Bob Homans August 13

20220814

Ukraine – 8/12 - 8/13 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
Twitter: @rhomansjr
August 13, 2022

I apologize for not sending anything out yesterday.   I was busy with my “day job,” writing a work plan for a financial sector project in East Africa in which I’m involved.   Forced absences may well become more frequent, but my day job has priority.   I now must address 3 other projects, in addition to East Africa.

Russian Trolls Are Found in Unlikely Places

Last Thursday I gave a talk about the current situation in Ukraine, to a group of my Harvard College Classmates (Class of 1969) who gather for a weekly Zoom call.  It is the 5th time I have done this.   There appears to be a Russian Troll in our midst.  I define a Russian Troll as someone who gets substantially all his/her information from Russian Government sources, or sources supporting the Russian cause.

Toward the end of my talk, mostly a Q&A among approximately 30 Classmates who were on the call, a person named “Billy” raised his hand and started talking about how the Russians are breaking through in Donbass and will quickly defeat Ukraine, that the Kherson bridges were still being used by Russian troops to transport heavy equipment, plus the usual tropes about the Azov Battalion being a Nazi organization as evidenced by some of their insignia, Ukraine being irreparably corrupt, and Ukraine’s “elite” being Nazis (in spite of the fact that President Zelenskyy is Jewish).   He also described Bellingcat as a creation of the United States.

During the call, Billy later admitted that he gets virtually all his information from Russian Government sources and pro-Russian bloggers, therefore by my definition he’s a Russian Troll.   Billy also uses similar techniques employed by most Russian trolls whom I have encountered, by attempting to close off any possibility of dialogue.

I am happy to have a debate about the military situation in Ukraine, corruption, Ukrainian politics, etc., but I draw the line at the accusation of Ukrainians being Nazis.   To buttress his accusation, Billy employed another of the usual Russian tropes, about Ukrainian groups that operated during WW-II, as evidence that today Ukraine is full of Nazis.   Just before the moderator stepped in to cut off the conversation, I said that as far as I was concerned, the only Nazis left in Ukraine are Russian soldiers.

Russian trolls can be found in unlikely places, not just in places like “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” where one expects appearances of fellow travelers.

The Latest Denys & Lawrence Freedman

Feeedman’s latest Substack report, entitled “Winning Through Attrition,” and Denys’ latest video, should be read/watched together.   Denys now believes that Russia may not now be able to launch the counterattack that he has predicted for the last couple of weeks, by Russian troops located on the Right Bank of the Dnieper, in the Kherson Region due to now being cut off from resupply and, thanks to the losses of aircraft at the Suky Airbase, much of their air cover.  He also spoke about Russia’s dilemma in Donbas, where they are taking troops away from their major line of attack, and then moving them to both Kharkiv and Kherson.   Denys also points out that Russia is continuing the same mistake they made earlier in the war, attacking in too many directions with too few troops.

Freedman is Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London.   Here is the last paragraph of his latest Substack blog – “Moscow appears to wish to incorporate seized territory into Russia, for which they are preparing some dubious procedures that will impress nobody but themselves. Deep down for Moscow the war may now be all about denying NATO the satisfaction of a Ukrainian victory and saving Putin’s face. There is nonetheless something increasingly desperate about Russian rhetoric and behaviour. The Russian military position is deteriorating and the West’s backing for Ukraine has yet to slacken. The trends therefore favour Ukraine. At some Putin and his cronies will have to work out how long they can continue to pretend that they have a credible path to victory.”

What Happened at the Saki Airbase?

An analysis from Meduza.io.   My money is one either a Harpoon Missile, or the Ukrainian Neptune Missile used in the sinking of the “Moskva.”  I have been to the city Evpatoriya, near the base.  It is all located just above sea level, making use of anti-ship missiles possible.   Other Crimean targets are now in play, including other air bases around Simferopol, in the center of Crimea, the home port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol, and the Kerch Bridge.

The West is Short-Changing Ukraine – A Substack post by Tim Ash, a long-standing expert on Ukraine’s finances.   Ash argues that Ukraine’s fiscal vulnerabilities is its Achilles Heel, that needs far more attention from the West than Ukraine has been getting.   From the U.S. perspective, there is currently no point person in the Biden Administration addressing Ukraine’s financial needs, either a Treasury Undersecretary or a Federal Reserve Vice Governor.   During the Obama Administration, that role was played by Vice President Joe Biden.  During the Trump Administration it was Kurt Volker. 

Ash said that Ukraine’s banking system remains strong, thanks primarily to previous governors of the National Bank of Ukraine who shut down approximately 50% of Ukraine’s banks, and nationalizing the largest, Privat, that had approximately 38% of Ukraine’s retail deposits and a $5.5 billion in uncollectable loans, primarily extended to companies owned or controlled by Privat’s owners.

5/12 Sitrep (my comments in bold face)

Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon August 11 to 12:00 noon August 12, 2022

INTERNATIONAL

August 12

10:38  : Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova said that she had submitted a request to the US Treasury, in which she called for all private Russian banks to be included in the US sanctions list.

09:33 Ministry of Defense of Türkiye:  Two ships with Ukrainian grain have left Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi today

●        Sormovskiy ship is heading to the Turkish port of Tekirdag. Star Laura’s destination is Iran.

