Ukraine Invasion: Part 50

[MagicFox]

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

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russian Authorities Instruct Telecom Operators to Slow Down YouTube
Russian authorities have notified the country's largest telecommunications operators to slow down YouTube video playback speeds to 128 kilobits per second, according to The Moscow Times.
Sources indicate that the authorities have decided "not to turn off completely, but to greatly slow down" YouTube on home internet connections.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the responsibilities of Penny Pritzker, the outgoing special representative for the economic recovery of Ukraine, will be transferred to Richard Verma, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.

Putin Urges Iran for Restraint in Response to Israel, Iran Requests Su-35 Jets
This message was conveyed by former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during meetings in Tehran with high-ranking Iranian officials.
Sources also reported that Tehran demanded the supply of Su-35 fighter jets from Moscow.

President Zelenskyy Announces Ukraine's Contract for One Million Drones in 2024
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian manufacturers have already contracted to produce one million drones in 2024, with this number expected to increase.

Ukraine and Zambia Sign Memorandum to Strengthen Bilateral Relations

EU Provides €108 Billion in Aid to Ukraine Since Russian Invasion, Says EC President Ursula von der Leyen

Scouts have revealed the operations of the "Partizan" group from the 9th department of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
Using kamikaze drones, they have successfully targeted and destroyed heavy and light vehicles of the Russian occupiers, Murom surveillance complexes, hangars, and workshops used by the Russians for military logistics, as well as field fortifications.

Skyeton Begins Production of Reconnaissance UAVs in Slovakia
The Ukrainian company Skyeton has initiated the production of reconnaissance UAVs in Slovakia.
Currently, the plant's capacity allows for the production of 25 systems per year, with plans to increase this volume fourfold.
The company has already received orders for 75 systems.

Ukraine's July Exports Reach Almost $3 Billion, Set Record in Metallurgical Industry
In July, Ukraine exported goods worth nearly $3 billion to foreign markets, setting a new record in the metallurgical industry with the export of 219,000 tons of semi-finished iron products, the highest since the war began, according to data from the Ministry of Economy reported by Forbes.
The EU remains Ukraine's largest trading partner, receiving 56% of its exports. Outside the EU, the leading importers of Ukrainian products are China, Egypt, Turkey, India, and Mediterranean countries.
In the agricultural sector, Ukraine's July exports included:

• Wheat: 1.58 million tons (almost double from July last year)
• Rapeseed: 277,000 tons (13.5% increase from July last year)
• Barley: 580,000 tons (almost double from July last year)
• Corn: 1.56 million tons (44.4% decrease from June)

Among industrial products, the dominant exports were:

• Iron ores and concentrates: $229 million (2.5 million tons)
• Furniture: $37.9 million (18.9 tons)
• Iron semi-finished products: 219,000 tons ($109.4 million), an 83.1% increase from June

By transport means, Ukraine delivered goods as follows:

• Sea transport: 6.25 million tons (0.4% less than in June)
• Rail: 2.6 million tons (3% less)
• Road transport: 825,000 tons (5.5% more)

Within the EU, the top importers of Ukrainian products were:

• Poland: $358 million
• Spain: $190 million
• Germany: $178 million
• Netherlands: $147 million
• Italy: $136 million

[ironic that Russia's sending air defense to Israel, all things considered]

I think reading it’s Iran that’s requested air defence, not Israel.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

❗️ More than 20 settlements in Sumy region will be subject to mandatory evacuation.
About six thousand people, including 425 children, will be evacuated.

Solar power plants will be installed in 130 primary healthcare facilities in different regions of Ukraine.
The equipment consists of complete sets of solar panels, inverters, and batteries that will ensure the future stability of healthcare facilities.

On August 29, the documentary Peaceful People by Oksana Karpovych will be released in Ukraine.
The film consists of intercepted conversations between Russians and landscapes of Ukrainian cities and villages affected by the war. The most interesting are the conversations between the occupiers and their relatives in Russia. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/23252

The developer of occupied Mariupol, Putin's friend Alexei Repik, is still not under sanctions. His family lives in the United States, and he travels freely around the world
Repik is the founder of R-Pharm, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Russia. He heads the public organization of entrepreneurs "Business Russia" and is friends with Putin's daughter Katerina Tikhonova. In 2024, the oligarch became Putin's confidant when he ran for president once again.

