At 00:55, Kraftwerk in Russia damaged by Ukrainian drone attack
A Ukrainian drone attack reportedly damaged a power plant in the southwestern Russian region of Orjol, according to Russian statements. "There are no casualties," regional governor Andrej Klitschkow announced on Telegram. Two drones were supposedly destroyed. The exact number of downed drones is initially unclear. Further details about the extent of the damage to the power plant and potential consequences for energy supply are currently not available.
22:17 "Anti-European": Polish Foreign Minister proposes Hungary's exit from EU and NATOThe Polish Foreign Ministry proposed that Hungary, following Viktor Orban's controversial remarks about the EU, the US, and especially Poland, leave the EU and NATO. "If you don't want to be a member of a club, you can leave whenever you want," said the Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski. The Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported this. Orban caused outrage with his controversial remarks on a podium at a summer university in Romania. The Hungarian Prime Minister was reportedly quoted as accusing Poland of hypocrisy, praising US presidential candidate Donald Trump, and defending Russia. He also accused the US of being responsible for the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline. The Polish Foreign Minister described Orban's current politics as "anti-European, anti-Ukrainian, and anti-Polish." Poland does not do business with Russia "in contrast to Orban, who stands on the fringes of the international community," Bartoszewski added.
21:31 Drone attack on Bomber: Zelenskyy thanks soldiers for "precision from 1800 kilometers away"Ukrainian media reported on a successful drone attack on a military airfield in northern Russia – 1800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to "Ukrainska Pravda," citing intelligence circles, a strategic bomber of the type TU-22M3 was hit. In an evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked his soldiers, including the 9th Department of the Military Intelligence Service GUR. "Precision from almost 1800 kilometers from our border. Really important! Thank you," Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy did not provide further details. Russia launches bombers from this airfield for missile strikes on Ukraine.
20:46 Report: Wagner-affiliated Propagandist among combatants in Mali killedIn fights in Mali with fighters of the separatist Tuareg people in the north, more than several dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries have reportedly been killed. According to independent Russian news channels "The Insider" and "Mediazona", Nikita Fedjanin, administrator of the Telegram channel "Grey Zone" with around 500,000 subscribers, was among the dead. A photo allegedly showing his corpse is circulating in the reports. On the Telegram channel that Fedjanin referred to as a "soldier community", the 31-year-old published pictures of Wagner deployments at various locations in Africa and repeatedly expressed his support for Russia's war in Ukraine. The late Wagner commander Evgeny Prigoshin used "Grey Zone" to regularly disseminate videos and photos of Wagner fighters.
20:27 Zelenskyy: Ukraine to present "Peace Plan" by end of NovemberPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview that Ukraine would complete a "Peace Plan for Peace" by the end of November. The Ukraine had organized the first global peace summit in Switzerland in June, where 91 countries and eight international organizations signed a communiqué. Kiev would begin "detailed talks with relevant countries" on territorial integrity and other issues, Zelenskyy said. Ukraine plans to organize a second peace summit involving Russia before the US presidential elections in November, but no official invitation has been sent yet. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said Russia would not participate.
20:12 Russian attack on Nikopol - two children injuredRussian troops attacked the city of Nikopol in the south of Ukraine. There are several injured, including two children - a girl aged one and a ten-year-old boy. This was reported by the head of the regional military administration in Dnipropetrovsk, Serhii Lyssak, on Telegram, as reported by the state news agency Ukrinform.
19:37 Russian offensive in Eastern UkraineThe Russian air force is heavily targeting the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. According to a statement from the General Staff in Kiev, the small town of Wowtschansk was hit by at least six glide bombs. Russian combat aircraft also reportedly attacked Ukrainian positions. No casualty figures were given. Another focus of Russian attacks was reportedly Pokrovsk. During the day, 16 attacks were repelled, with more ongoing. The information cannot be independently verified at this time. Reports also came in of multiple Russian attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region using artillery and combat drones. In the sector Liman in the east of the country, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian army positions, registering at least twelve attacks, according to the General Staff.
