Ukraine Invasion: Part 43

[MagicFox]

With thanks as usual to everyone!

--

Agreed thread guidance:

1. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events

1. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content

1. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

If true, I think it's likely due to the artillery deployed cluster munitions.

That may well explain the noise about Poland over the last couple of days tbh.

Yeah. Russian artillery is hitting pretty close to Romania as well.

🇷🇴 President of Romania Klaus Iohannis strongly condemned the latest attack by Russia, during which it struck with drones the port infrastructure of the city of Reni near the Romanian border.

Reni is in Ukraine but apparently only 200m away from the Romanian border, NATO-territory.

Looking at satellite pictures, Reni has some commercial value with good rail links and port links off the Danube. It is some 75 miles up the Danube from the Black Sea, but 200 metres across the river is Romanian land in arable use. It could be a staging post for military aid. There is also an oil storage facility at Reni, but I suspect the symbolism of Russian missiles landing less half the length of a high-speed train away from a Nato's members territory is part of the intention.

The Budjak area (mostly the part of Ukraine SW of Odessa) is odd. It's accessibility by road really depends on crossing through a bit of Moldova (but thankfully not Transnistria) although there is a minor road along the spits. There are a lot of fields, more fields, bodies of water and wetland and not a lot of people for an area this size.

Then there's Reni as mentioned above, but more importantly in terms of shipping, Izmail. These settlements are part of the Danube to Black Sea shipping system.

The ethnic/linguistic mix is complex to say the least. Previous President Poroshenko is from this area and was born in the mostly Bulgarian town of Bolhrad. The Bulgarians are mostly descended from exiles who fled the Ottoman Empire for the safety of the advancing Russian Empire.

Naem . Yesterday 23:50
It is actually a period of mourning at the moment for the destruction of the temples- three week mourning period that gets more and more intensive leading up to a big fast Wednesday night Thursday. It is always a depressing time of year, when things are almost expected to go wrong, but this year it feels so much worse. Between the Russian horrors being inflicted on Ukraine and the idiots in Jerusalem (ironically the idiots in Jerusalem ought to know that this has historically been a time of evil and destruction - they can't even read their own history) I am really struggling to even look at the news at the moment for my own mental health.

@Naem, you have so much insight seeing the period of mourning being ignored as being symbolic of a lack of thought by those imposing this harm. Keep holding on with all the others who share your understanding 💐

Pmk

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-25-2023

Key Takeaways:

• Putin continued to manifest concern over potential threats that the Wagner Group and its financier Prigozhin may pose during an impromptu two-day extension of Lukashenko’s visit to St. Petersburg. Lukashenko likely seeks to leverage his power over the Wagner Group to gain concessions from Putin.
• Russian leadership is attempting to mitigate the security vacuum left by the Wagner Group’s departure by creating formalized but decentralized military “enterprises” on the basis of federal subjects (regions).
• Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors of the front and advanced on July 25.
• Russian forces conducted another series of Shahed drone strikes on rear areas of Ukraine overnight on July 24-25.
• The Angry Patriots Club continues efforts to cast former Russian officer and ardent nationalist Igor Girkin (Strelkov) as an opposition figure and may be attempting to appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin through rhetoric about the illegality of Girkin’s arrest.
• Putin and the Kremlin reportedly failed to respond promptly to the Wagner Group’s June 24 rebellion, leaving local Russian officials to make decisions concerning the group’s drive on Moscow.
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations near Svatove, Kreminna, the Bakhmut area, the Avdiivka-Donetsk City area, and the Zaporizhia-Donetsk Oblast border area and made claimed advances near Svatove, Kreminna, and Bakhmut.
• Ukrainian forces conducted offensive operations near Kreminna, the Bakhmut area, the Avdiivka-Donetsk City area, along the administrative border between Zaporizhia and Donetsk oblasts, and western Zaporizhia Oblast and advanced in the Bakhmut area, in some areas along the administrative border between Zaporizhia and Donetsk oblasts, and west of Orikhiv.
• US intelligence officials warned on July 25 that Russia’s drone supply will dramatically increase as a result of continued bilateral Russo-Iranian cooperation.
• Russian officials continue efforts to deconflict legal discrepancies as part of the incorporation of occupied territories.

