Tuesday, August 29

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov holds up military jackets during a press conference on Aug. 28 in Kyiv. Reznikov gave a press conference against the background of corruption scandals that arose around the procurement of the ministry. (Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Defense Ministry: Ukraine liberates Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Ukrainian forces have liberated Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and are moving southeast of the village, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar confirmed on Aug. 28.

State Bureau of Investigation considering multiple versions of fatal trainer aircraft collision. The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) is considering three versions of the fatal collision of L-39 jet trainers in Zhytomyr Oblast that caused the death of three pilots, the DBR’s communications advisor Tetiana Sapian said on Aug. 28.

Reznikov: ‘Powerful players’ to arrive on Ukraine’s arms market. Ukraine has managed to significantly increase domestic weapons production and new “powerful players” will soon arrive on the country’s arms market, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Aug. 28, as reported by Ukrinform.

Deputy PM: Ukraine to announce mandatory evacuation of children from parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Ukraine will announce later on Aug. 28 the mandatory evacuation of children from two front-line districts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said on television.

Reznikov denies dishonest scheme in procurement of military clothing. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov during a press conference on Aug. 28 refuted reports that the defense ministry had procured summer jackets instead of winter ones for inflated prices, Ukrinform reported.

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SBU detains Kherson resident suspected of working for Russian special services. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reported on Aug. 28 that it had detained a local woman accused of providing Russia with locations of Ukrainian positions in Kherson.

Military intelligence: Russia has at least 585 missiles with range over 500 km. Russia’s arsenal currently includes at least 585 missiles with a range of over 500 kilometers, not counting older Kh-22 missiles, spokesperson of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) Vadym Skibitskyi told RBC-Ukraine on Aug. 28.

Russian military claims downing 2 drones over Belgorod Oblast. The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported that two Ukrainian drones were shot down on Aug. 28 over Belgorod Oblast. The incident could not be independently verified.

Russia’s FSB confirms arrest of former employee of US Consulate in Vladivostok. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Aug. 28 that it had detained a former employee of the U.S. Consulate General in Vladivostok, a Russian citizen named Robert Shonov, on espionage charges.

Expert group: 67% of foreign components in Russian drones originate in China. The Yermak-McFaul Expert Group on Russian Sanctions examined 174 foreign components from three drone models used by Russia to attack Ukraine — Shahed-136/131, Lancet, and Orlan-10 — discovering that more than 60% had come from China.

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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine liberates Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Ukrainian forces liberated Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and moved southeast of the village, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said early on Aug. 28. Maliar also said that the military is advancing towards nearby settlements of Novoprokopivka and Ocheretuvate in the Melitopol axis.

Photo: Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Ukraine bids farewell to legendary volunteer commander killed near Bakhmut

In a scene all too familiar for central Kyiv and for Ukraine as a whole, a large column of mourning soldiers and civilians walked through the capital’s streets to say goodbye to another high-profile commander killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

Photo: Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent

Constitutional Court reform: Will Ukraine implement key condition for EU membership?

After being mired in corruption and political scandals for decades, Ukraine’s critically important Constitutional Court is now facing an attempt at reform, although its success is far from guaranteed.

Photo: Future Publishing via Getty Images

Naftogaz CEO: Ukraine hits autumn gas storage target ahead of upcoming heating season

With the cold season around the corner, the race is on for Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas giant to prepare the country for another winter of discontent after a series of Russian attacks devastated the country’s energy system last winter. 

Photo: Courtesy

Human cost of war

Governor: Death toll of Russian attack against Poltava Oblast rises to 3. Rescuers have found another person’s body under the rubble of an industrial facility in Poltava Oblast, the regional governor Dmytro Lunin reported on Aug. 28. This brings the total death toll of Russia’s overnight missile strike to three.

Russian shelling injures 3 in Sumy Oblast. Three civilians were injured by Russian shelling on Aug. 28 in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast. Over the course of the day, Russian forces shelled the region 23 times, resulting in 156 recorded explosions.

Russian strike kills 1, injures 3 in Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces launched a strike against Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 28 most likely using cluster munitions, killing a woman and injuring three more residents, the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported.

Russian strikes against Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injure 4. At least four civilians were injured in Russian strikes against the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Aug. 28, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Governor: 1 killed, 1 injured in Russian attack on Kherson Oblast village. Russian troops struck the village of Sadove in Ukraine’s southern Kherson Oblast at around 10:40 a.m. local time on Aug. 28, reported Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

International response

Pope criticized for telling young Russians to uphold legacy of tsars. Pope Francis has been criticized for telling young Russian Catholics to uphold their heritage as “heirs of great Russia” and invoking the legacy of tsars Peter I and Catherine II.

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