Ukrainian forces have conducted a major cross-border attack involving around 300 soldiers into Russia’s southern province of Kursk, the Russian defence ministry claims.
Kursk’s governor said Russia had to move in reserves to help repel hundreds of fighters backed by tanks in an area of the border largely untouched by fighting until now.
Damaged and abandoned armoured vehicles were seen in geolocated footage by The Institute for the Study of War roughly 7km north of the international border west of Lyubimovka. Russian sources claimed that the footage shows Ukrainian vehicles, but this could not be verified.
“The enemy today launched another attempt to break into the territory of Russia’s Kursk region,” the latest defence ministry statement said. “Artillery fire, army aviation strikes and drone strikes are being inflicted on the enemy.”
In Kyiv’s evening update, Ukraine’s general staff reported Russian strikes on border villages but made no mention of any Ukrainian offensive operation at the border. Ukraine’s military authorities in Sumy – across the border from Russia’s Kursk region – said Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Russian ballistic missile, two drones and a helicopter in the region.
Key Points
- Russia says Ukrainian forces involved in major cross-border attack
- Russia captures village in eastern Donetsk region, according to defence ministry
- Three dead and 19 injured by Russian attacks in last day, regional authorities say
- ‘Around 100 fighters’ attempt to cross border from Ukraine, Russian telegram claims
- Kyiv destroys Su-34 jet in Russian airfield, shares satellite images
- Ukraine calls Mali’s decision to end ties ‘hasty, short-sighted’
Russia says Ukrainian forces involved in major cross-border attack
04:56
Arpan Rai
Russia’s defence ministry said Ukraine conducted a major attack involving some 300 soldiers across the border into Russia’s southern Kursk region on Tuesday.
Russian reports earlier noted the incursion and said it had moved in reserves to help repel hundreds of fighters backed by tanks. The regional governor said three people were killed.
“The enemy today launched another attempt to break into the territory of Russia’s Kursk region,” the latest defence ministry statement said. “Artillery fire, army aviation strikes and drone strikes are being inflicted on the enemy.”
Kursk regional governor Alexei Smirnov, writing on Telegram late in the evening, said Ukrainian forces had shelled a border area, injuring two children. Local officials said the border town of Sudzha had also come under attack. Smirnov also posted a video on Telegram telling residents: “I ask you to remain calm and not to be subject to the enemy’s information provocations. The situation is controllable.”
Ukraine’s military authorities in Sumy region – on the other side of the border from Russia’s Kursk region – said Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Russian ballistic missile, two drones and a helicopter in the region.
Unofficial Ukrainian military blogs showed pictures of what they described as the destroyed helicopter and other equipment.Russian ministry appeared to have deleted an earlier account of the attack in which it said a “Ukrainian sabotage group” had suffered heavy losses and retreated into Ukrainian territory.
Russia suspected Ukrainian plot to attack Putin’s Navy Day parade, state TV claims
04:53
Alex Croft
Russia had suspicions that Ukraine planned to attack Russia during the Navy Day parade attended by Vladimir Putin last month and contacted Washington about its concerns, Russian state television reports.
Russian television said that the details were a state secret and provided no further details. Ukraine’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
The New York Times previously reported that US defence secretary Lloyd Austin had taken a call from Russia’s defence minister Andrei Belousov on 12 July about a covert Ukrainian operation planned against Russia that Moscow believed had the blessing of the United States.
The Times cited two unidentified US officials as saying that Pentagon officials were surprised by the Russian allegation and unaware of any such plot, but that the Russian concerns were taken seriously enough for Washington to caution Kyiv that, if it was planning such an operation, then it should not carry it out.
Russia says ambulance paramedic, driver killed in drone attack on Kursk
04:35
Arpan Rai
A drone launched by Ukraine hit an ambulance near the town of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region, killing the driver and a paramedic, the acting governor of the southwestern region said this morning.
Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor, said in a post on Telegram that a doctor was also wounded.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Moscow launched with its full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.
