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Ukraine Invasion: Part 61

1000 replies

MagicFox · 28/04/2026 15:57

Welcome to thread 61 with many thanks to all So many thanks to all contributors and a special salute to those providing daily updates. For the 61st time, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

**
Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events
B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content
C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful
D. Please keep on topic

OP posts:
Thread gallery
464
MissConductUS · 03/08/2026 19:47

notimagain · 03/08/2026 15:27

This has probably been brought up already but in case it hasn't some talking heads on French TV last night mentioned that a high profile and/or mass casualty event in Moscow could be blamed on Ukraine and might be quite handy for helping justify mass conscription

The restaurant bombing?

https://www.reuters.com/world/three-killed-15-injured-moscow-explosion-tass-says-2026-08-01/

Three dead (two of whom were security personnel) isn't trivial, but it's not like bringing down a block of flats. And there have been quite a few targeted assassinations in Moscow in the last two years.

That's not to say that the Kremlin wouldn't try to use it for propaganda purposes, but it's pretty thin beer to justify conscripting hundreds of thousands of civilians.

The Kremlin needs huge numbers of new soldiers because its poor tactics and command failures have resulted in extremely high attrition rates, but it can't come right out and say that.

notimagain · 03/08/2026 20:46

MissConductUS · 03/08/2026 19:47

The restaurant bombing?

https://www.reuters.com/world/three-killed-15-injured-moscow-explosion-tass-says-2026-08-01/

Three dead (two of whom were security personnel) isn't trivial, but it's not like bringing down a block of flats. And there have been quite a few targeted assassinations in Moscow in the last two years.

That's not to say that the Kremlin wouldn't try to use it for propaganda purposes, but it's pretty thin beer to justify conscripting hundreds of thousands of civilians.

The Kremlin needs huge numbers of new soldiers because its poor tactics and command failures have resulted in extremely high attrition rates, but it can't come right out and say that.

Yep, the discussion was about that attack,.motives ...and of course who could have been behind it......

Llttledrummergirl · 03/08/2026 22:34

The news has just been showing that they had a random beach bombing in Russia.

@notimagain they called it.

MissConductUS · 04/08/2026 00:37

Llttledrummergirl · 03/08/2026 22:34

The news has just been showing that they had a random beach bombing in Russia.

@notimagain they called it.

It was a drone, and in the video's soundtrack, you'll hear two different-caliber machine guns firing at it before it came down. So it was shot down by the Russians, and then it hit the beach.

blueshoes · 04/08/2026 03:28

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-3-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Russian forces are replicating aspects of their Summer-Fall 2025 battlefield air interdiction (BAI) campaign that set conditions for late 2025 advances near Pokrovsk and Hulyaipole to prepare for offensive operations against the Fortress Belt in Donetsk Oblast.
  2. The main objective of the ongoing Russian BAI campaign against the Fortress Belt — as with previous BAI campaigns — is to isolate Ukrainian forces defending the Fortress Belt from sustained logistics.
  3. The ongoing Russian BAI campaign aims to shape the battlefield ahead of planned Russian offensive operations against Slovyansk and Kramatorsk in the future, although Russian forces remain unlikely to advance quickly to or through these cities in the near term.
  4. Russian forces appear to be more heavily relying on glide bomb strikes in their 2026 BAI campaign compared to their 2025 campaigns.
  5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced more personnel changes within the Ukrainian government and security services on August 3.
  6. Neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces made confirmed advances on August 3.
  7. Russia launched 181 drones against Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces continued striking Russian military assets on August 3.
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/08/2026 14:53

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin sucessfully flees Russia despite exit ban.
The Russian authorities prohibited Nadezhdin on July 16 from legally leaving the country, less than a week after labeling him a foreign agent.'

⚡️ US hits Russian military entities, citizens with sanctions over links to Iran, North Korea, Syria.
The measures target the Russian Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, the 1061st Material-Technical Support Center, the Directorate for Advanced Inter-Service Research and Special Projects, and the Russian Ground Forces.

⚡️US unlikely to reach Patriot co-production deal with Ukraine before winter, NATO envoy says.
"A long-term production agreement will not be concluded before this winter. So we will continue working on it," U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in an interview with Fox News.

