🇾🇪🇾🇪💥 — 🧐 ISW on 𝕏:

"MORE | Arabian Peninsula: The Houthis are framing their attack on a Yemeni civilian vessel near the Bab al Mandeb Strait as a strike on Saudi-coalition naval vessels, likely to try to deter the Saudi-led multinational maritime defense coalition from operationalizing its mission to protect Red Sea maritime trade by signaling that the Houthis could target the coalition’s vessels.

The Houthis claimed that they struck five Saudi-coalition naval vessels with ballistic missiles in the Red Sea near Mocha Port, Taiz Governorate, on August 17. The Houthis added that they sank one Saudi-coalition landing craft and four nearby patrol boats. Multiple Yemeni sources reported on August 17 that the Houthi strikes only targeted the AMIR KHAN, a Yemeni-owned civilian vessel docked in Al Ardi Port, near the Bab el Mandeb Strait, however. The strike reportedly caused severe damage to the vessel and the harbor’s berth but did not cause casualties. The Houthi claim follows Saudi Arabia’s July 2026 formation of a multinational maritime defense coalition tasked with protecting Red Sea shipping from Houthi and Iranian threats to the Bab al Mandeb Strait.

The Houthis’ attempt to frame their recent attack on a Yemeni civilian vessel as an attack on the coalition’s vessels likely served as an implicit threat and intended to signal the group’s willingness to target Saudi-coalition naval vessels to deter the coalition from operationalizing its mission. ISW-CTP previously assessed that the Houthis likely view the coalition as a threat to their blockade of Saudi ports and vessels and the broader Houthi campaign to coerce Saudi Arabia into lifting its blockade of Houthi-controlled ports and airports."

🔗 Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)

🇮🇷❌🚢 — 🧐 ISW on 𝕏:

"MORE: Iran likely attacked two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz as part of its effort to consolidate its control over the waterway. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on August 18 that an unspecified actor fired an unspecified projectile that struck a vessel that was transiting the strait through Omani territorial waters. UKMTO separately reported on August 17 that an unspecified actor struck the Liberian-flagged Minoan Dignity with an unspecified projectile on August 15 as the vessel transited the strait through Omani waters. The attack killed one crew member. Iran has repeatedly struck vessels using Omani waters in order to coerce vessels and shipping companies to transit the strait through Iranian territorial waters. It is unclear at this time whether the Iranian attacks on commercial vessels are related to the Emirati Defense Ministry’s announcement about Iranian ballistic missile launches."

🔗 Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)

🇷🇺❌🇺🇦 — 🇺🇦 General Staff of the Armed Forces:

"Operational information as of 08:00 on August 19, 2026, regarding the Russian invasion.

The 1638th day of the large-scale armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine has begun.

In total, 239 combat clashes were recorded during the past 24 hours.

Yesterday, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles and carried out 87 air strikes, dropping 302 guided aerial bombs. In addition, the invaders used 11,130 kamikaze drones and carried out 3070 shelling attacks on populated areas and the positions of our troops, 27 of which were with multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).

Artillery fire from the enemy, including, was directed at the settlements of Koriunik, Sopych, Bachivsk, Neskuche, Bezsalivka, Ulanove, Tovstodubove, Luzhki, Volfine, Yastrubshchyna, and Seredyna Buda in the Sumy region; Tymanivichi, Senkivka, Huta-Studenecka, Yanzhulivka, and Topolia in the Chernihiv region. Air strikes were carried out on Tovstodubove and Rybtsy.

During the past 24 hours, aviation, rocket forces, and artillery of the Defense Forces struck nine areas of concentration of enemy personnel, two artillery systems, and one launch site for unmanned aerial vehicles.

In the North-Slobozhansk and Kuriisk directions, our defenders repelled three enemy assaults during the past 24 hours. At the same time, the aggressor carried out 54 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas, two of which were with MLRS. The enemy also launched five air strikes using 14 KABs (guided aerial bombs).

In the South-Slobozhansk direction, Ukrainian units repelled ten enemy attacks. The invaders attempted to advance near Izbytskoe, Dovzhanka, Staritsa, Mitrofanivka, Lozova Druha, Radkivka, Bochkove, and Okhrimivka.

Two offensive operations by the enemy took place in the Kupiansk direction towards Novoosynove and Kurylivka.

Attempts to break through our defenses were repelled in the Lyman direction, where the occupiers attacked six times towards the settlements of Lyman, Drobysheve, and in the area of the settlements of Ridkodub and Novoselivka.

