Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky navy corvette was built for Ukraine in Istanbul. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov announced the launch of the second Ukrainian corvette, the Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky (F-212), in Turkey. The first corvette began sea trials on 29 May. Assembled in Turkey due to Russian aggression, the Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky and Hetman Ivan Mazepa corvettes are equipped with advanced weaponry and will significantly boost Ukraine’s navy, enhancing its defence capabilities. Umerov stated, “Ukraine has already broken the Russian fleet’s dominance at sea, destroying dozens of ships, and we are actively expanding the Ukrainian Navy’s capabilities in the Black and Azov Seas.” The launch ceremony at the RMK Marine shipyard in Istanbul was attended by Navy Commander Oleksiy Neizhpapa, Baykar owner Haluk Bayraktar, Crimean Tatar Mejlis Chairman Mustafa Dzhemilev, and Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Kharkiv zone remains hot as Russian attacks intensify. In the Kharkiv operational zone, things are still pretty intense, with Russian forces keeping up their attacks on Ukrainian positions, especially around Vovchansk. The Russians have been rotating their troops, sending ammo and supplies to the front lines, and getting ready for more action. The Kharkiv Unit reports that the Russians have been using heavy flamethrowers and laying down minefields. Over the past day, there have been five major clashes, including airstrikes and several kamikaze drone attacks. Ukrainian forces have been handling things well, dealing heavy losses to the enemy with 108 troops and 42 pieces of equipment taken out. Overall, the situation is under control, with Ukrainian forces continuing to fend off attacks and wear down the enemy’s resources.
Ukraine returns 250 bodies of its fallen soldiers. According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the bodies of 250 fallen Ukrainian defenders have been returned to Ukraine from various locations, including Luhansk, Bakhmut, Maryinka, Avdiivka, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mariupol, Horlivka, and Russian morgues. The announcement came on August 2. “The repatriation of the bodies was facilitated by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Ministry of Reintegration, and the Commissioner for Missing Persons, in cooperation with the Joint Center at the SBU, Civil-Military Cooperation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other law enforcement agencies, departments, and international organisations,” the statement reads. The Coordination Headquarters added that the repatriated bodies and remains will be transported to designated state institutions. Law enforcement and forensic experts will identify the deceased, after which the bodies of the Ukrainian defenders will be handed over to their families for proper burial. Previously, the bodies of 254 fallen servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were returned to Ukraine on June 14. On May 31, as part of an exchange with Russia, the bodies of 212 fallen defenders were returned to Ukraine.
Russians are building fortifications in Crimea; another round of explosions is reported in occupied Sevastopol. Activists from the Yellow Ribbon movement have reported widespread tree-cutting in annexed Crimea to build coastal fortifications. Locals frequently see trucks carrying logs to the occupiers’ positions, reflecting the Russians’ fear of a possible Ukrainian landing and their attempts to bolster their defences. Due to the occupation, it’s difficult to independently confirm this information. Since August 2022, Crimea and Sevastopol have seen nearly daily explosions, attributed by Russian officials to Ukrainian drones or military drills, and explosions also hitting the Crimean (Kerch) bridge in October 2022 and July 2023. Last night, the Russian-appointed head of occupied Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reported that Russian air defence forces shot down several aerial targets over Sevastopol, with parts of the downed missiles and drone debris falling in a residential area of the city. Razvozhayev, head of the occupying authorities in Sevastopol, stated that four aerial targets were shot down, causing damage to power lines and debris landing in private yards. He also mentioned a downed drone, parts of which fell on a residential building. Currently, there are no reports of casualties. Razvozhayev later announced the closure of General Ostryakov Avenue due to an allegedly downed ATACMS missile with submunitions, with the closure expected to last until around noon.
Atesh movement says that Russians are sending stolen Ukrainian grain to Syria. The Atesh military partisan movement, active in the occupied territories of Ukraine, has uncovered stolen Ukrainian grain being shipped from Crimea to Syria. According to their report, the grain was loaded onto the Russian cargo ship Matros Koshka in the occupied Sevastopol Bay, and partisans later tracked it as it passed through Yalta. The ship is being escorted by patrol boats and equipped with air-target tracking systems, suggesting heightened fear and panic among the occupiers.
