{"id":892,"date":"2024-10-01T14:22:11","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T18:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/warinukraineobservatory\/?post_type=cu_description&p=892"},"modified":"2025-11-11T10:50:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T15:50:33","slug":"august-2024","status":"publish","type":"cu_description","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/description\/august-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"AUGUST 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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\n \n <\/h1>\n\n <\/header>\n\n

August 1 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Does Not Want China as Mediator for Peace<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with French media that Kyiv does not want China to act as a mediator in the conflict with Russia. Zelensky however, added that he hoped Beijing would put more pressure on Moscow to end the war.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long Awaited F-16 Fighter Jets Arrive in Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first batch of long-awaited F-16 fighter jets has arrived in Ukraine. Denmark has committed to donate 19 jets in total, while the Netherlands has promised to deliver 24 and Norway 6.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 3 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Estimates Conclude 400,000 Ukrainians Could Leave Country This Year <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Bank of Ukraine issued a report that estimates approximately 400,000 Ukrainians could leave the country in 2024. Over six million Ukrainians remain abroad after feeling the nation following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February of 2022. This severely affects the country’s demographic and economic challenges with motivations for emigration being related to security reasons, the difficult energy situation, and insecurities about the upcoming winter. The National Bank of Ukraine also concluded in this report that refugees are likely to start returning in the year 2026. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 4 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian Officials Claim They Sunk Russian Submarine in the Black Sea <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ukrainian military says it sunk a Russian B-237 submarine stationed near the port of Sevastopol. The B-237 “Rostov-on-Don” submarine is quite a modern part of Russia’s fleet, launched and commissioned in 2014. It’s capable of firing cruise missiles at targets on land. Ukraine has launched repeated attacks on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the ports of occupied Crimea in recent months. The strikes have forced remaining ships to withdraw to other, more distant harbours in the Black Sea. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 5 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian F-16 Pilots Starting Operations <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian pilots have started commencing flying operations in American-made and NATO-supplied F-16 fighter jets. The arrival of the jets is a milestone for Ukraine after many months of waiting, though it remains unclear how many are available and how much of an impact they will have in enhancing air defences and on the battlefield. Russia has been targeting bases that may house them and has vowed to shoot them down.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 6 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Russia Claims Ukraine Has Committed a Series of Cross-Border Raids <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Russian Ministry of Defense and Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed that Russian border troops and FSB personnel repelled several raids by Ukrainian forces equipped with roughly a battalion’s worth of tanks and armoured vehicles against Russian positions near Nikolayevo-Darino and Oleshnya, Kursk Oblast. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Humanitarian Aid Directed Towards Ukraine<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that his nation will receive a $3.9 billion grant from the United States and the World Bank which will be used to cover priority government expenses, salaries for teachers and emergency responders, and social benefits. Norway has also pledged to provide $7.4 million in support of UNICEF programs in Ukraine. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 7 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian Incursion into the Kursk Region of Eastern Russia <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia said it has now sent reserve troops to the Kursk region, claiming some 300 pro-Kyiv fighters had stormed across the border supported by 11 tanks and more than 20 armoured vehicles. Governor of the Kursk Oblast, Alexei Smirnov said that the situation was \u201ctense\u201d but \u201cunder the control\u201d of Russian forces. Kyiv did not comment on the alleged incursion. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 8 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kyiv Finally Releases Statement About Kursk <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s Senior Presidential aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, and President Zelensky recognize the cross-border incursion into the Kursk Oblast. Zelensky addressed the Ukrainian nation stating \u201cRussia brought the war to our land and should feel what it has done.\u201d Mykhailo Podolyak stated that \u201cthe root cause of any escalation\u2026 is Russia’s unequivocal aggression.\u201d In response, Moscow has declared a state of emergency as Ukrainian forces journey towards a village 20km inside of the Kursk region. And 3,000 civilians have been evacuated from the region. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 9 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine Initiative Approved by Bulgaria <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday, Bulgaria\u2019s Cabinet approved the country\u2019s participation in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) initiative, which was announced last month at the NATO summit in Washington. NSATU aims to help develop the Ukrainian Armed Forces through the training of Ukrainian troops and the provision of military equipment. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 10 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kurchatov Nuclear Power Plant Causes Concern <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The head of the United Nations\u2019s International Atomic Energy Agency urged both Russia and Ukraine to show restraint in the fighting in the Kursk region near Kurchatov, given the proximity of the conflict to a nuclear power station in the area. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian Troops Training in Iran<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dozens of Russian military personnel are being trained in Iran to use the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, two European intelligence sources told the Reuters news agency, adding that they expected the imminent delivery of hundreds of the satellite-guided weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine. This is a continuation of a trend in Iranian and Russian foreign policy which has become increasingly enmeshed since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 12 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian Olympic Performance a Boost to the Nation <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Olha Saladukha, the acting president of Ukraine\u2019s athletics federation, told the AFP news agency that the country\u2019s performance in the Paris Olympics \u2013 winning three athletics medals on August 4 \u2013 could have an \u201cexplosive emotional effect\u201d amid Russia\u2019s continued invasion. Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who won gold in the women\u2019s high jump that day, dedicated her medal to the nearly 500 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed since February 2022. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 13 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kyiv Controls Approximately 1,000sq km Inside Kursk <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

