Bob Homans August 31
20220831
Ukraine – 8/31 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
Twitter: @rhomansjr
August 31, 2022
“I’m a Ukrainian Soldier and I’ve Accepted my Death” (New York Times)
While I don’t know if any of my Ukrainian friends have been killed or wounded, but since the start of the war I haven’t heard from many of them, either. A friend of mine and his wife have 2 children. Their son has been fighting at the front. My friend’s wife said he came back to Kyiv from the front on a 4-day pass, and he spent most of his time sleeping. His sister’s Partner is fighting near Bakhmut, in Donbas, where Russians are deploying their usual tactics, trying to advance behind large artillery barrages. Someone else whom I know is ow serving in his 3rd war, starting with Afghanistan when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, then 2014, and now this.
Yesterday I spoke with an American friend who recently married a Ukrainian. They are currently in a city in Western Ukraine, far from the front. He said that he and his wife often visit local hospitals, that he said are full of wounded Ukrainian servicemen. Many of them have lost limbs. There have been reports that Ukraine’s mental health facilities are being overwhelmed, by both soldiers, civilians who had been living near the front and subjected to constant shelling, and family members of dead and wounded servicemen.
The Latest Denys
Denys provides a good summary of what he thinks is now taking place on the Right Bank of the Dnieper River, near Kherson. He says he is mostly using information from Telegram channels and other social media posts, as Ukraine has imposed a news blackout. Some takeaways:
· If what Denys says turns out to be true, it appears that Ukraine is attacking on vectors that may be surprising for the Russians. Although they are attacking toward Kherson, where the Russians likely expected the major attack to take place, it seems that Ukraine’s main lines of attack are northwest of Kherson, attempting to isolate pockets of Russian troops.
· Pisky – Denys says that the Russians have taken the town of Pisky, very close to Donetsk City and next to the former Donetsk International Airport. Over the last 8+ years Ukraine has built up 3 rings of defense lines in this area.
· Izyum – In Denys’ post yesterday, he reported on a Ukrainian advance toward Izuym, in Donetsk Oblast. He believes that Ukrainians are attempting to cut off a Russian force operating below a river that flows southwest from Izyum. It is possible that Russia has move some forces away from this area and relocated them to Khersno. If so, they may be part of the 25,000 Russians who are trapped on the Right Bank of the Dnieper.
8/31 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon August 30 to 12:00 noon August 31, 2022
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration
MLRS = Multiple Launch Rocket System
AFU = Armed Forces of Ukraine
SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
INTERNATIONAL
August 31
11:29 Ministry of Defense: Estonia is ready to train the Ukrainian military within the framework of the future EU mission.
11:20 CNN : US President Joseph Biden's administration has been helping the Ukrainian military prepare for the ongoing counteroffensive for the past few months by making specific requests for weapons.
● According to the official, several months ago, Ukraine asked the US to provide weapons suitable for a planned counteroffensive in the south.
● The U.S. has fulfilled many of those requests, including additional ammunition, artillery and the Javelin, in several presidential aid packages given to Ukraine over the past two months, – the official says.
● Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top US general Mark Milley have been in regular communication with their Ukrainian counterparts to determine what specific weapons are needed depending on Ukraine's objectives on the battlefield.
11:13 Ministry of National Defense of Türkiye: Another ship with food left the Ukrainian port
● "The work on the shipment of grain in Ukrainian ports continues. As of this morning, one more ship is leaving Ukrainian ports", – the message says.
● The department adds that nine more ships that will be sent to Ukraine will be inspected today.
11:02 Delfi : Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anushauskas said that the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, was a criminal who ordered the brutal suppression of peaceful protests in Vilnius and other places.
● "He was a criminal who ordered the brutal suppression of peaceful protests in Vilnius, Tbilisi, Almaty, Baku and other cities. There was no repentance. Such memories, although the dead are spoken of either well or not at all. Well, not this time. The only plus is because he signed the capitulation of the Soviet Union", – Anushauskas says.
10:21 Bild: Attackers tried to set fire to a kindergarten in the German city of Leipzig where children of refugees from Ukraine are cared for. Also, a few days ago, a house for refugees was attacked with incendiary devices.
● "Due to the spatial proximity, we do not rule out that there is a connection between these two actions. We are currently studying witness statements, interviewing local residents, looking for camera recordings and checking social networks", – the police says.
09:37 EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs: EU defense ministers agreed at a meeting in Prague to start "the work necessary to define the parameters of a new military aid mission to Ukraine".
● "All member states have clearly agreed on the start of the work necessary to define the parameters of the EU mission to provide military assistance to Ukraine", – the EU's chief diplomat says. The diplomat did not specify what the mandate of this mission might be and where the base for training the Ukrainian military might be located.
● According to Borrell, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov showed European colleagues at the meeting in Prague a list of short-, medium-, and long-term training activities needed by the Armed Forces. Oleksii Reznikov joined the meeting in Prague via video link.
○ "There are many training initiatives for the Ukrainian military on the way, but the needs are huge, and we must ensure the coherence of these efforts".
08:49 Tagesschau: A German firm is suspected of supplying Russia with components for "Novichok".
● The company from the city of Lilienthal in Lower Saxony has allegedly exported chemicals and laboratory equipment to Russia more than 30 times without the appropriate permission.
