08:35 Ukraine releases figures on Russian casualties
Ukrainian General Staff Publishes New Casualty Figures for Russian Troops in Ukraine. According to them, Russia has lost approximately 589,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,160. A report from Kyiv claims that on the last day of fighting, seven tanks, 69 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed. Since the start of the large-scale attack, Russia has reportedly lost 8,441 tanks, 16,605 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine. Western Estimates suggest lower casualty figures, but these are likely minimums.
07:40 Russia: Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Allegedly Strikes Ukrainian Forces in Russian Kursk A Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber is said to have attacked and hit Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Telegram. The air strike was reportedly carried out using an ODAB-500 bomb. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that Russian forces continue to repel the surprise advance of Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk. The air strike was intended to push back the Ukrainian offensive, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. A video showing the deployment of the fighter aircraft was published on the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense.
06:48 Kyiv Bookkeeper with Millions in Cash Stopped Ukrainian investigators discover over 4.7 million euros in undeclared cash in the trunk of a company bookkeeper's car. "The woman could not explain the origin of the money," the Economic Crime Investigation Bureau in Kyiv reported. Images show investigators in front of an open trunk filled with cash bundles. The company in question had allegedly supplied food worth over 320 million euros to the Ukrainian army in 2022 and 2023. Taxation was reduced through a fictitious loan. Investigations are ongoing for money laundering and tax evasion on a large scale, with penalties of up to eight years in prison for those involved.
06:10 Ukraine Evacuates 28 Villages in Border Region of Sumy Ukrainian volunteers are helping villagers and their pets leave the northern border region of Sumy. According to local governor Volodymyr Artiukh, 28 villages in a ten-kilometer-wide zone along the border with Russia are being evacuated. Ukrainian police report that 20,000 people must leave their homes.
05:30 Kyiv Inscribes "Glory to Ukraine!" on New BanknotesThe Ukrainian Central Bank is supplementing the design of all Ukrainian banknotes with the national motto "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!". Money, according to Central Bank chief Andrij Pyshnyj, is not just a measure of value and means of payment, but also a symbol of the state that everyone holds daily. "To honor the resilience of our people and to mark this turning point in the formation of the Ukrainian nation that we live in today, we are adding our motto to all banknotes, which is heard throughout the world," Pyshnyj said in a statement from Kyiv. The change is intended to commemorate the upcoming 33rd Independence Day on August 24. It will begin with the 1000 (around 22.3 Euro) and 500 Hryvnia banknotes, followed by all other denominations of 200, 100, 50, and 20 Hryvnia. The motto will be placed in the top right corner of the banknotes, with the rest of their appearance remaining unchanged. The patriotic motto "Glory to Ukraine!" dates back to the emerging Ukrainian national movement at the end of the 19th century and has a complex history. In the form "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!", it was used by Ukrainian nationalists who collaborated with the Nazis. The greeting remained present in the Ukrainian independence movement against the Soviet Union.
04:37 Report: Russia Plans to Block WhatsAppRussia is reportedly planning to block the messaging app WhatsApp as part of its actions against internet services (see entry 22:33), according to the news site "Kyiv Independent". Moscow has allegedly made preparations to block the app, and it could be blocked in Russia this fall, the independent Russian publication Verstka reports, citing sources at the Russian IT company VK, which is developing an application to replace WhatsApp. In July, the Kremlin-linked media outlet Gazeta.ru reported that the Russian government was planning to fully block YouTube in September, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied these alleged plans.
04:05 US Approves Additional Military Aid for Kyiv Worth $125 MillionThe US has approved additional military aid for Ukraine worth $125 million (around $114 million). The aid package underscores "our unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression," said John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, before journalists. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the aid would include air defense interceptors, ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, multi-purpose radars, and anti-armor weapons, and would come from US stockpiles. The equipment, Blinken added, would "help Ukraine protect its troops, its population, and its cities from Russian attacks and strengthen its capabilities across the entire front."
03:19 Russia Claims to Have Issued 2.2 Million Passports in Occupied Ukrainian RegionsRussia claims to have issued 2.2 million passports in the Ukrainian regions occupied by its military aggression. Since October 2020, these have been distributed in Saporischschja, Donezk, Luhansk, and Cherson, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs said. These claims cannot be independently verified. In the past, there have been repeated reports that Russian authorities have systematically forced people to accept these passports.
