WAR IN UKRAINE: August 18, 2022
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 176
Ukraine was behind three explosions that rocked the Russian-annexed province of Crimea this past week,including an explosion at a Russian air base in Crimea's west coast that wrecked several airplanes, according to a Ukrainian government report circulated internally and shared with CNN by a Ukrainian official. Ukrainian officials have not publicly claimed the blasts. In a speech following the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the war "began with Crimea and must end with Crimea -- its liberation." Read the full CNN report here
Following those explosions in Crimea, Russian forces have set up a checkpoint at the approach to a bridge leading to the annexed territory, SKY News reports. Russian forces are checking the documents and cars of those crossing, according to Denys Savchenko, coordinator of the human rights organisation Crimea SOS. “The occupation authorities have set up a checkpoint at the approach to the Kerch/Crimean bridge," he said, quoted in Ukrainian media reports.
The above revelations are significant - especially since Russia immediately issued a contradictory narrative blaming internal factors. Analysts suggest that, given the sophistication of the attacks, there could be pro-Ukrainian operatives or special forces on the peninsula. In any case, the three blasts come as a huge embarrassment to the Kremlin.
Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in a joint exercise with the Russian Armed Forces, reports Reuters
Today (Thursday), the UN Secretary General meets with the presidents of Turkey and Ukraine here in Lviv. Follow my social media accounts for live coverage. Grain, the out-of-control situation at the massive nuclear power plant in Zaporyzhzhia, and a path to a long lasting peace are expected to be on the agenda.
Concerning the Lviv summit and the deep involvement of Turkey’s President Erdogan, I told The Independent: “Obviously Erdogan has a lot of skin in the game. He’s positioning himself as a regional statesman able to talk with world leaders. He’s in a unique position – geographically, diplomatically and strategically.” Read the full article by Borzou Daragahi here
Russia is facing the mass migration abroad of large numbers of its Jewish population, with at least one in eight leaving the country since its war with Ukraine began. The Jewish Agency helps Jews around the world move to Israel. It says an astonishing 20,500 of Russia's estimated total of 165,000 Jews have gone since March. Read the full BBC report here
Listen to my interview today on Canada’s CHED Radio on what more Canada could be doing to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. One immediate step, I mentioned, would be to fully re-open the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv (pictured above). Have a listen and learn why. Click here
Required reading…
'I don't see justice in this war': Russian soldier denounces invasion
A Russian soldier has fled his country after criticising the invasion of Ukraine in a lengthy social media post.
Pavel Filatyev appears to be the first Russian soldier to have documented the war in Ukraine in such detail, providing a day-by-day description of how his paratrooper unit was sent to mainland Ukraine from Crimea.
Speaking to a Guardian journalist in Moscow just before he fled, he said: "I don't see justice in this war. I don't see truth here."
He continued: "I am not afraid to fight in war. But I need to feel justice, to understand that what I’m doing is right.
"And I believe that this is all failing not only because the government has stolen everything, but because we, Russians, don't feel that what we are doing is right."
With his unit, Mr Filatyev entered Kherson and captured the seaport before digging in under heavy artillery fire for more than a month near Mykolaiv.
He was eventually evacuated when he was wounded and developed a severe eye infection that nearly blinded him.
"We were sitting under artillery fire by Mykolaiv," he told The Guardian.
"At that point I already thought that we're just out here doing b******t, what the f*** do we need this war for? And I really had this thought: 'God, if I survive, then I'll do everything that I can to stop this.'"
- SKY NEWS