8:05 p.m. Convicted Nemtsov murderer moves into Russia's war
One of the convicted individuals in the case of the murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov has reportedly volunteered for deployment in the war zone in Ukraine. The online edition of the Kremlin-critical newspaper "Novaya Gazeta," which operates in exile in Europe, reports that the convicted person is stationed in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol. He is currently said to be on vacation in his home in the Russian republic of Chechnya in the North Caucasus. After signing up for service, he was pardoned and released in March, the state-run Russian news agency TASS reported, citing the Russian justice system. He reportedly signed a one-year contract with the Ministry of Defense to perform tasks in the area of the military special operation - as the war is officially referred to in Russia.
Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, was shot near the Kremlin in 2015. A Moscow court convicted the suspected murderer and four accomplices from the North Caucasus to long prison terms in 2017. The murder of Nemtsov, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, remains shrouded in many questions, with his family alleging that the masterminds were never truly sought.
19:50 Selenskyj: Strategic goals achieved in Kursk - Moscow disagreesUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims that Ukraine has achieved its strategic goals in its advance in the Russian region of Kursk, stating in his nightly address on Telegram that they have made good progress. The Russian military, however, reports that its units, supported by the air force, drones, and artillery, have thwarted attempts by mobile enemy groups to advance deep into Russian territory with armored vehicles. The army statement further claims that the Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses.
19:30 After prisoner exchange: Freed Russian woman wants to marry in GermanySasha Skochilenko, arrested in Russia in 2022 for distributing anti-war messages, is initially sentenced to seven years in prison. However, the activist is released to Germany as part of a prisoner exchange, where she can live openly with her partner Sonya Subbotina.
18:55 Suspected sabotage against the German military: Green politician von Notz also suspects RussiaThe German military cordoned off and searched two of its sites in North Rhine-Westphalia due to suspected sabotage. At the Cologne-Wahn air base, there is a suspicion of manipulation of the barracks' internal drinking water system, the military announced. At the Geilenkirchen site, an intruder is reportedly repelled, but subsequent testing of the drinking water reveals nothing unusual. The chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marcus Faber, points the finger at Russia as a possible culprit (see entry at 18:24). Similarly, the chairman of the Parliamentary Control Panel of the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, says to Welt TV, "Of course, the suspicion arises that this could be a Russian sabotage action." This is a "concrete working hypothesis" for the investigations, says the Green politician.
18:24 Possible Sabotage at German Armed Forces: Chairman of Defense Committee Suspects RussiaFollowing suspected sabotage incidents in two German Armed Forces barracks, the chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marcus Faber, points the finger at Russia. "Given the temporal proximity of the incidents in the two barracks, one can suspect that an adversary actor is attempting to demonstrate its sabotage capabilities here," Faber told the "Bild" newspaper. "The actor with the greatest interest in doing so is Putin," he added, referring to the Russian president. However, further investigations must determine whether this suspicion is confirmed, Faber said. Both the German Armed Forces base in Cologne-Wahn and the NATO support point in Geilenkirchen were targets of suspected sabotage activities.
18:00 Likely Companies from Over 120 Countries: Russia Seeks New Partners at Arms FairIn the Moscow region, countless tanks, combat aircraft, and firearms are lined up: at an international arms fair, the Defense Ministry is concluding new arms deals with foreign partners worth around five billion euros.
17:40 After Prisoner Exchange: Poland Charges Freed Man with EspionageA Russian-Spanish dual national suspected of being a GRU agent is being charged with espionage in Poland. Pavel R., better known as Pablo G., was arrested in the Polish city of Przemysl near the Ukrainian border on February 28, 2022, just days after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He had been posing as a freelance journalist from Spain and writing reports for Spanish media. He was held in Poland until he was part of a prisoner exchange with Russia on August 1. The suspect is accused of committing a crime related to espionage, which carries a prison sentence of three to 15 years. It was not clear whether the trial would take place in his absence. No further details were provided by the authorities.
