According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian authorities should take tough measures against corruption in recruiting men for military service. All cases of dismantling due to alleged unfitness for service since the beginning of the war, in which bribes are suspected, are being examined. Zelensky said this on Wednesday in his evening video address. The Security Council discussed the course of action that day.
Zelensky reported that a bribe of 3,000 to 15,000 US dollars (up to 13,700 euros) was paid for exemption from military service. A separate check is carried out if someone left the country after a suspicious decision by the meeting committee.
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All developments in the live ticker:
9:10 pm – Germany sends ten Leopard tanks to Ukraine
Germany has supplied Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, with ten more Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks. An additional 13.1 million rounds of small arms ammunition were also delivered. This emerges from the federal government’s military aid list for Ukraine, which was updated on Wednesday, like every week. The current delivery includes a TRML-4D air surveillance radar, which is used with the Iris-T air defense system. Germany also sent a field hospital, 4 heavy semi-trailers and 16 Vector reconnaissance drones.
6:45 pm – US says Russia and North Korea are making progress in arms negotiations
According to the US, Russian leader Vladimir Putin wrote to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in light of Russia’s efforts to obtain weapons for its war in Ukraine. New intelligence shows that Putin and Kim exchanged letters, the White House said Wednesday.
Russia is seeking additional artillery shells and other materials, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Talks between Russia and North Korea on arms sales were progressing. The exchange of letters followed a visit by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Pyongyang. The White House reported on the visit a few weeks ago. Shoigu called on North Korea to increase the sale of munitions for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
6:30 pm – Satellite images show ship barriers on parts of the Crimean Bridge
According to satellite images, Russia is protecting part of its bridge to the occupied Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea with a ship barrier. Photos posted online show a chain of seven larger ships anchored in front of the part of the bridge that connects the island of Tusla to the Russian mainland. According to observers, this is intended to serve as protection against possible Ukrainian attacks with maritime drones. North American foreign broadcaster RFE/RL on Wednesday aired photos from satellite company Planet.com, which supposedly came from the previous day.
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Photos were also circulated on platform X (formerly Twitter) in which the construction of the barrier can be seen between the 19th and 26th of August. Last week, Ukraine’s military intelligence service (HUR) announced that the Russians sank at least six barges, open barges without their own propulsion, on the south side of the bridge. Barrier fences must therefore be built between ships. This information cannot be independently verified. The barrier does not block the main channel under the bridge connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
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The repatriation of the Crimean peninsula, annexed in 2014, is one of the main objectives of Ukrainian national defense. The bridge connecting the Russian mainland to Crimea is extremely important for supplying the peninsula and Russian troops in southern Ukraine. The bridge was therefore attacked several times by Kiev.
4:44 pm – EU forces will train another 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers
Ukraine can expect an expansion of the European training mission (EUMAM) for its armed forces. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell suggested on Wednesday at a meeting of EU defense ministers that 40,000, rather than 30,000, Ukrainian soldiers should be trained in the EU by the end of the year. The target of 30 thousand will be reached by the end of October.
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Borrell also spoke out in favor of integrating the training of Ukrainian fighter pilots on F-16 fighters planned by the Netherlands and Denmark, in particular, into the EU mission. Appropriate options will be examined, he said at the informal meeting in Toledo, Spain.
3:03 pm – At least five killed in Russian attacks in Ukraine
At least five civilians have been killed and more than 15 injured in Russian attacks in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian authorities, on Wednesday, the Russian military used cruise missiles, drones and artillery. Several regions of the country were affected. According to the prosecutor, at least two people died and six others were injured in the capital Kiev and the neighboring region alone.
On Wednesday night, Kiev came under heavy fire
Source: dpa/—
2:59 pm – The Kremlin believes that the attack on Prigozhin’s plane is possible
Russia admits for the first time that the crash of the plane with Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin on board may have been caused intentionally. “It is obvious that different versions are being considered, including, you know what we are talking about, let’s say, deliberate cruelty,” Presidential Office spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We will wait for the results of the Russian investigation.” In fact, there is no “international aspect” in this regard, adds Peskov, referring to calls for an independent international investigation into the accident. It is not possible for foreign structures to participate in the investigation of the disaster because, among other things, a targeted act is being investigated, Peskov continued. He was responding to reports that Russia had refused Brazil to participate in the investigation. The manufacturer Embraer, whose machine received support on Wednesday, a week ago, is based in Brazil.
