12:18 Ukraine publishes figures on Russian losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has released new casualty figures for the Russian troops in Ukraine. According to this, Russia has allegedly lost approximately 542,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In just 24 hours, the number of losses reportedly amounted to 1,140. A report from Kiev states that, among other things, 24 tanks, 60 artillery systems, and an aircraft were reportedly destroyed. Since the beginning of the large-scale attack, Ukraine claims that Russia has lost 8,080 tanks, 15,524 artillery systems, and 360 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 11,584 drones, 28 ships, and a submarine. Western estimates put the casualty numbers much lower - these being minimum values.
11:45 OSCE: Russia is committing genocide in UkraineThe Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has passed a resolution recognizing Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide against the Ukrainian population. Pavlo Frolov, a member of the Kiev delegation, announced this. In social media, Frolov wrote that the document also defines "the denazification of the Russian Federation as a necessary prerequisite for the creation of a lasting peace." The OSCE has 57 members, including Ukraine and Russia. With 57 countries from Europe, Central Asia, and North America, the OSCE is the largest regional security organization in the world.
11:11 Weichert: People in Odessa "trying to live normal lives"While at least seven people were killed by Russian attacks near Saporischschja, the beaches of the coastal town of Odessa are filled with bathing tourists. Jürgen Weichert, an NTV reporter, describes it as a much-needed break for the Ukrainians plagued by the war.
10:44 Russia: Four firefighters injured in the Donetsk regionIn the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, as claimed by Russian sources, four firefighters were injured in Ukrainian attacks. They had extinguished a fire caused by a Ukrainian attack in the Petrovsky district and were then reportedly hit by renewed shelling, the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations stated.
10:08 Russia: Ukrainian forces driven out of Cherson from the left bankThe fighting in the Cherson region is currently taking place on the islands, as Ukrainian forces have reportedly been driven out from the left bank of the Dnipro, according to Cherson Governor Wolodymyr Saldo, speaking to the Russian news agency TASS. "The fighting has shifted to the islands, and the Russian army has intensified its activities," he said. The islands and the Dnipro river in the Cherson region form a natural border at the front.
09:43 Ukraine: A Person Dead and Two Injured after Russian Attack in Cherson
At a Russian attack on the Ukrainian region of Cherson, one person is reportedly killed and two people injured. The governor of the region Cherson, Oleksandr Prokudin, shared this information on Telegram. A 67-year-old man in Odradokamyanka was allegedly killed by a drone attack. A 76-year-old woman in Kozatske was injured by artillery fire and was admitted to the hospital with severe injuries. Additionally, a 63-year-old woman in Komysany is reportedly injured by Russian troops who shot at a farm. A drone attack on a residential house in Mykhailivka resulted in no injuries, but the damage is being assessed.
09:08 Ex-NATO Chief: "Putin's Plan A has failed"
The former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen believes that the Russian war against Ukraine will last at least for the rest of the year 2024. "Putin's Plan A, which aimed to conquer the entire Ukraine in a few days, has failed," Rasmussen said in an interview with ntv.de. "His Plan B is now a frozen conflict and the Russian occupation of Eastern Ukraine, hoping that the West will weaken and give in." The upcoming Presidential elections in the USA on November 5 are considered a hopeful sign for Putin for changes that could help him.
08:40 Russia: 36 Ukrainian Drones Shot Down
Russia claims to have shot down 36 Ukrainian drones in various regions across the country. Fifteen drones were intercepted over the border region of Kursk, nine over the region of Lipezk some hundred kilometers south of Moscow, and four each over the regions of Woronesh and Brjansk, according to the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow. The governors of Lipezk and Brjansk reported on Telegram that there were no casualties or significant damage.
07:55 Sweden's Defense Minister: Russia wants to split EU and NATO
Russia has an interest in politically splitting the EU and NATO. This is what the Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper. "I believe that the Kremlin and Putin himself are aware that they would lose this war. But I believe that Russia is very interested in politically dividing us, both within the EU and in NATO," Jonson said. To maintain peace, it is best to make NATO stronger and focus on deterrence and defense. Jonson believes that this means taking on more responsibility for European security, which primarily means investing more in military forces. Sweden gave up its neutrality in the face of the Russian attack on Ukraine. In March 2024, Sweden became the 32nd NATO member.
07:24 Zelenskyy: After Russian Attack on Vilniyansk, Casualty Count May Increase
In a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Vilniyansk in the region of Zaporizhzhia, there are reported deaths and injuries (see entries 00:32 and 05:41). According to official reports, at least seven people have been killed, including children. Thirty-one other people were injured in the missile attack, according to the Civil Defense. "Unfortunately, the number of casualties may still increase," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on the platform X.
06:55 Ukraine: Russian troops drop bombs on DerhachiRussian troops have attacked the city of Derhachi in the Charkiw region. This was announced by the head of the military administration of Derhachi, Vyatscheslav Zadorenko, on Telegram. According to Zadorenko, three people have been injured. It is the most massive attack on Derhachi since 2022, during which four bombs were dropped. Two men aged 68 and 75, and a 71-year-old woman were hospitalized. According to Zadorenko, the shelling damaged several buildings, including at least 25 residential houses, agricultural buildings, a garage cooperative, cars, and a civilian company, and partially destroyed power lines.
