Ukraine Invasion: Part 50

[MagicFox]

Welcome, with love and thanks to all contributors and lurkers. Unbelievably, we’re on thread 50. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights (bit late sorry)

⚡️ Kherson Oblast fortifications are 97% complete https://kyivindependent.com/kherson-oblast-fortifications-97-complete-shmyhal-says/ Shmyhal says.

Land on fire: Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast brings destruction <a class="break-all" href="https://kyivindependent.com/land-on-fire-russias-offensive-in-donetsk-oblast-brings-destruction-to-new-towns/kyivindependent.com/land-on-fire-russias-offensive-in-donetsk-oblast-brings-destruction-to-new-towns" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://kyivindependent.com/land-on-fire-russias-offensive-in-donetsk-oblast-brings-destruction-to-new-towns/ to new towns (Photos)
Since February, Russian forces have steadily advanced across multiple sectors of the front in Donetsk Oblast. They have occupied villages previously liberated by Ukraine, wiped out entire towns, and introduced new threats to the region's overall defense.
“Almost all front-line towns are destroyed. Toretsk, for example, is 70%-destroyed,” said Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin.

Outside the city, amid fields pocked by craters and shrouded in smoke, Ukrainian soldiers are preparing new defense lines in case the city falls to Kremlin forces, while local farmers attempt to save their grain crops from fires.

⚡️Due to the errors, the Defense Department can send a further $2 billion in weapons to Ukraine to cover the amount already approved by Joe Biden. https://kyivindependent.com/pentagon-finds-accounting-errors-worth-2-billion-in-aid-for-ukraine/

⚡️G7 to finalize https://kyivindependent.com/g7-to-finalize-plan-by-october/ plan by October on $50 billion loan for Ukraine backed by Russian assets revenue.

⚡️EU transfers Ukraine $1.6 billion of proceeds from frozen Russian assets. https://kyivindependent.com/eu-transfers-ukraine-1-6-billion-in-proceeds-from-frozen-russian-assets/

⚡️ Hungary quietly takes record $1 billion https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-non-publicly-takes-record-1-billion-loan-from-chinese-banks/ loan from three Chinese banks in the spring of 2024, Politico reported on July 25, citing the data of the Hungarian Debt Management Office.

⚡️Poland supplying Ukraine with 45th military aid package official says includes, among other things, a significant amount of ammunition. https://kyivindependent.com/poland-supplying-ukraine-with-45th-military-aid-package-official-says/

⚡️A cyberattack by Ukraine's military intelligence agency has continued to cause disruptions across banking and telecommunications in Russia for a third day, an agency source told the Kyiv Independent on July 25. https://kyivindependent.com/cyber-attack-on-russian-banks-telecoms-continues-into-third-day/

⚡️Russian Central Bank raises https://kyivindependent.com/russian-central-bank-raises-interest-rate-to-18/ interest rate to 18% amid 'accelerated' inflation.

⚡️ Paris hit by 'massive' arson attack, just hours before Olympics opening ceremony https://kyivindependent.com/paris-hit-by-massive-arson-attack-just-hours-before-olympics-opening-ceremony/

Long an Olympic powerhouse, Russia has the smallest participation https://kyivindependent.com/long-an-olympic-powerhouse-russia-has-the-smallest-participation-in-30-years/ in 30 years. In light of the heavy scrutiny and strict conditions, just 15 Russian athletes have qualified to appear at the Paris games.

⚡️Hong Kong shell companies facilitate Russian sanctions evasion, NYT reports.
These companies are owned by oligarchs with ties to the Russian defense industry, and they have funneled millions of chips and sensors to sanctioned defense tech firms in Russia. https://kyivindependent.com/hong-kong-shell-companies-facilitate-russian-sanctions-evasion-nyt-reports/

⚡️ Dmitry Bulgakov, who formerly served as a Russian deputy defense minister until September 2022, was arrested on July 26 on corruption-related charges, Russia's Investigative Committee reported. https://kyivindependent.com/russian-ex-deputy-defense-minister-arrested-on-corruption-charges/

⚡️Russia will deliberately slow YouTube loading speeds by up to 70% by the end of next week, in response to Google's refusal to comply with the demands of the Russian authorities, Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said on July 25. https://kyivindependent.com/russia-to-slow-youtube/

⚡️ Foreign funding in Ukraine's defense industry is showing a noticeable impact on the domestic production of weaponry and equipment, Zelensky said in his evening address on July 25. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-defense-industry-impact-of-foreign-investment/

⚡️Ukraine nationalizes https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-nationalizes-48-million-in-assets-owned-by-russian-oligarch/ $48 million in assets owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Kononov.

