Pray for brothers and sisters in Ukraine

[Justin Adams]

The Russian military has begun training in the use of Iranian drones, which Russia intends to buy and use in the war against Ukraine.

This is reported by CNN with reference to a well-informed American official.

Earlier, the U.S. said that a Russian delegation visited Iran at least twice to inspect the Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones, which the Iranian side may sell to Russia.

Now, according to the interlocutor, the USA believes that training of the Russian military in the use of these drones has already begun.

"For the past few weeks, Russian officials have been training in Iran as part of the agreement on the transfer of drones from Iran to Russia," he said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on July 16, U.S. President's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that Russian representatives visited Iran twice to inspect the Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 combat drones for their possible purchase.

And on August 3, experts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggested that Iran could send a batch of attack drones to Russia.

[Justin Adams]

On the southern borders of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck on the command posts and control posts of the enemy troops.

This was reported by the South Operational Command.

"During the day, the enemy carried out 8 airstrikes by helicopters and attack aircraft along the contact line to test our positions. They proved to be strong. No casualties reported. Halitsynove was shelled with heavy 152-caliber artillery. No losses and significant destruction were detected. All the hits came outside the village. During the combat day, we carried out 6 airstrikes. Twice the work of assault aircraft was ensured against a strong point and a cell of the enemy's manpower, weapons and equipment in the Beryslav district," the statement says.

In particular, bombers twice attacked two ammunition warehouses and another equipment center in Bashtanka district.

Helicopters hit a stronghold and a concentration of manpower, weapons and equipment of the enemy army twice.

During the enemy's attempt to conduct aerial reconnaissance in Mykolayiv district, the Eleron-3 unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile unit.

According to the results of firing tasks by the Ukrainian missile and artillery units, the enemy lost 41 soldiers, 3 howitzers Msta-B, 7 units of armored and conventional vehicles. The final results are being investigated.

"In the area of Novokamiyanka, we fired at the command post of the 126^th Separate Coast Guard Brigade of the Coast Guard of the Russian Navy, and near the Chervonyi Mayak, thanks to our efforts, the 49^th enemy army was left without its command post. In Ishchenka, we destroyed a command and observation post of a battalion tactical group of the Airborne Assault Division, and an ammunition depot in the area of Barvinka," the message reads.

An enemy ship group of 10 ships is sheltering from a storm in the Black Sea near the coast of Crimea. 2 missile launchers and 2 Big Landing Ships are remaining on combat duty. 16 Calibers are ready for use.

As reported by Ukrainian News Agency, the Russian Federation lost nine planes at the airfield in Crimea. The respective satellite images have been published to prove that.

 

[Justin Adams]

The Russian presidential administration has agreed on the creation of a new structure affiliated with the Russian special services. Its main task will be to implement an information campaign aimed at discrediting the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Western Europe. This was reported by the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The Defense Intelligence noted that in order to provoke against the President, they plan to create and publish a fake website of the so-called "Zelenskyy Foundation," where an offer will be posted to foreign citizens and institutions to join his "activities."

"It is planned to create and further publish the "assortment line of the Foundation" and register it on European trading platforms. The work of the Foundation's organizational structure in Europe is planned to be developed on the principle of "network marketing." This, according to the organizers, will allow actively disseminating this information in the European media space," the statement said.

As of August 10, 2022, the main preparatory activities for the launch of this project have been completed. The Defense Intelligence said that the Foundation's website has already been created, fake screenshots such as publications by well-known media about the Foundation's creation have been prepared for distribution on social networks, a database of so-called "network leaders" and bloggers has been created for further distribution of materials, memes and comments for social networks have been prepared.

In the near future, a full-fledged "launch" of the project and the start of a wide media promotion campaign are expected. Intelligence calls on the international community not to trust Russian fakes and receive information about Ukraine exclusively from confirmed sources.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on August 10, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the Armed Forces will not leave the Russian terrorist attacks on Ukraine with no response.

On August 8, Zelenskyy said that the result of the war should be Ukraine returning all its temporarily occupied territories and punishing Russia.

Also on August 8, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed the Verkhovna Rada to impose sanctions against Russia for 10 years.

 

[Justin Adams]

The United Kingdom will supply Ukraine with additional multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and provide a significant number of rockets with a target range of up to 80 km.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this with reference to the British Embassy, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

The decision was made after the successful use by the Armed Forces of artillery provided by the UK earlier.

"This latest tranche of military support will enable the Armed Forces of Ukraine to continue to defend against Russian aggression and the indiscriminate use of long-range artillery.

Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putin’s invasion," British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace was quoted as saying.

The General Staff reports that the Ukrainian military has learned to use the launchers in the UK and this will allow them to use these systems with higher efficiency.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said that the UK will transfer two mine countermeasures vessels to Ukraine, a group of Ukrainian sailors is already undergoing appropriate training.

 

[Justin Adams]

Ukraine has requested from the United States munitions for the HIMARS systems and various types of howitzers in addition to the M777 already received. This was reported by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. Oksana Markarova in an interview with Bloomberg.

