Victory Chronicles-DAY 720

The US Senate has approved a funding package of $95 billion, which includes $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. The bill received 70 votes in favor and 29 against. However, it still faces obstacles in the Republican-led House of Representatives. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected the bill even before it was passed in the Senate, stating that internal border issues need to be resolved before foreign aid can be approved. Nevertheless, this approval is seen as a significant step in Ukraine towards receiving the aid. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the US senators who supported the aid, stating that American assistance brings peace to Ukraine and restores global stability, leading to greater security and prosperity for all. The funding package will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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According to the British Ministry of Defence, Russia’s plan to raise the age of contract soldiers to 70 years is unlikely to enhance its combat capability. The proposed bill suggests increasing the age limit for non-commissioned officers to 65 years and for officers to 70 years. This would significantly surpass the current age limit of 51. Intelligence experts believe that this move will likely extend the duration of contracts. However, data shows that the pre-war life expectancy for Russian men in 2021 was only 64.2 years. Essentially, these soldiers would be signing lifetime contracts. The report from British Intelligence states that while this may reduce the need for additional mobilization, it is unlikely to enhance Russia’s combat capability, particularly in kinetic attacks. 

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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a photo of Anton Shevelev and told about Ukrainian infantrymen from the 58th Mechanized Brigade. “Ukrainian infantrymen are the line that separates the civilized world from the Russian horde. During shelling, they take on tons of enemy metal, repel attacks, and create their own world on the ground, where front-line brotherhood, mutual assistance and understanding reign supreme. A special relationship of people united by a special cause,” the Public Relations Service of the 58th Mechanized Brigade said in a statement.

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The press service of the 42nd Separate Mechanized Brigade released a video showing the 42nd Brigade’s Perun unit destroying Russian military equipment. “At first, the drone operators noticed enemy infantry hiding in previously hit armored vehicles, where they eventually stayed forever, and then an enemy tank came into view. Several drones successfully destroyed it,” the 42nd Brigade said in a statement.

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Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported that elements of Lebanese Hezbollah (LH) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are training Russian drone operators at the Shayrat Air Base in Syria. 

The GUR stated that LH and IRGC trainers are training Russian operators how to use Shahed-136/-131, Ababil-3, and Qods Raab 85 drones and that LH commander Kamal Abu Sadiq is heading the training effort. Iranian-backed militias and Russian forces are located at Shayrat Air Base, which is the second largest Iranian air base in Syria’s Homs Province after the Tiyas T-4 Air Base.

The IRGC and LH previously conducted training for Russian forces on Iranian-made drones at the Russian-controlled Palmyra Military Airport, also in Homs Province.The Israeli Air Force notably struck Shayrat Air Base and other Syrian army Iranian-backed militia sites throughout Homs Province on February 7.

The GUR report suggests that Russian forces are expanding drone training to Shayrat Air Base utilizing existing Russian military infrastructure and leveraging relationships with LH and other Iranian-backed militant groups.

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38-year-old defender Maksym Basystyi, with the call sign Subaru, died on July 5, 2023, in the battle for the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast. While performing a combat mission, he was fatally wounded as a result of a direct hit from an enemy ATGM.

Maksym was born in Kamianka-Buzka, Lviv Oblast. He lived in the village of Chotyrboky, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. He received his higher incomplete technical education at the Rivne National University of Water and Environmental Engineering. He worked as a builder, mechanic, and electrician. He was fond of numismatics. He loved working on machinery and cars, especially motorcycles. 

During the full-scale war, Maksym joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine and went to defend his native country and his loved ones. He served in the 3rd separate assault brigade. He was a driver of a grenade launcher unit of a fire support platoon.

During his service, he was awarded the “Golden Cross” and “Cross of the Brave” decorations of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and posthumously the Order “For Courage” III degree.

“Maksym was sensitive and brave at the same time, ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of his principles, which were to uphold justice. He was cheerful, sociable and sincere. At the front, he quickly found brothers in spirit, had good relations with his comrades-in-arms, and was always ready to support and cover them. His comrades still recall how devoted and desperate he was. Maksym is forever in the hearts of his family! Forever in the ranks! A very dear man, we love him infinitely…” wrote his wife Yulia.

The warrior was buried in the village of Chotyrboky, Khmelnytsky Oblast. Maksym is survived by his mother, wife, son, brother, other relatives, friends and fighters-in-arms.

*Maksym’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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• Ukrainian military: Ukraine reinforcing Avdiivka as Russia continues its offensive
• Rosgvardiia officer who tortured civilians at Gostomel airport is served with notice of suspicion.
• Dnipro evacuates hospital and closes schools after nighttime Russian attack
• British intelligence: Russia stepping up militarization of higher education 
• Russia attacks agricultural company in Kharkiv Oblast: 2 people killed, another 2 injured
• Ukrainian Intelligence: Russians buying Starlink terminals in Arab countries