Because the conflict enters its 888th day, these are the primary developments.
Right here is the scenario on Thursday, August 1, 2024.
Preventing
- Ukraine’s air pressure stated it repelled considered one of Russia’s largest long-range drone assaults of the conflict, capturing down all 89 drones launched at Kyiv, the encompassing area and different areas. The assault largely focused the capital and its surrounding area the place authorities stated greater than 40 drones had been shot down. An air raid alert remained in place many of the night time. No civilian or vital infrastructure took a direct hit, however particles broken the roofs, home windows and facades of 13 personal residences within the area, authorities stated.
-
Ukraine’s navy stated it struck a storage facility for weapons and navy tools within the western Russian area of Kursk in a single day and it was working to evaluate the injury. Russia, it stated, engaged its air defences to attempt to counter the assault, however explosions had been seen on the goal areas. Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated earlier it had destroyed one incoming drone and a Ukrainian Neptun guided missile over the Kursk area.
- Romania’s Ministry of Nationwide Defence stated it had discovered drone fragments at a 3rd location close to the border after final week’s Russian assaults on Ukrainian port infrastructure. The particles was discovered close to the village of Ceatalchioi throughout the Danube river from Ukraine.
Politics and diplomacy
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an interview with French media that Kyiv doesn’t need China to behave as a mediator within the battle with Russia, however hoped Beijing would put extra strain on Moscow to finish the conflict. China has a “no limits” partnership with Russia and didn’t attend the primary peace summit on Ukraine held final month in Switzerland, however it has not too long ago stepped up diplomatic efforts and hosted Ukrainian Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba final week. Zelenskyy additionally stated that Ukraine wish to see Russia attend the following summit.
- A Russian court docket ordered Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher arrested in Russia in June, to stay in custody forward of his trial on costs of unlawfully amassing info on navy points. Vinatier, an adviser with the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, was arrested in Moscow as tensions flared over French President Emmanuel Macron’s feedback about the opportunity of deploying French troops in Ukraine.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin doubled upfront funds for volunteers to battle in Ukraine. All Russians who signal a contract with the military will now obtain an upfront cost of 400,000 roubles ($4,651). The decree additionally recommends that regional authorities match this cost from their budgets with at the least the identical quantity.
-
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, demanded a proof from Russian authorities over the loss of life in captivity of Oleksandr Ishchenko, considered one of 22 Ukrainian prisoners placed on trial in reference to their affiliation with the Azov Brigade. The unit, designated as a “terrorist” group by Russia, performed a key position within the three-month defence of the port of Mariupol in 2022.
Weapons
- The primary batch of long-awaited F-16 fighter jets, that are outfitted with a 20mm cannon and may carry bombs, rockets and missiles, have arrived in Ukraine. “F-16s in Ukraine. One other unimaginable factor turned out to be completely attainable,” Lithuanian Overseas Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote on X, previously generally known as Twitter. Denmark has dedicated to donate 19 jets in complete, whereas the Netherlands has promised to ship 24 and Norway six.
