10:53 video to show Russian troop strength in Kursk
10:29 Russian Defense Ministry Publishes Another Video Showcasing Reinforcement of Military Presence in the Region. Tanks are seen taking up combat positions to destroy Ukrainian troops. The footage is not independently verifiable. The ministry also reports numerous Ukrainian drone attacks intercepted in the Kursk area.
10:29 Russian Nuclear Corporation: Operation of NPP in Kursk NormalFighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is ongoing near a nuclear power plant in the Russian region of Kursk. Despite the continued fighting, operations are running "normally," according to the operator, Russian state-owned company Rosatom, as reported by Reuters. Previously, the nuclear corporation had evacuated workers from the construction site of two new reactors at the Kursk NPP due to the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the area.
09:57 Ukrainian Intelligence: Magura V5 Destroys Russian Boat in Black SeaSoldiers of the Ukrainian intelligence service HUR attacked the Russian navy off the northwest coast of the Crimea peninsula, which is occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian intelligence service reported that a sea drone of the Magura V5 type sank a Russian patrol boat of the KS-701 "Tunets" type near the settlement of Chornomorske on the western coast of Crimea. Three other Russian military boats were reportedly damaged. The Ukrainian intelligence service posted a video of the attack on social media.
09:19 ISW: Russia Not Redeploying Frontline Units from Eastern Ukraine to KurskThe Russian military may not be redeploying its forces from the front in eastern Ukraine to the contested Russian border region of Kursk to avoid disrupting its own offensive in the east of Ukraine. This is according to the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). ISW analysts believe it would likely take additional time for these units to arrive in the Kursk region. The Russian military appears to be relying on the already stationed troops in Kursk to halt the Ukrainian advance, while also deploying conscripts from the military intelligence agency Glawnoje Raswedywatelnoje Uprawlenije (GRU) and special forces, including the Wagner mercenary group and the Kadyrovtsy, according to reports.
08:35 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian LossesThe Ukrainian General Staff published new loss figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the data, Russia has lost approximately 589,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with 1,160 losses in the past 24 hours alone. The report from Kyiv also states that seven tanks, 69 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed on the previous day of fighting. Since the beginning of the large-scale offensive, Russia has reportedly lost a total of 8,441 tanks, 16,605 artillery systems, and 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine, according to Ukraine. Western estimates suggest lower loss figures, which are also likely to be minimum values.
07:40 Russia: Su-34 fighter-bomber reportedly struck 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 Russian Ministry of Defense claims the air strike was carried out using an ODAB-500 bomb. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian forces continue to repel the surprise advance of Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk. The air strike was reportedly intended to push back the Ukrainian advance. A video showing the deployment of the fighter jet was published on the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense.
06:48 Kyiv accountant stopped with millions in car
Ukrainian investigators discovered over 4.7 million euros in undeclared cash in the trunk of a company accountant'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 is said to have supplied food worth over 320 million euros to the Ukrainian army in 2022 and 2023 alone. The tax burden was reduced via a fictitious loan. Investigations are underway for large-scale money laundering and tax evasion, with penalties of up to eight years in prison.
06:10 Ukraine evacuates 28 villages near Sumy border
Ukrainian volunteers are helping residents and their pets leave the northern border region of Sumy. According to local governor Vladimir Artyukh, 28 villages in a ten-kilometer-wide zone along the Russian border are being evacuated. According to the Ukrainian police, 20,000 people must leave their homes.
05:30 Kyiv adds "Glory to Ukraine!" to new banknotes
The National Bank of Ukraine is adding the national motto "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!" to all Ukrainian banknotes. Money is not only a measure of value and a means of payment, but also a symbol of the state that everyone holds daily, said National Bank Chairman Andriy Pyshnyi, according to a statement in Kyiv. "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 around the world," Pyshnyi said. The change will mark the upcoming 33rd Independence Day on August 24th, it was reported. It will start with the 1000 (around 22.3 euros) 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 the design 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 of "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 WhatsAppIn its actions against internet services (see entry 22:33), Russia is reportedly planning to block WhatsApp, according to the news site "Kyiv Independent". Moscow has allegedly made preparations to block the messaging app, which could be blocked in Russia this fall, according to the independent Russian publication Verstka, citing sources at Russian IT company VK, which is developing an application to replace WhatsApp. In July, the Kremlin-friendly media outlet Gazeta.ru reported that the Russian government was planning to fully block YouTube in September. However, 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, to journalists. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained that the aid would include intercepting missiles for air defense systems, ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, multi-purpose radars, and anti-tank weapons, and would come from US stockpiles. The equipment would "help Ukraine protect its troops, its population, and its cities from Russian attacks and strengthen its capabilities across the entire front," Blinken further explained.
