16:49 Men attack Ukrainian border guard with machete
In Ukraine, a border guard was injured by two men wielding a machete during an attack. One of the attackers was reportedly shot dead by the guard, according to the Ukrainian news outlet "Ukrajinska Pravda," citing Ukrainian authorities. The incident reportedly occurred on a Saturday evening at the border with Romania. The motive is unknown. However, due to the war, men of military age have been trying to leave the country to avoid being drafted and sent to the front. Previously, 17 men were detained at the Hungarian border in a minibus, who, according to authorities, were attempting to illegally leave Ukraine and were offering their helpers between 3000 and 12,000 US dollars for a successful exit.
16:14 Additional Casualties and Damage after Rocket Attack on Vilniansk
Following the lethal Russian rocket attack on civilians in Vilniansk, 75 people report damaged or destroyed property. The police in the Saporischschja region report "the crimes of the Russian army," according to the statement from the authorities. The number of registered casualties from the attack has risen to 38, including nine children. A mobile aid station is in operation. At least seven people were killed in the attack on Saturday, including a woman and three children.
15:51 Controversial Kanye West reportedly in Moscow for Friend's Birthday
The controversial US rapper Kanye West is reportedly in Moscow on a private visit, according to Russian media. "That's great news, he's in the heart of the capital," quotes the state news agency Tass the producer Yan Rudkovskaya. Former Russian presidential candidate Xenia Sobchak has published a short video that allegedly shows West looking out from the roof of the famous shopping center GUM on Red Square. According to Sobchak, West is in Moscow to celebrate the 40th birthday of his friend Gosha Rubchinskiy, a well-known Russian fashion designer. West has expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past. In the US, the musician is now an outcast in the entertainment industry due to his antisemitic and Hitler-glorifying statements.
15:24 Russia disrupting GPS signals for British military flights
This year, Russia has disrupted the GPS signals for hundreds of British military flights of the Royal Air Force (RAF) over Europe. More than one in four transportation and surveillance flights in the first four months of the year 2024 were affected by active GPS disruptions, according to data analysis of thousands of flights, writes the British "Telegraph." This illustrates the extent of Russian interference in aviation. "This is another example of Russia's disregard and another proof that it is a rogue and hostile state," is quoted by the British Defense Minister Grant Shapps. Between January and April, 142 of 504 transportation and surveillance flights of the RAF over Europe were affected by GPS disruptions.
14:41 Ukrainian Hackers Sabotage Russian Systems
Activists, in collaboration with experts from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, have carried out a series of attacks on Russian companies. According to the ministry, Ukrainian hackers have destroyed over 100 Terabytes of data from OrbitSoft, a software developer that works with the Russian army. They also deleted data on eight servers from Orient Systems, a supplier of navigation devices for Russian military manufacturers, particularly for unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturers. They also deleted the data of a Nizhni Novgorod internet provider and sent messages to all subscribers about an "inevitable retaliation" for Russia's war.
14:06 Ukraine Begins Mass Production of Combat Drones
Ukraine has begun mass producing combat drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers. According to the head of the state arms company Ukroboronprom, Herman Smetanin, in an interview with ArmyInform, Russia's "vast resources and powerful industry" forced Kiev to adopt a "more flexible and inventive" approach to weapons production. Ukraine uses long-range drones to attack military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics facilities, as well as oil refineries and storage facilities deep in Russian territory.
13:36 Ukraine Releases Video of the Liberation of Snake Island
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has released new footage of the liberation of Snake Island on social media. In the post, the SBU describes the "unique and extremely important operation". The video material is said to begin with an aerial view of an air raid on the island, followed by Ukrainian troops landing on the island with a helicopter and attacking Russian troops. "It consisted of several stages and was of strategic importance, as the gradual displacement of the enemy from the Black Sea began since then," the SBU writes. On June 30, 2022, Ukrainian troops repelled the Russian troops from the strategic outpost on the Black Sea.
13:14 Zelensky: Russia Fired Over 800 Guided Bombs at Ukraine in a Week
In the past week, Russia has fired over 800 guided bombs at Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the X platform. "Ukraine needs the necessary resources to destroy the carriers of these bombs, including Russian combat aircraft, wherever they are located. This step is essential," he writes further.
12:48 Number of Wounded Increases after Russian Attack on Vilniansk
The number of wounded in the Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Vilniansk in the Zaporizhia region has increased (see entries 00:32, 05:41 and 07:24). According to official reports, at least seven people, three men, a woman, and three children, have been killed. Thirty-six people, including nine children, were injured in the missile attack, according to the National Police, who reported on social media. Previously, there were reports of 31 injured.
12:18 Ukraine publishes numbers on Russian casualtiesThe Ukrainian General Staff has published new casualty figures for the Russian troops in Ukraine. According to this, Russia has lost approximately 542,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Alone within the last 24 hours, the number of casualties amounted to 1,140. According to a report from Kiev, among other things, 24 tanks, 60 artillery systems, and an aircraft were reportedly destroyed. Since the beginning of the large-scale attack, Ukraine claims that Russia has lost 8,080 tanks, 15,524 artillery systems, and 360 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 11,584 drones, 28 ships, and a submarine. Western estimates mention lower casualty numbers - these are only minimum values.
