20:46 Report: Wagner-close Propagandist killed in fights in Mali
In fighting in Mali with fighters of the separatist Tuareg people in the north, several dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries have reportedly been killed. A well-known Russian propagandist, who is close to the Wagner mercenary group, is also said to be among the dead, according to independent Russian news channels "The Insider" and "Mediazona". A photo reportedly showing his body is circulating on the internet.
20:27 Zelenskyy: Ukraine to present "Peace Plan" by end of NovemberThe Ukraine will present a "Peace Plan for Peace" by the end of November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Japanese broadcaster NHK. Ukraine organized the first global peace conference in Switzerland in June, where 91 countries and eight international organizations signed a communiqué. The Ukrainian leader said Ukraine would begin "detailed talks with relevant countries" on territorial integrity and other issues. Ukraine plans to organize a second peace conference before the US presidential elections in November with Russia's participation. No official invitation has been sent yet. The Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin said Russia would not participate.
20:12 Russian attack on Nikopol - two children injuredRussian troops have attacked the city of Nikopol in southern Ukraine. There are several injured, including two children - a girl aged one and a ten-year-old boy. The head of the regional military administration in Dnipropetrovsk, Serhij Lyssak, wrote on Telegram, as reported by the state news agency Ukrinform.
19:37 Russian troops launch offensive in eastern UkraineThe Russian air force is bombing the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv heavily. According to a statement from the General Staff in Kiev, the small town of Wowtschansk was hit by at least six glide bombs. In addition, Russian combat aircraft attacked Ukrainian positions. No information was given on casualties. Another focus of Russian attacks was reportedly Pokrovsk. During the day, 16 attacks were repelled, and more were ongoing. The information cannot be verified independently at this time. Several Russian attacks with artillery and combat drones were also reported 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 warPatience, support for Ukraine, and diplomatic pressure on Russia - these are the three factors for a just end to the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Japanese broadcaster NHK. "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," the Ukrainian president said. Zelenskyy also emphasized that he could not react to demands for a ceasefire as long as Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory.
18:38 NATO Membership: Scientists Call for Invitation of Ukraine to Military AllianceScientists from various countries have called on NATO in an open letter to invite Ukraine to become a member. 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 policies and back to the rule of international law and the protection of human rights. The previous attempts to appease Moscow's alleged "NATO expansion anxiety" have ignored Russian propaganda and systematic war crimes 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 view, not create further incentives for the Kremlin, "as Russia is determined to destroy 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 reportedly attacked during a gathering on a training ground with ATACMS rockets, according to Ukrainian media, 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 - Renowned Commander CapturedRussian Wagner mercenaries in Mali have reportedly suffered one of their heaviest losses in West Africa, with dozens of killed and captured fighters. 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 at 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 more than 80 killed and 15 captured fighters on their side. Among them was 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 shellingRussian forces have attacked the Oblast of Cherson and hit a university building. A fire broke out in the educational institution, as reported by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the Cherson region, according to a report by "Ukrainska Pravda". "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 northern and northeastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reports this on Facebook, as reported by the state news agency Ukrinform.
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 yesterday. As reported by the state news agency Ukrinform, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrowsk, Torezk and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kiev: Over 1100 Russian soldiers eliminated in one dayThe personnel losses on the Russian side, according to official figures from Kiev, remain high: 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or were unable to continue fighting in the war in one day. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, a total of 574,690 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated" since the start of the war in February 2022. The Defense Ministry announced in its daily reports on losses 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 Zelensky: Russia has launched over 700 guided bombs and over 100 drones of the Shahed type on Ukraine in one weekRussian forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, launched over 700 guided bombs and more than 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine in the past week. As reported by Zelensky on Telegram, quoting regional authorities, 11 people were killed and 41 were injured in Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions yesterday. The Ukrainians "are suffering daily under Russian terror and deserve a fair and reliable protection from it." Zelensky called on allies to equip Kiev 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 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 possesses 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, 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. Official sources refused to disclose how many F-16 Combat Aircraft will be provided to Ukraine 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 collaborated in the nighttime attack on the Polyova oil depot. Before that, local authorities in Kursk reported a drone attack that caused fires at multiple locations. According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, firefighters were still working to extinguish three fuel tanks in the morning. (See entries at 08:00 and 06:36.)
