Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on verge of blackout after Russian attack

An external overhead power line supplying the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Enerhodar was disconnected on August 22 due to Russian attacks, according to Ukraine's state nuclear energy company, Energoatom. The ZNPP, Europe's largest nuclear facility, has been under Russian control since March 2022 and has faced repeated disruptions to its connection with Ukraine's power grid because of ongoing assaults on the country's energy infrastructure.

Currently, the ZNPP is connected to Ukraine's power grid by only one remaining power line. Energoatom has warned that if this line is damaged, the plant could face an emergency due to the loss of external power needed for the cooling systems of the reactor cores and fuel pools. The plant has already endured eight complete blackouts and one partial blackout, during which emergency diesel generators and safety systems had to be activated.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concern about the deteriorating nuclear safety situation at the ZNPP, particularly after a recent drone strike near the facility. Although the strike did not cause casualties or damage to plant equipment, the IAEA noted that military activity around the plant has been intense.

The situation is further complicated by ongoing Russian claims that Ukrainian forces plan to attack the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and the ZNPP, as well as Kyiv's accusations that Russian forces have been deliberately creating panic by setting fires at the ZNPP.

Indian PM tells Zelenskyy that he will have to negotiate with Putin

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about his recent attempts to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. During a meeting in Kyiv, a video of which was shared on Zelenskyy's social media, Modi recounted his visit to Russia a month prior, where he clearly communicated to Putin that the issues between the two nations cannot be resolved through warfare. Modi emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable solutions and urged both sides to engage in discussions without delay.

Modi also referred to an earlier encounter with Putin two years ago in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. In that meeting, Modi told Putin, "looking him right in the eyes, in front of the press, that now is not the era of war." Modi's remarks underscore his consistent stance on promoting peaceful resolution and diplomacy in resolving international conflicts.

Estonian General Staff says that Ukraine launched incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast using conventional methods 

The General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces has reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' recent incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast was carried out using conventional military methods. According to the Estonian military's assessment, the operation began early in the morning with artillery support and electronic warfare, aimed at minimizing risks for Ukrainian units.

As of August 22, open-source data suggests that Ukrainian forces control approximately 800-900 square kilometers of Kursk Oblast. The Estonian report notes that Russia is continuing to redeploy its motorized infantry units to Kursk Oblast from less active fronts, indicating that subunits from the same Russian units might be present on both the Kursk and Kharkiv fronts.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are reportedly maintaining the initiative in Kursk Oblast, actively destroying and capturing Russian units, and strategically cutting off supply routes, including the destruction of a bridge over the Seym River. This tactic has complicated Russian maneuvers and created natural obstacles for Ukrainian forces to protect their flanks.

The Estonian General Staff also highlighted that while Ukraine holds the initiative in Kursk Oblast, Russia retains the initiative on other fronts, particularly in Donetsk. Russian forces continue to advance westward, closing in on the settlement of Pokrovsk, and are approximately 11 kilometers away. The report also suggests that Russian forces may have reached the outskirts of Toretsk, located south of Chasiv Yar, indicating ongoing pressure on Ukrainian defenses in these areas.

Ukrainian troops retreat on the Pokrovsk front

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian advances toward the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast have led to the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from positions southeast of the city. However, Russian troops have not achieved their apparent goal of tactically encircling Ukrainian forces in the area despite these advances.

Geolocated footage from August 22 shows that Russian forces recently captured the village of Ptyche, located southeast of Pokrovsk, and advanced further south. This movement confirms earlier claims that Russian troops have taken control of the east bank of the Karlivske Reservoir. Despite these advances, Russian forces have evened out their frontlines east and southeast of Pokrovsk rather than setting the stage for encirclement.

As Russian forces moved toward the E-50 road (Donetsk-Pokrovsk), they likely posed a threat of encirclement to Ukrainian forces, prompting a strategic withdrawal to protect personnel and level the frontlines. A spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade on the Pokrovsk front acknowledged that these Russian advances led to the decision to withdraw.

While there have been reports of some new Ukrainian recruits retreating from their positions, the ISW notes that there have not been widespread disorganized retreats in the area. The lack of significant Russian tactical gains suggests that Ukrainian forces conducted an orderly withdrawal, preventing the encirclement that Russian military bloggers had speculated about earlier.

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