08:01 Bloomberg:  Putin’s invasion of Ukraine set Russia’s economy back four years, putting it on track for one of the longest downturns on record

07:51 SVT:  As a result of the Defence Ministers' meeting in Copenhagen, the Swedish Defense Minister allowed the production of weapons for Ukraine’s needs.

●        “I don’t rule it out, but it’s too early to say. We’re positively involved in all three dimensions, but eventually, we see how we bring it all together,” says Peter Hultqvist.

●        According to him, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic have already indicated that they can help with the production of weapons.

07:44 The Washington Post:  A powerful attack on a Russian air base in occupied Crimea was the work of Ukrainian special forces, source a Ukrainian government official.

●        The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not disclose details of how Tuesday’s attack was carried out.

●        The attack marked a significant escalation in the nearly six-month-old war, demonstrating a new ability by Ukrainian forces to carry out attacks further behind the front lines than had previously been thought possible.

00:43 UK Defense Minister: The UK will train more Ukrainian troops than expected.

●        «We have to train more than 10 thousand Ukrainian soldiers, and do it longer»

August 11

23:58 Politico : Zaporizhzhia NPP accident may be catastrophic for Ukraine, but not for Europe

●        Experts believe that the consequences of Russian shelling in the worst case will affect only Ukrainians living in the 30-kilometre zone around the station.

●        The risks of shelling are limited, they say because reactors are protected by 10-meter concrete walls.

23:33 Bloomberg: Germany will host an international conference in Berlin in October on how to organize the reconstruction of Ukraine.

●        At this conference, the experts from the countries of G7, the European Union and representatives of international organizations, will focus more on the question of how to best spend the unprecedented sums of reconstruction aid.

22:21: A meeting of the UN Security Council is taking place in New York, which Russia convened because of the shelling of the ZNPP allegedly by the Ukrainian military.

●        Energoatom said that the plant operates with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards. Employees of Rosatom are at the station, Ukrainian personnel continue to work there.

●        China in connection with the situation around the Zaporizhia NPP calls on Russia and Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table - Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the UN

21:47 Anadolu: Since the beginning of August, the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey has begun issuing a long-term residence permit to the Crimean Tatars, recognizing their status as "compatriots with Turkic roots"

21:59:  Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell agreed on positions on new sanctions against Russia.

●        "Phoned Josep Borell. Ukraine and the EU are determined to ensure the continued operation of the grain corridor to help the Middle East, Africa and Asia. We agreed on positions on new sanctions against Russia and the supply of weapons to Ukraine. We discussed the security situation in the Balkans," Kuleba said.

19:52 Turkish Foreign Minister:  Türkiye said they do not see specific actions from Finland and Sweden that are necessary for Ankara to approve their applications to NATO

●        According to him, Sweden and Finland have not yet fulfilled the agreements on the extradition of "Kurdish terrorists" to Turkey.

●        He also added that Stockholm and Helsinki have proposed to Ankara to hold a meeting on this issue in August.

19:38 State Department:  The United States supports the initiative to create a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhia NPP.

19:37 UN website:  UN Secretary General António Guterres called for an end to any military activity around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and the creation of a demilitarized zone around it. .

19:12 Belarusian Gayun:  Equipment was damaged because of explosions at the Zyabrovka military airfield in Belarus.  In particular, the Russian radar for illumination and guidance for air defense systems.

●         According to preliminary data, because of the events at night, a T-72 tank and ammunition load - about 10 shells - were destroyed.  This is confirmed by the fact that today near the airfield "Zyabrovka" they noticed the MAZ of the Belarusian military with the inscription "demining".

●        Also, the monitoring group notes that, probably, a Russian 92N6E illumination and guidance radar was also destroyed at the airfield at night.  It helps anti-aircraft missile systems detect targets and destroy them.

●        "If the information is reliable, then at least a part of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, which are located at the airfield, are now incapacitated," the message says.

19:06   The Guardian - British Defense Secretary:  Russian President Vladimir Putin has been betting that Ukraine's allies will get bored of supporting it in August.  But now he is unlikely to be able to take over the country at all.

19:02 German Chancellor:  The restoration of Ukraine will require billions and will be a larger task than the implementation of the "Marshall Plan" to rebuild Europe after World War II.

●         "It will be a big task, which is only marginally comparable to the Marshall Plan. It is something more. It will cost billions," the chancellor believes.

18:34 Danish Defense Ministry:  Northern European Allies Conference in Copenhagen raised 1.5 billion euros for military assistance to Ukraine.

●         "1.5 billion euros announced today at the conference. 26 countries have agreed to support the continuation of military assistance to Ukraine. Their struggle is our struggle," the message says.

18:02:  Spain has launched a pilot project to export grain from Ukraine by rail, — Ministry of Transport of Spain. It is reported that the Renfe Mercancías company sent a train with 25 containers with special housings for the transportation of grain. The first batch of 600 tons will be loaded in Chelm, Poland. The project is designed to show the expediency of an alternative method of grain delivery from Ukraine.

15:36:  Monitoring group "Belarusian Gayun" published a video of an explosion in the area of ​​the "Zyabrovka" airfield near the Belarusian Gomel, which was filmed at a distance of about 20-25 km.

●        16:18: Air Force Spokesman Yuriy Ihnat, commenting on the explosions at the Ziabrivka airfield on Belsat TV channel, thanked the Belarusian partisans who are "helping" Ukraine very well.

