Russia launched several waves of missile and drone attacks overnight targeting Kyiv and other regions a day after it bombarded Ukraine with what the Ukrainian Air Force chief called the “most massive air attack” since the war began.
At least one person was killed when a civilian object was “wiped out” in the central Ukraine city of Kryvyi Rih, regional officials said.
Kyiv region’s air defence systems were deployed several times overnight to repel missiles and drones targeting the Ukrainian capital, the region’s military administration said on Telegram.
On Monday, Putin’s forces targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, killing at least seven people as power went out across the nation.
The Russian strikes were delivered via some 100 Iran-made Shahed drones and roughly the same number of cruise and hypersonic missiles, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said the Ukrainian military was able to shoot down 102 out of 127 incoming missiles and 99 out of 109 drones.
Key Points
- Ukraine’s prime minister issues plea to allies
- Russia launched 100 missiles and 100 drones on Ukraine, says Zelenskiy
- Russia confirms large-scale attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to local media
- Russia targets energy supplies in strikes on 15 regions in Ukraine as ‘three killed'
- Kyiv asks Belarus to pull back from border
- Zelensky pays tribute to Reuters film crew as Briton Ryan Evans killed in hotel strike
Russia pounds Ukraine with missiles, drones for second day in row, says Kyiv
04:12
Namita Singh
Russia launched several waves of missile and drone attacks overnight targeting Kyiv and other regions, Ukraine’s military said early on Tuesday, a day after Moscow’s biggest such attack of the war.
At least one person was killed when a civilian object was “wiped out” in the central Ukraine city of Kryvyi Rih, regional officials said.
Kyiv region’s air defence systems were deployed several times overnight to repel missiles and drones targeting the Ukrainian capital, the region’s military administration said on Telegram.
Reuters’ witnesses reported at least three rounds of explosions overnight in Kyiv.
The size of the Tuesday attacks was not immediately known, but Ukraine’s air force said it recorded the launch of several groups of drones and the take-off from Russian airfields of strategic Tu-85 strategic bombers and MiG-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft.
The reports could not be immediately verified, while Russia issued no comments.
Ukraine counts on new long-range weapon to bypass Western restrictions and hit deep into Russia
04:01
AP
Ukraine says it has a new homegrown long-range weapon that will allow it to strike deep into Russia without asking permission from allies.
With the characteristics of a missile and a drone, the “Palianytsia” was created due to urgent necessity, Ukrainian officials said, as Russia has dominated the skies since the outbreak of the war in February 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday the existence of the Palianytsia, a type of Ukrainian bread and a word so notoriously difficult to pronounce correctly that it was used to unmask suspected spies early in the war. Mr Zelensky called it “a new class” of weapon.
Saturday, which marked Ukraine’s 33rd anniversary of independence from the former Soviet Union, also saw the first use of the new weapon, targeting a Russian military installation in the occupied territory, officials said without providing details.
A Ukrainian military video hinted that its range is up to 430 miles — on par with the US-supplied ATACMS. It showed a map with various airfields, including Russia’s Savasleyka air base, which lies within that range, adding that the Palianytsia can reach at least 20 Russian airfields.
Hanna Arhirova reports:
Everything we know about British national killed in Ukraine
03:01
Andy Gregory
Ryan Evans, a British safety adviser for the Reuters news agency, has been identified as the man killed in a missile strike on Hotel Sapphire in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine on Saturday.
Evans had extensive experience advising journalists on safety in conflict zones, including Ukraine and Israel. He also worked on coverage of the Paris Olympics.
He had previously worked as an operations manager for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in Libya for nine years. According to his LinkedIn profile, Evans was originally from Cheshire in the UK.
My colleague Maroosha Muzaffar has more in this report:
Trump claims Ukraine’s incursion into Russia could spark ‘World War 3’
02:02
Andy Gregory
Donald Trump has claimed that Ukraine’s incursion into Russia risks another world war, as the Republican candidate for the US presidency attempted to paint his Democratic rivals as pushing America towards a dangerous all-out conflict.
The ex-president, who was speaking to members of the National Guard Association of the United States in in Detroit, appeared to take a stance against the recent Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory near Kursk.
