Senator Lindsey Graham hinted that Ukraine could attract retired American F-16 fighter pilots. After all, it is well known that it takes many years to train a fighter pilot. “They said Kiev would fall in three days, and after two and a half years you entered Russia. It is bold and fantastic. We are proud of your leadership,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a meeting with Zelensky.
Secret documents obtained by the Financial Times reveal that: “The Russian Navy is training its forces to bomb targets in the heart of Europe in the event of a direct conflict with NATO. The documents cover the period 2008-2014.”
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Interior Minister and other SBU officials to prepare a “humanitarian plan” for the area where the Kursk operation will take place. In turn, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to conduct an offensive operation in the territory of the Kursk region. About 1,000 km² of Russia are under the control of Ukrainian troops.
“Alexander Syrsky was categorically against the Kursk operation. But Volodymyr Zelensky insisted and made the decision himself,” the representative of the 79th separate air assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported via social media.
The AFP news agency denied the claims of the Ukrainian authorities about the control of 1,000 km² of Russian territory, noting that Ukraine occupied about 800 km² of Russian territory.
Finally, in the German media, there is a statement by the head of the Bundestag defense committee Markus Faber: “The situation in the Kursk region is a reason to talk about increasing the number of German Leopard 2 tanks for the Ukrainian Armed Forces”.
From Russia, where ARMIYA 2024 is underway, the Russian Defense Ministry officially recognized that the range of use of Iskander-M OTRK missiles is 500 km. Rosatom for the first time showed the first Soviet atomic bomb RDS-1 without a shell.
In the Russian social sphere, pictures and posts show foreign mercenaries in the Kursk region. It is also reported that a Ukrainian balloon over the nuclear city of Energodar is not the first time this has happened. The purpose of the balloons can be different: optical-electronic reconnaissance using stabilized high-resolution cameras; long-distance relay of communications from army radio stations and reconnaissance UAVs, which thus have the opportunity to fly far behind Russian defenses. “Such balloons are a very important element of modern high-tech warfare, as they give the enemy significant advantages. Along the banks of the Dnieper, I observed something similar in the area of Zaporozhye Vasilyevka. They tried to shoot it down with a machine gun, but it was too far away. And then its flight altitude is from one and a half to three kilometers. This is what we ourselves observed. At one and a half kilometers it can be destroyed even with the help of FPV”. This is written on a social media channel related to the Russian military sphere.
Basically, there are fears of the launch of Baba Yaga drones and kamikaze drones a hundred kilometers from the LBS in Enerhodar.
Presidential assistant General Alexey Dyumin is about to arrive in the Kursk region, who will coordinate the actions of the Russian Armed Forces Group in the Kursk region with law enforcement agencies and local authorities. The general received all the introductory notes directly from Vladimir Putin on August 13 and may have already arrived in Kursk.
And now an update on what is happening in Kursk: the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to try to expand the control zone by launching raids. At nightfall on August 12, Ukrainian infantry on three armored fighting vehicles attacked Russian positions near the village of Snagost.
During the day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked Korenevo and were repelled. The Ukrainian Armed Forces according to local sources suffered the heaviest human losses during two days of fighting near the village of Martynovka. Apti Alaudinov, commander of Akhmat reported that in the evening that 37+12 Ukrainian armored fighting vehicles were destroyed respectively by joint efforts. In the morning, the Ukrainian Armed Forces resumed transporting equipment to this section of the front. Their task was to break through the Russian defenses and reach Kurchatov through Liubimovka.
During the day on August 12, the Ukrainian Armed Forces used aircraft to attack ground targets. Russian aviation is working much more intensively than the Ukrainian one. The results of the destruction of enemy equipment from the ground and from the air have finally passed all stages of approval and yesterday began to appear on the Internet in a wide stream.
Sudzha is in the gray zone, generally speaking. Local residents write about the periodic presence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city, the enemy publishes videos from the southwestern part, the date of which is unknown. It is not possible to take residents to our rear. In total, according to official data, 2,000 civilians remained behind enemy lines in the occupied territories.
Ukrainian equipment was destroyed near Girya, Belovsky district after receiving information about a breakthrough of the Ukrainian armored group. Seven BTR-4E, M113 BTR, a pickup truck and up to 50 Ukrainian soldiers were destroyed and killed.
The situation cannot be said to be completely stabilized. Ukrainian Armed Forces on a wide front are carrying out raids to seize territory, trying to stretch Russian forces along the front. In conditions of poor communication, precious time is often lost to clarify the situation in order to make combat decisions. The intensity of fighting will only increase during the day; in the morning the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Tetkino area with aircraft. This direction remains dangerous even for tanks. In addition, the threat of an attempt to organize raids in the direction of Tetkino cannot be ruled out. Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to solve the problem of breaking through to Ryl’sk, Lgov, Kurchatov.
Yesterday’s raids on the Kolotilovka highway in the Belgorod border section also showed the aspirations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in this direction. Despite losses, Ukrainian military advanced all day, beating Russian border guards and armed forces. Ukrainian presence is also recorded in the Bryansk border section.
And now a look at the Ukrainian front line as of 15:00 on August 13.
Russian troops are advancing to the fortified point of Vodyane in the direction of Marinka-Vuhledar. At the intersection of Vodyane road and highway 00532 is a vital Ukrainian fortification. If the Ukrainian military loses it, they will completely block all supply routes to Vuhledar. Footage posted online from a Ukrainian UAV confirms that Russian troops have advanced to Kostyantynivka itself. The entire eastern part of the country is now under the control of the Russian military. Army Group South reconnaissance officers destroy electronic warfare installations and Dill positions in the Spirne area.
Towards Kharkiv: Positional battles continue in the Lyptsi sector in the Hlybokae area.
In Vovchansk, Russian forces are conducting assault operations in the area of high-rise buildings.
In Kupyansk-Liman, Russian troops expanded control of the territory near Tabaivka, advancing southwest along the forest for 3 km in the direction of the Oskol River. Russian forces achieved tactical successes southwest of Novoselivka, advancing 2.5 km.
On Seversky: Positional battles continue in the Pereizne area.
On Chasiv Yar: Russian forces are pressing into the forest belt south of Hryhorivka in a westerly direction.
Assault operations continue west of the Seversky Donets-Donbass canal, Russian troops are trying to gain a foothold in the microdistrict. “October”.
On Toretsk: Russian troops achieved tactical successes in Pivnichne, advancing along the highway. In Zalizne, Russian forces are pressing along Lenin Street, there are tactical successes.
In Niu-York, Russian troops are conducting assault operations in the center of the village and have also advanced in the direction of Panteleimonivka.
On Pokrovs’k: Russian troops have expanded control of the territory in the Ivanivka area, west of Vesele and southwest of Serhiivka.
On Kurachove: The entire urban development of Krasnohorivka has come under the control of the RF Armed Forces. Russian troops are pressing in the eastern part of Kostyantynivka along Mira Street. On Vremivka: Positional battles continue in the Urozhaine area.
On Zaporozhzhie: There are no active hostilities.
Graziella Giangiulio
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