20:27 Zelensky: Ukraine will present "Peace Plan" by the end of November
Ukraine will complete an "Action Plan for Peace" by the end of November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview. Ukraine organized the first global peace summit in Switzerland in June, where 91 countries and eight international organizations signed a communique. The Ukrainian leader said Kiev would begin "detailed talks with relevant countries" on territorial integrity and other issues. Ukraine plans to organize a second peace summit before the US presidential elections in November with Russia's participation. No official invitation has been sent yet. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said Russia would not participate.
20:12 Russian Attack on Nikopol - two children injured Russian troops attacked the city of Nikopol in southern Ukraine. There are several injured, including two children - a girl aged one and a boy aged ten. The head of the regional military administration in Dnipropetrovsk, Serhii Lyssak, wrote on Telegram, as reported by the state news agency Ukrinform.
19:37 Russian Troops launch series of attacks in Eastern Ukraine The Russian air force is heavily targeting the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. According to a statement from the General Staff in Kiev, at least six glide bombs hit the small town of Wowtschansk. In addition, Russian combat aircraft reportedly attacked Ukrainian positions. No casualties were reported. Another focus of Russian attacks was Pokrovsk. Throughout the day, 16 attacks were repelled, with more ongoing. The information cannot be verified independently at this time. Reports of multiple Russian attacks with artillery and combat drones also came from the Dnipropetrovsk region. In the sector Liman in the east of the country, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian army positions. At least twelve attacks were recorded, the General Staff reported.
19:18 Zelenskyy names three factors for a "just end" to the war Patience, support for Ukraine, and diplomatic pressure on Russia - these are the three factors for a just end to the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview. "Patience, support, and diplomatic pressure are the three factors for a just end to the war. If the USA and European countries maintain their unity, the pressure increases and shows Moscow that there is no chance," said the Ukrainian president. Zelenskyy also stressed that he could not react to demands for a ceasefire as long as Russia continued to occupy Ukrainian territory.
18:38 NATO Membership: Scientists Call for Invitation of Ukraine into Military AllianceScientists from various countries have called on NATO in an open letter to invite Ukraine to join the military alliance. 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 letter states that the invitation of Ukraine to NATO membership would be a final step away from appeasement policy and back to the rule of international law and the protection of human rights. The previous attempts to appease Russia's alleged "NATO expansion anxiety" have ignored Moscow's population murder propaganda and systematic war crimes in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including massacres, mass rapes, and torture. "Russia's actions demonstrate 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 view, not create further incentives for the Kremlin, "as Russia is firmly committed to destroying Ukraine and does not need additional motivation." Furthermore, it is a "fact that Russia has not attacked a single member of the military alliance." Instead, Moscow has threatened, attacked, and occupied other countries.
17:54 Reports of Ukrainian Surprise Attack on Russian Troops in LuhanskThe 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 allegedly hit by ATACMS rockets during a gathering on a training ground. Ukrainian media reported this, among other things, citing Russian social media and their own military circles. 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 assembly at Luhansk was detected by a reconnaissance drone beforehand.
17:32 Dozens of Wagner Mercenaries Killed in Mali - Renowned Commander CapturedRussian Wagner mercenaries in Mali have reportedly suffered one of their heaviest losses in West Africa. Rebels of the separatist Tuareg people in the northern part of the Sahel state reportedly killed and captured several dozen Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries during three-day battles 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 northern Mali, reported more than 80 deaths and 15 captures among their ranks. Among the dead and captured 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, reports in a "Ukrainska Pravda" report. "The enemy shelled the building of a school 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 reports on Facebook, as Ukrinform reports.
