The Russian Kremlin deems Stoltenberg's remarks on long-range weapons as perilous
Russia Slams NATO Chief's Statements as Hazardous Russia has labeled remarks by NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg as risky. In a chat with "The Times," Stoltenberg suggested that it wouldn't be a line in the sand for Russia if Ukraine was allowed to strike targets further into Russia using Western weapons with extended ranges. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized this, labeling it a hasty and unprofessional step. Russian President Putin had warned that if nations permitted longer-range rockets to be employed by Ukraine, they'd be directly ensnared in the conflict.
15:17 Atom Specialists Discover Mines and Military Gear in Zaporizhzhia NPP In the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Ukrainian soil, Russian troops and military equipment are stationed. Moreover, anti-personnel mines have been planted between the inner and outer barriers. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that IAEA experts were barred from inspecting specific sections of the turbine halls throughout the entire reporting period. The NPP was seized by Russian troops early in the conflict, and international experts have been monitoring the security situation with apprehension ever since. Just four weeks ago, a cooling tower ignited.
14:41 Kremlin Warns of Tensions Escalation in Middle East After Pager Blasts Following the widespread explosion of hundreds of pagers in Lebanon, the Kremlin in Moscow has issued a warning of a potential tension escalation in an "unstable" region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that whatever transpired would invariably lead to a rise in tensions. The region itself is in a "precarious" state, and "any such incident has the potential to serve as a trigger." The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the incident to be another example of "hybrid warfare" against Lebanon.
14:24 Ukraine Boosts Budget by Ten Billion Euros to Fund Soldiers Ukraine has approved an additional budget of over ten billion euros in spending, with the majority going toward the military. The military expenses will thus increase by over 13% to around 81 billion euros, a record for Ukraine. The budget changes were necessary to pay soldiers, among other things, their September allowances.
13:36 Sharma: F-16 Jets Won't Be a Panacea Ukrainian President Zelenskyj is requesting 128 F-16 fighter jets to establish air superiority over Ukraine. However, only around 60 have been pledged by Western nations, less than half. Regardless, ntv correspondent Kavita Sharma views it as a success that the delivery and pilot training have commenced. Nonetheless, various challenges have been encountered with the weaponry.
13:16 Ukrainian Intel: We're Behind Attack on Munitions Depot A source from the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) informed the Kyiv Independent that the attack on the substantial munitions warehouse in Russian Toropez the previous night was carried out by them. The warehouse housed ballistic missiles, including Iskander, anti-aircraft missiles, artillery ammunition, and glide bombs, which were "essentially eradicated" by the strike, according to the source. After the impact of the Ukrainian drones, there was "an incredibly powerful explosion." The SBU is collaborating with their military colleagues to systematically diminish the enemy's rocket capability, which is being used to decimate Ukrainian cities. Plans are being formulated to conduct similar attacks on other Russian military installments.
12:49 Ukrainian Drone Manufacturers Can Now Bid for Ramstein Contracts Ukrainian drone manufacturers can participate in tenders arranged by the Drone Coalition within the Ramstein format for the first time. Supporters of Western Ukraine meet at Ramstein every few weeks. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the tender series will consist of two segments: one for the production of First-Person-View (FPV) drones and one for intercept drones. The ministry views the invitation to bid as a significant boost to Ukrainian production. All submitted bids will be assessed by members of the Drone Coalition. Winners will receive orders for further testing. If successful, the Ramstein nations plan to commission the winners of the competition for production.
12:27 Video Emerges of Attack on Russian Munitions Depot The Kremlin has yet to officially confirm it, but the governor of the Tver region reported on Telegram early this morning that a Ukrainian drone attack had caused a fire. It's highly probable that it was a substantial weapons and ammunition depot. Residents were evacuated, and videos of the fire are circulating online.
11:39 Nine Hurt in Kharkiv, Two Killed in Saporishshia The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv experienced another intense Russian air assault the previous day. Guided bombs detonated in various districts, with the injured number now reaching 9. This is the latest in a series of recent civilian assaults. On Sunday, a precision bomb killed a woman and injured 43 people, including four children. Russian air assaults on settlements were also carried out in the Saporishshia region, where two people perished.
