Bob Homans August 24

20220824

Ukraine – 8/24 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
Twitter: @rhomansjr
August 24, 2022

Happy Ukraine Independence Day!

Latest Lawrence Freedman

Freedman’s latest Substack post is entitled “Constantly Operating Factors.”   He quoted a statement made by Josef Stalin on February 23, 1942, not long after the Soviet Army stopped the Germans in front of Moscow, and almost exactly 80 years before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “‘Now the Germans no longer possess the military advantage which they had in the first months of the war by virtue of their treacherous and sudden attack. The momentum of unexpectedness and suddenness which constituted the reserve strength of the German fascist troops has been fully spent.”

In addition to discussing the war, Freedman also discusses the murder of Daria Dugina.

Double Times Radio

Putin’s Last Card – Scott Lucas describes “Putin’s Last Card” as trying to use the gas weapon to freeze out Europe.  He also speaks about the murder of Daria Dugina, whom he has met several times, and concludes that it was a Russian operation.

Putin Will Crack – General Ben Hodges, retired Commanding General U.S. Army Europe.   Gen. Hodges predicts that the Russian Army will crack, and by the end of this year4 Ukraine will at least recover the territory that it controlled on Feb. 23, 2022.  

A Quick 6 Month Assessment

My collaborator and I have been saying pretty much the same thing as General Hodges (but without the benefit of his great experience) since at least the 2nd day of the war.   At the time were a distinct minority.

What convinced us that Ukraine was going to win was the news, on Day 2 of the war, that a Russian tank and an APC appeared in front of the Kyiv Opera House, without an infantry protection or air support.   They were just around the corner from my collaborator’s residence.  They were quickly eliminated by Ukrainians using the British NLAWs.  

At around the same time, a column of Russian tanks appeared in the Obolon District in Kyiv, north of Central Kyiv, again without any infantry protection or air support.   After doing some damage, including a Russian tank running over a car full of innocents, they found themselves in a cul-de-sac, that anyone with any familiarity with Obolon would understand.   The entire column was destroyed by Ukrainians using NLAWS and Javelins.   Someone later told me that the maps the Russians were using were pre-WW-II, when Obolon wasn’t much more than a village.  If the Russians had bothered to have up-to-date maps, a Russian commander with any type of military experience would’ve concluded that an incursion into Obolon without any infantry or air support would be doomed.   Indeed, it was.

We wrote about this, as well as the Battle of the Opera House, in an early email just after the war started.   After these two incidents we concluded that Russia would lose and, speaking for myself, I haven’t had any reason to change the conclusion we reached on Day 2.

8/24 Sitrep (my comments in bold face)

Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon August 23 to 12:00 noon August 24, 2022

A bike ride in Edmonton, Canada recreated Ukraine’s coat of arms on google maps to commemorate Ukrainian Independence Day.  In addition there were rallies in support of Ukrainian independence in:

Seoul, Ayia Napa, (a resort in Cyprus), Rome, Larnaca, Austin, Texas

Yesterday's Crimea Platform Conference produced a lot of statements from a variety of leaders and after collating them I placed these comments after the table with count of Russian losses.

Abbreviations:

RMA = Regional Military Administration

MLRS = Multiple Launch Rocket System

AFU = Armed Forces of Ukraine

INTERNATIONAL

August 24

10:44 CNN - Turkish presidential spokesman:  Crimea should become a Ukrainian territory again if Russia and Ukraine sign a corresponding agreement.

09:44 : Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis proposed to allow entry to the EU only to those Russians who recognize Crimea as a territory of Ukraine.

●        Questions about the position of the annexation of Crimea will be asked at the border. The wrong answer will close the entrance to the Baltic countries, Poland and Finland.

Reminds me of a story.  At the beginning of WW-II, the Dutch hid the contents of the Rijksmuseum in one of the only hills in the Netherlands, to protect the contents from the Nazis.   The hill was a sandstone maze.  As a condition for entering the maze, the Dutch Underground selected as a password a Dutch word that is impossible for Germans to pronounce.  Mis-pronounce the word and you’re dead, no questions asked nor any opportunity for a re-try.   I heard this story directly from one of the people involved.   I wonder if it’s possible to find a Ukrainian word that Russians cannot pronounce and provide it to Lithuanian border guards.

08:25 ZDF - NATO Secretary General: NATO has assured that the allies would support Ukraine for years in the fight against Russia’s military aggression.

●        The Secretary-General rejects the West’s war fatigue and says that the price he would pay if Russia won would have been much higher.

●        “The price for NATO and the EU for supporting Ukraine is measured with money. However, Ukrainians pay for European security with their lives,” says Stoltenberg.

