Timeline: day 167 of Ukraine’s defense against russia’s aggression

Today is August 9. russia's military attack on Ukraine has been going on for 167 days. We're reporting on the current news. The article will be updated.

What about today?

Key points

After the war with russia, neither smoldering nor frozen conflict should remain in Ukraine. Ukraine must return everything that russia has temporarily captured, and the aggressor state must be punished for the crime of aggression, Zelensky said in his traditional night address. "It exactly is what our diplomats, Office, and government officials are working on. And, of course, the greatest contribution is currently being made by our military—all Ukrainian heroes who are breaking the russian terrorist machine on the battlefield."

The key points from the morning summary of Ukraine's General Staff:

• In the Kharkiv direction, the occupiers fired from tanks, cannon, and rocket artillery.
• In the Sloviansk direction, the enemy fired artillery.
• In the Donetsk direction, with the support of operational-tactical and army aviation, the enemy is conducting offensive battles in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions.
• In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy fired near Hryhorivka, Siversk, Verkhniokamianske, Zakitne, and Ivano-Daryivka.
• Our defenders neutralized reconnaissance groups of russians in the areas of Velika Novosilka and Vremivka.
• Ukrainian soldiers repelled attacks near Krasnohorivka, Avdiivka, and Zaitseve.

Yesterday, our defenders destroyed three warehouses of russian troops and one base. The Armed Forces of Ukraine also struck a concentration of russian equipment and manpower near Snihurivka in the Mykolaiv region, the South operational Command reports.

The russian forces continue to strike and bring military equipment near the nuclear reactors of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), probably playing on the West's fears about a nuclear disaster and undermining the West's will to provide additional military support to Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes about the new terrorist tactics of the Russians.

ISW also notes that the invaders are deploying less professional occupation forces and intensifying pressure on the Ukrainian population in the occupied territories.

russia has lost 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Policy correspondent Jack Detsch said, citing the Pentagon. He also added that the russian army had used most of its high-precision ammunition and weapons, such as cruise missiles, in more than five months of the war.

According to the BBC, 18% of all confirmed russian casualties are officers.

According to the Russian Field survey, 60% of russians would support putin's new offensive on Kyiv. At the same time, 65% of the respondents would approve of the termination of the "special operation." The "experts" of the russian "Kommersant" believe that it means that society doesn't want to think about big political problems.

Reuters says there are reports of explosions from the russian military airbase in Novofedorivka in Crimea. The first explosion occurred around 3:00 p.m. local time. There are several more behind him. Locals write that the arrival is next to the airfield from which the russian planes take off, which attack Ukraine with missiles.

"As you could understand, missiles with a range of 200-300 km are already in our arsenal and are being used," Viktor Andrusiv, a former adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, commented.

The first official comment of the bewildered russians was rather sluggish. The adviser to the "head of Crimea" told RIA Novosti that so far, he could only confirm the fact of the explosions in the Novofedorivka area. He did not disclose other details and urged "to wait for official reports and not to produce versions."

Residents write about the large number of ambulances that drive towards Novofedorivka from Yevpatoria. Officially, "one person died as a result of explosions in Novofedorivka," the so-called head of Crimea, Aksyonov, announced.

A little later, russia's defense ministry "officially" announced that the detonation of several aviation munitions allegedly took place at the airfield near Novofedorivka. "According to the report from the scene, there was no fire impact on the ammunition storage area at the airfield," the department lied. The same was said about the Moscow cruiser. The detonation of ammunition continues.

American journalist Michael Weiss commented on reports of using long-range missiles from the military airfield of the occupiers in Novofedorivka. "This is just a warm-up so far," he quoted the words of an unnamed high-ranking representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine declares that it "cannot establish" the cause of the fire at the Saki airfield. At the same time, it assumes that "the fact of the fire can be used by a terrorist country in an information war." The Ukrainian military department "reminds the fire safety rules and the prohibition of smoking in prohibited places."

Ukrainian-made weapons were used to attack the air base in Novofedorivka. At least, this is what the New York Times writes, citing a high-ranking source in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Nuclear facilities

Ukraine demands an urgent IAEA visit to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. "We need this visit urgently, as soon as possible. I would say no later than the end of this month," said Yevhen Tsymbaliuk, the representative of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna. The reason is the shelling of a large nuclear power plant with rockets that can lead to at least a blackout in the south of Ukraine.

Who's coming to Ukraine?

On financial and information aid, weapons and politicians

The US has included anti-radar missiles that can be launched from Ukrainian fighter jets in the latest military aid packages for Ukraine. We are talking about American AGM-88 HARM missiles, with a maximum launch range of 150 km.

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl said that the Ukrainian forces already have enough HIMARS-type MLRS, and they see ensuring the uninterrupted supply of ammunition to these systems as a priority.

This week, a conference of Northern European allies to support Ukraine at the level of defense ministers will be held in Copenhagen; it will be a continuation and expansion of the Ramstein format for military aid to Ukraine. Germany plans to make its contribution, which "will be a little wider than the Rammstein format." this was stated by the Ministry of Defense of Germany spokesman. "It is important for us that the aid can be stable and long-lasting," the spokesman said.

Turkish BMC Kirpi armored personnel carriers are already at the front. They are distinguished by a sound fire extinguishing system, anti-mine protection of cars, and B6 armor.

News from partners

Finland urged not to issue tourist visas to russians at the European level. The prime minister of the country, Sanna Marin, made such a proposal: "It is wrong that at a time when Russia is waging an aggressive and brutal war in Europe, russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists," she rightly noted.

By the way, Zelensky called on the West to completely close its borders to all russians. "The most important sanctions are closing the borders. Let them live in their own world until they change their philosophy," he said. russians should be held accountable for Putin's actions because they elected him and are not fighting his regime.

The USA warns African countries: do not buy sanctioned goods from russia! During the visit to Uganda, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield sent a strong and clear message to African countries: there are red lines they must not cross. "Countries can buy russian agricultural products, including fertilizers and grain. If a country decides to cooperate with russia in an area where sanctions are imposed, this is a sanctions violation. There will be consequences."

Sanctions on the aggressor!

Twitter has frozen the official account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia in English for seven days from August 5. The reason is false information.

Life considering hostilities

Ukraine's State Emergency Service announced the MineFree mine safety application, which will allow you to view dangerous areas and receive notifications for approaching registered dangerous objects. We remind you that more than 30% of the territory of Ukraine is now potentially contaminated with ammunition and explosive devices.

The Ministry of Culture named a list of 10 toponyms recommended for priority renaming because of the names of russians. Most of them have nothing to do with Ukraine.

Zelensky deprived the 1992 Winter Olympic figure skating champion Viktor Petrenko of his presidential scholarship. The reason is his performance in russia, which took place after the start of a full-scale invasion. The National Olympic Committee and the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation also condemned Petrenko's act.

The departure of two vessels from Chornomorsk, Odesa region, on August 9 as part of the grain initiative was agreed upon. This was reported by the press service of the joint coordination center at the UN. The ships will be able to deliver more than 70,000 tons of food. MV OCEAN LION is scheduled to deliver 64,700 tons of corn to Incheon, South Korea. The second vessel, MV RAHMI YAGCI, will transport about 5.3 thousand tons of sunflower oil to Istanbul, Turkey.

The head of Ukrposhta very timely published a sketch of a post stamp on which a boy and a girl watch the Crimean bridge over the Kerch Strait explode.