Day 530 of the Invasion of Ukraine: The Security Services foiled a Russian Assassination Attempt against Zelensky

Ukraine | August 7, 2023, Monday // 10:20|  views

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Day 530 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

  • Russia has confirmed that it only wants the annexed areas of Ukraine
  • The Russian occupiers subjected Kherson to heavy shelling. There are dead and many injured
  • After the Jeddah talks: Consultations to achieve peace in Ukraine must continue
  • Ukraine confirmed strikes on two bridges between Crimea and Kherson region
  • The trident of the Ukrainian coat of arms replaced the hammer and sickle of "Mother Ukraine”
  • The number of Russian KIAs in Ukraine is now over 250,000, the Ukrainian General Staff announced
  • Ukrinform: In the Luhansk Oblast, the Russians are replacing local collaborators with employees from Russia


Ukrainian security services foiled an attempt to assassinate Zelensky

Ukrainian security services announced that they had foiled an attempted attack on President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In this case, an informant of the Russian secret services was detained, who collected information about the route and schedule of Zelensky's visit to the city of Mykolaiv in June. The woman worked in a store on a military base. She faces 12 years in prison.

Moscow claims to have advanced three kilometers in three days to Kupiansk and to have pushed back Ukrainian forces in Donetsk, Lyman and Zaporizhzhia.

The Ukrainian army continued its offensive in the direction of Melitopol and Berdiansk. A woman was killed in a Russian attack in Kherson, and two people died in the border areas of Kharkiv region.

Both Kherson and parts of Kharkiv Oblast are in close proximity to the front line. The Ukrainian president reported significant results in the hostilities.

"Only in the past week, Russian terrorists used against us 65 different types of missiles, 178 combat drones, including 87 Shahidis. We managed to shoot down a significant part of them. We will do everything possible to make Ukrainian air defense even stronger. Of course, we will also continue the internal cleansing of our country from those who, unfortunately, weaken Ukraine with their illegal actions," said Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russia has confirmed that it only wants the annexed areas of Ukraine

Russia seeks to control only the areas it declared annexed to Ukraine last year and which are already "written in the constitution".

This is what Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says, quoted in an extensive New York Times article about the attitude of Russia and Russians to the war in Ukraine.

In the same conversation, the press secretary of the Russian presidency expressed the expectation that more than 90% of the people would vote for the re-election of the head of state Vladimir Putin and made it clear that with such percentages the vote was "not exactly a democracy".

It is not specified when the conversation took place, but already 10 months since it announced the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Russia controls only parts of them, although the goals are in its constitution. The Ukrainian counteroffensive is concentrated in directions mainly in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.

"We just want to control all the land that is written in our constitution as ours," Peskov told New York Times correspondent Roger Cohen.

Unlike other moments of the publication, Peskov does not dispute the quotes about the Ukrainian territories and, according to TASS, calls everything said about them "personal opinion".

Crimea is not mentioned, but Russia considers its control over it consolidated since it declared it annexed in 2014, despite Ukraine's increased attacks this summer. Peskov also says that for now there is no reason to sign any agreement to end the conflict, and Russia intends to continue with its "special operation". Months ago, he said the plight of Russian-speakers in eastern and southern Ukraine in Kyiv-controlled parts remains a reason to continue the "special operation" (as Moscow calls the war).

Another quote from Peskov that angered the Kremlin was about expecting Russian President Vladimir Putin to be re-elected with 90 percent of the vote.

Roger Cohen, who by his own account spent about a month in Russia and also published a report from the Belgorod region, writes that Putin is undoubtedly expected to use ideological hardening against dissent (and this includes LGBTQ+ values) and war before the next presidential election in March 2024. "His re-election, almost inevitably, would be for a six-year term that he could renew (in 2020, his terms were 'nullified' by constitutional amendments and he could hold office until 2036)." On the subject, Peskov is quoted as saying:

"Our presidential election is not exactly a democracy, but an expensive bureaucracy. Mr. Putin will be re-elected next year with over 90% of the vote."

Peskov explained that his words were misinterpreted. "The answer was this: that the degree of consolidation of society around the president is absolutely unprecedented, and now we can say that if he is nominated, he will be re-elected with a huge margin, and the election itself, theoretically, is just an additional cost."

A few weeks ago, the Meduza electronic publication wrote after conversations with a source in the Siberian region close to the presidential administration and an official from the northwestern region that the Kremlin set a "simple task": over 80% for Putin in next year's elections. The result had to be achieved by different methods: mobilization of real supporters, administrative and corporate, electronic voting and others.

The Russian occupiers subjected Kherson to heavy shelling. There are dead and many injured

The Russian army is again shelling residential buildings in Kherson. According to the head of the city's military administration, Roman Mrochko, all the districts of the regional center were attacked several times that night.