○        "We know that they are very kind, smart and resourceful people who already help our state, the Armed Forces of Ukraine very well," - Ihnat said.

14:42: Having initiated the convening of the UN Security Council, Russia will try to accuse Ukraine of shelling the Zaporizhzhia NPP and use the IAEA for its own purposes.

●        "But there should be only one issue on the agenda of the UN Security Council: the complete demilitarization of the station, the withdrawal of the terrorist country's troops from the territory of the nuclear power plant, the return of this facility to Ukraine and the prosecution of those responsible for the crimes. This is the only condition for the safe operation of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe," - says expert Valentyn Hladkikh.

●        The UN Security Council must meet for a meeting on the safety of the Zaporizhzhia NPP in connection with the Russian invasion today, August 11, at 10:00 p.m. Kyiv time.

●        14:49:  UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Ukraine and Russia to end any military activity around the Zaporizhzhia NPP and to create a demilitarized zone around it.

Asking for a demilitarized zone seems to be an empty gesture on behalf of the UN Secretary General.   How is a demilitarized zone going to be enforced?    It is Russia that has “militarized” Zaporizhzhia NPP, therefore Russia should demilitarize, including stopping trying to connect the NPP to Crimea, and transfer full Title and control of the NPP back to Ukraine, and publicly state that they are doing so.

14:43 Der Tagesspiegel quotes Scholz: Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz said that he can hardly imagine a ban on the issuance of Schengen visas in the EU to Russians.

●        "This is Putin's war, and therefore I have a hard time with this idea.

As we have stated before, this is not “Putin’s War;” it is Russia’s War.  Putin didn’t rape little girls in Bucha or deport Ukrainians to Russia against their will.   Russians did all that, and Russians continue to do so.

14:11 ERR - Foreign Ministry: Estonia has decided to close its borders for citizens of the Russian Federation with Schengen visas issued by the republic. The restriction will take effect in a week.

●        "This sanction means that visas will remain valid, but visa holders will be subject to sanctions when entering Estonia. Russians will not be allowed to enter the country.”

13:55 Ministry of Defense of Türkiye: A ship with grain for export could not leave Chornomorsk. The exit was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

●        At the same time, two more ships are heading to Ukraine from Türkiye. They were inspected there. In addition, the loading of food supplies to other vessels that are in Ukrainian ports continues.

13:19 CNN:  During the bombings at the Saki airbase in temporarily occupied Crimea, Russia suffered its biggest loss of aircraft in a day since World War II.

13:16 Ukrinform - Danish Defense Minister: The Conference of Northern European Allies in Support of Ukraine starts in Copenhagen.  More than 20 countries are participating in it at the level of defense ministers.

●         "Together with 23 of our colleagues, we will look at how we can find ways to strengthen our assistance to Ukraine."

●        13:20: Reuters - Britain and Denmark will increase financial and military assistance to Ukraine, as announced on the sidelines of a conference in Copenhagen.

○        In particular, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that her country would allocate an additional 110 million euros to Ukraine.

●        14:10 Zelenskiy Video Address: For our defense, we need weapons and shells - to the maximum. Finances - in sufficient volume and without any bureaucratic blockages. Complete isolation of the terrorist state, first, economic and technological, and the toughest sanctions.

○        "It is a duty to our countries and all future generations of free people to do everything to stop Russia, to ensure that it loses this war and to guarantee that no other state will be able to repeat this terror.".

12:03 Website of the Parliament: The Latvian Parliament has recognized Russia as a country sponsoring terrorism. The Latvian Parliament in the same statement called on EU countries to stop issuing visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

●        The legislation of Latvia will be amended, according to which residents of the republic, in case of obtaining Russian citizenship, will have to leave the territory of the state, according to the Latvian Foreign Ministry.

●        14:32:  The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba thanked the deputies of the Diet of Latvia for recognizing the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism and called on the parliamentarians of other countries to follow their example.

●        14:49: Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rynkevich said that Russian citizens should not visit Europe while the Russian Federation continues its aggression in Ukraine.

○        "Traveling to Europe or any other civilized country for Russians is not a hereditary and divine right, but a privilege that cannot be used while Russia continues its aggression," - he noted.

NATIONAL

August 12

11:37  British intelligence:

●        Explosions at an airbase in Crimea significantly reduced the capabilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, degrading their combat air patrols.

●        The loss of aircraft also limited Russia’s ability to provide air cover for any possible Russian counteroffensive in Kherson, by Russian troops now trapped on the Right Bank of  the Dnieper River.

●         On 9 August 2022, explosions occurred at the Russian-operated Saky military airfield in western Crimea. The original cause of the blasts is unclear, but the large mushroom clouds visible in eyewitness video were almost certainly from the detonation of up to four uncovered munition storage areas.

●        At least five Su-24 FENCER fighter-bombers and three Su-30 FLANKER H multi-role jets were almost certainly destroyed or seriously damaged in the blasts. Saky’s central dispersal area has suffered serious damage, but the airfield probably remains serviceable.

●        The loss of eight combat jets represents a minor proportion of the overall fleet of aircraft Russia has available to support the war. However, Saky was primarily used as a base for the aircraft of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet. The incident will likely prompt the Russian military to revise its threat perception. Crimea has probably been seen as a secure rear-area.

