Ukraine – 8/23/2023 Sitrep
By: Bohdan Chomiak & Robert Homans
August 23, 2023
We won’t be posting tomorrow, August 24th, 2023, Ukrainian Independence Day
Slava Ukrainii!!!
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!
Bob or Robert?
Yesterday, I got 3 emails from a recipient, someone of Ukrainian descent, addressing me as Robert, despite my answering his emails as Bob. I allow my Ukrainian friends and family to call me Robert. Up until 2005, when I first went to Ukraine, I was known as Bob. I prefer being called Bob because that is what I’ve been called most of my life, even though I’m aware of the fact that the word “Bobik” in Russian refers to a small dog. Another version refers to a type of bean.
This reminds me of one of my favorite stories involving my late Cousin, who was a Partner in a large Chicago law firm and fluent in Russian. He specialized in litigation.
One of my cousin’s litigation clients was the former Heavyweight Champion of the World Muhammad Ali. Ali was being sued by Madison Square Garden, over his refusal to fight former Olympic Heavyweight Champion, Dwayne Bobick, even though Ali had signed a contract to fight Bobick at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It must have been great source of amusement for my cousin, a fluent Russian speaker, that their opponent, in the courtroom if not in the ring, was a small dog.
My cousin won. His defense, on behalf of his client Muhammad Ali, was that the contract Muhammad Ali signed was not co-signed by Ali’s Manager, Herbert Muhammad. My cousin argued that everyone in boxing knew that any contract that Ali signed that had not been co-signed by Herbert Muhammad wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.
The small dog (Madison Square Garden, actually) ended up having to pay Muhammad Ali’s legal fees.
The Latest Navalny Expose
It involves Putin’s yacht, called “Graceful.” In January 2022 Graceful was undergoing renovations at a yard in Hamburg, when the yard got a letter stating that the owner wanted to immediately move “Graceful.” Since “Graceful” was unable to move on its own power, she was towed from Hamburg to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, escorted by a ship from the Russian Coast Guard, and crewed by the officers of the FSB. Clearly, Putin was worried about the prospect of “Graceful” being attached by the German authorities, because of the prospect of Russia invading Ukraine. Enjoy.
Meduza IO – 2 Reports
The first report covers the likely deaths of several Russian tourists, who were on a guided tour of Moscow’s underground water collection system (probably a nice term for sewer) when a cloudburst dumped a large quantity of rain on Moscow, trapping the group. As a friend of mine likes to say, “you can’t make this stuff up.”
The second report consists of the accounts of 3 former Russian Army officers who deserted. It’s entitled, “I am Ready to Die for Russia, but not for Criminals and Thieves.” If this report is correct, and it applies to the entire Russian Army operating in Ukraine, then Ukraine should keep up the pressure, in Russia with drone attacks, and in Ukraine especially on Russian logistics.
Lawrence Freedman and Gen. Mick Ryan
I suggest that readers of these emails should stop reading accounts of the war in Ukraine from the New York Times, Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, that rely largely on leaks from un-named U.S. intelligence experts. Instead, rely on Freedman, Gen. Ryan and the daily summaries from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Instead of the so-called newspapers of record, these people know what they’re talking about. The newspapers of record, along with “intelligence experts” they use as sources, seem to be intent on covering their asses, from being so wrong at the beginning of the war.
Freedman’s Latest – “Ukraine’s Offensive – Is it Failing?”
Freedman states, “In some ways, therefore, this criticism of Ukrainian forces for being too risk averse and not punching hard enough seems not only to be misplaced but also a reversion to an earlier American approach to the use of force, before the fixation with manoeuvre, when American generals accepted the bloody logic of direct attacks if that was the only way to a quick victory and avoiding even larger losses over time.”
American generals have limited experience in fighting a war similar to what is now being undertaken in Ukraine by the Ukrainian Army. Ukrainian generals have fought against the Russians for over 9 years, starting with the Russian invasion of Donbas in 2014. During that time, Ukrainian generals have developed an understanding of what works for them and, more importantly, what doesn’t work. Perhaps the greatest quality displayed by Ukraine’s commanders is their ability to adjust.
Gen. Ryan’s Latest – “An Update on Ukraine’s Campaigns”
Gen. Ryan broadens the aperture, from focusing solely on the counteroffensive to the 6 distinct Ukrainian campaigns:
· The land campaign;
· The air missile & drone defense campaign
· The operational strike campaign – hitting Russian logistics
· The strategic strike campaign – hitting targets inside Russia
· The strategic influence campaign – Pres. Zelenskyy’s trips to Western capitals
· The enabling campaigns – cyber-attacks, re-supply, training
According to Gen. Ryan, the strategic influence campaign is being undermined by the articles in the 3 newspapers of record.
News From the Battlefield
The latest “Reporting From Ukraine” covers the fighting in and around Robotyne, on the way to Tokmak. What is interesting is how Ukraine is now taking advantage of night vision equipment, for which Russia has a limited amount, and the employment of Bradleys against Russian’s best tank, the T-90M. In the Gulf War, Bradleys destroyed more Iraqi Republican Guard T-70 tanks than were destroyed by Abrams tanks. The video shows a Bradley firing a TOW anti-tank missile. It is also worth mentioning that last year, in both the Kherson and Kharkiv Counteroffensives Ukraine made excellent use of the older M113 armored personnel carrier, a precursor of the Bradley.
8/23/2023 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon August 21 to 12:00 noon August 23, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Wednesday, August 23
12:03 am: Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Russia has already started moving some of its nuclear weapons to Belarus, namely short-range missiles. This is reported by the Associated Press.