●        Stoltenberg stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a huge miscalculation in the war against Ukraine. NATO is ready to support Ukraine as much as necessary.

●        “NATO can support Ukraine for years. But it will have consequences not only in the military sphere, but also in industry. We need to increase production. We need a strong defence to prevent wars," says the Secretary-General.

08:01 Secretary of Defence:  The Pentagon has posted a picture of the process of loading ammunition packages for Ukraine.

●        “The work continues. It never stops. Our service members are working around the clock to make sure the Ukrainian people have the equipment they need to defend their country.”

07:52 Bloomberg: Russia earns hundreds of millions of dollars a month selling diamonds abroad, avoiding sanctions.

●        Due to the restrictions imposed in the West on the acquisition of Russian diamonds, the relevant agreements mostly pass through Indian banks.

●        Just as likely, they pass through the non-bank network connecting Mumbai with Dubai.

August 23

23:56 : China called on both sides to ensure the work of the IAEA mission at the Zaporizhia NPP.

●        His representative stated this at a meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to the subject of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

23:50 Reuters : According to the European Drought Observatory (EDO), Europe is now likely to experience its worst drought in at least half a millennium.

●        Scientists' data indicate that two-thirds of Europe is already in a state of drought due to excessively high temperatures and lack of rainfall. 47% of the territory of the continent is in a state of danger with a clear deficit of moisture in the soil, and 17% is in a state of danger due to damage to vegetation.

23:32 : British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who claims to be the country's prime minister after the resignation of Boris Johnson, said she was ready to use nuclear weapons if necessary.

●        She said this in response to a question about the possibility of using nuclear weapons if there is a threat to the United Kingdom.

22:36 : A meeting of the UN Security Council is being held in New York, which was urgently convened at the request of Russia. For the second time, the Russian Federation has appealed to the UN with accusations of the Ukrainian side in the shelling of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

●        The Russian side announced, "continuous Ukrainian provocations" and asked UN Secretary General António Guterres to speak.

●        The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN stated that in this way Russia distracts information from the meeting of the Security Council scheduled for August 24, the topic of which will be the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

22:27 : The IAEA mission can make a trip to the ZNPP in the coming days, but the consent of Kyiv and Moscow is required.

●        IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Tuesday expressed hope that the organization's mission would be able to visit the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant "in the next few days".

22:00 :The residence of the British Prime Minister on Downing Street was decorated for the Independence Day of Ukraine.

21:26 Defense 24: At the airbase in Laska, representatives of the Polish and American Air Forces presented an expanded grouping of fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighters. In total, 12 Raptors are currently based in Poland,".

●        According to US Air Force 90 Squadron Commander Michael Kendall, the planes do not fly every day, but F-22s regularly appear in European airspace.

20:33 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the allocation of 3.85 million Canadian dollars (2.97 million US dollars) to projects to strengthen the law enforcement and defense sectors of Ukraine.

20:04 :The US administration intends to announce a $3 billion military aid package to Ukraine by Ukraine's Independence Day, - Associated Press.

19:59 Reuters : Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany plans to supply more than 500 million euros worth of additional weapons to Ukraine.

●        A participant in an online conference on Ukraine held in Toronto said that Germany plans to additionally supply three Iris-T air defense systems, a dozen armored recovery vehicles, 20 rocket launchers, precision-guided munitions and anti-drone systems.

16:46 Bloomberg: The basic price of electricity in Europe jumped by more than 25% and for the first time in history exceeded 700 euros per MWh.

●        This price is currently about 14 times higher than the seasonal average over the past five years.

16:17 Aktuality: Slovakia will transfer 30 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, sending tanks is not considered.

●        Thus, the Minister of Defense of Slovakia, Jaroslav Nagy, denied the information that Slovakia would send T-72 tanks to Ukraine.

15:59 :The head of the German Foreign Ministry, Annalena Berbok, said that the Iris-T air defense system will be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks.

15:45 LRT - Foreign Minister: Lithuania will consider a proposal to ban the issuance of visas to Russians at the regional level if the EU does not agree to a universal solution.

15:41 BBC: The head of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, confirmed his intention to personally head the mission to the Zaporizhya NPP.

●        According to him, the visit should take place "within several days, not weeks". The organization intends to assess the general condition of the station, the integrity and correctness of its security systems, as well as the power supply.

●        The inspectors would also like to talk to both the Ukrainian employees of the station and the Russians present there, and establish a permanent presence at the NPP.

15:18 :The head of the Foreign Ministry of France, Catherine Colonna, said that in a conversation with Lavrov, she "received the consent" of the Russian Federation to the earliest possible direction of the IAEA mission to the Zaporizhia NPP.