06:20 Defense exports have increased again: Germany exports weapons for 7.5 billion EurosFollowing a record year for defense exports in the previous year, defense export authorizations have significantly increased in the first half of 2024 due to further increasing weapons deliveries to Ukraine. From January 1 to June 18, the German government authorized the export of military goods for at least 7.48 billion Euros abroad. Compared to the entire first half of 2023, this represents an increase of over 30 percent. Almost two-thirds of the exports (65 percent or 4.88 billion Euros) were destined for Ukraine. This is evident from the response of the Economy Ministry to a query from Bundestag deputy Sevim Dağdelen of the Left Party (Die Linke).
05:41 Dead in Vilnjansk: Moscow targeted military objectiveFollowing the Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Vilnjansk in the Saporischschja region with at least seven fatalities, the Russian Defense Ministry speaks of an attack on a military objective. According to Interfax news agency, a railway station with ballistic Iskander missiles was attacked near Saporischschja. The Russian military leadership claims that a train loaded with military cargo was hit. On photos and videos, it can be seen that residential buildings and parked cars in the city center were hit.
04:53 Kiev's Mine Clearance Corps: 30,000 square kilometers have been clearedSpecialists from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have cleared 30,000 square kilometers of Ukraine from mines in the past two years - an area comparable to the size of Belgium or Moldova. This was reported by the "Kyiv Independent" with reference to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the department for environmental safety and mine clearance. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, approximately 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian soil have been contaminated with explosives. The Ukraine founded the Mine Clearance Corps in April 2022. Units of the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces joined in. These units, with 5000 specialists, are currently active in the regions of Mykolajiw, Cherson, and Charkiw.
03:53 IFO-Survey: Nearly Half of Personnel Heads Dismiss "Jobturbo" and the Skilled Labor Immigration Law as Unhelpful
According to a survey conducted by the Munich IFO Institute among 627 personnel heads in Germany, nearly half of them find the "Job-Turbo" and the Skilled Labor Immigration Law unhelpful for their companies. The initiative aims to integrate Ukrainian refugees faster into the labor market. However, nearly every fourth company reports positive effects: More skilled workers are available. In addition, the mandatory language courses before job placement have led to fewer language barriers. Nearly 18 percent of personnel heads praise the shorter hiring procedures and the simpler recognition of degrees. The interviewees were allowed to give multiple answers. Nearly half of them find that the bureaucracy in hiring foreign labor is still too high, although 17 percent also observe a bureaucracy reduction.
02:37 Governor: Russian Region Kursk Shelled All Day Long
According to local Governor Alexej Smirnow, Ukraine has continued to shell the Russian border region of Kursk all day long on Saturday. Smirnow posted on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had shelled eight border villages repeatedly. Two people were injured in the process. A video he posted in his Telegram channel shows a destroyed house and debris. Previously, Smirnow had reported the deaths of five people due to a Ukrainian drone attack early on Saturday morning.
01:29 "Putin loves Farage": Activists Mock Farage
The British campaign group Led by Donkeys pranked Nigel Farage, the chief of the right-wing Reform UK party, during a campaign appearance. After Farage recently claimed that the West, not Russian President Vladimir Putin, had provoked the war in Ukraine, the activists lowered a banner with Putin's image behind him. Farage was not pleased, the activists write laconically.
00:32 Emergency Services Work Through the Rubble in Vilniansk
Emergency services are clearing the rubble of a Russian attack on the city of Vilniansk in the Saporischschja region. After the search and rescue operations are completed, it is determined that seven people were killed, including two children, and 31 people were injured, including eight children. "The fire was extinguished simultaneously at two locations: in a two-story building and near parked cars on a 300 square meter area, as well as in two one-story buildings on a 150 square meter area. The search and rescue operations are completed", the Ukrainian state emergency services report.
21:24 Seehofer: No accommodations for young Ukrainians
Approximately 1.2 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany from the war in their homeland. CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt recently called for the expulsion of Ukrainians who do not work. "The proposal can be misunderstood," says CSU honorary chairman Horst Seehofer to the "Augsburger Allgemeine." Mothers and children from the war-torn land find it difficult to work; be it due to lacking language skills or a lack of kindergarten places. "It belongs to a humane state to grant protection." Young men who evade military service in Germany, however, should not be granted asylum, according to him.
20:51 Man lights grenade in Luzk city center
A resident of the city of Chmelnytskyi lights a grenade in the city center of Luzk and is arrested. There are no injured reported. The Ukrainian Security Service SBU reports this. The motive of the 23-year-old is still unclear.
You can read about all previous developments here.
- In response to the OSCE's recognition of genocide in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a denazification of Russia as a prerequisite for peace.
- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) accused Russia of committing genocide against the Ukrainian population.
- The Ukrainian General Staff reported an increase in military operations in the Cherson region, with Russian forces allegedly driving out Ukrainian forces from the left bank of the Dnipro.
- NATO has increased defense exports to Ukraine, with Sweden becoming the 32nd NATO member, aiming to strengthen the alliance and deter further Russian aggression.
- While Russia allegedly continued losing soldiers and military equipment in Ukraine, Russian sources claimed that their troops had sustained injuries during a firefight with Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region.
