Intensified fighting in eastern Ukraine: Russia starts diversionary maneuvers

Created: 08/14/2022, 11:51 am

By: Astrid Theil

In the Ukraine war, Russia intensifies its attacks in the east.

The situation around the contested Zaporizhia nuclear power plant remains tense.

News ticker on military events.

• Despite the airspace closure, ten Russian aircraft are still in Germany.

• Zelenskyy accuses Russia of "blackmail" in connection with the fighting over Europe's largest nuclear power plant.

• Russia is stepping up its attacks in eastern Ukraine: The "Institute for the Sudy of War" assumes that it is a diversionary maneuver.

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Update from August 14, 11 a.m.:

Almost half a year after the EU airspace was blocked for aircraft from Russia, according to a media report, there are still ten machines in Germany owned by Russians or under Russian control.

This was reported by the editorial network Germany on Sunday, citing the Federal Ministry of Transport.

Since the machines are subject to a take-off and flight ban due to the sanctions, they could not be used by the owner and could be taken to another location.

According to the report, there are three Russian Antonov AN-124 machines on the ground in Leipzig, a Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 and a Boeing 737 in Cologne and a Boeing 747 in Frankfurt-Hahn.

Another four aircraft are therefore in Baden-Baden: a Cessna 750 Citation X, two Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 600 and a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS.

Intensified attacks in eastern Ukraine: diversionary maneuvers by Russian troops

First report from August 14:

According to an analysis by the "Institute for the Sudy of War" (ISW)*, the Russian troops have intensified their ground attacks in eastern Ukraine again in the past three days.

Military fighting has intensified again, particularly in the Siwersk and Donetsk regions and around the city of Bakhmut.

The institute's researchers suspect that the Russian army is trying to attack the Ukrainian troops here in order to distract them from attacks in the south.

This is linked to the hope that the Ukrainians will move war equipment and soldiers to the east instead of advancing with them in the south.

For weeks, Ukrainian troops have been starting maneuvers in the south, but without starting a major counteroffensive.

Ukraine is still gathering troops to launch a powerful counterattack.

This project could be delayed by the intensified Russian attacks in the east.

Selenskyj worried: further fighting in the area of ​​​​the largest nuclear power plant in Europe

Fighting continues around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

In response to the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again accused Russia of "extortion".

The “occupiers” used the nuclear power plant to spread fear “in an extremely cynical way”, said Zelenskyj in his daily video message on Saturday evening.

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Moscow and Kyiv have been blaming each other for the attacks near Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which has been occupied by the Russian army since early March.

Zelenskyy accused Russian troops of "hiding" behind the Zaporizhia NPP to shell the Ukrainian-controlled cities of Nikopol and Marhanets.

Every day that the Russian contingent stays in the area of ​​the nuclear power plant increases "the nuclear threat to Europe," said Zelenskyy. 

After the first attacks on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant on August 5, one reactor had to be shut down.

A pumping station and radiation sensors were damaged in attacks last Thursday.

The Ukrainian authorities and Western allies are demanding a demilitarized zone around the nuclear power plant and a withdrawal of Russian troops.