11:27: Representatives of the Kalush Orchestra refused to perform at the Sea Dance festival in Montenegro because of the Russian DJ Nina Kravitz.

●         "Unfortunately, we did not manage to cancel the performance of the Russian DJ at the festival on August 28 in Montenegro, so we will not be there. We go ourselves, because there is no desire to perform on the same stage with her,"- the group said in a statement.

11:09: Ukraine managed to return the bodies of 522 dead defenders who were on the list of missing persons, Oleg Kotenko, the authorized person, said. We are talking about all areas of hostilities.

09:08 Institute for the Study of War:

●        Russia’s 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade has likely been destroyed in combat, possibly as part of an intentional Kremlin effort to conceal the war crimes it committed in the Kyiv Region, including Bucha.  The 64th was made up largely of ethnic Buryats, from Buratiya located along the border of Mongolia.

●        Putin may be able to provide Iran with sophisticated military platforms in exchange for drones that can be used in the war with Ukraine.

●        Iran can also provide additional military or cyber assistance to Russia, particularly ballistic and cruise missiles, which are rapidly depleted, in exchange for additional economic and military benefits.

●        Russia tricking and coercing conscripts into taking combat positions in Ukraine. Two new volunteer battalions are being formed in the Khabarovsk area.

08:43 Ukrainian Ambassador of the United Nations Security Council: Ukraine has put forward several conditions for Russia to admit the IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia NPP

●        Russia should declare that it [Russia]accepts the IAEA mission without any conditions, that it will not obstruct the mission of Ukraine, that it will demine the nuclear power plant and its approaches, and that it will withdraw its troops, and weapons and equipment from the station.

08:37: Forbes calculated the cost of the destroyed Russian aircraft at the Saki airfield in Crimea.

●        Before the explosions, Russian aircraft were worth $650 million - $850 million. According to InformNapalm, eight Su-27, four Su-30CM, five Su-24, six Mi-8 and one Il-20 were destroyed. This cost Russia about $380 million.

07:40 Operational report of the General Staff of the AFU:

●        In the Kramatorsk direction, the Russians launched an offensive in the direction of Verkhnokamianske and Ivano-Darivka but had no success. They withdrew.

●        In the Bakhmut direction, because of the offensive in the direction of Horlivka - Zaitseve, Russians were partially successful.  

●        They were engaged in offensive battles in the direction of Ivano-Darivka, Vyimka, Bakhmut, Vesela Dolyna and Kodema, but had no success. They withdrew. After the regrouping, the Russians resumed their offensive on Kodema. The fighting continues.

●        In the Avdiivka direction, the Russian troops tried to conduct offensive battles in Spartak and Marinka but had no success. They withdrew. The fighting continues in the vicinity of the Pisky village.

August 11

23:08: «Naftogaz» reported that Ukraine resumed the transit of Russian oil through its territory through the pipeline «Druzhba» to Slovakia and Hungary. These countries paid for transit funds.

●        The company said that there is no information about the payment of transit from the Czech Republic. Russian company «Transneft» also did not inform who would pay for oil transit.

22:49 President's Office: Ukraine needs security guarantees from Western allies. Kyiv prepares relevant recommendations.

●        «Although Ukraine’s long-term goal remains NATO membership, we recognise that Russia’s current belligerence makes that difficult. In the meantime, however, we need legally binding guarantees by our allies for the provision of weapons, exchange of intelligence, the support of our defence and the protection of our economy. We plan to present our recommendations to the global community soon», he says.

●        The liberation of the soldiers of the «Azov» regiment requires that Ukraine, “recruits” Russian prisoners, preferably officers, who can be exchanged.  As always, people of the Kadyrov Regime (Kadyrov is the President of the Russian Republic of Chechnya), people of scarce military specialties, secret service personnel and relatives decide the issue of exchange.

21:40 National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Secretary:  The Russians can blow up the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The consequences of this will be much worse than the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

●        "This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, there are six power units. And what should we do today if it was seized by armed terrorists, they overtook equipment there. If we now begin to"deal with them relations", then there is a possibility that they will decide to blow it up". Danilov said.

●        The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council said that the world does not want to deal with this problem and the IAEA "has gone somewhere." However, Ukraine understands what can be done to avoid this problem.

●        commenting on the option of deploying a peacekeeping mission on the territory of the ZNPP, said that this is not the best idea.

○        "What kind of peacekeepers? This is our territory. Let the Russians take their troops and go away. This is what the whole world should demand," the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council said.

20:41 Foreign Minister:  Ukraine will consider the possibility of joining the Port of Mykolaiv to the "grain corridor,” subject to Russia's compliance with the agreements on unblocking Ukrainian ports and ensuring security.

●        “If everything goes according to the agreements and security is provided to our coast, we will consider the possibility of joining the Mykolaiv seaport to the “grain corridor”, since there are also blocked ships with Ukrainian grain,” Kuleba said.

19:51 Deputy Defense Minister:  One of the high-ranking Ukrainian military officers told journalists in an interview with strategically important information.

●        20:33  Babel:  The SBU is investigating the head of the defense of Mykolaiv, General Dmitry Marchenko, because of his recent interview with the Ukrainian media about the plans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

19:28 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

●        In the Kramatorsk direction, the Russians unsuccessfully tried to improve the tactical situation near Grigorovka, Verkhnekamenskoye and Ivano-Daryevka.  Russian troops are driven back.

