At least four people, including a 14-year-old girl, have been killed in a reported Russian glide bomb attack on a multistorey apartment black in northeast Ukraine.
The daytime attack hit the 12-storey building and the playground in front of it, with multiple cars catching fire. At least 28 people were wounded.
"Occupiers killed a child right on the playground," local mayor Ihor Terekhov said on the Telegram messenger app.
Graphic footage showed swathes of the building on fire with residents heard screaming.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reposted a video of the aftermath of the strike, using the incident to reiterate his calls for Kyiv’s Western allies to allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory.
“The Russian strike on Kharkiv directly on people, on ordinary homes,” he wrote. “This strike was carried out using a Russian guided aerial bomb—a strike that could have been prevented if our Defence Forces had the capability to destroy Russian military aircraft at their bases.
“We need strong decisions from our partners to stop this terror.”
Key Points
- Russian glide bomb kills four and wounds 28 in daytime Kharkiv attack
- Update: Russia advances on eastern city of Pokrovsk
- Ukraine says one of its Western-donated F-16 warplanes has crashed
- In pictures: Funeral of fallen F-16 pilot Alexei ‘Moonfish’ Mes
- Nato members call for lifting restriction on long-range strikes against Russia
Zelensky calls for West to abandon red lines after fatal Kharkiv strike
15:21
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Kyiv’s Western allies to take “strong decisions” and permit them to fire deeper into Russia.
He issued the plea after a glide bomb destroyed a multi storey block of flats in the northeast city of Kharkiv earlier today, killing at least three people.
Ukraine maintains that it would be able to reduce the impact of glide bombs if it could strike the bases from where the jets that fire the bombs take off, which is currently out of range of Kyiv’s capabilities.
Ukraine’s Western allies, particularly the US, are currently blocking Kyiv from using their long-range missiles at full range.
The Russian strike on Kharkiv directly on people, on ordinary house. All services are currently engaged in the rescue operation. I thank everyone who is helping to save lives at this moment.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2024
This strike was carried out using a Russian guided aerial bomb—a strike that could have… pic.twitter.com/ydRfqPju6n
UPD: Four dead and 28 injured in daytime Kharkiv attack
14:59
Tom Watling
At least four people have been killed and 28 wounded in a daytime strike on a 12-storey apartment block in Kharkiv.
Earlier, we reported that several people had been killed in a glide bomb attack in Ukraine’s northeast region.
Харків
— Hochu dodomu v UA (@hochu_dodomu) August 30, 2024
У Індустріальному районі влучання ворожого КАБу в підʼїзд 12-поверхового будинку. Вже відомо про троє загиблих.
Ще одну влучання — у Немишлянському районі. Вбито дівчинку на дитячому майданчику, троє поранених.
Вже 28 поранених внаслідок терору кацапів по місту pic.twitter.com/3CSQTuXXRv
Russian attack on Ukraine's Kharkiv hits high-rise and playground, killing three
14:40
Tom Watling
A Russian guided bomb attack on Ukraine‘s northeastern city of Kharkiv hit a residential building and a high-rise, killing one child and injuring two other people, the mayor said.
“Occupiers killed a child right on the playground. At least three other people in the area were injured,” Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram.
Two other people were killed in a 12-storey apartment block that caught fire as a result of the strike, he added.
Kyiv residents sing anthem while sheltering in subway during attack
14:30
Tom Watling
Ukraine says US experts are helping figure out why a Ukrainian F-16 crashed in the war with Russia
14:00
Tom Watling
Photos from the Russian Kursk region
13:24
Tom Watling
Update: Another body found in Sumy; death toll rises to 2
12:41
Tom Watling
The death toll from a Russian drone attack in Sumy has increased to two, local officials have revealed.
One injured person died later in hospital, regional prosecutors said on Telegram, and the body of another victim was retrieved from the rubble.
Pokrovsk: Zelensky’s key city Russia is desperate to take next
12:07
Tom Watling
Ukraine says US partners helping in investigation of F-16 crash
11:42
Tom Watling
The commander of Ukraine‘s air force said on Friday that it had shared with U.S. partners a preliminary report about an F-16 jet crash that took place on Monday.
Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram that the United States, where the F-16 is manufactured, was assisting the investigation.
The Ukrainian military said on Thursday that the F-16 crashed and its pilot died while approaching a target during a Russian air strike.
Update: Russia's attack kills one, injures eight in Ukraine's Sumy, authorities say
11:01
Tom Watling
A Russian attack overnight damaged a factory in Ukraine‘s northeastern city of Sumy, killing a 48-year-old woman and injuring at least eight people, local authorities said on Friday.
