Matthew Miller, spokesman for the US State Department, after Mali and Niger cut all ties with Ukraine and Senegal and Burkina Faso scaled back relations, said: “African countries should not sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine”. But it is too late now.
The controversy over the Ukrainian attack on Kursk continues, Volodymyr Zelensky issued a statement in which he said: “Russia brought war to Ukraine and must feel for what it has done”. The Economist, on the other hand, believes that the attack on Kursk is linked to Oleksandr Syrsky’s military career: “It depends on the outcome of the attempted attack by Ukrainian forces on the Kursk region (…) Reports from Ukrainian hospitals on the front line already indicate an increase in losses (…) The attack by Ukrainian forces on the Russian region is closely linked to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, who is often criticized in Ukraine (…) The justification for the attempted attack on the Kursk region”, according to the Economist, “may still raise doubts in light of the difficult situation of Ukrainian troops in other sectors of the front”.
The Air Force in Ukraine also complains: “Ukraine is illogically sending hundreds of soldiers to the Kursk region while Russian forces are approaching Pokrovs’k (…) Ukraine’s main problem on the battlefield is a lack of men, while Russian troops have a numerical superiority in the approach to Pokrovs’k”.
The commander of the 24th separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, recently relocated from New York to Chasiv Yar, also claims in the Economist that the battalions of his brigade are now fighting with only 20 people in position, which is less than the size of a platoon. According to him, the brigade was limited to two to six shells for eight guns per day. The result is about 15 casualties every day.
Rumors online also about the fate of Rustem Umerov, data unverifiable: “Following Umerov, three deputy chiefs of staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the commander of the National Guard Pivnenko were “dead”; these are the people who, in essence, are the headquarters of the Sudzha operation. (Kursk). Indeed, the Ukrainian Air Force announced today that it missed two Iskanders during the night, as it was stated: “Two enemy missiles hit the forest.” The night attack was carried out on the main air defense and defense post of the Kharkiv Armed Forces, which is located in the settlement of Malynivka, Kharkiv region. The following generals of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were present at the time of the attack: Mikhail Drapaty; Viktorovych Hnatov (Gnatov); Oleksandr Serhiiovych Pivnenko (NSU); Vladimir Gorbatyuk.”
In Russia, the day was filled with denials of an imminent opening of a naval base in Abkhazia: “There is no talk of opening a Russian Navy base in Abkhazia,” the head of the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry told RIA Novosti.
Real-time network data shows sporadic Internet outages in and around Kursk. The outages are tentatively linked to DDoS attacks against local infrastructure to report it to local authorities. According to the Russian social sphere, the estimated composition of the Ukrainian grouping of forces in the Sumy-Kursk direction is: 22nd separate mechanized brigade; 32nd separate mechanized brigade; 88th separate mechanized brigade; 54th separate reconnaissance battalion; consolidated BTGr of the 82nd separate air assault brigade; units of the MTR Ranger Corps; 103rd separate territorial defense brigade; 115th battalion of the 110th separate territorial defense brigade; 49th separate artillery brigade; 35th separate regiment of the NSU; Project M2 UAV control group “A” of the Central Security Service of the SBU. “They are provided with information support by the psychological operational units of the MTR of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
In Kursk, to ensure safety during the night, it was decided to evacuate residents of the settlements of Koptsevy Khutor, Fedorovka, Yakovlevka, Tynkovka of the Lipetsk municipal district and send them to temporary accommodation points.
Starting from 12:00 on August 9, the Russian Armed Forces are launching a counterattack in the Kursk region, Russian and Ukrainian sources confirm. Literally a few hours later, Malaya Loknya and Cossack Loknya have already found themselves in the “gray zone”. Both sides report heavy fighting in the town of Sudzha and the village of Kruglenkoye. However, the alert in the Kursk direction remains very high: “The combat potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Group is far from being exhausted: in the near future it is expected the introduction of the second and third levels. At the same time, no one cancels the danger for other sections of the Kursk direction.”
Frontline updated at 16:00 on August 9.
The Russian military repel the attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Crimea. According to preliminary information, an anti-ship missile Neptune has already been shot down above the water at a considerable distance from the coast. In Sevastopol, forces of the Black Sea Fleet, air defense and electronic warfare units repelled an attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to preliminary information, the military destroyed 3 drones and 3 BECs above the water. According to the Sevastopol rescue service, no civilian objects in the city were damaged.
At night, after artillery shelling and shelling of the Kinburn Spit with incendiary shells, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to land with 4 boats. Before landing, the Ukrainians inflicted fire damage using large-caliber machine guns, after which they landed 12 people on two boats, two more boats provided fire support. During a short shooting battle, after suffering losses in minefields, the Ukrainians evacuated 7 people on one boat, the fire support ships headed for Odessa.
Kursk border: The advance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been stopped. There are battles for Snagost, in the Ivashkovsky area and near Novaya Sorochin. The sides increase reserves.
In the direction of Kharkiv: In the Lyptsi sector, the upcoming battles continue in the direction of Hlyboke. The RF Armed Forces achieved tactical successes in Vovchansk in a multi-storey building area.
Kupyansk-Liman situation without significant changes.
On Seversky: part of Pereizne comes under the control of the RF Armed Forces.
Chasiv Yar: Russian troops continue assault operations in the microdistrict. “October”.
On Toretsk: Russian forces have expanded control of the territory in Pivnichne (Kirovo) and Zalizne (Artyomovo).
In Niu-York (Novgorodskoye) the battles continue.
On Pokrovs’k: Most of the settlement of Zhelanne comes under the control of the RF Armed Forces.
Russian troops are pressing on Ivanivka in a western direction. In the north, Russian forces are trying to advance to the Kazenyi Torets River west of Svyrydonivka.
Russian forces have achieved tactical successes north of Serhiivka, and have reached the outskirts of Hrodivka and gained a foothold on the ruins of a former factory.
On Kurachove: Positional battles continue along the road O0532 (Vuhledar-Kostyanthinivka).
On Vremivka: Positional battles in the Urozhaine area, the situation without significant changes.
In Zaporozhzhie: There are no active hostilities.
Graziella Giangiulio
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