12:00 Ukraine: fire rages in Kherson after Russian attack
Due to a Russian attack, a large fire has broken out in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson. The Regional Administration of Kherson announced this on Telegram. The fire started on an open area outside the city of Kherson and quickly spread due to strong winds, engulfing almost the entire city. The Regional Administration of Kherson reports that firefighters are battling the blaze.
11:28 Mangott on weapons deliveries: Kretschmer "accepts that Ukraine may lose"Ukrainian soldiers have infiltrated Russia. With their advance into Kursk, Ukraine aims to demonstrate that Russia "cannot protect its citizens in the border regions," says Gerhard Mangott, a political scientist. He also notes that he does not believe Ukraine can sustain its presence in the region in the long term.**
10:53 Video allegedly shows Russian troop strength in KurskThe Russian Ministry of Defense has published another video, purportedly showing an increase in military presence in the region. The footage shows tanks taking up combat positions to destroy Ukrainian troops. The authenticity of the footage cannot be independently verified. The ministry also reports numerous Ukrainian drone attacks repelled in the Kursk area.**
10:29 Russian nuclear corporation: Nuclear power plant in Kursk operating normallyFighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is taking place near a nuclear power plant in the Russian region of Kursk. Despite the ongoing clashes, operations are "normal," according to the operator, Russian state-owned company Rosatom, which told Reuters news agency. Earlier, the nuclear corporation had evacuated workers from the construction site of two new reactors at the Kursk nuclear power plant due to the advancement of Ukrainian troops in Kursk.**
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 Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. The Ukrainian intelligence service reports that a seadrone of the Magura V5 type sank a Russian patrol boat of the type KS-701 "Tunets" near the settlement of Chornomorske on the west 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 leadership 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 written in the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to ISW analysts, it would likely take additional time for these units from Eastern Ukraine to arrive in the Kursk region. The Russian military leadership appears to be relying on the already deployed troops in Kursk to halt the ongoing Ukrainian advance. Additionally, the Russian military leadership is reportedly 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 cited by the analysts.**
08:35 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian LossesThe Ukrainian General Staff has published new figures on Russian troop losses in Ukraine. According to these figures, Russia has lost approximately 589,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,160. A report from Kyiv claims that on the last day of fighting, seven tanks, 69 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed. Since the start of the large-scale invasion, Russia has reportedly lost 8,441 tanks, 16,605 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine. Western estimates suggest lower casualty figures, but these are likely to be minimum values.
07:40 Russia: Su-34 Fighter Bomber Allegedly Strikes Ukrainian Forces in Russian KurskA Russian Su-34 fighter bomber is said to have attacked and hit Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region, according to a Telegram post by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The ministry claims the air strike was carried out using an ODAB-500 bomb. The Russian forces continue to repel the surprise advance of Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk, with the air strike intended to push back the Ukrainian offensive. A video showing the deployment of the fighter jet has been published on the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense.
06:48 Kyiv Bookkeeper Stopped with Millions in CashUkrainian investigators have discovered over 4.7 million euros in undeclared cash in the trunk of a company bookkeeper's car. "The woman could not explain the origin of the money," the Economic Crime Investigation Bureau in Kyiv region reported. Photos show investigators standing by an open trunk filled with cash bundles. The company in question had reportedly supplied food worth over 320 million euros to the Ukrainian army in 2022 and 2023, reducing its tax burden through a fictitious loan. Investigations are ongoing for large-scale money laundering and tax evasion, with penalties of up to eight years in prison for those involved.
06:10 Ukraine Evacuates 28 Villages Near Sumy BorderVolunteers in the northern border region of Sumy are helping residents and their pets leave the border area. According to local governor Vladimir Artiukh, 28 villages in a ten-kilometer-wide zone along the Russian border are being evacuated. Ukrainian police report that 20,000 people must leave their homes.
