Ukraine conducted its 68th prisoner exchange on Independence Day. Military personnel and civilians returned, including journalists and the former mayor of Kherson.
The "Yellow Ribbon" movement presented the 24independence. day platform for congratulating residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine on Independence Day. The website allows sending personal greetings and words of support, uniting Ukrainians.
The "Yellow Ribbon" movement adorned the occupied cities of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson regions, and Crimea with Ukrainian flags. The action took place on August 23, Ukraine's National Flag Day, covering Yevpatoria, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zhdanivka, Henichesk, Berdiansk, Mariupol, Simferopol, and Nova Kakhovka.
Russia withdrew from the arbitration process initiated by Ukraine over the seizure of ships in the Kerch Strait in 2018. The Russian Federation claims "gross procedural violations" and an "illegitimate composition" of the tribunal.
The fuel crisis is deepening in the regions of the Russian Federation, leading to restrictions on gasoline sales in the regions. The Russian authorities are urgently purchasing fuel from Belarus to meet demand.
President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not compromise on its territories, including Donbas and Crimea. He emphasized that legally, Ukraine does not recognize any occupation.
Prosecutor General Kravchenko announced suspicion against a Russian Lieutenant General for approving airstrikes on Mariupol in March 2022.
Two law enforcement officers, Roman Penkov and Valentyn Havrysh, were killed during enemy shelling in Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region. Their car came under fire while they were performing their official duties.
The Starokrymske reservoir, the only source of water for Mariupol, has almost dried up. The city receives only 35,000 cubic meters of water per day compared to a need of 150,000, which threatens a humanitarian crisis and outbreaks of infections.
The 67th prisoner exchange took place, as a result of which Ukrainians captured in the occupied territories before the full-scale invasion were released. Among those released are those who have been in captivity since 2014, including a man who spent 4013 days in captivity.
The reconstructed mosaic by Alla Horska, "Boryviter," was presented in Lviv's Rynok Square. The installation will remain there until August 17, then embark on a tour of Ukrainian cities.
In Luhansk region, Russians are preparing children for future mobilization by conducting "training" under the guise of sports events. Children are taught elements of hand-to-hand combat and special forces techniques, openly declaring preparation for military formations.
Russian occupiers are again actively using the Mariupol port to export fuel. This indicates a change in logistics priorities and preparation for offensive actions.
Occupiers are using the Mariupol Iron and Steel Works named after Illich as a military base, setting up ammunition depots and barracks. The enterprise also serves as a source of scrap metal, which is exported to the Russian Federation.
In occupied Mariupol, water is supplied once every two days for a few hours with minimal pressure. Residents complain about yellow water with sediment and an unpleasant smell, unsuitable for use.
Russian occupiers are imitating the rescue of the Kalmius River in Donetsk region by carrying out local clean-ups. The river remains polluted with construction debris and industrial waste.
Mariupol teachers were sent to St. Petersburg for briefings on raising children in the spirit of the "Russian world." This is part of the Kremlin's systemic program to turn Ukrainian schools into propaganda centers.
The crisis in the Russian real estate market and the curtailment of preferential mortgages make construction unprofitable. This directly affects the "restoration" of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, where instead of new housing, only facades for TV cameras remain.
Russian authorities have seized thousands of apartments in the occupied territories of Ukraine, declaring them "ownerless. " The housing is systematically sold to Russians who receive preferential mortgages.
On August 2, as a result of enemy shelling in Donetsk region, 5 civilians were killed and 11 more were wounded. The total number of victims is given without taking into account the temporarily occupied Mariupol and Volnovakha.
A table tennis championship for war veterans and people with disabilities took place in Kyiv Oblast. The tournament participants are visitors of the Kyiv City Rehabilitation Center "Askold" and representatives of the Mariupol Table Tennis Federation.
The Kalchyk River in occupied Mariupol is on the verge of an ecological catastrophe. The occupiers are dumping sewage and waste into the reservoir, causing mass fish deaths and increasing the risk of infections.
Ukraine has returned a teenager who spent over three years under occupation, caring for his grandmother. The 16-year-old boy was reunited with his mother thanks to the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
On July 28-29, 2022, Russians killed over 50 captured Ukrainian defenders from "Azovstal" in Olenivka, and about 150 more were wounded. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasizes that this crime is a reminder of Russia's disregard for international humanitarian law.
President Zelenskyy held a meeting with the team involved in the release of prisoners, including the liberated defenders of Mariupol and paramedic Taira. In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, 5,857 people have been returned, with another 555 outside of exchanges.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) and the Center for Countering Disinformation have updated the "Kremlin Mouthpieces" section on the War&Sanctions portal, adding 16 individuals who spread disinformation and support Russian aggression. Among them are journalists, war correspondents, and Telegram channel administrators working for Russian propaganda.
An 18-year-old girl, taken from Mariupol to Russia in 2022, has returned to Ukraine. She continued her online studies at a Ukrainian school and planned her return.
The water crisis in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is intensifying, leading to unsanitary living conditions. The Khanzhenkivske reservoir has become shallow, and the Don-Donbas water pipeline has reached critically low levels, causing a water shortage in the Donetsk region and Berdiansk.
The ninth stage of prisoner exchange took place, a group of wounded and sick defenders was released. Some of the soldiers who defended Mariupol spent over 3 years in captivity.
Ukraine returned a teenager who was forcibly taken from Mariupol to Russia in 2022. The boy, separated from his mother for over three years, was bullied in a Russian school because of his Ukrainian origin.
