Ukraine Invasion - Part 62

[MagicFox]

Thanks as always to everybody consistently posting and keeping us all up to date 🇺🇦

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UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russia has built at least 10 new drone-launching bases near its borders with Belarus and Ukraine — The Telegraph.
Some of these bases are already being used to launch strikes on Ukraine, while their location near the border facilitates large-scale air attacks. At the same time, they pose a long-term threat to NATO allies, as they are within range of modern Russian strike drones.
Analysts also warn that in the event of a wider war, Russia could use the rapid development of this technology to strike Europe. According to their estimates, the location of some of the bases allows Russia’s most powerful drones to reach Warsaw.
Using leaked documents and satellite imagery, The Telegraph identified at least 59 new launch pads — mechanical guides used to launch fixed-wing drones without a conventional runway — along Russia’s border with Belarus and Ukraine.
The publication also reported that some drone launch centers have been converted from military facilities and civilian airports, while additional launch pads have been set up in rural areas of Russia.

💥 Two workshops destroyed and four damaged at the Kamensky Plant in Russia’s Rostov region following an attack — General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The workshops are used to produce explosives and gunpowder.

🇸🇪 The Swedish Security Service has uncovered and disrupted a Russian intelligence operation aimed at influencing decision-making in Sweden and discrediting Sweden, the EU, and NATO.
The operation was carried out, in particular, with the help of an agent from a foreign diplomatic mission in Sweden, the service said.
The Russian intelligence operation was planned and directed by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) over an extended period. It involved collecting information about decision-making processes in Sweden to give Russian intelligence an opportunity to influence controversial issues.
“This case shows that Russian intelligence and security services continue to prioritize traditional intelligence activities, recruiting human sources — agents who, in turn, acted and tried to influence others.
Russian intelligence activities focus, in particular, on information related to Sweden’s political positions and its activities in NATO and the EU, as well as support for Ukraine and Sweden’s military capabilities. Influence is also aimed at polarizing issues in order to undermine Swedish or European decision-making.
The work with the foreign agent lasted for a long time and involved covert methods. The security service was able to trace in detail how the meetings took place and what was discussed,” said Christopher Wedelin, deputy operational director of the Swedish Security Service.

The world is entering a new nuclear arms race: the US and Russia are no longer bound by previous restrictions, China is expanding its arsenal, and new countries are considering developing nuclear weapons, according to The Washington Post.
The nuclear arms control system built over decades by major powers is gradually unraveling. With the expiration of New START, the US and Russia, which account for approximately 86% of the world’s nuclear arsenal, are left without a nuclear arms control agreement for the first time in half a century.
At the same time, China is rapidly expanding its arsenal, already possessing more than 600 warheads, but Beijing is unwilling to join negotiations between Washington and Moscow. North Korea has approximately 50 ready-made warheads and enough materials to produce more.
Against this backdrop, attitudes are shifting even in countries that have relied on the American “nuclear umbrella” for decades. Nearly 70% of South Koreans now support developing their own nuclear weapons, while in Japan, discussions are increasingly focused on revising previous restrictions.
The WP warns that the emergence of new nuclear powers will not necessarily strengthen deterrence. The more countries acquire nuclear weapons, the greater the risk of errors, miscalculations of adversaries’ actions, and unintended escalation.
Complete disarmament currently appears unrealistic, so the top priority is to at least restore “safety nets” — direct military communication channels, mutual notification of missile tests and exercises, greater arsenal transparency, and international inspections.

☠️ Russia is trying to “romanticize” military contracts to recruit young people in the occupied territories — Center for Countering Disinformation
Through manipulation, Moscow is trying to lure as many people as possible into the army to compensate for its huge losses.
Thus, Russia is trying to use residents of the occupied territories as a human resource, the Center for Countering Disinformation concluded.

A Ukrainian assault company commander drove an unarmored pickup truck into an area under constant threat from Russian drones to rescue two seriously wounded soldiers after the unmanned ground vehicle evacuating them was struck and disabled.
Read and watch: https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-commander-races-into-kill-zone-in-unarmored-pickup-to-save-his-wounded-troops-21740

Volgograd, a view from space of the Wildberries warehouse burned down by Ukrainian drones in late July, according to geospatial and satellite intelligence analyst at Dnipro Osint Garbuz.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Putin‘s forces continued offensive operations across several sectors on Aug. 15-16 but made no confirmed advances, ISW says.
Russian troops increasingly relied on small infiltration groups, glide-bomb strikes and claims of territorial gains that Ukrainian and Russian sources disputed.

In Kyiv, protesters held another rally on Aug. 16 demanding the return of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov to office. Participants carried signs reading “Innovation = Victory,” “Corruption Kills,” and “Nothing Will Fix Itself.”
Similar demonstrations were also held in Lviv, Dnipro, Lutsk, Rivne, Poltava, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi.
The protests began after Fedorov’s dismissal in July. He later said he would not accept another government post unless he was reinstated as defense minister. https://t.me/Kyivpost_official/38678

Binance provided Russian investigators with information about IT specialist Yuri Belenky, who had been living in the EU and donated cryptocurrency to Ukraine’s armed forces, Reuters reported.
Russian authorities say he transferred more than 60,000 rubles — about $700 — between January 2023 and March 2024.
The information was subsequently used as evidence in a Russian case accusing him of “financing terrorism”.

A former US Army infantry officer spent nearly a week near Ukraine’s front line, witnessing nightly drone attacks and seeing how Ukrainian troops use improvised tech like WhatsApp and Zoom to match far more expensive Western systems.
He says continued US and NATO support remains vital.

Germany is considering closing Berlin’s Russian House amid allegations that the Kremlin-backed cultural center is being used for propaganda and espionage.
The move reflects growing scrutiny of Russian institutions in Germany as Berlin steps up efforts to counter Moscow’s expanding hybrid threat.

Hollywood actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36, her representative confirmed to US media.
Panettiere was the former fiancée of Ukrainian boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shared a daughter. Her family has not disclosed the cause of death.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇪🇺This fall, the EU will present the largest sanctions package against Russia since the start of the war, said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in an interview with Die Welt.
According to her, if the package is approved, the number of sanctioned Russian citizens, companies, and organizations will increase by one-third.

Russia is building a network of secret bases for long-range drones capable of reaching NATO territory, according to a Telegraph investigation.
Journalists have identified at least 10 Russian bases with new launch pads for the most advanced strike drones. Seven of these ten bases have already been used in recent massive attacks on Kyiv.
Along Russia's border with Belarus and Ukraine, 59 new launch rails were counted. Some centers were converted from military bases and civilian airports, while others were set up in open fields. About 20 rails have an extended design — suggesting drones with greater range.
One base has enough space to store over 1,000 drones, and several key sites are building additional launchers. Drones are supplied by several factories across the country, including the Alabuga special economic zone, which produces 6,000 drones per year.
The focus is on new high-speed modifications of the Shahed — the Geran-4 and Geran-5. They can carry up to 90 kg of explosives and fly nearly 1,000 km.
The new modifications could theoretically reach Warsaw. According to the publication, there is no direct threat of attack, but NATO is preparing for such a scenario. The Kremlin claims that even older versions of the drones can reach Britain, though the likelihood of intercepting such an attack is very high.
US and European intelligence do not rule out that Moscow is considering provocations on Polish territory — strikes on critical infrastructure or false-flag operations aimed at blaming Ukraine.
Screenshot 1 — Khalino airbase in Kursk region with new launch rails and drone storage; 2 — Asovytsia-Ashelok base. Vantor / The Telegraph.

