13:44 Ukraine confirms attack on oil refinery in Kursk
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has confirmed in social media an attack on a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and the Ukrainian military cooperated in attacking the Polyova oil depot in the night, as reported by regional authorities in Kursk who had previously reported a drone attack that caused fires at several locations. According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, firefighters were still at the scene in the morning trying to extinguish three fuel tanks (entries at 08:00 and 06:36).
13:20 Authorities: Eight injured due to Russian shelling of Nikopol buildings
Eight people, including children, were injured in Nikopol, a Ukrainian city in the Dnipro region, due to Russian troop shelling, according to RBC-Ukraine, citing the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine. "Eight residents of two multi-story buildings, including two children, were injured during the enemy shelling of Nikopol," the statement reads. The injured were taken to the hospital by rescue teams and the Red Cross, the SES added.
13:01 Russia reports capture of two locations in Donetsk
Russia has captured two locations in the Donetsk region. They are Prohres and Evhenivka in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.
12:44 Ukraine accuses Russia of killing 564 children since start of the war
Russia is accused of killing 564 children and wounding at least 1,487 since the start of its war in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," citing the Office of the Prosecutor General. The majority of the children were affected in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, Kiev and Zaporizhzhia, the statement on Telegram reads.
12:24 Lindner counters Pistorius in defense budget discussion
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his budget for the Bundeswehr in an interview with the ARD "Hauptstadtstudio." "We have reached the two percent target for NATO for the first time in many, many years," the FDP leader said. "We spend more than France and Italy. In the coming years, we will continue to provide at least two percent of the economic output for security." Lindner then turned the tables: "It's not the case that everything the defense minister says is automatically justified and correct." Lindner emphasized that it's about tax money and the efficiency of budget allocation. "Mr. Pistorius has a 100-billion-euro special program for the strengthening of the armed forces, which none of his predecessors had. That's how it can be done, and that's how it must be done economically," Lindner added.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US missiles in Germany
Due to the plans for the stationing of US long-range missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin at the large naval parade in St. Petersburg is threatening a reaction. Russia will respond symmetrically if the plans are implemented and will no longer feel bound by an earlier prohibition on land-based nuclear weapons. The INF Treaty on the prohibition of these weapons, which has been invalid since the US withdrawal in 2019, is mentioned by Putin. However, Russia had so far imposed a moratorium and adhered to the agreements. The US, on the other hand, have long complained about Russian violations of the treaty. In a speech to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India, Putin says the US could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. "The flight time of such missiles that could be armed with atomic warheads and targeted at our territory will be approximately ten minutes," Putin says.
11:14 Authorities: Russians seize over 500 homes in Luhansk for themselves
In the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic," Russian occupiers have illegally taken possession of 514 homes from evacuated residents. This is reported by the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," which cites a Telegram message from the head of the regional administration of Luhansk, Artem Lysohord. These are objects that are subject to the "nationalization procedure," which begins 30 days after discovery, Lysohord writes, adding that a large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities will be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Kharkiv - Air alarm declared in other Ukrainian regions
Suspilne.media, the Ukrainian broadcasting corporation, reports two explosions in Kharkiv in the morning. Shortly thereafter, the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Sinegubov, reports two missile attacks by the Russians. The type of missiles is being determined. At present, air alarm has been declared in some regions of Ukraine according to the news portal "RBC-Ukraine." This applies to Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, and Dnipro. A missile threat cannot be ruled out in these regions, it is stated.
10:07 Governor reports 5 Dead, 15 Injured from Russian shelling in Donetsk region
Five civilians were killed and 15 others were injured by Russian shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Saturday, Governor Vadym Filashkin reports via Telegram. According to Filashkin, the Russians killed five residents of the Donetsk region. Three of the dead were in Ivaniwka, one in Kostiantynivka, and one in Toretsk. In addition, 15 people were injured in the region during the day, Filashkin writes. Since the beginning of the Russian offensive in February 2022, the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" reports, 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured in the Donetsk region. These figures do not include the victims in Mariupol and Volnovakha, it is stated.
09:46 IfW-President: German fiscal policy is "security risk for Europe"
The President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Moritz Schularick, is urging the German government to significantly increase spending on security and defense - while also criticizing the coalition's budget deal. "The German government is currently not making sensible fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick stated in an interview with t-online. "Much more than that: Fiscal policy remains a security risk for Europe." A future special fund for the Bundeswehr must "be significantly larger than the current one with its size of 100 billion euros," the economist added. "To close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are probably talking about a volume of 250 to 300 billion euros."
Even with all these additional expenditures, Germany would still be spending proportionally less for the military than countries like Poland, Norway, or the USA, which have not reduced their investments to the same extent in the past two decades. In total, spending of 3 to 3.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product would be needed to deter Putin's Russia through "strength and determination," Schularick stated.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk region "lost for Ukraine in every case"
The Ukrainian armed forces are currently under particularly heavy pressure from Russian attacks in the Donetsk region. Military expert Ralf Thiele sees no chance for Ukraine to hold the Donetsk region in the future. The Russians are "step by step" on the offensive, while the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is "lost for Ukraine in every case," Thiele said on ntv. "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," the military expert added. Donetsk is on the negotiation table or "on the real path." That means, either there will be a ceasefire negotiation on equal terms or a surrender ceasefire. These are the alternatives Thiele sees. But in both cases, the region "is ultimately lost," he said.
