19:02 Update: Approximately 38,000 Russian troops participating in the offensive retaliation in Kursk
18:22 Ukrainian Forces Block Refugee Flow to Moldova's Border River Having been at war for nearly three years, the Ukrainian military is in dire need of fresh recruits. Yet, many men are endeavoring to evade military service, opting to flee to neighboring countries such as Moldova. They're being intercepted at the border river, Dnister.
17:44 The Intriguing Enigma of Tire-Covered Russian Planes Unveiled In the late summer of 2023, Russian military aircraft began to conceal themselves with car tires. The motive behind this obscurity remained elusive, until now. A high-ranking U.S. military official may have shed light on this perplexity. Schuyler Moore, the Technical Director at the U.S. Central Command, posited that the intention is to deceive the targeting systems of modern missiles. "When tires are placed on the wings, numerous computer vision models struggle to identify it as an aircraft," Moore stated during a discussion at the U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, speculation had suggested that tires might function as an additional safeguard against kamikaze drones.
16:56 Russian Forces Detonate Ukrainian Coal Mine Russian military forces are making progress in the Ukrainian mining town of Vuhledar, detonating one of its largest coal mines. Videos show the blast and subsequent crumble of the tower over the main shaft of the mine. It's estimated that over 150 million tons of coal are still buried within the seam.
16:19 Pistorius Views Defense Spending as a Challenge Following the allocation of a 100 billion euro special fund, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius anticipates further financial requirements for the Bundeswehr's future. "The special fund will be fully exhausted by the end of the year," Pistorius said post-troop inspection in Saarbrücken. "And we'll see where the additional financing comes from." Pistorius alludes to the German government's financial projections, which account for approximately 80 billion euros in 2028. "I presume that, as a foundation, since we must secure further financing for procurement and infrastructures," he added. He emphasized: "That remains a significant, crucial challenge."
15:51 Ukraine Attacks Residential Structures in Belgorod Ukraine continues its assault on Russian cities, homing in on Belgorod close to the shared border. Several automobiles and a residential building are completely destroyed, with others sustaining damage. Eight individuals have been injured.
15:14 Naval Exercise: Chinese Ships Arrive at Russian Vladivostok After announcing a joint military exercise, two Chinese ships have arrived in Vladivostok, Russia's Far East, according to Russian sources. Upon invitation from the Russian border guard, two Chinese coast guard ships will remain in Vladivostok until Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. The exercise aims to "strengthen strategic collaboration between the Chinese and Russian militaries," Beijing indicated. Consequently, naval and air forces from both countries will participate in exercises such as "North-Joint 2024" in the Japanese and Okhotsk seas nearby Russia's coast. Additionally, China will partake in Russia's strategic exercise "Ocean-2024."
14:39 Baerbock Warns: If Ukraine Falls, Moldova Will Too German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is of the opinion that supporting Ukraine serves as a survival guarantee for the neighboring Republic of Moldova. "Everything we undertake to aid Ukraine results in Moldova's stabilization," Baerbock articulated at a meeting of the Moldova Partnership Platform in the capital, Chisinau. "It's clear that the principal concern of the people here is that if Ukraine collapses, then Moldova will follow suit."
13:56 Ukraine: 97 Emergency Responders Killed Since Russian Invasion The conflict that Russia is waging against Ukraine has led to the loss of 97 Ukrainian emergency service personnel since the full-scale invasion, the service revealed to news site Ukrinform in an interview. A grand total of 395 emergency service personnel have been hurt while carrying out their duties. Ukraine celebrates "Rescuers' Day" today.
13:44 U.S. Newspaper: Russia and Ukraine Suffered Over a Million Casualties In Russia's battle against Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of soldiers have reportedly lost their lives or been injured on both sides, according to research by the U.S. newspaper "Wall Street Journal." Ukrainian troops have allegedly suffered approximately 80,000 fatalities and 400,000 injuries, the paper reported, citing a confidential Ukrainian assessment. Russia, meanwhile, is believed to have lost around 600,000 soldiers - 200,000 dead and 400,000 injured - according to estimations by Western intelligence services, the newspaper continued. Neither Kiev nor Moscow has publicly disclosed its own losses.
