Ukraine – 8/18/2023 Sitrep
By: Robert Homans & Bohdan Chomiak
August 18, 2023
The Ukraine War Ebook, “The Ukrainian People vs. The Russian Horde”
The Ukraine War Ebook we sent to those who were kind enough to support us, that included all our emails that we sent during the first week of the war, has been very well received. Since early July, when the Ebook was released, we have added several new email recipients. For new recipients, plus existing recipients who would like to receive the Ebook, we would be happy to send you a copy in return for your support for our efforts. If you would like to support us in any amount in any currency, and receive an Ebook as our gesture of gratitude, please click on the link HERE. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Vignettes
“Barbie” – As Bohdan reported in his latest “Sitrep,” In the first 4 weeks since its release in Ukraine, the movie “Barbie” has grossed slightly more than $3 million (UAH 110 Million), making it the highest grossing movie ever released by Warner Brothers in Ukraine.
Ohla Karlan – Ukrainska Pravda reported that Ukrainian Olympic Gold Medal fencer Olha Karlan recently received the Badge of Honor from the National Academy of the Security Services of Ukraine (SSU). She has been working at the SSU for approximately 10 years. Her acceptance speech read in part, “"We cannot shake hands with our enemy. Instead, we should show the whole world that the war continues and that these ‘neutral’ athletes should not be able to perform on the international stage. And we will do everything so that they are not at the Olympics or at any world competitions. I am proud to be an employee of the Security Service of Ukraine, in particular the National Academy of the SSU. And I am proud that the Russians know that I work for the SSU. Let them fear me!" Karlan was disqualified from the recent World Championships for refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent, costing her the Gold Medal.
“The War Came to Us: Life & Death in Ukraine,” by Christopher Miller – Miller appeared on a recent edition of PBS “Newshour” to talk about his recent book. I have met Miller once, during Euromaidan, at a bar near Independence Square called “Baraban.” It was a favorite hangout for journalists, and members of State Security monitoring journalists. As he mentions in the interview Miller first came to Ukraine in 2010, as a Peace Corps volunteer assigned to Bakhmut. He stayed in Ukraine, and he began his journalistic career with the Kyiv Post.
In the interview Miller describes the importance that the 2013/2014 Revolution of Dignity played in the development of the Ukrainian Army into the force it is today, the binding together of the Army and civil society groups, and the development of Ukraine as a cohesive nation. There will be many books coming out about the war, but unless the authors fully understand the importance played by the Revolution of Dignity a reader will not be able to fully understand what Ukraine is fighting for today. He mentions people digging up paving stones from the streets. A member of my family was digging up bricks from the sidewalk in front of the main post office, located between Independence Square and the aforementioned Baraban, cutting them in half, sending them up the line either be thrown at Interior Ministry Police, called the “Berkus,” or hurled in bulk by homemade catapults.
I haven’t yet read Miller’s book, but simply because how Miller incorporates the Revolution of Dignity makes the book worth reading, especially for anyone who wants to understand the context in which the war is being fought. To provide more context to what Miller is talking about, this is a video produced by Hromadske.tv, covering the events during the morning of Feb. 20, 2014, when over 100 protestors were murdered by snipers acting under orders from the government, from the perspectives of both sides. It starts and finishes at the Music Conservatory, a historical building facing Independence Square.
Military News
“Why China will be watching as Ukraine’s marines attack Russian Troops”/”Defense in Depth” from the Telegraph
Dominic Nichols discusses the significance of Ukrainian attacks across the Dnipro River, mostly undertaken by Ukrainian marines, recently trained in the UK by the Royal Marines. Ukraine now controls much of the left bank, or east bank, of the Dnipro across from and upstream from Kherson City. If Ukraine is able to launch a counteroffensive from this position it will endanger Russian defenses in areas where Ukraine is now attacking from the north. At the very minimum, Ukraine might cut off one of Russia’s major supply roads, leading up from Crimea.