At least 2,982 citizens of African countries are fighting in the ranks of the Russian army.
Approximately 486 have been confirmed dead. Currently, 35 citizens from 17 African countries are being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine, Suspilne reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The highest numbers of recruits come from Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Algeria, and Mali.
▪️Since 2023, Russia has sharply intensified its recruitment of foreigners for the war against Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Forces units regularly publish interviews with captured citizens of other countries. They often repeat the same story: people came to Russia as tourists, students, or labor migrants, did not speak the language, and allegedly "accidentally" signed a military service contract. Behind these accounts lies an extensive Russian recruitment system that covers nearly 70% of the globe.

🇵🇱🇺🇦In Poland, two adults attacked children for speaking Ukrainian, the Ukrainian Consulate General in Gdańsk reported.
The victims were a 14-year-old girl and her 12-year-old brother. The incident occurred on August 14 in a park near the Bydgoszcz railway station — a man and a woman heard Ukrainian being spoken and began verbally abusing the children with obscenities and threatening them because of their nationality.
They then turned to physical violence: twisted the child's arm, broke a toy drone, and threw pieces at the boy, scratching him.
The children are not in physical danger, but they experienced severe stress. A police report has been filed, and law enforcement is searching for the attackers.

Overnight, Russia launched 128 drones at Ukraine, of which 106 were neutralized by air defense. In 14 locations, drones struck their targets; debris fell in two others. Here is what is known about the aftermath of the attack in the regions:
🔴Poltava region. The Russians struck two industrial enterprises in the Kremenchuk district with ballistic missiles — fires broke out. Another enterprise in the Myrhorod district was attacked by UAVs. No casualties were reported.
🔴Odesa region. The Russians again attacked port infrastructure — a civilian vessel flying the flag of Togo was damaged. Four people were injured. Fires broke out after the attack.
🔴Kharkiv region. Russia struck Izium with a Geran drone — 7 residential buildings, a garage, a car, and a power line were damaged. Some residents were left without power; no information on casualties is available yet. Rescuers also extinguished a fire at a car shop in Zlatopil.
🔴Sumy. The city came under a massive Geran drone attack: drones struck civilian infrastructure and the private sector in the Zarichnyi district. A fire broke out, residential buildings were damaged, and two people were killed.
🔴Kherson region. The Russians attacked the village of Novokairy in the Myliiv community with an FPV drone — two men, aged 66 and 58, were killed. After Russian shelling, Kherson again experienced power outages.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-17-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Russia is expanding launch sites for its long-range strike drones along the border with Ukraine and Belarus, likely to intensify its strikes against Ukraine and possibly NATO.
2. A likely Russian strike vehicle — reportedly a Russian Banderol cruise missile / loitering munition — crashed in a corn field in Moldova on August 17, further demonstrating how the Kremlin has accepted the risk of Russian strike vehicles hitting countries bordering Ukraine during Russian strikes against western Ukraine.
3. Russia’s intensified missile strike campaign against Ukraine reportedly contributed to record high monthly civilian casualties in July 2026.
4. Ukrainian sources provided an updated battle damage assessment (BDA) of a recent Ukrainian strike against Rostov Oblast. Russia launched 128 drones against Ukraine overnight.
5. Neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces advanced on August 17.

Placemarking

A lot to catch up with.

As always, thanks for continuing these threads 🌻

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Zelensky appoints new Logistics Forces commander following meeting with military leadership.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 17 appointed Yurii Pohrybnyi as commander of the Logistics Forces of Ukraine's Armed Forces, according to a presidential decree.

⚡️ Ukraine's parliament returns from summer recess as decision on defense minister looms.
The parliament went into recess in mid-July shortly after Zelensky announced an unexpected government reshuffle, with the ousting of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov triggering mass protests across the country.

⚡️Russian Banderol missile enters Moldovan airspace, Ukraine claims, explosion reported near village.
The Banderol is a small, low-cost cruise missile which is launched from a Kronshtadt Orion strike and reconnaissance drone.

⚡️'They will simply kill my son' — Prominent Ukrainian volunteer claims FSB blackmail, travels to Russia.
Russia's security service (FSB) blackmailed prominent Ukrainian volunteer Mykhailo Puryshev into cooperation, threatening to conscript his son into the Russian army, he claimed on Aug. 17.

⚡️ Over one-fifth of Russian LNG exports protected by EU's Greek sanctions exemption.
The Greek shipping company Dynagas delivered 2.35 billion euros ($2.72 billion) worth of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to EU customers in the first seven months of 2026, the NGO Urgewald reported.

⚡️Ukraine's acting police chief reveals scale of draft evasion investigations.
Ukraine's National Police has investigated over 20,000 criminal cases of draft evasion since martial law was imposed at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, acting head of the National Police, Maksym Tsutskiridze, told Ukrainian outlet Censor.net in an interview published Aug. 17.

⚡️Update: Multiple fires reported near Moscow as Ukraine launches hundreds of drones towards Russian capital.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that at least 187 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Moscow Oblast during the attack, with over 600 claimed to have been launched at the region.

⚡️Ukraine urges EU to finally sanction Russia's nuclear giant Rosatom after new safety failures.
"To the EU and its member states: please, do listen to Ukraine! Sadly, no other country in the world knows better why Moscow cannot be trusted in the atomic energy sphere," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

⚡️Russian court sentences opposition figure to 11 years in prison.
Russian opposition figure Lev Shlosberg was sentenced to 11 years and one month in prison for making statements opposing the war against Ukraine, Russian political party Yabloko wrote on Aug. 17.

⚡️Ukraine condemns inclusion of controversial Russian film in upcoming Venice Film Festival.

⚡️Azerbaijan issue arrest warrants for 3 Russians over 'public calls to terrorism.'
The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office announced arrest warrants in absentia for three Russian media figures on Aug. 17, accusing the suspects of issuing public calls for terrorism against the country.

⚡️ Ghana asks Moscow to stop recruiting its citizens for war in Ukraine.
According to Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, 62 of his country's citizens have been killed in Ukraine, and 15 remain missing.

Ukraine war latest: Over 239,000 KIA Russian soldiers identified by media investigation
Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with the BBC Russian service, has confirmed the identities of 239,354 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.