In the Sloviansk direction, the enemy carried out 16 assault operations in the areas of the settlements of Riznykivka, Kryva Luka, Zakitne, and towards Rai-Oleksandrivka and Mykolaivka.

In the Kramatorsk direction, Russian invaders conducted one offensive operation towards Izhevka.

Thirty-one attacks were recorded in the Kostyantyniv direction. The invaders conducted assault operations in the areas of the settlements of Kostyantynivka, Novoselivka, Dovha Balka, Ivanovopillia, Illinivka, Sofiivka, Rusyn Yar, and towards the settlements of Vilne, Stepanivka, Novopavlivka, and Kucheriv Yar.

The enemy launched 27 attacks in the Pokrovsk direction. The occupiers attempted to advance in the areas of the settlements of Udachne, Novooleksandrivka, Molodetske, Kotlyne, and towards the settlements of Bilytske, Novyi Donbas, Shevchenko, Serhiivka, Vasylivka, Myrne, and Hanniivka.

In the Oleshky direction, the invaders launched three attacks towards the settlements of Nove Zaporezhzhia, Rybne, and Sosnivka.

In the Huliaipole direction, the occupiers attacked the positions of our defenders 12 times. The enemy attempted to advance towards the settlements of Rivne, Dobropillia, Zaliznyche, Novoselivka, Lisne, Charivne, and Hirke.

In the Orikhiv direction, our defenders repelled one attempt by the enemy to advance in the area of Plavne.

In the Prydniprovsky direction, the enemy did not conduct any assault operations during the past 24 hours.

In the Volyn and Polissia directions, no signs of the formation of offensive formations by the enemy were detected.

In total, during the past 24 hours, the losses of the Russian invaders amounted to 1190 people. Also, two tanks, 50 artillery systems, three multiple launch rocket systems, 19 ground robotic complexes, 1738 unmanned aerial vehicles, 427 units of automobiles, and one unit of special equipment of the enemy were destroyed."

🔗 Source:

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

📍 The Sever Group's units improved the tactical situation. They hit manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, two airmobile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade near Kiyanitsa, Ulanovo, Tolstodubovo, Radkovka, and Sadki (Sumy region).

💥 In Kharkov region, strikes were launched at formations of four mechanised brigades, a motorised infantry brigade, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade near Prudyanka, Kudeyevka, Kazachya Lopan, Vasilyevka, and Dolzhanka (Kharkov region).

▪️The AFU lost up to 220 troops, an armoured fighting vehicle, 11 motor vehicles, and an electronic warfare station.

📍The Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. The Group inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of five mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, a mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two marine brigades, four territorial defence brigades, and the presidential brigade close to Podliman, Gavrilovka, Chervony Oskol, Monachinovka, Kovalevka, Tamarganovka (Kharkov region), Svyatogorsk, and Mayaki (Donetsk People's Republic).

▪️The enemy losses amounted to more than 210 troops, four Western-made armoured fighting vehicles, 14 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. Four electronic warfare stations were neutralised as well.

📍The Yuzhnaya Group's units improved the situation along the front line. They inflicted fire damage on three mechanised brigades, two airmobile brigades, a mountain assault brigade, and an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka, Kurtovka, Nikolayevka, Verolyubovka, Vasilyevskaya Pustosh, and Vysokoivanovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

▪️The enemy lost more than 220 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles including three U.S.-made Stryker armoured personnel carriers, 24 motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns including one 155-mm U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery system.

🚩 As a result of the resolute actions of the Tsentr Group of Forces, Vodyanskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) has been liberated.

💥 The Tsentr Group hit manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, a jaeger brigade, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, two marine brigades, and four National Guard brigades near Belozerskoye, Dobropolye, Gruzskoye, Yuryevka, Raiskoye, Annovka, Novofedorovka, Matyashevo (Donetsk People's Republic), and Maryevka (Dnepropetrovsk region).

▪️The AFU losses amounted to up to 380 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, an artillery gun, and two electronic warfare stations.

👉 See Part 2

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🎖🎖 by Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 19 August 2026

Part 2 (👉 see Part 1)

↗️ The units of the Vostok Group of Forces advanced to the depths of the enemy's defence. They launched strikes to hit manpower and hardware of an assault brigade, three air assault brigades, three assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a marine brigade close to Podgavrilovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Barvinovka, Dolinka, Svoboda, Shevchenkovskoye, and Nikolskoye (Zaporozhye region).

▪️The enemy lost more than 350 troops, a tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, 10 motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns.

