[FOX] Ukraine is buying a homegrown glide bomb that could help its pilots strike Russian forces from a safer distance while relying less on weapons supplied by the U.S. and Europe.
The new weapon is called the Vyrivniuvach, or "Equalizer." It was developed by Ukrainian company DG Industry with support from Brave1, a government-backed defense technology group.
A Ukrainian military official told Ukrinform that the bomb has finished testing and is now being bought for the armed forces. Fox News Digital has reached out to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense for more details.
Until now, Ukraine’s warplanes have relied heavily on U.S.-supplied JDAM-ER bomb kits and Small Diameter Bombs, as well as French-made Hammer bombs, for precision strikes from safer distances. The Equalizer could give Kyiv more control over its own supply of guided bombs as foreign military aid remains uncertain.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 21:45 President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the introduction of several packages of sanctions against the Russian Federation. He said this in a video address on August 20.
Today I signed decrees on new sanctions - several packages. Against the Russian military complex and against those individuals who themselves have become part of the Russian way of life in one way or another and maintain ties with this state despite even such a war. These are collaborators in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and former figures from Ukraine who are now somewhere out there, in Europe, but with documents, connections and soul they are in Russia, - the president stated.
21.20 There have been cases where Ukrainian servicemen sent to Germany for training do not return to their unit after completing their training, Die Zeit reports.
It is noted that in the state of Saxony-Anhalt alone, about 80 cases of desertion have been registered. In total, Germany may be dealing with hundreds of military personnel.
Since 2022, about 29,000 Ukrainian soldiers have reportedly been trained in Germany at about 60 military facilities. They learned shooting, camouflage, first aid and other basic skills. The German Ministry of Defense has confirmed that some soldiers have "voluntarily left" their training sites, but there are no nationwide statistics.
20.37 The all-Ukrainian special operation "Justice for Fighters" continues, aimed at stopping abuses in military units and illegal use of funds intended for the defenders of Ukraine. This is reported by the State Bureau of Investigation. It is noted that currently, 46 searches have been conducted within the framework of 11 criminal proceedings in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Rivne and Odessa regions. The work is ongoing.
19.12 On August 20, the Russians attacked a critical infrastructure facility in Kyiv. This was announced by the city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
"Today, in the afternoon, in the capital, for the first time in the last few months, a critical infrastructure facility was targeted," the Kyiv mayor noted.
According to him, residents of Desnyansky and part of Dniprovsky districts may experience interruptions in hot water supply.
18.55 The new leadership of the Ministry of Defense must provide "real proposals" regarding changes in the conduct of mobilization, which should become "more humane." This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
At the same time, Ukraine must provide sufficient resources for defense and be no weaker than Russia within four months, the head of state noted.
18.23 In Kyiv, the wreckage of a Russian drone fell on a business center building. One person is currently known to have died, Mayor Vitali Klitschko informed on Telegram.
17.50 The Russian authorities see no preconditions for peace talks with Ukraine and plan to continue hostilities. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at a briefing. He traditionally accused Ukraine of the lack of "prerequisites for optimism regarding a peaceful settlement."
17.19 Head of the Defense Procurement Agency of the State Logistics Operator (DOT) Arsen Zhumadilov announced his decision to leave his position. He reported this on Facebook.
16.47 An FSB agent, whom the SBU exposed in January this year while coordinating the shelling of the Dnieper, was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. The SBU reports this. According to the investigation, a local mobilized person recruited by the enemy was involved in directing enemy attacks. He came to the attention of the Russian special services through pro-Kremlin comments that he published in chat rooms of various Telegram channels. It was established that after recruitment, the traitor received instructions from a curator from the Russian Federation to identify the bases of the Defense Forces, on which the Russians were preparing a new series of missile and drone strikes.
15.45 Speculation on social networks about the reasons for Yevheniy Khmara's dismissal from military service allegedly due to the VLK does not correspond to reality. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense, Ukrinform reports.
Yevheniy Khmara holds the position of Minister of Defense of Ukraine as a civilian. The Law of Ukraine "On National Security of Ukraine" requires that this position be held exclusively by a civilian, the Ministry of Defense noted. It is noted that Khmara was dismissed from military service on the basis of subparagraph "e" of paragraph 3 of part five of Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service". This norm applies specifically to generals and admirals: if they do not hold a regular position and are at the disposal of the general, the law allows such a general to be dismissed from military service.
15.33 The updated European Union decision to extend temporary protection, which entered into force on July 30, applies to everyone, regardless of gender, said European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert.
According to him, the EU Council decision does not provide for any distinction based on gender during its application.
