Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1639: Ukraine strikes Crimea’s power grid and Russian refineries
Croatian authorities separately arrested a Ukrainian diver sought by Germany in the Nord Stream pipeline investigation, reviving a long-stalled case.
On day 1639 of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Ukraine launched attacks on Crimea's power grid and Russian refineries. Ukrainian protesters lost their fight in the past but supported a designated leader who focused on achievements rather than empty promises—a trend emerging in Ukraine's recent elections. The country now offers financial incentives for capturing Russian soldiers, with a reward of 100,000 hryvnias for each soldier and 15,000 hryvnias for confirmed kills in close-combat situations.
Russian assaults on Ukraine's ports and Black Sea ships dramatically increased from 14 in 2025 to 124 in July alone. Up to 2.5 million tons of wheat destined for Asia remains delayed due to Russian attacks on Ukraine's shipping routes. Russia is diverting defense chemicals to fuel production, causing motor oil prices to surge by 40%.
Ukrainian forces, including the 118th Mechanized Brigade, are defending Zaporizhzhia City against a Russian advance, which relies on taking control of a nearby prison. The 118th Brigade successfully blocks Russian attempts to reach the city, while Russian forces attempt to disrupt Ukraine's defenses. Drone strikes on a substation in occupied Crimea resulted in fires and a widespread blackout, disrupting electric transport in several cities.
Ukraine's defense marketplace has processed $235 million in orders and now enables units to customize drones according to 17 specific characteristics. Russia is reducing Kinzhals production due to accuracy issues but maintains 50 missiles ready to strike Ukraine. Arson attempts failed to disrupt Ukrainian deliveries, with Milrem, an Estonian military robot manufacturer, reporting over 200 robotic systems will operate in Ukraine by the end of the year.
US Army seeks a contractor to restart production of discontinued Bradley parts and train Ukrainian crews for maintenance. Ukraine's refinery strikes have pushed Russia's fuel crisis into Central Asia, leading to a 10–13% increase in gasoline prices in affected markets. Russia staged a fake broadcast from Sweden's national TV to tarnish its prime minister's image, while Germany, France, and Sweden exposed the campaign in August.
Belgium is considering a drone deal to utilize Ukraine's war-tested expertise. A Russian Shahed drone hit near Moldova's border crossing, causing food cargo to burn and blacking out 13,000 residents in Odesa Oblast. A suspected Shahed drone also entered Moldova, while another crashed in Romania. On 20 August, Russia launched a massive overnight barrage on Kyiv, targeting homes, a hospital, a school, and railway infrastructure using ballistic and cruise missiles, including Zircon, Iskander-M, and S-400 systems.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
