08:00 Kursk reports fire in tank storage under control

A Ukrainian drone attack set a fuel depot in the Kursk region on fire, according to local Russian authorities (entry 06:36). The fire was reportedly brought under control, as stated by Regional Governor Alexei Smirnov on Telegram. No injuries were reported, he added.

07:44 TASS: Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian munitions depot in the Cherson region
Russian paratrooper drones destroyed a howitzer M-777 and a munitions depot for field artillery of the Ukrainian military on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River in the Cherson region. This was reported by the state Russian news agency TASS, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drones were launched, the armor-piercing shells penetrated the front line along the riverbank. At the same time, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field munitions depot for field artillery produced in the US. A direct hit reportedly destroyed the field munitions depot and disabled the howitzer, according to the statement.

07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory"
The Ukrainian Olympic participation is seen as a powerful symbol and an opportunity by Sports Minister Vadym Bidny to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the start of the Russian aggression war. "It's a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidny said at the opening of the Ukrainian house in Paris. It's crucial that Russia is represented by a small team of only 15 neutral athletes in Paris. Russia as a nation was excluded from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the aggression. "There's no Russian flag here. There's only the Ukrainian flag. That's our victory," Bidny added.

The Olympic team's task is to "bring the international community together to help Ukraine and speak to the people who usually don't listen to politicians." The participation is a "strong signal that Ukraine not only survived but also has the will to win."

06:58 Russia reports shooting down seven Ukrainian drones
The Russian air defense reportedly shoots down seven Ukrainian drones, according to Russian Defense Ministry statements on Telegram. Five were reportedly shot down over the Belgorod region, and two over the Kursk region.

06:36 Governor: Depot in Kursk on fire after drone attackIn the night, a drone attack caused explosions in the Kursk region of Russia, according to local authorities, including Governor Alexei Smirnov on Telegram and the channels Baza and Shot. The air defense forces were put on alert, and Smirnov urged residents to be vigilant. At least two fires broke out, one in the Medvenka district and another in the Kursk district, according to Smirnov. A fire was reportedly caused by a drone in the Polyova village oil depot, according to Shot on Telegram. Witnesses reportedly heard several strong explosions near the oil depot at night. Before the explosions, they heard the characteristic sound of a drone flying overhead. After the explosions, witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky. Additionally, there was an explosion in the Sudzha city and a house in the Medva district was on fire, according to the reports.

05:41 Linnemann questions welfare payments for UkrainiansCDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann questioned the welfare payments for displaced Ukrainian women and men in an interview with Funke newspapers. "We need to discuss why more than 50 percent of Ukrainians work in many European countries, but only 25 percent in Germany," he said. "There are clearly missing incentives for quick employment." The Ukrainians also defended the rights of Germans. "But if there is a performance, it comes with a counter-performance. That includes taking up work."

04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to dutyAccording to the deputy defense minister of Ukraine, Natalia Kalmykova, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation in Ukraine is very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation programs and returnees to duty. This is also acknowledged by our western partners," she said, according to the Interfax news agency. Kalmykova speaks of over 75 percent of the wounded.

03:13 ISW: Ukrainian forces retake positionsThe Ukrainian forces have retaken lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk, according to the Institute for War Studies (ISW). Geolocated images show this. The Russian side is reportedly continuing its offensive operations in the area.

01:08 Ukraine reports multiple fatalities after Russian shelling - including a childAccording to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. In the region of Kherson, there were three fatalities. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 others were injured by a rocket attack on the town of Hluchiw. In the region of Kharkiv, a man was killed by Russian fire in a residential building.

23:46 Russia claims capture of another village in UkraineRussia has reportedly taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The village of Losuwatske in the Donezk region is "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. The ministry also announced that the village is located about 25 kilometers east of the city of Pokrowsk, in the area where the Russian army has made significant progress in recent months. The Ukrainian side has not confirmed the capture.

22:23 Blinken threatens China with "measures" over continued support for Russian defense industryUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the United States would take "measures" if Beijing continued to support Russia's defense industry. This was reported by the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," according to spokesman Matthew Miller of the US Department of State. Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos, shortly after his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with him in Guangzhou during his first visit to China since the start of the war. "The minister reaffirmed his serious concern over China's support for the People's Republic of China's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if China did not act against this threat to European security," Miller said.

The Ukraine-Conflict has seen increased military deployments and cyberwar tactics from both Ukraine and Russia, with Volodymyr Zelensky urging NATO for stronger support.
Amidst the ongoing conflict, discussions about Russia's involvement in the Ukrainian military's munitions depots and potential cyberwarfare attacks have raised concerns in international politics.
Russian military activities in the Cherson region, including the destruction of a howitzer and a munitions depot using paratrooper drones, have been reported by TASS and the Russian Defense Ministry.
In response to Russia's aggression, Ukraine has Odyssey team participated in the Paris Olympics as a common neutral team, aiming to garner international support and push back against Russian representation in the games.
The Attack on Ukraine and the ongoing conflict have resulted in civilian casualties, such as the death of a 14-year-old boy in the Hluchiw town in the northeastern border region of Sumy, which has been under continuous Russian shelling.