● "Indeed, this process is happening, we are recording it," Duda said.
● According to the President of Poland, this step of the Russian Federation will change the security architecture of the region and the entire NATO military alliance.
12:20 am: Washington does not believe that the war in Ukraine has reached a stalemate, Biden's national security adviser Sullivan said during an online briefing.
● "We have always clearly understood that the battlefield is very dynamic. Both sides are attacking and defending at various points along a very long front line. We see how Ukraine continues to methodically and systematically win back territories," he said.
● Welcome news!
12:38 am: The minefields of the Russians in Ukraine are in some places the size of West Germany, — the head of the German Foreign Ministry Annalena Burbock
● "In the east of Ukraine there are huge minefields that create problems for the Ukrainian army, there is a lack of appropriate equipment to overcome them."
8:05 am: The White House is confident that Congress will approve the additional funds needed to continue providing support to Ukraine. This was stated by Jake Sullivan, US President's national security adviser, CNN writes.
8:05 am: Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow are legal and subject to international law, as Russia attacked Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock said at a joint press conference with the head of the Estonian Foreign Ministry, Margus Tsahkna, Tagesschau reports.
Tuesday, August 22
12:04 am: Greece could make a historic contribution to the security of Europe if it helped protect the Black Sea waters with Anti-Aircraft Defense systems.
● This was stated by the President of Ukraine after negotiations with the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
● "We are doing everything to restore security on the Black Sea coast. Ukraine has created an alternative grain corridor. It can work, but for its operation to be stable, we need to strengthen the air shield, and this is very important for the Black Sea region, in particular the city of Odessa," the president said .
12:20 am: Demining the Black Sea is a common challenge for Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, - Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.
● "We talked a lot about prospects, because our common interest of at least four countries — Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey — is in the security of the Black Sea, because it is a matter of a common future.
● It is a question of freedom of navigation, it is a question of cooperation between neighboring countries to provide the civilized world with the opportunities that all four countries are producing today," he said.
8:15 a.m.: American businessman Elon Musk admitted to Pentagon officials that he spoke personally with Russian President Putin last year, despite previously denying it, The New Yorker.
8:15 am: Former President Donald Trump agreed to $200,000 bail and other conditions of his release in the case of an attempt to tamper with the results of the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County, Georgia, CNN.
8:15 am: North Korea has criticized South Korea and the United States for holding annual joint military exercises, warning that they could trigger a thermonuclear war on the Korean Peninsula, - Yonhap.
9:41 am: Volodymyr Zelenskyy held productive talks with Prime Minister of Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov within the framework of the Ukraine-Balkans summit yesterday.
● "I expressed gratitude to Bulgaria for its defense and political support. We discussed further cooperation, Black Sea security, protection of alternative grain corridors. Today, I am continuing negotiations with my Balkan colleagues," the president said.
9:55 am: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov arrived at the BRICS summit in South Africa instead of Putin. Video from social networks.
10:55 am: Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a meeting with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.
● "A good conversation. About respect for the UN Charter and the inviolability of borders. About the future of our peoples in a common European home. About the development of relations, which is our common interest," said the President of Ukraine.
12:19 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and expressed gratitude for her efforts to normalize Ukrainian food exports and transit. Also coordinated positions on the Peace Formula on the way to the Global Peace Summit.
1:01 pm: The European Union has transferred another tranche of €1.5 billion in economic aid to Ukraine, said EC head Ursula von der Leyen after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.
2:28 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to North Macedonia for political and military support, preparation of a new defense package.
● "We discussed the development of defense cooperation during a meeting with Prime Minister Dimytar Kovachevsky. We agreed to coordinate steps on the way to the common goal of joining the EU," the message reads.
5:21 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi held talks with the President of Moldova, Maya Sandu, regarding the development of partnership and joint countermeasures against aggressive Russian politicians and hybrid threats.
● "We also discussed alternative grain export routes. We are working together on the path of our countries to join the EU," the President of Ukraine noted.
5:37 pm: Denmark began training 8 Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters. This was announced by the Armed Forces of Denmark, The Guardian reports.
● "Eight pilots have arrived at the Danish military airbase in Skridstrup together with 65 servicemen who will be trained to operate aircraft," the message reads.
8:10 pm: Bulgaria can supply Ukraine with about 100 units of Soviet-style armored vehicles, the country's Defense Minister Todor Tagarev said at a briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Reznikov in Odessa.
● Their transfer can begin at the end of September - the beginning of October.
11:21 pm: In the Czech Republic, property of the family of Russia's chief rocket engineer Boris Obnosov was seized.
● This was reported by Czech Television.
● Journalists found out that the head of the Tactical Missile Arms Corporation, which produces missiles for strikes on Ukraine, has many very expensive real estate properties in the Czech Republic.
● 14 apartments in Prague registered to Zorykov and the real estate rental company Riomax owned by him were seized.
Monday, August 21
12:32 pm: Address of Volodymyr Zelenskyi to members of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark:
● "We believe in something completely different. And that's why we become stronger - all of us, together with you. We believe in ordinary human solidarity. And it makes it possible to destroy any column of any equipment of any occupiers. Because when you have people on your side, and when humanity is a value for you, and when your values coincide with the values of other nations, you will find all the necessary weapons to defend yourself.
● Dear people of Denmark! Ukraine believed you when this evil invasion began. And I thank you for believing in us."
2:08 pm: Ukraine will be able to use F-16 fighter jets, which will be transferred to it by Denmark, only on its territory - Danish Defense Minister Jakob Elleman-Ensen.
