[BMANALYSIS] Summer is here… heatwaves are incoming, and with them, the much-announced and expected Ukrainian new wonder weapon — his “majesty,” the F-16.
I have already written an analysis of this aircraft, and nothing is unknown.
The first question regarding the F-16's role in Ukraine is where they will be located. Several well-equipped airfields potentially can host them, but they are exposed, and from time to time, Russia attacks them, so chances that any will be a permanent base are unlikely. The F-16 is a demanding aircraft and requires well-trained and supplied maintenance crews and logistics. Also, it requires pristine runways, which are not always available. So, they may be placed in Allied bases, such as Poland and Romania. From there, they can perform combat sorties, which is the sure path to escalation and is just a “hair” away from WWIII.
Let's assume a dozen get to Ukraine and be sheltered in some hardened structures.
Flight distance to the front line is large, so they might be used as standoff weapons carriers. Direct close-range attacks against Russian positions are too risky, so one of the roles may be to provoke, expose, and clear the path for ATCMS attacks. They may be used to launch long-range decoy drones to trigger and saturate air defenses. Western strategists have high expectations that the F-16 will seriously degrade and overcome the up-to-now outstanding Russian integrated air defenses.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively destroying the enemy in the south and east of Ukraine.
The Russian invaders are concentrating their main efforts on the Pokrovsky direction - more than a third of all battles took place there.
Since the beginning of the day, 85 combat clashes have occurred on the front. The enemy continues to increase the pace of offensive actions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in a report on Monday, July 8.
Thus, in the Kharkov direction, our soldiers repelled five enemy assaults in the areas of Glubokoe, Volchansk, Tikhe and Staritsa.
In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy twice unsuccessfully stormed the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Stelmakhovka. Another battle continues near Berestovo.
In the Liman direction, the Russians carried out 10 attacks on Ukrainian positions near Grekovka, Nevsky, Makeyevka and Terny during the day. Seven combat clashes ended without success for the enemy, the rest are ongoing.
In the Seversky direction, five attacks were repelled near Verkhnekamenskoye and Spornoye.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the invaders carried out eight unsuccessful assaults near Chasy Yaru, Bogdanovka, Grigoryevka, Belaya Gora and Andreyevka.
In the Toretsk direction, the number of enemy attacks has increased to 13. There is currently one battle underway near New York.
The Pokrovsky direction has the largest number of clashes. The occupiers have already made 30 attempts to push back our defenders in the areas of Vozdvizhenka, Novoalexandrovka, Timofeyevka, Kalinovka, Evgenyevka, Yasnobrodovka and Umanskoye. The defense forces have repelled 17 enemy attacks, 13 battles are still ongoing. The most active enemy is near Novoalexandrovka and Novoselovka Pervaya.
In the Kurakhovsky direction , four battles ended near Krasnogorovka, Georgievka, Konstantinovka and Paraskoveevka.
In the Vremevsky direction, clashes continue near Vodyanoye and Konstantinovka. The defense forces are taking measures to prevent the occupiers from advancing deep into our territory.
In the Orekhov direction , an enemy assault was repelled near Malaya Tokmachka.
In the Dnieper direction, the occupiers continue to try to dislodge the units of the Defense Forces from their positions on the bridgeheads. Three attacks by the Russians were unsuccessful.
Let us recall that 1,200 Russians were killed on the front in one day on August 7. The aggressor's total losses have exceeded 552 thousand fighters since the beginning of the war.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:09 The United States does not plan to lift restrictions on Ukraine's strikes with American weapons deep into Russian territory, said White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby.
21:26 According to the KGVA, as of now, 27 people have died in the capital, including three children, and 82 have been injured.
20:41 Xi Jinping believes that in order to begin a settlement in Ukraine, it is necessary for the theater of military operations to stop expanding, for the fighting to not escalate to a higher stage of escalation, and for the parties to "not add fuel to the fire." According to him, "only if all major powers show positive, not negative, energy will it be possible to achieve a speedy ceasefire in this conflict."
20:35 Germany transferred a new package of weapons to Ukraine, which included, in particular, the Patriot air defense system, missiles and spare parts for it, as well as ammunition for Leopard 1 tanks, two TRML-4D radars, 30 Vector reconnaissance UAVs with spare parts, 200 mobile devices for jamming drones, ten autonomous sea boats, etc.
20:29 The UN Security Council will hold a meeting regarding the Russian missile strike on the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kiev on Tuesday, July 9, the UK mission to the UN reported.
19:32 Argentina has decided to apply to join NATO, buy F-16s instead of Chinese aircraft and provide assistance to Ukraine by sending it the weapons it needs to wage war with Russia, Argentine Defense Minister Luis Alfonso Petri said.
19:17 According to the State Emergency Service, as a result of today's massive missile strike on the territory of Ukraine, a total of 33 people were killed: 22 in Kiev, 11 in the Dnipropetrovsk region. 140 people were injured: 74 in the capital, two in the Kiev region, 64 in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
19:04 Ukrenergo has cancelled the measurement of the actual level of electricity consumption in each region, which was planned from July 9 to 24. The reason is a significant capacity deficit in the power system and increased consumption due to the heat. On Tuesday, July 9, the restrictions will be in effect for 24 hours for all regions of Ukraine. According to the forecast, from 05:00 to 14:00, regional power companies will apply two stages of shutdown schedules, from 16:00 to 22:00 - four stages, and at other times - three stages.
18:53 During the day on July 8, the air defense of southern Ukraine destroyed five reconnaissance drones: three ZALA, one Supercam and one Orlan-10, the Air Force reported.
