21:00 Lawrow holds USA accountable for escalation of violence
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the USA of being directly involved in the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestinian territories during a UN Security Council session in New York. "By giving diplomatic protection to Israel and supplying weapons and ammunition, Washington has become a party to the conflict, just as in Ukraine," Lavrov reportedly said to Russian agencies. He further stated that the violence in both cases would end as soon as the USA ceased their support. The unprecedented wave of violence in the Middle East is a result of US policy in the region, claimed the Russian top diplomat, whose government itself initiated the attack on Ukraine.
20:08 Over 4 million Ukrainians register for military service
From May 18 to July 16, 2024, 4,690,496 men in the military age in Ukraine registered for military service. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry shared this information in a Facebook post. To expedite the mobilization process, Ukraine tightened the enlistment rules in April. Men in the military age were required to update their military documents at public centers, enlistment offices, or the "Reserv+“ app. Failure to comply was punishable. Among the over four million conscripts, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that three million would become reservists.
19:22 Putin warns against cryptocurrency mining draining power in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against the excessive power consumption of cryptocurrency mining in his country. Currently, "almost 1.5 percent of the total power consumption" is being used for crypto mining, Putin stated during a televised meeting with government officials. This number "is growing," the president cautioned. Russia is one of the major countries for mining new cryptocurrencies. Miners validate transactions and receive new cryptocurrency in return, often operating in large halls filled with computers. The Kremlin, however, is skeptical of the unregulated industry. Putin warned that the uncontrolled growth of power consumption for crypto mining "could lead to power outages in certain regions." According to reports, three Siberian regions have already experienced power shortages due to intensive crypto mining. Siberia has long been a hub for crypto mining due to its cheap power and cold weather.
18:53 EU grants Ukraine 4.2 billion Euros
Ukraine is expected to receive the first regular payment from the EU's new billion-dollar aid program soon. The country has met the conditions for this disbursement, the EU commission responsible for the evaluation announced. Nearly 4.2 billion Euros could be released, according to their assessment. The conditions for the first payment reportedly included the Ukrainian government passing new laws to more effectively combat tax evasion and economic crime. Additionally, fundamental principles for the management of state-owned enterprises had to be adjusted, and a national energy and climate plan had to be adopted.
18:17 Russia dismantles Holodomor memorials in LuhanskIn the occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, controlled by Russia, memorials for the victims of Stalin's repressions and the Holodomor have been dismantled. This is reported by Radio Free Europe (RFE). RFE refers to videos that will be spread on Telegram. The Holodomor, also known as the Ukrainian Famine, was a famine caused by Stalin in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, which claimed millions of lives.
17:49 Power outages in the hot southern RussiaDue to extreme heat and the failure of an atomic reactor, power consumption must be reduced in many regions of southern Russia. Planned power outages affect consumers in the Rostov region, as Governor Vasili Golubev writes on his Telegram channel. In Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean Peninsula, the local power supplier announces power cuts of twelve hours a day - two hours with electricity, then two hours without.
17:05 Russia ships first grain from new Baltic Sea terminal to CubaRussia has reportedly shipped the first grain from a new terminal in its Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga. The agricultural supervisory authority announced this to the news agency Reuters. Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, and over 90% of its exports go through ports in the Black Sea. Russia has recently tried to use various export routes. From the Lugaport, the first 12,000 tons of grain were shipped in June. According to data from the information provider LSEG, the destination was Cuba. The port of Ust-Luga made headlines in January when an oil terminal caught fire. Ukrainian media reported that the cause was a drone attack by the Ukrainian intelligence services.
16:29 Ukraine arrests "Russian informant" in KharkivThe Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has reportedly arrested a "Russian informant" in the Kharkiv region. The SBU announced this in a statement. The woman is said to have shared information in a Telegram channel of the Russian intelligence services. The SBU reports that the woman was in the eastern outskirts of Kharkiv and recorded the locations of Ukrainian military checkpoints and other military "fortifications" clandestinely.
15:44 NATO sends top British officials to KievNATO is strengthening its civilian representation in Ukraine and sending a high-ranking alliance representative to Kiev. The former deputy secretary-general, Patrick Turner, will lead the NATO representation in the Ukrainian capital from September and serve as the central contact person for local authorities. The Briton will also help coordinate military support for Ukraine and provide Allied information and assessments of the situation in the country. This was announced by NATO.
