Victory Chronicles-DAY 539

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on Aug. 16 that the village of Urozhaine in Donetsk Oblast has been liberated, adding that offensive operations continue. “Urozhaine liberated. Our defenders are solidifying newly taken positions. Offensive operations continue,” Maliar wrote. The village of Urozhaine lies close to Staromaiorske, another village in Donetsk Oblast that was liberated already in late July. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported advances in the Urozhaine direction on Aug. 15. Later that day, Russian forces unsuccessfully attempted to regain lost positions in the sector, the General Staff added.

Ukrainian forces shot down 13 Russian Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones overnight, the Air Force reported on Aug. 16. “The Russian aggressor attacked our peaceful cities and villages with drones. The protectors of the sky destroyed 13 Shaheds.” the Air Force said. The Air Force reported late on Aug. 15 that Russia had launched several Shahed kamikaze drones from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk airbase in Krasnodar Oblast. Of the total number, 11 drones have been shot down over Odesa Oblast and two over Mykolaiv Oblast, local officials said.

Warehouses and granaries at one of the Danube ports have been damaged in a Russian attack on Odesa Oblast. “Russian terrorists attacked Odesa Oblast with attack drones twice this night. Their main target was port and grain infrastructure in the oblast’s south. Warehouses and granaries were damaged as a result of enemy strikes on one of Danube ports. The State Emergency Service quickly extinguished the fires,” said Oleh Kiper, Head of the Odesa Oblast Military Administration.

CNN has received exclusive footage from the SBU of the drone strike on the Crimean Bridge on July 17. The released video shows the screen of a surface drone operator a few seconds before he delivered about 850 kg of explosives to one of the bridge’s pillars. Other surveillance videos also show two drones hitting a highway and a railroad shortly afterward.

According to the head of the SBU, Vasyl Malyuk, the surface drone is an entirely Ukrainian development called the “Sea Kid.” It was developed just a few months after the Russian invasion began. “Surface marine drones are a unique invention of the SBU. No private company is involved in this. We have recently successfully hit the Crimean bridge, the large landing ship Olengorsky Gornyak and the SIG tanker using these drones,” Malyuk said.

Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors of the front on August 15 and reportedly advanced in Luhansk Oblast and western Zaporizhia Oblast. 

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations in the Bakhmut, Melitopol (western Zaporizhia Oblast), and Berdyansk (western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhia Oblast) directions. Coordinates published by a Russian milblogger on August 15 indicate that Ukrainian forces have advanced south of Dibrova (7km southwest of Kreminna). 

Geolocated footage posted on August 14 indicates that Ukrainian forces advanced into Robotyne, and further Russian and Ukrainian reporting published on August 15 suggests that Ukrainian forces have committed additional counteroffensive brigades to the western Zaporizhia oblast area. Ukrainian Colonel Petro Chernyk stated that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is advancing slowly in southern Ukraine because Ukrainian forces must overcome a three-echeloned Russian defensive line. Chernyk stated that the Russian line of defense includes a first line of minefields stretching several kilometers wide; a second line with artillery, equipment, and personnel concentrations; and a third line of rear positions meant to preserve resources. 

Chernyk noted that Ukrainian counterbattery measures are especially important in order to prevent Russian artillery from targeting Ukrainian mine-clearing equipment. Chernyk’s statements are in line with ISW’s previous assessments that Russia’s doctrinally sound elastic defense is slowing Ukrainian forces’ advances in southern Ukraine.

Azov fighter Maksym Bordus, with the call sign Kyndzhal [dagger], died on June 11, 2023, while performing a combat mission near the village of Mala Tokmachka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The warrior is 23 years old forever.

Maksym was born and lived in Kyiv. He graduated from the Kyiv Vocational College “Livoberezhnyi” [located on Left Bank], specializing in cooking. He worked for a private security company and had great achievements in sports. He was engaged in boxing, kickboxing, football, and martial arts. He was a member of the Ataman club. He was a champion of Ukraine in WAKO kickboxing. He was fond of motorcycles. He was an ultra of FC Dynamo Kyiv and represented the North Company team.

Maksym voluntarily self-mobilized on the first day of the full-scale war, February 24, 2022. At first, as a member of the 112th separate territorial defense brigade, he defended and liberated Kyiv and the Oblast from the invaders. Later he went to Donetsk Oblast, where he defended the Lyman direction. Maksym always wanted to join the ranks of assault units, so in March 2023, he transferred to the Azov Air Assault Force, which is part of the National Guard of Ukraine.

“My universe, which was stolen from me by the damn war. Glory to the Heroes. Death to the enemies,” wrote Lyudmyla Bordus, the victim’s mother. “I want to honor the memory of the man, childhood friend and brother. He was and remains in our hearts the best son, friend, brother and lover. He always greeted everyone with a smile, was kind to everyone, sincere and strong in body and spirit. He was always happy to give advice and support,” said Mykyta Pasternak, a close friend.

“May the soul of the deceased Maxim find eternal peace… Heroes do not die, they remain in our hearts! Eternal memory and glory to the Ukrainian fighter who defended his native Ukraine and each of us! Always on the shield. We love you, Max! We will see you again…” wrote Khrystyna Matviychuk, his best friend and godmother. “I am the mother of one of his childhood friends. Maxym was a fair and honest man. He never stood aside when people needed help. He was a true leader!” added Tatiana Melnyk.

The warrior was buried on the Alley of Glory at the Forest Cemetery in his native Kyiv. Maksym is survived by his mother, grandmother, relatives, friends, and fighters-in-arms.

• UK intelligence: Russia starts producing its own Shahed drones
• Head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration: Russians attacked Kherson city center and Oblast, wounding five
• Mariupol Mayor Petro Andriushchenko: Occupiers take another batch of 1,500 tons of stolen grain from Mariupol port
• General Staff: Russia has lost 255,570 troops in Ukraine
• Head of Ukraine’s ruling party: Saying Ukraine should cede its land invites Russian aggression