[Breitbart] Russia became more interested in a prisoner swap with the United States after it became clear that Donald Trump could return to the White House, according to the Wall Street Journal, whose reporter, Evan Gerskovich, was freed.
The Journal noted Saturday that “Moscow’s concerns about a potential Trump presidency speeded up the deal.”
It added:
The German negotiation team was led by the deputy chief of the foreign secret service BND Philipp Wolff, a former prosecutor who joined the intelligence agency in 2007.
Wolff’s team saw an opening when their Russian counterparts said they wanted to wrap up the deal before the U.S. election in November. Some officials deduced that the Russians were either concerned about an unpredictable Donald Trump coming again to the presidency, or they feared that [German Chancellor Olaf] Scholz would no longer be willing to help a president who rarely misses an opportunity to criticize Germany.
At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last month, Trump notably said: “And to the entire world, I tell you this, we want our hostages back — and they better be back before I assume office, or you will be paying a very big price.”
Trump has prided himself on freeing Americans held abroad without being forced into lopsided exchanges such as those the Biden administration has accepted — and which, critics say, provide incentives for more hostage-taking in future.
In 2018, Turkey released Ameican pastor Andrew Brunson after Trump threatened to hit the Turkish economy with tough economic sanctions.
Russia may have preferred to negotiate with the more pliant Biden administration, which had shown its willingness in the past to trade valuable, even dangerous, convicts for Americans held abroad.
The Biden prisoner swap still left many Americans behind in Russian prisons, the Journal noted separately.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 18:27 Zelensky said that he had instructed diplomats to work out within the framework of the Ukraine-NATO Council the possibility of creating a coalition among neighboring states that would help shoot down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory. According to the president, this decision is "probably difficult for partners, since they are always afraid of unnecessary escalation."
17:45 The leader of the "LNR" Leonid Pasechnik stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired, presumably, eight ATACMS and four Storm Shadow missiles at Luhansk, the strikes hit "storage facilities where fuel tanks were located." According to him, four missiles were allegedly shot down by air defense forces as they approached the city, and the falling debris set dry grass on fire. The head of the Luhansk OVA Artem Lysogor reported a fire at the site of a machine-building plant where the Russians repair and store military equipment.
17:18 Zelensky officially confirmed the arrival of F-16s in Ukraine and published a video with them:
16:50 The Norwegian government has allocated $7.4 million for the programs of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine. The funds are intended to help Ukrainian children and their families who suffered as a result of Russian aggression.
15:42 In Donetsk Oblast, a forced evacuation of children with their parents or other legal representatives from a number of settlements in the Grodovsk and Novogrodovsk communities has been announced, said Vadim Filashkin, head of the OVA. In total, it is planned to evacuate 744 children with their families.
14:55 Ukraine received the first ten F-16 fighters out of a possible 79 on July 31, The Economist writes. According to the publication, Ukraine should receive 20 fighters by the end of 2024, and the rest should arrive in batches during 2025.
09:39 At night, as a result of Russian shelling in the Poltava region, the railway infrastructure was damaged, Ukrzaliznytsia reported. The tracks, contact network, supports were damaged. No one was hurt.
09:07 In the morning, Russians shelled Kherson, one person was injured, OVA reported. Over the previous day, 15 people were injured as a result of Russian shelling in the region, including one child.
08:41 In Donetsk Oblast, on August 3, one person was killed as a result of Russian shelling - in Pokrovsk. Four more people in the region were injured in the past 24 hours, reported OVA head Vadim Filashkin.
08:22 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of August 4:
personnel - about 582,910 (+1150) people,
tanks - 8411 (+5),
combat armored vehicles - 16,255 (+17),
artillery systems - 16,276 (+59),
MLRS - 1138 (+3),
air defense systems - 911 (+3),
aircraft - 363 (+0),
helicopters - 326 (+0),
Operational-tactical level UAVs - 13,103 (+41),
cruise missiles - 2412 (+2),
ships/boats - 28 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 22,006 (+80),
special equipment - 2734 (+11).
07:18 In the morning, Russians fired a mortar at the city of Ochakov in the Nikolaev district, one was wounded, reported the head of the OVA Vitaly Kim.
07:11 At night, Russia launched a strike with two S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles on the Kharkiv region, two Kh-59 guided air missiles on Poltava and five Shahed attack UAVs, the Air Force reported. All drones were destroyed in the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and Zaporizhia regions. The head of the Poltava OVA, Filipp Pronin, reported the sounds of explosions in the Myrhorod district - according to him, there were no hits on civilian infrastructure and no casualties.
