UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-08-07
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.
I apologise for the length of todays draft. There has been so much news over the past 24 hours. I actually had to stop reporting at noon local time. Anything that develops for the rest of the day will be in tomorrows draft, lets hope today proves to be less eventful.
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 06 stated that day 895 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was about to begin.
During the past day, 107 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 2 missile strikes, 53 air strikes, 557 drone strikes and more than 3,400 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.
ISW comments on alleged Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast, Russia
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US based think tank, in its Aug 06 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment stated that Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted a series of cross border raids into Kursk Oblast on August 6. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed on August 6 that Russian border troops and FSB personnel repelled several raids by Ukrainian forces equipped with roughly a battalion's worth of tanks and armored vehicles against Russian positions near Nikolayevo-Darino and Oleshnya, Kursk Oblast (northwest of Sumy City and along the Russia-Ukraine international border)
Geolocated footage published on August 6 shows damaged and abandoned armored vehicles roughly seven kilometers north of the international border west of Lyubimovka, Kursk Oblast; Russian sources claimed that the footage shows Ukrainian vehicles, but ISW cannot confirm whether these armored vehicles are Russian, Ukrainian, or both.
Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked from two directions: from the Sudzha checkpoint (on the border northeast of Sumy City along the H-07/R-200 highways) in the direction of Sudzha and Oleshnya; and from Novehke, Sumy Oblast (northeast of the Sudzha checkpoint and Sumy City) towards Nikolayevo-Darino, Kursk Oblast.
The Russian MoD claimed that Russian reserve forces also responded to the supposed Ukrainian raids, and a Russian insider source claimed that elements of the Chechen "Akhmat" Spetsnaz also responded to the raids, but ISW cannot verify these claims.
The Russian MoD claimed that Russian forces destroyed 16 Ukrainian armored vehicles during the supposed raids and that Russian forces conducted retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian positions in Sumy Oblast.
Russian milbloggers posted footage claiming to show the aftermath of the supposed Ukrainian raids, although most of the damage shown in the footage appears to be the result of routine Ukrainian shelling and does not indicate that there was ground activity in the area.
Acting Kursk Oblast Governor Alexei Smirnov and several Russian milbloggers warned that fighting is ongoing in the border areas of Kursk Oblast's Sudzhansky and Korenevsky raions, contrary to the Russian MoD's and FSB's reporting.
Russian milbloggers largely dismissed the supposed Ukrainian raids into Kursk Oblast, and Ukrainian officials have largely yet to comment on the raids. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian military personnel and members of the all-Russian pro-Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) were involved in the raids, but ISW has not observed confirmation of these claims.
Ukrainian outlet New Voice of Ukraine reported that a source within Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) stated that RDK forces were "definitely not involved" in the raids but declined to comment further on the supposed raids.
Representatives of the all-Russian pro-Ukrainian Freedom of Russia Legion (LSR) also declined to comment on the raids.
Russian milbloggers largely dismissed the supposed raids as "unsuccessful" and a "media stunt." Several Russian milbloggers warned that there could be additional raids in the coming days and that Ukrainian forces may be trying to divert Russian manpower and material from ongoing Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast.
15 Chechen soldiers reportedly wounded in Kursk Oblast
At least 15 soldiers from the Akhmat unit of the Russian National Guard were injured in the Korenevsky district in Kursk Oblast, Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU reported on Aug. 6. New Voice reported.
Akhmat is staffed with Chechen fighters under personal command of Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov.
The report stated that the Akhmat troops "scattered" during the initial clashes as Ukrainian forces rushed across the border from Sumy Oblast.
The message pointed out a significant distrust of local authorities among residents. “Locals openly told district heads, 'You are not telling us the truth,” the report claimed.
Additionally, the news of the Ukrainian raid caused panic in some settlements near the border, with residents spooked by unverified claims of “Ukrainian tanks roaming the streets.”
