16:49 Fire broke out in a university building in Cherson after Russian shelling
Russian forces have attacked the Oblast of Kherson and hit a university building. A fire broke out in the educational institution, as Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the Cherson region, reported in a "Ukrainska Pravda" report. "The enemy attacked the building of a university in the city center at night, resulting in a fire." No one was injured.
16:02 430 Ukrainian settlements without power due to Russian attacksAccording to Ukrainian attacks, 431 settlements in six regions in the north and northeast of Ukraine are without power. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reports this on Facebook, as the state news agency Ukrinform reports.
15:34 General Staff: Around 130 battles with Russian troops within one dayAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 battles with Russian troops at the front the previous day. As the state news agency Ukrinform reports, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrowsk, Torezk and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kiev: Almost 1200 Russian soldiers eliminated within one dayThe personnel losses on the Russian side remain high according to official figures from Kiev: 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or could no longer fight in the war within one day. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's daily reports on losses, the enemy has also lost 13 additional tanks (8344). Since the start of the war in February 2022, the Ukraine counts 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. The figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself keeps information about its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
14:28 Zelenskyy: Russia has fired over 700 guided bombs and over 100 drones of the Shahed type on Ukraine within a weekRussian forces have fired over 700 guided bombs and more than 100 Shahed-type drones on Ukraine in the past week, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a Telegram post, citing regional authorities. Yesterday alone, eleven people were killed and forty-one were injured in Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions. The Ukrainians "are suffering daily under Russian terror and deserve a fair and reliable protection from it." Zelenskyy called on allies to equip 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 only receive 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 attacking Russian ground troops.
According to The Washington Post, it is unlikely that fighter jets will initially be stationed near the frontlines and therefore unable to intercept Russian military aircraft. Official sources refused to disclose how many F-16 fighter jets will be provided to Ukraine this year, but there will not be more than approximately 20, which is equivalent to a squadron.
13:44 Ukraine confirms attack on oil refinery in Kursk
The Ukrainian military staff confirmed in social media an attack on a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and the Ukrainian military attacked the Polyova oil depot in cooperation. Previously, local authorities in Kursk reported a drone attack that caused fires at several locations. According to the 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 two apartment buildings in Nikopol
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.
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 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 Zaporizhia.
12:24 Lindner counters Pistorius in defense budget discussion
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his position on defense spending in a debate. "We have reached the two-percent NATO target for the first time in many, many years," the FDP leader said in an interview with the ARD "Hauptstadtsstudio." We spend more than France and Italy. In the coming years, we will continue to allocate at least two percent of the economic output for security. "Now I have to turn 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 the 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 you can work, and that's how you have to earn money," Lindner said.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US missiles in Germany
Due to the 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 medium-range missiles. 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 previously imposed a moratorium and adhered to the agreements. The US, on the other hand, has 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, which in the future could be armed with nuclear warheads, to 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," 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 property 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 him, the Russians killed five residents of the region Donetsk. Among the dead were three in Ivanivka, one in Kostiantynivka, and one in Toretsk. In addition, 15 people in the region were injured during the day, Filashkin writes. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured in the Donetsk region. These figures do not include the victims in Mariupol and Volnovakha.
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 allocate significantly more money for security and defense - and criticizes the coalition's budget deal at the same time. "The German government is currently not making sensible fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick says in an interview with t-online. "Much more than that: Fiscal policy is and 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 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 countries like 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 spending of 3 to 3.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia with "strength and resolve," he adds.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk region "lost for Ukraine in every case"
Ukrainian forces are currently under particular 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 "inch by inch" on the offensive, 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 on the negotiation table or "the real table." That means, either there will be a ceasefire agreement or a surrender ceasefire, Thiele explains. In both cases, the region "is ultimately lost," he adds.
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 General Staff. Among them are 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 include: 8344 tanks, 16,095 armored combat vehicles, 15,936 artillery systems, 11,271 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2,405 missile systems. 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 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 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, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the launch of the drones, the armor-piercing shells reportedly penetrated the front line along the riverbed. 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 shut down, 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 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 war on Ukraine. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," says Bidny 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 attack war. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," says Bidny.
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 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. An oil depot and several areas are on fire, according to Kursk region governor Alexei Smirnov via Telegram and the Baza channel. 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 been caused by an explosion in the village of Polyova's oil storage facility, according to the Shot channel on Telegram. Residents reportedly heard "several strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Previously, the characteristic sound of a drone flying over the area was heard. Witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky after the explosions. 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 has questioned the payment of social benefits to Ukrainian women and men refugees 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 comes with a counter-performance. That includes taking a job."
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 in Ukraine return to duty. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation programs and returnees to service. This is also acknowledged by our Western partners," she says, speaking of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainian forces retake positions near Toretsk
According 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 imagery. The Russian side is said to have continued its offensive operations in the area.
01:08 Ukraine reports several fatalities after Russian shelling - including a child
According to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed by Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. Three people were reportedly killed in the region of Kherson. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 others were injured by 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 Ukraine
According to Russian reports, Russia has taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The settlement Losuwatske, located in the Donezk region, has been "liberated," the Russian Defense Ministry announced in its daily report. The settlement is approximately 25 kilometers east of the city Pokrowsk, in the area where the Russian army has made significant progress in recent months. Ukraine has not confirmed the takeover.
22:23 Blinken threatens China with "measures" over continued support for Russian defense industry
US 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 the comments during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos, shortly after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang during his first visit to China since the war began in Guangzhou. "The minister reaffirmed his serious concern over China's support for the People's Republic of China'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 conflict in Ukraine has escalated to include cyberwar, with reports of Russian cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.
- Amidst the ongoing military deployments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for Nato to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons and air defense equipment to protect against Russian attacks.
- The attack on Ukraine by Russian forces has resulted in high military casualties on both sides, with Ukraine reporting over 16,000 armored vehicles and around 12,800 drones lost or destroyed by the Russian military since the start of the war.
- In response to the attack on Ukraine, Western nations have imposed sanctions on Russia, with the US and EU imposing restrictions on exports of technology, energy, and military equipment.
- Russia's actions in Ukraine have also had political consequences, with many Western nations calling for Russia's expulsion from international organizations and for further sanctions to be imposed.
