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A Russian drone boat hunted down Ukraine’s lucky intelligence ship. Russia has explosive drone boats, too—now Ukrainian ships and planes are no longer safe from surface attack. |
Russian tanks rolled toward Pokrovsk. Then HIMARS and drones turned the whole convoy into wreckage (video). The 79th Air Assault Brigade exposed and destroyed the rare Russian column movement.
Frontline report: Ukrainian marines raise flags in recaptured settlements as Russian units withdraw in Donetsk Oblast. The operation began when Ukrainian special operations forces cleared Russian infiltrators from Andriivka and raised their unit flag before the broader counteroffensive commenced.
Ukrainian Phantoms destroy Russia’s S-400 radars in Crimean strike. The destruction of Russia’s most advanced radar systems leaves Crimea’s air defenses severely compromised, opening the peninsula to larger Ukrainian operations.
500 firefighters battle blaze 10km from Putin’s Black Sea palace for four days after Ukrainian drone strike. Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries 28 Aug. ignited a 4-day forest fire near Putin’s Black Sea palace. Russian authorities deployed 500 personnel and aircraft to extinguish the 41.5-hectare blaze.
ISW: Russia launches battlefield propaganda to sell an inevitable victory that doesn’t exist. ISW says Moscow’s inflated stats are part of a coordinated information campaign to manipulate Western perception.
NYT: Russia targets Western-linked assets in Ukraine to block peace efforts. Moscow appears confident it can escalate without military retaliation.
Syrskyi: Russia loses 290,000 troops in 8 months at the front. Despite sustaining over 290,000 casualties since January, Russian forces have achieved none of their strategic objectives on the Ukrainian front, Commander-in-Chief said.
Ukraine liberated a village near Kupiansk — Russia used it to watch the highway into the city. Ukrainian forces kicked Russians out of Myrne, once their strategic eye on Kupiansk’s main road in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast.
Ukraine is counting on $1 bn a month to buy US weapons through PURL program, Zelenskyy says. Seven NATO allies joined Ukraine’s American weapons purchasing program in August, pushing total commitments past $2 bn as President announced expectations for sustained monthly billion-dollar contributions.
Germany begins 100,000-shell annual production line for Ukraine. The Rheinmetall facility signals Western allies’ recognition that supporting Ukraine requires dedicated industrial capacity rather than temporary weapons transfers.
Kremlin deploys nuclear threats and war nostalgia to spook Western capitals into silence. Russian officials evoke Hiroshima and WWII to warn France and Germany against supporting Kyiv.
German parliamentary chiefs arrive to Kyiv for first bipartisan Ukraine mission. Two key figures from Germany’s ruling coalition landed in Kyiv on 1 Sept., marking the first time parliamentary leaders from both the CDU/CSU and SPD have visited Ukraine together since Russia’s invasion began.
Hungary continues to veto Ukraine’s accession to EU. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Budapest will veto opening concrete negotiation chapters on Ukraine’s EU membership, warning that Brussels and Kyiv are “jointly jeopardizing Hungary’s energy security.”
Zelenskyy calls Putin’s China visit “usual tactic” to avoid war accountability as global leaders demand peace. From the Vatican to Beijing, world leaders are calling for an end to the Ukraine war, but Russia remains the sole holdout in pursuing continued war, Ukrainian President said
German Chancellor: Ukrainian capitulation means “tomorrow we’re next”. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz cautioned that Ukrainian surrender would create a cascade of Russian attacks on neighboring countries, ultimately reaching Germany,
Von der Leyen pledges tripled EU border funding during Poland frontier visit. Polish PM Donald Tusk claimed Belarusian border personnel monitored his press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during their solidarity visit to the contested frontier
Germany backs out of sending troops to Ukraine – Bild. Focus shifts to providing financial support as a security guarantee for Ukraine amid stalled ceasefire talks.
Putin choses visit to main Ukraine’s war sponsor instead of meeting with Zelenskyy, despite Trump’s deadline. Russia’s president chose to showcase military ties with Beijing rather than respond to Washington’s peace initiative, suggesting Moscow prioritizes anti-Western partnerships over cease-fire negotiations.
Hundreds mourn young mother, two year daughter lost in devastating Russian missile attack on Kyiv.
Russian drone and artillery attacks kill 2 civilians in Kherson. Kherson has repeatedly faced Russian attacks since its liberation in 2022, with civilians and infrastructure often targeted.