16:00 : Slovakia will still hand over 30 T-72 tanks to Ukraine. In return, it expects to receive 15 Leopard 2 tanks from Germany.

●        This was reported by the Pravda website of the Bratislava newspaper with reference to the Minister of Defense of the country, Yaroslav Nady.

13:59 : In Latvia, a collection of signatures has begun for the expulsion from the country and the deprivation of Lithuanian citizenship of fans of the "Russian world".

●        The initiative has already collected more than half of the necessary votes.

12:59 Prime Minister: Finland is slowing down the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens, in addition to the measures already taken.

●        “The flow of tourists is a problem that needs to be solved,” she said at a meeting with the ambassadors in Helsinki.

●        Marin also added that sanctions against Russia "should be continued and even strengthened"

12:36 Video from social networks: In Latvia, the Russians protested over the demolition of the Soviet monument "to the Liberators of Riga".

●        According to media reports, some especially violent individuals had to be detained by the police.

12:12  DW: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have agreed on closer cooperation in the energy sector and promised Ukraine further assistance in its opposition to the military invasion of Russia.

12:02 The Daily Telegraph: The Minister of Refugee Affairs of Britain, Richard Harrington, called on the Ministry of Finance to double the amount of allowances for families hosting refugees from Ukraine.

●        According to the data of the National Statistical Service, approximately every fourth Briton who has provided shelter to Ukrainian refugees plans to withdraw from the program within six months due to the difficult economic situation.

NATIONAL

August 24

11:58: The Security Service of Ukraine prevented the FSB from using relatives of the Ukrainian military to aggravate the socio-political situation in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Poltava regions on the eve of the Independence Day of Ukraine.

●        According to the Russian special services, «protesters» should actively criticize and condemn the military command of Ukraine, and the organizers planned to film this on video.

●        They sought to create the «right content» for Russian propagandists when Russian journalists maximize its dissemination through the Internet and the media they control.

●        Participants of «Journalists Stromousova» were to become the organizers of the pseudo-actions.

●        Their leader Kyrylo Stromousov serves as «Deputy Occupation Military and Civil Administration» in Kherson.

●        According to the SSU, he was informed of the suspicion of treason at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

10:37 : The head of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, congratulated the Ukrainian people on Independence Day.

10:36 : Greetings with the Independence Day of Ukraine from those who defend Independence and bring the Victory of Ukraine near.

10:04 : Google congratulates Ukraine on Independence Day.  Kharkiv artist Olha Shtonda is the author of the drawing.

10:02 :  Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, posted video congratulations on Independence Day.

●        “How can you feel independence? Those who fight for it know the taste of it. It is the taste of the earth that is seeping into the skin. It has the taste of blood and death."

09:52 Ukrainian Air Force: Last night, Ukrainian defenders shot down a Russian attack helicopter Ka-52.

●        "At 1 a.m on August 24, units of the anti-aircraft missile troops of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine demilitarized the Russian helicopter Ka-52," - says the report.

09:25 Bild: This general gives Ukraine hope.

●        "Hero-General Zaluzhnyi played a huge role in the fact that Ukraine still exists, and the country has not been captured within a few days, as the Kremlin despot Vladimir Putin planned," says the newspaper.

09:31 : Lukashenko congratulated the people of Ukraine on Independence Day.

●        The greeting contains the wish of a «peaceful sky, tolerance, courage, strength and success in restoration of worthy life». Recall that it was Lukashenko who provided the territory of Belarus for the Russian aggression against Ukraine. In February, Russian troops entered Ukraine from Belarus. Russian forces also launch a missile and bomb strikes against Ukraine from the territory of Belarus.

08:42 Institute for the Study of War:  Russia is bringing Ukrainian children to Russia and having Russian families adopt them.

●        Russian federal subject (region) Krasnodar Krai’s Family and Childhood Administration posted about a program under which Russian authorities transferred over 1,000 children from Mariupol to Tyumen, Irkutsk, Kemerovo, and Altay Krai where Russian families have adopted them.

●        Russian officials may have conducted a false shelling of the "administration" of the “leader" of so-called "DNR" Denis Pushilin in Donetsk to justify attacks against Ukrainian government buildings on August 24, Ukrainian Independence Day.

●        Pushilin was reportedly absent at the time of the strike.

08:07 CNN - Minister of Defense:  Says that the worst-case scenario of the war is already beyond.

●        He stresses that Ukraine is on the verge of a “new stage” of the war by starting its counter-offensive campaign in a different direction.

07:34 Operational Command “Pivden” (South): The Russian naval force has been reduced to 10 vessels maneuvering along the Crimean coast. Among them are four missile carriers, one of which is an underwater carrier. Russians keep 28 "Calibr" cruise missiles type ready.

