August 22, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Russia said its air force destroyed an American-made high-speed military boat “with a landing group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” near Snake Island on Tuesday morning. 

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy denied Russia's claims.

"No such incident took place in the Ukrainian Navy. There are no losses among the Navy personnel," the spokesperson told CNN on the phone. "Accordingly, in this case, we have nothing to comment on," he added. 

Ukraine regained control of Snake Island last year and has stepped up its attacks in the Black Sea over the past week. The small rocky island off the southwestern Ukrainian coast first gained widespread recognition early in Russia's invasion, when sailors defending it told the Russian Navy to “go f**k yourself.”

The Russian defense ministry released video purportedly showing the military boat incident but has not provided further details.

The video shows multiple firings at a target but without identifying details. CNN cannot independently verify it. 

CNN examines what Russian President Vladimir Putin's public persona says about his shifting image — from long-table diplomacy to meet-and-greets with crowds of apparently adoring fans.

Remember: In June, Putin faced the greatest threat to his authority in two decades when the founder of private mercenary company Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, launched an apparent insurrection, claimed control of military facilities in two Russian cities, and warned that his troops would head for Moscow, before he turned back the march.

Watch here:

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hear Russia’s preliminary objections in the case concerning “Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” next month, the court said in a statement on Tuesday.

The public hearings will be held in the Hague between September 18 and 27 and will include oral arguments by Russia, Ukraine and 32 intervening states.

Some more context: On February 27, 2022, Kyiv filed a case against Moscow in the ICJ, stating that “the Russian Federation has falsely claimed that acts of genocide have occurred in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine, and on that basis recognized the so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’, and then declared and implemented a ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine.”

The United Nations' top court granted applications from the UK, Canada and 30 other states to participate. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the Croatian, Moldovan and North Macedonian leaders in Greece, according to his office. 

Zelensky thanked Croatia for preparing a new defense package for Ukraine and briefed Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković about Russia's "illegal blockade of navigation in the Black Sea and heavy Russian missile strikes on Ukraine's port infrastructure, which endanger world food security," according to Zelensky’s office. 

The Ukrainian president also thanked North Macedonia Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski for defense support, his office said.

Zelensky discussed creating alternative routes for exporting Ukrainian grain after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, his office added.

On Monday, Zelensky also met with Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov to talk about a "grain corridor" in the Black Sea.

More background: Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal, negotiated by Turkey and the United Nations last year, threatens the safe passage of ships carrying grain to and from Ukrainian ports.

The collapse of the deal has already pushed up global food prices and could tip millions in poor countries into hunger.

Ukraine confirms it attacked a Russian air base used to store Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues his latest European tour in Greece, where he met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Bulgaria's Prime Minister Nikolai Dekovof.

Here are the latest headlines:

A Russian air base that came under attack on Saturday was used to house Tu-22M3 supersonic bombers, according to CNN analysis of satellite and social media images of the base.

Stellite images provided by Planet Labs and taken on August 8, show a number of Tu-22M3 bombers parked at the airfield in Soltsi inside Russia's northwest Novgorod region.

Another Planet Labs satellite image taken on August 21 appears to show charred ground where one Tu-22M3 was parked, while the rest of the parked aircrafts appear to have been moved.  

Two ocial media images geolocated by CNN show a similar aircraft on fire at the same Russian base.  

Some context: The Russian defense ministry had said earlier that Ukrainian drones attacked the airfield causing fire in the aircraft parking lot. Ukraine hasn’t claimed responsibility for this August 19 attack.

Ukraine on Monday confirmed it carried out a drone attack on Shaykovka air base in Russia's Kaluga region, located more than 200 kilometers (130 miles) northeast of the countries' shared border, which left "at least one aircraft damaged."

Ukrainian media reported that attacks on Russian bases over the past few days destroyed several aircrafts including two bombers, citing unnamed Ukrainian defense intelligence officials.  

Ukraine on Monday confirmed it carried out a drone attack on Shaykovka air base in Russia's Kaluga region, located more than 200 kilometers (130 miles) northeast of the countries' shared border, which left "at least one aircraft damaged."

The aircraft is capable of performing nuclear strikes as well as conventional attacks and anti-ship missions, according to open-source intelligence company Jane’s.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says she held a “productive” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Athens on Tuesday, as he carries out another tour of European nations. 

Von der Leyen said the two leaders discussed “Ukraine’s progress on the EU path” in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. 

Zelensky said Ukraine hopes for a decision by the bloc’s member states to open accession talks linked to Ukraine’s EU membership bid by the end of 2023. 

Von der Leyen also outlined the EU’s commitment to bringing “Ukraine’s grain to world markets” as the country continues to deal with the fallout from Russia’s withdrawal from a UN-brokered grain deal in July. 

She also underlined a commitment to providing “economic assistance” to Ukraine as it fights off the Russian invasion.   

Zelensky thanked von der Leyen for “her efforts to normalize Ukraine’s agricultural exports and transit" in a post on his official Telegram account.

Leaders of Ukraine and Bulgaria have discussed their countries’ cooperation on the Black Sea to secure a "grain corridor" in the wake of Russia's withdrawal from a crucial deal that has led to growing fears about global food security.

The withdrawal of Russia from the grain deal negotiated by Turkey and the United Nations has had a chilling effect on merchant shipping using the three Ukrainian Black Sea ports from which most grain is exported. Russia has warned that ships leaving these ports may come under attack.

Ukraine has since created its own maritime corridor for shipping, but it is unable to guarantee its safety because of Russian naval superiority in the Black Sea.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov to talk about the corridor on the sidelines of Ukraine-Balkans Summit held in Athens, Greece on Monday.

The two leaders “discussed cooperation between the Black Sea states to ensure sustainable security in the Black Sea and the functioning of the "grain corridor" in alternative ways,” Zelensky’s office said.

Zelensky thanked Denkov for the recent Bulgarian decision to provide defense support to Ukraine, according to the office.

Some context: Kyiv is in talks with some of the world’s biggest insurance companies to cover ships traveling to and from its ports in the Black Sea — a crucial step toward a full resumption of vital grain exports around the globe.

Work on an insurance mechanism follows Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative last month, which threatens the safe passage of ships carrying grain to and from Ukrainian ports.

The collapse of the deal — brokered by Turkey and the United Nations a year ago — has already pushed up global food prices and could tip millions in poor countries into hunger.

To keep grain shipments moving, Ukraine’s government will share potential losses with insurers, which should make cover for travel through risky Ukrainian waters more affordable for commercial shipping companies.

A 51-year-old man was killed and another man was wounded after Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region endured a barrage of Russian attacks overnight, a local official said Tuesday.

In a Telegram post, Zaporizhzhia military administration chief Yurii Malashko said the region was hit 96 times by missiles and shells during the past 24 hours.

Homes were damaged in Zaporizhzhia city following missile and drone strikes, he said. Firefighters later extinguished a blaze in the city covering 200 square meters, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said.

Russia also attacked multiple towns on the front line, using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and jets, Malashko added.