"It's about military service or serving in the army, so there's no difference between men and women," Lammert said.
Thus, in order to obtain asylum in EU countries, women who are subject to military service in Ukraine must provide evidence that they are not "evasive" from military service.
The European Commission will present updated operational recommendations to member states in the coming weeks on new rules for granting temporary protection to Ukrainians.
15.20 The Russian military man who killed a Ukrainian prisoner has been placed under suspicion. The National Police reported this on August 20. It is noted that the war crime occurred in October 2025 during hostilities near the settlement of Shakhove, Pokrovsky District. According to the investigation, the invaders captured two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After capture and interrogation, one of the invaders took the captured Ukrainian soldier to a forest strip and deliberately shot him in the head with an assault rifle. The Ukrainian defender died on the spot from the wound he received. The same thing was done to another Ukrainian prisoner.
15.06 Fighters of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine have successfully struck important military facilities in Russia. The military reported this on Thursday.
14.47 The International Registry for Damage Caused by Russia's Aggression against Ukraine (RD4U) has opened the possibility of submitting applications in six new categories. Applications can be submitted for compensation for damaged or destroyed real estate.
14.39 The blockade of the ports of Greater Odessa has effectively deprived Ukrainian mining and metallurgical enterprises of the opportunity to work normally for export. Ukraine may lose about $500 million in export revenue in the second half of the year alone, writes Economic Truth.
14.35 Wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine traditionally peak in August, but have virtually ground to a halt this year. Ships have stopped calling at Odessa ports, which Russia has been shelling with missiles. This, along with record heat, has pushed wheat futures up to a near three-year high.
Oxford Economics estimates the losses of the world grain market due to the naval war between the two countries at 86 million tons, which is about 17% of world exports: Russia will not be able to deliver 52 million tons to buyers, Ukraine - 34 million tons. Alternative routes for Ukraine by rail and the Danube will be able to compensate for only 17 million tons.
Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, while Ukraine is the world's fifth largest, and together they supply nearly 30% of global demand. Russian agricultural exports amounted to $41 billion in 2025, or less than 10% of total export revenue; in Ukraine, this share is much higher, around 60%.
14.20 The Security Service of Ukraine, together with the National Police, blocked seven schemes for evading military service and mobilization in various regions of the country, including Odessa, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia regions. Law enforcement officers detained 18 organizers of the schemes, including doctors, former employees of the CCC, a serviceman and a blogger.
13.35 At least 10 people have been injured as a result of Russian strikes on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in Donetsk region. The attacks damaged residential buildings, shops, a company and infrastructure facilities, and caused fires. This was reported by the head of the Donetsk OAV Vadym Filashkin and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
13.29 Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine on August 19-20 struck a number of important objects on the territory of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The TANEKO oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk (Tatarstan) and the Tamanneftegaz terminal in Volny, Krasnodar Territory were hit. Fires were recorded on the territory of the facilities.
13.04 Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, in cooperation with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, launched a large-scale operation Justice for Fighters. This was reported by the State Bureau of Investigation.
72 searches are planned in various regions of Ukraine. Based on their results, 22 people are planned to be reported for suspicion.
12.33 Russia has over 600 Onyx missiles, over 450 Calibers, over 120 Zircons, about 130 Iskander-M missiles, and hundreds of other types of missiles. At the same time, the Russian military-industrial complex is capable of producing over 200 cruise and ballistic missiles every month.
12.06 A Russian agent was detained in Poltava, who was preparing to assassinate the commander of a military unit. The SBU reported this.
"The enemy's task was carried out by a student from a local university recruited by the Rashists. He came into the field of view of Russian special services while searching for "easy" earnings on Telegram," the report says.
12.03 During the massive Russian attack on Ukraine on the night of Thursday, August 20, a mobile fire group of the State Border Guard Service in the Kyiv region destroyed a cruise missile heading towards the capital. The downed target fell outside populated areas. A large crater formed at the site of the fall, around which debris flew. The State Border Guard Service noted that the chances of successfully hitting such a target with machine gun fire are extremely small.
11.43 The death toll from massive Russian shelling in Kyiv has risen to 13. Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi reported this on Telegram. About 20 residential buildings, a school, a children's hospital, and a kindergarten were significantly damaged in the capital.
11.22 A total blackout occurred in temporarily occupied Crimea on Thursday night. This was reported by the Telegram channel Crimean Wind, citing satellite imagery and information from subscribers.
11.17 Forced mobilization is gaining momentum in Russia. New cases of detention of men with subsequent sending to the war against Ukraine were recorded in Udmurtia, Krasnodar Territory, Arkhangelsk Region, Jewish Autonomous Region
…that’s still a thing?
and Buryatia.
