17:54 Reports of Ukrainian surprise attack on Russian troops in Luhansk
Ukrainian military reportedly inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops in Luhansk with a rocket attack. Members of a tank infantry battalion were reportedly hit by ATACMS rockets during a gathering on a training ground, according to Ukrainian media, citing Russian social media and their own military sources. The sudden attack, which reportedly took place yesterday, resulted in the deaths of at least 19 Russian soldiers and injuries to 71 others. The information could not be independently verified. Ukrainian troops typically use ATACMS rockets only against valuable targets. It is possible that the troop assembly at Luhansk was detected by a reconnaissance drone beforehand.
3:32 Dozens of Wagner mercenaries killed in Mali - commander in custody from Ukraine warRussian Wagner mercenaries in Mali suffered one of their heaviest losses in West Africa with dozens of killed and captured fighters. Rebels of the separatist Tuareg people in the northern part of the Sahel state reportedly killed several dozen Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries during three days of fighting, trying to take control of the village of Tinzaouaten near the Algerian border. Russian mercenaries have been fighting alongside the Malian army against all rebel movements in the country since 2021, including islamist terror militias as well as the Tuareg. Russian channels close to the mercenaries, including a former commander of the forces in the north of Mali, reported over 80 killed and 15 captured fighters on their side. Among them was reportedly Wagner commander Anton Elisarov, who was involved in the Russian assault on the Ukrainian city of Soledar.
3:09 Fire in university building in Cherson after Russian shellingRussian forces attacked the Oblast of Cherson 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, reportedly told "Ukrainska Pravda". "The enemy shelled the building of a university in the city center at night, causing a fire." No one was injured.
3:00 430 Ukrainian settlements without power due to Russian attacksFollowing Russian attacks, 431 settlements in six regions in the north and northeast of Ukraine are without power, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced on Facebook, according to the state news agency Ukrinform.
2:34 General Staff: Approximately 130 engagements with Russian troops in one dayAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 engagements with Russian troops along the front line yesterday. As the state news agency Ukrinform reported, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrovsk, Torezk and Kurakhivka.
14:54 Kiev: Over 1200 Russian soldiers eliminated in one dayAccording to official figures from Kiev, personnel losses on the Russian side remain high: Reportedly, 1190 Russian soldiers have been killed or incapacitated in the war within one day. Since the beginning of the war in February 2022, as per the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's daily reports on losses, Russia has lost 13 additional tanks (8344). Ukraine counts over 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 on its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
14:28 Zelensky: Russia fired over 700 guided bombs and over 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine in a weekRussian forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky via Telegram, fired over 700 guided air-to-ground bombs and over 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine in the past week. As Zelensky notes, eleven people were killed and forty-one 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 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 alter 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 possesses 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 Ukraine's air defense, shooting down Russian air targets instead of attacking Russian ground troops.
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 will be provided to Ukraine this year, but it is unlikely to be more than approximately 20, which is the size of a squadron.
13:44 Ukrainian military confirms attack on oil refinery in Kursk, RussiaThe 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 the night to attack the Polyova oil depot. 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 buildingsEight people, including children, were injured in Nikopol, a Ukrainian city in the Dnipro region, by Russian shelling. 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 reads. 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 DonetskRussia has taken control of 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 warRussia is accused of killing 564 children and wounding at least 1487 since the start of its military campaign 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 responds to Pistorius in defense budget discussionFinance Minister Christian Lindner defended his budget position in the debate over defense spending. "We have achieved the two-percent NATO target for the first time in many, many years," the FDP chairman 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 emphasizes that it's about tax money and the efficiency of funding distribution. "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 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 atomic medium-range missiles. The INF Treaty on the prohibition of these weapons, which has not been in effect since the US withdrawal in 2019, is mentioned by Putin. However, Russia had until then imposed a moratorium and continued to adhere 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 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 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 real estate reportedly seized by the occupation authorities will be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Kharkiv, air alarm declared in several 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 reportedly 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 threat from missiles cannot be ruled out in these regions, it is stated.
10:07 Governor reports 5 dead, 15 injured from Russian shelling in the Donetsk region
Five civilians were killed and 15 others were injured by Russian shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Saturday, according to Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin's Telegram message. Five residents of the Donetsk region were killed, including three in Ivaniwka, one in Kostiantynivka, and one in Toretsk. Fifteen more people were injured in the region, Filashkin writes. Since the beginning of the Russian armed conflict in February 2022, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," 2,110 civilians have been killed and 5,515 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 allocate significantly more money for security and defense - while also criticizing the coalition's budget compromise. "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 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 added. "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 continued. It would take expenditures of around 3 to 3.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia with "strength and resolve," he added.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk region "lost for Ukraine in every case"
Ukrainian 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 "inch by inch" on the offensive, while the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is "lost for Ukraine in every case," Thiele stated on ntv. "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," the military expert added. Donetsk is "on the negotiating table" or "on the real path." This means either there will be a ceasefire agreement or a surrender ceasefire, Thiele explained. In both cases, the region "is ultimately lost," he concluded.
08:52 Ukraine reports 1180 Russian casualties in one day
According to Ukrainian calculations, Russia has lost approximately 574,690 soldiers in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024. 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 were 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 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 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 Cherson region Russian paratrooper drones destroy a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian ammunition depot for artillery in the Cherson region, according to 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 riverbank. Simultaneously, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field ammunition depot for artillery. Through a direct hit, the field ammunition depot was destroyed, and the howitzer was shut down, the statement reads.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory" The Olympic participation of Ukraine is, according to Sport Minister Vadym Bidy, a strong symbol and an opportunity to draw the international community's attention to the situation in the country following the start of Russia's aggression war on Ukraine. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidy 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 aggression war. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," Bidy said.
It is now the responsibility 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 seven Ukrainian drones The Russian air defense shoots down seven Ukrainian drones, according to Russian Defense Ministry statements on Telegram. Five were shot down over the Belgorod region, and two were shot down 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 been caused by an explosion 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. Previously, the characteristic sound of a drone flying over the area was heard. 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 Germany in an interview with Funke media. "We need to discuss why more than 50 percent of the 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 up work."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to duty
According to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation in Ukraine is reportedly very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation measures 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 recapture positions
According to the Institute for War Studies (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 child
According to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in different 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 shelling in a residential building.
23:46 Russia reports taking control of another village in Ukraine
According to Russian statements, 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 reported in its daily briefing. 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 industry
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the US would take "measures" if China continued to support Russia's defense industry, according to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent." Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, made the statement. Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos, shortly after his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang during his first visit to China since the outbreak of the war. "The Minister reaffirmed his serious concerns 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.**
- There have been reports of heavy losses for Russian troops in Ukraine, with some suggesting that a gathering of troops in Luhansk was targeted by Ukrainian ATACMS rockets, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 soldiers and injuries to 71 others.
- NATO has been closely monitoring the conflict in Ukraine, considering potential military deployments in response to Russia's actions.
- Cyberwarfare has also become a significant aspect of the conflict, with both Ukraine and Russia reportedly launching attacks against each other's infrastructure.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has called on international allies to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons and air defense equipment to protect against Russian attacks.
- The politics surrounding the conflict have led to tensions between Ukraine and Russia, as well as between Ukraine and its western allies, particularly in relation to military aid and support.