08:52 Ukraine reports 1180 Russian casualties in one day
Russia has lost approximately 574,690 soldiers in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024, according to Ukraine's calculations. Among them were 1180 fatalities or injuries in the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian General Staff reported this in its daily update on Facebook. In addition, Russian losses included: 8344 tanks, 16,095 armored combat vehicles, 15,936 artillery systems, 11,271 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2,405 cruise missiles. The Russian army had also lost 363 combat aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,766 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 28 warships/cutters, 1 submarine, 21,572 vehicles and tank trucks, and 2,671 pieces of special equipment since the start of their offensive war.
08:16 Thiele on the situation at the front: Ukrainians are "de facto on a step-by-step retreat" In the contested areas in the east of the country, the situation for Ukraine is "not good," says Ralf Thiele. The military is trying to prevent a Russian breakthrough - albeit at the cost of a retreat. The military expert fears that Ukraine will certainly lose the region of Donetsk.
08:00 Kursk reports fire in ammunition depot under control A Ukrainian drone attack has set an ammunition depot in the Kursk region on fire, according to local Russian authorities. However, the fire was quickly brought under control, writes the regional governor Alexei Smirnov on Telegram. There were no injuries reported.
07:44 TASS: Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Cherson region Russian paratrooper drones destroy a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian ammunition depot for field artillery on the eastern bank of the Dnieper in the Cherson region. This is reported by the state Russian news agency TASS, referring to the Russian Defense Ministry. After the launch of the drones, the armor-piercing shells reportedly penetrated the front line along the riverbank. At the same time, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field ammunition depot for field artillery. Through a direct hit, the ammunition depot was destroyed and the howitzer was put out of order, it is stated in the statement.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory" The Olympic participation of Ukraine is seen as a strong sign and an opportunity by Sports Minister Vadym Bidyovka to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the start of the Russian offensive war on Ukraine. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidyovka said at the opening of the Ukrainian house in Paris. It is very important that Russia is represented in Paris with only a small team of 15 neutral athletes. Russia as a nation was expelled from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the offensive war. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," Bidyovka said.
It is now the task of the Olympic team to "bring the international community together in support of Ukraine and to speak to the people who normally do not listen to politicians." The participation is a "strong signal that Ukraine not only survives, but also has the will to win."
06:58 Russia reports shooting down of seven Ukrainian drones The Russian air defense shoots down seven Ukrainian drones, according to their own statements. Five were shot down over the Belgorod region and two over the Kursk region.
06:36 Kursk: Old Depot is on Fire after Drone AttackIn the night, there are explosions in the Kursk region of Russia due to a drone attack. In an old depot and several areas, fires have broken out, according to Kursk region Governor Alexei Smirnov via Telegram and the channel Baza. The air defense forces are "on alert," writes the Russian official and urges the region's residents to "stay alert." At least two fires have broken out in the region during the "defense" of the drone attack, one in the Medvenka district and one in the Kursk district, it is reported. A fire is said to have started in an oil storage facility in the village of Polyova, according to the Shot channel on Telegram. Residents reportedly heard "multiple strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Before the explosions, a characteristic drone sound was heard flying over the area. After the explosions, witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky. Additionally, there was an explosion in the city of Sudzha, a house in the Medva district was on fire, it is reported.
05:41 Linnemann questions the payment of social benefits to Ukrainian refugees in Germany
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann questions the payment of social benefits to Ukrainian women and men in the Funke newspapers. "We need to discuss why more than 50 percent of Ukrainians work in many European countries, but only 25 percent in Germany," he says. There are clearly no incentives for quick employment." The Ukrainians also defended the freedoms of the Germans. "But if there is a performance, it is linked to a counter-performance. That includes taking up employment."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to duty
According to the deputy defense minister of Ukraine, Natalia Kalmykova, in statements to Interfax news agency, a very high percentage of soldiers who undergo rehabilitation measures return to duty in Ukraine. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation measures and returnees to duty. This is also recognized by our western partners," she says. Kalmykova speaks of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainian forces recapture positions
According to the Institute for War Studies (ISW), Ukrainian forces have reportedly recaptured lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk. This is evident from geolocated images. The Russian side is said to have continued its offensive operations in the area.
01:08 Ukraine reports several deaths after Russian shelling - including a child
According to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. In the region of Kherson, there were three deaths. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 people were injured in a rocket attack on the small town of Hluchiv. In the region of Kharkiv, a man was killed by Russian shelling in a residential building.
23:46 Russia reports taking control of another village in UkraineRussia has reportedly taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The settlement Losuwatske, located in the Donezk region, has been "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. It is approximately 25 kilometers east of the city Pokrowsk, in the area where the Russian army has advanced relatively quickly in recent months. Ukraine confirms the takeover.
22:23 Blinken threatens China with "measures" over continued support for Russian defense industryUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the US would take "measures" if Beijing continued to support Russia's defense industry. According to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," Blinken made this statement during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos. This came shortly after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang during his first visit to China since the war broke out in Guangzhou. "The minister reaffirmed his serious concern over China's support for the PRC's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if the PRC did not address this threat to European security," Miller said.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- The Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russia are engaged in a cyberwar as well, with reports of Ukrainian attacks targeting Russian infrastructure.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has called for stronger international support in the face of Russia's ongoing attack on Ukraine, highlighting the need for NATO military deployments.
- The attack on the Russian oil depot in Kursk was not just a physical assault but also a political blow, with Ukraine hoping to send a message to Russia about its capabilities and resolve.
- The Ukraine-Conflict has also had significant impacts on domestic politics in both Ukraine and Russia, with both leaders facing criticism and calls for action from their respective populations.
- The conflict in Ukraine has also sparked widespread condemnation and calls for action from the international community, with many nations expressing their support for Ukraine and condemning Russia's actions.