In total, from August 10 to 18, human rights activists received 14 appeals from relatives of the victims. The men were taken from the street, from work and after being detained by the police. One was seized at the exit from a store, another while returning from a meeting of graduates, and the third was taken to the department ostensibly for document verification.
11.00 Lithuanian Energy Minister Lukas Savickas, who arrived in Kyiv on the eve of the massive Russian attack, was forced to spend the night in a shelter together with other members of the delegation. According to Savickas, the air raid alert lasted all night. In the morning, the threat of ballistic strikes had passed, but the danger of drone attacks remained. He stated that he had experienced firsthand what Ukrainians experience regularly.
10.40 In Boryspil, Kyiv region, during a massive Russian attack on the night of August 20, food warehouses and Red Cross facilities came under attack. Fires broke out in the area, which rescuers continue to extinguish.
According to Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Koretsky, the night attack of the Russian Federation on Kyiv and the region lasted almost nine hours. In the capital and the region, residential buildings and a children's hospital were hit. At the same time, Russian troops attacked civilian infrastructure in Odessa and Chernihiv regions at night.
According to the latest data, at least 13 people were killed and about 40 more were injured as a result of the massive attack on Kyiv and the region.
10.31 The Dnipro Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the Field of Defense of the Eastern Region sent indictments to the court against the chief of the food service of one of the military units of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - a major, and his subordinate.
The major is charged with receiving unlawful benefits, fraud, evasion of military service, illicit enrichment, and legalization of property obtained by criminal means. His subordinate is accused of providing unlawful benefits.
10.19 On the morning of August 20, Russian troops launched a massive drone attack on the Korabelny district of Kherson. One of the markets was hit. At least 16 people were injured in the strikes, including employees of a utility company.
10.15 On Thursday morning, power outages were recorded in Kyiv and six regions of Ukraine due to Russian attacks on energy facilities. Ukrenergo reported this. Emergency restoration work is already underway wherever security conditions currently allow.
10.03 Russian troops attacked a checkpoint on the border with Moldova in the Odessa region.
This night, the Russians again massively attacked the south of the region. The Russians targeted civilian infrastructure. Two trailers from food trucks were reported to have caught fire. There were no casualties from the shelling.
Due to the massive night attack by the Russians in the south of the Odessa region, power outages occurred in several settlements, as of this morning, 13 thousand subscribers remain without electricity.
10.02 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia will not seriously consider the possibility of peace until Ukraine has sufficient means to intercept ballistic missiles. According to the president, after the massive Russian attack, which lasted on the night of August 20, emergency services continue to work at the sites of the hits. The Russians, Zelensky noted, combined ballistic and cruise missiles and strike drones, trying to cause maximum damage to civilian infrastructure.
09.50 Russia attacked Ukraine at night with Onyx, Zircon, Iskander-M, S-400 ballistic missiles, 36 Kh-101/Iskander-K/Kh-59 cruise/aircraft missiles, 8 Kalibr cruise missiles and two Banderol loitering munitions, as well as 168 attack drones.
The main direction of the attack was the Kyiv region.
Air defenses shot down/suppressed 31 Kh-101/Iskander-K/Kh-59 cruise missiles, 8 Kalibr cruise missiles, two Banderol loitering munitions, as well as 145 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones in the north, south, east and center of the country.
Enemy airstrikes were recorded at 28 locations, as well as the fall of downed aircraft (fragments) at two locations.
09.31 The death toll in Zhytomyr from yesterday's Russian attack on the building of the National Police headquarters in the region has risen to three, with another 53 people injured.
09.15 The temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP lost external power supply for the fifteenth time this year: backup diesel generators that provide critical security systems automatically turned on.
09.07 During Russia's night attack on Ukraine on August 20, Russian drones violated the airspace of Moldova and Romania. One of them entered Moldova and later returned to Ukraine, while the other fell on Romanian territory near the Ukrainian border. The incidents were reported by the countries' defense departments.
08.47 In Kyiv, the death toll from a massive Russian attack on the night of August 20 has risen to 12. Another 32 people were injured. This was reported by the State Emergency Service and Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
According to Klitschko, 11 people died directly as a result of the attack, another wounded person died in the hospital. Of the 11 dead, seven were in the Solomianskyi district.
Damage was recorded in the Svyatoshynskyi, Solomyanskyi, and Darnytskyi districts.
