The Ukrainian forces used MLRS ’HIMARS’ to attack the city of Donetsk

1 The DPR The Ukrainian forces attacked the residential areas of the city of Donetsk with heavy artillery and US-made MLRS ’HIMARS’. Several areas of the city were attacked at once. The head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, reported that the Ukrainian forces use 155mm NATO shells. The West is being involved in the deliberate, targeted destruction of the civilian areas of the city of Donetsk. A local mall, the Donetsk University, a local hotel where journalists, including foreign journalists, stay, were under fire. The building of the DPR Administration was under fire as well — 2 floors were badly damaged, the building caught fire, the employees were evacuated. Denis Pushilin wasn’t hurt. According to the latest data — as a result of the Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk — 3 people died, 6 were injured.

2 Russia — Syria During a briefing after the negotiations with the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Mikdad, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, stated that Russia strongly condemned the Israeli attacks on Syria. He urged to respect the international law. On 23rd of August the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Syria held negotiations. They discussed the issues of the international and regional politics. Sergey Lavrov noted the importance of observing of the norms of the international law, and spoke about the Russian positive assessment of the fact that Syria has recognized the independence of the DPR and the LPR. On 10th of June, Israel launched misisles at an area to the south from Damascus. The Syrian anti-air forces successfully intercepted most of the incoming missiles, but 1 civilian was injured as a result of the attack. The flight departures and arrivals in the Damascus International Airport have been temporarily suspended.

3 Ukraine News about the Special Military Operation. Igor Konashenkov reported that as a result of the offensive actions in the Kherson-Nikolaev direction, the allied pro-Russian forces destroyed the Ukrainian 28th mechanized brigade near the village of Aleksandrovka. They have also reached the administrative border of the Nikolaev region. 36 square kilometers of the territory of the Kherson region were liberated. The town of Komsomolskoye was liberated as well. 12 square kilometers in the Nikolaev region is under control by now. The 35th Ukrainian Marine Brigade and the 46th Ukrainian Air-mobile Brigade suffered heavy losses near the town of Avdeevka. The Ukrainian forces were pushed out from the village of Blagodatovka and other nearby settlements. The offensive operation in the Donetsk direction is going fine. The liberation of the settlement of Marinka is about to be finished. The encirclement of the Ukrainian forces near Avdeevka continues. The pro-Russian forces came close to the settlement of Zaitsevo, in the Artemovsk area, which is an important local point of defense.

4 Kazakhstan The Kazakh Foreign Ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador, Piotr Vrublevsky, to inform him about an official protest over his remarks about the Russians — the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. During an interview from 21st of August, which Piotr Vrublevsky gave to a Kazakh blogger, Dias Kuzairov, he, among other things, said that the Kiev regime is trying to kill as many Russians as possible. «Kazakhstan has expressed the statement about the unacceptability and incompatibility of such statements with the activities of an ambassador of a foreign state. Such actions must not damage the friendly relations between states» — the Foreign Ministry stated. The video with Vrublevsky’s statement caused a great public outcry. The Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan strongly condemned his remarks. The Association of Russian, Slavic, and Cossack organizations of Kazakhstan called to declare the ambassador to become a persona non grata. The Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, instructed to give a legal assessment to the Vrublevsky’s statements.

5 Russia — Tajikistan On 23rd of August, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the head of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. The presidents discussed the further development of the Russian-Tajik relations. They also discussed the preparations for the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization — the Kremlin’s press service reported. The summit will be held from 15th to 16th of September, in the city of Samarkand. Iran might be accepted as a member of the SCO. Currently Iran is interacting with the organization as an observer. During the summit, the head of Iran will sign a memorandum of commitment. Currently the members of the organization are Russia, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In addition to Iran — Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia have the status of observers.

6 Iraq The ISIS attacked an Iraqi army convoy. The ’Shafaq’ reported that the attack took place on 23rd of August. The ISIS planted an IED on the route of the Iraqi army patrol on the outskirts of the city of Tuz Hurmatu, in the province of Salahuddin. 3 Iraqi soldiers were injured and are currently in critical conditions. The sources of ’Shafaq’ reported that additional Iraqi troops were sent to the area of the attack. They are scouring the area in order to locate and eliminate the terrorists. Constantine Reztsov, specially for the ANNA NEWS