21:23 US releases more military aid to Ukraine
18:52 Video Shows Ukrainian HIMARS Strike on Russian Column in Kursk
The Ukraine is using long-range weapons against the Russian army in its offensive in Kursk. A video shows multiple rocket impacts in the midst of a Russian column east of Rylsk last night. The Ukrainians appear to have used western rockets fired from the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) HIMARS. Videos from the day after the attack show several destroyed military vehicles. The "Kyiv Independent" reports 14 destroyed vehicles.
18:38 Iran to Supply Hundreds of Missiles to Russia
Iran is set to supply hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia, according to European intelligence sources. Dozens of Russian military personnel are already being trained in Iran to handle the ballistic short-range missile system Fath-360, two employees of European intelligence agencies told Reuters. While Russia has its own ballistic missiles, the delivery of Fath-360 could allow it to use a larger part of its arsenal for targets far from the frontline. Iranian warheads could then be used for targets with shorter ranges. A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council said the U.S. government and its NATO allies and G7 partners are prepared for a swift and tough response if Iran moves forward with such transfers. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment.
18:27 Schmid Defends Ukraine Aid After Kretschmer's Stance
The Saxon Minister President Michael Kretschmer's call for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine has been criticized by the SPD. The SPD's foreign policy spokesman, Nils Schmid, told the "Tagesspiegel" that Ukraine is defending itself against a "violations of international law" by Russia. Russia could end the war at any time by withdrawing from Ukraine, Schmid said. "For Ukraine, however, ending its self-defense would mean the loss of its territory and sovereignty, as well as the continued oppression of its population. Mr. Kretschmer knows this too," the SPD politician added. Kretschmer had previously called for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine and justified this in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) with the dispute over the federal budget for 2025.
19:56 Ukrainian Troops Attack Russian Positions on Dnipro PeninsulaThe Ukrainian military intelligence service reports a successful attack on Russian positions on the Kinburn Peninsula on the Russian-occupied Dnipro shore. According to Ukrainian reports, 30 Russian soldiers and six armored vehicles were destroyed. The Kinburn Peninsula is located at the mouth of the Dnipro, south of Kherson. A video released by the intelligence service shows troops landing by boat and attacks with kamikaze drones. The intelligence service's claims cannot be independently verified. Russia claims to have repelled the attacks, stating that some Ukrainians were stopped by mines and the rest by small arms fire.
19:43 New Sanctions Against BelarusFollowing the EU, the USA, Canada, and the UK have imposed further sanctions on individuals and companies in Belarus. The new US sanctions announced by the US Treasury Department in Washington target 19 individuals and 14 companies, as well as the aircraft of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Those affected are mainly companies in the aviation, logistics, and electronics sectors, as well as their leadership, who attempted to circumvent existing sanctions to acquire components for military equipment for Russia. Canada has sanctioned ten individuals and six companies, while the UK has sanctioned three individuals and three companies. Earlier this week, the EU also imposed new sanctions on Belarus, expanding the sanctions list that began four years ago following the disputed re-election of Lukashenko.
19:20 Ukraine Orders Special Rescue Stations from RheinmetallRheinmetall has received a further order from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for the delivery of two rescue stations. The defense company announced that the containerized rescue station for on-site operation is referred to as a "Forward Surgical Team (FST)". The five interconnected and expandable containers include a reception/triage area, an X-ray shelter, an operating room preparation area, an operating room shelter, and an intensive care unit. These can be deployed near the front line and are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
18:47 Ukraine Downs Another Russian Helicopter with DroneA first-person view (FPV) drone controlled by the Ukrainian security service (SBU) has struck another Russian military helicopter in the Kursk region, according to a report by "Kyiv Independent" citing a security source. The targeted aircraft was a Mi-8 transport helicopter. It is unclear whether the helicopter was destroyed or forced to crash by the impact. Just a few days ago, Ukraine shot down a Mi-28 helicopter with a drone.