08.12 On the night of August 20, Russian regions reported a series of drone attacks. According to preliminary data, oil and energy infrastructure facilities in Tatarstan and Krasnodar Krai could have been hit. Russian media and OSINT communities are reporting on the attacks. In Nizhny Kamsk, deaths were reported at the TANEKO refinery. According to preliminary data, 12 people were killed.
In the Krasnodar Territory, according to preliminary data, the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal and the Taman 500 kV substation could have been hit.
07.54 Six people were killed and 33 others were injured in a Russian attack in Kyiv on the night of Thursday, August 20. Rescuers have freed two people from the rubble and are continuing their work in three districts of the capital. Work to eliminate the consequences of the attack is ongoing in the Svyatoshynskyi, Solomyanskyi and Darnytskyi districts of the capital.
07.38 On August 20, Ukrzaliznytsia made operational changes to the movement of suburban and regional trains due to damage to the railway infrastructure as a result of the Russian attack on Kyiv and the region. Passengers were urged not to wait on platforms during an air alert. If a train is delayed due to an air threat, passengers are advised to stay in a safe place. Movement will be resumed after the danger is over.
05.03 As a result of the Russian missile attack, hits, destruction, and fires were previously recorded in the Svyatoshynskyi, Darnytskyi, and Solomyanskyi districts of Kyiv. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine was informed about the details of the enemy attack.
03.44 Five people were killed and 23 others were injured in massive Russian shelling in Kyiv, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported.
02.37 A man was killed in a hostile attack in the Brovary district. This was reported by the head of the regional state administration, Timur Tkachenko. Another man was injured and is receiving necessary medical assistance.
According to the official, one of the industrial facilities was damaged.
02.04 Russian military drones hit a gas station in one of the districts of Kharkiv. This was reported by the city's mayor, Igor Terekhlv.
"A Molniya type UAV hit the Industrial District. A gas station came under enemy attack," he noted.
01.34 Two people died in Kyiv as a result of a massive rocket attack on the night of August 20. The Kyiv City Military Administration reported this on Telegram.
The number of injured people has also increased.
"As of 01:15, 6 wounded are known. Unfortunately, two women died as a result of the enemy attack," the report said.
00.34 In the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv, debris fell near a five-story residential building. A fire broke out at the scene.
Later, Vitali Klitschko reported that the premises of a children's hospital in Solomyanskyi district were damaged. Windows were broken in the building, and cars were on fire in the area.
In the same area, according to preliminary information, people are trapped in a shelter.
00.11 The capital was under ballistic attack. In just 15 minutes, up to 20 missiles hit Kyiv. As monitoring channels noted, three types of ballistic missiles were fired simultaneously.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:09 The crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces fighter-bomber inflicted an attack on the command post and manpower of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 20:25 During the day from 8.00 to 20.00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 64 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Rostov regions, the Republic of Crimea and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
19:21 In Sevastopol, the military is repelling an attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,works Air defense and mobile fire teams. Four UAVs were shot down over the sea near Fiolent, on the Northern Side, and in Sakharnaya Glovaya.
18:39 Russian fighters applied ground-based robotic systems for a diversionary maneuver during the liberation of Bely Kolodez in the Khar'kov region.
18:04 Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure and sea vessels deployed in the interests of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
During the day, two dry cargo ships carrying ammunition and military equipment, as well as a tank containing fuel and lubricants intended for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, were hit by attack drones in the port of Chornomorsk.
17:43 in the LPR detained two residents who helped the SBU prepare a terrorist attack against the head of the republic's Ministry of Internal Affairs
According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), one of the men was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services during his trip to Khar'kov. He then began transmitting information to Kyiv about the socio-political and socio-economic situation in the LPR.
The man also collected information about the movements of the republic's Minister of Internal Affairs and his security measures. He later recruited an acquaintance to carry out SBU assignments. Both men were detained by FSB officers.
17:11 Russian forces in Kyiv attacked the important Thermal Power Plant No. 6 in the Troyeshchyna district, which suffered severe damage last winter.
16:46 Drone operators of the separate brigade of the Varyag BPS troops hit key facilities of the rear infrastructure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including oil refineries, logistics centers and a UAV control center.
16:27 A Ukrainian drone was spotted in the Kherson region. A civilian vehicle was hit. A Khersonenergo team was on its way to restore infrastructure in Kakhovka.
A drone struck a car right in its path. The driver was killed in the attack. Another team member was injured.
15:40 Drone operators of the "Southern" group continue to methodically destroy identified targets in the Druzhkovsky direction.
14:35 Investigators from the Russian Investigative Committee will investigate crimes committed by Ukrainian armed groups in the Belgorod region and the Republic of Tatarstan
According to the Belgorod Region operational headquarters, three people were injured as a result of attacks by representatives of the Kyiv regime.