“Transforming War with Meshed Civil-Military Sensor Networks”/Gen. Mick Ryan – Substack
A fascinating but long account of how both military and civilian sensor networks are being combined, to provide commanders with crucial information on which to conduct the war. Examples of civilian sensor networks include Bellingcat, the Institute for the Study of War, Google Earth and other open-source resources.
Ukraine, likely more than Russia, has weaponized both its academic resources and information technology businesses to support its war effort. Even before the war, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was a world leader in nanotechnology. Several startup companies in Ukraine have commercialized new drone technology, often incorporating new types of sensors and artificial intelligence. Some are getting venture capital backing from the West.
In contrast, Belarus used to have an information technology sector rivaling Ukraine’s. The stolen 2020 election, which Lukashenko claims he won, has decimated Belarus’ high technology industry. Many of them have fled, including to Ukraine. It is doubtful that they’ll come back, certainly not under Lukashenko or his successors.
News From the Battlefield
“Troop Deaths and Injuries in Ukraine War Near 500,000, U.S. Officials Say”/New York Times
For non-subscribers, some excerpts –
“Russia’s military casualties, the officials said, are approaching 300,000. The number includes as many as 120,000 deaths and 170,000 to 180,000 injured troops. The Russian numbers dwarf the Ukrainian figures, which the officials put at close to 70,000 killed and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.”
“But Russians outnumber Ukrainians on the battlefield almost three to one, and Russia has a larger population from which to replenish its ranks.”
“Ukraine has around 500,000 troops, including active-duty, reserve and paramilitary troops, according to analysts. By contrast, Russia has almost triple that number, with 1,330,000 active-duty, reserve and paramilitary troops — most of the latter from the Wagner Group.”
“In just a year and a half, Ukraine’s military deaths have already surpassed the number of American troops who died during the nearly two decades U.S. units were in Vietnam (roughly 58,000) and about equal the number of Afghan security forces killed over the entire war in Afghanistan, from 2001 to 2021.”
“Unlike the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where American forces strictly adhered to evacuating casualties within an hour to a well-stocked medical facility, there is no such capability in Ukraine.”
“Instead, injured troops are often thrown into any vehicle available or leave the front on foot. In some cases, the wounded and dead are left on the battlefield, because medics are unable to reach them. Hospitals and aid stations are often overwhelmed.”
Much of the rest of the article repeats much of the negative press that Ukraine has been receiving on the progress of the counteroffensive from the U.S. print media.
More Russian Ka-52 helicopters shot down – Ukrainska Pravda reported that yesterday 2 Russian Ka-52 attack helicopters were shot down by Ukrainian forces using a new Swedish laser-guided antiaircraft missile with a range of 4 km. The laser guidance gives Russian pilots almost no warning. The Ka-52 has been one of the reasons why the Ukrainian counteroffensive has been slowed down. Now, Ukraine has figured out how to attack them. As a result, Russia now has a dwindling number of Ka-52s that cannot be replaced due to sanctions.
Latest Denys - At the beginning of his video the ”Latest Denys” shows a detailed look at Russia’s defense lines around Robotyne, and where Ukrainians are. As they broaden the liberated territory Tokmak, a major Russian logistical hub, is going to become within Ukrainian artillery range.
“Reporting From Ukraine” includes a detailed description of the Swedish antiaircraft system used to shoot down the Ka-52s, as well as a more detailed description of the movements of the Ukrainian Army around Robotyne.
8/18/2023 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon August 17 to 12:00 noon August 18, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Friday, August 18
12:24 am Reuters: The US has approved sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands to defend against Russian invaders once pilot training is complete.
12:41 am: After the vessel "Sukra Okan" was stopped on August 13 by the Russian military, Turkey warned Russia about the risk of increasing tensions in the Black Sea.
● This was reported by the Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah on August 17
7:41 am: Joe Biden is ready to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, reports the Japanese Kyodo agency.
● "We are ready to sit down at the negotiating table without preconditions, but so far North Korea has not given a positive response to the proposal," said John Kirby, the coordinator of strategic communications of the National Security Council of the White House.