"The enemy terrorized the peaceful population of Kherson again and again. There was an attack on a residential building. One person died and another 12 were injured. All the injured were given medical assistance," said Mrochko, quoted by UNIAN.

According to the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Alexander Prokudin, the night was very difficult for the city.

"The Russian army continues to shell the houses of Kherson residents in the central part of the city. Around 00:50, the occupiers shelled a house. Eight residents were diagnosed with 'situational neurotic reaction'. One child was hospitalized," the official said.

According to his data, during the extinguishing of the fire caused by the enemy strike, two rescuers were injured. They were taken to a medical center with overheating.

Half an hour later, the shelling continued. A 59-year-old woman was killed by an artillery shell that hit a house, and a 60-year-old man was injured.

Around 03:15 a.m., the Russian occupiers attacked a house again - a 93-year-old woman was injured. She was injured in the blast and doctors are currently fighting for her life.

On the morning of August 3, the Russians attacked the center of Kherson. A church was hit, passengers of a passing trolleybus were injured.

On the same day, neighborhoods of the city, social infrastructure, a shopping center and a medical facility were shelled.

After the Jeddah talks: Consultations to achieve peace in Ukraine must continue

International consultations to build a common basis for peace in Ukraine must continue. This is an agreement reached by the representatives of more than 40 countries in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Andriy Yermak, said the talks had strengthened his country's position. Despite their expressed differences, all countries are committed to respecting the UN Charter, international law and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to some diplomats, Saudi Arabia and several other countries have presented a potential peace plan for Ukraine, but it has not been officially announced. Broad support was also expressed for continued discussions on humanitarian aid, food exports, and nuclear and environmental issues. China's participation in the talks was assessed as particularly important.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pointed out that the meeting showed that the consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine are felt beyond the borders of Europe, affecting the future of world order, energy and food security.

There is currently no basis for an agreement with Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The New York Times, adding that Russian military operations will continue.

Over the past week, Russia has used more than 60 missiles and nearly 180 drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, and assured that Ukraine would do everything possible to strengthen the defense of its skies.

Bulgaria participated for the first time in this format both virtually and on site in Jeddah, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. The inclusion the Balkan country is a recognition of the government's clear and consistent policy in support of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, as well as the irrevocable commitment to seek a peaceful solution to the unprovoked war launched by Russia against the people of Ukraine.

On the Bulgarian side, it was emphasized that the widest possible international cooperation is a necessary prerequisite for stopping hostilities, as well as for preventing stagnation of the conflict to the detriment of international law, international and regional security. Bulgaria is ready to work actively within the framework of the Peace Formula.

Bulgaria condemns Moscow's decision to withdraw from the so-called “grain deal”, using food security and food supply as a weapon to achieve imperial ambitions. The targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure, including port facilities along the Danube River, creates a serious risk of escalation in the region. The entry of Russian warships into the exclusive economic zone of Black Sea countries, including that of Bulgaria, as well as the declaration of warning areas in them, dangerous for navigation, is inadmissible and harms the economic and financial interests of the country and the Bulgarian citizens.

Bulgaria remains committed to the various options for assisting the export of Ukrainian grain, incl. through the territory of the country, as well as with the provision of additional material and technical assistance to Kyiv, including in areas such as restoration of the energy system and environmental security.

Ukraine confirmed strikes on two bridges between Crimea and Kherson region

Ukraine's armed forces claimed responsibility for strikes on two main bridges linking the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with the southern and partially occupied Kherson region.

The confirmation came from the Center for Strategic Communications of the Ukrainian Army as early as the weekend when the strikes were carried out. It is stated that the attack was carried out at 15:00 p.m. local (and Bulgarian) time.

Chonhar and Henichesk bridges were attacked - both in the eastern part of the Crimean peninsula and connecting Crimea with parts of the Kherson region controlled by the Russian army.

The attacks make it more and more difficult to enter and leave the peninsula, which was annexed in 2014, which, in addition to its symbolic significance for Russia, also has a military (beyond the needs of a full-scale war, the Black Sea Fleet was based there before the annexation) and economic significance, every year it is visited by thousands of tourists.

In mid-July, there was also the second attack in 9 months against the Crimean bridge, which connects it with the internationally recognized territory of Russia. Ukraine took responsibility for it last week.

Over the weekend, a Ukrainian drone packed with explosives damaged a Russian tanker near the Crimean bridge, the second such attack in 24 hours. The day before, there was an attack on a Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, and an amphibious assault ship was towed away.

