EU: Ukraine wages 'legitimate defensive war' in Russian city of Kursk
The EU sees the Ukrainian troops' advance into Russian territory in Kursk as part of the right to self-defense. "We believe that Ukraine is conducting a legitimate defensive war against an illegal aggression," a spokesperson for EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said in Brussels. The right to self-defense includes the right to attack the enemy on its own territory. The EU fully supports Ukraine's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and to combat illegal Russian aggression. Ukrainian troops, backed by tanks and artillery, have recently crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region near Sudja, reportedly taking control of several villages. Russian reports suggest that around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are involved in the operation.
12:43 Ukraine: Dozens of Russian soldiers captured in KurskAfter Ukrainian forces entered the Russian region of Kursk, "many" Russian soldiers were reportedly captured. The Ukrainian project "Khochu Nayti" on Telegram shared this information. The humanitarian project, launched in January 2024 by the Ukrainian military intelligence, serves as a coordination center for Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine. It aims to help military personnel of the Russian army find their relatives. According to "Khochu Nayti", the captives include both conscripts and contract soldiers. "There are also reports of deaths, whose bodies were not removed by their comrades during the retreat," the statement said. The project published drone footage allegedly showing the capture of more than 30 Russian soldiers. Other videos on social media show dozens of Russian soldiers surrendering in the Kursk region. The total number of Russian soldiers captured since the Ukrainian offensive in the region is still unclear.
12:18 Gazprom: Gas transit running normally despite fighting in Kursk regionRussian gas exports through the Kursk border region, which was attacked by Ukrainian forces, are running largely normally, according to Gazprom. Today, about 37.3 million cubic meters of natural gas are expected to be transported, the company announced in Moscow. This is about 5% less than the previous day, the state-owned Russian news agency TASS reported. Ukrainian troops have taken at least partial control of the city of Sudja, including a key gas pipeline measurement station en route to Western Europe. From there, the transit goes through Ukraine and on to Slovakia and Austria. In 2023, despite the ongoing war, 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to the European Union on this route.
11:37 Military blogger: Russia loses 'important logistics hub' to UkraineThe Russian city of Sudja in the Kursk region has reportedly been taken by Ukrainian forces, according to pro-Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka on his Telegram channel. The town is nine kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Podolyaka wrote that the city is full of Ukrainian military forces. "Sudja is essentially lost for us. This is an important logistics hub," he wrote. Ukrainian forces are reportedly advancing north towards Lgov. "In general, the situation is difficult and deteriorating, although the pace of the Ukrainian offensive has noticeably slowed down."
11:04 Munz: Kursk Raid "Completely Surprised" MoscowInitially, the situation remains unclear, but it is later confirmed: Ukrainian fighters attack on Russian territory. The push in the Kursk region has "completely surprised" Moscow, reports ntv correspondent Rainer Munz. However, there may be more behind the attack than just a diversionary maneuver.
10:48 Russia: Situation in Kursk After Ukrainian Incursion "Under Control"Russian forces have been engaged in combat with infiltrating Ukrainian troops in the Kursk Oblast for the third consecutive day. The situation is "stable and under control," according to the vice-governor of the border region, as reported by the state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Around 3,000 people have been evacuated to safety. Russian troops are actively fighting against Ukrainian units in the Sudja district and pushing them back, according to the news agency TASS citing local authorities. Four people have been killed in the Ukrainian attacks. The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the offensive in Kursk. Several pro-Russian military bloggers also write about ongoing fighting.
10:18 Kriewald on New Offensive: "Ukrainians Advance 15 Kilometers into Kursk Region"The Ukrainian army's advance into the Russian region of Kursk is causing a stir in Moscow. Ukrainian soldiers are said to have advanced up to 15 kilometers. Moreover, there are reports of dozens of prisoners of war. ntv reporter Nadja Kriewald reports from Odessa about the background.
