Ukrainian forces have liberated the village of Zelenyi Hai in the Donetsk region, as confirmed by social media accounts tracking the conflict. Footage shared on August 21st, 2025, shows the 1st Battalion of the 37th Marine Brigade presenting the Ukrainian flag in Zelenyi Hai, located at coordinates 48.06839, 36.65014. This development occurs as Ukraine reportedly matches Russia's Shahed drone production, manufacturing 3,000 FP-1 long-range drones monthly with a range of up to 1,600 km and a warhead of 60-120 kg. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated today, August 22nd, 2025, that the 1,276th day of the full-scale war marks Ukraine's resilience and the effectiveness of its people and warriors. He expressed gratitude for the strength provided to Ukraine and emphasized the need for strong security guarantees from international partners, working with the United States and Europe to achieve Ukraine's goals of protecting lives, defending independence, and securing a dignified peace. In a separate incident, Ukrainian intelligence claims that a Ukrainian naval drone caused an explosion in Novorossiysk Bay, killing five Russian divers. Meanwhile, Russian nationalist Dmitry Dyomushkin commented in an interview that Russian military leadership is assuring the country's leadership of an imminent victory in Ukraine, citing Kaiser Germany's WWI loss due to logistical exhaustion as a comparison. However, Dyomushkin noted that with 55 countries supporting Ukraine financially and materially, there is no basis to believe Ukraine will lose logistically. He also described the personnel quality of Russian brigades at the front as low, making large-scale breakthroughs unlikely and stating that the war has not become a public focus in Russia, with many viewing it as a disaster. Reports also suggest that Ukraine's "Flamingo" cruise missile utilizes an Ivchenko AI-25TL turbofan engine, potentially repurposed from an Aero L-39 jet trainer. While this approach may provide an immediate supply of engines, scaling turbofan production for long-term output is expected to be challenging for Ukrainian manufacturer Motor Sich.
