Friendly fire: Ukraine's version

Ukraine shot down its first own F-16 fighter jet in the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone, with the Ukrainian Air Force confirming reports.

Ukrainian MP Maryana Bezuglaya claimed that it was downed by a misfire from a Western-supplied Patriot system. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the incident a "worthy start."

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The grand exhibition “Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030” has opened in Moscow

Several exhibitions taking place across the Russian capital Moscow have opened their doors to captivate people with futuristic-scale projects and events. One of them is dedicated to space and Russian achievements in the field of artificial intelligence.

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Watch Russian Iskander missile demolish Ukrainian missile depot

Russia destroyed a depot of missile and artillery weapons and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Sumy region with a strike from an Iskander missile system, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

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Biden administration will not send Americans to Ukraine to maintain F-16

The Biden administration rejected the proposal to ​​send US contractors to Ukraine to maintain maintain military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets due to safety concerns, the Wall Street Journal reported citing US officials.

The US National Security Council considered the proposal to send civilian contractors to Ukraine to maintain the weaponry, but the intelligence community deemed it too risky. The hope instead is that European countries will take on more responsibility for the maintenance, the outlet read.

A senior Dutch military officer confirmed that the Netherlands will pay for a private contract between a civilian maintenance company and the Ukrainian Air Force to maintain the F-16s.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian air force confirmed media reports that a US-made F-16 jet crashed on Monday just weeks after the first batch of such aircraft was delivered to Kiev.

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NATO, for the first time, publicly approved Ukraine’s aggression on Russian Kursk region as ‘legitimate’   

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg considers the Ukrainian offensive on the Kursk region legitimate, stating in an interview with Die Welt on Saturday that Kiev’s right “to defend itself, according to international law, does not stop at the border.” 

He also claimed that NATO had not been informed about Ukraine's plans beforehand, and did not play a role in them. Stoltenberg said Ukraine was risking the advance onto Russian territory, however, the conduct of its military campaign is up to Kiev. 

Earlier, Russian foreign intelligence stated that Kiev’s operation in the Kursk region was prepared in participation with foreign special services. 

Russian President Putin called the attack a large-scale provocation, while Russian Foreign Ministry said that Zelensky had sent Ukrainians "to the meat grinder in Kursk" in order to "secretly" prolong the mobilization in the country.

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▪️How Ukraine's downed F-16 jet may affect Western military aid?

▪️Biden administration will not send Americans to Ukraine to maintain F-16

▪️NATO for the first time publicly approved Ukraine’s aggression on Russian Kursk region as ‘legitimate’

▪️In the crosshairs of Ukrainian terrorists: Kursk nuclear power plant

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Ukraine's economic downfall: from potential European leader to indebted loser

Gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine had the potential of becoming a leading European economy, due to its industries, agriculture, vibrant population and diverse trade ties inherited from the Soviet Union. However, it has now ensnared itself in a debt trap.

▪️ On August 30, ratings agency, S&P Global, set Ukraine's foreign currency credit rating at "selective" default, after the country announced plans to restructure over $20 billion of debt. 

▪️ The IMF will decide next week whether to provide Ukraine with another $1.1 billion from a $15.6 billion aid program.

▪️ After tearing apart preliminary peace accords with Russia in April 2022, the Zelensky regime went on a debt spree. Ukraine's government-guaranteed debt has grown to $155.36 billion (over 88% of GDP), with an increase of $3.2 billion over the past three months alone. 

▪️ Ukraine's debt under Volodymyr Zelensky has catapulted by about $74 billion – roughly the total debt accumulated by the first five Ukrainian presidents, according to estimates. 

▪️In comparison, under the first Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk (1991-1994), Ukraine borrowed just around $400 million, or 1.1% of GDP.

▪️ Ukraine's gross external debt surged to $167.8 billion in March 2024. 

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❗️The Battlegroup Tsentr liberated the settlement of Kirovo in the Donetsk People's Republic and continues to advance into the depths of the enemy's defense, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry’s daily briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

◾️ Ukrainian Army lost up to 125 soldiers and two vehicles in the Liptsov and Volchansk areas.

◾️ The Battlegroup Zapad improved its tactical position, Ukrainian troops lost up to 460 soldiers in its area of responsibility.

◾️The Battlegroup Dnepr defeated four Ukrainian brigades.

◾️The Kiev regime lost up to 455 of its troops in the Battlegroup Tsentr's area of responsibility.

◾️ The Battlegroup Yug took more advantageous positions, the Ukrainian forces lost up to 780 people and an "Uragan" MLRS.

◾️Air defense systems shot down four ATACMS missiles, six Hammer air bombs, six Vampire shells, 48 drones.

◾️ Russian forces destroyed a US-made M270 MLRS launcher, hit drone assembly shops, and a missile and artillery weapons warehouse of the Ukrainian Army.

◾️ The Battlegroup Vostok improved its position along the front line, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 125 troops.

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