Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 08-06-2024

Walz had been on a vice-presidential shortlist with a string of other Democratic figures seen as broadening Harris's appeal as she sprints into the contest against Donald Trump.

Kamala Harris said Tuesday she was "proud" to tap Tim Walz as her running mate, opting for the Minnesota governor with blue-collar credentials as the partner most likely to boost her historic -- and bruising -- bid for the White House.

Walz had been on a vice-presidential shortlist with a string of other Democratic figures seen as broadening Harris's appeal as she sprints into the contest against Donald Trump.

The crackdown on corruption among the upper echelons of Russia’s Ministry of Defense that began in April shows no likelihood of letting up.

A purge of senior Russian military officials suspected of corruption began at the end of April. The clear-out was aimed at those who owed allegiance to the former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and was seen as a power play between him and the Federal Security Service (FSB). It has continued, however, under his replacement, Andrey Belousov.

On Thursday, August 1 the former head of the Military Construction Branch (VSK), Sergei Sukhov, was arrested on suspicion of fraud. He was responsible for the letting of contracts for construction of operational, technical and residential buildings anywhere and for any purpose needed by Russia’s Armed Forces.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense 300 troops from Ukraine's 22nd Mechanized Brigade, supported by 11 tanks and over 20 armored vehicles, attacked Russian border positions on August 6.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed active combat is taking place in the Kursk region near the border with Ukraine and says it is sending reinforcements to the area.

According to Moscow's statement, Ukrainian armed forces launched an attack on Russian border positions near the settlements of Nikolaevo-Darino and Oleshnya in the Kursk region on the morning of Tuesday, August 6.

had the chance to take out Russian bombers parked on the ground in June, but Washington’s restrictions on ATACMS strikes on Russian territory denied Kyiv its fleeting opportunity.

On Monday, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) reported a successful strike on the Morozovsk military airfield in Russia’s Rostov region over the weekend, destroying and damaging multiple Su-34 fighter bombers some 130 km from the Ukrainian border.

But a few months prior, according to a Forbes report, Ukraine could have damaged or destroyed scores more when dozens of the same planes were parked at the Voronezh Malshevo air base, less than 300 km from the Ukrainian border. Unfortunately, for Kyiv, the US was still preventing Ukraine from striking Russian territory with its most sophisticated American-made missiles.

Georgie Ivanovs breaks down what the Russians' advances mean, what it could signal for Russia's future strategy, and weighs what Ukraine is likely to do in order to stall Russia's westward quest.

As Iran prepares for possible war with Israel, it uses the visit of Sergei Shoigu as an opportunity to ask for more military aid, including air defenses.

As Kyiv Post reported earlier, Russia has allegedly transferred Iskander and Murmansk-BN ballistic missile systems to Tehran after Iran threatened to strike Israel in retaliation for the killing of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Iran, which has supplied Russia with military aid including hundreds of Shahed kamikaze drones for Moscow’s war on Ukraine, has now asked for support from the Kremlin. According to the New York Times Tehran took the opportunity presented by this week’s visit of Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, to provide much needed advanced air defense systems as the likelihood of war with Israel escalates.

Russia has deployed supposedly controlled intermediate range nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad which may result in US deploying similar weapon systems in Germany.

Kremlin has nuclear capable missiles in Kaliningrad less than 600 kilometers (375 miles) from Berlin, according to Bild quoting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

“Russia has long been preparing for this war [in Ukraine]. For many years, it initially violated and then tore up disarmament treaties. The banned weapons developed can be equipped with nuclear warheads. They have been installed in Kaliningrad, less than 600 kilometers from Berlin. On Feb 24, 2022, Putin's Russia began the largest war in Europe since 1945," Baerbock said.

Kyivstar has received an Analytics Specialization on Microsoft Azure. It confirms Kyivstar's expertise in providing hybrid cloud services and IT solutions in the field of data and analytics.

Kyivstar, the largest digital communications operator in Ukraine, has received an Analytics Specialization on Microsoft Azure which confirms the company's expertise in providing hybrid cloud services and IT solutions in the field of data and analytics.

Analytics specialization on the Microsoft Azure platform is Kyivstar's third certified achievement from the American corporation. It is awarded only to those partners who pass a comprehensive assessment: technical expertise, qualifications of specialists and the results of implementing analytical solutions for customers. The Ukrainian operator has proven its competencies and practical capabilities in all areas. 

Vitaliy Asinenko has been tasked with repairing the damage caused by Moscow’s routine strikes near Pokrovsk, an eastern city less than 15 kilometres from advancing Russian troops.

Vitaliy Asinenko watched anxiously as his colleague sat perched on a crane, hovering over power cables in a village just a few kilometres from the frontline in east Ukraine.

