Russia evacuates 76,000 civilians near Kursk
In light of the intense fighting as Ukrainian forces advance into Russian territory, regional civil defense has already evacuated tens of thousands of people. Around 76,000 civilians have been evacuated from the border region and accommodated in other Russian regions, the civil defense agency reports, citing the state news agency TASS. No details on the actual combat situation were available from either the Russian or Ukrainian sides. Ukrainian intelligence reports only that Russia has begun moving a marine infantry brigade from the occupied Crimean Peninsula to the Kursk region. Part of the vehicle column was reportedly destroyed en route. These reports cannot be independently verified. An air raid alert has been sounded throughout the Kursk region. The acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, warns of potential dangers on the Telegram platform and urges the population to seek shelter.
17:28 Minsk accuses Kyiv of "criminal acts" After the alleged incursion of Ukrainian combat drones into Belarusian airspace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Minsk has warned of an escalation of the conflict. Such "criminal acts" could lead to a radical escalation of the situation, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports, citing the state news agency Belta. They are also a "dangerous attempt to expand the current conflict zone in our region." Belarus will exercise its right to self-defense and respond appropriately to any provocation or hostile actions. President Alexander Lukashenko had previously reported the suspected downing of several Ukrainian aerial targets. Air defense has been put on high alert because about ten aerial objects from Ukraine had entered Belarusian airspace in the east of the country in the Kostyukovichy region, Lukashenko said about the incident the previous evening.
17:00 Zelensky thanks for "filling the exchange fund" Around the advance of Ukrainian troops into Russian territory, many questions remain unanswered. President Zelensky has now spoken out and thanked the soldiers who had taken prisoners. Ukraine needs them for future exchange deals with Russia.
16:27 Ukraine attacks gas platform in Black Sea with 40 Russian soldiers Ukrainian naval forces have reportedly killed about 40 Russian soldiers in an attack on a gas platform in the Black Sea. Forces from the navy and military intelligence attacked the location where the enemy had gathered personnel and equipment, Ukrainian media reports, citing the naval fleet. The occupiers were allegedly using the platform for jamming navigation signals via satellite, which would have put civilian maritime traffic at risk. "We cannot allow this," said Dmytro Pletenchuk of the online newspaper "Ukrajinska Prawda". There were no civilians on the gas platform, which is out of operation, it is reported. The rocket and artillery units of the coastal forces carried out the strike. A heavy explosion was seen in a published video. The authenticity of the footage could not be verified by an independent source. This was not the first operation of this kind, Pletenchuk said. The enemy had previously used the platform to jam the navigation of grain carriers, for example.
15:49 NATO Interceptors Scramble Due to Russian Reconnaissance Aircraft over Baltic SeaA Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea region has prompted fighter jets from several NATO countries to take to the skies. Alert fighters from Rostock-Laage, Sweden, and the NATO mission Air Policing Baltikum have ascended to secure the airspace of the alliance and escorted the Russian reconnaissance aircraft IL-20M, the German Air Force announced on the short messaging service X. "The aircraft was flying without a flight plan and without contact with civilian air traffic control," it added. Russia uses international airspace for military flights in accordance with existing air law. According to previous statements by the German Armed Forces, Russian military aircraft almost always fly without a transponder, making them invisible to civilian air traffic control. These aircraft approach NATO airspace without violating it. It is assumed that reactions to such flights are also being tested.
15:26 Lukashenko Orders Deployment of Iskander Missile Systems and Rocket Artillery to BorderAlexander Lukashenko, the ruler of Belarus, has ordered the reinforcement of troop groupings in the tactical areas of Gomel and Mozyr on the border with the Ukrainian regions of Kyiv and Chernihiv. The Belarusian state news agency BelTA reports this, citing statements by Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin. "The Commander-in-Chief [Lukashenko] has given the order to reinforce the grouping of forces in the tactical areas of Gomel and Mozyr. Special forces, ground troops, and rocket units, including Polonez multiple rocket launchers and Iskander missile systems, have been tasked with moving to the designated areas," Khrenin said. Previously, Lukashenko had claimed that "several targets coming from Ukraine" had been shot down over Belarus.
