Russo-Ukraine War - August 2024
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A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]
Russia sends soldiers into meat assaults, but does not take back corpses.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the submarine Rostov-on-Don, worth about $300 million, sank on the spot. It was one of the carriers of the Kalibr missiles. The Russian submarine went to the bottom of the Black Sea. Ukrainian defense forces successfully attacked the B-237 "Rostov-na-Donu" attack submarine in Sevastopol's port. As a result of the attack, the submarine sank. However, on 13 September 2023, this vessel was struck. Based on open-source imagery, the UK MoD assessed that the vessel "suffered catastrophic damage." It was assessed that a new boat was better instead of the extensive repairs that would be required to make the submarine seaworthy again.
Kiev has long been pressuring its Western backers to become more involved in the conflict with Moscow and start shooting down Russian drones and missiles over Ukrainian territory. However, its efforts have been rebuffed by foreign powers reluctant to engage in a direct military confrontation with Russia. “[Western nations] are always concerned about possible escalation. We are fighting against that. We will work on it,” Zelensky told journalists on 05 August 2024. The government in Kiev is considering “technical possibilities for neighboring nations to use military aircraft against missiles that strike Ukraine” after flying in the general direction of NATO countries, he added. Zelensky has been calling for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine since the outbreak of hostilities with Russia in February 2022. Military experts pointed out that any realistic enforcement of Kiev’s wish would require NATO members to attack Russian planes in the air and at airfields inside Russia.
F-16 aircraft are already in Ukraine. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. F-16, MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets flew over the sky during the ceremony of congratulating the warriors. “We have held hundreds of meetings and negotiations to strengthen the capabilities of our aviation, to strengthen the capabilities of our air defense, and our Defense Forces. We have often heard the word “impossible” in response, but we have made possible what was our ambition, our defense need, and now it is actually a reality, a reality in our skies. F-16s are in Ukraine. We made it happen,” the President said.
Zelensky spoke to the press after confirming that sponsors had delivered US-designed F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Media reports have suggested that the new Ukrainian capability is too small-scale to become a gamechanger on the front line. It would likely be used to intercept cruise missiles delivering long-range strikes instead, defense experts have suggested.
ChrisO_wiki reported 09 August 2024 that Russian commentators said that Russia is losing parity in the drone war with Ukraine. They blame outdated military commanders, the takeover of drone development by state contractors, and a dysfunctional military procurement system which prioritises loyalty over competence. The "Chronicle of a UAV Operator" Telegram channel has posted a commentary assessing why Ukraine has gained UAV superiority over Russia. The UAV Operator highlights the push for "monopolisation, standardisation and simplification", which he says has been counter-productive. He blames the fixation of Russian military decision-makers on old military techologies: "Those who made such decisions can be understood, because these steps are the three pillars of the old technological school, where the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the Mosin rifle and the RPG warhead live. But these same three reasons are the basis for defeat in the technological paradigm, where FPV [drones], Mavics [drones], new means of communications, new means of reconnaissance, unmanned surface vessels and foam plastic long-range aircraft live....
The UAV Operator notes that in contrast to Ukraine's rapid and diffused approach to developing and producing drones with the aid of start-ups and volunteer engineers, in Russia well-connected companies have taken over the field and driven out the volunteer enthusiasts... The people's engineering front, which spontaneously formed in the first months of the war, has now practically collapsed – this is primarily due to the lack of money and support.... Detachment of the source of funds from those who make drones and for whom they are made puts an end to the whole idea. The main money will go to professional grant recipients and that's it. It's not important what you do, it's important that the grantors like your project."
Another Russian milblogger, Roman Alekhine, agrees with the general complaint of the UAV Operator and adds that a major problem lies in the culture of Russian state administration. He says that it "is built on three pillars: snatch, dump responsibility, including through a report with 10 signatures, simplify the focus of management to one loyal individual. There is also the main rule for the pillars – loyalty is higher than professionalism.... He says that the systems "are set up in such a way as to avoid responsibility." "The official who must make a decision is not ready to make a decision, since he can be accused of favouring his own people. Because of this, they drag each project through 10 commissions, each with several signatures–- these are like witnesses that everything is honest."
The Ukrainian military attacked one of the gas towers in the waters of the Black Sea, according to the spokesman of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, Dmytro Pletenchuk. Pletenchuk stated 10 August 2024 that "this was an operation of the Naval Forces of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense." "Yes, the occupiers used this location for GPS spoofing in order to make civilian shipping unsafe. We cannot allow this. And so, half a day before the defeat, the enemy threw equipment and military personnel onto the platform. There were no civilians there. The platform did not perform its regular functions," he said.
Military Informant reported that " in the Black Sea, presumably, with the use of an unmanned boat, a non-functioning marine stationary platform MSP-17 was attacked , on which radar equipment was located. As a result of the explosion and the fire that started, the platform completely burned out."