8:00 am: The State Department has confirmed the US position regarding the fact that it will consider the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from the country as a victory in Ukraine, said Vedant Patel, deputy representative of the US State Department. Deputy Spokesman of the State Department Vedant Patel stated this at a press briefing.
8:00 am: International hacker group Anonymous has launched cyber-attacks on nuclear-related groups in Japan to protest the planned release into the sea of treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant, - Kyodo.
Thursday, August 17
1:39 pm: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the G7 declaration to support security guarantees for Ukraine.
● This is stated in the joint statement of the prime ministers of the three countries.
● These guarantees include supplies of modern military equipment, training of the Ukrainian military, intelligence sharing and assistance in the field of cyber defense.
1:49 pm: Ukraine received a new package of military aid from Germany: it includes, in particular, two IRIS-T SLS short-range air defense missile launchers.
● This is stated on the website of the German government.
● Ukraine also received:
o 4,539 smoke ammunition of 155 mm caliber;
o 10 Ground Observer 12 portable radars for counter-battery warfare;
o 4 tractor units 8x8 HX81 and 5 semi-trailers for them;
o 8 loaders for 15 tons.
2:55 pm: Hybrid attacks on the border by Belarus must be stopped.
● This was stated by the President of Poland Andrzej Duda during a meeting with the President of Latvia.
● "We are talking about hundreds of migrants whom the Belarusian regime has been trying to ferry to Poland for many months," said Duda.
3:11 pm: Ukraine will receive F-16s as soon as the training of Ukrainian pilots is completed.
● This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.
● "I think that the Ukrainian pilots will return from the training, and the planes will come back with them, too. Maybe they won't arrive directly in the cockpits, but it will be a synchronized process," said Kuleba.
4:11 pm: Sweden approved the 13th package of military aid for Ukraine for approximately $314 million.
● This is stated in a statement on the website of the Swedish Parliament.
● Kyiv will receive ammunition and spare parts, as well as trucks and equipment for demining.
● Parliament also passed a decision to authorize the government to sell air-to-air AMRAAM missiles to the United States, in order to then transfer them to Ukraine.
5:57 pm: India is in talks with Russia to import wheat at a discount to rising global prices, Reuters reports.
● A final decision may be made in a few weeks. Imports will allow New Delhi to intervene more effectively to lower wheat prices, which have fueled inflation to a 15-month high.
6:25 pm: The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain announced the conclusion of three contracts worth more than $115 million for the supply of Anti-Aircraft Defense equipment to Ukraine, - Sky News.
● The largest contract for 56 million pounds was signed by the British Ministry of Defense with the Norwegian defense company Kongsberg. It provides for the provision of countermeasures against drones.
6:52 pm: The Czech Republic receives new helicopters from the USA, and the old Mi-24B is written off and plans to transfer them to Ukraine.
● This was stated by the Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic Jana Chernokhova, reports ČT24.
● "Even if we symbolically say goodbye to them today, their story is definitely not over. We will definitely find a use for these helicopters. That's all I will say on this matter, because in principle I do not comment on supplies to Ukraine," the minister said.
9:18 pm: The US imposed sanctions against a group of Russian FSB employees, the US Treasury Department said.
● "Today, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is once again taking steps to hold the Russian government accountable for the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Oleksiy Navalny," the report said.
NATIONAL
Friday, August 18
12:00 am: Activity of enemy tactical aircraft in eastern and south-eastern directions. The threat of the use of aviation weapons for front-line areas.
12:15 am: "Ukrzaliznytsia" continues to fight against bribery.
● Over the past month, the company has blocked more than 600 accounts that were massively buying train tickets to Poland. Also, about two dozen passengers were not allowed to board because the names on the tickets and in the documents did not match.
● In this way, "Ukrzaliznytsia" tries to fight against fraudsters and speculators.
7:08 am: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Over the past 24 hours, the enemy has launched 4 missile and 53 air strikes, carried out 40 rounds of anti-aircraft fire at positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas.
● During the past day, 33 combat clashes took place.
● The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, are entrenched at the achieved boundaries, and carry out counter-battery countermeasures.
