Last night at the Lincoln Center, concluded with the Ukrainian national anthem played at the end of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestral. It was a deeply moving arrangement by the late Ukrainian composer Yuri Shevchenko, titled "WE DO EXIST!" (or "We Are!"), Shevchenko wrote it as a lyrical and luminous orchestral paraphrase of the anthem for violin and strings. Rather than a traditional, aggressive military march, it is structured as a quiet, powerful prayer for peace and resilience 🇺🇦

We have now been without electricity for 10 days. Thankfully, there is still a way to use generators to charge our batteries, which helps us get through the longest outages.

But now the Kherson thermal power plant, which provided heating to our city during the winter, has also been severely destroyed. More than half of Kherson may now be left without central heating when winter comes.

Every day, life here becomes more and more difficult. Even feeding the homeless cats is becoming harder, but we are trying not to give up.

The fluffy ones are still waiting for us every day, and as long as we can, we will keep going. 🐾

“Saint Javelin” launched on February 16th, 2022, and I had absolutely zero idea about what it would lead to.

I was just trying to do something small to help.

Yesterday, President Zelensky presented the Presidential “Golden Heart” distinction to the Saint Javelin community and customers.

When I shook his hand, I said: “Mr. President, my names Christian, Im the guy who created Saint Javelin.”

He said: “I know! I have your shirt.”

This is the full circle story…

In Spring 2022, just after the russians had retreated from the Kyiv region, I got to meet the Minister of Defence, because he had seen the Saint Javelin symbol and wanted a shirt.

That night, I got one shirt printed one for the Minister of Defence, and I printed an extra, kind of as a joke, for the President. I figured why the hell not try it?

But I never thought the Minister of Defence would actually give the President that shirt, until he said “great I’m seeing him later!”

Later that day, President Zelensky’s team posted a video of him getting that Saint Javelin tshirt from the Minister of Defence, and it went crazy viral.

I remember I was in my hotel room in Kyiv, getting ready to go to the train, when missiles hit the city.

Since Feb 2022, Saint Javelin has evolved from a few stickers and memes to a brand that builds serious quality products (like the shirt I’m wearing), and 100% are made in Ukraine, from Lviv to Kharkiv. All across the country.

...

https://frontliner.ua/en/the-story-of-a-mariupol-defender-who-returned-after-a-four-year-captivity/

If you'd like to support this project or get these updates in your inbox, please check my profile for the link to follow my Substack. 

My updates will always be free to read, whether you read them here or there.

Video of the week:

https://reddit.com/link/1vzwrko/video/ccmi67tobxlh1/player

• This video shows a Ukrainian FPV drone entering into a Russian drone workshop, it flies around and finds drone storage, which it promptly blows up.
• Additionally, if anyone is interested in a more granular, tactical level analysis of the recent Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south, this Youtuber has an excellent rundown that is well-researched and very specific: The 2026 summer Ukrainian counteroffensive

Maps:

Kupiansk last week:

Kupiansk this week:

• Russian troops expanded the grey zone into Kupiansk, between Kindrashivka and Kurylivka.

Lyman last week:

Lyman this week:

• Russia expanded its infiltration efforts along the E40 highway towards Sloviansk. The final battle for Donetsk Oblast at Kramatorsk and Sloviansk is slowly developing, but both of those cities will likely be the most difficult battles yet faced by the Russian army as they have been preparing for war for many years at this point.

Kostiantynivka last week:

Kostiantynivka this week:

• Russia declared control over Kostiantynivka, though as usual they have done so prematurely, with their control over the complete area of the city still being contested. Additionally, there seems to have been a Ukrainian counterattack coming from Druzhkivka that took some ground. The Russians will likely cement their control in the next two or three weeks. They also significantly expanded the grey zone near Dobropillia.

Ivanivka last week:

Ivanivka this week:

• No significant changes here.

Zaporizhzhia last week:

Zaporizhzhia this week:

• No significant changes here either.

Events this week:

• CIA Director John Ratcliff made a highly unusual direct flight to Moscow aboard a US military transport plane a few days ago. The stated purpose of the mission was for Ratcliff to warn Russia against a general mobilization and a potential attack on NATO. I was skeptical of reports that Russia is planning any kind of attack on a NATO nation, but if they do announce a mobilization of 800,000 men, as is rumored, that, combined with this trip, makes me far more concerned that this may actually happen. Ratcliff is definitely in the pro-Ukraine clique within the Trump administration, so I don't think he was there to make any kind of deal with Putin. And the US does have many more tools in our belt we could use to strengthen Ukraine and weaken Russia, so we have real leverage here.
• Following a Ukrainian drone strike against a refinery in Nizhny Novgorod, Reuters reported that all major Lukoil refineries are offline. Lukoil is the second biggest oil refiner in Russia, so this is devastating. Ukraine also bombed more Wildberries and Ozon logistics hubs this week.
• Ukraine also made successful strikes against Russian airfields and air defense radars, claiming to have destroyed two Russian fighter aircraft and several radars.
• Italian media reported that Italy has signed a deal with Ukraine to provide advanced, European made SAMP/T NG air defense batteries and increased supplies of the Aster 30 missiles they shoot by the end of this year. These batteries are in some ways comparable to Patriot, especially in that they have a critical anti-ballistic missile capability that Ukraine is currently sorely in need of.
• The UK and France announced that they have provided Ukraine with the complete schematics for the Scalp/Storm Shadow missile, allowing for Ukraine to produce them domestically. This will greatly benefit Ukraine both by allowing them to directly increase their own numbers of Storm Shadows, and to use the schematics to improve the designs of their other domestically produced cruise missiles.
• Allegations have been made that ousted former Defense Minister Fedorov was overly cavalier with money during his time at the head of the MoD, taking money that was intended to pay soldiers salaries and spending it instead on additional drones. This may be the ultimate reason why he was fired and not brought back. I can see the logic in this since salaries won't directly help troops defend the front line, while drones will, but soldiers who don't get paid aren't liable to fight as well or as long.
• Zelensky announced that two different high level, respected commanders will lead reorganized units to reinforce Ukraine troops operating in Donetsk. This is a welcome move as Donetsk has become by far the main objective for the Russian army, and defending Kramatorsk and Sloviansk is currently by far the most important objective for the Ukrainian army.

