Victorious news on 527th day of war: Russian ship hit, blasts in Crimea, China to attend Saudi Arabia peace talks

A large landing ship was targeted near Russia’s Novorossiysk

On August 4, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported an attack by naval drones on its naval base and that there were no casualties or damage. However, later, photos and videos of the damaged large Russian landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak emerged online. A video from a surface drone that attacked the ship was also published.

"The 450kg explosives caused significant damage to the enemy landing ship. It can be predicted that it will spend at least six months to a year in the dock (storage and repair facility - ed.) if it makes it to the shore," Valeriy Riabykh, Development Director of Defense Express Information and Consulting Company, told Espreso TV.

Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said the Navy had nothing to do with the incident in Novorossiysk.

Explosions reported in the area of an oil depot in Fedosia, Crimea

The hot season continues in Crimea. On the night of August 4, there were explosions in Feodosia, where the Russian oil depot is located, where they can keep huge reserves for their Black Sea Fleet. The spokesperson for the Southern Ukrainian Defence Forces, Natalia Humeniuk, says that the explosions may continue to happen. 

"It is clear that they will defend this area. And it is clear that the enemy's logistics are concentrated to some extent in these places. And the supply of fuel and lubricants is a very important component of combat readiness. That's why explosions will continue to happen. It is inevitable," said Humeniuk.

Ukraine receives cluster munitions and additional Bayraktars from Turkey

Turkey has delivered a batch of military equipment and weapons to Ukraine, Focus reports, citing the Oryx analytical portal.  

In particular, additional Bayraktar TB2, 60-mm mortars and 155-mm DPICM cluster shells have already been delivered to Ukraine.

Bayraktar TB2 drone  Photo: gettyimages

There is also an agreement to supply armoured personnel carriers and 12.7mm M2 heavy machine guns, but information on their delivery needs to be clarified.

"Most of the weapons were sold to Ukraine at great discounts, not donated," analysts said.

An inventor from Sloviansk has developed a stretcher that does not need to be carried

One of the battalions of the 125th Detached Brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has started using stretchers for evacuating the wounded that do not need to be carried. They were developed by an inventor from Sloviansk, who used to create radio-controlled toy cars before the war, reports ArmyInform.  

The stretchers have tracks, so they can go off-road, and the remote control works from a distance of up to 100 metres. Their carrying capacity is 150 kg. The battalion says the stretcher can reduce the evacuation team from seven people to three, who can move at a distance from each other. This makes them less visible to Russian aerial reconnaissance.

Territorial Defense Forces from Lviv are waiting for three more pieces of such stretchers. They will be used not only to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield, but also to deliver ammunition and water to the front line.

China confirms its participation in the talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China has announced that the country will take part in the discussion of the Ukrainian Peace Formula during a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This message appeared on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

"China stands ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in seeking a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," the statement says. 

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described as “historic victory” China's upcoming participation in the meeting on finding a peaceful settlement to the war in Ukraine.

"This is a historic victory. There will be no revolution in terms of content (the Chinese representative will express his position). But in Russia, the mere fact that a Chinese representative is present at the forum will simply blow the lid off," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told LB.UA.