Ukraine-Russia War Weekend SITREP: Russian Shelling Kills Civilians Again, and More

It has been another week of Ukraine pushing back against the Russians, and we have the latest highlights for you.

Russian Shelling Kills Civilians

Kremlin has pushed for the Russian military to launch a full-scale offensive in the Donbas region to recapture Mariupol. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia also attacked the city of Kramatorsk in the last 24 hours and left 13 civilians injured and two dead.

The regional military leader in the Donetsk Province posted a video showing the drastic damage the Russian rocket strikes have caused.

“The Russians cynically and coldbloodedly turned the private sector of the city into ruins,” Mr. Kyrylenko said on social media posts.

Another woman was killed in a Russian attack near Zaporizhzhia, according to the city’s mayor, Anatoly Kurtev. This particular attack destroyed about 30 civilian homes.

“Take care of yourself and your loved ones,” the acting mayor said in a statement on Telegram. “Don’t ignore the air alarm!”

Russian Generals Fired Over ‘Poor Performance’

US Ministry of Defence said Putin started firing its generals this week because of “poor performance.”

“The poor performance of Russia’s armed forces during its invasion of Ukraine has been costly for Russia’s military leadership, highly likely resulting in the dismissal of at least six Russian commanders since the start of hostilities in February 2022.”

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 7 August 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/Q9m6pBivU7

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/CSsurnK3iR

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 7, 2022

The Easter and Western Military District Generals were probably sacked together with General-Colonel Aleksandr Chayko. General-Colonel Aleksandr Zhuraviev, who used to command the Western Military District since 2018, did not attend the Navy Day in St. Petersburg and was presumed as one of the generals who were fired. General-Lieutenant Vladimir Kochetkov will likely replace him.

In the Russian military, the rank of the General-Colonel is equivalent to a 3-star Lieutenant General in the US Army.

As of writing, it’s estimated that Russia has terminated some 16 of their generals.

Ukraine Shoots Down Russian Su-25 Fighter Jet & Drones

In the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Ground Forces reported that they were able to shoot down four Russian Orlan-10 drones. Two weeks ago, the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces could also successfully target Su-25s.

The Su-25s can reach a top speed of 590 mph, costing around $11 million. They were first introduced in July 1981 and were designed by Sukhoi.

With its firepower and speed, the Ukrainians claim this as a massive feat.

“We don’t stop, glory to Ukraine,” as translated from the Facebook users praising the strike. Other commenters said, “honor and glory to our defenders,” and “glory to our heroes, our boys!!! They are strength and might!”

Ukraine Accuses Russia of ‘Crime Against Humanity’ (and vice versa)

Viktor Liashko said in an interview with Associated Press that Russian authorities are blocking access to affordable medicines in civilian areas affected by war. Therefore, this calls for Russia committing a grave “crime against humanity.”

“Throughout the entire six months of the war, Russia has not [allowed] proper humanitarian corridors so we could provide our own medicines to the patients that need them.”

We believe that these actions are being taken with intent by Russia, and we consider them to be crimes against humanity and war crimes that will be documented and will be recognized.

When roads and bridges have been damaged in areas now controlled by the Ukrainian forces […], it is difficult to get someone who had a heart attack or a stroke to the hospital.

Sometimes, we can’t make it in time, the ambulance can’t get there in time. That’s why war causes many more casualties [than those killed in the fighting].”

Russian attack on hospitals affected more than 7 million in Ukraine depending on continued treatment.

On the other hand, Russia’s accusing Ukraine of the same thing.

Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Denis Krivosheev said the Russian case against 92 Ukrainian soldiers “lack transparency and rely on, and seek to feed, misinformation.”

Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, announced that Russia’s enacting 1,300 criminal investigations against 400 Ukrainian nationals supposedly committing “crimes against peace and security of humanity.” However, with just the Russian court overseeing the investigations, there is no way international courts could intervene and support these claims.

“The Geneva Conventions clearly state that prisoners of war, including members of armed forces, are protected from prosecution for taking part in hostilities. If individuals are to be charged with alleged crimes against humanity, there must be sufficient evidence to support such a claim. The Russian authorities have shared no evidence to support these charges. Instead, they deployed disinformation blaming Ukrainian forces for acts such as the destruction of the Mariupol theatre, a civilian building shattered by a deliberate Russian attack.”

“If the Russian authorities try prisoners of war on these charges, they will violate the Third Geneva Convention. Willfully depriving a prisoner of war of fair trial rights constitutes a war crime. The Russian authorities must only prosecute prisoners of war if there is genuine, admissible evidence of war crimes or crimes against humanity, in which case they must be afforded their right to a fair trial in accordance with international standards,” said Krivosheev.