UAF – Ukrainian Forces
RF – Russian Forces
MLRS – Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
We took a break to attend the IT Europe/One Collective Renew and Connect Conference in Schwabisch Gmund, Germany and spent a few days in Salzburg, Austria. We are back and will give an update on what happened while we were gone.
Summary of the Events
RF are inching closer to Bakhmut and are also trying to punch a hole in the UAF Donetsk line taking Pisky. The days of Russia trying to take regional capitals are gone, fierce battles are being waged for small settlements. RF are regrouping to the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions in preparation for the Ukrainian offensive to retake those regions.
Belarus
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko continues to allow Russia to bomb Ukraine from their territory. Lukashenko stated that the only way for the war to end is for Ukraine to capitulate to Russia’s demands. He also expanded the death penalty to include anyone who even is preparing an attack on Belarusian rail lines. Belarusian partisans have been blowing up rail lines to make it difficult to attack Ukraine.
Explosions at a Russian military airbase near Gomel on August 12. Belarus claims it was a test firing of an experimental rocket engine that caused the explosions. But some sources suggest that Belarusian partisans attacked the base.
Battle for the Donbas
The RF concentrated their attacks on capturing Bakhmut and Pisky these last two weeks.
Target Bakhmut – In one of the fiercest battles of the last two weeks, RF finally managed to capture Pokrovsk and then have been slowly inching closer to Bakhmut. RF also punched through the lines and have reached Soledar where house to house fighting has commenced. RF have gained control of the industrial region of the Soledar. RF also held a three-prong attack on Semyhiria gaining control over the city. This forced UAF forces to retreat from Travneve for more favorable positions, and that settlement was captured as well. RF forces continued to push back and then took Hladsove. RF have managed to capture the southern part of Zaitseve and are moving towards the center of the city. Kodema is now surrounded on three sides.
Target Siversk – RF captured Berestove.
Target Slovyansk – All attacks by RF forces on the northern lines were repulsed and UAF even was able to enter Bohorodychne putting the town back into contest. The fighting has decreased as Russia is regrouping forces from this region to the southern Zaporizhian Line.
Avdiivka/Novopavlivka/Zaporizhia Line – Fighting for control of Pisky has gone back and forth over the last two weeks. RF captured the city but were soon pushed back out. RF returned and have retaken a little more than half of the city. Russia has begun regrouping their forces to shore up their Zaporizhian line in expectation of an attack by UAF.
Battle for Kharkiv
UAF continue their slow advancement against the RF stronghold at Izyum liberating Dibrovne. RF continues their focus on taking Husarivka but with no success. Russia continues to bomb Kharkiv on nearly a daily basis.
Battle for Kherson (includes Mykolaiv)
UAF continue to liberate villages and cities within the Kherson region. But because of the cloud of silence, details are not known. Rumors are that an assault to retake Kherson may happen in early September.
UAF struck an ammunition train on its way from Crimea to Kherson destroying the track which will be easily repaired in a few days.
RF are mining the Zaporizhian Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, which they had captured in the early weeks of the war. They will use it as a threat to cause a nuclear disaster if Ukraine goes through with its assault on Kherson. Almost daily now bombs are dropping around the nuclear plant. Russia is blaming Ukraine, but most likely it is Russia preparing for the day they set off the nuclear power plant and blaming it on Ukraine.
UAF successfully attacked both bridges over the Dnipro River used to supply RF in the Kherson region on August 7. They also destroyed a RF military base in Melitopol killing over 100 Russian soldiers.
Mykolaiv has been under constant bombing over the last two weeks.
Other Regions
Lviv – Russian launched eight missiles on the evening of August 2. Seven of them were shot down, but one hit a military unit. There were no casualties, but an anti-missile system was destroyed.
Vinnytsia – Russia launched missiles at a military facility in the Vinnytsia area on August 7.
Other News
Ukraine’s first grain shipment since the Russian invasion of February 24 left the port of Odesa on August 1. They successfully reached their destination in two days. Three more ships of grain left the Odesa port on August 5. Four more ships left port on August 7.
More than 50 Ukrainian POWs from the Azov Battalion that had defended Mariupol were killed in an explosion at the Olenivka prisoner camp. Ukraine claims Russia bombed the camp after videos of horrendous torture had been leaked and the attack was to cover up the evidence. Russia claims that Ukraine bombed the camp to gain world sympathy. Russia denied the Red Cross entry into the camp which is a direct violation of international law. Satellite images show that only the one building where torture had taken place was hit, suggesting it was a precision strike to cover up evidence. No debris from US HIMARS are present ruling out an attack by Ukraine.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine seems to have emboldened two of its strongest allies. Serbia has called for the “denazification of the Balkans” and has begun moving their troops to the border of Kosovo. Just as Russia claimed their right to invade the regions of Ukraine inhabited by large populations of ethnic Russian, Serbia is now claiming its right to defend the Serbian population in northern Kosovo. China has also mobilized its fleet off the island nation of Taiwan threatening military action if US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi went ahead with her visit to Taiwan which did take place on August 3.
Huge explosions occurred at the RF Novofedorivka military base in Crimea. It is not yet known what caused the explosions, but it has created panic within the Russian population in Crimea. Several Russian planes were destroyed. Evidence is mounting that Ukraine conducted a surprise attack on RF in Crimea.
Iran has delivered a batch of military drones to Russia in exchange for their pilots being trained to fly the Russian SU-35 suggesting that Russia made a deal to provide planes to Iran.
The United States became the 23rd member of NATO to ratify the entry of Sweden and Finland into the alliance. Seven more nations are still needed to approve entry, including Turkey which had raised a challenge.
International Support
The UK announced they will provide three anti-tank warships to Ukraine and has already begun training Ukrainian crews.
The US announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine of $550 million on August 1. On August 2 the US expanded their sanction list against Russia to include several Russian elites. The U.S. announced another $1 billion in military aid on August 8 to include more HIMARS systems which are doing much harm to Russian forces. The package will also include more surface-to-air missiles to defend against Russian planes and missiles. On the same day the US World Bank announced they will loan Ukraine another $4.5 billion in financial assistance.
Japan has announced they will supply vans and drones to Ukraine.
North Macedonia announced they will give Ukraine four SU-25 jets.
The EU expanded their sanctions to include the former Ukrainian Dictator Viktor Yanukovych and his family members.
The EU and the UK suspended all purchases of Russian coal.
The UK announced on August 11 to send another three MLRS to Ukraine.