10:46 Ukraine: Energy Facilities in Sumy Attacked Again Local authorities claim, based on initial reports, that energy facilities in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy have been targeted by Russian drones once more. According to the Ministry of Energy, there are currently no casualties. However, the continual attacks have placed a substantial strain on the energy system. On Tuesday, Russia attacked the energy infrastructure in the city and region of Sumy with rockets and drones, causing a temporary power outage for over 280,000 households, as per the Ministry of Energy.
08:27 Ukrainian General Staff: 1130 Russian Casualties YesterdayThe Ukrainian military leadership reports that 1130 Russian personnel sustained injuries or were killed in the past 24 hours. Since the commencement of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainians have documented 637,010 enemy casualties. In the last 24 hours, Ukrainian forces allegedly destroyed 25 artillery systems, 45 supply and fuel vehicles, and six tanks.
07:55 Ukraine Readies Deployment Plans for F-16 AircraftThe Ukrainian Air Force has drawn up deployment plans for the Western F-16 fighter jets. All responsibilities for the military forces and the Ministry of Defense have been outlined, as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his evening address via video. Discussions were also held with the Air Command on the potential expansion of the aircraft fleet and further training of pilots. Given the frequent heavy losses, many voices in Kyiv are advocating for an extended basic training period for pilots, currently at 40 days. Ukraine is predicted to receive approximately 60 F-16 jets, but only a few have been delivered thus far.
07:19 Russia Claims Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Multiple RegionsRussia reports drone attacks from Ukraine on various regions. The air defense has allegedly downed 54 Ukrainian drones over five Russian regions throughout the night, as reported by the state news agency TASS, quoting the Defense Ministry. Half of the drones were downed in the border region of Kursk, while the others were downed in the border regions of Bryansk and Belgorod, as well as the western regions of Smolensk and Oryol. Tver, a region northwest of Moscow, was not mentioned in the report by local authorities or military bloggers, who reported a drone attack on a large ammunition depot in the city of Toropets, causing a fire and forcing residents to evacuate.
06:57 Ukrainian Attack Suspected to Have Damaged Russian Munitions DepotAccording to military bloggers, a Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Toropets in the Tver region may have caused significant damage to a munitions depot stocked with thousands of tons of ammunition and rockets. The bloggers claim the depot has been expanded significantly in the past and now contains 42 reinforced bunkers and 23 warehouses and workshops. Former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin reports on Telegram that the situation in the region is under control. The Ukrainian military bloggers assess from their analysis that the newer bunkers suffered particularly severe damage.
06:20 Green Party's Deputy Parliamentary Leader Accuses AfD and BSW of Spreading Russian NarrativesThe deputy parliamentary leader of the Green party, Konstantin von Notz, suggests a debate in the Bundestag on Russia's influence operations in Germany. "Recent internal documents from the Russian propaganda machinery SDA reveal clearly the deceitful means by which Russian agencies manipulate our democracy, public discourse, and elections," the interior policy expert remarks. "With the AfD, BSW, and other collaborators who spread Russian narratives in the public and parliaments, harmful alliances are formed to undermine German interests."
05:42 Russian Trolls Circulate Faked Videos About Kamala HarrisInvestigations by Microsoft reveal that Russian actors are intensifying their disinformation campaign against US presidential candidate Kamala Harris. A group associated with the Kremlin, known as Storm-1516, has produced two fake videos since late August to discredit Harris and her campaign partner Tim Walz. One video shows a supposed group of Harris supporters assaulting an attendee of a Trump rally. The other video features an actor spreading the fabricated claim that Harris caused an injury to a girl in a 2011 accident, leaving her disabled, and then left the scene. Both videos are said to have garnered millions of views.
05:19 Explosions and Fire in Russian TverA Ukrainian drone strike, as claimed by Russian sources, has resulted in a fire in the Russian region of Tver. Remnants of a downed Ukrainian drone are said to have ignited a fire in the city of Tver, leading to the partial evacuation of residents, according to the region's governor, Igor Rudenya, on the Telegram messaging platform. Firefighters are currently attempting to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire is unclear at this time. Reportedly, Russian air defense units are still dealing with a "massive drone attack" on the city. The town, with a population of slightly over 11,000, was mentioned by the state news agency RIA in 2018 as the location of a Russian storage facility for rockets, ammunition, and explosives.
