OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia declared a state of emergency in part of the Voronezh region bordering Ukraine after an overnight drone attack, local governor Alexander Gusev said on his Telegram channel. While Russian forces intercepted five drones, he said falling debris ignited a fire, leading to the detonation of explosive materials.

Ukraine’s Navy confirmed that it had destroyed a ferry in the Russian port of Kavkaz that was used to deliver fuel and weapons to occupied Crimea.

Russia suspended a ferry service between the south of the country and Crimea after a Ukrainian attack hit a vessel loaded with rail cars carrying fuel, Russia’s Ministry of Transport said.

The United States has announced a new round of military assistance to Ukraine, following a phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden. The package would be worth $125m and Biden said it would include air defence munitions, ammunition and antiarmour missiles.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine is “moving at incredible speed towards joining the European Union”, in a video posted to X to mark Ukraine’s independence day.

India’s Narendra Modi urged Zelenskyy to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war and offered to act as a friend to help bring peace as the two leaders met in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. It was the first visit to the country by an Indian prime minister since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Zelenskyy said after the meeting that India supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity."

lousubcap

And this from the Houthis:

Video Purportedly Shows Massive Explosion on Laden Oil Tanker ‘SOUNION’ in Red Sea

https://gcaptain.com/abandoned-tanker-sounion-on-fire-and-adrift-after-houthi-attack-in-red-sea/?subscriber=true&goal=0_

lousubcap

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia launched several missiles and drones overnight targeting parts of northern and eastern Ukraine, Kyiv’s military claimed on Sunday, adding that their defence systems destroyed most of the weapons before they could reach their targets. The attacks targeted Ukraine’s regions of Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk, the Ukrainian Air Force said on the Telegram messaging app.

Five drones were downed over the Voronezh region in Russia’s southwest, bordering Ukraine, wounding two people, regional Governor Aleksandr Gusev said on Saturday. According to local media, Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate also claimed to blow up a warehouse storing 5,000 tonnes of ammunition in the same region."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah yesterday traded some of their heaviest cross-border air attacks in months. AfterIsrael launched what it called a pre-emptive strike against a major Hezbollah attack on Israeli territory, Hezbollah said it later fired its own barrage as retribution for Israel’s killing of its senior commander Fuad Shukr in July. Both sides claimed victory and quickly used the language of containment, though analysts say tensions could still escalate further. Gabby Sobelman, Aaron Boxerma, and Hwaida Saad report for the New York Times.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli leaders that Washington would consider pre-emptive action against Hezbollah justified, but warned against using the opportunity to hit a broader range of targets. Michael Crowly reports for the New York Times.

Hamas yesterday said it rejects new Israeli conditions put forward in Gaza ceasefire talks, casting further doubt on the chances of a breakthrough. A key sticking point in the talks remains Israel’s presence in the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border. Reuters reports."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"At least 18 people were killed and 37 injured in Russian missile and drone attacks on Sunday which targeted the front-line Ukrainian regions of Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s forces advanced up to 3km (1.86 miles) in Russia’s Kursk region, taking control of two more settlements there.

Ukraine called on Belarus to pull back what it described as significant levels of Belarusian forces and equipment, including tanks and artillery, deployed in the Gomel region at their common border. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Belarus against making “tragic mistakes” while under pressure from Moscow.

Zelenskyy said negotiations were continuing with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Switzerland on a second summit for peace. Zelenskyy also said he had told India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Kyiv, that he would support India hosting the event."

lousubcap

Some newsworthy bits here:

After a humiliating setback to his company’s space ambitions—the latest in several years-worth of mishaps and disasters for the embattled planemaker—Boeing’s new CEO faces a dilemma. NASA announced it wouldn’t bring home astronauts stranded on the International Space Station in the faulty spacecraft they arrived in (instead, it asked SpaceX). Now the decision about the future of the struggling Boeing Starliner program rests with its newly installed chief, Kelly Ortberg.

China’s broad budget expenditure contracted and income from land sales for local governments fell at a record pace, a sign of fiscal weakness that may further increase calls on Beijing to add stimulus to support its faltering $17 trillion economy. The spending contraction came during a month when China’s ruling Communist Party convened for important economic policy meetings. The country’s top leadership pledged to make boosting consumer spending a greater focus, but fell short of outlining decisive new measures.