17:27 Report: Russian Justice Opens Over 10,000 Cases for 'Insulting' the ArmySince the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022, Russian justice has opened more than 10,000 cases for "insulting" the army, the independent Russian news portal Mediazona reports on its website. The tenth thousandth case was brought to court in the first week of August, according to Mediazona. Most cases were reported in the first months of the war, with 5,614 cases by the end of 2022. In 2023, around 3,000 cases were added, bringing the total to 8,590 by the end of last year. So far this year, 1,410 cases have been opened. Mediazona counted these cases based on its own analysis of Russian court data. The basis for the cases is a law that imposes fines of up to 50,000 rubles (around 500 euros) for "insulting" the armed forces. A second offense within a year can result in a five-year prison sentence. If the justice system finds that the "insult" led to injuries, deaths, or significant disruption of public order, prison sentences of up to seven years can be imposed.
17:08 Kyiv Reports Downing of Su-34 Fighter-Bomber in Kursk RegionUkrainian forces have destroyed a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber in the Kursk region, according to "Ukrainska Pravda," citing a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "Last night, the forces and means of the anti-aircraft missile troops of the Ukrainian Air Force, during a combat mission in the Kursk region (Russia), destroyed a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber," the Ukrainian online newspaper quotes the explanation.
16:50 Kyiv Aims to Create 'Buffer Zone' in Kursk RegionThe Ukrainian army, in its offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk, aims to establish a "buffer zone" to protect its population, according to its own statements. "The establishment of a buffer zone in the Kursk region is a step to protect our population on the border from daily enemy shelling," Interior Minister Ihor Klimenko said on the Telegram messaging service. Kyiv also announced plans to open a humanitarian corridor in the region. "Our forces are preparing to open a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians, both towards Russia and towards Ukraine," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk also said on Telegram.
16:30 Authority, Corruption, Propaganda: Does the Kursk Offensive Threaten Putin's Power Structure?Internationally, politicians are surprised by Ukraine's advance into the Kursk region. Russia also seems caught off guard, with the Kremlin seemingly having no response ready. Does this mean a crack in Vladimir Putin's power structure?
15:59 Report: Ukraine Launches 'Largest Attack' on Russian Air Bases Since Start of WarLong-range drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Ukrainian defense forces carried out the largest attack on Russian military air bases in Voronezh, Kursk, Savassleyka, and Borisoglebsk overnight, according to the Ukrainian national news agency "Ukrinform," citing a source at the SBU. The attack was reportedly effective and the largest since the start of the war. The aim is to prevent Russia from using these air bases for missile attacks on the front line and Ukrainian cities, the report said.
15:36 German Government: Ukraine Support Unrelated to Nord StreamThe initial findings of the investigation into the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines do not change Germany's support for Ukraine, said Wolfgang Büchner, deputy government spokesman, in response to journalists' questions in Berlin. "Investigations are being conducted according to the rule of law and without regard to persons, and completely independently of the results of such investigations," he said. The investigations have no influence on whether and to what extent Germany will continue to support Ukraine in the future, as they do not change "the fact that Russia is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine in violation of international law," he added. The clarification of the act of sabotage is a top priority for the federal government, Büchner said. He declined to evaluate whether Polish authorities are cooperating sufficiently in this regard.
15:10 Kursk Offensive Progresses: "Advance Brings Ukraine No Closer to Peace"Ukraine's offensive on the Kursk region surprises Putin and his country. Thousands are evacuated, and Russia seems not to have found the right military response yet. Security expert Gerhard Mangott sees no decisive advantage for Ukraine - on the contrary.
14:50 Russia Extends Oil Export BanRussia extends the existing oil export ban. The step is to stabilize fuel prices in the country, which have recently risen sharply again, the Moscow government explains. The ban applies from September 1 to the end of the year. It is due to a "period of sustained seasonal demand and planned repairs in oil refineries," it is said further. Russia had taken such a measure for the first time in the fall of 2023 in response to rising fuel prices. In November, the export ban was then suspended. At the beginning of the year, Moscow announced a six-month oil export ban from March 1, which was then suspended between mid-May and late July, citing "saturation of the domestic market." It is now in effect again and is being extended beyond August.