08:27 : Western sanctions against Russia are effective and correct, – German Chancellor Scholz.
07:37 Anadolu Agency: The provocative actions of Greece are unacceptable and defy NATO, – Turkish President Recep Erdogan.
● "We know the true intentions of those who are using Greece, as they did a century ago, to waste our time and energy. Greece is not our competitor either politically, economically, or militarily".
07:12 Head of the European Commission: The European Union reacted to the death of the last General Secretary of the CPSU, Mykhailo Gorbachev.
● "He played a decisive role in ending the Cold War and the fall of the Iron Curtain. This opened the way to a free Europe".
● She stated that Mykhailo Gorbachev was a trusted and respected leader.
00:40 State Department: The State Department warned that Russia may face new sanctions in the event of a "referendum" in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
"We have a number of measures in our arsenal that we can take against Russia, be it economic sanctions or other measures."
August 30
23:27 Russian media: The former president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, has died.
21:40 Reuters: UNESCO supported the inclusion of Odesa in the World Heritage List.
● UNESCO intends to include Odessa in the list of endangered World Heritage sites, as well as add to it Kyiv and Lviv, which are already recognized as World Heritage sites.
20:50 Foreign Ministry of Latvia: Latvia categorically insists on a ban tourist trips by Russians to the European Union while the war in Ukraine continues.
● "I don't agree with the argument that by having Russian tourists, we are, in a way, fighting for their hearts and minds. In the last 30 years, there have been millions of Russians and Russia still behaves the way it behaves... We had 30 years during which we issued visas to Russians with the hope that this country would change. Strictly speaking, the country has only become worse''.
20:28 Permanent representative of the Czech Republic to NATO: Ukraine proved to be capable of offensive actions in the Kherson region due to the high quality of equipment received from NATO, as well as due to the high motivation of the soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces.
● According to his estimates, Ukraine has been able in recent weeks to somewhat match the forces of the Russian army , which it has withdrawn to the south.
20:11 : Joe Biden will participate in the 2024 US presidential election, – media.
● The US Federal Election Commission has received an application for registration of the Biden for President movement in support of Biden's participation in the 2024 elections. Biden himself and Vice President Kamala Harris are listed as candidates in the application.
20:04 Reuters : Inflation rose to the highest level in almost 50 years in Germany in August, surpassing the maximum set just three months earlier.
● Consumer prices, adjusted for inflation in the rest of the European Union (HICP), rose 8.8% year-on-year after a surprise 8.5% rise in July, – the federal statistics office says.
19:47 CNN : Recent deliveries of American weapons to Ukraine were intended for a counteroffensive in the South.
● As a representative of the US President Joe Biden's administration stated, Ukraine requested weapons specially designed for offensive actions. In the end, Washington complied with many requests, including the transfer of additional ammunition, artillery and Javelins.
17:28 Bloomberg : The European Union is set to meet its goal of filling gas storage two months ahead of schedule.
● The block is preparing for a difficult winter, considering the limited supplies from the Russian Federation and the rapidly increasing prices for energy carriers.
● According to Gas Infrastructure Europe, as of August 27, reserves in the EU have accumulated to 79.4%, compared to the plan to reach 80% by November 1.
17:01 CNN : The EU will supply Ukraine with 5.5 million pills of potassium iodide to protect against potential radiation exposure.
● It is reported that these pills were requested by the Ukrainian government to increase the level of protection around the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
16:55 Polish Prime Minister's office: Ukraine and Poland intend to build a pipeline for the transportation of Ukrainian sunflower oil to the port of Gdansk.
16:39 : The defense ministers of the EU countries have confirmed their readiness to provide Kyiv with as much aid as it needs and for as long as necessary.
● This was stated by the representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy Josep Borrell.
16:09 German Foreign Minister: Germany is suspending the agreement on easing the visa regime with Russia.
15:24 RTL : The Netherlands is in favor of the EU ban on issuing tourist visas to Russians - reports with reference to the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
14:15 Le Figaro - Polish Prime Minister: In the European Union, an "internal explosion" is possible due to a split between the states that want peace between Moscow and Kyiv, and those that want the victory of Ukraine.
13:34 Sabah: The Turkish authorities will increase the fee for the passage of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits (98 km) five times - from $0.8 to $4 per ton net,.
● The decision comes into force on October 7 of this year. Revenue from fees will increase from $40 million a year to $200 million.
13:12 Ministry of Infrastructure: The first vessel chartered by the UN with Ukrainian agricultural products - BRAVE COMMANDER - has arrived in Africa
● It has 23,000 tons of wheat on board, which after unloading will be delivered to consumers in Ethiopia.
13:10 : Iranian authorities have temporarily closed the border with Iraq for security reasons, the media reports.
● The decision was made against the backdrop of mass unrest in Baghdad. According to local media, the number of dead has increased to 30 people. More than 700 people were injured.
12:50 Reuters : France and Germany in a joint memorandum before the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of EU countries in Prague advocated for making it harder to issue visas for Russians instead of a ban.
12:36 Finnish Defense Minister: Finland is potentially ready to support the EU mission to train the Ukrainian military.
● He noted that, judging by everything, the war in Ukraine will continue for a long time, and the allies should continue to strongly support Ukraine.
