Wednesday, August 2

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Russian forces strike against a medical facility in Kherson on Aug. 1, 2023. (Source: Roman Mrochko/Telegram)

Defense Ministry: Belarusian helicopters violate Polish airspace. The Polish Defense Ministry confirmed late on Aug. 1 that two Belarusian helicopters violated the country’s airspace during exercises near the border.

Soviet coat of arms removed from Kyiv’s Motherland Monument. Photographers captured the moment on Aug. 1 when the Soviet coat of arms was removed from Ukraine’s tallest statue, the Motherland Monument, making way for the installation of a trident – Ukraine’s coat of arms.

Defense Ministry: Russia concentrating attacks in Kupiansk, Lyman, Svatove directions. Fierce battles are underway on the eastern front as Russian forces attempt to stop Ukraine’s advance towards Bakhmut, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on Aug. 1.

SBU uncovers extortion scheme at Odesa military barracks. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Aug. 1 that it had caught a corrupt official, who demanded bribes from contractors for the repair of military barracks in Odesa Oblast.

Ukrainians whose home was destroyed by war can now apply for compensation online. Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov announced on Aug. 1 that Ukrainians whose homes had been destroyed by Russia’s full-scale war can now apply for compensation.

Monitoring group: Wagner using military storage facilities in Belarus. Russia’s Wagner mercenary group is using military warehouses at a disused Belarusian military camp, monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported on August 1.

Transparency International: ‘Suspicious’ companies winning contracts to reconstruct Irpin. The financing of the reconstruction of Irpin is “opaque”, according to the DOZORRO project team of Transparency International Ukraine. In April 2022, the total costs of reconstruction was estimated at $1 billion dollars.

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Military intelligence: Crimean residents conduct ‘systematic’ sabotage against Russian bases. Pro-Ukrainian residents of Crimea “systematically” attack Russian military bases with Molotov cocktails, forcing Russia to tighten its surveillance over the peninsula, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported on Aug. 1.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast military enlistment head suspected of illicit enrichment.

Law enforcement officers searched the office and properties of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast military enlistment head, suspected of illicit enrichment, the National Police reported on Aug. 1.

SBU detains alleged spy in Mykolaiv for passing information to FSB-connected blogger. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on Aug. 1 that it detained a suspected spy for providing Russian security services with information on the consequences of Russian airstrikes.

UK Defense Ministry: Russian units ‘struggling with battle fatigue’ and ammunition shortages. Intense fighting in two sectors of Ukraine’s southern front line is wearing down Russian defending forces, according to the U.K. defense ministry’s daily intelligence report on August 1.

General: Russia tries to conduct cross-border raid in Chernihiv Oblast. A Russian sabotage unit tried unsuccessfully to cross the Ukrainian border into Chernihiv Oblast, Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev said on Aug. 1.

OSINT: Civilian vessels pass Russian Black Sea blockade en route to Ukrainian ports. At least six civilian ships heading toward Ukrainian ports entered the Black Sea on July 30 despite the Russian blockade, based on naval tracking data.

MP: Military’s medical forces command did not purchase any first aid kits in 2023. The Ukrainian military’s medical forces command did not purchase any first aid kits in 2023, and those provided through international aid were not properly checked, lawmaker Solomiia Bobrovska of the opposition party Voice said on July 31.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 18 – How Putin cracks down on former allies

Human cost of war

Russian strike against medical facility in Kherson kills doctor. Russian forces launched an attack against a medical facility in Kherson, killing a doctor and injuring a nurse, head of the Kherson City Military Administration Roman Mrochko reported on Aug. 1.

Governor: 1 killed, 1 injured in Russian shelling of Kharkiv Oblast. Russian forces shelled a village in Kharkiv Oblast on Aug. 1, killing an elderly woman and injuring a man, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Update: 1 killed, 5 injured in Russian attack on Kherson hospital. Russian Aug. 1 strike on a hospital in Kherson killed one person and wounded five more, according to the updated information published by the regional governor.

12 killed, over 100 injured in Russian attacks over past day. Russian forces attacked nine oblasts over the past day, killing at least twelve people and injuring at least 104, local officials reported on Aug. 1. Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts were attacked.

General Staff: Russia has lost 246,690 troops in Ukraine. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Aug. 1 that Russia had lost 246,690 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year. This number includes 500 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: More explosions reported in occupied Crimea

A drone attack was reported near the Russian ammunition depot in occupied Sevastopol on Aug. 1. The city hosts the Russian Black Sea Fleet base and its headquarters.

Photo: Screenshot

Exclusive: New insights point to Hungary’s collaboration with Moscow on transfer of Ukrainian POWs

In early June, a bizarre and mysterious joint operation was carried out between two of Ukraine’s neighbors, one to the east and one to the west.

International response

UN condemns drone attacks on civilian facilities in Moscow. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General, commented on the July 30 drone attack against the “Moscow-City” business center in the Russian capital.

UNESCO: 274 cultural sites damaged in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on July 31 that as of July 26, at least 274 cultural sites had been damaged during the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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