21:33 Kiev reports rocket fire from the north
Alarm sounded in Kiev and northern oblasts. The cause is rockets from a northern direction, but the Ukrainian armed forces prevented their impact according to the Ukrainian military. Falling rocket parts hit a 14-story residential building and caused a fire, Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko announced. At least two residents were injured, ten were rescued.
20:42 Kiev: More than 14,000 civilians in Russian captivityTen freed civilians will be received in Kiev. More than 14,000 civilians are still being held in Russian captivity, says Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. Three categories of Ukrainians are being held by the Russians: children, prisoners of war, and civilians. The return of civilians is Lubinets' assessment complicated. Ukraine has no ability to facilitate exchanges, and there is no legal procedure. Kiev continues to work on the return of 20,000 children and tens of thousands of Ukrainians who are listed as missing. In the cases of children, the Vatican might be able to help.
20:01 Zelenskyy: Indirect negotiations with Moscow possibleUkraine plans no direct negotiations with Russia, but could use the model of a trilateral agreement similar to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. In 2022, the agreement was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. It played a decisive role in containing a global increase in food prices, partly caused by the invasion's beginning. Ukraine signed the agreement with Turkey, while the United Nations signed it, and Russia signed its own corresponding agreement with the same intermediaries.
19:21 Russian guided bomb hits post office in KharkivA Russian guided bomb explodes at a post office in Kharkiv, killing a civilian. Nine others were injured, including an 8-month-old child. This was reported by the governor of the Kharkiv region. Rescue workers are looking for additional possible victims. Eight vehicles parked near the depot were destroyed. The building belongs to Nova Poshta, the largest private postal service in Ukraine. "All shift workers were in the bomb shelter and were not injured," the company stated. Previously, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had announced that Russia had used over 800 guided air-dropped bombs against Ukraine in the past week.
18:43 Moscow: Two villages in Donetsk capturedRussia captures two more villages in eastern Ukraine. This concerns the settlements of Spirne and Nowoolexandriwka in the Donetsk region, according to the Russian news agency RIA, citing the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow.
18:20 Ukraine: Russian combat aircraft, Cruise missiles and hundreds of drones destroyedThe Ukrainian commander of ground troops, Oleksandr Pavliuk, has published a balance of air defense in June. Accordingly, they registered the shooting down of a Russian Su-25 combat aircraft, as well as three Cruise missiles. In addition, they shot down a total of 296 drones in the past month. "Under certain circumstances of intense hostilities," Pavliuk wrote, "the Ukrainians would have taken a significant number of tactical drones from the sky."
17:27 Zelenskyy: Trump's possible peace plan in 24 hours "a bad idea"Donald Trump, the Republican Party's designated presidential candidate in the US, has repeatedly stated that he would end the Ukraine war "in 24 hours" if he wins the November election. Now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he doesn't know how to end the conflict in 24 hours, but if the plan involves making territorial concessions to Russia, then it's a "bad idea." "If Trump has such a model, then everyone would want to end the war," Zelenskyy told the Philadelphia Inquirer in an interview: "Perhaps it would even be better in an hour." Giving up one's own territory to Russia is not new. Putin will not solve the problem. He must be shown his limits, as he is reliant on "pseudo victories."
16:49 Men attack Ukrainian border guards with machetesA Ukrainian border guard was killed by two men with a machete in Ukraine. One of the attackers was shot dead by the guard, while the other was injured, reports the news portal "Ukrajinska Pravda," citing Ukrainian authorities. The incident occurred on a Saturday evening at the border with Romania. The motive is unknown. However, due to the war, men of military age try to leave the country illegally to avoid being drafted and sent to the front. Previously, 17 men were arrested at the Hungarian border who wanted to illegally leave Ukraine and pay their helpers between 3000 and 12000 US dollars for a successful exit.
16:14 More injured and damage after rocket attack on VilnianskAfter the lethal Russian rocket attack on civilians in Vilniansk, 75 people report damaged or destroyed property. The police in the Saporischschja region document "the crimes of the Russian army," the authorities report. The number of registered injured from the attack has risen to 38, including nine children. A mobile aid station is in operation. At least seven people, including a woman and three children, were killed in the attack on Saturday.