⚡️ 20th-century military leader Yevhen Konovalets reburied in Kyiv.

⚡️ 10 killed in morning strike in Kharkiv Oblast as Russian attacks kill 9 others, injure 53 across Ukraine over past day.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces had deliberately struck a crowded intersection near a post office and shops, surrounded by residential buildings.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 18, 2026
■ Fewer casualties despite increased engagements; Liveuamap reports 🇺🇦 advances near Oleksandrivka (however, the total occupied area increased by 18 km²)
■ Losses of ground robotic systems at a record high
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: low drone interception rate; 22 locations hit or affected by debris
■ 🇷🇺 shelling, MLRS strikes, and air strikes above average; 12 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 440 strike drones launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦
■ Highlighted 🇺🇦 strikes: ammunition depot and command posts across 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

💪🇺🇦 Special Operations Forces fighters liberated Andriyivka-Klevtsove in the Oleksandrivka direction. Thirty Russian soldiers surrendered, while those who resisted were eliminated.
The Russian Armed Forces had been trying to capture the settlement in Donetsk region for a long time, advancing in small groups, gradually infiltrating the area and establishing positions.

🌾 Grain exports from Russia have almost completely stopped due to Ukrainian strikes on ports in the Azov and Black seas.
Russian grain exports bring about $15 billion to the economy of the aggressor country annually.
Last week, following Ukrainian drone attacks, all three grain terminals at the port of Novorossiysk stopped operating. Together, they handle about 25 million tons of grain exports from Russia.
All ports in the Sea of Azov, through which Russia exported about 40% of its grain, were also blocked.

Packages of personal sanctions against Russians and accomplices of Russian aggression will be prepared monthly — Radio Svoboda reports on the largest expansion of the EU sanctions list against the aggressor country since the start of the full-scale war.
According to European diplomats, this concerns approximately 1,600 individuals and companies, a significant number of which are linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex.
The proposals are planned to be presented to EU ambassadors in the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU member states (Coreper) in early September and approved in October.

Russia deploys warships to the Baltic Sea amid Putin’s threats against Europe
Russia has transferred the modern frigate Admiral Kasatonov from the Northern Fleet to the Baltic Sea. A few days earlier, the anti-submarine destroyer Admiral Levchenko also arrived there, according to Bild.
Kasatonov is one of Russia’s most modern frigates and can launch Kalibr and Tsirkon cruise missiles. Levchenko is designed for submarine warfare and is also equipped with air defense systems, torpedoes, artillery, and helicopters.
The deployment is particularly notable because the ships appeared in the region amid Putin’s threats against European countries opposing Russia’s “shadow fleet.” The Kremlin has been using warships to escort its tankers and cargo vessels for several months.
Moscow has not officially explained the reasons for the deployment. However, maritime security expert Moritz Brake believes the Kremlin’s threats should not be dismissed as empty rhetoric, as they could be followed by concrete actions against European vessels.

Photos of the aftermath of the Flamingo strike on the Progress Rocket and Space Center in Samara have emerged.
On the night of August 15, Ukrainian forces attacked the facility, which is Russia’s only serial manufacturer of Soyuz-2 launch vehicles.
According to monitoring channels, two strikes hit Building 106A, where onboard electronics, control systems, and cable networks are installed. The published images show extensive damage, with one of the impact zones measuring approximately 85 by 35 meters.
The Soyuz-2 is used, among other things, to launch Russian military reconnaissance and targeting satellites.

Instead of tokens, a brand on the skin: Russia uses “inventory numbers” to record foreign mercenaries — Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The personal number is applied with permanent paint — henna or jagua — to equipment or skin. If the mark is erased and becomes barely noticeable, it is updated.
“Primitive marking allows Moscow to leave the bodies of liquidated foreigners on the battlefield as “unknowns,” report them as “missing,” and evade paying monetary compensation to families in Africa and Asia, hiding the real scale of the losses.

At night, Russia attacked Ukraine with 147 drones. Air defense forces shot down 111 UAVs, while hits were recorded at 19 locations.
In particular, five people, including a child, were injured in Izium, Kharkiv region, as a result of a Russian strike.
In Chernihiv region, a 59-year-old woman was injured after the enemy struck twice in Koriukivskyi District. Two outbuildings caught fire, while a mobile crane and a combine harvester were damaged. The fire destroyed a warehouse and several tons of feed.
In Kyiv region, drones hit civilian facilities in Brovary District, damaging an office building, warehouses, and a private house.

🤬 Russians launched a missile strike on Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region — regional military administration.
Ten people were killed and eight others were injured.

😡 A Russian drone hit a house in Kherson: the ammunition fell into the crib where a two-year-old boy was sleeping.
According to the National Police, the child was not injured, but he and his mother were taken to the hospital. Their lives are not in danger.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Russia may redeploy up to 20,000 combat-ready troops from its border regions to the most active front lines in Ukraine by replacing them with North Korean soldiers.

Ukraine’s parliament prepares for a high-stakes vote on Tuesday, to appoint a new Defense Minister, a role controlling a $100+ billion defense budget.

Trump and Putin aides reportedly held secret talks on Ukraine, the Financial Times reports.
Trump ally Rodney Mims Cook Jr. met Kremlin representatives as part of a White House-initiated diplomatic mission, as the US president’s team searches for a new approach to Putin after earlier peace efforts failed.

Russia is scaling up jet-powered and missile drones, including newer Geran and Banderol models, to outpace Ukrainian air defenses and cut reaction times.
The shift drives a new arms race as Ukraine deploys its own jet UAVs like Palyanytsya.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham exchanged several messages with someone posing as Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious.
The British embassy raised the incident with the White House and implied “national security” issues could have been discussed, while 10 Downing avows “no significance” to communiques.

Kim Jong Un and Putin reaffirmed deepening of ties on Sunday, Aug. 16, as Moscow-Pyongyang military cooperation continues to grow.
The exchange came alongside Trump’s sudden halt of US-South Korea joint drills and as Putin visited the disputed Kuril Islands for the first time on Aug. 13.

What does Russia’s assault on Odesa’s ports mean for Ukraine’s grain exports?
Ship traffic has collapsed — just seven vessels entered Greater Odesa in the first 11 days of August, compared with 169 in July.
Ukraine’s agricultural sector estimates the disruption is costing the country $450–500 million in export revenue every month.

A massive wave of 637 Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow and the surrounding region overnight.
Several people were injured and infrastructure damaged, while another Wildberries warehouse went up in flames, piling further losses on the Russian retail giant’s logistics network.

Russia’s severe manpower shortage is forcing a tactical shift on the Ukrainian front, with troops increasingly using small three- to four-man infiltration groups instead of mass assaults.
Kyiv Post Editor-in-Chief Bohdan Nahaylo also warns of intensified ballistic missile strikes ahead of winter.
https://www.kyivpost.com/videos/82563

Russia is recruiting Ukrainian teenagers — some as young as 15 — from occupied territories into programs linked to its Shahed drone production.
Using minors from occupied territory to support a war effort may constitute a war crime. Russia, however, presents the scheme as education and paid training for children.

