Kiev requests weapons authorization: "It seems Biden remains unwavered in his decision"
13:58 Zelensky announces return of another 103 captives from Russian custody Ukraine has confirmed a prisoner exchange with Russia, with another 103 individuals returning to Ukraine, as President Zelensky states. These individuals include soldiers, members of the National Guard, border guards, and police. They were defenders of various regions, such as Kyiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Saporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and the Azovstal plant.
13:38 US agrees to sell advanced fighter jets to Romania The United States government has approved the sale of 32 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Romania, a NATO ally and neighbor of Ukraine. US Ambassador to Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec, explains: "Romania is a vital ally in the NATO alliance, dedicated to security and stability in the Black Sea region and beyond." This deal, valued at up to $7.2 billion, will supply Romania with stealth, multi-role combat aircraft from manufacturer Lockheed Martin, thereby significantly enhancing its air defense capabilities. The first delivery is expected in 2031.
13:02 Russia reports 200 prisoners exchanged with Ukraine Russia and Ukraine have engaged in a prisoner exchange, with over 200 individuals being released, according to Russian reports. Each side sent back 103 people. The Russian soldiers are currently receiving psychological and medical assistance in Belarus, as per the Russian Defense Ministry's statement on Telegram. These soldiers were reportedly captured in Kursk, where Ukrainian troops had advanced in August. The Ukrainian side has yet to respond to these claims. On Friday, President Zelensky announced the release of 49 prisoners of war from Russian custody. It remains unclear if these individuals were part of the exchange announced by Russia.
12:50 Russia claims capture of another village in eastern Ukraine In eastern Ukraine, Russia claims to have captured another village, named Yelannoe Pervoe (Yelanne Perche in Ukrainian). This small village is located in the area surrounding the strategically important city of Pokrovsk, which is currently threatened by the Russian advance. Russia has made significant progress in the Donetsk region in recent weeks.
12:21 Medvedev threatens Kyiv's destruction Russian former President Dmitri Medvedev has threatened the complete destruction of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Russia claims to have grounds for using nuclear weapons due to Ukraine's advance into the Russian region of Kursk, although it has not yet implemented this measure. In response to Ukraine's use of Western long-range missiles, Russia could potentially utilize non-nuclear, newer Russian weapon technology to turn Kyiv into a "gigantic molten spot."
11:50 Fighting rages in Kurakhove Intense fighting is currently taking place in eastern Ukraine, primarily around the city of Kurakhove. This situation is causing frustration among the locals. ntv reporter Kavita Sharma reports from Dnipro.
11:12 Odessa experiences drone attacks Detailed information on the large-scale drone attack the previous night is becoming available: Russia is reported to have launched a total of 76 combat drones, according to Ukraine's air force. Of these, 72 drones were shot down. There has been no official comment on the attack's aftermath. However, the governor of the Black Sea region in Odessa reports substantial damage to several buildings in a suburb of the regional capital and warehouses in the Ismajil district. In Kyiv, some debris also fell, as per official reports. No fires were ignited in Kyiv, according to reports.
10:31 Stoltenberg discusses false NATO territory maps before the war Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg discusses the last diplomatic efforts before the war in February 2022 to discourage Russia from invading Ukraine. The last meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, chaired by Stoltenberg, took place in January. The Russians demanded the withdrawal of all NATO troops from the eastern territories of the alliance, which NATO found unacceptable. Stoltenberg explains that despite this belief in dialogue, they met again with the two Russian deputy foreign and defense ministers. At the meeting, the Russians claimed that there were no invasion plans and that Russia was under threat from Ukraine. They showed maps, which allegedly showed NATO's borders incorrectly, such as the misrepresentation of Denmark as NATO territory. Stoltenberg admits that he is not sure if the incorrect information was a result of poor preparation or deliberate actions. Looking back, he regrets that NATO and its allies did not provide more military support to Ukraine earlier. He indicates that if Ukraine had been stronger militarily, the threshold for Russia's attack would have been higher, but he cannot say whether it would have been sufficient.
10:03 Wiegold on Stationing Agreement: "Lithuania views German combat brigade as assistance" Lithuania and Germany finalize a government contract: It guarantees the NATO Baltic state that a combat-ready German brigade will be stationed in the country. Military expert Thomas Wiegold discusses the backstory and importance of the agreement in an interview with ntv.
