06:52 Media: Explosion after Ukrainian attack on Crimea
02:05 Reports: Explosion on Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea
There are reports of an explosion on the Crimean peninsula, which is occupied by Russia. Ukrainska Pravda reports this, citing Telegram reports. The Russian governor of the city of Sevastopol, Mykhailo Rozvazhaev, writes on Telegram that the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and air defense have repelled an attack by Ukrainian forces on Sevastopol, destroying three drones in the process. Additionally, the Russian air defense is said to have shot down a Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missile over the sea near Sevastopol. The Telegram channel Crimeawind reports on shots and a heavy explosion in Chornomorskyi, as well as the work of the Russian air defense in the area of the Belbek airport. A black smoke column is said to have risen over the airport, and there is a strong smell of fire in the coastal area of the city, according to the Telegram channel Crimeawind citing subscribers. There are no reports of possible casualties yet.
06:05 Media: Fire at military airport in Russian region of Lipetsk
A fire has broken out at a military airport in the Russian region of Lipetsk, according to Russian news agencies Ria Novosti and Tass. They do not initially provide information on the cause of the fire. Shortly before, the local governor announced evacuations due to a "massive" drone attack near the city of Lipetsk, which caused explosions and power outages, according to Igor Artamonov on Telegram. An emergency situation has been declared in the Lipetsk district, and four villages are being evacuated. Some of the villages mentioned are located near an air force base outside the city. There have been no reports of casualties. Ukrainian authorities had not reported any attacks on the region. Lipetsk is located about 300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
05:02 Putin may not have known about Ukrainian troop buildup
Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, may have ignored intelligence warnings that Ukrainian forces were gathering near the border with the Kursk Oblast, Bloomberg reports, citing a source close to the Kremlin. Ukrainian forces crossed the border into the Kursk Oblast on August 6, bringing the fighting onto Russian territory. According to the report, Ukrainian forces began gathering near the border with the Kursk region two weeks before the start of their offensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not informed about the troop buildup.
03:21 Half of Germans fear conflict with Russia will escalate due to US missiles
The German and US governments have agreed that the US will station long-range weapon systems such as Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. Half of Germans expect this to further escalate the conflict with Russia, according to a survey by Civey for the Funke media group. 50 percent of respondents answered yes to the question of whether they expect further escalation. 38 percent do not believe there will be further escalation, and 12 percent are undecided. 44 percent view the stationing positively, while 42 percent view it negatively, and 14 percent are undecided.
01:14 Minister President Kretschmer Calls for Reduction in Weapons Aid to Ukraine
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer is also calling for a reduction in weapons aid to Ukraine, given the federal budget. "We can no longer keep providing funds for weapons to Ukraine that are being used up and not making a difference. Everything must be in proportion," the CDU politician told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. "Support yes, but we're seeing that we're reaching our limits," he added. Kretschmer pointed to the increase in the budget in recent years. "Before the COVID-19 crisis in 2019, we had a budget volume of 344 billion euros. Now we're at 480 billion, and yet the traffic light coalition can't agree on the budget," said the Minister President. "That shows that everything is spiraling out of control."
23:35 Kiesewetter: Ukrainian Offensive Legally and Strategically Justified
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter sees the latest Ukrainian military offensive on Russian territory as covered by international law. The surprise move by Ukraine is "clearly legally justified under the right to self-defense" and "militarily strategic," Kiesewetter told the "Tagesspiegel". According to the CDU defense expert, the Ukrainian troops' advance serves to tie down Russian forces in the Kursk region and inflict significant losses on them. "This can relieve pressure on other fronts because Russia has to tie down or redeploy forces to Kursk," he said.
22:30 Pentagon: Ukraine's Advance into Kursk Region in Line with US Policy
The incursion of Ukraine into the Russian region of Kursk is "in line with our policy," said Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh, according to the news portal "Kyiv Independent". When asked if Ukraine can use weapons supplied by the US, Singh replied that the US has "supported Ukraine from the start in defending against attacks coming from the border." The Kursk region borders the Ukrainian region of Sumy for 245 kilometers, which has been subjected to daily Russian attacks since its liberation in April 2022. Ukraine is taking measures "to protect itself from attacks" and is operating "within the framework of US policy, using our weapons, our systems, and our capabilities," said Singh.
Singh said it's up to Ukraine to speak about its own operations. When asked how far into Russian territory Ukraine can attack, Singh said the US "does not support long-range attacks". However, she refused to specify the exact distance. "I'm not going to draw a circular map of where they can strike and where not, but we've been very clear with the Ukrainians," she said.
22:09: BSW MEP De Masi Calls for "As Swiftly as Possible" Ceasefire and NegotiationsFollowing the Ukrainian troops' advance into Kursk, BSW MEP Fabio De Masi is calling for "as swiftly as possible a ceasefire and negotiations". The Ukraine is having "major difficulties defending its own territory", De Masi told the "Tagesspiegel". Advances "deep into Russian territory" only make sense "if the goal of Ukraine is to strengthen the escalation dynamic". The risks are immense, says the Euro MP. "Consider, for example, the Russian nuclear power plant in the region. Russia is a nuclear power and has the escalation dominance".
21:50: Authorities in Kursk Region Report at Least Five Civilian DeathsRussian troops have been fighting for the third day in a row against a Ukrainian advance across the border, according to reports from Moscow. Russian forces and border guards are preventing Ukrainian units from penetrating deeper into Kursk, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Meanwhile, the Russian army is attacking Ukrainian forces attempting to retreat from the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. According to the Russian Health Ministry, 66 civilians have been injured since the start of the Ukrainian advance, including nine children. Authorities in the Kursk region report at least five civilian deaths, including two medics. Ukraine has not yet commented on the advance.
21:30: EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell: Lukashenko Regime Involved in Illegal Deportation of Ukrainian ChildrenThe Belarusian regime is complicit in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Brussels. Alongside political, military, and logistical support, Belarus has contributed to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. Since 2021, the regime has also orchestrated migration pressure on the EU's external borders, according to a statement from the European External Action Service.
You can read all previous developments here.
- Despite the intense military operations in the Crimean peninsula and the fire at the military airport in Lipetsk, there have been no reports of casualties in either incidents.
- The advance of Ukrainian forces into the Russian region of Kursk, while legally and strategically justified according to some, has led to calls for a swift ceasefire and negotiations due to the potential risks involved.
