Intense battles are currently at their peak around Kurachove, according to Sharma.
11:12 Drone Assaults Cause Damage in Black Sea Region of Odessa
Information is surfacing regarding the large-scale drone assault that took place last night: the Ukrainian air force declared that Russia launched a total of 76 combat drones, with 72 of them being shot down. The air force does not disclose the aftermath of the attack. However, the governor of the Black Sea region of Odessa reports considerable damage. He mentions that some structures in an Odessa suburb's outskirts were harmed due to drone debris. In the Ismajil district, where Ukraine transports some of its grains, warehouse structures were targeted. Debris parts fell in Kiev, as reported by the government. A municipal company was hit, but no fire was sparked.
10:31 Stoltenberg on Pre-War Meeting: Russians Misrepresented NATO Territory
Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in an interview with "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", discusses the last diplomatic efforts to deter Russia from invading Ukraine prior to the conflict starting in February 2022. The last NATO-Russia Council meeting, which Stoltenberg led, took place in January. The Russians demanded that all NATO troops be withdrawn from the eastern part of the alliance, which was "totally unacceptable" according to them, but Stoltenberg supported dialogue and thus they met once more. The Russian deputy foreign and defense ministers claimed at the meeting that there were no war plans and that their country was threatened by Ukraine. They presented maps to display Russia being surrounded by NATO, but even these maps contained inaccuracies. Stoltenberg is unsure if this was due to poor preparation or intentional. Looking back, he expresses regret that NATO and its allies did not do more to strengthen Ukraine militarily earlier. "If Ukraine had been militarily stronger, the threshold for Russia's attack would have been higher. Whether it would have been high enough is impossible to say."
10:03 Wiegold on Agreement: "Lithuania Sees German Combat Brigade as Support"
Germany and Lithuania sign an agreement: it ensures that a combat-ready German brigade will be stationed in the Baltic NATO state. Military expert Thomas Wiegold discusses the reasons and implications of the agreement in an interview with ntv.
09:28 Kim to Enhance Collaboration with MoscowNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to improve cooperation with Russia, as reported by North Korean state media. After talks between Kim and Russian Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu in North Korea, North Korean state media stated that there was an extensive exchange on "deepening the strategic dialogue between the two countries and strengthening cooperation to defend their mutual security interests," as well as the regional and international situation. However, Pyongyang denies allegations from Ukraine, the US, and South Korea that it is providing Russia with weapons and missiles for the Ukraine war, dismissing them as "absurd."
08:59 Potent Weapons for Ukraine? Starmer and Biden to Discuss Again at UN General AssemblyDiscussions on whether Ukraine should be allowed to use powerful Western weapons against targets in Russia are likely to occur soon. British Prime Minister Starmer announced this after a meeting with US President Biden, during which they had postponed a decision on the issue. Biden and Starmer will discuss this topic at the UN General Assembly in New York next week "with a larger group of people," Starmer said. British media suggest that Biden, who fears a nuclear conflict, is prepared to allow Ukraine to use British and French rockets with US technology - but not US-made rockets.
08:23 Zelensky on Trump's Alleged Plan: "Campaign Statements are Campaign Statements"US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he could end the Ukraine conflict in a single day, but has never presented a plan. In a CNN interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asked about his interpretation of Trump's statement. "I can't comprehend it today because I'm unaware of the specifics he intends," Zelensky responds in the interview, which will air on Sunday. His stance is that there is a US election campaign ongoing. "And campaign statements are campaign statements," he continues. "Sometimes they're not very realistic." However, Zelensky also says he spoke with Trump two months ago. During that call, Trump pledged support for Ukraine, Zelensky says, adding that it was a good conversation.
07:27 ISW: Russia Needs Additional Troops in Kursk to Evict UkrainiansRussia continues its counterattacks in the Kursk region, but the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) does not yet see a large-scale operation to completely drive the Ukrainians out of Kursk. The ISW, based in Washington, expresses that so far, Russian authorities have primarily used poorly trained and equipped conscripts, along with smaller components of the regular Russian armed forces and other security forces in the border region. An assessment by the think tank states: "A Russian counteroffensive to retake the territory captured by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk Oblast will likely require more personnel and material than Russia has already mobilized to the area - especially if most of the units already deployed lack combat experience."
According to the Ukrainian military, Russia has been bombarding Ukraine with Shahed drones throughout the night. The Russian military launched several groups of attack drones, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Force. Consequentially, air raid alerts were sounded in nearly every region across the country. For instance, the Odessa region was affected, with the navy reporting the successful shooting down of nine drones there. Subsequently, explosions were reported in the city of Odessa, as per the mayor. As of now, no casualties have been reported.