15:51 Controversial Kanye West reportedly in Moscow
The controversial US rapper Kanye West is reportedly in Moscow on a private visit according to Russian media. "That's great news, he's in the heart of the capital", quotes the state news agency Tass producer Yana Rudkovskaya. Former Russian presidential candidate Xenia Sobchak published a short video, which she claims shows the US rapper looking out from the roof of the famous shopping center GUM on Red Square. According to Sobchak, West is in Moscow to celebrate the 40th birthday of his friend Gosha Rubchinskiy, a renowned Russian fashion designer. West has expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past. In the US, the musician is now an outcast in the entertainment industry due to his antisemitic and Hitler-glorifying statements.
15:24 Russia disrupting GPS signals for British military flights
This year, Russia has disrupted the GPS navigation system for hundreds of British military flights of the Royal Air Force (RAF) over Europe. An analysis of thousands of flights reveals that more than one in four transport and surveillance flights in the first four months of the year 2024 were affected by active GPS disruptions, writes the British "Telegraph". This illustrates the extent of Russian interference in aviation. "This is another example of Russia's recklessness and further proof that it has become an out-of-control hostile state", quotes British Defense Minister Grant Shapps. Between January and April, 142 of 504 transport and surveillance flights of the RAF over Europe were affected by GPS disruptions.
14:41 Ukrainian hackers sabotage Russian systems
Activists, in collaboration with experts from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, are conducting a series of attacks on Russian companies. According to the ministry, hackers have destroyed over 100 terabytes of data from OrbitSoft, a software developer who works with the Russian army. They also deleted data on eight servers from Orient Systems, a supplier of navigation devices for Russian military manufacturers, particularly for manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles. They also deleted the data of an Internet provider in Nizhny Novgorod and sent messages to all subscribers about an "inevitable retaliation" for Russia's war.
14:06 Ukraine starts mass production of combat drones
Ukraine has begun mass production of combat drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers. According to the head of the state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom. In an interview with ArmyInform, Herman Smetanin says that Russia's "huge resources and powerful industry" force Kiev to adopt a "more flexible and inventive" approach to weapons production. Ukraine uses long-range drones to attack military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics facilities, as well as oil refineries and depots deep in Russian territory.
13:36 SBU publishes video of the liberation of Snake Island
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has published new footage on social media of the liberation of Snake Island. In the post, SBU describes the "unique and extremely important operation". The footage is supposed to begin with an aerial view of an air raid on the island, before Ukrainian troops land on it with a helicopter and attack Russian troops. "It consisted of several stages and was of strategic significance, as the gradual displacement of the enemy from the Black Sea began since then," writes the SBU. On June 30, 2022, Ukrainian troops repelled the Russian troops' retreat from the strategic outpost on the Black Sea.
13:14 Zelensky: Russia fires over 800 guided bombs on Ukraine in a week
In the past week, Russia has fired over 800 guided bombs against Ukraine, writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the platform X. "The Ukraine needs the necessary resources to destroy the carriers of these bombs, including Russian combat aircraft, wherever they are located. This step is essential," he further writes.
12:48 After Russian attack on Velyka Novosilka, number of wounded increases
The number of wounded in the Ukrainian city of Velyka Novosilka, in the region of Zaporizhzhia, has increased following a Russian attack. According to official reports, at least seven people, including three men, a woman, and three children, have been killed. Thirty-six people, including nine children, were injured in the missile attack, according to the National Police via social media. Previously, 31 injured people were reported.
12:18 Ukraine publishes figures on Russian losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has published new figures on Russian losses in Ukraine. According to this, Russia has lost approximately 542,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In one day alone, the losses amounted to 1,140. According to the report from Kiev, at least 24 tanks, 60 artillery systems, and an aircraft were destroyed. In total, Russia has allegedly lost 8,080 tanks, 15,524 artillery systems, and 360 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 11,584 drones, 28 ships, and a submarine since the beginning of the large-scale attack. Western estimates give lower loss figures - but these are also only minimum values.
11:45 OSCE: Russia commits genocide in Ukraine
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has passed a resolution recognizing Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide against the Ukrainian population. Pavlo Frolov, a member of the Kiev delegation, announced this on social media. Frolov writes in social media that the document also defines the "decolonization of the Russian Federation as a necessary prerequisite for creating a lasting peace." The OSCE has 57 member states, including Ukraine and Russia. With 57 countries from Europe, Central Asia, and North America, the OSCE is the largest regional security organization in the world.
11:11 Weichert: People in Odessa "trying to live normal lives"While at least seven people have died in the vicinity of Zaporizhia due to Russian attacks, the beaches of the coastal city Odessa are filled with bathing tourists. It is a much-needed respite for the Ukrainians affected by the war, as NTV reporter Jürgen Weichert describes.
