Ukraine – 8/7/2023 Sitrep
By: Bohdan Chomiak & Robert Homans
August 7, 2023
The Ukraine War Ebook, “The Ukrainian People vs. The Russian Horde”
The Ukraine War Ebook we sent to those who were kind enough to support us, that included all our emails that we sent during the first week of the war, has been very well received. Since early July, when the Ebook was released, we have added several new email recipients. For new recipients, plus existing recipients who would like to receive the Ebook, we would be happy to send you a copy in return for your support for our efforts. If you would like to support us in any amount, and receive an Ebook as our gesture of gratitude, please click on the link HERE. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Perceptions of Corruption in Ukraine
I encourage you to look at the 3 graphs provided by Bohdan in his “8/7/2023 Sitrep” below, that shows the perception of continued corruption in Ukraine. Having lived in Ukraine almost continuously between 2006 and 2015, and part-time between 2005 and 2019, I offer the following observations:
· Small-time corruption likely continues to pose the major problem for most Ukrainians, like in the ZhEK System that I wrote about many years ago, concerning the repair/replacement of elevators in a residential high-rise with which I’m familiar, or graft associated with the required recycling of motor oil, described by the Lv’iv Entrepreneurs Group. That is me on the right. The meeting took place in June 2016, at Café Vienna in Lv’iv. Café Vienna was the place where, throughout Euromaidan, the Lv’iv Entrepreneurs Group organized support for the protestors on Independence Square in Kyiv.
· Some of the benefits of small-time corruption that goes on today allegedly go up to the top levels of the State, such as the graft that has recently taken place in reconstruction tenders mentioned last week, where there is evidence that beneficiaries included people in the Kyiv Oblast Administration and the Presidential Administration.
· When the war is over it is likely that returning veterans are going to take a “Zero Tolerance” stance against corruption. That has not been what they’ve been fighting for. There could well be another “Maidan,” this time focused on corruption.
News From the Battlefield
“Reporting From Ukraine” has fallen ill. I hope he’ll be back soon.
The Latest Denys focuses on Ukraine’s attacks on bridges connecting occupied Crimea with temporarily occupied southern Ukraine, almost certainly causing major logistical problems for Russia. To illustrate Denys’ point further, attached is the latest campaign assessment from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) that contains a detailed map of Crimea.
Military supplies coming across the Kerch Bridge from Russia must go through Dzhankoi, in northeast Crimea, which has become a major Russian logistics hub and the object of several Ukrainian attacks. Without the bridges, supplies must now go to the other access point to southern Ukraine, at Armyansk. There are three problems for Russia with the Armyansk Route:
· It substantially increases the distance that supplies have to travel, to get to eastern Zaporizhia Oblast, where most of the fighting is now taking place.
· It exposes those shipments to increased Ukrainian rocket attacks.
· Russian shipments taking the Armyansk Route must go through Oleshky, on the Left Bank of The Dnipro River across from Kherson City. According to a recent report from Denys, Ukrainian forces have crossed the Dnipro and they are now very close to Oleshky. Ukraine liberating Oleshky would completely cut off Russian shipments from Crimea to eastern Zaporizhia Oblast.
Denys also mentions the following developments:
· 9:30 – An assessment from British Intelligence stating that Russia has lost 15,000 members of its elite paratroop formation, or 50% of its strength. Taken alone, the losses sustained by Russian paratroop formations exceed Soviet losses in Afghanistan, in 9 years of fighting.
· 10:30 – There is an aerial photography of the damaged Russian amphibious ship that is tied to a pier in Novorossyisk. It appears as if another ship is tied up next to her, for the purpose of preventing the damaged ship from capsizing, something that would render the pier useless.
