The governor reports four injured after shelling a Russian city.
In the night, Ukrainian forces are said to have attacked the Russian region of Kursk, as well as the surrounding Russian regions of Voronezh and Belgorod, using drones and missiles (see entry 08:07). According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, an attack on a city in Belgorod injured four people, including three men with shrapnel wounds who were taken to a hospital in Shebekino. Their condition is said to be stable. The attack also damaged a residential building, a bus stop, and a bus, Gladkov reported.
17:38 Russians attempt to break Ukrainian defenses 26 times near PokrovskApart from the fighting around the Ukrainian advance into Russian territory in Kursk, Russian troops have continued their attacks in eastern Ukraine. The main areas of combat were around Torez and Pokrovsk, according to the Ukrainian General Staff in Kyiv. The heaviest fighting was registered near Pokrovsk on the edge of the Donbass. Since the morning, Russian units have attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses 26 times, all of which were repelled. Independent confirmation of these reports is not possible. In Torez, Russian troops once again attempted to advance towards the settlement of New York, but these attacks were also beaten back. Additionally, the city of Torez was targeted by Russian air strikes.**
17:10 Abbas and Putin to meet in Moscow on MondayPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow from August 12 to 14 and is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 13, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told the state-run Russian news agency TASS. "The President will arrive in the evening of August 12. It is expected that he will meet with President Putin on Tuesday, and before that, Mahmoud Abbas will lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. The President will depart on August 14. But, of course, there will also be a meeting with the Arab ambassadors," Nofal emphasized. According to the diplomat, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be the main topic of their discussions. "The situation in Gaza. They will discuss the role of Russia and what can be done. We have a very difficult situation, and Russia is a country close to us. We need to consult," Nofal said.**
16:36 Bodies fully identified: Three girls among dead in Russian attack on supermarketThe identification of those killed in a Russian missile attack on Konstantinovka in the Donetsk region has been completed, the prosecutor's office reported in the morning. It is now known that three children are among the dead. They are three girls aged 9, 11, and 16. On Friday, Russia carried out a missile attack on a shopping center in the center of Konstantinovka, killing 14 people and injuring 44 others. The attack primarily targeted the Eko-Market supermarket and a post office. On Saturday, the bodies of two children were already identified.**
15:54 Ukrainian Armored Vehicles with White Triangles Spotted En Route to KurskDozens of Ukrainian armored vehicles have crossed the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, which borders the Kursk region in Russia. AFP reporters saw symbols in the form of a white triangle on the vehicles - apparently a sign that these are part of the Ukrainian army's push into Kursk. After the incursion of Ukrainian troops, fighting continues in the Russian border region of Kursk. The clashes have been ongoing for the sixth day in a row. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow reports that 35 drones were intercepted over Kursk and the regions of Voronezh, Belgorod, Bryansk, and Oryol in the night.
15:21 Kyiv Reports No Additional Belarusian Troops and Equipment at BorderThe Ukraine sees no additional Belarusian troops at the border, despite Minsk claiming to reinforce the border, says the spokesperson of the state border guard service, Andrii Demtschenko. His statement comes a day after Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko ordered the deployment of reinforcements to the border areas with Ukraine. On Friday, several drones from Ukraine were shot down over Belarus. Lukashenko ordered the military presence in the directions of Gomel and Mozyr to be reinforced and sent, among other things, the Polonez rocket systems and the complexes of ballistic medium-range missiles Iskander there. On the Ukrainian side, the area borders the regions of Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Chernihiv. "The situation at the border is fully under control. We are not registering any movement of equipment or personnel near our border," says Demtschenko.
14:43 Expert on Kursk Offensive: "Surprise Attack Gives Kyiv an Advantage"Defense and security expert Michael Clarke tells US broadcaster Sky that Ukraine has launched a "completely surprising attack" against Russia in the Kursk region this week. In Clarke's view, everything indicates that Ukraine "wants to win this battle as far as possible." "They have not only launched a surprise attack - they have launched an attack of complete astonishment. They have astonished the Russians and the Western supporters," he says. "The shock value of this surprise attack benefits Kyiv." The breach into Russian territory is at least 35 miles long and about 15 miles deep. Clarke estimates that about three or four Ukrainian brigades are in Russia, and these are "elite troops at the highest level." No information has been given about Ukraine's goals. But Clarke says that Kyiv undoubtedly hopes to attract good units of the Russian army and to ease the pressure on the Ukrainian front lines elsewhere. There are indications that Moscow is withdrawing its better units from the south of Ukraine, including from the areas of Chassiv Yar and Pokrovsk. "Russia will do everything necessary to eliminate this breach," says Clarke. "Putin cannot let this pass."
