It has been a relatively sedate day in the war in Ukraine— relatively speaking of course.

Wildberries is still a smoking ruin, Russian drivers are still lining up for fuel, and bombs and missiles are still flying.

And drones are still rule the front lines.

Ukraine’s Hart border brigade struck Russian troops and equipment attempting to break through the state border on the Kharkiv front, including from Russian territory. Drone crews also neutralized a tank, artillery system, mortar and heavy machine gun covering Russian positions from aerial attacks.

— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 2026-08-17T10:17:48.010Z

Let’s check in on the fuel situation in Russia.

Numerous Russian targets in Crimea and elsewhere were serviced.

Ukraine’s General Staff says strikes hit a Russian UAV storage, preparation and launch site near Hvardiiske in occupied Crimea, an Orion ground control station in Novofedorivka, a Geran/Gerbera relay in Olenivka, and relay communications and power infrastructure on Tendra Spit. #Ukraine

— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 2026-08-17T10:54:46.243Z

🇺🇦😎 Ukrainian Dovbush T20 and DARTS drones have destroyed Russian Buk and TOR air defense systems, Pion artillery system, and Terek radar in 70 combat missions – 475th Regiment Code 9.2.Dovbush T20 and DARTS can operate at a distance of up to 150 km from the front line.

— MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) 2026-08-17T11:11:07.082Z

Poland takes Russia seriously, even a Russian army weakened by five years of war in Ukraine. I have seen other reports about NATO planning in the event of a confrontation with Russia and it says NATO doesn’t plan to invade any Russian territory, and that the plan is to west and degrade the Russian military. That might be an overall good plan but there should be a cost in territory to Russia, such as losing Kaliningrad and the Kuril Islands.

This is my favorite story of the day.

🇺🇦☀️ Hundreds of storks swarm Ukrainian field during harvestA Ukrainian farmer shared incredible footage. In the video, hundreds, or possibly thousands, of birds gathered in the middle of a field.Ukrainians are already calling such a large number of storks a good sign.

— MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) 2026-08-17T11:27:50.015Z

Another 1,440 Russians who won’t pass Go and won’t collect $200.

The Wildberries in Koledino south of Moscow is still smoking.

Indeed. Trump and Hegseth also wouldn’t go to Ukraine because it’s dangerous and they are deficient in testosterone.

SNYDER: You can’t imagine Trump or Hegseth visiting Kyiv. It’s not that it’s not going to happen. It’s just unimaginable.It’s psychically impossible for them. They can’t be in a world where people are actually taking real risks for real things.That would be too much for them.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) 2026-08-16T22:30:38.405Z

Rest in peace

Maybe they’ll get a bag of onions. 🧅

Foreign recruits being treated like cattle being branded before being sent to the slaughter.

We’ll get straight to the point: The financial hardships that Daily Kos is facing this year are tough.

We continue to be paywall-free. We continue to be supported by our readers, not billionaires or corporations. But we need to bring in more revenue. We are leaning on our community more than ever to help make ends meet.

Power matters.

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