NATIONAL
August 31
10:39 : The IAEA mission plans to visit the Zaporizhzhia NPP for several days. The experts want to talk with the Ukrainian staff and make a report on the trip, – Reuters.
11:26 Ministry of Energy: Ukraine handed over to the IAEA experts a list of indicators that are important to check during the visit of nuclear experts to the plant.
● "We jointly discussed and handed over to the mission a list of technical and safety indicators that are important for international experts to check during a visit to the station. The successful implementation of all tasks by the mission will be of great importance for the nuclear safety of not only Ukraine, but the whole world", – he notes.
11:12 : The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, proposes to launch a special program for Russian soldiers who no longer want to fight in Ukraine. He said this in an interview with Reuters.
● "The message: save yourself and run away. Lay down your weapons, surrender to Ukrainian forces and get a chance to start a new life", – Kuleba says.
● I am sure that this offer is worth it, because even if one Russian military man lays down his arms and decides to leave, it means saved Ukrainian lives and bringing peace closer.
10:01 : The SBU neutralized the Russian agent correcting missile strikes on Sloviansk, Bakhmut and Kramatorsk.
09:55 British Intelligence: Ukrainian armored forces have continued to assault Russia's Southern Grouping of Forces on several axes across the south of the country since Monday. Ukrainian formations have pushed the front line back some distance in places, exploiting relatively thinly held Russian defences. In line with its doctrine, Russia will likely now attempt to plug the gaps in its line using pre - designated mobile reserve units . These will likely include some of those from the Eastern Grouping of Forces.
09:14 : Ukraine has seized $1.5 billion worth of Russian assets since the beginning of the war.
08:45 Institute for the Study of War: The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces forces the Russian army to change its priorities:
● Russia is preparing for the defense of Melitopol, an important logistical hub between the Rostov region and the south of Ukraine.
● The group in the Donetsk direction of the Russian Federation reinforced with elements of the Central Military District, which previously operated in the Lysychansk-Siversk area. In this way, the Kremlin is trying to maintain the tempo of the offensive in the Donetsk direction.
● The Russians are trying to reinforce the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions with poorly trained and inexperienced volunteers from the Third Army Corps.
08:37 : The Armed Forces demilitarized 5 warehouses, 2 bases and 1 headquarters of the Russian Federation in a day. On August 30, the locations of personnel and weapons depots of the Russian Armed Forces were struck in the following locations:
● Kherson - warehouse + control point;
● Vasylivskyi district, Zaporizhzhia – warehouse;
● Nova Zburiivka, the Kherson region – base;
● Tavriisk, the Kherson region – warehouse + base;
● Yasynuvata, the Donetsk region – to be specified;
● Makiivka, the Donetsk region — to be specified;
● Beryslav district, the Kherson region – 2 warehouses.
08:37 Defense Express: HARM missiles clear the sky for the work of the Ukrainian aviation, and in the South the Armed Forces hit enemy targets so forcefully that the consequences are visible even from space.
● "Now the Armed Forces of Ukraine are continuing offensive actions in the Kherson area, burning the positions of the Russian Federation with massive fire", – Zhurets adds.
08:12 : According to the confirmed results of fire missions of Ukrainian military, the following were destroyed in the Russian army:
● 9 T-72 tanks;
● 3 rocket salvo fire systems "Grad";
● self-propelled gun "Hyacinth-S";
● self-propelled howitzer "Msta";
● 18 units of armored vehicles
08:09 Operational command Pivden (South): The Ukrainian military inflicted losses on the Russian Federation on the southern borders, – 117 soldiers and more than 30 pieces of equipment.
● During the day, Ukrainian missile and artillery units rehearsed strikes on 4 control points of enemy troops and 4 transport arteries – Kakhovskyi, Dariivskyi and two Antonovskyi bridges. The degree of damage limits their use as much as possible.
07:41 : Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
● The situation remains unchanged in the Volyn, Polissia and Siversk directions. On the latter, the enemy carried out mortar and artillery shelling in the areas of the settlements of Hai in the Chernihiv region and Dmytrivka and Kindrativka in the Sumy region.
● In the Donetsk direction, the enemy does not stop trying to enter the administrative border of the Donetsk region. To date, fierce battles continue in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions in the Kodema, Zaitseve, Pisky, Pervomaiske and Mariinka areas.
● In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the enemy fired along the contact line using tanks, rocket and barrel artillery. The enemy is regrouping units and units of the 3rd Army Corps on the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporizhzhia region with the aim of resuming the offensive in the specified direction.
August 30
21:54 White House press secretary: The US administration claims that Iran has delivered unmanned aerial vehicles to Russia.
● According to our estimation, Russia received UAVs of the Mohajer-6 and Shahed series from Iran a few days later in August. UAV equipment was loaded onto Russian transport planes at an airfield in Iran, then they flew from Iran to Russia. This is what we see, that's our assessment.
● The US administration is concerned about the plans of India and other countries to participate in joint military exercises with Russia.
00:01 ''Radio Svoboda'': Dmytro Kuleba said that returning to the position on February 24 is a continuation of the torture of Ukraine.
● The victory of Ukraine in the war with the Russian Federation is the complete restoration of its territorial integrity, and not a return to the position of February 24".
21:30 Minister of Finance: In August, Ukraine received a record monthly amount of foreign financial aid - 4.6 billion dollars.