●        The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the ammunition depot, 13 Russian soldiers and military equipment in the south.

●        "An ammunition depot was destroyed. This time in Novovoskresenske. The final losses of the enemy are being specified,"

●        The Armed Forces of Ukraine also destroyed one Russian howitzer "Msta-S" and three armoured vehicles.

07:24 Operational report of the General Staff of the AFU:

●        In the Bakhmut direction, shelling was recorded in the areas of Bakhmut, Soledar, Zaitseve and Bilohorivka. The Russian army conducted offensive battles in the direction of Bakhmut and Kodema but had no success.

●        In the Avdiivka direction, the Russian troops shelled near Marinka, Pisky, Netailove, Krasnohorivka and Zalizne. The Russians launched an airstrike near Nevelske. Russians conducted offensive battles in the direction of Pisky and Nevelske but without success.

00:09 President’s Office: The de-occupation of Crimea will take place faster than expected. 

August 23

23:17 : Ukraine terminated the agreement with the Russian Federation on the parallel operation of energy systems.  This was announced by the permanent representative of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Taras Melnichuk on August 23.

●        The decision was made by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Tuesday.

●        In addition, according to the report, today the Ukrainian government approved a list of oil and gas production facilities within the continental shelf of Ukraine, which are under Russian occupation.

23:05 : The National Bank of Ukraine warns of deliberately damaged banknotes from the territories temporarily occupied by the Russians getting into cash circulation.

●        "Perhaps you have already seen photos of similar damaged banknotes - with several even holes. This is how, in particular, banknotes that are specially damaged by banks look like, the National Bank wrote.

●        Such banknotes - colored, cut or with holes - should not be accepted during cash payments.

●        "If you are offered colored, cut or perforated banknotes at the time of settlement, do not accept them under any circumstances. After all, they have ceased to be a means of payment. Refuse and ask others," the National Bank stressed.

22:49 Foreign Ministry spokesman: The Austrian government intends to restore thousands of households destroyed by Russian troops in the Kyiv region.

●        “Although Austria, like Ireland, Malta and Hungary, does not supply weapons to Ukraine, the Austrian government is making significant efforts to minimize the negative consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine, implement the EU sanctions policy towards Russia, and support the integration of our state into the EU. And we really appreciate it," Nikolenko said.

23:22 BBC: Some Ukrainians do not want to evacuate from Seversk.

●        Since May, the townspeople have been living there without running water, gas or electricity.  Despite the devastation and shelling, they refuse to leave their homes. 

21:41 : During a briefing following the Crimean Platform summit, Volodymyr Zelenskyi commented on the possibility of negotiations with the Russian Federation and the new ceasefire regime.

●        "In the place where we are, we are not ready for a ceasefire. We explained that there would be no Minsk-3, or Minsk-5, or Minsk-7. We are not going to play these games, we have lost part of our territories "," the president said.

●        The Ukrainian army needs more MLRS, armored vehicles and large-caliber artillery from Western countries.

●        " MLRS systems help us, we need powerful artillery. The artillery that was given to us - we are grateful for (guns with a caliber - ed.) 155 millimeters, there are no secrets here. How much we get - I will not talk about it. But do we need more? Much more is needed,” he said.

19:29 :On the Day of the State Flag of Ukraine, polar explorers raised a blue and yellow flag near the Ukrainian Antarctic station "Akademik Vernadsky".

20:28 :The first parliamentary summit of the International Crimean Platform will take place in autumn. It will be held in Croatia," Head of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk said on the air of the telethon.

●        "Today I have the great honor and pleasure to announce the holding of the first parliamentary summit of the International Crimean Platform, which will be held at the end of October. Approximately October 24-25, in Croatia, the city of Zagreb,'' he said.

20:09 Ukrainian Prime Minister: Ukraine's losses from the occupation of Crimea since 2014 amount to approximately $118 billion."

●        "Eight years have passed since the beginning of the occupation of Crimea. During this time, Russia has turned the peninsula into a huge military base. Estimated losses of Ukraine from the temporary occupation of Crimea amount to about $118 billion," he said.

19:13 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine :

●        In the Kharkiv direction, the enemy shelled the areas of the settlements of Udy, Sosnovka, Protopopovka, Slatino, Tsirkuny, Kharkiv and others from barrel and rocket artillery.  In order to perform the tasks of reconnaissance and adjusting artillery fire, the UAV was used.

●        In the Kramatorsk direction, the areas of the settlements of Seversk and Grigorivka were exposed to fire from artillery of various types.

●        In the Bakhmut direction, fire damage was recorded in the areas of Bakhmut, Bakhmut and Kodema.  The enemy launched air strikes near Soledar and Bakhmut.

