Ukraine's troops executed a special operation in the occupied Crimea peninsula to mark its 32 years of independence. The defence ministry announced that all objectives of the operation were achieved without any casualties. The special units successfully landed on the shore and engaged in combat with Russian troops stationed in the area. The state flag was raised in Ukrainian Crimea once again. President Volodymyr Zelensky released a message urging Ukrainians to support the fight for independence. Independence Day has gained increased significance since Russia's invasion in 2014.

ATTACK ON CRIMEA

- Ukraine GUR Special Ops
- Arrived on watercraft
- Supported by Navy, Air Force
- Destroyed RF air defense
- Russia suffered personnel, equip losses
- No AFU casualties
- Raised Ukrainian flag on Crimea
- Budanov warned of increased attacks#CrimeaIsUkraine pic.twitter.com/hK9Vr8CQgU

— Elizabeth Violet (@elles_violet) August 24, 2023

The advances made by Ukraine in reclaiming land in the east and south of the country have been relatively small, but analysts suggest that the recent gains near Robotyne and Urozhaine could be tactically significant due to the structure of Russian defensive lines. In a show of support, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced that Norway would donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to bolster its air force. This comes after Denmark and the Netherlands also pledged F-16s to Ukraine. President Zelensky visited Saint Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv and emphasized the importance of freedom in the fight for independence. In the heart of the capital, people took selfies next to charred and wrecked Russian tanks and armored vehicles captured from the battlefield. Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, Russian shelling wounded a seven-year-old girl in the city of Kherson. Russian missile strikes in the central city of Dnipro caused damage to a transport facility and injured at least 10 people. Ukraine's energy infrastructure was also targeted, with one of its thermal power plants being hit by Russian bombardment. However, there were no casualties. In other news, former US President Donald Trump is set to face racketeering and conspiracy charges in Georgia. He will be arrested at Atlanta's Fulton County Jail, accused of colluding with co-defendants to overturn the 2020 election result in the state. This marks Trump's fourth indictment since April. Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat confirmed that taking a defendant's photograph is standard procedure in Georgia, which means Trump will likely have his mugshot taken. The arrest comes after Trump declined to participate in a televised debate featuring eight of his rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Despite the looming criminal charges, most of the candidates declared their support for Trump as the party's nominee. Trump dismissed the charges as "nonsense" and claimed that the Justice Department has been weaponized to hinder his White House bid. Furthermore, the district attorney who filed the racketeering case in Georgia has set a deadline for the defendants to surrender. Eleven defendants have already turned themselves in, including Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The trials for Trump's criminal charges may coincide with the Republican presidential primary season and the campaign for the 2024 White House election. Special counsel Jack Smith proposed a January 2024 start date for Trump's trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the last election, while Georgia prosecutors want the racketeering case to begin in March 2024, the same month as Trump's trial in New York on charges of paying hush money to Stormy Daniels.