Five non-resident individuals suffered harm during an assault in Odessa.
In the European Parliament, there's severe criticism directed towards Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Manfred Weber, the head of the conservative European People's Party (EVP), labels the Hungarian EU presidency a "complete flop". Orbán's right-wing nationalistic approach has resulted in self-isolation in Europe, in part due to his pro-Russian policies. Orbán's much-criticized "peace mission" to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, initiated at the start of the Hungarian presidency in early July, was, in reality, a "war prolongation stunt". Its primary purpose was to disrupt EU solidarity with Ukraine.
11:50 Ukraine Receives 122 Tons of Ammunition from Slovakia - Despite Government Rejection122 tons of ammunition, financed by a Slovakian donation campaign, have made their way to Ukraine. The Slovakian online newspaper "Noviny" reports this, citing the campaign's initiator, Fedor Blascak. Six trucks containing the ammunition have entered Ukraine. The Ukrainian army is now responsible for distributing and using it. The "Ammunition for Ukraine" campaign garnered almost 4.5 million euros in donations following the Slovakian government's decision, under Prime Minister Robert Fico, not to join the Czech artillery initiative. Around 70,000 Slovaks took part in the donation drive.
11:28 Biden Visit: Berlin Expects "Strong Signal" for Further Military AidThe German government anticipates a "significant working visit" from US President Joe Biden during his state visit to Germany on Friday and Saturday, according to government sources. The meeting of the contact group supporting Ukraine, scheduled for Saturday at the US base in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, will send a "strong signal" for further military assistance to the country attacked by Russia, the sources further state.
11:05 Embargo Violation: Car Dealer Suspected of Selling Luxury Cars to RussiaA car dealer from Königswinter near Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia is suspected of illegally selling a large number of luxury cars to Russia. The public prosecutor's office in Bonn and the customs investigation office in Essen announced this on Tuesday. The dealer allegedly sold cars worth over four million euros to Russians. They purportedly misrepresented the car sales as being made to third countries. During a raid at the end of September, two locations were searched, and two luxury cars and an account were also seized. The investigations are ongoing.
09:34 Injured After Russian Attack on KharkivEleven individuals are injured in a Russian attack on an industrial area in eastern Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reports on Telegram. Three of the victims are in critical condition, including a 16-year-old. The attack also resulted in infrastructure damage. In Kharkiv, a large fire broke out after several attacks, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported. The Kharkiv region bordering Russia in the northeast is under almost daily shelling.
09:02 Oil Terminal on Crimea Still Ablaze - Reports of Further Explosions
The oil terminal in Feodosia on the Russian-occupied Crimea has been on fire for the second consecutive day. Satellite data from NASA continues to detect fire signals on the fuel depot's territory. The fire reportedly expanded to cover an area of 2,500 square meters, according to Anton Geraschenko, former advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs on X. Additional fuel depots are said to have exploded in the evening and at night. The Ukrainian army had previously reported that a "successful attack" had been carried out on the oil terminal near Feodosia in the early hours of Monday. According to the Ukrainian army, this facility is the largest transshipment terminal for oil products on the Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia. It also supplied the Russian army.
08:29 France to Deliver Mirage 2000 Fighter Jets to Ukraine in Early 2025Ukraine is set to receive its first Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France in the first quarter of 2025, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced on X. The aircraft "will be equipped with new weapons: air-to-ground attack capabilities and defense against electronic warfare," Lecornu said. "Training of Ukrainian pilots and mechanics continues." French President Emmanuel Macron had announced back in June that Paris would provide Kiew with an unspecified number of Mirage 2000-5 aircraft to strengthen its air forces.
08:00 Russian Coal Industry in Deep Crisis
The Russian coal industry, a significant raw material sector for the economy with tens of thousands of employees, is facing a severe crisis, according to "Moscow Times". Losing Western markets and a significant drop in demand from "friendly" countries and losses of several billion dollars have led coal companies to significantly reduce production. According to Rosstat, coal production in Russia decreased by 6.7 percent year-on-year in July, and its total volume of 31.5 million tons was the lowest since the pandemic in 2020. Western sanctions have become a major problem for the coal industry, writes Janis Kluge of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
Moscow once more accuses NATO of scheming against Russia. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, speaking to state news agency TASS, NATO member states are no longer disguising their preparations for a possible armed conflict with Russia. He cited NATO's adoption of regional defense plans and specific tasks for all military commands within the alliance, in addition to ongoing preparations for potential military actions against Russia. Grushko also noted that military budgets are growing and economies are becoming militarized. Besides aggressive rhetoric, NATO is continually increasing the level of tension towards Russia, he added. Russia legitimized its conflict against Ukraine, among other reasons, due to the possibility of NATO membership – a scenario that the nation was far from reaching. In fact, the war in Ukraine has resulted in NATO's expansion: Sweden and Finland have joined the transatlantic defense alliance due to concerns about further Russian aggression.
08:35 North Koreans reportedly battling alongside Russian troops in Ukraine According to Southern Korean reports, it is highly probable that North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun informed parliament in Seoul that it is "very likely" that Ukrainian reports of six North Korean military personnel killed in eastern Ukraine are true. Kim explained that agreements between Moscow and Pyongyang resemble a military alliance.
08:17 Ukrainian intelligence allegedly disables Russian court system on Putin's birthday On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) and the "VO Team" activist group are believed to have cyber-attacked the Russian state system "Pravosudie," which handles electronic document flow for all Russian courts. The "Kyiv Post" reports this, citing intelligence sources. The attack has reportedly disrupted court operations, email systems for departments, and official websites. The source revealed that personal data of users and internal documents from the system have been acquired as a result of the cyberattack. Russians are currently facing difficulties in filing complaints and checking the dates for court hearings as court websites are not functioning, according to the source. A cyberattack also caused significant disruptions the previous day at the Russian state television and radio company VGTRK.