Canada will impose new tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, aluminum and steel, lining up behind western allies and taking steps to protect domestic manufacturers. The government announced a 100% levy on electric cars and 25% on steel and aluminum. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the policy in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he’s gathered with the rest of his cabinet for a series of meetings about the economy and foreign relations.

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Fighting resumed yesterday after a brief calm following a heavy exchange of strikes on Sunday between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. State media reported that Israeli strikes targeted the Lebanese border village of Tair Harfa and part of the coastal city of Sidon. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Later in the day, Hezbollah said that it had targeted military surveillance equipment in northern Israel. AP News reports.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has extended the tour of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier in the Middle East, the Pentagon said yesterday. The decision comes after Israel and Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks. Eric Schmitt reports for the New York Times.

Four days of ceasefire talks in Cairo concluded on Sunday with no breakthrough, with Israel and Hamas remaining far apart on key issues including the Egypt-Gaza border. Nonetheless, a U.S. official said the talks were constructive and would continue with working-group discussions this week. Julian E. Barnes and James C. McKinley Jr. for the New York Times

More than 1.2 million doses of the polio vaccine arrived in Gaza yesterday, in preparation for a mass vaccination campaign, according to the United Nations, Israel, and Gaza health authorities. It comes after the territory’s first case of the disease in 25 years was confirmed earlier this month. Hiba Yazbek reports for the New York Times.

The Sounion oil tanker burning in the Red Sea may lead to “environmental disaster,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement yesterday. He added that the tanker threatened to “spill a million barrels of oil,” or about four times as much oil as the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska released in 1989. The New York Times reports."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"At least seven people were killed and 47 injured, including four children, as Russia targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure across 15 regions with waves of drones and missiles, causing severe damage and disrupting supplies. Russia confirmed the attacks, which it said targeted facilities supporting the military-industrial complex.

Mykola Oleshchuk, Ukraine’s Air Force commander, said the country’s forces brought down 102 of the 127 missiles and 99 of the 109 drones Russia launched. He called the attack “the most massive” since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia said it struck Ukrainian forces in at least 12 different places in its Kursk region with air strikes, artillery and infantry. Moscow said it also repelled attacks at seven additional places in Kursk, where Kyiv launched a surprise cross-border assault on August 6. It added that it had also struck Ukrainian forces at 16 other locations in Ukraine’s neighbouring Sumy region.

China today called for more countries to endorse its peace plan for Ukraine, after a round of diplomacy with Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa to support its plan. Separately, President Biden yesterday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and commended his engagement with Ukraine and visit to Poland last week, the White House said. Huizhong Wu reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Israel’s military launched raids and airstrikes in the occupied West Bank today in an unusually wide-scale operation, killing at least nine people, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the military had started an operation to thwart terrorist groups and that some residents of the territory may need to evacuate. Gabby Sobelman and Victoria Kim report for the New York Times.

Israeli, U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari negotiators were meeting in Doha today for “technical/working level” talks on a Gaza ceasefire, a source told Reuters.

The U.N. haltingly resumed its humanitarian operations in Gaza yesterday, U.N. officials said, after the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of Deir al-Balah, its main logistics hub in the territory. Ephrat Livni reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday said the country’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region is part of a larger plan to end the war. Speaking at a news conference, Zelenskyy said he has no intention of permanently annexing the region. Zelenskyy said he would present a “victory plan” to United States President Joe Biden and his two potential successors, probably while he is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly next month. The plan was designed to ensure Ukraine was in a strong position going into eventual talks to end the war.  “The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much – [that it would be] fair for Ukraine,” he told reporters in Kyiv.

Ukraine’s top general Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine had captured almost 600 Russian servicemen during its Kursk operation, disclosing that figure for the first time. He also said Ukraine had taken control of 100 settlements. The Guardian reports.

Russia launched a fresh wave of missiles and drones across Ukraine for a second day yesterday, killing at least five people and damaging infrastructure in multiple regions. Zelenskyy said some were shot down by Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets. Illia Novikov reports for AP News.