15:03 Russia: Ukrainian drone kills two civilians in BelgorodTwo civilians were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to local authorities. The victims were a young couple who were traveling in a civilian vehicle outside the city of Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.
14:36 Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war
According to Russian reports, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war. Each side handed over approximately 95 soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed this on the platform X. The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange. The returning Russian soldiers will first undergo medical checks in Moscow.
13:55 Sharma: Ukraine must give up symbolic village
The Ukraine is taking a series of setbacks at the front, as reported by NTV reporter Kavita Sharma in Kiev. After the Russian rocket attack on a children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital, the military reported retreats in the regions of Dnipro and Donetsk.
13:24 Kremlin denies doubts about offensive success
The Kremlin has dismissed speculation about the failure of the Russian offensive in the northeastern Ukraine. "The operation is continuing and will continue until it is successfully completed," Kreml spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. Yesterday, the governor of Belgorod announced access restrictions to 14 villages on the Russian side near the border. This is to protect the population from Ukrainian attacks. In response to a question about whether the access restrictions meant that the offensive in the northeast had failed, Peskov said: "No, that's not the case."
12:48 Study: Social benefits have little effect on employment of Ukrainian refugees
Social benefits such as welfare have little effect on the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees. However, factors such as social networks in the respective countries, the level of English language skills of the population, and childcare are significant. This is evident from a Europe-wide study by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB). In Germany, the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees is 27%, which is in the middle range. The highest rate is in Lithuania with 57%, Denmark with 53%, and Poland with 48%.
11:53 Protection against rockets: Charkiw pupils to learn under ground
Children in the city of Charkiw in the northeastern Ukraine, which has been under almost daily Russian shelling since the start of the war, will reportedly be taught more frequently in underground schools in the future, according to city administration announcements. An underground school project has already been implemented. The construction of three more similar facilities has begun. The children will be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine to receive 32 outdated F-16s from Greece
Greece plans to retire 32 outdated F-16 fighter jets and hand them over to the USA. After modernization, they are to be delivered to Ukraine, reports the portal "New Voice of Ukraine," citing a report from the Arabic broadcaster Al Jazeera. Kiev already has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, but needs at least 150 fighter jets, according to its own statements, to launch rockets and interceptor missiles against Russia and defend against wide-ranging air raids. There have been devastating bombing raids, the latest on a children's hospital in Kiev with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 front clashes since yesterdayThe General Staff of the Ukrainian Army reported 112 clashes at the front in the past 24 hours. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian unit positions and inhabited areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air bombs. In addition, Russia conducted more than 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers, according to the update.
09:54 Russia and China start joint drillsRussia and China have begun a naval exercise in the South China Sea. The exercise is expected to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. During the drills, they plan to practice air and submarine defense. Sharp ammunition is also expected to be used. Just a few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced a strengthening of their partnership and described it as "boundless."
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing UkrainiansApproximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians, according to the Interior Ministry. The number was previously higher at around 51,000, the ministry said. Of the approximately 4,000 soldiers reported missing in action, some have been found and identified. Three thousand missing persons were found alive, many of whom were prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is reportedly difficult because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from soldiers it sends into the field.
08:15 Hungary lobbies for Russia's participation in second Ukraine peace conferenceHungary is lobbying for Russia's participation in the planned second Ukraine peace conference. There are efforts to hold another peace conference this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. "I believe that if we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented." Hungary currently holds the EU presidency. The first peace conference took place in June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia declared its disinterest in the conference and was therefore not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine plan prisoner exchange todayRussia and Ukraine plan to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was reported by the news agency Bloomberg, citing a source. Ukrainian media reported last week that the parliament's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinez, had announced that the government was planning a large prisoner exchange with Russia with the help of the United Arab Emirates. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners several times.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the frontUkrainian startups are developing affordable robots for mine clearance, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment, and combat supplies. This was reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. An "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. The Ukraine hopes that this robot army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 State and Government Heads of 47 Countries Discuss Ukraine
At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the State and Government Heads of 47 Countries will speak about Ukraine tomorrow. The 27 EU Member States plus 19 Third States will discuss amongst other things further aid for Ukraine in the defense war against Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables for security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.