07:42 Russian portal claims Putin no longer safe in Sochi residence The Russian war against Ukraine is allegedly affecting Russian President Vladimir Putin personally. The independent Russian media company Project reports that Putin has stopped visiting his residence in Sochi due to concerns about potential drone attacks. Although he has spent at least 30 days in the Bocharov Ruchey residence since its 2014 renovation for the Sochi Olympics, Putin has not been there since March, as per Project's investigation. Putin reportedly feels a danger to his physical safety after several drone attacks on Sochi last fall, according to a source close to Putin. This fear also led Putin to abandon his annual tradition of celebrating the birthday of Alina Kabaeva, his long-term partner and alleged mother of his two sons, at the Black Sea residence.
07:07 Governor promises massive bonus to lure Russians into army The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, is offering residents a significantly high one-time bonus of 3 million rubles (around $31,200 USD) if they enlist in the military. According to the Moscow Times, the payments will be made to anyone, regardless of their place of origin, who enlists in the Belgorod region. The "Moscow Times" also reports that Russian authorities are making concerted efforts to encourage more people to join the military to compensate for heavy losses.
06:36 Russian rocket allegedly strikes civilian ship in Odessa Harbor Local authorities report that a civilian ship, which flies the flag of the island nation of Palau, was struck by a Russian rocket in the harbor of the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa. As a result of the attack, a 60-year-old Ukrainian was killed, and five foreign nationals were injured, according to Telegram messages from the regional governor Oleh Kiper. This is the second reported attack on a civilian ship in the harbor's vicinity in recent days, Kiper added. The port of Odessa is a critical point of departure, particularly for Ukrainian grain, and has been targeted by the Russian army on several occasions.
06:05 Harris vows no meetings with Putin without Ukraine's presence U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris declared that she would not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for potential peace negotiations without Ukraine's participation if she wins the election. "Ukraine must have a say in Ukraine's future," Harris said in the CBS show "60 Minutes." The Biden administration has likewise refused to engage with Putin in negotiations. Harris also criticized her opposition's Ukraine policy, referring to it as a "surrender" to the Russian attack on Ukraine that began in February 2022. "If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be seated in Kyiv," Harris claimed, referring to Trump's assertion that he could stop the war during his first day in office.
05:36 Russian Forces Approach Eastern Ukrainian City of TorezThe Russian military is making its way towards the edges of Torez, an eastern Ukrainian city, as per the Ukrainian military's report. The situation in the area is volatile, with skirmishes breaking out at every entry point to the city, according to Anastasia Bobownikova, spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group "Luhansk," during her appearance on Ukrainian state television. This advancement comes less than a week after the fall of Vuhledar. Currently, roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory is under Russian control, and the country has been pushing towards Torez since August. Capturing Torez would bring Russian President Vladimir Putin one step closer to achieving his objective of capturing the Donbass. Ukrainian military analysts caution that if Torez falls, it could threaten vital supply lines for Ukrainian forces.
03:30 Russia Want Italian Journalists ExtraditedA Russian court has ordered the detention of two Italian reporters for reporting from the Ukrainian-controlled portion of the Russian region of Kursk. The court in Kursk wants the extradition of Simone Traini and Stefania Battistini, who are currently outside of Russia. These journalists representing Italy's state-run RAI broadcaster are accused of crossing the border from Ukraine illegally to film a report in Kursk. After entering Russia, Traini and Battistini traveled to the city of Sudzha in a vehicle belonging to the Ukrainian military, as per the court's Telegram message. If extradited, the two journalists would be remanded in pre-trial detention, the court added. They face up to five years in prison under the criminal code.
23:44 Zelensky Addresses Partners: Define End of War VisionPresident Volodymyr Zelensky is urging allies to significantly increase weapons deliveries ahead of a high-level meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group in Ramstein. He emphasizes the necessity of supplying the front, arming brigades, and providing long-range weapons for the upcoming autumn months to impede Russia and push it towards peace, as outlined in his video message. In Ramstein, he aims to persuade his partners of the "urgent need for a substantial reinforcement of our capabilities and positions," he emphasizes. He extends an invitation to his partners to define their vision for the conclusion of this war, Ukraine's role in the global security architecture, and collective steps to bring the conflict to an end.
21:20 US Citizen Sentenced Again in Russia's VoronezhIn the Russian city of Voronezh, a US citizen who has already completed his prison term is sentenced to an additional seven years in a labor camp. Robert Gilman was handed down several years in prison in 2022 for allegedly assaulting a police officer while intoxicated. While in prison, Gilman is said to have attacked prison guards and assaulted an investigator. Russia has had a history of detaining US citizens in recent years.
20:50 Kherson Bombing Attack: Children HurtAt least 20 people were injured in a Russian airstrike on Kherson, as reported by local authorities. The Russian military targeted Kherson with KAB bombs, which exploded both near the coast and in the northern part of the city. Among the injured are two children, aged three and five, it is reported. At least six tall buildings were damaged as a result of the blasts, according to the regional prosecutor's office.
You can catch up on past developments here.
The European Union criticizes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's pro-Russian policies, viewing his military ties with Russia as detrimental to EU solidarity.The German government anticipates a "significant working visit" from US President Joe Biden, which is expected to strengthen military aid to Ukraine in its conflict against Russia.