05:30 Kyiv Inscribes "Glory to Ukraine!" on New BanknotesThe Ukrainian central bank is enhancing the design of all Ukrainian banknotes by adding the national motto "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!". Money, the central bank chief Andrij Pyshnyj stated in a Kyiv announcement, is not just a measure of value and a means of payment, but also a symbol of the state that everyone holds daily. "To honor the resilience of our people and to commemorate 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 throughout the world," Pyshnyj said. The change is intended to honor the upcoming 33rd Independence Day on August 24. It will begin with the 1000 (approximately 22.3 EUR) 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, leaving the rest of their appearance 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 "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 as early as this fall, the independent Russian publication Verstka reports, citing sources at the Russian IT company VK, which is developing an application to replace WhatsApp. In July, the Kremlin-linked 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 USA Approves Additional Military Aid to Kyiv Worth $125 MillionThe USA has approved additional military aid to Ukraine worth $125 million (approximately €114 million). The aid package, according to the spokesperson for the National Security Council, John Kirby, underscores "our unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the aid will include intercepting rockets for air defense systems, ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, multi-purpose radars, and anti-tank weapons, all drawn from US stockpiles. The equipment, Blinken further explained, will help Ukraine protect its troops, population, and cities from Russian attacks and strengthen its capabilities across the entire front.
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, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Cherson, according to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. These claims cannot be independently verified. In the past, there have been repeated reports of Russian authorities systematically forcing people to accept these passports.
02:30 IAEA warns of nuclear accident at Kursk NPP due to fighting in the regionThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warns of potential fighting near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in western Russia following Ukraine's large-scale offensive in the region. "At this point, I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident that could have severe radiological consequences," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, referring to fighting near the Kursk NPP. He is "in personal contact with the relevant authorities of both countries." The Kursk NPP is located near the city of Kursk, approximately 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 normal" at the plant with usual radiation levels. However, residents of Kursk are currently without power. According to regional governor Alexei Smirnov, a power plant was set on fire by falling debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones.
01:55 Russia implements anti-terror measures in Kursk, Belgorod, and BryanskRussian media reports that Russia is implementing anti-terror measures in three regions bordering Ukraine. According to a report by the RIA news agency, these measures include possible evacuation of residents, traffic restrictions in certain areas, increased security at sensitive locations, and wiretapping of phones and other communication devices. According to local authorities and the National Anti-Terror Committee, these anti-terror regulations apply to the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, the news agency reports.
00:36 Nouripour on heads of government: Cowardice does not bring peace in UkraineGreen Party leader Omid Nouripour criticizes 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 does not bring peace." Woidke says he has good contacts with Russia and can mediate. However, "it is strange that this only occurs to him two and a half years after the start of the war and 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 does not 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 2022According to the United Nations, more Ukrainian civilians have died from Russian shelling in July than in any other month since October 2022. "The high number of casualties in July continues an alarming trend since March 2024," the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said.
23:43 Construction Workers Pulled from Kursk NPPDue to the advancement 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, according to Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom. Other specialists 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 offensive on Russian territory 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 announcement of the Ukrainian offensive, the Russian National Guard reportedly reinforced the protection of the power plant. Two reactors are being built in the NPP to replace the two oldest, already decommissioned blocks of the plant. Two more reactors are currently in operation.
23:11 Ukraine Takes Control of Gazprom Facility in Kursk RegionAccording to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have taken control of a facility belonging to the gas company Gazprom in the Russian region of Kursk. The facility in the city of Sudzha and the city itself have been captured, according to Ukrainian soldiers in the video.
22:33 Russia Blocks Encrypted Chat Service SignalIn its crackdown on foreign internet services, Russia is also blocking the encrypted chat service Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures necessary to counter terrorism and extremism, according to the relevant authority Roskomnadzor in Moscow. Throughout the day, complaints from Signal users in Russia have been accumulating that the messaging service is unavailable. Portals like Sboj.rf, which collect reports of outages, reported around 2000 complaints. Signal was developed in the US and is valued by its users for its high level of security. On Thursday, Russian users also complained that YouTube was working slowly and videos were difficult to download. The Russian authorities have not provided an official explanation for this. They have previously stated that they have the extremely popular video service in their sights because it allegedly refuses to remove extremist videos. Large social networks with US ownership like X and Facebook have already been blocked in Russia and can only be accessed via protected connections (VPN). Even before the military invasion of Ukraine, Moscow had made preparations for a possible internet shutdown in the country. Since the start of the war in 2022, Roskomnadzor has blocked thousands of internet sites that are not to the liking of the Russian power apparatus.
You can read all previous developments here*.
In light of the ongoing conflict, there have been concerns about the potential escalation of cyber warfare.
The threat of cyberwarfare looms as an additional concern for both Ukraine and Russia, with potential consequences beyond the physical battlefield.