● During the past day, the Air Force of the Defense Forces made 7 strikes on areas where the enemy's personnel, weapons and military equipment are concentrated, and 2 - on anti-aircraft missile systems.
● Ukrainian defenders also destroyed 2 enemy Ka-52 attack helicopters and 4 operational-tactical reconnaissance UAVs.
● During the day, units of missile troops and artillery hit 4 artillery pieces in firing positions, 2 ammunition warehouses, and 1 enemy EW station.
8:37 am: Activity of enemy tactical aircraft in the eastern and southeastern directions.
● The Air Force warns of the threat of using aviation weapons.
8:50 am: Yesterday morning in Kyiv, there was an attempt to kill the deputy head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine Yevgeny Sokur, the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Council Danylo Hetmantsev reported.
● "Attack in the center of the city. The customers are schemers who lost their "business" and crossed the border. Yevgeny was saved by coordinated actions of the criminal investigation," said the People's Deputy.
● The perpetrators have been detained and are testifying, he added.
Thursday, August 17
12:07 pm: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine received instructions to cooperate with partners so that the next defense packages have the necessary saturation.
● This was announced by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
● "Daily selector. We constantly monitor the supply of equipment and ammunition, the pace of our own production.
● Intelligence reports on the enemy's tactical and strategic plans, the state of its military equipment. Preparing the power system and Anti-Aircraft Defense for winter," the president writes.
1:11 pm: As of 10:00 a.m., there were 4 enemy ships on combat duty in the Black Sea — the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
● "There are 8 enemy ships on combat duty in the Mediterranean, including 2 Kalibr cruise missile carriers, with a total salvo of up to 24 missiles," the Armed Forces Navy notes.
1:26 p.m.: The security service informed about the suspicion of a blogger who publicly denied the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and provoked religious hatred.
● "The female figure took an active part in the provocations on the territory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra at the end of March and the beginning of April 2023," the press service of the SBU writes.
● The issue regarding the additional qualification of the criminal actions of the defendant and the selection of a preventive measure for her is being resolved. The perpetrator faces imprisonment with confiscation of property.
2:22 pm: Ukraine's efforts to build up fuel reserves are likely to succeed and ensure sufficient reserves for the winter period.
● This is stated in a review of British military intelligence.
● "Ukraine effectively mobilized its mining sector to support production, ensuring a continuous supply of coal for thermal power plants during the winter period, and significant gas reserves provide an additional reserve," the report said.
3:43 pm: Activity of enemy tactical aviation in the eastern and southeastern directions, — Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● The threat of using aviation weapons.
3:51 pm: Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on the dismissal of all regional military committees.
● This is stated on the website of the President of Ukraine.
4:23 pm: MiG-31K in the airspace of the Voronezh region of the Russian Federation, — Air Forces of the ZSU.
5:14 pm: The Military Intelligence Command admits the possibility of Russian provocations on Ukraine's Independence Day.
● Andriy Yusov, representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, stated this.
● "Ukrainian skies are being protected to the limit of possibilities, counter-subversive and counter-intelligence measures are being carried out throughout the country both on weekdays and on holidays," Yusov said, adding that Russia's mention of an independent Ukraine is "especially precocious."
5:35 pm: Ukraine will not fulfill all seven criteria of the European Commission by October, but negotiations on EU membership will still begin.
● This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishyna.
● However, she is sure that by October, Ukraine will adopt "all agreed legislative and institutional changes."
5:52 pm: Another MiG-31K takeoff! Missile danger throughout the territory of Ukraine, — Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
6:39 pm: Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk regions - threat of using ballistic weapons! — Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:11 pm: Another MiG-31K takeoff! Missile danger throughout the territory of Ukraine - the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:35 pm: During the day, the enemy carried out 4 missile and 37 air strikes, carried out 27 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas, — the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● Also, 24 combat clashes took place during the day.
● During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 7 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment of the enemy and 2 on anti-aircraft missile complexes, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● Ukrainian defenders also destroyed 2 enemy Ka-52 attack helicopters.
