UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-08-02
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 60 sources daily, much of which forms the basis of the script. While the Podcast is on hiatus I will make this Draft available here both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
On a side note I would like to announce that our fearless Ukrainian leader Yulia has launched a new show on YouTube’s The Gaze Media channel “The News Brief” It will soon become your favourite Ukraine related news with a little bit of Yulia’s trademark humour thrown in You can watch the first episode here.
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 22:00 on Aug 01 stated that day 890 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was about to begin.
During the past day, 98 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 2 missile strikes, 59 air strikes, 623 drone strikes and 3,412 artillery strikes across the positions of Ukrainian forces.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continue to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.
Situation remains challenging in eastern Ukraine, fighting continues on all fronts
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi made a working trip to brigades fighting on the Kharkiv and Toretsk fronts and discussed ways to enhance defense stability with their unit commanders. Euromaidan Press reports.
According to the commander of the Ukrainian Army, Russian forces continue to focus their efforts on the Pokrovsk front, deploying their most experienced assault units. The invaders are attempting to break through the defense lines towards Zhelanne, Novogrodivka, and Pokrovsk.
Syrskyi revealed that intense fighting continues on the Kupiansk fronts near Pishchane, Stelmakhivka, and Makiivka, but the Defense Forces are holding their positions.
The situation is challenging on the Siversk front. The Russian army is actively using artillery and conducting assaults but has not succeeded in its operations.
Fierce battles are also ongoing near the canal approaches to Chasiv Yar without any change in the positions of either side.
General Syrshyi also noted that Russian forces continue to conduct assaults against the positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces near New York, Pivdenne, and Zalizne settlements.
Fighting is also taking place on the Kharkiv front near Hlyboke and Vovchansk. The attempts to breach Ukrainian defense lines have been unsuccessful, and occupying forces are suffering significant losses.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after the Russians failed to capture Kharkiv, their main target shifted towards eastern Ukraine, with the Pokrovsk front becoming their priority today.
Air Force Daily Report
Over the past and current day, 11 UAVs of various types were shot down by air defense in the southern and eastern directions.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kharkiv axis: There were Russian attacks near Tykhe and Vovchansk over the day 2 were repulsed and 1 is ongoing.
Kupyansk axis: The enemy carried out 6 unsuccessful attacks near Pishchane, Stelmakhivka and Andriivka.
Lyman axis: Russia attacked 4 times in the direction of settlements of Makiivka and Torske.
Siversk axis: Russian forces carried out 2 unsuccessful assaults in the vicinity of Verkhnokamianske, Spirne, Vyimka and Ivano-Darivka.
Kramatorsk axis: Russian forces carried out 5 unsuccessful offensive actions near Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske and Andriivka.
Toretsk axis: There have been 16 Russian attacks over that last day with air support, 4 battles are still ongoing. All the efforts of the enemy were directed to the areas of Pivinchne, Toretsk, Zalizne and Nui-York.
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Pokrovsk axis: The greatest activity over the past day was in this sector. The enemy conducted 43 attacks against Ukrainian defences in this area over the last day in the vicinity of Novooleksandrivka, Prohes and Zhelanne. 6 battles are ongoing, the rest were defeated.
Kurakhove axis: Russian forces tried to advance 4 times in the areas of settlements Krasnohorivka, Paraskoviivka and Kostiantinivka.
Vremivka axis: The Russians conducted 1 unsuccessful offensive action near Vodiane
Orikhiv axis: The situation in this sector has not changed significantly. Two enemy attacks were repulsed over the last day. In the vicinity of Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka.
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Prydniprovsk axis: In this sector, over the last day Russian forces made 1 attempt to force Ukrainian units from their positions on the left bank of the Dnieper, all were unsuccessful.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Explosions reported across occupied Qirim
Residents reported hearing multiple explosions across occupied Qirim overnight on Aug. 2, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing Telegram channel Crimean Wind.
Residents in Sevastopol, Simferopol, and Yevpatoria heard explosions around 1:30 a.m. local time, according to local media reports.