● This became possible thanks to the grant funds provided by the United States through the World Bank in the amount of 3 billion dollars.
● "We expect to receive $1.5 billion in grant aid from the US in September - this is the last tranche, and we also expect to receive macro-financial aid from the EU in September and early October," the head of the Ministry of Finance said.
21:01 Prosecutor's office: In Kyiv, law enforcement officers exposed fraudsters who were engaged in the illegal trade of exotic and wild animals.
● More than 400 animals and birds were kept in inappropriate conditions, which could lead to their death.
20:42 : The Verkhovna Rada approved the law on changes to the state budget, which provides for the provision of 12.7 billion hryvnias for the purchase of natural gas for the heating season at the expense of Canada's credit.
20:31 : Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with US Senators Robert Portman (R-Ohio) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) in Kyiv.
● "The bipartisan and bicameral support of Congress is very valuable to us", – the president emphasizes.
20:19 : The General Staff again appealed to the mass media and popular bloggers to refrain from conjecture and not to evaluate the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
19:55 Prime Minister: Since the beginning of the war, the West has given Ukraine 17.5 billion dollars.
● According to him, another 8 billion euros of macro-financial assistance from the EU is expected in the coming months.
19:44 Ministry of Environmental Protection: More than 2,000 facts of damage to the environment by the invaders have been recorded in the six months since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine.
● In particular, damage caused to soil is estimated at 8.8 billion UAH (about $238.89 million), water resources at 106.3 billion UAH (about $2.89 billion), damage from air pollution is estimated at 170.9 billion UAH (about $4.64 billion).
19:31 APK-Inform: A little more than 1 million tons of sunflower oil were exported from Ukraine since the beginning of the war, which is 46% less than the figure for the same period of the previous season and became the minimum for the last 13 seasons.
● EU countries remain the main importer of Ukrainian oil. In 5 months, 679,000 tons were shipped in this direction. It is also noted that Türkiye has increased its purchases of Ukrainian sunflower oil by 5 times.
19:11 Ministry of Finance: The Finance Ministry of Ukraine auctioned military bonds in the amount of almost 3.93 billion hryvnias equivalent (about $106.69 million), the rates did not change compared to the previous auction.
● Investors were offered hryvnia bonds with a maturity of 6 months, 12 months and 14 months. Ukraine managed to attract UAH 228 million (about $6.19 million), UAH 2 million (about $54,295), and UAH 93 million (about $2.52 million), respectively.
18:50 : The SBU (Security Service of Ukraine - ed.) and NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine - ed.) are investigating the possible misappropriation of humanitarian aid by top officials in the Zaporizhzhia region.
● Counterintelligence officers of the SBU together with the NABU are carrying out a series of searches in Zaporizhzhia. During searches, officials of the Zaporozhzhia City Council found:
○ substances similar to narcotics, which are sent for examination;
○ unregistered firearms and ammunition;
○ a large amount of cash.
18:41 : The IAEA mission, headed by the CEO of the agency Grossi, meets with Zelenskyi in Kyiv.
18:29 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces as for 18:00 (GMT+3) on August 30:
● In the Siversk direction, the enemy carried out artillery fire on the areas of the settlements of Hremiach of the Chernihiv region and Novovasylivka, Bachivsk, Starykove, Pisky and Myropilske of the Sumy region.
● In the Kharkiv direction, the enemy shelled the Dolyna, Adamivka, Kharkiv, Khreshtyshche, Bairak, Oleksandrivka, Mazanivka, Udy, Borshchova, Velyka Komyshuvakha, Svitlychne, Kostiantynivka, and Ruska Lozova districts with mortars, barrel and rocket artillery.
● In the Sloviansk direction, enemy units continued shelling from barrel artillery and MLRS in the vicinity of Pryshyb, Husarivka, and Krasnopilla.
● In the Donetsk direction, the enemy is strengthening the grouping of troops in the Kurakhiv direction. Defense forces conduct positional battles in order to improve the tactical position along the contact line.
● The enemy tried to advance in the direction of Zaitseve, Vesela Dolyna and Bakhmut with offensive actions, but was unsuccessful and retreated.
● Under the cover of the infrastructure of the nuclear power plant, the artillery of the Russian Federation intensified its shelling of the areas of the settlements of Nikopol and Oleksiivka.
● The enemy ship group in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas continues to perform reconnaissance tasks and block civilian shipping.
18:23 President's Office: Great Britain will help with rebuilding of a part of the Kyiv region that suffered from the occupation.
● The plan provides for the restoration of schools, kindergartens, utility networks, as well as private houses.
18:17 Air Force Command: Russian military aircraft have not flown into the area of Ukraine's air defense systems for more than three months.
● He emphasized that in the first weeks of the war, the Russians underestimated the fighting spirit of the Ukrainians and began to "get response for it", including in the air. That's when they changed tactics.
18:10 President’s Office: "Ukraine has begun to develop evacuation routes for residents of occupied Crimea who wish to leave the peninsula during active de-occupation".
17:52 : According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russians are preparing an assassination attempt on IAEA representatives in Enerhodar.
● The IAEA mission led by Director General Rafael Grossi is already on its way to the station and expects to visit it soon. Intelligence sources said that the prisoners taken during the release of Shcherbaky and Nesterianka said they were tasked with firing at the IAEA mission convoy with Western-style trophy weapons to blame Ukraine for disrupting the mission.