● "We hand over weapons on the condition that they are used to push the enemy out of the territory of Ukraine. And nothing more. Such conditions, be it tanks, fighter jets, or something else. This is a signal that Ukraine will, of course, receive," he said. .
2:36 pm: Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that his country itself needs Gripen fighters, noting that there are no plans to transfer them to Ukraine yet.
4:26 pm: About 1,000 dolphins have died in the Black Sea since the full-scale invasion began.
● This is reported by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine.
● This is not only the coast of Ukraine, but also Bulgaria and Turkey. Among the causes of the death of marine mammals are sea mines, explosions, missile launches, low flights of Russian fighter jets that injure the mammals.
5:21 pm: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to meet Putin to discuss grain deal, Sky News
● "In September, there will be a meeting of the G20 in India and the UN General Assembly in the US. If we find an opportunity in this busy environment, we will meet and talk with Putin face to face," the Turkish president said.
6:12 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi has already arrived in Greece.
● "Ukraine-Balkans summit: joint meeting with Balkan leaders, coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, defense cooperation, security. Also separate negotiations on bilateral issues," the president writes.
● Also, according to him, Swedish CV90 combat vehicles will be manufactured in Ukraine.
6:31 pm: Kosovo joined the declaration of the G7 countries to support security guarantees for Ukraine.
● This was announced by Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti.
● "Ensuring the victory of Ukraine and bringing Russian leaders to account for their crimes is a necessary condition for preserving peace and democracy," Kurti wrote.
9:39 pm: Greece has decided to join the G7 declaration on providing security guarantees to Ukraine.
● This was announced by Volodymyr Zelenskyi during a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
● "We will continue this work at the bilateral level to make the format of security guarantees a model for other states that need effective security guarantees," the president said.
9:52 pm: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi will hold a meeting with the head of Serbia Oleksandr Vucic in Athens, — Kurir.
● According to Vučić, Serbia respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine, so he hopes that it will also respect the territorial sovereignty of Serbia.
● The meeting should take place tomorrow morning.
10:34 pm: Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the current state of affairs on the front line and the security situation in the region with the President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
● "Special thanks for the rehabilitation program for Ukrainian children affected by Russian aggression," the President of Ukraine emphasized.
NATIONAL
Wednesday, August 23
3:42 am: Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia regions - missile danger, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
3:53 am: Kherson region - the threat of using aviation weapons, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
4:01 am: South - missile danger, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
4:08 a.m.: Defeat of the threat to the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. The threat of Shaheds to Izmail, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
4:54 am: Countering the threat of attack UAVs for the Odesa region. Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk regions - activity of enemy tactical aviation in the waters of the Sea of Azov, - Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:07 am General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the past day, the enemy launched 4 missile and 58 air strikes, launched 60 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
● During the past 24 hours, more than 30 combat clashes took place.
● The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol direction, are entrenched at the achieved boundaries, and carry out counter-battery countermeasures.
● During the past day, the aviation of the defense forces made 11 strikes on enemy personnel concentration areas and 2 strikes on anti-aircraft missile systems.
● During the past day, units of missile forces and artillery struck 3 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, 2 ammunition warehouses, 1 control post, 1 artillery device on a firing position and 1 heavy flamethrower system TOS-1A of the enemy.
9:15 am: Happy National Flag Day of Ukraine!
● Our flag will certainly return to every temporarily occupied settlement.
9:30 am: On the night of August 23, the enemy launched 20 attack UAVs "Shahed-136/131" from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk region (Russian Federation), Chauda (Crimea), - Air Force.
● The Anti-Aircraft Defense forces destroyed 11 attack drones: 9 in Odesa and 2 more within Zaporizhzhya region.
9:45 am: The President of Lithuania arrived in Kyiv to celebrate the Independence Day of Ukraine.
● Gitanas Nauseda announced this on his Twitter.
9:50 a.m.: Poltava, Kharkiv regions - the threat of using attack UAVs, the Air Force reports.
10:00 am: The President of Portugal is visiting Ukraine for the first time.
● He has already been met at the railway station in Kyiv, media reports.
11:11 am: Portuguese journalist Joao Porfirio published a video of the visit of the President of Portugal to Bucha and commemoration of those who died during the Russian occupation near the Church of Saint Andrew the First-Called Apostle.
Tuesday, August 22
12:02 am: Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia region - the threat of using attack UAVs, the Air Force reports.
2:10 am: Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipro regions - missile danger, the Air Force reports.
6:05 a.m.: Defeated the missile threat.
● This was reported in the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
7:06 am: Over the past 24 hours, the enemy has launched 2 missile and 43 air strikes, launched 45 rocket salvo fire attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● Also, about 30 combat clashes took place during the past day.
● During the past day, the aviation of the defense forces struck 6 areas of concentration of enemy personnel, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● During the past day, units of missile troops and artillery hit 4 control points, 1 area of concentration of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, and 3 artillery means at the enemy's firing positions.
12:56 pm: Attention! All of Ukraine is a missile hazard! The take-off of MiG-31K PKS of the Russian Federation from the Savasleyka airfield of the Nizhny Novgorod Region was recorded, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
1:13 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the participants of the VI International Veterans Forum "Ukraine. Defenders Future".
● "No lost fortunes! No lost generations! No lost opportunities! And of course, don't waste time. Time of life.
● Any official who does not understand this will be replaced. Any time-consuming regulation should be simplified. Everything in our country, in one way or another, should become an assistant to a veteran, as it is an assistant to a soldier today," the president said.
