10:35 Ukraine reports 112 battles since yesterday

In the last 24 hours, the Ukrainian Army headquarters recorded 112 battles at the front. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian unit positions and populated areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air bombs. In addition, Russia conducted over 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers, according to the update.

09:54 Russia and China begin joint exercise
Russia and China have begun a naval drill in the South China Sea. The drill is expected to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. They are reportedly practicing air and underwater defense. Sharp ammunition is also said to be used. A few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced the strengthening of their partnership and described it as "boundless."

08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing Ukrainians
Approximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, both soldiers and civilians, the Interior Ministry reports. The number was previously higher at around 51,000, according to the ministry. Of the approximately 4,000 soldiers reported missing in battle, some have been found and identified, but 3,000 are still alive and have been found, many of whom are prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is reportedly difficult because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from soldiers it sends into the field.

08:15 Hungary lobbies for Russia's participation in peace conference
Hungary is lobbying for Russia's participation in the planned second Ukraine peace conference. There are efforts to hold another peace conference this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. "I believe that if we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented." Hungary currently holds the EU Council Presidency. The first peace conference took place in mid-June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia declared its disinterest in the conference and was therefore not invited.

07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners today
Russia and Ukraine are to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was reported by the news agency Bloomberg, citing a source. Last week, Ukrainian parliamentary human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinez reportedly said that the government was planning, with the help of the United Arab Emirates, to carry out a large prisoner exchange with Russia soon. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners several times.

06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the front
Ukrainian startups are developing affordable robots for mine clearance, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment and ammunition. This was reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. A "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. The Ukraine hopes that this robot army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.

06:20 State and Government Heads of 47 Countries Discuss Ukraine
At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the State and Government Heads of 47 Countries will speak about Ukraine tomorrow. The 27 EU Member States plus 19 Third States will discuss among other things further aid for Ukraine in the defense war against Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables on security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.

04:37 Japan Grants Ukraine a Loan from Frozen Russian Assets
Japan is reportedly granting Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion Dollars from the interest on frozen Russian assets. The sum is part of the 50-billion-Dollar package of the G7 Countries, according to the Kyodo News Agency, citing informed sources. The distribution of the credit package provides that the USA and the European Union (EU) each provide 20 billion Dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada contribute a total of ten billion Dollars. The package is expected to be adopted at a G7 meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Summit at the end of the month in Brazil.

03:26 German Government Grants Ukraine Ten Million Euros for the Rebuilding of a Children's Clinic
After the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the German Development Ministry is granting the Ukrainian government ten million Euros for the rebuilding. The funds will be used together with funds from other donors and donors to make the hospital operational and winter-proof again as soon as possible, according to the "Rheinische Post" quoting ministry statements. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, in treatment rooms, and the power and heating supply.

02:10 Medvedev Warns NATO of a "Point of No Return"
Following the NATO Summit's promise to offer Ukraine membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed his threats against the Alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he described a potential Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "This would essentially be a declaration of war - if only with a delay. The measures that Russia's adversaries have taken against us for years by expanding the Alliance ... bring NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO, but will react to attempts by the Alliance to advance its interests. "The harder their attempts, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev said. "Whether this tears the whole planet apart depends only on the wisdom of the (NATO) side."

01:00 Ukrainian Soldiers Use Expired Munition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military, which should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014, according to its own statements. The ammunition is already being used on the battlefield. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade on the battlefield is life-saving," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Dshyhar. Everything that can be repaired and reused will be given a second life.

23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
According to unofficial reports, Ukrainian troops have had to give up positions in the southeastern part of the country at Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions due to the extensive damage," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the outset due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still present in the underbank area of the Dnipro River.
Read more here.

22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around 93 million Euro) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and continue to help the Ukrainian government in Kiev, according to Grandi during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The UNHCR also plans to mobilize future funds to support the attacked land. Zelenskyy thanked for the help, which is urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure caused by Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs help to rebuild destroyed houses and set up bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This gives displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.

21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Donetsk Oblast. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. In a video spread by the Ukrainian military, several hits from alleged ATACMS rockets with cluster munitions can be seen. According to Syrskyi, several launchers and a radar station of the system were destroyed.

20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be on the verge of resignation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and possibly asking for the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament was instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week, according to the newspaper. Zelenskyy himself also spoke about the possibility of changes in the government on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Yes, probably," so the Ukrainian President. One is in the process.

20:02 The Baltic States disconnect from the Russian power grid

According to their own statements, the Baltic States have informed Russia and its ally Belarus about their exit from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia," declares the CEO of the Lithuanian state power grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. This step is supposed to take place in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries will connect to the European power grid. "In half a year, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grid, but also dismantle the last power lines," Masiulis explains.

19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "Solitariness"

Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing the pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most member states called on Hungary to prioritize Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "Solitariness". "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine," Lindner said in the public debate. This should also be a "top priority" during Hungary's EU presidency by the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities, from the fight against illegal migration to competitiveness, but did not mention Ukraine.

You can read about all previous developments [here].**

The attack on Ukrainian unit positions and populated areas included four rocket attacks, as reported by the Ukrainian Army headquarters.
In response to the Ukraine-Conflict, Poland has announced its plan to send additional troops and military equipment to Ukraine, further strengthening NATO's presence in the region.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, has called on NATO to consider providing Ukraine with membership status, citing Russia's aggressive actions in the conflict.
Russia's military deployments near Ukraine's borders have raised concerns in the West, with some leaders calling for a more robust NATO response.
The Ukraine-Conflict has further strained relations between Russia and the West, with the US and EU implementing economic sanctions against Moscow.