Category Archives: National

National, Russia-Ukraine War

Kherson Cut Off – July 27, 2022 Ukraine update

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 22 weeks since the start of the Russia-Ukraine War and 3,072 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014. Here is our latest update.

Luhansk – Russian forces remain blocked at the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery. Another attempt to advance on Verkhnokamyanske was made, and it was unsuccessful. Russian forces also attacked Hryhorivka, supported by airstrikes, but could not break through Ukrainian defenses.

Northeast Donetsk – Positional battles continued in Spirne and Ivano-Darivka with no change in territorial control. On the morning of July 25, Ukrainian forces reported they had liberated Berestove. Late on July 25, it appeared Russian forces had recaptured the settlement for the second time Early on the morning of July 27, Ukrainian forces recaptured the town. The village is completely destroyed from months of fighting, and the T-1302 Highway is badly damaged.

Bakhmut – East of Soledar, Russian forces occupied Stryapivka temporarily. They likely attempted to extend too far into Soledar and were pushed back by Ukrainian forces. Fighting for control of the village continued.

Terrorists with the Imperial Legion affiliated with the Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner Group claimed to have fully secured Pokrovske, east of Bakhmut. Reports of continued fighting, artillery, and airstrikes indicate that gains have likely been overstated.

In the Svitlodarsk bulge, Ukrainian forces withdrew from the Vuhlehirskaya Power Plant and Luhanske on the evening of July 25. Ukrainian forces also withdrew from Novoluhanske to avoid becoming encircled. Terrorists with the Imperial Legion fighting with the Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner Group were confirmed to be on the power plant grounds. Russian forces attempted to advance from Roty to Semyirya to seal off retreating Ukrainian troops and were unsuccessful. Russian forces needed 62 days to advance 5.5 kilometers and secure the power plant.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia – Russian forces attempted to advance on Pavlivka and were unsuccessful. Otherwise, there were artillery exchanges from Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Kherson – Ukrainian forces using High Mobility Rocket Artillery System (HIMARS) attacked the Antonovskiyy Bridge for the third time and the Antonivskyy Zaliznychnyy Mist Railroad Bridge. The Antonovskiyy Bridge is severely damaged with significant structural damage. Russian state media reported the Antonivskyy Zaliznychnyy Mist Railroad Bridge was damaged but did not provide further details. Russian forces in Kherson are now cut off from road and rail lines on the west side of the Dnipro River.

Russian forces have completed construction of a pontoon bridge adjacent to the destroyed Darivika Bridge over the Inhulets River. Due to poor operational security, it is likely the bridge will be a priority target in the coming days.

Operational Command South reported that Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian ammunition depot in Bilohirka, indicating the settlement is still under Russian control. It was also reported that Andriivka [Kherson] and Lozove are liberated.

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Mykolaiv – Russian forces fired S-300 antiaircraft missiles in a ground-to-ground role and Kh-59 cruise missiles at Mykolaiv. Up to eight missiles struck an already destroyed railroad bridge over the Inhulets River,  one missile hit the port, and another hit a thermal plant.

Kharkiv – Neither belligerent launched any ground offensives from July 25 to July 26 north or northeast of Kharkiv. Both sides fired artillery rockets from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and fired from tanks.

Ukrainian forces used a Switchblade 300 kamikaze drone to attack a car at the Russian border checkpoint in Troebortnoe, north of Kharkiv. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims one person was killed, a Moldovian citizen, and two were wounded. Ukraine claims that two FSB agents were killed.

Izyum – Russian forces attempted to advance on Bohorodychne, were unsuccessful, and retreated. With reconnaissance in force, Russian forces attempted to advance on Chepil and suffered heavy losses.

There are unconfirmed reports that Russian forces withdrew from Yatskivka and Studenok. We had previously reported that Russian troops had been pushed entirely out of Bohorodychne. Additionally, between July 21 and July 25, the bridge between Russian-controlled Yarmivka and Studenok was destroyed. In Russian-controlled Borova, a HIMARS strike hit the railroad yard, where Russian military equipment was staged for transport.

The Exiled Borova City Council reported that Russian troops have been withdrawing from the Izyum axis since July 22. Troops are reportedly moving north, and the field hospital for wounded Russian soldiers in Borova was closed.

Sumy – Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, Head of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration, reported mortars and rockets fired by MLRS struck the settlements of Esman, Krasnopillya, and Seredyna-Buda.

Chernihiv – Viacheslav Chaus, head of the Chernihiv Oblast State and Military Administration, reported that Russian forces shelled the settlements of Leonivka and Hirsk.

Odesa – The Russian air force launched a massive attack on the village of Zatoka and the already destroyed Zatoka bridge. Up to 13 cruise missiles hit the village and the disabled span. The missile attack damaged or destroyed 155 buildings in the restive seaside resort town.

Daily Assessment

  1. Ukraine has effectively severed all the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC – supply lines) into the western part of the Kherson oblast and the eastern regions of the Mykolaiv oblast still occupied by Russian forces.
  2. Russian forces appear to be continuing the operational pause in Izyum and could be redeploying troops to other axes.
  3. We maintain that Russian forces cannot assemble adequate combat strength to launch significant offensive operations in Ukraine.

To read the rest of our report, become a Patreon! For as little as $5 a month, you get access to the daily Russia-Ukraine War Situation Report. The report provides analysis, maps, detailed information about all the axes in Ukraine, international developments, information about war crimes and human rights, and economic news. As an added benefit, you get access to flash reports, breaking news, and our Discord server.