1:29 pm: 6-7 months is the minimum term for the transfer of F-16 to Ukraine. This must be consciously evaluated, - Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.
● "But if it will be a little bigger, don't be disappointed, because our pilots have demonstrated their ability to be ready in 6 months," he said.
1:30 pm: Attention! The air alert in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions remains due to the activity of Russian tactical aircraft in the eastern and southeastern directions - the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
4:06 pm: Already about a million people in Ukraine are participating in hostilities, - Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.
● "For 9.5 years of this war, we already have about a million combatants. We know exactly their current problems and tasks: acquiring the status of UBD, VVK, compensation for injuries, etc. We are working on all these issues and there will be changes. Already soon processes are digitized, there will be significantly less paperwork and queues," the minister said.
4:29 pm: According to the SBU, the entrepreneur who supplied defective body armor worth almost UAH 6 million to the Armed Forces faces 12 years in prison
● With budget funds, the organizers of the event delivered 350 defective body armor to one of the military units of the region.
● During their testing, it was established that the purchased products do not meet the declared technical characteristics of the 4th class of protection and are dangerous for use in combat conditions.
5:07 pm: Police officers have discovered large-scale corruption schemes, in the organization of which officials of military commissariats in all regions of the country are involved. As part of the comprehensive training, the National Police conducts more than 200 searches.
● According to all the revealed facts, the law enforcement officers have started criminal proceedings.
● “For a certain reward, the participants in the proceedings helped citizens with the registration of a disability group or recognition of them as temporarily unfit for service. Such actions allowed to postpone or even avoid conscription for military service," the police detail.
6:27 pm: Air alert in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions is related to the activity of enemy tactical aviation in the eastern and southeastern directions, - Air Force.
● There is a threat of using aviation weapons.
7:01 pm: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the day, the enemy launched 2 missile and 38 air strikes, fired 26 anti-aircraft missiles at the positions of our troops and populated areas.
● During the day, 26 combat clashes took place.
● The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol direction, are entrenched at the achieved boundaries, and carry out counter-battery countermeasures.
● During the day, the aviation of the defense forces made 9 strikes on enemy personnel concentration areas and 2 strikes on anti-aircraft missile complexes.
● During the day, units of missile troops and artillery hit 2 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, 2 ammunition warehouses and 1 heavy TOS-1A flamethrower system of the enemy.
8:31 pm: The Wagner PMC terrorist organization is no longer fighting in Ukraine.
● This was stated by the representative of the Military Intelligence Command of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov.
8:37 pm: In the Kharkiv and Poltava regions there is a threat of using ballistics, the Air Force warns.
8:49 pm: 37 Marine Brigade revealed how it destroyed a Russian field ammunition depot in the south.
9:25 pm: Heat tariffs for the population will not increase until April 2024, — Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
● "Naftogaz will continue to sell gas to heat suppliers for the population at a fixed price of UAH 7.4 thousand per thousand cubic meters," the Prime Minister noted.
10:19 pm: Military commissars will be given access to all state registers. This was announced by Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
● "Somewhere in mid-autumn, we estimate that we will embark on a more serious digitization of the Completion Centers, former military commissariats. Today, we are at the stage of signing joint orders with other departments on the mutual exchange of information," he said at the International Veterans Forum on Tuesday.
● According to him, this will make it possible to automatically exchange information from the registers of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Central Election Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the State Border Service.
Monday, August 21
12:50 pm: Ukrainian troops were successful in the direction of south-eastern Robotina and south of Mala Tokmachka of the Zaporizhzhia region, - Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar.
● "The enemy tried to regain lost positions east of Robotyn, Zaporizhzhia region. But unsuccessfully. Planned combat work is currently underway in Robotyn," Malyar added.
1:17 pm: The air alert in the Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions is related to the activity of Russian tactical aviation in the eastern and southeastern direction, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
1:22 pm: Western F-16 fighters can change the course of events on the front. Ukraine needs these planes to have air superiority over the occupied territories.
● This was stated by the spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat.
● He also reported that currently, about 8-9 Russian fighter jets can be freely stationed in the occupied territories. They drop aerial bombs and launch anti-aircraft missiles. At the same time, with the F-16 in service in Ukraine, they will not be able to do this.
3:06 pm: The price of the headlines about where the 82nd brigade was moved in the south is 5 airstrikes on the brigade per day, - Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar.
● She emphasized that unauthorized dissemination of such information is punishable by up to eight years in prison.
4:08 pm: The State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure will open the estimates of all projects - they will be available in the Unified State System in the field of construction, - the head of the Agency, Mustafa Nayem.
● According to him, from now on, everyone will be able to check and compare the prices of materials, the cost of the equipment involved, and the costs of projects developed by any state customer. This, in turn, will increase the responsibility of both state customers and project organizations and expertise.
5:26 pm: Activity of enemy tactical aviation in the eastern, southeastern directions, — Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● The threat of using aviation weapons.
5:40 pm: Ukraine is finalizing a scheme with global insurers to protect grain ships transiting the Black Sea.
● This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Oleksandr Hryban, Financial Times reports.
● According to him, the agreement is currently being developed and actively discussed between the relevant ministries, as well as local banks and international insurance groups, including Lloyd's of London.
6:46 pm: Ukraine is determined to fulfill all the tasks of the European Commission and start negotiations on membership in the European Union by the end of the year.
● This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba.
● "The EU must become bigger in order to win in the global struggle for influence. Europe needs new strength and muscle, and the so-called "enlargement fatigue" must give way to healthy global ambitions," the message reads.