“Look at what’s going on right now with Ukraine. They’re surging into Russia, okay? You’re going to end up with World War 3. And it’s going to be a bad one,” he said.
01:07
Justin Rohrlich
‘We are preparing it’: Zelensky discusses response to vast Russian attack on energy infrastructure
Tuesday 27 August 2024 00:59
Andy Gregory
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he and his top commander had discussed Ukraine’s response to the largest Russian drone attack on energy facilities since the war began.
“We are preparing it,” Mr Zelensky said of Ukraine’s retaliation, after Moscow attacked it with more than 200 missiles and drones on Monday, killing seven people and striking energy facilities nationwide.
Power cuts and water supply outages were reported in many areas, including parts of Kyiv, as officials said the attack targeted power or other critical infrastructure across the country.
Russia stepped up its strikes on the Ukrainian power grid in March in what Kyiv has said looked like a concerted effort to degrade the system ahead of next winter when people need electricity and heating most.
The air force downed 102 out of 127 incoming missiles and 99 out of 109 drones, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram, describing the attack from the air, ground and sea as “the most massive” of the war.
According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, 15 regions sustained damage. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said there was “a lot of damage in the energy sector”.
Zelenskiy said he had discussed Ukraine’s response to the attack with his top commander: “We are preparing it.”
Russia’s defence ministry said its forces used high precision weapons to strike important energy infrastructure in Ukraine which it said supported the military-industrial complex. It listed power substations, gas compressor stations and storage sites for aircraft weapons.
Russia hits Ukraine with nationwide air strikes
Tuesday 27 August 2024 00:44
Justin Rohrlich
Russia on Monday launched the Ukraine war’s “most massive air attack” against Kyiv and various other cities, striking the former Soviet satellite with what a Ukrainian Air Force commander deemed the “most massive air attack” since the conflict began.
The bombing, via at least 100 Iranian-made drones and at least as many cruise and hypersonic missiles, went after Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, knocking out power across the country. In the process, the Russian attack reportedly killed at least seven people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian strikes affected at least 15 regions, including Kyiv, the capital, Dnipro, and the southern port of Odessa.
David Lammy ‘deeply saddened’ by death of British ex-soldier in Ukraine
Tuesday 27 August 2024 00:02
Andy Gregory
Foreign secretary David Lammy has said he is “deeply saddened” by the death of a former British soldier who had been working as a safety adviser for the Reuters news agency in Ukraine.
Ryan Evans, 38, died after a missile strike on the Hotel Sapphire in Kramatorsk, where he was helping the news organisation cover the war. Two journalists, Daniel Peleschuk and Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey were injured, with the latter in a critical condition.
“I offer my sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” said Mr Lammy, adding: “The UK utterly condemns Russia’s cowardly missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure across Ukraine today.
“These assaults are in flagrant violation of international law and those responsible must be brought to justice.”
Watch: Zelensky pays tribute to British ex-soldier killed in attack on hotel in Kramatorsk
Monday 26 August 2024 23:05
Andy Gregory
Nato denounces ‘irresponsible’ acts by Russia as Poland searches for drone
Monday 26 August 2024 22:07
Andy Gregory
Nato has strongly condemned what it called Russia's ongoing attacks against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure, after Poland said a drone likely entered its airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine earlier today.
“Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian drone fragments and missiles have been found on allied territory on several occasions,” Nato spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said.
“While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”
Norway warned of potential for Russian sabotage of critical national infrastructure
Monday 26 August 2024 21:10
Andy Gregory
Security services from seven European countries have briefed Norwegian energy executives and officials, including from Equinor – Europe’s largest gas supplier – about what they see as Russian threats to critical infrastructure.
The closed-door meeting attended by national security services from Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Iceland highlighted Norway’s role as the key energy supplier to Europe.
“We see a developing story which addresses not only Germany or Norwegian colleagues but all of us,” Sinan Selen, the vice president of Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, told Reuters after the meeting.
“This is a threat which comes from some counterparts like Russia, including not only espionage operations but also the risk of sabotage in some fields,” he added, declining to discuss specific cases.
