Zelenskyy discusses a "extremely challenging" scenario at the forefront
Ukrainian President Volodymyr finds the situation dire at the front lines. He describes it as "extremely challenging," having spoken with top military commanders. This toughness spans the entire front line and impacts the current and future capabilities of the Ukrainian military. The troops must now push their limits to the max. "Everything that can be accomplished this fall, every achievement we can make, must be achieved."
21:48 Trump clarifies past statement about swift war resolution: "No one paid attention."Multiple times, Donald Trump has suggested that, as US President, he could conclude the Ukraine conflict in a single day if re-elected. However, in his recent interviews, he fails to outline his method. A "Washington Post" journalist queries Trump about a previous statement, asking if he still stands by it. In July 2023, Trump stated on Fox News that he would inform Russian President Putin that, in the absence of agreement on a peace treaty, the US would offer the Ukrainians more support than they've ever had. When asked about this, Trump replies: "I mentioned it earlier, so I can confirm that statement. But I made it, and no one seemed to notice. They don't do so because it makes so much sense."
20:56 Military analyst says Zelensky's victory strategy has not strengthened Ukraine's negotiating position.Ukraine consistently seeks the release of Western weaponry. President Zelensky presents a victory plan in Washington for this purpose. In an ntv interview, retired Colonel Wolfgang Richter discusses, among other topics, why it seems impossible for Ukraine to achieve an "absolute victory" over Russia.
20:13 Ukraine criticizes Switzerland's backing for China-Brazil peace proposal.Ukraine views Switzerland unfavorably for supporting a peace plan proposed by China and Brazil. "All initiatives sans UN Charter references and guarantees of Ukraine's full territory recovery are unacceptable," states Ukraine's foreign ministry. The core of the plan, as reported by media, revolves around a ceasefire on the existing front line. The US and its European allies reject the plan as it ignores the UN Charter and Ukraine's territorial integrity. A Swiss foreign ministry spokesperson confirms that the lack of UN Charter reference was noticed but maintains that it’s still an initiative advocating for a ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict, serving as an alternative, given the aggressive rhetoric coming from both Russia and Ukraine at the UN.
19:43 The Hague examines accusations against Lukashenko administration for human rights violations.Lithuania, an EU and NATO member, requests the International Criminal Court to investigate the Lukashenko regime in Belarus for human rights abuses. President Lukashenko's authoritarian leadership is accused of violent deportations and persecutions, affecting hundreds of thousands of Belarusians and forcing them to leave for Lithuania or other EU countries. These alleged offenses started in April 2020 and continue today. Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Putin. The chief prosecutor is already investigating Lukashenko for alleged Ukrainian children deportation to Russia.
19:08 Russia increases military spending significantly to fund the war.Russia is considering a sizable increase in its military spending to support the ongoing conflict. According to the 2025 budget plans available on the Russian parliament's website, defense spending alone is projected to jump by approximately 30% to almost 130 billion euros. Additional funds are allocated for internal security and classified spending related to the Ukraine war. Defense and internal security account for around 40% of the total budget. The draft still requires parliament approval and President Putin's signature. In 2024, military spending had already increased by 70% compared to the previous year. In contrast, Ukraine plans to allocate around 60% of its budget to defense and security in the forthcoming year, with a defense budget of approximately 48 billion euros, which is less than a third of Russia's.
18:23 US and Canada intercept Russian jets near Alaska.Norad, US and Canada's joint air defense command, has recorded encounters with Russian military aircraft in Alaska's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). While this zone requires aircraft to identify themselves, it is not equivalent to a nation's airspace. According to General Gregory Guillot, Norad planes had to intervene due to an unprofessional Russian jet, posing risks to all involved. In late July, Norad had also encountered Russian and Chinese jets in the ADIZ of Alaska, with the aircraft remaining within international airspace.
17:43 Job Support for Refugees Shows Early Success, Says Scholz.The "Job Booster" initiative aims to help displaced individuals find employment more swiftly. Chancellor Scholz praises the program's early success, with 266,000 Ukrainians employed in Germany in July, a significant increase of 71,000 compared to the previous year. Additionally, 704,000 people from main asylum countries were employed, also up by 71,000. Scholz attributes this growth to the Job Booster. Labor Minister Heil reports that approximately 113,000 of the 266,000 Ukrainians have secured socially protected employment. The federal government's initiative, in operation for over a year, focuses primarily on strengthening job center support.