According to Russian sources, people in Korenevsky district began evacuating on their own.
Earlier on Aug. 6, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that fighting in Kursk Oblast, with reinforcement allegedly deployed to repel a Ukrainian military incursion.
Kyiv is yet to officially comment on the alleged operation in sovereign Russian territory.
Ukrainian forces reportedly destroy Russian helicopter near Kursk Oblast
As they launched a cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian forces destroyed an enemy ballistic missile, two UAVs, and a helicopter in the skies near the border, Sumy regional authorities reported via Telegram on Aug. 6. New Voice reported.
“Today, August 6, a ballistic missile, two UAVs, and one helicopter were destroyed in the skies over the Sumy region by defense and security units,” the statement said.
Russian media and military bloggers previously reported the destruction of a Ka-52 helicopter in Russia's Kursk Oblast. According to these reports, the pilot died in the crash.
“Unfortunately, there are losses in both personnel and equipment and aviation,” Russian Telegram channels reported.
Air Force Daily Report
On the night of August 7, 2024, the Russian occupiers attacked with "Shahed" type UAVs from Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Yeisk - Russian Federation.
Radio engineering forces of the Air Force detected and escorted 30 attack drones.
As a result of anti-aircraft combat, all enemy UAVs were shot down in Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions.
The forces and means of mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, anti-aircraft missile units and EW of the Air Force were used.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kharkiv axis: There were 8 Russian attacks, supported by aviation over the last day near Lyptsi, Vovchansk and Tykhe. 3 attacks are ongoing.
Kupyansk axis: The enemy carried out 2 attacks against Ukrainian positions near Synkivka and Kolisnykivka, 1 battle is continuing
Lyman axis: Russia attacked 17 times unsuccessfully in the direction of settlements of Makiivka, Nevske, Terny, Torske and the Serebryanskyy Forest. 15 were repelled, 2 are ongoing.
Siversk axis: Russian forces carried out 16 unsuccessful assaults in the vicinity of Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske, Ivano-Darivka and Pereizne.
Kramatorsk axis: Russian forces carried out 7 offensive actions near Chasiv Yar and Ivanivske 2 attacks continue.
Toretsk axis: There have been 14 Russian attacks over that last day with air support, 1 battle is still ongoing. All the efforts of the enemy were directed to the areas of Pivinchne, Toretsk, 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 31 attacks against Ukrainian defences in this area over the last day in the vicinity of Oleksandropil, Kalynove, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvizhenka, Ivanivka, Zhelanne, Yasnobrodivka and Karlivka 6 attacks are ongoing.
Kurakhove axis: Russian forces unsuccessfully tried to advance 7 times in the area of settlements Krasnohorivka, and Kostiantinivka.
Vremivka axis: In this sector the situation is under control, Russian forces made 1 attempt to attack Ukrainian positions near Vodiane
Orikhiv axis: The situation in this sector has not changed significantly.
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 2 unsuccessful attempts to force Ukrainian units from their positions on the left bank of the Dnieper.
HUR makes raid into occupied Kherson
Noel Reports, citing Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on Twitter that last night, a raid was carried out on the Tendrivska Spit in occupied Kherson region. Equipment, personnel, and fortifications were reportedly destroyed.
Yesterday morning, Russian sources claimed a landing failed with 3 out of 12 boats destroyed.
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TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Ammunition Depots Are on Fire at Military Air Base in Temporarily Occupied Crimea
On Tuesday, August 6, it became known of a severe fire with subsequent detonation of ammunition at the Oktiabrske military air base in temporarily occupied Crimea. It is located near the settlements of Zvizdne and Lenins'ke. The airfield is not operational for its intended purpose, but is used as an ammunition storage area. Defense Express reports.
The Crimean Wind telegram channel reported that the ammunition depots were simply blown up. The rest of the details have not yet been revealed.
"Our followers report that ammunition depots are detonating underground now," the statement reads.
