chimera - complete
- Thread starter DoubleD
- Start date
Nice, had no idea. Honestly thought Double must have nailed it while I was with the beyond with about 50 bullet holes through my torso.
Signature updated.
Global update
PEACE TALKS COLLAPSE AS RUSSIAN FORCES CROSS INTO LATVIA
Forces from the 4th Guards Tank Division have been reported crossing into Latvia in support of pro-Russian separatist forces. The Latvian government has stated that Russian armoured forces engaged a government defensive force, destroying a transport helicopter killing 7 government troops.
German government officials have left the peace talks which are currently taking place in Prague stating ‘The leadership of the Russia Federation must recognise that this unprecedented act of aggression during UN attempts to negotiate a peaceful solution to the escalating situation in Estonia is unacceptable. The government and the people of Germany are committed to NATO and we can no longer stand by and allow other NATO member states to bear the responsibility of protecting Europe alone.’
There are continuing reports of the mobilisation of German and Polish heavy ground forces whilst elements of the British 7th Armoured Division, the Desert Rats, have been transported to ports on the south coast of the UK.
Global update
TASK FORCE 49 SECURES COASTAL ISLANDS
Colonel James W. Forsyth informed the world’s media that Task Force 49 had secured the islands of Hiivmaa and Saaremaa. In a statement issued at 14:30 hours local time the Colonel spoke of the heroism of US and UK ground troops and their dedication as they battled Russian counter parts for control of both the air and ground on the coastal Estonian islands. The 9 week battle to secure the islands has been tough, with troop loses at their highest level since World War II. The islands had been defended by the 76th Guards Air Assault Division, a Russian Federation elite airborne force however the task force has been able to push the Russian troops off the island.
The key question is what’s next? Will the joint task force now move to the Estonian mainland where a much larger Russian force is entrenched, or will the German and Polish forces move north, through Lithuania and engage the Russian troops currently moving towards Riga in Latvia. Today no one has mentioned the specter of nuclear weapons, however with the US, UK and Russian military all having such devastating weapons at their disposal what happens next?
A Russian representative was not available to comment at this time.
12th April, Day 77
Ordered into Lativa to seize electronic equipment, Osprey move fast to ensure success. Under the command of Ithikial the seven strong team engage pro-Russian separatists in the cold Spring of Lativa in April.
This is that mission.
NASOE Update
SO Force Osprey has reported securing a laptop computer at the location west of Odeziena. The location was held by a pro-Russian separatist force of approximately 20. Deadly force was used to secure the electronic equipment.
At 15:34 on Monday the 13th, approximately 24 hours after the team extracted from the immediate combat location, a text message report from Osprey stated that they had attempted to cross into Lithuania close to the border town of Nereta however local Militia forces had prevented their crossing. Currently the team are held up in a small village in the Aklais Purvs national park.
Via the NATO Military Intelligence community NASOE CCC have located an agent of Militärischer Abschirmdienst (MAD) stationed close to the town of Laudona. NASOE forces are currently identifying an extraction plan for our SO force and will provide details to the MAD agent.
Global Update
BREAKING NEWS…… GERMAN AND POLISH MILITARY FORCES CROSS LITHUANIAN BORDER
In an unprecedented move forces from the German 10th Panzer Division (Bundeswehr) and the Polish 11th Armoured Cavalry Division crossed the Polish border into Lithuania at the small border crossing of Sadzawki. The joint force is reported to be moving north, through Lithuania, towards the Lithuanian / Latvian border. The main E67 highway running south to north is reported to be closed to the public as the military forces transport their heavy armoured equipment through the country.
The Lithuanian government have issued a statement ‘As a member state of NATO and an ally of the rightful government of Estonia we have agreed to the Polish and German forces using Lithuania as a staging post to secure the northern borders of our own country and supporting the Estonian military against the aggression of the Federation of Russia.
Feelings across the country are mixed, with locals to the north breathing a sigh of relief hoping that the NATO force will act as a barrier to the conflict in Latvia, whilst some senior citizens and pro-Russian groups talk of German invasion and display Swastikas.
Further north in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga the joint US & UK Task Force, under the command of Colonel James Forsyth, 7th Cavalry, remain stationed on the Estonian islands of Saaremaa and Hiivama. Russian forces have made no attempt to retake the coastal islands however it is understood armoured forces continue to head west towards the coast.
