Kremlin shows no concern over the deployment of F-16 aircrafts
13:45 Kremlin: Stoltenberg's Statements on Long-Range Weapons Threatening
Russia considers the comments made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as harmful. In an interview with "The Times", Stoltenberg suggested that it might not be a concern for Russia if Ukraine were authorized to bomb targets deeper into Russia with extended-range western weapons. "This careless disregard for the Russian President's statements is a short-sighted and unprofessional move," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov. Russian President Putin warned that if countries allow the use of longer-range missiles, they will be directly involved in the conflict.
13:17 Atomic Experts Detect Mines and Military Equipment in Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant
Armed troops affiliated with Moscow and military equipment are stationed in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian control in Ukraine, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA). Anti-personnel mines have been planted between the interior and exterior defence lines, according to the IAEA experts. The organization states that they were unable to access certain areas of the turbine rooms over the reporting period. The NPP has been under Russian occupation since the outbreak of the war, and international experts have been monitoring the security situation with concern, following a cooling tower fire just four weeks earlier.
12:41 Kremlin Warns of 'Intensification of Conflicts' in Middle East After Pager Explosions
Following the mass explosion of hundreds of pagers in Lebanon, the Kremlin has issued a warning about a potential escalation of tensions in the region. "Whatever has happened, it will surely increase tensions," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov on Wednesday. The region itself is unstable, and "every incident like this has the potential to spark a conflict," he added. The Russian Foreign Ministry classifies the incident as another "act of hybrid warfare against Lebanon."
12:24 Ukraine Increases Budget by Ten Billion Euros to Cover Soldier Payments
Ukraine has approved an additional budget of over ten billion euros, with most of the funds going to the military. This brings the total budget expenditures to around 81 billion euros, a record for Ukraine. The budget changes were necessary to cover soldier salaries and allowances, among other expenses.
11:36 Sharma: F-16 Jets Won't Be the Deciding Factor
Ukrainian President Zelensky is seeking 128 F-16 fighter jets to gain air supremacy over Ukraine. However, only around 60 have been pledged by Western nations, which falls short of half the requested number. Despite this, ntv correspondent Kavita Sharma sees this as a success because the delivery and pilot training have begun. However, the weapon has already encountered initial issues.
11:16 Ukrainian Intelligence: We're Behind the Attack on the Ammunition Depot
A source within the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) confirms to the Kyiv Independent that the large ammunition depot in Russian Toropez was attacked by Ukrainian forces last night. The depot housed ballistic missiles, including Iskander, anti-aircraft missiles, artillery ammunition, and glide bombs. The attack "essentially obliterated the depot from the face of the earth," the source claimed. After the impact of Ukrainian drones, "a highly powerful explosion" occurred. "The SBU is working closely with its military counterparts to gradually reduce the enemy's rocket capabilities, which are used to destroy Ukrainian cities," the source added. Plans are in place to carry out similar attacks on other Russian military facilities.
10:49 Ukrainian Drone Manufacturers Get a Chance to Bid for Ramstein Contracts
Ukrainian drone manufacturers are now eligible to participate in tenders organized by the Drone Coalition under the Ramstein format. Representatives of Western Ukraine supporters meet in Ramstein every few weeks. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the tender series will consist of two lots: one for the production of First-Person-View (FPV) drones and one for interception drones. The ministry considers this invitation to bid as a significant boost to Ukrainian production. All submitted bids will be assessed by members of the Drone Coalition. Successful bidders will receive orders for further testing. If the tests are successful, the Ramstein countries intend to commission the winners of the competition for production.
10:27 Video Shows Attack on Russian Ammunition Depot
Although the Kremlin has yet to confirm it, the governor of the Tver region reported on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone attack resulted in a fire. It is believed that it was a large weapons and ammunition depot. Residents were evacuated, and videos of the fire are circulating online.
09:39 Nine Injured in Kharkiv, Two Dead in Zaporizhzhia
Kharkiv, Ukraine, suffered a heavy Russian aerial attack the previous day. Cluster munitions detonated in several districts, resulting in nine injuries. This adds to a series of recent civilian attacks. On Sunday, a precision bomb killed a woman and injured 43 people, including four children, in Zaporizhzhia. Russian aerial attacks on settlements also occurred in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, resulting in the loss of two lives.