It is noted that residents of Lenins'ke and Zvizdne settlements are forced to hide in basements. The fire and explosions caused shells to scatter, hitting residential buildings sometimes. Residents of Shyroke and Krasnoznam'yanka settlements are also at risk.
The monitoring group Crimean Wind has found out the exact location of the ammunition depots. They are located 2 km southeast of the village of Zvizdne. It is known that russian military personnel are located in the settlement on the territory of an abandoned farm. The depots are located underground. russians used to store aircraft missiles there during the Soviet Union era.
"Russian emergency services make announcement in the villages around Zvizdne that the second detonation is possible and that shelters should not be left. Our followers report that fields are burning in the neighborhood, but no one is going to extinguish them," Crimean Wind reported.
THE HOME FRONT
Nothing to report.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Putin calls clashes in Russia's Kursk region 'large-scale provocation'
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the actions of the Ukrainian military in the Kursk region were a "large-scale provocation" at a meeting with government members on Aug. 7. The Kyiv Indepentent reports
Moscow claimed that Ukrainian forces crossed the border into the Kursk region on Aug. 6, resulting in clashes on Russian soil. Kyiv has not commented on the fighting in the area.
Kursk region lies on the border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, which has been experiencing daily Russian attacks since the liberation of its parts in April 2022. These attacks were not preceded by any Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory.
Putin claimed that Ukrainian soldiers are carrying out attacks on civilian facilities in the Kursk region, adding he is planning to meet with the heads of Russian security agencies. According to Russian officials, five people were killed and at least 20 injured as a result of clashes in the area.
These claims cannot be independently verified.
Earlier in the day, a source in intelligence services told the Kyiv Independent that a Ukrainian first-person-view (FPV) drone hit a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter over Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6.
According to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState, one Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter and at least two tanks were destroyed in the battle amid reports of a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast.
Ukrainian FPV drone strikes Russian Mi-28 helicopter in 'historic' feat
A Ukrainian first-person-view (FPV) drone hit a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter over Russia's Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, a source in intelligence services told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 7. The Kyiv Independent reports.
The drone operated by the Special Operations Center "A" of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) managed to hit the helicopter's tail rotor, the source said, calling it "a unique special operation in military history."
Footage of the FPV drone ramming into the helicopter began circulating social media on Aug. 6. A day later, the full video was published by Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko.
While the source said that the helicopter was shot down, it is not immediately clear from the video what happened to the aircraft after the attack.
Russian military blogger Alexei Zemtsov, who runs the channel Voevoda Veshchaet, wrote on the evening of Aug. 6 that a Russian helicopter was hit and was forced to land. Zemtsov claimed that the crew survived and the aircraft was sent to repairs, but he did not specify its model.
Ukrainian soldier who has been in Russian captivity for two years dies as a result of torture
Another brutal murder of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russia has been confirmed. Oleksandr Ishchenko, a soldier of the Azov Brigade died in Russian captivity due to “multiple rib fractures and shock”, according to a forensic report published by the Azov deputy commander, Sviatoslav Palamar, with the permission of the murdered prisoners wife on Aug. 7. Militarnyi reports.
“Everyone should know about this case, from the United States to China. The killings of Ukrainian prisoners of war should be the number one topic in the world media and on the agenda of international organizations. Only publicity, pressure on the Russians, and the return of our prisoners home can stop these killings,” Palamar concluded.
Ishchenko, 55, a driver of the 12th Special Operations Brigade “Azov,” died in a pre-trial detention center in Rostov-on-Don on July 31. His death was only reported a few weeks later.
Ukraine was not officially informed about Ishchenko’s death and its cause.
As of the beginning of July Russian invaders have reportedly executed over 110 Ukrainian soldiers after they surrendered.
