KHARKIV, UKRAINE – AUGUST 17, 2023- The Cruise Missile statue made by well-known Kharkiv sculptor … [+]
Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 540.
As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes gathers information and provides updates on the situation.
Local news.
Cherkasy region. Russia launched a missile attack on the central Ukrainian region of Cherkasy on Aug. 15, authorities reported. In the city of Smila, which bore the brunt of the attack, a private business and a medical facility were hit. There were no casualties, fortunately, but damage to the city’s utility infrastructure left parts of the city without water, according to regional governor Igor Taburets.
Volyn region. Volyn oblast, a province in western Ukraine on the border with Poland, a NATO member, was under Russian fire in the early morning hours of Aug. 15, authorities said. An factory in the regional center of Lutsk was hit by two Russian cruise missiles, killing three workers and injuring scores. Several of the victims were hospitalized, said regional governor Yuri Pohulyayko.
Lviv region. The western city of Lviv, far from the front lines and only 55 miles from the Polish border, came under heavy Russian shelling overnight into Aug. 15. Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi told media a municipal kindergarten became the epicenter for a rocket blast. “There formed a hole nine meters deep and 20 meters in diameter,” said the official in an interview. A nearby apartment building was also destroyed, and at least 10 private houses in Lviv’s suburbs were reported damaged. The victim toll has so far risen to 15 civilians injured, including one 10-year-old child.
Front line. The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the southern village of Urozhaine, Donetsk region, the Ministry of Defense confirmed on Aug. 16. Presently, defense forces are advancing south from the recently liberated village. Ukrainian troops are currently repelling Russia’s assaults on the eastern front in the Kupiansk and Lyman areas. “The adversary carried out unsuccessful offensive actions in the areas of Senkivka, Kharkiv region, and Bohdanivka, Donetsk region,” said miltary spokesperson Andriy Kovalev. “Intense fighting is ongoing there.” On Aug. 17 Ukraine’s air force announced it successfully shot down two of Moscow’s prized Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopters, each worth $16 million.
World. Five of Ukraine’s allies have taken a decisive step by joining the G7 Declaration of support for Ukraine providing security guarantees for the war-torn country. The new signatories include Bulgaria, North Macedonia and two Baltic states, Estonia and Lithuania. “We will keep supporting Ukraine until victory and continue contributing to international efforts to safeguard its independence, sovereignty, security, democracy, and prosperity,” a joint statement published by the Estonian prime minister on Aug. 17 reads. “We will work with Ukraine within this multilateral framework to establish security commitments and arrangements that would help Ukraine win this war as soon as possible, support its economic stability and reconstruction, resilience, reform agenda and advance its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”
The European Commission will allocate nearly $150 million in support of Ukraine and Moldova, funds that Commission announced were initially intended to finance projects in Russia and Belarus. In the wave of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Commission chose to transfer 135 million Euros ($147 million) from its Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation initiative into programs with Ukraine and Moldova, leaving out the aggressor country and its ally. “The decision to cancel the originally envisaged cooperation with Russia and Belarus through our Interreg programmes is the result of the brutal war of Russia against Ukraine,” Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira said. “I am glad that the funds we had initially planned for this cooperation will now benefit the EU’s programmes with Ukraine and Moldova. This will help strengthen collaboration between EU regions and local stakeholders with Ukrainian and Moldovan partners.”
Ukrainian military charity foundation Come Back Alive and partner organizations raised 235 million hryvnas ($6.4 million) over three days with their “Operation ‘Unity” initiative. Come Back Alive partnered with UNITED24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s war time fundraising platform, and Ukrainian mobile-only financial services provider Monobank to raise the funds needed to purchase 10 thousand kamikaze drones with ammunition for the Ukrainian army. With the help of the Ukrainian public and private entities, the army’s request was fulfilled within 72 hours.
By Daria Dzysiuk, Karina L. Tahiliani