At 15:36, Ukrainian representatives engage in discussions with advisors from the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, focusing on weapons production
A Ukrainian delegation, headed by Economy Minister Julia Svyrydenko and Andrij Jermak, Presidential Office chief, is interacting with security consultants from the USA, UK, Germany, and France in Washington. This is announced by "Kyiv Independent". Among the topics discussed are collaborative weapon production, potential future Western investments in Ukraine's defense industry, and particularly the importance of intensifying Ukrainian air defense and safeguarding the energy system, according to the Presidential Office. "This is a crucial juncture where we need to intensify our efforts to support Ukraine's victory. It's imperative to make the most of this opportunity," says Jermak.
14:56 Moscow Effectively Conceals War Under Social FunctionsThe ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia persists with vigor on the battlefronts. However, the people of Moscow are largely oblivious to the persistent drone strikes, burning oil facilities, and civilian casualties. ntv correspondent Rainer Munz illustrates the city's attempts to camouflage the war.
14:25 Ukraine: Five Casualties Following Russian Assault on Chasiv YarAt least five civilians lost their lives in the city of Chasiv Yar, situated on the frontlines in the Donetsk region, due to a Russian attack, as reported by Donetsk region governor Vadym Lysychenko on Telegram. The victims were males aged between 24 and 38. The incident took place during the early hours, as shelling targeted a private residence and a high-rise building.
13:53 Kharkiv Commemorates Losses After Russian AssaultFollowing a Russian attack on Ukrainian city Kharkiv on Friday night, relatives and mourners are paying their respects to the victims. According to Kharkiv region governor Oleh Synegubov, seven individuals were killed and 97 people, including over 20 minors, were injured. The youngest casualty is reported to be ten months old. One of the deceased is identified as 18-year-old Ukrainian artist Veronika Kozhushko. Renowned Ukrainian artist Serhiy Zhadan shares his sentiments on her demise via Facebook: "The Russians continue to annihilate our future, and there is no forgiveness for that."
13:28 Ukrainian Defense Minister Expresses Regret Over Air Force Chief Dismissal"Probably, I'd refer to it as a rotation, but it's unfortunate," Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Ummerov told CNN when asked about the dismissal being linked to the combat jet's loss. He reiterated that these are two distinct issues. Ummerov emphasized that the investigation into the cause is still ongoing. "I don't wish to speculate."
13:03 Danish Prime Minister: Ukraine's Victory Over Russia in War is ImperativeAs reported by "European Truth", Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, allegedly stated during the GLOBSEC conference in Prague that Ukraine should emerge victorious in its conflict with Russia. She reportedly commented, "There is no alternative to Ukraine winning this war, as not only will Ukraine be defeated but so will we." Frederiksen underscores the unanimity within the European Union on this matter. "Europe has never been as united as it is now (...). We may engage in internal debates. (...) But it's 26 against one," she is quoted as saying by "European Truth," referring to all of Europe against Russia.
12:15 Russia: Claims Control Over Kirove in Donetsk RegionThe Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow declares that Russian forces have seized the village of Kirove in the Eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Russian troops have been making gradual headway on the frontline in the east for some time. Donetsk, in tandem with Luhansk, forms the industrially dominant Donbass. These two regions, along with Zaporizhzhia and Kherson further south in Ukraine, were already annexed by Russia in September 2022, although its troops do not fully control these regions. Ukraine aims to reclaim all territories, including the Crimean Peninsula, annexed in 2014 and situated far south of Kherson.
![At the 19th Globsec Security Conference held in Prague, Danish Leader Mette Frederiksen delivers a speech. At the 19th GLOBSEC security meeting in Prague, Danish leader Mette Frederiksen delivers her speech.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470487/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/danish-prime-minister-mette-frederiksen-speaks-at-the-19th-globsec-security-conference-in-prague.webp)
11:45 Russia Claims Ukrainian Attacks on BelgorodRussian reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have shelled the Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine. The Governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reports on Telegram that lives have been lost and individuals have been injured. During an evening airstrike on the city of Belgorod, three individuals were killed, and more than 30 people, including three children, were injured. Gladkov reports that more than a dozen residential buildings and 47 vehicles were damaged.
10:49 Ukraine: 24 of 52 Russian Aircraft DownedThe Ukrainian military reports that it has taken down 24 Russian aircraft. Overnight, Russian forces launched 52 aircraft at targets in Ukraine. Twenty-five regions were affected, with 25 aircraft of the Iranian Shahed type crashing on their own, and three more heading towards Russia and Belarus. There are no reports of injuries or significant damage. The target of the Russian attack included Kyiv, where it was the fourth attack this week. All aircraft targeting Kyiv were shot down.
10:16 Russian Social Media Posts: Ukrainian Forces Damage Bridge in Kursk
Russian social media users have shared videos on platforms like Telegram, claiming to show the aftermath of a Ukrainian attack on a Russian military convoy at the entrance to the village of Svannoe in the Kursk region. Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) also shared the video on Telegram. The video reportedly shows destroyed military vehicles and a collapsed pontoon bridge over the Seym River in Kursk.