11:45 OSCE: Russia is committing genocide in UkraineThe Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has adopted a resolution recognizing Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide against the Ukrainian population. Pavlo Frolov, a member of the Kiev delegation, announced this. In social media, Frolov wrote that the document also defines "the denazification of the Russian Federation as a necessary prerequisite for the creation of a lasting peace." The OSCE has 57 members, including Ukraine and Russia. With 57 countries from Europe, Central Asia, and North America, the OSCE is the largest regional security organization in the world.
11:11 Weichert: People in Odessa "trying to live normal lives"While at least seven people were killed by Russian attacks near Zaporizhzhia, the beaches of the coastal city of Odessa are filled with bathing tourists. Jürgen Weichert, an NTV reporter, describes it as a much-needed break for the Ukrainians affected by the war.
10:44 Russia: Four firefighters injured in the Donetsk regionIn the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia claims, four firefighters were reportedly injured by Ukrainian attacks, according to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. They had extinguished a fire caused by a Ukrainian attack in the Petrovsky district and were then hit by new shelling, the ministry explained.
10:08 Russia: Ukrainian forces driven back from the left bank in KhersonThe fighting in the Kherson region is currently taking place on the islands, as the Ukrainian troops have been driven back from the left bank of the Dnipro, Kherson Governor Vladymyr Saldo told the Russian news agency TASS. "The fighting has shifted to the islands, and the Russian army has intensified its activities," he said. The islands and the Dnipro River in the Kherson region form a natural frontier.
09:43 Ukraine: A Person Dead and Two Injured after Russian Attack on Cherson
At a Russian attack on the Ukrainian region of Cherson, a person is reportedly dead and two people injured. This was announced by the governor of the region Cherson, Oleksandr Prokudin, on Telegram. A 67-year-old man in Odradokamyanka was allegedly killed by a drone attack. A 76-year-old woman in Kozatske was injured by artillery fire and was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. Additionally, a 63-year-old woman in Komysany is reported to have been injured by Russian troops who shot at a farmer's homestead. There were no injured reported in a drone attack on a residential building in Mykhailivka, the damage is currently being assessed.
09:08 Ex-NATO Chief: "Putin's Plan A has failed"
The former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen believes that the Russian war against Ukraine will continue for at least the rest of the year 2024. "Putin's Plan A, which was to take over all of Ukraine in just a few days, has failed," Rasmussen said in an interview with ntv.de. "His Plan B is now a frozen conflict and the Russian occupation of Eastern Ukraine, in the hope that the West will weaken and give in." The presidential elections in the USA on November 5 are particularly significant for Putin in terms of potential changes that could help him.
08:40 Russia: 36 Ukrainian Drones Shot Down
Russia claims to have shot down 36 Ukrainian drones in various regions across the country. 15 drones were intercepted over the border region of Kursk, nine over the region of Lipezk several hundred kilometers south of Moscow, and four each over the regions of Woronesh and Brjansk, according to the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow. The governors of Lipezk and Brjansk report on Telegram that there were no casualties or major damage.
07:55 Sweden's Defense Minister: Russia wants to split EU and NATO
Russia is interested in politically dividing the EU and NATO. This is what the Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper. "I believe that the Kremlin and Putin himself are aware that they would lose this war. But I believe that Russia is very interested in politically dividing us, both within the EU and in NATO," Jonson said. To maintain peace, it is best to make NATO stronger and focus on deterrence and defense. Jonson believes that this means more responsibility for European security, especially in terms of investing in military capabilities. Sweden, under the impression of the Russian attack on Ukraine, gave up its neutrality. In March 2024, Sweden became the 32nd NATO member.
07:24 Zelenskyy: After Russian Attack on Vilniansk, the number of casualties may still increase
After a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Vilniansk in the region of Zaporizhzhia, there are reported deaths and injuries (see entries 00:32 and 05:41). According to official reports, at least seven people have been killed, including children. Thirty-one other people were injured in the missile attack, the Civil Defense reports. "Unfortunately, the number of casualties may still increase," writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the platform X.
06:55 Ukraine: Russian troops drop bombs on DerhachiRussian troops have attacked the city of Derhachi in the Charkiw region. This was announced by the head of the military administration of Derhachi, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, on Telegram. According to Zadorenko, three people were injured in the attack. It is the most massive attack on Derhachi since 2022, during which four bombs were dropped. Two men aged 68 and 75 and a 71-year-old woman were hospitalized. According to Zadorenko, the shelling damaged several buildings, including at least 25 residential houses, agricultural buildings, a garage cooperative, cars, and a civilian company, and partially destroyed power lines.