15:34 General Staff: Around 130 engagements with Russian troops in one dayAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 engagements with Russian troops along the front line the previous day. As Ukrinform reports, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrowsk, Torezk, and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kiev: Over 1100 Russian soldiers eliminated in one dayPersonnel losses on the Russian side remain high, according to official figures from Kiev: 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or were unable to continue fighting in the war within one day. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports that since the start 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 enemy has also 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 Zelensky: Russia has fired over 700 guided bombs and over 100 drones of the Shahed type on Ukraine in one weekRussian forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fired over 700 guided bombs and more than 100 Shahed-type drones on Ukraine in the past week. As Zelensky writes on Telegram, citing regional authorities, 11 people were killed and 41 were injured in Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions yesterday. The Ukrainians "suffer daily under Russian terror" and "deserve a fair and reliable protection from it." Zelensky calls on allies to arm Kiev with long-range weapons and air defense equipment. He adds that "every concrete decision by partners to strengthen our forces can save lives."
14:01 Report: F-16 Fighter Jets may not significantly influence the course of the warThe first F-16 Fighter Jets 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 vast array 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, shooting down Russian aerial targets instead of attacking 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 Kursk
The Ukrainian military staff 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. Prior to this, local authorities in Kursk reported a drone attack that caused fires at several locations. According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, firefighters were still on the scene in the morning to extinguish three fuel tanks (see entries 08:00 and 06:36).
13:20 Authorities: Eight injured in Russian shelling of Nikopol
Eight 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 Donetsk
Russia 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 the start of the war
Russia 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 Allocations
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his position on military spending in a heated discussion with ARD-"Hauptstadtstudio". "We have achieved the two-percent NATO target for the first time in many, many years", says the FDP chief 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 emphasizes. He focuses on tax money and the efficiency of budget allocation. "Mr. Pistorius has a 100-billion-euro special program for the strengthening of the armed forces, which no one of his predecessors had", says Lindner.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US Rocket Deployment in Germany
Due to plans to station US long-range rockets in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened a reaction during the grand naval parade in St. Petersburg. Russia will respond "symmetrically" if the plans are implemented 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, have long complained about Russian violations of the treaty. In a speech to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India, Putin says the US could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. "The flight time of such rockets, which could be armed with nuclear warheads in the future, to targets on our territory will be approximately ten minutes", says Putin.
11:14 Authorities: Russians seize over 500 houses in Luhansk for themselves
In the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic", Russian occupiers have illegally seized 514 houses from evacuated residents. This is reported by the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" and refers to 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, writes Lysohord and notes that a large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities will be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Kharkiv - Air Alarm declared in several regions of Ukraine
Suspilne.media, the Ukrainian broadcasting corporation, reports two explosions in Kharkiv in the morning. Shortly thereafter, the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Sinegubov, reports two rocket attacks by the Russians. The type of rockets is being determined. There is currently no information about casualties", he writes on his Telegram channel. Air alarm has been declared in some regions of Ukraine according to the news portal "RBC-Ukraine". This applies to Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, and Dnipro. A threat from rockets cannot be ruled out in these regions.
10:07 Governor reports 5 Dead and 15 Wounded through 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, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reported on 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. Furthermore, 15 people in the region were injured during the day, according to Filashkin. Since the beginning of the Russian aggression war in February 2022, the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" reports that in the Donetsk region, 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured. These figures do not include the victims in Mariupol and Volnovakha, it is stated.
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 - and criticizes the coalition's budget compromise at the same time. "The German government is currently not making reasonable fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick says in an interview with t-online. "Much more than that: The fiscal policy is and remains a security risk for Europe." A future special fund for the Bundeswehr must "be significantly larger than the current one with its size of 100 billion euros," the economist continues. "Just to close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are likely talking about a volume of 250 to 300 billion euros."
And even then, it is clear: "Even with all 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," says Schularick. In total, Germany would need expenditures of around 3 to 3.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia through "strength and determination," Schularick adds.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk as "lost cause" for Ukraine
The Ukrainian forces are currently under particular 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 "piece by piece" on the offensive and the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is a "lost cause" for Ukraine, says Thiele on n-tv(see also entry at 08:16). "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," says the military expert. Donetsk is on the negotiating table or on the "realistic path." That means either there will be a ceasefire negotiation on equal terms or there will be a surrender ceasefire, Thiele explains. In both cases, the region "is ultimately lost," Thiele adds.