14:04 Kyiv: Push into Russian Territory Aimed at 'Destabilizing' RussiaThe push of Ukrainian troops into the western Russian border region of Kursk is aimed at "destabilizing" Russia, according to a Ukrainian security official quoted by news agency AFP. "We are on the offensive," he says. "Thousands" of Ukrainian soldiers are involved. "The goal is to disperse the enemy's positions, inflict maximum losses, and destabilize the situation in Russia," he says.
13:37 Russia announces harsh response to attacks on border region of KurskFollowing new Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border region of Kursk, Moscow has announced a harsh response. "A harsh reaction from the Russian forces will not be long in coming," states Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, on the Telegram messaging service. She has promised to hold accountable those responsible and the perpetrators of the "crimes" in Kursk.
13:05 Belarus: Video allegedly shows tank transport to Ukraine borderThe Belarusian Defense Ministry has published on social media footage showing several tanks being loaded onto a train. In the post immediately preceding it, it is stated that units are being put on alert. The reinforcement of troops at the border between Belarus and Ukraine is a reaction to the alleged incursion of Ukrainian combat drones into Belarusian airspace.
12:48 Ukraine: 53 Russian drones destroyedUkraine claims to have shot down 53 out of 57 drones in the latest Russian attack. The drones were destroyed over various parts of the country, the air force of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv reports. Russia also used four North Korean rockets, it is said.
12:20 Russia: Lancet drone destroys Ukrainian tank in KurskThe Russian Defense Ministry claims to have destroyed a Ukrainian tank in the Kursk region using a Lancet drone. The ministry shared this information on Telegram, along with a video purporting to show the destruction of the Ukrainian forces' tank.
11:53 Zelensky: Russia uses North Korean rocket against KyivUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences to the family and relatives of the victims of the deadly Russian air strike on Kyiv in a post on the X platform. He also stated that, according to preliminary information, the Russians used a North Korean rocket in this attack - another targeted terrorist act against Ukraine. Pyrotechnics experts are working to determine the exact data of the rocket.
11:31 Kriewald: "Lukashenko does well to remain a blusterer"ntv reporter Nadja Kriewald explains that Putin has been trying to draw Belarus into active military operations for years and does not expect this to happen in the foreseeable future.
10:41 Ukraine seeks to destroy Russia's military infrastructureFollowing a new deadly Russian air strike near Kyiv, Ukraine aims to permanently destroy Russia's military infrastructure to stop the killing of civilians. "It is necessary to destroy its military infrastructure because the enemy does not accept other arguments," says Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office in Kyiv, in a video posted on his Telegram channel. Ukraine hopes for a swift approval from its western allies to use longer-range rockets, including against Russian territory.
10:22 Ministry of Emergency Situations Delivers Aid to Border Region of KurskThe Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations is delivering humanitarian aid to the contested border region of Kursk. This was announced by the ministry. Tents, blankets, mobile generators, hygiene items, food, and drinking water have been sent to the region in convoys. In collaboration with local authorities, the aid will be distributed to the people. More than 76,000 people have had to leave their homes in the region due to ongoing clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
09:47 Ukraine: Kramatorsk Under Russian Fire AgainFor the second day in a row, Russian forces are reported to have shelled the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. This was written by the Ukrainian governor of Donetsk, Vadym Filaschkin, on Telegram. Infrastructure facilities are said to have been hit. Four people are reported injured. Kramatorsk is the administrative center of the Ukrainian-controlled parts of the Donetsk region. The Russian military controls eastern parts of the region.
08:59 Ukraine Publishes Figures on Russian LossesThe Ukrainian General Staff has published new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to them, Russia has lost around 590,920 soldiers in the war against Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In the last 24 hours alone, the number of losses is said to be 1,220. According to a report from Kyiv, six tanks, 58 artillery systems, and 27 drones were destroyed among other things on the last day of fighting. Overall, Russia is said to have lost 8,447 tanks, 16,663 artillery systems, and 366 aircraft, 328 helicopters, 13,399 drones, 28 ships, and one submarine since the start of the large-scale offensive. Western estimates give lower casualty figures, but these are also only minimum values.
