Russians attacked two dorms of boarding institutions in Kharkiv, at least 18 dead, dozens wounded. Russia falsely claims that recent attacks in Crimea are terrorist attacks to deflect calls to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Russian troops continue to intensify their offensive in Donbas and attempted several unsuccessful assaults near the Kharkiv-Donetsk Oblast border. Russian occupation authorities are struggling to increase control measures in occupied territories amidst increased partisan activity. The UN Secretary-General Guterres and Turkish President Erdogan meet Zelenskyy in Lviv. The discussion will include the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.
Daily overview — Summary report, August 18
According to military expert Stanislav Haider, as of August 18,
Donetsk Oblast. Siversk saw the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelling Russian assaults for a week now, and conducting successful counterattacks. in the direction of Bakhmut, heavy fighting continues in the areas of Kodema, Zaitseve. Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian attack from Horlivka to the north and west. As for Soledar, as before, the Russians didn’t pass beyond the Knauf plant. The Russian troops had partial success (at least 10-20%) in Yakovlivka and Bakhmutske. All attacks on Avdiivka were repulsed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. As Russians enter the outskirts of Mariinka, they later leave with losses. Pisky is still standing, although the main part of the village is already under Russians. The situation worsened a little for Ukraine near Vuhledar.
Kharkiv Oblast. In general, the situation hasn’t changed, and, unfortunately, there are terrible Russian fire attacks on the city of Kharkiv. There is fighting in the area of Dovhenke as Russians are trying to demine it since it was in the gray area. The Armed Forces of Ukraine beat Russians north of the Holy Mountains nature reserve. Failed Russian attacks on Mazanivka, Bohorodichne, and south of Nova Dmytrivka were repelled.
Kherson oblast. The Ukrainian bridgehead on the left bank of the Inhulets remains unchanged. The Russians conducted reconnaissance in several areas, but the Ukrainian troops repelled them. In general, the situation is intensifying every day. The main battles are taking place in the direction of Snihurivka. The Russian group of forces on the right bank of the Dnipro is likely to have been restored via the bridge at the Kakhovska hydroelectric plant. Russians began redeploying their aviation in Russia. So this shows how much the attacks on bases in Crimea have undermined their confidence in their air defenses.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Unfortunately, Russians became more active in Enerhodar, where explosions were heard. The movement of Russian troops and equipment was spotted in Kamianets. There is intense fighting in the areas of Nesterianka and Shcherbaky. Several sources have already reported on the construction of defensive structures, mine-laying around the towns of Inzhenerne and Ukrainske, and preparations for the defense of Polohy.
The work of Ukrainian artillery:
- Russian bases destroyed at Kyrylivka (Zaporizhzhia Oblast) and Nova Kakhovka (Kherson Oblast);
- a Russian ammunition warehouse destroyed in Yakymivskyi district (Zaporizhzhia Oblast);
Military Updates
The Russian military infrastructure destroyed over the past week: infographics
Yesterday's explosions at warehouses in Dzhankoy "will be included in the next map."
Source: https://t.co/amflE85XzY pic.twitter.com/NUqHpPsbg3
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
Russia has involved up to 135,000 in the war. This estimate includes mercenaries, mobilized students from the temporarily occupied territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk territories, the National Guard, and professional military, said the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov
Regional Updates
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1560126787249651713
In the Donetsk Oblast, a powerful explosion reported in the occupied Horlivka.
1 killed, 18 injured, including 2 children in a missile strike launched by Russian forces on Kharkiv
After 2 attacks on August 17, Russia targeted the city again at 7:16 a.m. on 18 August, Emergency Service reported https://t.co/UEFxNbCkrp pic.twitter.com/fVddBUCbjI
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 18, 2022
In Russian-occupied Lysychansk Ukrainian forces destroyed Security Service building, now used by Russians, Oblast head Serhiy Haidai said on the TV marathon.pic.twitter.com/lnftCBhgXb
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
In the Kharkiv Oblast, 12 killed, 38 injured, including 4 children in the city of Kharkiv after two massive overnight shellings of Saltovka district and overnight strike on the Sloboda district. The number of casualties is being updated.
Update
It was a tragic night in Kharkiv Oblast. Peaceful districts were attacked by Russian forces
Saltivka & Slobidsky Raion in Kharkiv; Krasnohrad, Kharkiv Obl-12 killed, 38 injured, incl 4 childrenRussians kill Ukrainians in their sleep &in their homes!#RussiaKillsCivilians pic.twitter.com/qLFj2cdcuV
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 18, 2022
The Sumy Oblast, 130 hits in one day reported. Explosions in the region are recorded on a daily basis.
In the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Orekhovo shelled, a young woman riding a bicycle killed.
In the Mykolaiv Oblast, Russians fired at another university in the city of Mykolaiv overnight. Buildings across the street damaged. No casualties reported. The Mayor of the city had previously published a video showing no military base at the university.
In the Odesa Oblast, in the resort town of Zatoka 7 buildings of a recreation center destroyed; 15 cottages damaged as a result of the nighttime missile strike. Kh-22 missiles fired from a Tu-22M3 strategic aircraft. 4 injured.