⚡️MP confirms equipment damage at nuclear power plant. https://kyivindependent.com/incident-south-ukraine-nuclear-power-plant/

⚡️Сeasefire would leave 25% of Ukraine under Russian control, ambassador says. https://kyivindependent.com/seasefire-means-25-of-territories-remain-under-russian-control-ambassador-says/

⚡️ EU warns Slovakia against adopting https://kyivindependent.com/eu-warns-slovakia-against-adopting-law-on-foreign-agents/ 'foreign agents' law targeting NGOs.

⚡️Lithuanian authorities are drawing up plans for mass evacuations of civilians in case of an armed conflict, the LRT public broadcaster reported on July 25, citing the country's Interior Ministry. https://kyivindependent.com/lithuania-preparing-evacuation-plans-in-case-of-war/

⚡️Russian losses in Ukraine causing 'serious problems' for recruitment, https://kyivindependent.com/russian-losses-in-ukraine-causing-serious-problems-for-kremlin-recruitment-hur-says/ HUR says.

⚡️ After a "very difficult couple of weeks" due to record-breaking heat and power plants being under repair, Ukraine's energy supply situation is improving, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the head of state grid operator Ukrenergo, said on July 26. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-energy-situation-improving/

⚡️Russia fails to regain 2022 Olympic gold lost in doping scandal. https://kyivindependent.com/russia-fails-to-regain-2022-olympic-gold-lost-in-doping-scandal/

⚡️Explosion at Russian Arctic gas field kills at least 1, injures 7 others. https://kyivindependent.com/explosion-at-russian-arctic-gas-field-kills-at-least-1-injures-7-others/

⚡️Kharkiv renames https://kyivindependent.com/kharkiv-renames-3-metro-stations-nearly-50-streets/ 3 metro stations, nearly 50 streets to 'de-Russify' public space.

⚡️ Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 3, injure 19 over past day.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪- JUL 26, 2024
■ Engagements are at 7-day average, casualties dip below 1k
■ Drone losses at a record level: 367 intercepted in the last 7 days
■ Improved strike ratio

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Against the background of fragments of a Russian drone discovered in Romania, NATO said that it had no information about a "deliberate attack" on the territory of the Alliance

Poland has handed over the 45th package of military aid to Ukraine, reports Rzeczpospolita.
While the details of the package have not been released, it is known to contain a significant amount of ammunition. Poland also transferred 10 MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine.
According to the publication, the value of the weapons packages previously transferred by Poland to Ukraine is estimated at $4 billion.

Ukraine refused to participate in the UN Security Council meeting chaired by Russia, which was convened by Moscow on Thursday to "condemn" military aid to Kyiv in response to Russian aggression, the Ukrainian embassy stated.

NATO has identified more than a dozen signs that could indicate a possible full-scale Russian invasion during the preparation stage, reports Reuters.
The agency did not specify what these signs are.
According to the agency's source, Europe needs to be ready to quickly move troops to a potential front line and engage in battle if tensions escalate into war.

Chinese banks are increasingly avoiding transactions involving yuan linked to Russia, according to the Russian publication Vedomosti. As reported by Alexei Poroshyn, CEO of First Group JSC, Chinese banks are distinguishing between "clean" and "dirty" yuan—where "dirty" refers to yuan acquired through sanctioned Russian exchanges or used in transactions with Moscow.
Importers are advised to purchase "clean" yuan, which has become more expensive. Another solution involves using offset systems to balance requirements and obligations between counterparties in different jurisdictions, often requiring third-party intermediaries to facilitate agreements.

Britain has ordered a significant number of Martlet missiles to equip its Armed Forces and transfer to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain.
The order, amounting to £176 million, includes "hundreds of light multi-purpose missiles" that will be delivered to Ukraine. These missiles are capable of targeting drones, helicopters, airplanes, and small, fast-moving sea targets.

The repulse of one of the largest mechanized Russian assaults during the entire full-scale war occurred recently.
The attack involved 11 tanks, 45 BBM/BMP/APC with amphibious assault, 1 Terminator BMPT, 12 motorcycles, and 200 attack aircraft operators.
As a result:

• 6 tanks were destroyed
• 7 BBM with infantry were shot down
• All 12 motorcycles were burned
• 40 attack aircraft operators were killed, and another 37 were injured

Artillery, anti-aircraft guns, and operators of reconnaissance and attack drones of the 79th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade effectively countered the assault.

