At 16:29, Ukraine arrests "Russian Informant" in Kharkiv
Ukrainian security service (SBU) has arrested a "Russian informant" in the Charkiw region, according to their own statements. The SBU announced this in a press release. The woman is suspected of sharing information in a Telegram channel of the Russian security services. The SBU claims that they have documented how the woman was on the move in the eastern outskirts of Charkiw and covertly recorded the locations of Ukrainian troops' checkpoints and other military "fortifications".
15:44 NATO sends top British officials to Kiev
NATO is strengthening its civilian representation in Ukraine and sending a senior alliance representative to Kiev. The former deputy secretary-general, Patrick Turner, will lead the NATO representation in the Ukrainian capital from September and serve as the central point of contact for local authorities. The Briton will also help coordinate military support for Ukraine and provide Allied information and assessments of the situation in the country. NATO made this known.
15:03 Russia: Ukrainian drone kills two civilians in Belgorod
Two people were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to local authorities. The victims were reportedly a young couple who were in a civilian vehicle outside the regional capital Belgorod.
14:36 Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war, according to Russian statements. Each side returned 95 soldiers. The Russian Defense Ministry made this known. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed this on the platform X. The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange. The returning Russian soldiers will first undergo medical checks in Moscow.
13:55 Sharma: Ukraine must give up symbolic village
Ukraine is taking a series of setbacks at the front, as reported by NTV reporter Kavita Sharma from Kiev. After the Russian rocket attack on a children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital, the military reported withdrawals in the regions of Dnipro and Donetsk.
13:24 Kremlin denies doubts about offensive success
The Kremlin has dismissed speculation about the failure of the Russian offensive in the northeastern Ukraine. "The operation is continuing and will continue until it is successfully completed," Kreml spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. Yesterday, the governor of Belgorod announced access restrictions to 14 villages on the Russian side near the border. This is to protect the population from Ukrainian attacks. In response to a question about whether the access restrictions meant that the offensive in the northeast had failed, Peskov replied: "No, that's not the case."
12:48 Study: Citizen's Benefits have little influence on the employment of Ukrainian refugeesSocial benefits such as citizen's benefits have little influence on the employment rate of refugees from Ukraine. However, factors such as social networks in the respective countries, the level of English language proficiency of the local population, and childcare are significant. This is according to a European study by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB). In Germany, the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees is 27%, which is in the middle. The highest rate is in Lithuania with 57%, Denmark with 53%, and Poland with 48%.
11:53 Protection against Rockets: Charkiw pupils to learn under groundAccording to local authorities, children in the city of Charkiw in northeastern Ukraine, which has been under almost daily Russian shelling since the start of the war, will be taught more frequently in underground schools: The city administration has already implemented an underground school project. Construction of three more such facilities has begun. The children will be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine to receive 32 outdated F-16s from GreeceGreece plans to retire 32 outdated F-16 fighter jets and hand them over to the USA. According to the "New Voice of Ukraine" portal and a report from the Arabic broadcaster Al Jazeera, these planes will then be modernized and delivered to Ukraine. Kiev already has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, but needs at least 150 combat jets to launch rockets and missiles against Russia and repel aerial attacks on a wide front. There have been devastating bombing raids, the latest being on a children's hospital in Kiev with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 frontline clashes since yesterdayThe Ukrainian army general staff recorded 112 clashes at the frontline in the past 24 hours. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian army positions and populated areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air-to-ground bombs. In addition, Russia conducted more than 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers.
09:54 Russia and China begin joint naval exerciseRussia and China have begun a naval exercise in the South China Sea. The exercise is expected to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media. During the exercise, they plan to practice air and submarine defense. Sharp ammunition is also expected to be used. Just a few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced a strengthening of their partnership and called it "boundless."
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing UkrainiansApproximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians. The Interior Ministry made this announcement. The number was previously higher at around 51,000, but about 4,000 of the missing soldiers have since been found and identified. Around 3,000 missing persons have been found alive, many of whom were prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is difficult because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from the soldiers it sends into the field.