14:19 Drones Accompany Ground Offensive: Ukrainians Film Themselves Far Behind Russian BorderThe Ukrainian ground offensive on Russian territory has so far been a major success for Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers film themselves renaming a Russian village 100 kilometers behind the border. President Selenskyj uses this development for a confident message.
13:52 Ukraine: Russian City of Sudscha Fully Under ControlThe city of Sudscha in the Russian Kursk Oblast is fully under Ukrainian control, according to Ukrainian army chief Olexander Syrskyj. "The search and destruction of the enemy in the town of Sudscha is complete," he says in a video conference with President Volodymyr Selenskyj. Footage is published on the president's Telegram channel. The pipeline that supplies Russian gas from West Siberia to Slovakia and other EU countries runs through Sudscha. Sudscha has around 6,000 inhabitants.
13:31 Russian National Guard Reinforces Security at Kursk NPPThe Russian National Guard, Rosgwardija, reinforces security at the Kursk NPP. Special attention is being paid to the defense against Ukrainian drones, it reports. The Ukrainian military entered the border-adjacent oblast on August 6 and claims to have brought more than 1,000 square kilometers under its control. This cannot be independently verified. The NPP is located about 30 kilometers west of the city of Kursk and is operated by the state corporation Rosenergoatom.
13:06 Selenskyj: Steadily Advancing in Russian Oblast KurskUkrainian troops are steadily advancing in the Russian Kursk Oblast, according to President Volodymyr Selenskyj. They have moved one to two kilometers in various directions in the last 24 hours, the Ukrainian head of state says in a video conference with army chief Olexander Syrskyj. The latter reports that Ukrainian units captured 100 Russian soldiers on Wednesday.
12:43 Kriewald: Ukraine is "under significant pressure in the Donetsk region"The Ukraine continues to maintain pressure on the Russian region of Kursk. However, while it can report military successes there, Russia is making further advances in the eastern Ukrainian combat zone of Donetsk. ntv reporter Nadja Kriewald reports on the current situation in the Ukraine war from Kyiv.
12:12 Ukrainian soldiers remove Russian flag from building in SudschaUkrainian state television shows footage of Ukrainian soldiers removing a Russian flag from a public building in Sudscha. In the video, taken on Wednesday, a three-story building and three soldiers can be seen pulling down the flag while shouting, "Glory to Ukraine!" Sudscha is located in the Russian region of Kursk, which borders Ukraine. In recent days, the Ukrainian military has reported advances, but it was unclear which side controlled Sudscha. The city is where the pipeline runs that Russia uses to supply gas from West Siberia to Slovakia and other EU countries via Ukraine.
11:45 Russia puts peace talks on holdRussia has put peace talks on hold following the Ukrainian attack on the region of Kursk, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Special envoy Rodion Miroschnik told the state-run TASS news agency that Ukraine bears responsibility for this, as its attack on Kursk has effectively put any peace talks "on ice for the long term." The Ukrainian military surprised the world on August 6 by invading the Russian border region and claiming to have taken control of more than 1,000 square kilometers.
11:09 Why Belarus is sending tanks to the front in RussiaBelarus is reportedly moving military equipment to the Russian region of Kursk, according to official statements. But does this mean Belarus is joining the Ukraine war? ntv Russia correspondent Rainer Munz believes that President Lukashenko's actions are intended to have the opposite effect.
10:46 Russia attacks energy facilities in UkraineRussian forces have attacked energy facilities in northern and southern Ukraine, according to the power grid operator Ukrenergo. An installation in the south was shelled on Wednesday morning, Ukrenergo said on Telegram. Russian drones also targeted another facility in the north overnight, causing temporary power outages for consumers in parts of the region of Chernihiv.
10:03 Chief of Staff Jermak meets with US diplomat O'BrianAndriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met with high-ranking US diplomat James O'Brian. The two discussed the situation on the battlefield and security agreements, according to the Ukrainian presidential administration. O'Brian is responsible for European and Eurasian affairs in the US Department of State.
