6:31 PM Demonstration of flame-thrower unmanned aerial vehicles in Russia
During the Ukraine conflict, there's been a lot of discussion about various weapons being used, including flamethrower drones. Recently, videos have surfaced appearing to show the deployment of such a weapon, seemingly incinerating Russian military positions and a large expanse of forest.
18:09 New Aid Package from Netherlands to Ukraine Announced by Prime Minister Dick Schoof Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has announced a substantial aid package for Ukraine. During an unscheduled trip to Zaporizhzhia's southeastern city, he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This new aid package is valued at over 200 million euros. This is Schoof's first visit to Ukraine since he assumed office in early July, replacing Mark Rutte, who will become the next NATO Secretary-General in October. "Without overestimating, the Netherlands has helped Ukraine save countless lives. Our bond is stronger than ever. Together, we strive for a fair and enduring peace," said Zelenskyy.**
17:47 German Control Over PCK Refinery in Schwedt Extended The PCK oil refinery in Schwedt will remain under German state management for the time being, according to information from the German Press Agency. The federal government aims to prolong the trusteeship of the majority shares of the Russian state conglomerate Rosneft in the PCK refinery. The trusteeship would lapse on September 10 if not extended. The shares have been under federal trusteeship since September 2022. This decision was made due to the federal government's choice to discontinue Russian oil imports because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. PCK began utilizing alternate supply sources at the start of 2023. Apart from Schwedt, two additional facilities are also affected. Rosneft holds a 54% stake in the PCK refinery's shares in northeastern Brandenburg.**
17:22 Russian Army Records Largest Territorial Gains in Ukraine Since October 2022 The Russian army achieved substantial gains in August, according to calculations based on data from the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In August, the Russian army captivated 477 square kilometers of Ukraine, the largest Russian territorial gain since October 2022, equaling over 15 square kilometers per day. Russia reported these gains, specifically in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. As of late last night, the Russian army was only seven kilometers away from the strategically significant city of Pokrovsk.**
16:56 Putin Arrives in Mongolia for Visit Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Mongolia for a visit. On Tuesday, he will meet with Mongolian President Uchnaagiin Khürelsükh. The two will participate in a ceremony on Wednesday commemorating the victory of Soviet and Mongolian troops over the Japanese army in 1939. This battle resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. For Russian President Putin, this is his first visit to a country that is part of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since the court issued an arrest warrant against him nearly 18 months ago for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Ukraine has urged Mongolia to apprehend Putin and present him to the court in The Hague.**
16:40 Corruption Investigations Against Russian General Valeri Mumindzhanov In Russia, corruption investigations have been initiated against a high-ranking military officer. According to a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee via Telegram, General Valeri Mumindzhanov is charged with "accepting a bribe on an especially large scale." This offense carries a sentence of up to 15 years of imprisonment in Russia. Mumindzhanov serves as the deputy commander of the Leningrad military district for logistics and previously worked in the Ministry of Defense. According to the investigation, he accepted a bribe of over 20 million rubles (approximately 202,000 euros) in relation to the signing of supply contracts for uniforms. Since April, at least ten military representatives, including generals and high-ranking Ministry of Defense employees in Moscow, have been targeted by Russian law enforcement agencies due to corruption or fraud. Some observers suspect that a purge campaign is underway.**
16:25 Zelensky: Kursk Operation "Consistent with Plans" According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation in the Russian region of Kursk is being executed according to plan. The head of state made this statement during a working visit to Zaporizhzhia, as reported by a correspondent for the state news agency Ukrinform. "The Kursk operation is fulfilling its goal and is proceeding as planned," Zelensky said. "Regarding the challenges in the directions of Pokrovsk and Torez, we believe that the Kursk operation could also affect those areas," the Ukrainian president said. The fighting in the Kursk region could reduce the intensity of Russian attacks in Pokrovsk and Torez, "but it's difficult there right now." He added that the most combat-ready Russian brigades have been gathered in these frontline regions.**
15:52 Grass Fires Threatening Villages in Occupied Luhansk - No Firefighters to Put Out the Flames? Residents in the occupied Luhansk region are currently facing not only the war but also the threat of nature: grass fires are threatening the area. A multitude of complaints are flooding social media platforms, alleging that there are no firefighters to extinguish the fires.**
15:16 Romania Transfers Patriot System to Ukraine: Government Greenlights Bill The Romanian administration has endorsed a legislative measure that authorizes the dispatch of a Patriot air defense unit to Ukraine. The bill is now being sent to parliament for the ultimate vote, as per Reuters' reports. Bucharest previously agreed, in June of the previous year, to donate one of its two active Patriot systems to Ukraine, contingent upon allies providing an alternate air defense system as a replacement.
14:53 Mass Mobilization in Ukraine: Petition Urges Age Limit Lower to 50 A petition is underway, urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reduce the age threshold for mobilization to 50 years. Over 25,000 signatures have been gathered so far, as reported by the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent." In accordance with Ukrainian law, an electronic petition to the president is required to collect at least 25,000 signatures within three months to receive consideration. As of now, there are still 34 days left to gather signatures.
