Friday, August 18

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A local resident rides a bicycle past a destroyed building in the town of Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast on August 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty Images)

CNN: Ukraine possibly used cluster munitions when retaking Urozhaine. Ukrainian forces have likely used either U.S.-supplied cluster munitions or their domestically-produced alternatives while retaking the village of Urozhaine, CNN reported on Aug. 17, citing two unnamed experts.

Ukraine repels Russian counterattacks against liberated Urozhaine. Russian forces launched unsuccessful counterattacks against the recently liberated village of Urozhaine in Donetsk Oblast, Colonel Mykola Urshalovych said on Aug. 17.

National Resistance Center: Russia deports another 450 Ukrainian children. Russia has deported another 450 children from areas of Ukraine under Russian occupation, the National Resistance Center reported on Aug. 17.

SBU arrests man suspected of sending Kyiv target locations to Russia. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Aug. 17 that it had arrested “a Russian agent” who was filming a local military base in Kyiv Oblast.

Lukashenko admits Russian troops invaded Ukraine through Belarus in 2022. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko admitted that Russian forces had invaded Ukraine from the territory of Belarus in February 2022 in an interview with a pro-Kremlin presenter published on Aug. 17.

Slovakia’s top general visits Ukraine’s southern forces command. General Daniel Zmeko, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, paid a visit to the Tavria group of troops fighting in Ukraine’s south, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Aug. 17.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Official: Ukraine will not completely fulfill all EU recommendations by October. Ukraine will not completely fulfill all the seven EU recommendations presented to Kyiv to launch accession talks by October, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine on Aug. 17.

Zelensky signs decree dismissing all military enlistment office chiefs. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Aug. 17, dismissing all heads of military enlistment offices from their posts. The measure comes into force immediately.

Ukraine designates AliExpress owner as ‘international sponsor of war.’ Ukraine’s National Corruption Prevention Agency added Chinese Alibaba Group Holding Limited, the owner of the online shopping portal AliExpress, to its list of international sponsors of war on Aug. 17.

Washington Post: Russia progressing on mass production of attack drones. Leaked documents show that Russia “has made steady progress” with its plans to produce its own version of the Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone for use against Ukrainian targets, the Washington Post reported on Aug. 17.

Azov Brigade returns to fight at front. The Azov Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard is again carrying out military operations at the front, Colonel Mykola Urshalovych said during a briefing at the Military Media Center on Aug. 17.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Military reports progress south of newly liberated Urozhaine

Ukrainian forces continue their counteroffensive in three areas in the southeast and east of the country as Russian troops try to reclaim lost positions in some areas along the 1,200-kilometer-long front line.

Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

International response

Washington approves sending F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands. The United States has given the green light to Denmark and the Netherlands for sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression as soon as pilot training is completed, a U.S. official said on Aug. 17, according to Reuters.

Baltic countries join G7 declaration on Ukraine’s security guarantees. The governments of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia simultaneously joined the Group of Seven’s (G7) declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine on Aug. 17.

Czech minister: Ukraine may receive remaining Czech Soviet-made helicopter gunships. Ukraine may receive Soviet-made Mi-24/35 helicopter gunships from Czechia’s stocks as the Czech military is decommissioning them in favor of newer U.S. models, the Czech News Agency reported on Aug. 17, citing the country’s defense minister.

Swedish parliament approves $300 million in military aid for Ukraine. The Swedish parliament has approved the transfer of 3.25 billion Swedish kronor (almost $300 million) in military aid to Ukraine, including munitions, spare parts, and vehicles, the parliament announced on its website on Aug. 17.

Germany delivers 2 more IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine. The German government announced on Aug. 17 the delivery of another military aid package to Ukraine, including two IRIS-T air defense systems and around 4,500 rounds of 155 mm ammunition.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Teah Pelechaty, Dinara Khalilova, Martin Fornusek, Toma Istomina, Elsa Court, Olena Goncharova and Rachel Amran.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.