According to Crimean Wind, local residents reported an alleged strike on a shipyard used to repair ships for Russia's Black Sea Fleet off the bay of Sevastopol, but the reports are still being clarified.
As usual Russian propaganda outlets claimed all missiles were shot down.
Crimean Wind later reported that four S-400 air defense launchers were destroyed during the overnight missile attack.
Defense Express suggested that last nights strike showed yet again that the S-400 system is incapable of defending itself
THE HOME FRONT
Roof collapses in 200-year-old Krasytsky Palace in Rivne region.
A part of the roof of the Krasicki Palace in Volodymyrka collapsed due to a loose beam. The architectural monument of local importance is in a state of disrepair, and its restoration is complicated by bureaucratic procedures. UNN reports.
On the night of August 2, the roof of the 200-year-old Krasytsky Palace in Volodymyrka, Rivne region, collapsed, as a floor beam snapped. The building is an architectural monument of local significance. This was reported to Suspilne by Oksana Samkovska, head of the Department of Economics and Investments of the Volodymyrets Village Council, UNN reports.
According to her, the headmaster of the school, which owns the architectural monument, informed her about the collapse of the ceiling.
"Due to the negative impact of weather conditions, the wooden load-bearing structures have been constantly deteriorating for more than 10 years. Since this is an architectural monument, every move must be justified by design and estimate documentation with the appropriate permits. Unfortunately, we can't even dismantle anything without the appropriate permits. We plan to fence off the dangerous area, of course," Samkovska said.
In the spring, a restoration project was developed for the Krasicki Palace, including sketches of the facades and interior spaces, and the estimated cost of the work was calculated. The project was part of the national architectural hackathon 100 Ideas for Cities. According to Oksana Samkovska, it was a competition of architects' ideas.
"Let me remind you that the essence of the Hackathon was not to develop and implement design estimates for the restoration of the palace. The architects chose the buildings for their visualisation at will. We provided all available graphic and descriptive information about the palace building. This project is not about immediate restoration, but about long-lost opportunities," she added.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Ukraine protests against death of Azov brigade member in Russian captivity
Ukraine's human rights commissioner demanded an explanation on Wednesday from Russian authorities over the death in captivity of a member of the Azov brigade who took part in the three-month defence of the port of Mariupol in 2022. Reuters reports.
Dmytro Lubinets urged Russia to uphold the Geneva Convention on war practices after the death of Oleksandr Ishchenko, one of 22 Ukrainian prisoners put on trial in connection with their association with the regiment.
Azov is banned as a terrorist organisation in Russia.
Human rights and the return home of prisoners of war remain in focus in the 29-month-old war, particularly for Ukraine after many allegations of atrocities by Russian occupation troops.
Marianna Homeriky, spokesperson for the Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders, "We have the same information as in open sources, which indicates that the defender Oleksandr Ishchenko died due to serious health problems that were exacerbated by the terrible conditions of Russian captivity, namely torture, insufficient quantity and quality of food, and lack of proper medical care."
The Azov regiment, founded by nationalist fighters but now incorporated into Ukraine's military, is revered throughout Ukraine, particularly for defending the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol from a Russian onslaught until the city was taken in May 2022.
Russian lawmaker arrested over alleged murder plot
A Russian lawmaker has been stripped of his immunity from prosecution and arrested over his alleged involvement in a contract killing case, Russian media reported on Aug. 2. The Kyiv Independent reports.
According to Kommersant, Senator Dmitry Savelyev, a member of the Federation Council from the Tula Oblast, attempted last year to arrange the murder of his business partner who reportedly embezzled money from a company they ran together.
The person Savelyev hired to carry out the contract killing contacted Russian law enforcement agencies and alerted them of the alleged plot.
According to Russian news outlet RBC, Russia's prosecutor general asked the Federation Council to consider lifting Savelyev's immunity from prosecution.
The issue was raised during a meeting of the Federation Council, the parliament's upper house, on Aug. 2 at which Savelyev was present.
Lawmakers voted to lift his immunity and he was arrested as he left the meeting.
Savelyev has called the accusations "fabricated."