Ukraine’s F-16s are reportedly fighting with help from a U.S. Air Force electronic-warfare unit. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it has developed a new long-range weapon, known as the Palianytsia, to strike deep into Russia without asking permission from Western allies. Audrey Decker reports for DefenseOne; Hanna Arhirova reports for AP News.

U.N. nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi said after visiting Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant yesterday there was a serious risk of a nuclear accident. Meanwhile, Russia today claimed it had defused unexploded U.S.-supplied munitions fired by Ukraine just 3 miles from the plant, and said it wanted the International Atomic Energy Agency to take a “more objective and clearer” stance on nuclear safety. Reuters reports."

lousubcap

A little more regarding Russia and Ukraine:

A top Russian official is again talking publicly about a “Third World War,”this time in the context of Ukraine’s allies authorizing their weapons to be used to target Russian military sites and equipment inside Russia. 

Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the remarks Tuesday, saying the U.S. and others were “playing with fire” in considering lifting the restrictions, which he said could eventually lead to a nuclear exchange that would not be limited to the European continent. Reuters has more. 

Developing: The British say privately they’re ok with Ukraine attacking inside Russia using UK-provided Storm Shadow cruise missiles, the Telegraph reportedTuesday. But they don’t want to make this a public position out of concerns it would irritate U.S. officials in Washington. 

According to one British senior military official, “The U.S. fear escalation more than we do because they have to deal with it. We don’t. They, after all, would have to pick up the pieces. Little Britain cannot fight Russia,” the source told the Telegraph. 

Mapped: Review “hundreds of known Russian military and paramilitary objects” Ukraine could strike if the White House lifts its restrictions on ATACMS use, via a new report published Tuesday by the Institute for the Study of War in Washington. We flagged this data point in our last newsletter, but now we have an interactive map to view the range of possibilities listed in precise GPS coordinates, as curated by ISW analysts. "

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israeli troops conducted major raids in the occupied West Bank yesterday, killing at least 10 Palestinians. The operation was concentrated in Jenin and Tulkarm, two cities that have become militant strongholds, an Israeli military spokesperson said. Over 580 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7, according to the U.N., amid increased Israeli raids and settler violence. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times; Amelia Nierenberg reports for the New York Times.

The World Food Program yesterday suspended the movement of its staff across Gaza after one of its marked vehicles was hit by bullets, which U.N. officials said had been fired by Israeli troops. There were no injuries. “This is totally unacceptable,” the organization’s executive director Cindy McCain said. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times; Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.

The U.N. humanitarian affairs office said Israeli evacuation orders in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah have “severely impacted” its ability to deliver aid. John Hudson, Adela Suliman, Andrew Jeong and Hazem Balousha report for the Washington Post.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved “limited pauses” in fighting to allow for polio vaccinations for children in Gaza, according to an Israeli official. The pauses will only be in designated areas, the official said. Jordana Miller reports for ABC News.

The U.S. State Department announced sanctions against Israeli-government funded right-wing extremist settlers in the West Bank. The sanctions target an Israeli NGO and an individual with “long involvement in the intimidation of Palestinians with the aim of seizing their land.” The Guardian reports. 

The U.N. Security Council yesterday unanimously passed a resolution demanding a halt to escalating attacks between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, warning that further escalation “carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict.” Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News.

Iran’s mission to the U.N. said Yemen’s Houthis have agreed to temporarily pause their Red Sea attacks to allow ships to reach the damaged Sounion oil tanker. It comes after Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder on Tuesday said two tugboats had been sent to bring the ship to port, but the Houthis threatened to attack them. Tom O’Connor reports for Newsweek."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the Kamensky district of Russia’s Rostov region, its governor said yesterday. Following the attacks, a drone hit an oil products reservoir in Russia’s Kirov oblast, over 930 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border. Ukraine’s military confirmed it carried out the attack. The Guardian reports. 

Ukraine has stepped up calls for permission to use Western-supplied weapons to strike military targets inside Russia. Ahead of a meeting with his E.U. counterparts in Brussels today, Ukraine’s foreign minister said Ukraine wanted permission to use Western munitions to strike “legitimate military targets” deep inside Russia. E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and several NATO countries today echoed Ukraine’s call to lift such restrictions. The Guardian reports.