A 23 million-year-old animal may disappear in Ukraine because of the war.
The unique animal is an endangered relict species and is protected by a list of environmental documents. This species may disappear forever in Ukraine because of Russian aggression.
The UAnimals civil organization has published an article about the desmana. The article's uniqueness is that while reading it, it disappears, just as the species of the polecat is disappearing. You can read the article here https://uanimals.org/media/en/statti-en/the-desman-a-hidden-treasure-of-the-river-seym-a-fading-article-about-a-fading-species/

@@Igotjelly DOH, indeed Iran! It's been a long day!

It’s felt like a long week! I guess the fact it’s Iran is unsurprising but worrying as it essentially pits the US and Russia against each other in another looming conflict.

There are rumours that Putin is threatening to use a gigantic bomb over the Kursk incursion. This doesn't really fit with him telling Iran to go for a measured response.

IF Putin does threaten the West with a 'gigantic' bomb, I hope that the West can hold firm.

www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-6-2024

Key Takeaways:

• Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted a series of cross border raids into Kursk Oblast on August 6.
• Russian milbloggers largely dismissed the supposed Ukrainian raids into Kursk Oblast, and Ukrainian officials have largely yet to comment on the raids.
• Russian Security Council Secretary and former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu heavily overexaggerated Russian advances in Ukraine since mid-June 2024.
• Russian officials continue coordination and military cooperation with Iran ahead of the Iranian retaliatory strike against Israel out of concern for Russian interests in the region. NOTE: a version of this text appears in ISW-CTP's August 6 Iran Update.
• Armenia continues to abstain from the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
• Russian forces advanced east of Toretsk.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reportedly issued a formal reply denying a request from the wives of the mobilized Russian personnel to meet with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.

Correct. Giving it to Israel would be the same as shipping it to Lockheed Martin.

@MissConductUS what do you think of Pippa Malmgren's argument about the ruse of RFK? I've been following her for quite a while and didn't get it but I've been inspired to ask after her tweet copied below

@drpippam

Where are all those folks who said, "Kennedy will never get on the ballot"? I argued from the start that he and @NicoleShanahan would be on the ballot in every state. They have now got ballot access or achieved the requisite number of legitimate signatures and completed the paperwork for more than 93% of all the states. The rest are lining up. Popcorn out. Americans love voting for the long-shot outsider.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Governor declares 'state of emergency' in Russia's Kursk Oblast, says situation remains 'very difficult.' https://kyivindependent.com/governor-declares-state-of-emergency/

⚡️ Battles in Kursk Oblast ongoing in two districts, Russia claims. https://kyivindependent.com/russian-defense-ministry-confirms-battles-with-ukrainian-troops-in-two-districts-of-kursk-oblast/

⚡️Sumy Oblast announces mandatory evacuation for 6,000 residents as Russia intensifies attacks amid Kursk incursion. https://kyivindependent.com/sumy-oblast-governor-announces-further-mandatory-evacuation-as-russian-attacks-intensifying/

⚡️Putin meets top Russian officials over Kursk region situation as more battles reported. https://kyivindependent.com/putin-meets-top-russian-officials-on-kursk-region-as-more-clashes-in-region-reported/

⚡️US reaching out to Ukraine over reports of Kursk region incursion, White House says. https://kyivindependent.com/us-reaching-out-to-ukraine-over-reports-of-kursk-region-incursion-white-house-says/

⚡️ 'Many' Russian soldiers captured https://kyivindependent.com/many-russian-soldiers-allegedly-captured-in-kursk-oblast/ in Kursk Oblast battles, Ukraine's state project claims. [reports are varying between 40 and 300 so far]

⚡️ Russia, China discuss barter trade https://kyivindependent.com/russia-china-discuss-barter-trade-as-sanctions-hamper-payments-reuters-reports/ as sanctions hamper payments, Reuters reports.
Russia and China are discussing the possibility of a barter trade, with the first deal involving agriculture expected as early as this autumn, Reuters reported on Aug. 8, citing three undisclosed trade and payment sources.
The news comes as financial transactions between the two countries are becoming increasingly difficult under Washington's growing scrutiny.