05:33 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports, citing geolocation footage, that Russian troops have advanced in the area of Kremenna, Seversk, and Chasovy Yar. The Ukrainian analytical project DeepState also reports that the Russians have advanced in Chasovy Yar in the Donetsk region. There is also fighting near Novoselivka Pervaya and in Zalizne.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState has updated the map of Russian troops' advancement in the East of the country.
Analysts reported a probable advance of Russian troops near Zhelannoye and Timofeyevka in Donetsk Oblast. This was reported by the DeepState project on Sunday, August 4.
Fighting also continues in Chasovy Yar and Zhelezny.
Earlier, analysts said that Russian occupiers continue to advance in eastern Ukraine. In particular, the enemy is putting pressure on the Donetsk Region Defense Forces.
We will add that the General Staff reported that 140 combat clashes were recorded on the front over the past 24 hours, the hottest situation remains in the Pokrovsky direction. The enemy was also active in the Toretsk and Kupyansk directions.
Let us recall that on Saturday evening the General Staff reported that since the beginning of the day the enemy had carried out six assault actions near Vasukivka, Chasovy Yar and Andreevka. The defense forces repelled half of the attacks, and three more were ongoing.
Earlier it was reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled more than 120 attacks in one day.
Article Linked To Is Available Only Via VPN.
[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 42nd Mechanised Brigade, 36th Naval Infantry Brigade, 106th, and 129th Territorial Defence brigades near Staritsa, Volchansk (Kharkov region), Miropoliye, and Basovka (Sumi region). Two counter-attacks launched by the enemy's assault detachments were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 190 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, and six pickup trucks.
In the course of counterbattery warfare, two U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzers, one 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, one TCI electronic warfare station, and two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare stations were neutralised.
One AFU ammunition depot was destroyed.
Units of the Zapad Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on formations of the AFU 107th, 112th, 114th, and 116th Territorial Defence brigades near Sinkovka, Tabayevka, Glushkovka (Kharkov region), and Makeyevka (Lugansk People's Republic). One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 54th Mechanised Brigade was repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 490 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, including two German-made Leopard tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, and eight motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzers, two U.S.-made 155mm M198 howitzers, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, three 122mm D-30 howitzers, one UK-made 105mm L-119 howitzer, two Nota and Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations.
Two AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 53rd, 54th, 100th Mechanised brigades, 81st Airmobile Brigade, and 117th Territorial Defence Brigade near Kalinovo, Krasnogorovka, Seversk, and Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic). One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 5th Assault Brigade was repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 690 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one UK-made 155mm FH-70 howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, one 152mm Giatsint-B howitzer, and one U.S.-made 105mm M109 howitzer.
Two AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.
As a result of active actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Novosyolovka Pervaya (Donetsk People's Republic).
Losses were inflicted on formations of the AFU 31st, 32nd Mechanised brigades, 1st Tank Brigade, 95th Air Assault Brigade, and 109th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vozdvizhenka, Toretsk, Nikolayevka, Druzhba, and Rozovka (Donetsk People's Republic). One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police was repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 365 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 11 motor vehicles, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, three 122mm D-30 howitzers, one U.S.-made 105mm M119 howitzer, one 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun, and one Zoopark counter-battery warfare system, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.
One AFU missile and artillery ammunition depot was wiped out.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 78th Mechanised Brigade, 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 1st Tank Brigade, and 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vodyanoye, Zolotaya Niva, and Storozhevoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 95 Ukrainian troops, one tank, three motor vehicles, two Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, one UK-made 155mm FH-70 howitzer, one 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun, and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station. Two AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 103th and 108th Territorial Defence brigades near Belogorye (Zaporozhye region) and Kazatskoye (Kherson region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 75 Ukrainian troops, seven motor vehicles, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station. Three AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces destroyed one AN/MPQ-65 radar station of the U.S.-made Patriot SAM system, one POL depot, one UAV depot, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 146 areas.
Air defence units shot down one Su-27 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Forces, 13 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, one Vampire MLRS projectile, 162 unmanned aerial vehicles, 82 of them outside the special military operation zone.
In total, 633 airplanes and 278 helicopters, 29,141 unmanned aerial vehicles, 561 air defence missile systems, 16,764 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,395 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 12,813 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 24,354 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:04 Unique frames battle: our fighters near Toretsk ambushed Ukrainian special forces in American armored vehicles. 19:47 Knocked down and abandoned Ukrainian M113G4DK armored personnel carriers in the Donetsk People's Republic.
