Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 08-28-2024

Poland’s defense minister said the country is still using Soviet MiG-29s to protect its airspace, and transferring the jets to Ukraine would only be possible when new F-35 stealth fighters arrive.

Polish Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland likely won’t be able to transfer its remaining Soviet MiG-29 jets to Ukraine until it receives newer replacements.

As Polish news outlet Wirtualna Polska reported on Aug. 27, Kosiniak-Kamysz said MiG-29s are still being used to protect Polish airspace, and transfers to Ukraine wouldn’t be possible for the time being until the new F-35 stealth fighters it ordered in 2020 enter service.

As America decides and Ukraine’s fate hangs in the balance, Kyiv Post’s Jeremy Dirac fills you in on some of the things to know about the candidates for US president.

Kyiv Post speaks to Lieutenant Colonel Khorth – commander of the “Heavenly Punishment” battalion, part of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

We are sitting in a closed and secret control point of a battalion of Unmanned Systems, 20 km (12 miles) from the front. In front of me is a lieutenant colonel, commander of the Heavenly Punishment battalion, whose call sign is “Horse.” He directs drones for both reconnaissance and destruction of the enemy along the entire front for which the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade is responsible.

We talk to him about how drones have changed this war, what it takes to become a UAV operator, what frontline stories and enemy eliminations have become iconic for him, and how artificial intelligence will change the wars of the future.

Russian forces are now advancing towards Pokrovsk, and Kyiv has ordered the evacuation of families with children to towns and cities further west.

On a platform near the east Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, Anna Dvoryaninova waited for a train she never wanted to take, leaving her home behind as Russian forces push deeper into her native Donetsk region.

With hundreds of others, the mother-of-six hurried her children onto a train, telling an older child to carry a toddler as late-summer sunshine heated the train station.

Paris has accused the tech entrepreneur of enabling criminal activities through his Telegram messenger platform. Durov’s controversial detention has sparked debates on the limits of free speech.

Pavel Durov, a Russian-born tech entrepreneur and creator behind the VKontakte and Telegram social media platforms, was arrested in France on Aug. 24 when his private jet landed for refueling.

French authorities have accused Durov, who obtained French citizenship in 2021, of failing to take action to curb the criminal use of his Telegram messenger platform, with an arrest warrant on alleged offenses including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promotion of terrorism.

Ukraine will use F-16s for air defense, freeing up other aircraft for missile strikes on ground targets like those in Kursk, according to Russian military experts.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine’s newly acquired F-16s were used to shoot down Russian missiles during the massive strike on Aug. 26, as reported by Kyiv Post.

“We destroyed already some missiles and drones using the F-16,” Zelensky said at a Kyiv press conference on Tuesday, without providing further details.

Ukraine’s State Property Fund aims to sell off key state assets to investors as part of an open and transparent process.

The State Property Fund of Ukraine is planning several privatization auctions to sell the country’s major state factories, enterprises, and hotels.

The head of Ukraine’s institution responsible for selling key state property, Vitalii Koval, intends to use the “Prozorro.Prodazhi” auction platform, according to an interview with Ukrainian media outlet LIGA. The aim of doing so is to ensure openness and transparency in the process, as well as to expand the circle of potential investors.

According to the survey, Russians have adapted to the war in Ukraine and sanctions largely because they are not directly involved and can continue their everyday lives.

Many Russians seem to be satisfied with the current state of affairs in their country. According to a July survey by the Levada Center, only 12% of participants expressed dissatisfaction with their lives—a record low in the history of the survey.

Denis Volkov, the director of the Levada Center, explained that most Russians have adapted to the war in Ukraine and sanctions mainly because they are not directly involved and can continue their everyday lives.

Kyiv has warned Minsk not to make a tragic mistake and succumb to pressure from Moscow, demanding that the Belarusian troops be pulled back beyond the firing range of their missiles.

On the pretext that Ukraine has stationed up to 120,000 troops on the border to his country Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenka has now deployed his military in the Gomel region, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported. Kyiv has warned Minsk not to make a tragic mistake and succumb to pressure from Moscow, demanding that the Belarusian troops be pulled back beyond the firing range of their missiles.

Create the impression of a threat

Ruslan Mokrytskyi, 32-year-old servicemen, is one of Ukraine's soldier influencers keeping up spirits in times of war and has 131,600 followers on TikTok.

Standing amid ruins in east Ukraine, Ruslan Mokrytskyi held a combat knife and concentrated on cutting onions without crying. As trivial as it seems on the front line, it is still not easy.

The moustachioed 32-year-old in military fatigues instructed his comrade to get the right shot of him with his phone.

