19:44 Russian military blog sees western Sudsha in Kursk region under Ukrainian control
Ukrainian Army Advances into Russian Territory for Third Consecutive Day
The Ukrainian army continues its surprising offensive into Russian territory in the Kursk region for the third day in a row, making territorial gains. While civil Russian authorities in Kursk and the Ministry of Defense in Moscow officially stated that the Ukrainian advance has been stopped, the Russian military blog Rybar, which is close to the ministry, paints a different picture. According to Rybar, Ukrainians are still pushing forward, reinforcing their positions at night, and beginning to fortify them. Rybar reports that the western part of the town of Sudzha is under Ukrainian control, with fighting ongoing in the eastern part. Additionally, Ukrainians have advanced north towards Anastasyevka and northeast towards Korenovo. However, local reports suggest no Ukrainian presence in Sudzha itself, with only reports of shootings and artillery fire north and west of the town. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Ukrainian reconnaissance units have also advanced towards the Kursk nuclear power plant and have been spotted near Anastasyevka.
19:04 SPD to Discuss Stationing of US Missiles in Bundestag in September
Wolfgang Hellmich, the defense policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, has announced a debate on the stationing of long-range US missiles in Germany in the Bundestag. "It's important that we consider everything and take the concerns of our citizens seriously, and provide information to clear the way," Hellmich told the Funke media group. "We will deal with the topic in the faction and in the Bundestag overall after the parliamentary summer break in September to meet the existing information and discussion needs." The German government and the US government have agreed that the US will station long-range weapons systems such as Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. Many German citizens view this decision critically, according to polls.
18:19 Russian Prosecutors Seek 15-Year Sentence for US Woman Accused of Treason
Russian prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for a Russian-American woman accused of high treason, according to state media reports. Ksenia Khavanna was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February on suspicion of collecting money for the Ukrainian military. She pleaded guilty to the charges during a closed-door trial on Wednesday, media reported. The Interfax news agency reported today, citing Khavanna's lawyer Mikhail Muskalov, that prosecutors have requested a 15-year sentence. The verdict is expected on August 15. Khavanna became a US citizen after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She had traveled to Russia to visit family members. An activist group said the charges against Khavanna stem from a $51 (approximately €47) donation she made to a US charity organization that supports Ukraine. Russia has enacted laws that criminalize criticism of its military actions in Ukraine since sending troops there in February 2022, raising concerns that Russia may target US citizens for arrest.
17:54 Moscow Reports Casualties in Ukrainian Attacks in Kursk RegionThe Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, informed President Vladimir Putin during a video conference that approximately 100 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and over 200 injured in the fighting. Russian news agencies report that at least two people, a paramedic and an ambulance driver, were killed, and 24 others injured in Ukrainian shelling, according to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
17:28 Stegner Cautious About Possible Deployment of German Weapons in KurskSPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner is cautious about the possible deployment of German weapons in the Ukrainian advance. "In the border area, there was an exceptional situation when the city of Kharkiv had to be defended against attacks from beyond the nearby border," Stegner told the "Handelsblatt". "This did not imply a general shift in strategy regarding the handling of weapons supplied from Germany." In late May, the German government allowed Ukraine to use weapons supplied by it against targets in Russia, but this was limited to the Russian border region near the Kharkiv region.
17:00 ISW: Ukraine Advances Kilometers into Russian TerritoryThe Ukrainian army has made significant progress in its offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk since Tuesday morning, according to assessments by experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in the US. The ISW reports advances of up to ten kilometers, while Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka claims the Ukraine has advanced more than 25 kilometers. Ukrainian President's advisor Mikhailo Podolyak attributed the developments in western Russia to Russia's "aggression" against Ukraine. Russian reports claim that "up to a thousand" Ukrainian soldiers, along with dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, are involved in the attack, resulting in the deaths of at least five civilians and the injury of 31 others. 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 defensive lines and a position," aiming for a key 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". This allows "pressure to be taken off other parts of the front, as Russia has to bind or deploy forces to Kursk," Kiesewetter told the "Tagesspiegel". The Ukrainian advance is "clearly permissible under international law in the sense of the right to self-defense" (see also entries from 14:45 and 15:07).