Kyiv Independent Telegram

U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on July 25 that Russia may escalate its campaign to destroy Ukraine's food exports by targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea. https://kyivindependent.com/uk-foreign-secretary-russia-may-target-civilian-ships-in-black-sea/

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk rejected on July 25 Moscow's claims that Ukrainian prisoners of war who died in the Olenivka massacre were killed by a Ukrainian HIMARS strike. kyivindependent.com/un-denies-russias-claims-on-olenivka-prison-massacre/

⚡️Governor: Ukraine enters Andriivka https://kyivindependent.com/governor-ukraine-enters-andriivka-village-south-of-bakhmut-battles-continue/ village south of Bakhmut, battles continue.

Ukrainian forces have successfully advanced near the village of Staromaiorske in Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's spokesperson Andrii Kovalyov said on July 26. https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-ukraine-makes-gains-at-staromaiorske/

Ukraine could use F-16 fighter jets to protect grain shipping lanes in the Black Sea, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told France 24 on July 25. https://kyivindependent.com/kuleba-2/

⚡️Politico: Western partners have so far failed https://kyivindependent.com/politico-coalition-still-needs-to-agree-on-f-16-training-plan/* to agree on F-16 training plan for Ukraine. [though there were comments that some training had been planned a while back; the situation isn't clear] *

https://kyivindependent.com/estonian-ambassador/ Estonian Ambassador to NATO Juri Luik warned against exaggerated expectations regarding Ukraine's counteroffensive, adding that the speed of the campaign should not be imposed against military logic, the Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on July 24.

Ukraine’s south threatened with long-term economic, agricultural decline https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-south-threatened-with-long-term-economic-agricultural-decline-after-kakhovka-dam-destruction/ Kakhovka dam destruction

Norway contributed over $24 million to the European Peace Facility (EPF) for military aid to Ukraine, the Council of the European Union informed on July 25. https://kyivindependent.com/norway-sends-24-million/

International donors pledged $244 million to assist Ukraine in demining work, Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on July 25.
The funds will be provided by the governments of the U.S., Japan, Germany, the U.K., Norway, Sweden, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, South Korea, the EU, and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. https://kyivindependent.com/foreign-donors-raise-244-million-for-demining-ukraine/

⚡️Navalny: Girkin 'illegally detained political prisoner.' https://kyivindependent.com/navalny-girkin-illegaly-detained-political-prisoner/

Dutch Judge Charlotte van Rijnberk, who was reprimanded for "undermining" the MH17 trial with conspiracy theories, will resign from her post, the newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad reported on July 25.
https://kyivindependent.com/media-dutch-who-tried-to-influence-mh17-trial-resigns/
Van Rijnberk will step down from the Court of Appeals in The Hague by Aug. 1 after she tried to spread a conspiracy theory among judges presiding over the MH17 case that Ukraine shot down the Dutch airliner, the outlet wrote.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) informed on July 25 that it charged the former leader of the now-banned pro-Russian Nashi party Yevhen Muraiev with high treason.
The Security Service noted that Muraiev used his media empire, including the Nash TV channel, to disseminate pro-Russian narratives. https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-charges-ex-mp-muraiev-with-treason/

Ragnar Gudmundsson

HIGHLIGHTS FOR JUL 26:
■ Increased strikes but engagements down
■ Troop & equipment losses below 7-day average
■ Double-digit artillery, vehicle & drone losses
■ Helicopter loss (Ka-52 "Alligator")
■ Oryx: 40:9/net change to totals

UNITED24 Telegram

The USA announced a new $400 million aid package to Ukraine

⚡️ The Russian Government has extended the deadline for the restoration of the Crimean bridge until December 31 this year.

