Wednesday, August 23

Russia’s war against Ukraine

People watch the display of a destroyed Russian tank in Kyiv’s Khreshchatyk street on August 22, 2023, ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day. (Photo by Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images)

Military intelligence: Russia sinking ferries in attempt to protect Crimean Bridge. Russia is resorting to sinking ferries in the Kerch Strait to protect the Crimean Bridge from attacks, Ukraine’s military intelligence said on Aug. 22.

UK Defense Ministry: Some drone strikes against Russian targets likely launched from within Russia. The recent successful drone strike against a Tu-22M3 bomber in Russia’s Novgorod Oblast “adds weight to the assessment” that some drone attacks against Russian targets are launched from within Russian territory, the U.K. Defense Ministry said on Aug. 22.

Russian media: Putin fires General Surovikin. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has removed Army General Sergey Surovikin from his post of Air Force Commander, Russian media reported on Aug. 22. The general was also the deputy commander of the Russian invasion forces in Ukraine.

IAEA: Situation ‘precarious’ after multiple explosions near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Military operations near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, including multiple explosions in the past week, pose an ongoing nuclear security risk, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Aug. 22.

Reznikov: At least 6-7 months before Ukraine obtains F-16s. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Aug. 22 that it will take at least six to seven months for Ukrainian staff and infrastructure to receive F-16 fighter jets pledged by Western allies.

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Pentagon: US ready to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s if Europe lacks capacity. The U.S. is willing to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets if European partners do not have enough capacity to train as many as Kyiv wants, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said on Aug. 21.

Russia says it sent fighter jets after Ukrainian drones near Crimea. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that two Ukrainian drones flying near occupied Crimea changed course after the Russian military engaged fighter jets on Aug. 22.

Dutch defense minister appeals to war veterans in Kyiv. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren arrived in Kyiv on Aug. 22 and spoke at the VI International Veterans Forum called “Ukraine. Defenders. The Future.”

Ukraine simplifies obtaining combat veteran status. The Ukrainian government reduced the number of documents one needs to apply for combat veteran status, official government representative in parliament Taras Melnychuk reported on Aug. 22.

Law enforcement searches hundreds of military enlistment offices, medical commissions. Law enforcement agencies have simultaneously conducted hundreds of searches at enlistment offices and military medical commissions across Ukraine, revealing large-scale corruption schemes.

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Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian pilots start F-16 training in Denmark; Poll shows 90% of Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions to Russia

Just days after Denmark pledged to donate 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, eight Ukrainian pilots and 65 technical and support personnel have arrived at a military air base in Skrydstrup to begin training on the jets, the Danish Armed Forces said on Aug. 22.

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

UK Ambassador Melinda Simmons: ‘People are waking up to understanding of Russia being colonial fascist-leaning country’’

The Kyiv Independent sat down with Ambassador Simmons for an exclusive farewell interview on Aug. 17, shortly before her departure at the end of the month.

Photo:Yelyzaveta Pyrozhkova/Kyiv Independent

Opinions and Insights

Stanislav Prybytko: Starlinks, networks, and roaming – keeping Ukrainians connected in wartime

The Russian terrorist state has damaged or destroyed over 4,000 towers, blocking millions of people from the latest news, getting in touch with their loved ones, or calling an ambulance.

Photo: Nina Liashonok via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Governor: Russian attacks against Donetsk Oblast kill 5, injure 3 over past day. Russian forces shelled Donetsk Oblast’s Lyman district on Aug. 22, killing five people and injuring three, reported Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Russian attacks kill 3, injure 6. Russian forces launched attacks against nine oblasts over the past day, killing at least three civilians and injuring at least six more, local officials reported early on Aug. 22.

1 killed, 1 injured in Russian strike against Kherson Oblast settlement. Russian shelling of Komyshany settlement in Kherson Oblast on Aug. 22 killed one resident and injured another, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

General Staff: Russia has lost 258,340 troops in Ukraine. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Aug. 22 that Russia had lost 258,340 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year.

International response

German foreign minister says Ukrainian strikes on Moscow are legitimate. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock defended Ukraine’s right to strike targets on Russian soil, saying that Kyiv acts within international law, Anadolu news agency reported on Aug. 22.

US tells its citizens to leave Belarus. The U.S. Embassy in Belarus asked American citizens on Aug. 21 to depart the country immediately shortly after Lithuania closed two of its border crossings.

Zelensky: Montenegro joins G7 declaration on Ukraine’s security guarantees. Montenegro has joined the Group of Seven’s (G7) declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 22.

Hungarian president arrives in Zakarpattia Oblast. Hungarian President Katalin Novak has arrived in Ukraine’s westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast, meeting local officials and leaders of the local Hungarian ethnic community, the Hungarian news portal Telex reported on Aug. 22.

Zelensky meets Bulgarian PM at Ukraine-Balkans summit. President Volodymyr Zelensky met Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov on Aug. 21 at the Ukraine-Balkans summit, discussing grain corridor and security issues.

Zelensky meets Serbian president at Ukraine-Balkans summit. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Aug. 22 that he had met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the Ukraine-Balkans summit. In a joint statement by leaders of 11 countries, including Serbia, the summit participants supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Toma Istomina, Martin Fornusek, Oleksiy Sorokin, Elsa Court, Dinara Khalilova, Rachel Amran, and Abbey Fenbert.

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