Ukraine news/Archive/2023-08
31 Aug. Erdogan and Putin to meet in Sochi on Sep. 4, for the first time after suspension of the "grain deal"
It is claimed that military deliveries to Ukraine via the Black Sea still continue.
In Ukraine, "the criteria for the mobilization of those limitedly fit for military service will be clarified" (raising speculation that those will be also mobilized, amid high losses and unending general mobilization)
30 Aug. After another massive drone attack on targets in Russia, including airfield in Pskov region, some 700 km from Ukraine, said to damage four IL-76 planes, (unconfirmed) accusations are raised that drones were launched outside of Ukraine. The Ukrainians claim they used Australian “cardboard” drones in the attack on Pskov near the Estonian border. The Corvo has a range of 75 miles and can travel at speeds more than 35 mph for one to three hours...On August 27, Ukrainian media claimed that 16 Corvos had been used in an attack on the Kursk Vostochny Airport in Russia, with three shot down and the other 13 damaging four Su-30 and one MiG-29 aircraft, an S-300 radar, and two Pantsir air defense systems.
23 Aug. As a result of Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk, 155 mm NATO artillery, on Rosa Luxemburg St. the building of the Republican Blood Center and an apartment building were damaged, and on Shchorsa St. an ambulance station, a school and a manufacturing plant were damaged (photos).
17 Aug. "The New Voice of Ukraine:" "Zelenskii hails first cargo ship safely departing from Odessa" (Joseph Shulte has been in Bulgarian territorial waters at the time of this posting, moving in the western /anticlock-wise direction in pro-Ukrainian countries waters, and since has reached the the Straits); while the only large ship in or near Odessa has been Puma, Cayman-flagged.
CNN: (US sec. st.) Blinken speaks by phone with Paul Whelan, who is detained in Russia.
14 Aug. RFK Jr. interviewed by Tucker (includes history of NATO expansion and Ukraine).
11 Aug. A group of US House Republican letter: "Before Congress can responsibly finance the ongoing proxy war in Ukraine, your administration has an obligation to explain, explicitly and officially, what the U.S. is trying to achieve in Ukraine" (Fox News, with link to document).
10 Aug. Two men are killed and two more local residents are wounded by Ukrainian fire on a village in Bryansk region, mainland Russia.
It is said that Ukraine is starting civilian evacuations in Kupiansk district, Kharkov region.
"Fire hits grain silos at French Atlantic port"; videos.
Kuleba interview with Corriere della Sera discusses conditional indirect peace negotiations with Russia.
8 Aug. Col. Macgregor puts Ukrainian losses at 400K killed, quoting his (not identified) sources. "And roughly 60 thousand amputations"
7 Aug. "An explosion in the Turkish port of Kocaeli occurred at one of the elevators at the time of loading the ship with grain"; video 1, 2 . By initial evaluation, "an explosion occurred due to wheat dust compression during the transfer of wheat from a ship to the silo."
6 Aug. Chongar bridge connecting Crimea and Kherson region was damaged by Ukrainian shelling, said to be using NATO missiles, "Storm Shadow or SCALP-EG". Some missiles were shot down by air defense, some hit and damaged the roadwork on the bridge ( 1, 2, 3, 4). Road bridge across the Tonkiy Strait, connecting Genichesk with the Arabat Strip was shelled too.
5 Aug. Ukraine warned of a "military threat" in the waters of six Russian ports, after a Russian tanker was hit by Ukrainian drone.
4 Aug. Ukrainian resources post videos which appear to show that Russian "Olenegorski gorniak" ship was damaged during Ukrainian sea drone attack on Novorossiisk port. Some drones were destroyed by fire from Russian ships. Previously, Russian forces successfully attacked port structures in Odessa and Izmail, following suspension of the grain deal, after a new Ukrainian attack on the Crimea bridge.
It is said that Ukrainian forces reduced their use of Western armored vehicles, due to high losses, and are attacking by small groups, largely on foot. It is reported (WaPo) that Ukrainian reserve forces were recently deployed against Russian front lines, although Russian main defense lines were not reached. Ukrainian forces are also using US-supplied cluster munitions, although those are banned by a treaty signed by major European countries.