Russian Defense Minister Shoigu arrived in North Korea for a meeting with partners

North Korea finances its nuclear program with proceeds from arms sales, particularly to Russia, — Bloomberg.
North Korea has large stockpiles of ammunition that it is ready to dispose of at a high price.
Russia, which consumes thousands of ammunition per day, needs 152 mm artillery shells compatible with Soviet weapons.
Pyongyang can sell these projectiles for $1K each, that is, the shipment of 250,000 shells will equal approximately 1% of the country's GDP.
The newspaper claims that North Korea spends income from secret agreements on building up its nuclear potential.

Two-thirds of African leaders refused to go to Putin's summit — the Russia-Africa summit will be held amid a boycott by the heads of most African states, The Moscow Times
38 out of 54 African countries did not send their leaders to the summit, which is scheduled on July 27-28 with the participation of Putin.
On Tuesday, only 16 countries will be represented at the level of heads of state, presidential aide Yuriy Ushakov said. Another 10 African countries sent their prime ministers to St. Petersburg. Almost half of the summit participants sent lower-level delegations: 16 are headed by vice prime ministers and ministers, and five are ambassadors. Five African states ultimately refused to participate in the summit. [I suspect there is a great deal of spin on this; would they have sent their leaders in any case?]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova summoned the ambassador of the Russian Federation because of a journalistic investigation into espionage by the country's authorities.

🇲🇩🇷🇺 Moldova is reducing the number of diplomats in the Russian embassy in Chisinau. The country's foreign minister responded to a journalist's investigation into surveillance of the government, police, and foreign delegations with the help of a large number of antennas on the roof of the embassy. Nik Popescu was not informed how much the number of the embassy would be reduced.

🌾 The EU is ready to export almost all agricultural products from Ukraine through the "corridors of solidarity."
This was announced by the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski.
"This is about 4 million tons per month of oilseeds and grains, and we reached this volume in November last year," he said.

Mykhailo Fedorov Is Running Ukraine’s War Like a Startup
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister has helped the country bootstrap and innovate its war effort, creating a defense industry from scratch, and using his Big Tech ties to cut Russia off from the world.
Read full article: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ukraine-runs-war-startup

The new Ukrainian maritime drone MAGURA V5 was presented at the International Defense Industry Fair.
It can perform various tasks — surveillance, reconnaissance, patrolling, search and rescue, mine countermeasures, fleet protection, and combat missions.
The design of the case will increase its maneuverability and stealth. Its height above the waterline should be only 50 centimeters, it will be able to develop up to 42 knots, have a sailing range of up to 450 nautical miles, and a payload of up to 320 kilograms.

“A fully inclusive Olympics can be a great help in the peaceful resolution of military conflicts, in particular, the war in Ukraine," Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó spoke for the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Olympics during a meeting with the Ser Miang, vice president of the International Olympic Committee

Ukrainian polar explorers from the Akademik Vernadsky station showed sunrises in the Antarctic. It is winter there, so the sun rises low above the horizon and only for a few hours.

Live: Ukraine Telegram

According to US intelligence, the emergence of the Shahed kamikaze drone factory in Russia will have a significant negative impact on the war in Ukraine.
According to them, the UAV plant, which is currently under construction, is expected to provide Russia with a new "orders of magnitude larger" supply of drones than it has been able to purchase from Iran so far.
As analysts warn, Iran regularly ships equipment to Russia to help build the plant, which is likely to be completed early next year

Over the past few days, the enemy has expanded the bridgehead on the right bank of the Zherebets River and taken control of three villages in the Luhansk region: Nadiya, Serhiivka, and Novoyehorivka.

Crimean locals report a series of explosions heard in Krasnoperekopsk and Sevastopol. Helicopters are flying in the area of the first city. Residents of Balaklava heard sounds similar to rocket launches.

Journalists of Krym.Realii showed a fresh satellite image of the airfield in the village of Vesele in occupied Crimea, where explosions were heard on July 24. The image shows traces of a large fire.