06:13 Mützenich Proposes International Peace Initiative
German SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich is advocating for an international contact group to initiate a peace process in the Ukraine war. Mützenich believes that it's now the ideal time for Western allies to establish a contact group to stimulate dialogue. Both German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky concur that now is an excellent opportunity to increase efforts for peace talks, with Russia included in the next peace summit. Upon being asked about potential members of such a contact group, Mützenich suggested nations like China, India, Turkey, and Brazil as viable options. "Growing conviction in these states exists that the Russian assault war can become a burden," Mützenich emphasized, explaining that a contact group could indeed be promising and serve as a crucial mediator.
05:41 EU Contemplates New Strategy for Extending Sanctions
EU diplomats claim that the EU Commission is currently evaluating three different approaches for the future extension of sanctions against Russia. The freezing of the Russian central bank's assets, which play a crucial role in granting Ukraine a $50 billion loan from the G7 countries, has been in effect since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
03:40 Drone Debris Falls on Kyiv City Structure
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported via Telegram that drone debris had landed on a city building in the Kyiv district of Obolon, north of the city center. Emergency services were on their way to the scene, as per Klitschko's statement. Earlier in the day, Klitschko had announced that air defense units were active in the capital area.
01:35 Kim Jong Un Expresses Support for Closer Cooperation with Shoigu
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu closer collaboration. During Shoigu's recent visit to Pyongyang, the two leaders reportedly had a detailed discussion, resulting in a mutually satisfactory agreement regarding issues pertaining to enhanced "security cooperation." Shoigu, who was still the Russian defense minister at the time of their meeting, had initially sought to enhance relationships between North Korea and Russia through a trip to Pyongyang in July of the previous year.
23:36 Zelensky Plans to Present "Victory Plan" to Biden in SeptemberUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has scheduled a September meeting with US President Joe Biden. During his appearance in Kyiv, Zelensky announced that he would present a comprehensive "Victory Plan" during the meeting. The plan involves a series of interconnected decisions designed to provide Ukraine with the necessary military might to steer the conflict towards peace. While conquest wars can be brought to a conclusion through either force or diplomacy, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine's real independence depends on US support for a strong position.
22:59 Russia Changes Attack Direction to the SouthHeavy fighting continues in the eastern part of the country, according to the Ukrainian military. There were 115 engagements, as reported by the General Staff in Kyiv in their evening update. The hottest battles were taking place in the direction of Kurakhove, while the enemy remained active in the direction of Lyman and Pokrovsk. Kurakhove is a small town situated to the south of Pokrovsk. For some time, Pokrovsk was regarded as the primary attack direction of the Russian troops. However, the Russians have recently been able to achieve minimal territorial gains in this area. Instead, they have shifted their attack axis to the south to capture the mining town of Hirnyk, located near Kurakhove.
22:18 Zelensky: Advance in Kursk has Resulted in Desired ReliefThe Ukrainian advance into the Russian region of Kursk is reportedly yielding the desired results, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the Charkiv region, the enemy has been held back, and in Donetsk, the Russian offensive has slowed down. Russia has yet to post any significant gains in its counterattack in Kursk. Previous doubts regarding the redeployment of larger Russian troop formations from Donetsk and other regions to Kursk have been dispelled. Russia claims to have retaken ten occupied villages.
9:30 PM Russia Uses Over 8000 Iranian Drones Against UkraineAs reported by Kyiv's government, Russia has launched around 8060 Iranian Shahed drones at Ukraine since the onset of the conflict. As of now, neither Russia nor Iran has released statements regarding this matter. It was in the autumn of 2022 when Ukraine first accused the Iranian government of supplying them with these suicide drones.
8:43 PM USA Avoids Talking About Long-Range Weapons for UkraineIn Washington, there's speculation about potential announcements concerning the approval of long-range weapons for Ukraine during a meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden. According to sources from The Guardian, the UK has granted Ukraine permission to use Storm-Shadow missiles. However, the meeting between these two allies is expected to steer clear of discussing this topic, as suggested in the report. "I wouldn't anticipate a declaration today regarding the utilization of long-range weapons within Russia—certainly not from the US," says John Kirby, the National Security Council's communications director. He mentions that they are still in discussions with the UK, France, and other allies about the kind of capabilities that will be offered to Ukraine. He also refrains from providing a clear answer when asked about potential changes in US policy. "I won't engage in a hypothetical discussion about what we might or might not declare at a specific moment."
You can catch up on previous developments [here].
The Ukrainian air force confirms that Russia launched a substantial number of combat drones during the assault, and many were shot down. However, the attack resulted in significant damage in the Black Sea region of Odessa, as reported by the governor.
The Russian deputy foreign and defense ministers presented inaccurate maps during the last NATO-Russia Council meeting, claiming that Russia was surrounded by NATO territory, which was unacceptable to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
