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Stay on top of Russia-Ukraine war 08-10-2024 developments on the ground with KyivPost fact-based news, exclusive video footage, photos and updated war maps.
Kursk – from a symbol of glory to that of ignominy; Who is stunned?; Time for Zelensky to lead an international movement for regime change in Russia
Kursk – from a symbol of glory to that of ignominy
The Ukrainian diversionary counter-offensive targeting Russia's Kursk region continues. It’s into its fifth day and the Russian, and now also the vassal Belarusian, regimes, are in a panic. In July-August 1943 this was the site of one of the major battles of World War II which resulted in a strategic victory for the Soviet side. Historians estimate that it resulted in around 800,000 Soviet casualties and 200,000 German. For Russia, this region has, therefore, been one associated with “glory.” It appears that this is changing as the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) expose the vulnerability and inherent weakness of the present-day would-be Russian military colossus. From this week, whatever the eventual outcome of today’s much smaller-scale fighting, the Kursk region will be linked with Russian failure and disgrace and known as the nemesis of the Putin regime.
Video posted Saturday shows soldiers in the Belgorod region village of Poroz holding up Ukrainian and Georgian flags.
Video footage posted on Telegram Saturday, Aug. 10 allegedly shows Ukrainian soldiers having entered Russia’s Belgorod region.
Although the date of filming and the level of Ukrainian presence is unclear, analysts from Ukraine’s VoxCheck and Suspilne confirmed that the video was filmed in front of a community arts center in the Belgorod region village of Poroz – which is just over a mile into Russia.
Anna from Ukraine explains the historical precedence for Ukraine's fight and how that colors what we see occurring on the battlefield today.
The diplomatic spat underscores the broader geopolitical shift occurring in the region.
Sweden’s ambassador to Bamako, Kristina Kuhnel, has been ordered to leave the West African Sahel nation within 72 hours, Mali’s foreign ministry said on Friday (9 August), because of what it called a “hostile” statement by a Swedish minister.
The diplomatic spat underscores the broader geopolitical shift occurring in the region as three junta-led states – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – pivot away from traditional Western allies towards Russia.
Vladimir Putin’s supposed desire for peace is a smoke and mirrors ploy to secure Russia’s gains and a victory for barbaric aggression. The West must respond with strength, not indifference.
In the labyrinth of global geopolitics, few figures loom as menacing and deceitful as Vladimir Putin. The Russian president, with his steely gaze and calculated rhetoric, has once again made an insincere offer to end the war in Ukraine – a proposal that is as hollow as it is cynical. For anyone paying attention, this is not an olive branch but a ruse, and a desperate bid to solidify the gains of his illegal invasion and buy time for his floundering military.
Yet, disturbingly, this gambit is gaining traction in certain circles of the West, where fears of nuclear escalation and war fatigue are clouding judgment and eroding resolve. The time has come for Western leaders to see through Putin’s charade, to set aside their fears, and to provide Ukraine with the serious armaments it needs not just to defend its sovereignty but to decisively win this war.
HUR's MAGURA V5 marine drones took out a Russian KS 701 “Tunets” patrol boat near occupied Crimea.
A MAGURA V5 sea kamikaze drone destroyed a Russian KS 701 “Tunets” (Tuna) speedboat in a Friday, Aug. 9 nighttime marine strike, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) stated.
“High-speed transport landing craft of the KS 701 project were being used by the Muscovites [Russians] in occupied Crimea for patrolling the water area and logistics,” HUR’s press service said in a written statement the next day.
Serhiy Kolyada on the public ostracization at the Olympics of Rascizts and their like.
The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.
A swift Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region was the largest such cross-border raid by Kyiv’s forces in the nearly 2½-year war, exposing Russia’s vulnerabilities and dealing a painful blow to the Kremlin. The surprise foray has prompted thousands of civilians to flee the region as the Russian military struggles to repel the attack. For Ukraine, the cross-border raid offers a much-needed boost to public morale at a time when the country’s undermanned and under-gunned forces have faced relentless Russian attacks along the more than 1,000 kilometer (620-mile) front line. Military analysts say it’s still unclear what Ukraine’s operational goals are and how many troops it has committed in the Kursk raid. Michael Kofman, a military analyst with the Carnegie Endowment, said that “a fair bit depends on what Ukraine has available in reserve to throw into the operation, and how quickly Russian Federation organizes to counter.” - AP
Russia has imposed anti-terror measures in Kursk, the site of a Ukrainian military incursion, and two nearby regions as well as Bryansk and Belgorod. The announcement was made early on August 10 by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee. In a statement, it said the decision had been made by Aleksandr Bortnikov, head of the FSB intelligence service, in response to Ukraine's "unprecedented attempt to destabilize the situation in a series of regions." In the fresh announcement on August 10, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said the measures included possible eviction of residents, limits on transport, beefed-up security around sensitive sites and wire taps - RFE/RL
The Ministry of Finance plans to raise taxes for defense spending, emphasizing taxpayers’ responsibility. Entrepreneurs show little support, but analysts advise: “get rid of rose-tinted glasses.”