According to local authorities, people were injured as a result of a massive drone attack in the Trans-Kama region of the Republic of Tatarstan.
13:43 Electronic reconnaissance point of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed by a strike by the Geranium-4 Seeker UAV.
12:40 Summary of the Ministry of Defense on the progress of the Special Military Operation as of August 20, 2026
Units of the North group of forces have improved their tactical position.
The personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, and a territorial defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated near the settlements of Sadki, Tolstodubovo, and Ulanovo in Sumy Oblast. In Khar'kov Oblast, units of two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigades, an assault regiment, and a territorial defense brigade were defeated near the settlements of Sliznevo, Novooleksandrivka, Ivanovka, Blagodatne, Kazachya Lopan, and Vasylivka in Khar'kov Oblast.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 200 servicemen, an infantry fighting vehicle, three armored combat vehicles, 14 vehicles, and an electronic warfare station.
Units of the Western group of forces have taken up more advantageous positions and lines.
The manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade and two territorial defense brigades were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Studenok, Podliman, Nizhneye Solenoye, Andreyevka, Chervony Oskol in the Khar'kov region, Sidorov and Svyatogorsk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to more than 210 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, 14 cars and a field artillery gun.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces, as a result of active operations, liberated the village of Nikolaipole in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Formations of two mechanized, an airmobile, two mountain assault brigades and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Nikolaevka, Vysokoivanovka, Belenkoye, Slavyansk, Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk, Nikonorovka and Kurtovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost over 250 servicemen, two US-made Stryker armored personnel carriers, an armored combat vehicle, 22 vehicles, and seven field artillery pieces.
As a result of decisive actions by units of the Center group of forces, the village of Matyashevo in the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated.
The manpower and equipment of two mechanized, a ranger, and an assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two National Guard brigades were damaged in the areas of the populated areas of Maryivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Svyatogorovka, Dobropolye, Novonikolayevka, Veseloye Pole, Rubizhne, Novogrigorovka, and Annovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 370 servicemen, five armored combat vehicles, eight cars, and an electronic warfare station.
Units of the "East" force group advanced deep into the enemy's defenses.
The manpower and equipment of two airborne assault brigades, an assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a naval infantry brigade were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Velykymikhailovka in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Volnyanka, Nikolskoye, Zelena Dibrova, Vasynovka, Shevchenkivske, Timoshivka and Yehorivka in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The enemy lost more than 320 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle and five vehicles.
Units of the Dnipro Forces Group improved their tactical position. Formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' mechanized and mountain assault brigades were defeated near the villages of Preobrazhenka, Orekhov, Yulievka, and Hryhorivka in the Zaporizhia region.
Up to 40 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, 20 vehicles, a field artillery gun, and two electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
12:26 There is an enemy drone in the village of Rzhava which attacked the garage of a private home. A 52-year-old man was injured as a result of the impact.
He suffered blind shrapnel wounds to his back and left shoulder. He was given first aid. He refused hospitalization and will be monitored as an outpatient.
11:05 Investigators from the Russian Investigative Committee will investigate more crimes committed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, resulting in deaths and injuries in Russian regions
According to government authorities, a local resident was killed and four people were injured in drone strikes in the Bryansk region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In the Belgorod region, one person was killed and several civilians were injured during another attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In the DPR, one citizen was killed and nine more civilians were injured due to strikes by Ukrainian Armed Forces UAVs.
In the Kursk region, a local resident was injured as a result of a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone attack on a private home.
A man was injured in a drone attack in the Ulyanovsk region.
10:33 Over the past 24 hours, the Kupol Donbassa system and combined mobile fire groups have been operating over the territory of the DPR, destroying 4 enemy drones aimed at civilian infrastructure facilities.
9:53 FSB detained a Russian citizen was found in Crimea who was transmitting data to Kyiv about the locations of border control facilities of the special service in the republic.
The defendant has been taken into custody, is cooperating with the investigation and is giving a confession.
9:15 Summary about the operational situation in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours.
In total, 239 enemy drones of various types were shot down between 9:00 AM on August 19 and 9:00 AM on August 20. The enemy used artillery 128 times on evacuated areas. Drones attacked our territory 18 times using explosive devices.
8:52 Ukrainian Armed Forces continue strikes on civilian infrastructure on the left bank of the Kherson region
Yesterday afternoon, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired 20 shells from barrel artillery at populated areas of the Kherson region of the Russian Federation:
Throughout the night, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continued their artillery bombardment of the Kherson region, firing a total of 17 shells from cannon artillery. The following villages were shelled: Kakhovka, Proletarka, Oleshky, Nova Mayachka, and Korsunka.
