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Russian attacks kill 7, injure 47 in Ukraine over past day
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'Those were our planes' — Belgorod resident says Russian warplane bombed civilian area, alleged intercept shows
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General Staff: Russia has lost 1,064,240 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
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Ukrainian drones reportedly strike aerospace plant in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast; officials claim 1 killed, 2 injured
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Ukrainian artist killed on front lines in Zaporizhzhia Oblast
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Trump meeting is test for Putin, Ukraine to join future peace efforts, Rutte says
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Russian strikes on Azerbaijani energy sites in Ukraine may reportedly push Baku to arm Kyiv
Overnight on Aug. 8, Russian forces targeted a SOCAR oil depot in Odesa Oblast with five Shahed drones, igniting a fire and damaging a diesel pipeline. “These are deliberate attacks not only on these facilities, but also on our cooperation (with Azerbaijan),” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
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Ukraine will not let Russia 'deceive America,' Zelensky says ahead of upcoming Trump-Putin summit
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'It's not gonna make anybody super happy' — JD Vance praises Trump as peacemaker while admitting Russia-Ukraine deal may fail
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Russia restricts publication of economic data as sanctions take toll
In an effort to obscure the economic disaster's full scale, Russian authorities have stopped updating over 400 official statistical indicators since early this year.
This move aims to mask the demographic and economic upheaval sparked by war and sanctions. According to research from the project "If Being Precise", only 42% of the 8,832 indicators in the Unified Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System remain available. Others are outdated or no longer published, with updates ceased for 425 indicators, including critical data on birth rates, crime, fuel production, law enforcement, and demographics.
The data blackout has become systemic, escalating post-Ukraine conflict. Russia's customs have hidden import and export data, the Prosecutor General's Office has ceased reporting crime statistics, and Federal State Statistics Service Rosstat has blocked mortality information.
By 2025, demographic indicators like life expectancy, birth rates, and population numbers are inaccessible. Mortality statistics are no longer provided, even under formal requests. Experts assert this is a deliberate strategy rather than a technical mishap. Analyst Ivan Begtin points out that these omitted data could reveal the sanctions' impact and challenge Kremlin’s narrative.
Facing economic downturn and demographic collapse, Russian authorities strive to present an image of control and stability by concealing the war's real consequences. The breadth of information suppression appears as a sign of systemic decay, as the Kremlin opts to dim the lights over addressing issues.
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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits oil refinery 2,000 from border in Russia's Komi Republic; Europe, Ukraine reject Putin's ceasefire proposal, WSJ reports
Key developments on Aug. 9-10:
- Ukrainian drones hit oil refinery 2,000 km from border in Russia's Komi Republic
- Ukraine liberates village in Sumy Oblast, General Staff says
- Drones strike Saratov oil refinery in Russia
- Ukraine, Europe reject Putin's ceasefire proposal, present counterproposal to US ahead
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'This is terror' — Russian bombs hit bus station, university in Zaporizhzhia, injuring at least 19
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Ukrainian drones hit oil refinery 2,000 km from border in Russia's Komi Republic, military intelligence confirms
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Russia boosts troop and weapon numbers in the Zaporizhzhia region
Russia has begun extensive deployment of personnel and heavy equipment to the Zaporizhzhia region, according to Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Occupation Study Center.
Russian occupying forces are reportedly deploying large numbers of troops, with over 30 ammunition trucks, tanks, and fuel tankers directed toward the Zaporizhia front. Andriushchenko noted on his Telegram channel that a total of 25 tank and armored vehicle carriers have been detected.
Andriushchenko further pointed out to a nighttime movement of a column comprising Russian armored personnel carriers, tanks, and artillery from Berdyansk toward northern Donetsk oblast. This convoy included up to 15 units of military equipment. Additionally, it appears Russia is relocating forces ranging from brigade to regiment size, previously based in the temporarily occupied Crimea, to northern Donetsk oblast.
He emphasized that such maneuvers indicate a significant strengthening by Russia of its positions on the Pokrovsk and Zaporizhzhia fronts. DeepState analysts caution that the situation in western Zaporizhia region is deteriorating, with consistent pressure from Russian infantry along the Plavni to Shcherbakov stretch. Recent reported incursions by Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups into Stepnohirsk were thwarted by Ukrainian forces. The commander of the 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade's "Great Meadow" battalion, stated that Russian attacks in this sector are more intense than in previous years of the war.
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Russian infiltration attempt near Pokrovsk fails, 80% of unit reportedly lost
In a significant setback for Moscow, an attempted infiltration by Russian troops near Pokrovsk has dealt a devastating blow to their forces. Ukraine's military intelligence detected the advancing forces and neutralized the majority before they reached the city.
According to reports from Deep State, Russia's elaborate operation involved three assault groups of 50 men each, intending to covertly traverse over six kilometers to reach Ukrainian positions. Despite their efforts over a two-week period, the operation ended disastrously for the Kremlin.
Originating from the Selidove area, the sabotage team advanced slowly through Peschane, covering approximately 600 meters per day towards Pokrovsk. Their movements were painstakingly coordinated using drones that also airdropped essential supplies like water, food, and communication tools.
But the plans fell apart as Ukrainian forces systematically countered the infiltration. According to Deep State, nearly 120 of the 150 Russian operatives were either killed by aerial strikes or succumbed to strategic mines. A handful managed to reach the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk but were quickly surrounded and some were captured.
