Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska, Anna Dovha
189 times the air raid sirens went off all across Ukraine on the Independence Day of Ukraine. It’s an absolute record, exceeding the previous one of 109 sirens registered before Easter.
Cities under attack.
On the morning of August 24, Russian troops launched a missile attack on Zaporizhzhia. The occupiers attacked an infrastructure facility in one of the city’s districts. At the same time, Novy Buh, Mykolaiv region, was under attack. As a result, private houses were damaged, 9 people were injured, 2 of them are children. Also in the morning, the Russian invaders attacked a military airfield in Myrhorod, Poltava region. The military infrastructure facilities were damaged. On the same day, The Russian invaders shelled Chaplyno, Dnipropetrovsk region. The missile hit the passenger cars at the Chaplyne station. Four wagons were set on fire. As a result of shelling of the residential sector and the railway station, 25 people died, two of them are children and 31 people were injured! In the evening, the Russian troops launched two missile attacks on Khmelnytsky region. The rockets were fired at the critical infrastructure of the Shepetiv district. Three people were injured. Over the day, the Sumy region was shelled by Russian forces.
On the night of August 25, Russian troops attacked 4 districts of Dnipropetrovsk region. In Synelnykivsky district 8 people were injured. The Russian invaders shelled the city of Kryvy Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region. As a result of the shelling, vehicles, administration buildings and a private house were damaged. Orhiv, Zaporizhzhia region, and nearby settlements were attacked by Russian invaders. Private houses were damaged, one person was killed and one person was injured. In the morning, the Russian occupiers shelled Enerhodar. As a result of the shelling, the city was completely left without electricity and water facilities.
Cities under occupation.
Zaporizhzhia region. Resistance movement is successfully operating. The resistance forces of the Zaporozhzhia region liquidated the so-called ‘Head’ of the Mikhailovsky district, Ivan Sushko, appointed by the Russian forces. His car was blown up. Resistance forces blew up the headquarters of the Russian occupiers near Melitopol, where they were preparing a pseudo-referendum and issuing Russian passports.
Kherson region. The Russian occupiers published a propaganda alphabet for children of the region. In this book, a quatrain is proposed for each letter, which should illustrate for the child both the letter itself and the close connection of the Kherson region with Russia.
Crimea. When entering Crimea, Ukrainians are forced to go through a filtration process that lasts about 10 hours. Over this time, the Russian occupiers interrogate people and check their documents.
Mariupol. The majority of citizens are not going to participate in the so-called ‘referendum’ organized by Russian occupying forces. In unofficial conversations, the majority of the surveyed population in occupied Mariupol refuses to participate in a possible ‘referendum’ or does not directly answer the question of whether they will participate in the said event, reports Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In addition as of September 1, self-proclaimed authorities of Mariupol will stop giving the remaining residents the so-called ‘humanitarian aid’ – cheap sets of products (cereals, canned food). The decision comes reportedly after recorded low demand among Mariupol residents for obtaining Russian citizenship.
Luhansk region. In the region, 55% of men have already been forced to mobilize into the armed forces of the Russian occupiers. Forced mobilization of the Ukrainian citizens to the Russian army at the occupied territories is a violation of the international humanitarian law.
Human rights.
Russia and Russia-aligned forces are operating at least 21 locations used to detain, interrogate, and process prisoners of war and civilians, report the US State Department and Yale University researchers. The facilities are located in and around Donetsk oblast that are part of the filtration system. There appear to be four types of facilities involved in filtration: (1) registration, (2) holding, (3) secondary interrogation, and (4) detention. The report indicates that conditions reported by those released from the facilities can constitute cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment under international humanitarian and human rights law. ‘These conditions include overcrowded facilities, a lack of access to adequate sanitation, insufficient food and clean water, exposure to the elements, denial of medical care, and the use of isolation. In some specific instances, the treatment described as having been endured by those released, such as use of electric shocks, extreme conditions of isolation, and physical assault, may potentially constitute torture if proven’.
Ukraine has already managed to return 53 deported children from Russia and is preparing lawsuits against the Russian Federation based on the facts of the so-called ‘adoption’ of kidnapped and deported Ukrainian children. However, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova reported that since the end of February around 557000 children ‘arrived’ to Russia from Ukraine and unrecognized L/DNR. While Russia considers this a voluntary arrival, some start calling this the results of the deportations and kidnapping. Tatyana Moskalkova reported that all of the children will be enrolled into the Russian education system and will study for free.
According to Human Rights Watch, Ukraine is the only country in the world where cluster munitions are used. The report notes that Russia has used cluster munitions hundreds of times in at least 10 of Ukraine’s 24 regions. From February to July, at least 689 civilians were affected by them.
The European Court of Human Rights urgently considered Ukraine’s petition regarding Russia’s observance of the rights of captured defenders of Ukraine. The Court obliged Russia to ensure the rights of the captured defenders of Ukraine.
Foreign policy.
At the meeting of the UN Security Council on August 24, India did not support Russia for the first time, voting for the participation in the video conference mode of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the procedural vote. Previously, the country always abstained from voting. On Thursday, August 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with American President Joe Biden. The presidents discussed US aid to Ukraine and Russia’s war crimes.
Energy security.
On August 25, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was completely disconnected from the power grid for the first time in its history due to the actions of the Russian occupiers. The NPP operated only due to available back-up electricity channels. ‘If the diesel generators hadn’t turned on, if the automation and our staff of the plant had not reacted after the blackout, then we would already be forced to overcome the consequences of the radiation accident,’ President Zelenskyy warned on Thursday night, reports BBC. Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, says he’s determined to personally lead an IAEA mission to the plant in the next few days to help stabilize the nuclear safety and security situation there.
The French oil giant TotalEnergies is the only one among its peers to continue its activity in Russia. It receives income from the sale of gas condensate which, once transformed into kerosene, refuels Russian planes bombing Ukraine.
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has resumed work on the processing and disposal of radioactive waste.
Assets management.
The arrested 304 million hryvnias of Viktor Yanukovych’s son Oleksandr will be transferred to the needs of Ukrainian intelligence.
Media.
During 6 months of full-scale invasion, Russia committed 435 crimes against journalists and media in Ukraine, according to the Institute of Mass Information.
Digital security.
A subsidiary of the American Google Jigsaw will launch a campaign against disinformation about Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
Recent polls.
According to the survey of the sociological group ‘Rating’, the main emotion respondents feel when thinking about Ukraine is pride (75%). Others include sadness (29%) and joy (26%). Residents of the south and majority of women feel sadness for the country relatively more often. At the individual level, residents of the east of Ukraine, women and the vulnerable citizens feel fear more often. Younger people feel joy more often. Over the past year, the feelings of pride and joy for the country have doubled.
Reading corner.
- Ukraine’s foreign minister: Shut the door on Russian tourists | POLITICO – This is not only Putin’s war but the war of all those who support Putin and war overall. ‘Common social responsibility does exist, that assuming common guilt is the only way to overcome common mistakes of the past’.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., August 26, 2022: personnel – around 46 250, tanks ‒ 1936, APV ‒ 4251, artillery systems – 1040, MLRS – 272, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 148, fixed-wing aircraft – 234, helicopters – 202, operational-tactical level UAV – 834, cruise missiles – 196, boats and light speed boats – 15, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 3162, special equipment – 99
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