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 daily update on Facebook. The update also mentioned the following losses on the Russian side: 8344 tanks, 16,095 armored combat vehicles, 15,936 artillery systems, 11,27 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2,405 missile systems. The Russian army reportedly lost 363 combat aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,766 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 28 warships/cutters, 1 submarine, 21,572 vehicles and tank trucks, and 2,671 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 gradual 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. Thiele fears that Ukraine will inevitably lose the region of Donetsk.
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. The fire was quickly brought under control, Telegram regional governor Alexei Smirnov wrote. There were no injuries reported.
07:44 TASS: Russians destroy a howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Cherson regionRussian paratrooper drones 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, TASS reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drone attack, the shrapnel reportedly penetrated the front line along the riverbank. At the same time, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field artillery ammunition depot. A direct hit reportedly destroyed the ammunition depot and disabled the howitzer.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory"Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Bidyovka views Ukraine's Olympic participation as a powerful symbol and an opportunity to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the Russian offensive war on Ukraine. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidyovka said at the opening of the Ukrainian house in Paris. It is important that Russia is represented at the Olympics by a small team of 15 neutral athletes. 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," Bidyovka said.
It is now the responsibility of the Olympic team to "bring the international community together in support of Ukraine and to speak to the people who normally don't listen to politicians." The participation is a "strong signal that Ukraine not only survives but also has the will to win."
06:58 Russia reports shooting down seven Ukrainian dronesThe Russian air defense shoots down seven Ukrainian drones according to their own statements. Five of them were over the Belgorod region and two over the Kursk region, the Russian Defense Ministry reports on Telegram.
06:36 Governor: Oil depot in Kursk 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 region's residents 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. A fire is said to have been caused in the village of Polyova's oil depot, reports the Shot channel on Telegram. Residents report "multiple strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Previously, they heard the characteristic sound of a drone flying over the area. After the explosions, witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky. In addition, there was an explosion in the city of Sudzha, a house in the Medva district was on fire, it is reported.
05:41 Linnemann questions welfare payments to Ukrainian refugeesCDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann questions the welfare payments to 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 comes with a counter-performance. That includes accepting a job."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to dutyIn 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 measures and returnees to the service. This is also recognized 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 ToretskThe Ukrainian forces, according to the Institute for War Studies (ISW), 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 childAccording 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 taking control of another village in Ukraine
According to Russian reports, Russia has taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The settlement Losuwatske, located in the Donezk region, has been "liberated," the Russian Defense Ministry announced in its daily report. The settlement is approximately 25 kilometers east of the city Pokrowsk, 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 industry
US 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". Spokesperson Matthew Miller made the statement. Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos shortly after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks with him in Guangzhou during his first China visit since the war began. "The Minister reaffirmed his serious concerns over China's support for the People's Republic of China'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.**
- Despite the ongoing "Action Plan for Peace" in Ukraine, Russian troops launched attacks on several locations in Eastern Ukraine, targeting the cities of Nikopol and Kharkiv.
- In response to Russian military deployments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy identified patience, international support, and diplomatic pressure on Russia as key factors for a just end to the Ukraine-Conflict.
- As part of a call for NATO membership, scientists from various countries published an open letter in the "Guardian," urging NATO to invite Ukraine to join the military alliance as a way to uphold international law and protect human rights.
- Russia's participation in the second Ukraine peace summit scheduled before the US presidential elections in November remains uncertain, as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has stated that Russia will not participate.
- The NATO Membership debate continues as Russian forces allegedly suffered significant losses in Luhansk, Ukraine, following a surprise rocket attack by Ukrainian troops on a Russian tank infantry battalion.
