Suspension of Okhmatdyt CEO, investigation of beheading of Ukrainian fighter: August 17 highlights

Zelenskyy: The operation in Kursk Oblast proceeds according to plan

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the military operation in Kursk Oblast is proceeding exactly as originally planned.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that as of the morning of August 17, Ukrainian troops had replenished the exchange fund with Russian soldiers and strengthened their positions.

WP: The Kursk operation allegedly disrupted negotiations between Ukraine and Russia

The Washington Post, with reference to unnamed diplomats and officials, writes that Ukraine and Russia allegedly intended to send delegations to Qatar in August for indirect negotiations on ending strikes on energy infrastructure from both sides. However, the operation in Kursk Oblast disrupted them.

An investigation was launched due to the beheading of a Ukrainian fighter

Ukrainian law enforcement officers have launched an investigation into the distribution of a video showing presumably a beheaded Ukrainian defender.

The Prosecutor General's Office noted that the distribution of such a video by representatives of the Russian Federation once again proves their complete disregard for the norms and principles of international humanitarian law.

The Okhmatdyt CEO was suspended

The CEO of Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital Volodymyr Zhovnir was suspended from performing his duties until the law enforcement officers complete the inspections related to the restoration of the hospital.

Oleksandr Urin was appointed to perform the duties of the CEO.

Ukraine’s military intelligence attacked Russian developers of nuclear munitions

Cyber specialists of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, together with the hacker group VO Team, paralyzed the work of a Russian enterprise that develops nuclear weapons.

This attack made it possible to obtain data on employees and a range of other documents of the specified plant, which is under sanctions, the intelligence officers said.

Zelenskyy gathered the Council of Churches for a conversation

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations before the expected review of the draft law on banning religious organizations connected to Russia.

Representatives of the Council supported the bill. They noted that the Russian Orthodox Church "became an accomplice in the bloody crimes of the Russian invaders."

German media claimed that Berlin is planning to limit aid to Ukraine. What does the Foreign Ministry say?

The German mass media spread information that Germany will no longer provide new military aid to Ukraine in 2025 due to the lack of funds for this in the budget.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine denied such reports, calling them "incorrect" and "manipulative".

Weapons of a Ukrainian border guard were found in Romania

Romanian border guards found weapons 600 meters from the border line with Ukraine. It seems that it was taken from the Ukrainian border guard by three men during the attack on August 16, writes Antena 3 CNN.

Earlier, the Romanian publication PresaSM wrote that one of the fugitives allegedly asked for political asylum in Romania.

Ukrainians are suspected of burning 22 vessels in Croatia

In Croatia, three citizens of Ukraine are suspected of a large-scale fire in the port of the village of Medulin, during which 22 vessels were completely burned, and another 12 were partially damaged. The owners suffered material losses of about 2 million euros.

Other news

• Russia shelled Myrnohrad, resulting in casualties.
• First soldier from Lviv who died in Kursk Oblast has been buried.
• After threats from Russia, Italian journalists who reported from Kursk Oblast will return to their homeland.
• A hacker attack on monobank continues for the second day. Soon the number of service requests will reach 3 billion.