Summary of the day: Ukrainian forces made marginal advancements southeast of Sudzha in the Kursk Oblast, while simultaneously executing operations that destroyed two bridges in Glushkovo Raion. These operations also extended into western Belgorod Oblast, where Ukrainian forces reportedly penetrated deeper during cross-border assaults, though they no longer hold positions there as of the reported date. In response to the ongoing incursions, Ukrainian officials suggested that these military pressures are prompting Russia to more actively engage in prisoner-of-war exchanges. Meanwhile, international concerns regarding the conflict’s impact on human rights prompted the UN OHCHR to request access to Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts for monitoring. Amid these developments, US officials confirmed the continuation of existing policies regarding Ukraine’s use of US-provided weapons against Russian targets. Additionally, significant shifts in Russian wartime policy and personnel were indicated by the dismissal of a key advisor to the former Defense Minister, reflecting possible strategic adjustments in information control.
Picture of the day:
A damaged statue of the founder of the Soviet Union Vladimir Lenin in the Ukrainian-controlled Russian town of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, amid Ukraine’s ongoing incursion. (Yan Dobronosov/AFP via Getty Images)
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Beyond Ukraine – The March Towards World War
Leaders from Nordic and Baltic countries warned that Hungary’s easing of entry rules for Russian and Belarusian citizens could pose a serious security risk to the EU. The concern, outlined in a joint letter to European Commissioner Ylva Johansson, highlights the potential for espionage and security threats due to streamlined visa processes that lack stringent checks. Hungary’s program allows for eventual permanent residency and citizenship, offering broad access across the EU. This change, criticized amid ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, reflects Hungary’s Kremlin-friendly stance, often seen in its resistance to EU sanctions against Russia.
Situation On The Land, Sea, and Air in Ukraine
Ukrainian forces launched missile and drone attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting a ferry crossing in Kerch and a boat in Chornomorsk, with the Russian Ministry of Defense claiming to have intercepted two naval drones near Crimea, five aerial drones over the Black Sea, and 12 ATACMS missiles aimed at the Kerch Strait Bridge. Reports emerged of minor damage to the bridge’s road surface, but the structure remained intact. Concurrently, smoke and fire were observed near Simferopol and explosions were reported across Crimea and neighboring Krasnodar Krai. The incidents led to a temporary closure of the Crimean Bridge, causing nearly 2,000 cars to be delayed for over three hours, though the bridge reopened by morning. No official statements have been made by either side regarding these incidents.
Ukrainian naval drones have hit 18 Russian Black Sea Fleet ships since early 2023. Following the destruction of a Russian aircraft involved in mining operations, Russia has significantly reduced its mining activities in the Black Sea. Additionally, Ukraine alleges that Russia is using decoys, including a model submarine, to mislead Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian attacks have previously damaged and reportedly sunk the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don.
Ukraine reported the loss of a MiG-29 fighter jet on August 16, confirmed by former Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat, who noted that fortunately there were no casualties. On the same day, Russia claimed to have destroyed a Ukrainian Su-24 bomber in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast using an Iskander-M missile, a claim that remains unverified. The region’s governor, Serhii Lysak, reported that Ukrainian forces downed two Russian missiles, leading to several fires but no casualties. The attack on airbases, intensified by the recent arrival of F-16s in Ukraine, continues as part of a broader strategy to challenge Russian air superiority, highlighted by Ukraine’s large-scale strike on four Russian airbases on August 14.
Kursk Front – Initiative Ukraine
Ukrainian forces made slight advances of 1-3 kilometers in Kursk Oblast, particularly southeast of Sudzha, amid ongoing operations, skirmishes, and repelled Ukrainian assaults along the front lines. Russian claims and geolocated imagery confirm Ukrainian military activity in the area as of mid-August. These advances led to heightened Russian openness to prisoner-of-war (POW) exchanges after Ukrainian officials reported capturing 2,000 Russian personnel, prompting the first Russian-initiated discussions on POW exchanges. Ukraine prioritizes the return of seriously wounded, long-term captives, women, and civilians detained since 2014, putting pressure on Russian political stability, particularly regarding the conscripted soldiers among the POWs.
Ukrainian strikes destroyed two bridges in Glushkovo Raion, Kursk Oblast, disrupting Russian military supply routes. Geolocated footage confirmed the damage.
Ukrainian forces briefly advanced into western Belgorod Oblast, reaching up to 10 kilometers from the border during a mechanized assault on August 11, but withdrew by today. Despite temporary control of the Kolotilovka checkpoint, heavy Russian resistance, including airstrikes and artillery, forced their retreat. Russian defenses in Belgorod were notably robust, equipped with extensive anti-tank barriers and mines. No evidence suggests Ukrainian presence in Belgorod as of mid-August.