French imports of Russia’s liquified natural gas surge this year
04:33
Alex Croft
Shipments of Russian liquified natural gas to France more than doubled the first half of this year, according to new analyses of trade data, at a time when Europe has tried to pull back from energy purchases that help finance the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Europe has restricted oil imports from Russia, but natural gas is still allowed. And while companies in France are importing the most, one analysis found EU countries overall imported 7 per cent more Russian LNG, natural gas that has been chilled and liquified for easier ocean transport, in the first half of this year compared to the same period a year ago.
Oleh Savytskyi, a founder of non-profit Razom We Stand, which campaigns for tougher sanctions on Russian fossil fuels, said the EU’s goal of phasing out all Russian fossil fuels by 2027 was “appallingly off track.” He said countries buying Russian LNG are sabotaging the continent’s energy transition and contributing billions to Russia’s war effort.
TotalEnergies, the French energy giant that accounted for the largest share of the imports in a list of cargoes between January and June seen by The Associated Press, said it was bound by contracts signed before Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
Niger joins Mali in cutting ties with Ukraine
04:12
Arpan Rai
Niger’s junta has cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine over remarks from Kyiv which showed Ukraine’s support for groups involved in fighting in neighbouring Mali that killed dozens of soldiers and Russian Wagner fighters in July.
The move follows Mali’s decision on Sunday to sever relations with Kyiv following comments by Ukraine’s military spy agency about the fighting in northern Mali in which Tuareg rebels said they killed at least 84 Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers.
GUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov has not confirmed Kyiv’s involvement in the fighting, but in comments published on public broadcaster Suspilne’s website on Monday, 29 July, he said the Malian rebels had received the “necessary” information to conduct the attack, adding “and not only information”.
The incident appeared to be Wagner’s heaviest defeat since it stepped in two years ago to help Mali’s military authorities fight insurgent groups.
In a televised address, spokesperson Abdourahamane Amadou said Niger had decided to act in solidarity with the government and people of Mali by cutting ties with Ukraine with immediate effect.
Ukraine has already condemned Mali’s decision to sever relations as short-sighted and hasty, saying Kyiv rejected the allegation of Ukrainian support for international terrorism.
Explosions rock Kyiv but no damage or casualties reported
04:12
Alex Croft
Several explosions rang out in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv late last night, witnesses said, after an air raid siren was sounded by the authorities.
Officials said air defence units successfully intercepted the incoming missiles into the Ukrainian capital.
New explosions were heard a half hour after the original blasts, the witnesses said. Shortly before midnight, a group of Shahed drones was reported on the border of Kyiv and Chernihiv Oblasts, heading for Kyiv.
No damage or casualties was seen on ground, according to the preliminary reports, said Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military authorities.
Ukrainian air defence units were operating in the city and in the surrounding Kyiv region, authorities in Kyiv said.
Zelensky meets with Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff to discuss ongoing battles
03:54
Alex Croft
President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with his armed forces chiefs to discuss the situations in Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Kharkiv.
Pokrovsk, where Russia is concentrating many of its attacks, suffered 41 onslaughts from Russia in the last day, as Ukraine reported 133 clashes in total on the frontline.
Russian forces today claimed they have captured the village of Tymofiivka as troops continue to advance towards the city, which is a key strategic supply route for Ukraine.
Zelensky’s posted on Telegram: “Question number one is the situation at the front. The fronts of Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Kharkiv were in the spotlight.”
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, confirmed he was present at the meeting.
Also discussed was Ukraine’s drone and missile production, with Zelensky hoping to become less reliant on the western military aid which has been so crucial for the war effort.
Pictured: Scenes of devastation in downtown Kharkiv following Russian strikes
03:33
Alex Croft
Casualties increase to five after Russian missile attack on central Kharkiv, authorities say
03:12
Alex Croft
More details and images are emerging on the previously reported attack on central Kharkiv, where casualties have now increased to five.
A medical facility was damaged in the missile attack, according to the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov.
Two people have been hospitalised and five injured in the strike, which reportedly saw a Russian Iskander missile strike the Shevchenkivskyi district of central Kharkiv, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
The attack damaged a health centre, multiple cars, and other civilian infrastructure facilities, with local reports adding it set off a fire.