18:22 Russian Oligarch Calls War 'Crazy'
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska has drawn heavy criticism in Russia for his surprisingly blunt condemnation of the war against Ukraine. In an interview with the Japanese newspaper "Nikkei Asia", Deripaska called for an "immediate, unconditional ceasefire". "If you want to end the war, you have to stop the shelling first," he said this week on the sidelines of an economic conference in Japan, where he was an official representative of Russia. He described the violent conflict as "crazy". Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, considered one of the main ideologists of this war, then sharply attacked the businessman. "This is a stab in the back of our forces and support for the terrorists of the Ukrainian army, which have invaded the Kursk region," Dugin explained via the Telegram messaging service.
17:54 Strack-Zimmermann Defends Ukrainian Attack on 'Enemy on Its Own Territory'
The chair of the defense committee in the European Parliament, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, defends the use of Western weapons on Russian territory by the Ukrainian army: "The Ukrainians are sticking to all the agreements that the donor countries have laid down for them," says the FDP politician to the Funke media group newspapers. Regardless of this, Ukraine has the right to self-defense. "This includes the right to attack the enemy on its own territory," emphasizes Strack-Zimmermann. She is glad that the EU fully supports Ukraine's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty and combat Russia's illegal aggression.
17:21 Expert: German-Supplied Tanks Involved in Attacks
British security and defense expert Michael Clarke explains that tanks produced in Germany or the USA are also being used in the Kursk region. "It looks like the Ukrainians have obviously decided to support the push. And within about 48 hours, they've done so with some quite large units," Clarke said on Sky News. Among them are tanks and armored vehicles provided by the USA and Germany. Whether vehicles from British production are also being used is unclear, according to Sky News.
16:55 CDU Foreign Policy Experts Rebuke Kretschmer
CDU foreign policy experts criticize Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer for his demand to cut military aid to Ukraine. "Germany has a great responsibility to stand by a country that it itself invaded in World War II," says Johann Wadephul, deputy chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, to "Der Spiegel". "We stand on the side of freedom, and we will fulfill our responsibility. That is the clear and unwavering position of the Union," the CDU politician emphasizes. Jürgen Hardt, spokesman on foreign affairs for the Union faction, confirms: "The CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag has a unanimous opinion on this. We fear that Putin will only be ready for negotiations on an equal footing if he sees that he could suffer a serious defeat in the war against Ukraine. For this, Kyiv needs to go on the offensive again in the defense of its state territory. 'For this, Ukraine still needs military equipment from the free world,' says Hardt.
16:28 Mexico Refuses Putin Arrest During VisitThe Mexican government has stated that it will not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of the new Mexican head of state. Ukraine had made a corresponding request. "We cannot do that," said Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador before journalists, adding that "it is not our task."
15:57 Gressel: Ukraine "likely to hold territory longer"According to Gustav Gressel, the attack on the Russian Kursk is not a "pinprick" like previous attacks behind the border. The military expert estimates that Ukrainian troops are binding Russian forces and gaining an advantage in potential negotiations over territories.
15:33 Death Toll Rises: Twelve Killed in Supermarket Rocket AttackAt least twelve people were killed and 44 injured in a Russian rocket attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostjantyniwka, according to official reports. "A strike by Russian terrorists on an ordinary supermarket and a post office. People are under the rubble," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. Rescue operations are ongoing. The head of state expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. According to the interior ministry, a fire broke out on an area of about 1,000 square meters. Kostjantyniwka is only about 10 kilometers from the front line between Ukrainian and Russian troops. (see entry at 12:34)
15:10 Faber: Kretschmer's Behavior "disgusts me"Saxon Minister President Michael Kretschmer's proposal to reduce military aid to Ukraine has drawn criticism from the Bundestag. "It disgusts me how a Minister President is using the survival struggle of Ukrainian women and men for his regional election campaign," said Markus Faber, chairman of the Defense Committee. German weapons deliveries would help Ukraine defend itself, not out of a desire for war, "but because they don't want to live in a big Bucha where the Russian army is randomly killing, torturing, and raping," Faber added.
