10:41 Previous Russian Diplomat Bondarev: Putin Behaves Like a Deceptive and Cowardly Imposter
Former Russian Diplomat Labels Putin as "Fraudulent Coward" in ntv.de Guest CommentaryPutin, as per Boris Bondarev, a previous Russian diplomat, is acting like a "feeble imposter" in a guest commentary for ntv.de. The image of Putin being able to conquer any adversary has been marred due to the commencement of the unprovoked conflict against Ukraine. The swift takeover within a few days did not happen as anticipated. The Russian authorities appeared completely taken aback and overwhelmed by the Ukrainian assault on Kursk. "Putin is at a loss when faced with a substantial threat and has no idea what to do. He doesn't even act like a cornered animal ready to fight with all its might, but like a feeble imposter," states Bondarev. The former diplomat, who opposes the Putin regime due to the war, also harshly condemns Western politicians for their stance of prohibiting the deployment of delivered weapons on Russian territory by Ukraine. "One must confront Putin with force," he asserts. He dismisses the Western concerns about "escalation" as unfounded. "The 'escalation' is already there - Putin's opponent has invaded Russian territory! But he is not responding to it at all," writes Bondarev.
10:13 Ukraine: Five Civilians Lose Lives, Over 20 Injured in Russian AggressionIn the past 24 hours, five civilians have lost their lives, and at least twenty-two have been injured, including a child, in Russian attacks in Ukraine, as reported by "Kyiv Independent".
09:37 Russian Fuel Storage Facility in Blaze: Satellite Image Shows Fire's ExtentUkraine attacked a significant fuel storage facility in Proletarsk in southern Russia with drones on Sunday morning. Even a day later, the fire was not extinguished, with more than forty firefighters sustaining injuries, according to regional authorities. Satellite images also reveal the extent of the fire:
Ukraine has attacked several Russian refineries and oil facilities with drones in recent months. This is intended to make it more difficult for enemy troops to be supplied with fuel and to reduce the income of Russia's oil industry.
09:16 Kyiv: Over 1,300 Russian Soldiers "Defeated" in a Single DayRussian casualties remain high, according to official figures from Kyiv. Within a day, 1,330 Russian soldiers are reported to have died or become incapable of continuing the fight. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, a total of 601,800 Russian soldiers have been "defeated" since the beginning of the war in February 2022. As announced by the Ministry of Defense in its daily statements on Russian casualties, the enemy has also lost 5 more tanks (8,518). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has recorded over 16,500 armored vehicles and over 13,800 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed. These figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself is reluctant to provide information on its own losses in Ukraine.
08:47 Biden Defends Ukraine's Resistance: No President Should Cower before Dictators
Joe Biden asserted that "no president should cower before dictators," as reported by the "Kyiv Independent" on the first evening of the Democratic Party convention. "Putin thought he could conquer Kyiv in three days," said the U.S. President. "Three years later, Ukraine is still independent." The Democrat compared his record as a supporter of a strong NATO and a free Ukraine to that of former President Donald Trump, who had praised Russian President Vladimir Putin. "No commander-in-chief should ever cower before dictators," Biden said.
08:31 Russia Launches Overnight Air Strikes on UkraineRussia has again targeted Ukraine with overnight air strikes, according to the Ukrainian military. Nine regions in the center, north, and south of the country were hit, with three missiles and 25 drones shot down, the Ukrainian air force reported on Telegram. This was the fifth missile attack on Kyiv this month, the military explained. There were 41 air raid alerts in the capital in August. The military reported yesterday that it had repelled a drone attack on Kyiv.
07:52 Military Administration: Russian Missile Attack on Kyiv Repelled - No Damage ReportedRussian forces attacked Kyiv from the north again this morning, the Kyiv military administration reported on Telegram. "Preliminary information shows the enemy attacked the capital of Ukraine from the north, likely using ballistic missiles like the Iskander. This was the fifth missile attack on Kyiv this month!" the message said. Air defense forces destroyed the missiles on the outskirts of the city. There are no reported damages or losses in Kyiv.
07:38 Belarus: Lukashenko Dispatches Additional Troops and Planes to Border with UkraineBelarus has deployed additional air defense troops and planes to its border with Ukraine, General Major Andrei Lukanovich, commander of the Belarusian air defense forces, announced, as reported by the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent." This comes shortly after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that he had sent a third of the country's army to the border this summer. Lukashenko claimed that the troop buildup along the border was due to a misunderstanding between Belarus and Ukraine. Lukanovich said that the Belarusian military had deployed planes, anti-aircraft missiles, and radio engineering units to the border. Kyiv has not confirmed Lukanovich's claims about additional Belarusian troops and weapons at the border. The Ukrainian state border guard service reported over a week ago that there were no signs of troop buildup along the border with Belarus despite Lukashenko's order.
Due to Ukrainian military operations in the Kursk region, Russia is relocating troops from other combat zones to the area, as suggested by a report from the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Russian forces have dispatched additional troops to the Kursk Oblast since the initial Ukrainian advance and may have deployed around 5,000 soldiers in total to the region, according to analysts.