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 invasion. Since October 2020, these have been distributed in Saporischschja, Donezk, Luhansk, and Cherson, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. 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 Nuclear Power Plant Due to Fighting in the RegionThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warns of the risk of a nuclear accident at the Kursk nuclear power plant due to fighting in the region. "At this point, I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident with potentially serious radiological consequences," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, referring to fighting near the nuclear power plant in Kursk. He is "in personal contact with the relevant authorities of both countries." The Kursk NPP is located near the city of Kurtschatov, about 100 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border. The state-owned Russian news agency Ria Novosti reported, citing the press service of the power plant, that "everything is functioning normally" at the facility with usual radiation levels. However, residents of Kurtschatov are currently without electricity. According to regional governor Alexei Smirnov, an electricity plant was set on fire by falling debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones.
01:55 Russia Implements Anti-Terror Measures in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk
Russia is implementing anti-terror measures in three regions bordering Ukraine, according to Russian media reports. According to a report by the RIA news agency, the measures may include the resettlement of residents, traffic restrictions in certain areas, enhanced security at sensitive locations, and wiretapping of phones and other communication devices. Local authorities and the National Anti-Terror Committee have reported that the anti-terror regulations apply to the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, according to the news agency.
00:36 Nouripour on Country Leaders: Cowardice Doesn't Bring Peace in Ukraine
The co-chair of the Greens, Omid Nouripour, has criticized 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 doesn't bring peace." Woidke says he has good contacts with Russia and can mediate. However, "it's strange that this only occurs to him two and a half years after the start of the war and just 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 2022
More Ukrainian civilians have died from Russian shelling in July than in any other month since October 2022, according to the United Nations. "The high number of casualties in July continues an alarming trend since March 2024," the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said in a statement.
23:43 Construction Workers Pulled from Kursk Nuclear Plant
Due to the advance of Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk, workers are being withdrawn from the construction site of two new nuclear reactors at the Kursk nuclear power plant. The number of construction workers will be temporarily reduced, Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom, announced. Other specialists will continue their work as planned. The Kursk nuclear power plant in the city of Kursk has been repeatedly mentioned as a possible target of the Ukrainian offensive that began on Tuesday. However, it is located about 60 kilometers from the border. The farthest reported advances of Ukrainian troops, which have not been confirmed, reached about 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, while two other reactors are in operation.
23:11 Ukraine Takes Control of Gazprom Facility in Kursk Region
According to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have taken control of a facility of the gas company Gazprom in the Russian region of Kursk. The facility in the city of Sudzha and the city itself have been captured, Ukrainian soldiers say in the video.
22:33 Russia Blocks Chat Service SignalIn its crackdown on foreign internet services, Russia has also blocked the encrypted chat service Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures deemed necessary to combat terrorism and extremism, Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor announced in Moscow. Throughout the day, complaints from Signal users in Russia flooded in, reporting that the messaging service was unavailable. Portals like Sboj.rf, which collect reports of outages, recorded around 2,000 complaints. Developed in the US, Signal is valued by its users for its high level of security. On Thursday, Russian users also reported issues with YouTube, with videos being difficult to download. Russian authorities have not officially commented on this. However, they have previously targeted the extremely popular video service, accusing it of refusing to remove extremist videos. Russia has already blocked large social networks with US ownership, such as X and Facebook, which can now only be accessed via protected connections (VPN). Before the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow also 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 to the liking of the Russian power apparatus.
You can read all previous developments here.**
The European Union has expressed concern over the ongoing fighting near the nuclear power plant in Kursk and has called on Russia to ensure the safety and secure operation of the facility.
Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the European Union has pledged its support to Ukraine and has been providing funds and military aid to help Ukraine defend its territory.