14:41 ISW: Ukraine 'operationally surprised' Russia in KurskThe lack of a coherent Russian response to Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region and the reported pace of Ukraine's advance suggest that Ukrainian forces have achieved an operational surprise along the border with Russia, according to the latest report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In the past one and a half years of the Ukraine war, it has been difficult for both sides to surprise the opponent due to the partly confusing battlefield in Ukraine. Analysts say the Kremlin will try to retake the Russian territory in the Kursk region captured by Ukrainian forces. Another advance by Ukraine into Russia would be a strategic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decades-long efforts to establish stability and security in Russia and Russia's geopolitical revival.
14:14 Kretschmer suggests cuts to Ukraine arms aidSaxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer, in light of the budget dispute at the federal level, is proposing cuts to arms aid to Ukraine. "We can no longer keep taking funds for weapons to Ukraine, only to have them used up and achieve nothing," Kretschmer told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. "Everything must be in proportion. Support, yes, but we're seeing that we're reaching our limits." Kretschmer points to the growth of the budget in recent years. "Before the COVID-19 crisis in 2019, we had a budget volume of 344 billion. Now we're at 480 billion, and yet the traffic light coalition can't agree on the budget," the CDU politician criticized. "That shows that everything is out of control. Citizens' money around 50 billion, migration dozens of billions, arms aid tens of billions. That's not going to work."
13:52 Ukraine: Police orders evacuation of around 20,000 people in border region SumyUkrainian authorities have issued an evacuation order for around 20,000 people in the eastern region of Sumy, bordering Russia. The order affects 28 locations under "enemy fire," the police explained on the Telegram messaging service. Local security forces are already in place to assist with the operation. The Sumy region borders the Russian region of Kursk, into which Ukrainian military forces entered on Tuesday.
13:22 Russia reinforces troops in contested border region KurskAfter Ukrainian troops advanced into the southern Russian border region of Kursk, the Defense Ministry in Moscow is sending units to reinforce its forces. Columns of Grad multiple rocket launchers, artillery, and tanks are being deployed to the region, the Interfax news agency reported, citing the ministry. According to local authorities, fighting with the infiltrated Ukrainian troops continues. "Fighting is still ongoing some dozen kilometers away from the city of Kursk and the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant," a local official said on the Telegram messaging service.
12:34 Zelensky: Four Dead After Russian Strike on Supermarket in KostiantynivkaAt least four people were killed and 24 injured in a Russian artillery strike on the city of Kostiantynivka in the contested Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the X platform. The rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. The Ukrainian governor of Donetsk, Vadym Fillaschin, reported that the city came under Russian artillery fire. Images shared by the governor on Telegram show thick black smoke rising from the destroyed building. Radio NV published images of the burning supermarket and the surrounding destruction. The exact consequences of the attack are still unclear. "The attack on the supermarket in Kostiantynivka is another case of Russian terror. War against civilians is all they can do," said the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, on Telegram. Kostiantynivka is regularly targeted by Russian forces. In a Russian attack on a local market in Kostiantynivka in September 2023, 17 people were killed and over 30 others injured.
11:53 Russian Emergency Ministry Declares Emergency in KurskThe Russian Emergency Ministry has declared a federal emergency in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine. According to the government in Moscow, Russian forces are continuing to repel the advance of Ukrainian units in Kursk. The state news agency RIA reported this, citing the Defense Ministry. Around a thousand Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly infiltrated there on Tuesday, according to Russian reports.
11:32 Video Shows Burnt Russian Military Trucks in KurskA video published on social media and verified by Reuters shows a convoy of burnt Russian military trucks in the Russian region of Kursk. The vehicles are lined up along a highway. The video shows around 15 trucks, including one with the marking Z, which is the symbol used in Russia for the "special military operation" against Ukraine. Reuters was able to verify the location in the footage as the village of Oktyabr'skoe based on buildings, trees, and road layouts. However, it was not possible to determine exactly when the video was taken.
10:55 Media: Chain Reaction in Russian Lipetsk Destroys 700 BombsA drone strike on a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk has caused a chain reaction, destroying over 700 bombs, according to a source from the Ukrainian intelligence agency "The Kyiv Independent". Earlier, Russian authorities had reported that a fire had broken out at a military airbase in the region and a power plant had been damaged in a drone strike. The source told "The Kyiv Independent" that fighter jets and helicopters were stored at the airbase. It is not known how many of them were damaged or destroyed in the attack.