19:18 President Zelensky names three factors for a "just end" to the warPatience, support for Ukraine, and diplomatic pressure on Russia - these are the three factors for a just end to the war. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the Japanese broadcaster NHK. "Patience, support, and diplomatic pressure are the three factors for a just end to the war. If the USA and European nations maintain their unity, the pressure increases and shows Moscow that there is no chance", said the Ukrainian leader. Zelensky also emphasized that he could not react to demands for a ceasefire as long as Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory.
18:38 Scientists call for NATO membership invitation for Ukraine in an open letterScientists and scholars from various countries have called on NATO in an open letter to invite Ukraine to join the military alliance. According to the state Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, up to 158 signatories have signed the letter, which was published in the British newspaper "Guardian". "The invitation of Ukraine to NATO membership would be a final step away from appeasement policy and back to the rule of law and the protection of human rights", it says there. The previous attempts to appease Russia's alleged "NATO expansion anxiety" have ignored Russia's war crimes propaganda and systematic war crimes in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including massacres, mass rapes, and torture. "Russia's actions clearly show the intention to destroy Ukraine as a nation, rather than addressing its own security concerns", the authors emphasize. A membership in the military alliance would, in their view, not create additional incentives for the Kremlin, "as Russia is determined to destroy Ukraine and does not need additional motivation". Moreover, it is a "fact that Russia has not attacked a single member of the military alliance". Instead, Moscow has threatened, attacked, and occupied other countries.
17:54 Reports of Ukrainian surprise attack on Russian troops in LuhanskThe Ukrainian military has reportedly inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine with a rocket attack. Members of a tank infantry battalion were allegedly hit by ATACMS rockets during a gathering on a training ground, according to Ukrainian media, citing Russian social media and their own military sources. The surprise attack, which reportedly took place yesterday, is said to have killed at least 19 Russian soldiers and wounded 71 more. The information could not be independently verified. The Ukrainian troops usually only use ATACMS rockets against valuable targets. It is possible that the troop concentration at Luhansk was detected by a reconnaissance drone beforehand.
17:32 Dozens of Wagner soldiers in Mali killed or captured - commander from Ukraine war in custodyRussian Wagner soldiers in Mali suffered one of their heaviest losses in West Africa, with dozens of killed and captured fighters according to their own reports. Rebels from the separatist Tuareg people in the northern part of the Sahel state allegedly killed several dozen Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries during three days of fighting, as they attempted to take the village of Tinzaouaten near the Algerian border. Russian mercenaries have been fighting alongside the Malian army against all rebel movements in the country since 2021, including islamist terror militias as well as the Tuareg. Russian channels close to the mercenaries, including a former commander of the forces in northern Mali, reported over 80 dead and 15 captured fighters on their side. Among them was reportedly Wagner commander Anton Elisarov, who was involved in the Russian assault on the Ukrainian town of Soledar.
16:49 Fire in university building in Chernihiv after Russian shellingRussian forces attacked the Chernihiv oblast and hit a university building. A fire broke out in the educational institution, as reported by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the Chernihiv region, in a report from "Ukrainska Pravda". "The enemy shelled the building of a university in the city center at night, causing a fire." No one was injured.
16:02 430 Ukrainian settlements without power after Russian attacksAccording to Ukrainian reports, 431 settlements in six regions in the north and northeast of Ukraine are without power following Russian attacks. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced this on Facebook, as reported by the state news agency Ukrinform.
15:34 General Staff: Over 130 battles with Russian troops in one dayAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 battles with Russian troops along the front line the previous day. As reported by the state news agency Ukrinform, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrovsk, Torezk and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kyiv: Nearly 1200 Russian soldiers eliminated in one dayThe personnel losses on the Russian side, according to official figures from Kyiv, remain high: 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or became incapable of continuing to fight in one day. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's daily reports on Russian losses, the enemy had also lost 13 more tanks (8344). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has counted over 16,000 armored vehicles and around 12,800 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed. These figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself keeps information on its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
14:28 Zelensky: Russia fired over 700 guided bombs and more than 100 drones at Ukraine in a weekRussian forces, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statements on Telegram, have fired over 700 guided air-dropped bombs and more than 100 Shahed drones at Ukraine in the past week. Regional authorities reported that eleven people were killed and forty-one were injured in Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions yesterday. The Ukrainians are "suffering daily under Russian terror" and "deserve a fair and reliable protection from it." Zelensky calls on allies to equip Kiev with long-range weapons and air defense equipment, adding that "every concrete decision by partners to strengthen our forces can save lives."
