At 15:15, Russia announces a retaliatory attack in Kursk
14:55 IAEA Chief Oversees Urgent Nuclear Plant Inspection in KurskThe head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, is personally overseeing an urgent inspection of the Kursk nuclear power plant situated in the Russian region with the same name. Trouble arises as Ukrainian forces have moved into the region. Grossi warned on X that the situation is serious, emphasizing, "The safety of nuclear facilities must never be compromised, regardless of the circumstances." The inspection is scheduled for Tuesday. The unexpected entrance of Ukrainian troops into Kursk occurred on August 6.
14:32 Omsk Oil Refinery Suffers Damaging FireA fire has ravaged Russia's most prominent oil refinery in the city of Omsk, as per reports from Gazprom. Two individuals were injured, but operations remain uninterrupted, as Gazprom announced in a message. According to the statement, "The Omsk refinery fire is currently under control. The automatic safety system of the facility detected a fire in its technical equipment." Operations are continuing as usual.
14:32 Russian Forces Target Western Weapons and Supplies in UkraineRussian forces have targeted gas compressors and power transformers in Ukraine, allegedly using drones and missiles, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow. These energy facilities were essential for supplying power to Ukraine's military-industrial complex. Additionally, Western weapons and ammunition stored at two Ukrainian airfields were targeted.
14:09 Washington Post Reports Over 240 Russian Soldiers Captured in KurskSince their sudden invasion of the Russian region of Kursk at the beginning of August, Ukrainian forces have reportedly taken over 240 Russian soldiers, according to a report from The Washington Post. The news outlet analyzed over 130 photos and videos taken since the invasion on August 6. Most of the footage was captured by Ukrainian soldiers and shared on social media. The analysis also included photos taken by a newspaper photographer from a prison housing captured Russian soldiers in Ukraine. "These verified images show at least 247 captured Russian prisoners of war, supporting the claims of Ukrainian authorities that hundreds of Russians were captured during the invasion," The Washington Post wrote. A large number of young military officers were among the captives, reportedly surrendering without resistance.
13:43 Unidentified Object Enters Polish AirspaceDuring Russia's attack on Ukraine, an unidentified object entered Polish airspace, according to Polish news agency PAP and army operational command. The search for the object continues. General Maciej Klisz, operational commander of the Polish armed forces, confirmed that an unidentified object likely entered Polish territory during the Russian assault on Ukrainian land. The Guardian reported that the object was probably a drone based on a statement from the Polish army spokesperson.
13:21 Dam North of Kyiv Suffers Sever Damage, from ExplosionsA dam north of Kyiv was allegedly hit by Russian missiles during a significant aerial assault on Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media. A video shared by journalist Yaroslav Trofimov from "The Wall Street Journal," among others, shows a part of the hydroelectric power plant on fire. "The breaking of this dam would lead to millions of casualties downstream," Trofimov wrote. No official reports regarding the damage to the structure are currently available.
12:57 Zelenskyy Labels Attack as "One of the Heaviest" by RussiaAccording to Ukrainian reports, Russia launched over 100 missiles and nearly 100 drones during their recent massive attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a video message, "This was among the heaviest attacks." The Russian Ministry of Defense, in turn, claimed to have "destroyed all targeted infrastructure facilities" in their attacks on Ukraine. Zelenskyy further described it as a "composite attack" made up of over 100 missiles and approximately 100 Shahed drones of Iranian origin. The Russian Ministry of Defense declared a "large-scale attack with high-precision long-range weapons" targeting "important energy infrastructure facilities."
12:38 Kyiv Calls for West's Authorization to Attack Deep into Russian TerritoryUkraine is urging the West to authorize the deployment of weapons for attacks beyond Russian borders. "Such a decision would significantly speed up the end of Russian aggression," noted Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff on Telegram.
12:09 Peskov: Russia No Longer Believes in Ceasefire Negotiations with UkraineRussian authorities view ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine as outdated. The invasion of Ukrainian troops into the Russian border region of Kursk is unacceptable, confirmed Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian presidential administration. "Discussions about a ceasefire have lost all significance. There have been no talks about a ceasefire. The topic is no longer relevant."
11:41 Munz: Belarusian Army's Strength is OverratedDictator Lukashenko is mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers at the border with Ukraine, raising concerns. However, according to Rainer Munz, a correspondent for ntv, these troops serve mainly to display force rather than pose a real threat.
11:25 German Security Sources Suggest Russian Sabotage Ploy Behind Geilenkirchen AlertIntelligence findings suggested a potential Russian sabotage plot as the reason for the temporary increase in security level at the NATO airbase in Geilenkirchen, near Aachen. There were serious indications from a foreign intelligence service of potential Russian sabotage using a drone against the NATO base, reported German security sources.
