Oil depot hit in Rostov region and blackout schedules return: highlights for August 18

DIU drones attack oil depot in Rostov region

On the night of August 18, drones of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine attacked the Kavkaz oil refinery in the Rostov region of Russia.

Oil and petroleum products were stored there, which were also supplied for the needs of the Russian occupation army, a source in Ukrainian intelligence told hromadske.

Ukrainian Armed Forces damage second bridge in Kursk region

The Russians said that another bridge over the Seim River was damaged in the Glushkovsky district of the Kursk region. The Ukrainian Armed Forces later confirmed the attack on the bridge in the region.

What do the Russian prisoners of war from Kursk region say?

The New York Times visited a prison in northern Ukraine where more than 300 Russian prisoners of war from Kursk region, most of them conscripts, are being held temporarily.

The prisoners said that before Ukraine's military operation, they were placed in platoons of about 30 people in concrete or earthen fortifications, about 1.6 kilometers apart along the border. There they faced a surprise attack and quickly stopped fighting.

Power outage schedules reintroduced

Starting tomorrow, August 19, electricity supply will be cut off again in Ukraine. At the moment, we are talking about one round of power outages. Ukrenergo explained that the heat wave has increased electricity consumption.

BBC: Lenin monument in Sudzha is still standing

The monument to Vladimir Lenin in the city of Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia, is still standing. Recently, photos were widely circulated online with statements that it had already been demolished.

Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense, explained that if the monument were demolished by Ukrainians, it would be illegal. According to him, this can be regarded as a violation of international humanitarian law.

Occupiers try to advance towards Toretsk

In the morning of August 18, Russian troops tried to break through the positions of the Defense Forces and advance towards Toretsk, Donetsk region. The Defense Forces prevented the loss of positions.

Almost a third of Belarus' army is allegedly on the border with Ukraine

Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarus has moved almost a third of its army to the border with Ukraine, as Kyiv has allegedly deployed more than 120,000 Ukrainian troops there.

The spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Andrii Demchenko, said in a comment to hromadske that the situation on the border with Belarus remains unchanged.

Russians show abuse of pensioner in Kursk region: it's a lie

Recently, Russian propaganda has been actively disseminating a video in which Ukrainian soldiers wearing helmets with Nazi symbols are allegedly humiliating an elderly man in the Kursk region.

Russian media “buried” the old man, accusing the Ukrainian military of killing him. The Center for Countering Disinformation found out that this was a lie.

Attack on monobank continues for the third day

For the third day in a row, monobank has been under a large-scale hacker attack. As of the morning of August 18, the bank had already received 5.5 billion requests. Ukrainian special services offered to help.

Other important news of the day

• In the Donetsk region, 4 people were killed by Russian shelling over the day. In Sumy region, a Russian air strike killed one resident.
• In Kyiv, half a thousand people took part in the Run for the Language charity race at the Expocenter of Ukraine.
• In two cities of Donetsk region, the curfew has been tightened: it will not be in effect for only four hours a day.
• Russia denies secret negotiations with Ukraine and reminds of Putin's demands.
• A 19-year-old tourist from Ukraine scratched his initials on the Colosseum and was fined, media reports say.