Sasha Mordovets News Getty Images | Getty Images Russia’s Black Sea fleet based in annexed Crimea has installed a new commander, according to sources cited by the RIA news agency, following explosions over the past nine days at Russian military bases on the peninsula. If confirmed, the removal of previous commander Igor Osipov would mark the most significant sacking of a military official in nearly six months since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in which it has suffered heavy losses in men and equipment. State-run RIA cited the sources as saying that the new commander, Viktor Sokolov, was presented to members of the fleet’s military council in the port of Sevastopol. One source said it was “normal” that the appointment was not publicly announced at a time when Russia was conducting what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine. The Black Sea Fleet, which has a venerable history in Russia, has suffered several highly public humiliations during the war launched by President Vladimir Putin on February 24. — Reuters
Russia presents weapons and equipment captured in the war with Ukraine
Here is a selection of images from an exhibition in Moscow of weapons and equipment captured during the military conflict in Ukraine, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. An M777 gun is displayed during the exhibition of weapons and equipment that, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, were seized during the military conflict in Ukraine, at the international military-technical forum Army-2022 at the Patriot Conference and Exhibition Center in the Moscow region, Russia August 17, 2022. Reuters NLAW and Javelin anti-tank weapon systems are on display during the exhibition of weapons and equipment that, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, were seized during the military conflict in Ukraine, at the international military-technical forum Army-2022 at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center in the Moscow region, Russia on August 17, 2022. Reuters An Australian-made Bushmaster armored vehicle is on display during the exhibition of weapons and equipment that, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, were seized during the military conflict in Ukraine, at the international military-technical forum Army-2022 at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center in the territory of Moscow, Russia August 17, 2022. Reuters The remains of the Tochka-U missile are on display during the exhibition of weapons and equipment that, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, were captured during the military conflict in Ukraine, at the international military-technical forum Army-2022 at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center in of Moscow, Russia August 17, 2022. Reuters A view shows the installation with a British AT-105 Saxon armored vehicle during the exhibition of weapons and equipment that, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, were captured during the military conflict in Ukraine, at the international military-technical forum Army-2022 in the Conference and Patriot exhibition center in Moscow region, Russia August 17, 2022. Reuters
The Chinese military will participate in joint exercises with Russia
The flags of China and Russia Mladen Antonov | AFP | Getty Images Chinese troops will take part in a joint exercise with Russia, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday. China’s participation in the joint exercises, called the Vostok-2022 (or East-2022) drills to be held in Russia, is “not related to the current international and regional situation,” the ministry said in a statement. . A number of other countries including India, Belarus, Tajikistan and Mongolia will also participate. “China’s participation in the exercise aims to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the militaries of the participating countries, enhance the level of strategic cooperation between the participating parties, and enhance their ability to deal with various security threats,” it added. ministry. are part of an ongoing annual partnership agreement, it said. — Holly Elliott
The pro-Russian breakaway region sticks up to North Korea
Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, has reportedly pledged to increase cooperation with North Korea. Alexander Ermochenko Reuters The leader of one of the pro-Russian breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine has reportedly pledged to increase cooperation with North Korea, echoing a similar sentiment from Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported on Wednesday that the secretive country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, received a congratulatory message from Denis Pushilin, head of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” on August 15, in which Pushilin congratulated Kim on the country’s national “Liberation Day” and expressed hope to expand cooperation between North Korea and the separatist region. “The message expressed the belief that an equally beneficial bilateral cooperation in line with the interests of the peoples of the two countries will be achieved between the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” KCNA said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks in 2019. Alexander Zemlianichenko Afp | Getty Images The “Donetsk People’s Republic” is not a country and, while supported by Russia, has little legitimacy on the world stage. Russia recognized the “independence” of the DRC and the neighboring breakaway “democracy” in Luhansk on February 21 just days before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. But only North Korea and Syria, allies of Russia, and two other pro-Russian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both in Georgia, followed suit. — Holly Elliott
The security situation of the Russians in Crimea is deteriorating, the British Ministry announced
Smoke and explosions erupt from a Russian ammunition depot in Dzhankoi on August 16, 2022. Marie-laure Messana | AFP | Getty Images Recent explosions at Russian military installations in Crimea are evidence of a worsening security situation for the Kremlin in a critical region Russia has controlled since 2014, according to a British assessment published on Wednesday. Russian and Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday that a Russian munitions dump exploded in northern Crimea near Dzhankoi, while smoke was reported rising from the Russian-controlled Gvardeyskoye air base in Crimea. The British Ministry of Defense acknowledged that the causes behind the Dzhankoi and Gvardeyskoye events are still unclear, “but Russian commanders will very likely be increasingly concerned about the apparent deterioration of security across Crimea, which acts as [a] rear base area for occupation.” The press office of the Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. Moscow has blamed previous base explosions on lax security practices or flatly denied them, drawing derision from Ukraine and its supporters. Russia invaded Crimea, then part of Ukraine, in 2014 after Ukrainian protesters and widespread civil unrest toppled a pro-Moscow government in Kyiv. —Ted Kemp
‘Intense but fully controlled’ front line in Ukraine, commander says
The head of Ukraine’s armed forces said Russian forces were continuing to advance along the entire front line, which he described as “intense but fully controlled,” adding that Russia was launching 700 to 800 attacks on Ukrainian positions every day. “The enemy continues to advance all along the front line. At the same time, the enemy carries out about 700-800 bombardments of our positions daily using from 40 to 60 thousand [pieces of] ammunition,” Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi said in comments posted on the Telegram channel after speaking with his Canadian counterpart General Wayne Donald Eyre. “The enemy’s main efforts are focused on pushing our troops back from the Donetsk region [province],” he added. Ukrainian soldiers train with commercial drones in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on August 13, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images The port of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Marganets and Nikopol near Zaporizhzhia in the south and Bereznehuvate, near Mykolaiv, were the settlements hardest hit by “enemy shelling,” he added. He also said the deployment of missile systems along the Belarus-Ukraine border, particularly at Zyabrovka airport, “raises concern.” — Holly Elliott
Zelensky warns Ukrainians to avoid Russian military facilities amid reports of explosions
Smoke rises after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military base near Novofedorivka, Crimea, on August 9, 2022. Stringer | Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked people in Crimea and other heavily occupied regions of Ukraine to stay away from Russian military installations amid reports of explosions. “Every day and every night we see new reports of explosions in territories temporarily occupied by the occupiers. And I am now asking all our people in Crimea, in other regions in southern Ukraine, in occupied regions of Donbass and Kharkiv region to be very careful,” Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app during an evening speech. “Please do not go near the military installations of the Russian army and all those places where they store ammunition and equipment, where they place their headquarters,” he added. — Amanda Macias
IKEA to liquidate Russian unit as part of withdrawal under sanctions
View of the IKEA store in the Russian capital Moscow on March 4, 2022. Pavel Pavlov | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Swedish furniture giant IKEA has decided to liquidate its Russian limited liability unit…