10:35 Kyiv Claims Attack on Military Airbase in LipetskThe Ukrainian military reports that it targeted a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk overnight. The strike damaged storage facilities containing guided bombs, causing a large fire and several explosions, according to a Telegram message from the Ukrainian military. The airbase hosts Russian combat aircraft including Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31 models. Lipetsk is located east of the border region of Kursk, deeper into Russia's interior.
10:08 Munz: "Russians Unable to Counterattack"Since Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been defending its territory. However, for the past three days, Ukrainian troops have also been attacking in the Russian border region of Kursk. ntv-Moscow correspondent Rainer Munz explains why this surprise offensive presents several challenges for the Russian military leadership.
09:44 Human Rights Activist: Russia Regressing to Stalinist TimesOleg Orlov, a human rights activist released in a prisoner exchange from Russian detention, criticizes the extent of repression in today's Russia in an interview with news agency AP. Orlov says that under Russian President Vladimir Putin, people are imprisoned for criticizing authorities, something not seen since the time of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. "We're sliding back into Stalinist times," says the co-chair of Memorial, one of Russia's oldest and most renowned human rights organizations, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Orlov was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in February for criticizing Russia's war in Ukraine in an article. His release in the prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus, and several Western countries surprised him completely.
09:00 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian LossesThe Ukrainian General Staff publishes new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the report, Russia has lost approximately 588,540 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, including 1,030 in the past 24 hours. The report also claims that three tanks, 49 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed. Since the start of the large-scale invasion, Ukraine claims Russia has lost a total of 8,434 tanks, 16,536 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine. Western estimates suggest lower casualty figures, though these are likely minimums.
08:19 Media: Mass Fires in Rylsk, Kursk RegionExplosions and mass fires were reported overnight in the city of Rylsk in the Russian region of Kursk, according to "The Kyiv Independent," citing reports on Russian-language Telegram channels. Residents in the village of Stepanovka reported hearing four explosions. The cause of the explosions is unknown. The city of Rylsk is approximately 35 kilometers from the Russian-Ukraine border.
07:37 Russia: State of Emergency After Drone Attack on Military AirbaseMassive explosions have occurred following a Ukrainian drone attack on a military airbase near Lipetsk. Governor Igor Artamonov announced on Telegram that a state of emergency has been declared in the city of Lipetsk to manage the aftermath of the explosions. Four villages around the military airport have been evacuated. Public transport in Lipetsk and surrounding areas has been halted. Six people have been injured as a result of the attacks.
06:52 Media: Explosion After Ukrainian Attack on CrimeaAn explosion has reportedly occurred on the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, according to "Ukrainska Pravda" citing Telegram reports. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian governor of the city of Sevastopol, wrote on Telegram that the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and air defense have repelled an attack by Ukrainian forces on Sevastopol, destroying three drones. Additionally, the Russian air defense is said to have shot down a Ukrainian Neptune sea-launched cruise missile over the sea near Sevastopol. The Telegram channel "Crimeawind" reports on shots and a heavy explosion in Chornomorskyi, as well as the work of the Russian air defense in the area of the Belbek airport. A black smoke column was reportedly rising over the airport, and there was a strong smell of fire in the coastal area of the city, according to the Telegram channel "Crimeawind" citing subscribers. No information on possible casualties has been reported yet.
06:05 Media: Fire at Military Airbase in Russian Region of LipetskA fire has broken out at a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk, according to Russian news agencies Ria Novosti and Tass. The cause of the fire has not been immediately reported. Shortly before, the local governor announced evacuations due to a "massive" drone attack near the city of Lipetsk, which caused explosions and power outages, according to Igor Artamonov on Telegram. A state of emergency has been declared in the Lipetsk district, and four villages are being evacuated. Some of the villages mentioned are located near an air force base outside the city. No casualties have been reported, according to his report. Ukrainian authorities had not reported any attacks on the region. Lipetsk is located approximately 300 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border.
