18:19 US woman allegedly collected $51 for Ukrainian military - Prosecutor demands 15 years in prison in Russia
The Russian Prosecutor's Office is seeking a 15-year prison sentence for a Russian-American woman accused of high treason, according to a state media report. Ksenia Khavana was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February. She was accused of collecting money for the Ukrainian military. In a closed-door trial on Wednesday, she reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges, according to media reports. The news agency Interfax reports today, citing Khavana's lawyer Mikhail Muskalov, that the prosecutor's office has requested a 15-year prison sentence. The verdict is expected on August 15. Khavana is said to have become a U.S. citizen after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She had come to Russia to visit relatives. An activist group says the charges against Khavana stem from a $51 (approximately 47 euros) donation to a U.S. charity that supports Ukraine. Russia has enacted laws that criminalize criticism of its actions in Ukraine since it sent troops there in February 2022. Concerns have grown that Russia could target U.S. citizens for arrest.
17:54 Moscow reports Ukrainian losses in the Kursk region
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, told President Vladimir Putin during a video conference that about 100 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and more than 200 others were injured in the fighting. Russian news agencies report. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says that at least two people were killed - a paramedic and an ambulance driver - and 24 others were injured in Ukrainian shelling.
17:28 Stegner cautious about possible use of German weapons in Kursk
SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner is cautious about the possible use of German weapons in the Ukrainian offensive. "With regard to the defense of Ukraine against the Russian invasion, there was an exceptional situation in the border area when the city of Kharkiv was under great threat from attacks beyond the nearby border," Stegner told the "Handelsblatt". "This did not imply a general shift in strategy regarding the use of weapons supplied from Germany." The German government had allowed Ukraine, after a long debate in late May, to use weapons supplied by it against targets in Russia. However, this only applied to the Russian border area with the Kharkiv region.
17:00 ISW: Ukraine advances kilometers into Russian territory
The Ukrainian army has made significant progress in its offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk since Tuesday morning, according to experts' estimates. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports "up to ten kilometers" of advance, with Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka claiming over 25 kilometers. Ukrainian President's advisor Mykhailo Podolyak attributed the western Russia developments to Russian "aggression" against Ukraine. Russian reports indicate "up to a thousand" Ukrainian soldiers, along with dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, are involved in the attack. So far, at least five civilians have been killed and 31 injured. The ISW further states that the "current extent and location of Ukrainian advances in the Kursk region (...) suggest that Ukrainian forces have breached at least two Russian defense lines and a position." The Ukrainian aim is reportedly a crucial Russian army supply hub near the town of Sudzha, eight kilometers from the border.
16:28 Kiesewetter calls Ukrainian advance in Kursk "militarily strategic"
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter described the Ukrainian advance in Kursk as "militarily strategic." He told the "Tagesspiegel" that it could "ease pressure on the front at other points because Russia has to tie up or redeploy forces to Kursk." Kiesewetter also stated that the Ukrainian advance is "clearly permissible under international law, in line with the right to self-defense" (see also entries from 14:45 and 15:07).
15:57 Ukraine: Two killed in Russian attack in Donetsk
At least two people were killed in a Russian artillery attack on the city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, local authorities reported. The morning attack hit a residential area, regional governor Vadym Finkelstein said on Telegram. Donetsk is a hotspot of fighting, with the Ukrainian-controlled parts regularly targeted by Russian fire. Russian troops are trying to advance on the strategically important logistics hub of Pokrovsk, an industrial and mining city. Four people were killed in a Russian attack in Donetsk on Wednesday.
15:36 Russia: Fighting continues after Ukrainian advance into Kursk
Fighting in the border region of Kursk continues for the third day in a row, according to Russian reports. Russian forces and border guards are reportedly preventing Ukrainian units from advancing deeper into Kursk while also attacking Ukrainian forces attempting to retreat from the Ukrainian border region of Sumy.
15:07 Wagenknecht warns against use of German weapons in Russia: "Red line"
Sahra Wagenknecht has warned against the use of German weapons in the Ukrainian advance into Russian territory. "This is a highly dangerous development," she told the Funke media group. "The federal chancellor must call the Ukrainian president and demand that no German weapons be used in the advance onto Russian territory," the Left party co-chairwoman said.
14:45 Chairman of the Defense Committee: Ukraine can use German weapons in Kursk
The chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marcus Faber, sees no problem with Ukraine using weapons supplied by Germany in its current advance on Russian territory. "Upon delivery to Ukraine, they become Ukrainian weapons," the FDP politician told the Funke media group. This applies to "any material," including the Leopard 2 battle tank. "With Russia's attack on Ukraine, the territory of both states has become a war zone," Faber explained his position. "The use of weapons is subject to the provisions of international law."