●        With offensive actions, the enemy tried to break through the defenses of our troops and advance in the directions of the settlements of Krasnogorovka, Pervomayske and Nevelske, but had no success, retreated chaotically.

●        The ship grouping of Russians in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas continues to carry out the tasks of blocking civilian navigation in the northwestern part of the Black Sea and destroying military installations and infrastructure in the depths of Ukrainian territory.

19:08 : According to the UN, about a third of Ukrainians have become refugees since the beginning of the war.  This is the biggest migration crisis since World War II.

●         "People are now facing a 'huge challenge' as it is not clear how much longer the war will last and what will happen in the winter," the UN said in a statement.

●         More than 11 million people left Ukraine with the outbreak of hostilities, of which 4.7 million returned.  Of the European countries, Poland received the most Ukrainians - 1.3 million, Germany - 670 thousand and the Czech Republic - 470 thousand.

18:50 Prime Minister: The government has made a decision that will speed up the process of small-scale privatization.

●        The terms for the implementation of repeated auctions are reduced, as well as the process of transferring property to their winner.  Objects will be privatized immediately with the necessary documents.  At the same time, the principle of transparency and openness remains key.

18:40 Ukrainian Foreign Ministry: Russia reports that a thousand Ukrainian children were illegally transported from the occupied Mariupol to Siberia.  This is a gross violation of the IV Geneva Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Russia must return all abducted children to their parents or legal guardians.

18:15 :The exhibition "Flags of Ukraine" has opened at the Museum of the History of Ukraine on Independence Day.

●         The exhibition features 17 unique flags.  Among them are the flag that was taken from the Donetsk airport, the bloody flag that was used to cover the deceased hero of the Heavenly Hundred, flags from the Akademik Vernadsky polar station, the space shuttle, the Lelitka yacht (she traveled around the world in the 90s).

18:06 Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense: The Russians are shelling the ash dumps of the Zaporizhia TPP to raise clouds of radioactive dust

●         The military of the Russian Federation is using a new method of creating the necessary "picture" at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant to manipulate public opinion and influence the world community.  Mortar attacks on the suburbs of Energodar have recently had a specific goal: the ash dumps of the Zaporizhia TPP.

17:44 Prime Minister: Ukraine plans to be ready to join the EU by the end of 2024.

●        "We continue to actively implement European legislation and have already fulfilled about 70% of the Association Agreement with the EU. By the end of the year, "customs visa-free" will be introduced. Then industrial and digital. European integration work did not stop for a day. And by the end of 2024 we plan be fully prepared to join the European Union. This is our value and civilizational path", – Shmyhal says.

17:15 Defense News:Türkiye has transferred 50 armored vehicles with enhanced mine protection to Ukraine.

●        "As part of the agreement, the Turkish Ministry of Defense delivered the first batch of 50 units of Kirpi to Ukraine. There will be further deliveries," the source said on condition of anonymity.

●        The Turkish company BMC, which produces Kirpi, confirmed the delivery. At the same time, an unnamed company representative emphasized that BMC did not take part in the agreement, and the Turkish authorities sent armored vehicles from their arsenal to Ukraine.

17:07 First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy: 33 ships left the Ukrainian seaports, carrying a total of 719,549 tons of agricultural products, in the 22 days since the start of the "grain corridor". Also, another 18 ships are loaded and waiting in line to exit.

16:45 Prime Minister: Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's state budget expenditures have amounted to almost UAH 1 trillion (about $27 billion).

●        Of these, more than UAH 420 billion (about $11.37 billion) (that is, over 40%) was spent on the needs of the army. UAH 288 billion (about $7.8 billion) - for military salaries. UAH 135 billion (about $3.66 billion) - for the purchase and repair of military equipment, the purchase of ammunition and defense products.

16:35 Wyborcza - Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council: Putin can save the Crimean bridge if all Russians are withdrawn from the peninsula through it.

●        Danilov notes that the Crimean bridge is a military facility through which reinforcements are being transferred for the forces of the Russian troops.

●        “Therefore, this object is subject to destruction. There is nothing extraordinary in this. But Putin has a chance to save this object if he withdraws troops from Crimea along this bridge”, – Danilov emphasizes.

15:36 Naval Forces of Ukraine: As of August 23, there are 4 enemy Kalibr cruise missile carriers on combat duty in the Black Sea, the total salvo is 28 missiles.

●        Also, the Russians continue to control sea communications, keeping up to 6 ships and boats on combat duty in the Sea of ​​Azov; in the Mediterranean Sea - 5 carriers of "Calibre" cruise missiles.

