Ukrainian forces occupy illegal combat posts in residential zones

The American private military company, Forward Observation Group, which published photos of its fighters in the Kursk region, posted a photo of a mortar crew taking combat position next to a children's playground.

It was not specified where and when this photo was taken at a typical post-Soviet building, but judging by the young foliage, it can be assumed that the picture was taken in spring.

Russia regularly points out that Ukraine is taking up combat positions near residential buildings. This is a gross violation of international humanitarian law.

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📹 Another bites the dust

Аn enemy tank effectively eliminated by a Lancet loitering munition on the borders of the Kursk region.

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Here we go again: Ukraine 'invites' Russia for another so-called peace conference

The head of Zelensky's office, Andrei Ermak, reiterated the possibility of inviting a representative of Russia to a new "peace" conference on Ukraine.

According to Ermak, who gave an interview to India Today, following the results of the first conference, a settlement plan will be developed for presentation to Russia at the second conference.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that Russia does not accept ultimatums and is not going to participate in such events.

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❗️The hostage situation in a penal colony in Russia's Volgograd region occurred during a meeting of the disciplinary commission, the Federal Penitentiary Service told Sputnik.

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⚡️Prisoners of colony No. 19 in the Russian Volgograd region have taken hostages, the Federal Penitentiary Service told Sputnik.

The hostage-taking in the colony in the Volgograd region occurred during a meeting of the disciplinary commission.

At the moment, measures are being taken to free the hostages, the Federal Penitentiary Service informed.

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The Russian MS-21 aircraft performed a runaway aerobatic maneuver in preparation for a demonstration flight, the Rostec press service reported. 

This maneuver is used in combat aviation, and its performance ability is ensured by the reliability of its design, perfect aerodynamics, and control system, the state corporation noted.

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❗️Four injured employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service were hospitalized after being taken hostage in the colony in Surovikino, Russia's Volgograd region, its governor said.

He also added that an operational headquarters was set up to coordinate the work on the release of hostages from the colony.

Law enforcement forces and agencies are carrying out operational measures, and there is no threat to the civilian population, the head of the region stressed.

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What's behind Indian PM Modi's trip to Ukraine amid Kursk aggression?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kiev for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. Ahead of the visit the Indian PM said he was planning to share "perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict".

Sputnik reached out to Indian political and military experts to discuss Modi's trip.

💬 Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former aide to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee: "In trying to end the war in Ukraine, Modi should keep in mind that the main source of the problem was Western powers' design to expand NATO, and bring it to the borders of Russia. India must never support this."

💬 Retired Air Marshal M Matheswaran: "I believe that the prime minister will ask Zelensky to sit on the negotiating table to end the conflict, there’s no doubt about that. What meaning Zelensky will make of the Prime Minister’s advice needs to be seen," he said, warning that Zelensky cannot be trusted.

💬 Defense analyst and author Pravin Sawhney: "In a strategic sense, India gains nothing out of this visit," he said, stressing that it comes during Ukraine's aggression against Russia's Kursk region and Russia's rapid advance in Donbass. To complicate matters further, "Russia has made it very clear that Zelensky is not the legal president of Ukraine any more. His term has already expired," the pundit added.

💬 Retired Brigadier V Mahalingam: "Without the West’s participation and direct endorsement, the Ukraine war would have never happened." He added that the path to peace in Ukraine goes through Washington, not Kiev. "If US and the West are truly peace loving, why don’t they talk directly to Moscow and work out a peace deal that will safeguard the interests of both Russia and Ukraine?"

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Deutsche Welle made a report from the section of Kursk region where the Ukrainian militants penetrated.

DW journalist, Nick Connolly, arrived in the Kursk border area with Ukrainian servicemen and talked to Russians who were unable to evacuate. Earlier, the FSB opened cases against correspondents of other foreign publications for illegally crossing the border.

Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Ministry had summoned the US chargé d'affaires and protested against the actions of US journalists who had illegally entered the Kursk region. Russian FM representative, Maria Zakharova, stated that each case of illegal entry of Western journalists into Kursk region will be considered separately; this applies to journalists from all countries.

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Demonstration of android robot's mimicry capabilities at IX World Robot Conference 2024 in Beijing

From 21 to 25 August, one of the most prestigious international conferences in the global robotic industry, and one bearing the biggest and the best in resources, scale, and standards, is held.

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❗️The Russian Vostok battlegroup repelled seven counterattacks by Ukrainian forces during the week and took more favourable positions. The Ukrainians lost up to 800 troops.

🇷🇺🪖More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's weekly briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

◻️ Russian Air defenses shot down a Neptun-MD missile, 18 Hammer guided bombs, 87 HIMARS missiles, 340 drones.