Tens of thousands in Odesa without power after Russian bombardment. Odesa regularly faces Russian drone and missile attacks, leaving civilians with damaged property, power outages, and ongoing safety risks.
Ukraine seeks to tame war risk with state-backed insurance scheme. Ukraine is preparing a nationwide war-risk insurance program to finally open the door for private capital.
59% of Ukrainians support cessation of hostilities and search for compromise. About 75% of Ukrainians reject any ceasefire agreement unless Western allies provide concrete security assurances
The slow squeeze: Russia’s oil empire is bleeding cash. Rosneft profits crash 68% in massive validation of Western strategy.
Man crashes car through Russian consulate gates in Sydney, police officer injured. A 39-year-old man injured a police constable and crashed his SUV through the Russian consulate gates in Sydney the morning of 1 Sept. Australian authorities arrested a man
Poland deports Ukrainian who threatened arson attacks.
Wagner gold mission collapses as Russian mercenaries fight local allies in Mali. Wagner fails catastrophically in Mali as 2,000 mercenaries fight local allies instead of jihadists, marking first major setback for Russian Africa strategy.
Chemical plant fire engulfs 4,000 square meters near Moscow. Mi-8 and Ka-32 helicopters joined ground firefighters battling a blaze at warehouse facilities belonging to Balashikha Experimental Chemical Plant, where 4,000 square meters remain engulfed in flames.
Read our earlier daily review here.
Ukrainian paratroopers destroyed a Russian armored convoy that was advancing toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, using HIMARS missiles and FPV drones in a coordinated nighttime assault. The strike reportedly took place on 28 August and targeted a mechanized group that had been spotted 10 kilometers behind Russian lines.
Militarnyi reports that drone operators from the Ivan Franko Group, part of the 79th Air Assault Brigade, detected the convoy moving from the settlement of Prohres toward Malynivka, a village east of Pokrovsk. The Russian column consisted of seven vehicles, including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and was carrying up to 100 soldiers—some of whom were advancing on motorcycles.
Once the target was confirmed, Ukrainian forces launched a HIMARS missile, striking the column during its movement. The initial hit disrupted the formation, after which drone operators joined the attack, targeting abandoned or disabled vehicles. A second missile strike completed the operation, according to the 79th Brigade.
Ukrainian paratroopers reported that the entire armored group was destroyed, and at least 50 Russian soldiers were killed. They believe the unit may have been part of a force recently redeployed from Russia’s Kursk Oblast, possibly including elements of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade.
“The appearance of units near Pokrovsk from a different direction could explain the use of a large number of armored vehicles in an area where, for a long time, Russian forces had relied exclusively on small infantry groups to minimize losses from drones,” Militarnyi noted.
Faced with heavy losses and only limited territorial gains, Russian forces have previously shifted tactics—now infiltrating through the so-called “gray zone” under drone surveillance and concentrating troops for assault operations.
In a report on 31 August, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) outlined how the Kremlin has intensified its multi-pronged information campaign to weaken Western support for Ukraine and derail the European role in peace efforts in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.
Russia is now aggressively pushing three narrative lines at once: blaming European states for prolonging the war, reviving nuclear threats, and portraying Russian victory as inevitable.
Kremlin officials have returned to a long-standing propaganda line that paints European states as obstacles to peace in Ukraine. ISW noted that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev recently implied that European countries are deliberately extending the conflict. According to ISW, Russia is using Dmitriev—who frequently represents Kremlin interests on Western platforms—to reintroduce this message into the Western media environment, aiming to erode US confidence in European allies.
On 31 August, Russian Security Council Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev launched a pointed attack against French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Posting on his English-language X account, Medvedev accused the two leaders of having “forgotten the lessons” of World War II. He warned that “things could end up like they did in 1945 – [Macron and Merz] too may end up being identified by their teeth,” directly invoking the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Medvedev also described recent Russian military progress as “bad news” for the European leaders.
ISW assessed that this language is intended to threaten France and Germany with nuclear consequences for their involvement in US-led efforts to end the war, while simultaneously amplifying the idea of unstoppable Russian military momentum.
Alongside these threats, the Kremlin continues to push the idea that Russian victory in Ukraine is certain. ISW reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense has ramped up its efforts to project battlefield success using large volumes of qualitative data. However, ISW assessed that these claims are inflated and part of the broader strategy to demoralize Ukraine’s allies and reduce Western resolve.