18:52 Advance of Russian Armed Forces on the front lines:
– Russian fighters advanced in the northern part of Krasnogorovka along Sedova and Oktyabrskaya streets.
- in the Ocheretino square, servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces have established control over half of the settlement of Ivanovka up to the school. There is also an advance to the west and southwest of Novoselovka Pervaya, plus an entry into the first houses in Mezhovoye.
– control over the remaining areas of the city of Zaliznoye has been established, the Russian Armed Forces have reached the electrical substation on the western outskirts.
18:35 Destruction of an enemy submarine in the Kherson direction by units of the 18th Combined Arms Army –video.
17:59 The Russian Armed Forces entered Toretsk and established fire control over the settlement of Nelipovka. This was reported by Ukrainian media, citing a militant from the 24th Separate Assault Brigade "Aidar" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Bunyatov. He states that the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is "very sad" in Novgorodskoye (New York).
17:56 Enemy reports:
"The Russian Armed Forces have advanced near Zhelannoye and Timofeyevka. Fighting continues in Chasovoy Yar and Zheleznoye."
17:25 Situation in the Pokrovsky direction from "NgP raZVedka":
“Fierce fighting broke out in the village of Zhelannoye, our attack aircraft entered the territory of the village from the northeast, and also advanced from the northwestern outskirts along the railway, the enemy found itself surrounded in a number of its positions.
During the offensive, several machine gun nests with Ukrainian Armed Forces crews were destroyed and prisoners were taken.
Our UAV operators demonstrate the highest level of coordination; the hunt is on even for individual enemy infantrymen.
The enemy is trying to hold back our advance with the forces of the 47th, 68th and 151st brigades. The enemy has reported to the command about the extremely strong impact of our electronic warfare systems."
17:05 2nd Artillery Brigade of the Southern Group of Forces destroys positions of Ukrainian militants in the Northern direction.
16:54 Ugledar direction: aviation of the "Vostok" group strikes the territory of the "Yuzhnodonbasskaya" mine –video.
16:15 Powerful «arrival» FAB on the position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Novgorod (New York)
The Russian Armed Forces are advancing in this direction, sending numerous aerial bombs at the Ukrainian Armed Forces fortifications.
16:00 Knocked down enemy drone with a 125mm HE munition with laser guidance BK-30F. This munition has laser guidance and aerodynamic control surfaces.
15:47 Footage of assault on the village of Urozhainoe and the story of a fighter from the Vostok group with the call sign Bely, about how they managed to liberate this strategically important village.
14:52 Crew of the Ka-52 helicopter struck stronghold and enemy manpower in the area of responsibility of the North troop group.
The strike was carried out by unguided S-8 aircraft missiles and guided Vikhr aircraft missiles. According to the forward air controller's reports, all specified targets were successfully hit. The flight proceeded as planned.
14:41 UAV operators of the Kaira detachment of the 39th Guards Brigade are “destroying” fortified areas of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the South Donetsk direction –video.
13:49 The main points from the new briefing of the Russian Ministry of Defense:
The North group defeated four enemy brigades in one day, repelled two counterattacks, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 190 soldiers;
The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the zone of the Russian military grouping “West” in one day amounted to 490 soldiers, three tanks, including two Leopards;
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 690 soldiers in one day as a result of the actions of the Russian “South” group;
Russian troops hit a fuel depot and a depot of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces;
More than 160 drones, 82 of which were outside the special military operation zone, were destroyed by air defense systems in one day.
13:14 The Russian Armed Forces have liberated the settlement of Novoselovka Pervaya in the Donetsk People's Republic – Russian Defense Ministry.
12:44 Statement of Head of the press center of the Dnepr group:
Units of the Dnepr group of forces carried out combat missions in the Kakhovka direction. Provided control of the island zone of the Dnieper River. Artillery fire prevented the regrouping of enemy troops. Continued the destruction of Ukrainian Armed Forces watercraft seeking to land on the left bank of the Dnieper. Actively destroyed FPV drones, reconnaissance and attack UAVs.
The 144th Infantry Brigade, 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, 39th Coastal Defense Brigade, and 37th Naval Infantry Brigade were defeated in the areas of Shcherbaki, Kamenskoye, Burgunki, and Sadovoye.
Over the past week, the enemy's losses amounted to: up to 80 servicemen; during counter-battery fire, a 155-mm self-propelled artillery unit "Bogdana", a 155-mm howitzer M777 and a 100-mm anti-tank gun "Rapira" were destroyed.
The use of strike UAVs disabled three vehicles and a tank.
