(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Quick housekeeping note: I’m fried, so just a brief update tonight.
The Russians opened up on Ukraine again last night. The Ukrainian Air Force has the details on their Telegram channel:
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
Today, I had the honor to congratulate doctors and nurses, frontline medics on their professional holiday; I am grateful to everyone on whom the life of Ukraine depends – address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
27 July 2023 – 22:54
Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!
We are finishing this day working in Odesa.
Dnipro region, Mykolaiv and Ochakiv… Now it’s our Odesa region. Our combat medics, all our medical workers who save the lives of our soldiers and civilians, our adults and our children.
Today I had the honor to congratulate Ukrainian doctors and nurses, frontline medics on their professional holiday. I awarded the best ones. But I am grateful to everyone who stays in our cities and villages, in the frontline areas, who work on the frontline, on whom the life of Ukraine really depends. I am grateful to you!
In the morning, I held a meeting of the Staff. As always, we discussed key issues of our defense, protection of our skies and our cities. There were reports on the situation at the front and we are checking the “military commissars”. I think you can see the state’s reaction to the abuses of the “military commissars”.
Mykolaiv has a lot of issues that need to be resolved for people, including in the regional hospital. The Minister of Health and the head of the regional administration heard everything.
Ochakiv – I thank our doctors working there. They are real heroes!
In Odesa, I also had the honor to award medical workers and thanked them for their work.
An important conversation also took place in the presence of the Minister of Health with Commander of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Tetiana Ostashchenko. We talked about issues that are of great concern to our combat medics, our warriors. Issues on which lives depend. I expect the commander to work together with the community of combat medics, with volunteers and, on the other hand, with government officials to find the necessary solutions.
I listened to the report on the liquidation of the consequences of Russian strikes on Odesa and the region. Here, in Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, which Russia tried to destroy, I feel that our people, our morale are still stronger. Stronger than the Russian terror.
We are looking for air defense systems to protect Odesa and our entire south. And I am grateful to everyone in the world who has already joined us in this endeavor!
One more thing.
Kyiv. Today there is minus one deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. That’s fair.
I think it’s also fair to say now: every intention of any official to go abroad, of any deputy, should be checked to the second. If someone really wants to take a break from working for the state, the state will also take a break from such people.
I thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine! Thank you for the liberation of Staromaiorske. Congratulations again, guys!
Once again, I would like to congratulate our esteemed medical workers on their holiday. We are very proud of you!
Glory to Ukraine!
ruscists are more terrified of his name than any weapon.
President @ZelenskyyUa congratulated the @CinC_AFU, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, on his birthday and presented him with a branded firearm during an offsite meeting in Dnipro. pic.twitter.com/JLgmFPPKYS— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 27, 2023
Kivsharivka Village, Kharkiv Oblast:
Last night, russian terrorists bombarded Kivsharivka village, Kharkiv region. A bomb hit an apartment building. One person was killed, and four people were injured.
📷 Kharkiv Regional Military Administration pic.twitter.com/26mcFYNHLe
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 27, 2023
Staomayorske, Donetsk Oblast:
The 35th Marine Brigade @UA_NAVY
and the Battalion "Arey" @TDF_UA liberated the village of Staromayorske, Donetsk region. Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes! pic.twitter.com/QOimIw0rlp— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 27, 2023
A short movie about the liberation of Staromaiorske:
"On July 27, 2023, the personnel of the 35th separate marines brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrogradsky, together with their comrades from the 7th separate battalion of AREY UDA, liberated the settlement of… pic.twitter.com/memQMErb3p
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) July 27, 2023
A short movie about the liberation of Staromaiorske:
“On July 27, 2023, the personnel of the 35th separate marines brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrogradsky, together with their comrades from the 7th separate battalion of AREY UDA, liberated the settlement of Staromayorske, located in Donetsk region.”
Romanov talks about "very serious risk" of Russians leaving the village of Staromairoske which will lead to the surrender of Urozhaine. He says the Russian command is unable to contain the situation. pic.twitter.com/ghV8NEM5WJ
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) July 26, 2023
The International Fencing Federation has not made the point it thinks it has:
Fencer Olha Kharlan defeated Russia's Smirnova competing as 'neutral' and refused to shake hands.
It’s a disgrace that IOC and International Fencing Federation still fail to block Russia. The Kremlin has always used sports as a tool. pic.twitter.com/QQG4qidaEn
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) July 27, 2023
Yep, they disqualified her.
Sport is never beyond politics when it comes to Russia pic.twitter.com/do5h8tuWfO
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) July 27, 2023
We stand in full support of Olha Harlan, the talented Ukrainian fencer who declined to shake hands with her russian opponent following her victory in a duel. We condemn russia’s exploitation of sports to support its war of aggression.
🇺🇦❤️🤺 pic.twitter.com/VPNRiThk6B— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 27, 2023
Last night I answered a question for Urza, which led to this comment:
Wooh, mentioned on the front page for the first time ever, reading since Terry Schiavo but mostly just lurking.
Thanks for answering that Adam.
You’re most welcome. And now you’ve been on the front page twice. In two days!
In the next comment Nukular Biskits asked:
Adam, I appreciate your response to my last night’s question about your thoughts w/ reference to the probability of Russia attacking merchant/civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see it until this morning around 0400 local (I usually hit the sack about now and arise for my morning pre-work coffee & constitutional around then).
Not to belabor the point, but given Russia’s complete lack of concern for civilian casualties, why would you think they wouldn’t escalate hostilities to the point of attacking commercial vessels going to/from Ukrainian ports?
I’ll try to stay awake longer tonight … LOL
I’d already gone to sleep when you asked that, so here’s the answer. I don’t think this is about Russia’s concern for civilian casualties. Rather, I think there are a couple of things at play here. The first is that Russia really cannot afford to alienate anyone else. A lot of these commercial vessels, regardless of who owns them, are flagged in states in the global periphery or south. These are places that Russia is working its elements of national power other than military power hard. And it is doing so in order to establish influence. If the owners of the commercial shipping vessels suddenly feel the need to reflag their ships within their own states or states that are members of NATO in order to increase the likelihood of protection, that is going to hurt business for the states in the global periphery and south. The other dynamic that is in play here is that Putin really can’t afford to piss off Erdogan. As Russia’s power wanes, the Black Sea becomes more and more Turkiye’s body of water. That’s what I think is going on here.
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are two new Patron slide shows at his official TikTok. The first one is here and the second one is here. These don’t embed for some reason.