A Censor.net editor shared a video on Facebook showing Ukraine’s recovery of Russia’s advanced Volnorez counter-drone system in the Kursk region, along with its technical documentation. Introduced at Russia’s 2023 Army Expo, the system disrupts drone control signals, making it a key defensive tool against Ukrainian drones. Despite its strategic importance, Ukrainian analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko criticizes its effectiveness, suggesting it has been overstated. Ukraine’s acquisition of the system could provide significant intelligence on Russian drone defenses.
The Freedom of Russia Legion, a unit of Russians fighting for Ukraine, urged Russian troops to surrender or defect, emphasizing a choice to live over dying “for a medal or a new mansion for Gerasimov.”
Kharkiv Front – Initiative Russia
Russian forces engaged in offensive operations north and northeast of Kharkiv City but made no confirmed territorial gains. Ukraine’s Kharkiv Group of Forces reported stable frontlines, with Russian troops evacuating wounded near Lyptsi and regrouping in Vovchansk. In Vovchansk, Russian logistics are constrained to infantry transport and experimental UAV support, indicating ongoing military activity without significant advancement.
Luhansk Front – Initiative Russia
Russian forces carried out ground attacks along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line targeting areas near Kupyansk and Kreminna, including Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Hlushkivka, and several others. Despite these efforts, there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.
Donetsk Front – Initiative Russia
Siversk
Russian forces continued offensive operations around Siversk targeting areas to the northeast, east, southeast, and south.
Chasiv Yar
Russian forces advanced southeast of Chasiv Yar and engaged in offensive operations in the area on August 16. Geolocated footage shows they crossed the Siverskyi Donets Donbas Canal north of Ozaryanivka. They also completed clearing operations in Klishchiivka, with ongoing offensives near Chasiv Yar, Hryhorivka, and Klishchiivka.
Toretsk
Russian forces advanced near Toretsk, particularly southwest of Zalizne and near the outskirts of Pivnichne. Geolocated footage confirms these movements. The Toretsk City Military Administration reported that Russian reconnaissance groups attempted to infiltrate Toretsk but were repelled by Ukrainian forces. Offensive operations by Russian forces also occurred in multiple directions around Toretsk.
Pokrovsk
Russian forces advanced east of Pokrovsk, claiming territorial gains in southeastern Hrodivka and nearby areas including Mykolaivka and Karlivka, as part of efforts to encircle Ukrainian positions. Geolocated footage confirms these movements east of Pokrovsk. Despite these claims, not all reported advances have been independently verified. The Pokrovsk Military Administration reported that Russian forces are approximately 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk. Russian forces also continued extensive offensive operations around Pokrovsk, with the Defense Minister crediting the 75th Motorized Rifle Brigade for capturing Ivanivka.
Residents of Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast are evacuating as Russian forces approach within 6 kilometers. The town, previously home to 46,000 people, now has about 20,000 residents, including 1,000 children. Authorities are organizing evacuations, particularly for children and the elderly, amid ongoing Russian attacks. Acting head of the town’s military administration, Yurii Tretiak, expressed concerns about the pace of evacuation, planning to empty the town by the end of August. Neighboring Pokrovsk is also evacuating as battles intensify in the area, with Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin announcing the evacuation of over 700 children from nearby communities. The situation near Pokrovsk remains extremely challenging as Russian forces increase their offensive.
Southwest of Donetsk City
Russian forces continued offensive operations west and southwest of Donetsk City, targeting areas near Heorhiivka, Krasnohorivka, Oleksandrivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, and Vodyane. They reportedly advanced up to 400 meters within Kostyantynivka, reaching the settlement’s center.
Zaporizhia Front – Initiative Russia
Zaporizhia-Donetsk Border Area
Russian forces conducted ground assaults near Rivnopil in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia border area.
Zaporizhia Line
Russian forces continued limited offensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast, near Mala Tokmachka northeast of Robotyne.
Kherson (Dnipro River) Front – Initiative Russia
Positional engagements persisted in east Kherson Oblast, with the majority of Russian assaults occurring north of Krynky near Ukrainian bridgeheads. Specifically, 10 of 13 Russian assaults took place near Kozachi Laheri.
Ukraine News
Russian forces launched missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, including three Iskander-M ballistic missiles and various drones from Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian forces intercepted all drones over several regions. Additionally, Russia reported missile attacks in the Kharkiv area and claimed to have destroyed two Ukrainian HIMARS launchers in Sumy Oblast.
Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan’s saber, used in the 2024 Paris Olympics, sold for Hr 10 million ($242,000) at auction, organized by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation. The funds will purchase Ukrainian-made “ShaBlia” turrets for Ukraine’s infantry. Kharlan won Ukraine’s first medal at Paris, a bronze, and contributed to Ukraine’s first gold with teammates. She is Ukraine’s most decorated Olympian with six medals and a vocal opponent of Russian aggression, notably refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent in 2023.
Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention has labeled SLB, a Texas-based oilfield services company, an “international sponsor of war” due to its continued operations in Russia. Despite sanctions, SLB is expanding its presence, filling gaps left by other Western companies after the invasion of Ukraine. The company, known for being the world’s largest offshore drilling firm, signed new contracts and posted over 1,000 job openings in Russia last year. Notably, in December 2023, SLB secured a contract with Vnigni, a Russian state-funded geological institution. Although SLB announced in July 2023 that it would stop shipping products and technology from its facilities into Russia, it continued to import $17.5 million worth of equipment from other sources into Russia between August and December 2023.
Innocent Victims Of War
The casualty count of civilians in the past 24 hours:
DEATHS: 7 INJURIES: 25
- In Donetsk Oblast, Russian shelling resulted in three deaths and five injuries. The attacks killed a 39-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman in Verkhnokamyanske, and a 37-year-old man in Mykolaivka. Additionally, three people were injured in Novohrodivka and two in Kostiantynivka.
- In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian attacks resulted in two deaths and 12 injuries. A strike on Prykolotne killed two men, aged 45 and 58, and injured six others at a warehouse. Additionally, six people, including a child, were injured in a midday attack on Zolochiv. (Russian War Crimes)
- In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks resulted in one death and five injuries, including a child. The attacks damaged critical infrastructure, transport facilities, a humanitarian aid center, and residential buildings. (Russian War Crimes)
- In Sumy Oblast, airstrikes on the Krasnopillia community on killed one person and injured three. (Russian War Crimes)
A house on fire in the Nikopol district following Russian attacks against Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Governor Serhii Lysak/Telegram)
Ukraine’s Allies
The U.S. maintains its stance on not changing its policy regarding Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied weapons for long-range strikes, even after a policy adjustment in May 2024 allowing counter-fire with such weapons. Despite Ukraine’s claim of controlling 82 Russian settlements, including Sudzha, in the ongoing conflict in Kursk Oblast, the U.S. is hesitant to permit long-range weapon use there due to limited supplies and prefers their use against Russian-occupied Crimea. U.S. Defense Department spokesperson Sabrina Singh stated that Ukraine’s actions align with U.S. policy, which supports Ukraine’s right to self-defense against Russian aggression, yet the U.S. does not endorse long-range attacks into Russian territory, leaving specific operational limits undefined. The U.S., as Ukraine’s largest military supporter, began providing long-range ATACMS in March, announced in April. Western officials remain cautious about Ukraine’s ability to maintain control over captured Russian territory and consider it premature to judge how this will affect the war’s broader outcome.
Canada, without geographical restrictions, allows the use of its donated military equipment by Ukraine, including tanks and armored vehicles, as reported by CBC News. This aligns Canada with Germany, the U.S., and the U.K., which also permit their supplied hardware to be used in Ukraine’s ongoing operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Canadian contributions include Leopard 2A4 tanks, armored vehicles, and M-777 howitzers. Recent footage showed a Canadian-made vehicle entering Russia. Western nations continue to support Ukraine’s right to use their supplied weapons in the conflict, with restrictions on specific long-range systems like the Storm Shadow missiles.
Spain allows Ukraine to use Spanish-supplied military equipment as deemed necessary, stated Defense Minister Margarita Robles during her visit to the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps. Her remarks support Ukraine’s use of these defensive tools at their discretion, even amid the ongoing conflict in Kursk Oblast, though she confirmed no specific knowledge of the equipment’s use there. Robles affirmed Spain’s and NATO’s continued support for Ukraine.
Life in Ukrainian-Occupied Russia
The UN human rights office has requested access to Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts in Russia for a monitoring mission, following previous unsuccessful attempts to gain entry to Russian and occupied Ukrainian territories.
Ukraine’s national postal service, Ukrposhta, announced plans to open a mobile branch in Sudzha, a town in Russia’s Kursk region recently captured by Ukrainian forces. The mobile unit, potentially an armored vehicle, aims to deliver parcels and provide services to military personnel and residents in the area. Ukrposhta CEO Ihor Smilyansky stated that the expansion depends on government approval, safety assurances, and funding. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the capture of Sudzha, noting its strategic location near the Ukrainian border and its role in the transit of Russian gas to Europe.