8:45 During the past night, in the period from 20:00 Moscow time on August 19 to 8:00 Moscow time on August 20, the air defense forces on duty intercepted and destroyed 726 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type over the territories of the Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Tambov, Tula, Ulyanovsk regions, the Moscow region, Krasnodar Krai, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Tatarstan and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
8:00 Tonight, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted a massive strike using high-precision weapons from land, air, and sea, as well as long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, against military industrial enterprises, a transport and logistics center, and warehouses in the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
In the city of Kyiv the following were affected:
- industrial enterprise Fire Point LLC – which produced components for long- and medium-range attack UAVs, and also assembled and stored boosters used in Flamingo cruise missiles;
- a trade and warehouse complex of the Ukrspetssystems company, where the production of components for long- and medium-range attack UAVs, large-unit assembly of aircraft-type UAVs, as well as their storage, were carried out;
- an assembly plant for the aviation industry
- State Enterprise "Antonov" - which produced the An-196 "Lyuty" long-range aircraft-type UAV, and also developed and manufactured various types of manned aircraft;
- an ammunition depot, which stored M-900 thermobaric aerial bombs, anti-tank mines and ammunition for Baba Yaga-type UAVs.
Affected in the Kyiv region:
- Martusovka transport and logistics center (Zamler Group logistics center) – which carried out the storage and distribution of dual-use goods, including for the production of long- and medium-range UAVs, robotic systems, and electronic warfare systems;- Brovary fuel and lubricants warehouse, which stored up to 8 thousand cubic meters of fuel intended for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Svyatoslav Lisitsyn
[REGNUM] The current results of the blockade of the ports of the so-called Greater Odessa in response to the "infrastructure war" unleashed by Ukraine have been repeatedly cited in the Russian press.
As is well known, on June 25, Zelenskyy rather pompously announced the start of a 40-day operation against Russia "with the aim of inducing an end to the war." The enemy has sharply increased the number of long-range strikes, aiming to hit refineries, oil depots, factories, and ports.
SBU and Unmanned Systems Forces naval drones have launched a piracy campaign in the Black, Azov, and Caspian Seas, targeting vessels associated with Russian trade operations.
Russia's mirror response was the establishment of ports and warehouses in cities and towns along the Black Sea coast, traditionally linked by common logistics to the main port of Odesa. This system handled approximately 60% of Ukraine's total foreign trade (including iron ore exports) and 90% of the country's agricultural exports. As a result, Ukrainian trade—both export and import—via the Black Sea was virtually halted.
However, the scale of this crisis will be more interesting to study in detail, where the most important things are not in plain sight.
First, let's look at a specific figure. From January to June 2026, exports totaled almost $20 billion—a billion more than last year. Of this, 60% ($12.5 billion) was accounted for by corn and sunflower oil. Metal products followed at $2.14 billion and iron ore at just over a billion.
They can only be transported by sea, so, logically, Ukraine immediately loses almost an entire industry.
"Blocking the Odessa ports (assuming that transshipment in the Odessa and Danube ports will be almost completely stopped in the second half of 2026) will lead to the loss of almost 90% of the capacity to export iron ore (a loss of approximately $1 billion in export revenue), 80% of the capacity to export metal (a loss of up to $1.5 billion in export revenue), and up to 40-50% of the logistical capacity to export agricultural products (a loss of $2 to $5 billion in export revenue)," writes Kyiv economist Alexey Kushch.
The remaining commodity items are of secondary importance, but nonetheless include mechanical engineering products, chemicals, timber, and various industrial products. That is, items that can be transported by truck or railcar.
If it works out, of course, given the low border capacity, limited transport options, and the intransigent stance of its neighbors, which are creating a cumulative transport and logistics crisis for Ukraine.
Thus, the maximum loss in export revenue could exceed $15 billion by the end of the year. Considering that at the end of last year, the Verkhovna Rada projected a budget deficit of $50 billion, and by now it has grown to $70 billion, the figure will be even more impressive.
And the direct consequence of this is the inevitable fall of the hryvnia.
"The fundamental cause of Ukrainian inflation is the trade deficit ($69 billion, or 32% of GDP), which must be covered by imports and foreign aid. The situation is complicated by rising global prices for energy resources critical to the Ukrainian economy," explains Bohdan Danylyshyn, Chairman of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine from 2016 to 2022.
Now the second, much more interesting thing: import.