The airstrike caused a fire, prompting regional authorities to ask residents to stay inside and close the windows.
Ukraine‘s Prosecutor General’s office said that the factory manufactured packaging for baby food, juices and household products.
Earlier, we reported that that nine people had been injured un Sumy.
British MoD issues updated maps of the frontline in Ukraine
10:28
Tom Watling
The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.
— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) August 30, 2024
The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 30 August 2024. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/i0mQdITVul
Russia's attack injures at least 9 in Ukraine's Sumy, local authorities say
09:58
Tom Watling
Russian overnight attacks damaged an enterprise in Sumy region, injuring at least 9 people, and hit an industrial facility in Poltava region, local authorities said on Friday.
An airstrike on the northeastern city of Sumy caused a fire, prompting regional authorities to ask residents to stay inside and close the windows.
A drone attack hit an industrial facility in Poltava without causing any casualties, regional governor Filip Pronin said.
The Ukrainian air force said it shot down 12 out of 18 Russia-launched drones overnight over five Ukrainian regions. Four more drones fell over the Ukrainian territory.
Russia also used an Iskander-M missile during the attack, the air force added.
Former Russian defense official detained suspected of fraud in latest high-profile military arrest
09:32
Tom Watling
Pictures from the frontline
09:14
Tom Watling
Footate shows drones hitting Russian city of Kaluga
09:03
Tom Watling
Morning of 30 August: unidentified drones attacked the city of Kaluga in Russia, some 500 km away from the border with Ukraine. Local governor claims that four UAVs were shot down.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 30, 2024
Two UAVs were shot down on approach to the city's international airport, causing damage.
The… pic.twitter.com/D7V3wgZVH5
F-16 pilot killed in Ukraine by friendly fire, claims official
08:45
Tom Watling
The Ukrainian pilot killed when his F-16 fighter jet crashed earlier this week was shot down by friendly fire from a US-supplied Patriot anti-aircraft missile system, a Kyiv official has claimed.
Oleksiy “Moonfish” Mes was killed on Monday defending against one of the largest Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine since the war began. Official reports said the pilot crashed the jet. It had only just arrived in Ukraine after Kyiv called for them for years.
Mary Bezhula, an MP who was briefed on the incident, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Moonfish had been shot down by Patriot fire.
“War is war, such episodes are possible,” she wrote. “But the culture of lies in the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as in other higher military headquarters, leads to the fact that the system of managing military decisions does not improve on the basis of truthful, consistently collected analytics, but deteriorates and even collapses, as is happening in the Pokrovsky direction.”
You can read her full statement below, though it will need to be translated. Moonfish can be seen in the right of her picture, sitting next to another pilot whose death was also investigated.
За моєю інформацією F-16 українського пілота Олексія "Moonfish" Месь був збитий зенітно-ракетним комплексом Patriot через дискоординацію між підрозділами. У доповідях зазначили, що він «не впорався з керуванням». Подія трапилась під час однієї з найпотужніших повітряних атак… pic.twitter.com/vqHV7kBEX9
— Mariana (@marybezuhla) August 29, 2024
Update: Russia advances on eastern city of Pokrovsk
08:24
Tom Watling
Russian forces are continuing to advance towards the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, the latest maps have suggested.
DeepState, a Ukrainian group with close ties to the military and which tracks developments on the frontline, said the situation is “difficult and out of control”.
They reported that Russian forces are on the eastern outskirts of the town of Selydove, only around 10 miles from Pokrovsk.
Кацапська ганчірка на адмінбудівлях шахти "Котляревська" східніше Селидового
— DeepState UA (@Deepstate_UA) August 29, 2024
⚔ Бої тривають вже на околицях міста. Ситуація важка і не контрольована.
https://t.co/apNgzGurC0 pic.twitter.com/7QfkwHyeFN
Russian fighter jet downed over Ukraine as oil depot set ablaze
08:16
Tom Watling
In pictures: Funeral of fallen F-16 pilot Alexei ‘Moonfish’ Mes
07:34
Namita Singh
IAEA calls for no fighting around nuclear plants
07:24
Namita Singh
The IAEA has urged both sides to refrain from fighting around nuclear plants to avoid a catastrophic incident, and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said after visiting Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant on Tuesday that there was a risk of a nuclear accident there.
Earlier, Russia’s defence ministry said on Monday it had struck electricity substations in nine Ukrainian regions and gas compressor stations in three regions.
Ukrainian officials have said Ukraine has lost about half its power generating capacity during the war, and most of its power needs are now covered by electricity produced by three Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the Europe’s largest, is occupied by Russian forces and out of operation.
