14:25 Ukraine: Five fatalities reported following Russian assault on Chasiv Yar
15:53 Charkiw Grieves over Casualties from Russian Assault
People in Charkiw, a Ukrainian city, are mourning the victims following a Russian attack. As per Oleg Synegubov, the region's governor, seven individuals lost their lives, and 97 were injured, including over 20 minors, during the attack on Friday evening. The youngest fatality is reported to be just 10 months old. One of the fatalities is said to be Ukrainian artist Veronika Kozhushko, who was 18 years old. Serhiy Shadan, a renowned Ukrainian artist, mourned Kozhushko's passing on Facebook, stating, "The Russians continue to destroy our future. There's no forgiveness."
15:28 Ukrainian Defense Ministry Views Air Force Chief's Ouster as "Regrettable"
Rustem Ummerov, the Ukrainian Defense Minister, shared his thoughts with CNN, saying, "I would probably say it's a rotation, but it's regrettable." He explained that while the dismissal and the loss of the fighter jet were two separate issues, an investigation into the cause was ongoing. "I don't want to speculate," he stated.
15:03 Danish Prime Minister Affirms Ukraine's Victory is Inevitable in Conflict against Russia
Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, stated during the GLOBSEC conference in Prague that Ukraine should emerge victorious in its war against Russia. "It's an inevitable development," she asserted. "There's no alternative to Ukraine winning. Because if Russia wins, not only will Ukraine be defeated, but we all will." Frederiksen emphasized that this sentiment was widely shared within the European Union, stating, "Europe has never been so united as it is now."
14:15 Russia Exercises Control Over Kirove in Donetsk Region
As reported by the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow, their forces have captured the village of Kirove in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Russian troops have been making steady progress along the frontline in the east for some time now. Donetsk, along with Luhansk, forms the industrially powerful Donbass. These two regions, as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson further south in Ukraine, were annexed by Russia in September 2022; however, their troops do not yet hold full control. Ukraine aims to recover all territories, including the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed in 2014 and lies to the south of Kherson.
11:45 Russia Alleges Ukrainian Attacks in Belgorod
Russian reports suggest that Ukrainian forces have shelled the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine. Casualties have been reported, as announced by Belgorod's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, on his Telegram channel. According to Gladkov, a city air strike resulted in three fatalities and over 30 injuries, including three children. Over a dozen residential buildings and 47 vehicles were reportedly damaged.
11:10 Expert Triebel: Russia Attempts to Influence Moldova's Elections
Moldova is set to hold presidential elections on October 20, along with a referendum for enshrining EU membership in the constitution to prevent future reversals. Russia is attempting to interfere in the elections through disinformation and fake news, according to Brigitta Triebel, who leads the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung office in Chisinau. "The Moldovans are being informed that if you want to avoid a conflict like in Ukraine, support pro-Russian parties," Triebel said, expressing concern over the manipulation of people's fears.
For further insight into this matter, you can read an interview with Brigitta Triebel on ntv.de.
10:49 Ukraine Claims Interception of 24 out of 52 Russian Drones
The Ukrainian air force reports the interception of 24 Russian drones. In total, Russian forces launched 52 drones at targets in Ukraine overnight on Saturday. Drones from Iran's Shahed series crashed on their own, while three more were reportedly redirected towards Russia and Belarus. No injuries or significant damage have been reported. One of Kyiv's targets was attacked four times this week, according to the city's officials, with all drones being successfully intercepted.
10:16 Russian Military Bloggers Claim Ukrainian Forces Damage Bridge in Kursk
Russian military bloggers have shared videos on their Telegram channels showing the aftermath of an alleged Ukrainian attack on a Russian military convoy approaching the village of Swannoe in the Kursk region. Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) also uploaded the same video on their Telegram channels. The footage appears to show destroyed military vehicles and a destroyed pontoon bridge over the Seym River in Kursk.
09:34 Russian Authorities Allege Ukrainian Shelling in Shebekino
Shebekino, a city in the Russian region of Belgorod, reports Ukrainian shelling. One woman was injured, according to authorities on Saturday. Shebekino is located near the Ukraine border.
09:00 Ukraine Reveals Russian Troop CasualtiesThe Ukrainian military has revealed new figures of casualties among Russian troops in Ukraine. As per their report, around 614,950 Russian soldiers have been lost since February 24, 2022, with 1,360 deaths reported in the past 24 hours. Additionally, eight tanks, 42 artillery systems, and 18 drones were reportedly destroyed in this period. Since the beginning of the large-scale military campaign, Ukraine claims that Russia has lost 8,582 tanks, 17,614 artillery systems, 368 aircraft, 328 helicopters, 14,471 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine. Western estimates suggest lower casualty numbers, but these figures are only the minimum recorded.
08:35 Controversy in Russia Over Ukrainian AttackAuthorities in Belgorod, southwestern Russia, report five fatalities and 46 injuries from a supposed Ukrainian attack late Friday night. Regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, confirmed 37 hospitalizations, including seven children. A video that allegedly depicts the attack circulates online, showing a car explosion and a subsequent blast on the opposite side of the road. While this footage cannot be independently verified, it has sparked controversy in Russia.
07:48 Independent Media Reports High Russian CasualtiesAccording to Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, at least 66,471 Russian soldiers have been killed in the Ukraine conflict. Mediazona, along with BBC News Russian, has collected open-source data to identify Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. However, the organization emphasizes that these figures only represent soldiers whose names have been identified through open data sources, and the actual losses are likely to be much higher. Ukrainian and Western estimates also concur with these figures.