14:24 Ukraine urges Mexico to arrest Putin at Sheinbaum's inauguration
The Ukrainian embassy in Mexico has called on the Mexican government to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of elected President Claudia Sheinbaum. Sheinbaum will assume the presidency on October 1, 2024, becoming the first woman to hold this office in the Latin American country. "We trust that the Mexican government will comply with the international arrest warrant and hand over the aforementioned (Putin) to the justice authorities of the United Nations in The Hague," the embassy said. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin for the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia following Moscow's invasion in early 2022. Juan Ramon de la Fuente, who was elected as Sheinbaum's foreign minister, stated that it is "standard protocol" to invite the heads of state of all countries with which Mexico has diplomatic relations, including Russia, to the inauguration.
13:50 Monitoring Services: Russian users can no longer open YouTube
Users in Russia are unable to open YouTube on their computers and mobile devices. Internet monitoring services downdetector.su, Failure Detector, and sboy.rf are reporting a massive outage of the platform's availability. According to the sboy.rf service, over 15,000 complaints about the video-hosting service have already been registered. Complaints came from people in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Saratov, Samara, Krasnodar, the occupied Crimea, and several other regions. Users reported that they could only access YouTube via virtual private networks (VPNs). Even Reuters reporters in Russia were unable to access YouTube. However, the website was still available via some mobile devices. YouTube is the last remaining Western platform in Russia that is still accessible. With over 90 million monthly users in Russia, YouTube is the leading video and streaming platform in the country. In mid-July, Russian media reported that the Russian government planned to block YouTube in September.
13:24 EU: Ukraine leads "lawful defensive war" in Russian KurskThe EU views the advance of Ukrainian troops into the Russian territory of Kursk in the context of the right to self-defense. "We believe that Ukraine is conducting a lawful defensive war against an illegal aggression," says a spokesperson for EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell in Brussels. The right to self-defense includes the right to attack the enemy on its own territory. The EU stands fully behind Ukraine's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty and combat illegal Russian aggression. Ukrainian troops have recently crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region at Sudja, reportedly taking control of several villages. Russian reports indicate that around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are involved in the operation.
12:43 Ukraine: Dozens of Russian soldiers captured in KurskAfter the incursion of Ukrainian forces into the Russian region of Kursk, "many" Russian soldiers have been captured, according to the Ukrainian project "Khochu nayti" on Telegram. Launched in January 2024 by the Ukrainian military intelligence, this humanitarian project is a coordination center for Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine. It aims to help military personnel of the Russian army find their relatives. According to "Khochu nayti", the captives include both conscripts and contract soldiers. "There is also information about the dead, whose bodies were not taken away by their comrades during the retreat," the statement says. The project published drone footage allegedly showing the capture of more than 30 Russian soldiers. Other videos on social media show dozens of Russian soldiers surrendering in the Kursk region. The total number of Russian soldiers captured since the Ukrainian offensive in the region is still unclear.
12:18 Gazprom: Gas transit runs normally despite fighting in Kursk regionAccording to Gazprom, the Russian gas export through the border region of Kursk, attacked by Ukraine, is running largely normally. Today, about 37.3 million cubic meters of natural gas are expected to be transported, the company announced in Moscow. This is five percent less than the day before, the state-owned Russian news agency TASS reported. Ukrainian troops have taken at least partial control of the city of Sudja during their incursion across the border, which also includes a measurement station of the important gas pipeline to Western Europe. From there, the transit goes through Ukraine and further to Slovakia and Austria. In 2023, despite the ongoing war, 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to the European Union on this route.
11:37 Military blogger: Russia loses "important logistics hub" to UkraineThe Russian city of Sudja in the Kursk region has been captured by the Ukrainians, according to pro-Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka on his Telegram channel. The town is nine kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to Podolyaka, the city is full of Ukrainian military forces. "Sudja is basically lost for us. This is an important logistics hub," he writes further. Ukrainian military forces are advancing north towards Lgov. "In general, the situation is difficult and deteriorating, although the pace of the Ukrainian offensive has noticeably slowed down."
11:04 Munz: Kursk Raid "Completely Surprised" MoscowInitially, the situation remains unclear, but it is later confirmed: Ukrainian fighters attack on Russian territory. The advance in the Kursk region has "completely surprised" Moscow, reports ntv correspondent Rainer Munz. However, there may be more to the attack than just a diversionary maneuver.
10:48 Russia: Situation in Kursk After Ukrainian Incursion "Under Control"Russian forces have been engaged in combat with infiltrating Ukrainian troops in the Kursk Oblast for the third consecutive day. The situation is "stable and under control," according to the vice-governor of the border region, as reported by the state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Around 3,000 people have been evacuated to safety. Russian troops are actively fighting against Ukrainian units in the Sudja district and pushing them back, according to the news agency TASS citing local authorities. Four people have been killed in the Ukrainian attacks. The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the offensive in Kursk. Several pro-Russian military bloggers also write about ongoing fighting.
