Victory Chronicles-DAY 1268

Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the Volgograd Oil Refinery (Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka) in Russia overnight on Aug. 14. It supplies fuel to the Russian army, Ukraine’s General Staff reported.

The attack was carried out by the newly formed Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems Forces and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, in coordination with other defense units. Strikes by attack drones ignited large fires at the facility, with the full extent of damage still being assessed.

The Volgograd refinery is the largest fuel producer in Russia’s Southern Federal District, processing over 15 million tons of oil annually — about 5.6 percent of Russia’s total refining capacity. It produces diesel, gasoline, and aviation fuel that is critical to the logistics of Russia’s armed forces.

Germany pledges $500M to NATO plan for US-made arms for Ukraine. Germany will provide $500 million to NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) to secure continued deliveries of U.S.-made weapons to Ukraine, NATO said on Aug. 13.

The Alliance’s Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the pledge, noting that Germany remains the top European provider of military aid to Kyiv. The announcement coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Berlin and consultations among European and US leaders ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin in Alaska that is scheduled for Aug. 15 in Anchorage.

Ukraine repatriates 84 people from Russian captivity, some held since 2014. On Aug. 14, Ukraine conducted its 67th prisoner exchange by repatriating84 people — 33 military personnel and 51 civilians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.

Among the freed are defenders of the Azov Sea coastal city of Mariupol, Naval Forces and Border Guard troops, as well as civilians detained in occupied territories before the full-scale invasion and who were sentenced to 10–18 years in prison. One man spent 4,013 days in captivity after being captured in the Donetsk region in 2014.

Among those also released include people who were imprisoned between 2016 and 2021, three women from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, and two pairs of brothers who were  captured in 2022. Most returnees require medical care and rehabilitation. The youngest is 26 years old, the oldest is— 74 years old, who spent the past seven years in a Russian prison.

Southern Defense Forces foil Russian infiltration in Zaporizhzhia. The Southern Defense Forces disrupted a Russian plan to infiltrate urban areas in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia by destroying enemy sabotage groups before they could establish positions.

According to the 210th Separate Assault Regiment, Russian troops attempted to enter the area in small groups following artillery and drone strikes. Ukrainian reconnaissance detected the movement early and enabled coordinated action by artillery, drones, and assault units. The 1st Assault Battalion cleared the sector without losing any personnel.

Key Takeaways:

• Russian officials reiterated that Russia’s objectives in Ukraine remain unchanged ahead of the Alaska summit on Aug. 15, once again demonstrating that the Kremlin remains uninterested in pursuing serious peace negotiations.
• The Trump administration clarified that the United States will not pursue any agreements with Russia regarding a peace settlement in Ukraine without an immediate ceasefire and without Ukraine’s formal involvement in peace negotiations.
• Trump reiterated U.S. interest in facilitating future Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations and warned that Russia would face “very severe consequences” if Putin fails to engage in serious peace talks with Ukraine after the Alaska summit.
• The Kremlin is using the Alaska summit to portray Russia as a world power equal to the United States and to posture Putin as an equal to U.S. President Donald Trump.
• Russia is reportedly preparing to conduct further offensive operations in priority sectors of the frontline and to resume limited offensives in southern Ukraine, particularly in Kherson Oblast.
• Russia is simultaneously preparing to continue its long-range drone strike campaign against Ukrainian rear areas, which will likely result in further civilian casualties.
• Russian forces have yet to reinforce and consolidate positions east and northeast of Dobropillya, and Russian and Ukrainian sources continued on August 13 to characterize the Russian penetration as consisting of limited, dismounted sabotage and reconnaissance groups.
• ISW continues to assess that Russian forces do not control the territory east and northeast of Dobropillya where Russian forces recently infiltrated. ISW’s Assessed Russian Advances map layer does not differentiate between enduring Russian positions and limited infiltration missions.
• Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups continue attempts to infiltrate Pokrovsk as Russian forces heavily strike the town.
• The Kremlin is likely using the upcoming Zapad-2025 joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises to facilitate its nuclear saber-rattling campaign ahead of the Alaska summit.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in northern Kharkiv Oblast and western Zaporizhia Oblast and near Lyman and Toretsk. Russian forces recently advanced in northern Sumy Oblast and near Toretsk.

• Putin to bring “historical materials” on Ukraine for his meeting with Trump
• North Korea may send 6,000 troops and up to 100 pieces of equipment to Russia, Ukraine’s spy chief says
• Italian PM satisfied with Western unity ahead of Trump-Putin meeting
• CNN: Trump tells European leaders he won’t discuss Ukrainian territories with Putin
• The Telegraph: Trump to offer Putin access to Alaska’s natural resources in exchange for ending war
• Leaders of France, UK, and Germany say Russia has no veto over Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership
• Reuters: Russia may be preparing to test new missiles despite scheduled talks with Trump
• Trump warns of “very severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t agree to end war