In Ukraine, they announced an increase in the combat capability of the army in the Kiev direction

Ukraine does not rule out a second offensive by the Russian army on Kyiv and is doing everything to increase the combat capability of the armed forces of Ukraine (AFU) in this direction. This was stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by the commander of the joint forces of Ukraine, General Sergei Naev.

“Nobody has ever ruled out a second attack on Kyiv,” he clarified, adding that such a possibility exists. He noted that the military leadership is “doing everything to improve the ability [Украины] prevent success [России] in the direction of Kiev”, including the heads of regional military administrations and other defense and security forces.

In addition, Naev answered why drones reach Kyiv. According to the commander, recently the tactics of using Shahed-131/136 strike drones have changed, they are used at night at low altitudes, but the routes change, and due to the lack of visual contact, it is very difficult to destroy an air target.

But against the backdrop of the advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the Kupyansk direction, the Ukrainian authorities from August 9 began to call on the residents of the Kupyansky district to leave the territories. On August 10, mandatory evacuation was announced for residents of the left bank of the Oskol River in Kupyansk, in the village of Kovsharovka and in the city of Kupyansk-Uzlovaya. In total, the document mentioned 37 settlements. On August 13, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleg Sinegubov informedthat since August 9, 204 people have been evacuated from the area.

On March 29, 2022, the Ministry of Defense announced a reduction in hostilities in the Kiev and Chernigov directions. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov named the withdrawal of forces from these areas as a “gesture of good will.” In January 2023, the Ministry of Reintegration of Ukraine ruled out Kyiv from the list of territories where hostilities are possible.