18:26 A Day of Mourning has been declared in Kiev on Tuesday, July 9. According to the KGVA, as a result of the missile strike in the capital, 22 people were killed, including two children, and 82 were injured.
18:09 As of early July 2024, Ukraine has already implemented 324 NATO standards, the Ministry of Defense reported. In particular, 23 new standards were adopted in the first half of 2024. As part of the Ukraine-NATO Partnership Goals package until 2025, the country was asked to implement 218 Alliance standards. Of these, 190 have already been adopted. In addition, Ukraine has implemented another 134 standards on its own initiative.
17:31 Rostov Oblast has decided to partially limit the supply of electricity to enterprises, Governor Vasily Golubev reported. According to him, the most tense situation is observed in Taganrog and Neklinovsky District, where accidents occurred on power lines due to excessive load. Earlier, it was reported that after drone attacks in Rostov Oblast, a schedule of temporary shutdowns for household consumers was introduced.
16:58 Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reported that he had sent letters to a number of international organizations, calling for a response to the shelling from Russia and, in particular, to the destruction of the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kiev. According to him, the Russians fired missiles at Ukraine's largest children's hospital, where about 7,000 complex operations are performed annually.
16:29 Zelensky stated that the role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine could be played by the United States, China or the European Union, but not Hungary.
16:00 The number of people injured in Kyiv as a result of today's enemy attack has risen to 96, including three children. 52 people have been hospitalized, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. The death of two adults in the Okhmatdet hospital has been confirmed, another 16 people were injured, including seven children. In addition, two victims from other districts died in the hospital. Also, preliminary, seven people died in the Dniprovsky district as a result of debris falling on a medical center. There are victims there too. Another seven people died in a business center in the Solomensky district. The information is being clarified.
15:42 Ukraine is calling an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council due to the Russian strike on the children's hospital, Zelensky said during a briefing with Tusk in Warsaw.
15:38 As of 15:30, 31 people were killed and 125 were injured in an enemy attack in Ukraine, the State Emergency Service reported.
15:34 Poland may consider transferring 20 MiG fighters to Kiev if NATO countries replace them, Prime Minister Tusk said after a meeting with Zelensky. At the same time, he specified that Warsaw cannot transfer the MiGs now, since they are involved in air patrols as part of a NATO program.
15:29 The number of victims in different areas of the capital has increased to 66 people, 44 of whom were hospitalized. The death of two adults in the Okhmatdet hospital has been confirmed, one of them is a doctor of the medical institution, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported.
15:22 Ukraine and Poland have signed a security agreement. The document, for the first time among similar agreements already signed, provides for a provision on developing a mechanism for the destruction of Russian missiles and drones launched in the direction of Poland in Ukrainian airspace. Also, for the first time, such an agreement speaks of creating a "Ukrainian legion" - Ukrainians who temporarily reside in Poland and other countries will be able to join it.
15:18 Air defense destroyed 30 of 38 enemy missiles today. Russia launched a combined missile strike on Ukraine this morning using air, sea and land-based missiles, the Air Force reported. According to preliminary data, the enemy used a total of 38 missiles of different types:
one Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile;
four Iskander-M ballistic missiles;
one 3M22 Zircon cruise missile;
13 X-101 cruise missiles;
14 Kalibr cruise missiles;
two X-22 cruise missiles;
three guided aircraft missiles Kh-59/Kh-69.
The air defense managed to destroy 30 enemy missiles:
one Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile;
three Iskander-M ballistic missiles;
11 X-101 cruise missiles;
12 Kalibr cruise missiles;
three guided aircraft missiles Kh-59/Kh-69.
15:06 Seven people were killed and three were injured in a repeat attack on the capital, the Prosecutor General's Office reported. The attack involved a damaged medical center in the Dniprovskyi district. The total number of people killed in Kyiv as a result of today's attacks has risen to 16, with another 37 injured.
15:01 Russia hit the Okhmatdet hospital in Kiev with an X-101 missile, the Presidential Office reported. It emphasized that the missile contained dozens of units of microelectronics produced in NATO countries.
14:52 Ten people were killed and more than 30 were injured in the Russian attack on the Northern Mining and Processing Plant, Metinvest reported. The Russian missile hit the administrative building of the Northern Mining and Processing Plant in Kryvyi Rih.
14:33 The death toll from the enemy attack on Kiev has risen to 15, and as of 14:00, 37 people are known to have been injured, the prosecutor's office reported.
14:31 As a result of the morning missile attack by the Russian Federation on Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, three people were killed and two were wounded, the prosecutor's office reported.
14:28 There are currently 16 victims in the Okhmatdet hospital, seven of them are children, Klitschko reported.
13:54 The Russian Defense Ministry said that the destruction in Kiev after the Russian missile attack was allegedly caused by "the fall of a Ukrainian air defense missile." Moscow added that today's strikes on Ukraine are a response to attacks on Russian energy facilities. The department claims that the missiles allegedly hit military industry and air bases.
13:49 As a result of a missile strike in Kyiv, a multi-story building of a medical center was damaged in the Dniprovsky district. According to preliminary information, four people were killed and three were injured. The building was partially destroyed, the rubble is being cleared and people are being searched for, said the head of the Kyiv State Emergency Service, Serhiy Popko.
13:36 The number of people injured as a result of the missile strike on the city of Krivoy Rog has increased to 42, the search and rescue operation continues, the prosecutor's office reported.
