The Air Force of Ukraine confirmed yesterday the take-off of several Tu-95MS (heavy bombers) from Engels airfield in Western Russia. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces captured the village of Orlivka in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, after five months of fierce fighting.
Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports yesterday, coming from Russian sources, of attempts by Ukraine to invade two areas in Belgorod province, opposite Kharkiv. The Mash channel claimed that fighting was taking place at two border points, Nekhoteyevka and Shebekino, not far from the Kursk zone, from where Ukrainian troops launched a surprise attack and seized Russian territory earlier this month. Shot, another Russian channel, said there was no attack in Shebekino, but that Ukrainian forces attacked the border post in Nekhoteyevka, adding that Russian forces had so far repelled the attack. There was no immediate confirmation of fighting at either location, and Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the reports. The governor of the Belgorod region, Gladkov, wrote on Telegram that the situation at the border is “difficult, but under control.”
The role of drones
Swarms of drones were and are vital to Ukraine’s ability to identify potential areas for ground attacks during the invasion of Kursk and to isolate Russian forces, according to British sources. The tactical success of Kiev’s cross-border incursion surprised many, with observers praising the effective use of combined arms such as tanks, artillery and drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including UK-supplied models, have allowed Ukraine to gather intelligence on Russian positions and help it plan ground attacks. Interceptor drones enable Russian electronic warfare systems to be engaged, while dive-bombing drones target Russian heavy weaponry. Ukrainian drone teams also relayed information about Russian crossings over the Seym River, which guided US HIMARS missile strikes.
Ukraine successfully struck three fixed bridges and at least one floating crossing over the river, threatening to isolate some 3,000 Russian troops between Ukrainian-held positions. As of August 20, the Ukrainian military said it controlled 1,263 square kilometers and more than 90 settlements, including the city of Suja. Along with Latvia, the United Kingdom leads the drone coalition that supplies Kiev with the necessary UAVs. As unmanned systems play an increasingly important role on the battlefield, Ukraine has created a separate military branch to oversee their operations. Earlier this year London pledged $416 million to buy more than 10,000 “state-of-the-art” drones for Ukraine. Bloomberg wrote in February that the UK and other partners were working to provide Kiev with artificial intelligence-enabled drones that could simultaneously engage Russian targets.
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY SERVICE
Worries about him nuclear power plant in Kursk region
The head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi, visited the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia yesterday. This visit comes shortly after Ukraine’s recent cross-border offensive in Kursk, with Grossi aiming to “independently assess the developing situation”. The IAEA has expressed concern about the risks associated with military activity near nuclear facilities since the war between Russia and Ukraine escalated in February 2022.
In the early days of the war the Russians seized the large Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine and briefly controlled the decommissioned Chernobyl site in the north. Last week Putin accused Ukraine of trying to strike the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is less than 50 kilometers from active front lines. Russian authorities informed DYAE that drone fragments were discovered about 100 meters from the plant’s spent fuel storage area.
The Kursk nuclear power plant is located near the city of Kursk, home to about 440,000 people. The plant has four reactors, although only two are currently operational, with the other two under construction. These reactors are the same type as those at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine, which suffered the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986. Although major safety upgrades have been made to the Kursk reactors, concerns remain.
Dr Robert Kelly, former director of inspections at the IAEA, pointed out that a Chernobyl-like disaster is unlikely. But he warned that an accidental hit to the plant’s spent fuel storage could release dangerous radioactive materials. The IAEA urged both Russia and Ukraine to exercise “maximum restraint” to avoid any incident with potentially serious radiological consequences.
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