10:18 Kriewald on New Offensive: "Ukrainians Penetrate 15 Kilometers into Kursk Region"The Ukrainian army's advance in the Russian region of Kursk is causing a stir in Moscow. Ukrainian soldiers are said to have penetrated up to 15 kilometers. Moreover, there are reports of dozens of prisoners of war. ntv reporter Nadja Kriewald reports from Odessa about the background.
09:35 UN: Russians Torture 95% of Ukrainian POWsEmployees of Russian penal colonies are said to torture Ukrainian prisoners of war from the very first interrogations. Furthermore, the practice of torture in Russian captivity is "widespread and systematic," says Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), in an interview with the Dutch broadcaster NOS. She says that the Russian Federation has tortured 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war in its prisons. According to her, Ukrainian prisoners of war are beaten with metal rods and sticks, stripped naked, and subjected to electric shocks. "This is undoubtedly the worst I've seen in the 20 years of my career," she says. Information about Ukrainian prisoners in Russia is collected mainly through interviews with Ukrainian prisoners of war after their release. At the same time, the UN mission has direct access to Russian prisoners of war and can get an impression of the detention conditions.
08:49 Estonia Introduces Enhanced Customs Controls at Border with RussiaEstonia is introducing full customs controls at its eastern EU external border with Russia. This decision was made by the government of the Baltic NATO state at the beginning of August. From August 8, all persons crossing the border with Russia, as well as all cargo, will be subject to control. The controls at the road and rail border crossings in Narva, Koidula, and Luhamaa will be gradually introduced. Previously, checks on passengers and vehicles were random and risk-based. With the tightening, Prime Minister Kristen Michal aims to prevent the transit and transport of EU-sanctioned goods through Estonia and to strengthen the security of the country. The border between Russia and Estonia is 294 kilometers long.
08:11 Ukraine publishes figures on Russian lossesThe Ukrainian General Staff has published new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to them, Russia has lost approximately 587,510 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In the past 24 hours alone, the number of losses is said to be 1,140. A report from Kyiv also states that two tanks, 36 artillery systems, 81 drones, and one helicopter have been destroyed. In total, Russia is said to have lost 8,431 tanks, 16,487 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,293 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale offensive. Western estimates put the losses lower, but these are also likely to be minimum figures.
07:32 Medvedev threatens escalation of Russian invasion in UkraineDmitri Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, has threatened to escalate the Russian invasion in Ukraine in response to Ukraine's advance into the Russian border region of Kursk. The Russian military operation should no longer be limited to securing the territories in Ukraine that Russia considers its own, says the former president. Instead, the armed forces should push towards the cities of Odessa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and beyond. The advance will only stop when Russia finds it advantageous. Ukrainian troops are said to have advanced deep into Russian territory in the region during a counterattack, with heavy fighting reported. The region has been put under a state of emergency.
07:05 Russia: 14 Ukrainian aerial objects destroyed over Kursk and BelgorodRussian air defense forces destroyed fourteen unmanned Ukrainian aerial objects over the Belgorod region and two over the Kursk region overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram. Air defense systems shot down six drones and five more missiles over the Kursk region, the governor of the region, Alexei Smirnov, said. In the early morning of August 6, Ukrainian forces attacked the border areas of the Kursk region. According to the latest reports from the Russian military's General Staff, there are still clashes in border areas. The state of emergency has been declared in Kursk (see entries 19:08, 19:38, and 20:41), and residents are being evacuated.
06:25 Ukraine declares air alert due to Russian MiG-31K attackThe Ukrainian Air Force has declared an air alert across the entire country. The air attack warning is attributed to a missile threat from a Russian MiG-31K aircraft. The aircraft type is a Soviet-era interceptor named after the Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft manufacturer. The MiG-31K can carry hypersonic missiles like the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
05:32 ISW: Ukrainian armored vehicles spotted 10 kilometers inside Russian border in KurskAccording to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 10 kilometers into the Russian region of Kursk. This was confirmed by footage of armored vehicles behind the border. Ukrainian forces are said to have breached at least two Russian defense lines and a fortress. According to a Russian source, the Ukrainians have captured 45 square kilometers in the Kursk region since the start of the operation on August 6, the ISW reports. Russian authorities declared a state of emergency in the region yesterday.
02:30 Ukraine raises threshold for jail time in petty theft casesPresident Selenskyj has signed a new law that reclassifies petty theft as an administrative offense instead of a criminal one. This means that thefts of up to around 67 euros will no longer result in jail time. Previously, the threshold was around 6.7 euros. The change is due to the martial law imposed since the Russian invasion, which carries a penalty of up to eight years in prison for looting and theft. For example, a case of stealing diapers from a supermarket in the western Ukrainian city of Rivne in January 2023, worth around 8 euros, would no longer result in a jail sentence. However, the perpetrator in that case still received a prison sentence of over three years.