13:27 As a result of the missile strike in the capital, there are already ten dead and 35 injured, the KGVA reported. Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said that the Russians struck the toxicology department of the Okhmatdet children's hospital, where seriously ill children were undergoing dialysis. Operations were underway at the hospital at the time of the shelling.
13:14 In Kiev, one entrance to a residential building on Syrets was completely destroyed, several more were badly damaged, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. Rescuers are currently trying to get people out from under the rubble, their voices can be heard. The remaining residents were evacuated. The house opposite was also damaged.
13:10 In Dnipro, as a result of a morning attack, one person was killed and six were injured, reported the head of the OVA, Serhiy Lysak. In Kryvyi Rih, the number of injured has grown to 37.
13:06 In Kiev, in the Goloseevsky and Shevchenkovsky districts, three transformer substations were destroyed or damaged, and power grids were also damaged, DTEK reported.
13:01 Zelensky is meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, the President's Office reported. They will sign an agreement on security cooperation between Ukraine and Poland.
12:58 As of 12:40, nine people were killed and 23 were injured in the attack in Kiev, the prosecutor's office reported.
12:41 In Kiev, a residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district was also hit - entrances were damaged, one was destroyed. Residents are being evacuated, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported.
12:19 At the moment, seven people are known to have died and 25 were injured as a result of the attack on Kiev, said Interior Minister Igor Klimenko. In total, according to him, about 20 people were killed and about 50 were injured as a result of the morning attack by the Russian Federation on Ukraine. Zelensky noted that there are people under the rubble of the hospital, the exact number of injured and dead is still unknown. The President emphasized that the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kiev is "one of the most important exclusively children's hospitals not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe."
12:07 In Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, as a result of the morning Russian strike, at least three people were killed, said OVA head Vadim Filashkin. There is information about a hit on the enterprise.
12:03 Seven people were killed in the attack in Kiev, KGVA reported. Klitschko also reported 11 casualties. Patients of the children's hospital where the missile hit are being evacuated to municipal hospitals in the city.
11:58 In Krivoy Rog, as a result of the Russian strike, there is damage at an enterprise, a fire broke out. According to preliminary information, ten people died, more than 30 were injured, said the head of the OVA, Serhiy Lysak. In Dnepr, a multi-storey building, an enterprise, a service station were damaged, there are injured.
11:54 Radio Liberty showed footage from the site of the Russian strike on the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kiev:
11:33 In Kiev, as a result of a missile strike in different districts, nine people have already been injured, six of them have been hospitalized, Klitschko reported. According to the KGVA, in the Shevchenkivskyi district, the Okhmatdet children's hospital was damaged, there is destruction. In the Solomenskyi district, an office building was damaged, in Goloseevske - garages, cars are on fire, in Dniprovske - debris in a residential building is burning, in Darnitske a private house was damaged, in Svyatoshinsky debris is burning near a residential building, a fire also broke out in the premises of one of the enterprises, in Desnyansky - a house is on fire.
Zelensky reported that during today's attack, Russia used more than 40 missiles of different types. Residential buildings, infrastructure and a children's hospital were damaged. The enemy attacked Kyiv, Dnipro, Krivoy Rog, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk. The president also showed a photo of the aftermath:
11:16 As a result of the missile strike on Kiev, debris fell in Solomensky, Dniprovsky, Darnitsky, Desnyansky, Shevchenkovsky and Goloseevsky districts, the Kyiv City Administration reported. The mayor's office specified that one of the premises of a children's medical institution was hit, three victims are known.
10:49 Ukrenergo reported that today from 10:30 to 14:00 there are no plans to turn off the lights in Ukraine. From 19:00 to 22:00 two queues will be turned off, at other times - three queues.
10:45 Russia launched a massive missile strike on Ukraine. Explosions were heard, in particular, in Kiev. The city's mayor Vitali Klitschko reported calling medics to the Solomensky district. The KGVA reported falling debris in the Solomensky district.
10:36 Seoul will decide on its arms support for Ukraine based on how the new military pact between Moscow and Pyongyang works, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yol said. He also said that he would discuss with NATO leaders the threat that North Korea poses to Europe by deepening military ties with Russia. "Military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a clear threat and a serious challenge to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe," Yoon stressed.
10:02 Xi Jinping said he supports Hungary's position on Ukraine: "The main directions of China and Hungary's efforts on Ukraine coincide. An early ceasefire in Ukraine and the search for a political solution are in the interests of all parties."
09:38 US House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with Zelensky during the NATO summit in Washington, Reuters reports, citing a US official's schedule. Support for Ukraine is expected to be a key topic of discussion at the Alliance's summit this week.
09:21 At night, the Russians struck Kharkov - as a result of falling fragments of ammunition in the Osnovyansky district, a fire broke out in a private house, two people were injured, reported the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov. Two more people were injured as a result of enemy shelling of the village of Boguslavka in the Izyumsky district. In addition, on the evening of July 7, a civilian car was blown up by a Russian mine near the village of Tsirkuny in the Kharkov district - according to preliminary information, five people were killed, including a baby and a five-year-old child.
08:33 In Donetsk Oblast, two people were killed as a result of Russian shelling on July 7 - in Pivnichnoye and Grodovka. Another four people in the oblast were injured in the past 24 hours, reported OVA head Vadim Filashkin.
07:58 At night, Russia attacked Ukraine with air- and land-based missiles: four Kh-101 from Tu-95MS strategic aviation aircraft (launch area - Saratov region) and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles (launch areas - Kursk region, Crimea). Air defense destroyed three Kh-101 cruise missiles in Zhitomir and Cherkasy regions, the Air Force reported.