© AP
Peter Navarro says Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people
© AP
Verkhovna Rada’s finance committee chair Danylo Hetmantsev announced the program on Sunday, building on previous warnings from officials that “the lack of coverage for military risks is a significant obstacle to attracting investors for Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic development,” as former deputy economy minister Oleksiy Sobolev, now Ukraine’s minister of economy, environment, and agriculture, noted last year.
The plan splits coverage into two tracks: direct state compensation for war damage in frontline areas through Ukraine’s Export Credit Agency, and premium subsidies elsewhere to make insurance affordable for businesses and households.
As Hetmantsev’s announcement suggests, Ukraine is ready to solve the insurance conundrum with state backing, following successful smaller programs that have already proven the concept works.
Frontline zones: The Export Credit Agency will directly compensate damaged property in the highest-risk areas near active combat through a claims-based system.
Safer regions: The government will subsidize insurance premiums across the rest of the country, making commercial coverage affordable for both Ukrainian businesses and foreign investors.
The program still needs legislative amendments to expand the Export Credit Agency’s mandate and a Cabinet decision on budget allocation. Hetmantsev described the costs as “moderate” but provided no specific figures.
“This was a challenging path. Thanks to the Cabinet of Ministers and NBU for constructive cooperation, and I expect final decisions,” he wrote on social media.
Ukraine isn’t building this system from scratch.
The country has been testing war-risk coverage in targeted sectors with impressive results.
Maritime success: The Unity facility, built with Marsh, Lloyd’s, and Ukrainian state banks, drove down war-risk rates for Black Sea shipping and expanded in March 2024 to cover all non-military cargo.
International backing: The World Bank’s MIGA expanded political-risk insurance for Ukraine in 2024, while broker Aon and the US Development Finance Corporation unveiled a $350 million scheme for Ukrainian businesses earlier this year.
Private market entry: A London-backed reinsurance program launched this year, offering property coverage—but only for assets more than 100 kilometers from the front lines. This shows how distance-to-combat still shapes pricing.
The new system aims to unify these fragmented pilot programs into comprehensive rules that private insurers and international reinsurers can price against. According to Oleksiy Sobolev, the goal is to create “a single pool, clear rules, and ultimately the ability to attract international reinsurers to this market.”
The original concept, developed last autumn by Ukraine’s National Bank, Ministry of Economy, and Ministry of Finance, envisioned financing through mandatory insurance payments and international donor support.
Coverage would protect against physical war damage, with mandatory insurance initially covering mortgaged property and residential construction projects.
If Ukraine can deliver predictable budget support and attract international reinsurer participation, the program could shift investment calculations from “uninsurable” to “expensive but manageable”—unlocking bank lending and foreign direct investment far beyond the maritime corridor.
However, the program’s scale and speed will determine whether this becomes a genuine turning point or just another limited pilot in a market still fundamentally priced for war.
The legislative timeline, budget envelope size, and reinsurer participation remain unclear.
Ukraine’s approach builds on proven models—the Unity shipping facility demonstrated that strategic state participation can dramatically reduce private market pricing while attracting commercial capital. The question is whether Ukraine can scale this from ships to the entire economy while the war continues.
For international investors who have spent three years watching Ukrainian opportunities from the sidelines, the program represents the missing piece that could finally make the risk calculable rather than simply unacceptable.
A 39-year-old man crashed his white SUV through the gates of the Russian consulate in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on the morning of 1 September after police attempted to question him about his unauthorized presence on the property, according to New South Wales Police.
Officers responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in the consulate’s driveway in Woollahra around 8:30 AM. When police tried to speak with the driver, “the man allegedly drove his vehicle into the gates of the property” and continued onto the lawn, police said, according to The Guardian.
Helicopter footage captured the aftermath: the vehicle with doors open and smashed front windows positioned near a large flagpole on the consulate grounds.
An eyewitness described the confrontation to local media: “I came out and I saw a policeman with a gun, his glock, pointing at the man in the car, asking him to get out of the car. He didn’t [get out], rammed through the gates, drove onto the property and stopped again.”
The incident injured a 24-year-old constable who sustained a hand injury and received treatment from NSW Ambulance paramedics, according to police reports.
Pro-Kremlin influencer Simeon Boikov, known online as Aussie Cossack, witnessed the events from inside the consulate where he has been staying for 1,000 days while facing assault charges. “From my side, it looks like a diplomatic asylum attempt,” Boikov told reporters from within the building.
The driver was arrested and taken to Surry Hills police station for questioning. Federal police detectives launched an investigation, with the Australian Federal Police’s Diplomatic Protection Unit also involved. The vehicle was towed from the premises around 10 AM.