00:27 Klingbeil: Deployment of US missiles in Germany is appropriateSPD leader Lars Klingbeil has defended plans to deploy long-range US weapons in Germany against criticism from within his own party. "This deployment is appropriate because it helps us to defend ourselves if Russia were to have the idea of attacking us," he told the German editorial network. It is part of credible deterrence. At the NATO summit in July, the White House and the German government announced that the US would resume stationing weapons systems in Germany from 2026, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles, and new hypersonic weapons. There are critical voices within the SPD, with the parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich warning of the risk of military escalation.
22:38 Human rights activist Orlov wants to fight for Russian prisonersOleg Orlov, the Moscow human rights activist released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Western states, plans to continue his civil rights work in exile. "Memorial cannot be destroyed," the 71-year-old said at a press conference at the Center for Liberal Modernity in Berlin. The organization he co-founded, Memorial, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, also advocates for political prisoners in Russia. Orlov estimates that at least 800 political prisoners are still being held in Russia - conservatively estimated. He finds his new role in exile in Germany difficult, as he would prefer to be in his home country but fears prosecution. Orlov hopes to be able to advocate for the release of more political prisoners in exile, including eight who are seriously ill. "We were very disappointed when it turned out that these people were not on the list - we who were exchanged." Memorial continues to work in Russia despite repression, but also from abroad.
21:30 Not Dead Yet? Known Russian Propagandist InjuredKnown Russian propagandist Yevgeny Poddubny has been injured in the Kursk region. State TV company VGTRK reports on Telegram that Poddubny was injured in an attack by a Ukrainian drone in the Kursk region and was taken to the hospital. Earlier, many Russian media outlets had reported Poddubny's death. Yevgeny Poddubny is one of Russia's most famous "war correspondents," with around 734,000 followers on Telegram. Preliminary information suggests he was filming a report on the fighting in the Kursk region on Wednesday.
20:41 Region Kursk Declares State of EmergencyA state of emergency has been declared in the Russian region of Kursk amid a Ukrainian ground offensive. Governor Alexei Smirnov announced this on Telegram. The Ukraine has advanced deep into Russian territory near Kursk in a counterattack. The offensive began on Tuesday, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, and reached the northwest of the city of Sudja on Wednesday.
20:14 Fighting Nearby: Russia Reinforces Protection of Kursk NPPDue to the Ukrainian advance into the Russian border region of Kursk, the Russian National Guard is reinforcing the protection of the Kursk NPP. Additional forces have also been deployed to combat sabotage and reconnaissance units in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, the agency said. This is being done in cooperation with the Russian border troops and the army. The nuclear power plant, which has four units and a capacity of almost two gigawatts, is located only about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The day before, Ukrainian troops supported by tanks and artillery crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region near Sudja. Unconfirmed reports suggest they advanced up to 15 kilometers towards the NPP.
19:38 Attacks in Region Kursk: European Gas Price Hits Yearly HighThe price of European natural gas has risen to its highest level this year. The benchmark TTF contract for delivery next month rose by 5.7 percent to 38.78 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) in Amsterdam. Market participants are referring to the attacks by Ukraine on the Russian region of Kursk. The fighting is reportedly taking place near Sudza, an important gas injection point for Europe. This gas reaches Western Europe through Ukrainian pipelines. As reported by the Bloomberg news agency, the Gazprom company is currently still expecting normal gas supplies.
19:08 Ukraine Evacuates Border Areas Near Russian KurskAmid heavy fighting in the Russian Kursk region, Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of more settlements in the neighboring Sumy region. The measures affect 23 settlements, said the military governor of Sumy, Vladimir Artjuch, on Ukrainian television. About 6,000 people, including over 400 children and adolescents, are to be taken to safety from the border area. The day before, Ukrainian troops crossed the Ukrainian-Russian border near the city of Sudja in the Kursk region and advanced several kilometers into Russian territory. Moscow spoke of around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers equipped with heavy equipment. Kyiv has not yet commented on the events. Due to regular Russian shelling of border areas, local authorities had already ordered evacuations from an area within 10 kilometers of the border in May.
You can read about previous developments here.
The Ukrainian conflict has led to charges against Ksenia Khavana, a Russian-American woman who was accused of collecting money for the Ukrainian military. The prosecutor's office is seeking a 15-year prison sentence for her high treason charges.
The Ukrainian army's advance into the Russian territory of Kursk has caused concern and alarm, with Russia enacting laws that criminalize criticism of its actions in Ukraine since it sent troops there in February 2022. There have been reports of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers advancing into Kursk, leading to intense fighting and potential breaches of Russian defense lines.