15:57 Ukraine: Two Dead in Russian Attack in DonetskA Russian artillery strike in the city of Kostyantynivka in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk has killed at least two people, according to local authorities. The attack this morning hit a residential area, regional governor Vadym Fischenko said on Telegram. Donetsk is a hotspot of the fighting. The parts of the region controlled by Ukraine are regularly subjected to Russian shelling. Russian troops are trying to advance on the strategic logistics hub city of Pokrovsk. Just on Wednesday, at least four people were killed in Donetsk by Russian shelling.
15:36 Russia: Fighting Continues After Ukrainian Advance Towards KurskFighting in the border region of Kursk continues for the third day in a row, according to Russian reports. Russian forces and border guards are preventing Ukrainian units from advancing deeper into Kursk, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Meanwhile, the Russian army is attacking Ukrainian forces trying 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 BSW chairwoman demanded.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz had promised that Germany would not become a party to the war. But: "First, he allowed the Ukraine to shoot at Russian territory with German weapons," Wagenknecht criticized. "Is the federal government now also allowing the Ukraine to advance into Russia with German weapons? That would be the next red line to be crossed," the BSW party leader added. The federal government is drawing Germany "ever deeper into the war," she said. "The risk of a major European war is becoming greater."
14:45 Chairman of the Defense Committee: Ukraine Can Use German Weapons in KurskThe chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marcus Faber, sees no problem with Ukraine using German-supplied weapons in its current advance onto Russian territory. "Once handed over to Ukraine, they are Ukrainian weapons," the FDP politician told the Funke media group. This applies "to any material," including the Leopard 2 battle tank. "With the Russian attack on Ukraine, the territory of both states is a war zone," Faber explained his position. "The use of weapons is governed by international law."
14:24 Ukraine demands Mexico arrest Putin at Sheinbaum's inaugurationThe Ukrainian embassy in Mexico demands that the Mexican government arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of elected President Claudia Sheinbaum. Sheinbaum assumes 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 named (Putin) to the judicial 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 alleged war crime of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia following Moscow's invasion in early 2022. Juan Ramon de la Fuente, 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 cannot open YouTubeUsers in Russia are unable to open YouTube on their computers and mobile devices. Internet monitoring services downdetector.su, Failure Detector, and sboy.rf report a major outage of the platform's availability. According to the sboy.rf service, over 15,000 complaints have been registered about the video-hosting service. Complaints came from people in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Saratov, Samara, Krasnodar, the occupied Crimea, and several other regions. Users reported being able to access YouTube only through virtual private networks (VPNs). Reuters reporters in Russia also could not access YouTube. However, the website was still available via some mobile devices. YouTube is the last Western platform still accessible in Russia, making it the last bastion of free expression. According to Decoder, over 90 million users access YouTube monthly in Russia, placing it first among video and streaming platforms. In mid-July, Russian media reported that the Russian government planned to block YouTube in September.
13:24 EU: Ukraine leads "lawful defense war" in Russian KurskThe EU views the advance of Ukrainian troops into the Russian region of Kursk in the context of the right to self-defense. "We believe that Ukraine is conducting a lawful defense war against an illegal aggression," a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Brussels. The right to self-defense includes the right to attack the enemy on its territory. The EU fully supports Ukraine's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty and combat illegal Russian aggression. Ukrainian troops, supported by tanks and artillery, recently crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region at Sudzha and reportedly took 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 Kursk
Following the incursion of Ukrainian forces into the Russian region of Kursk, "many" Russian soldiers are reported to have been captured. This information was shared by the Ukrainian project "Khochu nayti" on Telegram. Launched in January 2024 by the Ukrainian military intelligence, this humanitarian project serves as a coordination center for Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine, aiming to help military personnel find their relatives. According to "Khochu nayti", the captives include both conscripts and contract soldiers. "There are also reports of the dead, whose bodies were not evacuated by their comrades during the retreat," the statement reads. The project published drone footage allegedly showing the capture of over 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 remains unclear.