Less than a month ago, the Ministry of Finance’s battle to raise taxes began. On July 18, the parliament received a bill to impose new military taxes, new taxes for entrepreneurs in general, and enforce stricter control during tax inspections.
The goal: to find an extra Hr.500 billion ($12.5 billion) for defense this year. Higher taxes will make up Hr.140 billion ($3.5 billion) of this amount.
So far, 8 of 14 bodies have been identified, killed in Russia’s attack Friday.
The bodies of two child victims of Russia’s Friday, Aug. 9, attack on Kostiantynivka, in the Donetsk region have been identified, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) stated.
The PGO did not release the names of the victims but said there were two girls – ages 9 and 11. Examinations are ongoing to identify six more of the 14 bodies so far found, one of whom was another child, the PGO stated on Telegram, Saturday morning.
Update on the battles in Russia's Kursk region where the Armed forces of Ukraine have mounted a counter-offensive and the international responses.
Moscow on Saturday launched a “counter-terror operation” in three border regions adjoining Ukraine to halt Kyiv’s biggest cross-border offensive in the two-and-a-half-year conflict.
Ukrainian units stormed across the border into Russia’s western Kursk region on Tuesday morning in a shock attack and have advanced several kilometers, according to independent analysts.
The SBU turned a resident of Kyiv who had been recruited by Russia to carry out arson attacks in the capital to trap Moscow’s military spy.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported the detention of a senior agent of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU) through the use of their own double agent.
A Russian operator had been in the process of creating an intelligence cell in Kyiv, the primary task of which was to set fire to vehicles belonging to Ukraine’s Defense Forces to cause social and political destabilization.
The aid will reportedly be drawn from American stockpiles and include air defense interceptors, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, multi-mission radars, and anti-tank weapons.
The United States on Friday announced $125 million in new military aid for Kyiv, as Ukrainian forces push ahead with a surprise offensive inside Russian territory.
The aid package underscores “our unwavering commitment to (Ukraine) as they continue to battle back against Russian aggression,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists.
A video release shows the moment a Ukrainian missile strike destroyed a column of Russian military vehicles overnight Aug. 8/9.
A video taken from the screen of a Ukrainian drone shows four missiles striking a column of more than a dozen Russian military vehicles parked at the side of the road near the village of Oktyabrskoye in the Rylsky district of the Kursk region.
The drone was being operated by the Khorne Group, part of Ukraine’s 116th Separate Mechanized Brigade. The footage, overdubbed with heavy metal music, was posted on social media.
As UAVs become more and more susceptible to electronic warfare, the German company HIGHCAT will test their new relatively jam-proof reconnaissance drones in Ukraine this month.
The German company HIGHCAT will test their HCX reconnaissance drones in August to assess their operational suitability and resistance to Russian electronic warfare (EW) interference.
A recent report in Forbes highlighted the development of the fiber-optic controlled HCX drone which the manufacturers claim will be immune to jamming, detection and other EW attack because the cable provides a closed two-way communication channel so there are no radio emissions.
From a psychological perspective, Russia may be suffering from collective paranoid schizophrenia. If so, then it needs to be defeated for any healing catharsis.
As Russia’s barbarism toward Ukrainians has deepened over the last two and half years, there has been much discussion of its root causes. There are many schools of thought, ranging from the neo-imperialist interpretation to the realpolitik interpretation. The discussion also spans consideration of whether there are “good Russians” and “bad Russians,” as we saw after the release to the West of Russian so-called liberals this past week.
In this context, it is useful to also consider a psychological interpretation. As individuals can become mentally ill, it follows that nations, which are ultimately collectives of individuals, can too. In that respect, Russia can be considered very sick.
A unique mix of Soviet and US-provided equipment seen in the latest Ukrainian troop movements into the Kursk region indicated the potential involvement of the country’s 80th Air Assault Brigade.
The 80th Air Assault Brigade, one of Ukraine’s better-equipped and fastest-moving units, is believed to be participating in the country’s ongoing incursion into Russia’s Kursk region that started on Tuesday.
As Forbes reported, a video circulating on social media on Thursday showed a T-64BV or T-80BV tank, a UR-77 mine-clearing vehicle, an IMR-2 engineering vehicle, plus Soviet-made BTR-80 and US-made Stryker armored personnel carriers – most cladded in anti-drone cages – rolling past a Ukrainian mortar crew.
Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.
Key Takeaways from the ISW:
Four years on, nearly 1,400 remain in jail and thousands have fled the country. At least six political prisoners have died in detention since 2021, according to the UK foreign office statement.
The United States, Britain and Canada unveiled sweeping sanctions against Belarus on Friday to mark the fourth anniversary of a contested presidential election that returned strongman President Alexander Lukashenko to power.
Moscow-ally Lukashenko crushed mass pro-democracy protests after an election on August 9, 2020, in which the government was widely condemned for allegedly falsifying results.
