The ongoing war in Ukraine has reached its 904th day with significant developments taking place on Saturday, August 17, 2024. Russian forces have evacuated residents from villages in Belgorod region bordering Ukraine due to heavy attacks by Ukrainian forces. The strategic Ukrainian hub of Pokrovsk witnessed intense fighting as Russian troops approached the outskirts of the city. Ukrainian forces claimed to be advancing in Russia’s Kursk region, taking control of several settlements.
Ukraine’s Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk reported that aviation played a crucial role in targeting Russian supply routes and logistics centers, including a strike on a bridge. Russian forces retaliated by repelling Ukrainian attacks in various areas and destroying a reconnaissance and sabotage unit armed with NATO weapons in the Kursk region.
On the political front, Ukraine set up storage facilities in Sumy region to provide humanitarian aid to Russian civilians in the Kyiv-held part of Kursk. An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West and NATO of assisting in Ukraine’s attack on the Kursk region. Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Italy’s ambassador to protest against what they called illegal border crossing by Italian state broadcaster RAI correspondents reporting from Ukrainian-held areas.
In addition, the US is preparing to announce more security assistance for Ukraine in the near future. The situation in Ukraine remains tense with ongoing military confrontations and heightened diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western countries.
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