07:15 Kharkiv Under Russian Attack, Death Toll RisesSeven fatalities and 97 injuries, including over 20 minors, resulted from a Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Friday. According to Oleg Synegubov, the region's governor, a kindergarten playground and a 12-story residential building were targeted during the attack. Authorities reported that a D-30 SM-Lenkluftbombe struck both locations, leading to a fire that persisted into Saturday morning.
06:27 Russian Approval Rating Plummets Following Ukrainian IncursionDiscontent among Russian citizens towards their government and President Vladimir Putin increased following the incursion of Ukrainian forces into the Russian region of Kursk, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to a survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Foundation, 28% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction or disapproval toward Russian authorities' actions after the Ukrainian incursion. Meanwhile, Putin's approval rating dropped by 3.5 percentage points to 73.6% during the penultimate week of August, marking a record low since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. ISW suggests that the Kremlin must acknowledge growing dissatisfaction among the Russian population since the incursion into the Kursk region.
05:40 Colombian Nationals Captured in Russia for Fighting in UkraineTwo Colombian nationals, Alexander Ante and Jose Aron Medina, were captured in Russia by the FSB after they were arrested in Caracas during their transit back to Colombia. Spanish media alleges that the men joined the International Legion to fight in Ukraine during the summer of 2023. Upon their arrest at Caracas airport in mid-July, Russian authorities discovered documents and Ukrainian military clothing on them.
04:47 Czech President Denies Connection Between Russian Advance and Ukrainian OperationCzech President Petr Pavel believes that Russia's rapid advance near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region bears no connection to Ukrainian military operations in the Russian Kursk region. He told Radio Liberty that he did not witness a direct correlation between the advance of Russian troops in Pokrovsk and the Ukrainian operation in Kursk. He asserted that the Russian leadership has been committed to capturing the territories of all four regions - Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Kherson - they view as their own, aiming to achieve their goals before the favorable weather for military operations wanes.
03:47 Stoltenberg: Kursk offensive is "justifiable"NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg has labeled the Ukrainian troops advancing into the Russian area of Kursk as legitimate. "Ukraine has the right to protect itself, and under international law, this right does not end at their border," Stoltenberg told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. In response to accusations from the Russian government that the West was briefed on the invasion of Russian territory priorly, Stoltenberg underlined: "Ukraine did not coordinate its plans for Kursk with NATO, and NATO had no part in this." This was Stoltenberg's first statement on the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the Russian border region.
02:48 Ukraine accuses Russia of excessive use of chemical weaponsSince Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there have been over 4000 instances of chemical warfare agent usage reported on the front lines, as per Ukrainian authorities mentioned in the "Kyiv Independent". This includes over 3100 instances since December 2023. This represents a significant rise in the use of such weapons, according to Ukrainian officials. The figures suggest a dramatic increase in the use of prohibited chemical warfare agents, compared to around 600 instances reported in January, as mentioned by the Ukrainian military. As per statistical data compiled by Ukraine, there was a record-high of 715 reported instances in May 2024, followed by a gradual decrease in the summer months, with no data available for August yet.
01:49 ICC Requests Putin's Arrest during Mongolia VisitA representative from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fadi el-Abdallah, confirmed to the BBC that Mongolia, as an ICC member state that has ratified the Rome Statute, was obligated to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during his planned visit. Putin's visit to Mongolia on September 3 would be his first trip to an ICC member country that has ratified the Rome Statute, which obliges signatories to arrest him if he enters their territory. The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March 2023 for the forced deportation of children from the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
00:33 Biden-von der Leyen Video Call Recalls Russian Invasion DayEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of strong transatlantic relations regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in November. She received the Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Award (CSTA) at the Globsec security conference in Prague, where she recalled a video call with U.S. President Joe Biden on the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "We immediately agreed on how our response to Putin's war should look," says von der Leyen. Once more, Europe and America stood "side by side on the right side of history."
23:19 Russia: Five Dead in Belgorod AssaultAt least five people have been killed in Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to Russian news. A woman and four men died at the scene due to their injuries, as per regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on the Telegram messaging service. An additional 37 people were injured. The Ukraine fired "cluster bombs" on the city of Belgorod and the region using multiple rocket launchers, Gladkov added.
here.
22:01 Ukraine Plans AI for Drone Swarms and "Affordable Missiles"Ukraine intends to engage weapons manufacturers in the development of AI for drone swarms and "affordable missiles" to counter Russian kamikaze drones, stated Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov at the Globsec Forum in Prague. Throughout the entire Russian invasion, both Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing modern warfare. According to Fedorov, Ukrainian soldiers are facing various challenges, including Russian equipment and infantry, ammunition shortages, kamikaze drones, and reconnaissance drones. In response, Ukraine's armed forces use low-cost first-person-view drones (FPV), reconnaissance drones, small air defense systems, and domestically produced long-range drones to target Russian objectives, Fedorov stated. "What are the next challenges where we need your help? How do we create an effective laser control, how do we develop AI for drone swarms, how do we produce Ukrainian HIMARS, how do we develop affordable Ukrainian missiles to shoot down Shaheds?" says Fedorov.
21:32 Ukraine Receives Urgent Artillery ShellsThe Ukraine receives the first batches of howitzer ammunition from the US-European coalition. This was revealed by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky in Brussels. 155-mm artillery shells are desperately needed on the front lines. "The Czech ammunition initiative is honoring its promise, and by the end of the year, we will provide half a million large-caliber projectiles. Around 100,000 pieces were delivered in each of the summer months of July and August," Lipavsky said.
You can review all previous developments here.
The European Union, sharing Mette Frederiksen's sentiment, believes that Ukraine's victory is inevitable in its conflict against Russia.
In response to the Russian attack in Charkiw, The Commission expressed its condolences to the victims and their families.
