Report: F-16 fighter jets are unlikely to significantly influence the course of the war
The first F-16 fighter jets are expected to arrive in Ukraine in the coming weeks, but Ukrainian and Western officials warn that they may not have an immediate impact on the course of the war, as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield. The Washington Post reports that Ukraine will only receive a small number of F-16 fighter jets, while Russia has a large number of air defense systems that can shoot them down. This means that the first F-16 fighter jets to arrive in Ukraine are likely to be used to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, to shoot down Russian aerial targets, rather than attack Russian ground troops.
According to The Washington Post, it is unlikely that the fighter jets will initially be stationed near the front lines and therefore will not be able to intercept Russian military aircraft. Official sources refused to disclose how many F-16 fighter jets will be provided to Ukraine this year, but it will not be more than approximately 20, which is equivalent to a squadron.
13:44 Ukraine confirms attack on oil refinery in Kursk
The Ukrainian military staff has confirmed in social media an attack on a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and the Ukrainian military cooperated in the nighttime attack on the Polyova oil depot. Previously, local authorities in Kursk reported a drone attack that caused fires at several locations. According to local governor Alexei Smirnov, firefighters were still on the scene in the morning, trying to extinguish three fuel tanks (see entries 08:00 and 06:36).
13:20 Authorities: Eight injured in Russian shelling of Nikopol
Eight people, including children, were injured in Nikopol, a Ukrainian city in the Dnipro region, by Russian shelling. This was reported by "RBC-Ukraine" with reference to the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine. "Eight residents of two multi-story buildings, including two children, were injured during the enemy shelling of Nikopol," the statement reads. The injured were taken to the hospital by rescue teams and the Red Cross.
13:01 Russia reports capture of two towns in Donetsk
Russia has captured two towns in the Donetsk region. They are Prohres and Evhenivka in eastern Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.
12:44 Ukraine accuses Russia of killing 564 children since start of war
Russia is accused of killing 564 children and wounding at least 1487 since the start of its war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" reported, citing the Office of the Prosecutor General. Most of the children were affected in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, Kiev and Zaporizhzhia.
12:24 Lindner defends Budget for Defense in Discussion about Defense Spending
Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended his course on defense spending in a tug-of-war over military budgets. "We have achieved the two-percent target for NATO for the first time since many, many years," says the FDP chief in an interview with ARD-"Hauptstadtstudio". We spend more than France and Italy. In the coming years, at least two percent of the economic output will still be made available for security. "It's not the case that everything the Defense Minister says is automatically justified and correct," Lindner emphasizes. It's about tax money and the efficiency of budget allocation. "Mr. Pistorius has a 100-billion-euro special program for the strengthening of the armed forces, which none of his predecessors had. That's how we can work, and that's how we have to make ends meet," says Lindner.
12:01 Putin threatens response to US Rocket Plans in Germany
Due to plans to station US long-range missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened a reaction at the large naval parade in St. Petersburg. Russia will respond symmetrically if the plans are implemented and no longer feel bound by an earlier prohibition on land-based atomic medium-range missiles. The INF Treaty on the prohibition of these weapons expired after the US withdrawal in 2019. According to Putin, Russia had so far imposed a moratorium and adhered to the agreements. The US, on the other hand, have long complained about Russian violations of the treaty. In a speech to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India, Putin says the US could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. "The flight time of such missiles, which can be armed with atomic warheads in the future, to targets on our territory will be approximately ten minutes," says Putin.
11:14 Authorities: Russians seize over 500 houses in Luhansk for themselves
In the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic," the Russian occupiers have seized 514 houses from evacuated residents unlawfully. This is reported by the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform," citing a Telegram message from the head of the regional administration of Luhansk, Artem Lysohord. These are objects that are subject to the "nationalization procedure," which begins 30 days after discovery. A large part of the land seized by the occupation authorities will be nationalized.
10:45 Explosions reported in Kharkiv - Air Alarm declared in several regions of Ukraine
Suspilne.media reports explosions in Kharkiv in the morning. Shortly thereafter, the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Sinegubov, reports two missile attacks by the Russians. The type of missiles is being determined. There is currently no information about casualties," he writes on his Telegram channel. Air alarm has been declared in some regions of Ukraine according to the news portal "RBC-Ukraine." This applies to Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, and Dnipro. There is no exclusion of a threat from missiles in these regions.
