Evacuation from Russian-occupied areas returns 14 children to Ukraine

On August 29, Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, announced that several Ukrainian families, including 14 children, had been evacuated from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. The families were rescued from occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

The evacuated children range in age from 2.5 months to 16 years old. Yermak highlighted the severe threats these families faced while living under Russian occupation, including home searches by Russian security services, the risk of their children being deported to Russia, and pressure to accept Russian passports.

The return of Ukrainian children from occupied territories remains a top priority for the Ukrainian government. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Moscow has forcibly abducted Ukrainian children, transferring them within occupied territories or to Russia. According to Ukraine’s government database, at least 19,500 children have been illegally abducted since February 2022, with fewer than 400 returned home so far.

First F-16 fighter jet crashes in Ukraine

Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on August 29 that one of the F-16 fighter jets recently delivered to Ukraine crashed while repelling a massive Russian attack. The incident occurred on August 26 during Russia's drone and missile strike. Despite the tragic loss, the F-16 managed to shoot down four Russian cruise missiles, showcasing its effectiveness.

Communication with the jet was lost as it approached another target, and it was later confirmed that the plane had crashed, resulting in the death of the pilot. The crash site has not been disclosed. The Ukrainian Air Force announced earlier that pilot Oleksii Mes, known by the call sign "Moonfish," was killed during the operation. He successfully destroyed three cruise missiles and one attack drone before the crash.

Ukraine received its first F-16 jets in early August, following a year of preparation by its allies who formed a fighter jet coalition at the NATO summit in Vilnius. So far, 10 jets have been delivered, with promises of at least 79 more from countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium.

The August 26 attack marked Russia's largest aerial assault against Ukraine, involving 200 missiles and drones. The strikes targeted civilian, energy, and fuel facilities, including the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, resulting in seven deaths and at least 47 injuries. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that F-16 jets were used to repel the attack, with Ukraine successfully downing 102 of the 127 missiles and 99 of the 109 drones launched by Russia during the attack.

Pennsylvania plant boosts production of 155 mm shells used by Ukraine by 50%

An ammunition plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, has increased its production of 155 mm artillery shells by 50%, ramping up from 24,000 rounds per month to 36,000. The factory, operated by General Dynamics under contract with the U.S. military, plays a crucial role in supplying ammunition for Ukraine's defense efforts, which has become a significant talking point for U.S. aid proponents.

Richard Hansen, the U.S. Army's representative at the plant, emphasized the importance of the shells, stating that the lives of gun crews and civilians depend on the factory's precision and output. The Scranton plant, located in President Joe Biden’s hometown, employs about 300 workers and is undergoing a significant modernization to further boost production.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the U.S. has sent Ukraine over 3 million 155 mm shells, a critical component of Ukraine's military arsenal. Meanwhile, European allies have struggled to meet their commitment to deliver 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine between March 2023 and 2024, managing only about half by mid-2024. Consequently, the deadline has been extended to the end of 2024.

The Scranton plant's increased production not only supports Ukraine but also highlights the economic benefits of U.S. defense aid, potentially influencing political discussions in Pennsylvania ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

Negotiations with Russia deadly dangerous – Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief

On the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Ilovaisk, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, paid tribute to all Ukrainian defenders who have fallen in the war with Russia and warned against negotiating with the Russian aggressors, calling it a deadly dangerous endeavor.

Reflecting on the events of Ilovaisk, Syrskyi described it as a symbol of Ukrainian resilience and the heroism of its soldiers, who, despite losses and deceit by the enemy, refused to surrender and continued to fight their way out of encirclement.

"Ilovaisk is not only a tragic event in Ukraine's history but also a chapter of Ukrainian resilience, an act and a feat of Ukrainian soldiers," Syrskyi said, emphasizing the treachery of the Russian forces during the battle and cautioning that any negotiations with terrorists and murderers are fraught with danger.

Syrskyi expressed his gratitude to Ukrainian parents, honoring the sacrifices made by their children for Ukraine's independence and the freedom of its people. "Your children are true heroes. Their sacrifice is not in vain and is eternally etched in the memory of our nation," he concluded.

The Battle of Ilovaisk, which took place in August 2014, is remembered as one of the most tragic episodes in Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression, marked by a failed ceasefire agreement that led to heavy Ukrainian losses during their attempted withdrawal from the encirclement.