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You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / The War for Ukraine Day 916: Last Night’s/This Morning’s Butcher’s Bill

The War for Ukraine Day 916: Last Night’s/This Morning’s Butcher’s Bill

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A painting by Ukrainian artist NEIVANMADE. The words "NEVER AGAIN" are repeated over and over, from left to right and top to bottom, in a faded, washed out black against a white background. Red, the color of blood, runs and drips down across 2/3rds of the painting. "WHILE YOU TOLERATE TYRANTS" is written/painted in the bottom white corner below the three rows of "NEVER AGAIN".

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

Two quick housekeeping notes. First, Rosie is doing great. She’s off for the rest of this week with her next treatment next Tuesday. Thank you for all the good thoughts, well wishes, prayers, and donations.

Second, I’m fried. Yes, I know it’s only Tuesday, still fried. I’m going to run through the butcher’s bill from last night, a couple of other items, and that’s about it.

From The Kyiv Independent:

Ukraine carried out a successful test of the first domestic-made ballistic missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27.

“It may be too early to talk about it but I want to share it with you,” the president said at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv.

Zelensky congratulated to the Ukrainian Defense Industry on the project but did not provide any further details on the weaponry.

A day earlier, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine is preparing a response to Russian aerial strikes with weapons of its own production.

“This once again proves that for victory, we need long-range capabilities and the lifting of restrictions on strikes on the enemy’s military facilities,” Umerov said. “Ukraine is preparing its own response. Weapons of its own production.”

Zelensky previously revealed that Ukraine has developed a domestic-made missile-drone, Palianytsia. He said it has already been used against Russia.

Kyiv has received a number of long-range missiles from partners, such as U.S.-made ATACMS, British Storm Shadow, or French SCALP/T. Their potential impact is limited by Western restrictions on strikes deep inside Russian territory.

Russia regularly uses ballistic missiles like Iskander-M or Kinzhal in attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

 

President Zelenskyy participated in the Ukraine 2024 Independence Forum. There’s no transcript, but I’ve got the English closed captioning on for the video.

The cost:

Andrii Kasianov, an actor at the Taras Shevchenko Theatre in the city of Dnipro, died defending Ukraine at 27 years old.

“The announcement of Andrii’s death has shocked our entire theatre family. We remember and will remember him as the most wonderful person… Sincere gratitude, boundless respect and eternal memory to you, Andrii! We remember you as a man of strong and unconquerable spirit. You gave your life for the sake of our peaceful future in a free and independent Ukraine!” the theatre wrote.

Eternal memory and eternal glory to Ukrainian Hero.

Lithuania:

Politico has the details of Ukraine’s plan to present the Biden administration with a list of long range targets it wants approval to strike with US supplied weapons or British and French weapons that include US components.

Ukrainian officials are preparing to present a list of long-range targets in Russia to top U.S. national security officials that they think Kyiv’s military can hit if Washington were to lift its restrictions on U.S. weapons.

Ukraine is using the list as a last-ditch effort to convince Washington to lift the restrictions on U.S. weapons being used inside Russia. While Ukraine has previously provided the U.S. some of its potential targets in Russia, this list is supposed to be more tailored.

Ukraine’s defense minister, Rustem Umerov, and Andriy Yermak, senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be in D.C. this week and plan to present the list to the administration during their discussions, according to three people familiar with Ukraine’s efforts.

The U.S. has said for months that lifting the restrictions won’t make a strategic difference in the war as Russia has moved its most important targets, including aircraft, back from the border and out of reach.

But Kyiv has identified several high-value targets that it can reach with U.S.-provided missiles, the people said. It hopes the list will bolster its campaign to convince President Joe Biden to change his mind.

“There should be no restrictions on the range of weapons for Ukraine, while terrorists have no such restrictions,” Zelenskyy said in a statement Monday. “Defenders of life should face no restrictions on weapons.”

All three people who talked to POLITICO were granted anonymity to speak about sensitive talks. The National Security Council and Pentagon both declined to comment.

The visit by Umerov and Yermak comes as Ukraine continues to press its incursion into the Russian border region of Kursk and grapples with the aftermath of Moscow’s massive missile attack on its energy grid.

Ukrainian officials have long lobbied the Biden administration to lift the restrictions on U.S. weapons so its military can more easily launch offensives inside Russia and push Russian forces back from the border. The administration has said since the beginning of the war it worries lifting the restrictions could provoke Russia to launch even more aggressive assaults on Ukraine.