The Russians have still not allowed UN representatives to the site of the terrorist attack in Olenivka, where about 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war died, according to the UN press service.

As a result of a strike on the Saki airfield in Crimea, a Russian radar station was destroyed, and two Astra military personnel were wounded. Additionally, an ATACMS missile also struck a Russian air defense deployment site five kilometers from the village of Shelkovichnoye in the Saki region, leading to the destruction of the radar installation.

Britain has three years to prepare for potential conflict, according to the new commander of the Kingdom's armed forces, General Roland Walker.
“One of the main threats the UK will face in the coming years will be an angry Russia, which could seek revenge on the West for supporting Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war,” the BBC quotes the general as saying. Walker believes that Putin will be “very, very dangerous” when he emerges from the war in Ukraine and will certainly “want retribution.

🕯 Oleksandr Tsebrii, Former Mayor of Uman, Killed at the Front Fighting Against Russian Occupiers

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇨🇿The Czech Republic has joined the international coalition of drones for Ukraine, led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. The coalition, in particular, includes The United Kingdom, Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Estonia, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, Sweden, and other countries.

Ukrainian intelligence officers conducted a cyberattack on the largest Russian banks, payment services, social networks, messengers, and entertainment resources. Currently, Alfa Bank, Sberbank, Raiffeisen Bank, Promsvyazbank, VK, Discord, Beeline, Megafon, and MTS are under attack.

📣The air raid in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv lasted more than two days
11 minutes after it ended, the city was put on air alert again.

Russia has canceled the parade of the Navy's Neva River Fleet because it cannot guarantee the protection of its troops.
The British agency calls https://x.com/DefenceHQ/status/1816768039594979499 the Russian Navy Day “an annual demonstration of Russian naval power.”
This year, however, the Kronstadt element of the parade, which was to take place on July 28, was canceled for security reasons, the agency added.

The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the United Nations regarding Russia's destruction of the Chersonese Tavriya reserve in Russian-occupied Sevastopol.

❗️ A pensioner tried to set himself on fire in Red Square. Russian media say the man is Vladimir Arsenyev, the head of a center that produces components for radios for the ground forces and Russian aviation.
Last year, Arsenyev was accused of “deliberately disrupting the delivery of orders for the war in Ukraine.”

Here's a bit of bad news for Russia, caused directly by war spending and labor shortages caused by conscription.

Putin’s Latest Problem Is Runaway Inflation - Even as price rises have moderated across much of the developed world, Russia’s struggles with price stability are getting worse

The price of potatoes is up 91% this year. And they have no effective remedy as long as the war goes on.

In another rather worrying development (if you consider what could have happened), a plane that Putin flew on two months ago has had an engine catch fire.

x.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1816895244815991121

1/ The aviation component of Russia's nuclear triad is said to be at serious risk of failure due to possible corruption at Russia's United Engine Corporation. This has come to light after the crash of a Tu-160M strategic bomber on which Vladimir Putin flew in February 2024.

2/ On 22 February 2024, Putin flew on Tu-160M no. 801. The Tu-160M is the world's largest, heaviest and fastest bomber, designed to carry nuclear-capable free-fall bombs or air-launched cruise missiles carried on a rotary launcher.

3/ Less than two months after Putin flew on it, the same aircraft crashed on take-off at the Kazan Aircraft Plant on 11 April 2024. A leaked letter reportedly from the Scientific Production Enterprise (NPP) "Temp" named after F. Korotkov describes what happened:

4/ "A fire in one of the engines, followed by its destruction with the scattering of fragments, led to damage and fire to the remaining three engines and the aircraft. Luckily, there were no casualties.
5/ "It is obvious that on 22 February 2024, the long flight of the Tu-160M aircraft No. 801 with the President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces on board could have ended in a terrible tragedy that served as a trigger for worldwide nuclear Armageddon."
6/ The letter expresses "serious concerns due to the unsatisfactory technical condition of one of the main carriers of Russian nuclear weapons." An investigation found that the accident was caused by the state-owned UEC's failure to properly maintain the aircraft's NK-32 engines.
7/ According to the letter, "JSC UEC, possibly under pressure, is avoiding performing work to maintain the good technical condition of strategic bomber engines, which is confirmed by the discovery of up to 10 more faulty NK-32 engines as of 01/07/2024."
8/ It warns that this poses "a potential threat of disrupting the combat readiness of a significant part of the Tu-160M strategic bombers." The Tu-160M fleet forms part of the aviation component of Russia's nuclear triad, along with the Tupolev Tu-22M and Tu-95 bombers.
9/ The letter continues: "Perhaps due to the lack of engine calibration test data, at the request of UEC JSC, restrictions for certain flight modes were introduced into the operating manual for the aircraft, engine and electronic engine control system, …
10/ … which could lead to catastrophic consequences, as shown by the accident on 11 April 2024."

