{"id":200147,"date":"2022-08-16T09:34:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T06:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=200147"},"modified":"2022-08-16T15:02:25","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T12:02:25","slug":"day-173","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/day-173","title":{"rendered":"Day 173: deoccupation of Crimea on agenda, strikes on Kharkiv, attempted advance in Donbas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

President Zelenskyi establishes Council for deoccupation of Crimea<\/strong>, a decree published on the web site of the Office of the President states. The decree designates the President as the council\u2019s chair, and the permanent representative of the President to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as the council\u2019s secretary. The council shall consist of the following members: the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, specified deputy heads of the Office of the President, government members, and, upon consent, heads of the specified parliamentary committees, heads of the parliamentary delegations to PACE, to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly; and the head of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main tasks of the council shall be: (1) to elaborate priorities for deoccupation and reintegration [of Crimea], and restoration of sovereignty of Ukraine that are consistent with the Strategy for Deoccupation of Crimea of March 24, 2021; (2) to participate in elaboration of Ukraine\u2019s position in key areas of the Crimea Platform; (3) to improve the legislation on deoccupation and reintegration of Crimea and Sevastopol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second summit of the Crimea Platform will be held virtually on August 23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine will end with Ukraine restoring sovereignty over Crimea, just like it began with Russia\u2019s occupation of Crimea, President Zelenskyi said in an evening address on August 9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
\u00a9 president.gov.ua<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s time that West moved from timidity, half-measures to take down dictator \u2013 The Observer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Six months into the war, the West provides timid support that helps Ukraine not to lose, but is not enough to fully defeat Russia. Taking Putin down needs to become a strategic goal of the West, Simon Tisdall, columnist at The Observer, and deputy opinion editor at The Guardian wrote in a column<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia continues attacks on Kharkiv<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Russia struck the Saltivka neighborhood in Kharkiv injuring five people, of which two are in grave condition. One person was treated on the spot, reports from head of the investigation department of the National Police in Kharkiv region Serhiy Bolvinov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration Oleh Synehubov, and mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov said. \u201cAn attack on the Saltivskyi district. Two injured. That\u2019s another strike near near a public transportation stop,\u201d Terekhov said on Telegram.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another strike hit the roof of a nine-story apartment block in the Saltivskyi district, Terekhov added. There were no casualties, preliminary reports said. A garage area caught fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a third episode, a strike damaged cars and a children\u2019s playground, and blew out windows in an apartment block, Terekhov later added. There were no casualties, preliminary reports said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia continues to advance on Bakhmut, makes no gains<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Russian forces launch incessant attacks all along the frontline, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said. They made attempts to advance in some areas, particularly in Donbas. On the Bakhmut axis, the Russian forces used fire support to advance in some areas. They conducted airstrikes near Soledar and Yakovlivka. They also attempted to storm a neighborhood toward the village of Vershyna from an area near the \u200b\u200bVuhlehirska thermoelectric power plant. The Russian forces took losses and retreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n