15:16 Ukraine Weapons Tracker analysts report: The American drone fighter DroneDefender is already at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

●        This portable means of combating UAVs is mainly supplied to the Pentagon, so it can be assumed that these supplies come directly from the American army.

15:00 : Ukraine's participation in the G20 summit will depend on the situation on the battlefield, Zelenskyi said at a press conference with Duda in Kyiv.

●        "As for the "Big Twenty" - there is still a lot of time until November. Early talks about it. I said under what conditions we are ready to be, and I am grateful that Ukraine was invited. Therefore, in what format (Ukraine will take part - ed.) - it will depend on many factors," - Zelenskyi said.

14:39 Ministry of Agricultural Policy: Almost 10 million tons of agro-food products were exported from Ukraine during the 5.5 months of the war.

●        The main exports were:

○        3.8 million tons of corn;

○        sunflower 1.3 million tons;

○        vegetable oil 935 thousand tons.

14:38 : The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine submitted for consideration a draft law on amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization."

●        According to the document, persons who will be on the reservation lists "may be called up for military service upon their consent".

●        At the same time, persons with disabilities, as well as others, may be called up for military service upon their consent and only serve at their place of residence.

13:59 Prosecutor General's Office: The former head of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Oleksandr Tupytskyi, has been put on the wanted list.

●        The prosecutors filed a separate petition in connection with Tupytskyi's non-appearance at court sessions.

13:59 Ministry of Defense of Türkiye: Another ship left the port of "Chornomorsk" today.

●        In addition, the Joint Coordination Center will inspect three ships that left Ukrainian ports yesterday, as well as those that are headed for loading.

13:41 : Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky met with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in Kiev.

●        "Andrzej, your visit once again confirms that Ukrainians and Poles are truly brotherly nations. Thank you for your strong and unwavering support!" - noted the Ukrainian leader.

12:36 RBC-Ukraine - President’s Office Ukraine expects the arrival this fall of Western of anti-aircraft and missile defense systems, which will allow "closing the sky".

12:21 : The message about updating the air raid alerts in the Air Raid app is a fake, according to the developer of the Ajax app.

●        A video has circulated online with supposedly updated alerts in the app. However, in fact, there were no such updates, the video is a fake. The "Air Raid" app has nothing to do with this.

MORDOR (Russia)

August 24

10:37 : Russian Defense Minister Shoigu: The slowdown of the offensive in Ukraine is a conscious decision due to the desire to minimize casualties among civilians. The special operation is proceeding according to plan.

09:55 Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence intercepted conversation:

●        "There was a command post, but it was all destroyed", - the Russians discuss the strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Antonivskyi Bridge.

●        One of the Russians is talking about their losses after the shelling, and his interlocutor is complaining about the problems with the monetary support in the Russian Army.

08:49 :  Former mayor of Yekaterinburg and opposition figure Yevgeny Roizman was detained.

●        The politician was detained in the morning. He managed to shout out the window that he was being detained under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

●        Searches take place at Roizman’s house, offices and the private museum of the Neviansk icon.

00:16 The Insider: The moderator of the Telegram chat where Kadyrov was criticized, Salman Tepsurkaev, was killed. 

●        2 years ago he was kidnapped, taken to Chechnya, tortured.  According to Chechen oppositionists, a grenade was put into Tepsurkaev's mouth and blown up remotely.

August 23

21:56 Bloomberg : At an auction in Gibraltar today, the Axioma superyacht of Russian billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky, who fell under Western sanctions in connection with full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine, was sold.

●        Axioma became the first superyacht of the Russian sanctioned oligarch to be sold at auction in Europe. In total, 63 applications were submitted for the auction, but how much the winner paid and who he is has not yet been disclosed.

●        The auction proceeds go to J.P. Morgan, to pay off a loan that was extended against the yacht.  Hopefully J.P. Morgan will do the right thing, and write off the loan and send the proceeds to Ukraine.

21:18 : The so-called "governor" of Sevastopol said that air defense is operating over the sea in the area of ​​Cape Khersones in occupied Sevastopol.

19:46 Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy:  An analogue of Wikipedia has appeared in Russia — the electronic encyclopedia Runiversalis.”

●        "The Encyclopedia is located on Russian servers and declares respect for the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation and our traditional values. This means that any attempts to give the articles a left-liberal and Western-centric bias will be stopped," wrote Anton Gorelkin.

18:32 :The head of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov said that in the area of ​​​​the village of Timonovo (Russia), as a result of hot weather, the lens effect worked, and spontaneous combustion of ammunition occurred.

17:19 Peacemaker : The export of grain from temporarily occupied Crimea is carried out by companies belonging to the state holding of the Russian Federation - the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC).

●        Vessels disable the automatic identification system (AIS), prohibited by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea SOLAS-74.