Beate Gangaas, the head of Norway’s counterintelligence agency PST, which organised the meeting on the sidelines of the ONS energy conference, told Reuters: “When we are talking about sabotage today, we are talking about Russia.”
In the wake of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Norway has become Europe’s largest supplier of natural gas, which is delivered via a vast subsea pipeline system.
Reuters journalist awarded order of merit by Zelensky critically injured in Kramatorsk strike
Monday 26 August 2024 20:00
Andy Gregory
The two Reuters journalists who have been injured in a missile strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk were Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey and Daniel Peleschuk, the news agency has said.
“Reuters video journalist Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey remains in critical condition. Our other colleague, Ukraine correspondent Daniel Peleschuk, was treated and has left the hospital,” Reuters said in a statement.
Lyubysh-Kirdey and Peleschuk were part of a team of six people from Reuters covering the war in Ukraine who were staying at the Hotel Sapphire when it was hit by a missile. Ryan Evans, a safety adviser for the agency, was killed in the strike. The other three team members have been accounted for, Reuters said.
Lyubysh-Kirdey, 40, has worked for Reuters since 2022, and previously worked for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The father-of-one is a Ukrainian national and was awarded an order of merit by president Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022 for his services to journalism.
Ukraine says it downed 102 of 127 Russian missiles and 99 of 109 Russian drones
Monday 26 August 2024 19:00
Tara Cobham
The commander of Ukraine's air force said the country's forces had downed 102 out of 127 missiles and 99 out of 109 drones launched by Russia in a massive attack on Monday.
Mykola Oleshchuk called the combined strike "the biggest air attack" in a statement on Telegram.
In pictures: Russia’s launches major barrage of missiles and drones across Ukraine
Monday 26 August 2024 18:00
Tara Cobham
Russia’s air attack on Ukraine on Monday was biggest of war, says Kyiv
Monday 26 August 2024 17:06
Tara Cobham
Russia’s air attack on Ukraine on Monday was the biggest of the war, Ukraine’s air force commander has said.
Zelensky: Ukraine to ‘further strengthen’ eastern Pokrovsk direction
Monday 26 August 2024 17:00
Tara Cobham
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine decided to "further strengthen" the direction of the eastern strategic hub of Pokrovsk that has seen an intensified Russian military push recently.
He said on Telegram on Monday that he was briefed by his army chief on the situation in the area.
Poland says drone likely entered its airspace during Russian attack on Ukraine
Monday 26 August 2024 16:30
Tara Cobham
Poland said that a drone had likely entered its airspace early on Monday morning during a Russian bombardment of Ukraine, adding that the object may have landed on Polish territory and that searches were underway.
"Most likely it was a drone and we assume so, because the trajectory of the flight and the speed indicate that it was definitely not a missile," Jacek Goryszewski, spokesperson for the Polish army's operational command told Reuters.
"The object is being searched for by 100 soldiers on the ground and one helicopter."
He said it was impossible to say whether the object was Russian or Ukrainian as weather conditions had not allowed for visual identification.
In a later statement on social media platform X the army's operational command said the object had entered Polish airspace at 4.43am (GMT) and that radars had lost sight of it at 5.16am (GMT).
"From the moment it entered Polish airspace, attempts were made to visually verify the object in order to identify it before possible neutralisation," the statement said.
"Unfortunately, due to the prevailing weather conditions, it was not possible to clearly identify it, which prevented the decision to shoot it down."
Russia skips UN meeting pledging respect for humanitarian law
Monday 26 August 2024 16:00
Tara Cobham
Switzerland hosted United Nations Security Council members at a meeting in Geneva on Monday to recommit to international humanitarian law, describing an "alarming" global context characterised by over 120 armed conflicts, with Russia the only member absent.
Switzerland, which is one of the 15 members, organised the informal meeting to commemorate the Geneva Conventions, signed 75 years ago after World War Two in the Swiss city to limit the barbarity of war.
"I call for us to raise respect of the Geneva Conventions to the level of a top political priority," Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told the meeting attended by envoys from a range of countries, including 14 of the 15 UN Security Council members.
Asked about Russia's absence, he said that all members were invited to think about international humanitarian law collectively but said attendance was not compulsory.
