23:43 Construction workers are being withdrawn from Kursk nuclear power plant
23:43 Construction Workers Pulled from Kursk NPPDue to the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk, workers are being withdrawn from the construction site of two new nuclear reactors at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The number of construction workers will be temporarily reduced, according to Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom. Other specialists continue their work as planned. The Kursk NPP in the city of Kursk has been repeatedly mentioned as a potential target of the Ukrainian offensive that began on Tuesday. However, it is located about 60 kilometers from the border. The farthest reported advances of Ukrainian troops, which have not been confirmed, have reached about 30 kilometers into Russia. After the Ukrainian offensive was announced, the Russian National Guard reportedly reinforced the protection of the power plant. Two reactors are being built to replace the two oldest, already decommissioned blocks of the plant. Two more reactors are currently in operation.
23:11 Ukraine Takes Control of Gazprom Facility in Kursk RegionAccording to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have taken control of a facility belonging to the gas company Gazprom 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 video.
22:33 Russia Blocks Encrypted Chat Service SignalIn its crackdown on foreign internet services, Russia is also blocking the encrypted chat service Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures necessary to counter terrorism and extremism, according to the relevant authority, Roskomnadzor, in Moscow. 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, reported around 2000 complaints. Signal was developed in the US and is valued by its users for its high level of security. On Thursday, Russian users also complained about YouTube working slowly and videos being difficult to download. The Russian authorities have not provided an official explanation for this. However, they have previously stated that they have the extremely popular video service in their sights because it allegedly refuses to remove extremist videos. Large social networks with US ownership like X and Facebook have already been blocked in Russia and can 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 authorities.
22:04 Power Outage in City Near Kursk NPP After Ukrainian AttacksAccording to Russian reports, there has been a power outage in the city of Kursk near the Russian Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). A power transformer was hit by debris from a Ukrainian drone, according to regional governor Alexei Smirnov. Kursk has a population of around 42,000. The Kursk NPP is one of the largest nuclear power plants in Russia. Ukrainian troops have advanced near the plant in recent days.
21:33 USA announce further military aid for UkraineThe USA has announced a new military aid package worth $125 million for Ukraine, including Stinger missiles, artillery ammunition, and anti-tank systems. This is the tenth tranche of equipment provided to Ukraine since President Joe Biden signed a law in April for a multi-billion-dollar aid package, said John Kirby, spokesperson for national security at the White House.
20:52 Video shows Ukrainian HIMARS strike on Russian column in KurskUkraine 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 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 supply Russia with hundreds of ballistic missilesIran is set to supply Russia with hundreds of ballistic missiles in the near future, 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 front line, with Iranian warheads used for shorter-range targets. A spokesperson for the US National Security Council said the US government and its NATO allies and G7 partners are prepared for a swift and severe response if Iran proceeds 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 proposalThe SPD has criticized Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer's call for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine. The SPD's foreign policy spokesman, Nils Schmid, told the "Tagesspiegel" that Ukraine is defending itself against a "violation 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 losing its territory and sovereignty, and continued oppression of its population. Mr. Kretschmer is aware of this," Schmid added. Kretschmer had previously called for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine, citing the dispute over the federal budget for 2025 in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
19:56 Ukrainian Troops Attack Russian Positions on Dnipro PeninsulaUkraine's military intelligence reports a successful strike on Russian positions on the Kinburn Peninsula on the Russian-occupied Dnipro River bank. 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. A video released by intelligence shows troops landing by boat and attacks using kamikaze drones. The intelligence reports 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 US, 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 plane of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. They primarily affect companies in the aerospace, logistics, and electronics sectors, and their leadership, who attempted to circumvent existing sanctions to acquire components for military equipment for Russia. Canada has sanctioned 10 individuals and 6 companies, while the UK has sanctioned 3 individuals and 3 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 another order from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for the delivery of two rescue stations. The defense conglomerate announced this. The containerized rescue station for on-site operation is referred to by the manufacturer as a "Forward Surgical Team (FST, forward surgical team)". 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 for delivery by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
18:47 Ukraine Downs Another Helicopter with DroneA first-person view (FPV) drone controlled by Ukraine's security service (SBU) has shot down another Russian military helicopter in the Kursk region. "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 by the hit. 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 first have to stop the shelling", 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 attacked the entrepreneur. "This is a stab in the back of our troops and support for the terrorists of the Ukrainian army, which has 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 made by the donor countries", 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 deployed in the Kursk region. "It looks like the Ukrainians have obviously decided to support the push. And within about 48 hours, they've done it with some quite large units", Clarke said on Sky News. These include 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 call to reduce 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 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 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. To do 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'".
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 such a request. "We cannot do that," says 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: 12 Killed in Supermarket Rocket AttackAt least 12 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," writes President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram. Rescue operations continue. The head of state expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 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 uses the survival struggle of Ukrainian women and men for his regional election campaign," says Markus Faber, chairman of the Defense Committee. German weapons deliveries would help Ukraine defend itself, not out of warlust, "but because they don't want to live in a big Bucha where the Russian army randomly kills, tortures, and rapes," Faber added.
14:41 ISW: Ukraine "operationally surprised" Russia in KurskThe lack 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 been able to achieve an operational surprise along the border with Russia, 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 opponent due to the partly unclear 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 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 take on funds for weapons for Ukraine to be exhausted and achieve nothing," Kretschmer told the German editorial 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, 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 deployed to accompany the measure. 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 troops. 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 invading Ukrainian troops continues. "Fighting continues 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 Attack on Supermarket in KostiantynivkaAt least four people were killed and 24 injured in a Russian artillery attack on the city of Kostiantynivka in the contested eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the X platform. The rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. The Ukrainian governor of Donetsk, Vadym Fillaschkin, 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 impact of the attack is 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 September 2023, a Russian attack on a local market in Kostiantynivka resulted in 17 deaths and over 30 injured.