03:57 Russian Governors Report Drone AttacksUkraine is launching drone attacks on several regions in western Russia, according to local governors. Seven Ukrainian drones were reportedly shot down in the Smolensk region, situated on the border with Belarus, acccording to Governor Vasily Anochin on the Telegram messaging app. A drone was downed over the Orjol region by Russian air defense, reported Governor Andrei Klychkov on Telegram. At least 14 Ukrainian attack drones were shot down over the Bryansk region, situated on the border with Ukraine, according to Governor Alexander Bogomaz on Telegram. The government in Kyiv asserts that the attacks targeted military, energy, and transport infrastructure crucial to Moscow's war efforts.
United States scrutinizes potential evasion of Russian uranium import embargo by China. There are whispers that China is procuring enriched uranium from Russia while dispatching its own supply to the USA, as claimed by government authorities relayed by Reuters news agency. "We're alarmed at the prospect of the Russian uranium import embargo being sidestepped," stated Jon Indall, U.S. Uranium Producers Association representative. "We don't want to inadvertently halt the Russian supply and switch to Chinese imports overnight. We've urged the Commerce Department to delve into this matter." No initial comment was received from the U.S. Commerce Department.
01:54 Inside info: U.S. to expand oil reserves stockpile
According to an inside source, the U.S. administration plans to augment its strategic oil reserves. The U.S. aims to buy up to 6 million barrels of oil, taking advantage of the current low prices, asserts a person involved in the matter. If accomplished, this acquisition would mark the most significant purchase since the monumental release in 2022. In an attempt to curb skyrocketing gasoline prices following Russia's assault on Ukraine, the U.S. government disposed of large volumes of oil from its strategic reserve last year, setting a new record for "the largest release of oil reserves ever."
00:45 Tragedy in Saporishshia: Two fatalities, five injuries in attack
Russia conducted a strike on the Saporishshia region throughout the night, resulting in at least two civilian casualties and five more injured, as reported by Governor Ivan Fedorov. Fedorov later detailed that Russia had launched multiple attacks on the Komyshuvakha community in the region. Several homes and a critical infrastructure facility sustained damage in the attack. Rescue operations are still ongoing, and the full extent of the damage is yet to be assessed by "Kyiv Independent."
23:38 U.S. UN Ambassador affirms viewing of Zelenskyy's 'peace plan'
U.S. UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield disclosed that American officials have examined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's new "peace initiative." European Pravda reported this, citing a press conference at UN headquarters. "We've examined President Zelenskyy's peace initiative. We believe it has the potential to succeed. And we need to grasp how we can contribute to this strategy," she stated. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield expressed optimism about the peace process but did not provide further details about what she meant. Thomas-Greenfield presumably referred to the "Victory Plan" unveiled by Zelenskyy previously.
22:29 False alarm in Latvia: Suspected airspace intrusion turns out to be bird flock
False alarm in Latvia: A suspected infringement of Latvia's NATO airspace by an unidentified flying object proved to be an innocuous incident. The mysterious object, which originated from neighboring Belarus and crossed the border in the Kraslava area's eastern sector, was determined to be a large group of birds. Latvia's news agency Leta reported this, citing the air force. Earlier, the Defense Ministry in Riga had reported an unidentified flying object violation, prompting NATO interceptors stationed at the Lielvārde base to launch airspace surveillance. Despite their best efforts, they failed to pinpoint any suspicious objects.
21:59 Moldova, Germany seal cybersecurity agreement
Moldova and Germany intend to bolster their defenses against "Putin's hybrid warfare" with a cybersecurity collaboration agreement. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced in Chisinau that Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to continue utilizing his hybrid warfare tactics against Europe, with a particular focus on Moldova, as a means of destabilization. "But that's exactly why we're fortifying our own efforts." By supplying IT equipment, information exchange, and training, they aim to thwart cyberattacks in Moldova and uncover disinformation.
The Commission expressed concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia NPP due to Russian troops and military equipment being stationed there. The IAEA reported that the Commission's experts were barred from inspecting specific sections of the plant throughout the reporting period.
In response to the NATO Chief's suggestions, The Commission stated that allowing Ukraine to strike targets further into Russia using Western weapons with extended ranges would escalate tensions and risk a direct involvement in the conflict.