Russia's envoy in New York described the meeting as a "waste of time".
"We believe that the Security Council should be focusing on more important matters than travelling around Europe," said Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative in New York Dmitry Polyanski in a message sent by the diplomatic mission in Geneva.
Russia is a 'P5' member which holds a permanent seat within the broader Security Council alongside the United States, France, Britain and China.
At the same meeting the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric described the Geneva Conventions as "under strain", referring to the Gaza conflict as well as Ukraine. Russia launched more than 100 missiles and around 100 attack drones at Ukraine on Monday, killing at least five people and striking energy facilities.
Russia's Wagner says it is not fighting in Ukraine
Monday 26 August 2024 15:30
Tara Cobham
Russia's Wagner mercenary group said on Monday that it only operated in Africa and in Russian ally Belarus, and its soldiers were no longer fighting in the Ukraine war.
Ukraine on Sunday called on Belarus to pull back what it described as significant forces deployed along their shared border. It said these included Belarus special forces and former Wagner mercenaries.
In a rare statement, the group said that its employees only worked in Africa and Belarus.
"There are no divisions of the company in the Russian National Guard, in the ranks of the Russian Ministry of Defense, or anywhere else," it said.
Wagner "is not participating in the Special Military Operation at this stage", it said, using the Kremlin's preferred term for the war in Ukraine. Reuters was not able to verify that assertion.
"In case of a change in the situation, it will be announced," Wagner said.
Wagner's role in Africa, for example in support of the military junta in Mali, is a source of concern to the West. In Ukraine, the group was heavily engaged in the earlier part of Russia's war effort, especially the long battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut which it finally captured in May 2023.
The following month, its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny against Russia's defence establishment. He and other senior Wagner figures were killed in a plane crash on 23 August, 2023.
Monday 26 August 2024 15:00
Tara Cobham
Russia said on Monday it had struck Ukrainian forces at more than a dozen places along the front in the Kursk region of western Russia where Ukraine has carved out a slice of territory after smashing through the Russian border 20 days ago.
Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers punched through the border on Aug. 6 in a surprise attack that Russian President Vladimir Putin said was aimed at improving Kyiv's negotiating position ahead of possible talks and slowing the advance of Russian forces along the front.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that his forces had advanced up to 3 kilometres (1.86 miles) in Russia's Kursk region, taking control of two more settlements there.
Russia said it had struck Ukraine's 22nd and 115th Mechanized Brigades, the 82nd Airborne Assault Brigade, and a Guard and Support Brigade in at least 12 different places with air strikes, artillery and infantry.
Moscow said it had also repelled attacks at seven additional places in Kursk and had struck Ukrainian forces at 16 other locations in Ukraine's neighbouring Sumy region.
"Units of the northern group of forces, with the support of army aviation and artillery fire, repelled attacks by enemy assault groups in the direction of the settlements of Kremyanoye, Malaya Loknya and Nechayev," Russia's defence ministry said in a statement.
It said Russian forces had also "thwarted attempts to attack in the direction of Komarovka, Spalnoye, Korenevo, Pogrebky and Olgovka."
The ministry said it was seeking to identify and destroy Ukrainian sabotage units which had hidden in the forests in an attempt to penetrate deeper into Russian sovereign territory.
While the Kursk incursion has grabbed headlines, Russian officials say the attack will fail to draw Russian forces away from the east of Ukraine where they are still advancing. They also say it will ensnare thousands of Ukrainian troops in a new front which has little strategic or tactical importance.
The Kremlin said on Monday that there would have to be a Russian response to Ukraine's incursion, and that the idea of ceasefire talks with Kyiv was no longer relevant.
Putin has said that Ukraine will receive a "worthy response" but has yet to set out in public what that response is.
Ukraine says Russian attack targeted hydropower plant in Kyiv region
Monday 26 August 2024 14:30
Tara Cobham
A Ukraine foreign ministry official said that a Russian attack on Monday had targeted a hydropower plant in the Kyiv region.
"Today's Russian attack ... targeted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, including Kyiv HPP," Andriy Sybiha said on X.