The main destinations here were China and India, which accounted for nearly $20.5 billion in shipments from January to June 2026, or 40% of the total. Moreover, since last year, they have grown at a breakneck pace, exceeding 50% in the first half of the year alone and equaling European imports.
What does Asia supply?
First and foremost, energy equipment (charging stations, batteries, solar panels, transformers, generators, etc.), vehicles, and UAV components. The first position is clear on the eve of the "worst winter." The situation with cars is more or less the same.
But the main recipients in Ukraine are defense industry enterprises that assemble deadly products from parts arriving in sea containers.
Motors, circuit boards, cameras, controllers, and batteries are essential for the mass production and assembly of FPV and other types of drones in Ukraine. Experts estimate that Ukrainian UAV production relies on imported parts at over 80%.
"We can't abandon China. For example, very good engines for ground robotic systems are produced in China. They are very inexpensive and of high quality. We still have five years of work ahead of us to reach that level," Igor Fedirko, director of the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers, told Defense.
Moreover, in the summer of 2026, Brussels made an unprecedented exception to the rules for providing defense loans. Ukraine was officially allowed to spend approximately 10% of the total aid package (specifically, €5.9 billion from the first tranche) directly on purchasing Chinese drone components.
India primarily supplies Ukraine with pharmaceutical raw materials and finished medications. It's safe to say that all Ukrainian pharmaceutical companies either package Indian medications for retail or manufacture them from Indian raw materials.
Imported analogues for both the first and second positions in the EU are either significantly more expensive, or Europe does not produce them at all.
Now, all these goods will have to be transported through European Baltic ports and then by land to the south, adding another 20-30% to the cost. Delivery times for Asian components are extended by 2-4 weeks due to the need to unload them in the EU and undergo additional customs procedures at the Ukrainian border. Lithium-ion batteries for UAVs are classified as hazardous goods. Their transportation by air is strictly limited, and road and rail carriers in Europe have strict limits on the volumes they can transport at any one time.
The irony of fate: there was no money to build the Baltic Railway through the Suwalki Gap at the time, but Ukraine chose self-destruction for a much larger budget.
And now he will pay for this stupidity too.
Instead of urgent anti-crisis measures in the form of tariff support for transport and affordable loans, the National Bank (NBU) is raising the key interest rate by another 0.5%, and the government is preparing to increase railway tariffs by 30% in August.
So there are no optimistic scenarios in sight here.
Ukrainian farming is rapidly declining, as only large multinational corporations will be able to find a window for grain deliveries. The mining and metallurgy sector will grind to a halt, as will the pharmaceutical industry, left without raw materials. The "kamikaze drone" ideology has nullified the role of transit country bestowed upon it by nature itself.
With some effort, systematic follow-up to Ukraine's proposed "we're creating problems in the economy" scenario also means a shortage of these very drones. Because the naval blockade is combined with the steady destruction of military production facilities.
This, incidentally, is the source of all of Zelenskyy's frantic movements related to negotiations on relocating production to EU countries, and the much-talked-about Drone Deal. Yes, weapons will be assembled and supplied to Ukraine, but the Europeans will no longer need Ukraine: the money, production capacity, and technology will be entirely in their hands.
This means that yet another Ukrainian dream of “Europe’s main military hub” has collapsed.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Russian Armed Forces air defense systems shot down 1,504 drones and 11 guided bombs belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (Ukrainian Armed Forces) in the Northern Military District (NMD) in the past 24 hours. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported this on August 20.
"Air defense systems shot down 11 guided aerial bombs and 1,504 unmanned aerial vehicles," the statement said.
The department calculated that since the beginning of the military operation, Russian troops have destroyed 674 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 214,914 unmanned aerial vehicles, 669 anti-aircraft missile systems, 30,660 tanks and other armored combat vehicles of the enemy.
On the same day, the Russian Armed Forces struck a warehouse containing M-900 aerial bombs and ammunition for Baba Yaga drones in Kyiv. The Russian Armed Forces used long-range UAVs and precision-guided weapons from land, air, and sea.