14:49 At Least Two Children Among Dead After Russian Attack on SupermarketSince Friday, at least 18 people, including two children, have been killed and 60 others injured in several Russian attacks on Ukraine, regional authorities report. Most of the victims were in the city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region, where a Russian missile hit a supermarket on Friday. By 10 a.m. local time today, at least 14 people were killed, including two children aged 9 and 11, and 43 others were wounded, the General Prosecutor's Office reported on Telegram. In other settlements in the Donetsk region, two people were killed and one more wounded in Russian attacks on Friday, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported in the early morning. More than 30 houses, an apartment building, an agricultural facility, and civilian infrastructure were damaged. In the Kharkiv region, a 80-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were killed, and four people aged between 32 and 67 were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
14:21 Interior Ministry warns of Russian influence on state electionsThe Federal Ministry of the Interior warns of possible manipulation attempts by Russia ahead of the upcoming state elections in eastern Germany. "We must assume that all elections in our country are a potential target of illegitimate influence," a spokesperson for the ministry told the "Handelsblatt". Russia is trying to take "illegitimate influence on the public debate and political will-formation in Germany" this way. Since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine, an increase in disinformation by Russian official bodies, state and state-affiliated media, and government-affiliated accounts in social networks has been observed. "They use false information to heat up emotionally charged discussions and play societal groups against each other," the spokesperson said.
13:42 Air Force: Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft spotted off RügenA Russian reconnaissance aircraft flew into international airspace over the Baltic Sea without contacting air traffic control. Aircraft of the German and Swedish air forces, as well as NATO air policing in the Baltic, took off on Friday evening and escorted the Russian aircraft of type IL-20M. The reconnaissance aircraft was traveling in the airspace off the island of Rügen "without a flight plan and contact with civilian air traffic control". Reports of non-communicating Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea have been almost weekly in recent times, a spokesperson for the air force said. However, this is not followed up if they do not behave unusually or quickly return to Russian airspace. In mid-June, a Russian SU-24 bomber flew over the Swedish Baltic Sea island of Gotland, which is about 350 kilometers from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
13:06 Lukashenko: Objects fired from Ukraine over Belarus destroyedAccording to Belarusian reports, the armed forces of the country have destroyed several flying objects over Belarusian territory. It is presumably drones that started from Ukraine, Belarusian news agency Belta quotes Alexander Lukashenko, the president of the country allied with Russia. In the past, Lukashenko has repeatedly spoken of alleged provocations from Ukraine and then given the all-clear. Belarus claims not to be involved in the fighting in Ukraine.
12:43 Ukraine: Three civilian deaths in Russian attacks in eastern UkraineAccording to Ukrainian reports, three people have died in Russian missile attacks in eastern Ukraine. In an attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, one person was killed. There were also several injured, the governor of the region, Vadym Filaschkin, wrote on Telegram. The missile hit a building of critical infrastructure and severely damaged it. In an attack in the Kharkiv region on a private house, two people died, the police reported.
12:00 Ukraine: Large fire rages in Kherson after Russian attackDue to a Russian attack, a large fire has broken out in the southeastern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the regional administration of Kherson reported on Telegram. The fire broke out on an open area outside the city of Kherson. Due to strong winds, the smoke spread quickly and affected almost the entire city of Kherson. According to the regional administration of Kherson, the fire department is on site to extinguish the fire.
11:28 Mangott on arms deliveries: Kretschmer "accepts that Ukraine may lose"Ukrainian soldiers have entered Russia. With the advance into Kursk, Ukraine also aims to show that Russia "cannot protect its citizens in the border regions," explains Gerhard Mangott, a political scientist. He also emphasizes that he does not believe Ukraine can maintain a presence in the region in the long run.
10:53 Video allegedly shows Russian troop strength in KurskThe Russian Ministry of Defense has published another video, claiming to show an increase in military presence in the region. The footage shows tanks taking up positions to destroy Ukrainian troops. The authenticity of the footage cannot be independently verified. The ministry also reports numerous intercepted Ukrainian drone attacks in the Kursk area.
10:29 Russian nuclear corporation: Nuclear power plant in Kursk operating normallyFighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is taking place near a nuclear power plant in the Russian region of Kursk. Despite the ongoing battles, operations are "normal," according to the operator, Russian state-owned company Rosatom. This was reported to Reuters news agency. Earlier, the nuclear corporation had withdrawn workers from the construction site of two new reactors at the Kursk nuclear power plant due to the advance of Ukrainian troops.
09:57 Ukrainian intelligence: Magura V5 destroys Russian boat in Black SeaSoldiers of the Ukrainian intelligence service HUR attacked the Russian navy at the Black Sea coast in the northwest of the Crimea peninsula, which is occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian intelligence service announced this. The attack took place off the coast near the settlement of Chornomorske in the west of Crimea. A sea drone of the type Magura V5 is said to have sunk a Russian patrol boat of the type KS-701 "Tunets". According to HUR, three other Russian military boats were damaged. The Ukrainian intelligence service posted a video on social media that is said to show the attack.
