11:46 Klitschko: One of the worst attacks on Kiev - death toll rises to seven
Russian attack on Ukrainian capital Kiev, according to Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, is one of the heaviest in the over two-year-long war. "Look: It's a children's hospital", Klitschko told Reuters news agency while standing next to a heavily damaged building. The number of casualties from the massive Russian rocket attack on Kiev has risen to seven, according to local authorities.
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11:24 Local authorities report ten dead and over 30 injured in attack on Kryvyj RihIn the Ukrainian city of Kryvyj Rih, local authorities report that ten people have been killed and over 30 injured in a heavy Russian rocket attack. Several impacts were reported in the city. Damage was reported at the administrative building of an industrial enterprise.
11:10 Orban on war developments: "Next months will be much more brutal than we think"Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expects a significant escalation of war intensity in the coming months based on his talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Believe me: The next two, three months will be much more brutal than we think", Orban said in an interview with "Bild" and other Axel Springer Media in his office in Budapest. Orban referred to the influx of high-quality weapons to Ukraine and the Russians' determination. "The intensity of the confrontation, the number of deaths, the number of casualties will therefore be more brutal than in the past seven months", Orban added.
10:47 Five dead in Russian air raids on Kiev - Children's hospital hitThe Russian army has attacked Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, in several waves with rockets. According to the Ukrainian military administration, five people were killed and nine more were injured in Kiev during the attacks. In the city center, there were about two dozen explosions, presumably from anti-aircraft missiles, as a reporter for the dpa news agency reported. Klitschko, the mayor of Kiev, reported falling debris in four districts and numerous emergency calls. According to Klitschko and the head of the presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, there was also a strike on a children's hospital.
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10:40 Before NATO summit: Zelenskyy meets with Poland's leadership in WarsawBefore the NATO summit in Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Poland's leadership in Warsaw. A lunch meeting with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is scheduled for the afternoon, according to the Polish government. Morawiecki had recently announced that he would likely sign a bilateral security agreement with Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy then meets his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in the early afternoon. Poland, an EU and NATO member, is one of the most active political and military supporters of the beleaguered Ukraine. It also plays an important role as a hub for Western military aid to Kiev.
10:18 Creative Countermeasures: Ukrainians shoot down Russian drone with old Jak-52
Weapons deliveries from the West are delayed. Creative ways the Ukraine copes with the lack of air defense systems are demonstrated in drone interception footage. Ukrainian soldiers shoot down Russian drones from the sky - in an old military training plane.
09:54 Xi calls for ceasefire and negotiations in Ukraine
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a ceasefire in Ukraine followed by negotiations. This would serve the interests of all parties involved, Xi said at a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Beijing, according to state media. The situation in Ukraine must be de-escalated as much as possible. The international community must create conditions for Russia and Ukraine to engage in direct dialogue. This requires "positive energy." Exactly how this will happen and which actors will be involved, Xi did not say. Orban had unexpectedly arrived in Beijing today.
09:27 Ukrainian Air Force destroys three missiles over Cherkassy and Schytomyr
The Ukrainian Air Force claims to have shot down three Russian missiles according to their own reports. Russia had attacked with six Kh-101 missiles, reports the Ukrainian Air Force. The three destroyed missiles were over the regions of Cherkassy and Schytomyr. Information about possible damages is not available yet.
09:10 Pistorius irritated by NATO summit over insufficient defense budget
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius of the SPD expressed his displeasure in his first public statement since the coalition agreement of the Traffic Light government over the consequences of the agreement. "Yes, I have received significantly less than I had applied for. That's frustrating for me, because I can't push certain things forward as quickly as Zeitgeist and the threat situation require," Pistorius said, who is currently visiting the NATO exercise Arctic Defender 2024 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Pistorius said: "We'll see what happens in the next weeks and months. I have to adapt and make the best of it."
08:41 Institutes: Sanctions barely affect Russia's war capabilities
Sanctions have had only a minor impact on Russia's war-fighting capabilities, according to a research project by four institutions, including the Munich Ifo and the IfW in Kiel, for the Federal Ministry of Economics. "The Russian economy is growing strongly due to the arms boom at the moment, but the sanctions are working like a slow-acting poison," says Vasily Astrov, Russia expert at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies.
07:58 Media: Russia thwarts capture of strategic bomber
The Russian domestic security service FSB has reportedly thwarted preparations by Ukrainian troops to capture a strategic bomber of the type Tu-22M3 and fly it into Ukraine, according to reports by Russian news agencies. The state news agency TASS reports that Russia received tips and then attacked the Oserne airfield west of Kyiv.
07:19 Orban: China is an important force in efforts to end the war in Ukraine
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has described China as an important force in efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. The Hungarian news agency MTI reports that Hungary values China's peace initiative highly. Orban arrived in Beijing today, with planned talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
06:53 Four people die in Charkiw mine explosion
Four people, including a child, have been killed in a mine explosion in the Charkiw region. The regional state administration head, Oleh Syniehubov, reported this to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform via Telegram.
06:26 Multiple injured in Nikopol Russian attack
Multiple people, including a child, have been injured in Russian attacks in the Dnipropetrowsk region. A ten-year-old boy and four women were injured in attacks on the city of Nikopol in the Dnipropetrowsk region, according to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," citing regional governor Serhiy Lysak.