09:17 Expert: Chernobyl Scenario Possible in Kursk NPPA Chernobyl-like scenario at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) cannot be completely ruled out, says Dmytro Humeniuk, an expert in safety analyses at the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, to Radio NV. The KNPP has the same reactor type as the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which increases the possibility of a Chernobyl-like scenario, he explains. Humeniuk believes that the takeover of the KNPP is not the goal of the Ukrainian military's invasion, as it is a complex process and the plant could suffer damage without proper maintenance. "It's not enough to capture it, it must also be operated. Therefore, the takeover of the Kursk NPP cannot be a goal."
08:48 Biden: Kursk Offensive a 'Real Dilemma' for PutinThe Ukrainian offensive in the Russian region of Kursk is a "real dilemma" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to US President Joe Biden. The US is in constant contact with Ukraine. He did not want to say more about the advance.
08:19 Russia Reports Shooting Down of 117 Drones and Four MissilesThe Ministry of Defense in Moscow reports the shooting down of 117 drones and four missiles fired from Ukraine at Russian regions. 37 drones were destroyed over the regions of Kursk and Voronezh each. The ministry does not provide information on whether any drones were not intercepted and what damage may have occurred.
07:32 Troubleshooter Djumin: Putin Sends His 'Lifesaver' to KurskAlexei Gennadyevich Dyumin is set to lead Russia's "anti-terror operation" in Kursk, according to the "Moscow Times," citing Russian military bloggers. President Putin has tasked Dyumin with resolving coordination issues in the region. Last week, there were conflicting statements about the situation in Kursk. General Gerasimov had painted a much rosier picture of the situation in a meeting than it ultimately was, the report says. This prompted Putin to act. The need to bring in Dyumin underscores "the scale of the disaster in inter-agency cooperation," the report says. The former chief of the General Staff is part of Putin's inner circle and is known as a troubleshooter capable of handling coordination, combat, and civilian administration issues. Dyumin reportedly once saved Putin from a bear, according to his own statements.
06:59 Zelensky: Advance in Kursk Brings Us Closer to Our GoalUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees his country's military forces gaining momentum with the advance in the Russian region. "Ukraine can achieve its goals, defend its interests, and protect its independence," Zelensky says in a video message. The Ukrainian army has taken 74 settlements in the Kursk region - twice as many as claimed by the Russian side. Both claims are unverifiable.
06:30 "On urgent request" - Belarus sends military equipment to KurskBelarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko orders the delivery of Belarusian military equipment to Russian forces to support the Kursk region. Belarusian news agency Belnovosti reports. The latest shipment is in response to an "urgent request from the Russian side" due to losses and equipment shortages in the Kursk region and other areas, according to an unnamed source in the country's defense ministry.
05:57 Governor of Belgorod declares state of emergencyThe governor of the Russian city of Belgorod declares a state of emergency. He reports daily shelling by Ukrainian forces that destroys houses and kills and injures civilians. "The situation in our Belgorod region remains extremely difficult and tense due to shelling by Ukrainian forces," writes Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram, adding that a state of emergency will be declared on a regional level from Wednesday. Russia should now declare a state of emergency for the region.
05:34 Russian governors report air strikesThe governors of the Russian oblasts of Kursk, Lipetsk, and Voronezh report drone and missile attacks on their regions. Russian Telegram channels report a fire in Voronezh, which locals say was caused by a drone attack on a military airport. No official statements have been made yet. In Kursk, Governor Alexei Smirnov says the air defense shot down four missiles. An air alert was also sounded in Lipetsk.
04:08 EU Commission pays Ukraine 4.2 billion eurosThe EU Commission pays around 4.2 billion euros to Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia. "To keep the Ukrainian state running while it fights for its survival," writes Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X. Europe stands firmly with Ukraine. The funds are part of the so-called Ukraine Facility. This EU aid program was decided on at the beginning of February and will enable financial assistance of 50 billion euros until the end of 2027. Of this, 33 billion euros will be in the form of loans, and the rest as grants. Last week, EU countries gave the green light for the payment. With the financial assistance, the EU wants to support the Ukrainian state, for example, in rebuilding the country, modernizing it, and implementing important reforms for EU accession.
