Ukraine Loses Over 180 Military in Donetsk Direction in Past Day - MoD

©Sputnik/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky/Go to the mediabank

Ukraine has lost more than 180 military in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Russian armed forces have repelled five attacks by Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk direction over the past day, four attacks and counterattacks in the Kupyansk direction, three attacks each in South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, and two in the Krasny Lyman direction.

In the Kupyansk direction, Kiev has lost over 165 military, the ministry said, adding that another 1150 military were lost in the Krasny Lyman direction.

Ukraine launched its much-touted counteroffensive in early June after repeatedly delaying the campaign over a lack of military supplies from its Western donors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that progress was "slower than desired."

West can’t defeat Russia – Vucic

All Western efforts to help Ukraine prevail over Russia on the battlefield are in vain, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday, calling on Moscow and Kiev to engage in peace talks.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addresses a special parliament session to inform MPs about the latest negotiating process with Kosovo.
©ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP

Speaking to Happy TV, Vucic stated that while Western countries are providing Ukraine with massive military assistance, “now it is clear that there is nothing to it,” and an “easy end” to the conflict is nowhere in sight.

“A war of attrition is being waged, and with all the strength of the West, Russia will not be defeated on the battlefield,” the Serbian leader opined.

Vucic noted that while he is “not sure what Russia has to gain politically,” a truce between Russia and Ukraine would be the best outcome. “I see initiatives coming from some Arab countries, I hope that something will bring us closer to peace,” the president said, adding that a cessation of hostilities would also be in the interests of US President Joe Biden, who is up for reelection in 2024.

“The economy would immediately flourish; energy prices would drop dramatically. Everything would be much easier. I think he knows that the key issue in the US election is the economy,” Vucic said.

He also stated that the same would be true for Russia and Ukraine, which the president believes are “exhausted,” although he noted that Moscow was holding up under Western sanctions “better than many expected.”

In June, the Serbian leader warned of a possible escalation in the Ukraine conflict, saying that Kiev’s much-touted offensive – which Russia claims has failed to gain any ground – could trigger a strong response from Moscow.

Vucic’s comments come after a recent Saudi-hosted summit in Jeddah attended by officials from some 40 countries. While the list included Ukraine, some of its Western backers such as the US and the UK, and Moscow’s partners from the BRICS group (Brazil, India, China and South Africa), Russia itself was not invited. Moscow has argued that without its participation, any peace talks are pointless.

While the summit did not end with an official communique, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine refrained from pushing its peace formula requiring the withdrawal of Russian troops from all territory Kiev claims as its own. Ukraine, however, denied that it had given up on its plan, which rejects any compromise on the ground with Moscow.

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Trump And Aide plead not Guilty in Documents Case

President Donald J. Trump was allowed to forgo appearing for a second arraignment in the documents case. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

Former President Donald J. Trump and a longtime aide, Walt Nauta, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to additional criminal charges in the case accusing Mr. Trump of illegally holding on to secret national security documents after leaving office and conspiring to obstruct the government’s efforts to retrieve them

Donald Trump and one of his two co-defendants on Thursday pleaded not guilty in federal court to multiple charges alleging that the former president kept classified documents at his Florida property and, with the help of aides, tried to hide some of the material from government officials seeking to get them back.

Trump entered his plea through his attorneys and was not present at the hearing. Federal prosecutors had initially accused him of committing 37 crimes in an indictment filed in June and he pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors added three additional charges in a July superseding indictment. Trump pleaded not guilty to those charges through his attorney on Thursday.

Waltine “Walt” Nauta, Trump’s aide, attended the Thursday court hearing and also pleaded not guilty. He faced six charges in the initial indictment alongside Trump and was charged with two additional crimes in the superseding indictment.

The third defendant, Carlos De Oliveira, property manager at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, was charged for the first time in the superseding indictment. He was expected to enter his plea to four counts Thursday for his alleged role in a scheme with Trump and Nauta to try to delete security footage that revealed Mar-a-Lago workers moving boxes of government materials that federal officials had already demanded be returned.

De Oliveira was not arraigned because a Florida-based attorney had not yet notified the court that they are representing De Oliveira — a requirement for arraignments in South Florida federal courts.

De Oliveira had a Florida-based criminal defense attorney with him at the hearing: Donnie Murrell. U.S. Magistrate Judge Shaniek Maynard said during the 10-minute proceeding that she could not accept a plea until Murrell filed notice with the court that he was representing De Oliveira.

