Victory Chronicles-DAY 838

Ukrainian troops launched attacks on one S-400 and two S-300 anti-aircraft missile divisions in Crimea, according to the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff. The strikes took place overnight, targeting the Russian-occupied region. The S-400 division was near Dzhankoy, while the two S-300 divisions were located near the settlements of Chornomorske and Yevpatoriya. 

The General Staff claimed that the Ukrainian defense forces successfully hit their targets, causing heavy losses to the Russian occupiers’ air defense. In response to the Ukrainian missile strikes, the Russian radars associated with the S-300 and S-400 systems were immediately deactivated. Furthermore, ammunition detonated at all three launching positions of the Russian anti-aircraft missile divisions. The General Staff emphasized that the Russians failed to intercept any of the launched missiles.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian army has suffered significant losses in Ukraine. In the past day alone, 1,190 Russian servicemen were killed or wounded in action, along with the loss of one aircraft. Overall, Russia’s combat losses in Ukraine from February 24, 2022, to June 10, 2024, amount to approximately 519,750 occupants. Ukrainian defenders have also successfully destroyed a significant amount of enemy equipment, including 7,879 tanks, 15,144 armored combat vehicles, and 13,644 artillery systems. 

The Public Relations Service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Kholodnyi Yar has released a photo report on the training of future infantry and assault riflemen of the 93rd Brigade, including how they are practicing night movements, firing, and replenishment of ammunition blindly. “Teams of instructors, former scouts, infantrymen, assault riflemen, and unit commanders help them in this. Leaders also share their experiences during these exercises. These are the fighters who show the routes and accompany the fighters who have not yet studied the location of the positions and the terrain in general. A guide must have a good understanding of the topography, information about the situation on the frontline in the area entrusted to him, and good physical fitness to cover long distances with a load behind him.

In these photos, the 93rd Kholodny Yar Brigade fighters are practicing their firearms training. When it’s dark around, only with a long camera shutter speed can you see the atmosphere of such training,” the Public Relations Service said.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine released a video from the city of Vovchansk, where Ukrainian border guards destroyed Russian armored vehicles. The border guards used attack UAVs to do so. 

The Biden Administration’s limited policy change permitting Ukraine to use US-provided weapons to strike some Russian military targets in a small area within Russian territory has reduced the size of Russia’s ground sanctuary by only 16 percent at maximum. US policy still preserves at least 84 percent of Russia’s ground sanctuary – territory within range of Ukrainian ATACMS. US policy restricting Ukraine’s usage of US-provided weapons has effectively created a vast sanctuary – territory in range of US-provided weapons but that Ukrainian forces are not allowed to strike with US-provided weapons – which Russia exploits to shield its combat forces, command and control, logistics, and rear area support services that the Russian military uses to conduct its military operations in Ukraine.

US policy still protects the vast majority of Russia’s operational rear and deep rear, and US policy forbids Ukraine from using ATACMS anywhere in Russia. US President Joe Biden’s limited policy change in late May 2024 regarding the use of US-provided weapons against military targets in Russia removed a maximum of 16 percent of Russia’s ground sanctuary, assuming that Ukrainian forces can strike all legitimate Russian military targets in range of Ukrainian HIMARS using GMLRS in Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk oblasts. It is far from clear that Ukrainian forces have permission to do so, however. 

Senior US officials have described Ukraine’s ability to strike into Russia with GMLRS as being for counterbattery fire and geographically bounded to the Kharkiv area, and have stated that Ukrainian forces may strike Russian military objects “deployed just across the [Ukrainian] border,” suggesting that Ukraine may be prohibited from striking Russian military targets further in the rear or in other areas in Kursk and Bryansk oblasts that are still in range of GMLRS. US officials’ statements also indicate that Ukrainian forces may be constrained from striking Russian military targets that are not actively involved in ground attacks and strikes against Ukraine. The reduction of the sanctuary space’s area may be less than 16 percent, therefore.

Senior Lieutenant Vadym Borshch died on August 31, 2023, near the village of Klishchiyivka, Donetsk Oblast, while performing a combat mission. As a result of mortar and artillery fire, he sustained injuries incompatible with life. He was 46 years old. 

Vadym Valentynovych was born in the village of Zaudaika. He studied at the Vasylchenko Gymnasium in Ichnia, graduating with a gold medal. In 1994, he entered the Kyiv Agrarian University of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, majoring in finance and credit. He started his career at the National Bank of Ukraine. He then held senior positions at Alliance Joint-Stock Commercial Bank and Ukrainian Industrial Bank LLC. Since 2008, he has lived with his family in the village of Gogoliv near Kyiv. 

His last civilian job was at the Kyiv Agricultural Company, where he was deputy head of the financial department. 

On May 19, 2022, Vadym brought his family to Ichnia. The same day, he went to the regional military training center and joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After graduation, he served in the Separate Presidential Brigade named after Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky and held the position of platoon commander. He received a badge “For Exemplary Service” from the Minister of Defense and a certificate of honor. “He was always responsible in his work. He devoted all his free time, which was not much, to his family; he was a great family man,” the Ichnia City Council told about the deceased. 

The defender was buried in the village of Hoholiv. Vadym is survived by his parents, wife, daughter, son and other relatives.

*Vadym’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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