The United States accused a Russian Su-35S fighter jet of a dangerous close encounter with an MQ-9 Reaper drone in the skies over Syria and published a video of the incident.
The fighter jet flew too close to the Reaper and launched missiles at its target, being several meters higher than the drone. The US Air Force says that the launch of one of the missiles severely damaged the MQ-9's propeller.

🤬A girl born in 2011, who was wounded yesterday in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, died in hospital. In total, three people died as a result of the shelling of the city with cluster shells, two of them children. [I do hope the UN comments on Russia using cluster bombs on civilians. I mean, they've made it so clear they don't want Ukraine using them on Russian soldiers].

✈️ Ukraine is working with Israeli experts on the experience of civil aviation flights in the face of possible attacks by drones, missiles, etc., and of the two plans under consideration to resume flights from Ukraine, the most likely is the end of 2023, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said.

Head of the State Duma Defense Committee Kartapolov objects to amendments to the Russian mobilisation law which would see fathers of several children and fathers of disabled children be exempt from total mobilisation, which he says is "in the air"

The Polish Border Guard has released a video of migrants throwing rocks at Polish police officers guarding the newly-constructed Polish border wall.
They write that the Belarusian Border Guard used to stop illegal migration, but is now facilitating it.

A year after the tragedy in Olenivka, where at least 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed by shelling of the colony, the UN recognized (https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/07/turk-decries-lack-accountability-olenivka-killings) that the explosions were not caused by HIMARS missiles (as Russian propaganda had claimed).

Ukrainian pilots will be training on F-16s in Romania and Denmark. The dates, the locations, and the duration are still being worked out - John Kirby.

Time to observe with great hope.

Goodness me. I hope this proves true @ReleaseTheDucksOfWar

I hope it goes well.

Thank you @ReleaseTheDucksOfWar for your work in keeping us updated.

https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1684290446472761344 very interesting speech from President Zelensky

Very welcome.

Just wanted to recommend this RUSI podcast (Global Security Briefing) about the broader geopolitical picture, I thought it was really good. Very measured.

"Will a counter-West Axis replace the existing international order": podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/global-security-briefing/id1564065871?i=1000622392376

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-26-2023

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian forces launched a significant mechanized counteroffensive operation in western Zaporizhia Oblast on July 26 and appear to have broken through certain pre-prepared Russian defensive positions south of Orikhiv.
• Russian sources provided a wide range of diverging claims as to the scale of both the attack and resulting Ukrainian losses, indicating that the actual results and Ukrainian losses remain unclear.
• The battlefield geometry around Robotyne, as well as the force composition of the Russian elements defending there, offer important color to speculation surrounding the Ukrainian attack and gains.
• Western and Ukrainian officials suggested that the attacks towards Robotyne mark an inflection in Ukraine’s counteroffensive effort. Today’s actions around Robotyne are likely the start of any “main thrust” Ukrainian forces might be launching, if US officials are correct, rather than the sum of such a thrust.
• Russian forces conducted a large-scale missile strike largely aimed at rear areas in Ukraine on the night of July 26.
• The Russian Black Sea Fleet is increasing military posturing in the Black Sea, likely in an attempt to set conditions to forcibly stop and search civilian vessels and exert increased control in the area.
• The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced on July 26 that it authorized another presidential drawdown to provide an additional $400 million of security assistance to Ukraine.
• Russia continues to find ways to remind Armenia and Azerbaijan that Moscow’s military and diplomatic presence in the South Caucasus is necessary. The Russian government may have intended for the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan trilateral meeting to reduce possible Iranian efforts to supplant Russian influence with Armenia by providing Shahed drones to Yerevan.
• A prominent Kremlin-linked milblogger expressed his incredulity that the US has not provided Ukraine F-16 fighters yet and did not assess Russian deterrence or escalation cycle dynamics to be a factor.
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, in Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, in western Donetsk Oblast, and in western Zaporzhia Oblast on July 26 and have made advances in certain areas.
• Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations along at least three sectors of the front on July 26 and have advanced in certain areas.
• Ukrainian military sources reported that Russian forces have begun using Russian-produced Shahed drones against Ukraine.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to pursue infrastructure projects in occupied areas to facilitate the economic integration of occupied Ukraine into the Russian system.

