Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska, Anna Dovha
Photo: Zelenskiy Official Telegram Channel
Energy security.
Nuclear terrorism continues. The Ministry of Defense of Russia threatened to stop the operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under the occupation of the Russian military. Such actions in the Kremlin are explained by the alleged shelling of the nuclear power plant by the Ukrainian military and the preparation of provocations. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s The Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security of Ukraine informs that Zaporizhzhia NPP employees had been given an ‘unexpected day off’ and representatives of Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear operator, have left the facility. Ukrainian officials are preparing for different possible scenarios. ‘There are appropriate procedures for how this headquarters functions. A wide range of ministries, departments, and institutions are involved in it, full coordination takes place there. It works 24/7, and we monitor the situation around the ZNPP online,’ the Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko noted. Also Ukrainian authorities performed disaster response drills in case of the emergency appearing. Responding to Ukraine’s invitation, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi is ready to lead an IAEA delegation to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Naftogaz of Ukraine failed to obtain consent for a two-year deferment of interest payments and repayments for any of its three Eurobond issues. Only about 22% of the votes were cast for the postponement, short of the required minimum of 75%.
Foreign policy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held bilateral and trilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Erdogan and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Lviv. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced the dispatch of a mission to identify and establish the facts of the tragedy in occupied Olenivka. During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky agreed with the UN Secretary General on the parameters of the IAEA mission at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The President of Turkey, Recep Erdogan, stated that his country is ready to once again become a mediator in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. However, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that negotiations with Russia are possible only if Russian troops leave the illegally occupied territory of Ukraine.
The flow of new international support for Ukraine has drained in July, says a new report of Ukraine Support Tracker, despite Ukraine entering a critical phase of the battles. No large EU country like Germany, France or Italy, has made significant new pledges. However, the gap between committed and disbursed aid has narrowed. In July, Ukraine received around 1,5 billion euros in new pledges of support. In total, the tracker now records commitments of 84.2 billion euros.
The Australian authorities took the land that the Russian embassy planned to use for the construction of a new building. The capital administration terminated the lease agreement because the Russian side missed the three-year deadline for construction.
In connection with the sanctions introduced against the Russian Federation for its aggression against Ukraine, since August 18, Russians with Schengen visas issued by Estonia have stopped being allowed into the country. Russians whose purpose of trip is tourism, business, sports or culture are not able to enter the country.
Cities under attack.
On August 17, the Russian invaders shelled Mykolaiv. Residential buildings were damaged as a result of night shelling of the city. Throughout the day, the Russian occupiers intensively inflicted artillery and rocket attacks on Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region. As a result of one of the attacks, the residential infrastructure was shelled, namely a dormitory, where 6 people were killed and 16 people were injured. At the same time, the Russian army attacked two districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region. As a result of the shelling, private houses, cars, a gas piper, a local enterprise and a power line were damaged. On the same day, Russian occupiers launched a missile attack on the Odesa region. Two missiles caused destruction and fire at one of Odesa’s recreation centers and several private buildings nearby. 3 citizens were injured.
On the night of August 18, the Russian troops shelled Zaporizhzhia. As a result of the shelling, 3 people were injured and one person was killed. At the same time, the Russian invaders launched massive rocket attacks on Kharkiv. The Russian rocket hit the residential building, dormitory and Palace of Culture Zaliznychnyk. As a result of the attack, 12 people were killed and dozens of people were injured. On Friday morning, three districts in Kharkiv were hit once again. As a result of the shelling, a residential building was hit. Previously, one person was injured. There was also an attack on an infrastructure object.During the day, Russian occupiers attacked Mykolaiv. Two people were injured, another person died on the way to the hospital. This morning, Russian forces once again shelled the city and for the second time targeted the national university based there.
Cities under occupation.
Mariupol. The Russian occupiers are trying to take metal products from Mariupol to the Russian Federation. This already led to internal conflicts among the invaders.
Kherson. Russian soldiers in the temporarily occupied Kherson region kidnapped the head of the local territorial community, Svitlana Korotun, who refused to cooperate.
Melitopol. In the temporarily occupied Melitopol, the Russians have threatened young people who refuse to study in vocational schools with conscription into the Russian armed forces. After the explosions in the area of the commandant’s office of the Russian occupiers on August 17, the Russian invaders blocked the exit from Melitopol towards Crimea. At the same time, total filtration is carried out at the entrance to the city. Resistance Center informs that in Melitopol Russian occupation authorities are planning to conduct door-to-door ‘surveys’ of households from September 11-17 in preparation for in-person voting for the Kremlin’s so-called annexation referendum.The door-to-door survey is aimed to compensate potential low turn-out at the referendum and also to create preconditions for the falsifications. The Resistance Center reports that Ukrainian partisan activity forced the Russian military to transfer forces away from the front lines to secure holding of the sham referendum.
Economic security.
Citizens of Ukraine will be able to quickly buy bonds of the domestic state loan through the Diya application and thereby help the country to finance the state budget deficit.
Canada will provide Ukraine with 450 million Canadian dollars for the purchase of gas before the heating season.
Human rights.
The first consultation center of the Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights of Ukraine has been opened in Kyiv, where relatives of children who were illegally taken out of Ukraine by the occupiers can apply for comprehensive assistance.
Education.
The content of general secondary education curricula in Ukraine was revised and updated in connection with the challenges that arose as a result of the full-scale war with Russia.
Recent polls.
According to the survey of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, the majority of the population of Ukraine (85%) consider themselves primarily citizens of their country. This answer is almost twice as much as in 1992 – 45.6%. A little less than 1% of respondents consider themselves citizens of the former Soviet Union, however, among young people the size of this group is 0%.
The Rating group presented the results of the sixteenth national survey on the image of veterans in Ukrainian society. Some of the survey findings: regarding the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, respondents primarily feel gratitude (64%) and pride (50%). More than 90% trust the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the veterans of the ongoing war and the veterans of the Anti-terrorist Operation (ATO) of 2014-2021. Half of the respondents believe that the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are likely to face the problem of unemployment, while a little less than half think they are unlikely to. Such problems as conflicts in the families of the veterans and abuse of alcohol or drugs are considered more unlikely than likely. Regarding the risk of suicide and the one of breaking the law, the vast majority (at least two-thirds of the respondents) consider them unlikely for the veterans.Patriotism is most often cited as a positive trait of the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war – it was mentioned by 75% of the respondents. The absolute majority (93%) believe that the Ukrainian society respects the veterans today.
Watching recommendations.
IMDb an online database of information related to films and television series, prepared a list ‘50 Ukrainian docs you must watch to understand Ukraine’ – list of 50 films made by Ukrainian filmmakers to better understand Europe’s largest country torn by the war, and appreciate the importance of standing with Ukraine.
Reading corner.
- The Ukrainian Muslims fighting against Russia | Russia-Ukraine war | Al Jazeera – Although Muslims make up only about 1 percent of the predominantly Christian country of 44 million people, many have joined the war effort following Russia’s invasion. Many are driven by a history of Russian injustices against Muslim communities and support for what is seen as an open and tolerant Ukraine.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., August 19, 2022: personnel – around 44 700, tanks ‒ 1899, APV ‒ 4195, artillery systems – 1016, MLRS – 266, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 141, fixed-wing aircraft – 234, helicopters – 197 operational-tactical level UAV – 795, cruise missiles – 190, boats and light speed boats – 15, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 3130, special equipment – 94.
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