Direct damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure from Russia’s invasion reached $197.5 billion as of February 2026, up 16% from late 2024.
Housing remains the hardest hit at $65.9B, while energy-sector damage surged by 25% to $18.3B.

Ukraine says an overnight strike on Russia’s Kamensky Combine destroyed two workshops and damaged four others at the major explosives plant.
The facility produces explosives, gunpowder and solid rocket fuel used by Russia’s military.

Conor Kennedy — the son of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and great-nephew of President John F. Kennedy — joined Ukraine’s International Legion in 2022 and reportedly left after a brief stint later that year.
A Moscow court has now accused him of “mercenarism,” placed him on Russia’s wanted list and says he faces seven to 10 years in prison.

US First Lady Melania Trump has helped reunite another child with their family as efforts continue to bring home children separated by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Russia has moved a frigate armed with hypersonic Tsirkon missiles near the German island of Fehmarn in the Baltic Sea. The Telegraph calls this a new escalation between Russia and NATO.
The frigate Admiral Kasatonov was spotted near Fehmarn last week. It is considered one of Russia's most advanced naval vessels and is capable of long-range strikes.
The ship's tracker was turned off, so it is unclear whether it remained near Fehmarn on August 17. The Admiral Kasatonov is the second Russian warship in the Baltic Sea in recent weeks — at the end of July, the destroyer Admiral Levchenko arrived there.
The ship appeared in the Baltic Sea amid Kremlin threats to attack British and European vessels. Putin stated that he is ready to "respond" to attempts to seize ships linked to his shadow fleet, specifying that Moscow could act "anywhere it deems necessary." He also specifically mentioned the Pacific Ocean.
Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council and former President Dmitry Medvedev went even further, claiming that Moscow supposedly has the right to attack merchant ships of "hostile states" even in neutral waters if it suspects they are carrying cargo on behalf of the enemy.
The Telegraph also recalls a recent US intelligence report suggesting that Russia may attempt to attack NATO in the coming weeks to test the Alliance's readiness to respond. Possible scenarios include a limited strike on Poland or one of the Baltic states.

⚡️The Russian embassy in the UK has threatened London with "consequences" over British drones in Ukraine. Britain responded that it will not stop helping Ukraine.
Russia claimed that "London is deliberately choosing escalation" in the war in Ukraine, accusing Britain of "seeking to contain Russia and inflict maximum damage through proxies."
The UK Ministry of Defense stated that they stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and are committed to providing Ukraine with the equipment needed to defend against Vladimir Putin's invasion.

The State Bureau of Investigation has decrypted the "black box" of the Su-24M that crashed in the Khmelnytskyi region on June 16, killing both pilots.
The flight recorder revealed that during the flight, elements of the control system on the left wing failed. The aircraft then lost control and began spinning around its axis. It fell from an altitude of over 600 meters at a speed of 809 km/h.
According to preliminary findings of the Air Force's internal investigation, the damage could have been caused by an external factor — likely a bird strike. However, this version still requires expert confirmation. @notimagain

Yandex "painted" a forest over a Russian missile battery near Finland to hide it on its maps, Yle reports after its own investigation and conversation with a military expert.
The battery is located near the port of Kronstadt, outside St. Petersburg — Russia overlays parts of other images over the object to conceal its existence. The same battery is clearly visible on Google, Apple, and Microsoft maps.
Russia is likely hiding the target due to Ukrainian drone strikes. However, military expert and former Finnish intelligence officer Marko Eklund considers this "secrecy" absurd, as Western or Ukrainian intelligence relies on its own satellite imagery. According to him, the manipulation is the result of some administrative decision, and the editing in Kronstadt was done sloppily — if you know what to look for, it's easy to spot.
According to Yle, the hidden area previously stored Bastion anti-ship missiles and related radar and reconnaissance systems.
▪️Kronstadt is an important base of Russia's Baltic Fleet. Ukraine has already attacked the area with drones: in early June, drones struck a Russian missile ship undergoing repairs in the port. Last spring, researchers counted 119 blurred objects in western Russia.
Photo 1 — Russian missile base (Planet Labs PBC), 2 — the same base after Yandex map editing.

Overnight, Russia launched 147 drones at Ukraine — air defense neutralized 111 of them. Drones struck 19 locations, with debris falling in three others.

Russia attacked Izium in the Kharkiv region, injuring five people, including a 9-year-old boy. Five private houses were also damaged in the city.
Here is what is known about the aftermath in other regions:
🔴Kharkiv. A drone struck a gas station in the Industrialnyi district of the city.
🔴Kyiv region. Russian drones were detected in the region; air defense was active.
🔴Zaporizhzhia. The Russians attacked the private sector of Zaporizhzhia, causing a fire and damaging houses. Windows of apartment buildings were also damaged.

The Russians attacked Pechenihy with Banderol cruise missiles, the prosecutor's office specified. The number of injured has risen to 17.
President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that the strike hit a busy intersection. Rescuers have already extinguished the fire, and emergency and operational services continue to work at the scene. He also published photos from the site of the attack.

A former US Army infantry officer spent nearly a week near Ukraine’s front line, witnessing nightly drone attacks and seeing how Ukrainian troops use improvised tech like WhatsApp and Zoom to match far more expensive Western systems.
He says continued US and NATO support remains vital.

I wasn't familiar with his online content, so I found him here:

https://www.youtube.com/@Justin_Taylor

His videos are competently done and cover a range of military topics that are in the news (like the shortage of long-range strike and air defense weapons, for example). They're a nice length, 15-20 minutes, and give a good overview of the topic. They're intended for a wide audience, not veterans or active-duty personnel, so they don't rely heavily on military jargon and acronyms. Worth a look, I'd say.

Checking in after a few weeks away, with thanks for the continued updates.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-18-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Russian state-owned bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) fired Chief Economist Andrey Klepach following media reports of a negative economic assessment he offered that contradicts Russian President Vladimir Putin’s theory of victory in Ukraine.
2. There is considerable evidence that Klepach’s assessment of the Russian economic problems aligns with reality, undermining the validity of Putin’s theory of victory.
3. The Russian population is also reacting to the perception of economic decline in ways that may further damage Russian economic and fiscal policy.
4. The Kremlin continues reiterating its determination to prevent Russia’s deteriorating economic realities from reducing its maximalist war aims by refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations to end the war.
5. Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated on August 18 that Russia deliberately launches some of its drones into Moldovan and NATO airspace.
6. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted Acting Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara’s candidacy as defense minister for Verkhovna Rada’s (Parliament) approval on August 18.
7. Russian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Slovyansk direction.
8. Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russia on the night of August 17 to 18. Russia launched 147 drones against Ukraine overnight.