10:07 Governor reports 5 Dead and 15 Wounded through Russian shelling in the Donetsk region
At the Russian shelling of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk on Saturday, five civilians were killed and 15 more were injured, regional governor Vadym Filashkin reported via Telegram. The Russians reportedly killed five residents of the Donetsk region. Among them were three in Iwaniwka, one in Kostiantyniwka, and one in Toretsk. Furthermore, 15 people in the region were injured throughout the day, according to Filashkin. Since the beginning of the Russian offensive war in February 2022, the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform" reports that in the Donetsk region, 2110 civilians have been killed and 5515 injured. These casualty numbers do not include the victims in Mariupol and Volnovakha, it is stated.
09:46 IfW President: German fiscal policy is "Security Risk for Europe"
The President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Moritz Schularick, urges the German government to significantly increase spending for security and defense - and criticizes the coalition's budget compromise at the same time. "The German government is currently not making reasonable fiscal policy for what the country needs," Schularick says in an interview with t-online. "Much more than that: The fiscal policy is and remains a security risk for Europe." A future special fund for the Bundeswehr must "significantly larger than the current one with its size of 100 billion euros," the economist continues. "To close the budget gap in the next ten years, we are likely talking about a volume of 250 to 300 billion euros."
Even with all these additional expenditures, Germany would still be spending proportionally less for the military than countries like Poland, Norway, or the USA, which have not reduced their investments to the same extent in the past two decades. In total, Germany would need spending of around 3 to 3.5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product to deter Putin's Russia with "strength and resolve," Schularick says.
09:15 Expert sees Donetsk as "lost cause" for Ukraine
The Ukrainian armed forces are currently under particularly heavy pressure from Russian attacks in the Donetsk region. Military expert Ralf Thiele sees no chance for Ukraine to hold the Donetsk region in the future. The Russians are "inch by inch" on the offensive and the Ukrainians are on the retreat. The region is a "lost cause" for Ukraine, Thiele says on ntv(see also entry at 08:16). "That's unfortunately sad when you have to say that," says the military expert. Donetsk is either on the negotiation track or on the "real track." That means either there will be a ceasefire negotiation at eye level or a surrender ceasefire, Thiele explains. Both options mean that the region "is ultimately lost," according to Thiele.
08:52 Ukraine reports 1180 Russian casualties in the past 24 hoursRussia allegedly suffered 1180 casualties among its troops in Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 27, 2024, according to the Ukrainian General Staff's daily update on Facebook. The update also mentioned the following Russian losses: 8344 tanks, 16095 armored combat vehicles, 15936 artillery systems, 1127 multiple rocket launchers, 906 air defense systems, and 2405 missile systems. The Russian army reportedly lost 363 combat aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12766 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 28 warships/cutters, 1 submarine, 21572 vehicles and tank trucks, and 2671 special equipment since the beginning of their offensive war.
08:16 Thiele on the situation at the front: Ukrainians are "de facto on a step-by-step retreat"According to Ralf Thiele, the situation in the contested eastern regions of Ukraine is not good for the Ukrainian forces, who are trying to prevent a Russian breakthrough while retreating. Thiele, a military expert, fears that Ukraine will lose the Donetsk region altogether.
08:00 Kursk reports fire in a fuel depot under controlA Ukrainian drone attack reportedly set a fuel depot in the Kursk region on fire, according to local Russian authorities. The fire was quickly brought under control, and there were no reported injuries, Telegram messages from the regional governor Alexei Smirnov stated.
07:44 TASS: Russians destroy howitzer and Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Cherson regionRussian paratrooper drones reportedly destroyed a howitzer M-777 and a Ukrainian ammunition depot for field artillery on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River in the Cherson region, as reported by the state Russian news agency TASS, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. After the drones' launch, the shrapnel reportedly penetrated the front line along the riverbank. Simultaneously, a reconnaissance drone identified as targets a 155-mm howitzer M-777 and a field artillery ammunition depot. Through a direct hit, the ammunition depot was reportedly destroyed, and the howitzer was put out of order.
07:11 Ukrainian Minister: Olympic participation is "our victory"Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Bidyovka views Ukraine's Olympic participation as a powerful symbol and an opportunity to draw international attention to the situation in the country following the start of the Russian offensive war on Ukraine. "It is a symbolic act and a sign that Ukraine is a strong country with resilient people," Bidyovka said at the opening of the Ukrainian house in Paris. It is crucial that Russia is represented by a small team of 15 neutral athletes in Paris. Russia as a nation was excluded from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee due to the aggression. "There is no Russian flag here. There is only the Ukrainian flag. That is our victory," Bidyovka said.
