Evacuation from Pokrovsk is ongoing, four Russian military airfields were hit, and operation in the Kursk region continues: Ukraine’s weekly news digest

While Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is in the middle of its third year, the situation is still intense, with regular updates on attacks on civilians, offensive and defensive operations, and responses from the international community.

Here is what you may have missed on the news from Ukraine from August 14 to August 20.

Ukrainian forces control over 1,250 square kilometers in the Kursk region

Ukraine continues its operation in the Kursk region, Russia, pushing Russian forces further from the border.

“As of today, our forces control over 1,250 square kilometers of the enemy’s territory and 92 settlements [in the Kursk region – ed.]. The strengthening of our positions, stabilising designated areas, and replenishing the exchange fund for Ukraine are ongoing,” stated the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on August 19.

Zelenskyy also added that the operation in the Kursk region has become the “largest investment in the process of liberating Ukrainians from Russian captivity”. In particular, Ukrainian forces had already captured the largest number of Russian prisoners in a single operation, and this was one of their goals.

Furthermore, according to Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian forces established the military commandants’ office chaired by Major General Moskalov to maintain law and order in the controlled territories.

Ukrainian military hit four Russian military airfields

On the night of August 14, Ukrainian forces attacked four Russian airfields in the Voronezh, Kursk, and Nizhny Novgorod regions. The military operation was carried out by the Ukrainian Air Force and Special Operations Forces units, in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

In the course of the attack, Russian military airfields «Khalino», «Savaslieika», «Borysohliebsk», and «Baltymor» were hit, informed the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The primary targets of the strikes were fuel depots and aircraft weapons.

In particular, the Russian army aviation is based at these airfields, including Su-34 fighter-bombers, Su-35 fighters, as well as other enemy military aircraft.

Evacuation from the Pokrovsk community

Due to the recent offensive actions, Russian troops have approached the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region and are currently only 10 kilometers away from the city’s outskirts. Local authorities are urging the residents to evacuate.

“We are seeing that during the attacks on our community and our city, the enemy ruthlessly hits critical infrastructure and private residential neighbourhoods. People are being killed,” reported Serhii Dobriak, Head of the Pokrovsk City Military Administration, on August 15.

Dobriak also urged civilians living in Pokrovsk, “particularly families with children and elderly people,” to evacuate.

On August 19, Ukrainian authorities announced the forced evacuation of families with children from the Pokrovsk community. According to Vadym Filashkin, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, “more than 53,000 people, including almost 4,000 children”, still live in the Pokrovsk community. However, due to the close proximity to the current frontline, appropriate security measures were taken.

Military aid package from Germany

On August 19, the Federal Government of Germany declared a new package of military aid for Ukraine. Due to the updated list on the official website of the German government, Ukraine will receive a number of additional capabilities, including:

• one air defence system IRIS-T SLS;
• approximately 14,000 rounds 155mm ammunition;
• ten unmanned surface vessels;
• twenty-six reconnaissance drones Vector with spare parts;
• six high mobility engineer excavators;
• one armoured recovery vehicle Bergepanzer 2 with spare parts;
• 55,000 first aid kits;
• approximately 700 assault rifles MK 556;
• ten precision rifles HLR 338 with 240,000 rounds ammunition;
• fifty rifles CR 308.

The package also included materials for the explosive ordnance disposal.

Stats of the week

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 1,200 air raid alerts have been heard in Kyiv.
Source: Kyiv City Military Administration. Date: August 16, 2024.

The Ukrainian-made Magura V5 maritime attack drones hit eighteen Russian vessels in the last eighteen months.
Source: Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Date: August 16, 2024.

In one year of operation of the Ukrainian Sea Corridor, more than 2,300 vessels called at Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. During this time, cargo turnover totalled more than 64 million tonnes. Almost 44 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain were exported abroad.
Source: Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine. Date: August 16, 2024.

Over the past week (from August 12 to August 18), Russian troops used more than 40 missiles of various types, 750 guided aerial bombs and 200 UAVs to attack Ukrainian territories.
Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine. Date: August 18, 2024.

Since February 2022, approximately 703 people have been injured and 303 more, including 15 children, have been killed by Russian explosive objects in Ukraine.
Source: Serhii Reva, Head of the Department for Organising Humanitarian Demining at the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Date: August 20, 2024.