07:19 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of July 8:
personnel - about 552,190 (+1200) people,
tanks - 8171 (+16),
combat armored vehicles - 15,685 (+40),
artillery systems - 14,966 (+29),
MLRS - 1115 (+0),
air defense systems - 880 (+1),
aircraft - 361 (+1),
helicopters - 326 (+0),
Operational-tactical level UAVs - 11,893 (+31),
cruise missiles - 2353 (+1),
ships/boats - 28 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 20,150 (+47),
special equipment - 2503 (+8).
05:56 NATO plans to make a decision on providing additional air defense systems and transferring more ammunition to Ukraine before the summit in Washington, which will take place on July 9-11, Stoltenberg said. According to the Secretary General, all members of the Alliance have agreed to increase assistance to Ukraine - both in the form of new military training and in the form of long-term commitments.
02:15 Orban announced that he had arrived in Beijing. "Peace mission 3.0," the Hungarian prime minister wrote. After visits to Kiev and Moscow, he announced that he would continue his "unexpected visits" as part of a supposed "peace mission."
Russians deny the charge.
[Korrespondent] The White House believes that the Russian strike on Okhmatdet is a crime by Russian troops that deserves a separate investigation.
The Russians have committed another war crime. Perhaps one of the bloodiest during the entire full-scale invasion. As a result of the Russian strike on Ukrainian territory on July 8, 33 people were killed and 140 were wounded. In particular, the strike hit the country's largest children's hospital, Okhmatdet. How did the world react to the Russian crime? THE US WANTS AN INVESTIGATION
The White House condemned the massive Russian missile attack on Ukraine, in particular on Okhmatdet.
"Today's horrific attack on Ukraine, including on a children's hospital, demonstrates the terrible price that Russian aggression is paying, and that leader Vladimir Putin is willing to pay in his war," Michael Carpenter, director of European affairs at the US National Security Council, said at a briefing.
"The attack on the maternity hospital, as well as on the children's hospital, is unfortunately not the first time that this has happened during the war," he added.
According to him, the United States will continue to make efforts to support Ukraine's ability to resist Russian invasion.
Carpenter also expects that steps to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses to prevent attacks like today will be announced at this week's NATO summit. "If Putin thinks he can wait out the West, he's wrong," the official said.
"The attack on the maternity hospital, as well as the children's hospital, is unfortunately not something that has happened for the first time during the war," Carpenter added, once again emphasizing that further action is needed after this crime by the Russians. "I expect that this attack is one that will require a deeper study, an investigation," he said.
THE CZECH REPUBLIC REMEMBERS USEFUL IDIOTS
Against the backdrop of the Russian attack on Okhmatdet, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky criticized the "useful idiots" who "dream" of peace with Russia.
"While useful idiots dream of peace with Putin, he sends missiles to a children's hospital," Lipavsky wrote.
He noted that he is now traveling to Washington for the NATO summit, where he will promote a long-term strategy for containing Russia.
PROTEST IN PRAGUE
Several dozen people held a protest on Monday, July 8, in Prague against the morning bombing of the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kyiv.
The protesters stood with a large banner reading in English "There can be no peace without Russia's defeat" and Ukrainian flags. Nearby, they placed children's toys and clothes smeared with red paint, symbolizing the victims of the shelling.
The demonstrators observed a minute of silence for the dead and injured, sang Ukrainian songs, chanted "Glory to Ukraine," and called on NATO, whose leaders are gathering in Washington, to take decisive action.
WHAT THEY SAY IN BRITAIN
"An attack on innocent children. The most horrific thing that can happen. We stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression - our support will not wane," said the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The attack was also condemned by EU High Representative Josep Borrell: "Russia continues to ruthlessly target Ukrainian citizens. Dozens were killed and wounded in today's attacks, and Kyiv's largest children's hospital was destroyed. Ukraine needs air defense systems. All those responsible for Russian war crimes must be held accountable."
Kyiv has initiated the convening of the UN Security Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Russia will chair the Security Council for a month from July 1.
It is noteworthy that the massive missile attack on Ukrainian cities took place right before the start of the NATO anniversary summit. One of its topics is military support for Ukraine, which has been asking Western countries for a sufficient number of air defense systems since the very beginning of the Russian invasion.
THE MEANING OF OKHMATDET
"Okhmatdet is the main children's hospital in Ukraine. One of the most important exclusively children's hospitals not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe. Okhmatdet has saved and restored health to thousands of children," is how Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it.
Every year, Okhmatdet treats up to 20 thousand children, including those with rare and severe diseases. The hospital performs up to 10 thousand operations every year; it is the only center in the country that saves premature newborns weighing 500 grams. In addition, the hospital's Children's Hematology Center is the country's leading institution for leukemia diagnostics and bone marrow transplants.
Okhmatdet is not only the largest, but also one of the oldest hospitals in the country. This year it celebrated its 130th anniversary. From the very beginning of the Russian invasion, Okhmatdet doctors treated children who were injured as a result of the fighting.
REACTION OF UKRAINIANS
In less than three hours, Ukrainians were able to raise more than 100 million hryvnias for the restoration of Okhmatdet. As of 21:01, the bank already has 110 million hryvnias.
Article Linked To Is Available Only Via VPN.
[EngMilRu] This morning, in response to the Kiev regime's attempts to damage objects of Russian power infrastructure and economy, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a group strike by long-range precision weaponry at objects of the Ukrainian military-industrial infrastructure and AFU aviation bases.
The goal of the strike has been achieved. All the assigned targets have been engaged.
