As Ukraine Holds the Line in Donbas, Russian Fire Shatters Cities in Moscow’s Path; Ukraine says 9 Russian warplanes destroyed in Crimea blasts; Destruction at Crimean air base hints at longer-range Ukrainian weapons; Armed Forces of Ukraine put the Kakhovka bridge in the Kherson Oblast out of order, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

By admin On Aug 11, 2022

As Ukraine Holds the Line in Donbas, Russian Fire Shatters Cities in Moscow’s Path:

After spending several hours sheltering from Russian shelling in his basement, Yuri Vyshchepanko and his wife came up to the kitchen to get some water on Tuesday, and to call their daughter to say they are safe. That’s when the house shook.

“Smoke everywhere, stink, darkness, we thought we’re on fire,” Mr. Vyshchepanko recalled an hour later as he was treated for moderate burns and cuts. He and his wife are lucky to still be alive. According to rescue workers, the Russian rocket that slammed into their home and punched through their ceiling failed to detonate.

Others aren’t as fortunate. Russian artillery shells and rockets constantly rain on Bakhmut these days, destroying bit by bit a once elegant Ukrainian town of 72,000 people that used to be famous for its sparkling wines—and now is finding itself as the primary target of Moscow’s offensive in the eastern Donbas region.

Russian forces started pushing toward Bakhmut more than a month ago, after seizing the towns of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk 30 miles northeast of here, in Moscow’s last significant gain in Donbas. Since then, Ukrainian forces have been holding the line, with heavy fighting every day east of the road connecting Bakhmut to the town of Siversk to the north.

Despite preparations for a possible Ukrainian counteroffensive in the southern Kherson region, the war’s main effort for now continues in the Donbas. Roads are clogged with Ukrainian military traffic as fresh heavy weapons, troops and ammunition pour in. The 20-mile front line from Bakhmut to Siversk is a constant sequence of plumes rising from artillery hits and the fires they cause.

“We have stopped the Russians here, and they aren’t able to advance,” said a Ukrainian artillery captain. “It’s hard, there are losses, everything around here is smashed up by artillery. They still have an advantage in firepower, but not for long because they are running out of steam,” he said. “They have more quantity, but we have better precision.” —>READ MORE HERE

Ukraine says 9 Russian warplanes destroyed in Crimea blasts:

Ukraine said Wednesday that nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in a deadly string of explosions at an air base in Crimea that appeared to be the result of a Ukrainian attack, which would represent a significant escalation in the war.

Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in Tuesday’s blasts — or that any attack took place. But satellite photos clearly showed at least seven fighter planes at the base had been blown up and others probably damaged.

Ukrainian officials stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions, while mocking Russia’s explanation that a careless smoker might have caused ammunition at the Saki air base to catch fire and blow up. Analysts also said that explanation doesn’t make sense and that the Ukrainians could have used anti-ship missiles to strike the base.

If Ukrainian forces were, in fact, responsible for the blasts, it would be the first known major attack on a Russian military site on the Crimean Peninsula, which was seized from Ukraine by the Kremlin in 2014. Russian warplanes have used Saki to strike areas in Ukraine’s south.

Crimea holds huge strategic and symbolic significance for both sides. The Kremlin’s demand that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia has been one of its key conditions for ending the fighting, while Ukraine has vowed to drive the Russians from the peninsula and all other occupied territories. —>READ MORE HERE

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+++++Destruction at Crimean air base hints at longer-range Ukrainian weapons+++++

+++++Armed Forces of Ukraine put the Kakhovka bridge in the Kherson Oblast out of order – Operational Command Pivden (South)+++++

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