03:40 Kremlin Advises Russian Scientists Not to Publish with Foreign Publishers
The Russian Ministry of Education and Science has advised scientists not to submit articles to the Dutch publisher Elsevier, which specializes in publishing scientific and medical research, or other "similar foreign organizations," according to the state news agency Iswestija. Elsevier and other scientific publishers announced in March 2022 that while Russian and Belarusian researchers could still submit articles for publication, the sale of their journals to Russian organizations would be suspended due to the invasion of Ukraine. One of Russia's leading universities, the University of the Friendship of Peoples, had already banned its employees from publishing in Elsevier research journals. The vice-rector for strategic communication, Elena Apasova, claimed that Elsevier had "transferred the fees paid by authors for the publication of articles to support Ukraine." In late January, Novaya Gazeta Europe estimated that at least 2,500 Russian scientists had left the country since the start of the invasion, as it had become much harder for many researchers to participate in international projects and publish in scientific journals.
02:51 US Official: Ukraine Aims to Force Russia to Withdraw Troops
A high-ranking US government official told Reuters that the Ukrainian advance into the Russian region of Kursk could be an attempt to force Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. By pushing its military forces into Russian territory, Ukraine is forcing Russia to defend its own territory, which could weaken Russian forces within Ukraine, according to the Washington assessment.
01:24 US: Not Involved in Ukrainian Advance into Russia
The US State Department has stated that the US is not involved in any way in the planning or preparation of the Ukrainian military's advance into Russian territory. This was announced by the deputy spokesperson of the US State Department, Vedant Patel, in a press briefing. The US is a key ally of Ukraine and has been providing the country, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022, with weapons and ammunition.
00:18 Russia Sanctions: Customs Raids Two Companies in Berlin
In Berlin, customs officers raided two companies suspected of violating EU Russia sanctions. Around 100 officers from the Central Unit for Sanctions Enforcement, acting on a warrant from the competent local court, searched a building complex, the General Customs Directorate in the capital announced. Both companies are subject to EU sanctions. Funds and assets of listed natural or legal persons are frozen. "There is a suspicion of violations of the law on the enforcement of economic sanctions," the customs office explained. The search was aimed at "securing the building complex in the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg and searching for assets." Interrogations were also conducted and evidence seized. Media reports suggest that the raided companies are two unnamed Russian logistics companies.
23:59 Fitch Downgrades Ukraine Rating FurtherFitch Ratings has downgraded Ukraine's creditworthiness to "RD" from the previous "C" rating. The U.S. credit watchers cited the expiration of a payment deadline for interest on a $750 million bond with a maturity date in 2026 as the reason for the move. The payment was due on August 1. "RD" in Fitch's rating system stands for "Restricted Default," roughly translating to "restricted default" in English. No statement from the government in Kyiv has been made yet.
23:08 Russia Reports Two Dead from Ukrainian Shelling in LysychanskAccording to Russian reports, two people have been killed in the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine due to Ukrainian shelling. The state-run Russian news agency TASS reported this, citing local authorities who are under Russian control. Earlier, representatives installed by Russia had spoken of more than 30 injured people.
22:11 Russia to Send Evacuated Civilians from Kursk to Occupied UkraineFollowing Ukraine's advance into the Russian region of Kursk, local authorities want to send refugees to a region in Ukraine occupied by Russia. Kursk's acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, announced this on Telegram, saying he had discussed this solution with the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky. Balitsky proposed using sanatoriums and pensions on the Sea of Azov for accommodation. "In the coming days, we will form the first transports to bring people to the temporary accommodation centers in the Zaporizhzhia region," Smirnov said. Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia in the fall of 2022 and had already installed the pro-Moscow Balitsky as its governor before that. While Moscow does not fully control the region, it has occupied the access to the Sea of Azov, where there are still sanatoriums today.
