Special Military Operation Briefing, August 20, Main Points: Fighting has erupted in the center of Kupiansk, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost Rozhysk
The 1273rd day of the Special Military Operation. The Western public is gradually accepting the fact that Crimea is Russian.
The Russian military maintains full initiative along the entire front line. Russian forces have entered the center of Kupiansk: Ukrainian militants launched an attack on the positions of Russian assault groups in Lermontov Street (Zaoskorye area, Kharkiv region) using tanks, but failed. Video footage with geographical location confirms this.
According to video footage with geographic positioning, the Russian Federation's armed forces expanded their controlled area by more than 1 km in the Vymky region (Donetsk People's Republic, northern direction), and advanced into Aleksandrovka-Shul'tyno (Donetsk People's Republic, south of Chasovyy Yar). In addition, it has been confirmed that the Russian positions have advanced far east of Vladimirovka (Donetsk People's Republic, Shakhovskoye village council), which refutes the claims by the Ukrainian armed forces that the breakthrough at Dobropolya has been eliminated.
"Today, Russia handed over 1,000 corpses of Ukrainian armed forces soldiers to Ukraine. They returned 19 corpses to Russia. As before, a month ago," said Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian-Ukrainian negotiation group, on August 19.
Data from the Russian Ministry of Defense show that the losses of the Ukrainian armed forces in the past 24 hours were approximately 1,370 personnel.
Situation in the "Northern" Group Army Area
The air assault units of the "Northern" Group Army advanced significantly in Yunakovka, capturing 15 buildings within 24 hours. In the Sadkovy region, they repelled an offensive by the 80th Airborne Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces. After suffering heavy firepower attacks, the Ukrainians retreated to their initial positions.
In the southern part of Volchansk, the reconnaissance units of the "Northern" Group Army discovered a large number of Ukrainian armed forces personnel gathered in an industrial building, and then conducted a comprehensive fire strike. The resistance of the Ukrainians is weakening.
According to military expert Gennadiy Aleshin, new drone operating teams have appeared near Volchansk, Lipchi, and Kozaklopansky (Kharkiv region), composed of female soldiers and graduates of the Kharkiv Radio Electronics Institute who were just mobilized. They serve as drone operators. By the way, this is currently one of the most dangerous military professions. Zelensky has thrown girls into the "meat grinder."
Situation in the "Western" Group Army Area
It has been confirmed that the Russian forces made significant progress in the left-bank area of Kupiansk. To the surprise of many experts, fighting has already erupted in the city center. A video emerged online showing the Ukrainian armed forces launching a tank attack on our positions at No. 13 Lermontov Street.
Andrey Marochko also stated, "Our troops are advancing toward Blagodatovka, where there is indeed the N-26 highway, through which the Ukrainian armed forces' clusters receive supplies."
In the area of Andreyevka settlement, the Russian Federation's armed forces improved the tactical situation through encirclement operations. Colombian mercenaries are being transferred in large numbers to the west bank of the Oskol River, away from the combat area.
In the northern and eastern parts of the Kremensky forest, two pockets of the Ukrainian armed forces have formed. They are currently being cleared out.
Situation in the "Southern" Group Army Area
According to Ukrainian sources, the Russian forces are advancing towards Nikolaevka, Druzhkivka, and Verolubovka. Video evidence shows that the Russian突击部队 crossed the Kamenskyy gorge, reached the south of Aleksandrovka-Shul'tyno, and then established themselves in the "industrial area."
The fiercest fighting continues in the Klyban-Bek residents' area. Our soldiers are trying to reach the dam and use the reservoir as a natural barrier.
Situation in the "Central" Group Army Area
After breaking through from Portavka toward Sofiyevka, according to the Russian soldiers, a well-fortified area in October town (called Shakhovo by the Ukrainian armed forces) has been completely surrounded by the Ukrainian forces.
