Ukraine-Russia war: Putin’s forces pushed back by counteroffensive after ‘largest’ drone strike

Ukrainian troops have secured some new “successes” in the south and east as they try to push forward their counteroffensive against Russian forces, the deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said on Thursday.

Kyiv’s forces have been making slow progress against Russian minefields and trenches blocking a southern push intended to reach the Sea of Azov and split Russian forces.

“There have been some successes, in particular in the direction of Novodanylivka-Novoprokopivka,” Ms Maliar said on the Telegram messaging app, referring to two southeastern villages in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Novoprokopivka lies further south of the strategic settlement of Robotyne, which Ukraine said on Monday it had liberated.

She also said Kyiv’s forces were pressing on with their offensive operations south of the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian troops in May.

Heavy fighting raged on in the villages of Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka and Andriivka, Ms Maliar said.

She added that “active” fighting was also underway on the Lyman front in the east, where Russian troops had attempted to advance near the villages of Novoyehorivka and Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region.

Britain’s Royal Navy said in a statement on Thursday that its warships and patrol aircraft tracked a series of Russian vessels close to its waters in what it called “a concerted monitoring operation”.

The Royal Navy said submarine hunting frigates and P8 Poseidon patrol aircraft monitored movements of the Russian Navy in the Channel, North Sea and North Atlantic, without specifying when the operation had taken place.

The Russian vessels included corvettes Boikiy and Grad, cruiser Marshal Ustinov, the Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk, as well as others, according to the statement.

Britain is a key defence supplier for Ukraine and Russia has condemned the help Britain has provided to Kyiv.

The Royal Navy routinely tracks the movements of Russian warships sailing near its waters.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will meet counterpart Vladimir Putin in Russia‘s resort of Sochi on 4 September to primarily discuss Black Sea grain exports, two Turkish sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The two leaders will discuss fallout from the war in Ukraine as well as a deal that allowed the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, one of the sources said.

The Black Sea grain deal, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in 2022, ended after Russia withdrew in July.

Ankara has since sought to convince Moscow to return to the agreemen

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his condolences after a building fire broke out in Johannesburg last night, killing at least 73 people.

“Tragic news of a deadly fire in Johannesburg. My heartfelt condolences, as do those of all Ukrainians, go out to President Cyril Ramaphosa and all the victims’ friends and family members.

“Terrible tragedy. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”

Ukraine‘s Ministry of Defence has released footage of a soldier appearing to use a drone to shoot at a Russian truck.

This clip, posted on Twitter/X on Wednesday (30 August), purportedly shows a border guard from the “Steel Border” unit watching on as a shot hits the vehicle.

“The hand of a master,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence said.

Disclaimer: The video contains scenes some viewers might find distressing.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decried on Wednesday what he described as systematic corruption in medical exemptions to people avoiding military service, saying the system was subject to bribes and mass departures abroad.

During his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky said the National Security and Defence Council had considered data showing the extent of false exemptions, bribe-taking and flight abroad since the February 2022 invasion.

The investigation of dubious medical exemptions was still being conducted, he said.

“There are examples of regions where the number of exemptions from military service due to medical commission decisions has increased tenfold since February last year,” Mr Zelensky said.

“It is absolutely clear what sort of decisions these are. Corrupt decisions.”

He said the investigation had exposed corrupt practices in different regions and by officials in different positions, involving bribes ranging from $3,000 to $15,000.

Mr Zelensky said a separate analysis was needed to determine the numbers of people who had fled abroad, largely on the basis of medical commission decisions.

“We are talking about at least thousands of individuals,” he said.

Grant Shapps said he is “honoured” to be named Defence Secretary and promised the UK’s continued support to Ukraine against Vladimir Putin’s “barbaric invasion”.

Shortly he was appointed defence minister by PM Rishi Sunak, Mr Shapps tweeted: “I’m honoured to be appointed as Defence Secretary by RishiSunak.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the enormous contribution Ben Wallace has made to UK defence & global security over the last four years.

“As I get to work at DefenceHQ I am looking forward to working with the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who defend our nation’s security.

“And continuing the UK’s support for Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s barbaric invasion.”

A newly released video of Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin purports to show him in Africa only days before his death, addressing speculation about his wellbeing and possible threats to his security.

“For those who are discussing whether I’m alive or not, how I’m doing – right now it’s the weekend, second half of August 2023, I’m in Africa,” Prigozhin says in the short video published by the Grey Zone Telegram channel which is linked to his Wagner Group.

“So for people who like to discuss wiping me out, or my private life, how much I earn or whatever else – everything’s ok,” he adds with a wave of his hand.

Reuters was not able to verify the location or the date of the video, which was filmed in a moving vehicle.

Prigozhin’s camouflage clothing and hat, as well as the watch on his right hand, matched his appearance in a video released on 21 August, which he also claimed was filmed in Africa.

His “weekend” reference implied the latest clip must have been made on 19 or 20 August, only three or four days before he and other top Wagner figures and bodyguards were killed in a plane crash north of Moscow on 23 August.

His comments in the video reflected Prigozhin’s awareness of risks to his life.

The British government named ex-energy secretary Grant Shapps as the country’s new defence minister on Thursday, replacing Ben Wallace who said he wanted to step down after four years in the role and would quit as a lawmaker at the next national election.

The defence role will be Shapps’ fifth government job over the last year, after serving in four different ministries – transport, interior affairs, business and then at energy and net zero.

Mr Wallace, who had been touted as a potential successor to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, had taken a leading role in shaping Britain’s response to Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Under him, Britain provided 2.3bn pounds ($2.9bn) of military aid to Kyiv in 2022 and became the first country to start supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles in May this year to help end Europe’s biggest land war since World War Two.

Mr Wallace remained in post last year when Britain went through one of the most turbulent times in its political history, with the departure of two prime ministers over scandal and economic turmoil.

Mr Shapps’ appointment is unlikely to change Britain’s support for Ukraine against Russia.

Ben Wallace has confirmed his resignation as UK defence secretary in a letter to the prime minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday.

Mr Wallace’s letter to the PM read: “The Ministry of Defence is back on the path to being once again world class with world class people.

“The United Kingdom is respected around the world for our armed forces and that respect has only grown more since the war in Ukraine.

“I know you agree with me that we must not return to the days where defence was viewed as a discretionary spend by Government and savings were achieved by hollowing out.”

Mr Wallace announced last month that he would resign from the senior Cabinet role at the next reshuffle, bringing an end to his four years in the job.

Mr Sunak praised Mr Wallace, telling him he leaves office with the prime minister’s “thanks and respect”.