Russian IL-20M Sea Scout spotted in the distance
A Russian reconnaissance aircraft flew into international airspace over the Baltic Sea without contacting air traffic control. German and Swedish air force planes, as well as NATO air policing in the Baltics, took off on Friday evening and escorted the Russian IL-20M aircraft, the air force said on Saturday. The seaplane was traveling in the airspace off the island of Rügen "without a flight plan and contact with civil air traffic control". Reports of non-communicating Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea occur almost weekly, a spokesman for the air force said. However, nothing is usually done about it if they do not behave suspiciously 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 destroyed over BelarusAccording to Belarusian reports, the armed forces of the country have destroyed several flying objects over Belarusian territory. They are believed to be drones that were launched from Ukraine, Belarusian news agency Belta quoted Alexander Lukashenko, the president of the Russia-aligned country. In the past, Lukashenko has repeatedly spoken of alleged incursions from Ukraine and then given the all-clear. Belarus claims not to be involved in the fighting in Ukraine.
12:43 Ukraine: Three civilians killed in Russian attacks in eastern UkraineAccording to Ukrainian reports, three people have been killed in Russian missile attacks in eastern Ukraine. One person was killed in an attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, the governor of the region, Vadym Filaschkin, wrote on Telegram. The missile hit a building of critical infrastructure and severely damaged it. Two people were killed in an attack on a private house in the Kharkiv region, the police said.
12:00 Ukraine: Major fire in Kherson after Russian attackA major fire has broken out in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson due to a Russian attack, the regional administration of Kherson said on Telegram. The fire started on an open area outside the city of Kherson. Due to strong winds, the smoke quickly spread and engulfed almost the entire city of Kherson. The regional administration of Kherson said that firefighters are on the scene to extinguish the fire.
11:28 Mangott on weapons deliveries: Kretschmer "accepts that Ukraine loses"Ukrainian soldiers have entered Russia. With the advance into Kursk, Ukraine also wants to show that Russia "cannot protect the citizens in the border regions", Gerhard Mangott explained. The political scientist also stressed that he does not believe that Ukraine can hold the region in the long term.
10:53 Video is said to show Russian troop strength in KurskThe Russian Ministry of Defense has published another video that is said to show an increase in military presence in the region. Tanks can be seen taking up combat positions to destroy Ukrainian troops. The footage is not independently verifiable. The ministry also reported numerous intercepted Ukrainian drone attacks in the Kursk area.
10:29 Russian Nuclear Conglomerate: Nuclear Power Plant Operation in Kursk Normal
Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is ongoing in the Russian region of Kursk, including near a nuclear power plant. Despite the continued clashes, operations are "normal," according to the operator, Russian state company Rosatom, as reported by Reuters. Earlier, the nuclear conglomerate had withdrawn workers from the construction site of two new reactors at the Kursk nuclear power plant due to the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the area.
09:57 Ukrainian Intelligence: Magura V5 Destroys Russian Boat in Black Sea
Soldiers of the Ukrainian intelligence service HUR attacked the Russian Navy on the Black Sea coast in the northwest of the Crimea peninsula occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian intelligence service reported that the attack took place off the coast near the settlement of Chornomorske in the west of Crimea. A seadrone of the Magura V5 type 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 East Ukraine to Kursk
The 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 soldier group Wagner and the Kadyrovtsy, according to reports cited by the analysts.
08:35 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian Losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has published new loss figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to these figures, Russia has lost approximately 589,700 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with a daily loss of 1,160. According to a report from Kyiv, seven tanks, 69 artillery systems, and two air defense systems were destroyed on the previous day of war. Since the beginning of the large-scale offensive, Russia has reportedly lost a total of 8,441 tanks, 16,605 artillery systems, and 366 aircraft, 327 helicopters, 13,325 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine, according to Ukraine. Western estimates give lower loss figures, which are also only minimum values.
07:40 Russia: Su-34 fighter-bomber reportedly struck Ukrainian forces in Russian Kursk
A Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber is said to have attacked and hit Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Telegram. The ministry reports that the air strike was carried out using an ODAB-500 bomb. Russian forces continue to repel the surprise advance of Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk, with the air strike intended to push back the Ukrainian push. A video showing the deployment of the fighter aircraft was published on the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense.
06:48 Kyiv accountant stopped with millions in car
Ukrainian investigators found over 4.7 million euros in 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 reported. Images show investigators in front of an open trunk filled with bundles of cash. The company in question had supplied food worth over 320 million euros to the Ukrainian army in 2022 and 2023 alone, with tax burden reduced through a fictitious loan. Investigations are ongoing for money laundering and tax evasion on a large scale, with participants facing up to eight years in prison.
06:10 Ukraine evacuates 28 villages in Sumy border region
Volunteers in the northern border region of Sumy help villagers and their pets leave the border area. According to local governor Vladimir Artyukh, 28 villages in a ten-kilometer-wide zone along the border with Russia are being evacuated. According to Ukrainian police, 20,000 people must leave their homes.
05:30 Kyiv adds "Glory to Ukraine!" to new banknotes
The National Bank of Ukraine is adding the national motto "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!" to all Ukrainian banknotes. "Money is not only a measure of value and a means of payment, but also a symbol of the state that everyone holds in their hands every day," said NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyi, according to a statement in Kyiv. "To honor the resilience of our people and to mark 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," he said. The change will honor the upcoming 33rd Independence Day on August 24, starting with 1000 (around 22.3 euros) and 500 hryvnia banknotes, followed by all other denominations of 200, 100, 50, and 20 hryvnia. The motto will be placed in the top right corner of the banknotes, with the rest of the design remaining 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, according to the news site "Kyiv Independent". Moscow has allegedly made preparations to block the messaging app. WhatsApp could be blocked in Russia this fall, reports the independent Russian publication Verstka, citing sources at Russian IT company VK, which is developing an application to replace WhatsApp. The Russian state-controlled media outlet Gazeta.ru had reported in July that the Russian government planned to completely block YouTube in September, but 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 Ukraine worth $125 million (around €114 million). The aid package underscores "our unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression," says John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, to journalists. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explains that the aid will include interceptors for air defense systems, ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, multi-purpose radars, and anti-tank weapons, and will come from US stockpiles. The equipment will "help Ukraine protect its troops, its population, and its cities from Russian attacks and strengthen its capabilities across the entire front," Blinken further explains.
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 military invasion. Since October 2020, these have been distributed in Saporischschja, Donezk, Luhansk, and Cherson, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs explains. 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 RegionThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warns of the risk of a nuclear accident at the Kursk NPP due to fighting in the Kursk region in western Russia. "At this point, I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident that could have potentially serious radiological consequences," explains 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" at the facility with usual radiation levels. However, the residents of Kursk are currently without electricity. According to regional governor Alexei Smirnov, an electricity plant was set on fire by falling debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones.
01:55 Russia Implements Anti-Terror Measures in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk
Russia is implementing anti-terror measures in three regions bordering Ukraine, according to Russian media reports. According to a report by the RIA news agency, these measures may include the resettlement of residents, traffic restrictions in certain areas, increased security at sensitive locations, and the monitoring of phones and other communication devices. Local authorities and the National Anti-Terror Committee report that these anti-terror regulations are in effect for the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, according to the news agency.
00:36 Nouripour on State Leaders: Cowardice Does Not Bring Peace in Ukraine
Green 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 adds. Kretschmer, meanwhile, acts "as if he doesn't 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 2022
No month since October 2022 has seen as many Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian shelling as this July, according to the United Nations. "The high number of casualties in July continues an alarming trend since March 2024," the UN Observer Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reports.
23:43 Construction Workers Withdrawn from Kursk NPP
Due to the advance 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, Atomstroiexport, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian nuclear company Rosatom, reports. Other specialists continue their work as planned. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Kursk has repeatedly been mentioned as a possible target of the Ukrainian offensive that began on Tuesday. However, it is located about 60 kilometers from the border. The farthest reported advances of Ukrainian troops, which have not been confirmed, are about 30 kilometers into Russia. After the Ukrainian offensive was announced, the Russian National Guard reportedly reinforced the protection of the power plant. Two reactors are being built to replace the two oldest, already decommissioned blocks of the plant, and two more reactors are currently in operation.
23:11 Ukraine Takes Control of Gazprom Facility in Kursk Region
According to a video published by Ukrainian media, Ukrainian soldiers have taken control of 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 captured, Ukrainian soldiers explain in the video.
22:33 Russia Blocks Chat Service SignalIn its crackdown on foreign internet services, Russia has also blocked the encrypted chat service Signal, citing alleged legal violations. Signal is not complying with legal measures deemed necessary to combat terrorism and extremism, according to the Moscow agency Roskomnadzor. Throughout the day, complaints from Signal users in Russia flooded in, reporting that the messaging service was unavailable. Portals like Sboj.rf, which collect reports of outages, logged around 2000 complaints. Developed in the US, Signal is highly regarded by its users for its secure communication features. On Thursday, Russian users also reported that YouTube was working slowly and videos were difficult to download. No official explanation was given by the Russian authorities, but they have been targeting the popular video service, accusing it of refusing to remove extremist videos. Russia has already blocked large social networks with US ownership, like X and Facebook, which can now only be accessed via protected connections (VPN). Even before the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow had made preparations for a possible internet shutdown in the country. Since the start of the war in 2022, Roskomnadzor has blocked thousands of websites deemed unfavorable to the Russian regime.
You can read all previous developments here.**
The Commission issued a statement expressing concern over the escalating tensions in the Kursk region between Russia and Ukraine, urging both sides to exercise restraint and engage in diplomatic negotiations to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Upon learning of the destruction of several flying objects over Belarusian territory by the Belarusian armed forces, The Commission called on both Belarus and Ukraine to ensure the safe and secure use of their airspace and to avoid any actions that could escalate tensions between the two countries.