17:06 Putin Outlines Priorities for "New Russia"In a video message, Russian leader Putin outlines key objectives for the authorities in the territories occupied by Russia in Ukraine, as reported by state-run news agency Tass. Putin emphasizes, "Our primary objective is to establish favorable conditions for the development of these territories and safeguard the security of the people. This is our top priority. Yet, we won't delay addressing economic and social issues. We'll tackle them right away." Two years ago, Moscow declared four Ukrainian regions as "New Russia." However, Moscow only possesses parts of these regions.
16:37 Kara-Mursa: Russia has More Political Prisoners Than in Soviet TimesOpponent Kara-Mursa argues that Russia is currently holding more political prisoners than at the end of the Soviet era. Kara-Mursa states, "In Putin's Russia, there are over 1300 known political prisoners, far more than in the final years of the entire Soviet Union." He identifies Putin's assertion of widespread Russian support for his regime and war as "propaganda lies," and calls for action to free detained dissidents. Russian authorities arrested Kremlin critic Kara-Mursa in April 2022 for accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Later in 2023, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, but was released in early August as part of a prisoner swap.
16:15 Russia Intensifies Nighttime AttacksA series of nighttime drone and missile attacks by Russia marks the 33rd consecutive night of such attacks on Ukraine. Explosions and gunfire were reported in Kyiv throughout the night. The air defense successfully repelled the drone attack for approximately five hours, and no injuries were reported.
15:41 Question about Nuclear Weapons Use: Kremlin Changes Tone AgainThe Kremlin raises the threshold for potential nuclear weapon usage, following changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine. Kremlin spokesperson Peskov asserts that the Ukraine war should not always be linked to a nuclear reaction from Russia. After unverified military reports emerged on Sunday, 125 Ukrainian drones were reportedly intercepted by Russian air defense. Peskov declined to label this as a massive air attack, which might trigger a nuclear response as per the new doctrine. "Appropriate decisions have been made and documented accordingly. However, the military operation in Ukraine continues without constant associations." Putin announced revised usage rules for nuclear weapons last week with an ominous tone, suggesting that air attacks on Russian territory or attacks by non-nuclear countries with nuclear support could be deemed an existential threat.
15:15 Baerbock: Russia Targets Young People and Women with DisinformationGerman Foreign Minister Baerbock strongly warns against disinformation and election interference, particularly from Russia. She points out that the influence of disinformation campaigns is significant. There is a "deliberate system" in place that specifically targets young voters and women with hate and fake news. Baerbock further references certain algorithms in social media platforms that amplify hate speech and incitement. Without controlling this, she cautions, we would be vulnerable to false news.
15:01 Russia Increases Budget Spending, Remains Silent on War BudgetThe Russian government unveils its 2025 budget draft to the Russian parliament, indicating a significant increase in spending to around 400 billion euros, a rise of about 12% compared to 2024. The Ministry of Finance only mentions allocating "substantial funds" for arming the military, compensating troops, and supporting military-industrial companies.
14:24 Russian Court Imposes Life Sentence for Attack on Nationalist WriterA court imposes a life sentence on the defendant for the attack on Russian nationalist writer Prilepin. The accused, from the Donetsk region in Ukraine, was reportedly fighting for separatists supported by Russia. Prilepin, a strong advocate for Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, was injured in a bomb attack in May 2023 in the Nizhny Novgorod region, resulting in his driver's death.
13:51 Russia Plans to Conscript 133,000 New Soldiers in AutumnAccording to Ukrainian media, Russia plans to conscript 133,000 individuals for military service from late autumn to the end of the year. Those ineligible for military service in Russia will be targeted by Putin's decree authorizing a fall conscription campaign. Once their military service is completed, these conscripts will be released from duty.
13:14 Ukraine Reports Casualties in Russian Drone AttacksUkrainian media reports one death and several injuries due to Russian drone attacks. A man lost his life in Kupjansk, Kharkiv region, while three civilians aged 53 to 72 were wounded in Kherson, according to local authorities.
12:36 Russia Claims Conquering Another Settlement in Donetsk RegionThe Russian military claims to have seized another location in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces "successfully seized control of the village of Nelepowka," as announced by the Russian defense ministry in Moscow, using the Russian name for the settlement of Nelipivka in the Donetsk region. Ukraine had recently reported victories in this region. Russian troops have been pushing against the Ukrainian forces, which are outnumbered in troops and weapons, in eastern Ukraine for several months now. Nelipivka is located approximately 5 kilometers south of the city of Torez. Torez is under Ukrainian control, but has been under Russian fire for weeks. Russian soldiers are also advancing toward the city of Pokrovsk. This mining city is crucial for the logistical supply of the Ukrainian army.