The chief of Kharkiv’s military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said: “The attack on Kharkiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district: around 10 in the morning, [Russian] occupation forces targeted the area with an Iskander missile.
“Doctors treated at least five injured civilians. Two women have been hospitalised for surgery and the rest were treated on an outpatient basis.”
There are fears there may be other casualties under the rubble.
Ukrainian snipers kill five Russian soldiers
02:49
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) claims it has killed five Russian soldiers on the Toretsk front, who were approaching its position.
Two snipers from the SOF’s 3rd Regiment have been credited with killing two of the soldiers from 40 metres away, before detecting another five soldiers and neutralising three of them.
The remaining two soldiers were injured but successfully retreated, the SOF claimed on Telegram.
The 3rd Separate Special Forces Regiment is named after Prince Sviatoslav the Brave, the Prince of Kyiv from 945 until his death in 972.
SOF personnel remain active on the Toretsk front, the unit stressed in the Telegram message.
New US grant will help fund social and humanitarian spending in Ukraine, Kyiv says
02:29
Alex Croft
A $3.9bn grant from the United States will be directed towards wages for teachers, staff of the State Emergency Service and other public employees, as well as assistance for displaced persons, low-income families and people with disabilities, Ukraine’s finance ministry has said.
“The grant will help the government of Ukraine to reimburse priority social and humanitarian expenditures without increasing the debt burden,” finance minister Serhiy Marchenko said on Monday.
The ministry said that, since February 2022, direct budget support from the US had reached almost $27bn, the largest source of financial assistance to Ukraine. Mr Marchenko said the grant was a part of a large $60bn package of support for Ukraine.
Russian schools to teach “heroic deeds” of soldiers in Ukraine invasion
02:04
Alex Croft
From September this year, Russian schools will teach children about the soldiers sent to war in Ukraine.
Putin’s education ministry has published a list of “war heroes” who are involved in its belligerent and illegal invasion of Ukraine - which Russia describes as a “special military operation”.
The programme will teach children about Russian soldiers from the pre-revolution, Soviet, and modern eras.
This includes Vladimir Zhoga and Olga Kachura, Russian-Ukrainian pro-separatists who Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda describe as “terrorists and militants”.
Pro-Russian propaganda outlets celebrated Zhoga as a war hero following his death in battle in March 2022.
Olga Kachura was killed by a Ukrainian missile in July 2022.
Russia strikes outskirts of Kherson injuring six civilians, local administration says
01:45
Alex Croft
Russian drones bombed the southern city of Kherson “twice in the same day”, according to the head of the region’s military administration.
Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram: “Kherson was attacked by Russian drones twice in the same day. In the suburbs, the enemy used a drone to drop explosives on people on the streets. We now know about five victims. They are [two] men aged 57 and 53, and [three] women aged 68, 46, and 37.”
The victims suffered shrapnel wounds and direct injuries from the explosives, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
They were rushed to hospital and are currently receiving medical care.
The administration later reported another injury in the attack, with a 36-year-old suffering a “shin fragment wound”, taking the total to six.
Two women were also injured in strikes on Stanislav, a village around 40km west of Kherson.
Russian troops capture village in Donetsk region, defence ministry says
01:24
Alex Croft
Russian forces have captured the village of Tymofiivka in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, a Russian news agency quoted the defence ministry as saying.
Interfax, the Russian agency headquartered in Moscow, made the claim which was unable to be independently verified by Reuters.
It follows Ukrainian media reports last week based on DeepState - an online map that shows the updated course of military actions in Ukraine - which showed Russia had taken the village.
Russian troops continue to advance towards Pokrovsk, a strategic city on the Ukrainian front, 70km northwest of Donetsk city.
More than 130 clashes on the frontline in the past day, says Ukraine’s General Staff
01:03
Alex Croft
The majority of these clashes have taken place on the Pokrovsk front in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are concentrating many of their attacks.
Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk repelled 41 assaults from Russia according to the General Staff - making up nearly a third of the 133 total assaults yesterday.
The city serves as a key supply route for the Ukrainian frontline, and villages to the east of it have become the main focus of fighting in the last few weeks, as Russian forces advance.