According to the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, rather than repairing engines, UEC has instead been substituting them with units in storage and those removed from other aircraft.

11/ It's possible that this was caused by a common scam in Russia's chronically corrupt defence sector – fulfilling contracts superficially or not at all, while corrupt executives pocket the difference between the cost of the contract and the substandard actual work.

12/ The letter complains that "JSC UEC, instead of admitting its guilt, taking emergency measures to eliminate the causes of the accident and prevent something similar in the future, through administrative pressure and, possibly, financial motivation, …

13/ … has been hiding the causes and consequences of the accident from you, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, and citizens of Russia for almost three months."

14/ Possibly as a result of the letter, VChK-OGPU reports that Russia's Presidential Administration has forced the Prosecutor General's Office, the Investigative Committee, and the Russian Ministry of Defence to open an investigation.

15/ It alleges that the company and the state-owned Rostec State Corporation have persistently escaped legal consequences for "multi-billion dollar damages" due to their protection by government figures after previous air crashes.

16/ However, the circumstances of the latest incident – with its proximity to Putin himself and its implications for Russia's nuclear triad – may have made serious consequences unavoidable for UEC. /end

Origin: https://t.me/vchkogpu/49458

@DucklingSwimmingInstructress yikes!

I don't suppose that the plane which Putin flew on would have been carrying nuclear-capable bombs or missiles? Imagine what would have happened if it did and it crashed.

@MissConductUS thanks for the article.

The flipside of runaway inflation (and probably what is partly fuelling it) is Russia is booming for consumers.

See FT article on Russia’s surprising consumer spending boom

Heavy government expenditure and labour shortages have led to a sharp rise in real wages and consumption but the economy risks overheating

Doubt he was flying one fully armed up but who knows..

What you describe has happened on several occasions (that we know about) There are/were multiple layers of safeguards to stop a weapon going off in such circumstances but this one got very very close…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1961_Goldsboro_B-52_crash

I’ve just heard it reported that there were three simultaneous attacks on three geographically dispersed targets. That demonstrates considerable sophistication and planning, so probably not a bunch of bumpkins behind it.

@notimagain the Goldsboro crash was a nail biting read. The crew and teams sent to disarm the thermonuclear bombs at the crash site must have nerves and other things of steel.

Those planes are apparently designed for exactly that.

@DucklingSwimmingInstructress thank goodness for that. So just Putin dead then 🤔

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-26-2024

Key Takeaways:

• The Russian military has recently expanded the Russian Central Grouping of Forces' area of responsibility (AOR) in Donetsk Oblast, suggesting that the Russian military command has deprioritized the grouping's previous task to act solely as an operational maneuver force in the Avdiivka direction. The Russian military command may instead be tasking the Central Grouping of Forces with overseeing the bulk of Russia's main offensive efforts in Donetsk Oblast.
• The expansion of the Central Grouping of Forces' AOR indicates that the Russian military command may assess that rapid tactical gains in the Avdiivka area are unlikely.
• Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted an ATACMS strike against Saky Airbase in occupied Crimea on the night of July 25 to 26.
• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested former Russian Deputy Defense Minister Army General Dmitri Bulgakov on corruption charges on July 26 – the latest in a concerted Kremlin effort to remove senior Russian defense officials since April 2024.
• The European Union (EU) transferred the first tranche of proceeds from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
• The Kremlin continues intensifying efforts to control Russians' internet activities and to create a culture of self-censorship within Russia.
• Russian security forces reportedly detained several unknown actors threatening to blow up an apartment building in the Republic of Dagestan on July 25.
• Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Svatove, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City.
• The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) reported on July 22 that the Russian intelligence services appear to have further integrated Russian forces' cyber and conventional capabilities.

