Victory Chronicles-DAY 919

On the night of August 30, a Russian airstrike hit a business in Sumy, resulting in nine people being injured. The attack violated international law and is being investigated as a violation of the laws and customs of war. Firefighting operations are currently underway to combat the large-scale fire caused by the strike. The State Emergency Service has deployed special equipment, including for high-altitude work and water supply, to extinguish the fire. The fire has been localized, but efforts to fully extinguish it are ongoing. The attack has caused significant damage, with buildings and premises being destroyed. Law enforcement officers and prosecutors are documenting the consequences of the shelling.

The European Union is set to reach a milestone of training 60,000 Ukrainian military personnel. German Defense Minister, Thomas Gitschler, made this announcement prior to a meeting of EU defense ministers. He emphasized that these fighters will return to Ukraine after their training, and Germany plans to train an additional 10,000 Ukrainian fighters by the end of the year. 

On August 30, the Russian army launched an attack on Kurakhove in the Donetsk Oblast, resulting in the injury of five people. The search for individuals trapped under the rubble is ongoing. The attack targeted a three-story residential building, an administrative building, and a shop, according to the head of the Donetsk Oblast administration, Vadym Filashkin. Currently, there are five reported victims, but more individuals may be trapped under the rubble. 

The Command of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a video of the destruction of Russian defensive lines in the Kursk region. Ukrainian troops are destroying both “dragon’s teeth” and minefields. 

Russian forces are currently pursuing two immediate tactical efforts as part of their ongoing offensive operation to seize Pokrovsk — a tactical effort along the Novohrodivka-Hrodivka line east of Pokrovsk to seize Myrnohrad and advance up to Pokrovsk’s outskirts, and another tactical effort along the Selydove-Ukrainsk-Hirnyk line southeast of Pokrovsk aimed at widening Russia’s salient in the Pokrovsk direction and eliminating vulnerabilities to Ukrainian counterattacks.

The Russian military command likely views both of these tactical efforts as desired prerequisites for launching an intensified offensive effort against Pokrovsk itself. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on August 29 that the most intense battles in the Pokrovsk direction are ongoing on the eastern outskirts of Hrodivka (east of Pokrovsk), southwest of Hrodivka near Krasnyi Yar, within Novohrodivka (southeast of Pokrovsk), and immediately east of Selydove near Mykhailivka (southeast of Pokrovsk).

ISW has observed Russian gains in these areas in recent days, but Russian milbloggers have claimed that Russian forces have made more significant tactical gains in the Pokrovsk direction than what observed visually confirmed evidence currently supports. Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces advanced up to the southeastern outskirts of Myrnohrad (immediately east of Pokrovsk) and have begun small arms battles with Ukrainian forces in the town, although a Ukrainian military observer described the Russian forces operating in the town as sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces have advanced in much of eastern Selydove and have reached the center of the town. Russian milbloggers also claimed that Russian forces are fighting on the northeastern outskirts of Ukrainsk (southeast of Pokrovsk), seized Memryk (immediately northeast of Ukrainsk), and entered Halitsynivka (immediately east of Ukrainsk).

Lieutenant Serhii Yevsiukov, with the call sign Fizruk, died on October 12, 2023 near the village of Robotyno, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. He was mortally wounded in battle as a result of a mortar attack. The warrior is forever 27.

Serhii was born in the village of Kamianka, Kharkiv Oblast. He graduated from Kharkiv Humanitarian and Pedagogical Academy with a degree in Physical Education. At the same time, he studied at the Kharkiv National Air Force University military department named after Ivan Kozhedub. Subsequently, he worked at various jobs. He was fond of sports.

In January 2023, the man voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He joined the 23rd separate mechanized brigade and held the position of company commander. He fought in the territories of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts and was awarded certificates and the medal “For Bravery in Battle.”

“He was an unconquerable and strong spirit, a sincere, frank, straightforward person,” said Lyudmyla, the wife of the deceased’s older brother. The officer was buried in the Alley of Glory at Cemetery No. 18 in Kharkiv. Serhii is survived by his mother, relatives, friends and fighters-in-arms.

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

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