⚡️ Ukraine will 'never' join NATO, ex-commander Zaluzhnyi says.
"It is impossible for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, given their current level of development, to join an organization that is guided by World War II doctrines," Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.K., Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said. [thats a new angle; Ukraine is too advanced for NATO]

⚡️Ukraine reportedly strikes Wildberries warehouse near Moscow, St. Petersburg, Russian oil refinery reportedly set ablaze.

⚡️Senior Iranian official claims Tehran scrapped 3 planned strikes on Ukraine following alleged 'apology.'
A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader claimed that Tehran had prepared to strike three sites in Ukraine before canceling the operation after what he described as an "apology" from Kyiv, according to Iranian state broadcaster PressTV.

⚡️Most key Russian ballistic missile manufacturers circumvent sanctions as Ukraine faces interceptor shortage, Zelensky says.
"Some key Russian enterprises involved in ballistic missile production are not under sanctions imposed by the U.S., the U.K., Japan, Switzerland, and other jurisdictions," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️Zelensky dismisses Ukraine's ambassador to US Stefanishyna.
The move comes amid a major government reshuffle and an expected broader rotation of Ukraine's ambassadors.

⚡️Graphic warning: Horrific video shows Russian drone taunting, striking vegetable seller at Kherson market.
The video was widely circulated on social media as yet another example of what has been dubbed the "human safari."

Exclusive: Inside Ukraine's 2-year effort to secure Patriot missile production

⚡️Ukraine pairs deep strikes on Russian targets with new sanctions on Moscow's defense industry.
The latest round of sanctions, imposed on Aug. 3, targets 23 individuals and 20 entities with ties to Russia's military-industrial complex.


Could Russia be preparing to test NATO's defenses through a military provocation or hybrid attack? Several Western intelligence agencies have recently warned of this scenario.
In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek speaks with Martin Sklenar, former Slovak defense minister, about the likelihood of a Russian attack on NATO, Europe's military readiness, U.S. troop reductions, defense spending, and the growing debate over conscription.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 4, 2026
■ Engagements and casualties below average; 80% of equipment losses consisted of drones
Visually confirmed equipment batch: 42 🇷🇺 / 41 🇺🇦 (1.0x)
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: 1 Iskander-M missile used; drone interception rate could be better; 17 locations hit or affected by debris
■ 🇷🇺 drone launches and shelling above average; 15 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 380 UAVs, incl. naval drones, launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦
■ 🇺🇦 strikes from 3rd-party sources: Wildberries' 6th-largest warehouse, the Syzran oil refinery, and a cargo ship

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/08/2026 15:03

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

⚡️President Zelenskyy approved new SBU operations to counter Russian aggression.
“Oleksandr Poklad reported on the Security Service of Ukraine’s priorities for August. I also approved further steps to cleanse the Service’s ranks of those who work for themselves rather than for Ukraine,” the president said.

🇸🇪 Sweden is allocating 6.9 million kronor to strengthen Ukraine’s healthcare system, the Swedish government announced.
The funding is intended to enhance Ukraine’s capabilities in several areas, including cancer treatment, rehabilitation, prosthetics, infection prevention, combating antibiotic resistance, and healthcare management.

🇧🇪 Belgium has become reliant on Russian gas due to the war in the Middle East.
According to Bloomberg, all of Belgium’s imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) last month came from Russia.
The shift was caused by a sharp drop in LNG supplies to Europe as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East.

HIMARS strikes Russian artillery positions and concentrations of enemy personnel in the Pokrovsk sector of the Donetsk region.

😏 July was one of the most difficult months for Russia’s oil industry, according to Bloomberg.
Based on the outlet’s calculations, Ukraine carried out at least 30 strikes on Russian oil refineries, oil depots, tankers, ports, and pipeline infrastructure during the month.
In the first half of July, the main targets were oil refineries, including Russia’s largest facility—the Omsk Oil Refinery, located more than 2,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. In the second half of the month, the focus shifted to tankers, ports, and the logistics infrastructure used to export Russian oil.
According to Bloomberg, the strategy is already producing results. Russia’s oil refining output fell to 3.6 million barrels per day in July—the lowest level since May 2002 and about one-third below the typical seasonal level.

