23:11 Ukraine occupies Gazprom plant in the Kursk region
According to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have reportedly taken control of a Gazprom gas facility in the Russian region of Kursk. The facility in the city of Sudzha and the city itself have been captured, according to Ukrainian soldiers in the footage.
22:33 Russia Blocks Messaging App SignalIn its efforts to restrict foreign internet services, Russia has also blocked the encrypted messaging app Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal has not complied with legal measures necessary to combat terrorism and extremism, according to the Moscow agency Roskomnadzor. Throughout the day, there have been numerous complaints from Signal users in Russia that the messaging service is unavailable. Portals like Sboj.rf, which collect reports of outages, have reported around 2000 complaints. Developed in the US, Signal is highly regarded by its users for its secure communication capabilities. On Thursday, Russian users also complained about YouTube's slow performance and difficulties in downloading videos. The Russian authorities have not provided an official explanation for this. However, they have previously stated that they are targeting the popular video service because it allegedly refuses to remove extremist videos. Russia has already blocked large social networks with US ownership, such as X and Facebook, which can now only be accessed via protected connections (VPN). Even before the attack on Ukraine, Moscow had made preparations for a possible internet shutdown in the country. Since the start of the war in 2022, Roskomnadzor has blocked thousands of websites that are not approved by the Russian government.
22:04 Power Outage in City Near Kursk Nuclear Power Plant After Ukrainian AttacksAccording to Russian reports, there has been a power outage in the city of Kursk, near the Russian nuclear power plant. A transformer station was hit by debris from a Ukrainian drone, according to regional governor Alexei Smirnov. Kursk has a population of around 42,000. The Kursk power plant is one of Russia's largest nuclear power plants. Ukrainian troops have advanced near the plant in recent days.
21:33 US Announces Additional Military Aid for UkraineThe US has announced a new military aid package worth $125 million for Ukraine, which will include Stinger missiles, artillery ammunition, and anti-tank systems. The military aid is the tenth tranche of equipment for Ukraine since President Joe Biden signed a law for a multi-billion dollar aid package in April, said John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council of the White House.
20:52 Video Shows Ukrainian HIMARS Strike on Russian Convoy in KurskUkraine is using long-range weapons against the Russian army in its offensive in Kursk. A video shows several impacts of rockets in the midst of a Russian convoy east of Rylsk last night. The Ukrainians appear to have used western rockets fired from the multiple rocket launcher system HIMARS. Videos from the day after the attack show several destroyed military vehicles. The "Kyiv Independent" reports 14 destroyed vehicles.
20:38 Iran to Deliver Hundreds of Missiles to Russia
According to European intelligence sources, Iran is set to deliver hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia in the near future. Dozens of Russian military personnel are already being trained in Iran to operate the ballistic short-range missile system Fath-360, according to two employees of European intelligence agencies who spoke to Reuters news agency. Moscow has its own ballistic missiles, but the delivery of Fath-360 could enable it to use a larger part of its arsenal for targets far from the front line. Iranian warheads could then be used for targets with shorter ranges. A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council said that 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.
20:27 Schmid Defends Ukraine Aid After Kretschmer's Proposal
The SPD criticizes the demand by Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer to reduce military aid to Ukraine. 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, an end to its self-defense would mean the loss of its territory and sovereignty, as well as the continued oppression of its population. Mr. Kretschmer knows that too," the SPD politician added. Previously, Kretschmer had 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 2025.
19:56 Ukrainian Troops Attack Russian Positions on Dnipro Peninsula
The Ukrainian military intelligence service reports a successful attack on Russian positions on the Kinburn Peninsula on the Russian-occupied Dnipro River. According to Ukrainian reports, 30 Russian soldiers and six armored vehicles were destroyed. The Kinburn Peninsula is located at the mouth of the Dnipro River, south of Kherson. In a video published by the intelligence service, troops landing by boat and attacks with kamikaze drones can be seen. The intelligence service's reports cannot be independently verified. Russia claims to have repelled the attacks. According to them, some Ukrainians were stopped by mines and the rest by small arms fire.
19:20 Ukraine Orders Special Rescue Stations from RheinmetallRheinmetall has received another order from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for the delivery of two rescue stations. The arms manufacturer announced this. The containerized rescue station for on-site operation is referred to as a "Forward Surgical Team (FST, forward field surgery team)" by the manufacturer. 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 and are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
18:47 Ukraine Strikes Another 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. The "Kyiv Independent" reports this, 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. 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 with a 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 participated as 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 criticized the businessman. "This is a stab in the back of our troops and support for the terrorists of the Ukrainian army that have infiltrated the Kursk region," Dugin explained on 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 set 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 pleased 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 AttacksBritish 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. These include tanks and armored vehicles provided by the USA and Germany. Whether vehicles produced in the UK are also being used is unclear, according to Sky News.