● According to him, increased measures are currently being taken for the safety of the delegation, as Russia has not given up its intentions to commit another provocation.
17:40 National Security Defense Council: Names the differences between Ukraine and the Russian Federation that would lead to the victory of the Ukrainians:
● Consolidation around the Ukrainian National Resistance is growing.
● The defense forces adopt modern Western equipment.
● The mobilization potential is constantly increasing.
● The army is constantly improving its quality.
● Ukrainians are fighting for their life and future.
17:13 Ministry of Agricultural Policy: As of August 29, the export of grain and legumes from Ukraine to foreign markets amounted to 3.62 million tons.
● The main volume of supplies is formed by corn — more than 64%.
17:10 Chernivtsi border guards: Border guards found a Syrian citizen in the Chernivtsi region who illegally entered Ukraine, hiding in the trailer of a truck carrying tires from Türkiye.
● The 27-year-old migrant from Syria planned to go to Germany, but he did not have documents with him.
16:06 Operational command Pivden "South": During the night, Ukrainian bombers carried out 2 strikes on the areas of concentration of Russians around Kiselyvka and Kostyrka.
● Missile and artillery units performed more than 220 fire missions, including on 3 bridges - Antonivskyi road bridge, Antonivskyi railway bridge and Daryivskyi bridge - to fix their inoperable status.
● Final losses of the enemy during the night amounted to 159 eliminated Russians and 60 destroyed units of enemy equipment.
○ In particular, 5 T-72 tanks, 3 Msta-B howitzers, S-300 launcher, electronic warfare station and radar station, 120 mm mobile mortar, 5 anti-tank missile systems, 40 units of armored and automotive equipment.
15:58 : The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine believes that in the colony in the temporarily occupied Olenivka of the Donetsk region, ammunition from a flamethrower could explode.
● According to the agency, a capsule with a combustible mixture of a thermobaric explosion of Shmyl, Shmyl-M, and Rys type flamethrowers could explode.
15:52 British Intelligence: Ukrainian long-range high-precision strikes continue to interfere with Russian security in the Kherson region. However, it is still impossible to confirm the scale of Ukrainian achievements.
● Since the beginning of August, Russia has made significant efforts to strengthen its forces on the western bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson area.
● However, most units around Kherson are likely undermanned and dependent on fragile supply routes via ferry crossings and pontoon bridges across the Dnipro.
15:29 : The SBU announced charges against a traitor who was "building" an enemy agent network in Kharkiv Oblast
● His informants collected data on the socio-political situation in the region, as well as on the location and movement of military equipment and personnel of the Armed Forces.
● The traitor turned out to be a 49-year-old native of Kharkiv, recruited by the special services of the Russian Federation, who has been living in temporarily occupied Donetsk since 2014.
15:15 : The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the first reading adopted the law "On media" No. 2693-d, which is necessary for the start of negotiations on joining the EU. The bill was supported by 233 deputies.
14:43 Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense: Covert mobilization in the central and south-eastern regions of the Russian Federation will fail.
● Taking this into account, the Ministry of Defense of the aggressor countries decided to increase the number of PMK mercenaries participating in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine.
● According to the estimates of the military intelligence of Ukraine, there are about 4,500-5,000 militants in the temporarily occupied territories. They work in certain directions as assault units that operate in the first line of offensive troops.
14:29 President’s Office: Russians are shelling the corridors through which the IAEA should reach the Zaporizhya NPP.
14:01 Ministry of Infrastructure : Six ships left the ports of Great Odesa this morning
● From "Chornomorska" — SEAJOY, LADY ZEHMA, SAFFET AGA.
● From "Odesa" - SIMAS, MICHALLIS.
● From "Southern" - KATERIA (chartered by the World Food Program of the United Nations to help the population of Yemen).
● 183,000 tons of Ukrainian agricultural products are on board the ships.
13:58 : Instructions for parents of schoolchildren: what you should know and how to prepare your child to study in wartime.
● UNICEF Ukraine has prepared a short note on how to take care of the child's safety if your school has allowed offline learning.
12:59 SBU: The SBU identified the Russian executioners, that held a Kyiv resident who managed to escape during AFU counteroffensive.
● According to the Security Service, three soldiers of the 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Federation turned out to be the perpetrators:
○ Borysov Oleksandr, born on March 7, 1999.
○ Madyaev Rayan, born on June 6, 2002
○ Maksym Sulaindzyuga, born on August 25, 1994.
● It was their occupation group that took an active part in the mass murders and tortures of the civilian population of the Bucha district in February-March of this year.
12:28 CNN: The Ukrainian military does not confirm or deny CNN's data on the liberation of 4 villages from the Russians in the Kherson region.
● I am very concerned about the fate of the people who live in these settlements and the units that are fighting for them, so we are not confirming anything yet," the spokeswoman for OK "South", - said Natalia Humenyuk.
12:16 CNN : The IAEA mission arrived in Kyiv on the eve of a planned visit to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhіa NPP.
MORDOR (Russia)
August 31
11:50 Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense: The Russians are going to send conscripts and so-called "volunteers" from the Moscow and Leningrad regions to Crimea.
