12:43 Ukraine: Three civilians killed after Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine
According to Ukrainian reports, three people have died in Russian missile attacks in eastern Ukraine. An attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region is said to have killed one person and injured several others, according to the governor of the region, Vadym Filashkin, on Telegram. The missile hit a critical infrastructure building, causing significant damage. Two people died in an attack on a private home in the Kharkiv region, according to the police.
12:00 Ukraine: Large fire rages in Kherson after Russian attackA large fire has broken out in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson due to a Russian attack, according to the Kherson Regional Administration 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 Kherson Regional Administration reports that firefighters are battling the blaze.
11:28 Mangott on weapons deliveries: Kretschmer "accepts that Ukraine loses"Ukrainian soldiers have entered Russia. With the incursion into Kursk, Ukraine wants to show that Russia "cannot protect its citizens in the border regions," says Gerhard Mangott. The political scientist also emphasizes that he does not believe Ukraine can hold the region in the long term.
10:53 Video allegedly shows Russian troop strength in KurskThe Russian Ministry of Defense releases another video, allegedly showing an increase in military presence in the region. The footage shows tanks taking up combat positions to destroy Ukrainian troops. The footage is not independently verifiable. The ministry also reports numerous intercepted Ukrainian drone attacks in the Kursk area.
10:29 Russian nuclear company: Operation of NPP in Kursk normalFighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is also taking place near a nuclear power plant in the Russian region of Kursk. Despite the ongoing fighting, operations are "normal," according to the operator, Russian state-owned company Rosatom, to Reuters. Earlier, the nuclear company had withdrawn workers from the construction site of two new nuclear reactors at the Kursk NPP (see entry 02:30) due to the advance of Ukrainian troops in Kursk.
09:57 Ukrainian intelligence: Magura V5 sinks Russian boat in Black SeaSoldiers of the Ukrainian intelligence service HUR attacked the Russian Navy on the Black Sea coast in the northwest of the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. The Ukrainian intelligence service reports that the attack took place off the coast near the settlement of Chornomorske in the west of Crimea. A sea drone of the Magura V5 type is said to have sunk a Russian patrol boat of the type KS-701 "Tunets". According to HUR, three other Russian military boats were damaged. The Ukrainian intelligence service posts a video of the attack on social media.
09:19 ISW: Russia Not Moving Front Units from Eastern Ukraine to Kursk
The 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 according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in its latest report. 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 stationed troops in Kursk to stop the ongoing Ukrainian advance. Additionally, the Russian military leadership is reportedly deploying conscripts from the military intelligence agency Glawnoje Raswedywatelnoje Uprawlenije (GRU) as well as Spetsnaz, so-called special forces, including the Wagner mercenary group and the Kadyrovtsy, according to reports cited by the analysts.
08:35 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian Losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has published new loss figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to these figures, Russia has lost around 589,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,160. According to a report from Kyiv, seven tanks, 69 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed on the previous day of fighting. Overall, Russia has lost 8,441 tanks, 16,605 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine in the large-scale attack, according to Ukraine. Western estimates put the losses lower - though these are likely minimum figures.
07:40 Russia: Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Strikes Ukrainian Forces in Russian Kursk
A Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber has reportedly struck Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry on Telegram. The air strike was carried out using an ODAB-500 bomb, according to the ministry. 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 advance, according to the ministry. A video showing the deployment of the fighter aircraft was published on the Telegram channel of the defense ministry.
06:48 Kyiv Bookkeeper Caught with Millions in Cash
Ukrainian 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 the Kyiv region said. Photos show investigators in front of an open trunk filled with cash bundles. The company in question had supplied food worth over 320 million euros to the Ukrainian army in 2022 and 2023, with the tax burden reduced through a fictitious loan. Investigations are ongoing for large-scale money laundering and tax evasion, with penalties of up to eight years in prison.
06:10 Ukraine Evacuates 28 Villages in Border Region SumyUkrainian volunteers are assisting villagers and their pets in the northern border region of Sumy to leave the border area. According to local governor Volodymyr Artiukh, 28 villages are being evacuated in a ten-kilometer zone along the border with Russia. 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 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 Central Bank chief Andrij Pyshnyi in a statement in Kyiv. "To honor the resilience of our people and this turning point in the formation of the Ukrainian nation, we are adding our motto to all banknotes, which is heard around the world," Pyshnyi said. The change is to mark the upcoming 33rd Independence Day on August 24. It will begin with banknotes for 1000 (around 22.3 euros) and 500 hryvnia, followed by all other denominations of 200, 100, 50, and 20 hryvnia. The motto will be placed in the upper 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 action 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 in the fall, reports the independent Russian publication Verstka, citing sources at the Russian IT company VK, which is developing an application to replace WhatsApp. In July, the Kremlin-controlled 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 (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, before journalists. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the aid would include interceptors for air defense systems, ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, multipurpose radars, and anti-tank weapons, and would come from US stockpiles. The equipment "will help Ukraine protect its troops, its population, and its cities from Russian attacks and strengthen its capabilities across the entire front," Blinken explained further.
03:19 Russia to have issued 2.2 million passports in occupied territoriesRussia 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, according to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. These figures cannot be independently verified. There have been repeated reports of Russian authorities systematically pressuring people to accept these passports.
02:30 IAEA warns of nuclear accident at Kursk power plant due to fighting in 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 urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident with potentially severe radiological consequences," says IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. 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 that everything is functioning normally at the plant with usual radiation levels. However, residents of Kurtschatov are currently without power. According to regional governor Alexei Smirnov, a power plant caught fire after being hit by falling debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones.
01:55 Russia implements anti-terror measures in Kursk, Belgorod, and BryanskRussia 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 include possible resettlement 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-Terrorism Committee, these anti-terror regulations apply to the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, the news agency reports.
00:36 Nouripour on country leaders: 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 one can achieve peace 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's strange that it 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 doesn't know that only Putin can quickly end this war. 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 death toll in July continues an alarming trend since March 2024," the UN observer mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reports.
23:43 Construction workers withdrawn from AKW KurskDue 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, the company Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom, reports. 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 furthest 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 plant to replace the two oldest, already decommissioned blocks of the plant. Two more reactors are currently in operation.
23:11 Ukraine captures Gazprom facility in Kursk regionAccording 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 explain in the video.
22:33 Russia blocks messaging app SignalIn its crackdown on foreign internet services, Russia is also blocking the encrypted messaging app Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures necessary to counter terrorism and extremism, the responsible agency Roskomnadzor in Moscow reports. Throughout the day, complaints from Signal users in Russia have accumulated that the messaging service is not available. 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 secure communication. On Thursday, users in Russia also complained that YouTube was working slowly and videos were difficult to download. The Russian authorities did not provide an official explanation for this. However, they have stated in recent days 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 used via protected connections (VPN). Even before the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow had made preparations for a possible internet shutdown in the country. Since the beginning of the war in 2022, Roskomnadzor has blocked thousands of websites that are not approved by the Russian government.
You can read all previous developments here.
- The escalation of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine could potentially lead to a broader cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia, as both nations have shown capability and interest in this realm.
- Amidst the ongoing cyber attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, experts warn of a possible cyberwar deterrent, where critical infrastructures such as financial institutions and communication systems could be targeted by Russia as a response to Ukraine's cyber offensive.