Two Majors [dva_majors channel] on Telegram reported 11 August 2024 that "Today at about 21:00, Ukrainian Armed Forces militants attacked the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant using a kamikaze drone. According to preliminary data, the drone with which the Ukrainian Armed Forces militants attacked the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant was launched from the city of Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region, located on the right bank of the Dnieper and under the control of the Zelensky regime. The UAV operator clearly saw where he was hitting. It was a targeted and deliberate strike. This is another example of the manifestation of nuclear terrorism, in which the Zelensky regime has succeeded so much with the approving connivance and assistance of the West....
"As a result of shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a fire broke out on the shore in the area of ??the Zaporizhzhya NPP cooling towers. The Ministry of Emergency Situations is working at the site of the fire, and the fires are being eliminated. The fire did not affect the operation of the plant in any way. Zaporizhzhya NPP is operating normally. All six units, as before, are not operating and are in the "cold shutdown" state. No violations of the limits and conditions for safe operation of the NPP were recorded. The radiation background at the NPP site, in the sanitary protection zone and in the observation zone is normal."
A source at the SBU told Ukrinform: "Long-range drones of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Defense Forces (Air Force, Special Operations Forces, the Center for Unmanned Systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and other branches of the military) carried out the largest attack on Russian military airfields since the war began. It was a 'fun' night today at the Voronezh, Kursk, Savasleyka and Borisoglebsk airfields," the source said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western partners to timely deliver announced military aid packages to Ukraine. He said this in his evening address 18 August 2024. The President listened to the report of Chief Commissar Syrsky on the situation in the east of Ukraine, on the operation in the Kursk region, on the "exchange fund" and on equipping the brigades of the Defense Forces with shells and weapons. "In all directions, our guys - you are well done. But in terms of supplies from our partners, acceleration is needed. We are asking a lot. There are no holidays in war. We need solutions, we need timely logistics of the announced packages. I am especially appealing now to the United States, to Great Britain, to France," said Zelensky.
Regardless of the operation conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of the Russian Federation, the pace of further advancement of Russian occupiers in the Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions in the Donetsk region has not changed significantly. This was stated on air by military and political analyst Dmitry Snegirev on the FREEDOM TV channel 18 August 2024.
He emphasized that the Pokrovsk direction is a priority for Russian invaders. “From a military point of view, for the Russians this is, accordingly, an opportunity to block important locations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces – the T0504 highway and two others, which they use to rotate personnel, deliver ammunition and evacuate the wounded,” the analyst said.
In addition, according to Snegirev, there is another very important economic component. “The Pokrovsk district is a deposit of coking coal. This is the last area of resource deposits controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Without coking coal, Ukrainian metallurgy will have serious problems. Especially considering that the logistics of delivering imported coking coal through Ukrainian ports is very difficult,” the speaker noted.
He believes that in the Pokrovsk direction, Russian occupiers will continue to put pressure on the positions of the Defense Forces, regardless of the situation in the Kursk region. “The occupiers will not reduce pressure in this direction. There is also a political component to this. This is the Kremlin’s earlier announcement of reaching the administrative borders of the Donetsk region. They most likely want to present this to the average Russian as certain successes of the so-called “special military operation,” the analyst added.
At the moment, says Snegirev, the distance from the forward positions of the Russian occupiers to Pokrovsk is about 10 kilometers. In the Toretsk direction, according to him, fierce battles are already taking place directly near the settlement. “In addition, unfortunately, there are certain tactical successes of the Russian occupiers in the area of the settlement of New York. The phenol plant has been taken under control by the occupiers, pressure on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues. At the moment, the Defense Forces control about 20% of this village’s territory, ” the broadcast guest summarized.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are likely to surround the Russian troops near the Seim river in the Kursk region. That’s according to BILD’s analyst Julian Röpcke 20 August 2024. As the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroy all the bridges over the Seim river in the north of the Glushkovsk district, they may surround 2000-3000 Russian soldiers if moves 5 kilometres further. The Russians are ready to resist such an offensive, but the situation may get nasty for them if the Ukrainian troops attack from the East where the AFU earlier captured Apanasovka. Previously, the Ukrainians destroyed the last stationary bridge over the river, this was confirmed by the Russian authorities. According to Röpcke, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already destroyed a pontoon bridge that the Russians attempted to build as well as lots of trucks that were supposed to cross the river and provide the Russian troops that are cut off with supplies.
By 23 August 2024, Ukrainian troops continued the operation in the Kursk region and control more and more settlements there. The Russians rushed to Pokrovsk and Mirnograd and occupied part of the territory of the villages near these cities. Defense forces control 94 settlements in the Kursk region. On this part of the front, the Russians conducted maneuver defense and have created special groups of troops "Belhorod", "Kursk" and "Bryansk" for the three regions bordering Ukraine.
In the North of Kharkiv direction, the battles near Hlyboky and Lyptsi, in the area of which the Russian army has replenished troops - a week ago, it withdrew part of its forces from there to the Kursk region. The Russians also attacked further east, around Vovchansk.