🛢📉 Refinery strikes: Ukraine pushes Russian refining output back nearly 25 years.
According to Bloomberg, Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities in July reduced refining output to 3.6 million barrels per day—the lowest level since May 2002.

🔥 Ukrainian forces have destroyed a new Russian four-engine “Molniya” (“Lightning”) drone in the Zaporizhzhia sector for the first time.

🇰🇿 Russian companies are increasingly shifting their logistics operations to Kazakhstan, with Wildberries building two major logistics hubs.
Kazakhstan's Minister of Trade, Arman Shakkaliyev, said that Wildberries is constructing logistics complexes in Astana and Almaty with a combined area of about 260,000 square meters. Both facilities are expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2027.
According to the minister, the projects are part of the company's expansion of its logistics network in Kazakhstan.
For context: Russian businesses have increasingly relocated parts of their operations abroad since the start of the full-scale invasion, with Belarus and India becoming key refining hubs, China playing a growing role in metal processing, and Kazakhstan emerging as an important logistics center.

🤬 A Russian FPV drone deliberately targeted a fruit vendor in Kherson.
The moment the civilian was pursued by the drone and the subsequent explosion were captured on video and shared by a local Telegram channel. https://t.me/United24media/44837 [It's brutal]

🇺🇦 Ukraine is launching the Carpathian Initiative, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced.
“This is a new initiative. The idea emerged because not every country is ready to strengthen us with weapons, but many want to cooperate in the humanitarian, security, and economic spheres. They are also thinking about Ukraine’s reconstruction, and that is important.
The Carpathian Initiative will bring together countries connected not only geographically and as neighbors, but also through shared economic and security interests centered around the Carpathian Mountains.
It will focus on logistics, the economy, and security. We also see potential in culture and tourism. I presented this idea to the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, and they welcomed it.
We plan to launch this format in the fall and are currently discussing the dates. We have already received a positive signal from the European Union.
In the future, we will develop programs for the Carpathian region covering financing, tourism, the economy, and security—not only for Ukraine’s Carpathians, but also for Romania, Austria, Serbia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
This is an initiative that can unite us all,” Zelenskyy said.iddle East.

😔 Russians destroyed an 18th-century wooden Cossack church.
In Beryslav, Kherson region, the Holy Presentation Church—an 18th-century architectural monument—burned down following a drone attack.
According to the regional military administration, it was the only surviving example of Ukrainian wooden Cossack sacred architecture from that era. The church was built in 1725 at the Perevolochna Fortress from oak logs without the use of metal nails.

❗️An 89-year-old woman was killed in a Russian strike on Mykolaiv, and seven people were injured, including two children, according to State Emergency Service.
The injured include two girls, ages 2 and 12. Two private homes were destroyed, and seven others were damage

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/08/2026 15:10

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Russia could target Ukraine’s water supply this winter after failing to break the country’s power grid, Kyiv has warned.
Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine is reinforcing critical infrastructure while urgently seeking more Patriot missiles and financial support from allies.

Russia is increasingly using fake dating profiles to lure and kill Ukrainian soldiers.
Ukraine’s security service says it has foiled more than 50 such “honey trap” plots this year, involving bombs, poison, and knife attacks orchestrated by Russian intelligence.

Ukraine’s new defense minister, Yevhen Khmara, is using YouControl’s digital vetting tools to fight military procurement corruption. The move targets risky contractors after scandals involving the alleged $40 million in ammunition fraud and $17 million in food overpricing.

Ukraine’a State-owned Oschadbank and Ukreximbank will auction Kyiv’s Gulliver multifunctional complex through the Prozorro. Sales system from September, with a $207 million floor price.
The banks seized the 157,000-square-meter (1.7 million-square-foot) complex from sanctioned businessman Viktor Polishchuk’s Three O LLC in July 2025 after the borrower stopped servicing its debt.

