18:17 Russia is dismantling Holodomor memorials in Luhansk
In the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, monuments for victims of Stalin's repressions and victims of the Holodomor have been dismantled. This is reported by Radio Free Europe (RFE). Videos of this are said to be spread on Telegram. The Holodomor, also known as the Ukrainian Famine, was a famine caused by Stalin in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 that resulted in millions of victims.
17:49 Power outages in the hot southern Russia
Due to extreme heat and the failure of an atomic reactor, power consumption must be reduced in many regions in southern Russia. Planned power outages affect consumers in the Rostov region, as Governor Vasili Golubev writes on his Telegram channel. In Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean Peninsula, the local power supplier announces power cuts of twelve hours a day - two hours with electricity, then two hours without.
17:05 Russia ships first grain to Cuba from new Baltic Sea terminal
Russia has reportedly shipped grain from a new terminal in its Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga for the first time. The agricultural regulatory authority announced this to the news agency Reuters. Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter and about 90% of its exports go through ports in the Black Sea. Russia has recently tried to use various export routes. From the Lugaport terminal, 12,000 tons of grain were shipped in June for the first time. According to data from the information provider LSEG, the destination was Cuba. In January, the Ust-Luga port made headlines when an oil terminal caught fire. Ukrainian media reported that the cause was a drone attack by the Ukrainian intelligence services.
16:29 Ukraine arrests "Russian informant" in Kharkiv
The Ukrainian security service (SBU) has reportedly arrested a "Russian informant" in the Kharkiv region. The SBU announced this in a statement. The woman is said to have shared information in a Telegram channel of the Russian security services. The SBU reportedly documented how the woman was on the move in the eastern outskirts of Kharkiv and recorded the locations of Ukrainian troop control points and other military "fortifications".
15:44 NATO sends top British officials to Kiev
NATO is strengthening its civilian presence in Ukraine and sending a senior alliance representative to Kiev. The former deputy secretary-general, Patrick Turner, will lead the NATO representation in the Ukrainian capital from September and serve as the central contact person for local authorities. The Briton is also expected to help coordinate military support for Ukraine and provide Allied information and assessments of the situation in the country. This follows the decisions of the NATO summit in Washington last week.
15:03 Russia: Ukrainian drone kills two civilians in Belgorod
Two civilians were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to local authorities. The victims were a young couple who were driving a civilian vehicle outside the city of Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.
14:36 Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war
According to Russian reports, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war. Each side handed over approximately 95 soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed this on the platform X. The United Arab Emirates facilitated the exchange. The returning Russian soldiers will first undergo medical checks in Moscow.
13:55 Sharma: Ukraine must give up symbolic village
Ukraine is taking a series of setbacks on the front line, as reported by NTV reporter Kavita Sharma in Kiev. After the Russian rocket attack on a children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital, the military reported withdrawals in the regions of Dnipro and Donetsk.
13:24 Kremlin denies doubts about offensive success
The Kremlin has dismissed speculation about the failure of the Russian offensive in the northeastern Ukraine. "The operation is continuing and will continue until it is successfully completed," Kreml spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. Yesterday, the governor of Belgorod announced access restrictions to 14 villages on the Russian side near the border. This is to protect the population from Ukrainian attacks. In response to a question about whether the access restrictions meant that the offensive in the northeast had failed, Peskov said: "No, that's not the case."
12:48 Study: Social benefits have little effect on employment of Ukrainian refugees
Social transfers such as social benefits have little effect on the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees. However, factors such as social networks in the respective countries, the level of English language skills of the population, and childcare are significant. This is evident from a Europe-wide study by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB). In Germany, the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees is 27%, which is in the middle. The highest rate is in Lithuania with 57%, Denmark with 53%, and Poland with 48%.
11:53 Protecting against rockets: Charkiw pupils to learn under ground
Children in the city of Charkiw in the northeastern Ukraine, which has been under almost daily Russian shelling since the start of the war, will reportedly be taught more frequently in underground schools in the future, according to city administration reports. An underground school project has already been implemented. The construction of three further such facilities has begun. The children will be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine to receive 32 outdated F-16s from Greece
Greece plans to decommission 32 outdated F-16 fighter jets and hand them over to the USA. After modernization, they will be delivered to Ukraine, according to a report by the portal "New Voice of Ukraine," which cites an Al Jazeera report. Kiev already has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, but needs at least 150 combat jets to launch rockets and missiles against Russia and defend against Russian air raids at a wider front. There have been devastating bombing raids, the latest on a children's hospital in Kiev with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 front clashes since yesterdayThe General Staff of the Ukrainian Army reported 112 clashes at the front in the past 24 hours. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian units and populated areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air bombs. In addition, Russia conducted over 4,300 artillery attacks, of which 121 were with multiple rocket launchers, according to the update.
09:54 Russia and China start joint exerciseRussia and China have begun a naval drill in the South China Sea. The exercise is scheduled to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. They are reportedly practicing air and submarine defense. Sharp ammunition is also expected to be used. A few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced a strengthening of their partnership and described it as "boundless."