09:35 UN: Russians Torture 95% of Ukrainian POWsEmployees of Russian penal colonies are said to torture Ukrainian prisoners of war even during the first interrogations. Furthermore, the practice of torture in Russian captivity is "widespread and systematic," according to Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), in an interview with the Dutch broadcaster NOS. She says that the Russian Federation has tortured 95 percent of Ukrainian prisoners of war in its prisons. According to her, Ukrainian prisoners of war are beaten with metal rods and sticks, stripped naked, and subjected to electric shocks. "This is undoubtedly the worst I've seen in the 20 years of my career," Bell says. Information about Ukrainian prisoners in Russia is mainly collected through interviews with Ukrainian prisoners of war after their release. At the same time, the UN mission has direct access to Russian prisoners of war and can get an impression of the detention conditions.
08:49 Estonia Introduces Enhanced Customs Controls at Border with RussiaEstonia is introducing full customs controls at its eastern EU external border with Russia. This decision was made by the government of the Baltic NATO state at the beginning of August. From August 8, all persons crossing the border with Russia, as well as all cargo, will be subject to controls. The controls at the road and rail border crossings in Narva, Koidula, and Luhamaa will be gradually introduced. Until now, checks on passengers and vehicles were random and risk-based. With the tightening, Prime Minister Kristen Michal aims to prevent the transit and transport of EU-sanctioned goods through Estonia and to strengthen the country's security. The border between Russia and Estonia is 294 kilometers long.
08:11 Ukraine Releases Figures on Russian LossesThe Ukrainian General Staff has released new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the data, Russia has lost approximately 587,510 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with 1,140 losses in the past 24 hours alone. A report from Kyiv also states that two tanks, 36 artillery systems, 81 drones, and one helicopter have been destroyed. In total, Russia is said to have lost 8,431 tanks, 16,487 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,293 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale invasion. Western estimates suggest lower casualty figures, but these are also likely to be minimum values.
07:32 Medvedev Threatens Escalation of Russian Invasion in UkraineDmitri Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, has threatened to escalate the Russian invasion of Ukraine in response to Ukraine's advance into the Russian border region of Kursk. The Russian military operation should no longer be limited to securing territories in Ukraine that Russia considers its own, says the former president. Instead, the armed forces should push towards the cities of Odessa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and beyond. The advance will only stop when Russia deems it advantageous. Ukrainian troops have reportedly advanced deep into Russian territory in the region during a counteroffensive, with heavy fighting reported. The region has been placed under a state of emergency.
07:05 Russia: 14 Ukrainian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Destroyed Over Kursk and BelgorodRussian air defense forces have destroyed 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the Belgorod and Kursk regions, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram. Six drones and five more missiles were shot down over the Kursk region, according to regional governor Alexei Smirnov. Early on August 6, Ukrainian forces attacked the border areas of the Kursk region. According to the latest reports from the Russian General Staff, clashes continue in border areas. The state of emergency has been declared in Kursk (see entries 19:08, 19:38, and 20:41), and residents are being evacuated.
06:25 Ukraine Issues Air Alert Due to Russian MiG-31K AttackThe Ukrainian Air Force has issued an air alert across the entire country. The air attack warning is attributed to a missile threat from a Russian MiG-31K aircraft. The MiG-31K is a Soviet-era interceptor aircraft named after the Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft manufacturer. The MiG-31K can carry hypersonic missiles such as the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
05:32 ISW: Ukrainian armored vehicles ten kilometers inside Russian border in Kursk
According to an assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops have now advanced up to ten kilometers into the Russian region of Kursk. This was confirmed by footage of armored vehicles behind the border. Ukrainian forces are said to have breached at least two Russian defensive lines and a fortress. According to a Russian source, the Ukrainians have captured 45 square kilometers in the Kursk region since the start of the operation on August 6, the ISW reports. Russian authorities had declared a state of emergency over the region yesterday.
02:30 Ukraine raises threshold for prison sentence in petty theft
President Selenskyj has signed a new law that reclassifies petty theft as an administrative offense rather than a crime. This means that thefts of up to around 67 euros will no longer result in a prison sentence. Previously, the threshold for petty theft was around 6.7 euros. The change is due to the martial law that has been in effect since the Russian invasion, which carries a prison sentence of up to eight years for looting and theft. For example, a case of stealing diapers from a supermarket in the western Ukrainian city of Rivne in January 2023, worth around 8 euros, will no longer result in a prison sentence. However, the perpetrator in that case still received a prison sentence of over three years.
