August 9, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Kathleen Magramo, Heather Chen, Jack Guy, Hafsa Khalil, Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 3:06 a.m. ET, August 10, 2022
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5:00 a.m. ET, August 9, 2022

Russia temporarily suspends inspections under key nuclear weapons treaty

From CNN's Josh Pennington and Karen Smith

Russia has notified the US that it will temporarily suspend inspections under the START nuclear weapons treaty, the country's foreign ministry announced Monday.

“The Russian Federation is now being forced to resort to this measure as a result of the persistent desire of Washington to achieve a restart of inspection activities on short notice under conditions that do not take account of existing realities, creating unilateral advantages for the United States of America and effectively deprive the Russian Federation of the right to conduct inspections on American territory,” read a statement from the ministry.

The New START Treaty allows for 18 on-site inspections every year that allow Russia and the US to keep a close eye on each other's nuclear weapons.

The treaty, which was extended in early 2021 for five years, limits both nations to deploying 1,550 nuclear warheads over 700 delivery systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and bombers.

According to the ministry statement, Russia is fully committed to compliance with all the provisions of the START Treaty and the suspension of inspection measures are “temporary."

The aim is "to ensure that all the mechanisms of the START Treaty function in strict accordance with the principles of parity and equality of the parties, as was implied when it was agreed and put into force," it said. "Now these principles are not being upheld.”

Inspections will restart "once the current problematic issues relating to the resumption of Treaty inspection activities are resolved," said the ministry.

CNN has reached out to the US State Department for comment.

The treaty is the only one left regulating the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law extending the treaty for five years on January 28, 2021, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Washington had extended the treaty on February 3 that year.

In a statement, Blinken said the extension of the New START Treaty allowed for verifiable limits on Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers until February 5, 2026, and the treaty's "verification regime enables us to monitor Russian compliance with the treaty and provides us with greater insight into Russia's nuclear posture, including through data exchanges and onsite inspections that allow U.S. inspectors to have eyes on Russian nuclear forces and facilities."

4:25 a.m. ET, August 9, 2022

Russians keep up pressure on Bakhmut area, but Ukraine says no territory lost 

From CNN's Tim Lister and Julia Kesaieva

Russian forces are keeping up the pressure on the town of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region as they try to take more territory in Donbas.

The Ukrainian military said Tuesday that the Russians were conducting offensive battles in the eastern cities of Bakhmut and Avdiivka and trying to displace Ukrainian units with artillery fire.

It said that the Russians had tried to conduct "battle reconnaissance" in a string of towns and villages close to the main highway from Bakhmut towards the further eastward Luhansk region.

"Ukrainian soldiers inflicted fire damage and forced the invaders to flee," the military's General Staff said. 

Down south: The General Staff said that efforts by the Russians to advance on the outskirts of Donetsk city had also been rebuffed.

Along the front lines in the Kherson, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, the General Staff said Russian forces had carried out air strikes against a number of settlements.

The southern town of Nikopol, across the river from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, came under attack again overnight, according to Yevhen Yevtushenko, head of Nikopol district military administration.

Yevtushenko said 40 shells had been fired, seriously damaging industrial sites. He said the Russians were firing from under the cover of residential areas on the other side of the river.

In its latest assessment of the battlefield, the UK's Defense Ministry says that over the last month, "Russia’s assault towards the town of Bakhmut has been its most successful axis in the Donbas," but also noted that Russia "has only managed to advance about 10km during this time."

"In other Donbas sectors where Russia was attempting to break through, its forces have not gained more than 3km during this 30 day period; almost certainly significantly less than planned," the Ministry says.
"Despite its continued heavy use of artillery in these areas, Russia has not been able to generate capable combat infantry in sufficient numbers to secure more substantial advances."
3:51 a.m. ET, August 9, 2022

"Night of hell": Ukrainians claim heavy strikes against Russian positions in Melitopol

From CNN's Tim Lister and Julia Kesaieva

Russian forces endured a "night of hell" in Melitopol, the occupied southern city's mayor said, adding that residents reported hearing about 10 explosions overnight and further blasts at dawn. 

"We cannot clearly name the places of explosions for now, but we know there are dead and injured," Mayor Ivan Fedorov said.

Smoke was rising from a military base that had been struck four times previously, he added.

"It is clear today that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not going to abandon Melitopol and definitely will liberate it along with the resistance movement of local residents," Fedorov said.

Russian referendum: Fedorov also dismissed Russian plans for a referendum in occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia region, where Melitopol is located, saying the date and format of the proposed vote on joining Russia had been changed multiple times "as they understand they would not have any support of local residents."

On Monday a Ukrainian politician cooperating with the Russian occupation signed a decree in support of preparations for the referendum.

2:25 a.m. ET, August 9, 2022

Injured by war, the scars on Ukraine's wounded children are more than skin deep

From CNN's Jo Shelley, Jason Carroll, Charbel Mallo and Daria Markina in Yahidne, Ukraine

The deep scars on Serhii's back are a permanent reminder of his survival.
The deep scars on Serhii's back are a permanent reminder of his survival. (CNN)

Fourteen-year-old Serhii Sorokopud is still haunted by what happened when Russian tanks rolled into his village five months ago. He lifts his T-shirt to show the deep scars across his back — a reminder of a trauma both hidden and visible.