11:20 Satellite Images Show Ongoing Struggle to Control Fire at Proletarsk Fuel Depot in RussiaThe fuel depot situated in Proletarsk, south Russia, has been combating a fire for over a week as per the latest satellite images from NASA's FIRMS fire and forest monitoring system. The blaze at the depot with over 70 individual tanks was sparked by a Ukrainian drone strike on the night of August 18th.
9:50 Unofficial Sources Suggest Another Attack TodayUnverified sources suggest that another attack took place today. The authorities of Rostov have declared a state of emergency for the Proletarsk district. TASS reported on Wednesday that 47 firefighters had been injured due to the fire up until that point.
10:50 Neighboring Country Affected by AttackThe extensive air attack this morning also impacted a neighboring country of Ukraine: Due to the proximity of Russian attacks to the Polish border, the Polish military deployed interceptors, as reported by the news agency PAP. Aircraft from other allies were also involved in the operation. The Ukrainian air force reported that the Russian army had temporarily deployed 11 long-range bombers Tu-95, which are equipped with cruise missiles. Hypersonic Kinzhal missiles were also launched at Ukraine, and the country was also attacked from the Black Sea.
10:22 Ukrainian Soldier Allegedly Fires at Russian Cruise Missile with Machine GunThis morning, Ukrainian soldiers from an air defense unit reportedly fired at a Russian cruise missile with a machine gun mounted on a truck in the western region of Transcarpathia. Governor Viktor Mykyta shared a corresponding video on social media. According to his statements, the missile was aimed at the region from the neighboring Lviv region and was shot down by the 650th separate anti-aircraft machine gun battalion. The authenticity of the video was confirmed by the RTL/ntv verification team. However, the type of missile that was shot down cannot be independently verified. According to the "Kyiv Independent", it was not the machine gun fire that brought down the missile, but an air defense missile from the Ukrainian armed forces.
10:03 Over Half of Ukraine's Regions Attacked by Russia - Energy Infrastructure TargetedMore than half of Ukraine's regions were attacked by Russia early this morning, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. "Today, 15 regions were subjected to heavy Russian fire. The enemy used various types of weapons: drones, rockets, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. There are casualties and injuries," Shmyhal wrote on Telegram. According to Ukrainian reports, energy infrastructure in four regions was damaged. Authorities in Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Rivne, and Lviv reported on Telegram that the energy infrastructure in their regions was under attack. In some areas of the capital Kyiv, electricity and water supplies were disrupted, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
09:40 ISW: Russians Deploy Troops to Kursk, Previously Active in Less Important Ukrainian FrontsThe Russian military is likely continuing to redeploy troops to Kursk from sectors with lower priority on the Ukrainian front, according to experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Commanders of the Russian 810th Marine Infantry Brigade, 155th Marine Infantry Brigade, 11th Airborne Brigade (VDV), 56th VDV Regiment (7th VDV Division), and 51st VDV Regiment (106th VDV Division) reportedly briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend on combat operations in Russian regions bordering Ukraine. The ISW's latest situation report suggests that the Kursk region is the likely target. The ISW has observed elements of the 810th Marine Infantry Brigade, 155th Marine Infantry Brigade, and 11th VDV Brigade in fighting in the Kursk region and has received indications that the Russian military leadership recently redeployed elements of the 56th VDV Regiment from the Robotyne area in western Zaporizhzhia to the border region. The Russian military command is resisting operational pressure to withdraw forces from priority offensive efforts to capture Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, the experts say.
09:14 First Casualties Reported from Massive Russian ShellingAt least three people have lost their lives in Russian air strikes, according to Ukrainian authorities. Reports of causalities have been reported in Luzk in the west of the country, Dnipro in the east, and Zaporizhzhia in the south. Luzk's mayor, Ihor Polischchuk, said a multi-family house was hit by "an enemy attack" and one person was killed. The governors of the Odessa, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions posted on Telegram that there had been explosions in their regions and urged people to seek shelter. Earlier, the governor of the central Poltava region, Filipp Pronin, reported that five people were injured in an attack on an industrial facility.
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08:50 Ukraine Concerned About Concentration of Belarusian Troops: "Belarus Entry Would Intensify Conflict"
Ukrainian urban areas were rocked by explosions following a significant Russian air assault (refer to entry at 07:24). The "Kyiv Independent" affirms that alarm signals began reverberating across the country shortly following 6 a.m. local time. The first detonations were heard in Kyiv around 8:30 a.m., with more following. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko disclosed that power outages affected "several districts" of the capital, and there were also water supply problems on the capital's right side. Explosions were also reported in Kharkiv, Odessa, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk, Dnipro, Khmelnytskyi, Kropyvnytskyi, and Kryvyi Rih.
07:53 Moscow: Russia asserts destruction of 20 Ukrainian dronesRussian defense forces allegedly subdued 20 Ukrainian drones supposedly heading towards Russian territory throughout the night, as claimed by the Defense Ministry in Moscow. Nine were downed over the Saratov region, three over Kursk, and two each over Belgorod, Bryansk, and Tula. One drone was detected over the regions of Oryol and Ryazan.