Murrell said he was nearly ready to file notice. Maynard ordered Murrell and De Oliveira’s Washington-based lawyer, John Irving, to return to court Tuesday to enter a plea on the Trump employee’s behalf.

This was the second time De Oliveira showed up to court but could not be arraigned. He made an initial court appearance in a South Florida courthouse last week but was unable to enter his plea because he did not have a lawyer accredited to practice in Florida.

Federal judges in Florida have prohibited the three defendants from speaking to witnesses about the facts of the investigation as conditions of their release while they await trial. Led by special counsel Jack Smith, federal prosecutors have accused Trump of 32 counts of illegally retaining national defense information and deceiving investigators.

The charges against Nauta and De Oliveira focus on obstruction of the investigation and lying to investigators. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon has scheduled the trial to begin in late May.

Trump was indicted on state charges this year in New York and is scheduled to stand trial there in March. Smith’s team also charged Trump this month in a separate case on his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Trump is a candidate to be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, and his attorneys asked Cannon to take into account his busy campaign schedule.

Cannon set the trial date before prosecutors filed the superseding indictment, and it is still unclear if adding the third co-defendant will delay the case.

De Oliveira’s attorneys are weeks behind Trump’s and Nauta’s legal teams in reviewing the government’s evidence as part of the discovery process. Prosecutors have said in court filings that there’s ample time for them to get up to speed.

The documents case will be tried under the rules of the Classified Information Procedures Act, or CIPA — a law that spells out pretrial steps that must be taken to decide what classified information will be used in court and how. Those steps could slow down the discovery process because they can result in more pretrial motions and hearings than a typical case.

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LIVE UPDATES - Russian Forces Improve Forward Edge Positions in Kupyansk Advance

©Alexander Reka/TASS

Russian assault teams improved their forward edge positions in the Kupyansk area and repelled seven Ukrainian counter-attacks over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.

"In the Kupyansk direction, assault teams of the western battlegroup improved their forward edge position during offensive operations. Over the past 24 hours, they successfully repelled seven counter-attacks by units of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 44th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Sinkovka and the Mankovka natural area in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian military lost over 55 troops, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery gun and a US-manufactured M777 artillery system in that direction in the past 24 hours, the general reported.

Russian forces repulse Ukrainian attack, destroy 60 enemy troops in Krasny Liman area

Russian forces successfully repulsed a Ukrainian army attack and destroyed roughly 60 enemy troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 21st mechanized brigade was successfully repulsed by well-coordinated actions of forces from the battlegroup Center, air strikes and artillery fire near the settlement of Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses in that direction totaled as many as 60 Ukrainian personnel, three armored combat vehicles, a Msta-B howitzer and an Akatsiya motorized artillery system," the spokesman said.

Russian forces repulse 17 Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed 17 Ukrainian army attacks in the Donetsk area, killing and wounding more than 290 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup in close interaction with aircraft and artillery successfully repulsed 17 attacks by the Ukrainian army’s assault groups in areas near the settlements of Belogorovka, Novomikhailovka and Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy lost over 290 Ukrainian personnel killed and wounded," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian military also lost two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, an Akatsiya motorized artillery gun, a US-made M777 artillery system and two D-20 howitzers in that direction in the past 24 hours, the general reported.

Russian forces repel two Ukrainian attacks in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces repelled two Ukrainian attacks in the south Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, aircraft, artillery and units of the battlegroup East repelled two attacks by the Ukrainian army’s assault groups near the settlement of Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

During the last 24-hour period, the enemy’s losses in that direction amounted to over 130 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, a Giatsint-S self-propelled artillery gun and Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, the general reported.

Russian forces destroy 125 Ukrainian troops, three howitzers in Zaporozhye area

Russian forces destroyed roughly 125 Ukrainian troops and three howitzers in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"As many as 125 Ukrainian personnel, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, three Msta-B howitzers, a D-20 gun and a D-30 gun were destroyed," the spokesman said.

In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian battlegroup, aircraft and artillery repelled an attack by the Ukrainian army’s 46th air mobile brigade near the settlement of Uspenovka in the Zaporozhye Region," he said.