The Russian Armed Forces also struck the Fire Point enterprise =, which produced components for attack drones and assembled and stored boosters used in Flamingo cruise missiles, and a number of other facilities associated with the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
#1
At the rate Russia claims to be shooting them down, Ukraine must be building thousands of drones every day. Some still get through to bomb refineries.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
08/21/2026 8:26 Comments ||
Top||
From the vk.ru web of the Russian Ministry of Defense:
❗️Tonight, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike using high-precision land-, air-, and sea-based weapons and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles against military industrial facilities, a transport and logistics center, and warehouses in the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
📍In the city of Kyiv the following were affected:
▫Fire Point LLC, an industrial enterprise that produced components for long- and medium-range attack UAVs and also assembled and stored boosters used in Flamingo cruise missiles;
▫the trade and warehouse complex of the Ukrspetssystems company, which produced components for long- and medium-range attack UAVs, carried out large-unit assembly of aircraft-type UAVs, and also stored them;
▫aircraft assembly plant
▫State Enterprise "Antonov" - which produced the An-196 "Lyuty" long-range aircraft-type UAV, and also developed and manufactured various types of manned aircraft;
▫ammunition depot – where M-900 thermobaric aerial bombs, anti-tank mines and ammunition for Baba Yaga-type UAVs were stored.
📍Affected in the Kyiv region:
▫Martusovka transport and logistics center (Zamler Group logistics center) – which carried out the storage and distribution of dual-use goods, including for the production of long- and medium-range UAVs, robotic systems, and electronic warfare systems;
▫Brovary fuel and lubricants warehouse, which stored up to 8,000 cubic meters of fuel intended for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
💥In addition, on the evening of August 19, warehouses containing military equipment were damaged in the ports of Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
On the night of August 20, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive strike with precision-guided weapons against targets in Kyiv and the Kyiv region. The primary targets were located in the Svyatoshinsky, Darnytsky, and Solomyansky districts of the capital, as well as in Brovary.
According to military experts, about 70 missiles of various types were used: Iskander ballistic missiles, hypersonic Tsirkon missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Kh-101 missiles.
In the Ukrainian capital, the Fire Point LLC industrial facility was disabled. It manufactured components for long- and medium-range attack drones and assembled and stored boosters used in Flamingo cruise missiles.
The Antonov State Enterprise was also hit. The company produced the An-196 "Lyuty" long-range unmanned aerial vehicle, developed and manufactured manned aircraft, and also served as an assembly plant for the aviation industry.
Logistics suffered significant damage. The Ukrspetssystems warehouse and trade complex, where components for attack UAVs were manufactured, semi-knocked-down aircraft-type drones were assembled, and where they were stored, was destroyed.
The Martusovka center (the ZamlerGroup logistics center), which was used for storing and distributing dual-use goods, including for the production of drones, robotic systems, and electronic warfare equipment, was hit.
Russian forces are prioritizing the destruction of facilities whose products pose a threat. Overnight, facilities associated with the production of drones and Flamingo missiles were struck, as were ammunition depots storing M-900 thermobaric bombs, anti-tank mines, and ammunition for Baba Yaga drones.
Each such goal means a reduction in the enemy’s ability to produce and use strike weapons.
The PS 330/110 kV Brovary electrical substation, a fuel and lubricants warehouse, and an oil depot were also destroyed in Brovary. The oil depot stored up to eight thousand cubic meters of fuel intended for Ukrainian troops.
Consecutive strikes are crippling production facilities, warehouses, fuel and energy facilities, and transportation infrastructure. Strategic enterprises and logistics hubs are being reduced to rubble.
This directly impacts both military capabilities and economic functioning. Restoring such facilities in a short period of time is impossible.
Russian units also carried out strikes in the Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Odessa, Poltava and Sumy regions.
Military warehouses were destroyed at the ports of Chornomorsk and Yuzhny. A gas station was burned in Shostka, Sumy Oblast. Due to infrastructure damage, Ukrzaliznytsia has diverted train services in the Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv Oblasts.
The strikes were massive. In the first wave alone, a significant number of missiles of various types were launched at Kyiv in a short period of time. The total number of weapons used in the capital and the surrounding region is estimated at approximately 70. All of them hit their intended targets, as evidenced by large fires visible at a considerable distance.
The Ukrainian air defense system was unable to effectively counter the massive attack. While Russian air defenses repelled hundreds of enemy drones, ballistic and cruise missiles continued to strike targets deep within enemy territory.
Meanwhile, Russian units continue to advance along the line of contact. In Donbas, there are actions toward Dobropillia, the clearing of Krasny Liman, and an offensive on Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. These successes are accompanied by widespread destruction in the Ukrainian rear.
The night strike on August 20th was a continuation of the consistent effort to reduce the enemy's military and industrial potential. Military-industrial facilities, ammunition depots, logistics centers, energy and fuel facilities, and military warehouses in ports were hit. Each such strike reduces the resource base necessary for continued combat operations.
Russian units are acting in accordance with their assigned mission to increase pressure. The goal is to deprive the enemy of the material foundations on which their ability to wage war rests: the economy, energy, and military production. The enemy is increasingly feeling the impact.
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