Extra:

The New York Times reported on July 27, citing two anonymous Pentagon officials, that the “main thrust” of the Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun in earnest.[

A prominent Kremlin-linked milblogger expressed his incredulity that the US has not provided Ukraine F-16 fighters yet and did not assess Russian deterrence or escalation cycle dynamics to be a factor
The milblogger notably did not include the threat of Russian nuclear escalation or other deterrence factors in his list of hypotheses of why Western policymakers have not yet sent the fighters to Ukraine.[41] ISW continues to assess that the risk of nuclear escalation remains extremely low.

The disagreement amongst several prominent Russian sources, who have generally tended to offer more mutually consistent claims about the size of and losses resulting from previous Ukrainian attacks, indicates that the situation remains less than clear and that Ukrainian forces may have been more successful than assessed by Russian commentators.

The battlefield geometry around Robotyne, as well as the force composition of the Russian elements defending there, offer important color to speculation surrounding the Ukrainian attack and gains. Geolocated footage from July 27 shows two Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and a T-72 tank either disabled or abandoned about 2.5km due east of Robotyne, which is a point that is about 2.5km south of the current frontline.[7] This geolocated point is beyond the forward-most pre-prepared Russian defensive fortifications in this area, indicating that Ukrainian forces managed to penetrate and drive through tactically challenging defensive positions. This kind of penetration battle will be one of the most difficult things for Ukrainian forces to accomplish in pursuit of deeper penetrations, as ISW has previously assessed. The defensive lines that run further south of Robotyne are likely less well-manned than these forward-most positions, considering that Russian forces have likely had to commit a significant portion of available forces to man the first line of defensive positions that are north and east of Robotyne.

Kyiv Independent Telegram

Ukraine has been delivered reinforcements for its air defense capabilities, which will be deployed where they are most needed, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 26. https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-says-ukraine-received-air-defense-reinforcements/

⚡️NATO-Ukraine Council meets https://kyivindependent.com/nato-ukraine-council-meets-for-second-time/ for second time, addresses Black Sea security.

⚡️African leaders begin arriving https://kyivindependent.com/african-leaders-arrive-in-russia-for-summit/ in Russia for Africa-Russia summit. [Apparently only just over 20 leaders have come this year as opposed to 43 in the last summit, 2 years ago]

⚡️Ukrainian government allocates https://kyivindependent.com/pm-shmyhal/ $1 billion for drone production.

Investigation: EU inability to ramp up production behind acute ammunition shortages in Ukraine kyivindependent.com/investigation-eu-inability-to-ramp-up-production-behind-acute-ammunition-shortages-in-ukraine/

⚡️White House: Ukrainian pilots to receive F-16 training in Denmark, Romania.
https://kyivindependent.com/white-house-ukrainian-pilots-to-be-trained-in-denmark-romania/ pilots are going to receive training on F-16 fighter jets in Denmark and Romania, while other locations are being considered as well, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on July 26.

⚡️NYT: Biden orders https://kyivindependent.com/biden-orders-us-government-to-hand-over-russian-war-crimes-evidence-to-hague/ US government to hand over Russian war crimes evidence to Hague. The decision is a reversal of White House policy.

⚡️Russia raises https://kyivindependent.com/russia-raises-conscription-age-to-increase/ conscription age to increase dwindling forces in Ukraine.

⚡️Moldova expels 45 Russian diplomats https://kyivindependent.com/moldova-expels-45-russian-diplomats-embassy-staff/ embassy staff over 'unfriendly actions.'

⚡️Zelensky asks parliament https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-asks-parliament-to-prolong-martial-law-mobilization/ to prolong martial law, mobilization.

⚡️IOC does not invite Russia, Belarus https://kyivindependent.com/ioc-does-not-invite-russia-belarus-to-2024-olympic-games-in-paris/**to 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The IOC has not yet taken a decision on Russian and Belarusian citizens competing as neutral athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games but promised to resolve the issue at an "appropriate time.

