Russian forces fail an attempt to mount an assault on central Vovchansk. Ukraine’s new domestically-produced ballistic missile could be a major advance in the country’s stand-off capabilities, according to The War Zone. More than 70 per cent of Ukrainians attribute responsibility for Russia’s war against Ukraine to all Russians, a poll finds.
Russian forces fail attempt to mount assault on central Vovchansk
Russian forces tried to mount an assault on the central part of Vovchansk, in Kharkiv region, but took losses and stepped back. Ukraine’s new domestically-produced ballistic missile could be major advance in country’s stand-off capabilities, according to The War Zone.
“While preparing to launch an assault inside Vovchansk, the enemy made an attempt to transport troops to the central part of the city, using two tanks and two MT-LB armored personnel carriers. [Russian forces] took losses and stepped back,” the Kharkiv operational-tactical group of forces said on Telegram.
The situation on the Kharkiv axis has not changed much, the military said. Russian forces continue attempts to push Ukrainian troops out of their positions.
Two combat engagements were still ongoing near Vovchansk on Thursday morning, the Kharkiv operational-tactical group of forces said.
“Ukraine’s defense forces adequately respond to [Russia’s] actions, and continue to take out personnel, destroy weapons and equipment of Russian occupying troops. The number of Russian forces killed or wounded in the past day is 110,” the military said. In this section of the frontline, Russia has lost 71 pieces of weapons and equipment, the statement reads.
Ukraine’s new domestically-produced ballistic missile could be major advance in country’s stand-off capabilities, according to The War Zone
Ukraine getting a new domestically-developed ballistic missile free from use restrictions could be a major advance in the country’s long-range strike capabilities, The War Zone said. Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Ukraine has conducted the first successful test of a new ballistic missile without providing further details.
In a televised interview on August 28, advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine’s new ballistic missile has a range of 600-700 kilometers. This new capability puts targets in the cities of Moscow and Sochi, the Engels airbase that houses Russian strategic bombers, the Black Sea fleet base in Novorossiysk and other sites within range. Defense Express, a Ukrainian military analysis site said there is a chance Podolyak mistakenly referred to a ballistic missile, when he instead meant the new Ukrainian missile-drone Palyanytsia, with a reported range of 600-700 kilometers.
Such a weapon would give Ukraine’s armed forces a highly valuable new stand-off strike option unlike any other in its inventory, The War Zone said.
It would also not be subject to any foreign restrictions on its use, as it continues to be the case with many longer-ranged weapons supplied by the United States and other Western partners.
Ground-launched stand-off munitions are also particularly important for Ukraine given that the current threat air defense environment presents serious hurdles for conducting air strikes via fixed-wing aircraft against targets deeper behind the front lines in many cases.
Having a new source of ballistic missiles that are more capable and longer-ranged than the Tochka family, and that are not subject to any Western restrictions, would be a major development for Ukraine. Ballistic missiles, in general, reach very high speeds in the terminal phase of flight, which presents distinct challenges for enemy air and missile defenses compared to other kinds of missiles, including subsonic air-breathing cruise missiles, as well as kamikaze drones. Ballistic missiles with unitary high-explosive warheads can also burrow down deeper into hardened targets or impart greater force on reinforced structures above ground like bridges thanks to that speed.
Ukrainian forces could also layer in ballistic missiles together with other types of missiles and drones in larger attacks to create even more complex scenarios for enemy forces. The Russian military routinely does this in large-scale attacks on targets.
More than 70 per cent of Ukrainians attribute responsibility for war to all Russians, poll finds
A national poll conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the sociological service of the Razumkov Center between August 8 and August 15 found that an overwhelming majority of Ukrainians attribute responsibility for Russia’s war against Ukraine to all Russians.
Some 76 per cent of Ukrainians believe that all Russians are responsible for their country’s aggression against Ukraine. The share remains high across all age groups. Twenty per cent disagree with the statement. A majority of Ukrainians have a clear position on the issue, with only four per cent being undecided.
At the same time 64.5 per cent of Ukrainians agree that Russians push their leadership to continue the war.
This is true for both young and senior respondents. In the 18-to-29 age group 66 per cent say so, and 60 per cent among those aged 60 and older.
The pollsters surveyed 2,017 adults ages 18 and older. The margin of error does not exceed 2.3 percentage points. There can be further discrepancies in the sample because of Russia’s war against Ukraine, particularly caused by forced migration of millions, the survey authors say.
Analyzing the strategic impact of the Kursk operation. Ukraine in Flames #657
The operation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region is the most effective offensive of the entire war. Ukrainian intelligence identified weak points in the Russian defenses, and special forces crossed the border in advance to prepare the area. When the Armed Forces of Ukraine crossed the Russian border on August 6, it was a textbook example of what strategists call a combined military maneuver. Thanks to the operation in the Kursk region, Ukraine not only changed the course of the war with Russia but also strengthened the resolve of its allies. Watch Ukraine in Flames #657 to find out about the strategic aspect of the Kursk operation and why Ukraine decided to cross the Russian border and occupy some of its territory.
Guests:
- Archil Tsintsadze, Expert on security policy
- Yevhen Mahda, Director of the Institute of World Politics
- Yuriy Lukanov, Journalist and Writer