05:02 Putin Allegedly Unaware of Ukrainian Troop BuildupValery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, may have ignored intelligence warnings that Ukrainian forces were gathering near the border with the Kursk Oblast, Bloomberg reports citing a source close to the Kremlin. Ukrainian forces crossed the border into the Kursk Oblast on August 6, bringing the fighting onto Russian territory. According to the report, Ukrainian forces began gathering near the border with the Kursk region two weeks before the start of their offensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not informed of the troop buildup.
03:21 Due to US Missiles: Half of Germans Fear Escalation of Conflict with RussiaThe German and US governments have agreed that the US will station long-range weapons systems like Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. Half of Germans expect further escalation of the conflict with Russia due to the stationing of these weapons. A Civey poll for the Funke media group found that 50 percent of respondents agreed with this statement, while 38 percent did not, and 12 percent were undecided. Forty-four percent view the stationing positively, while 42 percent view it negatively, with 14 percent undecided.
01:14 Minister-President Kretschmer Calls for Reduction in Weapons Aid to UkraineSaxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer is calling for a reduction in weapons aid to Ukraine, given the federal budget. "We can no longer keep providing funds for weapons to Ukraine that are being used up and achieving nothing. Everything must be in proportion," Kretschmer told the German Press Agency. "We should support Ukraine, but we're reaching our limits." He points to the increase in the budget over the years. "Before the COVID-19 crisis in 2019, our budget was 344 billion euros. Now it's 480 billion, and yet the coalition can't agree on the budget. That shows everything is out of control."
23:35 Kiesewetter: Ukrainian Offensive is Legally and Strategically JustifiedCDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter sees the latest Ukrainian military offensive on Russian territory as legally and strategically justified. The surprise move by Ukraine is "clearly legal under international law, in line with the right to self-defense," and "militarily strategic," Kiesewetter told the Tagesspiegel. The Ukrainian troops' advance in the Kursk region aims to tie down Russian forces and inflict significant losses, thereby relieving pressure on other fronts.
22:30 Pentagon: Ukrainian Offensive in Kursk Region in Line with US PolicyThe Ukrainian incursion into the Russian region of Kursk is "in line with our policy," said Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, according to the Kyiv Independent. When asked if Ukraine can use weapons supplied by the US, Singh replied that the US has "supported Ukraine from the start in defending against attacks coming from the border." The Kursk region borders the Ukrainian region of Sumy, which has been under daily Russian attacks since its liberation in April 2022. Ukraine is taking measures "to protect itself from attacks" and is operating "within the framework of US policy, using our weapons, our systems, and our capabilities," Singh said.
22:09 BSW MEP De Masi calls for "as soon as possible ceasefire and negotiations"
Following the Ukrainian troops' advance into Kursk, BSW MEP Fabio De Masi calls for "as soon as possible a ceasefire and negotiations". The Ukraine has "major difficulties defending its own territory", De Masi told the "Tagesspiegel". Advances "deep into Russian territory" only make sense "if the goal of Ukraine is a stronger escalation dynamic". The risks are immense, says the Euro politician. "Consider, for example, the Russian nuclear power plant in the region. Russia is a nuclear power and has the escalation dominance".
21:50 Authorities in Kursk region report at least five civilian deaths
According to Moscow, Russian troops have been fighting a Ukrainian incursion for the third day in a row. The Russian military and border guards are preventing Ukrainian units from advancing further into Kursk, the Russian Defense Ministry said. At the same time, the Russian army is attacking Ukrainian forces trying to retreat from the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. According to the Russian Health Ministry, 66 civilians have been injured since the start of the Ukrainian advance, including nine children. Authorities in the Kursk region report at least five civilian deaths, including two paramedics. Ukraine has not yet commented on the advance.
21:30 EU Foreign Minister Borrell: Lukashenko regime involved in illegal deportation of Ukrainian children
The Belarusian regime is complicit in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Brussels. Besides political, military, and logistical support, Belarus has contributed to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. Since 2021, the regime has also orchestrated migration pressure on the EU's external borders, according to a statement from the European External Action Service.
You can read all previous developments here.
The Ukrainian conflict continues to escalate with the Ukraine using long-range weapons against the Russian army in its offensive in Kursk. In response, Iran is reportedly set to supply hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia, according to European intelligence sources.