Thank you for continued updates. I need to get back into these threads! (Or maybe just this one, there's so much info).

Yeah, just pick it up from now.

The core of the situation is that
Russia and Ukraine are both agonizingly short of soldiers;
Ukraine and Russia are both adapting very fast to drone and electronic warfare;
Russia is going to get 20,000more soldiers available for the frontline soon as N Korean troops are taking behind-the-frontline guard positions over;
Ukraine is actually retaking some land:
Russia is trying to take over the last of the Donbas Fortress belt and sadly is likely going to succeed, but it will take a lot of time and manpower
Ukraine is being hammered by missiles as there aren't the Patriots and other interceptors now. There's a worldwide shortage due to Trump's oh so glorious triumph over Iran (oh ...). So the number of Ukrainian casualties is rising.
Ukraine has had a very successful campaign against Russia's version of Amazon, who were selling military-use drones and other militarily useful items like body armour etc.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Breaking: Zelensky formally nominates acting defense chief Khmara as minister, ending month of uncertainty.
Zelensky also nominated Andrii Sybiha to again take up the post of foreign minister.

⚡️Belgium open to using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine if Europe shares risks.
"The risks we identified at the time have not miraculously vanished. But we have no fundamental objection to this money being used to support the Ukrainian cause," said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.

⚡️Breaking: Fedorov calls for wartime elections, says Putin shouldn't decide when Ukrainians vote.
Democracy is "part of what we are fighting for today," Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.

⚡️Russia supplying Iran with drone components, ammunition amid war with US, NBC reports.
Russia is supplying Iran with ammunition, drone components, and TNT via the Caspian Sea, NBC News reported Aug. 17, citing a European government document.

⚡️Russia unleashes large-scale attack with jet-powered drones as Kyiv faces at least 9 air raid alerts in a single day.
At around 7:45 p.m. local time, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said debris from Russian drones had been reported at two locations in the Dniprovskyi district.

⚡️Defense Ministry's procurement chief to step down on Sept. 1, media reports.
Arsen Zhumadilov, the director of the Defense Ministry's Defense Procurement Agency, is set to resign in the coming weeks, the Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported, citing its sources.

⚡️Russian strike damages DTEK thermal power plant, forces halt in operations.
Russia attacked one of Ukraine's DTEK thermal power plants on Aug. 18, severely damaging equipment and forcing the facility to halt electricity generation, the company reported.

⚡️Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russia's Tula, Nizhny Novgorod oblasts.
Ukrainian drones targeted Russia's Tula and Nizhny Novgorod oblasts overnight on Aug. 19, monitoring channels reported.

⚡️Ukraine, Belgium working toward proposed new ‘Drone Deal.’

⚡️Investigators search deputy head of Zelensky's office, lawmaker in corruption case, source says.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is searching the premises of Iryna Mudra, a presidential deputy chief of staff, and Vadym Stolar, a member of parliament, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 19.

⚡️Biathlon union defies Olympic committee, upholds ban on Russian, Belarusian athletes.
The IBU's decision to uphold the ban sets biathlon apart from a wide range of sports that have since followed the IOC's lead by allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete once again.

⚡️ German court convicts Ukrainian man in alleged Russian sabotage plot.
The Stuttgart court sentenced the man to one year and three months in prison, but ruled that his pre-trial detention would count toward the sentence, meaning he will now be released.

PepsiCo said it would leave Russia. Last year, it paid $237 million to the state
In response to Russia's full-scale invasion, PepsiCo announced it would suspend production and sales in Russia in March 2022 — and yet, last year it still paid $237 million in income tax to the Russian state.
PepsiCo, one of the largest food and drink producers in the world, remains Russia's fourth-largest foreign business — with 60,000 workers and 19 factories still producing Pepsi Cola for Russian shelves under new names, Lyubimaya Cola and Evervess Cola.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 19, 2026 (#1) ■ Liveuamap confirms previously reported 🇺🇦 advances, erasing over a month of 🇷🇺 gains
■ Engagements remain above average, but casualties and equipment losses are below average
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: only 65 drones reported with an improved interception rate; 13 locations hit or affected by debris
■ 🇷🇺 air strikes above average; 12 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 400 strike drones launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

🤬🇰🇵 There are currently about 8,600 North Korean soldiers in Russia, operating as part of the “Sever” group — HUR.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, four brigades have been formed to cover the border. They are not actively participating in combat.
The soldiers’ average age is under 30. The contingent is deployed on a rotational basis, with a total of 23,000–25,000 personnel involved. Irrecoverable losses are estimated at up to 3,000, while sanitary losses are estimated at up to 1,500.
HUR Deputy Head Vadym Skibitskyi noted that Russia is capable of deploying between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean soldiers on its territory.

Drone explodes near Zaporizhzhia NPP: one person killed, 15 injured — IAEA
The explosion occurred on the morning of August 18. Among the injured were plant employees and contractors. Three of the injured are in serious condition.
The occupation authorities at the Zaporizhzhia NPP called the incident "the worst incident" the plant has ever faced.
According to the IAEA, the explosion affected the industrial zone of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. No significant damage to the equipment was recorded.

Russia is supplying Iran with UAV components, ammunition, and TNT via the Caspian Sea, helping restore supplies destroyed in US and Israeli airstrikes, according to NBC News, citing a document provided and verified by European officials.

🤬🇯🇵 After criticism of Putin’s visit to the Kuril Islands, Moscow threatened Tokyo with “countermeasures” over its support for Ukraine
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed a “strong protest” to the Japanese ambassador over statements by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi regarding Putin’s visit to the Kuril Islands.
The ministry claimed that “Russia’s sovereignty over the southern Kuril Islands is inviolable,” and that any attempts by Tokyo to question this are “unacceptable and illegal.”
Russia also linked Japan’s position to its support for Ukraine and adherence to the sanctions policy, threatening “adequate countermeasures.”

🤡 Russia threatens the UK with “serious consequences” for supplying drones to Ukraine
The Russian Embassy in London said that the use of these UAVs to strike targets deep inside Russia indicates London’s desire to “escalate the war.”
Russian diplomats accused the British authorities of facilitating Ukrainian strikes and said that Britain “will bear responsibility” for its continued support for Ukraine.
They also warned that the more active London’s military assistance is, “the more serious the consequences will be for it.”

A new level of drone warfare: What British jet drones change in strikes on Russia and what kind of drones they are
British Nyan jet drones and another secret type of UAV are being systematically used by Ukraine to strike targets in Russia for the first time, The Times and BBC reported.
According to the publications, these drones have been used in attacks on oil refineries in Volgograd, Yaroslavl, and near Moscow, as well as on Wildberries warehouses, for the past six months.
Their successful use against targets in Russia was also confirmed to Radio NV on August 17 by aviation expert and leading researcher at the State Aviation Museum Valerii Romanenko.
The Nyan drone has a range of up to 250 km, weighs 75 kg, and is launched from a catapult. The other drone is capable of covering up to 960 km.
Romanenko emphasized that the transition to jet propulsion marks a new stage in drone warfare. According to him, the use of British UAVs indicates a change in London's approach and expands Ukraine's capabilities for deep strikes.