14:01 Report: F-16 fighter jets may not significantly influence the course of the warThe first F-16 fighter jets are expected to arrive in Ukraine in the coming weeks, but Ukrainian and Western officials warn that they may not have a significant impact on the course of the war, as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield. The Washington Post reports that Ukraine will only receive a small number of F-16 fighter jets, while Russia possesses a large number of air defense systems that can shoot them down. This means that the first F-16 fighter jets to arrive in Ukraine are likely to be used to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, to shoot down Russian aerial targets, rather than to attack Russian ground forces.
According to the Washington Post, it is unlikely that the fighter jets will initially be stationed near the front lines and therefore unable to intercept Russian military aircraft. Official sources refused to disclose how many F-16 fighter jets will be provided to Ukraine this year, but it is not expected to be more than approximately 20, which is the size of a squadron.
13:44 Ukraine confirms attack on oil refinery in KurskThe Ukrainian military staff confirms in social media an attack on a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and the Ukrainian military cooperated to attack the Polyova oil depot last night. Previously, regional authorities in Kursk reported a drone attack that caused fires at several locations. According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, firefighters were still on the scene this morning trying to extinguish three fuel tanks (see entries 08:00 and 06:36).
13:20 Agencies: Eight injured in Russian shelling of two apartment buildings in NikopolEight people, including children, were injured in Nikopol, a Ukrainian city in the Dnipro region, due to Russian shelling, according to RBC-Ukraine, citing the State Emergency Services (SES) of Ukraine. "Eight residents of two multi-story buildings, including two children, were injured during the enemy shelling of Nikopol," the statement reads. The injured were taken to the hospital by rescue teams and the Red Cross.
13:01 Russia reports capture of two locations in Donetsk, Ukraine
Russia has taken control of two locations in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. The places in question are Prohres and Evheniwka in the east of Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies, quoting the Russian Defense Ministry.
12:44 Ukraine accuses Russia of killing 564 children since start of war
Russia is reported to have killed 564 children and wounded at least 1487 since the start of its military campaign in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," citing the Office of the Prosecutor General. Most of the children were affected in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Kiev and Zaporizhzhia, the statement on Telegram reads.
12:24 Lindner counters Pistorius on defense budget discussion
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his stance on defense spending in an interview with ARD's "Hauptstadtstudio." "We have reached the two-percent NATO target for the first time since many, many years," the FDP leader said. "We spend more than France and Italy. In the coming years, we will continue to allocate at least two percent of our economic output for security." Lindner then turned the tables: "It's not the case that everything the defense minister says is automatically justified and correct. It's about tax money and the efficiency of budget allocation." Lindner referred to Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer's proposed 100-billion-euro special program for strengthening the armed forces, which none of her predecessors had. "We can work with that, and we have to make it economical," Lindner said.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US missile deployment in Germany
In response to plans to deploy US long-range missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened retaliation at the annual naval parade in St. Petersburg. Russia would respond symmetrically if the plans were implemented and no longer feel bound by the earlier prohibition on land-based atomic medium-range missiles, Putin said. The INF Treaty, which prohibits these weapons, no longer applies since the US withdrawal in 2019. Putin told sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India in a speech that the US could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. "The flight time of these missiles, which could be armed with nuclear warheads in the future, to targets on our territory will be approximately ten minutes," Putin said.