The attacks on the TGV lines were well planned and coordinated. All four TGV lines out of Paris were targeted - the only reason the one going south wasn't affected was that railway maintenance workers came across the saboteurs by chance and frightened them off

The location of the sabotage on the line going West from Paris was also well planned to impact on two TGV routes - just before that TGV line split, one route going west towards and Nantes and the other South West to Bordeaux.

That's not say it couldn't have been domestic terrorists to execute it though. We'll need to wait for the investigation: hopefully they'll get a better idea. Having spotted one of the gangs of saboteurs might help.

That's not say it couldn't have been domestic terrorists to execute it though.

TBH it’s highly likely it was primarily a domestic job in terms of hands on, with perhaps a hint of foreign influence/money …I’m not convinced ATM this was caused by little green men and/or spetsnaz units running around the French countryside.

Some in a few syndicates (unions) here are highly left wing and are Moscow aligned, over the years some of the Cheminot (roughly speaking rail workers) have had an uneasy relationship with the powers that be…so if you want to look for those with a real knowledge of the TGV system you don’t need to look much further.

Also (as I mentioned yesterday) there are some really nasty pieces of work going around causing all sorts of problems and occasionally dishing out violence because they are supposedly concerned about the environment. I’m sure a few of those who would love nothing more than being able “stick something on the man” and the bourgeoisie by screwing up the rail system.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-shuts-down-climate-activist-group-saying-it-provoked-violence-2023-06-21/

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Indian PM Modi to visit Ukraine in August, media reports say, marking his first visit to Ukraine since Russia launched its all-out war in February 2022 https://kyivindependent.com/indian-pm-modi-to-visit-ukraine-in-august-media-reports-say/

⚡️Borrell urges China to leverage influence and persuade Russia to cease its war against Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/borrell-urges-china-to-leverage-influence-and-persuade-russia-to-cease-its-war-against-ukraine/

⚡️ Russia's Lavrov claims he 'does not listen' to Ukraine's peace talks statements https://kyivindependent.com/russias-lavrov-says-he-does-not-listen-to-ukraines-peace-talks-statements/

⚡️Russia using new, cheap drones to locate https://kyivindependent.com/russia-using-new-type-of-drone/ Ukraine's air defense, military intelligence says.
Russia is now launching a new type of cheaply-made drone to identify air defense systems and act as decoys, Andrii Cherniak, a spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence, told Reuters in an interview published on July 26.

⚡️Ukraine to receive nearly $8 billion in direct budget support from US by November, ambassador says.
Ukraine will receive $7.9 billion in direct support to the state budget by November this year, part of the $61 billion aid package passed by the U.S. Congress in April, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said on July 26. https://kyivindependent.com/us-funds-by-october-ukrainian-ambassador-to-us-says/

⚡️Romania denies https://kyivindependent.com/romania-denies-downing-russian-drones/ downing Russian drones over Ukraine.

⚡️Ukraine's military intelligence agency attacked three airfields deep inside Russia overnight, damaing a Russian supersonic bomber plane, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent on July 27. kyivindependent.com/ukraine-attacks-3-russian-airfields-damaging-bomber-source-says/

An inspection of the 59th Motorized Brigade ordered by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces due to the unit's recent losses, has found "management decisions" and other factors that could "negatively influence the course of combat." https://kyivindependent.com/inspection-of-ukraines-59th-motorized-brigade-finds-management-issues-but-no-criminal-charges/

⚡️60 million tons of cargo exported so far through Ukrainian maritime corridor. https://kyivindependent.com/60-million-tons-of-cargo-exported-so-far-through-ukrainian-maritime-corridor/

Ex-lawmaker Iryna Farion assassination – everything we know about 18-year-old suspect https://kyivindependent.com/iryna-farion-assassination-suspect-everything-we-know-about-18-year-old-viacheslav-zinchenko/

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson - JUL 27, 2024
■ Increased casualties despite fewer engagements
■ Drone losses at a record level, vehicle & APV losses above 7-day avg
■ Janovsky: 54 🇷🇺 14 🇺🇦 added to records
■ Relatively few 🇺🇦 strikes leads to an unfavorable daily ratio

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The G7 countries are likely to conclude a framework agreement by October on the provision of $50 billion from Russian assets to Ukraine, according to Reuters.
European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Paolo Gentiloni noted that on Wednesday, July 24, G7 ministers held a meeting on this issue and made significant progress in the technical and legal aspects of the loan.
The news agency emphasizes that the $50 billion loan will be issued from frozen assets obtained from the central bank of the Russian Federation, totaling $300 billion, after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Due to the ongoing Russian shelling of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the European Union is providing 68 additional generators to support the operation of critical infrastructure facilities in Ukrainian cities, according to the EU Representation in Ukraine.

