The European Parliament is likewise petitioned to cast its ballot on the proposed resolution.
17:17 EU Parliament Criticizes Viktor Orban; His EU Presidency Labeled a "Total Failure"
There's some harsh criticism towards Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the European Parliament. The leader of the conservative European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, has marked Hungary's EU presidency as a "total failure." The right-wing nationalist, Weber claims, has distanced himself in Europe, partly due to his pro-Russian policies. Orban's controversial "peace mission" meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the beginning of Hungary's EU presidency in early July, which turned out to be a "prolongation of war trip," aimed at weakening EU solidarity with Ukraine.
12:17 Ukraine Receives 122 Tons of Ammunition from Slovakia despite Government's Refusal
122 tons of ammunition, funded by a Slovakian donation campaign, have reached Ukraine, as reported by Slovakian online newspaper "Noviny," naming Fedor Blascak, the campaign's initiator. Six trucks carrying the ammunition made it to Ukraine, where the Ukrainian army will now handle distribution and use. The "Ammunition for Ukraine" campaign raised around 4.5 million euros in donations after the Slovakian government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, refused to join the Czech artillery initiative. About 70,000 Slovaks participated in the donation drive.
11:58 Biden Visit: Berlin Expects Strong Signal for Additional Military Aid to Ukraine
German government sources anticipate a "significant working visit" from US President Joe Biden during his state visit to Germany this weekend and next. The meeting of the support group for Ukraine, set for Saturday at the US base in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, is expected to send a "powerful signal" for additional military support to the country attacked by Russia, according to these sources.
11:35 Embargo Violation: Car Dealer Accused of Selling Luxury Limousines to Russia
A car dealer from Königswinter near Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia is under suspicion of selling a substantial amount of luxury limousines to Russia, breaching the existing embargo. The dealer reportedly sold cars worth more than four million euros to Russians, as stated by the public prosecutor's office in Bonn and the customs investigation office in Essen on Tuesday. The dealer allegedly falsely claimed that the cars were being sold lawfully to third countries. During a raid at the end of September, two locations were searched, and two luxury limousines and an account were seized. The investigations are ongoing.
10:56 Injured in Russian Attack on Kharkiv
Eleven individuals are injured in a Russian attack on an industrial area in eastern Kharkiv, reports Governor Oleh Syniehubov via Telegram. Three of them are in critical condition, including a 16-year-old. The infrastructure was also damaged in this attack. After several hits, a significant fire also broke out in Kharkiv, as reported by Mayor Ihor Terekhov. The Kharkiv region is located to the northeast of Russia and is regularly shelled.
10:22 Oil Terminal in Crimea Still Abaze - Reports of Subsequent Explosions
The oil terminal in Feodosia, located on Russia-occupied Crimea, has been burning for the second day in a row. FIRMS, the global fire monitoring system of NASA, continues to detect fire signals on the tank farm's grounds. The fire is said to have covered an area of 2,500 square meters, according to Anton Geraschenko, former advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Further tank farms are reported to have exploded during the evening and night. The Ukrainian army reported yesterday that a "successful attack" on the oil terminal near Feodosia had been carried out between Sunday and Monday night. According to the Ukrainian army, the facility is the largest transshipment point for oil products on Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia, and it also supplied the Russian army.
09:54 France to Deliver Mirage 2000 Fighter Jets to Ukraine in Early 2025
Ukraine will receive the initial Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France in the first quarter of 2025, as announced by French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu on X. The aircraft "will be equipped with new capabilities: air-to-ground combat capabilities and electronic warfare defense," Lecornu said. "The training of Ukrainian pilots and mechanics continues." French President Emmanuel Macron declared in June that Paris would provide Kiev with an unspecified number of Mirage 2000-5 aircraft to enhance its air forces.
09:23 Russian Coal Mining in Deep Crisis
The Russian coal mining industry, one of the largest raw material sectors with numerous employees, is facing a severe crisis, according to "Moscow Times". After losing Western markets and witnessing a significant downturn in demand in "friendly" countries and incurring losses of several billion dollars, coal companies have drastically reduced production. According to Rosstat, coal production in Russia fell by 6.7 percent year-on-year in July, with a total volume of 31.5 million tons, which was the lowest since the pandemic in 2020. Western sanctions have become a major challenge for the coal sector, states Janis Kluge of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
Russia once again accused NATO of plotting against it, with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stating to state news agency RIA Novosti that NATO countries are openly preparing for a potential armed conflict with Russia. NATO is reportedly adopting regional defense plans and assigning specific tasks to all military commands within the alliance, with continuous preparations for potential military measures against Russia. According to Grushko, NATO countries are increasing their military budgets and militarizing their economies, while also increasing their hostile rhetoric towards Russia. Russia justified its war against Ukraine, in part, due to the country's perceived threat of joining NATO. However, due to the war, NATO has expanded with Sweden and Finland joining the transatlantic defense alliance out of fear of further Russian aggression.
According to South Korean reports, it is very likely that North Korean soldiers are fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian troops. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun told parliament in Seoul that it is "very probable" that Ukrainian reports of six North Korean military officers killed in eastern Ukraine are true. Kim said that mutual agreements between Moscow and Pyongyang resemble a military alliance.
