Retired Green Beret Ryan Hendrickson has so far cleared 334 mines from Ukraine farm fields, word got out there was an American in that town so he had to go back to Kyiv.

Funny thing is the other day when he was clearing mines he had the worst song for the situation in his hea, Click, Click, Boom. If you haven't seen his Instagram page take a look at it, he shows how to clear a mine. Click, click, pop is what happens if you do it properly, boom is bad

ISW: RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, AUGUST 24

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Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated on August 24 that Russian forces are slowing down the overall pace of their offensive operations in Ukraine while reaffirming that Russia's objectives in the war have not changed. At a meeting with defense ministers from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Shoigu stated that Russian troops will be slowing down the pace of offensive operations in Ukraine in a conscious effort to minimize civilian casualties. Shoigu also reiterated that operations in Ukraine are going according to plan and that Russian forces will accomplish all their objectives, supporting ISW's assessment that Russia's maximalist strategic war aims in Ukraine have not changed. The Russian MoD has previously issued similar statements to account for the pace of operations in Ukraine.

Shoigu's statement may also represent an attempt by the Russian MoD to set information conditions to explain and excuse the negligible gains Russian forces have made in Ukraine in the last six weeks. Since Russian forces resumed offensive operations following a pause on July 16 Russian forces have gained about 450.84 km2 (roughly 174 square miles) of new territory, an area around the size of Andorra. Russian forces have lost roughly 45,000 km2 of territory since March 21 (the estimated date of Russian forces' deepest advance into Ukraine), an area larger than Denmark. As ISW has previously assessed, Russian forces are unable to translate limited tactical gains into wider operational successes, and their offensive operations in eastern Ukraine are culminating. Shoigu's statement is likely an attempt to explain away these failings.

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Today's SITREP.

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Putin signed a decree to increase number of servicemen in Armed Forces of Russia to 1.15 million(adding 137000)

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-putin-signed-a-decree-to-increase-number-of-servicemen

That takes them out of the economy.

What economy?

At this point it is all for nothing for the Russians, if they do not take Ukraine they secured their fate as a dying empire. We may be looking at the new form of guerilla tactics, choosing your battles by precise targeting instead of ambushes. Russia keeps throwing soldiers to the front lines while Ukraine hits strategic targets.

I keep thinking if any agency like the CIA wanted to do something in Russia it will soon be time.

Goings on with the NPP:

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Fires near Enerhodar, no power and water supply in the city

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-fires-near-enerhodar-no-power-and-water-supply

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Blackout in Kherson, Nova Kakhovka and occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia region

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-blackout-in-kherson-nova-kakhovka-and-occupied

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Shoigu spoke on the phone with his French colleague, discussed the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-shoigu-spoke-on-the-phone-with-his-french-colleague

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New satellite imagery from August 21 showed Russian military equipment within 60 meters of Reactor No. 5 at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-new-satellite-imagery-from-august-21-showed-russian

"To bolster Russia’s depleted weapons inventory, Iran has begun delivering 'hundreds' of suicide drones, according to the intelligence officials. These drones would probably be part of the 'Shahed' series" @IgnatiusPost https://t.co/NGiDaQPIFB pic.twitter.com/LOSnB19blC

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 25, 2022

Nice piece on Georgians fighting in Ukraine's foreign legion.

Yep. Looks like they're running out of heavy weapon ammo so they're going back to WW2 strategy and calling 130K more cannon fodder troops.

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On August 27, military exercises of reservists and conscripts will be held in the Republic of Belarus - Reuters, citing the Ministry of Defense

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-on-august-27-military-exercises-of-reservists-and

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Both operating reactor blocks at the ZaporizhzhiaNPP have been disconnected from the power grid due to fire damage to power lines and an effort is underway to reconnect one of them to the grid, announces @energoatom_ua

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-both-operating-reactor-blocks-at-the-zaporizhzhianpp

Waffledynamics said:

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"To bolster Russia’s depleted weapons inventory, Iran has begun delivering 'hundreds' of suicide drones, according to the intelligence officials. These drones would probably be part of the 'Shahed' series" @IgnatiusPost https://t.co/NGiDaQPIFB pic.twitter.com/LOSnB19blC

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 25, 2022

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what a surprise that the Russians and the Iranians are teaming up to help each other defeat the West

⚠️ Confirmed: Metrics show a major disruption to communications at #Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, #Ukraine, amid Russian hostilities.

The NPP has been completely disconnected from the grid for the first time in history per Energoatom.

📰 Background: https://t.co/2L7yAznx6a pic.twitter.com/d7AGIc3Hf3

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) August 25, 2022

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Fires in Mariupol after one fire was not extinguished due to the lack of water

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-fires-in-mariupol-after-one-fire-was-not-extinguished

В Мариуполе сильные пожары.

Начались они в микрорайоне Восточный. Огонь не смогли потушить сразу из-за отсутствия воды, а теперь пожар лишь распространяется из-за ветра, город затянуло дымом.#Мариуполь #Mariupol #Маріуполь pic.twitter.com/B5mKP3oeuI

— Типичный Донецк (@typicaldonetsk) August 25, 2022

Excellent account of the battle for Kiev.

MUST READ

****ing Russians, if they can't have it they will **** on it and ruin it for everyone else.

I'm seeing some information that they are fully offline, and some saying they are still tied in with a local coal plant power the cooling of the reactor and fuel. If they are really disconnected, the backup generators are going to be critical, if they were to go offline or the idiot Russians stole all the diesel out of them this will be a disaster

❗️As a result of hostilities in the area of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, all power units were disconnected from the power grid for the first time in its history. Now the nuclear plant provides its power needs through the line of a neighboring thermal power plant, Enerhoataom reports

— Stratcom Centre UA (@StratcomCentre) August 25, 2022

Entertaining watch on the Koreans trip to service in Ukraine.