President Zelensky recently said that fighting on the Pokrovsk front is “extremely challenging” but that Ukraine “has the strength to achieve its goals”, while forces on the ground said they would “continue to courageously hold the defence”.
The Russian defence ministry claimed this morning that Putin’s forces have taken one more village, Tymofiivka, 30km east of the key city.
Russian security service accuses Ukraine of ‘armed provocation’
Wednesday 7 August 2024 00:44
Alex Croft
The Federal Security Service (FSB) in Russia says it repelled an attempted incursion by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk Region, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
It comes after a Russian Telegram channel claimed that ‘around 100 fighters’ had attempted to cross the border into the Sudzha area of the region, which is on Ukraine’s northeast border.
The FSB has now accused Ukrainian forces of an “armed provocation” on the border, after Kursk’s interim governor Alexei Smirnov earlier claimed forces had repelled the attack.
Ukraine has not yet commented on the claims which have not been independently verified.
US wants to confiscate $200million from Ukraine’s convicted ex-Prime Minister and redirect to Ukraine
Wednesday 7 August 2024 00:23
Alex Croft
The U.S. Justice Department wants to repurpose $200 million belonging to Pavlo Lazarenko, the ex-Ukrainian prime minister who spent six years in an American prison.
Lazarenko served as prime minister from 1996 to 1997 before fleeing the country in 1998 for fear of arrest on various criminal charges.
He arrived in the US in 1999, where he was promptly arrested on charges of money laundering, and sentenced to eight years in prison in 2006 - six of which he spent behind bars.
When Lazarenko was convicted, his assets were confiscated by the US government.
Trials have been ongoing for 20 years regarding the confiscation of over $200 million worth of Lazarenko’s assets which were seized in various countries.
Mary Butler, a senior official in the justice department, said: “The case is still not over, but I am pleased to announce that we have reached another decision that brings us closer to the possibility of obtaining a final decision on confiscation. Then Mr. Lazarenko can appeal as much as he wants. But we are still moving forward.”
Lazarenko was ranked eighth in Transparency International’s 2004 list of top 10 most corrupt political leaders.
Ukraine to receive next €4.2 billion of financial aid from EU shortly
Tuesday 6 August 2024 23:59
Alex Croft
The European Union’s Ukraine Facility, the financial assistance programme for Ukraine, will soon deliver the next €4.2 billion tranche of assistance.
Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, announced the next batch of funding, one part of what will be a €16 billion total from the Ukraine Facility in 2024.
“Our partner countries and international financial institutions have assured us that all of our external funding needs will be met this year,” Shmyhal said.
The money is intended for non-military expenditures, allowing Ukraine to “meet its social obligations, pay salaries to state employees, and implement economic and humanitarian projects”.
He added: “Ukraine’s security and defence sector is funded internally. All of our private citizens’ and business taxes are used exclusively to fund the Ukrainian army.”
The EU has allocated €50 billion euros to the programme for the period 2024 to 2027.
Top Russian official warns Ukraine that peace terms will only get worse
Tuesday 6 August 2024 23:35
Alex Croft
Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council and until recently Russia’s defence minister, said the “window of opportunity is narrowing” for Ukraine to accept its peace terms.
He claims that 420 square kilometres (162 sq miles) of territory had been taken by Russia since Putin proposed a peace deal on June 14.
Shoigu, who has an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court issued against him, said: “The Kyiv regime’s illusions that the Europeans will arrange another beautiful peace summit, ... at which all their internal problems will be resolved by themselves, are costing the people of Ukraine dearly.”
Moscow has previously said peace talks must be based on the premise that Ukraine will cede around one fifth of its territory and refuse to join the NATO alliance - but Ukraine has rejected these terms out of hand.
Russia has taken control of around 18 percent of Ukraine, including Crimea, since it sent in troops in 2022.
Pictured: Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces carries out inspection within the Ukrainian combat zone this morning (Tuesday)
Tuesday 6 August 2024 23:19
Alex Croft
One killed and 13 wounded in shelling of southern Kursk region, Russia says
Tuesday 6 August 2024 22:57
Alex Croft
The interim regional governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, has claimed that a civilian was killed and 13 more wounded on Tuesday as Ukraine shelled the southern part of the region.