Britain is considering developing long-range missiles capable of destroying Putin's nuclear weapons launched from Russian soil, amid growing fears in Europe that he may be prepared to use them, according to The Times.
Diplomatic sources report that the UK has indicated it will collaborate with Germany to develop a weapon with a range of more than 3,200 km. Allies expect these missiles to be able to reach Moscow if Putin decides to launch tactical nuclear weapons, says Larissa Brown, defense editor at The Times.
Under these plans, long-range missiles will be stationed in Germany to replace American ones.

Finland reported a violation of its territorial waters by a Russian vessel, according to Reuters.
The Finnish government stated that the incident occurred on Friday, July 26, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. A border ship escorted the Russian vessel "Mikhail Kazansky" out of Finnish territorial waters. Attempts to contact the Russian ship by radio were unsuccessful, leading the patrol ship to use "other means" to signal the Russian vessel to leave Finnish waters. The incident lasted about seven minutes.

The Russians have begun using new, inexpensive drones in their long-range attacks on Ukraine to identify the locations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' air defenses.
Over the past two to three weeks, Russia has deployed two new types of drones in five airstrikes. These drones are constructed from materials such as Styrofoam and plywood. One of these drones carries a camera and a SIM card from a Ukrainian operator to transmit images to the Russian military.
"They are determining where our mobile groups are located, where the machine guns are that can destroy them. They are trying... to get a picture of where all our air defense systems are located," said the spokesperson, Andriy Chernyak.
The new Russian camera drones do not carry explosives but closely resemble Shahed drones and are flown in groups. From the ground, these new drones appear identical to regular drones and still need to be shot down, which reveals the location of the air defense systems. Chernyak noted that each of these drones likely costs only $10,000 to manufacture, making them significantly cheaper than air defense missiles.
Reuters points out that Chernyak's comments indicate Russia is adapting its tactics and testing new technologies to gain an advantage during missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

[more info] This spring, Hungary "quietly" took a loan of 1 billion euros from three Chinese banks, according to Politico.

This significant borrowing coincides with Hungary deepening its ties with Beijing and moving further away from the EU. With a record high public debt of €140 billion (73.5% of GDP) and a budget deficit of 6.7% of GDP, Budapest is in dire need of funds and is still awaiting billions of euros in EU funds. However, some of these funds are blocked due to Hungary's non-compliance with fundamental human rights and freedoms.
While Portfolio mentions that the interest rate is floating, the Hungarian government has not disclosed details about the interest rate amount, the repayment schedule, or other specifics of the loan.

In Ukraine, the Ratel H. robot has been put into mass production for the evacuation of wounded soldiers from the battlefield, as announced by the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Developed by the Brave1 defense cluster, the robot can transport about 400 kg of live load, allowing it to carry several people at once.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

❗️Russia revives DPRK's economy - Bloomberg
North Korea is actively selling weapons to Russia, helping to sponsor Russia's war against Ukraine. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-26/north-korea-s-economy-rebounds-as-kim-putin-ties-fuel-arms-trade

Ukrainian intelligence drones hit a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber at the Olenya airfield in Russia. This was confirmed by sources https://t.me/babel/54143 in the GUR to the Babel media outlet.
The media, citing its sources, also reported that the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine had hit three Russian helicopters in Russia.

🇺🇦 The Ukrainian team was represented at the opening of the 2024 Olympics by 58 members of the delegation. Among them are flag bearers Mykhailo Romanchuk and Elina Svitolina.
In total, 140 Ukrainian athletes will compete in 23 different sports at the Games in Paris.

Ten people were injured in the shelling of Hlukhiv in Sumy region, six of them children. One woman and a child are in serious condition, the regional administration said https://t.me/Sumy_news_ODA/28558

Russia wants to make it mandatory for schoolchildren to visit the museum of the Russian war against Ukraine
This initiative was proposed by the governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin.
Busargin said that schoolchildren “should know about the exploits of the soldiers.” Of course, he did not specify that the Russian military were invaders and went to seize the territory of a neighboring independent country.