13:21 Munz: Russia Conducts Searches to Locate Contract Soldiers By decree, Russia aims to boost its army strength to 1.5 million soldiers. This sends a strong message beyond the Ukraine conflict, argues ntv correspondent Rainer Munz, discussing where Russia is sourcing its new soldiers from.
12:55 Kremlin Justifies Army Expansion with Escalating Border Threats The Kremlin is attributing its plans to enlarge its military to the world's second-largest army, with increasing menaces at its borders. "This is due to the multitude of threats that exist on the border's periphery," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted during a conference call with reporters. "It is caused by the extremely hostile climate at our western borders and instability at our eastern borders. This necessitates appropriate measures." President Vladimir Putin ordered on Monday to increase the regular size of the Russian army by 180,000 soldiers to 1.5 million active soldiers, placing it behind only China as the world's second-largest army.
12:30 RTL/ntv Trendbarometer: Nearly half of respondents oppose extensive missile strikes on KyivThe administration in Kyiv is contemplating striking Russian war supplies - airfields, command centers, essential infrastructure. In the latest RTL/ntv Trendbarometer, 36 percent of participants argue against the provision of Western weapons, which can also be utilized to target targets deep inside Russia. A significant majority supports this stance. However, 56 percent of respondents are against this kind of missile strikes. Among Greens and FDP supporters, a majority backs the delivery of such missiles (53% and 58%, respectively). On the other hand, a mere 34% of SPD supporters and 31% of Union supporters favor this action. Among BSW supporters, it's literally zero, and only 4% of AfD supporters agree. A substantial majority of SPD (61%) and CDU/CSU supporters are against such missile strikes. This opposition is significantly higher in the east (83%) compared to the west (61%).
11:49 Reportedly, alleged attacker Routt expressed wish to eliminate Putin and Kim in 2022Ryan Wesley Routt, a suspect in Donald Trump's attempted assassination, allegedly showed interest in eliminating Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un, claims the "Wall Street Journal," citing nurse Chelsea Walsh. Walsh met Routt in Ukraine in 2022 and described him as the most dangerous American she encountered during her time in Kyiv. Acc memoirs, Routt attempted to join the Ukrainian volunteer brigades and fight alongside Ukrainian forces.
11:18 Controversial film "Russians in War" to be screened at Toronto festivalThe controversial documentary "Russians in War" will be shown at the Toronto International Film Festival following initial concerns about security due to the film. Organizers initially said they faced "significant threats" due to the film, then announced that "Russians in War" would not be screened at the festival. Russian-Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova spent months filming Russian troops at the front in Ukraine for the movie. The Ukrainian ambassador to Canada criticizes the decision, stating the festival would be serving as a platform for Russian propaganda.
10:51 Russian ambassador shows skepticism about peace talksRussian ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechaev, expresses caution regarding potential peace talks in the conflict with Ukraine. First, a peace plan must be established, he said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk. Only then can Russia determine if the plan aligns with its own ideas. Nechaev referenced statements made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who recently supported accelerating efforts to achieve peace in an interview about a week ago. "There will certainly be another peace conference," Scholz said. He agreed with Ukrainian President Zelensky that Russia must also be involved in the conference.
10:31 UN development program to aid Ukraine for the winterUkrainian energy company Naftogaz is working with the UN development program UNDP to boost energy security for Ukraine. As a result of numerous Russian aerial attacks on critical infrastructure, experts are worried about an especially grueling winter with numerous power, heating, and water disruptions. UNDP is providing Ukraine with several measures, such as gas-powered generators, to minimize these interruptions for the population.
09:55 After attack on Sumy, 280,000 inhabitants without powerIn the Ukrainian Sumy region, which was attacked by Russian Shahed drones early in the morning, 280,000 people are still without electricity. The Ukrainian air force confirmed the downing of 16 drones, yet the ones that evaded defenses caused damage to critical infrastructure.
09:28 Ukraine: Prisoner of War Beheaded by Russians with SwordThe Ukrainian parliament's human rights commission reports the beheading of an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war by the Russians. "Russians beheaded an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war, whose hands were bound with tape, with a sword." The depravity of Russian brutality and bloodlust is beyond comprehension, concludes the Ukrainian expert. A photograph of the slain soldier, bearing the "For Kursk" inscription on the sword used for the execution, was shared on social media today. Ukrainian photographers Konstantin and Vlada Liberova publish photographs of Ukrainian soldiers who survived Russian captivity.
