Worry over Maria Kolesnikowa's Condition: Opposition Alleges Belarus Prison Commits "Medieval Horrors"
15:36 Ukrainian Delegation Discusses Arms Production with US, UK, France, Germany OfficialsA Ukrainian group spearheaded by Economy Minister Julia Svyrydenko and Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, is engaging in discussions with security advisors from America, Britain, France, and Germany in Washington, as per "Kyiv Independent". Topics being addressed include collective arms production, future investments in Ukraine's defense sector by Western nations, and the urgent need to bolster Ukraine's air defense and energy infrastructure protection. "This is a pivotal period where we need to escalate our efforts to aid Ukraine in securing victory. This period calls for optimal utilization," Yermak states.
14:56 Moscow Masks War with Parties and BlossomsThe ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia persists, yet most Moscow dwellers remain oblivious to news of drone assaults, burning oil refineries, and civilian casualties. ntv correspondent Rainer Munz exposes how Moscow employs all methods to conceal the war.
14:25 Tragic Aftermath of Russian Assault in Chasiv Yar, UkraineAt least five civilians lost their lives in a Russian attack on Chasiv Yar, a city in the Donetsk region, as informed by the region's governor, Vadym Lyashko. The deceased are men aged 24 to 38. The incident took place in the early hours of the morning, leaving a private house and a multi-story building riddled with shelling.
13:53 Heartache in Kharkiv as Result of Russian AssaultRelatives and friends are paying their respects to those affected by a Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine. The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Sinegubov, confirmed seven fatalities and 97 injuries, including over 20 minors, in the attack that occurred on Friday evening. The youngest victim is reportedly ten months old. Among the deceased is the 18-year-old Ukrainian artist Veronika Kozhushko. Renowned Ukrainian artist Serhiy Zhadan expresses his sentiments on Facebook regarding her death: "The Russians are relentless in their destruction of our future. There is no forgiveness for this."
13:28 Ukrainian Defense Minister Indulges in Regret over Air Force Chief's Dismissal"I'd probably concede it's a reshuffle, but I find it regrettable," Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Ummerov shared with CNN when asked about the dismissal's connection to the loss of the fighter jet. He clarified that these were separate matters, emphasizing that the cause's investigation continues. "I don't wish to speculate."
13:03 Danish Prime Minister's Firm Belief in Ukraine's War Victory against RussiaThe Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, allegedly spoke about the war between Ukraine and Russia during the GLOBSEC conference in Prague. Frederiksen is believed to have said that Ukraine should emerge victorious in the conflict. This is an "inevitable turn of events." "There is no option for Ukraine to suffer defeat in this conflict. If Russia secures victory, not only will Ukraine have surrendered, but we all will," she is cited as saying. The Danish Prime Minister highlights that there is widespread agreement on this within the European Union. "Europe has never been more united than it is now (...). We occasionally engage in internal debates. (...) But it's 26 against one," the "European Truth" quotes Frederiksen, implying all of Europe opposing Russia.
12:15 Power Shift in Donetsk Region as Russia Seizes Kirove VillageThe Russian forces are reported to have taken control of the Kirove village in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow. Russian forces have been gradually advancing on the front in the east for some time now, with Donetsk and Luhansk, the industrially dominant Donbass, being among their targets. The two regions, as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson further south in Ukraine, were formally incorporated by Russia in September 2022, although their troops do not entirely govern them. Ukraine aims to reclaim all territories, even the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 and lies far to the south of Kherson.
11:45 Casualties Reported in Ukrainian Shelling of Russian Border Region, BelgorodUkrainian forces allegedly launched attacks on the Russian region of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine, according to Russian reports. The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, announced on his Telegram channel that fatalities and injuries had occurred. In an aerial strike on the city of Belgorod, three people lost their lives, and more than 30 people, including three children, were injured, Gladkov reported. More than a dozen residential buildings and 47 automobiles were reportedly damaged.
![At the 19th Globsec Security Conference, held in Prague, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivers a speech. At the 19th Globsec security meeting in Prague, Danish Head of Government Mette Frederiksen delivers her address.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470578/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/danish-prime-minister-mette-frederiksen-speaks-at-the-19th-globsec-security-conference-in-prague.webp)
10:49 Ukraine: 24 of 52 Russian unmanned aerial vehichles (UAVs) thwartedThe Ukrainian air defense alleges it has foiled 24 Russian UAVs. In the span of a night on Saturday, Russian forces launch 52 UAVs against targets in Ukraine. Twenty-four administrative divisions in the nation were impacted, as per the air defense's assertion on Telegram. Twenty-five UAVs of the Iranian Shahed variety crashed on their own and three more traversed towards Russia and Belarus. No reports of causalities or significant damage are available. The objectives of the Russian onslaught encompassed Kyiv, which witnessed its fourth UAV incursion this week, the authorities in the capital mentioned. All UAVs that targeted Kyiv were repulsed.