The swift response by Ukrainian Defense Forces exemplifies the efficient collaboration between reconnaissance and drone operations, say military analysts. This thwarted attempt highlights the critical impact of Ukraine's intelligence-gathering capabilities.
Russia's operation failed, losing up to 80% of its personnel even before initiating substantial actions. This attempted stealth infiltration into Ukrainian defenses has culminated in a comprehensive military disaster.
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Mobilization gridlock: How politics, policy, and public opinion are shaping Ukraine’s war effort
As Ukraine struggles to replenish front-line units after 42 months of all-out war, those in power prefer to avoid publicly commenting on mobilization efforts and the way it is conducted.
Political experts say mobilization became a "toxic" and politicized issue, with high-ranking officials — from the president to
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Russian drone strikes intensify: multiple Ukrainian cities targeted in overnight attack
On the night of Sunday, August 10th, Russian forces launched a barrage of 100 Shahed-type and various other drones against Ukrainian cities.
The aerial assault was countered by Ukraine's air force, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups from the Defense Forces, according to the Air Force Command. Preliminary data suggests that air defenses in the north and east of the country managed to down or suppress 70 drones.
Reports indicate that 30 drones struck 12 locations in frontline regions including Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv, with debris from downed drones falling on three other locations.
Russian forces targeted the Synelnykove district, as reported by head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, Serhiy Lysak. Several fires broke out in the district center where infrastructure and a transport company sustained damage. Two houses were destroyed. Administrative buildings and houses were damaged in the Vasylykiv and Mezheva communities. In the Nikopol district, Russian forces used FPV-drones and heavy artillery to hit the district center as well as Myrove, Marhanets, and Pokrovo communities, but fortunately, there were no casualties, according to the Head of the regional administration. Air defenders neutralized 21 drones. Ukrainian Railways reported that due to the hostilities, train routes were temporarily canceled or rerouted through the Synelnykove-1 station.
The regional center and five other settlements came under enemy fire, reports Head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Oleh Syniehubov . Six individuals, including a child, were injured. The Russians deployed a variety of weaponry against Kharkiv, including eight "Geran-2" drones, one "Molnia" drone, two FPV-drones, and two UAVs whose types are yet to be determined.
In the course of a day, Russian armed forces conducted 90 shelling attacks on 45 settlements in 17 territorial communities in the Sumy region, according to the Regional State Administration. Most of these attacks occurred in the Sumy and Shostka districts. The Russian forces used guided aerial bombs and drone-deployed VOG-17 grenades extensively. FPV-drone strikes and UAV appearances were also reported. In Hlukhiv community, a vehicle was damaged, a residential fire broke out in Krasnopillya community, while a non-residential building was damaged in Lebedyn community, and a piece of civilian infrastructure was harmed in Shostka.
Five villages came under Russian fire in Chernihiv region. Public broadcaster Suspilne quoted Galina Shekhovtsova, press secretary for Chernihiv Border Detachment, stating that in Bohdanove, explosive devices were dropped by UAVs and two explosions likely caused by Shahed-type drones were heard in Kremisky Buhor. A cellular transmitter tower was damaged. In Arkhipivka, two explosions attributed to FPV-drones and seven 120mm mortar impacts were reported. An FPV-drone explosion was recorded in Leonivka, while Zhadove was hit by three explosions, likely from a Shahed drone.
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Slovakia's Fico claims Ukraine will 'have to pay dearly' ahead of Putin-Trump meeting
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Ukrainian forces liberate border village of Bezsalivka in Sumy region
Ukrainian forces drove Russian troops out of Bezsalivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region, the Ukrainian General Staff reported.
The operation, carried out by the 33rd Assault Regiment and the 24th Assault Battalion, led to the liberation and complete clearing of Russian forces from Bezsalivka. During the fighting, Ukrainian forces reportedly eliminated 18 Russians, according to the General Staff.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces are not only effectively halting the Russian advance on Sumy but are also actively counterattacking to free border settlements. These operations are part of a continuous effort to apply pressure on the Russian troops and reclaim territories.
Bezsalivka, located in the Bilopillya district, is just a few kilometers from the Russian border. Earlier reports indicated that the Russian forces are losing a key foothold in the Sumy region, with part of the Russian Armed Forces' grouping encircled.
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No to Peace At All Costs
Donald Trump (L) and Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference after their summit on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland. (Getty Images) Editor’s note: We recently learned that 97% of regular readers aren’t paid subscribers, so we’re considering ways to encourage those of you who value our work to support us.
One of this is a more regular paywall. Right now the vast majority of our work is free.
If you’re a free subscriber who has been reading us for a while, what are you waiting for? Help support us now if you don’t want us to disappear.I had a heated discussion with a Republican friend recently: I refused to grant the notion that Trump was substantially shifting his position on Ukraine.
His argument was that Trump was beginning to use a harsher tone with Putin. I responded that I couldn’t possibly rest my hopes on vibes, but only on actions.
Sadly, too many people are looking at Trump as if they have forlorn hope that a toxic ex will change: they are setting themselves up to be hurt yet again.
After the paywall:
—What the U.S. has already conceded — for nothing
—How Ukrainians are viewing the likelihood of the war pausing
—What peace requires, and what happens next