11:53 Russian Emergency Ministry Declares Emergency in KurskThe Russian Emergency Ministry has declared a federal emergency for the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine. According to the Moscow government, Russian forces continue to repel advances by Ukrainian units in Kursk. The state news agency RIA reported this, citing the defense ministry. Around a thousand Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly repulsed on Tuesday.
11:32 Video Shows Burnt Russian Military Trucks in KurskA video circulating on social media and verified by Reuters shows a convoy of burnt Russian military trucks in the Russian region of Kursk. The vehicles are seen along a highway. The video shows around 15 trucks, including one marked with the letter 'Z', the symbol used in Russia for its "special military operation" in Ukraine. Reuters verified the location as the village of Oktyabr'skoe based on buildings, trees, and road layouts. However, the exact time the video was taken could not be determined.
10:55 Media: Chain Reaction in Russian Lipetsk Destroys 700 BombsA drone strike on a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk caused a chain reaction that destroyed over 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 airbase and damaged an energy facility. The source told "The Kyiv Independent" that fighter jets and helicopters were stored at the airbase. It is unknown how many were damaged or destroyed in the attack.
10:35 Kyiv Admits to Attack on Military Airbase in LipetskThe Ukrainian military has reported that it carried out an attack on a military airbase in the Russian region of Lipetsk overnight. The strike damaged stocks of guided bombs, causing a large fire and several explosions, according to a Telegram post by the Ukrainian military. The airbase hosts Russian combat aircraft including Su-34, Su-35, and MiG-31. Lipetsk is located east of the border region of Kursk, deeper into Russian territory.
10:08 Munz: "Russians Unable to Counterattack"Since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been defending itself on its own territory. However, for the past three days, troops have also been attacking in the Russian border region of Kursk. ntv Moscow correspondent Rainer Munz explains why this surprise offensive poses 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 Joseph 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, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Orlov was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in February for criticizing the Russian 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 casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the report, Russia has lost approximately 588,540 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with 1,030 losses in the past 24 hours alone. The report also states that three tanks, 49 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed. Since the start of the large-scale offensive, Russia has reportedly lost a total of 8,434 tanks, 16,536 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine, according to Ukraine. Western estimates provide lower casualty figures, but these are also likely to be minimum values.
08:19 Media: Mass Fires in Rylsk in Kursk RegionMass fires and strong explosions 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 reportedly heard four explosions. The cause of the explosions is unknown. The city of Rylsk is located around 35 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian 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 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 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 in the process. 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 "Crimea.Realities" reports on shots and a powerful 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 "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 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 initially 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 statement. Ukrainian authorities have 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 General Staff of the Russian Army, 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, and fighting has since spread to 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 with RussiaThe German and US governments have agreed that the US will station long-range weapon systems like Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching targets in Russia. A survey by Civey for the Funke media group found that half of Germans expect further escalation of the conflict with Russia. 50 percent of respondents answered affirmatively when asked if they feared escalation due to the stationing of long-range US weapons in Germany. 38 percent do not believe there will be further escalation, while 12 percent are undecided. 44 percent view the stationing positively, while 42 percent negatively, with 14 percent 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 afford to provide weapons to Ukraine that will be used up and achieve nothing. Everything must be in proportion," Kretschmer told the German Press Agency. "Support yes, but we can see that we're reaching our limits." Kretschmer points to the increase in the budget over the past years. "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 coalition can't agree on the budget," said the Minister-President. "This shows that everything is out of control."
23:35 Kiesewetter: Ukrainian Offensive is Legally and Strategically JustifiedCDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter sees the recent Ukrainian military offensive on Russian territory as legally justified and militarily sensible. The surprise offensive is "clearly legally justified under the right to self-defense" and "militarily strategic," Kiesewetter told the "Tagesspiegel." The Ukrainian troops' operation in the Kursk region aims to tie down Russian forces and inflict significant losses, taking pressure off other fronts. "Russia has to bind or deploy forces to Kursk," Kiesewetter said.
22:30 Pentagon: Ukraine's Kursk Incursion Aligns 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 news portal "Kyiv Independent." When asked if Ukraine could use US-supplied weapons, 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, systems, and capabilities," Singh said.
22:09 BSW MEP De Masi calls for "as soon as possible ceasefire and negotiations"
Following the advance of Ukrainian troops 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", says De Masi to the "Tagesspiegel". Advances "deep into Russian territory" only make sense "if the goal of Ukraine is a stronger escalation dynamic". The risks are enormous, 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 the Kursk region report at least five civilian deaths
Russian troops, according to reports from Moscow, have been fighting for the third day against a Ukrainian advance across the border. The Russian armed 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 that are trying to retreat from the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. According to the Russian Health Ministry, 66 civilians have been injured since the beginning of the Ukrainian advance, including nine children. The 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, according to EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in Brussels, complicit in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. In addition to political, military, and logistical support, Belarus has contributed to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories 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 response to the Ukrainian advances, it would be necessary for the Russian military to reconsider their strategies for securing the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, potentially involving increased military operations in the area. Despite the escalating tensions, maintaining the safety and operation of the nuclear power plant remains a critical priority.
Given the ongoing Ukrainian control of the Gazprom facility in Kursk, Russia may have to resort to alternative supply routes for their natural gas needs, potentially leading to increased military operations to protect these alternative routes or secure new agreements with neighboring countries.
