Rosie,

Just arrived in southern Ukraine coming from the US over the last 40 hours. I do not have all the details
or access to all my notes and files with me but below is my reconstruction of the trail of what is
basically a misunderstanding compounded by miscommunication. I do not believe anyone intended to
mislead anyone the fault, including my own, was not stopping to take the time to maker sure
everyone was talking about the same thing verifying each photo rather than generalization
I am sending a written chronicle of this screwup rather than calling, so that the facts as I know them are
clearly and coherently described:
1. On 14 November, I brought three commanders of various Ukrainian volunteer units to meet in a joint
sessions with a bipartisan collection of staff members from Senate Armed Services, Foreign Relations
and Intell Cmts. These Cmdrs were:
Col. Bereza, Cmdr of the Denpr-1 Regiment;
Col. Teteruk Cmdr of the Peacekeepter Battalion;
Maj. Semenchenko, Cmdr of the Donbas Battalion.
All three of these Commanders and their Units had been attacked and encircled by Russian forces at
the battle of Illovaisk between 24 Aug. and 4 Sept.They not only directly fought Russian troops but also
(Bereza and Tteruk but not Semechenko who was wounded) personally negotiated a truce for their
withdrawal (which was subsequently and disastrously violated) with the opposing Russian
commanders. The focus of that meeting was for them to explain what happened and explain what they
directly experienced. Everyone attending it was, I believe, moved by their personal accounts
particularly their accounts of the horrific casualties their troops suffered from Russian Artillery and
Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) that employed highly lethal Thermobaric (fuel-air explosives)
and Canister warheads. These are uniquely Russian systems and had been fired from Russia across
the border as well as deployed with the invading Russian units in August. This issue was an important
focus of the discussion because some of these weapons are banned under International Convention
(the Princes Di prohibition on use of scatterable mines) and, even though the US has not signed the
Convention, all those type weapons are being removed from US forces by order of Secretary Gates
several years before.
2.. Col. Bereza had brought several packets (each consisting of dozens of 3x5 photographs one of
those contained photos of casualties taken by Col. Berezas own men, and one packet contained
photos of Russian armor). As I remember the discussion, the latter packet was not specifically
referenced by Col. Bereza as he was focused on what he and his men had personally experienced.
Looking at those photos of Russian armor then and now, it is very clear they were taken by
professional photographers and are of a very different quality and distant perspective than the ones of
the casualties as well as a different context the Russian armor photos are of vehicles on the move

not in direct combat which clearly neither Bereza nor his men would have been in a benign position
to take.
Let me be very clear all the commanders made repeated reference to the danger and disastrous
consequences of Russia sending large quantities of armor into the Donbas region used by both
Separatist and Russian Units, and did so in the context of begging for US military assistance in getting
them modern antitank weapons like Javelin and TOW II that will penetrate Russian reactive-armor
that is resistant to all Ukrainian antitank weapons BUT the photos of Russian armor in Berezas
packet were NOT referred to by any of them in making that case.
3. Because the photos were of small size and the Ukrainian Cmdrs were sitting on the opposite side of
a wide table, they were asked to pass the photos around and a number of attendees commented on
the graphic nature of the casualty photos.
And as the discussion developed Col. referenced the massive burns and mutilations caused by those
weapons on his own and other troops in the Illoviask encirclement and held up several showing those
corpses. I do not remember any discussion of the armor photos but they were intermixed in the ones
passed around.
4. One or more of the Senate staffers present asked if they could have copies of several of the photos.
And I believe it was Major Semenchenko who said sure take a couple (but did so without looking at
which were taken or in any way telling them which to take) and less than a dozen were removed from a
stack of probably several hundred.
5. Since that date I have used those graphic photos of the casualties in a number of briefings and
reports, but never used or propagated the armored photos, in part because there are much better
photos of unique Russian armor in Ukraine (some of which I personally took on my various trips to the
front) and in part because I associated the discussion that day in the Senate as focused on the
casualties not the armor.
6. On Wednesday morning, 11 FEB, as I was packing to depart for Ukraine I received an email from the
Senate staff sent the evening before, asking a:
"quick question regarding photos that were circulated at the last briefing we got from the Ukrainian
delegation, on 13 November. I believe it was Lt. Col. Semenhenko who was in possession of 2 stacks
of pictures (many graphic), of which we took some 5 or 6. Senator Inhofe plans on referencing a few of
the pictures he now has, but [his staff] needs a month or rough date as to when those pictures were
taken. As you know, the pictures we have were copies of the originals, so theres not date on the back.
Any info you have on that, preferably before tomorrow, would be greatly appreciated.
7. I immediately sent the following message to Col. Berezas staff in Ukraine asking for confirmation:
"The Senate Armed Services Committee and Senator Inhof want to use some of the photos that Yuri
showed to Congress the ones showing badly burned troops, etc. BUT they need to know when
they were taken; and they need that INFO today! I told them that I believe that the photos were taken
during the summer Russian backstab invasion between 24 Aug and 5 Sept when Bereza and his men
were surrounded at Iliovsk battle. If thats the case just give me a confirmation. If NOT, try to give me a
range of dates.
[The red is added now so you dont miss it].