Drones produced by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) launched a large-scale attack on the Atlas oil depot in the Rostov region. The fire has engulfed the storage tanks.

In the early hours of Wednesday, August 28, drones produced by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) and Special Operations Forces (SSO) attacked the Atlas oil depot, in Russia’s southern Rostov region, according to Kyiv Post intelligence sources.

Located near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Atlas is managed by the Federal Agency for State Reserves of Russia. The facility is part of the Russian military-industrial complex and directly supports the supply of Russian occupation forces.

A town and two villages in the heart of Ukraine’s coal-mining region have likely fallen to Russian forces. Zelensky said reinforcements are being sent to help.

Russian tanks and infantry backed by powerful artillery and air strikes captured a key settlement and gained new ground in the eastern Donbas sector on Tuesday, according to field and media reports.

Ukrainian troops fighting at a 4-to-1 firepower disadvantage were widely reported to have abandoned Novohrodivka, a sizable town with a pre-war population of 14,000, after failing to halt frontal assaults by Kremlin forces in three days of urban fighting.

With reports that some airlines are now rationing fuel Moscow’s already struggling commercial airlines stagger from one crisis to another.

The Russian commercial aviation issues Telegram channel “Авиаторщина (Aviatorism)” reports that pilots from one of the low-cost airlines from the Aeroflot group, Pobeda Airlines, are complaining their management have instituted a potentially dangerous fuel procedure.

The aviators say that their aircraft are being refueled to levels that are dangerously close to, in some cases below, the minimum levels, necessary for a particular journey.

The evolving relationship between India and Ukraine offers India the potential of emerging as a mediator in the ongoing war. Yet despite the opportunities, geopolitical challenges.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Ukraine in August 2024 marked a significant moment in India-Ukraine relations. The historic meeting between Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not only a testament to strengthening bilateral ties, but also hinted at a broader diplomatic role India might play in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. India’s involvement could present a unique solution to the crisis, leveraging its neutral stance and diplomatic influence to facilitate peace negotiations.

The diplomatic relationship between India and Ukraine has been evolving since Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Initially, ties between the two countries were largely driven by economic considerations, with Ukraine becoming a key partner for India in sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and defense. Ukraine’s robust defense industry has attracted Indian interest, especially in the areas of aircraft, missiles, and military equipment. However, despite these economic ties, political engagement between India and Ukraine remained relatively low-key until recently.

IEs, which are employers for many people, are also interested in economic booking

Economic reservation is a special status for workers and businesses that perform important tasks for the country's economy during wartime. This status allows such workers to be exempt from military service so they can continue to work in their jobs and keep important industries running. Instead, employers will pay contributions to the state budget for each employee who was "booked" under the relevant mechanism.

Reservation of employees of enterprises of strategically important industries in Ukraine during the war has several important aspects and potential advantages for the state and society. This is stated by businessman Oleksiy Omelyanenko.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

The Pentagon on Tuesday warned of a “potential environmental catastrophe” in the Red Sea as it said that an oil tanker set on fire by Yemen’s rebel Houthis now appeared to be leaking crude. The Greek-flagged tanker Sounion, carrying 1mn barrels of crude, was hit last week by missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis. A large-scale oil leak would represent the first serious environmental damage as a result of the campaign waged by the Houthis against international shipping in the Red Sea since November. The Yemeni Islamist group claims to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza following Israel’s war in the enclave in response to Hamas’s deadly attack on the Jewish state on October 7. - FT

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv has developed its first ballistic missile and that’s it’s performed well in tests. In a wide-ranging press conference he said the country is leaning into becoming self sufficient in certain types of weapons, especially drones. On the upcoming peace summit, he said he’d like it to be held in a global south’ country and that he’s open to representatives of the Russian Federation attending as otherwise many countries would not attend. F-16s have already been used to bring down incoming Russian missiles and jets but that the country needs more. Zelensky said any dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently "empty and meaningless" as he does not want to end the war diplomatically. Asked several times to explain his strategy to invade the Kursk region, he said the main point “is to force Russia to end the war,” adding that he wants it to be fair for Ukraine.

With the West hesitant, like a deer caught in the headlights, only Ukraine has managed to muster up the boldness and fortitude required to lead the Free World against Russia.

“Audacity, audacity, and more audacity, and the Fatherland will be saved,” French Revolutionary George Danton said in 1792.

And audacity is what Ukraine demonstrates as it carries out a revolution in world geopolitics before the eyes of a stunned and mesmerized world. Ukraine is defying not only its deadly Russian enemy but also its cowardly Western allies.