7:00 pm: An anonymous portal is being developed in Ukraine, where citizens will be able to report facts of corruption and receive 10% of the subject of the corruption offense.
● This was announced by the head of the National Anti-Corruption Agency Oleksandr Novikov.
● According to him, the launch of the portal is expected approximately in early September. Also, the amount of the reward cannot be more than 14 million hryvnias.
7:26 pm Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on August 21:
● "During the day, the enemy launched 2 rocket and more than 30 air strikes, launched 35 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
● As a result of Russian terrorist attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population.
● Also, more than 20 combat clashes took place during the day."
● "An enemy unit from the Republic of Buryatia of the Russian Federation arrived in the settlement of Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia Region.
● Military personnel of this unit systematically check residents for the presence of documents for the right to live in their own homes.
● If the absence of documents for the registration of the right of residence is found, all property and housing are taken under the guise of "confiscation" and disaffected local residents are physically abused."
● "During the day, the aviation of the defense forces made 6 strikes on areas where enemy personnel were concentrated.
● During the day, units of missile troops and artillery hit 4 control points, 1 area of concentration of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, and 3 artillery means at the enemy's firing positions.
10:02 pm: The air alert in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions is related to the presence of UAVs of an unknown type in the airspace over the regions.
● This is reported by the Air Force.
10:20 pm: The head of the Ministry of Energy Herman Galushchenko noted that the energy system of our country will be ready for winter and there are all the necessary resources to go through the heating season without power outages.
● "The enemy's goal is to achieve a blackout in Ukraine. Last winter, we learned a lot from the point of view of maintaining the power system, but the enemy's strikes can be modified... If there are blackouts, they will be the result of attacks on our power system and will be temporary," - he said.
11:44 pm: the Russians took three more missile carriers into the Black Sea. Their total number is now 11 units, the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine inform.
● "The total salvo of the Calibers can reach 20! The total number of ships in the group is 11," the military said in a statement.
MORDOR - ruZZia
Wednesday, August 23
2:55 am Social Networks: Explosions were heard in Moscow.
3:09 am Social Networks: Repeated explosions are heard in Moscow.
3:35 am: The "Carpet" plan has been introduced at all Moscow airports. Airports do not accept or release planes, ruZZian mass media.
4:08 am: Moscow region, Khimki - local publics show a video on which the sounds of explosions can be clearly heard.
4:32 am: Consequences of the explosion in Moscow City. The facade of the skyscraper under construction at the level of 10-15 floors was damaged.
4:41 am: The moment of the collision of the UAV with the "Moscow City" building under construction.
● Two UAVs that attacked Moscow were destroyed by Anti-Aircraft Defense in the air over the territory of the Mozhaisky and Khimki districts of the Moscow region. The third unmanned aerial vehicle was suppressed by means of radio-electronic warfare and, having lost control, collided with a building of the "Moscow-City" complex under construction, - the statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
6:31 am: Due to an explosion in "Moscow City", windows were broken in one of the high-rise buildings, which is about 100 meters from the place of the incident.
10:29 am: In the temporarily occupied Crimea, in the Olenivka area, a powerful explosion is reported. We are waiting for official information.
11:45 am: The Russian Bastion missile complex was hit in Crimea, Petro Andryushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, said.
● "It's a holiday. In Crimea, the coastal anti-ship missile complex (BRPK) Bastion was hit," he wrote.
Tuesday, August 22
3:02 am: Explosions were heard in Moscow's Strogino district, - ruZZian mass media.
● Explosions were also heard in the city of Krasnogorsk near Moscow.
3:05 am: An explosion in Krasnohorsk, near Moscow, blew out windows in a building, local media reported.
● According to preliminary data, Russian Anti-Aircraft Defense forces destroyed an unknown drone over the city.
3:20 am: "Carpet" mode has been announced again at Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports. Planes on departure and arrival are delayed, RuZZian mass media reports.
3:43 am: Anti-Aircraft Defense shot down two attack drones - in the Krasnogorsk and Chastsov area, special services went to the scene - Moscow Mayor Serhii Sobyanin.
3:53 am: The moment of the explosion over Krasnohorsk in the area of the government building of the Moscow region.
● Video from local social networks.
3:58 am: The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation noted that the territory of Russia was attacked by four UAVs at night. Two of them were shot down by means of Anti-Aircraft Defense over the suburbs of Moscow, the other two were suppressed and shot down over the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation.
4:05 am: A residential building on Krasnohirsky Boulevard in Moscow was damaged by a drone attack.
● Photo from local social networks.
3:02 p.m.: Russia put the new Zyklon missile carrier on combat duty for the first time, Nataliya Humenyuk, spokesperson for the Southern Command
● This is the Kalibr missile carrier, which was recently accepted into the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. It has 8 universal launchers for Kalibr and Onyx missiles.
● In total, the Russians launched three missile carriers into the sea today with a total volley of up to 20 missiles.
3:15 pm: The PlanetLab company showed satellite images of the airfield where a Russian Tu-22m3 bomber burned down on August 19.
● At this time, all planes were removed from the site. The first picture is from August 16, the second is from August 21.
7:34 pm: In Belgorod, Russian Federation, the windows of the school building were covered with sand before the start of the new school year, - ruZZian mass media.
9:50 pm: In the temporarily occupied Sevastopol, there were explosions and gunshots, local media reported.
● According to their data, the Russians stopped traffic on the Crimean Bridge.
11:01 pm: The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the flight of two MQ-9 "Reaper" and TB2 "Bayraktar" was recorded over the Black Sea.
● UAVs conducted reconnaissance in the area of the Crimean Peninsula. Two Russian fighters were raised.
