According to the Russians...

Military report on Kursk, summary on the war with Ukraine, TASS article stating that the offer of peace negotiation will be delayed, and links to best international news.

RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY REPORT ON UKRAINIAN INCURSION INTO RUSSIA (18 AUGUST 2024)

Extract:

…Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses have amounted to more than 300 Ukrainian troops and 27 units of hardware, including six tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, two armoured personnel carriers, 18 armoured fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, one MLRS launcher, and two units of engineering vehicles, including one counterobstacle vehicle.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses have amounted to 3,460 Ukrainian troops, 50 tanks, 25 infantry fighting vehicles, 45 armoured personnel carriers, 262 armoured fighting vehicles, 115 motor vehicles, five SAM launchers, seven MLRS launchers, including three HIMARS and one M270 MLRS, 25 field artillery guns, four electronic warfare stations, four units of engineering vehicles, including one counterobstacle vehicles and one UR-77  mine clearing vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.

RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY CLAIMS 1630 UKRAINIAN CASUALTIES IN 24 HOURS (18 AUGUST 2024)

In Volchansk and Liptsy directions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 43rd Mechanised Brigade, 92nd Assault Brigade, 36th Marine Brigade near Liptsy, Beliy Kolodez, and Volchansk (Kharkov region). 

The AFU losses amounted to up to 90 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

One ammunition depot was destroyed.

Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions as well as inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 14th, 30th, 67th, 440th mechanised brigades, and 117th Territorial Defence Brigade near Petropavlovka, Tabayevka, Novoplatonovka (Kharkov region), Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic), and Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). One counter-attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 241st Territorial Defence Brigade was repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 440 Ukrainian troops, one infantry fighting vehicle, and six motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzer, one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzer, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station were destroyed.

Two AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.

Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 24th Mechanised Brigade, 5th Assault Brigade, and 24th Assault Battalion near Chasov Yar, Stupochki, and Predtechino (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 420 Ukrainian troops and two motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one 122-mm Grad MLRS launcher, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, three U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer, two UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzers, two 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, two 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, two UK-made 105-mm L-119 howitzers, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzer, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station were destroyed.

Two field ammunition depots and one POL depot were destroyed.

As a result of active actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Sviridonovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Losses were inflicted on formations of the AFU 47th, 151st mechanised brigades, 68th Jaeger Brigade, 111th Territorial Defence Brigade, and 15th National Guard Brigade near Vozdvizhenka, Kalinovo, Ptichiye, Novoekonomicheskoye, and Dolinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Two counter-attacks launched by units of the Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 500 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, three 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, two 100-mm Rapira anti-tank guns, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery warfare station.

Units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 33rd and 72nd mechanised brigades near Zelenoye Pole and Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 100 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two motor vehicles, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 155-mm Bogdana self-propelled artillery system, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station. Three AFU field ammunition depots were destroyed.

Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade and 128th Mountain Assault Brigade near Malaya Tokmachka and Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops, six motor vehicles, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and two Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

Two AFU ammunition depots was destroyed.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one tank gun workshop, one U.S.-made M270 MLRS launcher, and one U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS launcher.

In addition, clusters of AFU manpower and hardware have been engaged in 163 areas.

Air defence units shot down one French-made Hammer guided aerial bomb, seven U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, 27 unmanned aerial vehicles, 11 of which outside the special military operation zone.

In total, 639 airplanes and 282 helicopters, 30,112 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 air defence missile systems, 17,320 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,411 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,392 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 24,894 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

UKRAINIAN INCURSION INTO KURSK REGION CANCEL’S PUTIN’S PEACE INITIATIVE

TASS, the Russian news agency, reports that:

Late on August 13, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said at an informal meeting of the UN Security Council that the peace proposal Russia had made earlier was "too generous" for Ukraine, given its desperate situation on the frontline. The Russian envoy warned at the UN that Ukraine would have "bitter regrets" about its assault on the Kursk Region. Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said on August 14 that Kiev had put the issue of peace talks with Moscow on long-term hold by attacking the borderline Russian region.

At a meeting that discussed the current state of affairs on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the idea of holding talks with an enemy who he said was indiscriminately shelling civilians.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who the Kremlin says has no legitimate authority given his five-year term has already expired, chose to escalate the conflict to derail any chance at holding talks to end hostilities, Ivan Skorikov, head of the Ukraine Department at the Institute of CIS Studies, told Vedomosti. He argues that the Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk Region had been precoordinated with the West to get the ball rolling on new negotiations where Moscow would have to make major concessions. "The reaction of the Western elites was noteworthy as not only did they not condemn Kiev’s actions but actually supported them instead," he maintains.

At present, conditions for reviving peace talks are worse than they were before the Ukrainian cross-border incursion, Andrey Kortunov, research director at the Russian International Affairs Council, pointed out. Russia is tweaking its foreign policy on the Ukrainian track as Moscow refuses to negotiate under pressure. Nor would Russian troops’ pushing the Ukrainians back to the state border in the Kursk area mark a turning point in efforts to resume dialogue, the expert added. "A lot will depend on the Russian Army’s advance toward Ukraine along the line of engagement. No diplomatic breakthrough can be expected in the coming months, I am afraid," he concluded.

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