Updated on August 9, 2023 at 7:54 p.m. EDT|Published on August 9, 2023 at 2:27 a.m. EDT
Rescuers are currently working diligently at the site of a building in Pokrovsk, Ukraine, which was destroyed in a ruthless Russian missile strike earlier this week (Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters). The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Ukraine of sending two drones to buzz the Moscow region overnight. However, both drones were successfully brought down by air defenses and caused no damage, according to officials. The senior official from Kyiv acknowledged the presence of an “unidentified drone” in Russian airspace but did not accept responsibility. Instead, the official suggested that it underscored how President Vladimir Putin’s “clan” was “bringing the war to its own territory.”
In response to Russia’s alleged drone attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials accused Russia of deliberately targeting emergency workers. They claim that missiles were launched at residential areas in the eastern city of Pokrovsk, and when rescuers arrived at the scene, the same spot was hit again. According to Zelensky, this is a deliberate decision by terrorists to cause significant pain and damage. He made these remarks during his nightly address.
Here’s the latest update on the ongoing war and the global impact it is having.
According to Sergey Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, two Ukrainian “combat drones” were shot down by Russian air defenses while attempting to fly over Moscow. This incident is the latest in a series of alleged Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital since May. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelensky, expressed concerns about Russia’s increasing activity in bringing the war to its own territory.
The strikes on Pokrovsk carried out by Russia resulted in the loss of nine lives and left over 80 individuals injured. Among the injured were two children born in 2006 and 2012, 31 police officers, seven employees of the State Emergency Service, and four military personnel. Photos shared on Telegram depicted severely damaged buildings with blown-out windows and rooftops devastated by the explosions.
Chief of Ukraine’s National Police, Ivan Vyhivskyi, revealed that the police were already engaged in rescuing people after the initial strike. He stated that they were aware that there were injured individuals trapped under the rubble. However, the enemy deliberately struck the same spot a second time, causing further devastation. Similar tactics, commonly known as “double tap” strikes, have been used by Russia in previous conflicts, targeting emergency workers responding to initial strikes.
A pyrotechnics warehouse explosion occurred in the Moscow region, injuring 56 people and resulting in one fatality. Regional governor Andrei Vorobyov stated that the blast, which shattered windows in nearby residential buildings, was accidental rather than the result of a drone attack. The Washington Post could not independently verify this claim.
A private Belgian dealer revealed that an unidentified buyer has purchased dozens of Leopard 1 tanks for refurbishment and transportation to Ukraine. Freddy Versluys, CEO of defense company OIP Land Systems, expressed satisfaction that these tanks would finally contribute to the fight for freedom. The tanks were previously owned by the Belgian army, which sold them to reduce costs. The price paid for the tanks was not disclosed, and reports suggesting 500,000 euros per vehicle were refuted by Versluys.
In Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian shelling claimed the life of an 18-year-old. Military administrator Serhiy Lysak reported that Moscow’s forces targeted the cities of Nikopol and Marhanet with artillery fire, resulting in damage to five homes and a church. Three other individuals sustained injuries. The Washington Post could not independently verify this information.
Ukrainian armed forces conducted offensive operations in the southeast of the country near the occupied cities of Melitopol and Berdyansk. While Ukraine has achieved small victories in its counteroffensive, it has yet to significantly penetrate Russia’s heavily fortified defenses.
According to satellite imagery analyzed by the Moscow Times, a massive Russian military storage site has seen a reduction in Soviet-era tanks and armored vehicles since the invasion of Ukraine. In autumn 2021, the site housed approximately 3,840 tanks or vehicles, but by November 2022, only about 2,600 remained.
Russian shelling in a Zaporizhzhia residential district resulted in the death of at least two individuals and injuries to seven others, according to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. Authorities are still conducting search operations, but no additional casualties have been reported so far.
The United States has imposed new sanctions on Belarus, restricting eight individuals, five entities, and one aircraft. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized President Alexander Lukashenko’s fraudulent election three years ago and targeted those who support Lukashenko’s repression and Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.
German authorities have arrested a German citizen accused of spying for Russia. The individual, identified as Thomas H., allegedly provided information to Russian diplomatic missions through his job in the German military.
Poland plans to deploy 2,000 troops to its border with Belarus, doubling the initial number. Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak stated that the additional soldiers aim to prevent a migration crisis orchestrated by Belarus.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed Russia’s offer to provide free grain to African countries as “laughable.” Putin had offered to deliver up to 50,000 metric tons of free wheat to several African countries. Blinken argued that the Russian proposal was meager compared to the 20 million tons delivered by the Black Sea Grain Initiative to lower- and middle-income countries.
Britain has imposed new sanctions on companies and individuals accused of supplying militarily significant components to Russia. Individuals and entities from Belarus, Iran, Turkey, Slovakia, and Switzerland are among those affected by the sanctions. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly noted that these sanctions will further diminish Russia’s arsenal and disrupt supply chains that support its struggling defense industry.
Ukraine witnessed a sharp decline in corn exports in July, coinciding with Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Data from Ukraine’s Agriculture Ministry shows that corn exports fell by 53% in July compared to the previous month, marking the largest monthly decline since the invasion began. Since July 17, when Russia pulled out of the U.N.-brokered deal, it has refused to guarantee the safety of cargo vessels departing from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Elite and well-connected Russians with ties to Putin or the Russian military continue to evade sanctions and cause widespread dissatisfaction. The European Union still welcomes dozens of individuals despite sanctions imposed to isolate Russia. The privileges granted to these individuals have drawn criticism from politicians and anti-war activists. For example, a Russian pole vaulter, who won an Olympic gold medal and has close ties to Putin, is currently living in a luxurious residence worth millions in Spain’s Canary Islands. Similarly, the daughter and son-in-law of a weapons company’s head reside in Prague, where their family owns multiple properties and luxury vehicles.
An exiled Russian businessman and Putin critic based in London highlighted the difficulties faced by representatives of the anti-war opposition in Russia who struggle to secure opportunities to move to the West. Meanwhile, Putin’s elite, including relatives of war criminals who obtained European residence permits beforehand, continue to enjoy comfortable lives in the West, spending stolen money from Russia.
Serhiy Morgunov contributed to this report.
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