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BIPOC, LGBTQIA, National

Congress moves to protect gay and interracial marriage post-Roe v. Wade decision

[Washington, D.C.] – MTN Last week, the House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would codify both same-sex and interracial marriage in a surprising bipartisan effort. If passed in the Senate, the bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. The 1996 Clinton-age law defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson and overturning Roe v Wade, critics have admonished the Biden Administration and the Democratic Party for their failure to codify Roe in the past 50 years. And many are wondering if the overturning of Roe will be the wake-up call the party needs.

How Did We Get Here?

After Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas released an independent concurring opinion where he suggested the court “reconsider” and “correct the errors” in Obergefell, Griswold, and Lawrence, House Democrats reintroduced the Respect for Marriage Act. Despite most viewing interracial and same-sex marriage as settled laws, some Republicans expressed an interest in not codifying the recognition of same-sex and interracial marriage.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) went on the record to say that while he feels the bill is unnecessary, but “…should it come to the Senate, I see no reason to oppose it.” The Supreme Court’s majority draft opinion on Dobbs leaked shortly before it overturned Roe v. Wade. In that month’s time, many were expecting the Biden Administration to step in with a solution. The White House elected to take no action. President Biden issued an executive order for abortion access and expansion under the protection of the 1987 Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) two weeks after the Supreme Court’s ruling. Vice President Kamala Harris’s comments after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade didn’t help the situation.

In a recent interview, Vice President Harris was asked if Democrats failed by not codifying Roe in the past 50 years.

“We should have rightly believed, but we certainly believed that certain issues are just settled,” she responded. While some legal issues are “settled,” as Ms. Harris puts it, strengthening those institutions by making them laws could have prevented the Supreme Court from even considering Roe v. Wade.

Overturning Roe and limiting abortion access has been a leading cause for the Republican Party for the past 50 years. The threat of a post-Roe world was a reality that lawmakers should have considered.

Will They Wake Up in Time?

The Democratic Party is a house divided against itself that struggles in deciding how to tackle its core issues: abortion, police reform, gun reform, minimum wage, and other core planks of the current platform. For example, the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that would codify the protections granted in Roe v Wade and Cassey, passed in the House in 2021, The bill failed to pass in the Senate when it was put to a vote after the Politico leak. The final vote, 49 -51, drew lines in the sand, especially with Senator Joe Manchin (D.W.V.), who joined Republicans in voted against passing the bill, despite previous claims that he would support a woman’s right to choose.

Senators Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema (R-AZ) have made a name for themselves in opposing much of Biden’s legislative agenda. Both senators are opposed to ending the filibuster, the one thing many people on both sides of the debate see as preventing the codification of Roe. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) endorsement of pro-abortion Democratic candidate Henry Cullelar, added to the mixed messages from Washington.

There is a considerable rift between the younger and older members of the Democratic Party. Studies show the younger generation tends to be more progressive while the older generation is more moderate. Progressives such as Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have proposed expanding the Supreme Court and for Congress to repeal the Hyde Amendment. Biden is against expanding the Court but formed a bipartisan commission to study potential changes to the Court when he was elected. Even if Democrats could do away with the filibuster, the Biden Administration is concerned that the Supreme Court would overturn any legislation passed in Congress.

Breaking News, National, Russia-Ukraine War

Port of Odesa hit by cruise missiles – Russia negotiated grain deal in bad faith – July 23, 2022 Ukraine update

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 3,068 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014. Here is our latest update.

Less than 24 hours after Russia and Ukraine signed agreements with Turkey and the United Nations to permit grain exports from the Ukrainian Black Sea Port, Port of Odesa, and Pivdennyi [South] Port, Kalibr cruise missiles launched by the Russian Black Sea fleet slammed into the Port of Odesa.

Russia and Ukraine did not sign an agreement between the two nations, instead signing separate agreements with Turkey and the United Nations, which would permit Ukraine to export up to 20 million tons of grain over the next 120 days. The agreement did not specify that Russia could not attack Ukrainian ports explicitly. However, with continued attacks, civilian port operations with cargo ships entering and exiting will be impossible.

Insurance rates for cargo vessels operating in the Black Sea have already skyrocketed, with over a dozen commercial vessels seized, bombed, or hit by Russian missiles since February 25 and one bulk carrier striking a mine.

Luhansk – The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russian troops tried to advance from the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery toward Verkhnokamyanske and were unsuccessful. Serhiy Haidai, Luhansk Regional State Administrative and Military head, reported that Ukraine still controls two settlements in the Luhansk Oblast.

Northeast Donetsk – Under-powered Russian units attempted to advance on Ivano-Daryivka through Spirne and were unsuccessful.

Russian forces fired artillery at civilians, civilian infrastructure, and Ukrainian military positions in Siversk, Hryhorivka, Ivano-Daryivka, Vyimka, and Spirne. The Russian air force also attacked Sprine.

Russian forces fired artillery at Ukrainian positions in Berestove. Also, they launched an air strike, indicating that elements of the 1st Army Corps of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) were pushed out of the settlement or never captured it as claimed on July 21.

Bakhmut – Terrorists with the Imperial Legion affiliated with the Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner Group made small advances into the southern part of Pokrovske. Limited fighting occurred near the Vuhlehirskaya Power Plant.

