Here are several facts from officers relying on the Russian intelligence
service information: During the first day of the war, several American units
have been bombarded by Iraq artillery fire, due to which fact the commanders
of these units have asked for air and artillery support by radio. The 3rd
American motorised division met with determined resistance of highly mobile
Iraqi groups, using a 'pinhead bite'-tactic, which proved to be very effective
against Coalition troops. (Every time the troops encounter a resistance
pocket, the command calls for artillery support, not daring to risk a direct
confrontation.) On Sunday, the channel BBC had showed videos of battles near
Basra, where groups of Iraqi soldiers have forced US foot troops to take cover
while several M1-tanks had tried for several hours to destroy the building
from which the firing issued. The night from Saturday to Sunday a convoy of
petroleum, moving in the direction of the 3rd motorized division has been
waylaid, 7 trucks have been destroyed. Of the convoy, 3 soldiers were killed,
9 wounded, 3 more are not accounted for. The British forces landing on the Fao
peninsula have been meet by heavy artillery fire and took some casualties, as
a call for rescue helicopters has been issued by the command. According to
Russian intelligence services, the peninsula is guarded by 2 regular Iraq army
corps and groups of armed civilians, with several divisions of artillery. On
Sunday, US army 3rd motorized division and 1st marines, while trying to
surround Basra from the north in the direction of Nassyrea have themselves
nearly been surrounded by Iraq units. At 9 am they have received a heavy
armoured punch head-on. On average 80 Iraq tanks (T-55 and T-62) have attacked
the head of the formation, destroying 10-15 M1-Abrams tanks and nearly 30
units of other armoured vehicles. The command has requested air support and
rescue helicopters have made more than 30 flights to the area. The same
morning, in Iraq's south-west near the town Akashat an airdrop of units of
the 101st division has been practically destroyed. Several soldiers have
managed to escape into the desert and call for air support. Around 30 soldiers
were either killed or taken prisoner, and a USAF attack helicopter was downed.