New US aid, attack on Odesa, Zelenskyy in Donetsk Oblast: highlights
The United States has allocated new military aid to Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited offensive brigades in Donetsk Oblast, and Russian forces attacked Odesa. Here's a roundup of the most important events of August 14.
New military aid from the United States
The United States announced a new $200 million military aid package for Ukraine.
In particular, it will include ammunition for Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems, artillery rounds, anti-tank weapons, and additional demining equipment.
Attack on Odesa
During the night of August 14, the occupiers used two waves of attack drones totaling 15 pieces, as well as eight sea-based Kalibr missiles to attack Odesa. Air defense forces shot down all targets, but the debris damaged civilian infrastructure in the city.
About 203 buildings were damaged, including about 30 cultural heritage monuments, a dormitory of an educational institution, and a supermarket. About 10 blocks of historic buildings in the city's central historical area were damaged. Most of the damage was caused by broken glass in window openings, destruction of interior and exterior finishes, and damage to window frames.
Local authorities reported three injured employees of the supermarket.
Natalia Humeniuk, head of the united press center of Operational Command "South", did not rule out that the port infrastructure was under threat. During the telethon, she noted that the missiles had to be shot down right over the city, over residential neighborhoods.
Zelenskyy in Donetsk Oblast
During a working trip to Donetsk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the headquarters of brigades conducting offensive operations in the area of responsibility of the "Soledar" operational and tactical group.
Zelenskyy heard reports on the operational situation in the areas of responsibility of the brigades and the specifics of the use of various types of weapons.
The head of state also discussed with the brigadiers and combatants of the military formations the problematic issues faced by the military and ways to solve them. In particular, the agenda included the need for weapons and equipment, enhancing military training, simplifying bureaucratic procedures in the army, and improving the work of territorial recruitment and social support centers and military medical commissions.
New standards for the construction of shelters
The Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine has approved a draft of new state building codes for the construction and reconstruction of civil defense shelters.
According to the document, these are protective structures in residential and public buildings, including schools, kindergartens, and hospitals.
Particular attention is paid to inclusiveness. Protective structures must be equipped with ramps. They should also have visual and tactile navigation systems, contrasting markings on stairs and thresholds.
Among other things, new construction is required to include at least one universal sanitary and hygienic room. Such a room should be designed for every 200 people.
The surgery of Metropolitan Pavlo of the UOC-MP
On August 14, Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate was hospitalized and operated on in the cardiology department of a Kyiv hospital, his lawyer Mykyta Chekman said.
On August 11, the Solomyanskyi District Court extended the term of personal recognizance for Pavlo within the pre-trial investigation, but not more than for two months. On August 7, Metropolitan Pavlo was released from custody on bail, which amounted to more than 33 million hryvnias ($890,466).
The situation at the front
The defense forces continue to conduct offensive operations on the Melitopol and Berdyansk axes, managing to achieve success in Urozhayne in Donetsk Oblast. Successes were also reported south of Staromayorsk in Donetsk Oblast.
In addition, Ukrainian troops liberated 3 km² on the Bakhmut axis over the previous week. In total, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have liberated 40 km² of territory on the southern flank of the Bakhmut sector.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense reported that the Ukrainian military "successfully completed the task on the east bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast." According to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar, "certain units" completed "certain tasks" there.
Ex-SBU General Shaitanov sentenced to 12 years in prison
The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv has sentenced former Security Service of Ukraine officer Major General Valeriy Shaitanov to 12 years in prison for high treason and attempted terrorist act.
The investigation established that Shaitanov, who was one of the former heads of the SBU's Special Operations Center A, was in contact with Russian FSB Colonel Igor Yegorov.
The ex-general collected and passed on to the Russians information about covert operations during the war in Donbas and which SBU officers were involved in these operations.
Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the occupiers' command post near Mariupol
The Ukrainian Defense Forces have destroyed the command post of Russian troops in the village of Yurivka, near the temporarily occupied Mariupol.
The advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Andriushchenko, noted that the Ukrainian military hit the occupiers' point in the "Khvylya" ("Wave") camp.
"No local residents were injured, except for the windows. However, [the death toll] among the occupiers is already in the dozens," Andriushchenko writes.
Other news
- Chargé d'affaires of Ukraine Oleksandr Senchenko died in Armenia under tragic circumstances. He was the head of the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Armenia.
- Mine safety training will become compulsory in school.
- Intelligence warns of possible missile terror on Independence Day.
- Israel will continue to provide free health insurance to Ukrainian refugees, says Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
- German government plans to provide €5 billion in military aid to Ukraine annually, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced.
- China's Defense Minister is on a visit to Russia and Belarus.
- The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the beating of a soldier in a military unit in Odesa Oblast.
- Two Russians were detained in Poland for posting propaganda leaflets of the Wagner PMC.
- A Norwegian company will provide Ukraine with over $71 million worth of anti-drone systems.