No independent verification has been made of these claims.
It comes after Russian Telegram channels claimed Ukraine of sending in ‘around 100’ troops in a sabotage and reconnaissance (SRS) mission this morning, with heavy equipment.
Ukraine and Russia dispute who has control over the border in the Kursk region, which borders the northeastern Sumy region of Ukraine.
Andrii Kovalenko, the head of an anti-disinformation department at the National Security and Defense Council, said Russian commanders “lie about controlling the situation in Kursk Oblast”, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine increases funding for domestic missile programme, Zelensky says
Tuesday 6 August 2024 22:34
Alex Croft
Ukrainian armed forces will increase spending on their domestic missiles in a bid to narrow the gap with Russia in terms of missile capabilities.
President Zelensky announced the update on Telegram today, providing no additional details.
"Additional funding was allocated to our missile programme. More domestically produced missiles to come," the Ukrainian president wrote on the messaging app.
Ukraine has been prioritising their long-range strike drones production since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
President Zelensky said in July that Kyiv wanted to reduce its dependence on missiles supplied by Ukraine’s allies, including those used on air defence.
Ukraine has relied heavily on military assistance throughout the war, and in June, it successfully lobbied to gain authorisation from allies to use western military weapons for strikes into Russia.
Ukrainian snipers kill five Russian soldiers
Tuesday 6 August 2024 22:12
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) claims it has killed five Russian soldiers on the Toretsk front, who were approaching its position.
Two snipers from the SOF’s 3rd Regiment have been credited with killing two of the soldiers from 40 metres away, before detecting another five soldiers and neutralising three of them.
The remaining two soldiers were injured but successfully retreated, the SOF claimed on Telegram.
The 3rd Separate Special Forces Regiment is named after Prince Sviatoslav the Brave, the Prince of Kyiv from 945 until his death in 972.
SOF personnel remain active on the Toretsk front, the unit stressed in the Telegram message.
Ukraine calls Mali’s decision to end ties ‘hasty, short-sighted’
Tuesday 6 August 2024 21:51
Alex Croft
Ukraine has condemned Mali’s decision to cut diplomatic ties as short-sighted and hasty, saying that no evidence had been provided to show Kyiv had played any role in fighting that killed Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries last month.
The West African country announced it was immediately severing relations with Kyiv following remarks by Ukraine’s military spy agency about the fighting in northern Mali in late July.
After the fighting, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military spy agency, said in televised remarks that Malian rebels had received “necessary information – and not only information” to conduct the attack.
During the clashes, Tuareg rebels said they killed at least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers. The incident appeared to be Wagner’s heaviest defeat since it stepped in two years ago to help Mali’s military authorities fight insurgent groups.
In a statement seen by The Independent, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Kyiv rejected the allegation of Ukrainian support for international terrorism and said it viewed the move to cut relations as unfriendly.
Kyiv issued a statement last night and saying that “regrettably, the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine without conducting a thorough study of the facts and circumstances of the incident in the north of Mali, and without providing any evidence of Ukraine’s involvement in the mentioned event.”
It added: “At the same time, it is ignored that military structures controlled by the Kremlin, including Wagner use terrorist methods and are directly involved in numerous war crimes, killings of civilians and ill-treatment of prisoners of war both in Ukraine and in African countries.”
Russian schools to teach “heroic deeds” of soldiers in Ukraine invasion
Tuesday 6 August 2024 21:29
Alex Croft
From September this year, Russian schools will teach children about the soldiers sent to war in Ukraine.
Putin’s education ministry has published a list of “war heroes” who are involved in its belligerent and illegal invasion of Ukraine - which Russia describes as a “special military operation”.
The programme will teach children about Russian soldiers from the pre-revolution, Soviet, and modern eras.
This includes Vladimir Zhoga and Olga Kachura, Russian-Ukrainian pro-separatists who Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda describe as “terrorists and militants”.
Pro-Russian propaganda outlets celebrated Zhoga as a war hero following his death in battle in March 2022.