Russia said the West was “playing with fire” by considering allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with Western missiles and cautioned the United States that “World War Three” would not be confined to Europe. Guy Faulconbridge and Vladimir Soldatkin report for Reuters.

Russia yesterday launched an overnight attack on Kyiv, the third attack in four days. Ukraine today said it shot down two missiles and 60 out of 74 drones. Meanwhile, Moscow’s TASS news agency yesterday reported that Russian forces seized the settlement of Komyshivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, citing Russia’s defense ministry. The Guardian reports; The Telegraph reports.

Russia’s economy has shown strong growth in many sectors while unemployment remains at a record low, new data showed yesterday, despite Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine. Reuters reports.

Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said Russian President Vladimir Putin would mount a counteroffensive to try and retake territory in the Kursk region captured by Ukrainian troops but would encounter “a difficult fight”. Ukraine launched a surprise attack on the Russian region on August 6 and has claimed to have taken some 100 settlements.

Rosgvardiya, Russia’s National Guard, said in a statement that its sappers had found a shell from what it claimed was a US-supplied HIMARS multiple launch rocket system  5km (3 miles) from Kursk’s nuclear power plant, as well as a rocket fragment, which it said was stuffed with 180 unexploded munitions. Moscow has accused Ukrainian forces of trying to attack the plant. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the claim."

lousubcap

Ukraine's long-range drones using Western tech to hit Russia

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6240qepyppo?oref=d_brief_nl&utm_

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"The Israeli military continued its raid in the occupied West Bank for a second straight day yesterday, killing at least five, including a commander who led the local branch of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Palestinian Authority’s official news agency Wafa said 17 people had been killed in all Israeli raids since Wednesday. Victoria Kim, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, and Raja Abdulrahim report for the New York Times.

The World Health Organization yesterday reached an agreement with Israel to temporarily pause fighting in Gaza to allow for the distribution of polio vaccines. The campaign will begin on Sunday, with a “humanitarian pause” lasting from 6am to 3pm local time for three days, and aim to vaccinate 640,000 children under 10 years old. Israel has emphasized the move is not the first step to a ceasefire. Edith Lederer reports for AP News. 

Israel told the United States it blamed Tuesday’s incident in which Israeli troops fired at a marked World Food Program vehicle on “a communications error” between military units. “[T]he simple fact is, almost eleven months into this conflict,” such incidents “remain all too common,” U.S. Amb. Robert Wood told the U.N. Security Council yesterday. The New York Times reports.

A leaked U.S. Embassy memo, obtained by NPR, shows that Washington is urging Israel’s military to stop mass evacuations orders driving the repeated displacement of Gazan civilians. For the first time since the war began, Israel’s military yesterday withdrew evacuation orders and said civilians could return to their homes in an area of central Gaza. Kat Lonsdorf, Daniel Estrin, and Hadeel Al-Shalchi report."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian forces struck two oil depots inside Russia overnight, while Moscow yesterday launched its third major aerial attack on Ukraine this week, the latest strikes by both sides on each other’s energy infrastructure. David L. Stern and Ellen Francis report for the Washington Post.

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet crashed as it was fending off Russian missiles, killing a star fighter pilot, Ukraine’s military said yesterday. The demise of one of Ukraine’s top pilots as well as one of its few F-16 jets is a blow for the military as it seeks to gain momentum against Russia. Bryan Pietsch reports for the Washington Post. 

Russian forces yesterday captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s defense ministry said its troops had seized control of Mykolaivka near the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, and Stelmakhivka in Lugansk. The Telegraph reports.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba yesterday said as he visited Brussels that Ukraine’s successes in Kursk show it is capable of “prevailing on the battlefield.” “We need more bold decisions to capitalize on this momentum,” he stressed, urging E.U. allies to expedite deliveries of promised air defense systems. The Guardian reports.

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 agency said yesterday."

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia hit Ukraine with more than 400 missiles and drones this week, the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy has fired the commander of the country’s air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, four days after an F-16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners crashed during a Russian bombardment and killed the pilot. Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed the acting air force commander.

The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskii, said his soldiers had advanced up to 2km (1.2 miles) in Russia’s Kursk region in the past day, in their continuing cross-border incursion that they launched about three weeks ago.

Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region is legitimate and covered by its right to self-defence, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told German weekly Welt am Sonntag."

lousubcap

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s state news agency TASS reports that a fire at Moscow’s oil refinery has been assigned the highest level of complexity. The warning came as Russia reported that it repelled drone attacks in several parts of the country.

Moscow has reported that it thwarted a “massive” drone attack on western Russia and another targeting the capital. Bryansk regional governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said at least 26 drones were “identified and destroyed” by the Russian military, without causing any casualties or damage.

The Baza Telegram news channel, which is close to Russia’s security services, reported loud blasts were heard near the Konakovo Power Station in the Tver region, one of the largest energy producers in central Russia. Tver Governor Igor Rudenya said five drones were destroyed over his region northwest of the capital."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"A nationwide labor strike is underway in Israel today in the broadest expression of anti-government dissent since the war began. It comes after Israel’s largest labor union yesterday called for action to push for a ceasefire and hostage deal. Meanwhile, some 500,000 people protested across Israel yesterday, calling for the government to immediately accept a ceasefire deal. Patrick Kingsley reports for the New York Times; Emily Rose and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters; CNN reports.

The U.N.-led campaign to vaccinate children in Gaza against polio began yesterday. The rollout relies on a series of agreed localized fighting pauses between Israel and Hamas, though Palestinian health officials say a “real ceasefire” is needed for the campaign to be successful. Niamh Kennedy, Ibrahim Dahman, and Alex Stambaugh report for CNN; Yolande Knell reports for BBC News.

The United States is planning to soon present a “take it or leave it” Gaza ceasefire deal, officials say. If either party rejects the deal, it could mark the end of the U.S.-led negotiations, according to one official. Yasmeen Abutaleb and John Hudson report for the Washington Post; Barak Ravid reports for Axios."

edit to add:

Suspected attacks by Yemen’s Houthis targeted two ships in the Red Sea today, authorities said. The assault comes as efforts continue to salvage the still-burning Sounion oil tanker. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia yesterday bombarded Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, wounding over 40 civilians, according to Ukrainian officials. Meanwhile, Russian state media and local officials reported that Ukraine had attacked power plants and oil refineries with drones. Russia’s defense ministry said yesterday it had intercepted or shot down over 150 drones in 15 regions. Marc Santora and David Guttenfelder report for the New York Times; Matthew Luxmoore reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

Ukraine has urged Mongolia to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his visit to the country tomorrow, his first to an International Criminal Court member state since a warrant for his arrest was issued in March 2023. Sofia Ferreira Santos reports for BBC News.

Russia said it stopped a “massive” Ukrainian air attack, bringing down at least 158 drones in 15 regions of the country, including two over Moscow. No casualties were reported.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces captured two more settlements in eastern Ukraine – Ptyche, about 21 km (13 miles) southeast of Pokrovsk, and Vyimka, another settlement in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskii, said the situation was “difficult” around the location of Russia’s main offensive in eastern Ukraine."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday defended his contentious plans for a continued Israeli presence on the Philadelphi corridor, a demand that has delayed a ceasefire and hostage deal. In a rare news conference, Netanyahu apologized for not bringing the six hostages recovered from Gaza home alive, but said a withdrawal from the area would signal to Hamas that killing hostages leads to concessions. Hamas has warned that more hostages could be “returned to their families in shrouds” if a ceasefire isn’t reached. Jack Burgess reports for BBC News; Steve Hendrix and Shira Rubin report for the Washington Post.

Hamas has been operating under new instructions since June on how to handle hostages should Israeli forces approach their locations in Gaza, the group’s armed wing said yesterday. The announcement comes days after the Israeli military said six hostages were shot dead by their captors as Israeli forces got close. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Jaidaa Taha report for Reuters.

Israeli union leaders agreed to halt the nationwide labor strike yesterday afternoon, over eight hours after it began. The decision followed an Israeli court ruling yesterday that they had not given enough notice for the work stoppage. Patrick Kinsgley reports for the New York Times."