The Ukrainian side also hopes for American reconnaissance drones Switchblade, Phoenix Ghost and Puma, she said.

The supply of American weapons systems, including GPS-guided HIMARS rocket systems, 155mm artillery and ground radars to locate Russian weapons, was crucial, she said.

Markarova also noted that Ukraine needs even more long-range systems.

"Not because we need to shoot at Russian territory, but simply because we need to be able to reach everywhere in our territory,” she said.

In addition, a large number of weapons will provide Ukraine with flexibility on where to deploy forces.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in early June, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed how Ukrainian gunners "work" on the Russians using French CAESAR self-propelled artillery installations.

And last month, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shared footage of the use of American HIMARS systems, which have already become legendary, on the positions of Russians in Zaporizhzhia region.

[Justin Adams]

During the six months of war in Ukraine, Russia could lose 70,000 or 80,000 soldiers killed and wounded. Such losses will not allow the Russians to capture the Donbas until the end of this year.

This was reported by journalists of The New York Times with reference to their sources in the White House.

It is noted that every day the Russians lose 500 soldiers from injuries and deaths, and those who remain are exhausted. In many ways, as journalists write, this figure was achieved thanks to the supply of American weapons to the Armed Forces.

Journalists also refer to another source who notes that Russia in Ukraine could have lost about 20,000 soldiers, 5,000 of which are supposedly mercenaries from the Wagner Group and foreign fighters.

Citing the words of Colin Kahl, the U.S. under secretary of defense for policy, it is reported that in the east of Ukraine the situation has partially stabilized, and the Russian Federation was forced to redeploy its forces to the south of Ukraine, as the Armed Forces of Ukraine intensify the campaign to de-occupy these territories.

In addition, as the NYT notes, the Kremlin has problems with manpower and the fact that its military is poorly trained.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the losses of personnel of Russian troops for August 10 increased by 200 to 43,000 killed, and the Ukrainian military last day destroyed 14 tanks and 6 drones.

[Justin Adams]

WELLINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - New Zealand is sending 120 military personnel to Britain to help train Ukrainians in front-line combat, the government said on Monday.

The deployment will enable two infantry training teams to equip Ukrainian personnel with the core skills to be effective in combat, including weapon handling, combat first aid, operational law and other skills.

The training of about 800 Ukrainian soldiers will be conducted exclusively at one of four locations in Britain, and New Zealand defence personnel will not travel to Ukraine, the government said in a statement.

[Justin Adams]

Latvia has handed over four helicopters to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Minister of Defense of Latvia Artis Pabriks announced this on Twitter, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"The Ukrainian Air Force has just received four helicopters donated by Latvia, which will soon enter the air fleet of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," he wrote.

The Latvian official noted that Western support for Ukraine should not stop until the Ukrainian army liberates the entire territory from Russian invaders.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Latvian Saeima on August 11 adopted a statement about Russia's targeted military attacks against civilians in Ukraine, recognizing Russia's violence against civilian terrorism, and Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

[Justin Adams]

The Ukrainian military carried out sabotage on the border territory of Russia and destroyed a communications tower with the help of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

It is reported by Army FM.

"A kamikaze drone hit the Russian communications tower near the Ukrainian border. We can. We know how. We practice," the message said.

According to media reports, the blow of the Russian communications tower most likely occurred on the territory of the Belgorod region.

The radio station page also posted video of the strike on the tower, taken from another drone.

A kamikaze drone struck the lower part of the structure, damaging the support pillars. As a result, the tower began to roll to the side and eventually collapsed.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, recently the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed how using kamikaze drones they destroyed the occupiers' tank, on which the Russians were drinking beer.

Recall that in early April it became known that the United States, as part of another package of military assistance, handed over to Ukraine a batch of loitering munition (kamikaze drones).

[Justin Adams]

The Minister of Defense of Slovakia, Jaroslav Nagy, announced his readiness to hand over fleet of 11 MiG-29 fighters to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But he emphasized that the country cannot present military aircraft to Ukraine, so it will demand replacement or compensation of their cost from Western partners.

This is stated in the plot of the FreeDom project.

"This is a whole squadron, the use of these aircraft does not require retraining of personnel, nor modernization of airfield infrastructure, does not require the purchase of any weapons that we did not have before," commented Victor Kevlyuk, an expert of the Center for Defense Strategies.

The history of the transfer of aviation to Ukraine began at the beginning of the Russian invasion. Then, after Europe's intention to transfer 70 MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft to Ukraine, Putin ordered to put Russia's nuclear forces on special duty, and the process stalled. In Slovakia, after the transfer of the MiG-29, they are expecting instead F-16 fighters from the partners.

"The situation with the transfer of MiG-29s - they are equipped with a "home-foreign" system, new radars, new avionics systems. That is, these aircraft are better compared to the samples that are available in Ukraine," said military expert Serhii Zhurets.

Currently, the Armed Forces use 2 types of fighters - MiG-29 and Su-27. The modernized Slovak MiGs are much smaller than the Su-27.