Minor damage to the front gate was quickly repaired, and federal police officers maintained security around the area. The Russian consulate has not responded to requests for comment, reports Guardian Australia and ABC News.
Boris Kragen, a 77-year-old Russian national from Moscow, arrived at the consulate for paperwork but found the leafy street cordoned off with police tape and multiple patrol cars blocking access.
Video footage from witnesses captured police shouting commands at the driver: “Get out of the car immediately” and “Get on the ground,” according to media reports. The damaged driver-side windows suggested police used batons to gain access to the vehicle.
New South Wales Police confirmed the investigation remains ongoing.
Jens Spahn from the CDU/CSU and Matthias Miersch from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) arrived in Kyiv on 1 September, DW reported.
The visit marks the first joint trip to Ukraine by the parliamentary group leaders of the CDU/CSU and SPD. Both Spahn and Miersch are making their inaugural visits to Ukraine.
The German politicians plan to discuss continued German support for Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to end the war during their stay in Kyiv, according to the report.
“Matthias Miersch and I are here to send a clear signal: the government factions CDU/CSS and SPD stand now and in the future on the side of Ukraine, the brave Ukrainians who defend their homeland, their country, and also Europe,” Spahn said.
When asked about possible security guarantees for Ukraine, Spahn emphasized that the best guarantee is a well-equipped Ukrainian army. “The first and most important security guarantee for Ukraine is the Ukrainian army. Above all, we want to equip it as well as possible,” he said.
The visit follows German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil’s trip to Kyiv on 25 August. During that visit, Klingbeil announced Germany’s commitment to provide Ukraine with nine billion euros annually over the coming years.
Putin addresses leaders gathered in China for the SCO summit
© AP
Pilots driving a plane carrying European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen were forced to use paper maps to land
© AP
China remains North Korea’s largest trade partner and economic lifeline
Day 1284
On 30 August, the biggest news comes from the Novopavlivka sector.
Here, Ukrainian forces have launched a coordinated counteroffensive to destabilize Russian forward momentum in this contested sector in western Donetsk. In just a few days, several settlements have been recaptured, frontline positions have shifted, and drone strikes have decimated Russian strongpoints, with this being only the beginning.
The main objective of this operation is to push Russian forces back from recently captured frontline positions, liberating exposed villages near the Mokri Yali River. This would not only reverse two months of Russian gains, but also set up a new defense with the terrain to Ukraine’s advantage.
The specific sector was chosen for two main reasons: first, the terrain between Tolstoy, Zelenyi Hai, and Piddubne heavily favored Ukrainians. Looking at the topographic map, we can see that Ukrainian drone operators benefit from nearby high ground to the west, where they can achieve stronger signal connectivity and greater visibility, allowing more consistent targeting and loitering in enemy zones. Unlike other sectors with gulleys or dried riverbeds that disrupt drone signals, this corridor is more open and connected, providing favorable conditions for networked strikes. Lastly, the area is tied to the Mokri Yali River, which Ukrainian forces likely view as a natural barrier that could help solidify their lines once the operation concludes.
Secondly, Russian units in the area were already showing signs of overextension following continuous attacks for months, trying to gain new positions. Russian troops deployed in this sector were additionally largely composed of undertrained troops with limited electronic warfare systems to counter Ukrainian drones, and poor conditions across battalion lines. Crucially, Russia lacked inherited hardened positions or top-down fortifications, leaving many Russian trenches here highly exposed to attacks from above by Vampire drones. Ukrainian FPV teams exploited this with methodical strikes, forcing Russian soldiers into basements and static cover.
This eliminated any mobility or tactical depth the Russians hoped to retain, locking them into a reactive posture where recovery became increasingly difficult. The consequence was not just tactical disruption, but a breakdown in Russian ability to reinforce or coordinate under fire.
From a planning perspective, the operation was organized as a series of limited, sequential pushes, each targeting vulnerable points along the Russian forward edge, deliberately avoiding a massed broad-front assault. Instead, Ukrainians concentrated firepower and movement on lightly defended junctions between Russian units, relying on well-coordinated assault groups supported by rapid drone reconnaissance and short-range FPV strikes. The use of drone-based precision targeting before and during maneuvers was central, allowing Ukrainian infantry to move in after initial softening without committing excessive forces.
The operation began with Ukrainian special operations forces clearing out Russian infiltrators in the settlement of Andriivka-Klevtsove, raising the flag of their unit and laying the groundwork for the following operation.
Ukrainian forces next targeted Russian positions along the approach to Tolstoy, with FPV drones and artillery softening up Russian defenses and restricting Russian maneuverability.
Then, assault units advanced from the south, clearing the village in close combat, reportedly under the command of the Fifth Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade.
Immediately afterward, Ukrainian troops advanced northward and eastward, recapturing the nearby settlement of Zelenyi Hai. Footage shows Ukrainian marines raising the national flag there, indicating full control and suggesting that Russian forces either withdrew under pressure or were neutralized during the clearing phase.
From there, the attack continued toward Piddubne and Novokhatske, and while fighting is still ongoing, Ukrainian drone teams have been eliminating Russian infantry and targeting ammunition caches near Zirka and Tovste, two villages just behind the initial line. These strikes suggest an intent not only to disrupt current Russian positions but also to reduce their ability to counterattack. Ukrainian coordination across units indicates the presence of a broader operational plan to regain control over the sector and impose cumulative attrition on Russian battalions through sustained small-unit maneuvers.
Overall, Ukraine’s counterattack in western Donetsk demonstrates how limited offensive action, when based on precise reconnaissance and strong tactical planning, can yield meaningful battlefield shifts without requiring a large-scale breakthrough. By exploiting weaknesses in Russian training, unit cohesion, and drone denial capabilities, Ukrainian forces have retaken key positions and are now positioned to continue pressuring the front southward, potentially aiming for the Mokri Yali River as a more defensible forward line to undo more months of Russian progress.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on 30 August that Budapest will block the opening of substantive negotiations on Ukraine’s EU membership, citing concerns over agriculture, security, and energy costs.
Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, has been actively vetoing Ukraine’s accession process to the European Union. Viktor Orbán is widely regarded as a close ally of Vladimir Putin, positioning Hungary as a key supporter of Russian interests within the EU.
Speaking after an informal EU foreign ministers meeting in Copenhagen, Szijjarto said Hungary “will not allow the substantive part of the accession negotiations, i.e., the specific rounds of the negotiations, to be opened,” according to Hungarian media reports.
The minister justified the position by claiming Ukraine’s EU membership “would destroy Hungarian farmers, Hungary’s food security, and allow the Ukrainian mafia to enter Hungary.”
Szijjarto accused Brussels and most EU member states of prioritizing war continuation over peace negotiations.
“Brussels and most European Union member states are preparing for the long-term continuation of the Ukrainian war, are not interested in the success of peace negotiations, and are ready to send many more thousands of billions of forints to Ukraine,” he said.
The Hungarian official criticized the European Commission for acting “practically as a Ukrainian Commission, completely representing Ukraine’s interests, contrary to the interests of member states” during the Copenhagen discussions.
Hungary outlined four specific areas where it will maintain opposition to EU policy on Ukraine. The country will continue supporting US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts, as “only an American-Russian agreement can bring about a settlement,” Szijjarto said.
Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after Russia’s invasion in 2022 and received candidate status within months. However, Hungary’s veto power as an EU member allows it to block further progress.
The Hungarian position comes amid broader EU discussions about Ukraine’s integration path and continued financial support. Hungary has consistently opposed aid packages to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia throughout the conflict.
On 13 August, Szijjarto condemned a Ukrainian drone strike on a distribution station of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast. Hungary relies on this pipeline for most of its crude oil imports and remains one of two EU countries, along with Slovakia, still importing Russian oil via Druzhba under EU sanctions exemptions.
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński announced the deportation of a Ukrainian citizen who posted video threats of arson attacks online.
“A Ukrainian citizen who threatened to commit arson in videos posted on the Internet was forcibly taken and deported to Ukraine by border service officers,” Kierwiński wrote on X.
The minister published footage showing the Ukrainian being handed over to Ukrainian border guards. Polish authorities had detained the individual on 29 August, according to Kierwiński’s earlier statements.
The deportation comes amid broader Polish security measures targeting Ukrainian nationals. On 30 August, Poland expelled 15 Ukrainian citizens who authorities claimed posed threats to public safety.
Border service officials reported that several of the deported Ukrainians had prior criminal convictions. The charges included possession of narcotic and psychotropic substances, theft, robbery, document forgery, drunk driving, and organizing illegal border crossings into Poland.
The cases highlight growing tensions as Polish authorities increase scrutiny of Ukrainian residents amid ongoing security concerns.
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