●        At the Bakhmut association of the Russian Federation, by assault, she tried to break through the defenses of the Ukrainian troops and move into the areas of Yakovlevka, Bakhmutsky, Zaitsev, Vershina and Dacha. Ukrainian soldiers recaptured, the Russians suffered losses.

●        In the Donetsk direction, the Russians are trying to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and take more advantageous positions for the further resumption of the offensive in the directions of the cities of Kramatorsk and Bakhmut. Also, the Russian army conducts shelling in order to prevent the transfer of the Ukrainian military to other directions.

●        In the Avdeevsky direction, the Russians tried to conduct assault operations in the directions of Maryinka and Pisky but were unsuccessful, suffered losses and retreated.

●        In the Yuzhnobuzhsk direction, the Russian army is concentrating its main efforts on preventing the advance of units of the Defense Forces deep into the territory temporarily occupied by it.

18:29 Ministry of Infrastructure:  Tomorrow, a ship of the UN food program will call at the Odesa port "Yuzhny".  The ship will take grain for Africa.

18:14:  Vоlоdуmуr Zelenskyі met with chef Jose Andres, who cooks for Ukrainian refugees.

●         "Since the first day of the full-scale war, World Central Kitchen has been operating on the border of Ukraine and Poland. There are more than 500 food establishments in our country and more than 130 million meals have been prepared for Ukrainians. Such sincerity and willingness to be close to our people is truly amazing," the president said.

17:14:  The Russian army shelled 95 Ukrainian cities and territories on August 10.

●        European war researchers report that 95 settlements were shelled, which is lower than the average for the last 7 days. Donetsk and Kharkiv regions remain in the anti-leaders in shelling.

●        The settlement of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, was most under fire.

16:46 Ministry of Health of Ukraine: Ukrainians who have gone to the Czech Republic have the right to the same free medical insurance services as Czech citizens.

●        For temporarily resettled persons who do not have a job, medical care is free - the money for it is paid by the Czech state. At the same time, free medical insurance is valid only for the first 150 days of your stay in the Czech Republic. After this period, this service becomes paid for Ukrainians aged 18-64.

16:35 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.: Up to 13,000 people from among the current and former military personnel of Belarus, as well as OMON, signed an agreement to participate in the war against Ukraine.

●        "The main motive is material and financial. Fear and money are the main factors of the Russian military presence," - Hromov stressed.

16:31 "Ukrainian team" volunteer headquarters: The 10% import duty should not apply to goods for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and socially sensitive goods.

●        The introduction of an additional 10% import duty will not only lead to inflation and rise in the price of goods, but will also complicate volunteer work and assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The cost of goods that volunteers are now transporting from abroad for the needs of our defenders will increase. The cost of cars for Ukrainians and the Armed Forces will increase even more.

16:05 Deputy Prime Minister:  There are now 131 women from "Azovstal" in Russian captivity.

●        Among them are those who served in the Azov regiment, among them are military medics, border guards, military 36th brigade of marines, the National Guard, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and other formations. There are also 33 medics who are considered non-combatants under the Geneva Conventions, - she clarified.

15:57: Head of the VRU Foreign Policy Committee Alexander Merezhko criticized China because of yesterday's words of the Chinese ambassador in Moscow.

●        According to him, the statement about "forces striving to integrate Ukraine into the European Union" puts into serious doubt the status of China as a "strategic partner" of Ukraine.

●        Merezhko noted that "a partner of the aggressor state "without borders" cannot be our strategic partner at the same time" and called for conclusions.

15:38: Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said that McDonald's has decided to reopen some of its restaurants in Ukraine.

●        They will start opening from Kyiv. Then - in western Ukraine. Kuleba clarified that the process of opening restaurants will take some time.

15:19 UA War Infographics:  Russia destroyed 230 educational institutions of various types in Ukraine. Almost 2,000 more were damaged.

15:03 Center for Food and Land Use Research KSE Institute: According to optimistic expectations, the total economic benefits from the unblocking of Ukrainian ports will amount to $5.5 billion.

●        Additional export revenue from agricultural production is expected at the level of about $14.7 billion or about 30% of all Ukrainian exports according to the NBU's pessimistic scenario.

13:22 President’s Office:  The EU oil embargo will significantly harm the Russian economy next year, and the gas embargo would be fatal for the Russian Federation.

●        "It is necessary to introduce a gas embargo and strengthen restrictions on the export of Russian oil. It is necessary to destroy the Russian economy in a short period of time in order to stop the war".

MORDOR (Russia)

August 12

August 11

22:34 Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: In Russia, about 30-40% of generals and officers have been removed and are under investigation, while Shoigu and Gerasimov remain in office only formally

●        According to him, the reason for the detention of 40% of high-ranking bureaucrats who took part in planning the war against Ukraine was the failure of strategic plans. "

17:00: Residents of "L/DPR" complain en masse about the looting of Russians. The Insider and Bellingcat have found an archive of complaints to the military prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation, from which you can learn about the looting of Russian soldiers in the so-called "LPR" and "DNR".

●        They stole spare parts and tools worth 200 thousand rubles, up to the point that they stole small money from the car and condoms... Tell me, are these people? Are they hiding behind our backs, did they come to protect us, or to rob and kill? I repeat, my parents lived for 8 years in the territory of the "DPR", they did not see such an atrocity... are they defenders?, - says one of the complaints.