A Su-34 aircraft crashed near Volgograd, Russia, while performing a routine training flight. The crew managed to eject.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-27-2024

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted successful drone strikes against an oil refinery and Russian military airfields in Saratov, Ryazan, and Murmansk oblasts on the night of July 26 to 27.
• Russia continues to deepen bilateral relations with Iran and North Korea in exchange for the provision of lethal aid to the Russian military for use in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently regained positions near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced west and southwest of Donetsk City, and Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Vovchansk.
• The Russian government continues efforts to use the "Time of Heroes" program to integrate Russian veterans into society.

The World Service in the early hours had someone saying the Russians were claiming to have taken a village but, being at least half asleep, I missed which one it was....

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Blinken warns China of 'taking measures' if it keeps helping Russia's defense industry.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on July 27 that Washington will take measures if China continues to support Russia's defense industrial base, according to U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller. https://kyivindependent.com/blinken-warns-china-of-taking-measures-against-its-support-for-russias-defense-industrial-base/

⚡️China denies aiding Russia's war effort in Ukraine. https://kyivindependent.com/china-denies-aiding-russias-war-effort-in-ukraine/

⚡️Fire engulfs Donetsk mine with 86 miners inside https://kyivindependent.com/fire-engulfs-donetsk-mine-with-86-miners-inside-due-to-shelling-ministry-says/ due to Russian shelling, ministry says.

⚡️3 Russian helicopters damaged in Ukrainian sabotage operations, source says.
The operations damaged a Mi-8, Mi-28, and Ka-226 helicopters in Moscow and Samara region, a source in Ukraine's military intelligence agency told the Kyiv Independent on July 27. https://kyivindependent.com/3-russian-helicopters-damaged-in-ukrainian-sabotage-operations-source-says/

⚡️Russia launched over 700 aerial bombs, 100 Shahed drones at Ukraine over past week, Zelensky says. kyivindependent.com/russia-launched-over-700-aerial-bombs-100-shahed-drones-at-ukraine-over-past-week-zelensky-says/

⚡️Ministry: Over 75% of injured Ukrainian soldiers return to service after rehabilitation. https://kyivindependent.com/over-75-of-injured-soldiers-return-to-service-after-rehabilitation/

⚡️Mali's army and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group lost dozens in killed and wounded in a battle with rebels in the country's north, a spokesman for the rebels claimed on July 27. https://kyivindependent.com/rebels-in-mali-claim-to-have-killed-and-injured-dozens-of-soldiers-russian-mercenaries/

⚡️Russian Su-34 bomber crashes during training flight https://kyivindependent.com/russian-bomber-crashes-during-training-flight/

⚡️Oil refinery on fire in Russia's Kursk Oblast https://kyivindependent.com/oil-refinery-on-fire-in-russias-kursk-obalst/

Ukraine has secured an agreement with its allies to acquire 200 evacuation vehicles, Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova said on July 27. The Strategic Industries Ministry is also working to ensure Ukraine can produce such equipment domestically. https://kyivindependent.com/partners-to-supply-ukraine-with-200-units-of-front-line-evacuation-equipment/

2 years after Ukrainian POWs killed in Olenivka camp explosion no one prosecuted
Two years after an explosion killed at least 54 Ukrainian prisoners of war and injured over 150 more at a penal colony in Russian-occupied Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast on July 28-29, 2022, no one has been held accountable as Russia continues to block investigation efforts. https://kyivindependent.com/2-years-after-ukrainian-pows-killed-in-olenivka-camp-explosion-no-one-prosecuted/

⚡️Orban accuses US of blowing up Nord Stream pipelines amid anti-Western tirade. https://kyivindependent.com/orban-blames-washington-for-nord-stream-explosion-amid-anti-eu-and-anti-us-tirade/

⚡️Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 11, injure 41 over past day. https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill-11-injure-41-over-past-day/

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪- JUL 28, 2024
■ Casualties above 7-day avg, engagements below it
■ Vehicle losses at a record level: 536 in the last 7 days
■ KIU: +38 officers; 5.0 per day for last four batches
■ Increased strikes; improved ratio but in double-digits

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Italian PM Meloni Travels to China to Discuss Among Other Things War in Ukraine, — Bloomberg

In an interview with "Suspilne," Timothy Snyder, a historian and professor at Yale University, stated that Russia is aware it will lose without its influence in the West. He highlighted that Russian propaganda focuses significantly on individuals they consider allies, such as Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, and Marine Le Pen. Russia supports and promotes these figures in the West, who, in turn, inadvertently further Russian interests.
Snyder clarified that he does not claim all these individuals are directly Russian agents, but emphasized that Russia relies heavily on Western domestic politics, particularly American politics, for its strategies.

