Dozens of Wagner mercenaries in Mali killed - commander known from Ukraine war captured
Russian Wagner mercenaries in Mali suffered one of their heaviest losses in West Africa with several dozen killed and captured fighters. Rebels of the separatist Tuareg people in the northern part of the Sahel state allegedly killed several dozen Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries who attempted to take the village of Tinzaouaten near the Algerian border. Russian mercenaries have been fighting with 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 killed 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 city of Soledar for the capture.
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, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the Chernihiv region, in a report from "Ukrainska Pravda". "The enemy shelled a university building in the city center at night, resulting in 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 due to Russian attacks. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced this on Facebook, according to the state news agency Ukrinform.
15:34 General Staff: Over 130 engagements with Russian troops in one dayAccording to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces, there were 129 engagements with Russian troops along the frontline the previous day. As Ukrinform reports, the Russian troops were particularly active in the areas of Pokrovsk, Torezk and Kurachiwka.
14:54 Kyiv: Almost 1200 Russian soldiers "eliminated" in one dayThe personnel losses on the Russian side remain high according to official figures from Kyiv: 1190 Russian soldiers reportedly died or were unable to continue fighting in the war within one day. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported in its daily updates on Russian losses that 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 on Ukraine in a weekAccording to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statements on Telegram, citing regional authorities, Russian forces have fired over 700 guided air-dropped bombs and more than 100 Shahed drones on Ukraine in the past week. Yesterday, during Russian air raids on four Ukrainian regions, eleven people were killed and forty-one were injured. 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 has 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 attacking Russian ground troops.
According to the Washington Post, it is unlikely that the fighter jets will initially be stationed near the front lines and therefore will not be able to intercept Russian military aircraft. Officials 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 confirms an attack on a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region through social media. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and the Ukrainian military reportedly attacked the Polyova oil depot in cooperation. 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 in the morning to extinguish three fuel tanks. [See entries 08:00 and 06:36.]
13:20 Agencies: Eight injured in Russian shelling of 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 Service (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 services and the Red Cross.
13:01 Russia reports taking control of two locations in Donetsk
Russia has taken control of two locations in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. They 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 offensive 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
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his stance on defense spending in a heated exchange. "We have reached the two-percent NATO target for the first time since many, many years," says the FDP leader in an interview with ARD-"Hauptstadtstudio." Germany spends more than France and Italy. In the coming years, at least two percent of the economic output will continue to be allocated for security. "But it's not the case that everything the defense minister says is automatically justified and correct," Lindner emphasizes. It's about tax money and the efficiency of budget allocation. "Mr. Pistorius has a 100-billion-euro special program for the strengthening of the armed forces, which none of his predecessors had. That's how it can be done, and that's how it must be done economically," Lindner says.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US missiles in Germany
In response to plans to station US long-range missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened retaliation during the grand naval parade in St. Petersburg. Russia will respond "symmetrically" if the plans are implemented and no longer feel bound by the earlier prohibition on land-based atomic medium-range missiles. The INF Treaty, which prohibits these weapons, no longer applies since the US withdrawal in 2019. According to Putin, Russia had so far imposed a moratorium and adhered to the agreements. The US, however, has long complained about Russian violations of the treaty. In a speech to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India, Putin warns that the US could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. "The flight time of these missiles, which could be equipped with nuclear warheads in the future, to targets on our territory will be approximately ten minutes," Putin says.
11:14 Authorities: Russians seize over 500 housing units in Luhansk
In the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic," the Russian occupiers have illegally seized 514 housing units 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 writes, adding that a large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities will be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Charkiw - Air alarm declared in other regions of Ukraine According to susпilne.media, the Ukrainian broadcasting corporation, there were two explosions reported in Charkiw this 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 determined. According to the news portal "RBC-Ukraine," air alarm has been declared in some regions of Ukraine. This applies to Dnipro, Charkiw, Sumy, Tschernihiw, Poltawa, and Donetsk. A threat through missiles cannot be ruled out in these regions, it is stated.
10:07 Governor reports 5 Dead and 15 Injured due to Russian shelling in the region of Donetsk In the Russian shelling of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Saturday, five civilians were killed and 15 others were injured, according to Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin via Telegram. Five residents of the region Donetsk were reportedly killed. Among them were three in Iwaniwka, one in Kostiantyniwka, and one in Toretsk. Furthermore, 15 people in the region were injured during the day, Filashkin writes. Since the beginning of the Russian aggression war in February 2022, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured in the region Donetsk. These numbers do not include the victims in Mariupol and Wolnowacha, it is stated.