The air became static as a blanket of clouds rolled toward them over the horizon, but the 46-year-old electrician had bigger worries than a possible storm.

The suspect, who made a living by selling nude photos online, managed to infiltrate Belarusian opposition groups in Poland and passed on their information to the Belarusian intelligence service.

Daria Ostapenko, a Belarusian nude model who spied on Belarusian opposition groups for the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB), has been charged with espionage in Warsaw.

According to an update from Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect was detained in December 2023 “in connection with the suspicion of participating in the activities of the Belarusian intelligence service [KGB].”

For the first time the Armed Forces of Ukraine has issued a video of the launch of the Anglo/French Storm Shadow cruise missiles from a Su-24M bomber.

The video of a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-24M (NATO: Fencer) tactical bomber releasing two Storm Shadows over the weekend was the first time Kyiv has publicly demonstrated the missiles more than a year after the British missiles and their French SCALP EG versions arrived. It was released by Ukraine’s Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk to mark Kyiv’s Aug. 4 Air Force Day celebration.

The six-second video of the missiles being released has generated as much excitement among military analysts, milbloggers and aircraft spotters as did the first photographic evidence of the missiles being carried on the Su-24 did when they were published in June last year.

The Atesh partisan group reported seeing investigations being carried out at the site of the destroyed Rostov-on-Don submarine near Crimea.

The partisan movement Atesh reported on its Telegram channel on Tuesday, August 6, that Russian investigators were carrying out inspections near the Crimean coast following the weekend destruction of the Rostov-on-Don submarine.

“Our agent discovered the arrival of a helicopter at Cape Khersones. After reconnaissance, he recorded the landing of important guests who transferred to a boat and headed towards Kilen Bay,” the statement said.

This is the latest of multiple attempts to breach the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Kursk and Belgorod regions in hopes of establishing a toehold in the Russian Federation itself.

Some units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) reportedly attempted to penetrate Russia‘s Kursk region early on Tuesday, Aug. 6, the region‘s acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, reported. According to Smirnov, the incursion was detected in the Sudzhansky and Korenevsky districts.

“The fighters of the border guard service of the FSB of Russia and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation did not allow the border to be breached,“ Smirnov stated.

The possibility of an isolationist US President increases the odds that Europeans must defend themselves against Russia. Who will be in charge? Why hasn’t its richest nation, Germany, taken the lead?

The possibility of an isolationist U.S. President increases the odds that Europeans must defend themselves against Russia. But who will be in charge? Why hasn’t its richest nation, Germany, taken the lead?

It’s perplexing that largest economy in Europe, and third largest economy in the world, hasn’t led Europe politically nor morally in its hour of need against Russia. In fact, on July 17 Berlin’s ballyhooed military budget increase announced last year for Ukraine was sliced in half even after revelations that a Russian plot to assassinate the head of its biggest arms company was thwarted.

Spain’s “Paznic” tactical air detachment deployed to Romania for a five-month detachment over the weekend as part of the NATO Black Sea Air Policing mission.

The military issues website BulgarianMilitary.com reported on Saturday, Aug. 3, that eight Spanish F/A-18A+ fighter aircraft supported by around 150 personnel arrived at Romania’s Mihail Kogălniceanu military airbase at the start of a new deployment as part of NATO’s Black Sea Air Policing mission. The Spanish team will be stationed in Romania until December as part of the routine rotation of member nation support to the operation.

The Paznic detachment’s primary mission is the protection of allied operations and the monitoring of activity in the airspace on NATO’s eastern flank. The F-18 pilots and support crews have already successfully undertaken testing to earn their European Military Airworthiness Documentation (EMAD) which certifies their ability and effectiveness to carry out their assigned operational tasks in line with the NATO policy for military aircraft supporting Alliance missions.

The rocket fire is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, which hosts American troops.

A rocket attack on a base in Iraq wounded multiple US personnel on Monday, officials said, adding to already heightened regional tensions over an expected Iranian counterattack on Israel.

The rocket fire is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, which hosts American troops as well as personnel from the US-led coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

A US judge has ruled Google acted illegally to crush its competition and maintain a monopoly on online search and related advertising. The landmark decision on Monday is a major blow to Alphabet, Google's parent company, and could reshape how technology giants do business. Google was sued by the US Department of Justice in 2020 over its control of about 90% of the online search market.In his decision, US District Judge Amit Mehta said Google had paid billions to ensure it is the default search engine on smartphones and browsers. “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Mehta wrote in his 277-page opinion. Alphabet said it plans to appeal against the ruling. -BBC