14:34 Casualties in Russian Border Region Belgorod: Ukrainian Attacks Eleven people, including two children, sustained injuries as a result of Ukrainian attacks on the Russian region of Belgorod and its capital city. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed this on Telegram. Reportedly, a kindergarten was damaged. Gladkov shared photographs of a collapsed kindergarten and other wreckage and damaged structures in the region. Reuters notes that local authorities have decided to close several schools and kindergartens in the region temporarily following the attacks. In certain parts of Ukraine and Russia, September 2nd marks the beginning of the school year after the summer break.
14:10 Mosque in Kyiv Damaged in Russian Missile Strike In the Russian missile attack on Kyiv throughout the night (see entries 05:39, 06:20, and 09:29), a mosque and adjacent Islamic cultural center suffered substantial damage. In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia disregards spiritual and human values and shows no respect for any religion or belief. "It continues its destructive campaign against the Ukrainian people and is determined to abolish all our communities and even sacred places of worship," Zelensky added. The chief mufti of the local community, Vadym Dashevski, told Reuters that the mosque's attack was an act of cowardice.
13:39 Extensive Drone Operation in Moscow by Ukraine Ukraine wages an extensive drone assault on targets in and around Moscow. An explosion occurs at a refinery situated 16 kilometers away from the Kremlin. Two additional power plants are targeted as well. Russian sources report the interception of over 150 Ukrainian drones.
12:58 Poland's Stance on Russian Drones: Sikorski's Views Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski believes that Poland has a responsibility to shoot down Russian drones and other aircraft approaching from Ukraine before they enter Polish airspace. Sikorski expressed these sentiments to the British "Financial Times" (FT). Sikorski contradicts the official NATO stance, which views the escalation risk resulting from a potential direct confrontation with Russian forces as too high. So far, NATO has also declined the shooting down of Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine, as well as Kyiv's request for a no-fly zone over the country. Sikorski told the FT: "If hostile aircraft are approaching our airspace, this would be a legitimate act of self-defense, since once they've entered, the risk of harm from debris is significant."
12:12 Munz's Report on Russia's Response to German Election Results and Drone Attacks The results of the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony are also garnering attention in Russia. NTV correspondent Rainer Munz reports on Russians' reactions to the AfD and BSW's election successes and describes Moscow's response to what may be the largest drone attack on the Russian capital ever.
11:40 Putin Praises Russian Advancements in Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin has commended the progress of Russian troops in neighboring Ukraine, capturing new territories. He stated that Ukraine's counteroffensive in the Kursk region had failed to halt the Russian troops' advancement in the Donbass. "We're not referring to advancing 200 or 300 meters," Putin told Russian news agencies. "We're talking about several square kilometers. The offensive pace in Donbass is something we haven't observed in quite some time." During his journey to Mongolia, Putin made a stop in the Siberian republic of Tuva to attend a lesson in the subject "Conversations about the Important," which is meant to acquaint children with the Kremlin's political course.
11:07 Ukrainian Air Defense Intercepts 22 Missiles and 20 Drones Ukraine's air force reports intercepting 22 of 35 missiles and destroying 20 of 23 Russian attack drones. Nine ballistic missiles and 13 cruise missiles were intercepted over Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
10:01 Swell in Casualties from Russian Assault on Sumy, UkraineThe count of casualties in a Russian strike utilizing missiles on the urban center of Sumy in northern Ukraine has augmented. The most recent disclosure from Ukraine's interior ministry reveals 18 individuals have been injured, among whom 6 are children. The ministry's Telegram channel previously indicated that at least 13 civilians were hurt, including 4 children, in an announcement from Sumy's city administration. The Russian missile assault impacted a facility dedicated to the social and psychological recuperation of children and an orphanage in Sumy. The turmoil in the Sumy region has intensified further with the onset of an incursion into the neighboring Russian district of Kursk on August 6. The city of Sumy, home to more than 250,000 residents, is situated about 350 kilometers east of Kyiv.
09:29 Kyiv: Two Injured in Russian Assault with Missiles (Repeat of 05:39 and 06:20)Russia has again assaulted Kyiv with missiles (see entries 05:39 and 06:20). At least two people have been hurt as a consequence of debris falling from shot-down missiles, as reported by local authorities. Blazes were ignited, and structures and infrastructure were damaged. A nationwide air alert was in effect for approximately two hours until early morning.
08:57 Russia's Public Remains Bullish on War in Ukraine - ISWThe Russian populace continues to uphold the war in Ukraine, even after Ukraine's incursion into the Russian border district of Kursk. This finding is attributed to the latest report by the Institute for War Studies (IWS), which cites surveys led by the self-governing Russian polling institute Levada Center. Approval for the Russian military operation in Ukraine has grown in August, with approximately 78% of respondents endorsing the war - up from 75% in July and 77% in June. The Russian population does not appear to be wearied by war, granting the Kremlin the capacity to pursue a prolonged and exhausting war against Ukraine, according to IWS experts.
