During long-term OSINT investigation by InformNapalm we determined the exact location of the Russian field camp, manned by the servicemen of 138th Separate Motorized Rifles Brigade (military unit № 02511, Kamenka, Leningradska Oblast) and 20th Separate Motorized Rifles Brigade (military unit 22220, Volgograd). We already researched this unit before, yet this time information is also quite interesting.
Having analyzed several hundred profiles of the Russian soldiers we figured out that their units are permanently stationed at Ukraine’s border since Summer 2014 and take part in the active combat within the territory of the occupied Donbas, being dressed in the uniform and wearing the insignia of the ‘self-defense’ forces of DPR/LPR mock republics and Novorossiya.
Location of the Camp
Since mid-August 2014 large Russian field camp was located near Kuibyshevo, Rostov Oblast. It housed different equipment, machinery and ammunition and even a helipad. See the Google Maps satellite image, dated August 15, 2014.
Yet, when we glanced at the same spot on Google Maps on September 14, 2014 — we saw that the camp was deserted.
Having analyzed different maps of Kuibyshevo and the neighborhood and having compared them with the data from social profiles of the Russian soldiers, we concluded that the major camp was split into a number of smaller camps.
Communications units and air defense were transferred uphill, which is proved by the photos below. The munitions storage, which we already reported, was transferred to the lower grounds — to a hollow nearby. This is not a definitive list of all the Russian field camps in this area, yet these two camps are the major ones of those located near Kuibyshevo.
Below is the recent location of the Russian field camp housing servicemen of 138th and 20th brigades on Google Maps and Yandex.Maps.
Connection between this field camp and Russian servicemen can be established using photos from the social network profiles below (the key persons have their names listed). On the photos Russian soldiers are posing in different parts of the camp: near the lake (located close to the camp) and in the village of Kuibyshevo. Some of those soldiers later posted photos from the occupied territory of Donbas.
1. Communications specialist Van’ka Podorozhnyi from 138 brigade posed in front of interesting military equipment: Kasta 2E2 radar system and three SA-15 ‘Gauntlet’ missile system units.
In January 2015 SA-15 ‘Gauntlet’ was spotted in Shakhtars’k, Ukraine, a city, located near Kuybyshevo, on the other side of the state border between Ukraine and Russia.
2. Here is photo of the same SA-15 from Spring 2015. The photo was uploaded by Alexander Okovantsev while he was posted to Kuibyshevo camp.
3. In the next photo Ruslan Izbaev is also posing near SA-15
. Notice that the Russian soldier is already wearing the ‘rebel’ insignia of the ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Novorossiya’. Most likely this photo was made in the same field camp right before another ‘temporary assignment’ to the Ukrainian Donbas. It is not the first time Izbaev was spotted with this insignia.
4. Aleskander Koshkin gives us another lead: this time it is the lake, located right next to the field camp. Among many Russian soldiers, who made selfies here, Ruslan Izbaev and Vlad Sadovnichiy are the most interesting types.
Other key photos which enabled us to locate the camp:
5. Many Russian soldiers made photos near the WW2 memorial in Kuibyshevo (see the photo of this landmark on Рanoramio). Among them:
- Aleksey Artiushyn — a ‘hero’ of our previous publication, who was discovered in March 2015. Notice that Artiushyn is weating ‘gorka’ uniform (this type of cammo is linked to Novorossiya militants) and his friend on this photo is wearing Novorossiya insignia.
- Vlad Sadovnychiy — Russian serviceman whom we mentioned above in connection with the ‘lake’ photos and who is posing with DPR/Novorossiya insignia on the photos below.
6. Kuibyshevo camp has another helipad. It is smaller than the major one and less equipped.
Photos from the Ukrainian Donbas and the ‘DK’ Prefix on the Truck License Plates
7. The star of the next photo set is again Vanek Podorozhnyi and his friends from 138th brigade. DK 3106 on the license plate of the KamAZ truck in his photo is particularly interesting. ‘DK’ stands for ‘Donetsk corps’ [Rus.: ‘Донецкий корпус’].
8. KamAZ truck with plate number ‘DK 3106′ is related to ‘Donestk People’s Republic’ air defense units. The photo below was made in the backyard of ComAuto automobile repair shop, located at Sechenova Street 7, Donetsk, Ukraine. There are two other trucks, with plate numbers DK 3111 and DK 3109 and a tactical sign (a square with an arrow) on the truck doors.
9. SA-13 ‘Gopher’ highly mobile surface-to-air missile system was earlier spotted on the same street nearDonetskriba fish market.
Why do Novorossiya military trucks, marked with ‘DK’ prefix, drive so freely across Russian Rostov Oblast? Isn’t Russian Army supposed to protect its territory from the foreign mercenaries and armed gangs? Why aren’t they stopped by Russian police or special forces?
The answer is: ‘DK’ stands for ‘Donetsk corps of the Russian Army‘ and ‘LK’ stands for ‘Luhansk corps of the Russian Army’.