09:34 Russian Authorities Report Ukrainian Shelling in Shebekino
Authorities in the city of Shebekino in the Russian region of Belgorod report Ukrainian shelling. A civilian was injured on Saturday. Shebekino is near the border with Ukraine.
![A residence was demolished following an alleged assault by Ukrainian military forces in the municipality of Shebekino, situated within the Belgorod region. The house in ruins after an alleged Ukrainian military attack on Schebekino city, positioned in the Belgorod region.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470488/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/a-house-destroyed-after-an-alleged-ukrainian-military-strike-on-the-town-of-shebekino-in-the-belgorod-region.webp)
09:00 Ukraine Releases Data on Russian Casualties
The Ukrainian military has released new figures on Russian casualties in Ukraine. They estimate that Russia has lost around 614,950 soldiers since February 24, 2022, including 1,360 in the last 24 hours. They also claim that eight tanks, 42 artillery systems, and 18 drones were destroyed during this period. Since the start of the large-scale invasion, Russia has reportedly lost a total of 8,582 tanks, 17,614 artillery systems, 368 aircraft, 328 helicopters, 14,471 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine, according to Ukraine. Western estimates suggest lower losses, but these are likely to be minimum figures.
08:35 Russia: Video Suggests Ukrainian Attack on Russian Belgorod
Local authorities in the city of Belgorod, located in southwestern Russia, report five deaths and 46 injuries in a Ukrainian attack late on Friday evening (see entry 23:19). Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of the Belgorod region says that 37 injured people were taken to hospital, including seven children. A video, recorded from the dashboard of a car and circulating on social media, reportedly shows the attack. It shows another car being hit while driving, followed by an explosion on the other side of the street a few seconds later. Such footage and reports of combat cannot be independently verified.
07:48 Media Report: At Least 66,000 Russian Soldiers Killed in Ukraine
At least 66,471 Russian soldiers have reportedly been killed in the war in Ukraine, according to a report by independent Russian media outlet Mediazona. In collaboration with BBC News Russian, Mediazona has identified the names of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine through open-source research. They stress that this only accounts for those whose names have been identified through open sources, and the actual losses could be much higher. The Ukrainian military estimates over 600,000 Russian soldiers killed, with Western estimates providing similar figures.
![Emergency responders successfully dampen a blazing skyscraper in Kharkiv, following an incendiary assault by Russian forces. Firefighting personnel are currently dousing a towering edifice in Kharkiv, following a blaze that erupted after Russian assaults.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470484/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/firefighters-extinguish-a-high-rise-building-in-kharkiv-that-caught-fire-after-a-russian-attack.webp)
07:15 Ukraine: Death Toll Rises to 7 in Russian Attack on KharkivSeven people, including over 20 minors, have been killed and 97 injured in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, according to the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Synegubow, on Telegram. According to authorities in Kharkiv, a children's playground and a 12-story residential building were hit by a UMPB D-30 SM-Lenkluftbombe in the Russian attack on Friday. A fire broke out. Synegubow reports that firefighting efforts continued into Saturday morning.
06:27 ISW: Putin's Approval Rating Among Russians in Record DeclineThe Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports in its latest report that dissatisfaction with the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin is increasing among the Russian population following Ukraine's incursion into the Russian region of Kursk. Citing a survey by the state Russian polling agency Public Opinion Foundation, 28% of respondents express their discontent or dissatisfaction with the measures taken by Russian authorities following Ukraine's incursion. Citing surveys by the state Russian polling agency VCIOM, Putin's approval rating has fallen by 3.5 percentage points to 73.6%, the largest decline since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. ISW suggests that these polls indicate that the Kremlin must acknowledge that societal discontent has increased since Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region.
05:40 Fought for Ukraine: Venezuela hands over two ColombiansRussia has allegedly detained two Colombian nationals who reportedly fought for Ukraine, according to the Russian security service FSB. The two Colombians, Alexander Ante and José Aron Medina, were handed over by Venezuela after being detained by authorities during a stopover in Caracas on their way back to Colombia. Spanish media reported that they joined the International Legion in the summer of 2023. They were detained at Caracas airport in mid-July. The FSB reportedly found documents proving their involvement in the war and Ukrainian military clothing on the men.
04:47 Pavel: Russian advance unrelated to Kursk operationCzech President Petr Pavel thinks that the Russian advance towards Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Oblast isn't connected to the Ukrainian operations in the Kursk Oblast of Russia. Pavel stated this during an interview with Radio Liberty, denying any direct link between Russia's rapid advance in the Pokrovsk front and Ukraine's operation in Kursk. "The Russian leadership continues to aim for the annexation of all four Oblasts – Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Kherson – which they consider their territory," Pavel mentioned, as reported by "Ukrainska Pravda". He also added that Russia wants to accomplish this within a specific timeframe, taking advantage of favorable weather conditions for military operations.