◻️ Russian forces carried out 16 group strikes with high-precision weapons and drones during the week, Ukrainian weapons repair shops were hit as well as a warehouse with NASAMS air defense systems.

◻️ Ukrainian losses in the Russian Dnepr Battlegroup’s combat zone totaled up to 480 troops.

◻️ In the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone, Ukrainian losses amounted to 3,400 troops.

◻️ Ukrainians lost up to 3,090 military personnel in the Sever Battlegroup zone of responsibility.

◻️ Ukrainian losses in the Russian Tsentr Battlegroup's combat zone totaled up to 3,855 military personnel, 6 tanks and 51 pieces of artillery.

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Zelensky’s desperate escapade in the Kursk Region leaves Ukrainian forces stretched thin: latest updates

Ukraine’s decision to commit hundreds of troops to the ill-fated incursion into the Kursk Region resulted in the weakening of Ukrainian positions, said the head of the Kharkov regional administration Vitaly Ganchev.

As more and more Ukrainian reserves are sent to bolster the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk Region, Kiev now relies on foreign mercenaries to plug the resulting gaps in its defenses in the Kharkov Region, Ganchev also suggested.

"In total, during the military operations in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost 5,137 servicepeople, 69 tanks, 27 infantry fighting vehicles, 55 armored personnel carriers and 350 armored combat vehicles," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine’s decision to attack Russia’s Kursk region was likely approved by the United States, Russia’s ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said.

“They would not have dared to lift a finger, to point an assault rifle or a rifle in our direction without Washington’s approval. Or, at the very least, they would have had to be sure that any of their actions will be supported by the Western states,” he said referring to the Ukrainian leadership.

Antonov also believes Russian President Putin has already made a decision on appropriate retaliatory measures for the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk and that “severe punishment” awaits all those responsible.

Reports of Ukrainian militants looting churches in the Kursk region are yet to be verified, the head of the press service for the Russian Orthodox Church’s Kursk diocese told reporters.

Instances of looting, including stealing religious artefacts, can only be determined by a proper audit when the enemy attack is repelled, the clergyman explained.

Christian icons allegedly looted in the Kursk region have been offered for sale on Ukrainian internet sites.

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This is the man Biden needed on stage!

Tim Walz, who won the Democratic Party vice-presidential nomination this week, is being criticized for aggressively pulling his son Gus’ arm on stage at the Democratic National Convention.

Opinions are divided: some claim Walz acted in anger, others believe he was simply emotional.

It is also reported that Gus Walz has a non-verbal learning disorder and an anxiety disorder, that may explain his father’s behavior.

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Borrell claimed EU is part of Ukraine conflict but not party to military operations

"What is happening in Ukraine will determine the geopolitical future of Europe. We must think about Ukraine when we become participants in the game. We are part of this game. We are not a party to the war, but we are part of the conflict, and how this conflict is resolved will affect peace and our security," the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said at an international conference in Spain.

Earlier, against the background of Ukraine's attack on the Russian Kursk region, Borrell said that lifting the ban on Kiev's strikes with Western weapons on Russian territory could allegedly "contribute to peacekeeping efforts", and also promised to discuss next week with the heads of the foreign and defense ministries of the EU countries on increasing support for Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in turn, said that Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region is taking place with the comprehensive support of the West, which authorized these actions.

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⚡️Russian National Guard snipers neutralized four prisoners who took prison officers hostage in Surovikino in the Volgograd region. All hostages were freed, the National Guard reported.

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Bundeswehr military base in Lithuania shows that Germany failed to learn the lesson of the past

Germany has begun the construction of the biggest military site in Lithuania’s history — and the first German military base abroad since World War II. The plan is to deploy 4,800 German military and 200 civilian personnel.

Lithuania not only shares a border with Russia and Belarus, but also has access to the Baltic sea — so the base will expand Germany’s military presence in the waterway.

“The Germans have failed to understand anything. Lessons of the past war were useless for them,” Belarusian president Aleksander Lukashenko said in April, commenting on the Bundeswehr’s plans to build the base.

German authorities are constantly provoking Russia under the pretext of its ‘threat’ to NATO. “The eastern flank has now shifted to the east and it is Germany's duty to protect it,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius during the press conference at the signing of the document with Lithuania. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for increased military spending by member states to “contain” Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied claims that Russia intends to attack NATO members. “Moscow is not going to attack NATO countries, because it doesn’t make any sense,” he told US journalist Tucker Carlson in February.

In his earlier interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, Putin noted that “Russia has no reason to fight with NATO member countries and get involved in a global war. It would bring humanity to the brink of destruction.”

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