Olga Kachura was killed by a Ukrainian missile in July 2022.
Russia sends reserves to Kursk region following alleged border attacks
Tuesday 6 August 2024 21:07
Alex Croft
Russia has sent reserve troops to the country’s border with Ukraine in the southern Kursk region, as it claims up to 300 Ukrainian fighters attacked the border on Tuesday.
The Russian defence ministry previously said around 100 Ukrainian troops attempted an incursion into Russia, a number which they have now tripled according to Reuters.
The regional governor of Kursk, which borders Ukraine’s Sumy region, earlier claimed Russian forces had thwarted the attempt to penetrate the border - but described the situation as “difficult”.
Pro-Russian Telegram channels earlier claimed that a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group had tried to cross the border with heavy equipment.
The Sumy region, which Russia invaded in February 2022, has remained in Ukrainian control since April of that year.
Anti-war Russian pianist dies in prison after hunger strike
Tuesday 6 August 2024 20:47
Alex Croft
A Russian pianist and anti-war activist has died in prison after going on hunger strike, his mother said, in what the European Union called a shocking case of political repression.
The death of Pavel Kushnir was first reported by a Russian news site last Friday and confirmed to independent outlet Mediazona yesterday by his mother, Irina Levina.
A Telegram channel with links to Russia’s security services reported in May that Kushnir had been arrested and accused of inciting terrorist activity after posting anti-war material online.
Levina told Mediazona that an investigator from the FSB security service had told her that Kushnir died on 28 July while in pre-trial detention in Birobidzhan in Russia’s far east.
It was not clear how long he had been on hunger strike. Levina said she had been told that he was hooked up to an intravenous drip “but apparently this was not enough” to save him.
Kushnir was an accomplished concert pianist who had studied at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky conservatory.
EU external affairs spokesperson Peter Stano posted on X that the case was a “shocking reminder of (the) Kremlin’s ongoing repression” and urged Russia to “respect its Constitution, release all prisoners of conscience and stop repression against anti-war protesters”.
An independent Siberian politician, Svetlana Kaverzina, said Kushnir had been left isolated and without support because there was no local network of dissidents, and people had not known about his case.
“We couldn’t chip in and send him a lawyer – we didn’t know. We didn’t write him letters of support – we didn’t know. We didn’t talk him out of sacrificing himself – we didn’t know. He was alone,” she wrote on Telegram.
French imports of Russia’s liquified natural gas surge this year
Tuesday 6 August 2024 20:25
Alex Croft
Shipments of Russian liquified natural gas to France more than doubled the first half of this year, according to new analyses of trade data, at a time when Europe has tried to pull back from energy purchases that help finance the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Europe has restricted oil imports from Russia, but natural gas is still allowed. And while companies in France are importing the most, one analysis found EU countries overall imported 7 per cent more Russian LNG, natural gas that has been chilled and liquified for easier ocean transport, in the first half of this year compared to the same period a year ago.
Oleh Savytskyi, a founder of non-profit Razom We Stand, which campaigns for tougher sanctions on Russian fossil fuels, said the EU’s goal of phasing out all Russian fossil fuels by 2027 was “appallingly off track.” He said countries buying Russian LNG are sabotaging the continent’s energy transition and contributing billions to Russia’s war effort.
TotalEnergies, the French energy giant that accounted for the largest share of the imports in a list of cargoes between January and June seen by The Associated Press, said it was bound by contracts signed before Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
Russia arrests military ‘Disneyland’ chief and top defence ministry official for fraud
Tuesday 6 August 2024 20:03
Alex Croft
Moscow has arrested the director of an exhibition park showcasing Russia’s military might on fraud charges along with a top defence ministry official as part of a sweeping investigation into abuse of office in the top echelons of the military leadership.
Vyacheslav Akhmedov, head of the Patriot Park — sometimes called Russia’s “military Disneyland” — and Major Gen Vladimir Shesterov, deputy of the defence ministry’s innovations department, were detained, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
The two are suspected of embezzling government funds earmarked for the park, which opened in 2015, said Russia’s top criminal investigation agency.