08:07 Russia: Massive Drone Attacks in Russian Border Regions of Belgorod and VoronezhIn the night, Ukrainian forces are said to have attacked not only the Russian region of Kursk (see entry 01:51) but also the surrounding Russian regions of Voronezh and Belgorod with drones and missiles. This was announced by the governors of Voronezh and Belgorod on their Telegram channels. Oleksandr Gusev, governor of the Voronezh region, reports that the air defense system shot down more than a dozen drones in the Voronezh region, causing damage to buildings. According to Gusev, there were no casualties. There were drone attacks in several settlements in Belgorod. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region, writes on Telegram. There were explosions and fires in two places. No casualties were reported.
07:32 Rescue Service: Two Dead After Russian Attack on Kyiv RegionAs a result of a Russian missile attack (see entry 00:27), a 35-year-old man and his four-year-old son were killed in a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, according to the state rescue service. Three other people were reportedly seriously injured. Missile parts fell on private homes in Brovary east of Kyiv in the evening, the rescuers write on Telegram. Father and son were trapped under the rubble of a building.
07:04 Russia: Russian Su-25 Jet Allegedly Strikes Ukrainian Forces in Russian KurskA Russian combat aircraft of the type Sukhoi Su-25 is said to have attacked and hit Ukrainian forces in the border region of the Russian Kursk region. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced this on Telegram. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the attack was carried out using unguided air-to-ground missiles. The Russian Ministry of Defense also states that the crew performed an air force missile defense maneuver, triggered heat flares, and returned to the airbase. A video showing the deployment of the combat aircraft was published on the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense. The Sukhoi Su-25 is a ground-attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. In the Ukraine war, Su-25 jets are used for air support of Russian ground troops.
06:24 ISW: Kremlin Downplays Ukrainian Incursion in Kursk RegionThe Kremlin has likely decided to declare an anti-terrorist operation instead of martial law to downplay the Ukrainian invasion in the Kursk region and prevent panic or a backlash at home, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes in a recent report. This shows that the Kremlin is not ready to respond to the situation with more drastic measures, analysts say.
05:38 Orthodox Church with Moscow Ties May Be BannedUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in his evening video address on Saturday that he will "strengthen our Ukrainian spiritual independence." This suggests that the leadership of the country plans to ban the Orthodox Church with ties to Moscow. Since the Russian troops invaded Ukraine, the number of members of the other independent church has been growing. However, the minority church tied to Moscow maintains its influence. The Ukrainian government accuses it of supporting the invasion and trying to poison public opinion.
03:50 ISW: Ukrainians Hold Their Positions and AdvanceGeolocated footage and Russian reports from yesterday indicate that Ukrainian forces have largely held their previously reported positions in the Kursk region and have advanced slightly beyond their previously confirmed positions, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
01:51 Russia: Injured by Ukrainian Missile in City of KurskAt least 13 people were injured, two seriously, by debris from a downed Ukrainian missile in the Russian city of Kursk, the acting governor of the border region announced.
00:27 Explosions in Ukrainian Capital KyivSeveral explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. According to AFP journalists, the explosions were heard in the center and east of the city. The Ukrainian air force stated that two Russian missiles were targeted at the capital, while the Kyiv military administration reported the activation of air defense systems on the online service Telegram.
00:11 Ukraine Awaits "With Bated Breath" Decisions from the US, UK, and FranceThe Ukraine might expect the delivery of more long-range weapons to maintain its defense against Russian aggression. In his evening video address, President Selenskyj says: "We also await with bated breath the decisions of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France regarding long-range capabilities - decisions that will bring us closer to a just peace." For a long time, the Ukraine had tried to convince Germany to supply Taurus long-range missiles, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected this.
22:17 Ukraine Suspects 28 Officials in Defense Budget EmbezzlementThe Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, in cooperation with the State Investigation Bureau, the National Police, and the Security Service of Ukraine, has conducted a special operation to expose the organizers and participants in criminal schemes involving the embezzlement of defense budget funds. The Prosecutor General's Office reported that the total damage to the state amounts to over 1.5 billion Hrywnia, approximately 33,000 Euro. According to the investigation, employees of the Ministry of Defense, military units, joint ventures, regional military administrations, city councils, and company directors in many regions of Ukraine are involved in the embezzlement. As a result of the investigation, 28 individuals were suspected, including nine as members of organized criminal groups.
You can read all previous developments here.
Please note that the original text was already in English, so the translation remains the same.
In response to the Russian attacks on Ukrainian regions, Ukrainian forces have continued their offensive in eastern Ukraine, focusing on the areas of Torez and Pokrovsk.
Despite the Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses near Pokrovsk, these attacks have been repelled by the Ukrainian forces.