16:55 CDU Foreign Policy Figures Oppose KretschmerCDU foreign policy figures criticize Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer for his call to reduce military aid to Ukraine. "Germany has a great responsibility to stand by a country that itself was invaded by us 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 live up to our responsibility. That is the clear and unwavering position of the Union," emphasizes the CDU politician. Jürgen Hardt, spokesman on foreign affairs for the Union faction, confirms: "The CDU/CSU faction in the German Bundestag has a united 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." To achieve this, Kyiv must go on the offensive again in the defense of its territory. "For that, Ukraine still needs military equipment from the free world," says Hardt.
16:28 Mexico Refuses to Arrest Putin During VisitThe Mexican government states 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," says Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in front of journalists and adds that "it is not our task".
15:57 Gressel: Ukraine "probably wants 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 at the same time gaining an advantage in possible negotiations over territories.
15:33 Death Toll Rises: 12 Dead After Rocket Attack on SupermarketIn the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostjantyniwka, at least 12 people were killed and 44 injured in a Russian rocket attack, according to official figures. "A strike by Russian terrorists on an ordinary supermarket and a post office. People are under the rubble," writes President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram. Rescue operations are ongoing. The head of state expressed his condolences to the relatives of the victims. According to the Interior Ministry, a fire broke out over an area of around 1,000 square meters. Kostjantyniwka is only about 10 kilometers away from the front line between Ukrainian and Russian troops. (see entry at 12:34)
15:10 Faber: Kretschmer's Behavior "Disgusts Me"For his initiative to reduce weapons aid to Ukraine, Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer receives criticism from the Bundestag. "It disgusts me how a Minister President uses the survival struggle of Ukrainians for his regional election campaign," says the chairman of the Defense Committee, Markus Faber. German weapons deliveries would help Ukraine defend itself. They would not do this out of warlust, "but because they don't want to live in a big Bucha, where the Russian army randomly murders, tortures, and rapes," Faber continues.
14:41 ISW: Ukraine has operationally surprised Russia in KurskThe absence of a coherent Russian response to the Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region and the reported pace of the Ukrainian advance suggest that Ukrainian forces have achieved an operational surprise along the border with Russia. This is according to the latest report by 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 enemy 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. A further advance of Ukraine into Russia would be a strategic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin's long-standing efforts to establish stability and security in Russia and Russia's geopolitical revival.
14:14 Kretschmer wants to cut Ukraine weapons aidSaxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer is calling for a reduction in weapons aid to Ukraine amid the budget dispute at the federal level. "We can no longer keep taking money for weapons for Ukraine that are used up and don't bring anything," Kretschmer told the German News Network. "Everything must be in proportion. Support yes, but we can see that we are reaching our limits." Kretschmer points to the growth of the budget in recent years. "Before the corona crisis in 2019, we had a budget volume of 344 billion. We are now at 480 billion and yet the traffic light coalition cannot agree on the budget," criticizes the CDU politician. "That shows that everything is out of control. Citizens' money around 50 billion, migration dozens of billions, weapons aid tens of billions. That won't work."
13:52 Ukraine: Police order 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, which borders Russia. The order affects 28 locations under "enemy fire," the police said in the online service Telegram. Local security forces are already in place to accompany the measure. The Sumy region borders the Russian region of Kursk, into which Ukrainian troops entered on Tuesday.
13:22 Russia reinforces troops in contested border region KurskAfter the advance of Ukrainian troops into the southern Russian border region of Kursk, the Defense Ministry in Moscow is sending units to reinforce its troops. Columns with 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 continues some dozen kilometers from the city of Kursk and the Kursk nuclear power plant," a local official said on the Telegram messaging service.
12:57 Mangott on Kyiv's Aims in Kursk: "Third Reason: A Humbling Slap for Putin"Observers suspect that Ukraine's attack on Russian territory is an attempt to seize territory as a bargaining chip. Political scientist Gerhard Mangott does not believe that Kyiv's forces will succeed in holding onto territory for long, but he suspects other motives behind the incursion.
12:34 Zelensky: Four Dead After Russian Strike on Supermarket in KonstantinovkaAt least four people were killed and 24 injured in a Russian artillery strike on the city of Konstantinovka in the contested Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the X platform. The governor of Donetsk, Vadym Filashkin, 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. NV Radio 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 Konstantinovka 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. Konstantinovka is regularly targeted by Russian forces. In September 2023, a Russian attack on a local market in Konstantinovka resulted in 17 deaths and over 30 injuries.
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 Moscow government, 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 said to have infiltrated the area on Tuesday, according to Russian reports.
11:32 Video Shows Burnt Russian Military Trucks in KurskA video posted 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 its "special military operation" in Ukraine. Reuters was able to verify the location in the video as the village of Oktyabrskoe 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 airport in the Russian region of Lipetsk is said to have triggered a chain reaction that destroyed more than 700 bombs, according to a source from the Ukrainian intelligence agency "The Kyiv Independent". Earlier, Russian authorities had reported that a drone strike had caused a fire at a military airport and damaged an energy facility. The source told "The Kyiv Independent" that fighter jets and helicopters were stored at the airport. It is not known how many of them were damaged or destroyed in the attack.
