Ukraine boosts its budget by 10 billion euros to finance its military personnel
Ukraine Implements Extra Budget of Over 10 Billion Euros,Primarily Allocated for Military Expenditures Ukraine has authorised an additional budget of more than 10 billion euros, primarily focusing on military spending. This enhancement to the budget will increase expenditures by approximately 13% to around 81 billion euros, marking a new record for Ukraine. These financial adjustments were necessitated to ensure that soldiers receive their monthly bonuses at the frontlines, among other reasons.
11:36 Sharma: F-16 Aircraft May Not Bring the Expected Turnaround Ukrainian President Zelenskyj is advocating for 128 F-16 fighter jets to attain dominance in the air. However, only about 60 have been accepted from Western allies, which falls short of the desired amount. Regardless, Kavita Sharma, a correspondent from ntv, views this as a success since the delivery and pilot training process has commenced. Nonetheless, challenges with the weaponry have already surfaced.
11:16 Ukrainian Intelligence Verifies Munitions Depot Attack A reliable source within the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has informed the Kyiv Independent that the assault on the large munitions depot in Russian Toropez last night was carried out by Ukraine. The depot allegedly housed ballistic missiles, including Iskander, anti-aircraft missiles, artillery ammunition, and glide bombs. The source commented that "the depot no longer exists," aside from the impact of Ukrainian drones, which triggered an "extremely powerful explosion." The SBU, alongside its military allies, continues working on eradicating the enemy's rocket capacities, which are responsible for obliterating Ukrainian cities. Plans are being formulated to repeat such attacks on other Russian military facilities.
10:49 Ukrainian Drone Manufacturers Eligible for Ramstein Contracts Ukrainian drone manufacturers have been granted the opportunity to participate in tenders organized by the Drone Coalition under the Ramstein format. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has announced that the tender series will consist of two lots: one for the production of First-Person-View (FPV) drones and another for interception drones. The ministry regards this invitation to bid as a significant impetus for Ukrainian production. All bid submissions will be judged by Drone Coalition members. Successful competitors will receive orders for further trials. If successful, the Ramstein states plan to commission winners to produce drones.
10:27 Video Evidence Surfaces of Attack on Russian Munitions Warehouse While the Kremlin has yet to confirm it, the governor of the Tver region reportedly revealed a Ukrainian drone attack that resulted in a fire through Telegram. With high likelihood, it was a major armaments and munitions depot. The inhabitants were evacuated, and footage of the blaze is circulating online.
09:39 Several Casualties in Kharkiv and Saporischschja The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv encountered another severe Russian air raid the previous day. Explosions from guided bombs occurred in various districts, resulting in nine injuries. This is a continuation of recent civilian attack patterns. On Sunday, a deadly precision bombing claimed a woman's life and injured 43 individuals, including 4 children. Russian airstrikes on settlements also took place in the Saporischschja Oblast, resulting in two fatalities.
08:46 Sumy's Energy Facilities Suffered Another Assault by Russian Drone According to official reports, Russian drones have assaulted energy facilities in the Ukrainian city of Sumy. Initial reports indicate no casualties, but the repeated attacks have severely stressed the energy system. Just two days ago, Russia attacked the energy infrastructure in Sumy and its surrounding areas with rockets and drones, causing momentary power outages for over 280,000 households, as reported by the Ministry of Energy.
08:27 Ukrainian General Staff Reports 1,130 Russian Casualties Yesterday According to the Ukrainian General Staff, 1,130 Russian soldiers were either killed or wounded in the previous 24 hours. Since February 2022, when Russia initiated its full-scale invasion, Ukraine has documented a total of 637,010 enemy casualties. The Ukrainian forces claim to have destroyed 25 artillery systems, 45 transportation and fuel vehicles, and 6 tanks over the past 24 hours.
07:55 Ukraine Finalises Deployment Plans for F-16 Aircraft The Ukrainian Air Force has finalised the deployment arrangements for the Western F-16 fighter jets. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in his evening address that all assigned tasks for the ministry and military have been detailed. Discussions between the Air Force Command also focused on broadening the aircraft fleet and expanding pilot training. Many voices in Kyiv insist on better fundamental pilot training, as the current curriculum spans only 40 days. Ukraine is set to receive around 60 F-16 aircraft, however, only a few have been delivered so far.
07:19 Russia Reports Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Several Regions Russia reports Ukrainian drone attacks on several regions. Air defense intercepted 54 Ukrainian drones in five Russian regions during the night, according to TASS, citing the Defense Ministry. Half of the drones were shot down in the Kursk border region, with the remaining attacks occurring in the border regions of Bryansk and Belgorod, as well as the western regions of Smolensk and Oryol. The agency fails to mention the Tver region north of Moscow, where local authorities and military bloggers reported a drone assault on a large munitions depot that triggered a fire in the city of Toropets, necessitating the evacuation of residents.
06:57 Military Bloggers: Russian Munitions Depot Suffers Extensive DamagePer military bloggers, a Ukrainian assault on the Russian city of Toropets in the Tver region led to a significant blaze at a munitions depot loaded with multiple tons of ammunition and rockets. The depot, as reported by the bloggers, has expanded in recent times and now houses 42 fortified bunkers and 23 warehouses and workshops. Igor Girkin, a former Russian intelligence operative, has stated that control in the region remains intact, yet Ukrainian military bloggers conclude from their data analysis that substantial damage was inflicted, particularly on newer bunkers.
