Victory Chronicles-DAY 918

Russian forces attempted to break through into the center of Vovchansk in Ukraine using tanks and armored personnel carriers, but ultimately suffered losses and retreated. The Operational and Tactical Group “Kharkiv” reported that the enemy tried to deliver personnel to the central part of Vovchansk with two tanks and a couple of armored personnel carriers, but was unsuccessful and retreated with casualties. The situation in the Kharkiv sector has not significantly changed, with Russian troops continually attempting to push Ukrainian forces out of their positions. Ukrainian Defense Forces are responding appropriately and successfully destroying enemy manpower, weapons, and military equipment. Over the past day, the enemy has suffered 110 casualties, lost 71 units of weapons and military equipment, both destroyed and damaged, in this sector.

On the night of August 29, 2024, Ukraine’s air defense successfully intercepted and destroyed several Russian drones and missiles that were launched against Ukraine. A total of 74 Shahed-131/136 attack drones were launched from various areas in Russia, while three X-59/69 guided missiles were fired from the airspace of the Kursk and Belgorod regions. The Ukrainian Air Force and Defense Forces, including aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare, and mobile fire groups, were deployed to repel the attack. Out of the 74 attack drones, 60 were shot down by the Ukrainian air defense, while 14 crashed on Ukrainian territory. Additionally, two of the X-59/69 guided missiles were destroyed. The commander of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, shared this information on social networks. 

In Cherkasy, rescuers extinguished a 2700-square-meter fire that broke out on the territory of an enterprise as a result of a morning enemy attack. 75 rescuers and 21 pieces of firefighting equipment were engaged in the elimination.

Border guards of the “Pomchta” brigade of the Offensive Guard hit several enemy hideouts and destroyed the occupiers’ military base in the Kupyansk direction. Video evidence of this was released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Multiple reports from Western media indicate that the US government is prohibiting the United Kingdom (UK) from allowing Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets in Russia. The Financial Times (FT) reported on August 27 that a source familiar with the matter stated that Ukraine’s use of British and French Storm Shadows may require access to American intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in areas where Russian forces are jamming the GPS signals that the missiles use for targeting.

FT reported that “well-placed” sources stated that the UK government sent a request to both the US and France earlier in summer 2024 to grant Ukraine permission to use Western-provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia, and French President Emmanuel Macron stated in May 2024 that Ukraine should be allowed to strike military sites in Russia from which Russian forces attack Ukraine. The Telegraph reported on August 27 that the UK government supports Ukraine’s ability to strike military targets in Russia with Storm Shadow missiles but that the missiles also use unspecified, classified American systems, whose use requires US permission.

The Telegraph stated in a since-deleted section of its original web article that the UK has not formally asked the US to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadows to strike military targets within Russia, and that a White House source stated that the US is concerned about how the use of the missiles — even without US approval — could escalate the situation and draw the US into the war in Ukraine. The Telegraph reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is taking a “consultative approach” to negotiations with the US and does not want to spark a disagreement over the issue. A source in the UK government reportedly stated that Russia is aware that Ukraine is asking for permission to strike military targets in Russia, so Russia has moved its “most critical assets” out of range of long-range missile systems. ISW continues to assess that although Russian forces have moved aircraft out of range of Western-provided Storm Shadow and ATACMS missiles, a significant number of Russian military objects remain within striking distance of Western weapons, restrictions on which are allowing Russian forces to leverage sanctuary space in deep rear areas within Russia to support military operations against Ukraine.

Staff Sergeant Anatolii Hodunko, with the call sign Morgan, died on March 27, 2024, in a battle with the occupiers near the village of Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast. The defender was 33 years old.

Anatolii was born in the village of Poltsi, Rivne Oblast. He graduated from Chernihiv Law College with a law degree, but he devoted his entire adult life to military service. He has been a fighter since 2013.

During the full-scale Russian invasion, Anatolii served in the 6th Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. He held the position of Border Guard Inspector of the 2nd category, head of the anti-tank missile system group of the anti-tank department of the border anti-tank outpost.

“My son is brave, courageous, fair, honest and purposeful,” said Nina Godunko. The border guard was buried in his native village. Anatolii is survived by his mother Nina Ivanovna, father Mykhailo Leontiyovych, brothers Mykhailo and Oleksandr, and sister Tetiana.

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

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