**21:37 Moscow's UN Envoy: After Kursk Attack, Putin Withdraws 'Generous' Peace Offer'Vladimir Putin's "generous" peace offer is no longer on the table after Ukraine's incursion into the Russian border region of Kursk, a Kremlin official said. Dmitri Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said at a meeting at the organization's headquarters: "In June, Russia made a generous offer to Ukraine, but a week ago, the Zelensky regime chose escalation and attacked the Kursk region," he continued, "the offer is no longer on the table." "This is a step that Ukraine will regret later," he added. Russia said it is ready for peace talks "tomorrow" if Ukrainian troops withdraw from the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk, and if Ukraine abandons its plan to join NATO. If Ukraine agrees, Russia will stop fire and start negotiations, Putin said. However, Ukraine, NATO, and the Pentagon rejected the offer. Kyiv described it as "a complete sham."
21:08 Evaluation Claims Over 300 Russians Captured in Kursk
An evaluation claims that Ukrainian forces have captured at least 303 Russian soldiers during the offensive in the Kursk region. An Austrian X-user created the list based on videos on social media, adding another 15 prisoners of war, but noting uncertainty in the data. The list is incomplete as not all prisoners of war are documented in videos. Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrsky reported "hundreds" of Russian prisoners to the Ukrainian president today. Social media discussions have mentioned up to 2000 captured Russians in the Kursk region. Notably, many of the captured Russians are very young, which the X-user suggests could make them more valuable for a prisoner exchange than men from poor backgrounds and remote Russian regions.
20:36 Moscow Recognizes Gravity of Situation - Troops from Kaliningrad Deployed to Kursk
According to Lithuanian defense minister Laurynas Kasciunas, Russia is deploying troops from Kaliningrad to the Kursk region where Ukrainian soldiers are reportedly advancing. He announced this during a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, as shown in a video on Zelensky's Telegram channel. Russia has not yet commented on this. Earlier, the U.S. magazine Politico reported that the Russian military had ordered a small number of soldiers from the occupied Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia to Kursk, but this has not been confirmed by Moscow.
20:10 Russians Continue Advancing in Donetsk - Battle for Toretsk Underway
The situation around the city of Toretsk in the Donetsk region remains challenging for Ukrainian forces. Russian soldiers continue to attack, with fighting already taking place on the outskirts of the city. The Russians are also deploying sabotage groups within the city, according to Oleksandr Bordiian, deputy spokesperson of the 32nd mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian army, in an interview with Radio Liberty. However, Bordiian also noted an increase in the number of Russian soldiers surrendering last week. There is no significant relief yet from the Ukrainian offensive in the Russian region of Kursk. While the intensity of ground attacks has decreased, the Russians are compensating with increased air attacks using guided bombs. The Ukrainian general staff also reports no decrease in the intensity of Russian attacks in the Donetsk region, with 52 attacks recorded in the Pokrovsk area alone within 24 hours.
19:34 "How Can Russia Escalate Further?"
Carlo Masala dismisses Russia's threat of a harsh counterattack against Ukrainian advances on its territory as an empty threat. He believes the Russian army is already acting with extreme brutality, making a nuclear attack unlikely.
19:01 More Casualties Than New Soldiers: Is Moscow Secretly Ramping Up Recruitment? The Russian army is reportedly struggling to replenish its ranks with new soldiers to keep up with losses at the front. According to U.S. news agency Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources close to the Kremlin and the Russian defense ministry, these are the heaviest losses since the invasion began. The need to fill military reserves has become even more urgent with Ukraine's incursion into the border regions of Russia's Kursk and Belgorod. Bloomberg reports that Russia may be forced to consider a new mobilization. Officials could present this as rotation to give soldiers at the front a break, with the announcement possibly coming by the end of this year, sources say. A person familiar with the situation told Bloomberg that regional authorities are currently unable to meet more than a third of their conscription quotas. On July 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin had already increased the signing bonus for new recruits to fight in Ukraine, from 195,000 (1955 USD) to 400,000 (4011 USD) rubles.
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Note: The provided text is already in English. Therefore, no translation is needed.
- The convicted individual, after being pardoned and released by the Russian justice system, has chosen to serve in the military and is currently stationed in a war zone, specifically in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol.
- In a strange turn of events, the Russian government has reportedly offered amnesty and military service to individuals convicted in high-profile cases, as seen with the case of the convicted person in connection with the murder of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov.