Russia claims Ukrainian attack thwarted in Crimea
07:19
Namita Singh
The Russian military said on Thursday it had thwarted an overnight attack on Crimea.
The Russian defence ministry said its forces destroyed three Ukrainian sea drones aimed at the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
The Russia-installed governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev added that four Ukrainian aerial drones and three sea drones were destroyed “at a significant distance” from the peninsula’s shore.
Ukraine has not acknowledged the reports, and there is typically a time lag between its attacks on Russian-held territory and any confirmation.
Ukraine’s Army General Staff did acknowledge on Thursday its involvement in strikes this week on oil depots deep inside Russia, where a number of fires broke out.
The attacks in the Rostov and Kirov regions were part of Ukraine’s effort to disrupt logistical infrastructure supporting Russia’s war machine.
What is Ukraine really up to with its audacious Kursk land grab?
07:16
Namita Singh
One month on from President Zelensky’s Russian incursion began, Mary Dejevsky asks whether it is a strategic game-changer as a powerful bargaining chip – or simply a defensive move to prevent a direct march on Kyiv.
Watch: Tramatised lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine take first steps outside at UK animal sanctuary
07:15
Namita Singh
Let us strike deep inside Russia where it will hurt them, Ukraine pleads with West
07:00
Tom Watling
What are F-16 jets? And why does Ukraine need them?
06:46
Namita Singh
Ukraine needs at least 130 F-16 fighter jets to neutralise Russian air power, Kyiv officials say.
US officials told the Associated Press at the end of last month that the first of a batch of F-16s promised by European countries had arrived in Ukraine.
Military analysts have said their arrival won’t be a game-changer in the war, given Russia’s massive air force and sophisticated air defence systems. But Ukrainian officials welcomed them as offering an opportunity to hit back at Russia’s air superiority.
Ukraine has until now been using Soviet-era warplanes, and its pilots underwent intense training on the F-16s in the West for months. The usual training period is three years.
US president Joe Biden granted authorisation in August 2023 for the US-built warplanes to be sent to Ukraine. That came after months of pressure from Kyiv and internal debate in the US administration where officials feared the move could escalate tensions with the Kremlin.
The F-16s can fly up to twice the speed of sound and have a maximum range of more than 3,200km.
“They will be able to affect some of the dynamics of the war,” Federico Borsari, an analyst at the Center for European Policy Analysis, earlier told The Independent.
The jets can help to intercept Russian missiles and drones, suppress enemy air defence systems, and strike Russian troop positions and ammunition depots with air-to-ground missiles, Mr Borsari said. Russia has stepped up drone and missile attacks across Ukraine in recent months.
The plane’s advanced radars – fitted by Lockheed Martin – allow Ukrainian pilots to pinpoint targets further away than they can in their current Soviet-era MiG-29s, Su-27s and Su-24s.
They can also fire modern weapons used by Nato countries and carry British-supplied Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles with a range of more than 250km, potentially striking targets inside Russia.
Information on the specific capabilities of the F-16s provided to Ukraine has not been made public, however.
Russia’s attacks on power sector pose risk to nuclear facilities, says Ukraine
06:42
Namita Singh
A Russian drone and missile attack on Monday forced Ukraine to disconnect several nuclear power units from the grid, posing a risk to the sector as a whole, the Ukrainian mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
Russia used more than 200 missiles and drones in Monday’s attack on energy facilities, Ukrainian officials said.
“The Russian Federation continues to deliberately target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, intending to disrupt the operation of the country’s nuclear power plants, which provide most of Ukraine’s electricity,” the Ukrainian mission to the UN nuclear watchdog said in a note on Thursday.
“Russian attacks pose a significant risk to the stable operation of nuclear facilities in Ukraine and the safety of millions of people.”
Who is the fallen F-16 pilot Alexei ‘Moonfish’ Mes
06:21
Namita Singh
Colonel Alexei “Moonfish” Mes, a highly experienced Ukrainian pilot, has been killed in the crash of an F-16 fighter jet on Monday.
He “saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles, unfortunately, at the cost of [his] own life,” said the Ukrainian air force in a tribute on Facebook.
Moonfish and a fellow Ukrainian pilot, Andrii “Juice” Pilshchykov, made an early, public visit to the US in June 2022 to press lawmakers and media to send Ukraine F-16 fighter jets and they both continued to serve as public faces for Ukraine’s battle to secure its airspace. Juice was killed in an August 2023 accident.
“When I met with Ukraine pilots Juice and Moonfish I had a sick feeling they wouldn’t make it through the war,” former US congressman Adam Kingzinger posted on X. “They fought like hell for Ukraine, and the F16.”