16:55 Ombudsman of Ukraine: Searches of journalists and activists of "Crimean Solidarity" continue in the Dzhankoy district of temporarily occupied Crimea. Six Crimean Tatars have already been taken to an unknown destination.

●        Eyewitnesses assume that they were taken to the FSB building. Searches are also continuing with relatives of illegally detained persons.

15:18 MOST: Television and radio company "Tavriya", created by the occupation authorities of Kherson on the basis of the Kherson branch of the Ukrainian Public Broadcaster, is headed by propagandist from the "DPR" Ismail Abdullaev.

●        "The appointment of Abdullaev is evidence that none of the local media managers agreed to cooperate with the occupation authorities, and in order to form a team, it was necessary to start a "media school".

15:13: CNN journalists investigated the attack on Olenovka and came to the conclusion that the Russians' version of the attack on the prison colony using HIMARS is baseless.

●        Specialists claim that a HIMARS strike would have caused much greater damage. Experts point to a fire from inside the building, not an explosion due to external influences.

15:09:  In the center of Russian Yekaterinburg, under the windows of the government of the Sverdlovsk Region, Ukrainian flags and anti-war slogans appeared, painted by unknown people at night. Corresponding footage appeared on social networks.

15:09: Families of soldiers of the Russian Federation who died in the war in Ukraine receive funeral cards printed in the USSR in 1974. The date of the form is indicated in the lower right corner.

●        It is noteworthy that on these notices it is stated that benefits "established by the legislation of the Soviet Union" are provided for the deceased soldier.

●        "This may mean that no one was prepared for such losses and modern forms quickly ran out," - the journalist notes.

12:19:  A Street poll of Russians about current political issues.

●        Bandera arranged the Maidan (at the time of Euromaidan, Stepan Bandera had been dead for almost 55 years),

●        Ostap Bender tortured everyone (according to Wikipedia, Ostap Bender is a fictional con man and the central antiheroic protagonist in the novels The Twelve Chairs and The Little Golden Calf written by Soviet authors Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov), and

●        Lukashenka is the former president of Ukraine (he’s the current President of Belarus)

KHARKIV

August 12

09:32 Kharkiv Regional Military Administration:  Details of the night missile strike on Kharkiv. Two «attacks» were recorded on the territory of the educational institution. The dining room and vegetable warehouses were damaged

●        The blow of another rocket damaged the road and the administrative building in the Kyiv district of the city. In total, 4 «arrivals» of rockets were recorded overnight.

●        Over the past day, a 51-year-old woman died due to the shelling of the Kharkiv region. A 58-year-old woman and two 62-year-old men were injured.

●        In the Kupiansk district, a 54-year-old tractor driver was blown up on a mine, but survived.

08:53: During the night, the Russian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on Kharkiv. According to the investigation, the shelling destroyed and significantly damaged the buildings of a higher education institution.

●        There are no military installations in the territory.

●        According to preliminary data, the shelling was carried out by S-300 missiles from the territory of the Belgorod region of Russia.

05:41 Mayor of Kharkiv:  "At 02:51 at night rocket fire on Kharkiv. Preliminarily five explosions, "arrivals" in three districts of the city - Slobodsky, Kyivsky and Novobavarsky. More complete information will be in the morning," Terekhov wrote.

August 11

21:06:  "In the vicinity of Kharkiv, they noticed lighting, and, possibly, incendiary ammunition, which is called a "chandelier ".  Waiting for official information.

17:41 State Security:  In the course of large-scale operational actions in the Kharkiv region over the last week, more than 60 traitors and collaborators who cooperated with the Russians and justified the armed aggression of the Russian Federation were exposed. As a result of the special operations of the SSU, it was possible to obtain and transfer more than 700 coordinates to units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the destruction by fire of command posts, concentrations of personnel, heavy weapons, and warehouses with ammunition of the invaders.

LUHANSK

August 12

08:52 Regional Military Administration: Russians are confident in the results of the pseudo-referendum that has not yet been held, although they still cannot capture the whole of Luhansk and Donetsk

●        90% of the population of large cities was evacuated from the Luhansk region. 90% - this is higher than the indicators of successful referendums.

●        Some Russian “officials” come to Severodonetsk and promise to repair schools. Most of which have been repaired over the last three years as part of «Ukrainian Big Construction» and other state support programs.

●        Last night, the Russians carried out a missile strike, fired seven times from the barrel and rocket artillery, and twice joined the assault units.

●        On August 11, the Russians attacked eight times from the air. From different sides, the Russians tried to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

●        Russia stormed the Verkhnokamianske but again withdrew to the pre-occupied positions.

As Denys pointed out, the Russians have been unable to penetrate 3 rings of Ukrainian defense lines in front of Donetsk City, built up over the last 8+ years.   Failure to do so will mean that Russia will be unable to take and control the 50% of Donetsk Oblast they didn’t take in 2014.  Putin has said that taking over all of Donbas, consisting of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, is a major Russian objective (the latest of many stated Russian objectives).

DONETSK

August 12

09:55 Regional Military Administration: On August 11, the Russians killed seven civilians in the Donbas region: three in Bakhmut, two in Kurakhove, one in Marinka and one in Avdiivka.  Another 14 were wounded

●        Russians launched 11 rocket attacks on Kramatorsk that night. Homes in the private sector were destroyed. No casualties

●        The Russians also fired missiles at Kurakhove. They hit a two-storey residential building in the center of the city, damaged private houses and the Center of Culture, where displaced people spent the night. No one got hurt.