11:14 Authorities: Russians seize over 500 homes in Luhansk for themselves
In the self-proclaimed "Luhansk People's Republic," Russian occupiers have illegally seized 514 homes from evacuated residents. This information was provided by the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," citing a Telegram message from the head of the regional administration of Luhansk, Artem Lysohord. These are objects that are subject to the "nationalization procedure," which begins 30 days after discovery, Lysohord wrote, adding that a large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities would be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Charkiw - Air alarm declared in other regions of Ukraine According to suspislne.media, the Ukrainian broadcasting company, there were two explosions reported in Charkiw in the morning. Shortly after, the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Sinegubov, reported through Telegram about two missile attacks by the Russians. The type of missiles is being investigated. According to RBC-Ukraine news portal, an air alarm has been declared in some regions of Ukraine, including Dnipro, Sumy, Tschernihiw, Poltawa, Charkiw, and Donetsk. There is no information about casualties, but a threat through missiles cannot be ruled out in these regions.
10:07 Governor reports 5 Dead and 15 Injured by Russian shelling in Donetsk region Five civilians were killed and 15 others were injured by Russian shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Saturday, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reported on Telegram. According to Filashkin, the Russians killed five residents of the Donetsk region. Three of them were in Iwaniwka, one in Kostiantyniwka, and one in Toretsk. Furthermore, 15 people in the region were injured during the day, Filashkin wrote. Since the beginning of the Russian offensive in February 2022, according to Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured in the Donetsk region. These numbers do not include the victims in Mariupol and Wolnowacha.
09:46 IfW President: German fiscal policy is "Security risk for Europe" Moritz Schularick, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), called on the German government to significantly increase spending on security and defense - while also criticizing the coalition's budget compromise. "The German government is currently making an irrational fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick said in an interview with t-online. "Much more: The fiscal policy is and remains a security risk for Europe." A future special fund for the Bundeswehr should be "significantly larger than the current one with its size of 100 billion euros," Schularick continued. "Just to close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are probably talking about a volume of 250 to 300 billion euros."
And even then, it is clear: "Even with all these additional expenditures, Germany would still be spending proportionally less for the military than countries like Poland, Norway, or the USA, which have not reduced their investments to the same extent in the past two decades." In total, Germany would need spending in the range of 3 to 3.5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia through "strength and determination."
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk region as "inevitably lost" for Ukraine
The Ukrainian forces are currently under particularly heavy pressure from Russian attacks in the Donetsk region. Military expert Ralf Thiele sees no way for Ukraine to hold the region of Donetsk in the future. The Russians are "step by step on the offensive" and the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is "inevitably lost" for Ukraine, Thiele said on ntv. "It's sadly inevitable when you have to say something like that," the military expert added. The region is either on the negotiation table or "in real terms." This means either there will be a ceasefire agreement or a surrender ceasefire, Thiele explained. Both options mean the region "will be gone in the end," he added.
08:52 Ukraine reports 1,180 Russian casualties in the past 24 hours
Russia has lost approximately 574,690 soldiers in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024, according to Ukrainian calculations. Among them were 1,180 fatalities or injuries in the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian military's General Staff reported this in its daily update on Facebook. In addition, Russian losses included: 8,344 tanks, 16,095 armored combat vehicles, 15,936 artillery systems, 11,271 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2,405 missile systems. The Russian army had also lost 363 combat aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,766 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 28 warships/cutters, 1 submarine, 21,572 vehicles and tank trucks, and 2,671 pieces of specialized equipment since the beginning of their offensive war, it was reported.
08:16 Thiele on the situation at the front: Ukrainians are "de facto on a step-by-step retreat"
The situation is not good for Ukraine in the contested areas in the east of the country, according to military expert Ralf Thiele. The military is trying to prevent a Russian breakthrough - but at the cost of a retreat. Thiele fears that Ukraine will lose the region of Donetsk in every scenario.
08:00 Kursk reports fire in fuel depot under Russian control
A Ukrainian drone attack set a fuel depot in the Kursk region on fire, according to local Russian authorities. The fire was quickly brought under control, regional governor Alexei Smirnov wrote on Telegram. There were no injuries reported, he added.
07:44 TASS: Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in Kherson region
Russian paratrooper drones destroyed a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian ammunition depot for field artillery on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River in the Kherson region, TASS reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drones were launched, the shrapnel penetrated the front line along the riverbank. At the same time, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field artillery ammunition depot, the ministry said in a statement. A direct hit destroyed the ammunition depot and disabled the howitzer.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory"
The Olympic participation of Ukraine, according to Sport Minister Vadym Bidny, is a strong sign and an opportunity to draw the international community's attention to the situation in the country following the beginning of the Russian aggression war. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidny said at the opening of the Ukrainian house in Paris. It is very important that Russia is represented in Paris with only a small team of 15 neutral athletes. Russia as a nation was expelled from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the aggression. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," Bidny added.