The ISW Report contains the following, about the significance of their interdiction of Russian logistics in the counteroffensive –
“A prominent Wagner-affiliated Russian milblogger argued that the Ukrainian strikes on August 6 show that Ukrainian forces are methodically trying to cut off the Russian grouping in southern Ukraine and disrupt its logistics in a way similar to the Ukrainian interdiction campaign during the Kherson counteroffensive. The milblogger noted that Russian defenses on west (right) bank Kherson Oblast broke down in a matter of days following months of Ukrainian strikes on Russian logistics and expressed concern that the situation could repeat itself. The Ukrainian strikes on the eastern crossing points will likely disrupt the transport of Russian personnel, materiel, and equipment from occupied Crimea to critical Russian defensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast and the Zaporizhia-Donetsk Oblast border area for some, undetermined, time.” (my bold face)
The milblogger is referring to what happened last year, when Ukraine drove Russia out of the portion of Kherson Oblast located on the Right Bank of the Dnipro, and liberating Kherson City. We have been making the same prediction for several weeks. It is wrong for the pundits to focus exclusively on the slow progress of the ground offensive, instead of viewing the ground offensive as only a part of a broader strategy of degrading Russian forces and, when sufficiently degraded, increase pressure on the ground.
8/7/2023 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon August 6 to 12:00 noon August 7, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Monday, August 7
12:05 am: The peace in Ukraine meeting, held in Jeddah, ended without a final declaration, but with "cautiously positive signals from China". This is reported by Spiegel.
● European diplomatic circles reported reaching an agreement on the central points of the peace settlement:
o support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine
o ceasefire on all fronts
12:51 am: The new government of Niger has announced the closure of the country's airspace.
8:05 am: The US has cut imports from China by nearly 25% despite efforts to mend relations with its main competitor, The Washington Post.
8:05 am: Israel carried out airstrikes on the outskirts of Damascus: four Syrian soldiers were killed, - Alikhbaria.
9:24 am: The US has already given Ukraine more aid than any other country in history - The Washington Post.
● Aid has so far reached $66.2 billion, of which the share of military aid is $43.1 billion, the share of economic support is $20.5 billion, and another $2.6 billion is humanitarian aid.
Sunday, August 6
2:06 pm: The participants in the negotiations on Ukraine, which are taking place in Saudi Arabia, have reached an agreement on two issues, - Corriere della Sera.
● In Jeddah, it was agreed that respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine should be the basis of any peace agreement, as a priority and the UN Charter.
● It was also agreed at the meeting to create working groups to discuss the Ukrainian formula for the world.
4:30 pm: The President's Office released the list of countries whose representatives participated in the world summit organized in Saudi Arabia.
● Europe: Bulgaria, Great Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Sweden.
● Middle East and Asia: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Bahrain, India, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Comoros Islands, China, Korea, Turkey, Japan.
● Africa: Egypt, South Africa. North America: Canada and USA; South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile. EU and UN delegates were also present.
9:25 pm: Poland has discovered a leak in a section of the Druzhba crude oil pipeline, — Bloomberg.
● The Polish operator of the PERN pipeline reported that the shipment of oil was halted on one of the two lines.
● It is noted that the cause of the leak is not yet known and is being investigated.
10:41 pm: Head of OP Andriy Yermak in Jeddah discussed security guarantees before Ukraine joins NATO, the release of prisoners and the return of children, the grain agreement with representatives of several countries.
● In total, Yermak held meetings with the heads of more than 30 delegations in Jeddah.
NATIONAL
Monday August 7
12:30 am: Fines for trade without cash registers will be returned in Ukraine from October 1.
● Entrepreneurs are required to record settlements/transactions.
● The return of fines was provided for by the law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, which entered into force on August 1 of this year.
2:01 am: Threat of using ballistic weapons in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Poltava, Donetsk, and Sumy regions, where the alarm has been declared.
2:31 am: Threat in all areas is over.
5:26 am: Activity of enemy tactical aviation in the southeast direction, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:05 am: the Russians continue to suffer heavy losses, which they try to hide in every way - General Staff of the Armed Forces.