Fighters from the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade, known as the Knights of the Winter Campaign, used man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) to bring down the aircraft.

Troops from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU)successfully shot down a Russian Su-25 (NATO: Frogfoot) fighter aircraft in the Donetsk region.

The incident took place in the area of Kramatorsk, where fighters from the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade, known as the Knights of the Winter Campaign, successfully targeted the aircraft using man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) missiles.

A new law making education compulsory for refugee families is coming into force but nobody knows exactly how many children will enrol, with estimates ranging from 20,000 to 80,000.

Children returning to school in Poland next week will find a new group of classmates -- Ukrainian children now living in the country who were not previously enrolled in the Polish education system.

A new law making education compulsory for refugee families is coming into force but nobody knows exactly how many children will enrol, with estimates ranging from 20,000 to 80,000.

In the face of Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine, Japan has emerged as a steadfast supporter of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. What are the main purposes of Tokyo’s policy?

Japan’s contribution

While Japan cannot supply Ukraine with lethal weapons for historical reasons and national legal restrictions, it has delivered essential supplies, including food, medical assistance, and other critical resources. These efforts are designed to alleviate the suffering of civilians and support the Ukrainian government in its efforts to address the humanitarian crisis.

Since 2022, Telegram, which has over 900 million active users, has emerged as a crucial platform used by pro-war bloggers to justify Moscow’s invasion and sow disinformation in Ukraine and the West.

The arrest of maverick entrepreneur Pavel Durov has drawn global attention to the importance of his messaging app Telegram for Russian troops and propagandists as Moscow's war against Ukraine grinds into its third year.

Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram, which has over 900 million active users, has emerged as a crucial platform used by pro-war bloggers to justify Moscow's invasion and sow disinformation in Ukraine and the West.

Cotton possessed into nitrocellulose is used to make gunpowder. With Russia and the West scrambling to make more ammunition, Ukraine has decided to increase cotton cultivation.

Cultivation of cotton in Ukraine is an old tradition, lost during USSR. But now, in the midst of a war, it will be revitalized in Odesa region, thanks to Russia’s full-scale invasion.

On May 14, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Bill No. 10427-1 into law, a significant move aimed at accelerating the registration of cotton varieties and promoting their cultivation in the Odesa region. This initiative is particularly strategic given that cotton cellulose is a key component in the production of gunpowder and tank shell charges, both of which are currently in short supply worldwide. The global shortage of gunpowder has driven up prices, exacerbated by Russia’s aggressive procurement of cotton cellulose from Asian countries to supply its munitions factories. By cultivating its own cotton, Ukraine can mitigate its ammunition shortage, reducing reliance on foreign sources.

President Zelensky reported that Russian forces are attempting to replicate the capture of Bakhmut in the Pokrovsk sector, despite potential losses of up to 60,000 soldiers.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday, Aug. 27, that the Russian army continues to exert pressure in the Pokrovsk sector of the Donetsk region. They are likely trying to repeat the experience of capturing Bakhmut.

He suggested that Russian forces could suffer as many as 60,000 casualties there. Yet Zelensky emphasized that it is not possible to act based on the principle of “you lose 100,000, and we lose 100,000.”

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian forces have made significant tactical advances in the Pokrovsk direction amid reports that Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from select areas southeast of Pokrovsk.
• Russia's most combat-capable troops are currently sustaining Russian advances towards Pokrovsk, and Russia's offensive operations are emblematic of the wider Russian theory of victory in Ukraine, premised on seemingly indefinite grinding tactical advances. Russia's continuous and complete prioritization of the Pokrovsk direction will likely impact Russia's overall combat capabilities in Ukraine in the aftermath of any Pokrovsk scenario, especially as the Kremlin tries to balance gains in Pokrovsk with defending against the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast was in part an effort to preempt a Russian offensive operation into Sumy or Chernihiv oblasts and noted that the incursion is an aspect of Ukraine's wider efforts to achieve a just and lasting diplomatic solution to the war based on the principles of international law and the inviolability of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
• Ukrainian forces reportedly attempted to advance into two areas of Belgorod Oblast on August 27 amid continued Ukrainian offensive operations in Kursk Oblast.
• Russian officials attempted to use International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi's visit to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) to falsely portray Ukraine as threatening a radiological incident, likely to undermine Western support for Ukraine by stoking unfounded fears about Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized India's commitment to ending the war in Ukraine to Russian President Vladimir Putin following Modi's recent visit to Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Kreminna and Russian forces recently advanced near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Donetsk City.
• The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast has reportedly heightened willingness among Russian citizens to sign military service contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).