When I met with Ukraine pilots Juice (left) and Moonfish (right) I had a sick feeling they wouldn’t make it through the war. Juice died in Aug 2023, Moonfish died on Monday. They fought like hell for Ukraine, and the F16. Nickel on the grass men. Slava Ukrainii pic.twitter.com/uErBmyQGBa
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) (@AdamKinzinger) August 29, 2024
Why an embarrassed Putin is struggling to stop Ukraine’s incursion in the Kursk region
06:19
Namita Singh
Russia is still struggling to dislodge Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region, a surprisingly slow and low-key response to the first occupation of its territory since World War II.
After a three-week struggle, it all comes down to Russian manpower and Russian priorities.
With the bulk of its military pressing offensives inside Ukraine, the Kremlin appears to lack enough reserves for now to drive out Kyiv‘s forces.
Report:
Ukraine renews plea to attack Russian soil
06:18
Namita Singh
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his pleas for Western allies to untie his hands in deciding what to strike on Russian soil.
“All our partners should be more active — much more active — in countering Russian terror,” Mr Zelensky said late on Wednesday.
“We continue to insist that their determination now — lifting the restrictions on long-range strikes for Ukraine now — will help us to end the war as soon as possible in a fair way for Ukraine and the world as a whole.”
What is Ukraine really up to with its audacious Kursk land grab?
06:00
Tom Watling
Former Russian defence official detained in fraud case
05:58
Namita Singh
A former defence ministry official was held in a fraud case on Thursday, the latest high-profile arrest in what appears to be a sweeping investigation into abuse of office in Russia’s military leadership.
Former deputy defence minister Pavel Popov faces up to 10 years in prison if he is charged and convicted following his detention on suspicion of committing fraud, Russian state news agencies reported, adding that he was ordered held until at least 29 October.
The case against Popov relates to business activities at a sprawling park in Moscow sometimes called Russia’s “military Disneyland”.
Patriot Park, a pet project of former defence minister Sergei Shoigu, is designed to inspire national pride in younger generations and showcases Soviet and Russian weaponry. It has a firing range, air base, museums and conference centre and a massive, khaki-colored Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, which features mosaics of Soviet and Russian soldiers. President Vladimir Putin personally donated money to commission the main icon for the church, according to the Kremlin.
Popov is the eighth top military figure to be arrested on charges of fraud, bribery or abuse of office in recent months, including deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov, who was arrested for bribery in April and later dismissed from his position. The arrests began shortly before Putin replaced Shoigu with an economist, Andrei Belousov.
Netherlands backs Ukraine’s demands to use F-16 to strike Russian territory
05:30
Namita Singh
The Netherlands has backed Ukraine in its demand to use F-16 fighter jets to strike inside Russian territory.
Ukraine has been ramping up calls for Kyiv to be allowed to strike deeper into mainland Russia, saying that restricting anything short of full capability renders the long-range missiles “useless”.
“We have not placed any restrictions on the use and range of the F-16, provided that the laws of war are adhered to,” the Netherlands’ chief of defence Onno Eichelsheim told Dutch outlet NOS in remarks published on Thursday.
Earlier on 6 August, Ukrainian troops entered Russian Kursk and according to Kyiv, they have now taken over a hundred places in the region.
Calling the idea “brilliant in practical terms”, he said “They have taken a large area in a good way, with new techniques, quite quickly. In doing so, they have created a dilemma for [Russian president Vladimir] Putin.”
Kyiv residents sing anthem while sheltering in subway during attack
05:00
Tom Watling
IAEA's Rafael Grossi to travel to Ukraine to assess developments at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
04:40
Namita Singh
IAEA director general Rafael Grossi will travel to Ukraine next week to hold high-level talks and assess developments at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the IAEA said on Thursday.
Serbia announces deal to buy 12 French warplanes in shift away from Russia
04:30
Namita Singh
Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic has announced a $3bn deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a move that shifts his country away from its dependence on Russian arms.
The announcement about the Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets was made during a joint news conference in Belgrade with French president Emmanuel Macron, who was on a two-day visit to Serbia.
Mr Macron called it a “historic and important” deal and praised Serbia’s “strategic courage. It’s a true demonstration of European spirit”.
An official in Mr Macron’s office, who was not authorised to be identified according to French presidential policy, said the warplane deal was part of larger strategy of “bringing Serbia closer to the EU”.
Serbia needs to upgrade its fleet and the Rafale is a “strategic choice” for Belgrade, which could choose to rely only on Russian equipment instead, the official said.
Serbia had been considering the purchase of the new Rafale jets for more than two years, since neighbouring Balkan rival Croatia purchased 12 used fighter jets of the same type.
