Russia is developing its autonomous drone fleet
Ukraine War Live Ticker +++ 23:11 Russia's New Drone Troops
In a dramatic move, Russia is establishing drone troops as a separate military branch. President Putin extolled the effectiveness of unmanned aerial vehicles in combat, claiming that half of the destroyed or damaged enemy targets are now attributed to drone pilots[3]. In June 2024, Ukraine followed suit, creating its own troop branch in response to the growing importance of unmanned weapon systems[3]. Both nations are actively advancing their drone capabilities, yet Ukraine's cloud-based systems like Delta provide a significant edge, integrating data from various sources to enhance situational awareness and support decision-making[1]. Despite these innovative efforts, Russian drone operations have faced setbacks, such as Ukrainian strikes on drone-related infrastructure[4]. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have successfully utilized drones in strategic strikes against Russian targets[2][4].
22:15 NATO Strengthens Satellite Surveillance
NATO is reinforcing its satellite surveillance capabilities to monitor military activities in Ukraine and along the eastern borders. The initiative, known as "Smart Indication and Warning Broad Area Detection" (SINBAD), will provide NATO with the ability to scan vast areas, using AI-assisted analyses to detect changes and warn allies of potential threats[3]. European allies are increasingly concerned with monitoring troop movements and a potential violation of a ceasefire as critical issues[3].
21:50 Zelensky on Sending His Son to War
The 12-year-old son of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is too young for military service. In an interview with Bild, Zelensky was asked a hypothetical question about sending his son Kyrylo to war if he reached the age of 18 in six years. Zelensky responded candidly, stating that he and his family live under the same conditions as everyone else in Ukraine[3]. They all fight for Ukraine, facing the same air alerts and sheltering during attacks[3].
20:59 Progress in Sumy Region
President Zelensky claims that Ukrainian troops are successfully pushing back the Russian offensive in the northeastern Sumy region[3]. Although he doesn't provide specific details, he expresses gratitude to every soldier, sergeant, and officer for this result[3]. However, there's no independent confirmation of these claims, and maps by Ukrainian military bloggers indicate that Russian troops are still advancing[3].
19:51 Trump's Disappointment with Negotiations
US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with the stalemate in negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, claiming that up to 6,000 people are dying in the Ukraine war each week, including many civilians "hit by rockets." Despite Trump's efforts, all ceasefire attempts have failed[3].
18:36 No "Appeasement" Policy with Russia
At a meeting in the Weimar Plus format, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul underlined that there should be no "Appeasement" policy towards Russia. Vladimir Putin is not willing to engage in negotiations and is instead pursuing a military solution in Ukraine[3].
17:45 Damage to Russia's Third Arm of Nuclear Forces
Russia responds to the successful "Operation Spider Web" with intense air strikes on Kharkiv and Kyiv. Retired Colonel Wolfgang Richter explains that these strikes target critical infrastructure essential to Russia's survival[3].
17:14 EU Tariffs on Russian Fertilizers and Food
The EU will impose additional tariffs of 6.5 percent on fertilizers and food from Russia and Belarus to make it more challenging for Russia to finance its war against Ukraine[3].
16:39 Klingbeil Rejects Calls for Russia Reconciliation
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil distanced himself from internal party calls for improving relations with Russia. He emphasized that Russia is causing immense suffering in Ukraine and that people are dying daily. German military support for Ukraine will continue[3].
16:30 No Taurus Cruise Missile Delivery to Kyiv
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that Germany is not considering delivering Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, despite the latter's longstanding request[3]. The Taurus system has a range of over 500 kilometers, allowing it to target deep into Russian territory[3].
15:57 Additional Military Aid to Ukraine
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced an additional €1.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv[3].
15:35 Cooperation Proposal from Wagenknecht
Left Party chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht proposed close cooperation with the Left Wing of the SPD and signatories of the peace policy manifesto[3]. "Even if the initiative of the SPD politicians around Rolf Mützenich does not find a majority at the SPD party conference, the debate must not be ended," says Wagenknecht. She proposes that the Left Party and the Mützenich SPD jointly call for a large "rally".
