Tuesday, August 13

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen operate a Soviet-made T-72 tank in Sumy Oblast near the border with Russia on Aug.12, 2024, amid a surprise offensive into the Russian border region of Kursk. , It has become the most significant cross-border attack on Russian soil since World War II. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine controls around 1,000 square km in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says. This marks the first time both President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine’s military leadership confirmed Ukrainian soldiers’ presence on Russian soil.

Ukraine in control of 28 settlements in Kursk Oblast, Russian official tells Putin. Speaking at a meeting to discuss the ongoing situation in the region, Alexey Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, described it as “difficult.”

Russia widens evacuations in Kursk Oblast after reports of Ukrainian sabotage groups. Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups entered the territory of the Belovsky district in Russia’s Kursk region overnight on Aug. 11, head of the district, Nikolai Volobuev, claimed.

Authorities in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast announce evacuation of border region as Ukrainian incursion reportedly widens. “It has been an alarming morning,” Belgorod Oblast Governor Viacheslav Gladkov said. “(There has been) enemy activity on the border of Krasnoyaruzhsky District.”

Kursk is Putin’s catastrophe, Zelensky says. “We see how Russia under (President Vladimir) Putin is actually moving: 24 years ago, there was the Kursk (submarine) disaster, which was the symbolic beginning of his rule. Now we can see what is the end for him. And it’s Kursk, too. The catastrophe of his war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Russia moves some units from Ukraine’s south to Kursk, Kyiv says. Russia has moved parts of its units from several directions in Ukraine, including the south sector to reinforce its defenses in Kursk Oblast, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Tavria Group, said on Aug. 12.

Putin vows ‘worthy riposte’ to Ukraine’s Kursk incursion. “One of the obvious goals of the enemy is to sow discord, strife, intimidate people, destroy the unity and cohesion of Russian society,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a televised meeting with government officials.

Ukraine’s 225th battalion showed Russian flag removal in Kursk Oblast village, video alleged. Ukraine’s 225th Separate Assault Battalion published on Aug. 12 a video showing Ukrainian soldiers removing a Russian flag in the village of Darino in Russia’s Kursk Oblast as Kyiv’s offensive continues into the seventh day.

Kursk incursion presents Kremlin with border dilemma – ISW says. The ISW said Russia had treated its border with Ukraine as a “dormant frontline,” that clearly did not have the level of military resources required to defend against such an attack.

Fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant put out, governor says. In a Telegram message at 7:30 a.m. local time, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said the fire at the plant had been put out and that radiation levels in the area were normal.

Read our exclusives

**Ukraine war latest: Ukraine in control of 28 settlements in Kursk Oblast, Putin vows ‘worthy riposte’ **

Ukraine is in control of 28 settlements in Kursk Oblast, one week after launching a surprise attack into Russian territory, regional authorities said on Aug. 12.

Speaking in a video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing situation in the region, Alexey Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, described it as “difficult.”

Photo: Anatoliy Zhdanov/Kommersant Photo/AFP via Getty Images

Kursk incursion, Crimea strikes could ease pressure on Ukraine’s Donbas forces

Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast over the past week is lifting some hopes for Ukrainian soldiers losing ground on the eastern front amid worsening manpower and ammunition shortages. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Kursk incursion Ukraine’s attempt to halt Russia’s offensive in Donbas.

Photo: Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Another Georgian volunteer fighter killed in Ukraine. Vaso Kardava was reportedly killed by a Russian artillery strike near Soledar-Siversk in Donetsk Oblast. He had been fighting in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Georgian media outlet Mtavari reported.

Mediazona confirms identities of over 61,800 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. Through open-source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 61,831 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Opinions and insights

The West’s escalation strategy has failed. Let Ukraine strike Russia

“Limiting allied support for Ukraine to specific weapons systems and rules of engagement – treading softly lest we upset Russia – has prolonged this war at great cost. Those of us living in Ukraine are among the most vulnerable Americans to hypothetical Russian escalation,” Isaac C. Flanagan writes in his op-ed.

Photo: Serhii Mykhalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

The EU should help Ukrainian refugees return home

“Instead of pouring money into social transfers within host countries, the EU and its member states should be reallocating those funds to support the re-entry of refugees to Ukraine, especially western Ukraine,” Yuriy Gorodnichenko and Daniel Gros write in their latest op-ed.

Photo: Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images

International response

Despite sanctions, billions of dollars, euros shipped to Russia since March 2022, Reuters reports. Much of the cash arrived in Russia via third-party countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, which have declined to join in such currency-related sanctions against Russia.

US senator says Ukraine’s Kursk Oblast operation is ‘bold, brilliant.’ “What do I think about Kursk? Bold, brilliant, beautiful. Keep it up,” U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham told the reporters in Kyiv.

Kursk incursion, Tim Walz, Olympics | Ukraine This Week

In other news

Ukraine’s deputy energy minister arrested on corruption charges, SBU says. While the Security Service of Ukraine said only that a deputy energy minister had been arrested and did not mention Oleksandr Kheilo by name, Ukrainska Pravda confirmed that he was the individual in question.

46-year-old Ukrainian man found dead in Germany. A 46-year-old Ukrainian man has been found dead in Rostock, Germany in what police are investigating as a suspected homicide, local authorities reported on Aug. 12. If confirmed as a homicide, the murder would mark the eighth reported Ukrainian victim allegedly murdered in Germany in 2024.

IAEA says it is unable to determine cause of fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Aug. 12 that it had been unable to determine the cause of the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) that was started a day earlier.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Dmytro Basmat, Olena Goncharova, Kateryna Denisova, Chris York, Francis Farrell, Liliane Bivings, and Oleksiy Sorokin.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.