18:22 Russian oligarch calls war "crazy"
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska faces harsh criticism in Russia for his surprisingly clear condemnation of the war against Ukraine. In an interview with the Japanese newspaper "Nikkei Asia", Deripaska called for an "immediate, unconditional ceasefire". "If you want to end the war, you first have to stop the shelling," he said this week on the sidelines of an economic conference in Japan, where he participated as an official representative of Russia. He described the violent conflict as "mad". Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, considered one of the main ideologists of this war, then sharply criticized the businessman. "This is a stab in the back of our troops and support for the terrorists of the Ukrainian army, which have invaded the Kursk region," Dugin explained via the Telegram messaging service.
17:54 Strack-Zimmermann defends Ukrainian attack on "enemy on its own territory"The chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, defends the use of Western weapons on Russian territory by the Ukrainian army: "The Ukrainians are sticking to all the agreements that the donor countries have given them," says the FDP politician to the Funke media group newspapers. Regardless of that, Ukraine has the right to self-defense. "This includes the right to attack the enemy on its own territory," emphasizes Strack-Zimmermann. She is glad that the EU fully supports Ukraine's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty and combat Russia's illegal aggression, she adds.**
17:21 Expert: German-supplied tanks involved in attacksBritish security and defense expert Michael Clarke explains that tanks produced in Germany or the USA are also being used in the Kursk region. "It looks like the Ukrainians have obviously decided to support the push. And within about 48 hours, they've done so with some quite large units," Clarke said on Sky News. Among them are tanks and armored vehicles provided by the USA and Germany. Whether vehicles from British production are also being used is unclear, according to Sky News.**
16:55 CDU foreign policy makers against KretschmerCDU foreign policy makers criticize Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer for his demand to reduce military aid to Ukraine. "Germany has a great responsibility to stand by a country that itself was invaded in World War II," says Johann Wadephul, deputy faction leader of the CDU in the Bundestag, to "Spiegel". "We stand on the side of freedom, and we will live up to our responsibility. That is the clear and unwavering position of the Union," emphasizes the CDU politician. Jürgen Hardt, spokesman on foreign affairs for the Union faction, confirms: "The CDU/CSU faction in the German Bundestag has a unanimous opinion on this. We fear that Putin will only be ready for negotiations on an equal footing when he sees that he could suffer a serious defeat in the war against Ukraine. For that, Kyiv needs to go on the offensive again in the defense of its state territory. 'For that, Ukraine still needs military equipment from the free world,' says Hardt."
16:28 Mexico Refuses Putin Arrest During VisitThe Mexican government has stated that it will not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of the new Mexican head of state. Ukraine had made such a request. "We cannot do that," said Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador before journalists, adding that "it is not our task."
15:57 Gressel: Ukraine "likely to hold territory longer"According to Gustav Gressel, the attack on the Russian Kursk is not a "pinprick" like previous attacks behind the border. The military expert estimates that Ukrainian troops are binding Russian forces and gaining an advantage in potential negotiations over territories.
15:33 Death Toll Rises: 12 Killed in Supermarket Rocket AttackAt least 12 people were killed and 44 injured in a Russian rocket attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostjantyniwka, according to official reports. "A strike by Russian terrorists on an ordinary supermarket and a post office. People are under the rubble," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. Rescue operations continue. The head of state expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. According to the interior ministry, a fire broke out over an area of about 1,000 square meters. Kostjantyniwka is only about 10 kilometers from the front line between Ukrainian and Russian troops. (see entry at 12:34)
15:10 Faber: Kretschmer's Behavior "disgusts me"Saxon Minister President Michael Kretschmer's push to cut military aid to Ukraine has drawn criticism from the Bundestag. "It disgusts me how a Minister President uses the survival struggle of Ukrainian women and men for his regional election campaign," said Markus Faber, chairman of the Defense Committee. German weapons deliveries would help Ukraine defend itself, not out of warlust, "but because they don't want to live in a big Bucha where the Russian army is randomly killing, torturing, and raping," Faber added.