Artillery was fired on Bakhmut, Berestove, Bilohorivka [Donetsk], Pokrovske, and Vesela Dolyna.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia – Near Donetsk, elements of the 1st Army Corps of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) attempted to advance on Vodyane from Vesele.

HIMARS rockets struck an ammunition depot within the machinery plant in Russian-controlled Horlivka, northeast of Donetsk. Secondary explosions thundered across the city as the ammunition stored in the factory started to cook off.

In the south Donbas, there were artillery exchanges from Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Kherson – Russian state media claims Ukraine attacked the Antonovskiy Bridge for the third time, but there are no photos or videos to support the reports. Russian officials report they will not attempt to repair the bridge. Instead, they plan to build a pontoon bridge to the south. The bridge is reported to be severely damaged and will take too long to repair.

Ukraine, likely using HIMARS rockets, moderately damaged the Russian-controlled Darivka Bridge over the Inhulets River. The bridge is a critical water crossing on the 140-kilometer detour route for Russian armor and military supplies after the Antonovskiy Bridge was damaged in attacks earlier this week. Without the crossing, a large region of Russia-controlled Kherson will be cutoff from overland supply routes

Multiple reports are quoting different sources that up to 2,000 Russian troops are partially encircled in Vysokopillya.

Presidential advisor Aleksey Arestovych provided additional details during a television interview, which clarified the situation more. Arestovych reported that Russian forces are 75% encircled in Vysokopillya. On July 21, Russian forces attempted a breakout by heading south through the opening in the salient but were pushed back by Ukrainian artillery fire.

Arestovuch reported they are two Battalion Tactical Groups (BTG) trapped, with an estimated 1,000 troops blocked from leaving the town. He said that Ukraine would not offer a green corridor for evacuation but would likely demand their surrender.

Russian forces captured Oleksandrivka [Kherson] on the banks of the Dnipro River.

There are reports that Ukrainian forces have severed the T-2207 Ground Line of Communication (GLOC – aka supply line) south of Davydiv Brid.

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Zaporizhia – A video showed Russian tent barracks on the grounds of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar being attacked by kamikaze drones. The tents were located about 300 meters from the reactor blocks. Using a nuclear power plant for barracks and as a firebase to launch artillery and rockets represents a break from accepted military protocol, which considers nuclear power plants “no go” zones. Three Russian soldiers were killed and nine wounded in the attack. Additionally, a Grad Mulitple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), which was parked between two cooling towers for the plant, was damaged in the attack. The video and pictures published after the strike show that no part of the nuclear power plant was damaged.

Kharkiv – North of Kharkiv city, Russian forces attempted a ground assault on Udy and there were skirmishes in Tsupivka and Dementiivka.

Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that Russian forces fired Urgan rockets from Multiple Launch Rocket systems into the Saltivka district of Kharkiv again, killing two.

Southeast of Kharkiv, the settlements of Chuhuiv, Stara Hnylytsia, Rtishchivka, Pushkarne, and Lebyazhe were shelled.

Izyum – For the second day in a row, Russian forces did not launch any offensive operations along the Izyum axis. In Prydonetske, Ukrainian artillery destroyed an entire artillery company, including eight 152mm towed howitzers, ammunition, and command and control. Prydonetske is located east of Izyum in the area Russians call “Sherwood forest.”

Sumy – Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, head of the Sumy Military Administration, reported that Shalyginsk and Krasnopil were shelled.

Odesa – Four Kalibr cruise missiles fired by the Russian Black Sea Fleet targeted the Port of Odesa, with two striking the facility. Serhii Bratchuk, an Odesa Military administration spokesperson, said two missiles hit the port, and Ukraine’s air defense shot down two. The port suffered moderate damage, and a fire broke out, but the missiles missed the grain silos. The attack came less than 24 hours after Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement with Turkey and the United Nations to provide safe corridors for grain exports. The reaction from officials was swift and furious.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres “unequivocally” condemned the attack through a spokesperson.

“Yesterday, all parties made clear commitments on the global stage to ensure the safe movement of Ukrainian grain and related products to global markets. These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people in need around the globe. Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Türkiye is imperative.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “This indicates only one thing: no matter what Russia says and promises, it will find ways how not to fulfill it. Geopolitically, with weapons, bloody or not, but it has several vectors, [this is] how it always acts.”

“That’s all you need to know about deals with Russia,” Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas added on Twitter. The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said the bloc “strongly condemns” the attack.

People’s Deputy Oleksiy Honcharenko wrote on Telegram, “There is a fire in the port of Odesa. Here is a grain corridor for you. These bastards are signing contracts with one hand and sending missiles with the other.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleh Nikolenko wrote, “It took less than 24 hours for the Russian Federation to launch a missile strike on the territory of the city of Odesa to question the agreement, and the promises it made to the UN and Turkey in the document signed yesterday in Istanbul.”

“The Russian missile is Vladimir Putin spitting in the face of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep Erdoğan, who made a huge effort to reach the deal, and to whom Ukraine is grateful.”

The US Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A. Brink, called the Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa “outrageous,” writing, “Russia strikes the port city of Odesa less than 24 hours after signing an agreement to allow shipments of agricultural exports. The Kremlin continues to weaponize food. Russia must be held to account.”.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Saturday that Russia claimed it had “nothing to do” with the strikes.

