The events of August 29 in the “Babel” review: the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive in the Kherson region, killed the collaborator Kovalyov, Russians shelled Mykolaiv with rockets

Since the very beginning of Russiaʼs full-scale war against Ukraine, "Babel" has been conducting text-based online events every day and promptly informing about the main news in our Twitter. We also do a daily digest of the dayʼs highlights in case you werenʼt able to follow along online.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine started a military operation in the Kherson region. However, it must be completed first, and only then should the results be evaluated. Nataliya Humenyuk, spokeswoman of the "South" Operational Command, informed about this at the briefing. According to her, the forces of the Russians are quite powerful, as they have brought their reserves there. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been destroying the enemyʼs ammunition depots and military equipment for a long time, as well as shelling bridges to complicate logistics.

In Nova Kakhovka, the Russian occupiers announced an evacuation. Meanwhile, the First Deputy Chairman of the Kherson Regional Council, Yuriy Sobolevsky, advised Ukrainians in the occupied territories to stay in safe places, stock up on food and water, and check first aid kits. He also called on people who live near the military facilities of the occupiers to temporarily move to another place.

On the occupied territory of the Kherson region, a collaborator, former Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Kovalyov, was killed. The Investigative Committee of Russia officially confirmed his death. Kovalev died at home, in the occupied territory of the Kherson region, on August 28 from a gunshot wound, and his roommate also died with him.

12 Russian missiles hit Mykolaiv. The head of Mykolaiv OVA Vitaly Kim and the mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkovych report that the Russian occupiers fired at residential buildings and educational institutions of the city. Two dead and 24 wounded are known. Rescue, emergency services and utility workers are working on the ground.

Maxar published fresh satellite images of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The occupiers fired at the roof of the stationʼs special building and blamed it on the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The building is located next to a nuclear reactor. Forests are also burning near the NPP. In the coming days, the IAEA mission will arrive at the station.

The authorities of the Zaporizhzhia region have two plans for the evacuation of the population in the event of an accident at the nuclear power plant — for peacetime and in conditions of military aggression. The regional administration noted that, according to expertsʼ calculations, 69 settlements in the region are subject to evacuation.

Sweden will provide Ukraine with an additional package of military aid to help defend against a Russian invasion. The cost of the package will be $46.75 million. This was announced by the Prime Minister of the country, Magdalena Andersson.