Putin announced that if American Tomahawk missiles are deployed in Germany, Russia will abandon its "unilateral moratorium" on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles in Europe.

Switzerland will not transfer profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, unlike the European Union, according to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs' response to a request from the Keystone-SDA agency. The Swiss government stated that its legislation and international obligations prevent it from utilizing any special income from the funds of the Russian Central Bank.

The Ukrainian Air Force's MiG-29 fighter jets are now equipped with suspended high-precision GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB). These bombs enhance the aircraft's strike capabilities, allowing for more accurate targeting and effectiveness in missions. @notimagain

After the introduction of Western sanctions against Russian aviation, the number of Superjet crashes has increased by 115%. In 2021, Superjets experienced at least 134 breakdowns. This number rose to 181 in 2022 and further to 289 in 2023. The statistics do not account for incidents caused by external factors. The most frequent issues involved the engines and landing gear of the aircraft.

The Polish Sejm has passed a measure allowing security forces to use lethal weapons with impunity in response to active threats, including on the Belarusian border, according to Euractiv. For the law to come into force, it must be signed by the country's president.

⚽️ The national football team of Ukraine defeated Morocco 2:1 at the 2024 Olympics.

At least 61,000 Russian soldiers have died since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as confirmed by data from "Mediazona" and the Russian BBC service. Notably, 48% of those listed as dead were not part of the Russian army at the beginning of the invasion in February 2022.
As of late July, Bashkortostan reported the highest number of casualties, with at least 2,300 deaths, followed by the Sverdlovsk region and Krasnodar region, each with over 2,000 confirmed dead. These figures are based solely on confirmed names through open sources and do not reflect the total number of casualties.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Ukrainian intelligence drones hit a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber at the Olenya airfield in Russia. This was confirmed by sources https://t.me/babel/54143 in the GUR to the Babel media outlet.

❗️ In Mariupol, temporarily occupied by Russia, the Day of Remembrance of Children Victims of the War in Donbas is celebrated. The fact that they were killed by the Russians is not mentioned.
The occupiers installed a banner on Svobody Square, which says that “since 2014, hundreds of children have died in Donbas,” without mentioning that most of them died in the city due to the Russian blockade.

At least 487 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed over the course of the war, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Youth and Sports, while many have been seriously wounded.

President Zelenskyy and the First Lady visited the Okhmatdyt Children's Clinic and talked to the children who are being treated there

The modern building of the Okhmatdyt Hospital, damaged by a Russian missile attack on July 8, will be restored by winter. This was reported https://www.facebook.com/moz.ukr/posts/931022759051941?locale=uk_UA by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

🇺🇦Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina has defeated Japan's top-ranked player at the Olympics. She defeated Moyuka Uchijima in two sets - 6:2 and 6:1.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-28-2024

Key Takeaways:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to use nuclear saber-rattling to target Western decision-making and promote Western self-deterrence.
• Russia used Navy Day celebrations to showcase Russia's relations with a number of non-Western states as part of efforts to create a supposed Russian-led group of states to rally against the West.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a drone strike against a Russian oil depot in Polevaya, Kursk Oblast on the night of July 27 to 28.
• A rebel coalition in Mali reportedly killed and wounded dozens of Russian servicemen and Wagner Group mercenaries as well as a prominent Wagner-affiliated milblogger on the Mali-Algeria border on July 27.
• Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako recently announced the creation of an independent volunteer unit to police migrants as the Russian government continues efforts to expand its control over migrants in Russia.
• Russian forces recently advanced northwest of Avdiivka, west of Donetsk City, and in western Zaporizhia Oblast, and Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions in the Siversk direction.
• Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets assessed that the Russian military may need to accumulate up to 320,000 additional personnel in Ukraine in order to achieve its reported plans to deploy 690,000 troops in Ukraine.

Not sure if this had been posted video of President Zelensky visiting a children's hospital https://x.com/saintjavelin/status/1817854680237572350

Ho hum. The Russians are making noises again about taking back "their" Alaska. You and whose army, Vlad?

Russian State TV Slips in Ominous US Threat: 'Our Alaska'

This is not a good bet for the Russians.

WHAT ARE THE MILITARY BASES IN ALASKA?

In addition to the US Army and Air Force bases in Alaska, there are many more on the US West Coast that could quickly be brought in to support operations there. There's also the Alaska National Guard.