“It really concerned us that such an event happened after we signed the deal on grain shipments. We are disturbed as well. But we continue to fulfill our responsibilities about this agreement, and we also expressed in our meetings that we are in favor of the parties to continue their cooperation here calmly and patiently,” said Akar.

Kirovohrad – The Kanatove air force base on the outskirts of Kropyvnytskyi was hit with up to 13 Russian cruise missiles, causing significant damage, killing three and wounding nine. The attack was a joint operation between the Russian air force and navy, with five Kh-22 cruise missiles launched by Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and eight Kalibr cruise missiles fired by the Black Sea Fleet hitting the region. Cruise missiles also slammed into the railroad facilities at Ukrzaliznytsia. An electrical substation was also targeted, knocking out electrical power in parts of the oblast capital of Kropyvnytskyi.

Daily Assessment

  1. Russian forces cannot assemble adequate combat strength to launch significant offensive operations in Ukraine.
  2. Ground offensives by Russian forces have become fewer and smaller a week after the “operational pause” was declared over.
  3. It is unlikely that Russian forces will be capable of taking the initiative in the next three to six weeks anywhere in Ukraine.

To read the rest of our report, become a Patreon! For as little as $5 a month, you get access to the daily Russia-Ukraine War Situation Report. The report provides analysis, maps, detailed information about all the axes in Ukraine, international developments, information about war crimes and human rights, and economic news. As an added benefit, you get access to flash reports, breaking news, and our Discord server.

Become a Patreon today!

Five Facts, National

Hyundai subsidiary under investigation for using child labor in Alabama

Five Fast Facts

  • SMART Alabama LLC, a majority-owned unit of Hyundai, supplies parts for the Elantra and Sonata sedans and Santa Fe SUV
  • The metal stamping plant in Luverne, Alabama, has a history of OSHA workplace safety violations
  • Current and former employees spoke with Reuters on condition of anonymity and reported working with obvious minors
  • A set of siblings aged 12, 13, and 15 are verified to have worked in the manufacturing plant where a minimum age of 18 is required for employment by federal law
  • The local police do not have jurisdiction to investigate labor-law violations and have reported their findings to the Alabama attorney general’s office
  • The Hyundai subsidiary released a statement saying it did not knowingly violate any laws and relies on temporary work agencies to fill jobs

[LUVERNE, Al,] — A subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co has used child labor at a plant that supplies parts for the Korean carmaker’s assembly line in nearby Montgomery, Alabama, according to area police, the family of three underage workers, and eight former and current employees of the factory.

Underage workers, in some cases as young as 12, have recently worked at a metal stamping plant operated by SMART Alabama LLC, these people said. SMART, listed by Hyundai in corporate filings as a majority-owned unit, supplies parts for some of the most popular cars and SUVs built by the automaker in Montgomery, its flagship U.S. assembly plant…

You can read more at Reuters.

National, Russia-Ukraine War

Russia-Ukraine War becomes a frozen front – July 22, 2022 Ukraine update

2 Comments

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 3,067 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014. Here is our latest update.

Luhansk – Russian troops tried to advance from the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery toward Verkhnokamyanske and were unsuccessful. Ukrainian forces are well entrenched on the ridges west of the plant, enabling effective artillery fire in the valley that has to be crossed to reach Verkhnokamyanske.

Serhiy Haidai, the Luhansk Regional State Administrative and Military Governor, reported that artillery fire has intensified, and Russian forces are throwing their tank reserves into battle in an attempt to advance from the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery.

Northeast Donetsk – Russian forces attempted to advance on Hryhorivka, likely from Zolotarivka, and were unsuccessful.

Under-powered Russian units attempted to advance on Spirne and Ivano-Daryivka. The platoon-sized units suffered heavy losses and retreated to previously established defensive lines.

Russian forces fired artillery at Ukrainian positions in Berestove. Also, they launched an air strike, indicating that elements of the 1st Army Corps of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) were pushed out of the settlement or never captured it as claimed on July 21.

Bakhmut – Near Bakhmut, Russian forces attempted to advance on Ukrainian positions in Stryapivka, supported by the Russian air force. They were unsuccessful.

Fighting continued in the Svitlodarsk bulge, but Russian attacks have been getting smaller over the last two weeks. Under-staffed platoons attempted to advance on Vershyna and the Vuhlehirskaya Power Plant from Myronivka. Neither attack was successful and Russian forces suffered heavy losses.

A second advance attempted to push Ukrainian forces out of Novoluhanske and Dolomitne and was also unsuccessful, with poorly trained and under-staffed platoons suffering heavy losses.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia – In the south Donbas, there were scattered artillery exchanges from Horlivka to Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Kherson – In Kherson, Russian forces are attempting to stop the flow of Ukrainian forces over the Inhulets River and have been unsuccessful. Russian forces advanced from Mala Seidemynukha toward Andriivka and were pushed back.

Russian forces also advanced from Davydiv Brid toward Bilohirka and were unsuccessful.

There are social media reports that Russian forces are encircled in Vysokopillya. Our team is surprised there is still a sizeable Russian presence in the settlement. We had determined that continued occupation was untenable in late June due. However, we don’t see how other analysts concluded that there is an encirclement of Russian troops in Vysokopillya.

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Dnipropetrovsk – Nikopol was attacked with rockets fired by MLRS for the fourth day in a row. Up to 100 rockets hit the city, causing widespread damage and killing one person. Eleven homes were damaged, along with the railroad line that serves the city, natural gas, and water lines.