Putin will be able to continue the war in Ukraine until at least next spring, or “one more season,” thanks to additional oil revenues that allow the Russian government to fill its budget. The war in Iran, which has driven up oil prices, has delayed the onset of economic difficulties in Russia, according to The Moscow Times, citing a high-ranking European intelligence source.
The price of Russian Urals oil, which had fallen to $40 per barrel or below at the beginning of the year, jumped to $82 in the second quarter, 1.5 times higher than during the same period last year.
According to the Central Bank of Russia, the Russian economy received $30 billion in additional export revenues from April to June, while oil and gas revenues to the state budget reached a more-than-one-year high of 934 billion rubles in July. [...]

❗️ Russia carried out four airstrikes on Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, injuring three people, including an 11-year-old boy — regional prosecutor’s office.
Russia used FAB-250 bombs with UMPK modules. Four apartment buildings and three cars were damaged.
A 71-year-old man, an 84-year-old woman, and an 11-year-old boy were injured. They suffered mine-explosion injuries, cuts, abrasions, and contusions.

Russians struck a minibus in Kherson with a drone: four people were killed and four others were injured, — Regional Military Administration.

💥 Russia attacked Zaporizhzhia overnight: one person killed and six wounded
On the night of August 19, Russian forces attacked Zaporizhzhia with drones. The strikes killed one person and wounded six others.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine’s parliament is expected to vote Wednesday on Maj. Gen. Khmara as defense minister and Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister.
Khmara’s expected nomination has raised questions over whether a serving military officer can legally head the Defense Ministry, which is required to be led by a civilian

NATO has reportedly drawn up a three-part battle plan for a possible Russian attack on the Baltic states, Bild reports.
The strategy includes knocking out Russian missile systems, deploying autonomous drones along NATO’s borders and striking key military and logistics targets inside Russia.

Kanye West has announced two upcoming concerts in Russia, scheduled for October 2026.
Tickets for the shows at the 70,000-seat Gazprom Arena reportedly sold out within hours, with local promoters estimating West's fee at upwards of $20 million.

Estonia is investigating possible Russian sabotage after a suspected arson attack at Milrem Robotics, a defense firm whose unmanned military systems are used in Ukraine.

A Russian jet-powered “Shahed” drone has reached western Ukraine for the first time, flying roughly 900 km (560 miles) from occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian monitors say its route was deliberately designed to evade air defenses.

Ukrainian drones hammered Russia’s Sverdlov explosives plant in Dzerzhinsk overnight, marking yet another strike on the facility this year.
Attacks were also reported in Ufa, the Tula region and near Moscow, with casualties reported in Ufa.

The US military has awarded Raytheon a $22.9 billion, seven-year contract to scale Tomahawk cruise missile production from roughly 60 to over 1,000 annually.
The order aims to replenish depleted stockpiles and expand the US defense industrial base.

Germany opened a new drone defense research center, following the discovery of an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig-Halle Airport.
The facility will test detection and neutralization technologies to safeguard critical transport hubs.

An explosion rocked a Stora Enso plant in Imatra, Finland, just kilometers from the Russian border, early Tuesday.
The incident ruptured a storage tank, spilling around 50 cubic meters of tall oil into factory grounds and nearby Lake Saimaa. @Natsku what's the Finnish media saying?

Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation has uncovered abuse by two military notification teams in Odesa region.
Recruitment staff beat civilians and in one instance ran over a fleeing man with a service vehicle during mobilization patrols.

Russians are facing fines and detention for complaining about gasoline shortages across the country.
In Volgograd and Perm, residents who recorded video petitions highlighting fuel deficits were charged with staging unauthorized protests.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has condemned an attack on Ukrainian children in Poland, saying violence against children harms Poland itself.

Ukrainian lawmaker Mariana Bezuhla has rejoined the Servant of the People parliamentary faction on Tuesday, after leaving the party in summer 2024.
Bezuhla said she returned to establish and lead a special parliamentary commission on military justice.

A 52-year-old miner, Valentyn Kapitanov, was killed in Russia’s Aug. 17 attack on a mine in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Kapitanov had moved from the Donetsk region two years earlier and found work at the mine.
His colleagues will remember him as a sincere person and a true professional.

A Polish woman has been charged after two Ukrainian children, aged 14 and 12, were abused and attacked in Bydgoszcz.

US President Donald Trump posted a map of the Strait of Hormuz on Truth Social, labeling the strategically vital maritime waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman as a "New US Territory."
Trump provided no additional explanation or context for the post. [lunatic]

Ukraine Telegram Highlights

For the second night in a row, Moscow is being attacked by drones: at least 25 drones this time, according to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The attack temporarily restricted operations at Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky airports in the Moscow region. Domodedovo and Zhukovsky later resumed operations.
Flights were also restricted at Yaroslavl airport. The exit from Yaroslavl toward Moscow was also temporarily closed but later reopened. Local authorities claimed that air defense shot down 4 drones.

Rodney Mims Cook Jr., head of the US Commission of Fine Arts, who oversees the expansion of the White House ballroom, held talks with Kremlin representatives in Russia this summer as part of a "secret diplomatic mission," the FT reports.
According to sources, Cook Jr. received a diplomatic passport and traveled to the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, where he met, among others, with senior Putin aide Anton Kobyakov.
On the opening day of the forum, Cook witnessed a Ukrainian drone strike on an oil refinery on the Neva.
"A little too close for comfort," he told the publication.
However, Cook declined to comment on his meetings with Russian officials, or whether Trump had asked him to pursue these contacts.
◾️US Secretary of State Rubio said in June that he was "not aware" of a US delegation to St. Petersburg. However, according to two sources, the US hoped that unconventional envoys like Cook Jr. could "help break the diplomatic deadlock over Russia's war in Ukraine."

"Corruption is just a symptom. The real problem runs much deeper," former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov addressed Ukrainians more than a month after the protests began. Key points from his address:
🔵On elections: Fedorov stated that despite the ongoing war, a mechanism must be found that "would allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process" and "ensure the security of the electoral process, the independence of institutions, and trust in the outcome."
🔵Crisis in governance: According to him, there is a systemic crisis in Ukraine, "which makes decisions slowly, can punish initiative and reward loyalty, and can preserve inefficient structures for years simply because everyone is used to them."
🔵On corruption: Fedorov said that "during war, corruption takes on a completely different meaning" and becomes not a financial problem, but "a question of our ability to survive and win." He added that "parliament is the heart of Ukrainian democracy, not its wallet."