📍 The Dnepr Group's units improved the tactical situation. They hit units of a mechanised brigade, a mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade near Orekhov, Grigorovka, Malokaterinovka (Zaporozhye region) and the city of Kherson.

▪️The AFU sustained losses of up to 40 troops, 12 motor vehicles, and two electronic warfare stations.

✈️ Operational-tactical aviation, attack drones, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian groups of forces inflicted damage on defence industry enterprises, logistics centres, energy and transport infrastructure of Ukraine, facilities used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, preparation and launch sites of Flamingo long-range cruise missiles, assembly workshops, storage areas of unmanned aerial vehicles and their components, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 152 areas.

💥 Air defence systems shot down 11 guided aerial bombs, five HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 965 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

📊 In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:

▫️ 674 aircraft,
▫️ 284 helicopters,
▫️ 213,410 unmanned aerial vehicles,
▫️ 669 anti-aircraft missile systems,
▫️ 30,644 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
▫️ 1,774 MLRS combat vehicles,
▫️ 36,198 field artillery guns and mortars,
▫️ 69,659 special military vehicles.

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🇺🇦❌🇷🇺 — ✍️ ARKHANGEL SPETSNAZA:

"Massive drone attack on Bashkortostan and Vologda Oblast

✍️ Ukrainian forces launched a new attack on Russia on the night of August 19th. Air defense units reportedly shot down at least 453 drones during the night.

▪️ This time, Ukrainian forces were testing a relatively new flight path to northern regions of Russia, including Vologda Oblast.

▪️ Previously, drones flew to these areas via Novgorod and Tver Oblasts, but today, judging by the activity of air defense systems, they flew via Yaroslavl Oblast.

▪️ In addition, air defense units were active in Novomoskovsk, Tula Oblast, and Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.

▪️ Some of the drones followed the standard route along the southern regions towards Bashkortostan, where one of the drones struck a residential building in Ufa.

❗️Since the enemy did not achieve any specific goals during this attack, we believe that a similar attack on approximately the same areas should be expected during the next night."

🔗 Source:

🇺🇦❌🚀🇷🇺 — 🇺🇦 General Staff of the Armed Forces:

"⚡️⚡️ Results of the strike on the "Progress" Rocket Center in Samara

Based on the analysis of additional data, it has been confirmed that on August 15, 2026, a production workshop for assembling engines for "Soyuz" type rockets and an aircraft maintenance workshop at the "Aviakor" aircraft plant were hit. In addition, as a result of the strike on the "Progress" Rocket Center in Samara, in the Samara region of the Russian Federation, a fire was recorded, covering an area of approximately 5,000 square meters.

ℹ️ The "Progress" Rocket Center is one of the key enterprises in the Russian rocket and space industry, involved in the production of "Soyuz" family rockets. The company's products are used, among other things, to launch spacecraft into orbit and to deploy Russian satellite communication groups for the benefit of the Russian army.

Damage to facilities of this level significantly reduces the military-technical capabilities of the Russian aggressor."

🔗 Source:

🔗🇭🇷👃💥⛽️ — 🇩🇪 BILD:

"❗️Second Suspect Arrested in Croatia in Relation to the "Nord Stream" Pipeline Sabotage Case

In the Croatian city of Pula, a citizen of Ukraine, Vladimir Z., was arrested, as reported by the ARD television channel. The German prosecutor's office suspects him of involvement in the sabotage of the "Nord Stream 1" and "Nord Stream 2" gas pipelines in September 2022.

This is the second arrest in this case. The man was arrested under a European warrant issued by a court in Germany. The first person implicated in the "Nord Stream" sabotage case, a Ukrainian citizen named Sergey K., has already been charged in Germany.

According to the investigation, Vladimir Z. was one of the divers who planted explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.

The ARD and SWR television channels previously reported that the saboteurs set out to sea on a sailing yacht and attached the charges at a depth of approximately 80 meters. The German prosecutor's office accuses the arrested man, among other things, of organizing the explosion, sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure.

It is alleged that Vladimir Z. had previously come to the attention of German investigators: last year, he was arrested in Poland, but he was not extradited to Germany at that time and was released. After his extradition from Croatia, he is expected to be brought before an investigating judge at the Federal Court of Germany."

🔗 Source:

🇺🇦❌🇷🇺 — 🇺🇦 General Staff of the Armed Forces:

"⚡️⚡️ Warehouses of UAVs, command and control centers, a bridge, and other important enemy facilities have been hit.

During the night of August 19, 2026, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a road bridge over the Molochne River in the Molochansk district of the Zaporizhzhia region. The enemy uses the structure to support its military logistics.