Statements of the Kiev regime about the allegedly deliberate missile strike launched against civilian facilities by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are false.
Numerous published photos and footage from Kiev clearly confirm that the destruction was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile launched by an anti-aircraft missile system in the city.
We note in particular that similar hysterics by the Kiev regime happen for years and every time on the eve of another meeting (summit) of its patrons from the NATO.
The goal of such provocations is to ensure further funding for the Kiev regime and the continuation of the war to the last Ukrainian.
The Sever Group of Forces has hit manpower and hardware of the 115th Mechanised Brigade, 106th and 116th Territorial Defence brigades near Vesyolovka, Basovka, and Konstantinovka (Sumy region).
Three counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 92nd Assault Brigade were repelled over the past 24 hours.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 260 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, and one 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system.
The Zapad Group of Forces has taken more advantageous lines and inflicted fire damage on the units of the 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade and the 1st National Guard Brigade close to Stelmakhovka and Artyomovka (Lugansk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 495 Ukrainian troops, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, 14 motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar station. In addition, three ammunition depots were destroyed.
The Yug Group of Forces has improved the situation along the front line and hit manpower and hardware of the AFU 72nd Mechanised and 80th Air Assault brigades near Konstantinovka and Belogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The enemy lost over 570 Ukrainian troops and nine motor vehicles.
In counterbattery warfare, three U.S.-made M198 155mm howitzers, three 152mm D-20 guns, one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one 122mm D-30 howitzer, one 105mm M119 howitzer, and one U.S. AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.
The Tsentr Group of Forces has improved the tactical situation and inflicted fire damage on the 47th and 110th Mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 109th Territorial Defence Brigade near Rozovka, Novgorodskoye, and Novosyolovka Pervaya (Donetsk People's Republic). Five counter-attacks of the AFU 31st Mechanised, 95th Air Assault brigades were repelled.
The enemy losses amounted to over 385 Ukrainian troops, one U.S.-made M1A1 Abrams tank, three motor vehicles, one 122mm D-30 howitzer, and one U.S.-made 105mm M119 howitzer.
The Vostok Group of Forces has captured more advantageous lines and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of the 72nd Mechanised, 58th Motorised Infantry brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Vodyanoye and Prechistovka (Donetsk People's Republic). In addition, one attack by assault groups of the AFU 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade was repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 140 Ukrainian troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, eight motor vehicles, one UK-made 155mm FN-70 howitzer, and one 152mm D-20 gun. One electronic warfare station was destroyed.
The Dnepr Group of Forces has engaged the manpower and hardware of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Nesteryanka (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 90 Ukrainian troops, five motor vehicles, one 155mm UK-made FN-70 howitzer, and two 152mm D-20 howitzers.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS launchers, up to 10 foreign specialists who maintained the systems, as well as hit clusters of AFU manpower and military hardware in 122 areas during the day.
Air defence systems shot down four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, five U.S.-made HIMARS projectiles, and 30 unmanned aerial vehicles during the day.
In total, 626 airplanes and 277 helicopters, 27,344 unmanned aerial vehicles, 540 air defence missile systems, 16,528 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,369 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 11,556 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 23,453 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:35 More blows in the evening went. Arrivals in Zaporozhye and Kherson. Air raid alert on part of Ukraine. 20:16 Hours Yar – Seversky Donetsk-Donbass channel.
Military operations in the Artemovsk direction. An FPV drone of the Russian Armed Forces of a damaged and abandoned armored vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Kozak" on the eastern bank of the Seversky Donetsk-Donbass Canal on the approach to the "Novy" microdistrict.
19:40 Epic destruction of enemy self-propelled gun (declared to be a German PzH 2000) in the Khar'kov region.
18:31 Satellite images of the area around Chasy Yar. They show changes between June 11 and July 6, 2024. –map.
Pay special attention to the red color. These are the places where the most significant changes occurred during the period specified above (it flew here, it burned here).
17:58 Advance of the Russian Armed Forces in Verbovoy’s square –map.
17:27 Special military operation. Situation as of July 8 –map.
16:05 Around 14.10 Moscow time stopped another attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using an aircraft-type UAV against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
A Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed by air defense systems on duty over the territory of the Belgorod region.
15:39 Statements by representatives of the North, West, South, Center, East and Dnepr groups on the progress of the special military operation (as of July 8, 2024) –video.
14:27 Telegram channel «Fisherman»:
Another massive missile strike by the Russian Armed Forces
After a brief pause, Russian troops launched a massive attack on targets in the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. It took place in two stages: first, several night launches, followed by new waves of missiles in the morning and afternoon.
For the first time this summer, a series of attacks hit Kyiv. Explosions thundered in several areas of the city, where various military-industrial enterprises are located, such as the Antonov and Artem plants, which have repeatedly been the targets of attacks in the past.
One of the hits hit a building near the main building of the Okhmatdet children's hospital - it was from there that numerous shots of rubble being cleared were taken. According to preliminary information, striking elements from anti-aircraft missiles were found at the landing site. Later, local authorities reported damage and destruction of three transformer substations.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the target was the administrative building of one of the enterprises of Krivoy Rog - in the past days, the targets of the strikes were the Arcelor Metall plants and the local mining and processing plant. Also, one landing was recorded in Dnipropetrovsk itself.
A series of explosions also thundered in the area of airfields - Ozernoye in the Zhitomir region, Starokostiantyniv in the Khmelnytsky region and Voznesensk in the Nikolaev region. The last two objects are quite often targets of strikes by the Russian Armed Forces.
In Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in the occupied territory of the DPR, hits fell on an object in the cemetery area in the northwestern part of the city, resulting in a large fire. Characteristically, HIMARS MLRS had previously been operating from this area regularly, with launches often observed by local residents.
The Ukrainian air defense did not succeed in repelling the attack - this is best demonstrated by the hits on Kyiv, which is the enemy's most protected area in terms of the density of air defense systems and other assets. This is partly due to the growing losses in anti-aircraft missile systems from strikes by the Russian Armed Forces, which, among other things, make it difficult to hit Russian cruise missiles on the distant approaches to the capital.
13:48 This morning, in response to the Kyiv regime's attempts to cause damage to Russian energy and economic facilities, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted a group strike with long-range precision weapons against Ukrainian military industrial facilities and Ukrainian Armed Forces air bases.
The strike targets have been achieved. The designated objects have been hit.
Statements by representatives of the Kyiv regime about Russia’s allegedly deliberate missile strike on civilian targets are absolutely untrue. My emphasis -- badanov
Numerous published photos and video footage from Kyiv clearly confirm the fact of destruction as a result of the fall of a Ukrainian air defense missile launched from an anti-aircraft missile system within the city limits.
We would like to especially note that similar hysterics by the Kyiv regime have been happening for several years now, and each time on the eve of the next meeting (summit) of its patrons from NATO.
The purpose of such provocations is to ensure further funding for the Kyiv regime and the continuation of the war until the last Ukrainian.
13:11 Today's arrivals in Kyiv –photo.
12:53 Total from the night:
1. Kiev – several arrivals (minimum 3)
2. Dnepropetrovsk – several arrivals (minimum 3)
3. Krivoy Rog – several arrivals.
4. Kramatorsk – 2 arrivals.
5. Poltava region – several arrivals.
6. Sumy region – 2 arrivals (they write that they covered a large column of the Ukrainian Armed Forces)
12:05 Kyiv and Kyiv region. Dnepropetrovsk.
Three groups of X-101 cruise missiles are working in Kyiv and the region. There is damage to military facilities. The enemy's air defense is overloaded.
There are also arrivals in the Dnipropetrovsk region. It is reported that an airfield with equipment was hit.
11:47 Around 10.35 Moscow time stopped an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using an aircraft-type UAV against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed over the territory of the Belgorod region by air defense systems on duty.
11:19 Map of air raid alarms in Ukraine. The enemy complains that it is recording missile flights in different regions. There were also reports of explosions in the Chernihiv and Zhitomir regions at night.
— Explosions in Krivoy Rog, PPO operating in Kyiv
— New missiles are being recorded in Sumy and Mykolaiv regions
10:41 Statement by the head of the press center of the Center group –video.
The Center group of forces continues to carry out tasks in the area of the special military operation.
In total, 290 identified enemy targets were hit by fire during the day, including two counterbattery radar stations and 11 strong points.
Operational-tactical aviation carried out more than 30 strikes in the areas of Artemovo, Druzhba, Vozdvizhenka, Timofeyevka, Toretsk, Berezovka and Novgorodskoye.
The enemy lost up to 340 servicemen. A tank, a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, two 152mm Msta-B howitzers, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, a 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery unit, four 120mm mortars, and two unmanned aircraft control posts were destroyed. Air defense systems shot down two Leleka-100 unmanned aerial vehicles.
10:10 During the past night stopped attempts by the Kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Two unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed by air defense systems on duty over the territories of the Belgorod and Voronezh regions.
09:53 Criminal Kyiv regimecontinuesto shell civilian infrastructure of populated areas of the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces released:
-- n.p. Sofievka four rounds;
-- Three shots in the village of Vasilyevka;
-- Five rounds in the village of Novaya Kakhovka;
-- Four rounds in the village of Raiskoe;
-- n.p. Kardashinka three rounds.
As a result of the artillery attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, one person was wounded and a house was damaged in the settlement of Vasilyevka. In addition, as a result of the UAV attack on the settlement of Dnepryany, power lines were damaged, and some settlements were left without electricity.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the villages of Aleshky, Kairy, Kakhovka, Gornostayevka, and Nizhny Rogachik, firing a total of 19 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being clarified.
09:26 Telegram channel «WarGonzo»:
Frontline report for the morning of 07/08/2024
- Zaporizhzhya Front. No significant changes. Positional battles with the use of long-range weapons continue in the Rabotino area and northwest of Verbovoye.
– Donetsk Front. Fighting continues on the outskirts of Konstantinovka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are putting up serious resistance, preventing Russian troops from advancing in the settlement. In the Paraskoviyevka area, Ukrainian troops have also tried several times to regain lost positions, but to no avail.
In Krasnogorovka, more and more enemy positions are coming under the control of the Russian Armed Forces, information is coming in that Russian troops have captured a significant part of the high-rise buildings. In Nevel'skoye, there are no changes, the Ukrainian garrison is firmly holding on to its positions.
In the Karlovka area, the LBS has not changed significantly, fighting is underway on the outskirts of the settlement.
In Yevgenovka, the Russian Armed Forces continue to develop the offensive, there are more tactical successes. Fighting continues on the outskirts of New York, where Russian troops were able to gain a foothold the day before.
- Chasov Yar direction. Russian troops continue to storm the eastern part of Chasov Yar, simultaneously advancing from Kalinovka through the forest. There are small advances.
In the Kleshcheyevka area, there are counter-attacks.