Kharkiv – Russian troops attempted to advance on Pytomnyk for the second day in a row. The advance was unsuccessful. The settlements of Udy, Zolochiv, Slatyne, Ruska Lozova, Petrivka, Dementiivka, Velyka Babka, and Rubizhne [Kharkiv] were hit by artillery.

Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that Russian forces fired Urgan rockets from Multiple Launch Rocket systems into the Saltivka district of Kharkiv again, killing two.

Southeast of Kharkiv, the settlements of Chuhuiv, Stara Hnylytsia, Rtishchivka, Pushkarne, and Lebyazhe were shelled.

Izyum – Russian forces did not launch any offensive operations along the Izyum axis.

Sumy – Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, head of the Sumy Military Administration, reported that Bilopol, Znob-Novogorod, and Shalyginsk were hit by mortar fire and self-propelled grenades from Russian forces firing from across the international border. There were no injuries or damage reported.

Daily Assessment

  1. Russian forces cannot assemble adequate combat strength to launch significant offensive operations in Ukraine. The lack of combat activity is significant.
  2. Russian forces have been incapable of holding territorial gains made after July 4 and are consistently pushed back within one to seven days of making any new advances.
  3. It is unlikely that Russian forces will be capable of taking the initiative in the next three to six weeks anywhere in Ukraine.

To read the rest of our report, become a Patreon! For as little as $5 a month, you get access to the daily Russia-Ukraine War Situation Report. The report provides analysis, maps, detailed information about all the axes in Ukraine, international developments, information about war crimes and human rights, and economic news. As an added benefit, you get access to flash reports, breaking news, and our Discord server.

Become a Patreon today!

Breaking News, Health and Lifestyle, National

Eradicated in 1979, community spread of polio returns to the United States

[Albany, N.Y.] – MTN The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Rockland County Department of Health reported the first case of community transmission polio since 1979 in the United States, hospitalizing a New York state resident.

The person was identified as a young adult with no travel history outside of the United States and was hospitalized with paralytic polio. The individual has been released from the hospital, but officials did not indicate if they are experiencing long-term complications.

The NYSDOH reported the Centers for Disease Control sequenced the virus infecting the person and identified it as the Sabin type 2 virus. “This is indicative of a transmission chain from an individual who received the oral polio vaccine, which is no longer authorized or administered in the U.S.,” the official stated.

“This suggests that the virus may have originated in a location outside of the U.S. where the oral polio vaccine is administered since…strains cannot emerge from inactivated vaccines.”

Polio still exists in several countries, and the U.S. Department of Defense and the CDC recommend a poliovirus booster for anyone traveling to those regions. Polio is highly contagious, with 98% of cases presenting as asymptomatic.

Most people who become symptomatic get mild flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, fever, headache, stiffness, muscle pain, and vomiting. The poliomyelitis virus thrives in the gut, and it can take 30 days before an infected person become symptomatic. During the incubation period when someone is infected, the carrier is contagious. This creates silent community transmission that can rapidly spread. Transmission through common swimming areas and in warm, damp areas is enhanced. In the 1950s and 1960s, communities would close swimming pools and other common areas and go into lockdown to stop the spread.

In less than 2% of cases, poliomyelitis moves into the nervous system and spine, which can cause extreme weakness and paralysis, occasionally leading to death. Symptoms are worse for people who are older.

In 1953 over 30,000 Americans were hospitalized, and 3,200 died from a surge in polio cases, which led to the development of a vaccine that was hailed a miracle of science in 1955. Polio was declared eradicated in the United States in 1979, and the use of attenuated live virus vaccinations for poliomyelitis ended in 2000.

“Many of you may be too young to remember polio, but when I was growing up, this disease struck fear in families, including my own,” Rockland County Executive Ed Day said. “The fact that it is still around decades after the vaccine was created shows you just how relentless it is. Do the right thing for your child and the greater good of your community and have your child vaccinated now.”

The NYSDOH is coordinating with the Rockland County Department of Health and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) to continue the case investigation, proactively respond, and protect communities against the spread through urging vaccination, which this multi-agency, county-led effort will support.

National, Russia-Ukraine War

Renewed Russian offensive sputters – July 21, 2022 Ukraine update

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 3,066 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014. Here is our latest update.

Luhansk – There was no change in territorial control in the Luhansk oblast. Bilhorivka and Zolotarivka remain contested.

Luhansk Regional State Administrative and Military Governor Serhiy Haidai reported that Russian forces shelled Bilohorivka for hours, hit the town with missiles, and launched an air strike. He stated that the rate of artillery fire increased significantly compared to the previous day.

Northeast Donetsk – The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russian forces attempted to advance on Hryhorivka, likely from Zolotarivka, and were unsuccessful.

Russian forces attempted to advance on Spirne and were unsuccessful. The Headquarters of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic militia reported that elements of the 1st Army Corps had captured Berestove, located on the Bakhmut-Lysychansk T-1302 Highway.

Bakhmut – Russian forces did not attempt to advance on Bakhmut. The settlements of Bakhmut, Soledar, Vesela Dolyna, Yakovlivka, and Pokrovske were shelled. The Russian air force launched air strikes on Pokrovske.

Fighting continued in the Svitlodarsk bulge in the area of the Vuhlehirskaya Power Plant. Ukrainian and Russian sources reported continued fighting in the bulge. The Russian air force attacked the settlement of Kodema.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia – Russian forces attempted to advance on Novoselivka Druha, Novomykhailivka and continued to fight in the contested settlement of Mykilske. None of the advances were successful. Ukrainian forces liberated the settlement of Mykilske, where fighting continues.