⚡️Ukraine ends https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-ends-boycott-of-international-games-involving-russians-and-belarusians/ boycott of competitions with neutral Russian, Belarusian athletes.

⚡️Air Force: Ukraine downs https://kyivindependent.com/air-force-3/ 36 Russian missiles

⚡️EU ambassadors to adopt 'restrictive measures' https://kyivindependent.com/eu-ambassadors-agree-on/ against Belarus.

As more soldiers go missing, desperate families left in limbo kyivindependent.com/as-more-soldiers-go-missing-desperate-families-left-in-limbo/
Nearly a year-and-a-half into the full-scale war, thousands of relatives are enduring an unbearable wait, not knowing whether their loved ones were killed or captured by Russian forces on the front line. [so it's not only the Russian families who are left in limbo, it's the Ukrainian families too :/ ]

⚡️Former co-chair https://kyivindependent.com/ex-mp-of-banned-pro-russian-party-charged-with-treason/of banned pro-Russian party charged with treason.

⚡️Speaker urges https://kyivindependent.com/stefanchuk-calls-on-ukrainian-mps-to-support-restoration-of-electronic-declaration/ MPs to resume asset declarations for officials
Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament, on July 26 called on lawmakers to support a bill to restore electronic asset declarations for officials.
Civic watchdogs say that the asset declaration system has been effectively destroyed. They claim that martial law was used as a pretext by corrupt officials.

⚡️MP from Zelensky's party investigated https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-mp-investigated-for-business-trip-to-luxury-maldives-resort/for trip to Maldives.

Parliament committee rejects https://kyivindependent.com/culture-ministers-resignation-to-be-decided-on-at-parliamentary-vote/culture minister's resignation.

Kyiv Independent Telegram

⚡️National Resistance Center: Wagner recruiting (https://kyivindependent.com/national-resistance-center-wagner-recruiting-fighters-who-are-ready-to-attack-poland-lithuania/) fighters in Belarus on condition of readiness to fight in Poland, Lithuania.

The Wagner Group paramilitary organization is continuing to recruit fighters in Belarus while training the Belarusian military, under the condition that the new recruits are ready "to participate in hostilities on the territory of the countries neighboring Belarus, in particular, Poland and Lithuania," according to Ukraine's National Resistance Center.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

According to the statement following the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, NATO will strengthen intelligence in the Black Sea region, particularly with the help of maritime patrol aircraft and drones, after Russia's withdrawal from the Grain Deal.

⚡️ Russia is preparing ships and aircraft to block the Black Sea after withdrawal from the grain deal — Military Media Center.

🛩 1.7 thousand attack and reconnaissance drones are being sent to the front.
Among them are AI-enabled drones, which will help to effectively detect and then destroy enemy targets. All the drones were purchased under the state program "Army of Drones"

⚡️A Russian Mi-8 helicopter has crashed in Altai.
6 died, 7 were injured. [as of 11:22 today. on July 26th a helicopter pilot, Colonel Табачников Виталий Витальевич (Tabachnikov Vitaly Vitalievich), commander of the 112th Independent Helicopter Regiment, Chita, was killed in Ukraine on 25 July ’23 when his Ka-52 helicopter was shot down]

The war in Ukraine is spurring a revolution in drone warfare using AI, — The Washington Post
The advent of AI-enabled drones holds huge promise for Ukraine’s military but may also be exploited by nefarious non-state actors. AI capabilities help the drone complete its mission even if its target moves, representing a significant upgrade from existing drones that track specific coordinates.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/26/drones-ai-ukraine-war-innovation/

❗️Currently, the Russian enemy is carrying out a combined attack using cruise missiles and false targets created by EW. There is also a chance of Kinzhal missile strikes. [as of 18:50 yesterday evening] The target of the missile strike was the air base in Starokostiantyniv, Khmelnytskyi region, Air Force spokesman Ignat said on the telethon air.