Russian forces have destroyed the 300-year-old Holy Presentation Church in Ukraine’s Kherson region.
Built from oak logs in 1725 without the use of metal nails, it was the only surviving example of 18th-century Ukrainian Cossack wooden church architecture in the country.

Another attack on Ukrainians has been reported in Poland.
According to Ukrainian-language outlet in Poland, the incident occurred on Aug. 1 at a hostel in the town of Kożuchów, where two men and a woman from Ukraine were staying. The victims said they were listening to a mix of Ukrainian, Polish, and international music in their car when a passerby shouted at them to “go back to Ukraine” and complained about the music.
The man then allegedly called others, and two young men and a woman arrived before attacking the group. The victims suffered head injuries and lacerations, with two requiring stitches.

At least 22 civilians were injured after Russia struck central Kramatorsk with two guided aerial bombs.
The attack hit a residential apartment building, prompting an ongoing search-and-rescue operation, according to regional authorities.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Sensitive content
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/08/2026 15:15

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

⚡️Employees of Russian Wildberries have been banned from bringing smartphones to work. From now on, they can only use basic feature phones.
This is stated in an internal company notice, Russian media report. Wildberries explained that photos and videos taken during air raid alerts could "reveal air defense positions" and lead to administrative or even criminal liability.
Such restrictions are already in place in dozens of Russian regions. On August 1, three locals were detained in Volgograd for photographing an attacked company warehouse. They later recorded a video apology.

🇷🇴🇺🇦Romania has begun purchasing electricity from Ukraine due to a deficit in its energy system.
The electricity is being bought by state company Nuclearelectrica through Moldova's Energocom, following the scheduled shutdown of the first unit at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant a week ago. The situation is further complicated by severe drought — the Danube has recorded its lowest water level in 30 years.
The company called this cooperation "solidarity-based support" and added that the two countries have been working together in the energy sector for several years.

In Romania, due to the Danube River drying up, the military has blasted a rock to ensure the operation of a nuclear power plant.
The water is to be redirected into the Old Danube branch, which feeds the Cernavodă power plant. Severe drought has caused the river level to drop sharply, leaving the plant's cooling system short of water. The operation used 180 kilograms of explosives. Debris from the blasted rock will be loaded onto barges in the coming days.
Romanian forces began the operation on August 2, carrying out several blasts at the Pârjoaia rock near the Bala branch.
▪️Cernavodă is Romania's only nuclear power plant, generating approximately 20% of the country's electricity. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/42220

Ammunition detonation at a training ground near Khmelnytskyi: the State Bureau of Investigation is examining two versions.
Investigators are determining whether military personnel made mistakes while transporting or unloading ammunition, or whether it was a sabotage operation aimed at destroying weapons.
Five soldiers who were unloading ammunition at a military warehouse are still considered missing. Remains have been found during the search, and experts will work to identify the deceased.
According to the State Bureau of Investigation, another eight servicemen were wounded; their lives are not in danger. Rescuers are still clearing the area outside the military facility.
Investigators have already questioned military personnel, seized documents, and are investigating all circumstances of the tragedy.
The incident has been preliminarily classified under the article on violations of weapons handling rules, as well as dangerous substances and items that pose an increased risk to the surrounding area, resulting in bodily harm to multiple individuals. The investigation is ongoing.

19-year-old Oleksandr Mustiatsie from the Kherson region, listed in the registry of missing "children of war," has been found serving in the Russian army. He claims he is "on his own side," reported the Back to Ukraine initiative.
On his social media, the young man posted photos in Russian military uniform, with "Z" symbols and the Russian flag. He also shared photos from positions. However, this account has been inactive since 2025. Today, the platform clarified that they tried to contact Mustiatsie on social media — a new account with his photo appeared.

⚡️The man hunted by a Russian FPV drone in the middle of a market in Kherson has survived, police reported. [....] The victim is a 52-year-old resident of the Mykolaiv region. He sustained blast injuries, a concussion, and shrapnel wounds. He is currently receiving medical care.

Near occupied Sevastopol, a Russian serviceman opened fire on his own comrades and civilians. Four people were killed and four others wounded.