●        The shelling caused fires in the city, and residents were trapped under the rubble of the destroyed houses.

●        Currently, a woman has been rescued from the rubble and the bodies of two dead men have been recovered.

August 11

20:32 National Police:  The crew of the "White Angel" police officers, which evacuated the residents of the Donetsk region, came under fire from the Russians. As a result of the attack, two of the three law enforcement officers were injured, including the driver, but he had to continue moving.

●        The police crew "White Angel" came under fire during the evacuation of five low-mobility pensioners from Marinka. According to law enforcement officers, the Russians hit the ground next to the evacuation vehicle, as a result of which the policeman who was driving had an artery broken. Another police officer received a similar injury. None of the pensioners were hurt.

15:36 Mayor: In the temporarily occupied Mariupol, "internal clashes" have begun due to corruption. Collaborators are dividing the money of Russians entering the city. As a result, riots are brewing.

●        "We already see that there are internal conflicts. Shots were even heard in the city. The Russians say that they gave money for humanitarian aid. Collaborators already have questions - where did the money go? Residents are also outraged. They are not paid the promised salary," - Boychenko said.

●        In the temporarily occupied Mariupol, partisans burned a Russian warehouse, where the looted property of citizens was stored

○        "Our partisans set fire to this warehouse so that the Russians did not get any property," he said.

●        Boychenko emphasized that Ukrainian symbols constantly appear in different cities of the occupied Donbas.

14:54 Mariupol City Council:  Such "gifts" are left by Russians to Mariupol residents. Photo of a grenade tied directly to a residential door.

●        "Mariupol residents continue to find explosive objects all over the city. This is how the occupiers "responsibly" relate to demining," - the city council noted.

14:32 Mayor:  There is a possibility that the Russians will hold a show trial against the defenders of Mariupol on the Independence Day of Ukraine.

12:04 Adviser to the mayor of Mariupol:  Public anger and resistance is growing in Mariupol.

●        On August 10, for the first time in Mariupol, a real strike was held by employees of the Miskvodokanal, who refused to go to work due to non-payment of wages.

●        Russians faked the arrest of "Azov" in the temporarily occupied Mariupol to intimidate the resistance forces.

○        "Yesterday morning, a demonstrative arrest of "Azov" was made in the area of ​​Utrennego market on "Livoberezhzhia". Two men, dressed in military uniforms with the chevrons of the "Azov" regiment, were "arrested" without shooting or fuss. So that the maximum number of civilians could see it. Good demand. But no. Another fact of the use of the uniform of the "Azov" regiment stolen by the occupiers from the base in Urzuf."

ZAPORIZHYA

August 12

11:40 The mayor of temporarily occupied Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, said that as a result of today's explosion, one of the local collaborators got injured.

●        He is one of the leaders of the election headquarters of "United Russia" - the head of the propaganda department for working with the media, Oleg Shostak.

10:59 Regional Military Administration: In the Zaporizhzhia region, over the past day, the Russians fired on civilian infrastructure in the area of ​​​​the settlements of Preobrazhenka, Yurkivka, Omelnyk, Trudove, Orikhiv.

●        There were 11 reports of destruction of civilian infrastructure because of shelling by Russian troops.

09:41:  The mayor of the temporarily occupied Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, confirmed the explosion in one of the courtyards of Gogol Street.  According to preliminary information, an improvised explosive device exploded. According to residents, ambulances are driving to the spot.

09:21:  Residents of temporarily occupied Melitopol report a massive explosion in the city.

●        Local media reports that the explosion are detonated in the Gogol Street near the sports club «Athletic Workshop» (owned by the collaborator Dmytro Hasai).

August 11

18:46:  In the temporarily occupied Berdyansk, after the sounds of explosions, smoke rises into the sky.  Video from social media.

18:35 Energoatom:  Literally, the Zaporizhzhіа Nuclear power station has just been hit for the fourth time in a day.  The strike is not far from the first power unit.

●        The pumping station is damaged, there is smoke.  The situation is escalating, radiation sources are located nearby and several radiation sensors are damaged.

18:03:  The Russian military for the third time shelled the area where the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Energoatom, is located. The fire department, located outside the territory of the ZNNP and intended for its protection against fires and their extinguishing in case of emergency situations at the station, was subjected to another shelling.

18:03:  Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov turned to the Red Cross with a request to urgently organize a humanitarian corridor to the city.  It is necessary for the delivery of anti-radiation drugs.

17:38:  Social media posts report that around 3:22 p.m. a cloud of smoke was detected on the territory of the ZNNP, the smoke continues even now.

17:37 Energoatom:  There is no fire at the ZNPP, including the second power unit, which was reported by Russian media,

●        The radiation background at the station is within the norm.

●        "The enemy is spreading new fakes to further destabilize the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP and incite panic among the population," the message says.

16:29 Energoatom: The Russians fired again at the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the territory near the nuclear facility.

●        Five "arrivals" were recorded in the area of ​​the commandant's office of the station - near the site of the dispute and the storage of radiation sources. Five more "arrivals" took place in the area of ​​the fire station, not far from the ZENP. As a result of shelling at the station, it was not possible to carry out a "shift" in time.