04:37 Japan Grants Ukraine a Loan from Frozen Russian Assets
Japan is reportedly granting Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion Dollars from the interest on frozen Russian assets according to Kyodo News, citing informed sources. The sum is part of the 50-billion-Dollar package of the G7 countries. The USA and the European Union (EU) are each supposed to contribute 20 billion Dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada are contributing a total of 10 billion Dollars. The package is expected to be approved at a G7 meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 Federal Government Grants Kiev Ten Million Euros for the Reconstruction of a Children's Clinic
After the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is granting the Ukrainian government ten million Euros for the reconstruction. The funds will be used together with funds from other donors and sponsors to quickly make the hospital operational and winter-proof again, reports the "Rheinische Post" according to ministry statements. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, in treatment rooms, and the power and heating supply.
02:10 Medvedev Warns NATO of a "Point of No Return"
Following the NATO summit's promise to offer Ukraine membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed his threats against the Alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he described a possible Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "This would essentially be a declaration of war - if only with a delay. The measures that our adversaries have been taking against us for years by expanding the Alliance, ... bring NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO, but will react to attempts by the Alliance to advance its interests. "The harder their attempts, the harsher our responses will be", Medvedev says. "Whether this tears the whole planet apart depends only on the sanity of the (NATO) side."
01:00 Ukrainian Soldiers Use "Expired" Ammunition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military according to its own statements, which should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014. The ammunition is already being used on the battlefield. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade on the battlefield is life-saving", so the deputy defense minister Yuri Dshyhar. Everything that can be repaired and reused will be given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give positions in the southeast
According to unofficial reports, Ukrainian troops have had to give up positions in the southeastern part of the country, at Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region, under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions due to the extensive damage," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the outset due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still present on the southern bank of the Dnipro River.
More about this here.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (approximately €93 million) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and will continue to support the Ukrainian government in Kiev, helping displaced or otherwise affected Ukrainians, Grandi said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The agency also plans to mobilize future funds to support the attacked land. Zelenskyy thanked for the help, which is urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure from Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs help to rebuild destroyed houses and set up bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This gives displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Donetsk oblast. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. In a video spread by the Ukrainian military, several alleged ATACMS rocket hits with cluster munitions can be seen. According to Syrskyi, several launchers and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be on the verge of resignation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament was instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week, the newspaper reported. Zelenskyy himself also spoke about the possibility of changes in the government on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Yes, probably," so the Ukrainian president. We are in a process.
20:02 The Baltic States disconnect from the Russian power grid
According to their own statements, the Baltic States have informed Russia and its ally Belarus of their exit from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia," explains the CEO of the Lithuanian state grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. This step is supposed to take place in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries will connect to the European power grid. "In half a year, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grids, but also dismantle the last power lines," Masiulis explains.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "Alleingang"
Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most member states called on Hungary to prioritize Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "Alleingang" (going it alone). "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine," Lindner said in the public debate. Ukraine's EU presidency must also remain a "top priority" until the end of the year. Hungary's EU minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities, from the fight against illegal migration to competitiveness, but did not mention Ukraine.
You can read about all previous developments here.**
- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has tightened enlistment rules, requiring men in the military age to update their military documents or face penalties, as over 4 million men register for military service in anticipation of potential military operations.
- While speaking at a UN Security Council session, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that the violence in Ukraine, like in Palestinian territories, would end once the USA ceased its support, accusing the USA of being directly involved in both conflicts.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has criticized Russia's dismantling of Holodomor memorials in the occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, which commemorates the victims of Stalin's repressions and the Holodomor.
- Citing reports, it was announced that Russia and Ukraine would exchange prisoners of war, each side handing over approximately 95 soldiers, which was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates as a mediator.
- The NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, highlighted cyberwar as a significant aspect of the Ukraine-Conflict, stating that NATO was supporting Ukraine in its cyberdefense efforts and that the Alliance would continue to monitor and counter Russian cyberthreats.