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned Monday and fled to India, ending her 15-year rule amid weeks of deadly protests against a quota system for government jobs. Hasina abandoned her official residence in Dhaka, the capital, boarded a military helicopter with her sister, and flew across the border to India the day after nearly 100 people were killed in clashes with authorities. Her ultimate destination was not immediately clear. Bangladesh's army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, speaking on state television, told the predominantly Muslim South Asian nation of 170 million people that Hasina, 76, had resigned and that the military would form an interim government. General Waker-uz-Zaman, dressed in military fatigues, said, "The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been hit, many people have been killed — it is time to stop the violence. I hope after my speech, the situation will improve." The army chief said he had held talks with the main opposition parties and civil society members but not Hasina's Awami League. He said the military would investigate the crackdown on student-led protests that has fueled outrage against the government and left at least 300 dead since early July. - RFE/RL

Serhiy Kolyada on Trump losing steam as Harris accelerates

Israel has reportedly put its military on high alert in preparation for an attack that may involve not only Iran and the Hezbollah but also Yemeni Houthis and militias in Iraq and Syria.

In response to Iran's threats to retaliate for the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel has reportedly put its military on high alert in preparation for an attack that may involve not only Iran and the Hezbollah but also Yemeni Houthis and militias in Iraq and Syria. Europe's media speculate on what lies ahead.

Attacks from all sides

The Kremlin arms deal comes amid heightened tensions after Iran threatened to strike Israel in retaliation for the elimination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Russia has allegedly transferred Iskander missile systems and Murmansk-BN electronic warfare systems to Iran, according to Israeli news service Channel 14. The transfer was reportedly carried out using an IL-76 military transport aircraft, which made multiple flights from Russia to Iran.

This move comes amid heightened tensions following threats from Iran to strike Israel in retaliation for the elimination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The 22-year-old high jumper, who fled Ukraine following Russia's invasion of her country, won the women's Olympic high jump in Paris on Sunday.

Ukraine's newly-crowned Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh on Monday urged Russian athletes to speak up against the invasion, saying she was disappointed they remained silent at the Paris Games.

The 22-year-old high jumper, who fled Ukraine following Russia's invasion of her country, won the women's Olympic high jump in Paris on Sunday.

Ukrainian artist Yevgenia Gapchinska painted Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, with Petro, his pet frog. Titled “Budanov and the Magical Frog,” the artwork sold for $6,000.

Ukrainian artist Yevgenia Gapchinska portrayed the chief of the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, with his pet frog, which resides in the office of the country’s military intelligence boss. The painting quickly sold for $6,000.

The painting, done in the characteristic style of the Ukrainian artist, is titled “Budanov and the Magical Frog,” according to a TSN video report.

Mali accuses Kyiv of providing intelligence to rebels, who allegedly used it to kill Russian Wagner group mercenaries and Malian soldiers in a recent battle.

Kyiv on Monday criticised Mali's move to break off diplomatic relations with Ukraine in a row over alleged Ukrainian support to separatist rebels in the Russia-allied African country.

Mali has accused Kyiv of supplying intelligence to rebel troops who then reportedly used it to kill dozens of mercenaries from Russia's Wagner paramilitary group and Malian soldiers in a battle last month.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian authorities detained the head of the Russian Ministry of Defense's (MoD) Patriot Park, Vyacheslav Akhmedov, and Deputy Head of the Russian MoD's Directorate for Innovative Development Major General Vladimir Shesterov on suspicion of large-scale fraud as of August 5.
• A Russian insider source who has previously correctly predicted several command changes within the Russian MoD claimed on August 5 that the Head of the Russian MoD's Main Armored Directorate, Lieutenant General Alexander Shestakov, will leave his position in the near future.
• Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu met with various high-ranking Iranian officials, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Armed Forces General Staff Chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri, and Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Akhbar Ahmadian in Tehran on August 5.
• Russia is tightening pre-departure standards for Tajik migrants hoping to work in Russia, likely as part of ongoing Russian efforts to address security threats from the Islamic State's Afghan branch IS-Khorasan (IS-K) following the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in March 2024.
• Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR), citing satellite imagery, reported that Ukrainian drone strikes destroyed an Su-34 bomber aircraft and an ammunition warehouse at the Morozovsk Airfield in Rostov Oblast on August 3.
• Russian forces advanced east of Toretsk and Pokrovsk and near Donetsk City and Robotyne.
• The Kremlin continues efforts to position Russian veterans who have fought in Ukraine in domestic political roles.

The UK Ministry of Defence has ordered a quantity of Martlet lightweight multirole missiles worth £176 million to enhance the British army’s capabilities. Some will be sent to Ukraine.

Ukraine has received and successfully used some Martlet missiles since it first received them back in 2022, destroying Russian Orlan-10 recce UAVs and other targets. On June 27, 2022, servicemen of the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade downed a Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopter with a Martlet missile.

Great Britain has recently been training more Ukrainian servicemen to use the Martlet.