While escalation is still a concern, the Biden administration has more recently been stressing its belief that there is little tactical advantage, given Russia moving assets out of range. The administration also assesses that Ukraine does not have enough Army Tactical Missile Systems — the long-range missiles it wants to use — to strike the high-value targets in Russia. Kyiv is using many of those missiles in their offensives inside Crimea — a battle the Biden administration assesses is going well for Ukraine. And the U.S. has a limited stockpile of ATACMs it can draw on to send Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials and lawmakers insist that the lifting of all restrictions is imperative to the country’s war effort, claiming it would give its military greater freedom to take the fight to Russia inside its own borders.

It is not clear exactly when Umerov and Yermak will arrive in Washington or what other meetings they plan to have while in the United States. On previous such trips, the Ukrainian officials have met with national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

In a briefing with reporters Monday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said there were “no changes” to U.S. policy with respect to the restrictions.

“This is not a new desire by President Zelenskyy by any stretch,” he said. “But as I’ve said many, many times, we’ll keep the conversations with the Ukrainians going, but we’re going to keep them private.”

Some Ukrainian lawmakers and officials say they’ve seen signs that some in the Biden administration are considering lifting the restrictions in the coming days. A Democratic lawmaker with knowledge of the conversations also said the administration was considering Kyiv’s request. The lawmaker was granted anonymity to speak more freely about the administration’s thinking.

The White House has not said that it is considering any plan to change its policy.

Rescue operations are ongoing at the sites of strikes and falling debris in the regions of Ukraine that were attacked by Russia last night. All services are on the ground, and the rubble is being cleared.

Unfortunately, despite the effective work of our air defense, 4 people were killed and 16 were injured. My condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.

In total, the enemy used over 90 aerial targets against civilians and infrastructure: 81 Shahed drones, as well as cruise, ballistic, and air-launched ballistics missiles.

We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished.

Video: State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Here are the details from The Kyiv Independent:

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least seven people and injured at least 34 over the past day, regional authorities reported on Aug. 27.

Russia launched a combined wave of attacks against Ukraine for the second night in a row, reportedly using 81 Shahed-type attack drones and 10 missiles. A day before, Russia launched its largest aerial strike throughout the full-scale war, using over 230 missiles and drones.

From the overall tally, four people were killed and 16 injured only during the overnight strike on Aug. 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Overall, Russian forces launched three Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles from MiG-31K aircraft, five Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95 bomber planes, one Iskander-M ballistic missile, and one Iskander-K cruise missile, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.

Five Kh-101 cruise missiles and 60 drones were intercepted by Ukrainian defenses, the commander noted.

Russia attacked Kyiv Oblast and Kyiv with drones and missiles, with an air raid alert ongoing for eight hours. No damage or victims were reported.

Around 10 attack drones and several missiles were downed near Kyiv, said city administration head Serhii Popko, adding that “everything that flew to the capital was destroyed.”

Russian forces also targeted Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past day, resulting in three civilian deaths, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported. At least two of the fatalities were recorded during drone attacks overnight on Aug. 27.

Five civilians were injured in the region, including an 86-year-old woman. Four of them are currently being treated in a local hospital.

Several homes were damaged by blast waves and debris from the attack, and a fire occurred in a field, Fedorov said, adding that at least 128 drones attacked the region over the past 24 hours.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people were killed and 13 injured over the past day, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Eight of the injured and one fatality were reported during the day on Aug. 26 following Russian attacks against the Nikopol district.

Late at night, a Russian Iskander missile struck a hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih, killing at least two people and injuring at least five, Lysak reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured when Russia struck an infrastructure facility with an Iskander missile, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast killed one person and injured 10 others, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

A critical infrastructure site, medical and educational institutions, high-rise buildings, houses, and other buildings were reportedly damaged.

One person was injured in Russian attacks against Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 26, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Another civilian was injured during drone attacks in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, said Serhii Tiurin, the regional governor. Eight drones were downed over the oblast, with at least two houses catching fire as a result.

Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, and Sumy oblasts also came under attack, but no casualties were reported.

For the second night in a row, the Polish Air Force scrambled its fighter jets as Russia attacked western Ukrainian regions. The Polish military said that a Russian drone may have entered Polish airspace during a previous attack on Aug. 26.

Kharkiv:

The Kyiv Independent has the details:

Russian forces attacked the town of Bohodukhiv in Kharkiv Oblast on Aug. 27, killing one person and injuring six, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

One of the missiles hit near a bus stop, killing a 71-year-old man. Six people suffered injuries, among them three men, one woman, a 15-year-old boy, and a pregnant woman, according to the statement.

Russia also hit an industrial facility and damaged houses, outbuildings, and cars.