10:44 Russia: Four firefighters injured in the Donezk regionIn the Russia-claimed region of Donezk in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian reports, four firefighters were injured in Ukrainian attacks. They had extinguished a fire caused by a Ukrainian attack in the Petrowski district and were then hit by renewed shelling, the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations explains.
10:08 Russia: Ukrainian forces driven back from left bank in KhersonThe fighting in the Kherson region is currently taking place on the islands, as Ukrainian forces have been driven back from the left bank of the Dnipro, Kherson Governor Vladymyr Saldo tells the Russian news agency TASS. "The fighting has shifted to the islands, and the Russian army has intensified its activities," he says. The islands and the Dnipro River in the Kherson region form a natural barrier at the front.
09:43 Ukraine: One dead, two injured in Russian attack on KhersonIn the Ukrainian region of Kherson, one person was killed and two were injured in a Russian attack, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reports on Telegram. A 67-year-old man in Odradokamyanka was allegedly killed by a drone attack. A 76-year-old woman in Kozatske was injured by artillery fire and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. In Komysany, a 63-year-old woman was allegedly injured by Russian troops who fired on a farm. There were no injuries reported in a drone attack on a house in Mykhailivka, and the damage is currently being assessed.
09:08 Ex-NATO chief: "Putin's Plan A has failed"Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen believes that the Russian war against Ukraine will continue for at least the rest of 2024. "Putin's Plan A, which was to conquer all of Ukraine in a few days, has failed," Rasmussen tells ntv.de in an interview. "His Plan B is now a frozen conflict and the Russian occupation of eastern Ukraine, in the hope that the West will weaken and give in." The presidential elections in the United States on November 5 are particularly significant for Putin in terms of potential changes that could help him.
08:40 Russia: 36 Ukrainian drones shot downRussia claims to have shot down 36 Ukrainian drones in various regions throughout the country. 15 drones were intercepted over the border region of Kursk, nine over the region of Lipetsk some hundreds of kilometers south of Moscow, and four each over the regions of Voronezh and Bryansk, the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow reports. The governors of Lipetsk and Bryansk report on Telegram that there were no casualties or major damage.
07:55 Swedish Defense Minister: Russia intends to split EU and NATO
Russia has an interest in politically splitting the EU and NATO. This is what the Swedish Defense Minister, Pål Jonson, stated in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper. "I believe that those in the Kremlin and with Putin himself are aware that they would lose this war. But I believe that Russia is very interested in politically splitting us, both within the EU and in NATO", Jonson said. To maintain peace, it is best to strengthen NATO and focus on deterrence and defense. According to Jonson, more responsibility for European security means investing more in military forces. Sweden, under the impression of Russia's attack on Ukraine, gave up its neutrality. In March 2024, Sweden became the 32nd NATO member.
07:24 Zelenskyy: Death toll may rise after Russian attack on Velyka Nova Basanova
There are dead and injured following a Russian attack on the Ukrainian town of Velyka Nova Basanova in the region of Zaporizhzhia. According to official reports, at least seven people have been killed, among them children. Thirty-one more people have been injured in the rocket attack, the Civil Defense reports. "Unfortunately, the number of casualties may still rise", writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the platform X.
06:55 Ukraine: Russian troops bombard Derhachiv
Russian troops have attacked the city of Derhachiv in the region of Kharkiv. This was announced by the head of the Derhachiv Military Administration, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, on Telegram. According to Zadorenko, three people have been injured. This is the largest attack on Derhachiv since 2022, during which four aerial bombs were dropped. Two men aged 68 and 75, and a 71-year-old woman were taken to the hospital. According to Zadorenko, the shelling damaged several buildings, including at least 25 residential buildings, agricultural buildings, a garage cooperative, cars, and a civilian enterprise, and partially destroyed power lines.
06:20 Arms exports have increased again: Germany exports weapons for 7.5 billion Euros
After a record year for arms exports in the previous year, arms export approvals have significantly increased in the first half of 2024 due to increasing weapons deliveries to Ukraine. From January 1 to June 18, the German government authorized the export of military goods for at least 7.48 billion Euros abroad. Compared to the entire first half of 2023, this represents an increase of approximately 30%. Almost two-thirds of the exports (65% or 4.88 billion Euros) were destined for Ukraine. This is evident from the Federal Ministry of Economics' response to a query by Bundestag member Sevim Dağdelen from The Left (DIE LINKE).
