Erdogan calls Russia's retreat from Kherson 'positive decision'

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Aug. 9 condemned the U.N. Humanitarian Aid Organization for Children (UNICEF) for failing to recognize Russia's responsibility for Ukrainian civilian casualties in a recent statement.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 300,000 families in Odesa lost power due to the attacks.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry says the agreement "opens the way for a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations" following Moscow's support of deposed former President Bashar al-Assad.

The demonstrations come amid a surge in physical and verbal assaults against Ukrainians in Poland in recent months, fueled by a crisis in diplomatic relations between the neighboring countries.

In Serbia, Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv does not officially recognize Kosovo's independence. Officials in Kosovo said his stance was "deeply disappointing" given the country's support for Ukraine.

"Even wars have rules. One of those is that health must be protected," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"The S-400 position in Gelendzhik ... was ablaze and sputtering for three hours," the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Rober "Madyar" Brovdi, announced.

"There are things that do not depend on Ukraine, because it's like with Russian ballistics, there are elements from other countries," Zelensky said.

Did Ukraine's largest deep-strike campaign achieve its goal? In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines the results of Ukraine's 40-day campaign of long-range drone strikes deep inside Russia – whether it shifted the balance in the war, weakened Russia's economy, or changed the Kremlin's political calculations.

Overnight, Ukrainian forces downed 174 Shahed-type drones and five Banderol missiles, the Air Force reported on Aug. 9.

Ukraine's military reportedly launched a wide-ranging drone attack on the Russian city of Belgorod overnight on Aug. 9, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

The figure includes 1,130 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Aug. 8 called on Russia and Ukraine to impose a moratorium on attacks on vessels in the Black Sea amid the increasing number of strikes on ships in the region.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 8 that he was "satisfied" with the result of a 40-day influence operation designed to compel Russia to "end the war," suggesting that Kyiv's forces will continue to strike Russian logistics beyond the limited timeline.