To the northeast of Kupyansk, the Russians were pressing near Synkivka. To the east of the city — near Stepova Novoselevka. To the south, the Russian army attacks near Pishchany, Berestovoy, Stelmakhivka and in the area of Andriivka. On the Lymansky direction, the Russians advance to the northeast of Lyman — in the Novosergiivka area, near Makiivka and Torsky. On August 22, the Third Assault Brigade reported a counterattack, which, in particular, pushed back the Russians near Makiivka. Russia was attacking Siversk from the northeast - in the area of Belogorivka, from the east - near Verkhnokamyanskyi, and from the south - near Spirny and Vyimka.
To the east of Toretsk, the Russians advanced in the areas of the villages of Severnye and Druzhba. There are also battles a little south of the city — near Zalizny. From the south, the Russian army was advancing on Toretsk from New York. As of August 21, about 20% of this village was under the control of the Ukrainian military. The Russians were advancing on Pokrovsk and Myrnograd from Grodivka and Krasny Yar — this is a village north of Novogrodivka and Mykolaivka, where the Russian army is attacking the most on this part of the front. Parts of the territory of both villages were seized.
To the south of Mykolaivka, fighting was going on, in particular, for Komyshivka, which the Russians managed to partially occupy, and the Russian army is also attacking in the area of the highway between Karlivka and Pokrovsk. The evacuation of local residents continued from Myrnograd and Pokrovsk . To the north of the occupied Maryinka, fighting in the area of Krasnohorivka. In the east, near Georgiivka and Pobeda. To the south — near Kostyantynivka.
In the south of Donetsk region, the Russian army was advancing near Vodyanyi - this is to the northeast of Vugledar, and to the west of it - near Staromayorsky. In Zaporizhzhia - fighting in the Robotyny area.
On 26 August 2024, the Russian military conducted a massive strike with ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as kamikaze drones on Ukraine’s critical dual-use infrastructure, namely energy generation facilities used to service Kiev’s military-industrial complex. It was one of the largest-scale attacks to have taken place during the conflict. The Russian Defense Ministry said it has targeted multiple facilities across Ukraine, including electrical substations and gas pumping stations, as well as stockpiles of aircraft munitions, delivered to Kiev by its Western backers.
The goals of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine became broader with the entry of four new regions - the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. Now the Russian army must protect these subjects of the Federation, whereas previously the SVO was aimed at preventing foreign aggression against the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia and Chairman of United Russia Dmitry Medvedev said 27 August 2024 at a meeting with fellow party candidates - participants in the special operation.
Ukraine once again attacked oil depots on Russian territory on 28 August 2024. The strikes targeted an oil depot in the Kamensky District of the Rostov Region and fuel storage facilities on the territory of the Zenit plant of the Russian Federal Reserve in the Kirov Region. This is already the second strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on reserve fuel storage facilities in recent times.
Kiev should urgently reinforce the frontline in Donbass, which lacks both fortifications and supplies, former Ukrainian president Pyotr Poroshenko said 29 August 2024. “Of course, Kursk is very important. Of course, other directions are very important. But I can say that the fate of these months is being decided in Pokrovsk today,” Poroshenko said. “And everything depends on whether our military will be supplied or not.” Poroshenko criticized both Kiev and the local authorities for failing to build trenches and obstacles. Russians must be stopped “tens of kilometers from Pokrovsk,” the former head of state insisted, with the help of fortifications “which have not been built.” Poroshenko is currently the head of European Solidarity (ES), a small opposition party with 27 seats in the 450-member national legislature, the Verkhovna Rada.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has reportedly come under a “barrage of criticism” from his own soldiers, lawmakers and military analysts after Russian forces managed to make rapid advances in Donbass and push back Kiev’s troops, the Financial Times claimed on 30 August 2024. According to the UK outlet, due to Kiev’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region earlier this month, which involved the redeployment of thousands of Ukraine’s most battle-hardened troops, many of its forces fighting in the Russian Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) have ended up being stretched thin and have been struggling to hold their ground.
Frontelligence Insight, a Ukrainian analytical group cited by the FT, say the loss would be a serious blow to the Ukrainian military’s logistics. The current situation on the edge of Pokrovsk has been described as a “complete defensive failure” for the Ukrainian military, according to Alexander Kovalenko, a military analyst at the Kiev-based Information Resistance group. Zelensky himself has described the situation on the front line near Pokrovsk as “extremely difficult.” His top commander, Aleksandr Syrsky, has also admitted that Kiev’s gambit in Kursk had failed to force Russia to divert its troops from Pokrovsk, as Moscow refused to take the bait.
Pokrovsk, a logistical hub, is located at the crossroads of Ukraine's most important rail supply routes. Residents of the frontline areas call it "the road of life" without irony. It forms the backbone of the Ukrainian defense supply line from Vuhledar to the north of the Donetsk region, Colonel Markus Reisner, an Austrian army officer, military historian, and head of the research department at the Theresien Military Academy in Vienna, told DW.
According to a statement 31 August 2024 by General Syrskyi, Russia has a 1:2 or 1:3 advantage in equipment over Ukraine. The statement includes the following details:
- Tanks: The number of Russian tanks has doubled from 1,700 to 3,500 since 2022.
- Artillery systems: The number of Russian artillery systems has tripled.
- Armored personnel carriers: The number of Russian armored personnel carriers has increased from 4,500 to 8,900.
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