● After that, the UAVs changed their flight direction and left the air reconnaissance areas.
Monday, August 21
12:11 pm: The Russian army has serious problems with counter-battery capabilities on all areas of the front, especially in the Zaporizhzhia direction, Institute for the Study of War
● Analysts report that units of the Russian Armed Forces are experiencing a shortage of officers due to the loss of manpower, and that privates are commanding some Russian companies that should be commanded by a junior officer.
12:39 pm: In the Simferopol district of Crimea, the light went out, - ruZZian mass media.
● An emergency disconnection of the high-voltage line is reported. The so-called "local government" promises to turn on the light in two hours. At the same time, the number of disconnected subscribers and settlements is not reported.
3:29 p.m.: The SBU seized over UAH 1 billion in assets of Russian general Valery Kapashin in Poltava Oblast
● The list of blocked assets includes more than 20 commercial objects, more than 3,000 square meters of residential real estate, and 17 land plots in the Poltava region.
● Among the seized property is the house of the Kapashyn family, premium class hotels and restaurants, as well as office and shopping and entertainment centers with a total area of almost 30,000 m².
3:47 pm: Russia can launch a new wave of mobilization already in the fall, - representative of Military Intelligence, Andriy Yusov
● "A new public wave of mobilization could have been launched a long time ago. Why is there a public one? Because the mobilization measures on the territory of Russia did not stop," he said.
4:44 pm: In the Kaluga region of the Russian Federation, a drone was shot down this morning on the territory of the Shaykovka airfield, - ruZZian mass media.
● It is reported that a gap has formed at the place of the fall. As a result of the fall of the drone, the aircraft, which is not in use, was damaged. There were no injuries or infrastructure damage.
9:59 pm: At least one aircraft was damaged by a drone attack at Russia's Shaykovka airfield.
● This was stated by the representative of the Military Intelligence Command of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov in a comment to the media.
● According to him, this was done by people who completed the task in clear coordination with the State Government.
● "They came from central Russia, worked hard and successfully returned back," Yusov noted.
10:49 pm: the Russians began to actively build the second and third lines of defense, - spokeswoman for the Operational Command South Nataliya Gumenyuk.
● "They are trying to consolidate the defense, in particular, by creating reinforced concrete structures, to dig in additionally and to entrench themselves deeper. But this work is already focused on the 2nd line of defense and the 3rd line is already beginning to show itself more briskly," Gumenyuk said.
REGIONS
KYIV
Monday, August 21
1:06 pm: Vitaliy Klitschko announced that today Kyiv received 3 Mercedes Citaro city buses from Ukrainian benefactors.
● They were purchased in Germany by the "Kyivpasservis" company and presented to the city. These buses are in good technical condition and will soon be on Kyiv routes.
● Also recently, the Ukrainian capital received 3 Mercedes Sprinter-based ambulances from the German partner city of Hamburg.
8:05 pm: Taking into account the earlier decision to cancel mass events in Kyiv until Independence Day, the mayor of the capital Vitaliy Klitschko instructed his deputies and heads of district administrations not to allow their holding on August 23 and 24.
● Klitschko also appealed to the heads of the State Police and State Emergency Service in Kyiv to "take additional measures to protect public order and security[...]".
● "I call on all Kyiv residents and guests of the capital to be as attentive and careful as possible these days and not to ignore air warning signals," writes the mayor of Kyiv.
10:54 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kyiv region. Previously, the work of Anti-Aircraft Defense.
CHERNIHIV
Tuesday, August 22
11:10 am Chernihiv RMA: Over the last day, the enemy shelled the border settlements of the Chernihiv region 4 times. 39 explosions were recorded.
● At night, the enemy took aim at the city council building in Semenivka. Fire. Destruction. Damaged houses nearby. Unfortunately, the man died.
3:32 pm: the Russians shelled the Chernihiv region at night - there is destruction, damaged neighboring houses, - the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
● A man died, civil infrastructure objects were damaged. In Semenivka, the Russians took aim at the administrative building - there is destruction, damaged neighboring houses.
Monday, August 21
10:59 pm Chernihiv RMA: Russians hit a civilian object in Chernihiv region with "Shakhed"
● "Unfortunately, there is a hit of a "shaheda" in a civilian object in a settlement of the border community."
SUMY
Wednesday, August 23
11:25 am Sumy RMA: In the city of Romny this morning, a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle of the Shahed type hit an educational institution.
● The building of the institution was completely destroyed. All services are working.
11:30 am: Several enemy drones continue to be in the airspace in the Sumy region, - Air Force.
● The military is urged not to ignore the air alert.
Tuesday, August 22
11:41 a.m.: The SBU detained an enemy informer in Sumy Oblast, who was "leaking" data to the occupiers for a possible breakthrough of the Russian DRG across the border.
● However, all these "plans" of the occupiers were foiled by SBU officers, who promptly exposed the enemy informer, documented her criminal actions and detained her.
● The perpetrator turned out to be a pro-Russian resident of the Sumy district, who actively spread her own anti-Ukrainian posts in the banned Odnoklasnyk.
1:43 pm: Attention! Sumy region - missile danger! - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
3:52 pm Sumy RMA: At night and in the morning, the Russians carried out 8 shellings of the border territories and settlements of the Sumy region. 24 explosions were recorded.
● The communities of Esmansk, Druzhbivsk, Velikopysarivsk came under fire.
6:15 pm: the Russian Federation fired a grenade launcher at Seredino-Buda in the Sumy region, - Office of the Prosecutor General.