When several hours went by, and pressured by my own imminent departure, I sent another urgent
message:
"Please contact Yuri immediately on this immediately Senator Inhof goes before the US Senate and
use the photographs at noon Washington time 1 hour from now."
8. I also responded to the Senate staff with the following:
"I have sent your request to Col. Bereza, member of Parliament and Commander of the Dnepr-1
Regiment. They were his photos but he is in the thick of the action and I dont know how soon he can
get my message or respond to it. However, I am headed to Ukraine tomorrow and will be with Col.
Berezaon Friday and Saturday. If you can wait till then I will get you exact details. By the way, it is my
strong belief that the photos were taken during the summer Russian backstab invasion between 24
Aug and 5 Sept when Bereza and his men were surrounded at Iliovsk battle. But will obviously confirm
that with him."
9. Col. Berezas staff contacted him verbally and briefly talked to him and, following my description of
photos showing badly burned troops sent the following terse reply:
"Its confirmed with Yuri. I talked to him.
I then sent the following message to the Senate Staff:
Just confirmed with Col. Yuri Bereza that the photos were taken during the summer Russian
backstab invasion between 24 Aug and 5 Sept when Bereza and his men were surrounded at Iliovsk
battle in Eastern Ukraine."
10. It was not until an hour ago that I received copies of the photos that Senator Inhofe used on the
Senate floor and was immediately shocked to see that there were photos of Russian amor there. I
immediately knew that those were neither photos Col. Beresa took nor were from the period of late
August. I did not recognize the photo of Russian BTR/BMP in Georgia BUT did recognize the one of
with armor going around a curve and knew instantly that it was neither taken during August invasion
nor by Bereza or his men.
BOTTOM LINE: There is only one person at fault here, and it is me. I should NEVER have tried to
confirm or verify photos that I had not seen. I have apologized to the Senate staff for that mistake, and
will do so to Col. Bereza tomorrow when I see him.
In retrospect, it is unfortunate that the two completely different types of photos got intermixed but from
the context of the November discussion, it is clear that Col Bereza did not try to intentionally mislead
anyone about them.
Given the current debate, the Senate staff, rightly thought that photos presented by Commanders who
had personally experience Russian attack, were of direct relevance and they explicitly asked for
confirmation.
Over the last year, starting in March, I have made nine trips to Ukraine trying to asses the military
situation as it is developing. This is done as a bi-partisan effort and not financially supported or
sponsored by anyone else. Upon return from the front, I have given many briefings to members and
staff of the Congress and in the end tried scrupulously to provide the most accurate and truthful
representation of events going on there.

In terms of yesterday, from my perspective there was no intention to mislead anyone, and particularly a
US Senator or his staff. In the haste of running for the airport and trying to respond to a last minute
request with short time fuse, I made the mistake of believing we were talking about the same photos
i.e. burned casualties (which were 6 of the nine used) and it never occurred to me that the 3 photos of
Russian armor were part of that package or being considered. Had I seen them, I know I would have
raised immediate objection to the use of at least one and insisted that none of the armor photos be
used until Bereza himself confirmed each and every one by looking at the photos personally. That is
hindsight, but it does not excuse what happened or rectify the embarrassment it has caused.
If you would like to discuss in person, feel free to call at XXX.XXX.XXXX; just understand that at the
front, my phone is frequently turned off so as not to be targeted but I will respond as soon as i can.
Phill