Ukraine war latest: Russian offensive expected to wind down; more battles in Russia's Kursk https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-20/ region reported
The main thrust of Russia's offensive should come to a close within one and a half or two months, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) chief Kyrylo Budanov said in comments to graduates the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), Forbes Ukraine reported.

⚡️'From a military perspective,' Crimea https://kyivindependent.com/from-military-perspective-crimea-easier-to-retake-than-donbas-budanov-says/ easier to retake than Donbas, Budanov says.
"From a military perspective, it is much easier to retake Crimea than Donbas, which has a front longer than 1,000 kilometers and a depth of over 200 kilometers," Kyrylo Budanov said during a speech at the Kyiv School of Economics.

⚡️Vance says he 'won't even take calls from Ukraine' in leaked texts, Washington Post reports. https://kyivindependent.com/vance-disparaged-ukraine-in-leaked-texts-with-far-right-conspiracy-theorist-washington-post-reports/

⚡️Ukraine requests Mexico arrest Putin if he attends inauguration. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-requests-mexico-arrest-putin-if-he-attends-inauguration/

⚡️Bulgaria joins NATO mission https://kyivindependent.com/bulgaria-joins-nato-mission-to-train-ukrainian-military/ to train Ukrainian military.

⚡️ Estonia beefs up checks at Russian border to tighten sanctions. https://kyivindependent.com/estonia-beefs-up-checks-at-russian-border-to-tighten-sanctions/

Ukraine Business Roundup — US banks are cutting off Ukrainian startups https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-business-roundup-us-banks-are-cutting-off-ukrainian-startups/
Mercury is a U.S.-based fintech firm that provides banking services, specifically focusing on the startup market. It was a go-to for many firms with Ukrainian founders based both inside Ukraine and abroad. At the end of July, many of those firms were unceremoniously debanked.

⚡️ Ukroboronprom joins ranks of world's top 50 defense companies https://kyivindependent.com/ukroboronprom-becomes-one-of-worlds-top-50-defense-companies-for-first-time/ for first time.

⚡️ Russian users say YouTube https://kyivindependent.com/russian-users-say-youtube-inaccessible-amid-massive-outage-complaints/ inaccessible amid complaints of massive outage.

⚡️ Nuclear power covers 60% https://kyivindependent.com/nuclear-power-ukraine/ of Ukraine's electricity consumption, minister says.

Oleksandr Khyzhniak wins Olympic gold https://kyivindependent.com/oleksandr-khyzhniak-wins-olympic-gold-adds-his-name-to-a-long-list-of-ukrainian-boxing-champions/ adds his name to a long list of Ukrainian boxing champions

Prominent Russian propagandist and pro-Kremlin TV reporter Yevgeny Poddubny was severely injured during a drone attack on Russia's Kursk Oblast on Aug. 7, Russian state media agency Rossiya 24 claimed. https://kyivindependent.com/prominent-russian-war-propagandist-severely-injured-in-kursk-oblast/

⚡️US citizen Ksenia Karelina pleads guilty to treason in Russian court over donation to Ukraine, state media reports. https://kyivindependent.com/us-citizen-ksenia-karelina-pleads-guilty-to-treason-in-russian-court-over-donation-to-ukraine-state-media-reports/ Karelina, a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles, was arrested in Russia earlier this year while visiting her grandparents. Authorities charged her with treason on the grounds that she donated $51.80 to the nonprofit organization Razom for Ukraine.

⚡️ Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 2, injure 15 over past day. https://kyivindependent.com/attacks-75/
⚡️Russian airstrike against Sumy Oblast kills 2, including 6-year-old child.
⚡️ Russia strikes hospital in Nikopol, kills civilian

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson - AUG 8, 2024
■ Fewer engagements but casualties stay close to 7-day average
■ Fewer equipment losses but MLRS, air defence systems, drones & missiles well above average
■ Strikes on both sides above average

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russian Military Presence and Security Risks at Zaporizhzhia NPP
At the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), there are about 1,000 Russian soldiers armed with high-explosive weapons, according to the mayor of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, in an interview with the German publication Taz.
In addition to the military contingent, several thousand employees from a company linked to Russia's Rosatom are working at the captured station.
"There are about 1,000 occupiers at the ZNPP, including their weapons. This means there are high-explosive weapons in the immediate vicinity of nuclear facilities. This is a huge security risk that can have very serious consequences," Orlov said.