06:20 Green Party's Deputy Parliamentary Leader Accuses AfD and BSW of Spreading Russian PropagandaDeputy leader of the Green Party's parliamentary group, Konstantin von Notz, has called for an ongoing debate in the Bundestag regarding Russian influence operations in Germany. "Analyses of internal papers from the Russian propaganda factory SDA show a glaringly deceptive picture of how Russian entities are manipulating our democracy, public discourses, and elections," says von Notz. "With AfD, BSW, and other companions who disseminate Russian narratives in the public and parliamentary spheres, harmful alliances are being forged to compromise German interests collectively. Individuals supporting Ukraine are being targeted, monitored, and attempts are made to sully their reputations."
05:42 Russian Trolls Distribute Fake Videos about Kamala HarrisAccording to research by the tech giant Microsoft, Russian actors have intensified their disinformation campaign against the US Presidential candidate Kamala Harris. A group associated with the Kremlin, known as Storm-1516, has released two fabricated videos since late August to tarnish Harris's campaign and that of her running mate Tim Walz. One video depicts a group of Harris supporters attacking a participant in a perceived Trump rally. The second video features an actor propagating the untrue claim that Harris injured a child in an accident in 2011, leaving her injured, and abandoning the scene. Both videos are reportedly drawing substantial attention.
05:19 Explosions and Fire in Tver, RussiaA Ukrainian drone strike has sparked a fire in the Russian region of Tver, as per Russian sources. Debris from a destroyed Ukrainian drone has led to a fire in Tver, resulting in partial evacuation of citizens, as announced by Tver's Governor, Igor Rudenya, via Telegram. Emergency services are currently attempting to quell the blaze. The exact target of the explosion is yet to be identified. Russian air defense forces remain engaged in deflecting a "massive drone attack" upon the city. According to a 2018 report by the Russian news agency RIA, the town of Tver, with a population of over 11,000, serves as a storage site for Russian rockets, ammunition, and explosives.
03:57 Russian Governors Report Drone AttacksUkraine is targeting numerous regions in western Russia using drones, as per Russian local governors. Seven Ukrainian drones have been intercepted in the Smolensk region, on the border with Belarus, as per Governor Vasily Anochin's Telegram post. A drone was shot down over the Orjol region, announced Governor Andrei Klichkov via Telegram. At least 14 Ukrainian attack drones have been neutralized over the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, according to Governor Alexander Bogomaz's Telegram post. The Ukrainian government has asserted that the attacks targeted critical military, energy, and transportation infrastructure supporting Moscow's military efforts.
02:56 Triangle Trade: Washington Investigates Uranium Trade with ChinaThe US government is probing potential evasion of the ban on Russian uranium imports into the US via China. There's suspicion that China is acquiring enriched uranium from Russia while simultaneously exporting its own output to the US, as reported by Reuters from government sources. "We are concerned about the possibility of evading the ban on Russian uranium imports," said Jon Indall of the US Uranium Producers Association (UPA). "We are uneasy about turning off the Russian supply and suddenly all the material originates from China. We have asked the Commerce Department to investigate this." The US Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
01:54 Insider: USA to Restock Strategic Oil ReservesThe US government plans to replenish its strategic oil reserves, according to an inside source. The US has set a goal of acquiring up to six million barrels of oil, considering the low prices, said an individual with knowledge of the matter. If successful, this acquisition would be the largest since a significant release in 2022. In response to surging gasoline prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US government offloaded substantial amounts of oil from its strategic reserve in 2022, which was then the "largest release of oil reserves in history."
00:45 Two Killed and Five Injured in Saporishshia AttackRussia attacked the Saporishshia region during the night, resulting in at least two fatalities and five injuries, as reported by Governor Ivan Fedorov. Fedorov later specified that Russia had launched a heavy assault on the community of Komyshuvakha in the region. Several houses and an infrastructure facility were also damaged. Emergency services remain at the scene, and the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, as reported by "Kyiv Independent".
11:38 PM: US Ambassador to UN Confirms Viewing Zelensky's Peace PlanU.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield acknowledged viewing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest "peace proposal." According to "European Pravda," this revelation was made during a press conference at the UN headquarters. "We've taken a look at President Zelensky's peace plan. We think it proposes a strategy that could succeed. We need to figure out how we can be part of that," Thomas-Greenfield stated. The U.S. Ambassador expressed optimism for advancements in the peace negotiations, albeit without offering more specifics. It's plausible that she's referring to the "victory plan," a strategy announced by Zelensky last month on the Ukrainian front.
10:29 PM: False Alert in Latvia: Airspace Violation Caused by Bird MigrationA false alarm was triggered in Latvia when a suspected foreign aircraft's intrusion into the country's airspace was reported. The foreign object, which came from neighboring Belarus and crossed into Latvia's eastern border area near Kraslava, was eventually identified as a group of birds. News agency Leta reported this development, citing the Latvian Air Force. Earlier, the defense minister in Riga had issued a warning of a foreign aircraft's presence, triggering NATO interceptors to become active in monitoring the airspace. However, no harmful objects were detected.
9:59 PM: Moldova and Germany Strengthen Cybersecurity CooperationObjective of Moldova and Germany is to strengthen their resistance against "Putin's hybrid warfare" through a cybersecurity alliance. Russian President Vladimir Putin, with his aim of utilizing hybrid warfare to destabilize Europe, especially Moldova, was addressed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Chisinau. "So we're not cowering away but boosting our own efforts instead." By offering IT resources, facilitating information exchange, and organizing training programs, their aim is to guard Moldova against cyberattacks and deter disinformation.
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Cyberwar concerns are rising as Ukraine accuses Russian intelligence of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.
In response to the escalating threat of cyberwar, Ukraine has urged its Western allies to provide additional cybersecurity assistance.