07:24 Russia initiates massive aerial assault on UkraineCurrently, Ukraine is experiencing intense hostilities, as reported in corroborating reports. The "Kyiv Post" reports explosions in Kyiv at present, as Ukraine endures a massive Russian missile and drone attack from various sources. Military analyst Nico Lange states that Russia is simultaneously discharging missiles from ships in the Black Sea and from 11 Tu-95 bombers, along with using drones and ballistic missiles. "The Russian air assault on Ukraine is massive." Explosions are reportedly also heard in several other cities.
07:07 Chechen commander claims Ukrainian losses in KurskChechen special forces, including Achmat and the 2nd Special Forces Brigade, claim to have destroyed two armored personnel carriers, five armored combat vehicles, and one light French-made tank (AMR) in the Kursk region over the past day. The Russian state news agency TASS confirms this, citing Major General Apti Alaudinov. "Over the past day, we have also put an end to a unit of automatic grenade launchers and a mortar, and damaged a gun," Alaudinov says. "Through operations against these military facilities, our forces have inflicted heavy losses on the Ukrainian troops." Alaudinov reports that Ukrainian forces' advance has been halted. "The enemy is indeed attempting to advance, but unsuccessfully. We have already begun to eliminate the enemy in several areas and liberate some settlements. I believe this effort will continue daily."
06:41 North Korea: Kim Jong Un advocates for further production of kamikaze dronesAccording to a state news agency KCNA report, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged for the production and enhancement of kamikaze drones as an essential aspect of preparations for war. Kamikaze drones are unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with explosives that are guided towards enemy targets. Russia often uses Iranian Shahed drones of this type in Ukraine. North Korea and Russia have increased their military cooperation. The drone demonstration, according to KCNA, took place on Saturday in response to escalating tensions with the neighboring country, South Korea. Photos from the event show white flying objects with X-shaped wings taking aim at tank targets and detonating. KCNA mentions that the target objects were modeled after South Korean K-2 tanks.
06:34 Ukraine: 1140 Russian Soldiers "Eliminated" in 24 HoursAccording to Ukrainian military reports, 1140 Russian soldiers have been either killed or injured in the previous 24 hours. This raises the overall number of "eliminated" Russian military personnel since the conflict's inception to 608,820. These findings cannot be vouched for independently. During the same period, four Russian tanks, 17 armored vehicles, 47 artillery systems, one multiple rocket launcher, one air defense system, and 39 drones were also destroyed.
06:12 Kyiv Urges Minsk to Avoid Fatal BlundersUkraine calls for Belarus to relocate its large force and military equipment from their common border. In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kyiv requests that the government in Minsk refrain from hostile actions and draw back its troops from the border area. Ukraine cautions Belarus against making "disastrous mistakes" under Moscow's pressure. Belarus has yet to comment. According to Ukrainian reports, troops at the border include Belarusian special forces and former Wagner soldiers, armed with tanks, artillery, air defense systems, and engineering equipment stationed in the Gomel region along the northern border of Ukraine. The statement also emphasizes that Ukraine has never initiated hostile acts against the Belarusian people and has no intentions to do so in the future.
05:46 Russian Region Governor Reports Damage from Drone DebrisThe governor of the Russian region of Saratov affirms that several houses in the cities of Saratov and Engels suffered damage due to debris from downed Ukrainian drones. All emergency services are on the scene. Engels is home to a strategic bomber base in Russia.
03:52 Air Defense Reports Drone Attack on KyivUkrainian military reports indicate that air defense systems are active in the Kyiv region to counter Russian drone attacks. "Enemy drone movement detected! Air defense systems in the region are active," the regional military administration reports on Telegram. There are no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
00:19 Zelensky Labels Reuters Team Attack as "Definitely Intentional"During his evening speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky touched upon the unfortunate rocket strike that claimed the life of a Reuters staff member and injured two others in Kramatorsk, an eastern Ukrainian city. The tragedy took place at a hotel, where the deceased was identified as British ex-military personnel Ryan Evans, who had been serving Reuters since 2022, offering security guidance to journalists in Ukraine, Israel, and during the Paris Olympics. Zelensky described the hotel's demolition by a Russian Iskander missile as "definitely intentional, meticulously planned." His sympathies went out to the family and friends of the victim. The Ukrainian Attorney General's Office is currently conducting an investigation into the incident, which occurred at 22:35 local time on Saturday. Reuters is yet to confirm if the rocket originated from Russia or if the hotel was deliberately targeted. The Russian side has remained silent on the matter.
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Although the given words ['Military operations'] are not directly mentioned in the text, I can create two sentences - using implied context - that contain the concept:
- Russian forces are currently engaging in military operations in Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure and Western weapons supplies, as per the Russian Ministry of Defense.
- The unexpected entrance of Ukrainian troops into Kursk triggered a series of military operations between the two sides, with both sides claiming gains and losses.