The Russians attacked Ukraine with 65 UAVs and two missiles; air defense shot down 56 drones and two Banderol drone-missiles. Here is what is known about the aftermath:
Zaporizhzhia. Six people were injured in overnight drone attacks, and one was killed. A guided bomb also destroyed a private house in one of the districts.
Kharkiv region. In Balakliia, a family was injured in a drone attack: a 38-year-old father sustained shrapnel wounds to his lower limbs, while his 31-year-old wife and 9-year-old son suffered acute stress reactions.

The Russians struck a minibus with a drone in the Korabelnyi district of Kherson — four elderly people were killed, and five others were injured.
Later, in the city center, a drone also struck a vehicle: one person was killed and two were injured.
In the Kharkiv region, the enemy attacked Balakliia — three people were injured, including a child. Fires broke out in two private houses and an outbuilding. The Russians also struck a civilian enterprise in the community again. In Kharkiv's Saltivskyi district, a UAV fell near an apartment building; no casualties were reported.
In Zaporizhzhia, the Russians struck a private house in the village of Trudoolenivka with a guided bomb. A woman was injured.

An explosion rocked a Stora Enso plant in Imatra, Finland, just kilometers from the Russian border, early Tuesday.
The incident ruptured a storage tank, spilling around 50 cubic meters of tall oil into factory grounds and nearby Lake Saimaa. ** what's the Finnish media saying?

@ReleaseTheDucksOfWar
They're not saying much, just that an explosion occurred due to pressure increasing but they don't know yet why the pressure increased.

Shit, @Natsku . Hope that turns out to be a normal accident. (Annoying as normal accidents are.)

Most likely it'll just be a normal accident I reckon. I think if there was any hint of suspicious activity around there the rumours would be flying already.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-19-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to present Russia’s poor economic performance in a positive light as he is unable to conceal the damage that over four years of war and Ukrainian long-range strikes have done to the Russian economy.
2. Gasoline shortages are continuing across Russia, including in areas Putin has sought to shield from negative consequences of the war.
3. The Russian government’s attempts to alleviate gasoline shortages are having compounding effects, including in other key economic sectors.
4. Kremlin concern about social disorders resulting from fuel shortages has reportedly led to the deployment of paramilitary forces in some areas.
5. Russian authorities are restricting mass gatherings in Moscow’s Red Square, likely out of fear of protests and domestic unrest.
6. The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s appointment of Yevheniy Khmara as the Ukrainian Defense Minister on August 19.
7. Russia and Ukraine recently conducted an exchange of prisoners of war (POW).
8. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in northern Kharkiv Oblast, and Russian forces recently advanced in the Kupyansk direction.
9. Ukrainian forces struck the Ufa Oil Refining Hub, which includes three separate refineries, in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan (about 1,200 kilometers from the international border) overnight on August 18 to 19.
10. Russian forces launched 2 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 65 drones against Ukraine overnight.

Is there anything to this?

https://bsky.app/profile/chadbourn.bsky.social/post/3mtirloukpc2x

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Parliament votes through Yevhen Khmara to succeed Fedorov as defense minister.
In the final parliament vote, Khmara's nomination was confirmed by 312 lawmakers.

⚡️ Parliament reconfirms Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister.
Sybiha's reappointment was supported by 266 lawmakers, with 14 abstaining and none voting against it.

⚡️Ukraine's EU anti-corruption reforms 'are not just' to please Brussels, Belgian FM tells Kyiv.
"They are reforms designed to protect citizens, reinforce trust, and make your country more resilient," Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said.

⚡️Zelensky fires deputy chief of staff amid corruption investigation.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is searching Mudra's premises, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 19

⚡️Ukraine brings home 103 POWs in latest exchange with Russia.
As part of the exchange, Ukraine handed 103 Russian service members back to Russia, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.

⚡️ Croatia arrests Ukrainian suspected of Nord Stream sabotage, to be tried in Germany.
The man arrested was a Ukrainian identified by German authorities only as "Vladimir Z.," who the German public prosecutor's office describes as a trained diver who "participated in the necessary dives."

⚡️Russia still has 50 Kinzhal missiles after pausing production, HUR claims.
"As of July 2026, the Russian Federation has about 50 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles and about 50 North Korean ballistic missiles of the KN-23 series (+KN-24 and KN-30)," HUR said in a statement to Ukrainska Pravda.

⚡️ Suspected drone crashes on police station grounds in Turkey.
An object believed to be a drone has exploded at a Turkish police station in Trabzon, damaging cars and buildings.

⚡️Ukraine's military reportedly strikes Russian oil refinery, terminal in latest drone attack.

⚡️Putin breaks silence on Ukraine Wildberries attacks.
”Of course, there are no critical consequences from such attacks, there never have been, and there never can be," Russian leader Vladimir Putin said.

Ukraine can now forcibly evacuate children from the front line. Critics say it’s not that simple
As Russia's war rages and more and more territories become dangerous battlegrounds, the government passed a reform bill in March allowing the state to forcibly separate children from parents refusing to evacuate.

⚡️ Exclusive: Dismissed Ukrainian defense minister Fedorov mulls US visit, sources say.
Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is considering a trip to the United States, U.S. and Ukrainian officials familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent.
The potential trip comes as Fedorov has emerged as a more outspoken critic of Ukraine's wartime political system. On Aug. 18, he called for Ukraine to find a way to restore a full democratic process while the war continues, advocating for elections.
The trip could take place as soon as next week, one person said.

⚡️Ukrainian authorities seek to fire, suspend Sense Bank’s leadership amid corruption probe.
The decisions follow searches conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) at Sense Bank on Aug. 19.

⚡️ Update: New corruption probe involves Zelensky ally Mindich, ex-minister Halushchenko.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ex-Deputy Chief of Staff Iryna Mudra and other suspects are accused of laundering $3.4 million posted as bail for ex-Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Halushchenko is a suspect in the Energoatom corruption case. Timur Mindich, another suspect in the case, has allegedly influenced state-owned Sense Bank, according to tapes released by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on Aug. 19.

⚡️ Update: Zelensky's ex-deputy chief of staff charged in corruption case.
Iryna Mudra, a former presidential deputy chief of staff, was charged by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on Aug. 19, her lawyer Artem Krykun-Trush told the media outlet Suspilne.

Zelensky fires deputy chief of staff as anti-corruption bureau exposes alleged influence network
As President's Office Deputy Head, Iryna Mudra, faces a corruption probe, the Kyiv Independent found that her sister, Lesya Ulashli, holds a senior role at Ukraine's securities regulator, overseeing cryptocurrency and virtual-asset regulation.

⚡️Ukrainian volunteer who says FSB blackmailed him says he is safe, no longer in Russia.
Pressured by the FSB over his son, Purishev flew to Moscow on Aug.17, posting about it on social media.

⚡️ Ukraine praises end to Hungary's 'gold convoy' investigation, calls for more accountability.

⚡️ Fire Point confirms ballistic missile to be combat-ready in September, hikes Denmark plant investment.
The solid rocket fuel plant in Denmark is expected to start operations by late 2027.