It is now the responsibility of the Olympic team to unite the international community in support of Ukraine and to speak to the people who normally don't listen to politicians. The participation is a strong signal that Ukraine not only survived but also has the will to win.
06:58 Russia reports shooting down Ukrainian drones
The Russian air defense shoots down seven Ukrainian drones, according to their own statements. Five were over the Belgorod region and two over the Kursk region, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Telegram.
06:36 Governor: Oil depot in Kursk is on fire after drone attackIn the night, explosions occurred in the Kursk region of Russia due to a drone attack. In an oil depot and several areas, fires broke out, Governor Alexei Smirnov reported on Telegram and the channel Baza. The air defense forces are "on alert," the Russian official wrote and urged the residents of the region to "stay alert." At least two fires had broken out, one in the Medvenka district and one in the Kursk district, it was reported. In an oil storage facility in the village of Polyova, a fire was caused, reported the channel Shot on Telegram. Witnesses reported hearing "several strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Before the explosions, they had heard the characteristic sound of a drone flying overhead. After the explosions, they reported seeing strong smoke in the sky. In addition, an explosion occurred in the city of Sudzha, a house in the Medva district was on fire, it was reported.
05:41 Linnemann questions welfare payments to Ukrainian refugees in Germany
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann questioned the welfare payments to Ukrainian women and men in an interview with Funke media. "We need to discuss why more than 50 percent of the Ukrainians work in many European countries, but only 25 percent in Germany," he said. There are clearly no incentives for quick employment," the Ukrainians also defended the freedom of the Germans. "But if there is a performance, it is linked to a counter-performance. That includes taking up work."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to duty
In Ukraine, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation, according to Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova, is very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation programs and returnees to duty. This is also acknowledged by our Western partners," she said, according to the Interfax news agency. Kalmykova spoke of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainians regain positions near Toretsk, north of DonetskAccording to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk. Geolocated footage shows this. The Russian side is said to have continued its offensive operations in the area.
01:08 Ukraine reports multiple civilians killed by Russian shelling - including a childAccording to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed by Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. In the region of Kherson, there were three fatalities. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 others were injured by a rocket attack on the town of Hluchiw. In the region of Kharkiv, a man was killed by Russian shelling in a residential building.
23:46 Russia reports capture of additional village in UkraineRussia claims to have captured another village in eastern Ukraine. The village of Losuwatske in the Donezk region is "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. It is located about 25 kilometers east of the city of Pokrovsk, in the area where the Russian army has made relatively quick progress in recent months. Ukraine has not confirmed the capture.
22:23 Blinken threatens China with "measures" over continued support for Russian defense industryUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the US would take "measures" if Beijing continued to support Russia's defense industry. According to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," Blinken made this statement during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos, shortly after his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang in Guangzhou during his first visit to China since the war began. "The Minister reaffirmed his serious concern over China's support for the PRC's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if the PRC did not address this threat to European security," Miller said.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- Following the reported drone attack on a power plant in Orjol, Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked his military for a successful drone attack on a military airfield in northern Russia, using drones that reportedly hit a strategic bomber.
- The Polish Foreign Ministry proposed that Hungary, due to Viktor Orban's controversial remarks, leave the EU and NATO, with Orban being accused of defending Russia during his controversial remarks.
- Russia claimed that Ukrainian drones attacked a power plant in the southwestern Russian region of Orjol, causing damage and disruption to energy supply, while Ukrainian officials remain silent on the accusations.
- A Ukrainian surprise attack using ATACMS rockets reportedly inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, with at least 19 soldiers killed and 71 injured.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for Western nations to equip Ukraine with long-range weapons and air defense equipment to protect against Russian attacks, citing over 700 guided air-dropped bombs and more than 100 Shahed drones launched by Russia within a week.
