15:34 General Staff: Around 130 encounters with Russian troops within a day
According to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 engagements with Russian troops at the front yesterday. The state news agency Ukrinform reports that Russian troops have been particularly active in the areas of Pokrowsk, Torezk, and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kiev: Nearly 1200 Russian soldiers eliminated in one dayPersonnel losses on the Russian side remain high, according to official numbers from Kiev: Some 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or were unable to continue fighting in one day. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports that since the start of the war in February 2022, a total of 574,690 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated." According to the Defense Ministry's daily reports on Russian losses, the enemy has also lost 13 more tanks (8344). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has counted more than 16,000 armored vehicles and around 12,800 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed. These figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself keeps information about its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
14:28 Zelensky: Russia has fired over 700 guided bombs and 100 drones in one weekRussian forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fired over 700 guided air-to-ground bombs and more than 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine in the past week. Zelensky, writing on Telegram and citing regional authorities, reports that 11 people were killed and 41 more were injured in Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions yesterday. The Ukrainians are "suffering daily under Russian terror" and "deserve a fair and reliable protection from it." Zelensky calls on allies to provide Kiev with long-range weapons and air defense equipment, adding that "every concrete decision by partners to strengthen our forces can save lives."
14:01 Report: F-16 fighter jets may not significantly influence the course of the warThe first F-16 fighter jets are expected to arrive in Ukraine in the coming weeks, but Ukrainian and Western officials warn that they may not have a significant impact on the course of the war, as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield. The Washington Post reports that Ukraine will receive only a small number of F-16 fighter jets, while Russia has a large number of air defense systems that can shoot them down. This means that the first F-16 fighter jets to arrive in Ukraine are likely to be used to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, to shoot down Russian aerial targets, rather than attack Russian ground forces.
According to the Washington Post, it is unlikely that the fighter jets will initially be stationed near the front lines and therefore will not be able to intercept Russian military aircraft. Official sources refused to disclose how many F-16 fighter jets the Ukraine will receive this year, but it is not expected to be more than about 20, which is the size of a squadron.
13:44 Ukrainian military confirms attack on oil refinery in Kursk, Russia
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. Previously, local authorities in Kursk reported a drone attack that caused fires at several locations. According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, firefighters were still on site in the morning to extinguish three fuel tanks (see entries 08:00 and 06:36).
13:20 Authorities: Eight injured by Russian shelling of Nikopol buildings
Eight people, including children, were injured by Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Nikopol in the Dnipro region. This was reported by 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 says. The injured were taken to the hospital by rescue teams and the Red Cross, according to the SES.
13:01 Russia reports capture of two towns in Donetsk
Russia has captured two towns 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 war
Russia is accused of killing 564 children and injuring at least 1487 since the start of its war in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," citing the Office of the General Prosecutor. The majority of the children were affected in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, Kiev and Zaporizhzhia.
12:24 Lindner counters Pistorius in defense budget discussion
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his position on defense spending in a heated debate. "We have achieved the two-percent NATO target for the first time in many, many years," the FDP leader said in an interview with ARD-"Hauptstadtstudio." 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. "Now I have to turn the stick around: 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 funding 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 where you can work, and that's where you have to earn money," Lindner said.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US missiles in Germany
Due to plans for the stationing of US intermediate-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 atomic-capable missiles. The INF Treaty on the prohibition of these weapons, which the USA withdrew from in 2019, no longer applies. According to Putin, Russia had so far imposed a moratorium and adhered to the agreements. The USA, however, 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 reach targets on 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 seized 514 homes from evacuated residents. This is reported by the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," citing 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 and notes that a large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities will be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Kharkiv, air alert 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 alert has been reported 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 reported.