The International Criminal Court is working with Ukrainian investigators to investigate the torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The torture of Ukrainian POWs in Russian detention centers is becoming systemic and shows that it is an integral part of Russia’s policy.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
Ukraine Had A Chance To Blow Up Russia’s Best Warplanes On The Tarmac. The White House Said No
For months, Ukrainian officials have been begging their foreign allies for permission to use the best donated weaponry—in particular, powerful ballistic missiles—to hit Russian warplanes that have been parking out in the open at airfields inside Russia within quick flying time of Ukrainian cities. David Axe of Forbes reported on Aug. 05.
For months, those allies have demurred, citing the risk of escalation as Russia’s wider war on Ukraine grinds into its 29th month.
Clearly growing impatient, Ukrainian forces have stepped up their attacks on the most vulnerable Russian airfields—strictly deploying Ukrainian-made munitions. On Saturday, Ukrainian drones targeted Morozovsk air base in southern Russia 200 miles from the front line in eastern Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian intelligence directorate, the drone raid destroyed a Russian air force Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber, damaged two additional Su-34s and burned down an ammunition warehouse.
The directorate published satellite imagery of the base depicting what it described as “extensive areas of scorched earth” resulting from the ammo cooking off in the aftermath of the attack.
This isn’t the first attack on Morozovsk, but it is one of the most destructive. It’s a bittersweet victory for the Ukrainians, however. Similar raids are getting harder to pull off as the Russians redeploy their warplanes to less vulnerable bases.
It’s obvious what the Ukrainian intelligence directorate is trying to achieve. By targeting Morozovsk and other airfields near the Russia-Ukraine border, the directorate hopes to destroy the key enablers of Russia’s glide-bombing campaign: the warplanes that carry the bombs as well as the bombs themselves.
Since dropping its first crude glide bombs on Ukraine last year, the Russian air force has really embraced the satellite-guided munitions. Thanks to their pop-out wings, the hastily-built “KAB” glide bombs possess just enough range—25 miles or more, depending on the model—to allow Su-34 fighter-bombers to hit Ukrainian troops and civilians from beyond the range of the best Ukrainian air defenses.
Every day, the Russians drop as many as 100 KABs, some weighing more than three tons. “Unfortunately, in urban environments, their large and frequent use is highly effective,” Ukrainian analysis group Frontelligence Insight reported.
“Even though they are often imprecise, the sheer payload is enough to demolish or severely damage buildings, even if the KAB doesn’t hit the target directly,” Frontelligence Insight continued. “When buildings collapse, underground basements trap people inside, making rescue operations impossible, especially when the Russians conduct double and triple-tap attacks.”
As urban demolition weapons, the KABs have been a deciding factor in practically every recent Russian victory all along the 700-mile front line. “In the past, like in the battle for Bakhmut [last year], it sometimes took days for Russian artillery to damage buildings enough to force defenders to retreat,” Frontelligence Insight explained. “Now, entire buildings can collapse in seconds, rendering them useless for defensive purposes.”
It’s a top priority of the government in Kyiv to blunt the glide-bombing campaign by destroying the bombers, the bombs—or both.
There was a rare opportunity to deliver a major blow against the KAB infrastructure earlier this summer, when the Russian air force’s 47th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment parked dozens of Su-34s—out of roughly 100 in service—in open at Voronezh Malshevo air base in southern Russia 100 miles from the border with Ukraine.
Voronezh Malshevo is a reasonably well-defended base, so the Ukrainians pleaded for permission to fire their best American-made Army Tactical Missile System rockets at the base. The ATACMs are almost impossible to intercept.
But the administration of U.S. Pres. Joe Biden said no. “Our policy has not changed,” Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, told reporters last month. As before, Ukraine would only be allowed to fire ATACMS at targets in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
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Grumpy Here - If the goal of the US government is for Ukraine to win this war against Russia, they have to get their priorities strait. Political decisions made must support the overall strategic aim that Russia is soundly defeated in Ukraine in order to discourage other expansionist dictatorships from becoming emboldened and plunging the world into World War II
MILITARY & TECH
Nothing to report
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