The Belarusian opposition medium Nexta, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry, reports that Angola could introduce the Russian payment system Mir. Turkey already started doing this at the beginning of August. This will enable Russians to transfer money, pay by credit card and use ATMs, for example. Russian banks are largely excluded from the Swift international payments system because of Western sanctions.
+++ 10:50 am Military Commissioner: Government should release “Marder” +++
The Bundestag Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, complains that the federal government has not yet approved the export of armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. “The ‘marders’ that are still available in industry are not available to the troops at the moment, and that’s why they would be well suited to support Ukraine,” the social democrat told Deutschlandfunk. The tanks are currently being repaired by the Rheinmetall armaments group.
+++ 10:21 a.m. According to Ukraine, Russian troops are killing civilians in the Donetsk region +++
Two civilians were killed in Russia’s attacks on the Donetsk region on Friday. This is reported by the Ukrainian news portal “Kyiv Independent” with reference to the governor of the region, Pavlo Kyrylenko. The victims died in Bakhmut, twelve others were injured.
+++ 09:39 Russia starts local television in Cherson +++
In occupied Cherson, which is to be annexed by a “referendum,” Russia is launching a local TV station like that “Guardians” reported. Tavriya TV is supposed to present Russia as a liberator who saves citizens from “Ukrainian Nazis”.
+++ 09:03 Russia reports no gains +++
Russian forces have not reported any territorial gains for the first time since August 18, the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes.
+++ 08:38 London: Russia wants to bind Ukrainian troops in the Donbass +++
British intelligence agencies say it is realistic that Russia has stepped up efforts in the Donbass to attract or retain additional Ukrainian units amid speculation that Ukraine is planning a major counteroffensive. This is what the British Ministry of Defense writes in its daily update. In the past five days, the intensity of Russian attacks near the city of Donetsk has increased again. Moscow accuses the British of a targeted disinformation campaign.
+++ 08:09 Consequences of war are likely to lead to more personal bankruptcies in Germany +++
According to the credit information agency Creditreform, the sharp increase in energy prices will lead to an increase in private bankruptcies. The head of Creditreform’s economic research, Patrik-Ludwig Hantzsch, told the “Handelsblatt” that the rising inflation will exacerbate the over-indebtedness significantly. “In some cases, this will also lead to an increase in personal bankruptcies.” After all, the ancillary cost bills as a strong cost driver have not yet reached consumers.
+++ 07:37 iodine tablets distributed to residents of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia +++
Fearing radioactive radiation, residents of Zaporizhia are on the run, according to a report by the British “sun” Iodine tablets have been distributed. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in the city had been disconnected from the power grid for several hours. That could have led to a super meltdown, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj.
+++ 07:05 school in Kharkiv is said to have been shot at +++
A school and a historic building are said to have been destroyed in a night shelling of the center of Kharkiv. This is reported by the Belarusian opposition medium Nexta on Twitter.
+++ 06:34 Russia apparently brings heavy military equipment to Crimea +++
Eyewitnesses saw wagons loaded with heavy military equipment at Russia’s Taman train station, which is on the bridge to annexed Crimea. This is reported by the Ukrainian news portal “Kyiv Independent”.
+++ 06:04 Czech Parliament approves NATO expansion +++
In the Czech Republic, both chambers of parliament have now approved the enlargement of NATO to include Finland and Sweden. After the Senate, the House of Representatives also approved the expansion in the morning with a large majority and only a few dissenting votes. All 30 NATO member states must agree to this.
+++ 05:03 US volunteer killed in Ukraine +++
The US State Department has confirmed to CBS News that a US citizen has been killed in Ukraine. As “Newsweek” reports, it is said to be a volunteer who fought for Ukraine.
+++ 02:53 economic researchers: Without Russian gas, the recession will come +++
The President of the RWI-Leibniz Institute, Christoph Schmidt, assumes that Germany will plunge into recession if Russian gas supplies are stopped: “The world would not end without Russian gas, but life would become much harder,” said Schmidt of the “Rheinische Post”. “We would then be threatened with double-digit inflation rates and economic output would probably fall by 3 to 4 percent. In such a case, a real recession would probably be expected for Germany in 2023.” In its RWI forecast, the institute is still counting on growth of 2.7 percent. On Wednesday, Russia wants to interrupt gas supplies at Nord Stream 1 again.