14:41 ISW: Ukraine "operationally surprised" Russia in KurskThe lack of a coherent Russian response to Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region and the reported pace of Ukraine's advance suggest that Ukrainian forces have achieved an operational surprise along the border with Russia, according to the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In the past 1.5 years of the Ukraine war, it has been difficult for both sides to surprise the enemy due to the partly confusing battlefield in Ukraine. Analysts say the Kremlin will try to retake the Russian territory in the Kursk region captured by Ukrainian forces. Further advancement of Ukraine into Russia would be a strategic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decades-long efforts to establish stability and security in Russia and Russia's geopolitical revival.
14:14 Kretschmer suggests cuts to Ukraine arms aidSaxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer, in light of the budget dispute at the federal level, is proposing cuts to arms aid to Ukraine. "We can no longer take money from our budget for weapons to Ukraine, only to have them exhausted and achieve nothing," Kretschmer told the German editorial network. "Everything must be in proportion. Support, yes, but we see that we're reaching our limits." Kretschmer points to the growth of the budget in recent years. "Before the COVID-19 crisis in 2019, we had a budget volume of 344 billion. We're now at 480 billion, and yet the traffic light coalition can't agree on the budget," the CDU politician criticizes. "That shows that everything is out of control. Citizens' money around 50 billion, migration dozens of billions, arms aid tens of billions. That's not going to work."
13:52 Ukraine: Police order evacuation of around 20,000 people in border region SumyUkrainian authorities have issued an evacuation order for around 20,000 people in the eastern region of Sumy, bordering Russia. The order affects 28 locations under "enemy fire," the police explain on the Telegram service. Local security forces are already in action to accompany the measure. The Sumy region borders the Russian region of Kursk, into which Ukrainian military forces entered on Tuesday.
13:22 Russia reinforces troops in contested border region KurskAfter the advance of Ukrainian troops into the southern Russian border region of Kursk, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow is sending units to reinforce its troops. Columns with Grad multiple rocket launchers, artillery, and tanks are being deployed to the region, the Interfax news agency reports, citing the ministry. According to local authorities, fighting with the invading Ukrainian troops continues. "Fighting is still ongoing some dozen kilometers away from the city of Kursk and the Kursk nuclear power plant," a local official reports on the Telegram messaging service.
12:34 Zelensky: Four Dead After Russian Strike on Supermarket in KostiantynivkaAt least four people were killed and 24 injured in a Russian artillery strike on the city of Kostiantynivka in the contested Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the X platform. The rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. The Ukrainian governor of Donetsk, Vadym Filashkin, reported that the city came under Russian artillery fire. Images published by the governor on Telegram show thick black smoke rising from the destroyed building. Radio NV published images of the burning supermarket and the surrounding destruction. The exact consequences of the attack are still unclear. "The attack on the supermarket in Kostiantynivka is another case of Russian terror. War against civilians is all they can do," said the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, on Telegram. Kostiantynivka is regularly targeted by Russian forces. In a Russian attack on a local market in Kostiantynivka in September 2023, 17 people were killed and over 30 injured.
11:53 Russian Emergency Ministry Declares Emergency in KurskThe Russian Emergency Ministry has declared a federal emergency for the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine. According to the Moscow government, Russian forces continue to repel advances by Ukrainian units in Kursk. The state news agency RIA reported this, citing the defense ministry. Around a thousand Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly infiltrated there on Tuesday, according to Russian reports.
11:32 Video Shows Burnt Russian Military Trucks in KurskA video published on social media and verified by Reuters shows a convoy of burnt Russian military trucks in the Russian region of Kursk. The vehicles are lined up along a highway. The video shows around 15 trucks, including one with the marking Z, which is the symbol used in Russia for its "special military operation" in Ukraine. Reuters was able to verify the location in the footage as the village of Oktyabr'skoe based on buildings, trees, and road layouts. However, it was not possible to determine exactly when the video was taken.
10:55 Media: Chain Reaction in Russian Lipetsk Destroys 700 BombsA drone strike on a military airport in the Russian region of Lipetsk reportedly triggered a chain reaction that destroyed more than 700 bombs, according to a source from the Ukrainian intelligence agency "The Kyiv Independent". Earlier, Russian authorities had reported that a drone strike had caused a fire at a military airport and damaged an energy facility. The source told "The Kyiv Independent" that combat jets and helicopters were stored at the airport. It is not known how many were damaged or destroyed in the attack.