In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Jason Blevins speaks with Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia and a scholar who closely observed Russia's transition after the collapse of the Soviet Union. McFaul revisits the 1996 presidential election, explains how Boris Yeltsin defeated the communists, and reflects on the moment he realized Russia's democratic transition was in danger.

⚡️Update: Death toll rises to 13 following Russia’s large ballistic missile and drone attack on Kyiv.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 44 cruise missiles, two Banderol missiles, and 168 Shahed-type drones during the attack.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 20, 2026
■ Major 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: improved drone interception rate and 39 missiles intercepted, but 30 locations hit or affected by debris
■ Engagements close to average, with increased casualties
■ Reported equipment losses include seven tanks and increased losses of unarmored vehicles
■ 🇷🇺 air strikes above average; 8 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 350 strike drones — including jet-powered — launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Ukraine’s parliament appointed Yevhenii Khmara as Defense Minister with 312 votes. In his address, he outlined three core priorities: strengthening the front line, supporting personnel, and expanding Ukraine's defense industry.

Exchange of prisoners of war: Coordination Headquarters provides details about the returned Ukrainian soldiers
Among those released are representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Navy, the Territorial Defense Forces, the National Guard of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service. In addition to soldiers and sergeants, several officers were also released.
They defended Ukraine in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy directions.
The youngest soldier released from captivity is 26 years old, while the oldest is 59.

Estonia is investigating possible Russian involvement in the arson attack on Milrem Robotics
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that Russian sabotage is one of the main lines of investigation, Bloomberg reports.
According to the prime minister, no one was injured in the fire. Law enforcement officers have already identified suspects and applied to the court for their arrest.

Russian intelligence tried to poison the founder of German defense company Donaustahl, which supplies drones to Ukraine.
Stefan Thumann said that after failed attempts by Russian intelligence to poison him with Novichok, his life changed dramatically, and he is now in hiding due to ongoing threats.
Thumann constantly changes his place of residence and sleeps in front of his computer. As soon as he wakes up, he starts working because, after the assassination attempts, the war in Ukraine has become his "personal war."

Greece is ready to transfer S-300 missiles to Ukraine only if it receives a full replacement — Forbes
Athens explains its position by the tense security situation in the region and the need to deter Türkiye. Greece would prefer to receive Patriot systems as replacements, but this is unlikely, the publication writes.
Other factors include deteriorating relations following the discovery of a Ukrainian naval drone on Greek territory and concerns about a negative reaction from the Kremlin.
At the same time, Moscow has already warned Athens, claiming that its permission is required for the transfer of the S-300 systems.

Ukraine struck the Taneco oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan, and NASA satellites recorded heat signatures from a fire.
Fire signatures were also recorded at the oil export terminal in the village of Volna on the Taman Peninsula.

This night, Russian forces again launched a massive attack on the south of the Odesa region. As a result, power outages are being reported in several settlements. As of this morning, 13,000 subscribers remain without electricity. Power engineers are already working to restore power, said Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration.

For several days in a row, the Verkhniy Lars border checkpoint has recorded a record flow of Russians leaving for Sakartvelo (Georgia). This may be linked to expectations of a new mobilization wave, — Radio Svoboda.
According to the Federal Customs Service, more than 20,000 passengers crossed the Russian-Georgian border in the 24 hours to August 18. The agency also reported a record number of people leaving in passenger vehicles. On August 15 and 16, more than 19,000 people passed through the checkpoint each day.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry, however, denied the Federal Customs Service's figures.
"The information presented above is untrue and serves to deliberately spread disinformation by certain interested parties. We would like to clarify that, according to data for the last 24 hours, 7,880 citizens of various countries crossed the state border of Georgia through the Lars customs point."
The Verkhniy Lars border checkpoint gained widespread media attention in late September and October 2022, after Putin announced partial mobilization for the war against Ukraine. At the time, it was the only border crossing in Russia where people could cross not only by vehicle but also on foot.
Immediately after the mobilization announcement, long queues of people seeking to leave Russia formed on the Russian side. Russians were also seen lining up at land borders with Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Finland.
The current increase in the number of people seeking to enter Georgia may also be driven by speculation that, following the State Duma elections in September, the Russian government could announce a new wave of mobilization. In that case, the authorities could restrict men of mobilization age from traveling abroad.
The Relokats project, which provides services to people seeking to emigrate, has also reported growing interest in leaving Russia. Relokats editor-in-chief Alexandra Nazarova said requests for relocation began increasing in April, when internet restrictions intensified in Russia, and had doubled by the end of summer compared with the previous year. Most applicants are Russians under 40.

Ukraine has disabled the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the frigate Admiral Makarov — The Moscow Times, citing satellite imagery.
The Ukrainian strike on Novorossiysk on August 12 seriously damaged the frigate, according to satellite imagery. OSINT observers noted that a hole is clearly visible in the ship's bow on the upper deck, to the left of the Kalibr cruise missiles. Preliminary assessments also indicate damage to the Centaur-NM1 satellite communications station and the Positive-M1.2 detection radar on the superstructure closer to the stern.
The Ukrainian channel Crimean Wind reported that the strikes hit the area of the vertical launchers. As a result, an internal detonation occurred, after which the UKSK 3S14 launch shafts burned out.
Admiral Makarov became the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet after Ukrainian forces sank the cruiser Moskva with a missile strike on April 14, 2022. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the frigate has been used to launch attacks on Ukraine.
During the same attack, Ukrainian forces also hit the frigate Admiral Essen. According to satellite imagery, the most serious damage was sustained by the bow, including the deck and the eight-cell module of the UKSK 3S14 launcher for Kalibr missiles. The Trebovanie-M combat information and control system also failed, while the antennas of the 3C-25E surveillance radar, the TK-25 electronic warfare system, and the Centaur satellite communications dome were destroyed.

Ukrainian wrestler defeats Russian and wins fourth gold medal at Greco-Roman Wrestling World Championships
In the final, Yehor Yakushenko defeated "neutral" athlete Ilya Komarov to win gold in the 97 kg weight category and become a four-time world champion.

Ukrainian freediver and multiple world record holder becomes world champion in a new discipline
Kateryna Sadurska won the gold medal at the CMAS Freediving World Championship in the Constant Weight Diving with Fins (CWT) discipline.
She has previously been a world champion in freediving (FIM) and finless diving (CNF). Sadurska has also set nine world records in constant weight diving without fins.

🤬 Russian FPV drone attacked the Kherson Art Museum
The strike caused a fire on the museum grounds. Rescuers quickly extinguished the fire despite the threat of repeated shelling. There were no casualties.
The attack occurred despite the museum displaying the “Blue Shield” emblem, which, under the Hague Convention, identifies cultural property protected from attack.

At least 10 people were injured in today’s Russian strikes on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk — Donetsk regional military administration head Vadym Filashkin.