Edit to add:

Yemen’s Houthis attacked two crude oil tankers, one Saudi-flagged and another Panama-flagged, in the Red Sea yesterday, the U.S. military said. The militant group claimed responsibility for targeting the Panama tanker, but did not mention the Saudi tanker. No major damage or casualties were reported. Jonathan Saul and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Mongolia late yesterday for his first state visit to a member of the International Criminal Court since a warrant was issued for his arrest in March 2023. While Ukraine and the E.U. have reminded Mongolia of its obligation to act upon the court’s warrant, Russian officials say they have “no worries” about Putin’s visit. Valerie Hopkins and David Pierson report for the New York Times; Joe Stanley-Smith and Csongor Körömi report for POLITICO.

Russia struck Kyiv with dozens of drones and missiles in the early morning, in a bombardment that coincided with the first day of school. At least three people were injured in the attack and there was damage to a boiler house at a Kyiv water plant and to the entrance to a metro station being used as an air raid shelter.

Other parts of the country also came under Russian aerial attack. Ukrainian forces said they destroyed 22 out of 35 missiles and 20 out of 23 attack drones over the capital as well as the Kharkiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhia regions.

Fighting remained fierce on the front line in eastern Ukraine, with Russia claiming to have taken the village of Skuchne, part of the district of Pokrovsk, a strategically important town that Russia aims to capture. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine faced difficulties in confronting “the most combat-focused Russian brigades” on the eastern front, but that Russia had made “no advance for two days”.

Russia advanced on 477 sq km (184 sq miles) of Ukrainian territory in August, Moscow’s biggest monthly increase since October 2022, according to data supplied by the Institute for the Study of War and analysed by the AFP news agency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a trip to Russia’s Tuva region, said Russian forces were reclaiming territory in the Kursk region “by square kilometres” and that Kyiv’s August 6 incursion into the territory had failed in its aim of stopping Russia from advancing in Urkraine’s Donetsk region."

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Israel does not need to retain control of the Philadelphi corridor for security reasons and that is not a sufficient reason to hamper ceasefire and hostage talks, former Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said yesterday, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of putting his own interests before Israel’s. Steven Scheer reports for Reuters; Bethan McKernan reports for the Guardian.

Polio vaccinations in central Gaza have “surpassed the target” in the campaign’s first two days, the World Health Organization said yesterday. The U.N. agency said the difference was likely the result of an underestimate of the population in the region, adding that the localized fighting pauses had been “going well.” Mallory Moench reports for BBC News.

Israeli forces were again operating in the West Bank city of Tulkarm yesterday, after having initially withdrawn last week. Palestinian health officials say at least 30 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli raids began last Wednesday. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is poised to make the biggest shake-up of his government since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Around half a dozen senior figures have offered to resign, including Ukraine’s foreign minister. Zelenskyy said yesterday that “personnel decisions have been prepared” to strengthen his government in the war. Victoria Kim and Marc Santora report for the New York Times.

Zelenskyy told NBC News yesterday that Kyiv is planning to indefinitely hold Russian territories it seized in a surprise offensive last month. “For now, we need it,” Zelenskyy said, in his first one-on-one interview since Ukraine took control of 500 square miles of Russian territory. Richard Engel, Gabe Joselow, and Yuliya Talmazan report.

A Russian strike killed seven people in Ukraine’s western city of Lviv, regional officials said today. It followed another Russian strike on the Ukrainian city of Poltava yesterday, which killed at least 50 people at a military institute. Paul Kirby and Nick Beake report for BBC News; Reuters reports.

Ukraine’s state railway operator said Russia targeted railway infrastructure and rolling stock in the northeastern region of Sumy and the central Dnipropetrovsk region.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the situation at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in central Ukraine was “very fragile” following new attacks near the site. Grossi will visit the plant on Wednesday.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had deployed additional air defence systems in its Belgorod region following repeated Ukrainian attacks.

Vladimir Putin wrapped up his official visit to Mongolia undisturbed as Ulaanbaatar ignored an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for the Russian president."

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conflicting messages are confusing already fraught ceasefire talks, officials say. Netanyahu this week said Israel would not withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor, while his chief negotiator told mediators the military would pull out. Claire Parker, Loveday Morris, and John Hudson report for the Washington Post.

Netanyahu derailed a potential hostage release deal in July, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing a document it obtained. The report gives credence to charges often leveled at Netanyahu of prolonging the war for his political benefit. Mick Krever, Becky Anderson, Jeremy Diamond, and Dana Karni report for CNN.

The second stage of the U.N.’s campaign to vaccinate children in Gaza against polio is underway. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued striking the enclave, including a central Gaza hospital, killing five Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters; Lynsey Chutel reports for the New York Times.

Washington is racing to propose a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal in the coming days, two U.S. officials and Egyptian sources told Reuters. However, Hamas’s new condition to increase the number of Palestinian prisoners released as part of a deal has raised concerns as to whether an agreement is possible, U.S. officials say. Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay, Andrew Mills, and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan report; Barak Ravid reports for Axios."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces had taken control of the settlements of Prechystivka and Karlivka, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Pokrovsk.

Russia’s Defence Ministry acknowledged it attacked a military educational institute and hospital in Poltava. Ukraine said at least 51 people were killed and 271 injured in the attack on Tuesday. Russia claimed it was targeting soldiers, foreign instructors and drone operators.

Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down seven out of 13 missiles and 22 out of 29 drones that Russia deployed in an attack on energy facilities and critical infrastructure in nine Ukrainian regions.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had ordered a major reshuffle of the government because Ukraine needed “new energy“. A total of six ministers submitted their resignations, and parliament accepted four of them. Among those offering their resignation was Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, but parliament did not formally sanction it."

lousubcap

Friday (late) Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday he does not believe a ceasefire and hostage deal is likely. “There’s not a deal in the making,” Netanyahu told Fox News, in a rebuke of the Biden administration’s insistence that a deal is near. Mick Krever, Jennifer Hansler and Alex Marquardt report for CNN.

The Egyptian military’s chief of staff visited the Egypt-Gaza border yesterday to conduct a security assessment and inspect checkpoints, according to a statement from the military. The New York Times reports.

Tugboats dispatched to a burning oil tanker attacked by Yemen’s Houthis over two weeks ago have also been targeted and have had to turn back, a Pentagon spokesperson said yesterday. It comes despite Iran’s announcement last week that the militant group had agreed to a temporary pause in its campaign. The New York Times reports."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine emergency services said at least 55 people had been confirmed dead and 328 injured after they completed their search and rescue operation at a military educational institute in the Ukrainian town of Poltava that was hit by a Russian missile on Tuesday.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 60 out of 78 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack. It added that Russia also used one ballistic Iskander-M missile in the bombardment.

Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskii, told the CNN news channel that Kyiv’s incursion into Russia’s southern Kursk region was working and that there had been no Russian advances on a key sector of the eastern front for six days.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the incursion had failed to slow Russia’s advance in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Putin said the “main” goal of Russia’s full-scale invasion was to take control of the Donbas.'

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched a total of 67 long-range drones in a mass overnight attack, 58 of which it was able to shoot down. In a statement on Telegram, it said air defence units were scrambled into action in 11 regions across Ukraine.

Russian attacks on the central Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad killed one person and wounded more than 60 others, including several children, officials said. Five Iskander ballistic missiles were fired from Russian territory towards Pavlohrad in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukraine’s air force.

The United States announced another $250m in military aid for Ukraine. Germany pledged to supply an additional 12 self-propelled howitzers and Canada said it planned to send 80,840 surplus small unarmed air-to-surface rockets as well as 1,300 warheads in the coming months.

The US warned that any Iranian transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would mark a “dramatic escalation” in the war, following reports that Moscow is planning an arms transfer of hundreds of Iranian short-range ballistic missiles."

lousubcap

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s air defence units said they destroyed 15 of 23 attack drones and one guided air missile launched by Russia overnight, Ukraine’s air force said. Two of the drones and three other missiles did not reach their targets, the air force adde

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces had taken control of the village of Kalynove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Kalynove lies about 25km (16 miles) southeast of Pokrovsk, a major Ukrainian logistics hub that Russia aims to capture.

Richard Moore, the head of the United Kingdom’s MI6 foreign intelligence service, and CIA chief William Burns wrote a joint op-ed for the Financial Times highlighting British and United States efforts to help Ukraine in its war against Russia, and stressing it was crucial for the West to maintain its support."