Because the conflict enters its 888th day, these are the principle developments.
Right here is the state of affairs on Thursday, August 1, 2024.
Preventing
- Ukraine’s air power mentioned it repelled one among Russia’s largest long-range drone assaults of the conflict, taking pictures 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 mentioned greater than 40 drones have been shot down. An air raid alert remained in place a lot of the evening. No civilian or important infrastructure took a direct hit, however particles broken the roofs, home windows and facades of 13 personal residences within the area, authorities mentioned.
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Ukraine’s navy mentioned it struck a storage facility for weapons and navy gear within the western Russian area of Kursk in a single day and it was working to evaluate the harm. Russia, it mentioned, engaged its air defences to attempt to counter the assault, however explosions have been seen on the goal places. Russia’s Ministry of Defence mentioned earlier it had destroyed one incoming drone and a Ukrainian Neptun guided missile over the Kursk area.
- Romania’s Ministry of Nationwide Defence mentioned 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 mentioned 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, nevertheless it has just lately stepped up diplomatic efforts and hosted Ukrainian Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba final week. Zelenskyy additionally mentioned that Ukraine want to see Russia attend the subsequent summit.
- A Russian courtroom ordered Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher arrested in Russia in June, to stay in custody forward of his trial on prices of unlawfully gathering 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 potential for deploying French troops in Ukraine.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin doubled upfront funds for volunteers to combat 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 a minimum of the identical quantity.
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Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, demanded a proof from Russian authorities over the dying in captivity of Oleksandr Ishchenko, one among 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 function 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 might carry bombs, rockets and missiles, have arrived in Ukraine. “F-16s in Ukraine. One other unattainable 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 whole, whereas the Netherlands has promised to ship 24 and Norway six.