The German defense company Rheinmetall has indicated that it may deliver the first Lynx infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) to Ukraine by the end of 2024.

❗️⚠️ At night, the Russian invaders hit Ukraine with 2 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, 2 Kh-59 guided air missiles and 4 Shaheds — two missiles and all drones were destroyed

UN Reports Torture of Ukrainian Soldiers in Russian Captivity
Danielle Bell, head of the UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, stated that over 95% of Ukrainian soldiers experienced torture while in Russian captivity. Bell described the horrific treatment prisoners endured during their initial interrogations, which included beatings with metal rods and sticks, being stripped, and severe electrocution. She noted that this is the worst treatment she has encountered in her 20-year career.
Bell explained that the mission often gathers information about the conditions of Ukrainian prisoners of war from those who have been released. In contrast, the UN has direct access to Russian prisoners of war and their places of detention. Bell acknowledged that, despite initial challenges, the Ukrainian authorities now provide access to POW camps and temporary prisons, and the conditions observed in the last year and a half comply with the norms of humanitarian law.

Russia Has Destroyed and Damaged More than 3,000 Educational Institutions in Ukraine
The destruction of educational institutions is happening all over Ukraine, not just in the frontline regions.
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russia-has-destroyed-and-damaged-more-than-3000-educational-institutions-in-ukraine-1463

In the Kherson direction, a Russian soldier was seen throwing the bodies of three dead Russian infantrymen out of the back of a car while driving. The reason for this act is unclear, but it is speculated that he may have been afraid of being detected by a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone and believed that discarding the bodies would allow the car to accelerate and evade. https://t.me/United24media/24140

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇺🇦The Armed Forces of Ukraine will be armed with a Ukrainian-made rocket-propelled flamethrower, the Defense Ministry's press service reports.
This portable weapon is designed to destroy enemy firing points, manpower, and lightly armored and automotive vehicles.

The situation in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. What is known now:
◾️The fighting in the Kursk region has been going on for two days.
◾️The Kremlin called it a "large-scale provocation". Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Gerasimov said that the enemy's advance had been stopped. Instead, Russian Telegram channels say that the Russian army has lost control of the district centers of Sudzha and Korenevo and several other villages.
◾️Russian publics write that the Russian military has retreated from the Sudzha gas metering station, through which gas is transited to Europe through the territory of Ukraine.
◾️Russians are surrendering en masse, according to a video posted by blogger and volunteer Serhiy Sternenko.
◾️The Russian authorities report on the successful evacuation, while the locals say that they have to leave on their own, and the authorities do not help.
◾️The Ukrainian side does not comment on the situation.

Radio Liberty has published satellite images showing the destruction at the Sudzha international road checkpoint in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/23272

The Ukrainian Defense Forces have regained their lost positions in the city of New York in the Donetsk region.
According to DeepState, the military of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regained control of the New York Special Boarding School No. 38, where the Russian occupiers had hung their rag.
A photo published by analysts shows that the Ukrainian flag is now flying on the building.
At the same time, the fighting in the settlement continues. The situation is complicated.

Andrei Kurshin, the administrator of the Russian Telegram channel Moscow Calling, has been sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in a case of "fakes".
Two posts in his Telegram channel became the reason. The first was about a strike in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rig, as a result of which the local population had problems with water supply. "This strike is undoubtedly a war crime by Russia," the post read. The second post reported about the attack on the maternity ward of the CRKB Volnyansky district of Zaporizhzhya Region.

Throughout July, Russian drones of the Shahed-131/136 type repeatedly flew into the airspace of Belarus to launch missile strikes against the territory of Ukraine.
In total, from July 11 to July 31, 9 Shahed-136/131s flew into Belarus, of which further:
◾️1 exploded and fell in Belarus;
◾️7 flew to the territory of Ukraine;
◾️1 fate is unknown.

💡Today, on August 8, from 5 pm to 10 pm, electricity consumption for industry and business will be limited in Ukraine, Ukrenergo reports.

A 16-year-old boy suspected of setting fire to a military vehicle was detained in Kyiv.
According to the investigation, the young man was recruited by Russian special services. At first, he was ordered to post anti-Ukrainian leaflets in Kyiv and then to set fire to military-looking cars in exchange for money.
The suspect managed to set two cars on fire when he was detained. He did not receive any money from the FSB. Despite his age, he faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The incursion into Russian territory is interesting. They don't have the manpower to exploit it on a large scale, but it will certainly put the Russians on the back foot, embarrass the Kremlin and force the Russians to divert resources to contain it.