16:57 :The so-called "governor" of Sevastopol Razvozhaev confirmed the explosions. He claims that because of the work of air defense over the sea, a drone was shot down.

16:31 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Sevastopol and Balaklava in temporarily occupied Crimea.

14:44 Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense: The Russians have developed a method for their agitators in the occupied territories to convince the population that they are not marauders and murderers.

●        According to the methodology, Russians are allowed to "collect material funds from the population". At the same time, it is strictly forbidden to take food products and medicines (including hermetically sealed ones) due to frequent cases of poisoning.

●        The document contains a table with questions that the Ukrainian population often asks Russians, and typical answers with additional explanations.

14:39 Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council: The FSB of the Russian Federation is planning terrorist attacks with mass casualties in Russia.

●        According to Danilov, in Russia, among the civil population, support for the war in Ukraine is level and falling.

●        "The Kremlin needs public mobilization. The FSB is expected to organize a series of terrorist acts in Russian cities with mass casualties among civilians," - he noted.

13:58 Occupation Administration: In Kherson, an assassination attempt was made on the Russian-appointed "deputy head of the Department of Internal Policy" Igor Telegin.

●        The explosion of a radio-controlled bomb planted on the side of the road happened last night. Telegin was taken to the hospital with a contusion and injuries all over his body.

13:40 : In the center of Donetsk, a rocket hit the "administration" of the so-called "head of the DNR," Denis Pushylin.

●        According to media reports, a fire broke out in the building due to the hit.

12:59 : At the funeral of Daria Dugina, a speaker repeated a German Nazi slogan of the 30s.

●        LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky said at Dugina's funeral: "One country. One president. One victory".

●        The original Nazi slogan sounds like this: "One people, one Reich, one Fuhrer".

12:35 : In temporarily occupied Donetsk a rocket arrived in the city center. In the video, people say the rocket hit and exploded in the so-called "police" headquarters.

KHARKIV

August 24

11:12 : Social media reports of explosions in Kharkiv. We are waiting for official information. Proceed to the shelters!

10:35 Social Networks: Explosions in Kharkiv. We are waiting for official information. Proceed to the shelters!

09:26 Suspilne : There was a fire in the Shevchenko district of Kharkiv as a result of the night missile strike. 100 rescuers were extinguishing the fire. During the day, rescuers in the city and the region were extinguishing nine fires caused by Russian shelling.

09:16 City Council:  The civil infrastructure was damaged in Zaporizhzhia, as a result of the night attack of Russia. Windows were blown out and window frames were destroyed in six apartments. Public utilities are working on the site.  The people, fortunately, did not suffer.

01:19 :Mayor of Kharkiv Igor Terekhov spoke about the shelling of the Novobavarsky district of the city. There is no information about the victims.

August 23

21:12 : Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov confirmed that the Russians hit the Shevchenko district of the city in the evening. Previously no casualties.

13:40 The mayor of Kharkiv: Russians hit the Shevchenko district of the city with artillery. He gave no other details.

DONETSK

August 23

17:34 Joint Forces Group:The Ukrainian military shot down a Russian helicopter in the Donbas.

●        "On the Day of the State Flag of Ukraine, a Russian Ka-52 helicopter was destroyed".

ZAPORIZHYA

August 24

11:13 : Social media report explosions in the temporarily occupied Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhya region. We are waiting for official information. Proceed to the shelters!

09:26 Suspilne : There was a fire in the Shevchenko district of Kharkiv as a result of the night missile strike. 100 rescuers were extinguishing the fire. During the day, rescuers in the city and the region were extinguishing nine fires caused by Russian shelling.

09:16 City Council:  The civil infrastructure was damaged in Zaporizhzhia, as a result of the night attack of Russia. Windows were blown out and window frames were destroyed in six apartments. Public utilities are working on the site.  The people, fortunately, did not suffer.

05:23 Zaporizhzhia City Council: Confirmed the explosions in the city.

●        "Around four in the morning, the enemy attacked an infrastructure facility in one of the city districts. The relevant services are already working at the site. Information about the victims is being clarified," he wrote in his telegram channel.

00:56 social networks: In the temporarily occupied Tokmak, Zaporіzhіа region, the territory of the plant where Russian soldiers were based is on fire. .

00:51 RMA: Confirmed the explosions in the city.  He said that Russian missiles hit infrastructure facilities in the Shevchenkovsky and Kommunarskiy districts.

August 23

23:12 Mayor : The Russians have banned the distribution of humanitarian aid for babies in Energodar.

●        "Now on the doors of the premises of the children's hospital, where the aid was given out, there was such an eloquent announcement that you see in the photo above. The issue point was closed by the occupiers. All humanitarian aid was ordered to be removed," - he said.

