09:08 Ex-NATO chief: "Putin's Plan A has failed"
Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen believes that Russia's war against Ukraine will continue at least for the rest of 2024. "Putin's Plan A, to capture all of Ukraine in a few days, has failed," Rasmussen says in an interview with ntv.de. "His Plan B is now a frozen conflict and the Russian occupation of Eastern Ukraine, in the hope that the West will weaken and give in." The presidential elections in the USA on November 5 are a hope-giver for Putin in terms of changes that could help him, Rasmussen adds.
08:40 Russia: 36 Ukrainian drones shot downRussia has reportedly shot down 36 Ukrainian drones in various regions across the country. Fifteen drones were intercepted over the border region of Kursk, nine over the region of Lipezk several hundred kilometers south of Moscow, and four each over the regions of Voronezh and Bryansk, the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow reports. The governors of Lipezk and Bryansk report on Telegram that there have been no casualties or major damage.
07:55 Sweden's Defense Minister: Russia wants to split EU and NATORussia has an interest in politically splitting the EU and NATO. This is what the Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson says in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper. "I believe that the Kremlin and Putin himself are aware that they would lose this war. But I believe that Russia is very interested in politically splitting us, both within the EU and in NATO," Jonson says. To maintain peace, it is best to make NATO stronger and focus on deterrence and defense, Jonson adds. This means more responsibility for European security, especially by investing more in military forces. Sweden, under the impression of the Russian attack on Ukraine, gave up its neutrality. In March 2024, Sweden became the 32nd NATO member.
07:24 Zelenskyy: After Russian attack on Velyka Novosilka, the death toll could still riseAfter a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Velyka Novosilka in the region of Donetsk, the death toll has risen. According to official figures, at least seven people have been killed, including children. Thirty-one people were injured in the missile attack, the Civil Defense reports. "Unfortunately, the number of victims could still rise," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy writes on the platform X.
06:55 Ukraine: Russian troops bombard Derhatschi with fighter bombsRussian troops have attacked the city of Derhatschi in the Kharkiv region. This is reported by the head of the Derhatschi Military Administration, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, on Telegram. According to Zadorenko, three people were injured in the attack. This is the most massive attack on Derhatschi since 2022, during which four fighter bombs were dropped. Two men aged 68 and 75 and a 71-year-old woman were taken to the hospital. According to Zadorenko, the shelling damaged several buildings, including at least 25 residential buildings, agricultural buildings, a garage cooperative, cars, and a civilian enterprise, and partially destroyed power lines.
06:20: German weapons exports increase again: Germany exports weapons for 7.5 billion EuroFollowing a record-breaking weapons export figure in the previous year, export authorizations in the first half of 2024 have significantly increased due to rising weapons deliveries to Ukraine. From January 1 to June 18, the German government authorized the export of military goods worth at least 7.48 billion Euro abroad. This represents a significant increase of over 30% compared to the entire first half of 2023. Nearly two-thirds of the exports (65% or 4.88 billion Euro) were destined for Ukraine. This information was obtained from an answer by the Economic Ministry in response to a query by Bundestag member Sevim Dağdelen from the Left Party (BSW).
05:41: Dead in Velynyanske: Moscow reportedly targeted a military objectiveFollowing the Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Velynyanske in the Zaporizhzhia region with at least seven fatalities, the Russian Defense Ministry claims that a military objective was targeted. Interfax news agency reports that a railway station with ballistic Iskander missiles was attacked, according to the statement from the Russian Ministry in Moscow. A military train carrying military cargo was allegedly hit, claims the Russian military leadership. Photos and videos show that residential buildings and parked cars in the city center were hit.
04:53: Kiev Mine-Clearing Corps: 30,000 square kilometers have been clearedSpecialists from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have cleared 30,000 square kilometers of Ukraine from mines in the past two years - an area comparable to the size of Belgium or Moldova. The Kyiv Independent reports this with reference to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the department for environmental safety and mine clearance. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, approximately 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian soil have been contaminated with explosives. The Ukraine founded the Mine-Clearing Corps in April 2022. Units from the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces joined in. These units, with 5,000 specialists, are currently active in the regions of Mykolayiv, Kherson, and Kharkiv.
03:53: IFO Survey: Nearly half of personnel managers use "Jobturbo" ineffectively48% of personnel managers in Germany find the "Job-Turbo" and the Skilled Labor Immigration Act unhelpful for businesses. According to an IFO Institute survey of 627 personnel managers from companies, this initiative aimed at integrating Ukrainian refugees more quickly into the labor market is not effective for nearly half of them. However, almost every fourth company reports positive effects: through the new regulations, more skilled labor is reportedly available. In addition, mandatory language courses before job placement have led to fewer language barriers. Every 18%, personnel managers praise shorter hiring procedures and simpler recognition of diplomas. Nearly half of the respondents find that the bureaucracy in hiring foreign labor remains high, although 17% also observe a bureaucracy reduction.
02:37 Governor: Russian region of Kursk under fire all day longAccording to the local governor, Ukraine has continued to shell the Russian border region of Kursk all day long on Saturday. Governor Alexei Smirnov writes on Telegram that Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted eight border villages. Two people were reportedly injured in the process. A video posted in Smirnov's Telegram channel shows a destroyed house and debris. Previously, Smirnov reported the deaths of five people due to a Ukrainian drone attack early on Saturday morning.
01:29 "Putin loves Farage": Activists mock FarageThe British campaign group Led by Donkeys pranked Reform UK party chief Nigel Farage during a campaign appearance. After Farage recently claimed that the West, not Russian President Vladimir Putin, had provoked the war in Ukraine, the activists dropped a banner with Putin's image behind him. Farage was reportedly not amused, according to the activists.
00:32 Emergency services clear debris in VilnianskEmergency services have cleared the debris of a Russian attack on the city of Vilniansk in the Saporischschja region. After the search and rescue operations were completed, it was determined that seven people had been killed, including two children, and 31 people had been injured, including eight children. "The fire was extinguished simultaneously at two locations: in a two-story building and near parked cars on a 300 square meter area, as well as in two one-story buildings on a 150 square meter area. The search and rescue operations have been completed," the Ukrainian state emergency service reports.
21:24 Seehofer: No asylum for young Ukrainian men who evade military serviceApproximately 1.2 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany from the war in their homeland. CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt called for the expulsion of Ukrainians who do not work. "The proposal can be misunderstood," says CSU honorary chairman Horst Seehofer to the "Augsburger Allgemeine." Mothers and children from the war-torn country find it difficult to work; be it due to language barriers or a lack of daycare. "It belongs to a humane state to provide protection." Young men who evade military service in Germany, however, should not be granted asylum, he believes.
20:51 Man lights grenade in Luzk city centerA resident of the city of Chmelnyzkyj lights a grenade in the city center of Luzk and is arrested. No injuries were reported. This was reported by the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service SBU. The motive of the 23-year-old is still unclear.
You can read about earlier developments here.
- Former Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his concerns about the rising death toll after a Russian attack on the city of Velyka Novosilka.
- Russia's Defense Ministry reported the interception of 36 Ukrainian drones in various regions across the country, which follows the ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
- Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson believes that Russia has an interest in politically splitting the EU and NATO, as part of Putin's strategy following the failure of his plans in the Ukraine conflict.
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO Secretary-General, predicts that Russia's war against Ukraine will continue at least until the end of 2024, stating that Putin's Plan B involves a frozen conflict and the Russian occupation of Eastern Ukraine.
- Russia's attack on the city of Derhatschi in the Kharkiv region was condemned by the international community, with Ukrainian officials reporting injuries and damaged buildings as a result of the military attack.
