Friday, August 25

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees living in Warsaw gathered at the Old Town to mark Ukraine’s 32nd Independence Day on Aug. 24 and at the same time to protest the 1.5-year-long Russian full-scale invasion. Many carried Ukraine’s national flags, obituary notices, and numerous participants had tears in their eyes. (Photo by Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Blinken on Ukraine’s Independence Day: ‘Russia will pay a high price for what it has done.’ U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a press statement on Ukraine’s 32nd Independence Day, Aug. 24, in which he praised Ukraine’s strength and resilience in light of 18 months of “senseless aggression” by Russia.

Zelensky: ‘We will not let go of our independence.’ Ukraine will not allow its independence to be torn apart, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a speech in Kyiv on Aug. 24, marking 32 years of Ukrainian statehood.

Military intelligence reports successful raid on occupied Crimea. Ukrainian forces landed on Russian-occupied Crimea and raised the Ukrainian flag this morning as part of an operation with the Navy, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence said on Aug. 24.

Media: Raid on Crimea part of ongoing, ‘long-term operation.’ The raid on Russian-occupied Crimea that took place in the early hours of Aug. 24 is not “the story of one day, but a long-term operation,” a source in Ukraine’s Military Intelligence told Ukrainska Pravda.

Putin confirms death of Wagner leader Prigozhin. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has confirmed the death Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was presumed dead in an Aug. 23 private jet crash, on Aug. 24. ‘He made mistakes,’ said Putin, but he “got the results he wanted both for himself and for the common cause.”

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WSJ: US officials do not believe air defense shot down Prigozhin’s plane. The plane crash which allegedly killed Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin was likely caused by a bomb onboard or “some other form of sabotage,” according to unnamed U.S. officials cited by the Wall Street Journal on Aug. 24.

Media: Satellite images show Wagner camp in Belarus being dismantled. A camp for Wagner Group fighters in Belarus’ village of Tsel near Asipovichy is being actively dismantled, as shown in satellite images from Planet Labs exclusively obtained by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Belarusian service.

Budanov: Only ‘60-70%’ of deployed Ukrainian maritime kamikaze drones destroyed by Russia. Russian forces on average only manage to destroy 60-70% of Ukrainian kamikaze drone boats before they reach their target, military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview published on Aug. 24.

NGO: Russia conducts raids at Crimean Tatars’ homes.

Russian security services conducted searches at the homes of Crimean Tatars in the Bakhchysarai district on the morning of Aug. 24, the Crimean Solidarity human rights organization reported.

Ukraine adds 2 tobacco companies to list of war sponsors. Ukraine’s National Corruption Prevention Agency added the world’s leading tobacco companies Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Philip Morris International to the list of international sponsors of war.

NABU uncovers $1.6 million embezzlement scheme involving top officials. The first deputy minister of agrarian policy and food and a former deputy economy minister were charged with power abuse in the case of embezzling Hr 62.5 million (around $1.6 million) of state funds, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported on Aug. 24.

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Ukraine war latest: Military intelligence reports raid into occupied Crimea; Putin says Prigozhin likely dead

As Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day, the country’s Military Intelligence reported that a special watercraft landed on the Crimean coast at the beach near Maiak, a village on the northwestern tip of the Russian-occupied Crimea, and engaged in combat.

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Ukrainian soldiers on Independence Day: ‘We, our families, future still in danger’

The Kyiv Independent asked Ukrainian soldiers currently on the front lines of Russia’s war what this Independence Day means to them, if they plan to celebrate, and what they think Ukraine and the world should think about on this occasion.

Photo: Asami Terajima/The Kyiv Independent

Opinions and Insights

Eugene Czolij: The 32nd anniversary of Ukraine’s renewed independence

The renewal of Ukraine’s Independence on Aug. 24, 1991, was clearly one of the most defining moments in the history of the 20th century. It allowed the Ukrainian people to finally emerge from colonialism and enter the circle of free peoples of the world.

Photo: Oleksii Samsonov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attacks kill 5, injure 29 over past day. Russian forces launched attacks against nine oblasts over the past day, killing at least five people and injuring at least 29 others, local officials reported early on Aug. 24.

Russian strike against Kherson injures 3, including child. Russian forces launched a strike against the center of Kherson on Aug. 24, injuring at least three people, including a seven-year-old girl, local officials reported.

How old is Ukraine?

International response

Pentagon: US to start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s in October. The U.S. will start training Ukrainians to fly and maintain F-16 fighter jets in October following an English-language course for pilots, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder announced on Aug. 24.

Portugal to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s. Portugal has confirmed that it will join the international efforts to train Ukrainian pilots and technicians on F-16 fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Aug. 24, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

Norwegian PM confirms F-16 pledge to Ukraine. Norway will allocate two jets immediately for Ukrainian pilots to train on, but the government has yet to work out the total number of aircraft it can send Ukraine, Støre said at a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Bayraktar manufacturer donates drone to Ukraine on Independence Day.

Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar marked the occasion of Ukraine’s 32 years of independence by donating a Bayraktar TB2 attack drone to Kyiv, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence said on Aug. 24.

Norway dedicates $140 million for Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Norway allocated $140 million (1.5 billion NOK) to ensure the import of gas and electricity to Ukraine, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy has announced.

Lithuania to provide Ukraine with $44 million defense aid package. The package includes ammunition for Carl Gustaf hand grenade launchers, rifles, maritime surveillance radar sets, 5.56 mm caliber ammunition, generators, anti-drone systems, and other equipment.

Germany delivers Patriot missiles to Ukraine in new weapons package. Germany has delivered missiles for the Patriot air defense system as part of a new package of military aid to Ukraine, the German Federal Government wrote on Aug. 24.

US sanctions officials, organizations complicit in Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children. The targets are Russian officials and members of Moscow-installed illegal administrations in occupied parts of Ukraine who reportedly took part in forcibly transferring Ukrainian children to Russia or within occupied territories.

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