12:18 Gazprom: Gas Transit Running Normally Despite Fighting in Kursk Region
According to Gazprom, the Russian gas export through the border area of Kursk, which was attacked by Ukraine, is running largely normally. Today, around 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 previous day, Russian state news agency TASS reported. Ukrainian troops have taken at least partial control of the city of Sudja during their incursion across the border, also capturing a key gas pipeline measurement station en route to Western Europe. From there, the transit passes through Ukraine and continues to Slovakia and Austria. In 2023, despite the ongoing war, 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to the European Union via this route.
11:37 Military Blogger: Russia Loses 'Important Logistics Hub' to Ukraine
The Russian city of Sudja in the Kursk region is reported to have been taken by Ukrainian forces, according to pro-Russian military blogger of Ukrainian origin, Yuri Podolyaka, on his Telegram channel. The town, located nine kilometers from the Ukrainian border, is said to be full of Ukrainian military personnel. "Sudja is basically lost for us. This is an important logistics hub," Podolyaka writes. Ukrainian forces are reportedly 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 Incursion 'Completely Surprised' Moscow
Initially, the situation remains unclear, but it is later confirmed: Ukrainian fighters are attacking on Russian territory. The incursion in the Kursk region has "completely surprised" Moscow, reports ntv correspondent Rainer Munz. However, there seems to be more to this attack than just a diversionary maneuver.
10:48 Russia: Situation in Kursk after Ukrainian advance "under control"Russian forces have been engaged in combat with infiltrating Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region 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-owned 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 report ongoing fighting.
10:18 Kriewald on new offensive: "Ukrainians advance 15 kilometers into Kursk region"The Ukrainian army's push into the Russian region of Kursk is causing unrest in Moscow. Ukrainian soldiers are reported to have advanced up to 15 kilometers, and there are also reports of dozens of prisoners of war. ntv reporter Nadja Kriewald reports from Odessa on the background of the situation.
09:35 UN: Russians torture 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of warStaff at Russian penal colonies are already torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war during their initial interrogations, according to the head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), Danielle Bell, in an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS. She says that torture is widespread and systematic in Russian captivity, with 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war being tortured. According to Bell, Ukrainian prisoners are beaten with metal rods and sticks, stripped naked, and subjected to electric shocks. "This is undoubtedly the worst I've seen in my 20 years of career," she says. Information about Ukrainian prisoners in Russia is mainly collected through interviews with Ukrainian prisoners after their release. The UN mission also has direct access to Russian prisoners and can assess the conditions of the detention facility.
08:49 Estonia introduces enhanced customs controls at Russian borderEstonia is introducing full customs controls at its eastern EU external border with Russia. The government of the Baltic NATO state decided on this measure at the beginning of August. As of August 8, all persons crossing the border with Russia, as well as all cargo, will be subject to controls. The controls will be gradually introduced at the road and rail border crossings in Narva, Koidula, and Luhamaa. Until now, checks on passengers and vehicles were random and risk-based. With the tightening of controls, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal aims to prevent the transit and transport of EU-sanctioned goods through Estonia and to strengthen the country's security. 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 these figures, Russia has lost approximately 587,510 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In the past 24 hours alone, the number of losses is reported to be 1,140. According to a report from Kyiv, two tanks, 36 artillery systems, 81 drones, and one helicopter have also been destroyed. In total, Russia is said to have lost 8,431 tanks, 16,487 artillery systems, and 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,293 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale invasion. Western estimates put the losses lower, but these are also 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 advance towards the cities of Odessa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and beyond. The advance will only stop when Russia deems it advantageous. Ukrainian troops are said to have advanced deep into Russian territory in the region during a counterattack, with heavy fighting reported. A state of emergency has been declared in the region.
07:05 Russia: 14 Ukrainian aerial objects destroyed over Kursk and BelgorodRussian air defense forces have destroyed 14 unmanned Ukrainian aerial objects over the Belgorod and Kursk regions, according to a Telegram post by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Six drones and five other missiles were shot down over the Kursk region, according to Alexei Smirnov, the governor of the region. Early on August 6, Ukrainian forces attacked the border areas of the Kursk region. According to the latest reports from the Russian military headquarters, clashes continue in border areas. An emergency situation has been declared in Kursk (see entries 19:08, 19:38, and 20:41), and residents are being evacuated.