On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday, cyber specialists from the Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) and activists from the "VO Team" group allegedly hacked the state system "Pravosudie," which handles electronic document flow for all Russian courts. The attack reportedly disabled the work of the courts, email systems of departments, and official websites, allowing personal data of users and internal documents to be accessed and Russians to be unable to file complaints or view court dates due to the court websites being down. Additionally, a hacker attack the previous day caused significant disruptions at the Russian state television and radio company VGTRK.
The war against Ukraine is reportedly affecting Russian President Vladimir Putin personally. Independent Russian media outlet Proekt reports that Putin has stopped visiting his residence in Sochi due to concerns about potential drone attacks. Although he spent at least 30 days a year in the Bocharov Ruchey residence since its renovation for the 2014 Olympics, Putin has not been there since March. Proekt's investigation suggests that Putin "feels a threat to his physical safety" following several drone attacks on Sochi last fall.
The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, is offering residents a record amount of 3 million rubles (around $31,200 USD) as a one-time bonus for joining the military. The payments will be made to anyone from any Russian region who enlists in the Belgorod region, regardless of their birthplace. Russian authorities are currently making significant efforts to encourage more Russians to join the military to replace heavy losses.
Local authorities report that a civilian ship flying the flag of the island nation of Palau has been struck by a Russian rocket in the port of Odessa, Ukraine. A 60-year-old Ukrainian was killed, and five foreign nationals were injured, according to Telegram messages from regional governor Oleh Kiper. This is the second attack on a civilian ship in Odessa's ports in recent days, Kiper added.
U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris has stated that if elected, she will not engage in peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin without Ukraine's involvement. "Ukraine must have a say in the future of Ukraine," Harris said in the CBS show "60 Minutes." The Biden administration recently rejected any talks with Putin. Harris also criticized her Republican opponent Donald Trump's Ukraine policy, calling it a "surrender" to Russia's February 2022 invasion. "If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv," Harris said, referencing Trump's claim that he could end the war on his first day in the White House.
Russian forces are advancing on the outskirts of the eastern Ukrainian frontline city of Torez, according to the Ukrainian military. "The situation is unstable, fighting is happening at every entrance to the city," said Anastasia Bobownikova, spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group "Luhansk," to Ukrainian state television. This advance comes less than a week after the fall of the nearby city of Vuhledar. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory and has been pushing towards Torez since August. The capture of Torez would bring President Vladimir Putin closer to his goal of capturing the Donbass. Ukrainian military analysts warn that the fall of Torez could threaten important supply routes for Ukrainian forces.
01:30 Russia Issues Warrant for Two Italian Journalists A Russian court has sanctioned the capture of two Italian journalists for broadcasting news from the Ukrainian-governed section of the Russian region of Kursk. The court in Kursk seeks the extradition of Simone Traini and Stefania Battistini, currently residing outside of Russia. The journalists from Italy's state-owned broadcaster RAI are suspected of illegally venturing across the border from Ukraine to film a report in Kursk. According to the court's Telegram statement, after crossing into Russia, Traini and Battistini rode in a Ukrainian military vehicle to the town of Sudzha. If extradited, they could be held in pre-trial detention. The two Italians could face up to five years in prison under the criminal code.
23:44 Zelensky Pushes for Increased Weapons Deliveries Before the high-level Ukraine Contact Group meeting in Ramstein, President Volodymyr Zelensky encourages allies to significantly augment weapon deliveries. He asserts that sufficient supplies for the front, equipment for the brigades, and long-range weapons are essential for the approaching autumn months to restrain Russia and steer it towards peace, as he posits in his video message. In Ramstein, he aims to persuade partners of the "urgent need for a substantial boost in our capabilities and positions," he underscores. "We invite our partners to articulate their vision for the cessation of this conflict, the role of Ukraine in the global security setup, and the mutually beneficial measures that might culminate in ending this conflict."
21:20 US Citizen Sentenced Again in Russia In the western Russian city of Voronezh, a US citizen who has previously served a prison term is sentenced to an additional seven years in a labor camp. Robert Gilman was sentenced to several years in prison in 2022 for allegedly assaulting a police officer while intoxicated. While in prison, he is said to have assaulted prison guards and assaulted an investigator. In recent years, Russia has consistently detained US citizens.
20:50 Kherson Bombed: Children Injured In a Russian air strike on Kherson, at least 20 people were injured, local authorities report. According to them, the Russian military attacked the city with KAB bombs, which were dropped both near the coast and in the northern part of Kherson. Among the injured are two children, aged three and five, further reports confirm. At least six multi-story buildings were damaged by the blast waves, the regional prosecutor's office reports.
You can catch up on previous developments here.
In light of the ongoing criticism towards Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the attack on Ukraine by Russia continues to be a major concern. Despite EU Parliament's labeling of Hungary's EU presidency as a "total failure," Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move viewed as a weakening of EU solidarity with Ukraine. This meeting, held at the beginning of Hungary's EU presidency in early July, has been criticized as a "prolongation of war trip."