Today’s Russian attack—100+ missiles & nearly 100 drones—targeted civilian Ukrainian infrastructure, including Kyiv HPP. Tragically, there are casualties.
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) August 26, 2024
These cowardly attacks are #warcrimes. Global action required: needs a right to long-range strikes & enhanced air defense
IAEA chief says to lead mission to Kursk nuclear plant in Russia
Monday 26 August 2024 14:00
Tara Cobham
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday he will personally lead a mission to inspect the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia during a visit on Tuesday.
"Given the serious situation, I'm personally leading tomorrow's IAEA mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia," Grossi said in a post on X.
"I reiterate that the safety and security of nuclear facilities must, under no circumstances, be endangered."
Given the serious situation, I’m personally leading tomorrow’s @IAEAorg mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia.
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) August 26, 2024
My statement: https://t.co/pIRdPMrlzA pic.twitter.com/3DpI3jTJAk
Russia says it disrupted Ukraine's power network and arms supplies with massive strike
Monday 26 August 2024 13:29
Tara Cobham
Russia said on Monday it had conducted a massive strike on Ukraine which it said had disrupted the electricity supply and the transport by rail of arms and ammunition to the front line.
Ukrainian officials said earlier on Monday that Russia had launched more than 100 missiles and around 100 attack drones at Ukraine during the morning rush hour, killing at least five people and striking energy facilities nationwide.
Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement it had fired missiles from the air and sea and that it had struck electricity substations in nine Ukrainian regions and gas compressor stations in three regions.
"This morning the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike with long-range air- and sea-based precision weapons, and with operational and tactical aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles against critical energy infrastructure facilities supporting the work of Ukraine's military-industrial complex," the ministry said.
In an apparent reference to F-16 jets supplied by the West, it said Russia had also struck storage facilities holding aircraft ammunition transferred to Kyiv by Western countries at two airfields.
"All designated targets were hit, resulting in disruption to the electricity supply and to the transport - by rail - of weapons and ammunition to the line of contact," the statement said.
Ukraine’s prime minister issues plea to allies
Monday 26 August 2024 12:53
Tara Cobham
Ukraine's prime minister has called on Ukraine’s allies to provide Kyiv with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia, vowing to “make Russia pay”.
Denys Shmyhal said on Monday morning: “In order to stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russian missiles are launched. We count on the support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay.”
Alert at NATO base in Germany was due to drone threat, source says
Monday 26 August 2024 12:30
Tara Cobham
Last week's alert at a NATO base in Germany housing the Western alliance's fleet of AWACS surveillance planes was due to a potential drone threat, a security source said on Monday.
Geilenkirchen air base in western Germany raised its security level to "Charlie" - the second highest of four - during most of Friday.
German news agency dpa, citing security sources, said there had been a tip-off from a foreign intelligence service about a possible Russian act of sabotage.
But the security source told Reuters no drones had been seen and could not confirm any evidence of a Russian role.
"The word Russia was never mentioned. We talked about a threat caused by drones," added a NATO spokesperson at Geilenkirchen.
The German government press office, the interior ministry and Moscow's embassy in Berlin did not immediately comment on the media report of a Russian threat.
Western forces are on high alert amid widespread reports from intelligence services and Western media of possible Russian acts of sabotage against nations supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, has rejected the assertions and accuses the West of aggression towards it.
Last week, Geilenkirchen base also raised the security level after a nearby military base was temporarily sealed off as authorities investigated possible sabotage to the water supply.
Polish army says object entered Poland during Russian attack on Ukraine, according to local reports
Monday 26 August 2024 12:10
Tara Cobham
An object flew into Polish airspace during Russia's attack on Ukraine on Monday and probably landed on Polish territory, state news agency PAP reported, citing the Polish army's operational command.
PAP reported that searches for the object, which was not a missile, were underway.
Kremlin says it has yet to see accusations against Telegram's Durov
Monday 26 August 2024 12:00
Tara Cobham
The Kremlin said on Monday it did not know what Telegram founder Pavel Durov, arrested by French police on Saturday, was accused of, and said Russia would wait for an official statement on his detention before commenting further.