It is suspected that an explosive device detonated on board the machine or that an anti-aircraft missile caused the plane to crash. “It’s our investigation,” Peskow said. He has previously denied that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had anything to do with his former confidant’s death. “Let’s wait for the results.” Investigators also secured flight recorders at the crash site in the Tver region.
Funeral service for Prigozhin
Source: dpa/Dmitri Lovetsky
So far, the Central Investigative Committee has only confirmed the identities of the ten people who died on board. Thus, in addition to Prigozhin, the commander of the Wagner mercenary army, Dmitri Utkin, was among the dead. Prigozhin’s press service reported on Tuesday about the burial of the founder of the army at the Porokhovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg – in the nearest circle. Russian media described the businessman’s secret farewell as a “special operation funeral” because mourners were deliberately misled using diversionary tactics. On Wednesday, Prigozhin’s supporters made a pilgrimage to his grave.
2:56 pm – Relatives of captured and missing soldiers demonstrate in Kiev
In the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, hundreds of people called for the return of captured and missing soldiers. According to public television, women and children in particular shouted “Bring the heroes home” in the central Independence Square. They showed photos of soldiers who had probably been taken prisoner and banners with the names of the units. Addressed to President Volodymyr Zelensky, it also said: “Mr President! Those who perform military service are not slaves!” There were also calls for an increase in the exchange of bodies and the granting of licenses at the front.
2:50 pm – Ukrainian speedboats apparently destroyed near Snake Island
The Russian Air Force destroyed several Ukrainian speedboats near Snake Island in the Black Sea, according to Moscow’s Defense Ministry. Portal was unable to independently verify the information. Snake Island is located southeast of the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. Russia took it shortly after beginning its attack on Ukraine. Ukraine later recaptured him.
On Wednesday afternoon, the ministry reported the shooting down of a sixth boat in the Snake Island area by a Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet in the space of a day.
1:04 pm – Russia: Ukrainian command and intelligence targets attacked
Russia claims to have successfully attacked several Ukrainian command and intelligence targets. The announcement was made by the Russian Defense Ministry, according to state news agency RIA. The statement follows the worst Russian airstrikes with missiles and drones on the Ukrainian capital Kiev since the spring, which killed two people overnight.
12:54 pm – Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow
The Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkey, Sergei Lavrov and Hakan Fidan, will meet this Thursday and Friday in Moscow. It should also be a question of preparing a meeting between the heads of state of the two countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow announced that Fidan’s working visit would also focus on conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and the Caucasus, as well as cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also announced Fidan’s trip.
Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister
Source: dpa/Gianluigi Guercia
12:44 pm – Criticism of the slow deliveries of ammunition from the EU to Ukraine
Criticism has come from the Baltic States regarding the slow delivery of ammunition by the European Union to Ukraine. So far, EU countries have only made a binding commitment to 226,000 bullets from their stocks and some of them have been delivered to Ukraine, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur criticized on the sidelines of EU consultations in Toledo, Spain. But that’s just a quarter of the promised number of one million.
Under pressure from Estonia and Ukraine, EU states promised a million bullets within a year in the spring and approved an aid package totaling two billion euros. It has been six months, but “much more needs to be done,” Pevkur emphasized.
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12:29 pm – Kharkiv sets up classrooms in metro stations
To protect students from Russian missiles, authorities in the city of Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, set up dozens of underground classrooms in metro stations. According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, 60 rooms of this type were created with a view to starting classes in September, in which a total of more than 1,000 children can participate in classes in person.
10:51 am – Ukraine reports at least two dead in air strike
According to the military, at least two people died in a Russian air strike on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. According to the head of the military administration, Serhiy Popko, three more people were injured by falling debris in the attack that took place on Wednesday morning in the Shevchenkivskyi district.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces fired a total of 44 missiles into Ukrainian territory overnight. “28 cruise missiles and 15 attack UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were destroyed,” it said in a statement. According to the Kiev military administration, this is the “largest rocket and drone launch since spring.”
Firefighters extinguish fire in Kiev after rocket attack
Source: dpa/Efrem Lukatsky
08:32 – London: Many deserters show low morale in the Russian army
According to the British, numerous sentences against deserters show the low morale of the Russian army in the war against Ukraine. “The refusal to fight probably reflects a lack of training and motivation, as well as the high-stress situations faced by Russian forces along the entire front in Ukraine,” the British Ministry of Defense said.