09:02 Chechen Commander's Opinions on Kursk OffensiveKyiv surprised Moscow with an offensive in the Kursk border region early August, leaving the military leadership silent. However, Chechen commander Apti Alaudinow expressed optimism on his Telegram channel that first day: "Let's remain calm and enjoy popcorn while watching our guys annihilate the enemy." Since then, Alaudinow has become the primary commentator on the Kursk offensive, with Russian media sharing his statements. Experts consulted by the AFP news agency agree that Alaudinow's media presence is only achievable with the approval of the highest echelons. Reminiscent of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Alaudinow seems to enjoy an unusual level of freedom of speech. Some even suggest him as a possible successor to the ailing Kadyrov.
08:01 Ukraine: Russian Drones Strike Energy Facilities in Sumy Ukraine reports another significant drone attack by Russia. The country's air defense managed to shoot down 34 out of 51 Russian drones during the night, as per air force reports. The attack was active in five regions. According to local authorities, the northeastern region of Sumy's energy infrastructure was also targeted. A total of 16 Russian drones were intercepted there, affecting key infrastructure, such as water supply systems and hospitals, which have now been connected to backup power sources. Emergency teams are currently working on repairs.
07:37 Ukraine: Heavy Casualties for Russia The Ukrainian General Staff reports that Russia has suffered a total of 1020 casualties, including fatalities and injuries, since the previous day. This brings the Ukrainian total of Russian losses since the full-scale invasion in February 2022 to approximately 635,880. In the past 24 hours, six artillery systems were ruined or destroyed, along with two tanks. Additionally, six armored vehicles and 66 drones were lost.
07:10 Russian Military Airport Attacked in Engels Overnight, the Russian military airport in Engels, Saratov region, was attacked by drones, according to the Ukrainian news site "Kyiv Post", which has shared videos featuring detonations. The report suggests that strategic bombers armed with missiles and used by Russia to attack Ukrainian cities are stationed at the airport.
06:35 Stoltenberg Supports Debate on Western Long-Range Weapons for Ukraine Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg supports the ongoing international debate regarding the possibility of allowing Ukraine to launch western long-range weapons into Russian territory. "Each ally has the freedom to make these decisions, but close collaboration is essential," Stoltenberg stated, speaking to British broadcaster LBC. Ukraine has been requesting this permission for several weeks to target Russian command centers, airfields, and infrastructure. Stoltenberg further expresses concerns about the potential risk of escalating the conflict, stating, "But I still believe that the greatest risk for us is a victory for Putin in Ukraine."
06:13 Meta Bans Russian Propaganda Channel RT Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has decided to curb the spread of Russian state propaganda through media channels like the TV channel RT. RT (formerly Russia Today) and associated organizations will be banned from Meta's platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, globally. RT has already been banned in the EU since the spring of 2022 due to disinformation campaigns surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
05:33 Lukashenko Grants Pardons to 37 Prisoners in Belarus Belarusian authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko has granted pardons to 37 prisoners. The official announcement from the presidential administration in Minsk states that these individuals were convicted based on charges of "extremism," a term frequently used in Belarus to label political dissidents. Among the pardoned are six women and several individuals with pre-existing health problems. Details regarding the identities of the pardoned prisoners have not been disclosed. In recent months, Belarus has been granting pardons to individuals incarcerated for protesting against the government.
03:11 UN Report: Human Rights Deteriorating in Russia A UN report suggests that human rights in Russia are being increasingly disregarded. UN Special Rapporteur Mariana Katzarova, appointed to monitor the situation in Russia in 2023, reports a "structural, state-supported system of human rights violations" that aims to suppress civil society and political opposition. Critics of Russia's actions within Ukraine and dissenters are becoming targets of this system. Katzarova estimates that approximately 1372 political prisoners have been convicted and incarcerated on fabricated charges and subjected to lengthy prison terms, and some have even allegedly experienced torture while in detention. Political prisoners are often held in isolation cells, and others are forcefully sent to psychiatric clinics.
The Ukrainian military is looking for fresh recruits due to the ongoing three-year war, despite many men trying to evade military service and flee to neighboring countries like Moldova.
Russian military aircraft began concealing themselves with car tires in 2023, with speculation suggesting that this could serve as an additional safeguard against kamikaze drones.