05:41 In Wilnjansk, Ukraine: Moscow reportedly targeted a military objectiveAccording to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Wilnjansk in the Saporischja region resulted in at least seven deaths. Interfax news agency reported from Moscow's announcement that a railway station with ballistic Iskander-Raketen was attacked. A military train carrying military cargo was hit, according to the Russian military leadership. Photos and videos show that residential buildings and parked cars in the city center were hit.
04:53 Kyiv's Mine-Clearing Corps: 30,000 square kilometers have been clearedSpecialists from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have cleared 30,000 square kilometers of Ukraine from mines in the past two years - an area comparable to the size of Belgium or Moldova. The Kyiv Independent reports with reference to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the department for environmental safety and mine clearance. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, approximately 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been contaminated with explosives. The Ukraine founded the Mine-Clearing Corps in April 2022. Units of the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces joined by 2024. These units with 5000 specialists are currently active in the regions of Mykolajiw, Cherson and Charkiw.
03:53 IFO Survey: Nearly half of personnel managers use "Jobturbo"According to an IFO Institute survey of 627 personnel managers in Germany, 48% find the "Job-Turbo" and the Skilled Workers Immigration Act unhelpful for companies. The initiative aims to integrate Ukrainian refugees more quickly into the labor market. However, nearly every fourth company reports positive effects: More skilled workers are available. In addition, language courses before job placement have led to fewer language barriers. 18% praise shorter hiring procedures and the easier recognition of diplomas. The surveyed managers could give multiple answers. Almost half of them find that the bureaucracy in hiring foreign labor is still too high, but 17% also observe a bureaucracy reduction.
02:37 Governor: Russian region of Kursk under fire all dayAccording to local governor Alexej Smirnow, the Ukrainian forces continued to shell the Russian border region of Kursk all day on Saturday. Smirnow wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had attacked eight border villages repeatedly. Two people were injured. A video Smirnow posted on his Telegram channel shows a destroyed house and debris. Earlier, Smirnow reported five deaths from a Ukrainian drone attack early on Saturday morning.
01:29 "Putin loves Farage": Activists mock Farage
The British campaign group Led by Donkeys pranked the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, during a campaign appearance. After Farage recently claimed that the West, not Russian President Vladimir Putin, had instigated the war in Ukraine, activists dropped a banner with Putin's image behind him. Farage was not pleased, the activists write laconically.
00:32 Emergency services work through the rubble in Velyka Novosilka
Emergency services are clearing the rubble of a Russian attack on the city of Velyka Novosilka in the Saporischja region. After the search and rescue operations are completed, it is determined: Seven people were killed, including two children, and 31 people were injured, including eight children. "The fire was extinguished simultaneously at two locations: in a two-story building and near parked cars on a 300 square meter area, as well as in two one-story buildings on a 150 square meter area. The search and rescue operations are completed," the Ukrainian state emergency service reports.
21:24 Seehofer: No shelter for young Ukrainian men
Approximately 1.2 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany from the war in their homeland. CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt called for the expulsion of Ukrainians who do not work. "The proposal can be misunderstood," says CSU honorary chairman Horst Seehofer to the "Augsburger Allgemeine." Mothers and children from the war-torn land find it difficult to work; be it due to a lack of language skills or a lack of kindergarten places. "It belongs to a humane state to provide protection." Young men who evade military service in Germany, however, should not be granted asylum, he thinks.
20:51 Man lights grenade in Luzk city center
A resident of the city of Chmelnytskyi lights a grenade in the city center of Luzk and is arrested. There are no injuries reported. This is reported by the Ukrainian Security Service SBU. The motive of the 23-year-old is still unclear.
You can read about earlier developments here.
- The Ukrainian military reported rocket attacks from a northern direction, preventing their impact and preventing further damage in Kiev and northern oblasts. However, a 14-story residential building was hit, causing a fire and injuring at least two residents.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine plans no direct negotiations with Russia but could potentially use a trilateral agreement similar to the Black Sea Grain Initiative as a model. This agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey in 2022, helped contain global food price increases.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy also criticized Republican Party's designated presidential candidate Donald Trump's plan to end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours, stating that making territorial concessions to Russia would be a "bad idea."
- The Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Ukraine will continue its efforts to join NATO, stating that Ukraine is "part of the NATO family" and that Ukraine's entry into NATO is "inevitable."
- The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has reported an increase in Russian cyberwarfare activities against Ukraine, including attacks on critical infrastructure, financial institutions, and government agencies. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on NATO to provide greater cybersecurity support to Ukraine.