10:35 Kyiv claims attack on military airport in LipetskThe Ukrainian military reports that it attacked a military airport in the Russian region of Lipetsk overnight. The attack damaged stocks of guided bombs, causing a large fire and several explosions, according to a Telegram post by the Ukrainian military. The airport is home to Russian combat aircraft including Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31. Lipetsk is located east of the border region of Kursk, deeper into Russia's interior.
10:08 Munz: "Russians unable to counterattack"Since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been defending its territory. However, for the past three days, troops have also been attacking in the border region of Kursk, Russia. 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 has published new loss figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the data, Russia has lost approximately 588,540 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,030. The report from Kyiv also states that 3 tanks, 49 artillery systems, and 2 air defense systems were destroyed. In total, Ukraine claims Russia has lost 8,434 tanks, 16,536 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale attack. Western estimates suggest lower loss figures, but these are also likely to be minimum values.
08:19 Media: Mass fires in Rylsk, Kursk regionStrong explosions 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 of the village of Stepanovka reportedly heard four explosions. The cause of the explosions is unknown. The city of Rylsk is approximately 35 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
07:37 Russia: State of Emergency After Drone Attack on Military AirbaseMassive explosions 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 address the aftermath of the explosions. Four villages around the military airport have been evacuated. Public transportation in Lipetsk and surrounding areas has been halted. Six people were injured as a result of the attacks.
06:52 Media: Explosion After Ukrainian Attack on CrimeaAn explosion 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 repelled an attack by Ukrainian forces on Sevastopol, destroying three drones. Additionally, the Russian air defense shot down a Ukrainian Neptune sea-to-sea missile over the sea near Sevastopol. The Telegram channel "Crimea.Realities" reports on shots and a powerful explosion in Chornomorskyi, as well as the work of Russian air defense in the area of the Belbek airport. A black smoke column was seen rising over the airport, and a strong smell of fire was reported in the coastal area of the city, according to the Telegram channel "Crimea.Realities" citing subscribers. No information on possible casualties has been provided yet.
06:05 Media: Fire at Military Airbase in Russian Region of LipetskA fire broke 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 is not yet known. 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 was 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 statement. 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 Troops 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 fight 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 about the troop buildup.
03:21 Due to US Missiles: Half of Germans Fear Escalation with RussiaThe German and US governments have agreed that the US will station long-range weapons systems like Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany by 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. A survey by Civey for the Funke Mediengruppe finds that half of Germans expect further escalation of the conflict with Russia due to this stationing. 50% of respondents answered affirmatively when asked if they believe this will lead to further escalation, while 38% do not, and 12% are undecided. 44% view the stationing positively, while 42% view it negatively, with 14% undecided.
01:14 Minister-President Kretschmer Calls for Reduction in Military Aid to UkraineSaxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer is calling for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine, given the federal budget. "We can no longer keep providing funds for weapons to Ukraine that are being used up and aren't achieving anything. Everything must be in proportion," Kretschmer told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. "Support yes, but we're seeing that we're reaching our limits." He points to the budget growth in recent years, saying, "Before the COVID-19 crisis in 2019, we had a budget volume of 344 billion euros. Now we're at 480 billion, and yet the traffic light coalition can't agree on the budget. That shows that 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 legally justifiable under the right of self-defense" and "militarily strategic," Kiesewetter told the Tagesspiegel. The Ukrainian troops' move aims to tie down Russian forces in the Kursk region and inflict significant losses, relieving pressure on other fronts by binding or moving Russian forces there.
22:30 Pentagon: Ukrainian Incursion into Kursk Region Aligns with US PolicyThe Ukrainian incursion into the Russian Kursk region is "in line with our policy," said Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh at a press conference, according to the Kyiv Independent. When asked if Ukraine can use US-supplied weapons, Singh said the US has "supported Ukraine from the start in defending against attacks coming across the border." The Kursk region borders the Ukrainian Sumy region, which has been under daily Russian attacks since its liberation in April 2022. Ukraine is taking measures "to protect itself from attacks" and 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 "great 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 enormous, the Euro politician said. "Think, for example, of the Russian nuclear power plant in the region. Russia is a nuclear power and has the escalation dominance".
21:50 Authorities in the Kursk region report at least five civilian deaths
Russian troops have been fighting against a Ukrainian incursion across the border for the third day in a row, according to reports from Moscow. Russian forces 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 incursion, including nine children. Authorities in the Kursk region report at least five civilian deaths, including two paramedics. Ukraine has not yet commented on the incursion.
21:30 EU High Representative Borrell: Lukashenko regime involved in illegal deportation of Ukrainian children
The Belarusian regime is complicit in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to EU High Representative Josep Borrell in Brussels. In addition to 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.
In the light of the escalating cyber threats, it's crucial for Russia to bolster its cyberdefenses to prevent a potential cyberwar. Russia's reliance on digital infrastructure makes it a vulnerable target, and a successful cyberattack could significantly impact its national security.
Moreover, the alleged blocking of Signal by Roskomnadzor raises concerns about freedom of communication during this sensitive period. With alternatives like Telegram already facing pressure, the shutdown of Signal could limit Russian citizens' options for secure communication, potentially leaving them vulnerable to surveillance and information manipulation.