10:35 Kyiv claims attack on military airfield in LipetskThe Ukrainian military reports that it attacked a military airfield in the Russian region of Lipetsk overnight. The strike damaged stocks of guided bombs, causing a large fire and several explosions, according to a Telegram post by the Ukrainian military. The airfield hosts Russian combat aircraft including Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31. Lipetsk is located east of the border region of Kursk, deeper into Russia's interior.
10:08 Munz: "Russians unable to counterattack"Since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been defending its territory. However, for the past three days, Ukrainian troops have also been attacking in the Russian border region of Kursk. ntv-Moscow correspondent Rainer Munz explains how this surprise offensive poses several challenges for the Russian military leadership.
09:44 Human rights activist: Russia regressing to Stalinist timesOleg Orlov, a human rights activist released in a prisoner swap from Russian detention, criticizes the extent of repression in today's Russia in an interview with news agency AP. Orlov says that under Russian President Vladimir Putin, people are imprisoned for criticizing authorities, something not seen since the time of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. "We're sliding back into Stalinist times," says the co-chair of Memorial, one of Russia's oldest and most prominent human rights organizations, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Orlov was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in February for criticizing Russia's war in Ukraine in an article. His release in the prisoner swap between Russia, Belarus, and several Western countries surprised him completely.
09:00 Ukraine publishes figures on Russian lossesThe Ukrainian General Staff publishes new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the report, Russia has lost around 588,540 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, including 1,030 in the past 24 hours. The report also claims that three tanks, 49 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed. Since the start of the large-scale invasion, Ukraine says Russia has lost a total of 8,434 tanks, 16,536 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine. Western estimates suggest lower casualty figures, but these are also likely to be minimum values.
08:19 Media: Mass fires in Rylsk, Kursk regionMass fires and explosions were reported overnight in the Russian city of Rylsk in the Kursk region, according to "The Kyiv Independent," citing reports on Russian-language Telegram channels. Residents of the nearby village of Stepanovka reported hearing four explosions. The cause of the explosions is unknown. Rylsk is located around 35 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
07:37 Russia: State of Emergency After Drone Attack on Military AirbaseMassive explosions have occurred following a Ukrainian drone attack on a military airbase near Lipetsk. Governor Igor Artamonov announced via Telegram that a state of emergency has been declared in the city of Lipetsk to manage the aftermath of the explosions. Four villages around the military airport have been evacuated. Public transportation in Lipetsk and surrounding areas has been stopped. Six people have been injured as a result of the attacks.
06:52 Media: Explosion After Ukrainian Attack on CrimeaAn explosion has reportedly occurred on the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, according to "Ukrainska Pravda" citing Telegram reports. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian governor of the city of Sevastopol, wrote on Telegram that the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and air defense have repelled an attack by Ukrainian forces on Sevastopol, destroying three drones. Additionally, the Russian air defense is said to have shot down a Ukrainian Neptune sea-launched cruise missile over the sea near Sevastopol. The Telegram channel "Crimeawind" reports on shots and a heavy explosion in Chornomorskyi, as well as the work of the Russian air defense in the area of the Belbek airport. A black smoke column was reportedly rising over the airport, and there was a strong smell of fire in the coastal area of the city, according to the Telegram channel "Crimeawind" citing subscribers. There are no reports yet on possible casualties.
06:05 Media: Fire at Military Airbase in Russian Region of LipetskA fire has broken out at a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk, according to Russian news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Shortly before, the local governor announced evacuations due to a "massive" drone attack near the city of Lipetsk, which caused explosions and power outages, according to Igor Artamonov's Telegram. The state of emergency has been declared in the Lipetsk district, and four villages are being evacuated. Some of the villages mentioned are located near an air force base outside the city. There have been no reported casualties. Ukrainian authorities have not reported any attacks on the region. Lipetsk is located approximately 300 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border.
05:02 Putin May Not Have Known About Ukrainian Troop BuildupValery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, may have ignored intelligence warnings that Ukrainian forces were gathering near the border with the Kursk Oblast, Bloomberg reports citing a source close to the Kremlin. Ukrainian forces crossed the border into the Kursk Oblast on August 6, bringing the fighting onto Russian territory. According to the report, Ukrainian forces began gathering near the border with the Kursk region two weeks before the start of their offensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not informed about the troop buildup.
03:21 Due to US Missiles: Half of Germans Fear Escalation with RussiaThe German and US governments have agreed that the US will station long-range weapon systems like Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. Half of Germans expect further escalation of the conflict with Russia due to the stationing of these weapons. 50 percent of respondents in a Civey survey for the Funke media group agreed with this statement, while 38 percent do not, and 12 percent are undecided. 44 percent view the stationing positively, while 42 percent view it negatively, with 14 percent undecided.
01:14 Minister-President Kretschmer Calls for Reduction in Weapons Aid to UkraineSaxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer is calling for a reduction in weapons aid to Ukraine, given the federal budget. "We can't keep providing funds for weapons to Ukraine that are being used up and aren't effective. Everything must be in proportion," Kretschmer told the German Press Agency. "We should support Ukraine, but we're reaching our limits." Kretschmer pointed to the increase in the budget over the years. "Before the COVID-19 crisis in 2019, our budget was 344 billion euros. Now it's 480 billion, and yet the coalition can't agree on the budget. That shows everything is out of control."
23:35 Kiesewetter: Ukrainian Offensive is Legally and Strategically JustifiedCDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter sees the latest Ukrainian military offensive on Russian territory as legally and strategically justified. The surprise move by Ukraine is "clearly legally justified under the right to self-defense" and "militarily sensible," Kiesewetter told the Tagesspiegel. The Ukrainian troops' advance in the Kursk region aims to tie down Russian forces and inflict significant losses, thereby relieving pressure on other fronts.
22:30 Pentagon: Ukrainian Offensive in Kursk Region Aligns with US PolicyThe Ukrainian incursion into the Russian Kursk region is "in line with our policy," said Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, according to the Kyiv Independent. When asked if Ukraine can use US-supplied weapons, Singh said the US has "supported Ukraine from the start in defending against attacks coming over the border." The Kursk region borders the Ukrainian region of Sumy, which has been subject to daily Russian attacks since its liberation in April 2022. Ukraine is taking measures "to protect itself from attacks" and is operating "within the framework of US policy, using our weapons, systems, and capabilities," Singh said.
22:09 BSW MEP De Masi calls for "as soon as possible ceasefire and negotiations"
Following the advance of Ukrainian troops into Kursk, BSW MEP Fabio De Masi calls for "as soon as possible a ceasefire and negotiations". The Ukraine has "major difficulties defending its own territory", says De Masi to the "Tagesspiegel". Advances "deep into Russian territory" only make sense "if the goal of Ukraine is to strengthen the escalation dynamics". The risks are enormous, says the Euro politician. "Consider, for example, the Russian nuclear power plant in the region. Russia is a nuclear power and has the escalation dominance".
21:50 Authorities in the Kursk region report at least five dead civilians
Russian troops, according to reports from Moscow, have been fighting for the third day against a Ukrainian advance across the border. The Russian armed forces and border guards are preventing Ukrainian units from advancing further into Kursk, the Russian Defense Ministry said. At the same time, the Russian army is attacking Ukrainian forces that are attempting to retreat from the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. According to the Russian Health Ministry, 66 civilians have been injured since the beginning of the Ukrainian advance, including nine children. Authorities in the Kursk region report at least five dead civilians, including two paramedics. Ukraine has not yet commented on the advance.
21:30 EU Foreign Minister Borrell: Lukashenko regime involved in illegal deportation of Ukrainian children
The Belarusian regime is, according to EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Brussels, complicit in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. In addition to political, military, and logistical support, Belarus has contributed to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. Since 2021, the regime has also orchestrated migration pressure on the EU's external borders, according to a statement from the European External Action Service.
You can read all previous developments here.
- In response to the ongoing military operations in Ukraine, German foreign policy makers express their support for Kyiv's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty, viewing it as a responsibility to stand by a country that was invaded during World War II.
- Amidst the escalating tensions, a British security and defense expert points out the usage of tanks produced in Germany and the USA in the Kursk region, highlighting the role of Western weapons in the conflict and potential implications for the involved countries.