Overnight, Russia launched 136 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile at Ukraine. Air defense shot down 117 strike UAVs. The missile and 14 drones struck 14 locations, with debris falling in three other places. Here is what is known about the aftermath:
🔴Mykolaiv. An 89-year-old woman was killed in a Russian drone attack. Seven people were injured, including two girls aged 2 and 12.
🔴Sumy. Russian guided bombs killed two girls — aged 5 and 10. A 75-year-old woman was also killed. Rescuers pulled the children's bodies from the rubble of a house.
🔴Zaporizhzhia. A Russian drone struck an industrial facility. A fire broke out after the attack. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties.
🔴Odesa region. Two people were injured in a Russian attack. The enemy again struck civilian infrastructure in the south of the region, destroying a private house.
🔴Dnipropetrovsk region. Air defense shot down eight Russian drones over the region overnight. No casualties have been reported so far.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 04/08/2026 15:20

I hadn't really thought that there might not be that much in NATO for Ukraine.

PerkingFaintly · 04/08/2026 22:53

The BBC is running a front page story about that russian attack on the vegetable seller with the FPV drone.

It's good that there's mainstream reporting on russians' hideous "human safari" attacks.

Ukrainian vegetable seller targeted in 'human safari' drone attack
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/clye173d533o

A shirtless man in a split screen with an explosion

Ukrainian vegetable seller targeted in 'human safari' drone attack

A video shows a Russian drone pursuing a street vendor in the Kherson region before exploding.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/clye173d533o

blueshoes · 05/08/2026 02:37

Poor vegetable seller. Just going about his business. What animals. I have no words.

I did not dare watch the video though I am sure it is grotesque.

blueshoes · 05/08/2026 02:39

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-4-2026/

Key Takeaways

  1. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) conducted at least 100 successful strikes against Russia in its initial 40-day strike operation against a wide target set, likely intending to generate several separate and sometimes mutually reinforcing effects that all aim to increase the cost to Russian President Vladimir Putin of continuing to wage war on Ukraine.
  2. Ukraine’s strike campaigns are increasing the strain on Russian businesses, people, and air defenses.
  3. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Borova direction.
  4. Russian forces launched one ballistic missile and over 100 long-range strike drones against Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces continued striking Russian military assets on August 4.
OP posts:
PerkingFaintly · 05/08/2026 08:37

blueshoes · 05/08/2026 02:37

Poor vegetable seller. Just going about his business. What animals. I have no words.

I did not dare watch the video though I am sure it is grotesque.

Knowing Yuriy the vegetable seller survived makes it slightly less awful to watch.

But it's basically exactly as advertised: drone chases man round and round his van by his vegetable stall, then explodes behind the van.

I suspect he just made it round the corner again, escaping the worst of the effects.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 12:28

Thanks @MagicFox I might finish today's roundup here just to help fill up the thread

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 12:46

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Zelensky signs new law giving full rights to former convict soldiers in army.
The law guarantees new rights, including 15 days of annual leave, access to proper medical care after injury, and the ability to transfer between units after one year of service or earlier for health reasons.

⚡️US stocks of ATACMS, Precision Strike missiles at rock bottom after 'virtually all' used in Iran war, Reuters reports.
Reuters' sources said the dramatic depletion may result in riskier bomber missions needed to strike targets that would otherwise be hit from a safe distance.

⚡️ 'Modified drone' found next to Ukrainian transport plane at German airport.
Flights at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport were suspended overnight on Aug. 5 after a "modified drone" was sighted and later found next to a Ukrainian Antonov Airlines An-124 transport aircraft.
The "modified drone" contained an "unknown substance" and a "detonator," according to police sources speaking to German media outlet Süddeutsche Zeitung.

⚡️Over 8,300 glide bombs dropped by Russia on Ukraine in July in record figure since full-scale invasion, military says.
The number passes the previous record of 8,266 set the previous month, the Defense Ministry said.

⚡️ Son-in-law of Russian aerospace forces chief killed in Moscow blast, journalists say.
Agentstvo cited Russia’s register of legal entities, according to which Daniil Perediry’s sole proprietorship was terminated due to his death on Aug. 1.