00:27 Klingbeil: Stationing of US missiles in Germany is right
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has defended plans to station long-range US weapons in Germany against criticism from within his own party. "This stationing is right because it helps us to defend ourselves if Russia were to have the idea of attacking us," he told the German editorial network. It is part of credible deterrence. At the NATO summit in July, the White House and the German government announced that the US would again station weapons systems in Germany from 2026 that can reach deep into Russia. These include Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles, and new hypersonic weapons. There are critical voices within the SPD, with parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich warning of the risk of military escalation.
22:38 Human rights activist Orlov wants to fight for Russian prisoners
Oleg Orlov, a Moscow human rights activist who was released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Western states, wants to continue his civil rights work in exile. "Memorial cannot be destroyed," the 71-year-old said at a press conference at the Center for Liberal Modernity in Berlin. The organization he co-founded, Memorial, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, advocates for political prisoners in Russia. Orlov estimates that at least 800 political prisoners are still being held in Russia - conservatively. His new role in exile in Germany is difficult, Orlov said. He would prefer to be in his homeland, but fears prosecution. Orlov now hopes to be able to advocate for the release of more political prisoners, including eight who are seriously ill. "We were very disappointed when it turned out that these people were not on the list - we who were exchanged." Memorial continues to work in Russia despite repression, but also from abroad.
21:30 Not Dead Yet? Known Russian Propagandist InjuredKnown Russian propagandist Yevgeny Poddubny has been injured in the Kursk region. State TV channel VGTRK reports on Telegram that Poddubny was injured in an attack by a Ukrainian drone in the Kursk region and was taken to the hospital. Earlier, numerous Russian media had reported Poddubny's death. Yevgeny Poddubny is one of Russia's most famous "war correspondents," with around 734,000 followers on Telegram. Preliminary information suggests he was filming a report on the fighting in the Kursk region on Wednesday.
20:41 Emergency Declared in Region KurskAn emergency has been declared in the Russian region of Kursk amid a Ukrainian ground offensive, the region's governor, Alexei Smirnov, announced on Telegram. The Ukraine has advanced deep into Russian territory near Kursk in a counterattack. The offensive began on Tuesday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, and reached the northwest of the city of Sudja on Wednesday.
20:14 Fighting Nearby: Russia Reinforces Protection of Kursk NPPDue to the Ukrainian advance into the Russian border region of Kursk, the Russian National Guard is reinforcing the protection of the Kursk NPP. Additional forces have also been deployed to combat sabotage and reconnaissance units in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, the agency said. This is being done in cooperation with the Russian border troops and the army. The nuclear power plant, which has four units and a capacity of almost two gigawatts, is located only about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The day before, Ukrainian troops supported by tanks and artillery had crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region towards Sudja. Unconfirmed reports suggest they advanced up to 15 kilometers towards the NPP.
19:38 Attacks in Region Kursk: European Gas Price Hits Yearly HighThe price of European natural gas has risen to its highest level this year. The TTF futures contract for delivery next month rose by 5.7 percent to 38.78 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) in Amsterdam. Market participants are citing attacks by Ukraine on the Russian region of Kursk. The fighting is reportedly taking place near Sudja, an important gas injection point for pipelines to Western Europe. Gazprom is currently reporting normal gas supplies.
19:08 Ukraine Evacuates Border Areas Near Russian KurskAmid heavy fighting in the Russian Kursk region, Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of more settlements in the neighboring Sumy region. The measures affect 23 settlements, said the military governor of Sumy, Vladimir Artjuch, on Ukrainian television. About 6,000 people, including over 400 children and adolescents, are to be moved to safety from the border area. The day before, Ukrainian troops had crossed the Ukrainian-Russian border towards the city of Sudja in the Kursk region and advanced several kilometers into Russian territory. Moscow spoke of around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers equipped with heavy equipment. Kyiv has not yet commented on the events. Due to regular Russian shelling of border areas, local authorities had already ordered evacuations from a 10-kilometer-wide border zone in May.
You can read about previous developments here.
- The EU is providing military aid to Ukraine in support of its efforts to defend against Russian aggression, which includes military operations on Russian territory.
- The confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the Kursk region has led to a significant disruption in the natural gas transit from Russia to Europe, potentially affecting energy supplies to several European countries.