Chinese leader Xi meets US national security adviser as the two powers try to avoid conflict
04:23
Namita Singh
Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday as the latter wound up a three-day visit with the stated aim of keeping communications open in a relationship that has become increasingly tense in recent years.
The two also discussed China’s support for Russia, as a recent US assessment found that the country was exporting technology that Russia uses to manufacture missiles, tanks and other weaponry. They also discussed efforts to end the Ukraine war, but Mr Sullivan said they did not make any progress on that issue.
Starting with a trade war that dates back to 2018, China and the US have grown at odds over a range of issues, from global security, such as China’s claims over the South China Sea, to industrial policy on electric vehicle and solar panel manufacturing. Mr Sullivan’s trip this week is meant to keep the tensions from spiraling into conflict.
Ukraine says one of its Western-donated F-16 warplanes has crashed
04:01
Namita Singh
One of the handful of F-16 warplanes that Ukraine has received from its Western partners to help fight Russia’s invasion has crashed, Ukraine’s Army General Staff said on Thursday. The pilot died.
The fighter jet went down on Monday, when Russia launched a major missile and drone barrage at Ukraine, a military statement posted on Facebook said. Four of those Russian missiles were shot down by F-16s, the statement said.
The crash was the first reported loss of an F-16 in Ukraine, where they arrived at the end of last month. At least six of the warplanes are believed to have been delivered.
The defense ministry has opened an investigation into the crash.
The Ukrainian air force in a Facebook post identified the pilot as Colonel Alexei “Moonfish” Mes, who “saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles, unfortunately, at the cost of your own life.”
Moonfish and a fellow Ukrainian pilot, Andrii “Juice” Pilshchykov, made an early, public visit to the US in June 2022 to press lawmakers and media to send Ukraine F-16 fighter jets and they both continued to serve as public faces for Ukraine’s battle to secure its airspace.
Juice was killed in an August 2023 accident.“When I met with Ukraine pilots Juice and Moonfish I had a sick feeling they wouldn’t make it through the war,” former US congressman Adam Kingzinger posted on X. “They fought like hell for Ukraine, and the F16.”
Why is Russia launching massive airstrikes across Ukraine?
04:00
Tom Watling
Russian fighter jet downed over Ukraine as oil depot set ablaze
03:00
Tom Watling
Embarrassed Putin is struggling to stop Ukraine’s incursion in Kursk
02:00
Tom Watling
Russia launches a heavy missile and drone bombardment of Ukraine for the third time in 4 days
01:00
Tom Watling
French prosecutors set to charge or release Telegram CEO Pavel Durov as his custody order expires
Friday 30 August 2024 00:00
Tom Watling
Pokrovsk: Zelensky’s key city Russia is desperate to take next
Thursday 29 August 2024 23:00
Tom Watling
Ukraine first lady wants country's kids to see themselves as 'generation of winners' not war victims
Thursday 29 August 2024 22:00
Tom Watling
Ukraine first lady wants country's kids to see themselves as 'generation of winners' not war victims
Let us strike deep inside Russia where it will hurt them, Ukraine pleads with West
Thursday 29 August 2024 21:00
Tom Watling
Embarrassed Putin is struggling to stop Ukraine’s incursion in Kursk
Thursday 29 August 2024 20:00
Tom Watling
Former Russian defense official detained suspected of fraud in latest high-profile military arrest
Thursday 29 August 2024 19:00
Tom Watling
Photos from the frontline
Thursday 29 August 2024 18:00
Tom Watling
Ukraine marks Day Of Remembrance for Ukrainian Defenders
Thursday 29 August 2024 17:04
Tom Watling
Ukraine's top commander visits Pokrovsk front, says fighting is 'exceptionally tough'
Thursday 29 August 2024 16:31
Tom Watling
Ukraine‘s top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday he spent several days on the eastern Pokrovsk front that has seen an intensified Russian push recently.
Syrskyi said on Facebook that Russia was throwing everything it could into its assaults, trying to break through Ukrainian defences.
“Fighting is exceptionally tough,” he said, adding that Ukraine had to constantly use unorthodox methods to strengthen its positions.
Ukraine calls on allies to speed up air defence systems deliveries
Thursday 29 August 2024 16:00
Tom Watling
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday urged the EU allies to expedite deliveries of promised air defence systems.
“I conveyed a sense of urgency regarding the delivery of already pledged military aid, including air defence systems,” he said on X following his meeting with the EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
During today's meeting in Brussels with EU foreign ministers, I conveyed a sense of urgency regarding the delivery of already pledged military aid, including air defense systems. I appreciate the readiness of my colleagues to take necessary steps to expedite these deliver