Victory Chronicles
-DAY 154

OCCUPIED SOUTH IN UKRAINE’S CROSS HAIRS

Above: Ukrainian forces can target bridges leading into Kherson. Source: ISW with AEI’s Critical Threats Project

• On Wednesday, Ukraine confirmed that it struck the strategically key Antonivsky Bridge near Kherson city for the second time since July 19.  Images from the 19th show rows of precisely lined up craters down a span of the bridge.  New pictures and video show close ups of severely damaged sections of the 1.4 kilometer bridge stretching over the Dnipro River.
• In an interview with NV Radio, Operational Command South spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk talked about the importance of rendering the bridge unusable by occupational forces: “The bridge in question is behind the enemy lines, in occupied territory. And while we don’t control the area, we’re starting to exert firepower projection over it…We’re trying to use this firepower to funnel enemy forces into specific nodes of the transportation infrastructure – more specifically, we’re denying them certain routes…We can say that far from destroying the infrastructure of our own country, we’re instead derailing the enemy’s plans.”
• Ukraine appears to be methodically laying the ground for a major counter offensive in the south.  In addition to destroying vital transportation arteries, Ukraine destroyed a command center and munitions and equipment storage facilities behind enemy lines and thwarted enemy attempts to reinforce from Crimea.

Antonivsky Bridge before invasion:

Antonivsky Bridge on July 20:

Antonivsky Bridge on July 27:

ARM UKRAINE: DEAL ON SLOVAKIAN MIG-29s INCHES CLOSER

Above: US F-16 fighter jet. Slovakia ordered 14 F-16s from the US  to replace its Russian-made MiGs. The planes were originally to be delivered in 2022 but are now not expected until 2024. Photo via RFERL

• Slovakia’s offer to hand over 11 MIG-26 fighter jets to Ukraine got a boost when the Czech Republic backed a plan to protect Slovakian skies starting in September.  Slovakia wants to send the old Soviet-era planes to Ukraine in return for modern NATO-standard jets.
• From September, the Czech army’s Gripen JAS-39 fighter jets will provide air policing for Slovakia until at least the end of 2023, the Czech Defense Ministry said. Poland is also expected to take part.

RUSSIA LIES: DICTATOR’S ANNEXATION PLAYBOOK

Above: “Melitopol is Ukraine”.  Photo via Ukrinform

• Kherson Oblast and southern Zaporizhzhya Oblast were taken swiftly in the first days of russia’s full-scale invasion as Ukrainian forces defended the barbarian onslaught around Kyiv.  For the last four months, the orcs have tried numerous times to arrange sham referendums to bolster domestic propaganda about liberating Ukraine from itself. Unlike in 2015 in Crimea and Donbas, southern Ukraine doesn’t have enough “liberated residents” – russia lovers – to pull it off.  However, the rule book is there and the orcs keep trying.
• Melitopol traitor, enemy collaborator and former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevgen Balytskyi announced that election commissions will be formed “from the most active and involved residents of the region.”  The occupying orcs also proclaimed the formation of a Zaporizhzhan government headed by the deputy governor of Vologda Oblast, russia.