Durov, the Russia-born billionaire owner of the Telegram messaging app, was detained at Le Bourget airport outside the French capital shortly after landing on a private jet late on Saturday, three sources told Reuters.
"We do not yet know what exactly Durov is accused of," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news briefing.
"We have not yet heard any official statement on the matter, and before we say anything, we should wait for the situation to be clarified.
"With what exactly are they trying to incriminate Durov? Without (knowing), it would probably be wrong to make any statements," Peskov said.
Durov was still in detention on Monday and was being questioned by police, French media reported. Paris has not officially confirmed his arrest.
Durov, who has dual French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, was arrested as part of a preliminary police investigation into allegedly allowing a wide range of crimes to be committed using his platform due to a lack of moderators on Telegram and a lack of cooperation with police, a French police source told Reuters over the weekend.
The encrypted Telegram app, based in Dubai, has close to 1 billion users and is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union.
Durov himself left Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on the VKontakte social media platform, which he also founded and has since sold.
Peskov on Monday said Russian President Vladimir Putin had not met Durov last week in Baku, where the Kremlin leader was on a state visit.
Russia launched 100 missiles and 100 drones on Ukraine, says Zelenskiy
Monday 26 August 2024 10:57
Tara Cobham
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia used more than 100 missiles and about 100 drones in Monday's strike on Ukraine.
"A lot of damage in the energy sector," he said on Telegram.
Zelenskiy called on allies to stick to agreements to supply air defence systems and missiles. He also said that Ukraine and partners should make a joint air defence agreement to shoot down Russian drones and missiles.
Kremlin warns there will be a response to Ukraine’s Kursk attack
Monday 26 August 2024 10:51
Tara Cobham
The Kremlin said on Monday that there would have to be a Russian response to Ukraine's incursion into the western Kursk region and that the idea of ceasefire talks with Kyiv was no longer relevant.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such hostile actions could not go without a response.
The Kremlin also said that Moscow and Kyiv had held no ceasefire talks and that the topic of negotiations with Ukraine has “pretty much lost its relevance”.
Russia confirms large-scale attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to local media
Monday 26 August 2024 10:47
Tara Cobham
The Russian military has said it used high-precision weapons to strike important energy infrastructure in Ukraine that supports the military-industrial complex, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
Ukraine’s presidential advisor calls on allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia
Monday 26 August 2024 10:41
Tara Cobham
Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff has called on Kyiv’s allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia.
It comes after Moscow’s large-scale attack against Ukraine on Monday morning.
Ukraine says Russia hit energy infrastructure in three regions
Monday 26 August 2024 10:37
Tara Cobham
Energy facilities in at least three Ukrainian regions were hit in a massive Russian attack on Monday morning, regional officials said.
Authorities in Zaporizhzhia, Rivne, and Lviv regions said on Telegram that energy infrastructure in their areas came under attack.
Local officials in several other regions reported that energy facilities and critical infrastructure were targeted well.
Ukraine downs around 15 missiles and 15 drones targeting Kyiv, authorities say
Monday 26 August 2024 10:35
Tara Cobham
Ukraine's air defences shot down approximately 15 missiles and 15 drones targeting the capital of Kyiv during Russia's overnight attack on Monday, Serhiy Popko, the head of the Kyiv military administration, said via the Telegram messaging app.
Kyiv calls on allies to down Russian drones and missiles close to their airspace
Monday 26 August 2024 10:34
Tara Cobham
Ukraine's foreign minister called on allies to agree to shoot down Russian drones and missiles over Ukrainian territory after a massive Russian strike on Monday.
Dmytro Kuleba said on X that "agreeing to use partners' air defence capabilities to shoot down missiles and drones close to their airspace" would help to end Russian attacks on Ukraine sooner.
This morning, Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike on 15 Ukrainian regions, primarily targeting critical civilian infrastructure and our energy system.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) August 26, 2024
There have been civilian deaths and injuries, as well as damage to energy facilities. Russia continues to wage a…
Everything we know about British national Ryan Evans killed in Ukraine
Monday 26 August 2024 10:02
Tara Cobham
Ryan Evans, a British safety adviser for the Reuters news agency, has been identified as the man killed in a missile strike on Hotel Sapphire in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine on Saturday.
