Ukraine War: Russia Loses 1,390 Soldiers in One Day as Zelenskyy Appoints New Defence Minister
In the Ukraine war, Russian forces lost 1,390 soldiers over the past day, bringing cumulative personnel losses to 1,474,030 since February 2022. [3] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister and set priorities that include air defence ahead of winter. [4] Russian missile attacks on Kyiv killed at least 13 people. [5]
Russian Military Losses
Russia has lost 1,390 soldiers killed and wounded over the past day, bringing its total number of personnel losses to 1,474,030. [3] The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 21 August 2026 are estimated to include approximately 1,474,030 military personnel, 12,286 tanks, 25,170 armoured combat vehicles, 48,318 artillery systems, 2,052 multiple-launch rocket systems, 1,581 air defence systems, 439 fixed-wing aircraft, 354 helicopters, 2,333 ground robotic systems, 472,849 operational-tactical UAVs, 5,049 cruise missiles, 35 ships or boats, 2 submarines, 137,369 vehicles and fuel tankers, and 4,559 special vehicles and other equipment. [3] The latest daily additions reported include 3 tanks, 5 armoured combat vehicles, 57 artillery systems, 2 multiple-launch rocket systems, 4 air defence systems, 12 ground robotic systems, 1,980 operational-tactical UAVs, 39 cruise missiles, 551 vehicles and fuel tankers, and 8 special vehicles and other equipment. [3] The information is being confirmed. [3]
Appointment of New Defence Minister
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has introduced the new defence minister, Yevhenii Khmara, and outlined the priority tasks for the Ministry of Defence. [4] Zelenskyy stated that he expects the Defence Ministry and defence and security forces to work together and conduct an audit of all agreements with partners to determine what has been implemented and what remains. [4] Air defence and anti-ballistic systems are a key priority, especially ahead of the winter. [4] Zelenskyy noted that Yevhenii Khmara has extensive experience of deep-strike operations from his time at the Security Service of Ukraine and expressed confidence that Khmara will continue to be personally involved in this area. [4] Regarding mobilisation, military contracts and rotations, Zelenskyy stressed that real decisions and real proposals are needed, with a more humane and consistent approach to resolving organisational issues within the armed forces. [4] The president also said that one of the greatest challenges at present is funding, primarily in Ukraine's defence sector, noting that the necessary resources must be found because the war has become more expensive. [4] Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara noted that he fully understands the president's objective of accelerating Ukrainian ballistic and anti-ballistic production programmes, adding that the armed forces need weapons, the supply system has to operate at the pace of the war, and Ukraine must protect its skies from Russian ballistic missiles. [4] On 19 August, the Ukrainian Parliament appointed Yevhenii Khmara, former acting head of the SSU, as Ukraine's new defence minister with 312 votes. [4]
UNHCR map shows humanitarian situation and operational response in Ukraine as of 14 August 2026. — Source: reliefweb
Recent Missile Attacks on Kyiv
Russia deployed an entire arsenal of weapons against Kyiv, killing at least 13 people. [5] Explosions shook Ukraine’s capital during a massive missile attack overnight into Thursday. [5] Russia launched at least two dozen cruise and ballistic missiles, including against a children’s hospital, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more. [5] A whole arsenal of Russian weapons was directed at Kyiv, from Oniks and Zircon supersonic missiles, Iskander-M and S-400 missiles, Kh-101 and Kalibr cruise missiles, as well as Iskander-K and Kh-59 missiles, to Banderol hybrid drones. [5] Multiple Iskander ballistic missiles impacted, as well as some Zircon cruise missiles and KN-23 ballistic missiles. [5] Kyiv faces a critical shortage of missiles for Patriot systems and is unable to cope with Russian ballistic missiles. [5] The situation is so bad that Ukraine’s air force stopped publishing statistics on whether its air defence succeeds or fails against such attacks. [5]
Intelligence Assessment of Russian Winter Plans
Ukraine’s military intelligence predicts that Putin will intensify missile attacks on civilian infrastructure and cities this winter to break societal resilience while pursuing an attritional offensive to seize Donbas. [5] Nothing indicates that Putin is ready to cease fire at the front and begin peace negotiations. [5] He will continue the offensive in eastern Ukraine and intensify attacks on Ukrainian cities, seeking to destroy as much as possible, not only energy infrastructure but also heating plants, waterworks and every possible logistics hub, warehouse or filling station. [5] According to analyst Valerii Vins of the Kyiv-based think-tank, the Institute for European Security Studies, Ukraine is already de facto in a total war with Russia, and this winter will be its culminating stress test as Russia will again use the cold as a weapon of mass destruction, shifting its focus from purely military targets to breaking the resilience of civilian society. [5] Yurii Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles BPA battalion of the 92nd Air Assault Brigade, summed it up by saying that a prolonged war was a key condition for Putin to retain his own power and that he would try to frighten Ukrainians and drive them out of cities with missile terror this winter. [5] Russian journalist Mikhail Fishman also said that Putin was betting on the coming winter and still believes he is making rapid progress in Donbas. [5] According to Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, acting director of the HUR military intelligence agency, the extent to which Putin attempts to expand the offensive will also depend on whether he launches a new wave of Russian mobilisation and how successful it is. [5] Without full mobilisation or a partial one, Russia will be unable to form new units, as battlefield losses exceed current recruitment. [5]
Russian forces suffer 1390 personnel losses in one day of fighting in Ukraine. — Source: ukrainskapravda
Humanitarian Impact on Displaced Populations
UNHCR surveys of over 13,000 war-affected people document the impact of displacement on access to rights and essential services. [1] Ukraine Protection Survey 3 analyses data from more than 13,000 interviews with internally displaced persons, returnees, and other war-affected populations collected across three rounds between April 2025 and April 2026. [1] The findings highlight the far-reaching impact forced displacement and the broader consequences of the war have on people's access to rights and essential services, affecting multiple areas. [1]
Operational Humanitarian Response
The latest UNHCR operational update addresses the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. [2] UNHCR continues to monitor and respond to the needs of those affected by the war through its ongoing operational efforts. [2]
What to watch next: Ukrainian military intelligence forecasts that Putin will continue the offensive in eastern Ukraine and intensify attacks on civilian infrastructure this winter, with outcomes depending on any new Russian mobilisation and assistance from North Korea. [5]