The WSJ is offering this analysis of Gov. Walz's selection as the vice president on the Democratic ticket. This is from their political news coverage, not the opinion section. Republicans are generally pleased that Harris didn't pick Shapiro.

Kamala Harris Makes Risky Bet That Tim Walz Can Prop Up Blue Wall - She passed over the popular Pennsylvania governor in favor of the Minnesota governor she hopes will appeal to white, working-class voters

I believe that she would have likely won those upper Midwest states with Shapiro on the ticket, but I am not a professional politician.

I don't think that there was any serious doubt that he would qualify to get on the ballot in most states. It's not that high a bar generally. I think the reason it's not attracting that much attention is that he's not going to get that many votes and it's not clear whether he'll hurt Trump or Harris more.

I saw something on Twitter that I now can't find. A Russian civilian in Kursk asked a UkrAinian soldier what should he do. The response was learn the Ukrainian national anthem and prepare for a referendum

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-7-2024

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian forces have made confirmed advances up to 10 kilometers into Russia's Kursk Oblast amid continued mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory on August 7.
• The Kremlin's response to Ukrainian offensive activities in Kursk Oblast has so far been contradictory, as Russian officials are attempting to balance presenting the effort as a notable Ukrainian escalation with avoiding overstating its potential implications and risking domestic discontent.
• Select Russian milbloggers heavily criticized the Russian military command for not detecting preparations for or preventing Ukrainian offensive operations into Kursk Oblast.
• Ukrainian forces reportedly used a first-person view (FPV) drone to down a Russian Mi-28 helicopter over Kursk Oblast, indicating that Ukrainian forces continue to successfully adapt their drone capabilities.
• Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Head Kyrylo Budanov assessed on August 7 that Russian offensive potential will culminate within one and a half to two months, generally consistent with ISW's assessment of Russia's current offensive capabilities.
• Head of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), Danielle Bell, stated that Russia has tortured 95 percent of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war (POWs) in Russian detention. [😓]
• The Moldovan Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced on August 7 that it would not register the pro-Kremlin Victory electoral bloc in the October 2024 Moldovan presidential election and referendum.
• A Russian court sentenced Andrey Kurshin, administrator of the "Moscow Calling" Russian ultranationalist milblogger Telegram channel, to six and a half years in prison on August 7 for publishing "fake" information about the Russian military.
• Ukrainian forces recently regained positions south of Chasiv Yar, and Russian forces advanced northeast of Siversk, southwest of Donetsk City, and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area.
• Russian Army Combat Reserve (BARS) units continue recruitment efforts.

The Kursk incursion currenbtly means that a gas station is held in Ukrainian hands. This particular gas station isn't small - ALL of Europe's Russian gas comes through it.

I wonder what, exactly, is going to happen now. It's very hard to imagine Ukraine could hold this Kursk territory, but possibly they might get some sort of leverage while this station's under their control.

https://x.com/GAMZIRI24/status/1821454409575874739 President Zelensky answer to what is going on in Kursk

Great grin on him there.

God, Ukraine has needed some good news.

That's so cute. Such a mischievous grin.

The Kursk incursion by Ukraine seems to be a huge thing.

There are reports (unconfirmed) that the Russian equivalent of Nellis Air Force Base has been taken over by Ukraine. https://x.com/JamWaterhouse/status/1821808941262577735 and a lot of the glide bombs that have been devastating Ukraine were stored there.

From something that I saw on Twitter, that I now can't find, the highway is the supply route to the Donbas. If that is right that could be the strategic importance

Ukrainian General Staff confirmed attack at Lipetsk airfield, reports air defense systems, ammunition depot with missiles and other infrastructure destroyed. Security Service of Ukraine says about 700 glide bombs were at this arsenal

https://x.com/Liveuamap/status/1821808334493659147

Air defense destroyed, 700 glide bombs ... ! I do hope they managed to commandeer a few planes.

Magnificently fantastic news for Ukraine which has just made my day 🇺🇦.

Magnificently fantastic news for Ukraine which has also made my day🇺🇦.