12:35 Crews of T-72B3 tanks of the North group of forces during combat operations destroyed strongholds and combat equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the SVO.
11:54 Assault units of the 106th Airborne Division of the Airborne Forceshave gained a footholdon the outskirts of Pereezdnoye, reported the Archangel of Spetsnaz.
"The enemy is attempting to recapture previously lost positions. Is he successful? No. UAV crews are destroying the enemy with lightning speed. Artillery and UAV crews are actively working."
10:57 Advance of Russian units to Mezhevoy –map.
10:53 Assault units of the 106th Airborne Division of the Airborne Forces have established themselves on the outskirts of Pereyezdnoye.
10:34 Army aviation of the Vostok group continues to work on reducing the density of development in Prechistovka — LMURinflictedan attack on another temporary deployment point of the enemy.
10:10 On August 3, the Russian Armed Forces came close to the Artem mine waste heap in the Toretsk direction –map.
09:57 In the village of Ukrainian destroyed another weapon of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
As part of counterbattery operations, a Ukrainian Armed Forces weapon was discovered, which was hidden in a shelter similar to a dugout. Artillerymen of the "North" group destroyed the position with several accurate shots.
09:46 Enemy reports:
"On the Bakhmut direction, the Russian Armed Forces, after several months of fighting on the eastern outskirts of Chasov Yar, crossed the Seversky Donets-Donbass Canal.
Russian troops advanced in Kalinovka, which is divided into two parts by the canal, and passed along the land part of the already dried-up water barrier, where they were able to bypass the mined approaches to the canal along the road through the village.
Fighting continues on the western outskirts of the settlement. The Russian Armed Forces are storming the Zhovtnevom microdistrict. Yesterday evening, groups of Russian troops broke through there up to half a kilometer along the road, capturing the first houses on Mariupolskaya Street, adjacent to Tsvetochnaya, Severnaya and Tolbukhina.
In the Toretsk direction, fighting is taking place on the approaches to Toretsk. This direction, along with Pokrovskoe, is a key point of tension on the front line.
In Druzhba, Russian troops are advancing along Zheleznodorozhnaya Street, trying to push Ukrainian forces out of their positions in the private sector. In Zheleznoye, the Russian Armed Forces, after a series of attacks, advanced to the foot of the Artem mine waste heap.
At the moment, attacking groups of the Russian Armed Forces have taken up positions in the ruins of the former mine, from where they will probably try to outflank the stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Also, recently, the Ukrainian military began to report that fighting has already unfolded within the borders of Toretsk.
The Russian Armed Forces have captured some positions in the cemetery area and are trying to hold on there."
09:10 Warriors from the 64th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade are dismantling Ukrainian Armed Forces bunkers in the Polozhsky direction.
08:12 UAV "Leleka-100" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine flew apart into pieces after being hit by a Tor-M2 air defense missile system.
08:04 Enemy reports:
"The Russian Armed Forces have advanced in Chasovoy Yar. Fighting continues near Novoselovka Pervaya and in Zheleznoye."
08:00 The crew of a Ka-52 helicopter of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the area of responsibility of the Northern Group of the Russian Armed Forces hit a stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using missiles –video.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Evgeny Serebryakov, accused of blowing up a serviceman's car in Moscow, traveled to Poland on behalf of the Catholic Church when relations with the West had already become tense, his brother Alexey Serebryakov said.
Earlier, a parishioner of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary told the publication that she recognized the bomber. She said that Yevgeny Serebryakov was an altar server (Catholic title for an altar boy. — Ed.) of the Greek Catholic parish.
According to the brother of the accused, Evgeny Serebryakov himself told him that he came to Poland thanks to this parish.
"He went there already at a time when our relations with Western countries had become strained. True, I don't remember the exact year. I think that his entire circle of friends was in this parish. He even lived in a house next to the church," Lenta.ru quotes Alexey Serebryakov as saying.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on July 24, a passenger car exploded in one of the residential courtyards of Moscow. The driver's feet were torn off, and the woman sitting next to him received lacerations to her face. The explosion blew out the windows in the house, and five more cars were damaged.
The suspect, 29-year-old Yevgeny Serebryakov, was detained in Turkey, where he arrived by plane. The operation to detain him involved Turkish intelligence, Europol, the counter-terrorism department, and the regional police department. On the night of July 26, Serebryakov was transported from Turkey to Moscow.
During interrogation, he admitted that he had acted on instructions from the SBU, and after the terrorist attack, he was going to flee to Ukraine and obtain Ukrainian citizenship. Serebryakov was charged with attempted murder and illegal trafficking of explosive devices.
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.