●        The situation at the station is now under control. The information published in the Russian mass media, that the staff is allegedly leaving the station in a panic, is fake and manipulative.

DNIPRO

August 12

08:17 Regional Military Administration: The Russian army again attacked two districts of the region:

●        The Russians struck from «Grad» MRL and barrel artillery on the Nikopol district. About 40 rockets “arrived” in Manhanets. Three people were injured, two of them in the hospital. A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized.

●        Four high-rise buildings and several private houses were damaged in the city. Shelling covered the local factory, printing house, shop and cafe.

●        Russians 10 times hit Nikopol town by the barrel artillery. Four private houses and cars are damaged. People were not injured.

●        In the Kryvyi Rih district, Russians shelled Zelenodolsk territorial community by the «Uragan». There is the destruction of housing. No casualties

KHERSON

August 12

07:18 Operational Command “Pivden” (South): Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed an ammunition depot and bases of Russians in the Kherson region. The Ukrainian Air Force launched two attacks on the Russians' stronghold near Andriivka, and on the Russian personnel and equipment near Bruskynske. .

August 11

17:46:  The Ukrainian Armed Forces disabled or damaged all four main bridges that used to supply Russian troops in Kherson and the right-bank part of the region. A map of these facilities was compiled by the BBC. All crossings are either damaged or disabled. This means that providing the Russian army in Kherson with equipment and fuel is extremely complicated. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are striking at existing formations.

14:43:  Kherson activists continue to resist the occupation authorities and boycott the pseudo-referendum, the resistance movement "Yellow Ribbon" reports.

12:49 Operational group of troops "Kakhovka:” During the day, Russian troops shelled Novovorontsovka, Kherson region.  As a result, a woman hiding in her own basement died.  Two more people were injured.

MYKOLAIV

August 12

09:41 Regional Military Administration:  In the past 24 hours, the Russians shelled the city of Mykolaiv and the village of Mykolaiv district

●        In the Bashtanka district, the villages of Bereznehuvate and Shyroke territorial communities were shelled.

●        The numerous fires and destruction of residential buildings were recorded. A woman died in the Berezhenuvate village.

August 11

14:10 Operational Command Pivden "South":  The Russians attacked the port infrastructure of the Mykolaiv region with a Tornado multiple launch rocket barrage.

●        They added that there are no significant changes in the composition and position of the forces of the Russian Federation, combat operations are conducted along the occupied defense line.

OTHER REGIONS

August 12

11:59: In the schools of Kyiv, they decided to completely abandon the Russian language.

●        Such a conclusion can be drawn from the response of the head of the Department of Education and Science of the KCA to a request from one of the public organizations.

●        According to the document, in Kyiv in the new academic year, the curricula do not provide for the teaching of subjects in Russian and the study of the Russian language in general, either as a subject or as an optional course.

The teaching of Russian has been declining for many years.  When I first came to Ukraine, Russian was taught as the 2nd language, after Ukrainian and there were Russian schools.  At the beginning of the war, Russia was the 3rd language, replaced by English.

11:53 Chernihiv border detachment: On August 11, the Russian military shelled the Semenivska community.  “The enemy fired artillery shells for an hour in the morning from the direction of the Russian village of Kurkovychi. 40 explosions were recorded. There are no casualties among the personnel,” Shekhovtsova added.

10:34 Sumy Regional Military Administration:

●        The Russians shelled the Esman, Yunakiv and Khotyn territorial communities. No casualties.

10:27  Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration:  In Zakarpattia, technical and food salt will be extracted in the Bushtyn field, it may cover the country’s needs by 100%.

August 11

23:19 Sumy Regional Military Administration:  The Russians fired 10 times on the border territorial communities: Billopillia, Novoslobidsk, Esman, Putyvl, Shalyhyne and Velyka Pysarivka. 137 attacks were recorded. They were fired by mortars and artillery.

●        Russian shelling of the Novoslobidska territorial community caused a fire in a wheat field belonging to a private enterprise.

21:07   Interior Minister:  The most mined region after the Russian occupation is Sumy,"

●        "Unfortunately, a lot of the territory is now mined. The Sumy region, probably the most of the de-occupied territories, remains mined. More than 47% of the territory of the Sumy region was mined," he said.

17:31 Lv’iv Regional Military Administration:  In Lv’iv, an exhibition of Russian equipment destroyed by the Armed Forces, "Stand up, we will win!" was officially opened. The fact that this technique of Russian terrorists is here today, on Rynok Square, also reminds us that the war is ongoing, around the clock and not as far away as some might think. We must work on our front and support the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

14:29: The mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klychko met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Israel to Ukraine Michael Brodsky.

●        "The embassy handed over 50,000 packages of ready meals to Kyiv with heating elements. The city will hand them over to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to our defenders,

●        "In addition, the parties also discussed cooperation on the creation of rehabilitation centers in Ukraine.

●        "Also Mr. Ambassador noted that Israel will accept wounded Ukrainian defenders, particularly those who need prosthetics. Children with oncology will also be accepted".

Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins.  Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.

SOURCES

●        https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/ 

●        https://euromaidanpress.com/

●        https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQBD3wxTrZ6XUU7IdXeHUfjVCydekezQCCGuwYnT6qPd1r7n1aVbFIewa6ng6Lis

●        www.ubn.news