Ukraine: realities | «The Weekly Five»: 21.08 – 27.08

ISW: Ukrainian defenders are close to the next breakthrough of the occupiers' defensive positions

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have reported  that Ukrainian defenders are "within striking distance of the next attack on a series of prepared Russian defensive positions" in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Ukrainian forces have made further tactically significant gains in the western Zaporizhzhia region, military analysts observed, and several Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces are advancing through what Ukrainian and American sources suggest is the most difficult series of prepared Russian defensive positions.

According to the report, Ukrainian forces are now within striking distance of another series of prepared Russian defensive positions, which may be weaker than the previous ones but still pose a significant challenge.

 

Ukrainian intelligence: Russia wants to mobilize another 450,000 people

Russia has not suspended mobilization and is currently considering the possibility of drafting an additional 450,000 people, said  Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate.

"Now they are considering the option, this is not yet a fully resolved issue, to draft an additional 450,000 people."

Budanov emphasized that mobilization in Russia has not stopped. Last fall, they drafted about 350,000 Russians. But hidden mobilization continues all the time, and currently 20 to 22 thousand people are drafted every month.

 

WSJ: Ukrainian Armed Forces on the verge of a breakthrough

Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi told American officials that the Ukrainian military is on the verge of a breakthrough in its counteroffensive.

"According to American officials, it is not too late for Ukraine to succeed. Ukrainian commanders also say the time is not over for their counteroffensive, and Zaluzhnyi told U.S. officials that his forces are on the verge of a breakthrough."

 

Three countries agree to provide Ukraine with F-16s

As of today, three countries - the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway - have confirmed their readiness to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets after training pilots and engineers. This was announced by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We have three countries that have agreed to provide Ukraine with F-16s after training - Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. We are very grateful to these three countries."

The President also expressed gratitude to the United States, as F-16 aircraft are American technology.

 

Ukrainian intelligence: there will be a ground operation in Crimea and return of territories

Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov promises that it will not end with individual strikes in Crimea: there will be a ground operation and "the return of our territories."

According to him, the importance of the DIU's operation with the support of the Ukrainian Navy in Crimea is to make people there believe that victory and their liberation are just around the corner.

The Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine assured that the return of people in Crimea to normal life is ongoing and no one has forgotten about them.

"And no one is going to leave them there just like that. And when there are, let's say, certain strikes on the territory of Crimea, it will not end there. There will be a ground operation, there will be the return of our territories. Soon everyone will be waiting to return home."

 

The project «Ukraine: realities» is implemented by the News agency «Konkurent» together with the Civic Movement «SVIDOMI» and the charity organization Global Empowerment Mission in English for readers from other countries to tell the stories of people who survived the horrors of the Russian occupation.

Проєкт «Ukraine: realities» реалізовується Інформаційним агентством «Конкурент» спільно з Громадянським Рухом «СВІДОМІ» та благодійною організацією Global Empowerment Mission на англійській мові для читачів з інших країн аби розповісти історії людей, які пережили жахи російської окупації.