Trump claimed Biden is to blame for the reduction in US weapons stockpiles: “He gave everything to Ukraine.” “We’re fine with the munitions. We have to manage them, but we have no problems. The reason there are fewer of them—and we’re producing them at a frenetic rate—is that he (Biden) gave Ukraine $300 billion in weapons. He gave them everything. They never say it. They never want to say it,” the White House chief lamented.
Turkey intends to supply Ukraine with a significant amount of American-made weapons, including MLRS multiple rocket launchers and ATACMS ballistic missiles, currently being decommissioned by the Turkish military. Ankara’s plans were announced on August 9 in a message to Congress from the U.S. State Department. The planned sale of long-range missiles to Kiev signals Ankara’s willingness to lift previous restrictions on military supplies to Ukraine. The transfer of American weapons from Turkish warehouses to Kiev is expected to be carried out by the private Turkish companies MKE, ASFAT, and ARCA Savunma San. Tic., the private Bulgarian company VTIC International Ltd., and the private American companies Pansophico and Patriot Defense Group. The Turkish decision was made despite Ukrainian attacks on Turkish merchant ships in the Black Sea and calls from Turkish politicians and businessmen to reconsider relations with Kiev.
Interesting statements by British Ambassador to Ukraine, Neil Crompton: “Russian troops are advancing more slowly than a snail and are suffering enormous losses in eastern Ukraine. In April and May, the Russian Federation lost around 35,000 soldiers per month, and in July, 42,700 killed and seriously wounded,” said British Ambassador to Ukraine Neil Crompton in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
“Britain is counting on a visit by the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to Kyiv.” “Britain would like Ukraine to join NATO,” Crompton continued in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. “I believe NATO is an important partner for Ukraine. The issue of Ukraine’s possible NATO membership has a long history. Britain’s position is that we would like Ukraine to join, but within NATO as a bloc, there is no consensus on this point,” he stated. He added: “Ukraine is the ‘Silicon Valley’ of the Western defense industry. The Ukrainian defense industry has become an example for the West,” the British ambassador stated. “The war in Iran, in a sense, has highlighted that Ukraine is the ‘Silicon Valley’ of the Western defense industry and that people want to adopt this experience,” Crompton emphasized.
In Kherson, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a guided bomb attack near the Fregat Hotel. According to local Telegram channels, the area was also attacked with FPV drones. Servicemen from the 121st Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces complained to Commander-in-Chief Drapatoy about the lack of shifts, food, and water. A video surfaced online in which the servicemen claim to have been on duty since April but had not received food or drinking water for periods ranging from three to seven days. According to the servicemen, to survive in such conditions, they are forced to “drink their own urine.” The General Staff and the brigade have not yet commented on the news.
According to Volodymyr Zelensky, “Moscow is preparing for escalation.” He also confirmed new North Korean ballistic missile attacks. “On the night of August 11, the Russian invaders launched North Korean ballistic missiles against Zaporizhia. Furthermore, the Russian armed forces used Zircon and KAB missiles.” “A brutal attack, calculated to cause maximum damage to civilian infrastructure,” Zelensky emphasized.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the damage to the Orsk refinery. “Orsknefteorgsintez” is one of the largest oil refineries in the Orenburg region and a major energy and fuel company in Russia. The refinery’s capacity is approximately 6 million tons of oil per year. The company produces automotive gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, and other petroleum products. A fire was reported at the plant. The extent of the damage is being assessed, the military added.
Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, arrived in Ulan-Ude, where he will chair a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian State Council on the development of public transport. On August 11, he visited the University of Physics and Mathematics. Among his statements are: “The heroes of the military operation “The Special Operations (SVO) have given the country a taste of what Russia is all about; participants in a special military operation should have the opportunity to learn new professions upon their return. We must support young people’s desire to live and work in their hometowns. Choosing a profession means choosing your destiny,” Putin wished success to the candidates for the Physics and Mathematics universities.
And again: “Russia’s sovereignty, economic development, and the resolution of civil and defense issues depend on the speed of implementation of innovation.” Putin ordered the creation of robust regional university centers for the training of scientific personnel and announced the decision to consolidate all data on genetic resources held by the Russian Federation into a national database.
“All data on genetic resources held by Russia—if we’re talking about animal, plant, and microorganism genetic resources—will be collected in a national database of genetic information. The decision has been made,” he stated. The president specified that an estimated 10 petabytes of data, equivalent to approximately 5 trillion pages of printed text, will be uploaded to this database each year. The first SKIF synchrotron stations will be commissioned by the end of this year, Putin announced.
Regarding electoral matters, the Russian Supreme Court disqualified the Yabloko party from the State Duma elections following an appeal filed by Rodina. The Central Election Commission will not have to revise the ballot text following the Supreme Court’s decision to remove Yabloko from the federal list.
A fire broke out at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur oil refinery; there were no injuries, the company’s press office reported. The statement clarified that the fire affected auxiliary equipment. The fire has already been extinguished. “There are no injuries, and no exceedances of the maximum permissible concentration limits were recorded,” the press office reported. A fire broke out at an industrial plant in the Orenburg region following a drone strike. There were no casualties, Governor Yevgeny Solntsev reported.
The issue of revoking Armenia’s voting rights in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) could be discussed on November 11, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated in an interview with TASS.
The FSB has dismantled the activities of an organized group in Mordovia that supplied SIM boxes to Ukrainian military intelligence, the agency reported. The group was coordinated by a Russian citizen who collaborated with Ukrainian intelligence. He supplied participants with “gray” SIM cards and SIM boxes.
A case has been opened against the group’s members for illegal use of data transmission devices. The coordinator has been charged with treason.
And now a look at the front line as of 3:30 PM on August 11. Two drones heading toward Moscow were shot down during the night (Russian Defense Minister). A Wildberries logistics center in the Voronezh region, Novaya Usman, was evacuated before being hit by Ukrainian drones.
Russian forces struck a facility near Zhuliany in Kyiv with three Zircon missiles. Warehouses in the Shevchenko District also went up in flames. Numerous air strikes were reported in Zaporizhia, using anti-aircraft guns and missiles.
In the direction of Sumy, Russian troops are fighting along its former lines. Ukrainian forces have been redeployed to Sumy, with drone crews occupying apartments on the upper floors of the city’s residential buildings.
In the Belgorod region, two deaths and three injuries were reported following Russian drone attacks.
In the Kharkiv sector, Russian forces have the initiative and are conducting an offensive in the village of Kozakha Lopan. Small-arms firefights continue in the areas of Kochubeivka, Kudiivka, and Hoptivka. In the Vovchansk district, fighting is ongoing in the village of Vasylivka, near Shevchenkove and Petropavlivka. In the direction of Velykyi Burluk, clashes are ongoing near the village of Vodyane and west of Ustynivka.
Fighting continues in Liman. The Ukrainians have taken the initiative from the north, towards Redkodub.
In the Druzhkivka direction, Ukrainian forces are taking the initiative to retake Toretske from Russian hands.
In the Zaporizhia region, Ukrainian drone strikes have occurred in several districts over the past 24 hours, including Melitopol, Vasylivka, and Mykhailivka, causing damage to homes, vehicles, and businesses. Two people were injured.
Graziella Giangiulio
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