Ukraine Daily Summary - Monday, August 28

Ukraine, Russia fight over strategically important Black Sea gas platforms -- Russia ramps up offensive towards Lyman, Kupiansk with over 100,000 troops -- SBU sources confirm drone attack in Russia's Kursk region -- Georgia finally lets in 6 Ukrainians after 10 days on Russian-Georgian border -- and more

Monday, August 28

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A private house lies partially destroyed near a crater from a missile explosion on August 27, 2023 in Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine. (Photo by Danylo Antoniuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Russia confirms death of Wagner leaders Prigozhin and Utkin. Russia’s Investigative Committee officially confirmed the death of Wagner Group’s leaders Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin following a DNA test of their bodies, Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported on Aug. 27.

Three pilots who died in mid-air collision identified by name. The names of all three pilots killed in a mid-air collision over Zhytomyr Oblast were released by the Vasylkiv Tactical Aviation Brigade on Aug. 27. They were Captain Andrii Pilshchykov, also known as “Juice,” Major Viacheslav Minka, and Major Serhii Prokazin.

Eastern Grouping: Russia ramps up offensive towards Lyman, Kupiansk with over 100,000 troops. Russia has concentrated over 100,000 troops in the Kupiansk-Lyman direction of the front in Kharkiv Oblast and Luhansk Oblast, Eastern Force Grouping press officer Illia Yevlash said on Aug. 27.

Zelensky: Ukraine risks losing support from some ‘major powers’ if battlefield moves to Russian territory. Ukraine risks losing military support from some “major powers” if the battlefield in Russia’s war against Ukraine moves to Russian territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview on Aug. 27.

UK Defense Ministry: Ukraine, Russia fight over strategically important Black Sea gas platforms. Skirmishes between Ukraine and Russia’s maritime and air forces are unfolding over strategically important gas and oil platforms in the Black Sea, the U.K. Defense Ministry wrote in its intelligence update on Aug. 27.

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Russia claims 2 drones shot down over Bryansk Oblast, 1 over Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that air defense units shot down two drones flying over Bryansk Oblast on the night of Aug. 28. Shortly after, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that another Moscow-bound drone was destroyed the same night.

Ukrainska Pravda: SBU sources confirm drone attack in Russia’s Kursk region. Ukrainska Pravda reported on Aug. 27 that its source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed the agency had launched 16 drones at an airfield in Russia’s Kursk region overnight.

Zelensky proposes equating corruption with treason during wartime. In a televised interview on Aug. 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has submitted a proposal to equate corruption with treason while martial law is in effect in Ukraine.

Governor: 89 children remain in front-line settlements in Donetsk Oblast. There are 89 children still living in front-line settlements in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a television broadcast on Aug. 27, according to Suspilne News.

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Ukraine war latest: Russia ramps up offensive in Kharkiv, Luhansk oblasts

Russia has concentrated over 100,000 troops in the Kupiansk-Lyman direction of the front, Eastern Force Grouping press officer Illia Yevlash said on Aug. 27.

Photo: Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

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Human cost of war

Governors: Russian forces attack Kharkiv, Kherson oblasts, killing 2, injuring 1. Russian forces targeted Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts on Aug. 27, killing two people and injuring one, according to regional governors.

Prosecutor General’s Office: Russian forces shell Kherson, killing 1, injuring 1. The Prosecutor General’s Office reported that Russian forces shelled the city of Kherson on Aug. 27, killing a woman and injuring a man.

General Staff: Russia has lost 260,820 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported in its daily update on Aug. 27 that Russia had lost 260,820 troops in Ukraine since launching its full-scale invasion in late February last year.

International response

Georgia finally lets in 6 Ukrainians after 10 days on Russian-Georgian border. After a 10-day stay in the neutral zone on the Russia-Georgia border, Georgian officials finally let in six Ukrainian men seeking asylum, the human rights organization UnMode reported on Aug. 27.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Oleg Sukhov, Igor Kossov, Toma Istomina, Oleksiy Sorokin, Kate Tsurkan, Natalia Datskevych, Teah Pelechaty, and Abbey Fenbert.

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