NEWS WORLDWIDE
Russia-West prisoner exchange: Kremlin admits Krasikov is an FSB agent
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has admitted that Vadim Krasikov, who was released by Germany as part of a major prisoner swap, is working for the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service). Russia had previously denied this fact. Ukrainska Pravda reports.
"Krasikov is an employee of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. He served in Alpha Group. It's interesting that when he served in Alpha Group, he served together with several members of the president's (Russian President Vladimir Putin's – ed.) security team. Obviously, they greeted each other yesterday when they saw each other."
Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany in late 2021 for shooting a Georgian of Chechen origin in Berlin in August 2019. The court found that Krasikov committed the murder on behalf of Russian state authorities.
Krasikov was released on 1 August as part of a history-making prisoner exchange between Russia and Belarus, as well as the United States, Germany and three other NATO countries.
Turkiye ratifies free trade zone agreement with Ukraine
Turkiye ratified the agreement on a free trade zone with Ukraine on Aug. 2, more than two years after the agreement was originally signed. The Kyiv Independent reports.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the agreement on a free trade zone between Ukraine and Turkey in Kyiv on Feb. 3, 2022, just weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
The idea for the free trade zone agreement first emerged in 1998, but talks did not officially begin until 2007. Negotiations stalled for years due to disagreements over grains and metal.
Once ratified by both countries, the agreement will "open up new opportunities for duty-free or partially duty-free trade," Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in May.
The deal will also "simplify logistics, which is an important condition for Ukrainian businesses during the war," Svyrydenko said.
Turkish exports to Ukraine already increased from $198 million in 2017 to $1.5 billion in 2022, while Ukrainian exports to Turkey increased from $776 million to $2.59 billion in the same period, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).
Once the agreement is implemented, Ukraine will abolish import duties for 56% of industrial goods and 11.5% of agricultural goods. Turkey will abolish import duties for 93.4% of industrial goods and 7.6% of agricultural goods.
MILITARY & TECH
Ukrainian Dzhura armoured vehicle to be handed over to military for operation
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has codified and authorised the use of the Dzhura light armoured vehicle for various tactical tasks. The press service of the Ministry of Defence reported.
It is noted that the Dzhura has a Toyota Land Cruiser 70 chassis, on which a specially designed armour capsule was installed, which provides a level of ballistic protection for personnel from small arms fire. The design of the armour capsule allows for the installation of a machine gun on the tourelle.
The Ministry of Defence said that the light armoured vehicle is compact and has a relatively low weight, which facilitates its cross-road ability. Ukrainian engineers have also strengthened the vehicle's suspension. The armoured vehicle has a range of more than 650 kilometres.
It was also stated that, depending on the purpose, the armoured vehicle could be manufactured in different configurations of the armoured cab and luggage compartment: vehicles for reconnaissance and patrolling, for logistics, evacuation of the wounded, etc.
Ukraine launches second Turkish-built corvette in Istanbul
Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Rustam Umerov has announced the launch of the second Ukrainian corvette, Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky (F-212), in Türkiye. The vessel, constructed for Ukraine, was launched at the RMK Marine shipyard in Istanbul. Euromaidan Press reports.
In 2014, Ukraine lost the majority of its naval fleet following Russia’s occupation of Crimea. Despite being left with virtually no Navy, Ukraine has since managed to effectively suppress the Russian Black Sea fleet through its innovative naval drone program. The construction of this new corvette signals Ukraine’s determination to restore its status as a seafaring nation.
“Ukraine has already broken the dominance of the Russian fleet at sea, destroying dozens of ships. We are actively expanding the capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy in the Black and Azov Seas,” Umerov said
According to the minister, the first corvette began sea trials on 29 May. Due to Russian aggression, both the Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky and Hetman Ivan Mazepa corvettes were built in Türkiye.
Umerov reports that these vessels are “equipped with the most modern weapons” and will significantly enhance Ukraine’s naval fleet, bolstering the country’s defence capabilities.
The launching ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Commander of the Naval Forces Oleksiy Neizhpapa, Baykar company owner Haluk Bayraktar, Chairman of the Mejlis Mustafa Dzhemilev, and Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska.
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