08:46 Ukraine: Energy Facilities in Sumy Under Attack Again
As reported by local authorities, energy facilities in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy have once again been targeted by Russian drones. Initial reports indicate no casualties, but the repeated attacks have caused significant strain on the energy system. On Tuesday, Russia attacked the city and region of Sumy's energy infrastructure with rockets and drones, causing a temporary power outage for over 280,000 households, according to the Ministry of Energy.
08:27 Ukrainian Military Reports: 1130 Russian Casualties YesterdayThe Ukrainian Military reports that 1130 Russian soldiers were either killed or wounded in the past 24 hours. Since the initiation of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian records have documented 637,010 enemy casualties. Over the past day, Ukrainian forces claim to have demolished 25 artillery systems, 45 transport and fuel vehicles, and six tanks.
07:55 Ukraine Prepares for Arrival of F-16 JetsThe Ukrainian Air Force has finalized its deployment plans for incoming Western F-16 combat aircraft. All responsibilities for the armed forces and the Ministry of Defense have been assigned, as per Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's evening video address. Discussions were also held with the Air Command regarding the potential expansion of the aircraft fleet and further pilot training. Given the frequent heavy losses, there are numerous calls in Kyiv for improved basic pilot training. Currently, the training period lasts 40 days. Ukraine is anticipated to acquire approximately 60 F-16 jets, but only a few have been delivered so far.
07:19 Russian Regions Under Threat from Ukrainian Drone AttacksRussia reports Ukrainian drone assaults on various regions. Russian air defense systems downed 54 Ukrainian drones over five Russian regions throughout the night, according to the state news agency TASS, citing the Defense Ministry. Half of the drones were shot down over the Kursk border region, while the rest were downed over the Bryansk and Belgorod border regions, as well as the western regions of Smolensk and Oryol. The agency did not mention the Tver region northwest of Moscow, where local authorities and military bloggers reported a drone attack on a large ammunitions warehouse, causing a fire in the city of Toropets. Residents had to be evacuated.
06:57 Major Russian Munitions Depot Under AttackAccording to military bloggers, the Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Toropez in the Tver region set a munitions depot with numerous tons of ammunition and rockets ablaze. The depot, as per bloggers, has significantly expanded in recent times and maintains 42 reinforced bunkers, as well as 23 warehouses and workshops. Former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin reports on Telegram that the situation in the region is under control. Ukrainian military bloggers conclude, based on their data analysis, that significant damage was inflicted, particularly on newer bunkers.
06:20 Green Party Calls for Discussion on Russian Influence in GermanyThe deputy leader of the Green Party's parliamentary group, Konstantin von Notz, proposes a relevant debate in the Bundestag on Russian influence operations in Germany. "Analyses of internal documents from the Russian propaganda factory SDA demonstrate with great clarity the insidious methods by which Russian bodies exert their influence on our democracy, public discourses, and elections," the interior politician says. "With AfD, BSW, and other willing collaborators who promote Russian narratives in public and parliaments, damaging alliances are formed to weaken German interests together. Individuals who support Ukraine are targeted, spied on, and attempts are made to tarnish their public image."
05:42 Russian Actors Falsify Videos Against Kamala Harris
Russian agents, as per investigations by software giant Microsoft, are intensifying their disinformation campaign against US presidential candidate Kamala Harris. A group linked to the Kremlin, known as Storm-1516, has produced two fabricated videos since late August to discredit Harris's and her running mate Tim Walz's campaigns. One video shows a group of alleged Harris supporters attacking a supposed Trump rally participant. The other video features an actor spreading the false claim that Harris injured a girl in a 2011 accident, leaving her disabled, and abandoned the scene. Both videos have reportedly garnered millions of views.
05:19 Explosions and Fire in Russian Tver
A Ukrainian drone strike, according to Russian reports, has caused an explosion and fire in the Russian region of Tver. Debris from a destroyed Ukrainian drone is reportedly responsible for starting a fire in the city of Toropez, resulting in the partial evacuation of residents. Governor Igor Rudenya announced this on the Telegram messaging platform. Firefighters are currently attempting to contain the blaze. The exact cause of the explosion and fire is unknown. Russian air defense units are reportedly continuing to repel a "massive drone attack" on the city. The town, with a population of slightly over 11,000, is reportedly home to a Russian arsenal for storing rockets, ammunition, and explosives, according to a 2018 report by the state news agency RIA.
03:57 Russian Governors Report Drone Attacks
Ukraine is reportedly attacking several regions in western Russia with drones, according to local governors. Seven Ukrainian drones were shot down in the Smolensk region, bordering Belarus, according to Governor Vasily Anochin on Telegram. A drone was shot down over the Orjol region by Russian air defense, as reported by Governor Andrei Klichkov on Telegram. At least 14 Ukrainian attack drones were shot down over the Bryansk region, bordering Ukraine, according to Governor Alexander Bogomaz on Telegram. The government in Kyiv claims that the attacks are aimed at targeting military, energy, and transport infrastructure essential to Moscow's war efforts.
The United States is examining potential methods by which China might evade the prohibition on importing Russian uranium into the U.S., as reported by authorities. There are allegations that China is obtaining enriched uranium from Russia while sending its own production to the U.S., as per government sources as mentioned by Reuters. "We are worried about the possibility of the Russian uranium import restriction being bypassed," commented Jon Indall from the US Uranium Producers Association (UPA). "We wouldn't want to halt the Russian supply line only to have all our supply come from China. We've requested the Commerce Department to examine this situation." The Commerce Department did not promptly reply to a request for comment.
1:54 Scoop: U.S. to boost oil reserves
A well-placed source disclosed that the U.S. government intends to replenish its strategic oil reserves. The U.S. aims to procure up to six million barrels of oil given the current low costs, a source familiar with the situation mentioned. If this transaction is finalized, it will be the largest such acquisition since a previous record release in 2022. In response to soaring gasoline prices following Russia's incursion into Ukraine, the U.S. government offloaded vast quantifies of oil from its strategic reserve last year, marking the biggest release of oil reserves in history.
0:45 Saporishshya Violence: Two dead, Five Injured
Russia attacked the Saporishshya region throughout the night, resulting in at least two civilian casualties and five more injuries, as per Governor Ivan Fedorov. He subsequently clarified that Russia had "intensively attacked" the Komyshuvakha community in the region, causing damage to multiple houses and an infrastructure facility. Emergency responders are still present at the scene, and the extent of the damage is still being investigated, as per "Kyiv Independent."
23:38 U.S. UN Envoy: We've seen Zelensky's plan
U.S. UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield asserts that her team has observed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's new "peace plan." This is reported by "European Pravda," referring to a press conference at UN headquarters. "We've studied President Zelensky's peace plan. We believe it's a strategy with potential. We need to comprehend how we can contribute to its implementation," she added. The U.S. ambassador expressed optimism for progress in the peace process without providing additional details. Thomas-Greenfield may be alluding to the strategy known as the "victory plan" on the Ukrainian side, which Zelensky announced previous month.
22:29 False Alarm in Latvia: Mysterious aerial object was a bird swarm
False alarm in Latvia: A suspected infringement of the airspace of the Baltic NATO nation by an unidentified flying object turned out to be a harmless incident. The object that approached the boundary from neighboring Belarus and crossed it in the eastern part of Kraslava was a flock of birds, as per Latvia's news agency LETA, citing the air force. Earlier, the Defense Ministry in Riga had stated that an unidentified flying object had been spotted, prompting NATO interceptors stationed at the Lielvarde base to launch for airspace surveillance. Regrettably, they were unable to locate any suspicious objects.
21:59 Moldova and Germany in cybersecurity agreement
Moldova and Germany aim to bolster their joint efforts against "Putin's hybrid warfare" with a cybersecurity agreement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has a clear aim of continuing to utilize his hybrid warfare against Europe, particularly against Moldova, as a means of instability, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in Chisinau. "But that's why we're increasing our own efforts." By supplying IT equipment, information exchange, and training, they aim to "hinder cyberassaults in Moldova and identify disinformation."
You can catch up on all previous developments here.
here.
The European Union has expressed its concern over Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine, including its threats towards long-range weapons. The European Council President, Charles Michel, urged for a peaceful resolution and adherence to international law.
The European Union is considering imposing further sanctions on Russia due to its ongoing aggression in Ukraine. The European Parliament has put forward proposals for tougher measures, including an oil embargo and limiting Russian access to critical technology.