The incident occurred while Evans was staying at the hotel as part of a six-person team covering the Ukraine war.
Reuters said Evans, 38, was a former British soldier who had been with the agency since 2022. He died when a suspected Russian Iskander missile struck the hotel on Saturday.
My colleague Maroosha Muzaffar reports:
Russia’s Saratov airport lifts flight curbs after Ukraine drone attack
Monday 26 August 2024 09:20
Maroosha Muzaffar
Russia’s Saratov airport lifted flight restrictions today after a Ukrainian drone attack that reportedly caused damage to residential areas and injured a woman.
The attack on Saratov’s regional airport involved Ukrainian drones that were allegedly intercepted and destroyed by Russia’s air defence systems.
The drones were reportedly targeting the airport, but the air defence systems managed to neutralise them before they could cause significant damage, local authorities said.
The debris from the destroyed drones, however, caused damage to a residential area in Saratov and reportedly led to injuries.
The airport imposed flight restrictions during the incident, but these restrictions were lifted later in the day once the situation was under control.
Russia targets energy supplies in strikes on 15 regions in Ukraine as ‘three killed'
Monday 26 August 2024 09:18
Tara Cobham
Russian forces unleashed a massive drone and missile barrage on Ukraine early on Monday, and at least three people were reported killed in the attack, which appeared to target energy infrastructure.
The attack began at around midnight and continued after dawn in what appeared to be Russia's biggest attack against Ukraine in weeks.
According to the Ukrainian air force, there were multiple groups of Russian drones moving towards eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of Ukraine, followed by multiple cruise and ballistic missiles.
Explosions were heard in the capital, Kyiv, and power and water supplies in the city have been disrupted, the city's mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, said.
Another person was killed in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where the attack sparked multiple fires, regional head Serhii Lysak said. One person was rescued from under the rubble, he said.
One person was also killed in the south-eastern, partially occupied region of Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said. He said an infrastructure facility was hit and caught fire.
In the southern Mykolaiv region, three people were injured, regional head Vitalii Kim reported. He also urged local residents to use "points of invincibility" in the region.
In the outlying Kyiv region, one person was injured in an attack that hit unspecified infrastructure objects and residential houses, regional head Ruslan Kravchenko said.
Ukraine's private energy company, DTEK, introduced emergency blackouts, saying in an online statement that "energy workers throughout the country work 24/7 to restore light in the homes of Ukrainians".
Луцьк. Рятувальники ліквідували наслідки чергової російської атаки
— МВС України (@MVS_UA) August 26, 2024
Близько 8:30 ранку сталося влучання у багатоквартирний житловий будинок на одному з проспектів міста.
Рятувальники оперативно ліквідували наслідки горіння та руйнувань конструкцій у квартирі. pic.twitter.com/TPkqbmc9Z3
Ukrainian drone tried to attack oil refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl as Kyiv experiences power and water outages
Monday 26 August 2024 09:00
Maroosha Muzaffar
A Ukrainian drone attempted to strike an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, a city northeast of Moscow this morning, according to regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev via Telegram.
He reported that there were no casualties or damage from the incident.
Meanwhile, parts of Kyiv experienced power and water outages following a large-scale Russian air attack on Monday, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko via Telegram.
Ukraine’s largest private energy producer, DTEK, announced the implementation of emergency power outages in response to the attacks.
New blasts heard on approach to Kyiv, Reuters witnesses say
Monday 26 August 2024 08:10
Maroosha Muzaffar
During Monday morning hours, new explosions were heard near Kyiv, which appeared to be the sound of air defence systems responding to an air attack, according to Reuters witnesses.
These blasts came after several previous waves of attacks and explosions.
Kyiv, along with the rest of Ukraine, was under air raid alerts, with the Ukrainian air force warning of a potential large-scale Russian assault.
ICYMI: American citizen among those injured in Russian strike on hotel, US state department confirms
Monday 26 August 2024 07:50
Tara Cobham
The US State Department confirmed that an American citizen was among those injured in the Russian strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, which also killed British safety adviser Ryan Evans and injured two Reuters journalists.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned the presence of American citizens at the hotel, stating: “My condolences go out to the family and friends. This is a daily Russian terror that continues, because Russia has the ability to continue.”