09:46 IfW President: German fiscal policy is "Security risk for Europe" The President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Moritz Schularick, urges the German government to significantly increase spending for security and defense - and criticizes the coalition's budget compromise at the same time. "The German government is currently not making a reasonable fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick says in an interview with t-online. "Far 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 Euro," the economist continues. "We are probably talking about a volume of 250 to 300 billion Euro just to close the budget gap in the next ten years."
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 scaled back their investments to the same extent in the past two decades," Schularick says. "It would take around 3 to 3.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia through 'strength and resolve'."
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, while the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is "inevitably lost" for Ukraine, Thiele says on ntv. "It's sadly inevitable when you have to say that," the military expert adds. The region is either on the negotiation table or "in reality." This means either there will be a ceasefire agreement or a surrender ceasefire, Thiele explains. Both options mean the region "will be gone in the end," he adds.
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 military calculations. Among those were 1,180 fatalities or injuries in the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian military's General Staff announced 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 in the contested areas in the east of the country is not good for Ukraine, 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 Donetsk region inevitably.
08:00 Kursk reports fire in fuel depot under 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, writes the regional governor Alexei Smirnov on Telegram. There were no injuries reported.
07:44 TASS: Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Kherson region
Russian paratrooper drones destroyed a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian ammunition depot for field artillery on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, reports the state Russian news agency TASS, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drone attacks, 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 statement said. 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 symbol and an opportunity to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the start of the Russian aggression war. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," says Bidny 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 excluded from the International Olympic Committee due to the aggression war. "There is no Russian flag here. There is a Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," says Bidny.
It is now the task of the Olympic team to unite the international community in support of Ukraine and to speak to the people who normally do not 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, according to a message from the Russian Defense Ministry on Telegram.
06:36 Governor: Oil depot in Kursk is on fire after drone attackIn the night, in the Kursk region of Russia, explosions occur due to a drone attack. In an oil depot and several areas, fires break out, according to the governor of the region Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, via Telegram and the channel Baza. The air defense forces are "on alert," writes the Russian official and urges the residents of the region to "vigilance." At least two fires have broken out, one in the Medvenka district and one in the Kursk district, it is reported. In an oil storage facility in the village of Polyova, a fire is said to have been caused, reports the channel Shot on Telegram. Residents reportedly heard "several strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. In addition, an explosion occurred in the city of Sudzha, a house in the Medva district was on fire, it is reported.
05:41 Linnemann questions welfare payments to Ukrainian refugees in Germany
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann questions the welfare payments of Ukrainian women and men in Germany, according to the Funke newspapers. "We need to discuss why more than 50 percent of the Ukrainians work in many European countries, but only 25 percent in Germany," he says. There are clearly missing 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 proportion of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation, according to the deputy defense minister Natalia Kalmykova, is reported to be very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation programs and returnees to duty. This is also confirmed by our Western partners," she says, according to the news agency Interfax. Kalmykova speaks 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 lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk. This is indicated by geolocated footage. The Russian side is said to have continued their offensive operations in the area.
01:08 Ukraine reports multiple civilian deaths after Russian shelling - including a childAccording to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. In the Cherson region, there were three fatalities. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 others were injured in a rocket attack on the town of Hluchiw. In the Charkiw region, a man was killed by Russian fire in a residential building.
23:46 Russia reports capture of another village in UkraineRussia claims to have taken control of 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. The village is located about 25 kilometers east of the city of Pokrowsk in the area where the Russian army has made significant 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. This was reported by the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent". Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos, shortly after his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with him in Guangzhou during his first visit to China since the war broke out. "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 act against this threat to European security," Miller said.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- The Russian military has been involved in various conflicts around the world, including their ongoing deployment in Mali, where they are supporting the Malian army against rebel movements.
- The attack on Ukraine by Russia has resulted in heavy losses on both sides, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reporting over 1190 Russian soldiers killed or wounded in a single day.
- There have been reports of cyberwarfare activities between Russia and Ukraine, with cyberattacks impacting critical infrastructure and military systems in both countries.
- NATO has been closely monitoring the Ukraine-Conflict and has provided military aid and support to Ukraine, with some NATO countries considering sending fighter jets to help defend Ukraine against Russian attacks.
- The Politics surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict have been complex and contentious, with many world leaders calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and condemning Russia's annexation of Crimea.
