06:25 Ukraine issues air alert for Russian MiG-31K missile strike
The Ukrainian Air Force declares an air alert across the entire country. The Ukrainian Air Force attributes the air attack warning to a missile threat from a Russian MiG-31K. The missile type is an interceptor that dates back to the Soviet era and is named after the Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft manufacturer. The MiG-31K can carry hypersonic missiles like the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
05:32 ISW: Ukrainian armored vehicles ten kilometers behind Russian border in KurskAccording to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops have advanced up to ten kilometers into the Russian region of Kursk. This was confirmed by footage of armored vehicles behind the border. Ukrainian forces have reportedly breached at least two Russian defense lines and a fortress. According to a Russian source, the Ukrainians have captured 45 square kilometers in the Kursk region since the start of the operation on August 6, the ISW writes. Russian authorities declared a state of emergency in the region yesterday.
02:30 Ukraine raises threshold for prison sentence in petty theftIn Ukraine, thefts of low value will no longer result in a prison sentence. President Selenskyj has signed a corresponding amendment to the law, according to which thefts of up to around 67 euros in value will henceforth be treated as administrative offenses and punished with administrative fines. Previously, the value of stolen goods of up to around 6.7 euros was considered the maximum for petty theft. The background to this is the state of war that has been in effect since the Russian invasion. This provides for imprisonment of up to eight years for looting and theft. An example cited in the bill was a theft of diapers in a supermarket in the west Ukrainian city of Rivne in January 2023, with a value of around eight euros. This will no longer result in a prison sentence. However, the perpetrator in this case had still received a prison sentence of over three years.
00:27 Klingbeil: Deployment of US missiles in Germany is correctSPD leader Lars Klingbeil defends plans to station long-range US weapons in Germany against criticism from within his own party. "This deployment is correct because it helps us to defend ourselves if Russia should get the idea of attacking us," Klingbeil told the German editorial network. It is part of credible deterrence. At the NATO summit in July, the White House and the German government announced that the USA would again station weapons systems in Germany from 2026 onwards that can reach far into Russia. Named were Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles and new hypersonic weapons. There are critical voices within the SPD, with the parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich warning of the risk of military escalation.
22:38 Human Rights Advocate Orlow to Fight for Russian Prisoners
Freed in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Western states, Moscow human rights advocate Oleg Orlow plans to continue his civil rights work in exile. "Memorial cannot be destroyed," the 71-year-old said at a press conference at the Center for Liberal Modernity in Berlin. The organization he co-founded, Memorial, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, advocates for political prisoners in Russia. Orlow estimates that at least 800 political prisoners are still incarcerated in Russia - a conservative estimate. Orlow finds his new role in exile in Germany challenging, as he told reporters. He would prefer to be in his homeland but fears prosecution. Orlow now hopes to advocate for the release of more political prisoners, including eight who are critically ill. "When it turned out that these people were not on the list, we were very disappointed - we, who were exchanged," Orlow said. Memorial continues to work in Russia despite repression, and also from abroad.
21:30 Not Dead After All? Known Russian Propagandist Injured
Russian propagandist Yevgeny Poddubny was injured in the Kursk region, state TV company VGTRK reported on Telegram. Poddubny was injured in an attack by a Ukrainian drone and was hospitalized. Earlier, many Russian media outlets had reported Poddubny's death. Yevgeny Poddubny is one of Russia's most famous "war correspondents," with around 734,000 followers on Telegram. Preliminary reports suggest he was filming a report on fighting in the Kursk region today.
20:41 Emergency Declared in Region Kursk
An emergency has been declared in the Russian region of Kursk amid a Ukrainian ground offensive, Governor Alexei Smirnov announced on Telegram. Ukraine has advanced deep into Russian territory near Kursk in a counterattack. The offensive began on Tuesday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, and reached the northwest of the city of Sudzha on Wednesday.
20:14 Fighting Nearby: Russia Reinforces Protection of Kursk NPP
Due to Ukraine's advance into the Russian border region of Kursk, Russia's National Guard is reinforcing protection of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. Additional forces have also been deployed to combat sabotage and reconnaissance units in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, the agency said. This is happening in cooperation with Russian border troops and the army. The nuclear power plant, with four units and a capacity of nearly two gigawatts, is located only about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The day before, Ukrainian troops supported by tanks and artillery crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region at Sudzha. Unconfirmed reports suggest they advanced up to 15 kilometers towards the NPP.
19:38 Attacks in Kursk Region: European Gas Price Hits Yearly HighThe price of European natural gas has reached its highest level this year. The leading futures contract TTF for delivery next month rose by 5.7 percent to 38.78 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) in Amsterdam. Market participants are pointing to attacks by Ukraine on the Russian region of Kursk. The fighting is reportedly taking place near Sudza, a key entry point for natural gas that is transported to Western Europe through Ukrainian pipelines. As reported by news agency Bloomberg, the Gazprom corporation is currently maintaining normal gas supplies.
19:08 Ukraine Evacuates Border Areas Near Russian KurskIn response to heavy fighting in the Russian region of Kursk, Ukrainian authorities have ordered evacuations from more areas in the neighboring region of Sumy. The measures affect 23 settlements, according to the military governor of Sumy, Volodymyr Artjuch, on Ukrainian television. Around 6,000 people, including over 400 children and adolescents, are to be moved to safety from the border region. The day before, Ukrainian troops had launched an incursion across the Ukrainian-Russian border towards the city of Sudscha in the Kursk region, advancing several kilometers onto Russian territory. Moscow reported around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers equipped with heavy machinery. Kyiv has not yet commented on the events. Due to regular Russian shelling of border areas, local authorities had already ordered evacuations from a 10-kilometer-wide zone along the border in May.
You can read all previous developments here.
In light of the ongoing conflict, the Ukrainian Air Force issues an air alert across the country due to a missile threat from a Russian MiG-31K, raising concerns about potential attacks on Ukraine like the one on Ukraine itself, referred to as ['The attack on Ukraine'].
The Russian authorities declare a state of emergency in the region of Kursk after Ukrainian troops breach two Russian defense lines and advance up to ten kilometers into Kursk, according to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War [ISW]. This incident adds to the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