Aggressive assault on Russian positions by American volunteers.
“The ride is the worst part. Once you land and storm, it's pretty easy to be honest. Russian forces are not used to aggressiveness, speed, and many maneuvers, so they get confused quite easily. The average time from landing to entering the trench is less than 3 minutes," the author writes.

❗️At night, the Russian occupiers dropped a KAB-250 guided aerial bomb on a five-story building in the village of Kivsharivka, Kharkiv Region, — Regional Military Administration
It is known that one woman died, 4 more people were injured.

🇺🇳 The UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, arrived in Odesa. Together with the mayor of Odesa and the head of the military administration, she inspected the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was damaged by a Russian missile on July 23.

Vasyl Malyuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine, confirmed that the destruction of the Crimean bridge on October 8, 2022 was one of the successful operations of the Security Service of Ukraine [you can't hurry these acknowledgements :D ]

Another star is gone. Irish singer Sinead O'Connor died at the age of 56.

Radio Svoboda of Belarus counted 754 pieces of equipment in the camp of Wagner's PMC in the village of Tsel (near Osypovychy), including 62 trucks, 534 cars of various types, 33 buses, 99 trucks, and 26 trucks or armored vehicles. This amount can be seen in the photo from July 25.
The amount of equipment around the camp is growing rapidly. Journalists note that compared to the July 19 photo, the equipment increased by approximately 269 units.
According to estimates of the monitoring group "Belarusian Hajun", 11 "Wagner" vehicle convoys arrived in the country. This is more than 700 units. The last column arrived on the evening of July 25 and consisted of at least 29 cars.

Live: Ukraine Telegram

Pentagon officials told (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/07/26/world/russia-ukraine-news) The New York Times that Ukrainian troops are trying to push south toward Tokmak and, if they succeed, further toward Melitopol in a counteroffensive.
They are seeking to break the so-called land bridge between the mainland and Crimea, or at least to advance so far that the peninsula is within range of Ukrainian artillery.

The process of removing the USSR coat of arms from the Motherland monument has begun in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

The Russian Interior Ministry has put International Criminal Court Judge Tomoko Akane, who issued the arrest warrant for Putin and Children's Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova, on the wanted list.

Russia: Believers of the Russian Church are oppressed in Ukraine
Russia: let's destroy Ukrainian churches! Let's destroy the churches of the Russian Church most of all!

It seems clear the proper counteroffensive has begun now, but the Ukrainians are saying that it will still not be as fast as the huge sweepclean of Kharkiv oblast last year, more steady.

It seems that early attempts to use NATO type tactics failed due to nowhere near enough air power and not enough mine-clearers (mind you, do enough exist? The Russians have put millions of mines down). So Ukraine has adapted towards the pinpoint strikes of artillery etc and fast strike- and- retreat maneovers to probe and to demoralize, if I'm piecing things together right. Now the many brigades of trained soldiers who had been held back before are being released.

It will be interesting to see what develops.

Slava Ukraini!

A British friend (ex army) has just taken an ambulance to Ukraine, travelled all over to a number of frontlines. I asked him how he thought the counteroffensive was going and he replied:

[27/07, 13:28] XXXX: They are edging forward and today bit of a breakthrough around Bakhmut using tanks apparently with some success .
The drones are v important as still no air superiority and the Russians have got choppers with missiles of 15 plus k ; in otherwords outside the artillery and ground to air ‘ grey area ‘ . Causing problems .

My feeling is the Russians are dug in hoping for negotiations but every single Ukrainian says no f@@@ that it’s our country .
Did about 12 Ukrainians talking to my phone and very humbling listening to them talking calmly about the war . Putting it together in a vid with other images and will do a short presentation in the village hall . Thought it was important we let the Ukrainians tell their story .

.... the Russians have got choppers with missiles of 15 plus k ;

That'll be the KA-58M ("Hokum") /LMUR combination, a bit of a hot topic in various places ATM, so much so that it got a specific mention the UK Defence Intelligence update Ducks posted upthread.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMUR