Russia swaps around 200 captives from military conflicts with Ukraine
14:50 Russia and Ukraine apparently swapped prisoners once more, as indicated by Moscow. Each side released 103 individuals, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported. Currently, the Russian soldiers are in Belarus, receiving psychological and medical aid, as stated in a Telegram message. According to the ministry, these soldiers were captured in Kursk. Ukrainian forces moved into the Russian region in August.
12:50 Russia is said to have seized another village in eastern Ukraine. "The village of Yelannoe Pervoe (Yelanne Perche in Ukrainian) has been liberated," the Russian Defense Ministry declared. This small village is located in the vicinity of the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk, which is under threat from the Russian advance. The Russian military has made significant progress in the Donetsk region recently. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently reiterated that the primary objective of the Russian military is to capture the industrially critical Donbass region, which includes Donetsk.
12:21 "Melting giant spot" - Medvedev threatens destruction of Kyiv. Russian ex-President Dmitry Medvedev has threatened to transform Kyiv into "a melting giant spot" using advanced non-nuclear Russian weapons. He mentioned that Russia has a justifiable reason to utilize nuclear weapons due to Ukraine's invasion of the Russian region of Kursk, although it hasn't done so yet. Medvedev, who is the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, has consistently used harsh rhetoric against the West and Ukraine.
11:50 Intense fighting continues around Kurachove. Intense fighting in eastern Ukraine is primarily occurring around the city of Kurachove, according to ntv reporter Kavita Sharma reporting from Dnipro. People are expressing frustration due to the decision to utilize European long-range weapons.
11:12 Drone strikes inflict damage in Odessa's Black Sea area. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 76 combat drones during a large-scale drone attack last night, 72 of which were downed. The air force did not provide details about the attack's aftermath. The governor of the Black Sea region of Odessa reported significant damage, stating that several buildings in a suburb of the regional capital were damaged by drone debris. Warehouse buildings in the Ismajil district, through which Ukraine ships some of its grain, were also struck. Several debris fell in Kyiv, according to government reports, damaging a city-owned company but causing no fire.
10:31 Stoltenberg on Pre-War Meeting: Russians Showed False Maps of NATO TerritoryOutgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in an interview, discussed the last diplomatic efforts made before the start of the war in February 2022 to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. The last meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, which Stoltenberg chaired, took place in January. The Russians demanded that all NATO troops be withdrawn from the eastern part of the alliance, he told the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". "This was completely unacceptable, but I believe in dialogue. Therefore, we sat down with them again." During the meeting, the two Russian deputy foreign and defense ministers claimed that there were no war plans on their part and that their country was threatened by Ukraine, he continued. "They displayed maps, presumably to prove how Russia is surrounded by NATO. But even these maps were incorrect. For example, Denmark was not marked as NATO territory. That was astonishing!" He is still unsure whether this was due to poor preparation or deliberate deception. Looking back, Stoltenberg laments that NATO and its allies did not do enough 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 Stationing Agreement: "Lithuania Views German Combat Brigade as Support"Germany and Lithuania sign a government agreement: It affirms that a combat-ready German brigade will be stationed in Lithuania. Military expert Thomas Wiegold discusses the agreement's background and significance in an interview with ntv.**
09:28 Kim Vows to Enhance Collaboration with MoscowNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un is reported to have pledged to increase cooperation with Russia, according to state media. After talks between Kim and Russian Security Council Chairman Sergei Shoigu in North Korea, North Korean state media reported an extensive discussion on "deepening the strategic dialogue between the two countries and strengthening cooperation to safeguard their mutual security interests" as well as regional and international issues. Ukraine, the US, and South Korea accuse North Korea of supplying Russia with weapons and missiles for the Ukraine war. Pyongyang denies these accusations as "preposterous".**
08:59 Extended Range Weapons for Russia? Starmer and Biden to Consider at UN General AssemblyThere will soon be a discussion on whether Ukraine can use long-range Western weapons against targets in Russia. British Prime Minister Starmer announced this following a meeting with US President Biden, during which they postponed a decision on this matter. Biden and Starmer will discuss this topic at the UN General Assembly in New York next week "with a larger group of people", Starmer stated. British media report that Biden is ready to allow Ukraine to use British and French rockets containing US technology - but not US-made rockets.
08:23 Zelenskyy on Trump's supposed plan: "Election talk is election talk"In a CNN interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was queried about Donald Trump's continuous assertion that he could put an end to the Ukraine conflict in a single day, without presenting a specific strategy. Zelensky expressed his inability to comprehend the statement due to lack of clarity on its actual meaning and implications. He further added that a presidential election campaign was in progress in the U.S. "And campaign speeches are campaign speeches," he maintained. "Sometimes they're not particularly practical." Zelensky also disclosed that he had spoken with Trump two months prior, during which the latter vowed support for Ukraine, claiming it was a productive conversation.
07:27 ISW: Russia needs more troops in Kursk to oust UkrainiansRussia's offensive in the Kursk region continues, but the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) does not perceive this as a full-scale operation aiming to completely displace Ukrainians from Kursk. In their assessment, the Washington-based ISW states that Russia has primarily relied on poorly-trained and badly-equipped conscripts, along with small elements of the Russian military and other security forces in the border area. The think tank concludes: "A Russian counterattack to retrieve territory in Kursk Oblast overrun by Ukrainian forces is likely to require additional personnel and resources - especially if the majority of the units already deployed lack combat experience."
06:49 Ukraine undergoes drone assaultsAs per the Ukrainian military, Russia bombarded Ukraine with Shahed drones throughout the night. The Russian army launched numerous groups of attack drones, as per the Ukrainian air force's explanation. Air sirens were activated in most regions, including Odessa. The navy reported shooting down nine drones in Odessa, with explosions heard in the city, but no casualties reported thus far.
06:13 Mützenich suggests international contact groupSPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich advocates for an international contact group to initiate a peace proposal in the Ukraine conflict. "Given the current situation, I believe it's now essential for the Western allies to establish a contact group to initiate a process," he told the "Rheinische Post". "German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky concur that it's an opportune time to intensify the peace talks process, and that Russia should be a part of the subsequent peace summit." Asked about potential members of such a contact group, Mützenich suggested countries like China, India, Turkey, and Brazil for this role. "These nations are starting to realize that the Russian invasion could become a burden," he noted. As a result, a contact group's work "could indeed yield productive outcomes," and it could serve as a valuable mediator.
05:41 EU Considering New Approach to Sanctions ExtensionDiplomatic sources suggest that the EU Commission is contemplating various options for expanding sanctions against Russia in the future. Three possible scenarios have been presented to European diplomats, according to these sources. The focus is on the frozen assets of the Russian central bank, which have had a crucial role in granting a 50 billion dollar credit from G7 nations to Ukraine since the Russian attack on Ukraine.
03:40 Klitschko: Drone Waste Hits Kyiv City StructuresKyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced via Telegram that drone debris had struck a building in the Obolon district north of the city center. Emergency services are en route to the scene, Klitschko added further. Earlier, Klitschko had disclosed that air defense units were deployed in the capital.
01:35 Kim Jong Un Vows Tighter Cooperation with ShoiguAccording to North Korea's state news agency KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged closer cooperation with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu. The two men reportedly held a comprehensive discussion during Shoigu's recent visit to Pyongyang, reaching an agreement on matters including strengthened "cooperation for the defense of mutual security interests." Shoigu visited Pyongyang last July with the intention of fostering closer relations between North Korea and Russia.
23:36 Zelenskyy To Share 'Victory Plan' with Biden in SeptemberUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced an upcoming meeting with US President Joe Biden in September. "I will reveal the plan for victory," the head of state declared during an address in Kyiv. This plan involves a chain of interconnected decisions meant to provide Ukraine with sufficient military strength to steer the conflict towards peace. "Such victorious wars can be brought to a close either through the expulsion of the occupying army or via diplomacy," Zelenskyy explained. "This will ensure our nation's true independence. However, Kyiv's success depends on US support for obtaining the necessary strong position."
10:59 Russia Shifts Tactical Shift Towards South Intense combat persists in the eastern part of the nation, as per the Ukrainian armed forces' account. There were 115 instances of conflict, the General Staff in Kyiv mentioned in its nightly synopsis. "The most intense scenario today occurred in the direction of Kurachove, besides, the adversary was also active in the directions of Lyman and Pokrovsk," it disclosed. Kurachove is a small town situated south of Pokrovsk. Pokrovsk has historically been viewed as the primary target of Russian military advances. However, the Russians have only managed minimal territorial gains in that area recently. Instead, they have expanded their offensive thrust towards the south, aiming to seize the mining town of Hirnyk situated near Kurachove.
22:18 Zelensky: Advance into Kursk Delivers Desired Result Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky states that the Ukrainian push into the Russian region of Kursk has produced the anticipated victory. In the Kharkiv region, the adversary has been repelled, and in Donetsk, the Russian incursion has slowed, he asserts. Russia has yet to secure any substantial victories in its counterattack in Kursk. Experts had previously expressed doubts about the redeployment of extensive Russian troop formations from Donetsk and other regions to Kursk. Russia allegedly reclaimed 10 out of 100 occupied settlements.
21:46 "They're Scared" - Zelensky's Straightforward Assessment of Allies Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses the West of being "scared" whilst discussing aid to Ukraine in intercepting Russian missiles. "If the allies can jointly intercept missiles and drones in the Middle East, why is there still no similar decision to intercept Russian missiles and Iranian Shaheds in the skies of Ukraine?" Zelensky said at a conference in Kyiv. "They're afraid to even say: 'We're working on it.' And this happens even when missiles and drones are directly heading towards the territory of our neighbors," the Ukrainian leader stated. "This is disgraceful for the democratic world."
21:30 Russia Has Utilized Over 8000 Iranian Drones As reported by the Kyiv administration, Russia has launched 8060 Iranian Shahed drones against Ukraine since the commencement of the conflict. No official statements from Iran or Russia have been released yet. Ukraine initially implicated the Iranian government of providing the suicide drones to Russia in the autumn of 2022.
20:43 Authorization for Long-Range Weapons for Ukraine? US Puts Brakes on Questions In Washington, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden are engaging in discussions. There's widespread interest for any declarations related to the authorization of long-range weaponry for Ukraine. According to sources from the British "Guardian," the UK has permitted Kiew to carry out strikes with Storm-Shadow missiles. However, no announcement is expected on this matter during today's meeting of both partners. "I wouldn't anticipate an announcement to be made today regarding the use of long-range weapons inside Russia - certainly not by the US," stated John Kirby, the communications director of the National Security Council. He only confirms that they are continuing conversations with Britain, France, and other allies about "the type of capabilities that will be made available to Ukraine." He also fails to provide a clear answer to the question of whether the US government would disclose any alterations. "I'm not going to engage in a hypothetical discussion about what we might or might not say at a particular time."
In light of the situation, it's important to address the escalating tensions surrounding the Ukrainian conflict. The Russian Defense Ministry declared that they had seized another village, Yelannoe Pervoe, located near the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. This move follows Russia's primary objective, as stated by President Vladimir Putin, to capture the industrially critical Donbass region, which includes Donetsk. on the other hand, the Ukrainian Air Force reported numerous drone attacks from Russia, causing significant damage in Odessa and other areas, indicating that the conflict continues to intensify.