11:55 Rebels Allegedly Explode Russian Supply LineThe militant resistance group Atesh claims to have blown up the railway track that Russian forces use to transport equipment and ammunition to the front line in the Russian region of Kursk. The Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reports this based on a Telegram post from the partisan group. According to its own information, Atesh unites Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars, and Russian dissidents, and was founded on the Crimea two years ago.
11:26 Russians Unconvinced by Anti-Corruption CampaignAccording to the current budget plan, 40% of Russia's state budget will be spent on defense next year. At the same time, an anti-corruption campaign has been underway in the responsible ministry since the death of the coup leader Yevgeni Prigoschin. However, this does not appear convincing to the Russian citizens, as reported by ntv-reporter Rainer Munz in Moscow.
11:01 American Accused of Mercenary Activities in RussiaAmerican citizen Stephen Hubbard has admitted to charges of mercenary activity in a Russian court. He received payment to fight for Ukraine against Russia, according to the British "Guardian" citing the Russian state news agency RIA. If convicted, the 72-year-old could face 7 to 15 years in prison.
10:20 Kyiv Suffers Major Drone AttackA residential building was set alight and damaged in a massive drone attack on Kyiv last night, according to local authorities reported by the Ukrainian news site Ukrainska Pravda. No one was injured. Fires were caused by debris from downed drones in five districts of the region, it was further reported. All drones were shot down, according to Ukrainian reports.
09:36 Putin Vows to Achieve All Goals in UkraineRussian President Putin reiterated his commitment to the attack on Ukraine. "All set goals will be achieved," he said in a video message on the second anniversary of Russia's claimed annexation of four regions in Ukraine. The Russian president also repeated his justification for the invasion of Ukraine, describing its government as a "neo-Nazi dictatorship." Russia sent soldiers to Ukraine to protect the Russian-speaking population, he said, accusing the Ukrainian government of wanting to "cut off these people from Russia, their historical homeland, forever." Putin also criticized the "Western elites" who had turned Ukraine into their "colony, a military outpost with Russia as its target."
08:46 Ukraine Relieves Commander of Wuhledar DefenseColonel Ivan Winnik, commander of the 72nd Independent Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine, which has been defending the heavily contested city of Wuhledar, has been relieved of his command. The Kyiv Independent reported this, citing the Joint Forces Command North. The reason given was a promotion and the transfer of combat experience. His successor is not known.
08:04 Mykolaiv Reports Fire at Critical InfrastructureA fire broke out at a critical infrastructure facility in the Bashtanka district of the Mykolaiv region following a Russian drone attack, according to the Ukrainian news site Ukrska Pravda, citing the head of the regional military administration. Which facility is burning is not specified.
07:24 Kyiv Reports Successful Defense Against Nighttime AttackAccording to the regional military administration, the Russian attack on Kyiv last night lasted more than five hours. However, all drones were intercepted, the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reported, citing the leadership of the authorities. The attack was carried out in several waves and from different directions.
06:44 Russia Lets Convicts Fight Instead of Imprisonment
Reports suggest that Russia is using a law that allows authorities to exempt individuals from criminal responsibility if they sign a military contract with the Ministry of Defense. Prisoners in several regions and the illegally occupied Crimea have been given this opportunity, according to Russian opposition media, cited by the US think tank Institute for the Study of War.
Russia fightly persists in assaulting Ukraine with unrelenting savagery. The Russian military drops around 100 guided explosives onto objectives straight from planes daily, as reported by Ukrainian President Zelensky in a video message. Not too long ago, twelve individuals were wounded in Russia's attack on the industrial city of Saporizhzhia. They also launched guided bomb attacks in the locations of Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Sumy. "This is Russia's daily terror," Zelensky stated, further emphasizing that this is a continual reminder to all Ukraine's collaborators "that we require additional long-range attack capabilities for Ukraine, that we require more air defense for Ukraine, that we require more sanctions against Russia."
05:43 Ukrainian General Staff: Concern for Vuhledar
Russian strikes against Ukrainian defense lines are reported near Donbass. Thirteen assaults were successfully repelled at Pokrovsk, and seventeen Russian troop advances were halted at Kurachove, according to the Ukrainian General Staff. Intense fighting is also taking place in the region of Vuhledar. Ukrainian military specialists fear that this small town in the southern Donbass area could soon fall under Russian control.