The detention of Akhmedov and Shesterov follows a series of arrests of senior military officials who were part of the inner circle of former defence minister Sergei Shoigu, dismissed by Vladimir Putin soon after his inauguration in May to a sixth term.
The director of a park showcasing Russia’s military might was arrested on fraud charges, along with a top Defense Ministry official, part of a sweeping investigation into abuse of office in the top echelons of the military leadership
Ukraine ‘shoots down ballistic and cruise missiles’ in overnight Russian attacks
Tuesday 6 August 2024 19:44
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s air defence shot down two Iskander-M or KN-23 ballistic missiles, two cruise Kh-59 cruise missiles and 15 attack drones that Russia launched overnight, officials have claimed.
Several explosions were reportedly heard in Kyiv late on Monday, after an air raid siren sounded, but authorities said air defence units had intercepted incoming missiles.
Russia had launched in total four Iskander-M or KN-23 ballistic missiles, the Ukraine air force said, without saying what happened to the two missiles that were not destroyed.
Ruslan Kravchenko, Kyiv regional governor, reported no direct hits to residential or critical infrastructure, but said that the debris had damaged windows in an apartment building, an office building and two gas stations in the region.
Meanwhile, the governor of the southern region of Mykolaiv said that the air force destroyed 13 Shahed drones over his region. The attack caused three fires which have since been put out. It also damaged three residential buildings, a recreation centre, and a utility building, he said.
Decision to shoot down missiles over Ukraine should be agreed by NATO members, US says
Tuesday 6 August 2024 19:23
Alex Croft
Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US Department of State, was asked about President Zelensky’s order for Ukrainian diplomats to work on creating a coalition of states to help shoot down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory.
But Mr Miller said that it is a “discussion to be had among NATO members” and a decision which the alliance needs to “reach collectively”.
When pushed on whether Ukraine will be authoritised to launch western weapons deeper into Russian territory than they are currently allowed, Miller said Ukraine’s requirements are constantly being assessed.
“We make those determinations both when it comes to these specific weapons that we provide Ukraine and the restrictions, if any, that we put on the use of those weapons,” he said.
Ukraine was first permitted to fire western weapons into Russian territory two months ago, following a change in policy from allies who had previously feared escalation.
Russia’s chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov, visited a combat zone in Ukraine, says defence ministry
Tuesday 6 August 2024 19:01
Alex Croft
Gerasimov reportedly inspected the Russian forces, received reports from commanders on the ground and “set tasks for further actions” during his visit.
The defence ministry did not confirm where the visit took place.
But it is not uncommon for Gerasimov, who has visited troops on the frontline a number of times since their belligerent invasion in February 2022.
Gerasimov was issued with an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court in June alongside former defence minister Sergei Shoigu, for the war crime of directing attacks at civilians and civilian infrastructure.
They were accused of “causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects”, and committing the crime against humanity of “inhumane acts”.
The past day in pictures
Tuesday 6 August 2024 18:39
Alex Croft
US wants to confiscate $200million from Ukraine’s convicted ex-Prime Minister and redirect to Ukraine
Tuesday 6 August 2024 18:16
Alex Croft
The U.S. Justice Department wants to repurpose $200 million belonging to Pavlo Lazarenko, the ex-Ukrainian prime minister who spent six years in an American prison.
Lazarenko served as prime minister from 1996 to 1997 before fleeing the country in 1998 for fear of arrest on various criminal charges.
He arrived in the US in 1999, where he was promptly arrested on charges of money laundering, and sentenced to eight years in prison in 2006 - six of which he spent behind bars.
When Lazarenko was convicted, his assets were confiscated by the US government.
Trials have been ongoing for 20 years regarding the confiscation of over $200 million worth of Lazarenko’s assets which were seized in various countries.
Mary Butler, a senior official in the justice department, said: “The case is still not over, but I am pleased to announce that we have reached another decision that brings us closer to the possibility of obtaining a final decision on confiscation. Then Mr. Lazarenko can appeal as much as he wants. But we are still moving forward.”
Lazarenko was ranked eighth in Transparency International’s 2004 list of top 10 most corrupt political leaders.