Russian forces destroy 30 Ukrainian troops, US-made counter-battery radar in Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed roughly 30 Ukrainian troops and a US-made counter-battery radar station in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"As many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, two pickup trucks, a D-30 howitzer and a US-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar station were destroyed in the Kherson direction in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian air defenses down 38 Ukrainian military drones over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 38 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and five rockets of the HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Air defense capabilities intercepted five rockets of the HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems. In addition, they shot down 38 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Peshotravnevoye in the Kharkov Region, Gorlovka, Georgiyevka and Vasilyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Chapayevka in the Zaporozhye Region and Vasilevka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian ammo depot, two command posts in DPR over past day

Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot and command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Near the settlement of Dyleyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 28th mechanized brigade was destroyed. In areas near the settlements of Torskoye and Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two command posts of the Ukrainian army’s 63rd and 110th mechanized brigades were eliminated," the spokesman said.

During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 146 areas, the general reported.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 458 Ukrainian warplanes, 245 military helicopters, 5,638 unmanned aerial vehicles, 428 surface-to-air missile systems, 11,216 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,144 multiple rocket launchers, 5,837 field artillery guns and mortars and 12,165 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

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Hawaii wildfires raze resort city on Maui island, killing dozens

A wildfire that swept through the picturesque resort town of Lahaina on Hawaii's Maui island has killed at least 36 people, authorities said, while leaving smoldering ruins in its wake and forcing thousands to flee.

Video footage showed neighborhoods and businesses razed and vehicles burned to a crisp across the western side of the U.S. island as the wildfires cut off most roads out of Lahaina, the historic former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The town is one of Maui's prime attractions, drawing 2 million tourists to the island each year, or about 80 percent of its visitors.

The cause in Maui had yet to be determined, but the National Weather Service said the fires were fueled by a mix of dry vegetation, strong winds, and low humidity.

Maui resident Dustin Kaleiopu on Thursday said his family, now relocated to the other side of the island, had only had minutes to evacuate and lost two generational family homes to the flames.

"There are still so many people that we are unable get in touch with, and that still remains true for many families here," Kaleiopu said in an interview on NBC News' "Today" program. "Everyone I know is now homeless."

Such scenes of devastation have become all too familiar elsewhere in the world. Wildfires, often caused by record-setting heat this summer, forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Greece, Spain, Portugal and other parts of Europe. In western Canada, a series of unusually severe fires sent clouds of smoke over vast swaths of the U.S., polluting the air.

Human-caused climate change, driven by fossil fuel use, is increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events, scientists say, having long warned that countries must slash emissions to prevent climate catastrophe.

Wildfires occur every year in Hawaii, according to Thomas Smith, an environmental geography professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, but this year's fires are burning faster and bigger than usual because of the low rainfall, higher temperatures, and nearby storm systems.

THREE SEPARATE BLAZES

On Maui, firefighters were battling three separate blazes on the island, officials said late on Wednesday night, without providing further details.

Officials said on Wednesday that the fires also destroyed parts of Kula, a residential area in the inland, mountainous Upcountry region. Fires were also affecting Kihei in South Maui.

Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke told a press conference late on Wednesday that officials were still assessing the damage.

An aerial view shows damage along the coast of Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, U.S. August 9, 2023 this screen grab obtained from social media video. Richard Olsten/Air... Read more

"It will be a long road to recovery," she said.

The blazes began on Tuesday night as powerful winds from Hurricane Dora, hundreds of miles to the southwest, fanned the flames. By Thursday, the strong winds had largely abated.

Beyond the human casualties, the fire burned cultural treasures such as Lahaina's historic 60-foot-tall banyan tree, which marked the spot where Hawaiian King Kamehameha III's 19th-century palace stood, according to local reports.

Some 271 structures were damaged or destroyed, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported, citing official reports from flyovers conducted by the U.S. Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department.

As of early Thursday, the tracking site Poweroutage.us reported about 11,000 homes and businesses were without power on Maui, which has a year-round population of 165,000.

The wildfires spread quickly through populated areas of Lahaina, a city of about 13,000 people. Some people jumped into the Pacific Ocean to escape the smoke and fire conditions, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to rescue them, according to a Maui County press release.

Julius Limbaga, 38, woke up from a nap on Tuesday when he smelled smoke in his Lahaina apartment, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. "The fire was so fast and in just a blink of an eye it was everywhere," Limbaga said.