General Oleksandr Syrskii, the commander of the Ukrainian Army announced that Kyiv now controls around 1,000sq km of territory within Russia following its incursion into the Kursk Oblast. If this report is accurate then Ukraine has gained nearly as much territory in a week as Russia has gained between January and July of this year (1,175sq km). Russian authorities acknowledged the Ukrainian gains in the Kursk region, but they described them as smaller than what Kyiv has claimed. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China Calls for De-escalation Amidst Kursk Incursion <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a delayed response to the Kursk incursion, the Foreign Ministry of China said all parties should “observe the three principles for de-escalating the situation, namely no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no fueling the flame by any party.” <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States Warns Iran Against Sending Ballistic Weapons to Russia <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States and its allies are deeply concerned over the potential of Iran to send the Fath-360 ballistic missile to Russia. This arms transfer would result in the rapid escalation of the war in Ukraine and threaten the peace of the entire European continent.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 14 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

United States President Joe Biden Speaks on Ukraine Incursion <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joe Biden said Ukraine\u2019s military incursion into Russia had \u201ccreated a real dilemma\u201d for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his first substantive comments since Kyiv launched its surprise attack, Biden said he had been briefed on developments every four to five hours. Officials stressed the US had no role in planning or preparation for the attack.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Winter Approaches Ukraine Prioritises Energy Security <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andriy Yermak, the Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, proposed a follow-up conference be held at the end of August to discuss energy security for the Ukrainian people amidst Moscow\u2019s targeted attacks against energy infrastructure. Due to these ongoing attacks, Ukraine has lost over nine gigawatts of energy generating capacity which has significant impacts upon the country’s humanitarian and economic situation. Yermak called for the beginning of a process to install the agreements reached at the Peace Summit held in Switzerland in June of 2024. <\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 17 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kursk Developments <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s Minister of the Interior Ihor Klymenko released a statement that Ukraine has established facilities in the northern region of Sumy to shelter and send humanitarian aid to Russian civilians in the Ukraine-held part of the Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskii said that Ukraine now possesses 1,150sq km of the Kursk region. In Russia, Nikolai Patrushev, an influential aide to Vladimir Putin, told the Izvestia newspaper in an interview that the West and the United States-led NATO alliance had helped to plan Ukraine\u2019s surprise attack on Russia\u2019s Kursk region. Without \u201cdirect support\u201d from the West, Kyiv would not have ventured into Russian territory. This interview comes out in support of an unverified claim that Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian reconnaissance and sabotage unit, which was armed with weapons from NATO countries in the Kursk region. This was reported by Russia\u2019s RIA state-run media agency and cited unidentified security sources. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 19 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Korea Stand With Russia Following Ukrainian Incursion of August 6<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Russian state media, North Korea has condemned Ukraine\u2019s August 6 incursion into Russia\u2019s Kursk region as an \u201cunforgivable act of terror\u201d and said it would always stand with Russia as the nation seeks to defend its sovereignty. In months Pyongyang and Moscow have grown closer and developed stronger connections between the two states and have upgraded their ties to strategic partnerships recently. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 20 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Healthcare Facilities a Major Target of Russian Offensive <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European branch of the World Health Organization said it had recorded a total of 1,940 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since the start of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in February of 2022. This is the highest number of attacks the WHO has ever recorded in any humanitarian emergency to date. During the war, 86% of these attacks targeted healthcare facilities with heavy weapons according to the World Health Organization. The agency said attacks on health facilities have “intensified significantly” since December 2023 and are now occurring nearly every day. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 21 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Putin Visits Chechenya and Observes Mobilised Troops for Ukraine in the North Caucasus<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the first visit to the North Caucasus region since 2011, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chechen regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov inspected Chechen troops and volunteers readying to fight in Ukraine. In the first visit to the region in thirteen years, President Putin and Kadyrov visited a training academy for special forces where the Russian president addressed the academy, \u201cAs long as we have men like you, we are absolutely, absolutely invincible.\u201d On Telegram Kadyrov said that more than 47,000 fighters have been trained and deployed at this facility since the start of this war.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 22 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Putin Welcomes Chinese Premier to the Kremlin <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a bid to deepen the economic ties between China and Russia, Premier Li Qiang of China visited the Kremlin for the first time. The two countries have developed large-scale joint plans and projects in the economic and humanitarian spheres, which are set to continue. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping, have established key points of reference during summits in Moscow and Beijing. These points were further consolidated by agreements reached in July, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Heads of State Council meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Will Need More in Foreign Assistance Than Previously Estimated<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Finance Minister of Ukraine, Olha Zykova, announced that Ukraine will need $ 12-15 billion more in foreign assistance for the year 2025 than what was previously expected. The previous estimate for foreign assistance was $22.7 billion. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 23 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Indian Prime Minister Set to Visit Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, is set to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a month after talks were held in Moscow with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. This will be the first trip to Ukraine from an Indian prime minister since Ukraine gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Modi is walking a political tightrope and has assured the international community he does not believe peace will be found on the battlefield and urges for a diplomatic resolution to the war. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 24 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