04:46 Kyiv Explosions: Drone Attacks Continue
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv was under repeated Russian drone attacks during the night. According to the Ukrainian military, air defense units were actively engaged in repelling these attacks for several hours. "Several hostile drones are present in and around Kyiv," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated through the Telegram messaging service. Many explosions were reported in Kyiv, indicating the use of air defense mechanisms. Objects were struck in the air, but there are no initial reports of damage or casualties. Since 1:00 a.m. local time, an air alert has been in force throughout Kyiv, the surrounding region, and the entire eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian air force previously reported several groups of Russian drone attacks on Kyiv and western Ukraine. Additionally, several guided bombs from Russian-controlled zones of Ukraine were recorded around 4:40 a.m. local time, the military said.
03:45 Helsinki Commission Pushes for U.S. Policy Shift Towards Moscow
The bipartisan Helsinki Commission is urgently urging the United States to alter its post-Cold War approach towards Russia and identify Moscow as a persistent threat to global security. According to "The Hill", the Commission advises Washington to reevaluate its stance on Russia, as it has done with China. The proposals exceed the commitments of the Biden administration towards Ukraine and contradict the positions of Donald Trump and his allies in Congress, who believe the US invests too much in European security. Trump focuses on the necessity of direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, but the chairman of the Helsinki Commission, Republican Joe Wilson, is skeptical about the prospect of reaching an agreement with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
02:49 Kyiv Drone Attack
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv is under attack by Russian drones. According to the Ukrainian military, air defense units are engaged in repelling the attacks. Witnesses report several loud explosions and objects hit in the air, indicating the use of air defense systems. Along with Kyiv and the surrounding region, there is currently an air alert throughout eastern Ukraine.
01:40 Moldovan Election Campaign: Minister Warns Against "Thieves"
A senior government minister has implored Moldovans to avoid "thieves, refugees, and bandits" following an exiled pro-Russian businessman's promise to pay voters if they vote "no" in a referendum on joining the European Union. The appeal from Infrastructure Minister Andrei Spinu is indicative of the increasingly disorderly campaign for the presidential elections on October 20, in which pro-European incumbent Maia Sandu is seeking a second term.
00:14 Russia: Ukrainian Forces Strike Nearby Power Transformer Near NPP
According to the management of the Russian-controlled nuclear power plant (NPP) Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian forces have once again targeted a nearby power transformer, causing damage. The NPP management announced on Telegram that an artillery strike hit the transformer in the "Raduga" power transformer station in the city of Enerhodar in southeastern Ukraine. A photo was also published showing smoke rising from the roof of a building. The power supply of Enerhodar has not been interrupted, it is further stated. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with six reactors, is the largest in Europe. It was seized by Russian forces at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Both sides regularly accuse each other of attacking or planning an attack on the power plant.
23:15 Zelenskyy Doubts Nuclear Threats: "Putin Loves His Life"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raises doubts about the ongoing nuclear threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin in an interview with Fox News. The Kremlin leader "loves his life" and is therefore likely to be afraid of using nuclear weapons. "Nobody knows what's in his head," Zelenskyy admits. "He could use nuclear weapons against any country - or not. But I don't believe he will."
22:10 FPO's stance on Ukraine war and Russia in Austrian politicsThe Austrian parliamentary elections have caused major upheavals in the political sphere. The far-right FPO has secured a monumental triumph, earning 28.7% of the votes, as per projections. This victory sees the right-wing populists expressing skepticism towards the EU's foreign policy in their election manifesto. Regarding the Ukraine war, the FPO maintains a softer approach towards Russia and believes that Austria's gas dependency on Russia poses no issues. In 2018, the gas contract between Vienna and Moscow was extended until 2040, stating a commitment to import substantial volumes of natural gas and guaranteeing payment even if no gas is supplied. Between January and May 2024, approximately 90% of Austria's gas imports originated from Russia.
21:37 Russian Prime Minister's visit to TehranRussian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is journeying to Tehran, amid rising tensions in the Middle East, for a scheduled meeting with Iranian President Massoud Pezhman. The meeting is set for Monday, as announced by the Russian government. During his visit, Mishustin will also engage with Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. According to Russian sources, Mishustin's agenda in Tehran includes discussions on various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including trade, economy, culture, and humanitarian aid. Western powers have accused Iran of equipping the Russian military with drones and missiles for its operations in Ukraine. However, Tehran refutes these allegations.
You can catch up on all the previous developments here.
In light of the escalating military operations in Ukraine, President Zelensky's military commanders are facing extensive challenges. They are urging the troops to push their limits to the maximum, as every achievement they can make this fall is crucial. (First sentence)
While discussing the conflict resolution, Donald Trump clarifies that his previous statement about a swift war resolution received little attention, despite him mentioning to offer additional support to Ukraine if a peace treaty with Russia is not reached. (Second sentence)