● According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian military leadership is trying to strengthen "security" on the peninsula and for this purpose wants to supplement the military units of the Russian Federation stationed in Crimea.
● The commander of the Southern Military District of Russia, Oleksandr Dvornikov, who is called the "Syrian butcher", decided to transfer 1,200 conscripts to Crimea. Soldiers from the so-called "volunteer" battalions will also be sent to the peninsula from Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents.
08:16 Social Networks: An oil depot is on fire in the village of Chervonohvardiiske in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
08:15 Social Networks: Local residents report explosions in Russian Belgorod.
August 30
22:58 Russian mass media: FIFA sold three Russian TV channels the right to broadcast matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
● Three Russian TV channels will pay $13 million each for the opportunity to broadcast the World Cup. These are VDTRK, "Pervyi" and "Match TV". The company "Telesport" as an intermediary will receive another 1 million dollars.
21:59 rosZMI : In the temporarily occupied Crimea, an unscheduled comprehensive inspection of the system of air raid alarms and emergency warning of the population of the peninsula will be conducted.
18:45 DPR Ministry of Information: From August 31, the centralized supply of water to the population of Donetsk will be carried out once every three days
17:19 : Gazprom confirms the shutdown of Nord Stream-1 from 4:00 Moscow time on August 31 to 4:00 Moscow time on September 3, – the company says in a statement.
16:10 Russian Media: Russian artist Sasha Skochylenko, who has been in pre-trial detention centre since April 13, spoke about her meeting with Human Rights Commissioner Svitlana Agapitova. The girl is accused of pasting anti-war labels instead of price tags in the store.
● According to media reports, Agapitova told Skochylenko that her crime against the state and the army had nothing to do with freedom of speech, and that she was not entitled to diet food. The girl has celiac disease - gluten intolerance.
13:01 The Washington Post: The Russians wasted at least 10 expensive "Calibers" on strikes against wooden mock-ups, which were mistaken for advanced American HIMARS missile systems. This allows Ukraine to geolocate where the strikes are coming from.
12:47 : The so-called "governor" of Sevastopol Mykhailo Razvozhaev reported that this afternoon the air defense system was activated again in the temporarily occupied city.
● According to him, a drone was shot down in the Verkhnyosadovo area.
KHARKIV
August 31
10:52 RMA: "The Russians launched three rockets from the territory of Russia at Kharkiv at night. One of them exploded on the territory of the Russian Federation".
● "At around midnight, 3 rockets were launched from the city of Belgorod in the direction of Kharkiv. One exploded on the territory of Russia, another one exploded in the air over the territory of the Shevchenkiv district of Kharkiv. The last missile hit near an educational institution in the Kyiv district", – Synehubov says.
07:29 : The mayor of Kharkiv urges the residents of Novobavarskyi and Kholodnohirskyi districts to be extremely careful.
● "There are many unexploded cartridges from ammunition after yesterday's shelling of the city. Do not approach unfamiliar objects", – Terekhov says.
00:47 RMA: As a result of the shelling of the Kyivskiy district of Kharkiv, there are currently two victims.
00:31 : Mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov announced that the Russian Federation had hit a residential building in the Kyivskiy district. A fire started as a result of the rocket impact. There are also wounded people, the amount of them is not established.
August 30
15:54 : Mayor of Kharkiv Confirmed the shelling of the Kyiv district of the city. Several arrivals have been recorded. A fire broke out in a high-rise building.
14:29 Regional prosecutor's office: As a result of the morning shelling in Kharkiv, 4 people died, 11 more were injured.
● The Shevchenkiv district of the city came under enemy fire. A number of houses and cars, a kindergarten and a recreation park were damaged.
14:25 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kharkiv.
DONETSK
August 31
09:15 RMA: Over the past day, the Russians killed 4 civilians of Donetsk region: 2 in Klishchiivka, 1 in Bakhmut and 1 in Korsunivka. 2 more people were injured.
August 30
23:48 Social Networks: Fire in temporarily occupied Horlivka.
18:02 Adviser to the mayor of Mariupol: Shows the first real hunger riot in Mariupol.
● "Due to the fact that there is no humanitarian aid from the occupiers, the only source of food for many people remains the humanitarian aid from the Red Cross. But due to a great number of people, the Red Cross tried to cancel the handover. A real riot arose. And this is only the beginning. The occupiers push people to the limit of survival".
16:52 RMA: Published a video of the consequences of today's Russian shelling of Druzhkivka.
● Two schools, the Palace of Sports and the Palace of Culture, were damaged as a result of missile arrivals. According to preliminary information, there are no civilian casualties.
13:02 State Emergency Service: This morning, the building of the 45th state fire and rescue unit in the city of Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, came under rocket fire from the Russians
● As a result of the shelling, the building of the fire and rescue department was damaged, and the official car was also damaged. The personnel was not injured.
12:04 : In Slovyansk, the Red Cross base came under fire from the Russians
● According to Taras Logginov, the commander of the rapid response unit of the Red Cross Society of Ukraine, the Russians fired four shells in the center.
● An evacuation squad was located in the destroyed building, which, since April 18, was engaged in the evacuation of wounded, sick, disabled local civilians.
ZAPORIZHYA
August 31
10:08 Social Networks: Subscribers report that in the temporarily occupied Berdiansk, partisans blew up the headquarters building of the "We are together with Russia" organization. There are no victims or injured.