Otherwise, there were scattered artillery exchanges from Horlivka to Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Kherson – The damage to the Russian-controlled Antonovskiy Bridge over the Dnipro River is significant and will impact commercial and military traffic. Volodymyr Saldo, the self-proclaimed head of the administration of the Russian-occupied Kherson region, said that the bridge would only be open to car traffic due to the damage and to start repairs. Trucks and freight will have to cross the Dnipro River at the only remaining Russian-controlled bridge at the Kakhovska Hydroelectric Power Plant, about 45 kilometers east. Russian military supplies moving overland now have to take a 140-kilometer detour.

Rockets fired from HIMARS hit a Russian facility in Skadovsk on the Black Sea. It is unclear what the target was, but a large fire was burning after the strike.

Operational Command South reported that Russian forces attempted to push Ukrainian forces out of Andriivka and Lozove and were unsuccessful, indicating that Ukrainian troops had liberated Andriivka in the past three to ten days.

Mykolaiv – Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkovych reported that the city was hit by seven S-300 surface-to-air missiles being used as a surface-to-surface weapon. One missile hit a gas pipeline near a service station, and there was one casualty.

Kharkiv – Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that a small group of Russian troops attempted to advance on Pytomnyk, north of Kharkiv. The advance was unsuccessful. The settlements of Stary Saltiv, Petrivka, Ruska Tyshki, Dementiivka, and Tsyrkuny were hit by artillery.

Russian forces destroyed a mosque in Kharkiv during a rocket attack on July 20. There weren’t any casualties, but the mosque was heavily damaged.

Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that a Russian rocket hit a bus stop in Saltivka, killing three people.

About 80 kilometers southeast of Kharkiv, the settlement of Rtyshchivka was hit by a Russian air strike. Further north, the town of Pechenihy was hit by artillery.

Izyum – Russian forces attempted to advance on Bohorodychne, southeast of Izyum and were unsuccessful. The settlements of Dibrovne, Krasnopillya, Chepil, and Adamivka were hit by artillery fire. Russian forces also shelled Slovyansk, Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka.

Sumy – Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, head of the Sumy Military Administration, reported that Shalyhyne was attacked by Grad rockets fired from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). One person was injured in the attack. The settlements of Esman, Bilopolska, and Novoslobidska were attacked by artillery and mortars.

Daily Assessment

  1. Russian forces cannot assemble adequate combat strength to launch significant offensive operations in Ukraine, with combat power severely degraded after the battles for Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, and Hirske-Zolote.
  2. Since July 4, Russian forces have made little progress in the Donbas while losing ground north of Slovyansk and in the Zaporizhia and Kherson oblasts.
  3. Russian forces to the west of the Dnipro River are connected by two bridges – one for rail and one for road traffic – the intact bridge over the river is not a viable target due to the risk of damaging the hydroelectric dam, but there are other locations where interdiction is possible.

To read the rest of our report, become a Patreon! For as little as $5 a month, you get access to the daily Russia-Ukraine War Situation Report. The report provides analysis, maps, detailed information about all the axes in Ukraine, international developments, information about war crimes and human rights, and economic news. As an added benefit, you get access to flash reports, breaking news, and our Discord server.

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Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

988 rolls out as national suicide and crisis lifeline number

[OLYMPIA, Wash.] – MTN – You can now dial 988 in the United States for assistance with: thoughts of suicide, Mental health crises, substance use crises, or any other kind of emotional distress.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted the new, nationwide, easy-to-remember, three-digit number in 2020. As of July 16, 2022, people experiencing a mental health crisis, or those worried about a loved one going through a crisis, can call, text, or chat 988 via cell phone, landline, or voice-over-internet device and be connected to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The current NSPL number (1-800-273-TALK (8255)) will continue to be in service; the new three-digit number is intended to be easier to remember and access in times of crisis.

Depending on which area code communication to 988 is made from, the connection will be routed to one of three designated crisis call center hubs. This is the newest addition to the state’s network of crisis care providers and doesn’t replace existing centers.

Washington is one of 21 states that have passed legislation linked to the launch of the new 988 system. Only two other states have joined Washington in legislating a funding source for the services in their states. Washington established a telcom tax as part of House Bill 1477 (E2SHB 1477), which also outlines standards, rules, oversight, integration, follow-up, and accountability.

Ultimately, the 988 system is designed to expand mobile crisis response teams, including trained mental health professionals, to respond to individuals around the state. Sponsors of the bill have voiced their hope that such teams can eliminate the need for armed law enforcement to respond. However, there are still times that activation of an EMS or law enforcement response may be necessary, such as in the case of an active suicide attempt.

Additionally, part of the legislation requires health insurance providers within the state to establish, by January 1, 2023, a system making next-day appointments available to their enrollees with urgent, symptomatic behavioral health conditions. Further, a Crisis Response Improvement Strategy Committee has been established to develop recommendations to the governor’s office and legislature to support additional needs as identified and outlined in HB 1477.

If you or someone you care for needs resources for mental health crises, suicidal thoughts, substance use crises, or other emotional distress, the below services are always available.

Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

Veteran’s Crisis Line: Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255

Teen Link: 1.866.TEENLINK (833.6546)

The Trevor Project: 1.866.488.7386

National, Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine strikes Antonovskiy Bridge in Kherson again – July 20, 2022 Ukraine update

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 21 weeks since the start of the Russia-Ukraine War and 3,065 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014.

Luhansk – Luhansk Regional State Administrative and Military Governor Serhiy Haidai reported that Russian forces still have not fully secured the oblast. Fighting for control of Bilohorivka and Zolotarivka continues.

Russian forces attempted to advance on Verkhnokamyanske from the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery and the southern edge of Zolotarivka, from the T-1302 Highway, north of the railroad yard. Fighting in eastern Verkhnokamyanske continued, with Russian and Ukrainian sources calling it intense. Russian forces hit Ukrainian positions with artillery, rockets from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and air strikes.

In Luhansk, fighting near the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery and for control of Bilohorivka continued. Russian forces attempted to advance from the Zolotarivka area toward Verknokamyanske, Serebryanka, and Bilhorivka and were unsuccessful. Russian armor remains pinned at the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery.

Russian forces continue to attempt to push Ukraine out of Bilohorivka after its partial liberation on July 13 and have not been successful. Serhiy Haidai reported that Russian forces attacked Bilohorivka overnight in a rare night offensive and were unsuccessful.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russian forces attempted to advance on Hryhorivka, with Haidai reporting that the reconnaissance in force group advanced from Zolotarivka. The advance was unsuccessful and suffered heavy losses.

Northeast Donetsk – Russian forces attempted to advance on Spirne and Ivano-Darivka and were unsuccessful. To the south, Russian forces attempted to advance on Berestove and Bilohorivka [Donetsk] and were unsuccessful.

In southwest Donetsk, there were scattered artillery exchanges from Horlivka to Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Bakhmut – Russian forces did not attempt to advance on Bakhmut. Terrorists with the Imperial Legion with Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner Group dug in on the southern edge of Pokrovske.

Fighting continued in the Svitlodarsk bulge in the area of the power plant. Pro-Russian social media accounts reported that Ukrainian forces launched a night attack from the plant in an unspecified direction and were unsuccessful. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russian forces attempted to advance on the power plant and were also unsuccessful.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia – In southwest Donetsk, there were scattered artillery exchanges from Horlivka to Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

The settlement of Hulyaipole was shelled by Russian forces causing major damage in the downtown region. The city has been shelled almost daily since March.

Kherson – Ukraine targeted the Antonovskiy Bridge a second time with a barrage of 12 rocket fired from NATO-provided HIMARS, hitting the critical Ground Line of Communication (GLOC – supply line) 11 times. Occupation leaders described the condition of the bridge as “poor.” Russian state media reported extensive damage to a concentrated area of the bridge deck, with several holes through the structure. Cars were still able to pass, but officials announced the bridge would be close to traffic for several days.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims five missiles were fired and four were impacted, but several videos showed three explosions on and just adjacent to the bridge. The bridge is the primary road connection across the Dnipro River, connecting the western and eastern regions of the Kherson oblast. The bridge was moderately damaged in the attack but is likely still serviceable.

A Russian Su-35 fighter plane was shot down near Nova Kakhovka. Initially, it was reported Ukraine shot down the aircraft near Lyubymivka by Nova Kakhovka. Russian social media accounts claimed it was a friendly fire incident. The Ukrainian Air Forces confirmed overnight a surface-to-air missile shot down the aircraft. The pilot was able to eject and landed in Russian-controlled territory.

Operational Command South reported that Russian positions in Snihurivka were hit by an air strike, destroying an ammunition depot.

Pro-Russian social media accounts reported that Ukraine had liberated Arkhanhelske along the east bank of the Inhulets River. Ukrainian government officials have been reluctant to release detailed information on combat operations to protect operational security.

Fighting continued near Snihurivka, with the Ukrainian air force attacking Russian positions.

Dnipropetrovsk – Russian forces fired Grad rockets from MLRS into civilian areas of Nikopol. More than 30 rockets hit houses and apartments, killing two and wounding nine. Ukrainian forces apparently retaliated by launching two “kamikaze” drones at Russian positions within the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. There were reports that two Russian soldiers were in the drone attack, and smoke was seen rising from near the compound.

Kharkiv – Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that a small group of Russian troops attempted to advance on Udy, northwest of Kharkiv. The platoon size group suffered heavy losses and retreated across the international border.

Izyum – Russian forces did not attempt to advance south of Izyum, relying on artillery to shell Dibrovne, Novomykolaivka, Velyka Komyshuvakha, Dolyna, Chepil, Semylanne, Hrushuvakha, Adamivka, Barvinkove, Bohorodychne, Arkhanhelivka, and Nova Dmytrivka.

A Russian missile killed one person when it hit the center of Kramatorsk and badly damaged an apartment building.

Near Lyman, Russian forces shelled Raihorodok.

Sumy – The settlements of Mykolaiv [Sumy], Bilopolska, Novoslobidska, Khotynska, and Esman was shelled by Russian forces from across the international border.

Odesa – Black Sea – A warehouse filled with debris in the port of Odesa was hit by a Russian Kh-59 cruise missile fired by a Su-35 aircraft over the Black Sea. The warehouse was a total loss, but there were no injuries. Russian state media claimed the warehouse was an ammunition depot for NATO-provided weapons and munitions, but there were no secondary explosions, and the fire, which sent clouds of black smoke over the city, was quickly extinguished.