With further NATO states now appearing to join the conflict there is grave concern across the UN that the situation may quickly escalate. Neither Putin nor the heads of state of the NATO countries seem to be willing to back down.
What next…. insights from military historian and analyst Professor Richard Gabriel of Saint Anselm College
Estonia is a coastal country flanked by the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. Its southern border is with Latvia and it’s eastern, Russia. As NATO amasses forces in the coastal islands to the west and on the countries southern borders it would appear that NATO has the upper hand, especially as much of the eastern border is split by Lake Pskov. The advantage the Russian military has is that Estonia is on its own borders. This allows it to move men and machinery very quickly and it is believed that the Russian force may be as much as 60,000 strong. The Russian military also has a lot of heavy armour, far outweighing what the NATO forces have available. Whilst historically NATO tanks and equipment were far superior to Russian, the gap today is not so large. What is not known is what that gap looks like on a real battlefield.
Polish and German forces appear to be moving north through Lithuania on the E67. This is one of the main highways on the western side of the Baltic States, running along the coast of Latvia and Estonia all the way to the northern Estonian city of Tallinn. It is likely that this will be a key objective for NATO forces, with Task Force 49 ideally positioned to strike directly for this arterial road. The coming weeks, both politically and militarily, will be key to what happens in this drastically spiralling conflict.
26th April, day 91
With a laptop secure the team are given coordinates to meet with an agent of the German Militärischer Abschirmdienst. We are to meet at a chapel in a small town where he will provide the location of the extraction pick-up. This is an AAR for that mission, as we attempt to reach the agent, and then the extraction point.
Global Update
There are unconfirmed reports that elements of Task Force 49 have secured several coastal locations on the Estonian mainland. With other NATO countries reinforcing the Northern borders of Lithuania a spearhead force from the 10th Panzer Division has moved north towards the Latvian capital of Riga. There have been no reported clashes with pro-Russian separatists however the NATO mandate is to restore the Estonian government, not to support Latvia in its fight against its own people. The Latvian government continues to state that the separatists are Russian soldiers.
I love the music in the 'Chapel search' part of the video.
Global Update
NATO Forces amassed on Estonian southern borders. Military forces from the Bundeswehr 10th Panzer Division, Polish 11th Armoured Cavalry Division, British 7th Armoured Division & the US 1st Armored Division have deployed heavy forces on the border.
Meanwhile NATO officials confirm that Task Force 49 has already placed expeditionary forces on the Estonian mainland. There are reports of various clashes with pro-Russian separatists but no definitive public statement on the scale or objective of Task Force 49’s landing or if forces from both 1st Cavalry Division & 42 Commando are involved.
Military experts predict that highway E67 will be the focal point of any next steps in NATO’s actions in the area. Information from the Kremlin is sparse however it has been confirmed that Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will join a peace summit in Bern, Switzerland. Representatives of the Estonian government and from the major NATO countries are expected to attend.
NASOE Update
31st July – Special Operations Sit Rep
On the 26th April SO force Osprey delivered electronic equipment secured in an operation in Latvia - STOP.
NASOE CCC advised contents incomplete – STOP.
NASOE too make all efforts to locate and secure remaining data, top priority – STOP.
NASOE update
New intelligence suggests the remaining data package is located close to Räägu which is on the E67 highway. This main arterial route continues to be the primary objective for Task Force 49. Osprey is to continue to operate with the US 7th Cavalry under their direct command. NASOE relations with the US force are still strained following the discovery of the covert NASOE forces which have been place with the US Cavalry; however extraction of the men is not a priority. The US force’s command have taken the perspective that the more boots on the ground the better at this stage.
Tensions continue to rise in the Baltics as unconfirmed reports come in of further direct clashes between NATO and Russian forces in Estonia. The main NATO battle force is currently halted on the northern border of Lithuania and Latvia whilst the joint US and UK Task Force 49, under the command of Colonel James Forsyth, 7th Cavalry, appears to be continue to be the spearhead of the western countries military response to the current crisis and are the only western forces on the ground in Estonia. NATO chiefs appear to be using Latvia as a natural ‘cushion’ against potential large scale contact between the heavy NATO battle forces of the Bundeswehr 10th Panzer Division, Polish 11th Armoured Cavalry Division, British 7th Armoured Division, US 1st Armored Division, and the Russian forces of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division and the 4th Guards Tank Division.
