10:55 Media: Chain explosion in Russian city of Lipetsk destroys 700 bombs
Drone Strike on Russian Military Airbase in Lipetsk Region
A drone strike on a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk is said to have triggered a chain reaction explosion, with over 700 bombs detonating, according to a source from the Ukrainian intelligence agency, The Kyiv Independent. Russian authorities had previously reported that a drone strike in the region had caused a fire at a military airbase and damaged an energy facility. The source told The Kyiv Independent that the airbase was storing combat jets and helicopters. The extent of damage or destruction to these aircraft is unknown.
10:35 Kyiv Claims Responsibility for Military Airbase Attack in Lipetsk
The Ukrainian military has claimed responsibility for an attack on a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk overnight. The strike damaged stocks of guided bombs, causing a large fire and several explosions, the Ukrainian military said on the Telegram messaging service. The airbase was reportedly home to Russian combat aircraft including Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31 fighters. Lipetsk is located east of the border region of Kursk, further inland in Russia.
10:08 Munz: "Russians Unable to Launch Counterattack"
Since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been defending itself within its borders. However, for the past three days, Ukrainian troops have also been attacking in the border region of Kursk, Russia. ntv-Moscow correspondent Rainer Munz explains why this surprise offensive presents the Russian military leadership with several challenges.
09:44 Human Rights Activist: Russia Regressing to Stalinist Times
Oleg Orlov, a human rights activist released in a prisoner exchange from Russian detention, criticized the extent of repression in today's Russia in an interview with news agency AP. Orlov said that under Russian President Vladimir Putin, people are jailed for criticizing authorities, something not seen since the time of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. "We're sliding back into Stalinist times," said the co-chair of Memorial, one of Russia's oldest and most renowned human rights organizations, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Orlov was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in February for criticizing the Russian war in Ukraine in an article. His release in the prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus, and several Western countries surprised him completely.
09:00 Ukraine Releases Figures on Russian Losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has published new figures on Russian troop losses in Ukraine. According to the report, Russia has lost around 588,540 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,030. The report from Kyiv also states that 3 tanks, 49 artillery systems, and 2 air defense systems were destroyed. Since the start of the large-scale offensive, Russia has reportedly lost a total of 8,434 tanks, 16,536 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine, according to Ukraine. Western estimates put the loss figures lower, though these are also likely to be minimum values.
08:19 Media: Mass Fires in Rylsk in the Kursk RegionIntense explosions and mass fires were reported overnight in the city of Rylsk in the Russian region of Kursk, as reported by "The Kyiv Independent" citing reports on Russian-language Telegram channels. Residents of the village of Stepanovka reportedly heard four explosions. The cause of the explosions is unknown. The city of Rylsk is located approximately 35 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
07:37 Russia: State of Emergency After Attack on Military AirbaseMassive explosions occurred after a Ukrainian drone attack on a military airbase near Lipezk. A state of emergency has been declared in the city of Lipezk to address the aftermath of the explosions, according to Governor Igor Artamonov on Telegram. Four villages around the military airport have been evacuated. Public transportation in Lipezk and surrounding areas has been stopped. As a result of the attacks, six people were injured.
06:52 Media: Explosion After Ukrainian Attack on CrimeaAn explosion occurred on the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, as reported by "Ukrainska Pravda" citing Telegram reports. The Russian governor of the city of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, wrote on Telegram that the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and air defense repelled an attack by Ukrainian forces on Sevastopol, destroying three drones. Additionally, the Russian air defense shot down a Ukrainian sea-target missile R-360 Neptune over the sea near Sevastopol. The Telegram channel "Crimeawind" reports on shots and a heavy explosion in Chornomorskyi, as well as the work of the Russian air defense in the area of the Belbek airport. A black smoke column was reportedly rising over the airport, and there was a strong smell of fire in the coastal area of the city, according to the Telegram channel "Crimeawind" citing subscribers. There are no reports yet on possible casualties.
06:05 Media: Fire at Military Airbase in Russian Region of LipezkA fire has broken out at a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipezk, according to Russian news agencies Ria Novosti and Tass. They initially made no mention of the cause of the fire. Shortly before, the local governor announced evacuations due to a "massive" drone attack near the city of Lipezk, which caused explosions and power outages, as written by Igor Artamonov on Telegram. A state of emergency has been declared in the Lipezk district, and four villages are being evacuated. Some of the villages mentioned are near an air force base outside the city. There have been no reports of casualties according to his report. Ukrainian authorities had not reported any attacks on the region. Lipezk is located approximately 300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
05:02 Putin reportedly unaware of Ukrainian troop buildup near Russian border
Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, may have ignored intelligence warnings that Ukrainian forces were gathering near the border with the Kursk region, Bloomberg reports, citing a Kremlin source. Ukrainian forces crossed into the Kursk region on August 6, bringing the war onto Russian territory. According to the report, Ukrainian forces began gathering near the Kursk border two weeks before their offensive began. Russian President Vladimir Putin was reportedly not informed of the troop buildup.