17:27 : A strong fire started due to the shelling of the occupied Enerhodar by Russian troops.

14:38 Social Networks: People from the temporarily occupied Energodar report that smoke can be seen in the area of ​​the Zaporizhzhya NPP. We are waiting for official information.

14:37 Mayor : The Russians sent four people from Melitopol to the Lefortovo detention center in Moscow to be sentenced to life imprisonment for "pseudo-subversive activities on the territory of the Russian Federation".

●        "But we clearly understand that they acted on the territory of our Ukrainian Melitopol and certainly did not commit sabotage. They testified under pressure and intimidation".

DNIPRO

August 24

09:43 RMA: The Russian army has shelled three districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region: Dnipro, Nikopol and Kryvyi Rih.

●        Two Russian X-22 rockets were fired at the Dnipro district. The explosion caused a fire. Information about the dead and injured is being verified.

●        Four times Nikopol district was bombed by Russians with heavy artillery and MRL «Grad».

●        The Russians fired 20 shells at Nikopol. There is the destruction of housing. No casualties.

●        Russian «Uragan» shelled Karpivka and Shyroke territorial communities in Kryvyi Rih district. The power line was broken in Koshove village.

05:20 social networks: Fire at the site of the explosion in Dnipro. Waiting for information from officials. Photo from social networks.

August 23

21:07 :The head of the Nikopol Military Administration, Yevhen Yevtushenko, warned residents of coastal settlements about the high probability of Russian shelling.

14:58 RMA: In Dnipro, due to the "arrival" of a Russian missile, one private house was destroyed, one was damaged. There were no casualties.

●        The Russian army sent three kamikaze drones and 20 Gradov shells to Nikopol. Several private houses were damaged. Several more caught fire. There is also a local water sports complex. Preliminary, no one was injured.

KHERSON

August 23

16:40 RMA: The occupying authorities plan to bring Russian books and textbooks to the Kherson region to organize training in Russian programs.

16:23 Operational command Pivden "South": The Ukrainian military destroyed two ammunition depots and two command posts of the Russian troops in the Kherson region.

●        These are the ammunition depot and the command post of the 247th Airborne Assault Regiment in Chornobaivka, as well as the command post of the 331st Airborne Regiment in Novovoskresenske and the ammunition depot in Blahodate. According to the command, 23 Russians were liquidated.

14:09 Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense: "Under him (Ukrainian flag - ed.) we gained independence, under him we will destroy racism!": Ukrainian partisans in the temporarily occupied territories congratulated Ukraine on the Day of the National Flag.

●        Posters congratulating the "People's Resistance of Ukraine" appeared on the streets of occupied Tavricheskom, Kakhovka, Nova Kakhovka, Enerhodar, Tokmak, and Berdyansk.

MYKOLAIV

August 24

11:03 RMA : Russian troops shelled the city of Novyi Buh in the Mykolaiv region this morning. At least nine people, two of them children, suffered due to the attacks by Russia.

●        According to him, the detailed information is being clarified. Services are working to eliminate the consequences of shelling.

August 23

16:12 RMA: Three Mykolaiv universities bombed by Russians have recruited students and will start training on time.

●        "They have recruited a sufficient number of applicants, so they will work in other, albeit in not so convenient, premises", – Vitalii Kim says.

●        According to him, the studying process will take place both online and offline.

OTHER REGIONS

August 24

11:12 Poltava Regional Military Administration: "Four attacks on the infrastructure of Myrhorod. We are examining the details. Please, stay in the shelters".

11:09 : Social media reports of explosions in the Sumy region. We are waiting for official information. Proceed to the shelters!

11:08 : Social media reports explosions in the Poltava region. We are waiting for official information. Proceed to the shelters!

09:04 Mayor of Kyiv:  “Ukraine is bravely fighting for its land and its will! We have shown that we are not afraid and will not surrender. We have showed how we love our country", - video congratulations on the 31st Independence Day.

August 23

22:19 Sumy Regional Military Administration: Today the Russians were shelling the territories of the Esman, Miropol, Krasnopol and Velikopisarevska communities.

●        More than 80 arrivals were recorded. Without victims. The consequences of the shelling of the Velikopisarevska community are being specified.

17:40 SBU: Residents who justified the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine were arrested in Izmail, in the Odesa region.

●        Two residents of Izmail, who worked in the medical industry, produced and distributed a video on a social network that denied Russia's armed aggression in Ukraine. Representatives of the SBU conducted searches in the homes of the suspects, where they found phones and computers red-handed. Now they have been charged under Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The SBU is also checking the likely involvement of these people in the Russian special services.

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"Crimean Platform" summit statements: