Oorlog in Oekraïne én in Rusland #1013 Kursk = Oekraïne

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White House offers insight on lack of US-China consensus on Ukraine
The United States "very rigorously" adheres to the simple maxim "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," Jake Sullivan said

The United States and China have not reached any concrete plan for a diplomatic solution to the Russo-Ukrainian war, largely because the United States adheres to the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," said Jake Sullivan, adviser to the US president on national security issues, during a briefing.

He cannot say that the United States and the People's Republic of China have made progress in solving the Russo-Ukrainian war. Sullivan also noted that the Beijing has laid out its principles in this regard both unilaterally and together with Brazil.

The adviser said that over the past three days, the American and Chinese sides had the opportunity to exchange views on the war.

At the same time, they did not reach any specific plan regarding diplomacy – and in many ways this happened because the USA "very rigorously" adheres to the simple maxim "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine", the official explained.

Ultimately, it will be up to Ukraine to decide how it wants to proceed with diplomacy and negotiations, Sullivan added.

This week, the adviser visited China, where, in particular, he met with President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

You can find the "peace plan" developed by China in May here. Primarily, it proposes a freeze on the war.

China declined to attend the first Global Peace Summit—they stated that Beijing always supports efforts for a peaceful resolution of the war but will not attend the event without Russia.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Brazil stated that this country did not notify Kyiv that it was planning to present a "peace plan" together with China.

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The ban on Chinese drones from September 1 will cause a shortage in the Armed Forces, — Magyar
Starting September 1, 2024, China will impose restrictions on the export of drones and their components. Robert «Magyar» Brovdi, commander of the 414th Separate Regiment of Strike Unmanned Aircraft Systems (OPUBAS), sounds the alarm.

On Facebook, the most famous «drone pilot» of the Ukrainian Armed Forces advises to prepare «for a new test». Magyar expects a greater shortage than with Western ammunition — at least they are periodically added. Robert Brovdi sees China’s restriction as an attempt to «make Ukraine sit down with» for negotiating with Russia on unfavorable terms.

«It will be expensive and small. And a couple dozen new millionaires will appear. Different «suits».

In July, the Chinese government announced restrictions on the export of a number of UAV-related goods from the country. According to Brovdi, the important event, which has a significant impact on the course of the war, has received little attention in Ukraine due to a lack of awareness of Chinese affairs. He argues that the restriction will negatively affect many Ukrainian manufacturers.

«Although the developments are perhaps the best in the world, all imported Chinese components are assembled into finished products».

The OPUBAS commander provides a list of goods and components that will be restricted. It is taken from a message from one of the Chinese carriers.

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Russians lose Buk missile launcher in the Kherson region

^{9A317M TELAR of the 9K317M Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system with six 9M317M anti-aircraft guided missiles. 2018. Russia. Photo: Russian media}

The Russian invasion forces have lost a Buk TELAR in southern Ukraine.

The photo of the destroyed launcher was published by the Lost_warinua Telegram channel.

It happened in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region.

Judging by the photo, the 9A317M TELAR of the 9K317M Buk-M3 complex was destroyed.

It was probably destroyed by the Ukrainian defense forces using one of the weapons in service.

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Ukrainian men deported from Russia stuck in legal limbo on Georgian border
A group of 17 Ukrainian deportees from Russia are currently stranded on the Russian-Georgian border without documents, independent news outlet Holod reported on Thursday.

One of the men, 31-year-old Oleksandr Shulgin, told Holod the group was living in a windowless basement at the Dariali checkpoint. He said his documents were taken from him when he was detained in Russia in January, and that he had been deposited at the Georgian border without them on 2 August.

Shulgin, who holds Ukrainian citizenship, said he had lived in Russia for 10 years but was detained by police in January for violating immigration procedures. He was taken into custody for seven and a half months before being released without charge and deposited at the Georgian border, where he has been ever since, he said.

He said none of his fellow Ukrainians stranded at the border, some of whom had been there for around two months, had been allowed to enter Georgia. The other men, whom Holod did not identify, are either former prisoners whose sentences had ended or migrant workers expelled from Russia for not having the correct paperwork. Some of the men have tuberculosis.

“It’s damp … and condensation drips off the pipes. We’re being held in captivity. We can’t go out onto the street and nobody tells us anything. … Volunteers bring us food once a week, thankfully. But we don’t know how anything works or who we should turn to,” Shulgin said.

This is not the first time that Ukrainians taking a circuitous route home from Russia via Georgia have become stranded at the border. In August 2023, six former prisoners waited 11 days at the border, while 17 former prisoners spent two weeks surviving in similarly bleak conditions there in October. In November, a group of eight former prisoners became so desperate that they threatened to self-harm in an attempt to draw attention to their plight.

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Ukraine Repatriates 14 Children and Their Families from Russia Occupied Regions

^{Ukrainian child repatriated from temporarily occupied territories. (Source: Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets via Telegram)}

Ukraine has repatriated 14 children and their families from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

This was announced by Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.

One family had tried multiple times to leave the occupied areas on their own but was repeatedly threatened and sent back without explanation. Another family had been hiding from the Russian occupying forces due to their pro-Ukrainian stance.

During conversations with the Ombudsman’s Office, individuals reported fears of going outside and difficulties finding work without a Russian passport. Russian occupying forces threatened to seize their property and strip them of parental rights, while children faced restrictions in schools. Ukrainian books were burned, and valuable possessions were confiscated. The homes of Ukrainians were continuously searched.

Many of the returned children require schooling, psychological and humanitarian support, and social integration.

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⏺Bring Kids Back UA in action: it was possible to return 14 more children to their native land

Thanks to the assistance and painstaking work of our team, several families from the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions were returned to Ukraine.

❗️Courageous families with teenagers and very young children took a bold step of resistance, which shows the steadfastness of the Ukrainian spirit. They overcame many difficulties to find themselves in the territory controlled by Ukraine.

In particular, one of the families, which did not accept the new "mess" of the Russian authorities, tried several times to leave TOT on its own. However, she was sent back under threats without explanation. Another family was generally hiding from the Russians because of its pro-Ukrainian position. Fortunately, this is already behind us and our Office was able to help our citizens.

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Come Back Alive Foundation handed over strike drones to artillerymen

^{Ukrainian military with a Darts attack drone, August 2024. Photo credits: Come Back Alive Foundation}

The Come Back Alive Foundation together with the ANC pharmacy chain purchased reconnaissance and strike drones for the military.

The news was published on the foundation’s website.

The Come Back Alive Foundation raised UAH 2.2 million to buy several types of drones for the unmanned aerial vehicle units of the 44th Artillery Brigade.

UAH 1,000,000 was spent on a set of 23 Darts attack drones, catapults and other equipment. In addition, the amount also included a DJI Mavic 3 PRO drone.

An additional UAH 1,200,000 was also spent on three Molfar 8 FPV drones.

“These drones will help artillerymen fight the invaders’ equipment. They have already been handed over to a brigade operating in the Zaporizhzhia region,” the Foundation said.

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Ukraine has right to defend both on own soil, beyond its borders - Swedish MoD
Ukraine has the right to defend itself both on its territory and outside the country, while Sweden will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
That’s according to Swedish Defense Minister Pål Johnson, who spoke ahead of the informal meeting of EU defense chiefs in Brussels on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Sweden adheres to international law. Ukraine has the right to defend itself inside and outside of its territory... It’s Russia who started an unprovoked full-scale aggression against Ukraine. So, Sweden's position is that Ukraine has the right to defend itself inside and outside of Ukraine... And we are going to be supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes," Johnson emphasized.

According to the official, Brussels will also discuss the issue of training Ukrainian recruits on Ukraine’s territory.

"We do not exclude this possibility in one way or another... We think it’s important also to keep unity within the EU for such measure, and, of course, we have to take into account military and political considerations, but we don’t exclude this possibility," the minister said.

Johnson recalled that Sweden had already delivered EUR 4 billion worth of defense equipment to Ukraine and is drawing conclusions in the delivery process so that it sees no delays.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, during a press conference in Brussels following the informal Council of the EU foreign ministers, EU High Representative Josep Borrell stated that the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western weapons supplied by EU countries to Ukraine for protection against Russian aggression will remain within the competence of the national governments of EU member states.

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The US Army has ordered Javelin missiles for $1.3 billion. More than 4,000 of these missiles are for Ukraine
The U.S. Army has ordered $1.3 billion worth of Javelin missiles, the largest one-year Javelin production contract to date, the manufacturers' joint venture said .

More than 4,000 Javelin missiles from this contract are being sent to Ukraine for resupply.

Manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon say the deal is part of a May 2023 contract to produce Javelin missiles and related equipment and services. This multi-year contract could reach $7.2 billion to produce an "unspecified number" of missiles between 2023 and 2026.

The manufacturers report that this contract involves the purchase of Javelin weapons systems and production support for the US Army. Javelin All Up Round (AUR) production is expected to increase to 3,960 per year by the end of 2026, according to the report.

"Now more than ever, Javelin is recognized as the most effective, battle-proven anti-armor weapon system in the world," said Andy Amaro , JJV president and Javelin program director at Raytheon.

The joint venture says it has more than 25 international customers worldwide and has so far produced more than 50,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable command launchers.

Javelin missiles are included in the vast majority of US aid packages. In particular, the latest aid package, announced on August 23 , included more than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems.

The first batch of Javelin missiles arrived in Ukraine even before the start of the full-scale invasion, and Ukrainian troops actively used these missiles in close combat against Russian tank columns.

But later, Russian armored vehicles tried not to approach the Ukrainian troops within the range of a javelin shot, and the Ukrainians began to save on expensive American missiles, Ukrainian experts explained in an interview with the mass media.

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Borrell: EU procures 700,000 artillery shells for Ukraine out of promised 1 million
700,000 155-mm artillery shells have been prepared for Ukraine by the bloc

The European Union has prepared 700,000 artillery shells out of the one million promised to Ukraine, announced EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in Brussels.

"We are currently at the level of approximately 700,000 155-mm caliber shells. We are not yet at the target level, but the West is increasing its capabilities," Borrell said.

He emphasized that the industrial capacities of EU countries are still expanding and the production of ammunition continues.

"I want to stress: we will continue to support Ukraine and do not rule out the possibility of striking Russian territory," the diplomat added. At the same time, the head of European diplomacy noted that the bloc does not seek war with Russia but aims only to help Ukraine resist Russian aggression.

On June 25, 2024, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced that Ukraine had already received the first batch of ammunition purchased for the Defense Forces under the Czech initiative.

On August 20, Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová stated that part of the revenues obtained from Russian assets frozen in the EU would be directed towards supplying ammunition for Ukraine under the Czech initiative.

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Op zaterdag 31 augustus 2024 00:17 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
Hoewel ik weet dat veel Russen ook tegen de oorlog zijn en ze worden gedwongen om te vechten vind ik het toch elke keer plezierig om Orcse tanks de lucht in te zien vliegen.

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Manhunt Launched In Russia After Former Inmate Recruited To Ukraine War Allegedly Kills 2
Police in Russia's Perm region on August 30 launched a manhunt to catch a former inmate, Artyom Buchin, who is suspected of killing a 28-year-old woman and her daughter after returning from the war in Ukraine. The victims’ bodies were found a day earlier. Local media published photos of the suspect and a physical description of him, according to which, the 28-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February 2023 on a murder charge. He was pardoned after he signed a contract with the Defense Ministry and joined Russian troops invading Ukraine. Buchin returned to his town of Chusovoi in November.

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Putin Awards Lukashenko Russia’s Highest Honor on His 70th Birthday
The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle is Russia's highest state honor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle on the occasion of Lukashenko's 70th birthday.

Outstanding Merits
This prestigious honor recognizes Lukashenko's significant contributions to strengthening the alliance and strategic partnership between Russia and Belarus, according to URA.

The decree, published on the Kremlin's official website, highlights Lukashenko's "outstanding merits" in fostering close relations between the two nations. Putin praised Lukashenko for his wisdom and his role as a devoted patriot of Belarus.

He expressed deep appreciation for their enduring friendship and underscored the importance of their continued collaboration.

A Strong Bond
In his congratulatory message, Putin lauded Lukashenko's high authority and the successful testing of their mutual relationship over time.

He emphasized the strong bond between their countries and expressed confidence in their ongoing efforts to enhance fruitful Russian-Belarusian cooperation.

Putin's message also extended heartfelt wishes for Lukashenko's health and well-being, reflecting the close and longstanding ties between the two leaders.

This recognition comes as both nations continue to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes, reinforcing their commitment to mutual support and collaboration.

The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Russia's highest state honor, is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the nation and its international relations.

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Ukraine to draft controlled arms export concept
A strategic move to strengthen the country's economy could be to open up military exports.

A working group of lawmakers and defense industry representatives plans to develop a concept for controlled export of military products during wartime, as was announced by the Verkhovna Rada's Committee on Economic Development following a roundtable meeting held on August 28.

"Currently, only the issue of financing can compete with the question of scaling up production," said committee chairman Dmytro Natalukha.

The meeting discussed the problem of arms exports by Ukrainian companies. The National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) noted that military product exports could bring the state up to $2 billion in additional tax revenue over a year and a half.

The production capacity of Ukraine's defense industry amounts to $20 billion annually, while the state budget can only purchase weapons and ammunition for $6 billion.

It was noted during the meeting that, due to a lack of funds, defense enterprises may face bankruptcy, as all working capital has been invested in developing new technologies and expanding production.

Opening exports could be a strategic move to strengthen the country's economy and develop the defense industry. At the same time, additional taxes would be directed towards purchasing weapons and ammunition for the Defense Forces.

"Today, Ukrainian manufacturers have no direct legal prohibition on exporting their products, but in conditions of active war, the issue of allowing arms exports becomes particularly complex and important," said Oleksandr Marikovski, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regional Cooperation and Trade.

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Putin, cash and guns prompt ‘explosive’ rethink of Swiss neutrality
After 500 years of non-alliance, a bombshell report recommends closer cooperation with the EU and NATO.

Switzerland isn’t keen on getting involved in wars but likes making money.

The clash between those values — plus worries that Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a risk to the whole of Europe — is prompting the country to rethink its defense stance.

In a bombshell report released on Thursday, a group of experts recommend to the government that the country, which has been neutral since 1515, work on a "common defense capability" with the EU and NATO.

"Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, neutrality has once again become the subject of political debate, both at home and abroad. Pressure on Switzerland to clarify its position is growing," reads the report, calling for a "revision" of its neutrality policy.

One of the many drivers is how Switzerland's neutrality has affected arms sales; another is how to better defend a country surrounded by two groupings to which it doesn't belong.

The potential policy upheaval is yet another sign of how Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine is changing Europe's security landscape. The unprovoked attack prompted Sweden and Finland to ditch their neutrality and join NATO.

The experts preparing the report — including diplomats, senior officials, a former head of the Swiss army and Wolfgang Ischinger, the former director of the Munich Security Conference — delivered their findings to Swiss Defense and Security Minister Viola Amherd, who is also president of the Confederation for 2024. The recommendations will inform Switzerland's 2025 security strategy.

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Poland's double "no" to Ukraine
Poland will not shoot down Russian drones or missiles, nor will it train Ukrainian soldiers on Ukrainian territory. "We are not considering in any format what is one of the Ukrainian expectations, i.e. the possibility of shooting down missiles or drones from Polish territory," said Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski. The firm words were spoken during a meeting of EU defense ministers.

Deputy Minister Zalewski believes that "a radical strengthening of Ukraine's air defense by the West should be enough and does not require such support from the Polish Air Force." He noted that "Ukraine must have something to defend itself with," but emphasized that "NATO and EU countries are not parties to the war."

Thus, he firmly rejected the Ukrainian proposal for NATO allies such as Poland to shoot down Russian missiles or drones flying towards them, but still in Ukrainian skies. Zalewski equally firmly rejected Kiev's idea to train Ukrainian troops on Ukrainian territory .

The main arguments would be costs, organization and time. This idea is supported by France and some northern European countries. However, it has not gained unanimity in the EU countries. Above all, Germany and Austria believe that Russia may perceive it as a provocation. There are also concerns that the EU will not be able to ensure the safety of EU instructors.

Poland joins the opponents of this idea. According to Zalewski, training Ukrainian soldiers as it is currently done in EU countries (i.e. Poland or Germany) "is the most effective". In his opinion, on a bilateral basis, some EU countries can train in Ukraine, but as he emphasized - "Poland is not one of them".

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Situation in Donbas Spiraling Out of Control, Azov Brigade Officer Says
Azov Brigade officer Roman Ponomarenko warns that “our front in Donbas has collapsed,” while paramedic Kateryna Polishchuk “Birdie” predicts that “Pokrovsk has a few weeks left.”

The situation on the front line in the Donetsk region has spiraled out of control, according to Roman Ponomarenko, an officer of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade, “Azov,” of the Ukrainian National Guard.

“For a long time, the situation in Donbas was aptly described as ‘difficult, but controlled,’” Ponomarenko wrote on Telegram. “However, now it is out of control. Currently, it looks like our front in Donbas has collapsed.”

He stated that the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is disorganized, with troops exhausted, weakened, and many units demoralized.

“The reinforcements we’re receiving are mostly ‘busified’” (a slang term for those who were forcibly mobilized, literally meaning they were ‘caught,’ put on a bus, and drafted into the army), Ponomarenko wrote. “This doesn’t help; in fact, it complicates the combat operations of the units.”

He added that Russian forces are not advancing deeper only because they are as exhausted as the Ukrainian troops. Despite this, Ponomarenko said that the Russians maintain a significant numerical advantage and have virtually unlimited ammunition supplies.

“Their offensive continues, and we cannot stop it at the moment. And the AFU operation in the Kursk region is not the reason for that,” he said.

“I have doubts that our command has any comprehensive plan for all of this,” the officer added.

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