⚡️Putin signs law imposing sweeping restrictions on Russians convicted in absentia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 4 signed a law imposing sweeping financial, digital, and consular restrictions on Russian citizens living abroad who have been convicted in absentia, including under laws commonly used against Kremlin critics.

⚡️Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Tula Oblast.

[yesterday] ⚡️Russian attacks kill 7, injure over 123 in Ukraine over past day.
Russian attacks on Ukraine killed seven people and injured at least 123 over the past day, regional authorities said on Aug. 4, as Russia launched two aerial guided bombs (KABs) on central Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast.

⚡️Update: At least 17 killed, 44 injured after massive Russian missile, drone attack on Kyiv region.
Search and rescue operations remain underway after Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles, four hypersonic missiles, and 115 drones targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas overnight.

Ragnar Gudmundsson
@ragnarbjartur
RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 5, 2026
■ Casualties remain below average despite increased engagements; no territorial changes so far this month
■ Major Russian overnight attacks: 28 missiles used, none intercepted; drone interception rate could be better; 32 locations hit or affected by debris
■ Zelensky: at least 44 injured and 17 killed in Kyiv region
■ Russian drone launches and air strikes above average; 13 Ukrainian strikes reported, and 400 strike drones were launched into Russia and occupied Ukraine

Russian attacks kill 7, injure over 123 in Ukraine over past day

The Air Force said that Russian troops launched 136 drones against Ukraine overnight, of which 117 were shot down in the east, south, and north of the country.

https://kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-kill-_-injure-over-_-in-ukraine-over-past-day/

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 12:47

rats

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 13:04

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

🇰🇵 North Korea is deploying its own missile unit to Russia for strikes against Ukraine, Reuters reports.
Citing Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, the agency says that a unit of about 90 North Korean military personnel is undergoing training in Russia’s Voronezh region. The unit could be equipped with six launchers and up to 120 ballistic missiles.

According to the report, Pyongyang has also recently delivered another batch of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles to Russia and deployed additional personnel.

🇺🇦🇳🇱 President Zelenskyy discussed air defense missiles with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

🇸🇾🇬🇪 Two setbacks for Moscow: Syria and Georgia are moving away from Russian oil.
According to Reuters, Syria has agreed to sharply reduce imports of Russian oil in an effort to secure the final lifting of U.S. sanctions and be removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. [...]
The U.S. State Department welcomed Syria’s decision but emphasized that ending imports of Russian oil is not a formal condition for removing the country’s state sponsor of terrorism designation. However, sources said Washington had signaled that such a move would improve the prospects for a swift removal.
That designation is currently the only remaining U.S. sanction on Syria. Syrian officials believe its removal would allow the country to diversify its oil imports and are already seeking alternative suppliers.
Syria currently imports about 60,000 barrels of Russian oil per day, with Russian deliveries increasing by 75% this year.
[...]Meanwhile, Georgia’s only oil refinery, located in Kulevi, announced that it will begin processing oil exclusively from non-Russian sources.
Black Sea Petroleum, which owns the refinery, said it will now source crude from Kazakhstan and Libya.

🇮🇳 India has declined Russia’s offer to purchase Su-57E fifth-generation fighter jets.
Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said New Delhi will instead focus on modernizing its domestically produced Su-30MKI fighters and advancing the indigenous AMCA fifth-generation fighter program.
Russia had previously offered India not only the Su-57E fighters but also licensed domestic production with technology transfer. However, New Delhi rejected the proposal following the collapse of the joint FGFA fighter program.
Singh added that India is actively working to upgrade its Su-family aircraft, which are manufactured domestically under Russian license.

🚀 Ukraine has developed a new interceptor drone called “Skazhenyi” (“Crazy”), according to Militarnyi.
The drone has a flight range of 45 kilometers, a tactical range of 25 kilometers, and can remain airborne for up to 30 minutes. Its operating altitude is 200 meters, with a maximum altitude of 10,000 meters.
According to the report, the interceptor is expected to begin missions against Russian drones later this month.

🏐 Russia has been admitted to next season’s Volleyball Nations League.
The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has announced that Russia will return to the Volleyball Nations League beginning next season.