Russian troops set up a military camp in the small farming community of Yahidne, northeast of the capital Kyiv, on March 3, on their advance toward the capital. Serhii and his family were taken captive with hundreds of others in the basement of his school. Ten days later, as he stood in line for food in the playground, there was an explosion and he was struck by shrapnel.

"First, there was a strong blow to the back. I fell, couldn't get up, couldn't move," he told CNN on Thursday, showing the spot behind his school where he was hit. "People ran over and lifted me up. I couldn't even walk. There was a lot of blood."

Read the full story here.

2:21 a.m. ET, August 9, 2022

Buyer refuses cargo of first grain ship to leave Ukraine under UN deal, Ukrainian officials say

From CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton

The cargo ship Razoni, which departed from Odesa within the framework of the grain shipment agreement, is pictured in Istanbul, Turkey on August 3.
The cargo ship Razoni, which departed from Odesa within the framework of the grain shipment agreement, is pictured in Istanbul, Turkey on August 3. (Hakan Akgun/ dia images/Getty Images)

A buyer in Lebanon has rejected the cargo of the first grain ship to leave Ukraine since the early days of the war due to delayed delivery, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Embassy in the Middle Eastern country. 

The M/V Razoni departed the Black Sea port of Odesa on August 1, carrying more than 26,000 metric tons of corn under a UN-brokered deal aimed at easing the global food crisis sparked by Russia's invasion.

“According to the information provided by the shipper of the Ukrainian grain aboard the Razoni, the buyer in Lebanon refused to accept the cargo due to delays in delivery terms," the statement said. "So the shipper is now looking for another consignee to offload his cargo either in Lebanon/Tripoli or any other country/port.”

Some context: Ukrainian officials say they aim increase grain shipments to three to five vessels per day within the next two weeks. Shipments continued Monday, with two vessels carrying 60,000 metric tons of agricultural products to international markets departing from ports in southern Ukraine.

8:44 p.m. ET, August 8, 2022

Up to 80,000 Russian casualties in Ukraine, Pentagon official says

From CNN's Ellie Kaufman

Between 70,000 and 80,000 Russians have been killed or wounded during the war in Ukraine, Colin Kahl, Defense Department undersecretary for policy, said during an on-camera briefing at the Pentagon on Monday.

“I think it’s safe to suggest that the Russians have probably taken 70 or 80,000 casualties in less than six months. Now that is a combination of killed in action and wounded in action, that number might be a little lower, little higher, but I think that’s kind of in the ballpark,” Kahl said.

Kahl said that number of casualties from Russian forces is “remarkable” considering Russia has “achieved none of Vladimir Putin’s objectives” since invading Ukraine at the end of February.

“The Ukrainian morale and will to fight is unquestioned, and much higher I think than the average will to fight on the Russian side, so I think that gives the Ukrainians a significant advantage,” Kahl added.

8:37 p.m. ET, August 8, 2022

Pentagon announces extra $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine 

From CNN's Barbara Starr and Ellie Kaufman

The US Defense Department Monday announced a $1 billion package of additional weapons and security assistance for Ukraine in the latest round of military aid.

It is “the largest single drawdown of US arms and equipment” since August 2021, according to a Pentagon statement. This marks the eighteenth drawdown by the Pentagon.

What the package includes: The package for the first time will have munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), a US-Norwegian air defense system the Ukrainians need for shooting down Russian cruise missiles aimed at population centers.

The transfer of NASAMS itself could still be some days away according to US defense officials. The first system to arrive is expected to be from Norway, which can get it to Ukraine quicker than the US. 

This package focuses heavily on additional ammunition and weapons that Ukrainian forces have used successfully against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. There is additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 75,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition and 1,000 Javelin anti-tank weapons among key items. This is the first transfer of Javelin’s announced since June. There are also hundreds of AT4 anti-armor weapons included. 

12:40 a.m. ET, August 9, 2022

UN chief condemns "suicidal" shelling around Ukrainian nuclear plant

From CNN's Tim Lister, Yulia Kesaieva and Tara John

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on August 4.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on August 4. (Alexander Ermochenko/File/Reuters)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described recent artillery and rocket fire around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in central Ukraine as "suicidal," further adding to fears of an accident at the plant, which is the largest of its kind in Europe.

"Any attack on nuclear power plants is a suicidal thing," Guterres told reporters Monday in Tokyo. "I hope that these attacks will end," he said, and called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to be given access to the plant.

The Zaporizhzhia plant occupies an extensive site on the Dnipro river. It has continued operating at reduced capacity since Russian forces captured it early in March, with Ukrainian technicians remaining at work.

On Sunday, Ukraine's state energy company Energoatom said that one worker had been injured by Russian shelling around the facility on Saturday.

Energoatom claimed that three radiation monitoring sensors were also damaged, saying "timely detection and response in case of aggravation of the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from spent nuclear fuel casks are currently impossible."

"This time a nuclear catastrophe was miraculously avoided, but miracles cannot last forever," the company added.

Speaking on Ukrainian television, Energoatom's chairman Petro Kotin said one strike Sunday was up to 20 meters away from the processed fuel storage area.

"If they had hit the containers with the processed fuel, it would be a radiation accident," he said.

Read the full story here.