● During the day, units of missile troops and artillery hit 4 artillery pieces in firing positions, 2 ammunition warehouses and 1 EW station of the enemy, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
8:16 pm: The National Security Agency has included the Chinese group of companies Alibaba Group Holding Limited, which owns AliExpress, on the list of international sponsors of the war.
● The company continues to work in the Russian Federation, provides its platforms for the sale of copper goods exported from the occupied territories of Ukraine, and censors content related to the war in Ukraine.
8:28 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi accepted the credentials of the new ambassadors who arrived to work in Ukraine. Germany, Indonesia, Sweden, Chile, Colombia, and Peru.
● "A separate conversation with each of the ambassadors. Our relations. Our joint opportunities. Protection of international law," the president wrote.
8:57 pm: The cyber police stopped the activity of a fraudulent call center in Kharkiv, — National Police of Ukraine.
● Residents of Kharkiv and Kyiv organized the work of the health center, where more than 160 people aged from 20 to 30 worked.
● Fraudsters convinced citizens to transfer money through the payment system to controlled bank cards. The amount of damages and the number of victims is established.
9:23 pm: Another MiG-31K takeoff! Missile danger throughout the territory of Ukraine, - the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
9:53 pm: The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny during the talks with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley talked about the operational situation at the front and Ukrainian plans for the near, mid-term and more distant perspectives.
● They also discussed the urgent need of the Ukrainian army for shells, weapons, mine clearance, Anti-Aircraft Defense, EW systems.
10:14 pm: At the South Ukrainian Atomic Energy Plant, a drill was conducted in case of Russian shelling and an accident. Units of the State Emergency Service, doctors and local self-government bodies were involved in the exercises.
10:34 pm: "Barbie" became the highest-grossing project of Warner Bros. in Ukraine.
● This was announced by the official distributor of Warner Bros. Pictures company Kinomania.
● In the first four weeks of rental in Ukraine, the fantasy comedy "Barbie" with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the lead roles collected over 110 million hryvnias.
10:53 pm: The High Anti-Corruption Court found People's Deputy from the "European Solidarity" faction Artur Gerasimov guilty of declaring false information.
● The court imposed a fine of 51,000 hryvnias on the people's deputy and deprived him of the right to hold official positions for one year. In addition, 55,000 hryvnias of procedural costs were collected from Gerasimov. He can appeal the verdict within 30 days.
● However, the deputy was released from serving his sentence due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
11:02 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi: Today there were thorough meetings with government officials. In the expanded composition: the Head of Government, the Ministry of Strategic Industry, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, profile deputy heads of the Office. They talked about the Defense Industries Forum. We are planning this event for autumn.
● For the first time, such a large-scale event will take place at the state level. Ukrainian and foreign weapons manufacturers. Our power. The power of our partners. The whole world, which is interested in ensuring that international law and humanity have an adequate arsenal of protection against any kind of terror.
11:24 pm: Dynamo defeated the Greek "Aris" (2:1) in the return match of the 3rd qualifying round of the Conference League of the 2023/24 season and, based on the results of the penalty shootout, advanced to the next stage.
11:37 pm: Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on the selection of judges of the Constitutional Court. It is important for the future accession to the EU.
MORDOR - ruZZia
Friday, August 18
4:12 am: Explosions rang out in several districts of Moscow, local social networks reported.
● Explosions were heard in Krasnohorsk, Odintsovo and in the "Moscow City" area.
4:21 a.m.: The Russian public reports an explosion in the "Moscow-City" complex
● According to preliminary data, the drone exploded near the Evolution tower. The embankment and the nearest bridge to "Moscow City" overlap.
4:31 am: "A UAV was destroyed tonight during an attempt to fly to Moscow by Anti-Aircraft Defense forces. The wreckage of the UAV fell in the Expo Center area, no significant damage was caused to the building. There are no preliminary injuries. The city's emergency services are working on the spot," - the mayor Sobyanin of Moscow.
4:36 am: Due to a drone attack, the airspace near the Vnukovo airport has been closed, departures and arrivals have been delayed, ruZZian Mass Media reports.
4:55 am: According to Russian media reports, one unmanned aerial vehicle fell on the roof of the Expo Center in the "Moscow City" area and broke through the roof.
● A few seconds before the explosion, eyewitnesses saw a flying drone.
5:31 am: Despite Sobyanin's statement, ambulances are arriving at "Moscow City".
5:35 am: Traffic in the Business Center area is blocked.
10:37 am: A powerful fire broke out in the cargo terminal of Novorossiysk seaport, - ruZZian Mass Media.
● It is reported that wooden pallets on an area of 1,300 "squares" caught fire at the facility. Smoke can be seen from different parts of the city. Several dozen firefighters are working on the spot.
Thursday, August 17
3:31 pm: China presented its new Sunflower 200 kamikaze drone, Defense Express, at the Russian forum "Army-2023".
● It is noted that the drone is an improved copy of the Iranian Shahed-136, which the Russian Federation uses for attacks on Ukraine.
● "[...] Due to the lighter starting mass, this drone provides a vertical start, most likely without the use of a solid-fuel accelerator, as on the original Shaheds," the publication writes.
7:16 pm: New interception of GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
● A civilian discusses the complaints of the population in a telephone conversation. Putin and the government of the Russian Federation, as well as the sentiments of the civilian population to "overthrow" the current government of the Russian Federation.
REGIONS
KYIV
Thursday, August 17
6:11 pm: Mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko had an online conversation with the head of the Bloomberg Philanthropies charity Michael Bloomberg.
● The organization will help the capital authorities to transform the city's public services.
● In particular, the Ukrainian capital will receive a road map for the transformation of city services and specific digital tools to improve the mental health of war victims.
11:56 pm: Suspicion was reported to the director of a private road construction company in Kyiv
● The utility company entered into a contract with a private firm to carry out repairs on a section of public road of state importance in the Kyiv region.
● During the planned works, the owner and director of the contracting organization entered into the official documentation inaccurate information about the scope of the works performed and their quality. As a result, the state budget suffered losses in the amount of almost 6.3 million hryvnias.
SUMY
Friday, August 18
10:27 am Sumy RMA: At night and in the morning, the enemy carried out 2 shellings of Seredino-Budska hromada (8 explosions).
● Previously - without human losses and destruction of civil infrastructure.
Thursday, August 17
12:37 pm Sumy RMA: At night and in the morning, the Russians carried out 4 shellings of the border territories and settlements of the Sumy region.
● "55 explosions were recorded. The communities of Bilopolsk, Seredino-Budsk, and Khotynsk came under fire," the message says.
KHARKIV
Friday, August 18
9:45 am Kharkiv RMA: As a result of the shelling of Kupyansk, a private house and farm buildings were destroyed, and fires broke out. A 61-year-old woman died. A 60-year-old woman was injured.
● In the city of Vovchansk and the village Private residential buildings were damaged by shelling in Vovchanski Khutory.
● Okhrimivka, Budarki, Stroivka, Dvorichna, Kucherivka, Kurylivka and other settlements were also under enemy fire.
10:52 am: Defense forces repelled Russian attacks in the Kupyan and Lyman areas, said Andrii Kovalev, spokesman for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● "The enemy carried out unsuccessful offensive actions in the areas of Senkivka of the Kharkiv region, Belogorivka of the Luhansk region, Bohdanivka and Belaya Hora of the Donetsk region," he said.
● Heavy fighting continues here, Kovalev added.
11:33 am Kharkiv RmA: On August 17, 43 people, including 4 children, 26 women and 5 people with disabilities, were evacuated from communities close to the front line in the Kupyan district.
● A total of 526 people, including 143 children, have been evacuated since August 9.
● More than 14 volunteer organizations work on site. All evacuees receive humanitarian, legal, psychological and other assistance. Free housing is provided to those who need it.
LUHANSK
Thursday, August 17
12:21 pm: The legendary "Azov" special purpose brigade resumed tasks at the front.