05:13 Social Networks: In temporarily occupied Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia region, fire after explosions.
00:03 Social Networks: Report of explosions in the temporarily occupied Berdyansk.
August 30
23:14 : Secretary of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, Anatoliy Kurtev, said that the explosions that were heard in Zaporizhzhia were the work of the Air Defense Forces.
23:05 : The head of the occupation administration of the Zaporizhia region, Yevhen Balytskyi, published a message in which he said that he moved from Melitopol to Crimea due to "family circumstances". Currently, Balytskyi's post has been removed from his channel.
22:36 : 22 sea containers, 389 railway wagons and 220 trucks - this is the scale of embezzlement of humanitarian aid, in which the leaders of Zaporіzhіа and the region are suspected.
21:12 RMA: At the moment, the situation at the Zaporizhia NPP remains difficult, but there is hope that the plant will still return to the control of "Energoatom" and the IAEA.
● "Russia has turned the Zaporizhzhіа NPP into its base and is using it for military purposes, placing heavy equipment there. The shelling of the nuclear plant caused an accident on the power grids and a complete shutdown of the plant. But, thanks to our specialists, the operation of the NPP has been partially restored," - Oleksandr Starukh stressed.
20:37 Mayor : Energodar is constantly under fire, and among the local population there is panic.
● "Today it is more or less calm, but the shelling does not stop either day or night. Both the city's infrastructure and residential quarters are under fire. There is panic in the population, which is trying to leave the city as soon as possible and go to the territory under the control of the Armed Forces. But the occupiers create obstacles here too: they don't let them out"- Orlov noted.
18:27 Mayor of Enerhodar: Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration assists in the temporary accommodation of internally displaced persons from Enerhodar, who will leave the occupied city to territories controlled by Ukraine. The premises of the boarding school in the city of Zaporizhzhia were specially allocated for energy donors.
17:58 Social Networks: There is a fire in the area of cottages of horticultural society "Volna" in Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia region.
17:48 RMA: A gas station in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Zaporizhzhia was destroyed during shelling; a projectile fired by the Russian military hit next to it. About 10 meters separate the blast crater and the gas filling station.
15:35 Mayor : Loud explosions were recorded yesterday in three locations of Melitopol and the district.
● One of the military units of the Russians in the north of Melitopol was hit. An enemy ammunition depot in the village of Mykhailivka was blown up. One of the FSB rest areas was damaged, where 5-6 cars of the Russian special service were located at the time of the explosions.
● Collaborators are trying to contact the Ukrainian security forces - they no longer want to help the occupiers.
15:19 Mayor of Melitopol: On August 29, on the way out of the city of Vasylivka, Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian military shot an evacuation column.
● "Fortunately, there were no casualties. But we understand that the Rashists are doing everything so that people do not want to leave the temporarily occupied territory, in order to use them as hostages," the mayor noted.
13:35 : In Zaporizhzhia, the SBU exposed an spy who passed on intelligence about the positions of MLRS systems in the south of Ukraine.
● A resident of Zaporizhzhia collected intelligence on the deployment, movement and armament of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the southern direction.
● The spy transmitted the received intelligence via a closed telephone channel to his curator in the Russian Federation, providing him with photos with objects marked on electronic maps.
DNIPRO
August 31
10:13 Nikopol RMA: The Russians are shelling Enerhodar right now to create the "necessary picture" for the IAEA inspection of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
08:20 RMA: The Russian troops shelled the Nikopol district with 'Grads' and heavy artillery for four times during the night.
● Nikopol itself was hit twice. A 57-year-old woman was injured. She is in the hospital. Doctors assess her condition as moderate.
● Russian shells damaged 12 high-rise buildings, several shops and several pharmacies, a college, a children's and youth sports school and a cultural and sports complex in the city.
August 30
21:25 Nikopol RMA: "The enemy fired barrel artillery at the territory of Marganetska and Chervonogrigorivska TGs and the city of Nikopol. There were no casualties or destruction" .
19:51 Babel - Mayor : Budget institutions, libraries and schools are planned to be massively disconnected from heating in Dnipro.
● "The less load there is on the heating system, the easier it will be to survive the winter. I have been saying since the first day of the war that in such a situation, it is better for women, elderly people and children to move to a safer place".
19:13 State Emergency Service: Rescuers conducted training in Dnipro on actions to be taken in the event of radioactive contamination.
13:42 Social Networks: Explosions were heard in Nikopol.
KHERSON
August 31
10:28 Social Networks: Explosions are also heard in the temporarily occupied Chornobaivka, the Kherson region.
05:17 Social Networks: In temporarily occupied Kherson, explosions have been heard," subscribers reported.
August 30
23:44 Operational Command Pivden (South).: The Armed Forces shot down a Russian drone over the Kherson region.
● "At around 10:00 p.m., in the sky over the Kherson region, the anti-aircraft missile unit of the Pivden air command eliminated another Russian drone, presumably the "Forpost".
21:44 Local media: In temporarily occupied Kherson, the Russians suspended the reception of patients in one of the hospitals. All because wounded and killed Russian soldiers were brought to the hospital.
20:05 Social Networks: A fire broke out in the temporarily occupied Kherson after the explosions.