03:47 Stoltenberg: Kursk Offensive justifiedNATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg considers the Ukrainian advance into the Russian territory of Kursk as lawful. Stoltenberg stated this in an article for "Die Welt am Sonntag". He emphasized Ukraine's right to defend itself, arguing that it extends beyond its national borders, according to international law. Regarding claims from the Russian government about prior knowledge of Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory, Stoltenberg clarified that Ukraine did not consult NATO about its plans for Kursk, and NATO had no role in the operation. This is the first comment Stoltenberg has made regarding Ukrainian military activities in the Russian border region.
02:48 Ukraine alleges massive chemical weapon usage by RussiaSince the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, over 4000 instances of chemical warfare agent use have been reported on the front lines, with more than 3100 cases identified since December 2023. Ukraine's authorities reported this increase, as detailed by the "Kyiv Independent". The numbers indicate a sharp rise in the use of prohibited chemical warfare agents compared to the approximately 600 cases documented in January. According to Ukrainian statistics, the number of reported cases reached a record high of 715 in May 2024 before gradually decreasing during the summer months. No data is available for August yet.
![Emergency responders successfully extricate a young girl from a domicile in Kharkiv that endured a Russian aerial attack, causing substantial damage. Emergency responders save a young girl from a bomb-stricken dwelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, after Russian attack.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470485/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/firefighters-rescue-a-girl-from-a-residential-building-in-kharkiv-that-was-hit-by-a-russian-bomb.webp)
01:49 ICC demands Putin's arrest during Mongolia visitA representative from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fadi el-Abdallah, spoke to the BBC, stating that as an ICC member state, Mongolia is obligated to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming visit, scheduled for September 3. Putin's trip to an ICC member country that has ratified the Rome Statute would mean that, under that agreement, he must be detained if he enters Mongolian territory. The ICC issued a warrant for Putin's arrest in March 2023, charging him with forced deportation of children from the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
00:33 Biden call with von der Leyen: Recalling Russian invasion dayEU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen underscored the importance of strong transatlantic relations, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November. Von der Leyen received the Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Award (CSTA) at the Globsec security conference in Prague. In her acceptance speech, she mentioned a video call with US President Joe Biden on the day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "We immediately agreed on how our response to Putin's war should appear," von der Leyen said. She reemphasized that, once more, Europe and America stood together on the right side of history.
23:19 Belgorod: Five dead after Ukrainian attackAt least five individuals have lost their lives due to Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to Russian reports. A woman and four men were reported dead at the scene, suffering from injuries, as announced by Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on the Telegram messaging service. Additional casualties included 37 individuals who were injured. Ukrainian forces launched cluster munitions at the city of Belgorod and the surrounding area using multiple rocket launchers, as per Gladkov's statements.
22:01 Ukraine's KI: Drone swarms and affordable missilesUkraine seeks to involve weapons manufacturers in the development of AI for drone swarms and "affordable missiles" to counteract Russian kamikaze drones, said Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, at the Globsec Forum in Prague. During the entire Russian invasion, both Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, transforming modern warfare. According to Fedorov, Ukrainian soldiers face numerous challenges, including Russian equipment and infantry, limited ammunition, kamikaze drones, and reconnaissance drones. In response, Ukrainian forces utilize low-cost first-person-view drones (FPV), reconnaissance drones, small air defense systems, and domestically produced long-range drones to target Russian targets, Fedorov said. "What other challenges do we need your help with? How can we develop an effective laser guidance system, create AI for drone swarms, produce Ukrainian HIMARS, and create affordable Ukrainian missiles to neutralize Shaheds?" says Fedorov.
21:32 Ukraine Gets Immediate Needed Howitzer RoundsUkraine obtains one of the initial collections of howitzer shells from the U.S.-European alliance, according to Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky in Brussels. 155-mm artillery rounds are immediately required on the battlefield. "The Czech ammo project is keeping its word, and by the end of the year, we'll supplies over half a million large-bore projectiles. Around 100,000 rounds were shipped each in the summer months of July and August," Lipavsky mentions.
You can catch up on all previous events here.**
![A Russian assault instigates a blaze in a 12-story dwelling complex situated in the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv. Following a Russian attack, a 12-tier residential structure in the Ukrainian urban center of Kharkiv is engulfed in flames. Firefighting operations are ongoing.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470486/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/a-russian-attack-has-caused-a-fire-in-a-12-storey-residential-building-in-the-ukrainian-city-of-kharkiv.webp)
1. The European Union has expressed its support for Ukraine's victory in the conflict with Russia, considering it crucial for both Ukraine and the European Union.
2. In discussions with security consultants from various Western countries, including the European Union, Ukrainian officials highlighted the importance of intensifying Ukraine's air defense and safeguarding its energy system.