😡 Russians struck the regional children’s clinical hospital in Zaporizhzhia, according to the regional military administration.
At the time of the attack, all the children and medical staff were in shelters.

❗️Two key Epicentr K logistics complexes were hit in the Russian attack, leaving one employee dead and three others injured.
Epicentr K is a Ukrainian group of companies and the country’s largest non-food retailer, founded in 2003.
The company said that one of its main logistics hubs, located on Viskozna Street in Kyiv, was completely destroyed by fire.
At the logistics and production complex in Kalynivka, one employee was killed, and two missiles completely destroyed two large Epicentr warehouse facilities. [...]

❗️All fires caused by Russia’s massive attack have been extinguished in Kyiv’s Obolonskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Holosiivskyi, and Desnianskyi districts, according to the State Emergency Service.
A total of 15 people were killed and 48 injured in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

⚠️ As a result of Russian shelling, an ammonia tank at one of the enterprises was damaged, causing a leak of about 100 liters. There is currently no risk of a repeated ammonia leak in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district, the environmental inspectorate reported.

🚢😱 Record heat exposes more than 200 Nazi ships on the Danube as drought lowers water levels.
The wrecks of more than 200 Nazi vessels, deliberately scuttled in the fall of 1944 to slow the advance of Soviet troops, have resurfaced in the Danube. The wrecks continue to obstruct river traffic, with annual losses to Serbia’s economy estimated at $5.75 million.
In 2024, Serbian authorities, together with the European Investment Bank, launched an operation to remove 21 of the wrecks. The effort involves specialized pumps and divers, who must inspect the vessels because of the risk posed by unexploded munitions. Although the operation is dangerous and time-consuming, the current drop in water levels could make the work easier.
The World War II-era wrecks also continue to release toxic substances, affecting river and marine ecosystems.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 13:16

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine failed to intercept a single one of the 28 missiles Russia launched overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
The attack included 24 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles and four Zircon/Oniks missiles. At least 17 people were killed and 44 injured in the massive strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region.

North Korea is preparing to deploy a missile unit to western Russia that could operate up to 120 ballistic missiles for strikes on Ukraine, a Ukrainian military intelligence official told Reuters.
The move would mark another major escalation in military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

A drone carrying a package with a detonator was found near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport, according to Bild.
The airport was shut down for nearly two hours as bomb disposal teams responded.
Police are investigating possible sabotage after another cargo plane reportedly collided with an unknown object while aborting its landing.

The EU will send Ukraine another €1.4 billion funded by frozen Russian assets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced.
The funding comes after another night of deadly Russian strikes on Ukraine. “Russia must pay for the destruction it has caused,” von der Leyen said.

Zelensky outlined three main priorities for accelerating Ukraine’s EU accession bid, framing EU membership as a security matter instead of just an economic one.
Two negotiation clusters have opened since mid-June, with four more in preparation.

Zelensky has authorized new Security Service (SBU) operations targeting Russia and ordered a shake-up to remove officials who “work for themselves, not for Ukraine.”
The move follows a 40-day operation approved in late June aimed at increasing pressure on Russia.

Czechia will deny temporary protection to newly arriving draft-age Ukrainian men who cannot prove they have fulfilled their military obligations.
The Czech Interior Ministry said the move follows new EU rules. Temporary protection for eligible Ukrainians has also been extended until March 2028.

Ukraine’s intensified strikes on Russian-occupied Crimea are disrupting fuel supplies, power infrastructure and Russian logistics. Residents face blackouts, soaring petrol prices and increasingly dangerous routes linking the peninsula to Russia.

For several days, Ukrainian firefighters have been helping their French colleagues battle devastating wildfires. As they traveled to the fire zone, local residents lined the streets, applauding the convoy, shaking the firefighters’ hands, and thanking them in Ukrainian. https://t.me/Kyivpost_official/38355

Russia has reportedly struck Odesa again, with local media saying a bomb shelter where civilians were staying was hit.
Rescue operations are currently underway. There has been no official confirmation or statement from the authorities yet.

Eight people were killed while waiting on a train platform in Ukraine’s Kyiv region during Russia’s overnight attack.
According to Brovary District Administration head Volodymyr Byhun, the victims were waiting for a delayed train at Kvitneva station when the Russian strike hit. The train had not yet arrived, leaving passengers stranded on the platform when the attack occurred.