19:26 Social Networks: The footage of smoke in the temporarily occupied Beryslav district of the Kherson region after the explosions.
18:58 Social Networks: Temporarily occupied Tavriisk, the Kherson region. Preliminarily, the warehouse of Russians detonates.
18:12 Suspilne: Powerful explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Kherson.
18:05 Social Networks: Reports about explosions in temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka.
17:37 RMA: The Armed Forces of Ukraine "cut off" the Russian army from the supply of weapons from Crimea.
17:08 : The regional prosecutor's office charged a resident of the Kherson region for suspicion of collaborative activity.
● The man voluntarily agreed to head the so-called "Agricultural Inspection of the Military-Civil Administration of the Kherson Region".
16:17 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in several settlements of the temporarily occupied Kherson region.
16:16 Media report: Electricity and communication began to appear in the temporarily occupied Kherson and the region.
15:01 Media reports: In the temporarily occupied Kherson and in some areas of the region, there is no electricity and water, and communication has also been lost.
14:15 Operational troop group "Kakhovka": The Russian military continues to shell residential areas and destroy civil infrastructure facilities in Novovorontsovka, Kherson region.
● These actions are aimed at worsening the moral and psychological state and spirit of the Ukrainian population.
12:39 Social Networks: Smoke rises after the explosions in the temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka.
12:33 Social Networks: Footage of the strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the Antonivsky Bridge in the Kherson region appeared.
12:29 : In social networks, the consequences of today's airstrikes on the headquarters of the Russians in the Auto market area in the temporarily occupied Kherson were published.
12:16 Social Networks: Smoke is rising in the area of the Antonivskyi bridge in the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region.
MYKOLAIV
August 31
09:32 RMA: Yesterday, the Russian troops shelled Mykolaiv again, one person was killed, another local resident was injured.
"In the afternoon, August 30, at around 2:15 p.m. (GMT+3), the enemy fired at the infrastructure facilities of the city. It is known that one person was killed and two were injured. As a result of the impact of ammunition and their fragments, two fires started. Currently, the liquidation of one of the fires continues"
August 30
19:05 RMA: The coming heating season will be difficult for the Mykolaiv region. Due to possible bursts of pipes in Mykolaiv, which is forced to use salt water from the Dnipro-Buh estuary.
● We will start the heating at 100%. The situation with front-line settlements is bad, but there are not many people there, so either there will be individual heating with firewood and coal, or the population will be evacuated. As for the regional centre and other cities, everything has been restored there and is being prepared for launch. The problem is that our water is salty and there will be many more burst pipes.
16:36 RMA: Shelter stops will appear in the most shelled neighborhoods of Mykolaiv.
● Currently, the local authorities are calculating the cost of the project based on the drawings provided by Kharkiv colleagues.
15:24 Mayor: As a result of the shelling of Mykolaiv, we know about one dead and one wounded.
14:25 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Mykolaiv.
14:06 RMA: The Russians fired three rockets at the Ingulsky Bridge in Mykolaiv. However, all the rockets hit the water.
● "We resumed traffic within five minutes after conducting an inspection to find out that the bridge was not destroyed or damaged."
OTHER REGIONS
August 31
08:57 Mayor : The Russians launched a missile attack on the centre of Kramatorsk at night. High-rise buildings were damaged and there are victims.
August 30
22:52 : In Kyiv, a proposal via a petition was made to rename Victory Square and remove the obelisk from it.
● Accordingly, the petition is registered on the website of the Kyiv City Council. The author notes that landscaping and a beautiful square can be arranged on the site of the monument, and the square itself can be given back its old name - Halytska.
22:42 Sumy Regional Military Administration: Today, the Russians shelled the territories of three communities of the region - Khotynska, Rychkivska and Velikopysarivska. 133 arrivals were recorded.
21:56 : The Odesa Regional Military Administration officially informed the Odesa City Council that the Odesa monuments to Catherine II and Oleksandr Suvorov do not have the status of objects of cultural heritage, and no permits or approvals are required for their dismantling or relocation.
19:25 Department of Education: The Russian language will not be taught in the schools of Odesa and the region.
● "We recommended moving away from Russian classes and schools altogether. Regarding the Russian language, we also do not recommend that it be taught as optional".
16:29 : The SBU neutralized a criminal organization that kidnapped people in the Lviv region under the guise of volunteer construction battalion.
● The special service established the facts of kidnapping, illegal deprivation of liberty and torture of people. Criminals also tried to engage in racketeering as a result of artificially created conflict situations.
● The criminal organization included more than 6 local residents.
16:21 Cherkasy RMA: Security measures will be strengthened in Uman from September 19 to 30 due to the celebration of Rosh Hashanah. During this period in the city:
● any mass events are banned;
● the sale of alcohol beverages and pyrotechnic products will be prohibited;
● the access regime and control over the stay (movement) of citizens is strengthen;
● traffic and parking will be prohibited in certain areas;
● access to places of pilgrimage will be limited.
14:45 : In the Odesa region, another sea port has resumed operations, reports the administration of the "Yuzhnyi" port.
● The first ship since the beginning of the Russian invasion arrived at the port of "Yuzhnyi" to load sunflower meal. This commercial port now also carries cargo from Ukrainian exporters to fulfill the terms of the "grain agreement".
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