- Khar'kov Front. Heavy fighting continues in the central part of Vovchansk. No significant changes in the LBS. In the area of Glubokoe, the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not give up attempts to regain lost positions, sending new reserves into battle. As a result of the assault actions, Ukrainian troops managed to cling to the outskirts of the settlement. Fierce counter-battles continue.
08:48 Telegram channel «Fisherman»:
Chronicle of a special military operation: events of the week 01 - 07 July 2024
– Russian troops launched several pinpoint missile strikes on Ukrainian formations in various regions of the so-called Ukraine. Four Su-27 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed at the Mirgorod airfield in Poltava Oblast, and a Mi-24 helicopter was damaged.
– In the Dnipropetrovsk region, a MiG-29 in a shelter was hit by a missile strike at an aircraft parking lot. The guidance and fire adjustment were carried out by the operators of the Orlan unmanned complex.
- In addition, strikes were carried out on industrial enterprises of the enemy in Dnepropetrovsk. At least three strikes were recorded on one of the YMZ workshops and in the area of the checkpoint on the territory of the enterprise.
– For the first time in a long time, strikes on the enemy's fuel and energy complex on the territory of the so-called Ukraine have resumed. Fuel tanks on the territory of the Ukrgazdobycha oil depot were hit, the fire lasted for two days.
– Systematic work to destroy enemy air defense systems in Mirgorod continues. As a result of the ballistic missile's arrival, two S-300 SAM launchers and a 40V6M low-altitude detector were destroyed.
– Meanwhile, Ukrainian formations continued to attack targets in the Russian rear. One of the drones detonated on the territory of the Tambov gunpowder plant, the second was destroyed in the sky.
- In addition, as a result of the drone raid, the operation of the power substation supplying a significant part of Primorsko-Akhtarsk was disrupted. And in the villages of Pavlovskaya and Leningradskaya, as a result of detonation, fuel tanks on the territory of oil depots burned.
- In the North Ukrainian direction, the situation remains without significant changes. Ukrainian formations have concentrated their efforts on engineering equipment of positions and training of personnel.
08:00 Official summary Representatives of the DPR in the JCCC.
A total of 29 cases of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC:
There were reports of four civilians being injured, including a child born in 2016.
Damaged:
Three residential buildings,
One car,
One civil infrastructure facility.
A total of 18 artillery attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction,
A totala of 11 artillery attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Gorlovka direction.
In total, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired 88 units of various ammunition.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The corvettes Rezkiy and Gromkiy left Vladivostok for sea. They will conduct joint exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, the Pacific Fleet reported.
As part of the exercises, the corvettes will have to carry out a number of activities in the Asia-Pacific region, including searching for and destroying submarines of a simulated enemy. "Rezkiy" and "Gromkiy" will practice joint algorithms of actions in air defense and anti-sabotage defense at sea.
The events of the exercises began to unfold immediately upon leaving Vladivostok. The crews worked out emergency preparation for combat and a campaign, and also conducted training to repel an attack by drones of a simulated enemy.
Before leaving for exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, one of the corvettes took on board a Ka-27PS helicopter.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, in June Russian and Egyptian warships conducted joint exercises in the Mediterranean Sea. During the maneuvers, they worked out the formation of a detachment of warships in a designated area, conducted communications training, and provided flights for deck helicopters. The frigate Al-Qadir participated from Egypt. The joint training in the Pacific Fleet was called another practical step in strengthening Russian-Egyptian naval cooperation.
The nuclear-powered missile submarines Severodvinsk and Orel of the Northern Fleet carried out practical missile firing at the "enemy" in the Barents Sea. The exercises were conducted in accordance with the combat training plan.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Russian military personnel have discovered a Ukrainian Armed Forces laboratory for the production of chemical weapons in one of the DPR settlements near Avdeevka, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces' Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops, said at a briefing on July 8.
A laboratory with chemical equipment was discovered in an industrial zone on the first floor of a destroyed building during an engineering reconnaissance.
The premises contained a semi-industrial rotary evaporator, a filtration exhaust system, chemical reactors, and carbon dioxide cylinders. The mobile diagnostic group of the RCB troops discovered shelves with laboratory glassware and reagents, gas masks, including those made in the USA, and a protective suit made in Poland.
A detailed analysis of equipment and exhaust fumes revealed the presence of sodium cyanide, sulfuric acid, and trace amounts of cyanide anions in the samples.
“The presence of these chemicals clearly indicates that the laboratory that was discovered was producing toxic substances with a general toxic effect,” Kirillov said.
He noted that the productivity of the laboratory installation found near Avdeevka is at least three kilograms per day. Its operation requires personnel - two or three people. The lethal inhalation dose for this group of toxic substances is very small and is only 70-80 mg for a person, the head of the RCB troops emphasized.
Hydrocyanic acid, a colourless volatile liquid with the odour of bitter almonds, is listed in Schedule III of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The use of this poison is prohibited by Article 1 of the CWC. When inhaled, the acid causes dizziness, increased respiratory rate, vomiting, convulsions, paralysis of the respiratory muscles and death.
As Kirillov noted, the Ministry of Defense has received confirmation of numerous facts of the use of toxic chemicals, including hydrocyanic acid, by the Kyiv regime. In May, in the village of Semenovka, located ten kilometers from Avdeevka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces dropped ammunition from a drone, after which the victims developed symptoms characteristic of hydrocyanic acid poisoning - difficulty breathing, vomiting, and a bitter almond taste.
Last month, the Kyiv regime's use of hydrocyanic acid was recorded by the military after a Ukrainian drone attacked Grayvoron. The poison was found on fragments of ammunition. In addition, Ukrainian prisoners of war reported laboratories producing chemical weapons.