According to British Defence Intelligence, (last 48 hours):
- The heavy attrition of Russian Main Battle Tanks in Ukraine is highly likely partially due to Russia’s failure to fit and properly employ adequate Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). Used correctly, ERA degrades the effectiveness of incoming projectiles before they hit the tank. This suggests that Russian forces have not rectified a culture of poor ERA use, which dates back to the First Chechen War in 1994.
- It is highly likely that many Russian tank crews lack the training to maintain ERA, leading to either poor fitting of the explosive elements, or it being left off entirely. These deficiencies probably contribute to the widespread incidents of turret ejection, which are well documented in eye-witness videos from Ukraine.
- The war has seen numerous failures by Russian commanders to enforce low-level battle discipline – such as the use of ERA. The cumulative effect of these failures is likely a significant factor behind the poor performance of Russia’s forces.
Losses of the Russian army
As of 18 August, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the war to the present day:
⚡Rich 'harvest'
⚰️russia's combat losses in Ukraine as of August 18
▪ 44300 killed soldiers (+200)
▪ 4179 APV (+17)
▪ 1889 tanks (+3)
▪ 1010 artillery systems (+17)
▪ 234 aircraft (+1) and 197 helicopters (+1)
▪ 15 boats and cutters#StopRussia #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/C0wkAbfTFP— VoxUkraine (@voxukraine) August 18, 2022
Humanitarian
Ukrainian universities moving to safer regions: Infographics
Source: https://t.co/y8laanmerB pic.twitter.com/VJY30IHoUf
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 18, 2022
️️Environmental
The situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is developing. NATO chief urged Russia to allow IAEA to visit the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
🇺🇦Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba: IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi is ready to lead a delegation to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant https://t.co/LjbXlN3sX1
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 18, 2022
IAEA Director General Grossi to lead a mission to the plant, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The UN Secretary-General will discuss the crisis with Zelenskyy in Lviv on August 18.
Several ministers visited Zaporizhzhia, observed the first response training, and gave a press conference. They focused on the need to demilitarize the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, and the visit by IAEA experts.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1560003409591377923
IAEA mission can be sent to nuclear power plant legally & very quickly – Zelenskyi
Only absolute transparency and controllability of the situation at and around the Zaporizhzhia NPP can guarantee a gradual return to normal nuclear safety,"-Zelenskyi said. https://t.co/XccbThItB7
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 18, 2022
UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Lviv to meet presidents Zelenskyy and Erdogan
He is going to discuss the situation at the Zaporizhia NPP and the search for a political solution to end the war with Russia.https://t.co/b3ovhmpmXW
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1559905516603817985
The mass death of fish and waterfowl reported in the Donetsk Botanical Garden.
4 more ships with Ukrainian agricultural products left the ports of "Odesa" and "Chornomorsk"
This is already the 8th caravan with food. "Grain shipments from Ukrainian ports continue as planned," the post reads.https://t.co/1ak0EYolUa
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
Legal
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1560157160390234112
Support
In Latvia, 300,000 euros were collected for "Bayraktar" for the Armed Forces in one day
"Today is the second day of the fundraiser, and we have already collected 300,000 euros," said Latvian musician Ralfs Eilands, one of the initiators of the fundraiser.https://t.co/TBoyGIeTtz
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
Norway will provide more military aid to Ukraine, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov reported. https://t.co/M3aMjissDl
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
New Developments
Estonia says it repelled major cyber attack after removing Soviet monuments – Reuters
🇷🇺hacker group Killnet claimed responsibility for attack, stating that it had blocked access to 200 state & private institutions, such as citizen identification systemhttps://t.co/xNrkR9LB4l
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 18, 2022
China is sending its troops to Russia for joint exercises
China's Ministry of Defense said participation in the joint exercises was "unrelated to the current international and regional situation," apparently referring to ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.https://t.co/qQg7dJPYLe
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 17, 2022
Assessment
- On the war.
map source: https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-17
The Institute for the Study of War has made the following assessment as of 17 August, 2022:
- Russian military leadership is falsely claiming that recent attacks on Russian military objects in Crimea are terrorist attacks to deflect calls to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
- Russian forces attempted several unsuccessful assaults near the Kharkiv-Donetsk Oblast border in tactically challenging forest areas.
- Russian forces continued to unsuccessfully attack settlements southeast of Siversk.
- Russian forces launched several assaults northeast and south of Bakhmut, and are likely attempting to improve tactical positions near Horlivka.
- Russian forces made limited gains northwest of Donetsk City and near the Zaporizhzhia-Donetsk Oblast administrative border.
- Russian forces are likely preparing to defend their ground lines of communication (GLOCs) in the Melitopol-Tokmak-Berdiansk triangle by mining settlements on the eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast frontline.
- Russian federal subjects are continuing to form new volunteer units and advertise contract service while facing recruitment challenges.
- Russian occupation authorities are struggling to increase control measures in occupied territories amidst increased partisan activity.