He told the newspaper that he doused himself with water and ran to the Lahaina harbor, his rubber slippers melting as he ran. The Coast Guard rescued him from the harbor waters and took him to be treated for burns on his feet and legs.

Dr. John Vaz, the doctor in charge of Maui's Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, told the Star-Advertiser that most incoming patients didn't say anything at first, "just stood around with blank faces."

"But once they start eating and start to animate a bit more, the trauma is starting to come out," he said

More than 11,000 travelers were evacuated from Maui, Ed Sniffen of the Hawaii Department of Transportation said late on Wednesday. Though at least 16 roads were closed, the airport was operating fully and airlines were dropping fares and offering waivers to get people off the island, Sniffen had said earlier in the day.

Southwest Airlines said on Thursday that it was increasing flights to Hawaii due to the evacuation efforts.

A mass bus evacuation to the Kahului Airport for visitors in West Maui was to resume at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, officials said.

The National Guard, U.S. Navy, Marines and Coast Guard were mobilized, while the U.S. Department of Transportation aided evacuation efforts, President Joe Biden said.

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Video - Russian Military Turn Ukrainian Stronghold Into Blazing Inferno

According to the MoD, Russian forces repelled 16 enemy attacks on several fronts over the past 24 hours, and as a result the Ukrainian military lost about 800 military personnel and several dozen pieces of equipment. The Russian Defense Ministry has released a video of Battlegroup Yug unleashing pinpoint strikes on a Ukrainian military stronghold near Avdeevka and turning it into a blazing inferno.

As the servicemen explained, the attack on the Ukrainian forces' fortification was carried out with incendiary ammunition, and several fires broke out. The Ukrainian military began to extinguish the blaze with improvised means, but ended up being struck by a 152-millimeter D-20 howitzer.

Ukraine Loses Over 290 Military in Donetsk Direction Over Past Day - MoD

Ukraine has lost more than 290 military both killed and injured in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

The Russian armed forces have repelled 17 attacks by Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk direction, the ministry said, adding that another attack was repulsed in the Krasny Liman direction and seven counterattacks were repelled in the Kupyansk direction.

"Over the past day, the enemy lost in this [Donetsk]direction over 290 Ukrainian military killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles, three cars, two self-propelled artillery mounts ... a M777 artillery system of US production, as well as two howitzers D -20," the ministry said in a statement.

In the Zaporozhye direction, Russia repelled one attack, and Ukraine lost up to 125 military, the ministry said. Ukraine also lost over 130 military in the South Donetsk direction, the statement added.

NATO state to place 10,000 troops on border of Russian ally – minister

Poland is set to deploy thousands of additional troops to its border with Belarus amid heightened tensions in the region, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Thursday.

FILE PHOTO: Polish Army Soldiers build a fence with concertina wire at the Belarusian border.
©Dominika Zarzycka / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Speaking to Polskie Radio, Blaszczak stated that “we are moving the army closer to the border with Belarus” in order to “scare the aggressor so that he does not dare to attack us.” The minister added that security in the region would be underpinned by 10,000 soldiers, with 4,000 assigned to directly support the Border Guard, and another 6,000 held in reserve.

The official’s remarks come shortly after the Polish Defense Ministry approved a request by border officials to send in an additional 1,000 soldiers to the area. Later, the Polish authorities changed their mind, deciding to increase the number to 2,000.

Blaszczak also lashed out at Minsk, repeating accusations that two Belarusian helicopters violated Polish airspace last week, calling the alleged incident “another provocation.” Minsk has denied the accusations, saying it had provided Warsaw with “detailed data” on the matter

“Everything that is happening in Belarus is coordinated with the actions of Russia,” Blaszczak stated, without providing any evidence.

In recent weeks, Polish officials have also sounded the alarm over alleged attempts by migrants to illegally cross the Belarusian border, as well as alleged efforts by operatives working for the Russian defense contractor Wagner Group to infiltrate the country.

Numerous Wagner fighters moved to Belarus after a short-lived mutiny attempt in Russia, with some of them now involved in the training of Minsk’s troops.

Blaszczak’s comments also come after Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced on Wednesday that Moscow would bolster its troops on its western borders amid a stand-off over the Ukraine conflict. In his speech, he described Poland as a

“key instrument of anti-Russia policies of the US.” He also claimed that Warsaw is actively trying to build up “the most powerful army” in Europe, which, according to Polish officials, now numbers around 170,000 service members.

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