10:16 Russian Online Pundits: Ukrainian Forces demolish bridge in Kursk
Russian internet pundits have uploaded footage on their Telegram channels, purportedly showcasing the aftermath of a Ukrainian assault on a Russian military formation at the entrance of the village of Swannoje in the Kursk region. Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) also shared the footage on Telegram. The footage supposedly illustrates destroyed military vehicles and a collapsed pontoon bridge over the Seym River in Kursk.
09:34 Russian Authorities Announce Ukrainian Shelling on Shebekino
Shebekino, a city in the Russian region of Belgorod, experiences Ukrainian shelling, as reported by the city's authorities. A woman was wounded on Saturday, and Shebekino lies near the Ukraine border.
09:00 Ukraine Releases Data on Russian Casualties
The Ukrainian General Staff discloses new statistics on Russian casualties in Ukraine. According to them, Russia has sustained losses of approximately 614,950 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, with 1,360 casualties in the last 24 hours. The report from Kyiv also claims eight tanks, 42 artillery systems, and 18 UAVs were destroyed during this period. Ever since the start of the large-scale invasion, Russia has allegedly forfeited 8,582 tanks, 17,614 artillery systems, 368 aircraft, 328 helicopters, 14,471 UAVs, 28 ships, and one submarine. Western appraisals suggest lower losses, though these are presumed to be minimal.
![A house gets demolished following an accused military attack by Ukraine in the town of Shebekino, Belgorod region. Amidst allegations, a decimated residence following a supposed Ukrainian military attack in the urban area of Shebekino, Belgorod region.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470582/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/a-house-destroyed-after-an-alleged-ukrainian-military-strike-on-the-town-of-shebekino-in-the-belgorod-region.webp)
08:35 Russia: Video Claims to Depict Ukrainian Assault on Russian Belgorod
As per local authorities, five fatalities and 46 injuries, including seven children, ensue from a Ukrainian assault on the city of Belgorod in southwestern Russia on Friday night (see entry 23:19). Thirty-seven injured people, including seven children, were taken to a hospital. A video, circulating on social media and originating from the dashboard of a car, allegedly portrays the attack. It portrays another car exploding while driving, followed by an explosion on the opposite side of the street. The authenticity of such footage and claims of combat cannot be corroborated.
07:48 Independent Russian Media Reports: At Least 66,000 Russian Soldiers Killed in Ukraine
At least 66,471 Russian soldiers are reportedly deceased in the Ukrainian conflict, as reported by independent Russian media outlet Mediazona. In conjunction with BBC News Russian, Mediazona has cataloged the names of Russian soldiers deceased in Ukraine through open-source investigation. The journalists stress that the number only represents those whose names have been traceable via open resources, and the actual casualties could be significantly higher. The Ukrainian General Staff estimates over 600,000 Russian soldiers deceased, with Western estimates corroborating this figure.
07:15 Ukraine: Death Toll Rises to 7 following Russian Attack on KharkivSeven people have succumbed to injuries and 97 others, including over 20 minors, in a Russian incursion on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, as per Oleg Synegubow on Telegram. As reported by authorities in Kharkiv, a children's playground and a 12-story dwelling were struck by a Russian UMPB D-30 SM-Lenkluftbombe during the attack on Friday. A blaze ensued. Synegubow communicates that firefighting operations are still ongoing on Saturday morning.
06:27 ISW: Putin's Approval Rating among Russians Plummets to Record LowThe Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports in its most recent report that dissatisfaction with the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin among the Russian populace is escalating as a consequence of Ukraine's incursion into the Russian region of Kursk. Citing a survey by the state Russian Public Opinion Foundation, 28% of respondents demonstrate their discontent or dissatisfaction with the measures adopted by Russian authorities following Ukraine's incursion. Citing surveys by the state Russian Public Opinion Foundation, Putin's approval rating plunges by 3.5 percentage points to 73.6% in the second-last week of August, the lowest since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to ISW, these polls suggest that the Kremlin must acknowledge a surge in societal discontent since Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region.
05:40 Venezuela Surrenders Two Colombians Accused of Fighting for UkraineRussian security service FSB discloses that two Colombian citizens, suspected of combating for Ukraine, have been detained by Russian authorities. The two Colombians, Alexander Ante and Jose Aron Medina, were surrendered to Russia by Venezuela following their apprehension by Venezuelan authorities during a layover in Caracas en route to Colombia. Spanish media accounted that the men enlisted in the International Legion in the summer of 2023. They were apprehended at Caracas airport in mid-July. According to the FSB, evidence implicating their contribution to the war and Ukrainian military attire were discovered on the men.
![Firefighting personnel put out a blaze in a skyscraper in Kharkiv, which ignited following a Russian assault. Firefolk are subduing a tall architectural structure in Kharkiv, which erupted into flames following a Russian assault.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470579/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/firefighters-extinguish-a-high-rise-building-in-kharkiv-that-caught-fire-after-a-russian-attack.webp)
04:47 Czech President: Russian advance unrelated to Kursk operationCzech President Petr Pavel feels that the Russian troops' advance near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Oblast isn't linked to the activities of Ukrainian forces in the Russian Oblast of Kursk. He stated this during an interview with Radio Liberty. According to Pavel, Russia persistently aims to seize control of all four Oblasts - Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Kherson - which they consider their own territory. They plan to achieve this goal within a suitable timeline, while the conditions remain beneficial for military operations, he added.