● Thus, in the temporarily captured settlement of Chaplinka, Kherson region, two trucks with the bodies of servicemen of the Russian army arrived at the morgue from the Kherson direction. The bodies were buried in two locations.
● Over the past day, the aviation of the defense forces struck 10 times on areas where Russian personnel are concentrated and 4 on anti-aircraft missile complexes, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● During the day, units of missile forces and artillery struck 2 control points, 2 areas of concentration of personnel, 2 artillery firing positions and one station of radio-electronic warfare.
8:12 am: Attention! The threat of using ballistic weapons in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Poltava, and Sumy regions, where the alarm has been declared! Don't Ignore Airborne Alarms! Head for cover, - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
11:09 am: Over the past week, the Defense Forces of Ukraine destroyed more than 340 units of Russian military equipment, - Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar.
● She also reported that last week Russian troops increased the number of shelling in the east and spent almost half a million rounds of ammunition there.
11:57 am: Today, 22 more Ukrainian soldiers were returned home from captivity, - Office of the President.
● These are soldiers of the Armed Forces, two of them are officers, private and non-commissioned officers. They took part in battles in different directions, among the released are the wounded.
● The oldest of our soldiers turned 54 years old, the youngest - 23 years old.
Sunday, August 6
1:05 pm: the Russian Federation keeps nine ships in the Black Sea, according to the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● Among them is one missile carrier equipped with eight Kalibr cruise missiles.
3:11 p.m.: We will start exporting grain again, whether Russia likes it or not, said Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the State Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, in an interview with the Bulgarian TV channel bTV.
● "We are taking the necessary measures to restore grain supplies through the Black Sea and will restore them - whether Russia likes it or not. The world should not be held hostage to the actions of one terrorist country," Budanov is quoted as saying by the Bulgarian mass media.
5:43 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded soldiers of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● "Soldiers of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine honorably perform the most important task - to protect people's lives," the president writes.
5:51 pm: Activity of enemy tactical aviation in the southeast direction, — Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
6:40 pm: In Ukraine, a new award for the military units of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces appeared - the "Air Force Cross".
● Military Media Center writes about it.
● This medal is awarded to servicemen and employees of the Air Force for:
● impeccable service, diligence, smart initiative;
● high personal achievements in official activities;
● excellent personal performance in combat training;
● outstanding merits and significant personal contribution to the development of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:12 pm Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 6:00 p.m. on August 6:
● "During the day, the enemy launched 30 missile and 48 air strikes, launched 32 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
● As a result of the Russian terrorist attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and injured among the civilian population, residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed.
● Also, about 30 combat clashes took place during the day."
● "During the past day, the aviation of the defense forces carried out 10 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment of the enemy and 2 - on the anti-aircraft missile complexes of the occupiers.
● During the day, units of missile troops and artillery hit 2 control points, 2 areas of concentration of personnel, 2 artillery means in firing positions and one radio-electronic warfare station of the enemy.
8:12 pm: Volodymyr Zelenskyi published a video on the Day of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
● "Each new air defense system for Ukraine and each new combat aircraft for our pilots are steps towards defeating Russian terror and global security," the president said.
8:25 pm: Evening address of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi:
● "There will be new communication with partners - for the sake of defense for Ukraine. We will add even more content to the international events of August - September, which are already planned.
● And the Crimean Platform, and the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, our participation in the UN General Assembly, and the Peace Formula.
● And, of course, we will continue the internal cleansing of our state from those who, unfortunately, weaken Ukraine with their abuses."
8:39 pm: Activity of enemy tactical aviation in the southeast direction, — Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
9:45 pm: Over the last day, the enemy's losses in the Tavria direction amounted to almost two companies killed and wounded.
● Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of the operational-strategic group of troops "Tavria", reports this.
● "21 units of the enemy's military equipment were destroyed. 6 enemy ammunition depots were also destroyed," writes Tarnavskyi.