A car belonging to Vladimir Tkachuk, a Russian developer of the “Upyr” attack drone, exploded near Yekaterinburg, leaving him in critical condition, according to Russian media.
The blast occurred in the village of Bolshoy Istok. Tkachuk, who also runs the pro-war Telegram channel “Possessed by War,” was rushed to intensive care with severe injuries.

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Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Sensitive content
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 13:28

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇪🇺The EU will not be able to impose a ban on maritime transport of Russian oil due to political disagreements, Euronews reports.
The sharp rise in oil prices following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the blockade of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has strengthened the position of countries that opposed the ban.
In particular, Greece and Malta — countries with powerful shipping industries that traditionally participate in transporting Russian energy resources — are among them.

Currently, the European Commission continues to support the idea of restrictions but acknowledges that political backing for this decision has significantly weakened within the bloc and among G7 leaders.

The composition of Russian forces in Ukraine has shifted: the number of contract soldiers has increased, according to an analysis by the German foundation Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik.
Based on an analysis of Russian budget payments, approximately 554,800 contract soldiers and 168,600 mobilized troops were in Ukraine in 2025.
The total number of Russian forces grew from 523,500 in 2023 to 723,500 in 2025.
At the same time, Russia loses a significant portion of its contract force each year: in 2024–2025, irrecoverable losses are estimated at approximately 251,000 troops — about 21,000 per month.
Data from the first quarter of 2026 indicates that the number of mobilized troops has dropped to 120,000, while contract soldiers have decreased by 30,000 compared to mid-2025.
Analysts say that part of the new contract soldiers are former mobilized troops who are being pressured to switch to contract service. As a result, the actual inflow of new troops into the Russian army may be lower than Moscow's official claims.

⚡️ Ukraine could lose up to $3 billion due to Russian attacks on Odesa region ports, according to Minister of Agricultural Policy Taras Vysotskyi.
According to him, over 30 million tons of products will not be able to be exported to international markets if the situation is not resolved. Currently, due to Russian attacks, shipowners have virtually stopped entering ports in the Odesa region.
Vysotskyi added that Ukrainian producers are already feeling the effects, as prices for oilseeds and grains have dropped by an average of 30%. Direct losses for the agricultural sector this year could reach between $1.5 billion and $3 billion. The minister believes that alternative routes for Ukraine include shipping through the Danube, but the main option is rail transport.
▪️In July, the Russians carried out 35 attacks on vessels in ports and 22 attacks on vessels at sea, with 67 strikes on port infrastructure. In all of 2025, 14 attacks on vessels were recorded.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 61
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 13:38

Interesting news about India not buying the Russian jets. the phrasing makes it sound like the Russians were very keen to sell - I wonder what the actual situation is.

MissConductUS · 05/08/2026 14:28

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 05/08/2026 13:38

Interesting news about India not buying the Russian jets. the phrasing makes it sound like the Russians were very keen to sell - I wonder what the actual situation is.

That particular jet has a troubled history. Only about twenty were ever made and they haven’t seen much actual use.

If the Russian Air Force doesn’t want to fly them, it’s best to avoid them. India may also be concerned about Russia’s ability to support them.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 05/08/2026 18:17

If the Russian Air Force doesn’t want to fly them, it’s best to avoid them.

I think that might be a litotes, such as would go with "The Gettys aren't hurting for a couple of bob."

notimagain · 05/08/2026 19:41

MissConductUS · 05/08/2026 14:28

That particular jet has a troubled history. Only about twenty were ever made and they haven’t seen much actual use.

If the Russian Air Force doesn’t want to fly them, it’s best to avoid them. India may also be concerned about Russia’s ability to support them.

The other issue is the 57E was only ever going to be a stopgap purchase, maybe 2 or 3 squadrons worth, to fill the gap until India gets their own indigenous fifth-generation fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) operational.

Given how slow progress has been with the Su-57 it now makes more sense for India to simply modernise it's Su-30s and maybe buy more Rafales until AMCA comes along.

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