03:21 Half of Germans fear conflict with Russia will escalate due to US missiles
The German and US governments have agreed that the US will station long-range weapons systems, such as Tomahawk cruise missiles, in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. Half of Germans expect this to further escalate the conflict with Russia, according to a Civey survey for the Funke media group. 50% of respondents agreed that the stationing of long-range US weapons in Germany would lead to further escalation, while 38% did not believe so, and 12% were undecided. 44% viewed the stationing positively, while 42% saw it negatively, and 14% were undecided.
01:14 Minister-President Kretschmer calls for reduction in weapons aid to Ukraine
Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer is calling for a reduction in weapons aid to Ukraine, given the federal budget. "We can no longer keep taking money for weapons for Ukraine that are being used up and aren't achieving anything. Everything must be in proportion," Kretschmer told the German Press Agency. "Support yes, but we can see that we're reaching our limits." Kretschmer pointed to the increase in the budget over the years. "Before the corona crisis in 2019, we had a budget volume of 344 billion euros. Now we're at 480 billion, and yet the traffic light coalition can't agree on the budget," he said. "That shows that everything is out of control."
23:35 Kiesewetter: Ukrainian advance is legally and strategically sound
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter sees the latest Ukrainian military offensive on Russian territory as legally and strategically sound. The surprise offensive is "clearly legally justified under the right to self-defense" and "militarily strategic," Kiesewetter told the Tagesspiegel. The advance of Ukrainian troops aims to tie down Russian forces in the Kursk region and inflict significant losses, taking pressure off other fronts, as Russia will have to bind or deploy forces there, he said.
22:30 Pentagon: Ukraine's Push into Kursk Region Aligns with US PolicyThe Ukrainian incursion into the Russian region of Kursk is "in line with our policy," says Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, according to the news portal "Kyiv Independent" at a press conference. When asked if Ukraine can use weapons supplied by the US, Singh responds that the US "has been supporting Ukraine from the start to defend against attacks coming across the border." The Kursk region borders the Ukrainian region of Sumy for over 245 kilometers, which has been subject to daily Russian attacks since its liberation in April 2022. Ukraine is taking measures "to protect against attacks" and is operating "within the framework of US policy, where they can use our weapons, our systems, and our capabilities," says Singh.
Singh says it's up to Ukraine to speak about its own operations. When asked how far into Russian territory Ukraine can attack, Singh says the US "does not support long-range attacks." However, she refuses to specify the exact distance. "I won't draw a circular map of where they can strike and where not, but we have been very clear with the Ukrainians," she says.
22:09 BSW MEP De Masi Calls for "As Soon as Possible Ceasefire and Negotiations"Following the Ukrainian troops' advance into Kursk, BSW MEP Fabio De Masi calls for "as soon as possible a ceasefire and negotiations." Ukraine has "major problems defending its own territory," says De Masi to "Tagesspiegel." Advances "deep into Russian territory" only make sense "if the goal of Ukraine is a stronger escalation dynamic," he says. The risks are enormous, says the Euro MP. "Consider, for example, the Russian nuclear power plant in the region. Russia is a nuclear power and has the escalation dominance."
21:50 Kursk Region Authorities Report at Least Five Civilian DeathsRussian troops have been fighting for the third day against a Ukrainian incursion across the border, according to Moscow. Russian forces and border guards are preventing Ukrainian units from advancing deeper into Kursk, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Meanwhile, the Russian army is attacking Ukrainian forces attempting to retreat from the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. The Russian Health Ministry says 66 civilians have been injured, including nine children, since the start of the Ukrainian incursion. Kursk region authorities report at least five civilian deaths, including two medics. Ukraine has not yet commented on the incursion.
21:30 EU's Borrell: Lukashenko Regime Involved in Illegal Deportation of Ukrainian ChildrenThe Belarusian regime is complicit in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Brussels. Alongside political, military, and logistical support, Belarus has contributed to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine. Since 2021, the regime has also orchestrated migration pressure on the EU's external borders, according to a statement from the European External Action Service.
You can read all previous developments here.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for an attack on a military airbase in Lipetsk, causing damage to Russian combat aircraft.
Russian authorities had earlier reported that a drone strike in the Lipetsk region had caused a fire at a military airbase and damaged an energy facility.