● Around 1:00 p.m., Russians from the territory of the Russian Federation fired mortars and grenade launchers at the outskirts of the town of Seredyna-Buda, Shostkinsky District.
● Four civilian men were injured.
Monday, August 21
1:50 pm Sumy RMA: At night and in the morning, the Russians carried out 3 shellings of the border.
● 39 explosions were recorded. The communities of Krasnopilsk, Esmansk, and Khotynsk were shelled.
KHARKIV
Tuesday, August 22
9:11 am Kharkiv RMA: This night, around 03:00, the enemy shelled the town of Vovchansk, Chuguyiv District.
● 4 residential buildings were damaged and destroyed. Rescuers unblocked the owner of one of the houses - a 56-year-old woman - from under the rubble.
● Around 00:30, as a result of shelling in the town of Kupyansk-Vuzlovy, a private house was damaged and a fire broke out.
10:29 pm: The head of the Kharkiv RMA Oleg Synegubov reported that the Russians launched rocket attacks on the village of Chkalovskoe in the Chuguyiv district.
● Previously, 2 hits were recorded in a non-residential premises. There is destruction, without fire.
● Information about the victims is being clarified. Emergency services are on site.
Monday, August 21
2:53 pm: A 51-year-old man was injured by an anti-personnel mine explosion, State Emergency Service press service.
● "On August 20, a man, born in 1972, stepped on a "petal" anti-personnel mine in the village of Borshchev, Kharkiv district. The victim was hospitalized with injuries," the report says.
DONETSK
Wednesday, August 23
10:44 am Social Networks: Explosions are also heard in temporarily occupied Donetsk.
Tuesday, August 22
11:25 am Donetsk RMA: On August 21, the Russians killed 1 resident of Donetsk region — in Podilsk.
2:44 pm Donetsk RMA: A house and outbuildings were damaged in Novoukrayinka, under fire from Bogoyavlenka and Vugledar. 3 houses were damaged in Shakhtarsky, - the head of Donetsk OVA Pavlo Kyrylenko.
● Avdiivka, Hirnyk, Gostre, Krasnohorivka, Maksimilianivka, Toretsk, Shcherbynivka, Nikiforivka, Soledarska, Zvanivska and Lymanska communities, Siversk were also under fire.
● In just one day, the Russians killed 1 resident of Donetsk region.
11:42 pm: The head of Donetsk OVA, Pavlo Kyrylenko, reported that three people were killed and two wounded in the Lymansk community as a result of Russian shelling.
Monday, August 21
7:13 pm: In the temporarily occupied Mariupol, a fire broke out at a concrete plant for the production of fortifications.
● This was reported by Petro Andryushchenko, the city mayor's adviser.
11:30 pm: Ukrainian Vampire drones hit a Russian warehouse and an armored combat vehicle in the direction of Bakhmut, - reports the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.
● "The combat task was performed by the CODE 9.2 unit. During the mission, the Russians tried to land the "bird" thanks to the REB. But the drone worked effectively and returned home," Fedorov wrote.
ZAPORIZHIA
Wednesday, August 23
12:49 am: After almost a year and a half of Russian occupation, residents of the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region cry when they meet the soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Tuesday, August 22
12:49 am: It is reported that today in the temporarily occupied Berdyansk, explosions were heard at the location of the Russian military.
1:12 am: A group of "Shakheds" was recorded near Zaporizhzhia, - the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
1:46 am: Explosions rang out in Zaporizhzhia, subscribers reported. We are waiting for official information.
7:41 am: The enemy attacked Zaporizhzhia again this night, Anatoliy Kurtev, secretary of the Zaporizhzhia city council, reports.
● As a result of the blast wave, 4 multi-story buildings were damaged. There are no casualties.
9:30 am Zaporizhia RMA: Over the past day, the enemy struck 96 attacks on 30 towns and villages of the Zaporizhia region.
● A 51-year-old man died because of artillery fire on Preobrazhenka. A 43-year-old man was also injured.
● 31 reports were received about the destruction of infrastructure facilities, residential buildings and other property of citizens.
10:10 a.m.: Overcoming Russian resistance, soldiers of the 47th brigade entered the village of Robotyne, and they organized the evacuation of civilians by BMP, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar said.
10:22 am: Soldiers of the 47th brigade published a video of combat work in the village of Robotyne, in the Melitopol direction.
12:42 pm: The State Emergency Service showed the consequences of the Russian attack on Zaporozhye.
● At night, the occupiers fired at one of Zaporozhye's enterprises. As a result of the attack, 14 cars, including 4 trucks, as well as packing containers on the site were on fire. The total area of the fire was 200 square meters.
Monday, August 21
4:32 pm Social Networks: Explosions rang out in the Zaporozhye region.
5:25 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Zaporozhye district.
DNIPRO
Wednesday, August 23
8:25 am Dnipro RMA: Russians attacked Nikopol last night with a drone, and after midnight - with heavy artillery.
● According to Serhiy Lysak, people were not injured. Whether the Russian projectiles caused damage is currently being clarified.
Tuesday, August 22
5:34 am: The Dnipro region is a missile hazard, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports.
5:37 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kryvyi Rih, subscribers report. We are waiting for official information.
6:10 am: Chairman of the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council Oleksandr Vilkul confirmed the explosion in the city.
8:00 am: the Russians launched a rocket attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih, 1 person was injured, reported the head of Dnipropetrovsk OVA Serhiy Lysak.
● 20 private houses and a power line were damaged.
● Also at night, the Russian army attacked Synelnykivsky district with a drone. She healed a private enterprise. There was a fire. Firefighters promptly extinguished the fire.