06:20 Defense exports have increased again: Germany exports weapons for 7.5 billion EurosFollowing a record year for defense exports in the previous year, defense export authorizations in the first half of 2024 have significantly increased due to further rising weapons deliveries to Ukraine. From January 1 to June 18, the German government authorized the export of military goods for at least 7.48 billion Euros abroad. This represents an increase of over 30% compared to the entire first half of 2023. Almost two-thirds of the exports (65% or 4.88 billion Euros) were destined for Ukraine. This is evident from a response from the Economy Ministry to a query from Bundestag deputy Sevim Dağdelen from The Left (Die Linke).
05:41 Dead in Vilnjansk: Moscow targeted a military objectiveFollowing the Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Vilnjansk in the Saporischschja region with at least seven fatalities, the Russian Defense Ministry speaks of an attack on a military objective. According to Interfax agency, a railway station with ballistic Iskander missiles was attacked near Saporischschja. The Russian military leadership claims that a train loaded with military cargo was hit. On photos and videos, it can be seen that residential houses and parked cars in the city center were hit.
04:53 Kiev's Mine Clearance Corps: 30,000 square kilometers have been clearedSpecialists from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have cleared 30,000 square kilometers of Ukraine from mines in the past two years - an area comparable to the size of Belgium or Moldova. This was reported by the "Kyiv Independent" with reference to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the department for environmental safety and mine clearance. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, approximately 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been contaminated with explosives. The Ukraine founded the Mine Clearance Corps in April 2022. Units of the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces joined in. These units, with 5000 specialists, are currently active in the regions of Mykolajiw, Cherson, and Charkiw.
03:53 IFO-Survey: Nearly Half of Personnel Heads Dismiss "Jobturbo" and the Skilled Labor Immigration Law as Unhelpful
According to a survey conducted by the Munich IFO Institute among 627 personnel heads in Germany, nearly half of them find the "Job-Turbo" and the Skilled Labor Immigration Act unhelpful for their companies. The initiative aims to integrate Ukrainian refugees more quickly into the labor market. However, some respondents acknowledge positive effects: Nearly every fourth company reports that more skilled labor is available due to the new regulations. In addition, language courses before job placement have led to fewer language barriers. Roughly 18 percent of personnel heads praise shorter hiring processes and simpler recognition of degrees. The respondents were allowed to give multiple answers. Nearly half of them find that the bureaucracy in hiring foreign labor is still too high, although 17 percent also observe a bureaucracy reduction.
02:37 Governor: Russian Region Kursk Shelled All Day Long
According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, the Ukrainian armed forces have shelled the Russian border region of Kursk all day long on Saturday. Smirnov posted on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had repeatedly targeted eight border villages with shelling. Two people were injured in the process. A video he posted in his Telegram channel shows a destroyed house and debris. Previously, Smirnov had reported the deaths of five people due to a Ukrainian drone attack early on Saturday morning.
01:29 "Putin loves Farage": Activists Mock Farage
The British campaign group Led by Donkeys pranked Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, during a campaign appearance. After Farage recently claimed that the West, not Russian President Vladimir Putin, had provoked the war in Ukraine, activists dropped a banner with Putin's image behind him. Farage was not pleased, the activists report laconically.
00:32 Emergency Services Work Through the Rubble in Vilniansk
Emergency services are clearing the rubble of a Russian attack on the city of Vilniansk in the Saporischja region. After the search and rescue operations are completed, it is determined that seven people were killed, including two children, and 31 people were injured, including eight children. "The fire was extinguished simultaneously at two locations: in a two-story building and near parked cars on a 300 square meter area, as well as in two one-story buildings on a 150 square meter area. The search and rescue operations are completed", the Ukrainian state emergency services report.
21:24 Seehofer: No accommodation for young Ukrainian men
Approximately 1.2 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany from the war in their homeland. CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt recently called for the expulsion of Ukrainians who do not work. "The proposal can be misunderstood," says CSU honorary chairman Horst Seehofer to the "Augsburger Allgemeine." Mothers and children from the war-torn land find it difficult to work; be it due to lacking language skills or a lack of kindergarten places. "It belongs to a humane state to grant protection." Young men who evade military service in Germany, however, should not be granted asylum, he means.
20:51 Man lights grenade in Luzk city center
A resident of the city of Chmelnytskyi lights a grenade in the city center of Luzk and is arrested. There are no injured reported. This was reported by the Ukrainian Security Service SBU. The motive of the 23-year-old is still unclear.
You can read about previous developments here.
- Due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, NATO has been closely monitoring the situation, with concerns about potential military operations by Russia.
- Amidst the conflict, reports of cyberwar attacks on Ukraine have emerged, with Ukrainian hackers alleged to have sabotaged Russian systems, including destroying data from OrbitSoft and Orient Systems.
- In response to these attacks, Russia has disrupted the GPS signals for British military flights over Europe, affecting more than one-quarter of transportation and surveillance flights in the first four months of the year.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky has denounced these attacks, stating that Russia has fired over 800 guided bombs at Ukraine in a week, resulting in significant casualties.
- In response to the Russian aggression, Ukraine has begun mass producing combat drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers, which they are using to attack Russian military infrastructure and oil refineries deep in Russian territory.