Russia News
The Kremlin reportedly dismissed Sergei Shoigu’s information policy advisor, Andrei Ilnitsky, potentially as part of a broader shift to transfer wartime information control from the Ministry of Defense to the Presidential Administration. This move aligns with actions observed since mid-June when several of Shoigu’s deputies were also removed. Russian state media corrected previous reports to note Ilnitsky’s former status, indicating his recent firing. Despite claims of resignation post-Shoigu’s dismissal, Ilnitsky is noted for possibly creating the “Z” symbol used by Russian forces and for advising on information policy since 2015. His dismissal has been criticized by some Russian milbloggers who blame him for misleading wartime coverage and oppose the centralization of media control under the Presidential Administration, arguing it increases vulnerability to external influence.
Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, reported on August 16 that Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia and occupied territories are systematically tortured, with testimonies from liberated soldiers confirming such abuses. In her meeting with Ukraine’s Dmytro Usov, Bell highlighted the severe torture methods including beatings and electric shocks, describing them as some of the worst she’s seen in her 20-year career. She also acknowledged Ukraine’s cooperation with the UN in allowing access to facilities holding Russian POWs. Earlier, Bell stated that 95% of captured Ukrainian soldiers face torture. Ukraine’s Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, noted that most released prisoners had not been visited by Red Cross representatives during their captivity. (Russian War Crimes)
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Italy’s ambassador, Cecilia Piccioni, protesting against Italian journalists from RAI who reported from Ukrainian positions in Kursk Oblast, alleging they entered Russia illegally. Ukraine’s ongoing offensive in the region has captured over 80 settlements. RAI broadcast from the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha, near the border, on August 14. In response, Russia plans to open criminal cases against the two RAI journalists involved. The Italian ambassador emphasized that RAI operates independently from the government.
Russian opposition journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza visited the White House shortly after his release from Russian prison on August 1 through a historic Istanbul-mediated prisoner exchange involving 26 individuals from seven countries. President Joe Biden celebrated Kara-Murza’s return, highlighting his unjust two-and-a-half-year imprisonment in Russia for criticizing the war in Ukraine. Kara-Murza, who holds dual Russian-British citizenship, had been sentenced to 25 years for charges including treason and spreading false information about the Russian military. While imprisoned, he won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary written from his cell.
Russian Mobilization and Defense Industrial Base
Russian milbloggers report that drone operators are reducing the use of Mavic drones due to harsh penalties from commanders. If a drone is lost, operators must either pay for its replacement, costing about 400,000 rubles ($4,475), or face reassignment to infantry units. This policy comes amid a shortage of frontline drones, prompting recommendations for operators to label and track their drones to minimize losses and avoid punishment.
Occupation leaders Vladimir Saldo and Konstantin Basyuk visited the Russian 33rd “Margelov” Volunteer Detachment in Kherson Oblast, delivering drones to the troops personally.
Russia’s Allies
Belarusian officials, including Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin and General Staff Chief Pavel Muraveiko, warned of a potential Ukrainian provocation against Belarus, asserting readiness to respond. President Alexander Lukashenko stated Belarus is equipped to counter any border threats.
Kazakhstan will adjust its approach to sanctions against Russia, ensuring its own economic interests are prioritized, according to Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin in a Bloomberg interview. Zhumangarin emphasized that Kazakhstan will not jeopardize its domestic producers and major employers by strictly adhering to sanctions that negatively impact them. The country faces logistical challenges for exports due to sanctions on its neighbors, Russia and Iran, requiring rerouting via the Caspian Sea and Georgia. Despite seeking concessions for trade with or via Iran, Kazakhstan remains committed to its economic ties with Russia, while adhering to international sanctions.
Controlling The Narrative and Russian Propaganda
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry refuted Russian allegations that Kyiv plans to attack nuclear facilities with “dirty bombs.” These claims, describing potential attacks on the Zaporizhzhia and Kursk Nuclear Power Plants, were dismissed as “insane Russian propaganda” by spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi. Ukraine maintains its status as a committed member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and denies possessing or intending to develop dirty bombs. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed no undeclared nuclear activities in Ukraine after a 2022 inspection. Amidst ongoing conflict, concerns persist about the security of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant and potential Russian defensive measures near the Kursk plant as Ukrainian forces advance.
Source Material
Institute for the Study of War – understandingwar.org
The Kyiv Independent – kyivindependent.com
Kyiv Post – kyivpost.com