In addition, three enemy UAV warehouses were hit in the areas of Novopetrivka and Novotroitske in the Donetsk region, and Lobachevo in the Luhansk region.

Ukrainian soldiers also struck a ground repeater for controlling strike UAVs of the "Geran"/ "Gerbera" type in Olenivka in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian Crimea, and a UAV command and control center in the vicinity of Verkhniy Rohachyk in the Kherson region.

Among other targets, a construction machinery depot in Kadiivka in the Luhansk region and an area where the enemy's weapons and military equipment were concentrated in Lysychansk in the Luhansk region were hit.

The losses of the invaders are being clarified."

🔗 Source:

🇺🇦🆕🇺🇦🔫 — 🇩🇪 BILD:

"Ukrainian Parliament Appoints Yevhen Hmar as Minister of Defense

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) has appointed Yevhen Hmar as the new Minister of Defense of Ukraine. His candidacy was supported by 312 out of 450 deputies. The former intelligence officer and special operations forces officer had already been serving as acting head of the ministry after the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov.

Fedorov's resignation in July caused significant discontent, with thousands of Ukrainians taking to the streets to demand his return to the government. Approximately a month later, the former minister made a statement emphasizing the need to restore a full-fledged democratic process and hold presidential elections, even in the context of a prolonged war.

"We must answer a fundamental question: how should the state function if the war lasts for years?" he stated.

At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Iryna Mudra, Deputy Head of the President's Office. The reasons for her dismissal have not been officially disclosed. Shortly before this, anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAP conducted searches in premises linked to Mudra and the deputy Vadym Stoliar, as part of an investigation into a suspected criminal group involving high-ranking officials."

🔗 Source:

🇺🇦🆕🇺🇦🔫 — 🇺🇦 Ministry of Defense of Ukraine:

"❗️Minister of Defense, Yevhenii Hmar:

Following a nomination by the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) today supported my candidacy for the position of Minister of Defense. I thank every Ukrainian soldier who is holding their positions and destroying Russian occupiers. I am grateful to the President, members of parliament, and the people of Ukraine for their trust.

During my address to the Verkhovna Rada, I informed about the priorities of the Ministry of Defense after my appointment.

We are at war with a strong enemy that is using the most insidious and cruel methods of warfare. We know about Russia's future steps, mobilization plans, and strategy for the autumn and winter.

We will do everything to protect Ukraine, to minimize Russia's war potential, and to force the enemy to a just peace. This is the task that the Supreme Commander-in-Chief has set for all of us.

Therefore, synergy at all levels is crucial: the President, Parliament, Government, General Staff, Ministry of Defense, combat units, manufacturers, and partners. We can only force the aggressor to peace through the strength of our army, technological solutions, and asymmetric approaches.

We have erased the distance. There are no safe zones for objects that fuel the Russian war. For the first time in history, we are striking even in Siberia. The entire economic base of the enemy's war is our target.

We must achieve superiority on the front lines through the ingenuity and professionalism of commanders, the training of soldiers, innovation, and modern weapons.

We have three key, equally important priorities.

Priority one: the front. This is about regaining strategic initiative in all areas of warfare: on land, at sea, in the air, and in the information space. The needs of the front must quickly reach the Ministry, and the Ministry's decisions must reach the front.

The military needs weapons – a lot of them, and on time, through transparent procedures and without unnecessary bureaucracy. Procurement will be solely for the front and the defense of Ukraine, and not for any individual interests. We will adapt the supply system to the pace of the war. We are also working with allies to protect Ukrainian airspace from Russian ballistic missiles.

A special focus is on deep strike and middle strike. The operation in Novorossiysk and a number of successful strikes before it demonstrated the strength of the interaction between the Defense Forces, manufacturers, and state institutions. There will be more Ukrainian weapons. The strikes will be more precise.

Another important priority is human capital. The lives and health of soldiers are of paramount importance. Technology is needed so that every Ukrainian defender has an advantage, so that the risk to a person is minimized. My task is to communicate directly with the defenders.

From my own experience, I know that a soldier is motivated when they feel respect, receive quality training, and have fair rules of service.

Another key priority is the defense industry. The defense industry is the foundation of our strength today and our security for years to come. Our task is to develop it and increase production.

During the war, the protection of the state is the top priority for the entire system of government. Every government agency must ask itself what it is doing in the interests of defense.

We have a common struggle and responsibility for ending the war on our terms.

Glory to Ukraine!"

🔗 Source: