18:38 NATO membership: Scientists urge open invitation for Ukraine into military alliance
Scientists from various countries call on NATO to invite Ukraine for membership in an open letter. According to the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform, up to 158 researchers have signed the letter, which was published in the British newspaper "Guardian". "The invitation of Ukraine to join NATO would be a final step away from appeasement policy and back to the rule of law and the protection of human rights", it says in the letter. The previous attempts to appease Moscow's alleged "NATO expansion anxiety" have ignored Russia's war crimes and systematic violence in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including massacres, mass rapes, and torture. "Russia's actions show a clear intention to destroy Ukraine as a nation, rather than addressing its own security concerns", the authors emphasize. A membership in the Military Alliance would, in their opinion, not create further incentives for the Kremlin, "as Russia is determined to destroy Ukraine and does not need additional motivation". Moreover, it is a "fact that Russia has not attacked a single member of the Military Alliance". Instead, Moscow has threatened, attacked, and occupied third countries.
17:54 Reports of Ukrainian surprise attack on Russian troops in Luhansk The Ukrainian military has reportedly inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine with a rocket attack. Members of a tank infantry battalion were hit by ATACMS rockets during a gathering on a training ground, Ukrainian media reported, citing Russian social media and their own military sources. The surprise 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 usually only use ATACMS rockets against valuable targets. It is possible that the troop concentration at Luhansk was detected by a reconnaissance drone.
17:32 Dozens of Wagner mercenaries killed in Mali - commander in custody from Ukraine war Russian Wagner mercenaries in Mali suffered one of their heaviest losses in West Africa when dozens were reportedly killed and captured by rebels. 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 as they tried to take control of the village of Tinzaouaten on the Algerian border. Russian mercenaries have been fighting with 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 deaths and 15 captures among their ranks. Among the dead is reportedly Wagner commander Anton Elisarov, who was involved in the Russian assault on the Ukrainian city of Soledar.
16:49 Fire in University Building in Cherson after Russian shelling broke outRussian Forces have 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, reported in a "Ukrainska Pravda" article. "The enemy shelled the building of a university in the city center at night, resulting in a fire." No one was injured.
16:02 430 Ukrainian settlements without power after Russian attacksFollowing Russian attacks, there are 431 settlements without power in six regions in the north and northeast of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced this on Facebook, according to the state news agency Ukrinform.
15:34 General Staff: Around 130 engagements with Russian troops within one dayAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 engagements with Russian troops at the front the previous day. As the state news agency Ukrinform reports, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrowsk, Torezk, and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kyiv: Almost 1200 Russian soldiers eliminated within one dayAccording to official figures from Kyiv, Russian losses remain high: 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or were incapacitated within one day. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced this in its daily reports, as Ukrinform reports. Since the beginning of the war in February 2022, a total of 574,690 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated," according to the Defense Ministry's daily reports on losses. The Ministry also reported that the enemy had lost 13 additional tanks (8344). Since the start of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has counted more than 16,000 armored vehicles and around 12,800 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed. The figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself keeps information on its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
14:28 Zelenskyy: Russia has fired over 700 guided air bombs and over 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine within a weekRussian Forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, fired over 700 guided air bombs and more than 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine in the past week. As Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, citing regional authorities, eleven people were killed and forty-one were injured in Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions alone yesterday. The Ukrainians "are suffering daily under Russian terror and deserve a fair and reliable protection." Zelenskyy called on allies to arm Kyiv 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 Fighters may not significantly influence the course of the warThe first F-16 Fighters 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 Combat Aircraft, while Russia has a large number of Air Defense Systems that can shoot them down. This means that the first F-16 Combat Aircraft to arrive in Ukraine are likely to be used to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, to shoot down Russian aerial targets, rather than attacking Russian ground troops.
According to The Washington Post, it is unlikely that the Combat Aircraft will initially be stationed near the front lines and therefore will not be able to intercept Russian Military Aircraft. Officials refused to disclose how many F-16 Combat Aircraft the Ukraine will receive this year, but it will not be more than approximately 20, which is the size of a squadron.
13:44 Ukraine confirms attack on oil refinery in KurskThe Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff 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 nighttime attack on 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 in Russian shelling of NikopolEight people, including children, were injured in Nikopol, a Ukrainian city in the Dnipro region, due to Russian shelling, reports 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.
13:01 Russia reports capture of two towns in DonetskRussia has captured two towns in the Donetsk region. They are Prohres and Evhenivka in eastern Ukraine, Russian news agencies report, 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 injuring at least 1487 since the start of its war in Ukraine, reports the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" citing the Office of the Prosecutor General. Most of the children were affected in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, Kiev and Zaporizhzhia.
12:24 Lindner defends Budget for Military Spending in Discussion about Defense BudgetFinance Minister Christian Lindner defended his position on military spending in a heated discussion with ARD-"Hauptstadtstudio". "We have reached the two-percent target for NATO for the first time in many, many years", the FDP chief stated in the interview. Germany spends more than France and Italy. In the coming years, at least two percent of the economic output will still be allocated for security. "It's not the case that everything the Defense Minister says is automatically justified and correct", Lindner emphasized. He stressed the importance of budget funds and efficient allocation. "Mr. Pistorius has a 100-billion-euro special program for the strengthening of the armed forces, which no one of his predecessors had", Lindner added.
12:01 Putin Threatens Response to US Rocket Plans in GermanyRussian President Vladimir Putin threatened a response during the grand naval parade in St. Petersburg regarding the plans for US long-range rockets in Germany. In the event of implementation of these plans, Russia would react "symmetrically" and no longer feel bound by an earlier prohibition on land-based atomic medium-range missiles. The INF Treaty on the prohibition of these weapons expired after the US withdrawal in 2019. According to Putin, Russia had so far imposed a moratorium and adhered to the agreements. The US, however, has long complained about Russian violations of the treaty. In a speech to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India, Putin warned that the US could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. "The flight time of such rockets, which in the future can be armed with atomic warheads, to targets on our territory will be approximately ten minutes", Putin said.
11:14 Authorities: Russians Seize Over 500 Houses in Luhansk for ThemselvesThe Russian occupiers in the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" have illegally seized 514 houses from evacuated residents, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform", citing 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 wrote, adding that a large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities would be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions Reported in Kharkiv - Air Alarm Declared in Several Regions of UkraineSuspilne.media, the Ukrainian broadcasting corporation, reported two explosions in Kharkiv in the morning. Shortly thereafter, the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Sinegubov, reported two missile attacks by the Russians. The type of missiles was being determined. According to RBC-Ukraine news portal, an air alarm had been declared in several regions of Ukraine, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, and Dnipro. There was no information about casualties, but a threat from missiles could not be ruled out in these regions.
10:07 Governor reports 5 Dead and 15 Wounded due to Russian Shelling in the Donetsk Region
At the Russian shelling of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Saturday, five civilians were killed and 15 more were injured, according to Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin via Telegram. Five residents of the Donetsk region were reportedly killed by the Russians. Among them were three in Iwaniwka, one in Kostiantyniwka, and one in Toretsk. Additionally, 15 people in the region were injured throughout the day, writes Filashkin. Since the beginning of the Russian aggression war in February 2022, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured in the Donetsk region. These numbers do not include the victims in Mariupol and Wolnowacha.
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 significantly increase spending for security and defense - while also criticizing the coalition's budget compromise. "The German government is currently not making reasonable fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick stated in an interview with t-online. "Far more importantly: The fiscal policy is and remains a security risk for Europe." A future special fund for the Bundeswehr should be "significantly larger than the current one with its size of 100 billion euros," the economist continued. "Just to close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are likely talking about a volume of 250 to 300 billion euros."
Even with 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. In total, Germany would need expenditures amounting to 3 to 3.5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia through "strength and determination," Schularick added.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk as "inevitably lost" for Ukraine
The Ukrainian armed forces are currently under 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 "inevitably lost for Ukraine," says Thiele on n-tv(see also entry at 08:16). "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," the military expert added. Donetsk is either on the negotiation table or on the "realistic" path. This means either there will be a ceasefire negotiation on equal terms or a surrender ceasefire. These are the alternatives, Thiele explained. But in both cases, the region "is ultimately lost."
08:52 Ukraine reports 1180 Russian casualties in the past 24 hoursRussia allegedly suffered 1180 casualties among its troops in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024, according to the Ukrainian General Staff's update on Facebook. Additionally, the Russian forces reportedly lost 8344 tanks, 16095 armored combat vehicles, 15936 artillery systems, 1127 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2405 missile systems. The Russian army also reportedly lost 363 combat aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12766 tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, 28 warships/cutters, 1 submarine, 21572 vehicles and tank trucks, and 2671 pieces of special equipment since the beginning of their offensive war.
08:16 Thiele on the situation at the front: Ukrainians are "de facto on a step-by-step retreat"According to Ralf Thiele, the situation in the contested areas in the east of the country is not good for Ukraine. The military is trying to prevent a Russian breakthrough, but at the cost of a retreat. The military expert fears that Ukraine will inevitably lose the Donetsk region.
08:00 Kursk reports fire in a fuel depot under controlA Ukrainian drone attack reportedly set a fuel depot in the Kursk region on fire, according to local Russian authorities. However, the fire was quickly brought under control, writes the regional governor Alexei Smirnov on Telegram. There were no injuries reported.
07:44 TASS: Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Cherson regionRussian paratrooper drones allegedly destroyed a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian ammunition depot for field artillery on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River in the Cherson region, according to the state Russian news agency TASS, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drone attack, the shrapnel reportedly penetrated the front line along the riverbank. Simultaneously, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field artillery ammunition depot. A direct hit allegedly destroyed the ammunition depot and disabled the howitzer.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory"The Olympic participation of Ukraine is a significant symbol and an opportunity for the international community to pay closer attention to the situation in the country following the start of the Russian offensive war, according to Sport Minister Vadym Bidny. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidny said at the opening of the Ukrainian House in Paris. It is crucial that Russia is represented by a small team of 15 neutral athletes in Paris. Russia as a nation was excluded from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the aggression. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," Bidny said.
It is now the responsibility of the Olympic team to unite the international community and speak to the people who normally do not listen to politicians. The participation is a "strong signal that Ukraine not only survived 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 their own statements. Five of them were over the Belgorod region and two were over the Kursk region, the Russian Defense Ministry reports on Telegram.
06:36 Governor: Oil depot in Kursk is on fire after drone attackIn the night, there are explosions in the Kursk region in Russia due to a drone attack. In an oil depot and several areas, fires have broken out, Kursk region governor Alexei Smirnov reports on Telegram and the channel Baza. The air defense forces are "on alert," the Russian official writes and urges the residents of the region to "vigilance." At least two fires have broken out in the region, one in the Medvenka district and one in the Kursk district, it is reported. In an oil storage facility in the village of Polyova, a fire is said to have been caused, reports the channel Shot on Telegram. Residents reportedly heard "several strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Previously, they had heard the characteristic sound of a drone flying over the area. After the explosions, witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky. Additionally, there was an explosion in the city of Sudzha and a house in the Medva district was on fire, it is reported.
05:41 Linnemann questions welfare payments for Ukrainian refugees
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann questions the welfare payments for Ukrainian women and men 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 is linked to a counter-performance. That includes taking a job."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to duty
In Ukraine, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation, according to Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova, is reported to be very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation programs 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 retake positions near Toretsk
According to the Institute for War Studies (ISW), Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk. This is shown in 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 various 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 capture of another village in UkraineRussia has reportedly taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The settlement Losuwatske, located in the Donezk region, has been "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. The settlement is approximately 25 kilometers east of the city Pokrovsk, in the area where the Russian army has advanced relatively quickly in recent months. Ukraine has not confirmed the takeover.
22:23 Blinken threatens China with "measures" over continued support for Russian defense industryUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the US would take "measures" if Beijing continued to support Russia's defense industry. According to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," Blinken made this statement during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos. This came shortly after Blinken's Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang in Guangzhou during his first visit to China since the outbreak of the war. "The Minister reaffirmed his serious concern over China's support for the PRC'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.**
- The scientists advocated for Ukraine's invitation to join NATO in their open letter, arguing that it would be a step towards upholding the rule of law and human rights, opposing Russia's war crimes in Ukraine-occupied territories.
- The Ukrainian military reportedly launched a surprise attack on Russian troops in Luhansk, inflicting heavy losses, including 19 deaths and 71 injuries, following a detected troop concentration.
- Following Russia's threats, attacks, and occupation of third countries, there have been calls for NATO to consider increasing its cybersecurity measures to protect member states from Russian cyberwar attacks, such as the recent attack on Ukraine.
- In response to the attack on Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western allies to equip Kyiv with long-range weapons and air defense equipment, as Russian forces continued to launch guided air bombs and Shahed drones on Ukrainian territory.
- As the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, there have been reports of Russian threats and actions against other European nations, such as Germany, leading some experts to call for strengthened Western defense postures and solidarity.