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, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reports via Telegram. According to him, five residents of the region Donetsk were killed. Among the dead were three in Ivaniwka, one in Kostiantyniwka, and one in Toretsk. In addition, 15 people in the region were injured during the day, Filashkin writes. Since the beginning of the Russian offensive war in February 2022, the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" reports that 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, urges the German government to significantly increase spending for security and defense - while also criticizing the coalition's budget compromise. "The German government is currently not making reasonable fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick says in an interview with t-online. "Much more than that: Fiscal policy is and will remain 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 adds. "To close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are probably talking about volumes of 250 to 300 billion euros."
And even then, it's clear: "Even with all these additional expenditures, Germany would still be spending proportionally less for the military than Poland, Norway, or the USA, which have not reduced their investments to the same extent in the past two decades," Schularick says. It would take around 3 to 3.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to deter Putin's Russia with "strength and determination," according to Schularick.
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 "advancing step by step," while the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is "lost for Ukraine, in every case," Thiele says on ntv. "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," the military expert adds. Donetsk is either on the negotiation table or "on the real path." That means, either there will be a ceasefire agreement or a surrender ceasefire," Thiele explains. In both cases, the region "is ultimately lost," he concludes.
08:52 Ukraine reports 1180 Russian casualties in one day
According to Ukraine's calculations, Russia has lost approximately 574,690 soldiers between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024. Among them are 1180 fatalities or injuries in the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian General Staff shared this information in its daily update on Facebook. In addition to these losses, the Russians have recorded: 8344 tanks, 16,095 armored combat vehicles, 15,936 artillery systems, 11,271 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2,405 missiles. The Russian army has also lost: 363 combat aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,766 tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, 28 warships/cutters, 1 submarine, 21,572 vehicles and tank trucks, and 2,671 pieces of special equipment since the beginning of their offensive war.
08:16 Thiele on the situation at the front: Ukrainians are "de facto on a step-by-step retreat" In contested areas in the east of the country, the situation is not good for Ukraine, 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 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, TASS reports, citing 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 field ammunition depot was destroyed and the howitzer was put out of order, the statement reads.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory" The Olympic participation of Ukraine is seen as a strong symbol and an opportunity by Sports Minister Vadym Bidny to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the start of Russia's attack on Ukraine. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidny 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 excluded from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the attack. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," Bidny 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 don't listen to politicians." The participation is a "strong signal that Ukraine not only survived, 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 Russian Defense Ministry reports. Five were shot down over the Belgorod region and two over the Kursk region.
06:36 Gouverneur: Oil depot in Kursk is on fire after drone attackIn the night, explosions have occurred in the Kursk region of Russia due to a drone attack. In an oil 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." In the region, at least two fires have broken out 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. Local residents report "multiple strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Previously, the characteristic sound of a drone flying over the area was heard. After the explosions, witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky. In addition, 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 raises questions about the payment of social benefits to Ukrainian women and men in German media. "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 missing incentives for quick employment. "But if there is a performance, it comes with a counter-performance. That includes taking up work."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to duty
According to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova, the proportion of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation in Ukraine is reportedly very high. "We have a very high proportion of high-quality rehabilitation programs and returnees to the service. This is also acknowledged by our Western partners," she says, according to the Interfax news agency. Kalmykova speaks of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainian forces retake positionsAccording to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk. This is indicated by 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 childAccording 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 other people were injured in a rocket attack on the small town of Hluchiv. In the region of Kharkiv, a man was killed by Russian fire 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. The settlement 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 Blinken's Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang in Guangzhou during his first China visit since the war broke out. "The Minister reaffirmed his serious concerns over China's support for Russia's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if China did not act against this threat to European security," Miller said.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- The Ukrainian General Staff accuses Russia of attacking a Ukrainian oil depot in Kursk, citing cooperative efforts with the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, condemns the increases in Russian attacks on Ukraine, citing over 700 guided bombs and 100 drones launched within a week.
- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports significant military deployments and losses from Russia, including the elimination of over 1200 Russian soldiers in one day.
- Accusations against Russia by Ukraine include civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure, such as the killing of 564 children since the start of the conflict.
- Political discussions in Germany focus on defense spending and the potential impact of future military deployments, such as the arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine, on the conflict with Russia.