02:30 IAEA warns of nuclear accident at Kursk NPP due to fighting in the regionThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warns of potential fighting near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in western Russia following Ukraine's large-scale offensive in the region. "At this point, I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident with potentially severe radiological consequences," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, referring to fighting near the Kursk NPP. He is "personally in contact with the relevant authorities of both countries." The Kursk NPP is located near the city of Kursk, about 100 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border. The state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the press service of the plant, that "everything is functioning normally" with usual radiation levels. However, residents of Kursk are currently without power. According to regional governor Alexei Smirnov, a power plant was set on fire by falling debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones.
01:55 Russia implements anti-terror measures in Kursk, Belgorod, and BryanskRussian media reports that Russia is implementing anti-terror measures in three regions bordering Ukraine. According to a report by the RIA news agency, these measures include possible evacuations of residents, restrictions on traffic in certain areas, enhanced security at sensitive locations, and wiretapping of phones and other communication devices. Local authorities and the National Anti-Terror Committee report that these anti-terror regulations apply to the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, according to the news agency.
00:36 Nouripour on heads of state: Cowardice does not bring peace in UkraineGreen Party leader Omid Nouripour criticizes the ministers-presidents of Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony for their recent statements on Ukraine policy. Dietmar Woidke, Bodo Ramelow, and Michael Kretschmer are "running away from reality," says Nouripour to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). "They act as if peace can be achieved by burying one's head in the sand. But: Cowardice does not bring peace." Woidke says he has good contacts with Russia and can mediate. However, it is "strange that it only occurs to him two and a half years after the start of the war and a few weeks before the state election," says Nouripour. Ramelow calls for a non-aggression pact with Russia. However, such a pact was initiated by Germany 85 years ago and brought great suffering to other European countries, the Green politician adds. Kretschmer, meanwhile, acts "as if he doesn't know that only Putin can end this war quickly." Kretschmer had called for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine and advocated for diplomatic initiatives in the Ukraine conflict.
00:13 July deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since October 2022According to the United Nations, more Ukrainian civilians have died from Russian shelling in July than in any other month since October 2022. "The high number of casualties in July continues an alarming trend since March 2024," the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said.
23:43 Construction Workers Pulled from Kursk Nuclear PlantDue to the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk, workers are being pulled from the construction site of two new nuclear reactors at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The number of construction workers will be temporarily reduced, according to Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom. Other specialists continue their work as planned. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Kursk has been repeatedly mentioned as a potential target of the offensive on Russian territory that began on Tuesday. However, it is located about 60 kilometers from the border. The furthest reported advances of Ukrainian troops, which have not been confirmed, have reached around 30 kilometers into Russia. After the Ukrainian offensive was announced, the Russian National Guard reportedly reinforced the protection of the power plant. Two reactors are being built to replace the two oldest, already decommissioned blocks of the plant. There are also two other reactors in operation.
23:11 Ukraine Takes Control of Gazprom Facility in Kursk RegionAccording to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have taken control of a facility belonging to the gas company Gazprom in the Russian region of Kursk. The facility in the city of Sudzha and the city itself have been captured, according to Ukrainian soldiers in the video.
22:33 Russia Blocks Encrypted Chat Service SignalIn its efforts against foreign internet services, Russia is also blocking the encrypted chat service Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures necessary to counter terrorism and extremism, according to the relevant authority Roskomnadzor in Moscow. Throughout the day, complaints from Signal users in Russia have been accumulating that the messaging service is unavailable. Portals like Sboj.rf, which collect reports of outages, reported around 2000 complaints. Signal was developed in the US and is valued by its users for its high level of security. On Thursday, Russian users also complained that YouTube was working slowly and videos were difficult to download. The Russian authorities have not provided an official explanation for this. However, they have stated in recent days that they have the extremely popular video service in their sights because it allegedly refuses to remove extremist videos. Large social networks with US ownership like X and Facebook have already been blocked in Russia and can only be accessed via protected connections (VPN). Even before the attack on Ukraine, Moscow had made preparations for a possible internet shutdown in the country. Since the start of the war in 2022, Roskomnadzor has blocked thousands of websites that are not approved by the Russian authorities.
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The European Union has expressed its concern over the escalating conflict in Ukraine and has imposed sanctions on Russian officials and businesses. The European Union continues to support Ukraine financially and militarily, providing billions of dollars in aid and weapons to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