Russian troops capture village in Donetsk region, defence ministry says
Tuesday 6 August 2024 17:53
Alex Croft
Russian forces have captured the village of Tymofiivka in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, a Russian news agency quoted the defence ministry as saying.
Interfax, the Russian agency headquartered in Moscow, made the claim which was unable to be independently verified by Reuters.
It follows Ukrainian media reports last week based on DeepState - an online map that shows the updated course of military actions in Ukraine - which showed Russia had taken the village.
Russian troops continue to advance towards Pokrovsk, a strategic city on the Ukrainian front, 70km northwest of Donetsk city.
Explosions rock Kyiv but no damage or casualties reported
Tuesday 6 August 2024 17:34
Alex Croft
Several explosions rang out in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv late last night, witnesses said, after an air raid siren was sounded by the authorities.
Officials said air defence units successfully intercepted the incoming missiles into the Ukrainian capital.
New explosions were heard a half hour after the original blasts, the witnesses said. Shortly before midnight, a group of Shahed drones was reported on the border of Kyiv and Chernihiv Oblasts, heading for Kyiv.
No damage or casualties was seen on ground, according to the preliminary reports, said Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military authorities.
Ukrainian air defence units were operating in the city and in the surrounding Kyiv region, authorities in Kyiv said.
Russia suspected Ukrainian plot to attack Putin’s Navy Day parade, state TV claims
Tuesday 6 August 2024 17:14
Alex Croft
Russia had suspicions that Ukraine planned to attack Russia during the Navy Day parade attended by Vladimir Putin last month and contacted Washington about its concerns, Russian state television reports.
Russian television said that the details were a state secret and provided no further details. Ukraine’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
The New York Times previously reported that US defence secretary Lloyd Austin had taken a call from Russia’s defence minister Andrei Belousov on 12 July about a covert Ukrainian operation planned against Russia that Moscow believed had the blessing of the United States.
The Times cited two unidentified US officials as saying that Pentagon officials were surprised by the Russian allegation and unaware of any such plot, but that the Russian concerns were taken seriously enough for Washington to caution Kyiv that, if it was planning such an operation, then it should not carry it out.
Zelensky meets with Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff to discuss ongoing battles
Tuesday 6 August 2024 16:57
Alex Croft
President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with his armed forces chiefs to discuss the situations in Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Kharkiv.
Pokrovsk, where Russia is concentrating many of its attacks, suffered 41 onslaughts from Russia in the last day, as Ukraine reported 133 clashes in total on the frontline.
Russian forces today claimed they have captured the village of Tymofiivka as troops continue to advance towards the city, which is a key strategic supply route for Ukraine.
Zelensky’s posted on Telegram: “Question number one is the situation at the front. The fronts of Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Kharkiv were in the spotlight.”
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, confirmed he was present at the meeting.
Also discussed was Ukraine’s drone and missile production, with Zelensky hoping to become less reliant on the western military aid which has been so crucial for the war effort.
Pictured: Scenes of devastation in downtown Kharkiv following Russian strikes
Tuesday 6 August 2024 16:37
Alex Croft
Casualties increase to five after Russian missile attack on central Kharkiv, authorities say
Tuesday 6 August 2024 16:16
Alex Croft
More details and images are emerging on the previously reported attack on central Kharkiv, where casualties have now increased to five.
A medical facility was damaged in the missile attack, according to the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov.
Two people have been hospitalised and five injured in the strike, which reportedly saw a Russian Iskander missile strike the Shevchenkivskyi district of central Kharkiv, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
The attack damaged a health centre, multiple cars, and other civilian infrastructure facilities, with local reports adding it set off a fire.
The chief of Kharkiv’s military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said: “The attack on Kharkiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district: around 10 in the morning, [Russian] occupation forces targeted the area with an Iskander missile.
“Doctors treated at least five injured civilians. Two women have been hospitalised for surgery and the rest were treated on an outpatient basis.”
There are fears there may be other casualties under the rubble.
Russia sends reserves to Kursk region following alleged border attacks
Tuesday 6 August 2024 15:54
Alex Croft