+++ 01:58 Medvedev: Forgoing NATO membership is not enough for peace +++
According to the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, even if Ukraine officially renounced NATO membership, the war in Ukraine would not end. “Rejecting accession to the North Atlantic Alliance is absolutely crucial now, but it is not enough to create peace,” Medvedev said, according to Russian news agencies on French TV channel LCI. Russia will continue its military campaign until it achieves its goals. However, the Russian government is ready for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy under certain conditions.
+++ 00:11 Medvedev: special operation to prevent World War III +++
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev justified the war of aggression against Ukraine in an interview with French television. “A special military operation is even being carried out so that there will be no third world war,” Medvedev told LCI in the 15-minute conversation. Regardless of the many civilian victims, the current deputy head of the National Security Council called the actions in Ukraine “maximum gentle and moderate” – despite numerous reports that Russia is targeting civilians. Russia repeatedly presents the war against Ukraine, which it started itself at the end of February, as an allegedly necessary measure to protect its own people.
+++ 23:38 Selenksyj: Situation at the nuclear power plant remains dangerous +++
After the incident at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which was occupied by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of further emergencies. “I would like to emphasize that the situation remains very risky and dangerous,” said Zelenskyy in a video speech late in the evening. “Each repetition (…) will once again bring the power plant to the brink of disaster.” Once again he called for an early visit by international experts and for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the nuclear power plant site, which they have been occupying since March. On Thursday there was an emergency shutdown in Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. According to both sides, the reason was a damaged high-voltage line.
+++ 22:56 Hungary approves the construction of new nuclear reactors by Russian energy giants +++
According to the Hungarian government, the Russian energy company Rosatom will start building two new nuclear reactors in the country in the coming weeks. “This is a big step, an important milestone,” said Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The project is largely financed by a loan from Russia. Szijarto says that the start of operation of the new reactors in 2023 is realistic. On Thursday, the responsible Hungarian regulatory authority gave its approval to the new building, which would cost the equivalent of 12.5 billion euros.
+++ 22:25 Kyiv: One million tons of food exported via ports +++
Ukraine has exported a million tons of agricultural products through its Black Sea ports since signing an agreement mediated by Turkey and the UN, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 44 ships set out for 15 countries, says Zelenskyj on television. His government’s goal is to export three million tons per month.
+++ 22:00 Kremlin propagandist insults Scholz as “Nazi scum” – and threatens +++
On Russian state television, Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov zeroes in on Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who yesterday attended a training program for Ukrainian soldiers and climbed onto a tank. In an outburst of anger mixed with German words, Solovyov called Scholz a “Nazi scum” and a supporter of Adolf Hitler. At the same time he hinted that the “Nazis and the Banderists” – by which he means the Ukrainians – could also be attacked directly: “If we know that there on German soil Nazis Banderist scum are training on German technology, why should we wait until they appear at the front? Why shouldn’t we assume that they are legitimate targets there? Why not strike at the terrorist formations of the Ukrainian Empire?”
+++ 21:48 The second reactor of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is also back on the grid +++
According to the Ukrainian state-owned company Energoatom, a second reactor at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is also back on the grid. According to Kyiv, the nuclear power plant had previously been completely disconnected from the power grid for the first time in its history as a result of Russian attacks.
+++ 21:31 Poland buys tanks and howitzers in South Korea +++
Poland signs a deal with South Korea to buy nearly 400 main battle tanks and howitzers worth billions. Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak has announced that the first ten K2 tanks will be delivered this year. There – in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in northern Poland – the tanks are also to be stationed. The minister did not provide any information on the financial scope of the transaction. According to reports from South Korea, it is about several billion euros.
+++ 21:16 Poland and Slovakia connect their national gas networks +++
To secure their energy supply, Poland and Slovakia have connected their national gas networks with a pipeline. The connection will enable Slovakia to receive natural gas from Norway and liquefied natural gas previously routed through Poland, Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger said at a press conference with his Polish colleague Mateusz Morawiecki. In turn, the link will give Poland access to gas from Algeria, which will be routed via Italy and Slovakia. In the past few months, Russia had throttled or completely stopped gas supplies to several EU countries. Poland is cut off from the supply, Slovakia only receives 40 percent of the actually agreed amount from Russia.
+++ 20:49 attack on collaborator in Berdyansk +++
A Russian collaborator dies in an explosion in occupied southern Ukraine. Like the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, Alexander Kolesnikov, who worked for the Russian administration in Berdyansk, was killed by an improvised explosive device. Russia accuses Ukraine of carrying out the attack.
Earlier developments surrounding the Ukraine war read here.