BattleGrackle said:

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I'm seeing some information that they are fully offline, and some saying they are still tied in with a local coal plant power the cooling of the reactor and fuel. If they are really disconnected, the backup generators are going to be critical, if they were to go offline or the idiot Russians stole all the diesel out of them this will be a disaster

❗️As a result of hostilities in the area of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, all power units were disconnected from the power grid for the first time in its history. Now the nuclear plant provides its power needs through the line of a neighboring thermal power plant, Enerhoataom reports

— Stratcom Centre UA (@StratcomCentre) August 25, 2022

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Power apparently restored. NUKE

Our new story from South- Kherson region - with Ukrainian army on the frontline. We add English subs. You should watch it - to understand what is a price of Freedom https://t.co/AYPIPZlI2Z

— Nastya Stanko (@StankoNastya) August 25, 2022

They believe in what they are doing and seem to be enjoying it as much as they can under the circumstances.

So for Ukraine's independent day celebration they lined up over a mile long worth of destroyed Russian equipment around the center of Kyiv. The Ukraine of much better at the phycological side of the war

Then and Now?

Waffledynamics said:

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Fires in Mariupol after one fire was not extinguished due to the lack of water

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-fires-in-mariupol-after-one-fire-was-not-extinguished

В Мариуполе сильные пожары.

Начались они в микрорайоне Восточный. Огонь не смогли потушить сразу из-за отсутствия воды, а теперь пожар лишь распространяется из-за ветра, город затянуло дымом.#Мариуполь #Mariupol #Маріуполь pic.twitter.com/B5mKP3oeuI

— Типичный Донецк (@typicaldonetsk) August 25, 2022

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A once beautiful coastal city destroyed with an estimated 20,000+ civilian casualties. The true horror and loss of life here may never be fully grasped as the Russian cover up continues. Every time I see a story on Mariupol, I hope/pray there will be a day when the Ukes can drive those SOBs out.

74OA said:

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Then and Now?

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Today's SITREP.

AGS-R-TUFF said:

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Waffledynamics said:

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Fires in Mariupol after one fire was not extinguished due to the lack of water

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/25-august-fires-in-mariupol-after-one-fire-was-not-extinguished

В Мариуполе сильные пожары.

Начались они в микрорайоне Восточный. Огонь не смогли потушить сразу из-за отсутствия воды, а теперь пожар лишь распространяется из-за ветра, город затянуло дымом.#Мариуполь #Mariupol #Маріуполь pic.twitter.com/B5mKP3oeuI

— Типичный Донецк (@typicaldonetsk) August 25, 2022

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A once beautiful coastal city destroyed with an estimated 20,000+ civilian casualties. The true horror and loss of life here may never be fully grasped as the Russian cover up continues. Every time I see a story on Mariupol, I hope/pray there will be a day when the Ukes can drive those SOBs out.

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It's truly horrific. A little while ago, there was mention that the Russians said that the buildings were too damaged and "smelled bad" (aka there are a lot of dead inside), and so they just wanted to demolish them all. Mass graves aren't enough. They literally want to just bulldoze their war crimes away.

Absolutely **** Russia.

At 10:08, Rob mentions that Spetznaz and Wagner got into a firefight somewhere when they got mad at each other.

Also, I don't know how Bakhmut is still in Ukraine's hands, but they're somehow holding on despite constantly getting hit hard.

Bold strategy cotton, let's see how this works out for them…

Ukrainian soldiers from the 95th Air Assault Brigade inspect a set of captured ballistic vests.

They're probably, and I'll quote a Russian equipment expert on this; "locally made garbage from the DNR" pic.twitter.com/Goc61vqRFI

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 26, 2022

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Russian army deploying pontoon bridge at Antonivsky bridge in Kherson

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/26-august-russian-army-deploying-pontoon-bridge-at-antonivsky

#Херсон, "хитроумные" оккупанты городят мост из барж под Антоновским мостом (https://t.co/K6Ltiu4PVs). Интересно, они серьёзно думают, что сильно сложно сдвинуть прицел химарсов на пару метров вбок? pic.twitter.com/TalaUwpYPp

— Necro Mancer (@666_mancer) August 26, 2022

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Explosions near Kherson: at Antonivsky bridge, Chornobaivka and Inzhenerne

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/26-august-explosions-near-kherson-at-antonivsky-bridge-chornobaivka

Wonder what they were targeting?

Why does Russia even bother to keep trying with these bridges and river crossings there? It just seems like a lost cause.

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Russian base in Kadiivka was destroyed in a missile strike

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/26-august-russian-base-in-kadiivka-was-destroyed-in-a-missile

Waffledynamics said:

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Quote:

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Explosions near Kherson: at Antonivsky bridge, Chornobaivka and Inzhenerne

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/26-august-explosions-near-kherson-at-antonivsky-bridge-chornobaivka

Wonder what they were targeting?

Why does Russia even bother to keep trying with these bridges and river crossings there? It just seems like a lost cause.

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I am assuming with the pontoons being used as ferries, there are times when an orc convoy of supplies gets stacked up on one side waiting. Wouldn't be surprised if they are hitting those when they park to wait. And the orcs have to keep trying because they have something like 30% of their forces on the west side of the river by some reports. Why they keep trying at exactly the same spot that is already punched into the Ukrainian targeting computers on their MLRS launchers, I have no idea. But thank God the orcs are this dumb, because it is probably all that kept Ukraine from getting steamrolled this summer.