Ukraine War Update NEWS (20230803b): Pt 2 - Overnight & Other News

"Moscow is waging a battle for global catastrophe. In their madness, they need world food prices to collapse, they need a price crisis, they need disruption in supplies."

Hello Team!

Jonathan provides an update on the Ukraine war for August 3rd, 2023. He notes there is limited information coming from the frontlines.

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Fuel Shortages in Occupied Territories

• Residents of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic are complaining about skyrocketing gas/diesel prices and tight supply
• Ukrainian strikes on fuel storage facilities in occupied territories are having a material impact
• If strikes push logistics hubs further back, it will consume more fuel in occupied territories
• Reading local DNR news informs that:

1) Ukraine strikes on fuel depots are working 2) Russian fuel supplies are fragile 3) Further disruption could impact Russian logistics 4) Making Russia dependent on trucks traveling longer distances is beneficial

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Frontline Update

Eastern Front (Kupyansk to Kreminna):

• Silence on the Eastern Front, Russian counter-offensive is at a pause
• Pause may be due to lack of cohesion/coordination between units, reaching culmination point, or shell hunger

Bakhmut:

• South of Bakhmut, Khrushchevka has been abandoned by Russians, Ukrainians have reached railway north of town
• Ukrainians have entered Klishchiivka, special operations forces in contact with Russians in forest south of Bakhmut (Opytne area)
• If confirmed, Russians are in extremely unfortunate positions
• North of Bakhmut, Ukrainians slowly advancing towards Soledar
• Loud explosion filmed in middle of Bakhmut east of railway
• Sources claim Ukrainian special forces conducting raids inside town
• In Yahidne, Ukrainians continue attacking Russian positions, Russians have little way to counter-attack as high positions in north are under Ukrainian control
• Quiet in Bakhmut to the north, not much news from Yahidne, Berdkivka, Dubovo-Vasylivka
• Slow but consistent Ukrainian advance south of Bakhmut

Avdiivka:

• Some challenges for Ukraine around Avdiivka, Russians pressuring to the north
• Contradictory claims on maps regarding territory south of Avdiivka

Southern Front (Zaporizhzhia, Velyka Novosilka):

• Ukrainians continuing advance towards Staromaiorske
• Ka-52 attack helicopters attacking positions south of Staromlynivka, indicating Ukrainians have reached further south than expected/announced
• West of Robotyne, Ukrainians approach Verbove, at gates of town
• In Novoprokopivka, Ukrainians destroyed ammunition depot
• Images show Ukrainian reconnaissance troops well south of Verbove
• Claims of possible operational pause around Velyka Novosilka axis
• Ukrainians advancing towards Urožajne, hitting Russian targets south of Dnipro
• Short Ukrainian supply lines, sparse Russian defences make Velyka Novosilka a viable counter-offensive option

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Equipment Losses and Sightings

• Ukrainians are losing a fair deal of equipment, it's attritional
• Lost equipment for both sides near Svatove
• Robotyne area seems to be a "black hole" for Ukrainian equipment to some degree
• Polish supplied KTO Rosomak M1 APC (equipped with Hitfist 30P turret, 30mm chain gun) in service with Ukrainian 44th Mechanized Brigade
• Danish supplied Caesar 8x8 self-propelled howitzer firing cluster munition, important to see in use on frontline
• Claims Ukrainians have advanced south of Vuhledar towards Mykilske, supported by video of Ukrainian drone striking Russian T-90 tank in Mykilske and Staromaiorske

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Military Aid

• Not much to report, seems to have gone quiet as Ukraine is using the equipment
• Zelensky importantly said training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s will begin in August
• First Ukrainian-made demining machine certified, can disarm anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, two can be produced per month

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Geopolitics

• Russia added Norway to list of "unfriendly countries" (49 states on list)
• Over 40,000 tons of grain damaged by Russian attack in Odesa region, could have fed millions
• Russia refuses to condemn small drone attacks on Moscow while attacking and destroying massive Ukrainian grain supplies and export infrastructure
• Wheat prices in Chicago jumped 4% following Russian attacks on Izmail port
• EU warns Russia seeks to create dependencies through cheap grain offers to vulnerable countries
• Baltic states will disconnect from energy systems of Belarus and Russia in 2025, important step in reducing European dependence on Russian energy
• Large salt deposit discovered in Transcarpathia, Ukraine, mining begun, can provide 100% of Ukraine's technical and kitchen salt needs
• Zelensky says Putin aiming for global catastrophe, Moscow waging battle for global food price collapse and supply disruption
• Peskov blames West for imposing sanctions on Russia without considering world's food needs, not taking responsibility for destroying Ukrainian food/export infrastructure

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China Floods

• Massive flooding in Beijing and other parts of China, biggest floods in documented Chinese history
• Forbidden City flooded for first time in 140 years
• Chinese authorities censoring information, stopped people filming, censored name of affected bridge
• Prioritised putting up barriers to block view of damaged bridge over rescuing survivors
• Physically censoring information is common tactic in China
• Flooding largely unreported globally and minimised by Chinese media
• Could potentially impact rice production, divert Chinese attention, or pressure China to lean on Russia regarding attacks on Ukrainian grain

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Wrap Up

Jonathan thanks viewers for their support and apologises for background drilling noise. He asks viewers to like, subscribe and share the video.

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