Monday, August 21
11:11 pm Dnipro RMA: Water was launched in the region through a new pipeline, which was laid between the Ingulets River and the Southern Reservoir.
● "This pipeline is part of a large-scale main water pipeline. It is designed to provide water for the regions that suffered due to the Russians undermining the Kakhovskaya HPP," Lysak writes.
● According to him, this is only the first thread in this area, three more are planned. When the pipes are ready, they will be able to pump 400,000 cubic meters of water every day.
KHERSON
Wednesday, August 23
5:49 am Social Networks: Explosions were heard in Kherson.
10:15 am Kherson RMA: In the morning, the Russians dropped two guided aerial bombs on a kindergarten and residential buildings in Kherson.
● According to him, a fire broke out as a result of the shelling, which was promptly extinguished by firefighters.
● Six people were injured. A 22-year-old man was taken to a medical facility, the others were treated by doctors on the spot.
Tuesday, August 22
4:58 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
8:50 am Kherson RMA: Over the past day, the enemy carried out 71 shellings of the Kherson region, firing 356 shells from mortars, artillery, tanks, Grads and UAVs. The enemy fired 11 shells at the city of Kherson. Four people were injured.
● the Russian military aimed at the residential quarters of the populated areas of the region; the territory of the cottage cooperative in the Kherson district; the territory of the farm and the national park in Beryslav district.
9:09 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
12:10 pm Kherson RMA: the Russian army struck Komyshan.
● Local residents who were on the street came under fire. A 71-year-old woman received non-life-threatening injuries. A 55-year-old man was hospitalized and is being treated.
10:46 pm: The bottom of the former Kakhovsky reservoir was covered with clover, alfalfa and other plants.
● They were sown by conservationists from Kamianska Sich Park to prevent dust storms and the spread of alien species.
Monday, August 21
12:08 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
2:20 pm: the Russians attacked a resident of Zolota Balka with a drone, - Kherson OVA.
● Around 12:00, the Russians threw an explosive object at a 43-year-old man. As a result of the attack, he received multiple shrapnel wounds to the chest, abdomen and leg. The victim was hospitalized, he is being treated.
8:00 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
8:23 pm Kherson RMA: The Russian army shelled Sofiyivka in the Kherson region, two local residents were injured - a 79-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man.
● "The victims were given medical aid. They will undergo further treatment on an outpatient basis," the message reads.
MYKOLAIV
Tuesday, August 22
11:56 am: The head of Mykolaiv RMA Vitaly Kim announced that all public events in Mykolaiv have been canceled and the celebration will be held online.
● He also urged everyone to be responsible for air alarms this week.
Monday, August 21
6:01 p.m.: The SBI informed about the suspicion of the commander from the Mykolayiv region, who had unjustifiably charged almost UAH 5.5 million in payments to his subordinates.
● "The colonel continued to pay salaries even to military personnel who did not show up for duty for three months at a time," - writes the press service of the DBR.
● The sanction of this article is punishable by up to 8 years of imprisonment.
ODESA
Wednesday, August 23
1:33 am: The "Shahed" group is moving over the Black Sea in the direction of Odessa.
● This is reported in the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
2:43 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Odesa region.
3:21 am: A group of Shahed reached Ismail. Moving to the west - the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
3:22 am Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Izmail, Odesa region.
3:32 am: The threat to Odesa remains.
● Another air target from the sea in the direction of Izmail is the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
3:47 am: A group of martyrs is observed along the border with Romania in the direction of Izmail, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
4:00 am: Explosions are heard again in Odesa region, subscribers report. We are waiting for official information.
CHERKASY
Monday, August 21
8:56 p.m.: In Cherkasy region, a military commissar employee and two of his accomplices were notified of suspicion of receiving $3,000, — Prosecutor General's Office.
● "With these funds, they promised to provide a decision on placing a conscript on military registration, issue and issue him a certificate of registration at the conscription station," the OGP press service writes.
● At present, one of them has been selected as a preventive measure - custody, in relation to the other 2, a petition has been sent to the court to select a preventive measure in the form of custody.
KIROVOHRAD
Tuesday, August 22
5:58 am: The Kirovohrad region is a missile hazard, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports.
ZAKARPATTIA
Tuesday, August 22
10:39 am Zakarpattia RMA: The President of Hungary Katalin Novak arrived on a visit to Ukraine.
● During the visit, the President of Hungary will meet with political, church and educational figures of the Hungarian community of Transcarpathia, with the family of the fallen defender and children of large families. After that, she will go to Kyiv, where she will take part in the third International Summit of the Crimean Platform, which will be held on August 23.
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
Hello Graham,
I am glad you are well. But it seems you are living on another planet. It is sad to see the Ukrainians dying because it makes the Americans happy. Just listen to Lindsey Graham boasting about this American success.
I am on the Red Sea coast of Egypt. I just learned that Mr Zelensky bought a villa for $5m only 5km from my modest location. Whether his SAS bodyguards will let him enjoy it is another matter.
https://punchng.com/luxurious-villa-owned-by-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelenskyys-family-discovered-on-egyptian-coast/
https://www.globalresearch.ca/zelensky-buys-luxury-villa-egypt/5830100
Personally, I follow the blog of Andrei Martyanov. It is a lot more real than anything else in the West. But then I am only an engineer. Political "Scientists" seem to know a lot more about these things. To me, it was blatantly obvious that Russia would smash the Ukraine and that the West would not dare intervene.
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/
Do take care,
Alfred
Can you provide links for those numbers?