10:53 pm: Activity of enemy tactical aircraft in the southeast direction.
● This is reported in the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
11:22 pm: During the week, Russian troops used 65 different missiles and 178 attack drones against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
MORDOR - RUZZIA
Monday, August 7
11:43 am: During the summer, Russian tactical warplanes routinely flew more than 100 sorties a day, but they were almost always limited to flying over Russian-controlled territory because of the threat from Ukrainian air defenses.
● British intelligence on the ineffectiveness of Russian front-line aviation.
● It is noted that Russia has tried to overcome this problem by increasingly using free-fall base bombs with wings that increase the flight range.
11:04 am: Europe's biggest companies have suffered at least 100 billion euros in direct losses from operations in Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.
● This is evidenced by the analysis of the Financial Times.
● A review of 600 European companies' annual reports and financial statements for 2023 shows that 176 companies recorded asset impairments, currency exchange charges and other one-time costs because of the sale, closure or downsizing of Russian businesses.
Sunday, August 6
2:25 pm: Photos of the damaged Russian tanker "Sig" were published on the network.
● It is noted that the satellite images were taken in the morning of this Saturday, August 5. Two tugboats can be seen in the footage.
● The vessel "Vodolaz Kuzminykh" arrived at the tanker with equipment and specialists for underwater technical work. As of this morning, the ship has already returned to the port of Anapa, just south of the Kerch Bridge.
3:34 pm: Chongar bridge was hit. There were 3-4 flights, - rosZMI.
● They also report on the arrivals of Genichesko. Previously, the rocket landed on the bridge that leads to the Arabat arrow.
3:51 pm Social Networks: The bridge on the Arabatskaya sand bar after the explosions.
4:08 pm: Footage of what the Chongar bridge looks like now has been published on the network.
7:22 p.m.: The Armed Forces confirmed the destruction of road bridges in Chongar and Genichesk.
● "Around 15:00, the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck two key communication routes of the occupiers — the Chongarsky and Henicheskyi road bridges," writes the StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
10:07 pm: New interception of Military Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
● the Russian military is discussing the order of the command of the Russian Federation on the signing of contracts by the personnel of volunteer units without specifying the date of signing and their validity period.
REGIONS
SUMY
Sunday, August 6
12:15 pm Sumy RMA: At night and in the morning, the enemy carried out 6 shellings of the Sumy region, 19 explosions were recorded
● 6 settlements in 4 territorial communities were shelled: Bilopolska, Khotynska, Yunakivska, and Seredino-Budska.
6:20 pm: Operation of the humanitarian corridor Kolotylivka — Pokrovka, through which Ukrainians can evacuate from the temporarily occupied territories, has been resumed.
● This was reported by the Ministry of Reintegration.
● "We remind you that those who want to evacuate from the Sumy region can also use the special Sumy-Kyiv evacuation train. It runs daily from Sumy: it departs at 6:47 a.m. and arrives in Kyiv at 11:41 a.m.," the message reads.
KHARKIV
Monday, August 7
11:25 am Kharkiv RMA: Yesterday around 9:15 am the Russians attacked Kharkiv with a S-300 missile. The building of a civil enterprise in Kholodnohirsky district was damaged.
● As a result of shelling, a 31-year-old civilian was injured in Kupyansk. In the village A 61-year-old woman and her 65-year-old husband were injured in Putnykovo, Kupyan district.
● As a result of a guided aerial bomb attack on the village of A 57-year-old woman died near Podola. A 66-year-old man was seriously injured and was hospitalized.
Sunday, August 6
5:19 pm: the Russians attacked the village of Podola in the Kupyan district with a FAB-250 guided bomb, a 65-year-old woman was killed and her 66-year-old husband was wounded.
● This is reported by the Prosecutor General's Office.
● Also, the Russians shelled the settlement of Putnykove in the Kupyan District, wounding two people. It is known about one more wounded person in Kupyansk.