09:28 Kim's Intentions: Boosting Ties with Moscow North Korean leader Kim Jong Un allegedly intends to amplify relationships with Russia, according to state media. Following conversations between Kim and Russian Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu in North Korea, state media report an extensive dialogue about "enhancing the strategic dialogue between the two countries and fortifying cooperation to safeguard their respective security interests," as well as the regional and international situation. The Ukraine, the U.S., and South Korea accuse North Korea of supplying Russia with weapons and missiles for the Ukraine war. Pyongyang denies these claims as "ludicrous."
08:59 Western Weapons for Ukraine: Starmer and Biden to discuss again at UN General Assembly There will soon be another discussion on whether Ukraine should be permitted to utilize advanced Western weapons against Russian targets. British Prime Minister Starmer stated this following a meeting with U.S. President Biden, during which they postponed a decision on the issue. Biden and Starmer will discuss it at the UN General Assembly in New York next week "with a larger group of people," Starmer said. British media report that Biden, fears a nuclear conflict, is prepared to allow Ukraine to use British and French rockets incorporating US technology - but not US-made rockets.
08:23 Zelensky on Trump's Statement: "Election campaign talk is election campaign talk" U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump repeatedly declared he could end the Ukraine conflict in a day, but without presenting a plan. During an interview with CNN, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asked about his interpretation of this statement. "I am unable to understand it today due to a lack of clarity on the details," Zelensky says in the interview, which will air on Sunday. "My stance is that this is an election campaign in the U.S. Campaign talk is campaign talk. Sometimes it is not very practical," he explains. However, Zelensky also shares that he spoke with Trump two months ago. During this conversation, Trump assured him of his support for Ukraine, Zelensky reveals. It was a positive conversation.
07:27 ISW: Russia Needs More Troops in Kursk to Evict Ukrainians Russia persists with counterattacks in the Kursk region, but the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has not yet recognized a substantial operation to expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk entirely. The ISW, based in Washington, writes that so far, Russian authorities have primarily relied on poorly trained and equipped conscripts, as well as small segments of the regular Russian armed forces and other security forces in the border region. In an evaluation, the think tank informs: "A Russian counteroffensive to reclaim the territory in the Kursk Oblast seized by Ukrainian forces will likely require more personnel and material than Russia has already amassed in the area - especially if most of the units already deployed lack combat experience."
06:49 Ukraine Under Drone Assault
According to the Ukrainian military, Russia has assaulted Ukraine with Shahed drones throughout the night. The Russian military has launched numerous groups of attack drones, the Ukrainian air forces reported. Air alerts were activated in almost all regions of the country. For example, in the Odessa region. The navy reports shooting down nine drones there. Explosions were heard in the city of Odessa, but no casualties have been reported thus far.
06:13 Mützenich Suggests International Peace Initiative Meeting
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich proposes a global peace initiative meeting to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict. "In my opinion, it's now time for the Western allies to organize a peace initiative meeting," he told the "Rheinische Post." "The Federal Chancellor and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky concur that now is the appropriate moment to intensify efforts for peace talks, and that Russia should also be involved in the next peace summit." When asked about possible members of such a meeting, Mützenich mentioned countries like China, India, Turkey, and Brazil as potential candidates. "The belief that the Russian invasion can become a burden is growing in these countries," he suggests. Therefore, the work of such a meeting "could indeed be promising," and it could play a significant mediating role.
05:41 EU Diplomats Consider New Approach to Sanctions Extension
EU diplomats claim that the EU Commission is considering three options for how sanctions against Russia could be extended in the future. Corresponding scenarios were presented to European diplomats on Friday, several insiders said. The background is the frozen assets of the Russian central bank, which play a vital role in providing a mega-credit of $50 billion from the G7 states to Ukraine.
03:40 Klitschko: Drone Debris Damages Kyiv Buildings
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announces via the Telegram messaging app that drone debris has struck a building in the Ukrainian capital. The debris fell on a municipal building in the Obolon district north of the city center early in the morning. Klitschko reported further that emergency services were on their way to the scene. Earlier, the mayor had explained that air defense units were in operation in the capital.