The identities of the injured American and other affected individuals have not been disclosed.
Russia launches massive air attack on Kyiv, Ukraine's military says
Monday 26 August 2024 07:30
Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukraine’s military reported a widespread air raid alert across the country this morning due to a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack, following multiple waves of overnight drone assaults, Reuters reported.
The Ukrainian air force noted the launch of several missiles and numerous drones, but by 0500GMT, no explosions were reported.
“Up to 10 drones were destroyed on their approach to the city,” Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration said, on Telegram.
Despite the attacks, there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, and no response from Russia.
Both countries continue to deny targeting civilians, claiming their attacks focus on critical infrastructure.
Why is Ukraine destroying bridges in Russia’s Kursk?
Monday 26 August 2024 07:10
Jabed Ahmed
Watch: India's Narendra Modi meets Volodymyr Zelensky and Indian community on visit to Ukraine
Monday 26 August 2024 06:50
Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukraine has captured over 240 Russian soldiers during its Kursk incursion — report
Monday 26 August 2024 06:30
Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukraine has reportedly captured at least 247 Russian soldiers since launching an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast on 6 August, according to a Washington Post analysis of visual evidence, including over 130 photos and videos.
Some of the captured troops identified themselves as conscripts, raising political issues for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as these men are often young, poorly trained, and have not been promised combat roles, the outlet reported.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a video of Russian soldiers surrendering en masse like that,” Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace was quoted as saying.
“Having conscripts in combat undermines the social contract between Russian families and the government that has held under Putin’s leadership since 1999,” Massicot added.
The footage spans locations over 22 kilometres inside Russia and shows groups of captured soldiers, with some videos depicting at least 40 soldiers captured near the Sudzha border crossing.
Both the Ukrainian and Russian governments have not revealed the number of Russian soldiers captured during the Kursk offensive.
Flights restricted as Ukraine drone attack on Russia’s Saratov damages homes, governor says
Monday 26 August 2024 06:12
Maroosha Muzaffar
A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Saratov region on Monday caused damage to homes and led to flight restrictions, according to Russian officials and news agencies.
The regional governor, Roman Basurgin, reported on Telegram that falling debris from drones, intercepted by Russia’s air defence systems, damaged a residential complex in the city of Saratov, and a woman was also injured in the incident.
Russia’s defence ministry stated that its air defence systems shot down nine drones over the Saratov region, which is located about 900 kilometres (560 miles) from Ukraine’s border, according to Reuters.
According to Russia’s RIA news agency, flights were limited at the Saratov regional airport, as reported by the airport’s press service.
Will Modi’s Ukraine visit change his mind on support for Russia’s Putin?
Monday 26 August 2024 06:00
Jabed Ahmed
Russia launches drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s military says
Monday 26 August 2024 05:51
Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv early Monday, but there were no injuries or damage, according to preliminary information.
“Up to 10 drones were destroyed on their approach to the city,” Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration said, on Telegram.
He noted that a full assessment of the attack’s scale would be available later.
Air raid alerts were active across most of central and eastern Ukraine during the incident.
Falling drone debris damages houses in Russia’s Saratov region, regional governor says
Monday 26 August 2024 05:33
Maroosha Muzaffar
Falling debris from drones that Ukraine launched at Russia’s Saratov region damaged several houses in the cities of Saratov and Engels, according to the region’s governor on Monday.
Roman Busargin said on Telegram that all emergency services were dispatched to the affected areas.
Engels, one of the cities hit, is home to a strategic Russian military bomber base.
American citizen among those injured in Russian strike on hotel, US state department confirms
Monday 26 August 2024 05:22
Maroosha Muzaffar
The US State Department confirmed that an American citizen was among those injured in the Russian strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, which also killed British safety adviser Ryan Evans and injured two Reuters journalists.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned the presence of American citizens at the hotel, stating: “My condolences go out to the family and friends. This is a daily Russian terror that continues, because Russia has the ability to continue.”