08:15 Hungary calls for peace summit with Russia
Hungary is calling for Russia's participation in the planned second peace conference on Ukraine. There are efforts to hold another peace summit this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. It's a welcome move, he added. "If we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented." Hungary currently holds the EU presidency. The first peace summit took place in the middle of June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia expressed early disinterest in the conference and was therefore not invited.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners today
Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, according to the Bloomberg news agency, citing a source. Last week, Ukrainian media reported that the parliament's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinez, had announced that the government was planning a large prisoner exchange with Russia with the help of the United Arab Emirates. The warring parties have already exchanged prisoners multiple times.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the front
Ukrainian startups are developing affordable robots for mine clearing, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment, and combat support. This was reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. An "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. Ukraine hopes that this army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 State and government heads of 47 countries to speak about Ukraine
At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, state and government heads of 47 countries will meet tomorrow. The 27 EU member states plus 20 third countries will discuss further aid for Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables on security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.
04:37 Japan grants Ukraine a loan from frozen Russian assets
Japan is reportedly granting Ukraine a loan of 3.3 billion dollars from frozen Russian assets. The sum is part of the 50 billion dollar package from the G7 countries, according to the Kyodo news agency, citing informed sources. The United States and the European Union are each supposed to contribute 20 billion dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada are contributing a total of ten billion dollars. The package is expected to be approved at a G7 summit on the sidelines of the G20 finance summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 German government gives Kiev ten million euros for hospital rebuilding
Following the missile attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the German Development Ministry is offering the Ukrainian government ten million euros for its rebuilding. The funds will be used together with contributions from other donors and sponsors to quickly make the hospital operational and winter-proof again, according to the "Rheinische Post" newspaper, citing ministry statements. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, treatment rooms, and the power and heating supply.
02:10 Medvedev warns NATO of "point of no return"
At the NATO summit's promise to offer Ukraine membership, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev renewed his threats against the alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty i Fakty, he labeled a potential Ukrainian membership as a potential declaration of war against Russia. "That would essentially be a declaration of war - if only with a delay. The measures taken by Russia's adversaries for years, by expanding the alliance, ... are bringing NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten NATO but will react to the alliance's attempts to advance its interests. "The harder the attempts, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev said. "Whether it tears the whole planet apart depends only on the wisdom of the (NATO) side."
01:00 Ukrainian soldiers use expired ammunition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry, according to its own statements, has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military, which should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014. The ammunition is already being used on the battlefield. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade today on the battlefield is life-saving," said Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Dyzhjar. Everything that can be repaired and reused is given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
Ukrainian troops, according to unofficial reports, have had to give up positions in the southeast of the country in Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the start due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still holding positions on the southern bank of the Dnipro River. Read more here.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around 93 million Euros) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and continue to support the Ukrainian government in Kiev, helping displaced or otherwise war-affected Ukrainians, Grandi said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The aid organization also plans to mobilize future funds to support the war-torn country. Zelenskyy thanked for the aid, which is urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure from Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs more help to rebuild destroyed houses and install bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This gives displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Oblast Donezk. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. A video distributed by the Ukrainian military shows several hits of alleged ATACMS missiles with cluster munition. According to Syrskyi, several launch pads and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be reshuffling
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian Parliament. The Ukrainian Parliament was reportedly instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week. Zelenskyy himself also commented on the rumors of a possible cabinet reshuffle on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Probably, yes", so the Ukrainian President. "We are in a process."
20:02 Baltic States disconnecting from Russian power grid
The Baltic States have reportedly informed Russia and its ally Belarus of their withdrawal from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia", explains the head of the state-owned Lithuanian power grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. The step is supposed to take effect in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries are to connect to the European power grid. "In half a year, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grids, but also dismantle the last power lines", explains Masiulis.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "solitary actions"
Following the controversy over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU members are increasing pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most EU members called on Hungary to prioritize Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "solitary actions". "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine", said Lindner in the public debate. The Ukrainian issue should also remain a top priority during Hungary's EU presidency until the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities from fighting illegal migration to competitiveness, but Ukraine was not mentioned.
1. The British representative, Patrick Turner, will also assist in coordinating military support for Ukraine and provide Allied information and assessments about the situation in Ukraine, as the Ukraine-Conflict with Russia continues.
2. The conflict in Ukraine has led to a heightened state of alert, as evidenced by the military deployments and the cyberwar threats, with Russia reportedly using Telegram channels to gather information about Ukrainian military locations.
3. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts, most recently overseeing the exchange of prisoners of war with Russia.
4. The ongoing Ukraine-Conflict and its impact on the region have led to increased international involvement, with NATO sending a senior representative to Kiev and other countries planning to provide military and financial support.
5. As the Ukraine-Conflict continues, there are increasing concerns about potential cyber attacks and the use of misinformation on social media platforms, such as Telegram, to further escalate tensions and disrupt operations.