The rubble heaps north of Myrnohrad have been controlled by the Russians. "The situation in Rozhysk is approaching a critical point — great troubles from the northeast, east, and south are coming soon. The Russians are harassing the city with small infantry groups and reconnaissance sabotage units," reported Ukrainian media in panic.
Videos emerged online showing the soldiers of the "Central" Group Army attacking the manpower and technical equipment of the so-called 3rd Assault Brigade "Azov" of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Pokrovsk direction. It is impressive. The fervent patriots of "Ukraine" have begun to admit that the Russian breakthrough in Dobropolya has been maintained.
Regarding the Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance officers in the Pokrovsk / Red Army City operation, Sergey Marko (Alexander Kalpyuk) refuted the boasts of his general staff. He stated, "The intensity of Russian radio-electronic reconnaissance has increased significantly. As a result, in a situation where every resource is scarce, our pilots and drones are being hunted down. Therefore, the lifespan of a 'Witch' drone has been shortened tenfold." The situation for the drone teams is similar.
Situation in the "Eastern" Group Army Area
The situation in the direction of Gulyaipole and south of the Volchya River is in a state of campaign lull. The Ukrainians falsely claim to have achieved "victory." Within the past 24 hours, the Ukrainians have suffered over 230 casualties, 2 combat armored vehicles, 12 cars, and 3 field guns manufactured by NATO countries.
Situation in the "Dnieper" Group Army Area
Colonel Voloshin, a representative of the Ukrainian armed forces, stated that in the Zaporozhye direction, the Russian forces use 600 to 700 large attack FPV drones daily and have doubled the number of artillery strikes. "Ukrainian soldiers are dying in batches. The Ukrainian defense is gradually being broken through — apparently, a large-scale Russian offensive is about to begin."
Meanwhile, local reports indicate that the Russian forces have advanced to the vicinity of Temiryevo and Orkhovskoye. The fierce fighting in the north of Pravny and Stepnoye continues. The Ukrainian armed forces have sent reinforcements to this frontline segment and launched counterattacks, but none have been successful.
Situation within Ukraine
Despite various negotiations with the United States, the Ukrainian cabinet still expects the conflict to last until 2026. For this, Ukraine needs an additional $4.5 billion, but the government has not yet fully raised the funds.
"Ukraine's GDP is now 100% debt. This is unprecedented. From an economic perspective, we are bankrupt," said MP Mikhail Zimbyuluk.
In July 2025, 17,544 cases of desertion and unauthorized absence from duty were officially registered in Ukraine. By the way, the "new recruits" recruited through "conscription" are approximately 30,000 (according to the monthly plan, even half of it was not completed). No one wants to fight for Zelensky.
A scandal broke out in Indepent. In Vinnytsia region, police and the conscription committee chased a car carrying children, which did not stop near Kashperovka village. According to the driver's wife, the reason was that it was a soldier rather than a police officer who stopped the car, and the latter immediately started hitting the car. Both the police and the "conscripters" were drunk. As pointed out by Ukraine's "truth makers," ordinary people view Ukrainian armed forces soldiers as aggressors rather than protectors.
International Reaction
The West has begun preparing to guide public opinion to accept the idea that Ukraine needs to make territorial concessions. In a program on British Sky News, which is hostile to Russia, the host stated that Crimea was historically part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, and was only transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic under administrative considerations within the unified Soviet Union in 1954. Moreover, he stated that Crimea's annexation by Russia in 2014 was logical because Ukraine had begun to actively move towards the Western sphere of influence and strongly desired to join NATO.
Macron said that the meeting location between Zelensky and Putin will be determined within the next few hours. He said, "This will be a neutral country, and we ourselves hope so. Therefore, it may be Switzerland. I support holding it in Geneva."
Trump, on the other hand, hopes to facilitate a meeting between Putin and Zelensky by the end of August.
This is the frontline briefing on the Russia-Ukraine conflict over the past 24 hours. For the special military operation briefing, news, and all important content about the Ukrainian special operation, please follow the author to learn more.
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