Ukraine

Day 177 Roundup: UN Chief Repeats Call for Demilitarization of Nuclear Plant; Attacks Reported in Russia and Crimea

AUG 18 2022·Updated AUG 19 2022

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Image credit: AP Photos [via AP News]

The Facts

In a summit with the heads of Ukraine and Turkey on Thurs., the UN's António Guterres reiterated calls for a demilitarized zone at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, held by Russian forces since Mar. 4. The secretary-general said: "Military equipment and personnel should be withdrawn from the plant. Further deployment of forces or equipment to the site must be avoided. The area needs to be demilitarized."
Al Jazeera
Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – who mediated the grain export deal which is also the subject of talks – said: "The focal point of the trilateral meeting was finding a way to end the war." The president went on: "I have preserved my belief that the war will come to an end at the negotiating table."
Independent
Ukraine's Zelenskyy said he was "very surprised" to hear that Russia is "ready for some kind of peace." He said: "People who kill, rape, on a daily basis cannot [want peace]. They are hitting our civilian cities, civilian infrastructures with cruise missiles – they cannot want peace. So first, it seems to me, they should liberate our territories."
I24News
On the ground, Ukraine again appeared to strike Russian territory after a large blaze was reported at an ammunition depot near the village of Timonovo in the Russian-border region of Belgorod. There were no reports of casualties. Blasts were also reported in Kerch, eastern Crimea, where the Crimean Bridge connects the peninsula to Russia. A local official said air defence systems were activated and there was no damage to Crimea or the bridge.
Ukrinform
Meanwhile, renewed pre-dawn Russian strikes hit the city of Kharkiv on Fri., reportedly striking a university and killing at least one civilian and injuring another. It comes as Ukrainian officials said that at least 19 civilians have been confirmed killed and 42 injured in strikes on Thursday.
Ukrainska Pravda
Russian strikes were also reported in Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk, where one civilian was reported killed. Heavy fighting and artillery fire continued in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian officials said five civilians had been killed and 10 more injured in the last 24 hrs. Officials from the Donetsk People's Republic said seven civilians had been killed and 23 were injured in the same period.
Ukrainska Pravda

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

With strikes increasingly hitting key bridges and ammunition depots in Russian-controlled territory, there's more and more reason to think Ukraine's counteroffensive – a vital step in bringing this war to a close – will be a success.

Byline Times

Establishment-critical narrative

Ukraine's southern offensive has been much talked about, but there's little to show for it in territorial gains other than the recapture of a small town. Not only has there been no Ukraine counteroffensive, it will never come.

New Kontinent

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 11% chance that Ukraine will officially recognize a former Ukrainian territory as independent before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.