Zelensky, Trump, and Netanyahu attended Senator Lindsey Graham’s farewell ceremony. Netanyahu refused to meet Zelensky in Washington, Haaretz reports. However, a meeting between the two did take place, and a few minutes’ exchange was filmed.
On August 29, the United States Senate approved the Russia sanctions bill, which targets India and China. The vote for Lindsey Graham’s bill was 86 to 12. The bill allows President Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported from the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, essentially targeting India and China. Senator Blumenthal commented: “It was carefully designed to ensure that we do not harm our allies, but rather target China and India.”
Turning to Europe, Hungary has blocked negotiations on two points related to Ukraine’s EU accession, according to the Financial Times. Budapest has postponed the opening of the second and third clusters, related to integration into the single market, and has opposed Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the community. “Kiev should localize production of Patriot missiles in Poland,” said Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. He called the option of establishing a factory in Poland a safe choice. “There is no likelihood of a full-scale Russian attack against Poland,” the Polish Defense Minister declared. “There are no predictions of a full-scale attack or conflict in Ukraine,” he said.
Tensions with Iran also remain: “Ukraine must compensate us for the damage caused to the ship,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “Kiev must compensate for the damage resulting from the attack on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea,” Araghchi told Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sibige. He emphasized that Iran is not seeking escalation, but is making it clear that it will not tolerate any attacks against its citizens.”
According to the New York Times, “Iran has considered a retaliatory attack on a Ukrainian port.” “Tehran considered launching a ballistic missile with a small warhead to demonstrate its position, but it caused relatively limited damage.” The target could have been one of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
The Golden Leo cargo ship, which sank in Odessa Bay, contained approximately 150 tons of fuel and several tons of engine oil, which could cause a serious environmental disaster. Odessa Mayor Oleh Kiper announced the start of regular monitoring of the Black Sea to assess the potential consequences. Particular attention is being paid to possible fuel and lubricant leaks.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a meeting with representatives of Lockheed Martin, which produces a significant portion of the munitions used by Ukraine: “I met with a team from Lockheed Martin, one of the leading companies in the United States, with which we have a long-standing partnership.”
Lockheed Martin is the company that produces ATACMS missiles, HIMARS systems, F-16 fighter jets, and missiles for Patriot missile systems. Zelenskyy requested 300 Patriot missiles from the United States for the winter to protect energy infrastructure, Axios
“Today,” Zelensky continued, “we discussed the further development of our cooperation: joint production and technology exchange. Ukraine has much to share with those who help us protect human lives. We discussed our joint capabilities related to the Patriot and other systems. Our teams are already working on specific solutions to transition to joint production as quickly as possible and increase our ability to protect human lives.”
Acting Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara: “My personal goal is to end the war before my two sons, who are now 9 and 11, reach military age. That way, they can build Ukraine, not fight it.” And still on the subject of peace agreements, Zelensky stated in an interview with Fox News that “the return of Crimea is not on the agenda.” “Unfortunately, not. Or not yet, we’ll see, I don’t know,” he said.
From Russia, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, reacted harshly to reports of an alleged imminent new wave of mobilization. He called these reports false, calling them “blizzards” and a “false provocation.”
It’s worth noting that Andrei Kartapolov, Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Russian State Duma, had previously described the reports of an alleged imminent mobilization as “a threat to the security system called the post-election mobilization “inventions” and claimed there was no need for such measures.
Rumors of a possible mobilization are lies, Medvedev said. He also noted that approximately 200,000 people have signed contracts for military service with the Russian Armed Forces.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was harsh. “The situation is serious; the entire Western world has turned against Russia” in an interview with TASS Director General.
“The West has begun to promote Zelenskyy’s terrorism as a ‘turning point,’ hoping for Russia’s collapse.” “Russia must stop getting angry and hysterical and instead find ‘healthy anger’ in its foreign policy.” “The West is trying to ‘deceive’ Russia, promising one thing and doing another.”
Vladimir Putin has appointed Olga Abramova as acting head of Udmurtia. The Kremlin has published a decree to this effect. Alexander Brechalov, who had led the republic since 2017, has voluntarily resigned.
And now a look at the frontline, updated at 3:30 PM on July 29. In the Rostov region, one person was killed and one injured after being hit by rocket debris. In Ryazan, Wildberries blocked access to a warehouse after a drone strike. An oil refinery was also attacked.
Russian forces continued to target ports and merchant fleets in the Odessa and Mykolaivka regions. Objective monitoring footage and reports from Ukrainian companies about the blockade due to attacks on maritime logistics indicate the extent of the damage. Explosions were reported overnight in Kharkiv, Sumy, the Odessa region, and Mykolaivka.
In the Sumy region, in the Shostka district, Russian forces are conducting attacks on Ulanove and Mala Slobidka. In the Sumy region, fighting continues in Ryzhivka, Pisarivka, Mohrytsya, Marine, the village of Novaya Sich (the Russian Defense Ministry has declared Novaya Sich under Russian control), and the village of Khotin, south of Ivolzhans’ke. Near the latter, Ukrainian forces have attempted two counterattacks. In the Krasnopil’s’kyi district, fighting is recurring in the border village of Prokhody.
In the Belgorod region, three deaths and ten injuries have been reported from multiple drone strikes.
In the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces are redeploying separate units from the Zaporizhia region to this sector of the front, according to Russian military sources. Fighting continues in Kozakha Lopan.
No changes have been reported in the Vovchansk district. In the Velykyi Burluk sector, fighting is ongoing west of the village of Petro-Ivanivka, as well as in the village of Ustynivka.
In Kupyansk and further south, intense fighting is taking place, with numerous drones in the air.
In the direction of Kostyantynivka, the village of Krasnyi Kut, near the already Russian-held Tors’ke, has been captured. Small groups of Russian infantry are holding their positions, and fighting is ongoing; the Ukrainians are using a large number of drones to counter the Russian advance.
Unverifiable OSINT channels report fighting has begun near Dobropillya, a Ukrainian defensive stronghold.
In the Dnipropetrovsk area, Ukrainian forces have intensified the activity of small groups, attempting to penetrate the rear areas and thus distract Russian forces from offensive operations.
In the Kherson region, two civilians were injured by multiple attacks. Russian forces are conducting air and drone strikes on the enemy coast.
In Crimea, in Kechri, a drone injured four people. Drones deliver butterfly mines (similar to “petals”) from drones. These are anti-personnel mines.
Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