And the occupying power in the Ukrainian territories confirmed the strike over the weekend, including the head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov. There was also an attack on the Chonhar bridge in June, which temporarily impeded traffic between Crimea and parts of the Kherson region.

For the latter, the "acting regional governor of Kherson" on behalf of the Russian administration, Vladimir Saldo, stated that “Storm Shadow” missiles (i.e. the British version of the Anglo-French weapon) were used against the bridge. According to him, the transport connection with Crimea continues on another route, through Chaplinka and Armiansk.

There were also claims of using “Storm Shadow” in June, but these have yet to be independently confirmed.

According to Saldo, the Ukrainian shelling wounded a civilian driver and damaged a gas pipeline passing by the bridge, leaving more than 20,000 people without gas.

The Chonhar road bridge (there is also a railway one) is on the highway between Dzhankoi and the declared "capital" of the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Melitopol, a key target of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. According to the latest briefing by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), these strikes on Russia's landlines of communication are part of a campaign to disrupt Russian forces "which sets the stage for future decisive counteroffensive operations."

The trident of the Ukrainian coat of arms replaced the hammer and sickle of "Mother Ukraine”

The hammer and sickle from the Mother Ukraine monument in Kyiv, one of Ukraine's most recognizable landmarks, was removed on Sunday and replaced with the trident from the Ukrainian coat of arms, the Associated Press reported.

It is part of a wider campaign to free Ukrainian cultural identity from its communist past in the face of the ongoing Russian invasion.

The 61 m tall Mother Ukraine monument was erected in 1981 as part of a larger complex that also houses the National World War II Museum. The monument is located on the right bank of the Dnieper River and faces east towards Moscow.

The statue depicts a fearless female warrior holding a sword and shield. Instead of a hammer and sickle, however, the shield now features the trident, which was adopted as the coat of arms of independent Ukraine on February 19, 1992.

Removal of the old symbol began in late July, but bad weather and continued airstrikes delayed the work. The finished sculpture will be officially unveiled on August 24, Ukraine's Independence Day.

In addition to the reconstruction, the monument also changed its name. Earlier it was known as "Motherland".

Most Soviet and communist symbols were outlawed in Ukraine in 2015, but this did not include World War II monuments such as the “Motherland”.

According to data released by the Ministry of Culture last year, about 85 percent of Ukrainians approve of removing the hammer and sickle from the monument.

For many in Ukraine, the Soviet past is synonymous with Russian imperialism, the suppression of the Ukrainian language, and the Holodomor, a deliberately induced mass famine under Stalin that claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians and was recognized as genocide by the European Parliament and the United States.

The rejection of Soviet symbols intensified after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, BTA recalls.

The number of Russian KIAs in Ukraine is now over 250,000, the Ukrainian General Staff announced

From February 24, 2022 to August 7, 2023, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have liquidated 250,240 Russian occupiers, including 540 in the past 24 hours alone, Ukrinform reported.

The data are from the General Staff of the Armed Forces, reports Ukrinform.

The defenders of Ukraine have destroyed 4,244 enemy tanks, 8,270 armored fighting vehicles, 4,977 artillery systems, 709 rocket salvo fire systems, 467 air defense vehicles, 315 combat aircraft, 311 helicopters, 4,154 operational-tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, 1,377 winged missiles, 18 warships/boats, 7,451 trucks and tankers and 735 units of specialized equipment.

Incoming enemy casualty data is checked.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, 50 combat engagements were reported on the front lines in the past 24 hours.

Ukrinform: In the Luhansk Oblast, the Russians are replacing local collaborators with employees from Russia

In the temporarily occupied Luhansk Oblast, the invaders are replacing local collaborators with officials from Russia, Ukrinform reported, referring to a publication on "Telegram" of the head of the military administration of the region, Artyom Lysogor.

"The invaders continue to replace local collaborators with officials from Russia. Russians do not want to rely on or trust traitors. However, officers from the law enforcement agencies of the so-called LPR quickly found jobs for them - they were sent to the front," Lisogor said. According to him, employees of LPR agencies are "waiting for this to happen".

According to the head of the military administration, the head of the passport office in Dovzhansk recently received a summons. Lisogor added that the mobilized people from the occupied territories are also treated "specially" at the front. Not long ago, they were banned from using personal phones. For communication with relatives, the military unit has provided a common smartphone for everyone, which is kept with the commander. These restrictions do not apply to Russians, only to local residents.

Novinite is still the only Bulgarian media that publishes a summary of events and highlights related to the conflict, every single day. Our coverage began on day one - 24.02.2022 and will not stop until the war has concluded. Despite the pressure, our independent media will continue to provide its readers with accurate and up-to-date information. Thank you for your support! #stayinformed

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Tags: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Crimea

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