Daily Assessment

  1. It has been four days since the operational pause “ended,” and Russian forces have been unable to gain territory.
  2. There are growing questions on how much combat strength Russian forces have left in Ukraine, given the inability to muster attacks with groups larger than a company with adequate armor, artillery, and air support.
  3. While Russia is setting conditions to advance on Siversk, Ukraine is setting conditions for a broader counteroffensive in Kherson.

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National, Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine devastates Russian positions in Kherson using HIMARS – July 19, 2022 Ukraine update

[KYIV, Ukraine] – MTN It has been 3,064 days since Russia occupied Crimea on February 27, 2014.

Russian Minister of Defense General Sergei Shogui ordered Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov to prioritize destroying Ukrainian artillery and “long-range missile” systems as NATO-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) wreak havoc on Russian Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC – supply lines) and logistics. With Russian forces losing ground north of Slovyansk and suffering from Special Operation Forces (SOF) and artillery attacks in the forests west of Izyum, Shogui had indicated that Slovyansk was not the next target for the Russian military. It is more likely that Siversk and Bakhmut in the northeastern part of the Donetsk oblast are where Russia will focus next.

Luhansk – In Luhansk, fighting near the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery and for control of Bilohorivka continued. Russian forces attempted to advance from the Zolotarivka area toward Verknokamyanske, Serebryanka, and Bilhorivka and were unsuccessful. Russian armor remains pinned at the Verkhnokamyanka oil refinery.

Northeast Donetsk – Russian forces did not attempt to advance on Berestove or Bilohorivka [Donetsk] and held their positions near Spirne. They relied on artillery, rocket fire from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and air strikes.

In southwest Donetsk, there were scattered artillery exchanges from Horlivka to Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Bakhmut – The most intense fighting continues to be in the Svitlodarsk bulge for control of the Vuhledar Power Plant. Russian forces tried to advance from Myronivka toward the power plant and were unsuccessful.

Southwest Donetsk – Zaporizhia – In southwest Donetsk, there were scattered artillery exchanges from Horlivka to Donetsk city to Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk Oblast and Hulyaipole to Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia Oblast.

Self-declared leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Denis Pushilin claimed that Russian forces had advanced north of Avdiivka, cutting off the GLOC to the embattled city and creating a partial encirclement. Russian FSB Colonel and former commander of the 1st Army Corps of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Igor Girkin, dismissed the claim, noting that the DNR doesn’t have the combat power for an offensive of this scale.

Kherson – Ukraine targeted the Antonovskiy Bridge with rockets fired from HIMARS, hitting the critical GLOC at least twice. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims five missiles were fired and four were impacted, but several videos showed three explosions on and just adjacent to the bridge. The bridge is the primary road connection across the Dnipro River, connecting the western and eastern regions of the Kherson oblast. The bridge was moderately damaged in the attack but is likely still serviceable.

HIMARS rockets hit an ammunition depot in Raiske, west of Nova Khakovka, producing secondary explosions. A second HIMARS strike destroyed a Russian barracks and logistics center near the hydroelectric plant on the bank of the Dnipro River. Another Russian ammunition depot in Beryslav on the north bank of the Dnipro River was also destroyed.

Operational Command South reported that Russian positions in Snihurivka were hit by an air strike, destroying an ammunition depot.

There was heavy fighting in Arkhanhelske, with Pro-Russian accounts reporting Ukraine had almost taken full control of the settlement.

Dnipropetrovsk – Dmytro Orlov, the exiled mayor of Enerhodar, reported that nine Russian soldiers stationed at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had been hospitalized after an “incident,” and several others had died. The European Commission Joint Research Center Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring map showed that radiation levels were normal across Ukraine.

Kharkiv – Ukrainian Armed Forces SOF raided Dementiivka north of Kharkiv, pushing Russian forces out of the settlement, killing 36 soldiers and capturing one. Ukrainian military leaders claim they captured the Russian unit commander with the Northern Fleet Russian Navy naval infantry.

In the settlement of Chuhuiv southeast of Kharkiv, an apartment building was hit by a Russian missile. The village of Lebyazhe and the town of Pechenihy were shelled.

Izyum – Southwest of Izyum, Russian forces were pushed further back from Dibrovne to the southern edge of Sulyhivka and liberated Brazhkivka.

Odesa – Black Sea – Northwest of Odesa, the settlement of Dachne was hit by several Kalibr cruise missiles launched from the Black Sea. Pro-Russian accounts claim the target was Ukrainian command and control and ammunition depot. There weren’t any secondary explosions from the strike. Pro-Russian account Rybar reported that a cruise missile also hit the already severely damaged and defunct Zatoka bridge. Officials in Odesa reported six were wounded but no fatalities.

Daily Assessment

  1. Russian forces appear to be struggling to renew large-scale combat operations three days after the operational pause ended.
  2. The Russian Ministry of Defense is holding off on an offensive to capture Slovyansk after declaring it was a priority on March 25.
  3. Selecting Siversk and Bakhmut as the first targets for the renewed Russian offensives indicates that troop strength remains weak.

To read the rest of our report, become a Patreon! For as little as $5 a month, you get access to the daily Russia-Ukraine War Situation Report. The report provides analysis, maps, detailed information about all the axes in Ukraine, international developments, information about war crimes and human rights, and economic news. As an added benefit, you get access to flash reports, breaking news, and our Discord server.

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