03:47 Stoltenberg: Kursk Operation is Justified
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has denoted the Ukrainian military's advance into the Russian territory of Kursk as justified. He underscored Ukraine's right to protect itself and stated that this right is not constrained by their borders, in an interview with Die Welt am Sonntag. He also dismissed accusations from the Russian government that Western powers had prior knowledge of the Ukrainian invasion. According to Stoltenberg, Ukraine did not share its plans for Kursk with NATO within its sphere of influence, and NATO had no involvement in the operation.
02:48 Ukraine Accuses Russia of Massive Use of Chemical Weapons
Since the launch of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, over 4,000 cases of chemical warfare agents have been documented along the frontlines, including over 3,100 cases since December 2023. This surge in chemical weapon usage has been reported by Ukrainian authorities to the Kyiv Independent. The numbers indicate a substantial escalation in the deployment of illegal chemical weapons compared to the approximately 600 cases recorded in January, according to Ukrainian military data. The highest number of reported cases peaked in May 2024 at 715, after which there was a gradual decrease in summer months, with no data available for August at present.
01:49 ICC Demands Putin's Arrest during Mongolia Visit
Fadi el-Abdallah, spokesperson for the International Criminal Court, asserted that Mongolia, as an ICC member state, is legally obligated to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit on September 3. Putin's visit to Mongolia would be the first time he travels to an ICC member country that has ratified the Rome Statute. The Statute requires ICC member states to detain Putin if he enters their territory, following the ICC's issuance of an arrest warrant against him for the forced deportation of children from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in March 2023.
![Emergency responders liberate a young lady from a domicile in Kharkiv that was struck by a Russian explosive device. Emergency responders save a young girl from a house struck by a Russian missile in Kharkiv.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470581/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/firefighters-rescue-a-girl-from-a-residential-building-in-kharkiv-that-was-hit-by-a-russian-bomb.webp)
00:33 Biden-von der Leyen Video Call: Recollection of Ukrainian Invasion
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission, underlined the importance of strong transatlantic relations, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November. Von der Leyen received the Czech-Slovak Transatlantic Prize (CSTA) at the Globsec security conference in Prague. In her acceptance speech, she reminisced about a video call with US President Joe Biden on the day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "We immediately agreed on the appropriate strategy to counter Putin's war," von der Leyen explained. On that occasion, Europe and the US had stood together as allies on the right side of history, she declared.
23:19 Russia: Casualties in Attack on Belgorod
At least five individuals have sustained fatal injuries and 37 others have been wounded in Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod, reports from Russia suggest. A woman and four men lost their lives as a result of their injuries, notified the regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram. Unconfirmed sources suggest that Ukrainian forces targeted the city of Belgorod and the surrounding region with cluster munitions and multiple rocket launchers.
22:01 Ukraine to Enlist Arms Manufacturers in AI for Swarm Drones and Affordable Missiles
Minister for Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced that Ukraine plans to collaborate with arms manufacturers to develop AI for swarm drones and affordable missiles to counter Russian kamikaze drones at the Globsec Forum in Prague. According to Fedorov, Ukrainian forces are exposed to various challenges, including Russian infantry, ammunition shortages, and Russian kamikaze and reconnaissance drones. As a response, Ukrainian forces employ low-cost first-person-view drones, reconnaissance drones, small air defense systems, and homemade long-range drones to attack Russian targets, according to Fedorov. "Which are the future challenges where we need your input for development? How do we generate an effective laser guidance system, how do we develop AI for swarm drones, how do we create affordable Ukrainian HIMARS, how do we establish Ukrainian-produced missiles to intercept Shaheds?" inquired Fedorov.
Ukraine gets a initial portion of 155mm howitzer rounds from the US-Europe alliance, as mentioned by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky in Brussels. According to him, these rounds are critically needed at the battlefront. Lipavsky praises the Czech ammunition initiative, stating that by the end of the year, they will supply half a million large-caliber projectiles. Around 100,000 rounds were delivered in July and August's summer months, he adds.
![A Russian assault induces a blaze in a 12-level residential tower in the Ukrainian urban center of Kharkiv. Following a Russian assault, a 12-tier apartment structure in the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv is engulfed in flames. Firefighting operations persist.](https://cdn.aussiedlerbote.de/content/images/2024/08/31/470580/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/a-russian-attack-has-caused-a-fire-in-a-12-storey-residential-building-in-the-ukrainian-city-of-kharkiv.webp)
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The European Union strongly supports Ukraine's war efforts against Russia, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stating that Ukraine should emerge victorious in the conflict and emphasizing that there is widespread agreement on this within the EU.
In light of this, it would be beneficial for the Ukrainian Delegation to seek further support and collaboration from the European Union in their efforts to bolster Ukraine's air defense and energy infrastructure protection, and potentially explore opportunities for collective arms production with EU member states.