The official referred to a July 18 report by the independent Russian portal “Mediazona”, according to which around 100 soldiers were convicted of desertion every week. “The high number of convictions shows the poor morale of the Russian army and the reluctance of some parties to fight.”
8:20 am – The current situation on site
The current situation in Ukraine
Source: WELT Infographic
8:03 am – Pskov Airport remains closed for now after drone attack
Following drone attacks overnight, Russian authorities canceled eight takeoffs and landings at Pskov airport scheduled for Wednesday. Two charter companies were affected, aviation regulator Rosawiyazija said on Telegram. The reason for the closure is to reinforce security measures. He said measures would be taken to quickly reopen air traffic.
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05:33 – Kiev under heavy fire
The Ukrainian capital, Kiev, was the target of heavy Russian cruise missile attacks on Wednesday night. According to reports, there were violent explosions of anti-aircraft missiles against the incoming projectiles over the city. The military administration spoke of more than 20 missiles and drones that were “destroyed by air defense forces.”
Consequently, it was the “largest rocket and drone attack since the spring.” Rocket debris fell on buildings in at least two districts, Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram on Wednesday morning. Several fires broke out, namely in an administrative building and a commercial establishment. At least two people died and two others were injured.
04:58 – Russia reports several Ukrainian drone attacks
Russia accused Ukraine of attacking six Russian regions with drones on Wednesday morning. According to authorities, several army heavy transport planes were damaged in an attack on an airfield in the northwestern Russian city of Pskov. The army is repelling a drone attack, the governor of the Pskov region Mikhail Wedernikov wrote on his Telegram channel. He released a short video of the sound of an explosion and the glow of fire over the airfield.
“As a result of the drone strike, four Il-76 aircraft were damaged. A fire followed; the fire hit two planes,” said a representative of the Russian state agency Tass rescue services. The information could not be independently verified.
According to Russian information, drone attacks also occurred in other regions, including in the Moscow region, in Bryansk and Oryol, and in the Sevastopol Bay in Crimea. According to observers, this could be the largest drone attack on Russian soil since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began around 18 months ago.
This social media image provided by Ostorozhno Novosti shows smoke rising over Pskov
Source: dpa/Ostorozhno Novosti
03:59 – Russia: Drone destined for Moscow destroyed again
According to official information, Russian air defense once again repelled a drone heading towards the capital Moscow. The unmanned aerial vehicle was intercepted and crashed over Rusa, in the Moscow region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on its Telegram channel. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said there were no injuries or damage. Emergency services are on site. The information could not be independently verified.
3:22 am – Governor: Drone attack in Sevastopol Bay
According to Russian information, Ukrainian forces attacked Sevastopol Bay in the Black Sea with drones during the night. The Russian military is on combat readiness and repelling the attack, wrote the Moscow-appointed governor of the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvoshayev, on his Telegram channel. The information could not be independently verified.
1:28 am – Moscow: Four more Ukrainian drones shot down
According to official information, Russia again repelled four Ukrainian drones. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow announced that three unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defenses in the southwestern border region of Bryansk. Another drone was shot down in the neighboring Oryol region. The information could not be independently verified.
1h08 – Brazil: Russia does not open international investigation into Prigozhin accident
According to Brazilian sources, Russia does not allow an international investigation into the plane crash of the head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The Moscow government has informed Brazilian aviation authority Cenipa that it will “for now” not launch an investigation into the crash in accordance with international rules, the aviation authority told Portal news agency. Prigozhin, two senior generals from his Wagner group and four bodyguards were among ten people aboard the Brazilian-made Embraer plane that crashed north of Moscow last week.
8:18 pm – US announces additional US$250 million in aid to Ukraine
The US announced an additional $250 million in military aid to Ukraine. Washington’s Defense Department said the aid package includes equipment for clearing mines and anti-tank obstacles, as well as anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles and more than three million rounds for handguns.
The support will help Ukraine “combat Russia’s ongoing war of aggression on the battlefield and protect its people,” the Pentagon said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on online service X (formerly Twitter) that he was personally grateful to “the US people, Congress and President Joseph Biden for the new defense package.” “Artillery, rockets, ammunition for the Himars (systems), this is what our warriors need,” he added.
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