05:42 Modi to visit Moscow for first time since war began
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making his first visit to Russia since the start of the war. According to Russian government sources, discussions about Russia's invasion of Ukraine will also be on the agenda. Western observers find it interesting, says Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov in advance, as Modi had stayed away from the peace summit in Switzerland initiated by Ukraine in June. India's trade with the natural resources giant Russia has recently intensified.
04:21 Rockets heading towards Kiev - danger averted
After the launch of four strategic bombers from the Russian military airfield Olenja, an alarm was sounded for the entire Ukraine. Missiles were reportedly heading towards Kiev and the western city of Schytomyr. The Air Force reports that the danger has been partially mitigated, and people are advised to remain in shelters in the east and south.
02:18 Self-proclaimed "peace mission": Orban arrives in China
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has arrived in Beijing as part of his self-proclaimed "peace mission." He is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss "matters of mutual interest." Orban has already made three surprise foreign trips since Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency at the beginning of July. His visits to Ukraine and Russia drew harsh criticism from EU members. The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Orban would meet with Xi Jinping for talks.
01:43 General Inspector Breuer: Russia could turn against NATO countries by 2029
The Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer, is advocating for an increase in defense spending. According to Breuer, in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung," Russia could turn against NATO countries around the year 2029. He warns: "Russia is currently building up potential that goes far beyond what it needed for the attack on Ukraine. The Russian armed forces plan to increase their numbers to 1.5 million soldiers, which is more than the total number of soldiers in the five largest NATO armies in Europe. We must be prepared." In addition, Russia produces between 1000 and 1500 tanks every year. "If they take the five largest NATO armies in Europe, they have at most half of what Russia now produces in tanks annually. We must be prepared."
00:57 President Zelensky meets Republican Mike Johnson
At the margins of the NATO summit in Washington, Ukrainian President Zelensky will meet with Republican Mike Johnson, the US House of Representatives Minority Leader, on Wednesday. According to Johnson's official calendar, this meeting is scheduled. The support for Ukraine is expected to be one of the main topics of the summit during this week. There is concern about future US support for the Kiev government if Donald Trump wins the presidential elections on November 5.
22:50 Family killed by mine explosion near Kharkiv
At least four people, including a child, have been killed by an exploding mine in the Kharkiv region. This was reported by the regional governor, Oleh Synyehubov, on Telegram. The family was in a car on an unpaved road when they hit a Russian mine. The identification of the bodies is still ongoing. According to relatives, a total of six people were in the vehicle.
21:53 Estonia's President Karis warns against forced peace
The Estonian President Alar Karis hopes that the upcoming NATO summit will provide comprehensive support for Ukraine both during and after the war. "The Alliance must send a clear message that the NATO will support Ukraine as long as it is necessary. The NATO membership of Ukraine is not negotiable, and the accession process is irreversible," says Karis, according to the Estonian news platform ERR. He believes that aggressors must be held accountable and not pacified. A forced peace is always temporary. "If the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine are not respected, this will lead to new and larger wars in the future. Russia and other aggressors will be encouraged to attack again," says the Estonian President.
21:00 New British government promises weapons package for Ukraine
The new British Defence Minister John Healey tells Ukraine during his inaugural visit that new weapon deliveries are on the way. The package, presented in the seaport of Odessa, includes artillery guns, mine sweepers, and anti-tank missile systems, as well as large quantities of ammunition. President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks Healey for Britain's strong support. During their meeting, the previously signed security agreement between Ukraine and Britain was also discussed. The then British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had signed the treaty "for a hundred years or more" in Kiev. According to Zelensky's post on the platform X, discussions were held with Healey about further cooperation under this agreement.
20:34 Netherlands confirm pledge of Patriot missile system
Ukraine is to receive a Patriot air defence system from the Netherlands for the expansion of its protective shield. This was confirmed by the Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans during a meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, as reported by the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN. The fact that a system would be made available was announced in June by the previous Dutch government in The Hague. No specific delivery date was mentioned. Previously, Veldkamp had also promised the "immediate" delivery of F-16 fighter jets during a visit to Kiev (see entry 19:08).
20:11 Orban: Putin doesn't believe in ceasefire without peace talks
Hungarian Prime Minister Orban stated that Russian President Putin told him he doesn't believe in a ceasefire agreement without peace talks. "He said he had no positive expectations [about such a ceasefire]. Zelensky also said he had no positive expectations because the Russians would use it against Ukraine, and Putin that the Ukrainians would use it against Russia", Orban told the Swiss "Weltwoche". Orban had visited Putin in Moscow just a few days after his meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Kiev.
19:33 Report: EU has no evidence of misused foreign funds by Ukrainian agency
The European Union has no evidence that the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry has misused foreign funds, EU representatives in Ukraine told "Kyiv Independent". The Ukrainian Finance Ministry had accused the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure in the Ukrainian online newspaper "Ekonomichna Pravda" on Friday of misusing the 150 million euros provided by the European Commission. The Ministry claimed that the EU delegation in Ukraine was dissatisfied because the Behörde had not used the funds.
- Russian forces have reportedly launched a heavy attack on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyj Rih, causing ten fatalities and over 30 injuries, according to local authorities.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with Poland's leadership in Warsaw before the NATO summit in Washington, seeking further support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expects an escalation of war intensity in the coming months, citing his talks with both Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
- Russian military operations in Ukraine have reportedly included attacks on children's hospitals, such as the one in Kiev that was struck during a massive rocket attack.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to visit Russia for the first time since the start of the war, with discussions regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine expected to be on the agenda.