06:25 Ukraine issues air alert due to Russian MiG-31K attackThe Ukrainian Air Force has issued an air alert across the entire country. The air alert warning is attributed to a missile threat from a Russian MiG-31K aircraft. This aircraft type is a Soviet-era interceptor named after the Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft manufacturer and is capable of carrying hypersonic missiles such as the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
05:32 ISW: Ukrainian armored vehicles are 10 kilometers inside Russian border near Kursk
According to an assessment 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 have reportedly 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 had declared a state of emergency in the region yesterday.
02:30 Ukraine raises threshold for prison sentence in petty theft
President Selenskyj has signed a new law that reclassifies petty theft as an administrative offense instead of a crime. The new law sets the threshold for petty theft at around 67 euros, up from the previous limit of around 6.7 euros. This change is aimed at preventing harsh prison sentences under martial law, which was imposed after the Russian invasion. For example, a man who stole diapers from a supermarket in Rivne, western Ukraine, in January 2023, would no longer face a prison sentence under the new law. However, he had previously received a prison sentence of over three years.
00:27 Klingbeil: Stationing of US missiles in Germany is right
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has defended the plans to station long-range US weapons in Germany, saying that it is "right because it helps us defend ourselves if Russia were to attack." He told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland that the stationing is part of a credible deterrence strategy. In July, at the NATO summit, the White House and the German government announced plans to station US weapons systems in Germany from 2026, including Tomahawk missiles, SM-6 missiles, and new hypersonic weapons. However, 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 Orlow wants to fight for Russian prisoners
Oleg Orlov, a human rights activist who was released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Western states, plans to continue his work advocating for prisoners' rights 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, works for political prisoners in Russia. Orlov estimates that there are still at least 800 political prisoners in Russia. While he finds his new role in exile in Germany difficult, he fears prosecution if he returns to Russia. Orlov hopes to use his new position to advocate for the release of more political prisoners, including eight who are seriously ill. "We were very disappointed when we found out that these people were not on the list," he said, referring to those who were not included in the prisoner exchange. Despite repression, Memorial continues to work in Russia and from abroad.
21:30 Not Dead Yet? Known Russian Propaganda Figure InjuredThe well-known Russian propagandist Yevgeny Poddubny has been injured in the Kursk region. State TV channel 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, numerous 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 reports suggest he was filming a report on the fighting in the Kursk region on Wednesday.
20:41 Emergency Declared in Region KurskAn emergency has been declared in the Russian region of Kursk amid a Ukrainian ground offensive, the region's governor, Alexei Smirnov, announced on Telegram. The Ukraine has advanced deep into Russian territory near Kursk in a counterattack. The offensive began on Tuesday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, 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, Russia's 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 at 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 citing attacks by Ukraine on the Russian region of Kursk. The fighting is reportedly taking place near Sudza, an important gas injection point for pipelines to Western Europe. Gazprom currently reports 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, says the military governor of Sumy, Vladimir Artyukh, on Ukrainian television. About 6,000 people, including over 400 children and teenagers, are to be moved to safety from the border area. The day before, Ukrainian troops launched an attack across the Ukrainian-Russian border towards the city of Sudja in the Kursk region, advancing several kilometers into Russian territory. Moscow said about 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers equipped with heavy weapons were involved. Kyiv has not yet commented on the events. Earlier, local authorities had ordered evacuations from a 10-kilometer-wide border area due to regular Russian shelling of border settlements.
You can read about previous developments here.
- In response to the Ukrainian army's advance into Russian territory, there have been concerns about potential cyberattacks, with some experts warning of a potential escalation into a cyberwar between the two nations.
- Meanwhile, Russian authorities have accused a group of hackers, believed to be connected to Ukraine, of conducting numerous cyberattacks against Russian infrastructure, including critical energy facilities and financial institutions, raising concerns about a potential escalation in the cyberwar.