06:54 Zelensky: Second Peace Summit in Ukraine Should Take Place This YearUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has directed his diplomats to ensure that the second Peace Summit in Ukraine occurs this year. At a gathering of foreign diplomats' heads in Ukraine, Zelensky spoke about "War Diplomacy: Resilience, Weapons, Victory." Citing the Presidential Office, state news agency Ukrinform reported on the occasion, Zelensky stated, "I believe that the first summit was a remarkable victory for Ukraine. I am grateful to everyone who helped make our summit possible. Now, we are planning the second Peace Summit, and we must ensure that it happens this year." "We must do everything we can to achieve this goal. We must broaden the circle of support for the first summit's communiqué."
06:22 Ukraine: Another Russian Air Strike on KyivRussia is continuing its nighttime assaults on Kyiv, as reported by Ukrainian sources. Air defense units were deployed in the early morning hours to counter another Russian aerial attack on Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian capital's military administration. Witnesses claimed to have heard explosions that sounded like air defense systems being activated.
05:11 Kyiv Reports Several Drone Attacks Distant from the Front LinesLast night, several drone attacks occurred in various Ukrainian regions distant from the front lines, according to air defense reports. Sumy, Poltava, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions were among the targets. Air defense was also deployed around Kyiv. The local administration urged residents to seek shelter, claiming that there had been no damage so far.
02:23 US Supports Kyiv During Kursk OffensiveDespite Ukraine's counteroffensive in Russian-controlled Kursk, the U.S. remains committed to assisting Kyiv. According to a U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson, "President Biden has made it clear that we will continue to support Ukraine and remain by their side as long as necessary." The U.S. prioritizes military aid to Ukraine. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reaffirmed the U.S.'s support to his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, during a call, and discussed Kyiv's goals for the counteroffensive.
01:07 Germany Delivers Another Iris-T Air Defense SystemGermany sent another weapons package to Ukraine, which includes an Iris-T SLS air defense system, among other things. The delivery also included several thousand rounds of artillery ammunition, drones, a Bergepanzer 2, and hundreds of rifles with matching ammunition.
00:20 Zelensky: Kursk Counteroffensive Leads to Capture of Most Russian SoldiersUkraine's offensive against Russian forces in Kursk has been the largest success in capturing Russian soldiers since the beginning of the conflict, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He added that these captured soldiers will be exchanged for Ukrainian soldiers currently in Russian custody. Throughout the conflict, estimates suggest that Russia has captured more Ukrainians than the other way around.
22:21 Chechen Commander Encourages Conscripts to Join the Fight for RussiaApti Alaudinow, commander of the Achmat Regiment fighting for Russia, urged conscripts to join the front in a video, as reported by the "Kyiv Independent." He claimed that soldiers who fell in battle in the Kursk region would "go to heaven."
21:58 Zelensky: Ukrainian Incursion into Russia has Dismantled Red Line ConceptUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory, which was deemed unlikely, was kept secret due to its unrealistic nature. He further stated that the concept of Russia's red lines "crumbled near Bucha" lately.
21:38 Lithuania Begins Construction of German Military BaseLithuania has begun constructing a military base for German soldiers, tentatively scheduled for completion in 2027. The base will accommodate up to 4,000 German soldiers. This will be the first permanent deployment of the Bundeswehr overseas since World War II. Germany already agreed to station troops in Lithuania, a NATO and EU member bordering Russia, last year. Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis estimated the construction budget to be over one billion euros.
21:15 Czech President Suggests Possibility of NATO Membership for Ukraine amid OccupationCzech President Petr Pavel suggested the potential for Ukraine to join NATO, despite parts of its territory being under Russian occupation. He assumed that Ukraine may reach a peace agreement with Russia in the near future, which would allow Russia to maintain control over certain Ukrainian territories temporarily. Such an agreement could eventually permit Ukraine to join NATO, according to Pavel. This temporary border could be accepted by democratic states. Germany joined NATO in 1955 despite also being partially occupied by the Soviet Union at the time.
20:57 Ukrainian Troops Approach Russian Bridge by 12 Km According to war observers, Ukrainian forces have seized control of Wyschnewka, a town situated in the Russian district of Kursk. This puts them roughly 12 kilometers away from the temporary bridge spanning the Seym River, an essential transport hub for the Russian military as it provides access for both resupplies and retreat.
20:36 Pokrovsk Holds onto Optimism The administration of the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk confronts a daunting scenario with advancing Russian troops. As per the head of the information department, speaking to the "Washington Post", "They're making their way towards Pokrovsk's outskirts. It's no big secret." She expressed hope that the enemy might halt their advance near Pokrovsk's outskirts and that Ukrainian troops would successfully defend the city. If Pokrovsk falls, it would mark the biggest urban area captured by the Russians since Bachmut in May 2023.
Catch up on earlier events here.)
In light of the Russian authorities' apparent struggle to cope with the Ukrainian retaliation, it's worth questioning whether Putin's claim of unstoppable power in the Ukrainian conflict was merely a facade.
Given the escalating tensions and ongoing attacks in different regions of Ukraine, some international figures have called for a stronger response to Putin, arguing that weakness could embolden him further in the Ukrainian conflict.