13:20 Agencies: Eight injured by Russian shelling of Nikopol buildingsEight people, including children, were injured by Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Nikopol in the Dnipro region. This was reported by 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 says. 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 reported, 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 aggression in Ukraine, the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" reported, citing the Office of the Prosecutor General. The majority 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 Budget
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his course on military spending in the Bundeswehr budget debate. "We have achieved the two-percent NATO target for the first time in many, many years," says the FDP chief in an interview with ARD-"Hauptstadtstudio". We spend more than France and Italy. In the coming years, at least two percent of the economic output will still be made available for security. "It's not that everything the Defense Minister says is automatically justified and correct," Lindner emphasizes. It's about tax money and the efficiency of funding distribution. "Mr. Pistorius has a 100-billion-euro special program for the strengthening of the armed forces, which no one of his predecessors had. That's how we can work, and that's how we have to economize," says Lindner.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US Rocket Installations in Germany
Due to plans for the stationing of US long-range rockets in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened a reaction at the large 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, on the other hand, 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 in the future could be armed with atomic warheads, 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," the 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. 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 reports 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. There is no exclusion of a threat from rockets 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 more people in the region were injured throughout the day, writes Filashkin. Since the beginning of the Russian aggression war in February 2022, according to 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 allocate significantly more money 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 said 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 added. "Just to close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are probably 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 with "strength and resolve," according to Schularick.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk as "lost cause" for Ukraine
The Ukrainian armed forces are currently under significant pressure from Russian attacks in the Donetsk region. Military expert Ralf Thiele sees no way for Ukraine to hold onto the Donetsk region in the future. The Russians are "making progress inch by inch" and the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is a "lost cause" for Ukraine, says Thiele on ntv(see also entry at 08:16). "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," says the military expert. Donetsk is either on the negotiation track or on the "real track." This means either there will be a ceasefire negotiation at eye level or a surrender ceasefire. These are the alternatives, Thiele sees. But in both cases, the region "is eventually lost."
08:52 Ukraine reports 1180 Russian casualties in the past 24 hoursRussia allegedly lost approximately 574,690 soldiers in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024. Among them were 1180 fatalities or injuries reported in the previous 24 hours. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced this in their daily update on Facebook. Additionally, Russian losses included: 8344 tanks, 16,095 armored combat vehicles, 15,936 artillery systems, 11,27 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2405 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 2671 pieces of specialized 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 attempting 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 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 munitions depot in the Cherson regionRussian paratrooper drones allegedly destroyed a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian munitions 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 munitions depot. Through a direct hit, the howitzer was reportedly disabled, and the munitions depot was destroyed.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory"Sport Minister Vadym Bidny considers Ukraine's Olympic participation a powerful symbol and an opportunity to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the Russian offensive war on Ukraine. "It's 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 very important 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 "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 survived 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 were 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, the governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, reports on Telegram and the channel Baza. The air defense forces are "on alert," writes the Russian official and urges the residents of the region to "vigilance." In the region, at least two fires have broken out, 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 "multiple strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Previously, they had heard the characteristic noise 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 civilian aid for Ukrainian refugeesCDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann raises questions about the payment of civilian aid 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 is linked to a counter-performance. That includes taking a job."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to dutyAccording to the Ukrainian deputy defense minister Natalia Kalmykova, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation in Ukraine is very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation measures and returnees to the service. This is also confirmed by our western partners," she says, according to the news agency Interfax. Kalmykova speaks of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainian forces recapture positionsAccording to the Institute for War Studies (ISW), Ukrainian forces have reportedly recaptured 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 dead after Russian shelling - including a childAccording to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in different 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 Hlukhiv. 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, was "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. The settlement is approximately 25 kilometers east of the city Pokrowsk, in the area where the Russian army has made significant progress in recent months. Ukraine denies 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 China visit since the war began. "The minister reaffirmed his serious concern over China's support for Russia's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if China did not address this threat to European security," Miller said.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- The death of a Russian propagandist, close to the Wagner mercenary group, was reported during the military engagements in Mali, with several dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries also reportedly killed.
- President Zelenskyy mentioned patience, support for Ukraine, and diplomatic pressure on Russia as the three factors for a "just end" to the Ukraine-Conflict in an interview with the Japanese broadcaster NHK.
- Russia launched an offensive in eastern Ukraine, with the air force bombing the Kharkiv region heavily, resulting in at least six glide bombs hitting the small town of Wowtschansk, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
- Scientists from various countries have called on NATO to invite Ukraine to become a member, arguing that it would be a final step away from appeasement policies and back to the rule of international law and the protection of human rights.
- Russian troops reportedly suffered heavy losses in Luhansk, Eastern Ukraine, with a rocket attack reportedly resulting in the deaths of at least 19 Russian soldiers and injuries to 71 others, according to Ukrainian media and Russian social media sources.
