The Ukrainian military announced on Monday that they had reclaimed strategically crucial oil and gas drilling platforms from Russia in the Black Sea. It also shared information about the territorial gains in war-battered zones closer to Bakhmut, an eastern Ukrainian city that carries the scars of the most extensive and lethal combat of the war.
Upon the successful seizure of the so-named Boyko Towers platforms, Ukraine now has access to a valuable source of energy, and an asset that Russia took hold of in 2015, which had been leveraged to dispatch helicopters, as reported by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
As stated by the Main Intelligence Directorate, “Russia’s ability to fully govern the Black Sea waters has come to an end. This development brings Ukraine significantly closer to reclaiming Crimea.”
The Russian Defense Ministry remained silent about these recent Ukrainian claims, after having previously stated that several Ukrainian speedboats were decimated by Russian air force in that area.
Russian military bloggers contended that the platforms had been deserted for over a year, and a past effort by Ukrainian forces to establish a temporary military presence there last month resulted in significant losses for Ukraine. These reports remain unverified.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, committed to reclaiming Crimea, which was snatched by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. He calls upon international alliances to back his efforts.
Amidst these alleged advancements on the front, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was headed towards Russia for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting, announced by their respective nations, may explore the potentiality of North Korea supplying arms to replenish Russia’s dwindling stockpile.
U.S. intelligence, released last week, signaled that North Korea and Russia were planning a Putin-Kim meeting this month, aiming to strengthen their collaboration against escalating tensions with the United States.
In an notable visit to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed Germany’s encouragement for Ukraine’s path to European Union membership. She also spoke of the necessity for further reforms within the nation.
Pledging her country’s support, Baerbock stated, “Ukraine, with its immense courage and resolve, is defending our shared liberty. We stand by Ukraine as it stands for us.” She assured Ukraine of continued military, economic, and humanitarian aid, which so far amounts to 22 billion euros ($23.6 million).
Whilst celebrating the judicial and media reforms undertaken by Ukraine, Baerbock acknowledged the ongoing struggle to root out corruption within the country.
Meanwhile, on the battlefront, Ukrainian military has freed a section of the Donetsk province town of Optyne and is moving towards Klishchiivka and Andriivka, two towns south of Bakhmut, according to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar.
Ukraine also made strides in the Zaporizhzhia province, with primary counter-offensive forces gradually overcoming Russian fortifications and dense minefields to seize control of Tokmak, a critical node for Russian logistics and a key railway junction. Malyar spoke of the liberation of Robotyne, another town in the same province, last month.
In a recent development, Russian forces attacked Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s birthplace, in the Dnipropetrovsk province with drone strikes overnight, as reported by Ukrainian authorities.
Following these incidents, the Black Sea platforms were retaken by Ukraine after the U.K. Ministry of Defense reported naval and air skirmishes two weeks ago.
The U.K. Foreign Office cited intelligence which indicated that Russian forces had targeted a Liberian-flagged cargo ship docked at the Black Sea port of Odesa with several missiles on August 24. This marked an escalation after Moscow’s withdrawal in July, from a key agreement that allowed Ukraine to safely export grain via the Black Sea. The retaliatory missiles aimed at Odesa were reportedly shot down by Ukrainian forces.
The ongoing conflict began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine 18 months ago, following which Putin illegally annexed four provinces—Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia—in September 2022. As Moscow attempts to tighten their grip, voting for Kremlin-installed legislatures commenced last week in the usurped territories that Russia does not yet fully control.
Russia’s Central Election Commission reported on Monday that United Russia, the country’s ruling party, topped the polls in the four Ukrainian regions and in Crimea.