01:35 Kim Jong Un Renews Commitment to Bolstering Ties with Shoigu
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agrees on enhanced collaboration with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu. As stated by state news agency KCNA, the two leaders had a detailed discussion during Shoigu's visit to Pyongyang, ultimately reaching a satisfying agreement on matters like strengthening "cooperation to safeguard mutual security interests". Shoigu, who served as Russian defense minister until May, initiated improved ties between North Korea and Russia with his trip to Pyongyang in July the previous year.
23:36 Zelensky to Present "Victory Strategy" to Biden in SeptemberUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has scheduled a September meeting with US President Joe Biden. "I will propose the strategy for victory," stated the head of state during a public appearance in Kyiv. This strategy involves a series of interdependent decisions that will equip Ukraine with sufficient forces to steer the conflict towards peace. "Such military victories can be successfully concluded through either forcing the invading army to retreat or negotiating peace," explained Zelensky. This will ensure the true autonomy of the country. However, Kyiv relies on US assistance to maintain a strong position.
22:59 Russia Shifts assault Strategy SouthwardsIntense combat continues in the eastern region of the country, as reported by the Ukrainian military. According to the General Staff in Kyiv, there were 115 skirmishes today. "The most intense activity was observed in the direction of Kurachove, while the enemy was also active in the directions of Lyman and Pokrovsk," it said. Kurachove is a small town situated south of Pokrovsk. For a long time, Pokrovsk was considered the primary attack direction of Russian troops. Recently, the Russians have only managed limited territorial gains in this area. Instead, they have expanded their attack frontline southwards to capture the mining town of Hirnyk near Kurachove.
22:18 Zelensky: Advance into Kursk Has Resulted in Desired ReliefThe Ukrainian advance into the Russian region of Kursk is yielding the desired results, as per President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the Charkiv region, the enemy has been repelled, and in Donetsk, the Russian advance has slowed down, he claims. Russia has not achieved any significant successes in its counterattack in Kursk. Experts had frequently expressed doubts about the redeployment of larger Russian troop formations from Donetsk and other regions to Kursk. Russia asserts that it has recaptured 10 of the 100 occupied settlements.
21:46 "West is Fearful" - Zelensky's Strong Words about AlliesUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses the West of harboring "fear" regarding the discussion of support for Ukraine in countering Russian missiles. "If the allies collectively shoot down missiles and drones in the territories of Middle Eastern countries, why isn't there a similar resolution to shoot down Russian missiles and Iranian Shaheds in the Ukrainian skies?" says Zelensky at a conference in Kyiv. "They are afraid to even utter: 'We are working on it'. And this happens not even when missiles and drones are heading directly towards the territory of our neighboring countries," said the Ukrainian head of state. This is "disgraceful for the democratic world".
21:30 Russia Has Employed Over 8000 Iranian Drones So FarRussia has reportedly launched 8060 Iranian Shahed drones, developed by Iran, into Ukraine since the commencement of the war, according to the Ukrainian government. Statements from Iran or Russia remain unavailable. Ukraine initially accused the Iranian government of supplying the suicide drones to Russia in the autumn of 2022.
20:43 License for Long-range Weapons for Ukraine? USA Hesitates to Answer Questions
In Washington, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden are scheduled to meet for talks. There's widespread anticipation about whether any announcements will be made regarding the approval of the use of long-range weapons for Ukraine. According to sources from the British "Guardian", Britain has granted Ukraine the authorization to conduct attacks using Storm-Shadow missiles. However, neither side is expected to make any announcements on this matter during today's meeting. "I wouldn't anticipate an announcement today about the use of long-range weapons inside Russia - certainly not from the US," says John Kirby, the communications director of the National Security Council. He only mentions that they are still talking with Britain, France, and other allies "about the types of capabilities that will be provided to Ukraine." He also evades providing a clear answer when asked if the US government will announce any changes. "I'm not going to engage in a hypothetical discussion about what we might or might not say at a certain time."
You can review all previous developments here.
In response to the escalating tensions in the region, some experts have warned that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine could potentially escalate into a larger cyberwar between Ukraine, its allies, and Russia.
In light of this potential threat, several Western nations have increased their cybersecurity efforts and preparedness, investing heavily in cyber defense programs and training their military and civilian personnel to respond effectively to cyberattacks.
As cyberwarfare becomes an increasingly real threat, international organizations and governing bodies must work together to establish clear rules and guidelines for cyberwarfare, similar to those that govern traditional warfare, to ensure that the digital domain remains a safe and secure space for all nations.