United States Announces New Aid Package to Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States has announced a new round of military assistance to Ukraine, following a cu_people_phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden. The package would be worth $125m and Biden said it would include air defence munitions, ammunition and antiarmour missiles. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

USA Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Officials and Businesses for Russian Support in Ukraine War <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States of America unveiled a new wave of 400 sanctions. The sanctions target entities and corporations across Russia and China for their support of the war in Ukraine. One of the individuals targeted by the sanctions is the son of the Russian defence minister, Andrey Belousov, as well as Chinese, Russian, Turkish, Belarusian, Italian, and Austrian citizens. Further actions are being taken by the US Commerce Department\u2019s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to restrict the supply of both US-branded and US-origin goods into Russia and Belarus. BIS has added 123 entities to their list, 63 of them in Russia and the Crimea region, 42 in China including the sanction haven of Hong Kong, and 14 entities in Turkey, Iran, and Cyprus. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 27<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Biden and Modi DIscuss War in Ukraine <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a meeting between American President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a week after Modi\u2019s Ukraine visit, the two nations discussed peace. Prime Minister Modi posted online that he discussed the situation in Ukraine with Biden over the cu_people_phone and \u201creiterated India\u2019s full support for early return of peace and stability.\u201d The White House issued a separate statement, saying Biden commended Modi\u2019s recent visit to Poland and Ukraine, and that both leaders expressed \u201csupport for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 28<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Releases Stamenet About Kursk Nuclear Power Plant <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/span> Rafael Grossi, the General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant amidst the conflict in the region. Grossi told Reuters in a report, “the danger or possibility of a nuclear accident has emerged near here”, adding that one of the factors increasing the risk of a “nuclear incident”  was that the four RBMK-1000 reactors do not have an extra protective shell. Grossi and the IAEA – and the United Nations Security Council – have set out the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety during an armed conflict and the five concrete principles established to protect Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – such as not firing from, or at, a nuclear power plant or using a nuclear power plant as a military base. Grossi said ahead of his visit to Kursk that the principles applied to any nuclear power plant. Ukraine and Russia each accuse the other side of putting nuclear safety at risk and breaching the IAEA’s central safety principles for nuclear facilities. <\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

August 29<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine Believes Fear of Escalation Influencing Foreign Action<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the biggest problem faced by Kyiv was that its allies were afraid of approving new policies to support Ukraine out of fear of escalation. Kuleba\u2019s comments came a day after Russia\u2019s foreign minister said the West was \u201cplaying with fire\u201d by considering allowing Kyiv to strike deep into Russia and warned of the risks of World War III. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 30 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

F-16 Fighter Jet Crash Landed and Destroyed <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ukrainian General Staff said one of its F-16 fighter jets crashed while repelling a major Russian drone and missile attack on Monday, the first loss since the planes began arriving in Ukraine earlier this month. The pilot was killed. A United States defence official told the Reuters news agency that the crash did not seem to be the result of Russian fire and possible causes from pilot error to mechanical failure were being investigated. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 31 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Zelensky Fires Ukrainian Air Force Chief <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zelenskyy has fired the commander of the country\u2019s air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, four days after an F-16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners crashed during a Russian bombardment and killed the pilot. Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed the acting Air Force commander. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_description_type":[25],"class_list":["post-892","cu_description","type-cu_description","status-publish","hentry","cu_description_type-timeline"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description\/892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_description"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description\/892\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_description_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/warinukraineobservatory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_description_type?post=892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}