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Ukraine - Russia Invasion conflict
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On August 19, 2023, Ukraine and Sweden signed a declaration of intent for the production, repair, and training related to the Swedish-made Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). The declaration was made public by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a press conference after his meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
On August 19, 2023, according to a tweet from WarVehicleTracker, a Ukrainian "Panzermörser" M113 120mm was reported as destroyed. This marks the first confirmed loss of this specific type of armored vehicle. The M113 has undergone various modifications and versions over the years, with the "Panzermörser" variant being equipped with a 120mm mortar.
On August 19, 2023, a drone attack took place at the Soltsy air base in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located more than 650 kilometers from the border with Ukraine. A Russian strategic bomber, Tu-22M3, was destroyed, and another was reportedly damaged by quadcopter drone attacks.
A video circulating on social media platforms on August 19, 2023, reveals Ukrainian soldiers from the 47th Magura Brigade in Novopokropivka, located south of Robotyno, successfully targeting and destroying a Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter using the Swedish RBS 70 Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPADS).
According to reports from Russian media, the Gibka-S, a short-range surface-to-air missile system (SAM) developed by the JSC Machine Building Design Bureau, has been deployed and is currently being evaluated in Ukraine. Rostec, in an interview, discussed the feedback received from the system's deployment and confirmed their ongoing technical support for these SAMs, with teams visiting the Ukrainian frontline for assistance.
According to reports from Russian media on August 17, 2023, the production of the Krasnopol-M2 laser-guided artillery shell, commonly referred to as the "sniper shell", is set to increase by 25 times in 2024. Vyacheslav Kovalev, the managing director of the Tula KBP enterprise, made this announcement on the Zvezda TV channel. This significant increase in production has been supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
According to a video from the Telegram channel Atesh, which monitors the movement of military equipment on the territory of the Russian Federation, a column of 16 BM-21 "Grad" multiple rocket launcher systems equipped with protective grilles was spotted at the entrance to the city of Kamyshin, Volgograd region. Most likely, these vehicles will be sent to war in Ukraine, each fitted with these trapezoid-shaped grilles.
In a recent development, the Steel Border Brigade of the Ukrainian army successfully detected and neutralized with a kamikaze drone a Russian Murom-M long-distance visual surveillance system in the Kharkiv direction. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine confirmed the incident and subsequently released on August 15 2023 a video showcasing the operation.
According to a tweet by the user oscar198o, Ukrainian engineers have converted another Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh tactical reconnaissance drone into a cruise missile, which was recently used against an assumed Russian ground target.
According to an article by August 15, 2023, Ukrainian volunteers and soldiers from the separate Volyn Brigade TrO collaborated to modernize a BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicle. This modernization effort aimed to significantly enhance the vehicle's combat effectiveness, survivability, and versatility on the Ukrainian frontline.
While Ukraine eagerly awaits the large-scale delivery of Western tanks, its armored units are primarily engaged in combat with Soviet-era T-64BV tanks. At present, the Ukrainian army operates various iterations of the T-64 tank, originally developed and introduced by the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited a substantial number of these tanks and subsequently developed several upgraded versions.
On August 14, 2023, Germany announced its commitment to provide annual military support to Ukraine totaling €5 billion until the year 2027. This revelation came from German Finance Minister Christian Lindner during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko in Kyiv. Lindner highlighted this substantial commitment from the German government, although it still awaits approval from the German parliament.
In the midst of the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has unveiled its answer to Russia's renowned BMPT Terminator: the BMPT-62, consisting of a Soviet-made T-62 tank chassis fitted with a BMP-2 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) turret. This armored fighting vehicle, distinct from traditional tanks, stands as a testament to Ukrainian ingenuity and adaptability. Here's an in-depth look into this unique combat vehicle.