10:14 pm: Kharkiv region - threat of enemy use of attack UAVs.
● This is reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
12:50 pm Kharkiv RMA: Russians hit the village of Podoli in Kharkiv Oblast.
● As a result of the attack, a 58-year-old woman died, a 66-year-old man was injured and hospitalized in a medical institution.
● A private house was destroyed, a fire broke out in an outbuilding.
DONETSK
Sunday, August 6
12:35 pm Donetsk RMA: Russians shelled Krasnohorivka of Marinska community and Kurakhove in the Donetsk direction during the day, single shelling of Avdiyivka was recorded.
● On the Horlivskyi direction in New York, 1 person died and 2 were injured, 14 houses and a school were damaged. The administration building was also damaged in Toretsk.
● In the Chasovoyarsk community, 2 private houses, a multi-storey building and an industrial building were damaged.
● On the Lysychanskyi direction, 1 person died in Torskyi of the Lymansk community. In Siversk, 2 houses were destroyed, 3 more were damaged.
ZAPORIZHIA
Monday, August 7
10:33 am Zaporizhia RMA: 69 shellings were recorded in 24 settlements.
● 15 reports were received about the destruction of residential buildings and infrastructure facilities. People were not injured.
10:47 am: Attention! Zaporizhzhia region there is a missile hazard! - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Sunday, August 6
2:46 pm: A rocket hit a high-rise building in Orykhiv, Zaporizhzhia region. The photo of the consequences was published by the head of the State Emergency Service, Serhiy Kruk.
● "During the work, repeated shelling began, so the rescuers stopped their work at the height. Fortunately, there were no victims," he said.
DNIPRO
Monday, August 7
7:45 am Dnipro RMA: The Russians hit the area with a missile this night. The explosion rang out in the Sinelniky district.
● A fire broke out, which the rescuers have already extinguished. Other consequences of the attack are being investigated. No dead or injured.
● In the morning, the Russian army shelled Myrivsk community. Shells from heavy artillery flew there. The information is being clarified.
9:57 am Dnipro RMA: Air defense forces shot down one Russian unmanned aerial vehicle over the Dnipropetrovsk region.
KHERSON
Monday, August 7
8:16 am Kherson RMA: Around 00:50 Russians fired at a residential building in Kherson. 8 residents were diagnosed with a situational stress reaction. One person with limited mobility was hospitalized.
● Two rescuers were injured while fighting the fire. A 59-year-old woman died, a 60-year-old man suffered a contusion as a result of an artillery shell hitting the house.
● Around 03:15, the Russian army attacked the house again. A 93-year-old woman was injured. She was hospitalized with explosive injury and contusion.
9:35 am Kherson RMA: Due to the Russian shelling of the village of Sadove, a civilian was injured - Kherson OVA.
● Around 09:15, the Russians hit the residential building. A 50-year-old man was injured. An ambulance went to help the victim.
11:13 am: Attention! Kherson region - missile danger! - Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Sunday, August 6
1:27 pm Kherson RMA: Over the past day, the Russians have carried out 46 shellings, firing 188 shells from mortars, artillery and UAVs. 24 shells were fired in the city of Kherson,
● They aimed at the residential quarters of the settlements of the region; the territory of the garage cooperative in Kherson. Four people were injured.
10:24 pm: Kherson region - threat of enemy use of attack UAVs.
● This is reported in the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
11:08 pm Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
MYKOLAIV
Monday, August 7
10:49 am: The SBU detained a Russian informant who was preparing a Russian air strike on the Mykolaiv region during the visit of the President of Ukraine
● The attacker tried to establish the time and list of locations of the approximate route of the Head of State in the territory of the region.
● the Russian informant had other goals. In particular, to identify the location of electronic warfare systems and warehouses with ammunition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Ochakov region.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://espreso.tv/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka
https://t.me/uawarinfographics
https://t.me/svoboda_radio