The latest proposal in the current peace talks taking place in Bern, Switzerland, is focused upon a proposed de-militarised lane between Russian and Estonian forces along Estonia’s eastern border. Currently the Estonian government is against the proposal, saying that Estonia should not be forced to hand over parts of Estonian territory to Russian control. Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin, has stated that Russia and the Russian people will only accept a solution that provides protection to Russian citizens from the aggressive actions of the west.
The peace talks in Bern between UN, Estonian ministers, the EDF, and Russian delegates has succeeded in a first tentative step. Whilst the main point of contention continues to be the de-militarised zone between Russian and Estonian forces, ministers have agreed to proposed actions to deescalate the situation. Discussion is ongoing about the de-militarised zone, with the proposal more like a lane running the entire length of the Estonian eastern border. The zone would be entirely on Estonian soil and stop at the Russian border. This is completely unacceptable to the Estonian delegation, with Marina Kaljurand, the Estonian Foreign Affairs Minister stating that Russia had blatantly invaded Estonia. For Estonia to accept a de-militarised zone only on Estonian soil is a unilateral proposal and not a long-term solution. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs response was to advise that the Russian Government was open to the zone however it was not large enough if the intention is to allow Pro-Russian Estonian citizens to relocate to this area.
Both sides have agreed to order military commanders to disengage and pull forces 50 kilometers from the frontline which is running along the Sauga river, west to east, and the route 5 highway, south west to north east. The Pro-Russian paramilitary group, the EDF (Estonian Defence Force), has been involved in the discussions but there is no clear agreement from their leadership. The EDF currently hold large areas of Viljandi and Mäo. Task Force 49, the joint US & UK expeditionary force which is currently in Estonia, will also follow the agreement.
Meanwhile the heavy battle forces of NATO, positioned only 300 kilometers from Pro-Russian forces in Lithuania, continue to prepare. A NATO spokesperson who wished to remain anonymous told CCN reporters ‘Peace talks are progressing but NATO cannot stand down.’ Appetite for direct confrontation is mixed; troops on the ground are raring to go however elements of the High Command are extremely concerned about how a large scale engagement may escalate. Whatever happens next, peace or war, seems to hinge upon the success of the next 48 hours and if all sides in the conflict can successfully disengage.
Global Update
Cease fire holds despite sporadic engagements between pro-Russian and Estonian forces however there are growing concerns that the ceasefire will collapse as Bern peace talks stall.
Russian military officials have confirmed that the 76th Guards Air Assault Division and the 4th Guards Tank Division have withdrawn to the agreed boundary limits however Estonian ministers repeatedly state that this is a lie and that Russian forces are supporting pro-Russian separatists, providing weaponry and soldiers. Reports that NATO has started to advance its heavy battle forces north towards the Estonian southern border suggests that UN military commanders are not confident that the peace treaty will hold.
The question now is will NATO call Russia’s bluff and move forces against the pro-Russian aggressors, and what if Russian troops are breaking the ceasefire agreement.
NATO VERSUS RUSSIA
The heavy NATO battle force of the Bundeswehr 10th Panzer Division, Polish 11th Armoured Cavalry Division, British 7th Armoured Division, and the US 1st Armored Division have advanced north, into southern Estonia. The force has moved up to support Task Force 49 which is south of the Sauga river. Military analyst Professor Richard Gabriel of Saint Anselm College describes the current situation 'as one of the most deadly games of poker ever played. NATO is calling Russia's, calling Putin's bluff. If Russia's forces back down against the NATO advance then NATO wins, if not, who knows how quickly and how far the engagement will escalate.'
Meanwhile EDF representatives have been lobbying minsters at the Bern peace talks to halt NATO's advance. They state 'this is a Estonian internal conflict and Russian forces are only supporting the will of the local populace. Should NATO and the UN force their intentions upon the Estonian people, there will be the direst of consequences across Europe.'
The question now is, what happens next?
The final installment of Operation Chimera
Had a blast DD, see you all in 3 weeks.