RIGHT SPEAK: RUssians Fail to Retake Urozhaine, 26 Combat Clashes recorded in Last 24 Hours; UKR Breaks Through RU’s First Line of Defense Near Tokmak; UKR Air Defenses Shoot Down 15 Kamikaze Drones Overnight; UKR Forces Hold Initiative in Bakhmut Sector, LIVE UPDATES +MORE

Russians fail to retake Urozhaine, 26 combat clashes recorded in last 24 hours – General Staff report:

During the day, the Russian forces inflicted airstrikes on the Ukrainian positions on most fronts, firing artillery and mortars; they once again tried to retake their lost positions in the area of Urozhaine on the Shakhtarsk front. 26 combat clashes were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 17 August

Details: The operational situation on the Volyn and Polissia fronts remains much the same as before.

On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russians carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Kostiantynivka, Sumy Oblast. Mortar and artillery strikes were recorded in over five settlements, amongst them Karpovychi and Bleshnia in Chernihiv Oblast; Kostiantynivka, Myropilske, and Popivka in Sumy Oblast, as well as Vilcha, Loshakove, Hatyshche, and Okhrymivka in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Kupiansk front, the Russians launched an airstrike in the area of Kyslivka, Kharkiv Oblast. The settlements of Kucherivka, Petropavlivka, and Kyslivka of Kharkiv Oblast were subjected to artillery and mortar strikes.

On the Lyman front, the Russians launched airstrikes in the vicinity of Bilohorivka, Serebrianka forest in Luhansk Oblast and Terniv in Donetsk Oblast. About ten settlements were shelled by the Russians, in particular, Nevske, and Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast and Verkhnokamianske, Spirne, and Rozdolivka in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Bakhmut front, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in areas north of Bohdanivka, and north and south of Klishchiivka, Donetsk Oblast. They delivered an airstrike in the vicinity of Klishchiivka, Donetsk Oblast. Over ten settlements suffered from artillery shelling, including Klishchiivka, Bila Hora, Bohdanivka in Donetsk Oblast. --->READ MORE HERE

Photo: Sergiy Chalyi/Reuters

Ukraine breaks through Russia’s first line of defense near Tokmak — CBS:

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have broken through a minefield and have succeeded in their offensive on Tokmak, Zaporizhzhya Oblast, CBS News reported on Aug. 18, citing U.S. officials.

Ukrainian troops had broken through to the north of Tokmak and were now engaged in a battle with the first line of Russian defense holding the city, the official said.

Liberating Tokmak and then advancing to Melitopol will be a difficult task for the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which has been making gradual gains since the beginning of this summer, argued CBS.

One of the goals of the Ukrainian counteroffensive is to advance south through powerful Russian fortifications in order to recapture the occupied city of Melitopol, the gateway to Crimea, the outlet noted.

A new phase of Ukraine's counteroffensive began in late July, with the main blow coming from the southeast, where Ukrainian troops are gradually advancing through minefields and under attack by Russian aircraft, reported The New York Times.

Ukrainian troops managed to break through the Russian forces’ defenses in some places in the south, reported Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar on Aug. 4. --->READ MORE HERE