08:11 Ukraine Unveils Russian Casualty CountsThe Ukrainian General Staff has published new casualty statistics for Russian troops in Ukraine. The data indicates that Russia has lost around 617,600 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,300. A report from Kyiv also suggests that 9 tanks, 10 artillery systems, 1 Multiple Launch Rocket System, and 30 drones were destroyed. In total, Ukraine claims Russia has lost 8,601 tanks, 17,646 artillery systems, 368 aircraft, 328 helicopters, drones, 28 ships, and 1 submarine since the start of the large-scale invasion. Foreign sources provide lower estimations, though these are likely minimized figures.
07:29 Saporizhzhia Bombed 171 Times in 24 Hours - GovernorRussian forces have assaulted the Ukrainian region of Saporizhzhia 171 times in the previous 24 hours, as reported by the Telegram account of the region's military governor, Ivan Fedorov. Four Russian airstrikes were carried out on the settlements of Lobkove, Piatyatki, and Novoadriivka, involving 95 drones.
07:03 Rescue Team Liberates Man from Debris in Kharkiv - ReutersRescue workers have recovered a man alive from the rubble of a collapsed event hall in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv following a Russian airstrike, as reported by Reuters. The survivor claimed to be "fine" shortly after being freed. According to officials, more than 40 individuals, including 5 children, were injured in the Russian missile attacks on Kharkiv, which targeted a shopping center and an event hall on Sunday afternoon.
06:20 Kyiv under Siege: Series of Explosions - Russian AssaultRussia has targeted Ukraine with a sequence of drones, over ten cruise missiles, and numerous ballistic missiles, as reported by the Ukrainian air force. The attacks targeted the capital Kyiv and possibly other cities. Explosions in Kyiv resulted in numerous residents fleeing to bomb shelters. Mayor Vitali Klitschko indicated that rescue services had been summoned to the Holosiyivskyi and Solomianskyi districts. Klitschko reported several fires, as did the head of the Kyiv military administration, Serhiy Popko, using Telegram. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, 1 individual was reportedly injured by debris falling from the sky. "A retribution will be exacted for everything. The enemy will sense it," announced the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, using Telegram.
05:39 Kyiv Battered by Russian Missile StrikeThe Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has once again been hit by a Russian missile attack, according to Ukrainian military reports. Defense units are actively countering the attack, as announced by Ukrainian military representatives via the Telegram messaging service. Witnesses in Kyiv reported numerous loud explosions, indicative of the use of air defense systems. The specific number of missiles launched and the resultant damage are currently unknown.
03:34 Russian Attack on Sumy Orphanage - 13 HurtRussian forces have struck a children's rehabilitation center and an orphanage in Sumy using missiles, as per "Ukrainska Pravda." The assault left 13 individuals injured, among them two minors. The building is situated in a residential area, the newspaper mentions, citing local military authorities.
02:26 Polish Views on Downing Russian Spy Drones - Majority in FavorOver half of Poles (roughly 59%) believe the Polish military should shoot down Russian drones invading Polish airspace during Ukraine attacks, according to a poll conducted by "Rzeczpospolita." The poll pertains to an unidentified aircraft, speculated to be a Shahed suicide drone, circling Poland for half an hour on August 26 before disappearing. Polish Brigadier General Tomasz Drewniak, speaking on Radio RMF24, comments that Russia might be probing Poland's air defenses by sending drones into their airspace.
00:26 Belgorod Casualty from Ukrainian ShellingBelgorod regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reports one fatality from Ukrainian firing in Shagarovka village, bordering Russia. In Shebekino village, three individuals were injured during attacks. At least one additional village was shelled by Ukrainians, as well.
23:08 Russian Intercept of Drones - Over 150 ConfirmedRussia alleges to have repelled large-scale Ukrainian drone assaults on Moscow and 14 other regions, with 158 flying objects neutralized during the night, the defense ministry relayed via Telegram. Reportedly, 10 drones targeted Moscow.
22:24 Kharkiv Air Strike Casualties Rise to 47The death toll from the Russian air raid on Kharkiv has climbed to 47, including seven minors, as per Ukrainian emergency services on Telegram. Various civilian structures, including a shopping mall, were damaged as seen in photos from news agencies.
21:52 Ukrainian Helicopter Crash - Two Pilots Lose LivesFollowing a crash during a training flight at the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National Air Force University in Ukraine, two pilots have passed away. According to Ukrinform, the helicopter involved was a Mi-2 type. The incident was announced on the university's Facebook page, via Ukrinform. "The university mourns an irreparable loss – the two-person crew perished," the university's Facebook post reads. Investigators, experts, and Ministry of Defense officials are currently examining the crash site. The cause of the incident remains unknown.
21:06 Anticipated Power Outages in UkraineDue to extensive Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid, power disruptions on Monday have been predicted by Ukrainian power company Ukrenergo, as per Ukrinform. Essential infrastructure power supply will not be affected. However, Ukrenergo advises that further restrictions may be implemented.
Despite the ongoing aid and diplomatic efforts, the situation in Ukraine remains volatile. The attack on Ukraine continues, with recent reports suggesting the use of flamethrower drones in the conflict, allegedly incinerating Russian military positions and a large expanse of forest. This escalation raises concerns about the potential for further damage and loss of life.