According to preliminary data, Russian troops attacked the settlement with a Tornado-S multiple-launch rocket system.

Previously, Russian troops carried out a missile strike on Bohodukhiv on Aug. 22, killing one person and injuring at least six others, including a child.

Earlier today, Russia launched a combined wave of attacks against Ukraine for the second night in a row, reportedly using 81 Shahed-type attack drones and 10 missiles.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured when Russia struck an infrastructure facility with an Iskander missile, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

A day before, Russia launched its largest aerial strike throughout the full-scale war, using over 230 missiles and drones.

Poltava Oblast:

From The Kyiv Independent:

Three out of the five residents of Ukraine’s Poltava Oblast injured in a mass Russian attack on Aug. 26 have died in the hospital, Governor Filip Pronin announced on Aug. 27.

Russia launched what Ukraine‘s Air Force called the largest attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Aug. 26, striking 15 oblasts across the country.

Excluding the latest casualties, seven civilians had been killed and over 40 injured across Ukraine.

The five Poltava Oblast residents were injured early on Aug. 26 when Russia targeted an industrial facility in the region.

Later the same day, drone debris damaged a house in the Lubny district, injuring a woman.

Poltava Oblast lies in central Ukraine, bordering Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy and Kyiv oblasts.

Kryvi Rih:

Odesa:

Pokrovsk:

A new assessment from Tatarigami and his Frontelligence Insight team:

As Russian forces close in on Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub in Ukraine’s Donbas region, concerns about its potential loss are mounting. There is uncertainty about why Pokrovsk is more significant than other recently lost towns. This thread aims to clarify this and other aspects:Image
2/ Before falling to Russian forces in February 2024, Avdiivka was vital for Ukrainian troops, serving as a fortress, protecting key logistical routes in Donetsk Oblast, and a potential foothold for deoccupying Donetsk. Since 2022, Russia has invested heavily in capturing itImage
3/ Pokrovsk, with a pre-war population of ~60,000, lies west of Avdiivka at a key railroad crossroads. It has become a key distribution hub, supporting Ukrainian forces along a broad frontline from Vuhledar to the north of Donetsk and beyond. The railways are highlighted in redImage

4/ Currently, only two places in the Donbas serve this vital function – Pokrovsk and Kramatorsk

The significance of Pokrovsk extends beyond its rail connections – it is also located at a key road juncture, serving a similar role in the transportation and distribution of suppliesImage

5/ The road linking Pokrovsk to Kostyantynivka has long been a Russian target. Cutting it off would worsen the resupply of troops in the Bakhmut-Horlivka sector. The potential loss of Pokrovsk poses an operational threat to logistics in the region, from Vuhledar to Horlivka 
6/ Another concern is the political one: Pokrovsk is just over 20 kilometers from the Dnipro Oblast border. Given Russia’s re-entry into Kharkiv Oblast in May 2024, there’s little reason to think Putin will stop at Donetsk and Luhansk borders.Image
7/ Since July, the pace of Russian advancement in this area has quickened, allowing them to bypass most of the defensive lines Ukraine rapidly built after Avdiivka’s fall. This is visible on the map by OSINT group @Black_BirdGroup, which used satellite imagery to map defensesImage
8/ Satellite imagery of seized UA positions shows signs of artillery shelling, though less extensive than in Ocheretyne. This likely indicates that Ukrainian troops in the Pokrovsk area retreated multiple times due to insufficient forces and resources for an organized defense 
9/ While concerns about the lack of fortifications behind Avdiivka are valid, the major issue is the shortage of manpower and units to defend them. Regardless of how well-constructed the defenses are, if they are staffed at only 10-20% of capacity, they likely will be lost 
10/ Typically, both Ukraine and Russia redeploy forces to stabilize critical areas by moving units from quieter sectors. Ukraine’s redeployment to Kharkiv, and then Sumy for the Kursk operation has reduced the available units for stabilization efforts. 
11/ Does this mean that the loss of Pokrovsk is imminent? No, but the likelihood is increasing due to the balance of forces. Despite Ukrainian efforts to draw Russian forces away with the Kursk incursion, Russian leadership is hesitant to redeploy significant forces from Pokrovsk 
12/ Ukraine has options to stabilize the line, including deploying new brigades, repositioning forces from Kursk and Kharkiv, or reallocating battalions from more stable fronts. However, time is against the defenders, and there is a risk of a serious operational catastrophe.Image
13/ The full analysis with detailed insights and nuances from Frontelligence Insight will be available soon on the @EuromaidanPress website and our own site. Follow our account to stay updated, and please like and share the opening message to help increase visibility. 

That’s enough for tonight.

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    13Comments

    2. 2.

      Jay

      Funny how ruZZia is allowed to strike Ukraine anywhere with glide bombs, drones and missiles containing US Export Controlled components and technology,

      But Ukraine is not.

      Also funny, is how the US can quickly pull together a multi-national respose to shoot down Iranian drones and missiles, but NATO can’t bother to shoot down ruZZian drones and missile overflying their territory to strike Ukraine.

      Reply
    3. 3.

      Anonymous At Work

      Reading that Ukraine is set to present to Biden, Harris, AND TRUMP!!! a plan to win the war.  I wonder if Zelensky is that stupid?  Any plan presented to the third person will get leaked to Russia as soon Erik Prince can book a flight overseas.  What is going on?  I wouldn’t believe military deception or counter-intelligence; Biden is the type that would not do that, even to TFG.

      Reply
    5. 5.

      Jay

      @Anonymous At Work:

      I trust Ukraine and their leadership know what they are doing, and there is a 0% chance that Biden/Harris and Cheeto Mussolini get the same briefing, in the same room, at the same time.

      Reply
    6. 6.

      KatKapCC

      That video with the pup! Oh my word.

      I sometimes wonder if we need to kidnap Jake Sullivan and drop him off by himself in Kharkiv somewhere for a few days, then ask him how he feels about striking inside Russia. He doesn’t strike me as a stupid man, but he does not seem to have many intelligent thoughts when it comes to this war.

      Reply
    8. 8.

      Anonymous At Work

      @Jay: I’m just wondering if the plan isn’t to convince TFG that he can win a Nobel Peace Prize if he gets Russia to leave Ukraine but not if there’s a peace deal on Russia’s terms.

      Reply
    10. 10.

      way2blue

      @Jay: Just chomping on the same twisted asymmetry today.  Russia can fire weapons full of American components at Ukrainian civilians, but Ukraine can’t fire weapons from America at Russian military targets?  And the pathetic excuses from the Biden administration talking heads when challenged.   Threadbare nonsense.  Can’t we agree that once the weapons are in Ukraine’s hands—they’re Ukrainian.   Patronizing much?

      Reply
    11. 11.

      wjca

      @Anonymous At Work:  I wouldn’t believe military deception or counter-intelligence; Biden is the type that would not do that, even to TFG.

      Biden probably wouldn’t.   But then TCFG isn’t getting security briefings of any kind currently.

      Zelenskyy, however, might well offer Trump a separate briefing.  Knowing it would be leaked to Putin almost instantly.  The opportunity for disinformation might well prove irresistible.  Especially if it led to Russia redeploying aircraft (especially) to more concentrated, but supposedly not on the target list, locations.

      Reply
    13. 13.

      Another Scott

      Some comments from Gen. Ryder’s press conference yesterday:

      MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: All right.

      Q: Several Russian officials have spoken out recently about the US being involved in the Kursk incursion. The deputy foreign minister said consequences for the United States could be much harsher than those they are already experiencing. They know where and in what areas we are reacting in practical terms. What does — do you know, what does that — I guess what are the areas that they are reacting that the US knows about? And I guess do you have any comment to their — Lavrov also spoke out, saying that the US is complicit in this Kursk incursion.

      MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: So, truth in advertising, I’m not a Kremlinologist, so I’m not going to pretend to be able to translate for Russian bureaucratese. What I will say is that, as we’ve said previously, we did not have advance notification of Ukraine’s intent and operations to go into Kursk.

      Certainly, again, you’ve heard President Zelenskyy say that their efforts there are to create a buffer zone. And so, we continue to have conversations with them about what that means, but more broadly speaking, how the US can support Ukraine’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty and deter future Russian aggression.

      Q: But specifically on this allegation that the US knows that the consequences are going to be harsher than previously, have you seen any indications of consequences against the United States?

      MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: I don’t know what that means. Again, we’re not at war with Russia. We’re not seeking conflict with Russia. We are simply supporting a democratic nation who was invaded two and a half years ago and enabling them to protect themselves. Thank you.

      Naive? Oblivious? Intently focused? Trying to keep a 50 nation coalition united on supporting Ukraine and not beingd distracted by VVP’s over-the-top bluster? All of the above? Dunno.

      I ass-u-me that Biden and his people are doing what they can to not reinforce the Kremlin narrative that poor, peace-loving Russia is a victim of the warmongers in the West yet again, while doing what is possible in such a huge coalition to make sure Ukraine “prevails”.

      Eyes on the prizes. Slava Ukraini!!

      My $0.02. FWIW.

      Cheers,
      Scott.

      Reply

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