09:19 ISW: Russia not redeploying frontline units from eastern Ukraine to KurskThe Russian military leadership may not be redeploying its forces from the front in eastern Ukraine to the contested Russian border region of Kursk to avoid disrupting its own offensive in the east of Ukraine. This is written in the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to ISW analysts, it would likely take additional time for these units from eastern Ukraine to arrive in the Kursk region. The Russian military leadership appears to be relying on the already stationed troops in Kursk to stop the ongoing Ukrainian advance. Furthermore, the Russian military leadership is reportedly deploying conscripts from the military intelligence service Glawnoje Raswedywatelnoje Uprawlenije (GRU) and Spetsnaz, so-called special forces, including the Wagner mercenary group and the Kadyrovtsy, according to reports.
08:35 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian LossesThe Ukrainian General Staff has published new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the data, Russia has lost approximately 589,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,160. A report from Kyiv claims that on the last day of fighting, seven tanks, 69 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed. Overall, Russia has lost 8,441 tanks, 16,605 artillery systems, 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale invasion, according to Ukrainian figures. Western estimates suggest lower casualty figures, but these are also likely to be minimum values.
07:40 Russia: Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Strikes Ukrainian Forces in Russian KurskA Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber has reportedly attacked and hit Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region of Kursk, according to the Russian Defense Ministry's Telegram channel. The air strike was carried out using an ODAB-500 bomb, the ministry said. The Russian forces continue to repel the surprise advance of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region, with the air strike intended to push back the Ukrainian offensive. A video showing the deployment of the fighter jet was published on the Telegram channel of the Defense Ministry.
06:48 Kyiv Accountant Stopped with Millions in CashUkrainian investigators have discovered over 4.7 million euros in undeclared cash in the trunk of a company accountant's car. "The woman could not explain the origin of the money," the Economic Crime Investigation Bureau in Kyiv region said. Photos show investigators standing by an open trunk filled with cash bundles. The company in question had supplied food worth over 320 million euros to the Ukrainian army in 2022 and 2023, with tax liability reduced through a fictional loan. Investigations are ongoing for large-scale money laundering and tax evasion, with penalties of up to eight years in prison for those involved.
06:10 Ukraine Evacuates 28 Villages in Sumy Border RegionUkrainian volunteers are helping residents and their pets leave the northern border region of Sumy. According to local governor Vladimir Artyukh, 28 villages in a ten-kilometer-wide zone along the border with Russia are being evacuated. Ukrainian police report that 20,000 people must leave their homes.
05:30 Kyiv Inscribes "Glory to Ukraine!" on New BanknotesThe Ukrainian Central Bank is supplementing the design of all Ukrainian banknotes with the national motto "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!". Money, the Central Bank chief Andrij Pyschnyj said in a statement in Kyiv, is not just a measure of value and a means of payment, but also a symbol of the state that everyone holds daily. "To honor the resilience of our people and this turning point in the formation of the Ukrainian nation that we live in today, we are adding our motto to all banknotes, which is heard throughout the world," Pyschnyj said. The change is to honor the upcoming 33rd Independence Day on August 24, it was reported. It will begin with the banknotes for 1000 (around 22.3 Euro) and 500 Hrywnja. All other denominations of 200, 100, 50, and 20 Hrywnja will follow. The motto will be placed in the top right corner of the banknotes, leaving the rest of the appearance unchanged. The patriotic motto "Glory to Ukraine!" dates back to the emerging Ukrainian national movement at the end of the 19th century and has a complex history. In the form "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!", it was used by Ukrainian nationalists who collaborated with the Nazis. The greeting remained present in the Ukrainian independence movement against the Soviet Union.
04:37 Report: Russia Plans to Block WhatsAppIn its actions against internet services (see entry 22:33), Russia is reportedly planning to block WhatsApp, the news site "Kyiv Independent" reports. According to the report, Moscow has prepared to block the messaging app. WhatsApp could be blocked in Russia as early as this fall, the independent Russian publication Verstka reports, citing sources at the Russian IT company VK, which is developing an application to replace WhatsApp. In July, the Kremlin-linked media outlet Gazeta.ru reported that the Russian government was planning to fully block YouTube in September. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied these alleged plans.
04:05 US Approves Additional Military Aid for Kyiv Worth $125 MillionThe US has approved additional military aid for Kyiv worth $125 million (around $114 million). The aid package, according to the spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, underscores "our unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the aid would include air defense missiles, ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, multi-purpose radars, and anti-armor weapons, and would come from US stockpiles. The equipment, Blinken added, would help Ukraine protect its troops, population, and cities from Russian attacks and strengthen its capabilities across the entire front.
03:19 Russia Claims to Have Issued 2.2 Million Passports in Occupied Ukrainian RegionsRussia claims to have issued 2.2 million passports in the Ukrainian regions occupied by its invasion. Since October 2020, these have been distributed in Saporischschja, Donezk, Luhansk, and Cherson, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs said. These claims cannot be independently verified. In the past, there have been repeated reports that Russian authorities have systematically forced people to accept these passports.
02:30 IAEA warns of nuclear accident at Kursk NPP due to fighting in the regionThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warns against fighting near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) amid Ukraine's large-scale offensive in the region west of Russia. "At this point, I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident with potentially severe radiological consequences," says IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. He is "in personal contact with the relevant authorities of both countries." The Kursk NPP is located near the city of Kursk, about 100 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border. The state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the press service of the power plant, that "everything is functioning normally" with usual radiation levels. However, residents of Kursk are currently without electricity. According to Regional Governor Alexei Smirnov, a power plant was set on fire by falling debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones.
01:55 Russia implements anti-terror measures in Kursk, Belgorod, and BryanskRussian media reports that Russia is implementing anti-terror measures in three regions bordering Ukraine. According to a report by the RIA news agency, the measures include possible evacuation of residents, restrictions on traffic in certain areas, enhanced security at sensitive locations, and wiretapping of phones and other communication means. Local authorities and the National Anti-Terror Committee report that these anti-terror regulations apply to the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, according to the news agency.
00:36 Nouripour on country leaders: Cowardice does not bring peace in UkraineGreen Party leader Omid Nouripour criticizes the ministers-presidents of Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony for their recent statements on Ukraine policy. Dietmar Woidke, Bodo Ramelow, and Michael Kretschmer are "running away from reality," says Nouripour to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). "They act as if one can achieve peace by burying one's head in the sand. But: Cowardice does not bring peace." Woidke says he has good contacts with Russia and can mediate. However, "it is strange that this only occurs to him two and a half years after the start of the war and a few weeks before the state election," says Nouripour. Ramelow calls for a non-aggression pact with Russia. However, such a pact was initiated by Germany 85 years ago and brought great suffering to other European countries, the Green politician further states. Kretschmer, meanwhile, acts "as if he does not know that only Putin can quickly end this war." Kretschmer had called for a reduction in military aid to Ukraine and advocated for diplomatic initiatives in the Ukraine conflict.
00:13 July deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since October 2022According to the United Nations, more Ukrainian civilians have died from Russian shelling in July than in any other month since October 2022. "The high number of casualties in July continues an alarming trend since March 2024," the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reports.
23:43 Construction Workers Pulled from Kursk NPPDue to the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk, workers are being withdrawn from the construction site of two new nuclear reactors at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. The number of construction workers will be temporarily reduced, according to Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom. Other specialists continue their work as planned. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Kursk has been repeatedly mentioned as a possible target of the offensive on Russian territory that began on Tuesday. However, it is located about 60 kilometers from the border. The furthest reported advances of Ukrainian troops, which have not been confirmed, have reached about 30 kilometers into Russia. After the announcement of the Ukrainian offensive, the Russian National Guard reportedly reinforced the protection of the power plant. Two reactors are being built in the NPP to replace the two oldest, already decommissioned blocks of the plant. Two more reactors are currently in operation.
23:11 Ukraine Takes Control of Gazprom Facility in Kursk RegionAccording to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have gained control over a facility of the gas company Gazprom in the Russian region of Kursk. The facility in the city of Sudzha and the city itself have been taken, Ukrainian soldiers state in the video.
22:33 Russia Blocks Encrypted Chat Service SignalIn its crackdown on foreign internet services, Russia is also blocking the encrypted chat service Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures necessary to counter terrorism and extremism, according to the relevant authority Roskomnadzor in Moscow. Throughout the day, complaints from Signal users in Russia have been accumulating that the messaging service is not available. Portals like Sboj.rf, which collect reports of outages, reported about 2000 complaints. Signal was developed in the USA and is valued by its users for its secure communication capabilities. On Thursday, users in Russia also complained that YouTube was working slowly and videos were difficult to download. The Russian authorities have not provided an official explanation for this. They have previously stated that they have the extremely popular video service in their sights because it allegedly refuses to remove extremist videos. Large social networks with US ownership like X and Facebook have already been blocked in Russia and can only be used via protected connections (VPN). Even before the attack on Ukraine, Moscow had made preparations for a possible internet shutdown in the country. Since the beginning of the war in 2022, Roskomnadzor has blocked thousands of websites that are not approved by the Russian power apparatus.
You can read all previous developments here.
The European Union expresses concern over the escalating conflict in Ukraine and calls for an immediate ceasefire. In response to the alleged incursion of Ukrainian combat drones into Belarusian airspace, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses Kyiv of "criminal acts" and warns of further escalation.