● This was reported by acting Colonel Mykola Urshalovych, Director of the Department of Application Planning of the National Guard.
● "In particular, on August 15, the artillerymen of the brigade in the Serebryansk forestry district destroyed the mortar and engineering vehicle of the occupiers," Urshalovych said.
4:32 pm: Prosecutors of the Luhansk Regional Prosecutor's Office sent the indictment to the court against the so-called "head of the National People's Congress".
● This is reported by the Prosecutor General's Office.
● "He is charged with deliberate actions aimed at changing the boundaries of the territory and the state border of Ukraine, public calls to commit them based on a prior conspiracy with a group of persons, as well as participation in the organization and holding of an illegal referendum on the temporarily occupied territory," the message reads.
DONETSK
Friday, August 18
10:12 am Donetsk RMA: On the Donetsk direction, 2 people were injured in Katerynivka, Marinska hromada.
● On the Horlivskyi direction, 1 person died in Bohdanivka of the Chasovoyarsk community. 14 houses and an administrative building in Severnyi, 1 house in Druzhba were damaged in Toretska community.
● In the Lysychansk direction, 2 houses were damaged in Siversk, 3 shellings were recorded in the Lymansk community.
Thursday, August 17
2:37 pm: During the day, the Russian army carried out 18 shellings in the Donetsk region, two residents were wounded.
● This is reported by the National Police of Ukraine.
● "The enemy used FAB-500 guided aerial bombs, Smerch, Uragan, and Grad anti-aircraft missiles, as well as artillery and tanks," the report says.ZAPORIZHIA
Friday, August 18
12:58 am: Zaporozhye - missile danger.
5:20 am: Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions - missile danger, - Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
9:33 am Zaporizhia RMA: Over the past 24 hours, Russian military personnel have carried out 79 strikes on 20 settlements in the Zaporizhia region.
● 64 artillery shells fell on the territory of Gulyaipol, Novoandriyivka, Malynyvka, Poltavka, Zatyshshi, Kamianskyi, Plavniv, Stepovoy and other frontline villages.
● Six airstrikes were recorded on Komyshuvas, Orikhov, and Malia Tokmachka, five shellings from anti-aircraft missiles on Novodarivka, and four UAV attacks on Zaliznychne, Charivne, and Pyatikhatki.
9:57 am: "Melitopol residents report that they heard explosions in the vicinity of one of the city's microdistricts, and in the meantime, bomb squads are inspecting the railway track at the entrance to Aviamistechko," Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov writes.
● He added that it was also "a little" loud in occupied Tokmak and Kyrylivka last night.
Thursday, August 17
2:07 pm Zaporizhia RMA: Over the past day, the enemy has struck 80 targets in 20 settlements of the Zaporizhia region.
● According to him, 28 reports were received about the destruction of residential buildings, commercial buildings and infrastructure facilities.
3:20 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Berdyansk Zaporizhzhia region.
DNIPRO
Thursday, August 17
12:50 pm Dnipro RMA: In the morning, the Russian army attacked Dnipropetrovsk region with missiles.
● "It was loud in the Novomoskovsk district. Fortunately, local residents were not affected.
● 10,000 people in two settlements were left without electricity. Specialists have already eliminated the problem, houses have recovered," Lysak writes.
KHERSON
Friday, August 18
8:36 am Kherson RMA: Over the past day, the enemy launched 48 shellings of the region, firing 207 shells from mortars, artillery, tanks, Grads and UAVs.
● the Russian military took aim at the residential quarters of the populated areas of the region.
Thursday, August 17
12:12 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Berislav district of the Kherson region.
12:28 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
7:04 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson,
10:46 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
MYKOLAIV
Thursday, August 17
8:41 pm: Anti-Aircraft Defense forces destroyed 2 "Merlin-VR" reconnaissance UAVs in Mykolaiv Oblast, — Operational Command South.
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://espreso.tv/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka
https://t.me/uawarinfographics
https://t.me/svoboda_radio
Excuse me. 256,510 RF military personnel killed? How credible is that?
TIA