It is now the responsibility of the Olympic team to "bring the international community together and speak to the people who normally don't listen to politicians." The participation is a "strong signal that Ukraine not only survived but also has the will to win."
06:58 Russia reports shooting down seven Ukrainian dronesThe Russian air defense shoots down seven Ukrainian drones according to their own statements. Five were destroyed over the Belgorod region and two over the Kursk region, as stated in a message from the Russian Defense Ministry on Telegram.
06:36 Governor: Oil depot in Kursk on fire after drone attackIn the night, there are explosions in the Kursk region in Russia due to a drone attack. In an oil depot and several areas, fires have broken out, according to the governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, on Telegram and the channel Baza. The air defense forces are "on alert," writes the Russian official and urges the region's residents to "vigilance." At least two fires have broken out in the region, one in the Medvenka district and one in the Kursk district, it is stated. In an oil storage facility in the village of Polyova, a fire is reported to have been caused, according to the Shot channel on Telegram. Residents report "multiple strong explosions" near the oil depot at night. Previously, they heard the characteristic sound of a drone flying overhead. After the explosions, witnesses reported seeing heavy smoke in the sky. In addition, there was an explosion in the city of Sudzha, a house in the Medva district was on fire, it is reported.
05:41 Linnemann questions civilian payments to UkrainiansCDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann raises questions about the payment of civilian aid to Ukrainian women and men in an interview with Funke media. "We need to discuss why more than 50 percent of the Ukrainians work in many European countries, but only 25 percent in Germany," he says. "There are clearly no incentives for quick employment." The Ukrainians also defended the freedoms of the Germans. "But if there is a performance, it is accompanied by a counter-performance. That includes taking a job."
04:49 Ukraine: Over 75 percent of wounded soldiers return to dutyAccording to the deputy defense minister of Ukraine, Natalia Kalmykova, the percentage of soldiers who return to duty after rehabilitation in Ukraine is very high. "We have a very high percentage of high-quality rehabilitation measures and returnees to the service. This is also acknowledged by our Western partners," she said according to the news agency Interfax. Kalmykova speaks of over 75 percent of the wounded.
03:13 ISW: Ukrainian forces retake positions near ToretskAccording to the Institute for War Studies (ISW), Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken lost positions near Toretsk, north of Donetsk. This is shown in geolocated images. The Russian side is said to have continued its offensive operations in the area.
01:08 Ukraine reports several deaths after Russian shelling - including a childAccording to Ukrainian authorities, at least five civilians were killed in Russian attacks in various regions of Ukraine yesterday. In the region of Kherson, there were three deaths. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, a 14-year-old boy was killed and 12 other people were injured in a rocket attack on the small town of Hlukhiv. In the region of Kharkiv, a man was killed by Russian shelling in a residential building.
23:46 Russia reports capture of another village in UkraineRussia has reportedly taken control of another village in eastern Ukraine. The settlement Losuwatske, located in the Donezk region, has been "liberated," according to the Russian Defense Ministry in its daily report. It is approximately 25 kilometers east of the city Pokrowsk, in the area where the Russian army has advanced relatively quickly in recent months. Ukraine confirms the takeover.
22:23 Blinken threatens China with "measures" over continued support for Russian defense industryUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China that the US would take "measures" if Beijing continued to support Russia's defense industry. According to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," Blinken made this statement during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Laos. The meeting came shortly after Blinken's Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba held talks with Wang in Guangzhou during his first visit to China since the war began. "The Minister reiterated his serious concern over China's support for Russia's defense industrial base and made it clear that the United States would continue to take appropriate measures if China did not act against this threat to European security," Miller said.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- The Ukrainian military, along with the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), was involved in a nighttime attack on a Russian oil depot in the Kursk region, according to local authorities.
- Russia has been accused of violating the INF Treaty on the prohibition of land-based atomic medium-range missiles, leading to threats of retaliation from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Ukrainian officials have warned that the arrival of F-16 fighter jets may not have an immediate impact on the course of the Ukraine-Conflict, as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield and has a large number of air defense systems.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has been vocal about the ongoing cyberwarfare targeting Ukraine's infrastructure, as well as his country's need for military support from NATO allies.
- Cyberattacks have become a significant threat in the ongoing Ukraine-Conflict, with both Ukrainian and Russian forces engaging in attacks on each other's critical infrastructure, such as power grids and communication systems.