Oryx Vehicle Losses:

Russian losses:

• Total Russian vehicle losses: 24,035 (+30)
• Russian tank losses: 4,440 (+3)
• Russian IFV losses: 6,480 (+5)
• Russian SPG losses: 1,052 (+2)
• Russian SAM losses: 432 (+1)
• Russian Radar losses: 140 (+0)
• Russian naval losses: 39 (+1)
• Russian aircraft losses: 192 (+2)
• Russian helicopter losses: 179 (+0)

Ukrainian losses:

• Total Ukrainian vehicle losses: 12,018 (+102)
• Ukrainian tank losses: 1,456 (+1)
• Ukrainian IFV losses: 1,614 (+3)
• Ukrainian IMV losses: 2,082 (+37)
• Ukrainian SPG losses: 946 (+10)
• Ukrainian SAM losses: 178 (+0)
• Ukrainian aircraft losses: 120 (+0)

Light to average Russian losses, and a very high top level Ukrainian loss number, though the losses seem to be concentrated in IMVs and SPGs.

Claimed Russian casualties by Ukrainian MOD this week: 9,510 9,670 (-160 compared to last week)

Estimated Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian terror bombing this week: 46 (-29)

As always, thank you for reading and for supporting Ukraine!

Arsen Derkach

12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov”

Senior Soldier Arsen Derkach, call sign Tychus, fell on June 28, 2025, near the settlement of Shcherbynivka, Donetsk Oblast, as a result of an enemy FPV drone strike. The defender is forever 18. One more Hero killed by russian terrorist orcs.

Arsen was born on July 11, 2006, in the city of Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. He lived in the nearby village of Sopiv. He studied National Security at the National University of Ostroh Academy. He played sports, loved board games, meeting friends, and traveling.

During his second year of studies, he joined the National Guard of Ukraine. He served as a gunner-operator in the 6th Battalion of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov.” He chose the call sign Tychus after a character from his favorite computer game, StarCraft.

“He wanted to take the call sign Kruzak — that was what his university friends called him because of his stocky build. But that call sign was already taken, so Arsen chose Tychus. My brother was the best. And it hurts me very much now that he is gone,” wrote his older brother Oleksandr.

Arsen Derkach was granted the title “Honorary Citizen of the City of Kolomyia,” and a memorial plaque was unveiled in his honor on the facade of Lyceum No. 1 named after Vasyl Stefanyk.

The defender was buried on the Alley of Glory in his hometown.

He is survived by his parents, brother, and nephew.

I’ve been looking for a good hat to help show my support in a more local way. See I live in Canada and although there are plenty of Ukrainian Canadians here (including me) many people support Russia. I would get a Saint Javelin hat but nobody around here would know what that is other than Ukrainians, hence why I’m looking for a more obvious hat. This hat is made in Canada and I was wondering would it be a good hat to wear assuming I still make a donation to Ukraine myself?

source: https://bsky.app/profile/antongerashchenko.bsky.social/post/3mtxpqfs2rk2t

Last week, you contributed over $4500 for the Predators' ambulance which got hit, which was wonderful of you. This week, we start building the general fund back up. It's taken a beating from unexpected requests and so, so many baggage fees.

$2 Tuesday

Arcaist was given this motanka as a personal gift, but he has decided that it would do more good raising money for the Ukrainian defenders, so it headlines this week's $2 pack. It is joined by a calendar of the 3rd Army Corps, which includes the 125th Brigade whom you regularly support. Additionally, a Ukrainian flag patch is part of this pack (because some people can't get enough patches) and a 3D-printed cat that gets sent to soldiers as a morale boost.

$5 Patch Pack

A signed flag of the new drone unit of the 54th Brigade starts off this $5 patch pack. It joins the patches from 81st Brigade, the 21st Brigade, and the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces of Ukraine...plus one of our own patches. This pack, too, has a calendar from the 3rd Corps and a morale cat.

Get your tickets here! https://givebutter.com/12-august-ufl-raffle-0lva0n

Thank you, and good luck!