Finnish ex-politician killed fighting as volunteer in Ukraine
Ville Mykkanen is the fifth known Finnish volunteer fighter to have been killed fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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Explosion at petrochemical plant in Russia's Bashkortostan injures 3
According to Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, the explosion was caused by a liquified gas fire, which is still being extinguished. There was no indication of any outside interference at the time of this publication.
Kyiv confirms Modi's upcoming visit to Ukraine
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit will take place on Aug. 23, Ukraine's Presidential Office said. The visit, which was first announced by Indian media in July, will be the first Indian prime minister's trip to Ukraine in the history of bilateral relations between the two nations.
Russia labels George Clooney's foundation 'undesirable'
The Prosecutor General's Office claimed that the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) "carries out work aimed at discrediting Russia on a Hollywood scale."
General Staff: Russia has lost 600,470 troops since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,200 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Russia denies reported indirect negotiations with Ukraine to halt energy strikes
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova denied on Aug. 18 a report that the country was entering indirect talks with Ukraine in Qatar on mutually halting strikes on energy infrastructure.
Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian forces reportedly destroy another key bridge in Kursk Oblast, 'strengthen' positions
Key developments on Aug. 17-18: * Ukraine claims another key bridge destroyed in Kursk Oblast * Syrskyi says Ukrainian forces 'strengthen' their positions in Kursk Oblast * Belarus moved third of its army to Ukraine border due to what Lukashenko claims was misunderstanding * German Foreign Ministry refutes claims that Berlin will not provide
Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast kill 4, injure 4 more
Russian troops attacked different settlements in Donetsk Oblast, killing four people and injuring four more on Aug. 18, Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported.
With Nord Stream making headlines again, Donald Tusk tells its patrons to 'apologize and keep quiet'
Poland has come under particular scrutiny in recent days over the act of sabotage which is still being investigated, with a former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, BND, earlier this week claiming it could not have been carried out without Warsaw's support.
General Staff: Russia has lost 599,350 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,170 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhia plant 'deteriorating' after reported drone strike, IAEA warns
"Nuclear power plants are designed to be resilient against technical or human failures and external events including extreme ones, but they are not built to withstand a direct military attack."
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says reports on Germany halting military aid are 'manipulation'
"The reports that Germany is allegedly stopping military aid to Ukraine are incorrect," Heorhy Tykhyi, a spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, told Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. "This is the same kind of manipulation as the previous reports about halving aid for the next year."
Cyberattack hits Monobank, Ukraine's largest direct bank
"Yesterday, it subsided at 10:30 p.m., and today, it started again at 3:15 a.m. We are approaching 3 billion service requests in two days," said Oleh Horokhovskyi, the bank's co-owner, on Aug. 17.
Boris Johnson calls on West to let Ukraine strike Russian territory with long-range missiles
"The only way to stop the glide bombs is to hit the air bases used by those Russian planes; and the only way to hit those bases is to use the Western kit they already have," he said.
Ukrainian forces 'strengthen' their positions in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says
Ukrainian forces have "strengthened" their positions in Russia's Kursk Oblast as their operation in the Russian region continues, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported to President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 17.
General Staff: Russia has lost 598,180 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,230 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian forces reportedly destroy bridge over Seim River in Kursk Oblast, advance another 1-3 km
Key developments on Aug. 16: * Ukrainian forces destroyed bridge over Seim River in Kursk Oblast, Russian authority claims * U.S. reluctant to allow ATACMS in Kursk Oblast due to limited supply, CNN reports * Myrnohrad residents evacuating as Russian forces reach 6 km from the town * Ukraine reportedly strikes ferry crossing
Ukrainian forces destroyed bridge over Seim River in Kursk Oblast, Russian authority claims
Ukrainian forces destroyed a bridge over the Seim River in the Glushkovsky district in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Alexey Smirnov, the region's acting governor, claimed on Aug. 16.
Ukrainian Olympic fencer Olga Kharlan’s saber sold at auction to support military
The saber of Olga Kharlan, a Ukrainian fencer and Olympic gold medalist, sold for Hr 10 million (about $242,000) at an auction, the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation said on Aug. 15.
Top Kyiv Oblast enlistment officials detained over suspected draft evasion scheme
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained the heads of the Bucha and Boryspil military enlistment offices over a suspected corruption scheme that allowed men to evade the draft, the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office said on Aug. 16.
Nordic, Baltic countries express concern to EU over Hungary's easing of entry rules for Russians
Hungary's decision to ease entry rules for Russians "may constitute a serious security risk," leaders of Nordic and Baltic countries said in a joint letter to European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson on Aug. 16.
Myrnohrad residents evacuating as Russian forces reach 6 km from the town
"People are leaving, but not as quickly or urgently as we would like and as the situation requires," administration head Yurii Tretiak said on air on RFE/RL, adding that 20,000 remain there, including around 1,000 children.
Russia claims Ukraine attempted ATACMS attack on Crimean Bridge
Russia downed 12 ATACMS launched overnight by Ukraine as part of an attack on the Crimean Bridge, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on Aug. 16, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.
Ukraine's legalization of medical cannabis enters into force
The legalization of medical cannabis entered into force in Ukraine on Aug. 16, allowing veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and people with serious illnesses such as cancer to access the drug.
Russian dissident Kara-Murza returns to US, visits White House
Russian opposition figure and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza visited the White House upon his return to the U.S. after being freed from Russian prison, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Aug. 15.
US reluctant to allow ATACMS in Kursk Oblast due to limited supply, CNN reports
The U.S. is reluctant to allow Ukraine to use its long-range weapons inside Kursk "not because of the risk of escalation, but because the US only has a limited supply," CNN reported on Aug. 16, citing multiple unnamed U.S. officials.
General Staff: Russia has lost 596,950 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,330 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Russia partially deploying its forces to Kursk Oblast, exact number is unknown, White House says
Kirby declined to assess the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast but said that the U.S. was monitoring Russia's reaction and the redeployment of its troops.
Kursk Oblast residents evacuated to Russian-occupied Crimea, media says
Evacuated residents of Russia's Kursk Oblast are being taken to recreational facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea, Suspilne Crimea reported on Aug. 15.
Pokrovsk residents urged to evacuate as Russian forces are nearly 10 km from city's outskirts
Pokrovsk is an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian forces that supports their operations in Donetsk Oblast.
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine captures Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Zelensky confirms
Key developments on Aug. 15: * Zelensky confirms full capture of Russian town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast * US-Ukraine discussions about long-range cruise missiles 'in advanced stages,' source says * Ukraine captures over 100 Russian, Chechen soldiers in a day in Kursk Oblast, source says * Russian troops intensify activity near Krynky,
Russian troops intensify activity near Krynky, Ukrainian forces withdraw to new positions, military says
Russian troops have intensified their activity near the village of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, prompting Ukrainian forces to seek new positions, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria group of forces, said on Aug. 15.
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