Russia’s war in Ukraine: Summary of key events on day 1,269
Here is the situation as of Saturday, August 16:
Fighting
- Ukrainian forces claimed to have struck the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region overnight, with reported fire and explosions at the refinery, which they say supplies various fuels and is a significant part of Russian energy company Rosneft’s network.
- In addition, Ukrainian authorities announced a strike on the port of Olya in Russia’s Astrakhan region, targeting a vessel carrying drone parts and ammunition from Iran.
- Russian military intelligence suggests the country is gearing up to test a new nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missile, with the intention of leveraging a successful test to strengthen its stance in negotiations with Western powers.
- Ukrainian regional officials alleged that Russia launched a ballistic missile into the Dnipropetrovsk region in eastern Ukraine, resulting in at least one fatality and multiple injuries, while a drone attack in the northeastern Sumy region damaged civilian infrastructure and sparked a fire.
- Moscow’s Ministry of Defence stated that Russian troops captured the settlement of Oleksandrograd in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of ongoing attacks against Ukraine even as the US President Trump prepared to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. “They are killing people on the same day they negotiate,” Zelenskyy highlighted.
Alaska Summit
- Trump and Putin convened in Anchorage for a short meeting that did not result in an agreement to cease Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
- After their meeting, Putin affirmed Russia’s commitment to ending the war, insisting that the “primary causes” must be resolved.
- Putin warned Ukraine and its allies against actions that might disrupt peace efforts and “provocations” that could undermine progress.
- Trump described the encounter as “extremely productive,” noting numerous agreements, but conceded on ongoing disputes with Moscow, including one “significant” issue.
- Trump declared he would contact NATO officials and President Zelenskyy to discuss the meeting’s outcome, affirming that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal”.
- In a moment of levity, Putin suggested their next meeting should be in Moscow, to which Trump responded cautiously.
- According to Trump’s comments on Fox News, Zelenskyy and Putin might arrange another meeting to pursue a truce. He stressed that securing the peace is ultimately Zelenskyy’s responsibility.
- Russia’s ambassador to the US stated that further discussions aimed at resolving points of contention in US-Russia relations will follow shortly.
International Aid
- USAID is expressing concerns over the Trump administration’s cancellation of independent aid oversight contracts for Ukraine, suggesting it could lead to increased fraud and misuse of funds.
- Norway has pledged a donation of one billion kroner ($98.29 million) to Ukraine to support the purchase of natural gas in anticipation of winter, acknowledging the disruptions caused by Russian missile attacks on infrastructure in eastern Ukraine.