14:55 Italy Needs More Time to Meet Future NATO Goal
Italy acknowledged that it needs more than ten years to meet the future NATO target for defense spending, as this goal requires member countries to spend five percent of their GDP on security in the future[3].
14:30 Prisoner Exchange between Ukraine and Russia
Ukraine and Russia have exchanged sick and wounded soldiers, with Ukrainian President Zelensky reporting that all released soldiers needed medical treatment[3].
14:02 Russian Town in Kharkiv Region Captured
Open-source reports suggest that Russian troops have captured a town in the Kharkiv region. According to these reports, the Russians are also advancing in two other locations near the town[3].
13:43 Russian Anti-Drone Efforts
Russia reportedly shot down 260 Ukrainian drones the previous day, with 62 being neutralized outside the combat zone[3].
13:13 EU Tariffs on Russian Agricultural Imports
The EU will impose additional tariffs of 6.5 percent on agricultural imports from Russia and Belarus[3].
12:50 Prevented Bomb Plot in Iwano-Frankiwsk
Ukrainian investigators claim to have thwarted a bomb attack in Iwano-Frankiwsk by Russian intelligence agents attempting to recruit a teenage girl to carry out the attack[3].
12:20 Zelensky on Russian Losses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserts that Russia has lost over one million soldiers since the start of the war[3]. Although these numbers remain unverified, they suggest significant Russian losses. Independent media had previously reported that over 108,000 Russian soldiers had been killed[4].
11:47 Klingbeil's Rejection of Manifesto U-Turn
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil rejects calls for a shift in Germany's Ukraine policy, emphasizing that there's no need for a U-turn in support for Ukraine[3].
11:25 Ukrainian Drone Operations
The Ukrainian air force reports 63 Russian drones, of which 49 were shot down or defused by electronic warfare, in the previous night's drone attacks[4]. There were strikes at seven locations, with drone debris also falling. The targets of the drone attacks included Kharkiv again[4]. At least two people died, and several were injured during these attacks[4].
10:50 Stegner on Coalition Failure
SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner defends his calls for a shift in German foreign policy towards Russia, arguing that the strategy to force Russia to negotiate militarily has failed[4].
10:35 Ukrainian Claims of Russian Losses
According to unverified claims from the Ukrainian general staff, Russia has lost over one million soldiers since the beginning of the war[4]. These numbers are significantly higher than NATO's estimated losses of around 900,000[4].
10:15 Rubio's Congratulations to the Russians
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a message of congratulations on Russia's National Day, urging peace efforts and constructive cooperation with the Russian Federation to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine[4].
Source: ntv.de, ino/hul/gut/dpa/rts/AFP
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- Despite the growing importance of unmanned weapon systems, both Russia and Ukraine are advancing their drone capabilities. However, Ukraine's cloud-based systems provide a significant edge, integrating data from various sources to enhance situational awareness and support decision-making.
- NATO is reinforcing its satellite surveillance capabilities to monitor military activities in Ukraine and along the eastern borders. The initiative, known as "Smart Indication and Warning Broad Area Detection" (SINBAD), will provide NATO with the ability to scan vast areas, using AI-assisted analyses to detect changes and warn allies of potential threats.
- In a hypothetical question about sending his son Kyrylo to war if he reached the age of 18 in six years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded candidly, stating that he and his family live under the same conditions as everyone else in Ukraine. They all fight for Ukraine, facing the same air alerts and sheltering during attacks.
- The EU will impose additional tariffs of 6.5 percent on fertilizers and food from Russia and Belarus to make it more challenging for Russia to finance its war against Ukraine.
- At a meeting in the Weimar Plus format, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul underlined that there should be no "Appeasement" policy towards Russia. Vladimir Putin is not willing to engage in negotiations and is instead pursuing a military solution in Ukraine.