On August 10, 2023, the German newspaper Handelsblatt revealed information that the German tank manufacturer Rheinmetall had recently acquired 50 Leopard tanks from a Belgian company. Among this batch, 30 units are destined for the Ukrainian armed forces after a thorough renovation. This initiative could potentially increase the number of Leopard 1A5 tanks that Ukraine might receive to nearly 130. However, beyond quantity and modernization, the divergence in optical systems emerges as a central aspect of this new strategic shift.
According to a video posted on Twitter by Ukraine Weapons Tracker dated August 12, 2023, a Russian combat vehicle, BMPT Terminator Model 2017, was rendered inoperable, and a T-80BV tank, which was towing the BMPT Terminator, sustained damage in a recent clash near Spartak in the Donetsk Oblast.
With the support of the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands, it was possible to significantly strengthen the medical evacuation capabilities of the Ukrainian State Border Service. As part of the implementation of the international cooperation project, under the active coordination of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Ukraine, mobile systems of medical support were transferred to the sphere of management of the State Border Service. Their use makes it possible to build a system of medical and evacuation support of the State Border Guard Service according to the standards of the medical services of NATO countries.
According to an article from The Moscow Times on August 8, 2023, Russia removed approximately half of the tanks and armored vehicles from the Vagzhanovo military equipment storage facility located in eastern Siberia. Analysis of satellite imagery indicates a reduction of over 41% in the number of military vehicles present at the site since the onset of the conflict with Ukraine in February 2022.
The British Ministry of Defence announced on August 11, 2023, that British Commandos have concluded the training of approximately 1,000 Ukrainian Marines as part of a six-month program. This training initiative, which represents the first instance of such cooperation between the UK and Ukraine, aimed to enhance the amphibious capabilities of the Ukrainian armed forces and involved collaboration with international partners.
Ukraine successfully captured the latest Russian reconnaissance drone, the Eleron T-16 UAV, renowned for its all-weather reconnaissance capabilities, for the first time. This information was revealed by the DPSUkr Telegram account on August 9, 2023. The unit responsible for this capture is the Stalevyi cordon unit located in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.
According to a tweet from B-AREV dated August 9, 2023, an AK-74 in Bullpup configuration can be seen, thanks to the Black Storm BS-4 conversion kit. This Bullpup conversion kit transforms the iconic AK-47 assault rifle and its counterpart AK-74 into a weapon adapted for trench warfare environments. Combining modernization and compactness, this kit, developed in Ukraine by BlackStorm, offers significant advantages for soldiers engaged in restricted combat situations.
In an interview conducted by Russian media on August 10, 2023, it has been reported that the forthcoming military forum "Army-2023" will serve as a platform for unveiling the future deployment of Russia's latest 8x8 152-millimeter self-propelled howitzer, the 2S43 Malva. The information is set to be disclosed by Vladimir Artyakov, the First Deputy Director General of Rostec, during the event.
According to a video shared by OSINTtechnical on August 5, 2023, one of the 18 M109A6 Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzers supplied by the United States and operated by Ukraine's Armed Forces, is seen engaging Russian positions in the southern front.
On August 3, 2023, a video shared by the "GloOouD" Twitter account revealed that Ukrainian forces successfully targeted and destroyed a Russian BREM-L, a tracked armored recovery vehicle based on the BMP-3 IFV chassis. This marks the first time such a vehicle has been taken down using drone-dropped munitions, a method frequently employed by Ukrainian troops against Russian positions and armored units
According to information published by the Russian MoD (Ministry of Defense) on August 6, 2023, Russian army Military railway workers use armored trains to conduct demining and escort operations in the Ukrainian combat zone. These trains are now armed with different types of weapons including a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun system and BMP-2 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) mounted on a flatbed railway car.
According to an article published by CNN on August 7, 2023, the United States has given the go-ahead for the first delivery of M1A1 Abrams tanks to be sent to Ukraine. The tanks received shipment approval over the weekend, and according to Army Acquisition Chief Doug Bush's statement on the same day, they are scheduled to arrive in Ukraine during the early autumn period.