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing UkrainiansApproximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians, according to the Interior Ministry. The number was previously higher at around 51,000, the ministry said. Of the approximately 4,000 soldiers reported missing in action, some have since been found and identified. About 3,000 missing persons were found alive, many of them prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is reportedly difficult because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from soldiers it sends into the field.
08:15 Hungary invites Russia to peace summitHungary is lobbying for Russia's participation in the planned second Ukraine peace conference. There are efforts to hold another peace conference this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. "I believe that if we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented," Szijjarto said. Hungary currently holds the EU presidency. The first peace conference was held in mid-June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia declared its disinterest in the conference and was therefore not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners todayRussia and Ukraine are set to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was reported by the news agency Bloomberg, citing a source. Last week, Ukrainian parliamentary human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinez reportedly said that the Ukrainian government was planning, with the help of the United Arab Emirates, a large prisoner exchange with Russia. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners several times.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the frontUkrainian startups are developing affordable robots for mine clearance, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment, and ammunition delivery. This was reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. An "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. The Ukraine hopes that this robot army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 States and Governments of 47 Countries Discuss Ukraine
At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the States and Governments of 47 Countries will speak about Ukraine tomorrow. The 27 EU Member States plus 19 Third States will discuss among other things further aid for Ukraine in the defense war against Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables on security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.
04:37 Japan Grants Ukraine a Loan from Frozen Russian Assets
Japan is reportedly granting Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion Dollars from the interest on frozen Russian assets. The sum is part of the 50-billion-Dollar package of the G7 Countries, according to the Kyodo News Agency, citing informed sources. The distribution of the credit package provides that the USA and the European Union (EU) each contribute 20 billion Dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada contribute a total of ten billion Dollars. The package is expected to be adopted at a G7 meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 German Government Grants Kiev Ten Million Euros for the Reconstruction of a Children's Clinic
After the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the German Development Ministry is granting the Ukrainian government ten million Euros for the reconstruction. The funds will be used together with funds from other donors and sponsors to make the hospital operational and winter-proof as soon as possible, according to the "Rheinische Post" quoting ministry sources. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, in treatment rooms, and the power and heating supply.
02:10 Medvedev Warns NATO of a "Point of No Return"
Following the NATO summit's promise to offer Ukraine membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed his threats against the Alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he referred to a possible Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "This would essentially be a declaration of war - albeit with a delay. The measures that Russia's adversaries have taken against us for years by expanding the Alliance, ... bring NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO, but will react to attempts by the Alliance to advance its interests. "The harder their attempts, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev said. "Whether this tears the whole planet apart depends only on the wisdom of the (NATO) side."
01:00 Ukrainian Soldiers Use "Expired" Ammunition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military, which should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014, according to the ministry's own statements. The ammunition is already being used on the battlefield. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade on the battlefield is life-saving today," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Dzhigar. Everything that can be repaired and reused will be given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
According to unofficial reports, Ukrainian troops have had to give up positions in the southeastern part of the country at Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions due to the extensive damage," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the start due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still present on the southern bank of the Dnipro River.
More about this here.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around 93 million Euro) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and will continue to support the Ukrainian government in Kiev in helping displaced or otherwise affected Ukrainians, Grandi said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The UNHCR also plans to mobilize future funds to support the attacked land. Zelenskyy thanked for the help, which is urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure caused by Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs help to rebuild destroyed houses and install bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This gives the displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Donetsk oblast. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. In a video spread by the Ukrainian military, several alleged ATACMS rocket hits with cluster munitions can be seen. According to Syrskyi, several launchers and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be on the verge of resignation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament was instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week, the newspaper reported. Zelenskyy himself also addressed the rumors of a possible cabinet reshuffle on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Yes, probably," the Ukrainian president said. "We are in a process."
20:02 The Baltic States disconnect from the Russian power grid
According to their own statements, the Baltic States have informed Russia and its ally Belarus of their exit from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia," explains the head of the state Lithuanian grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. This step is supposed to take place in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries will connect to the European power grid. "In half a year, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grid, but also dismantle the last power lines," Masiulis explains.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "solo actions"
Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing the pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most member states called on Hungary to prioritize Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "solo actions." "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine," Lindner said in the public debate. This must remain a "top priority" during Hungary's EU presidency until the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities, from the fight against illegal migration to competitiveness, but did not mention Ukraine.
You can read about all previous developments [here].**
1. In response to the Russian dismantling of monuments in Luhansk, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for international support and condemnation.
2. The latest military deployments along the Ukraine-Russia border have sparked concerns in NATO, leading to increased discussions about potential military aid for Ukraine.
3. Amidst the Ukraine-Conflict, there have been reports of cyberwarfare attempts targeting critical infrastructure in Ukraine, with some tracing the attacks back to Russian sources.
4. Despite the ongoing tensions, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner exchange under NATO supervision, demonstrating a small moment of diplomacy in a difficult situation.
5. Following the attack on Ukraine, numerous countries have pledged military and financial aid, including NATO countries like the UK, offering support to Ukraine's military deployments.