“During his testimony, Ukrainian prisoner of war Sergei Batyr stated that American specialists were involved in their work, as well as the participation of these laboratories in the mass production of kamikaze drones,” Kirillov said.
The head of the NBC troops also reported at a briefing that during the special operation, Russian military personnel recorded 400 cases of toxic chemicals being used by the Ukrainian army. Kirillov emphasized that Kiev regularly violates the Chemical Weapons Convention.
At the same time, the West and the OPCW plan to accuse Russia of using chemical weapons. The US, Germany, Ukraine and the OPCW technical secretariat are preparing to launch a "special mission". One of the states will initiate an investigation and fabricate evidence. Washington has already allocated about $400,000 for this.
The United States and Germany, together with Kiev and the technical secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), intend to once again accuse Russia of allegedly using chemical weapons in the area of a special operation. This was stated on July 8 by the Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense (RCBD) Troops of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, at a briefing at the Ministry of Defense.
“According to available information, the United States and Germany, together with Ukraine and the OPCW technical secretariat, are preparing to launch a special mission to investigate the so-called facts of the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine with the aim of bringing charges against Russia,” he said.
The head of the NBC protection forces specified that for this purpose one of the “independent” states will initiate an investigation and fabricate evidence of the alleged use of toxic chemicals by the Russian side, for which the US has already allocated about 400 thousand dollars.
“At the same time, the OPCW received instructions from its Western curators not to respond in any way to the Russian Federation’s statements about Ukraine’s violations of the provisions of the Convention,” Kirillov explained.
He noted that Washington and London use the same methods within the framework of the “Mechanism for Conducting Scientific and Technological Assessment” and the “International Mechanism for Cooperation and Assistance” promoted at the site of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (BTWC), which allow them to form an expert opinion on threats to biological security in their own interests.
“To this end, it is planned to create channels of influence on international political and scientific research structures involved in the work of the BTWC by allocating grant funding,” the military man added.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, Kirillov previously said that during the SVO, more than 400 cases of the Kiev regime using non-lethal toxic chemicals were recorded. He emphasized that Kiev, with the assistance of Western countries, does not limit itself to the use of non-lethal chemicals, actively using such compounds as Bi-Zet, hydrocyanic acid and chlorine cyanide.
The head of the NBC Protection troops reported on June 25 that the SBU sent a request to the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences in 2023 about the possibilities of studying samples of chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological weapons. He added that in response, the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences confirmed the conduct of dual-use research under a 2005 agreement between the US Department of Defense and the Ukrainian Ministry of Health.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Federal Security Service of Russia has thwarted an attempt by Ukrainian special services to hijack a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber to Kiev-controlled territory. This was reported on July 8 by the Public Relations Center (PRC) of the FSB of Russia.
"The Russian FSB has thwarted yet another attempt by Ukrainian special services to hijack a long-range strategic bomber of the Russian Aerospace Forces Tu-22M3 abroad," the Center for Public Relations reported.
It is specified that during the attempt to organize the hijacking of a military aircraft, Ukrainian intelligence was going to recruit a Russian pilot for a monetary reward and the provision of Italian citizenship, persuading him to fly and land the bomber in Ukraine.
“During the operational game, Russian counterintelligence agents received information that helped our armed forces inflict fire damage on the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Ozernoye airfield,” the FSB added.
The long-range supersonic missile carrier-bomber Tu-22M3 is equipped with a variable-sweep wing. The aircraft is designed to destroy sea and land targets with guided missiles and aerial bombs; in addition to conventional bombs and missiles, it can also carry nuclear weapons.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, in July 2022, Ukrainian intelligence also carried out an operation to bribe a Russian pilot and hijack a Russian Aerospace Forces plane to Ukraine, which was thwarted by the FSB. According to Russian intelligence, the navigator was planned to be poisoned with clonidine, for which the drug was then delivered to Volgograd.
An FSB operative said on July 25 that Ukrainian military intelligence intended to take hostage the family of a Russian military pilot who was being tempted to hijack a VKS plane. He emphasized that the Kiev regime has no moral or ethical limitations, and blackmail, threats, and pressure on relatives have become an integral part of their activities.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov has been appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Navy. This was reported on July 8 by Gazeta.Ru.
It is noted that earlier, since 2019, Kasatonov held the post of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, Vice-Admiral Sergei Lipilin was appointed commander of the Baltic Fleet on July 8. Navy Commander-in-Chief Alexander Moiseyev introduced Lipilin to the Baltic Fleet command staff and presented him with a standard.
Vice-Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov, who previously commanded the Baltic Fleet, has been appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.
At the end of June, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting on shipbuilding issues the need to strengthen the Armed Forces and the Navy in order to adequately respond to challenges and threats.
Vice Admiral Sergei Lipilin has been appointed commander of the Baltic Fleet. This was reported on July 8 by a source in naval circles.
“Vice Admiral Lipilin has been appointed to the post of commander of the Baltic Fleet,” REN TV quoted the source as saying.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, introduced the new commander of the Baltic Fleet today.
Prior to his appointment to this position, Lipilin served as First Deputy Commander of the Baltic Fleet since 2021. Previously, he served as Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet.
Lipilin's predecessor was Vice-Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov. He had held the post of Baltic Fleet commander since the end of April last year. He was appointed deputy to Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Moiseyev.
At the end of June, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting on shipbuilding issues the need to strengthen the Armed Forces and the Navy in order to adequately respond to challenges and threats.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
