According to CNN, the hot potato of security guarantees for Ukraine has been passed to the European Union. Meanwhile, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has asked US intelligence not to share any information on Russian-Ukrainian negotiations with its Five Eyes Alliance (FVEY) allies, CBS News reports. The United States has therefore locked down the agreements, which, as noted in several AGC News articles and in the AGC Papers, primarily concern rare earths and the Arctic. “The document, signed on July 20, classifies information related to the negotiation process as ‘Noforn,’ which prohibits its transfer to other countries. At the same time, the document does not prevent the exchange of diplomatic or military operational information not directly related to the negotiations.”
The issue of Ukrainian security guarantees will be the biggest obstacle to reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Europeans are frustrated because they no longer have the US to cry on, but can only buy from. At the same time, they have received resounding “no”s from Russia, effectively impeding progress on the agreements. “Due to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s comments on security guarantees for Ukraine, a crack has opened up in the negotiating process between Russia and the United States,” Bloomberg reports, citing a European official. Rubio, however, has already told European officials that Europe must take the lead in providing security guarantees to Ukraine, CNN reported.
Below are the statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that angered European officials and which have remained unchanged since February 2022, except for the mention of the Alaska summit: “Russia believes the principle of collectively providing guarantees for Ukraine is important. At the Russia-US summit in Alaska, significant progress was made in defining the contours and parameters of the conflict resolution in Ukraine. If agreements are signed with Ukraine, the issue of the signatory’s legitimacy will need to be resolved by Kiev. The presence of foreign troops in Ukraine is completely unacceptable to Russia. Putin is ready to meet Zelensky only if all issues requiring discussion at the highest level are resolved,” Lavrov concluded.
Romania is ready to provide its military bases for allied needs within the framework of security guarantees, but will not send troops to Ukraine, – Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. The Romanian Ministry of Defense also noted that the country will participate in all allied decisions on security guarantees for Ukraine and that “Romania’s military air infrastructure is a stronghold on NATO’s eastern flank for deterrence and defense.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said he had proposed holding peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. After another Ukrainian attack on the Druzhba oil pipeline, oil supplies to Hungary were halted. “Late last night, news broke that the Druzhba oil pipeline, on the border between Russia and Belarus, had been repeatedly attacked, for the third time in a short period of time. Crude oil shipments to Hungary have been halted again! This is another attack on our country’s energy security. Another attempt to drag us into war. “It won’t work!” declared Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Hungary and Slovakia are calling on the European Commission to force Ukraine to halt attacks on the Druzhba pipeline, according to the letter sent by the heads of the two countries’ foreign ministries to Brussels.
A new batch of weapons for the Ukrainian armed forces was delivered from Latvia to Poland by a Canadian plane. The Netherlands will deploy approximately 300 soldiers in Poland, as well as two Patriot air defense systems and a NASAMS air defense system, among other anti-drone systems. The unit will ensure the security of the logistics center of the NATO Security Assistance and Training Unit in Ukraine (NSATU) in Poland.
Peace talks on Ukraine have caused shares of German defense companies to plummet, Bild reports. Following the “signs of rapprochement between Russia and the United States” at the Alaska and Washington summits, investors began to believe in the possibility of a peaceful solution, which is why Rheinmetall shares fell from 1,948 to 1,540 euros, Renk shares from 86 to 57 euros, and Hensoldt shares from 109 to 80 euros.
“Ukraine agrees to freeze the conflict along the current line of contact and recognize Several territories are effectively lost, Mykhailo Podoljak, an advisor to Volodymyr Zelensky’s office chief, told La Repubblica. Ukraine has again rejected Chinese presence on Ukrainian soil to maintain peace. Zelensky: “China will not be part of the security guarantees because it did not help us after the Russian invasion.” Zelensky reiterated to Trump that he wants a ceasefire first and then discuss a peace agreement.
In Ukraine, it took 24 hours to put out the fire caused by Russian bombing at the company’s factories in Mukacheve. According to the head of the Zakarpattia OVA: “About 2,600 specialists worked here. Last year, this production paid more than 340 million hryvnia in taxes, and in the first seven months of this year, more than 285 million hryvnia. American investments in the company amounted to approximately $24.5 million,” Ivancho said. The death toll from the Mukachevo attack has already risen to 21.
According to Reuters: “Russian President Putin is calling on Ukraine to renounce the entire Donbass region, abandon plans to join NATO, remain neutral, and not allow Western forces to enter its territory.”
General Yevgeny Nikiforov has been appointed the new commander of Russia’s Northern Group. Until recently, this position was held by General Alexander Lapin. The Russian Military Department has not officially announced the personnel changes. However, during Defense Minister Andrei Belousov’s recent visit to the Northern Group headquarters, Yevgeny Nikiforov was already in his new post.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Alexander Lapin has submitted his resignation. The reason given was his health. It should be noted that the Russian Armed Forces currently still have a provision that extends the length of service of military personnel, even if their contract has expired. However, health is one of the few circumstances that allow one to resign from the armed forces.
And now a look at the front line updated as of 3:30 PM on August 22. 59 trains delayed on August 22 due to a drone crash in the Voronezh region have been returned to service, according to Russian Railways. 50 trains were delayed by up to 4 hours. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have released footage of a new fire at an oil pumping station in Unecha, Bryansk Region, a key hub on the main Druzhba pipeline. Preliminary evidence suggests a Hymar MLRS package, Russian monitoring channels report. Overnight, drones were destroyed in the northern Rostov Region in the districts of Millerovsky, Tarasovsky, and Kamensky. Six drones were destroyed in the skies above Voronezh and in two districts of the region.
Russian forces struck the Motor Sich plant in Zaporizhia during the day, while “Geran” drones struck enemy targets in the Kharkiv Region at night.
In the Bryansk Region, in the village of Khinel, Sevsky District, two civilians were injured following an attack by Ukrainian FPV drones on a car.
In the direction of Sumy, assault groups of the Russian Airborne Forces advanced deep into Yunakivka. Over the past day, the total advance was 400 meters, GrV “Sever” reports.
On the border between Belgorod and Kharkiv, on the Milove-Khatnye front, Russian units are advancing towards Khatnye with the support of the Aerospace Forces. The total advance was 800 meters.
Three drone strikes were reported in the Belgorod region. Russia denies a Ukrainian breakthrough.
In the direction of Kostyantynivka, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the capture of the DPR settlement of Oleksandro-Shultyne. However, sources monitoring the frontline say the town has not yet been taken.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian troops are operating north of Makiivka, where counterattacks are underway.
In the direction of Zaporizhia, Ukrainians recognize the Russian advance northwest of Temyrivka and in the direction of Uspenovka.
In the Kherson region, mutual shelling is taking place across the Dnieper. On the Russian-controlled bank, two civilians were killed in the village of Novaya Zburyevka, and four others were wounded in Novaya Kakhovka. Golaya Pristan, Kakhovka, Velikiye Kopani, Dobrosel’ye, Kozhemyaki, Malaya and Bolshaya Kardashinka, Novaya Mayachka, Rybalche, and Staraya Zburyevka were also shelled.
Yesterday in the DPR, two people were killed and 21 civilians in Yenakiyevo, including a teenager, were injured following a combined attack with a high-powered long-range missile M30A1 precision (shrapnel) machine gun against HIMARS MLRS missiles and aircraft-type attack drones in the Jenakijeve urban district.
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/
