Ukraine war live ticker: +++ 09:37 Merz on Ukrainian Independence Day: "Stand firmly by their side" +++

On today's Independence Day, Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized Germany's continued support in repelling the Russian war of aggression. "On Independence Day, we stand firmly by your side – today and in the future," Merz wrote in German, Ukrainian, and English on Platform X. The CDU politician emphasized the "great courage" with which Ukrainians defended themselves against Russia's attacks. "They are fighting for our order of freedom in Europe and a just peace," the Chancellor said.

+++ 09:11 Norway financially supports German Patriot delivery to Ukraine +++ Norway is supporting the German delivery of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine with the equivalent of around 600 million euros, according to the Norwegian government. "Together with Germany, we are now ensuring that Ukraine receives effective air defense systems," declared Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere. Norway and Germany are financing two Patriot systems, including missiles, that Germany will deliver to Ukraine. Norway is also participating in the procurement of air defense radar from the German manufacturer Hensoldt and air defense systems from the Norwegian manufacturer Kongsberg. At the beginning of August, the German Ministry of Defense announced that the Bundeswehr would be delivering two more Patriot systems to Ukraine. In return, the USA intends to expedite the delivery of newly produced, latest-generation Patriot systems to Germany as replacements.

+++ 8:25 a.m. Canadian Prime Minister arrives in Kyiv +++ Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is arriving in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv for a visit. Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, announced this. The visit coincides with Ukraine's Independence Day. "On this special day—Ukraine's Independence Day—it is especially important for us to feel the support of our friends," Yermak wrote on the short message service Telegram. "And Canada has always stood by us."

+++ 7:28 a.m. Fire in Russian Baltic port - Ukrainian drone believed to be the cause +++ According to authorities, debris from a destroyed Ukrainian drone sparked a fire in the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga. A terminal belonging to the Russian gas company Novatek was affected, according to the governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drosdenko, via the short message service Telegram. Firefighters and rescue services are working to extinguish the fire. According to initial reports, there are no injuries. Around ten Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the port.

+++ 7:03 a.m. Russia reports Ukrainian drone attack on industrial facility +++ Russia reports another Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Syzran in the southern Samara region. An industrial company was attacked, regional governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev announced on the Telegram short message service. According to preliminary information, there were no deaths or injuries. The governor did not comment on the specific target of the attack or possible damage. Just mid-month, the Ukrainian military attacked an oil refinery in Syzran.

+++ 06:42 "Lessons" from fighting in Russia - North Korea tests air defense missiles +++ According to the state news agency KCNA, North Korea is testing new air defense missiles. According to the report, leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised tests of the new missile weapons systems, which possess "superior combat capabilities." According to independent expert Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification, North Korea has "recognized the need to improve its capabilities based on the lessons" it learned from the fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine. He refers to the KCNA report, which explicitly mentions "drones and cruise missiles."

+++ 6:14 AM Report: US government approves delivery of long-range ERAM missiles to Ukraine +++ According to a media report, the US government has approved the sale of over 3,000 air-launched ERAM (Extended Range Attack Munitions) missiles to Ukraine. The munitions will arrive in Ukraine within six weeks, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing US government officials. The range of these missiles is 240 to 450 kilometers. This means that Ukraine will likely have to obtain Pentagon approval to use them in combat.

+++ 05:20 South African President calls Zelensky and urges negotiations +++ Following a conversation with Kremlin chief Putin on Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has now also spoken with Ukrainian President Zelensky. He emphasized "the urgency of bilateral and trilateral meetings between the heads of state of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States," according to a statement from his office. Zelensky writes on X that he informed Ramaphosa that he is ready for any kind of meeting with Putin. "However, we see that Moscow is once again trying to delay everything even further," Zelensky said. He called on the global South to "send appropriate signals and urge Russia to make peace." South Africa has chaired the G20 group of countries since December.

+++ 04:09 Russia accuses Ukraine of attack on nuclear power plant +++ According to Russian sources, a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire on the grounds of the Kursk nuclear power plant and damaged a transformer. A combat drone belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces was shot down by air defense near the Kursk nuclear power plant, the plant's press office reported. Upon impact, the drone detonated and damaged an auxiliary transformer. The power output of Unit 3 of the plant was subsequently reduced to 50 percent. The fire has since been extinguished, and there are reportedly no injuries. Radiation levels are within the normal range.

+++ 2:00 a.m. Russian Defense Ministry: Nearly 60 drones intercepted +++ Russia claims to have destroyed 57 Ukrainian drones over its territory. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the drones were shot down in the Moscow, St. Petersburg, Bryansk, Smolensk, Kursk, Novgorod regions, and over the Black Sea, among other areas. Many airports had restricted their operations that evening.

+++ 11:54 PM Report: US prohibits Ukraine from attacking with US long-range missiles +++ According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the US is prohibiting Ukraine from using the ATACMS long-range missiles it supplied to attack targets in Russia. The newspaper cites US government officials. Statements from the governments in Washington and Kyiv are not yet available.

+++ 10:40 PM Ukraine reports more than 1,400 drone attacks and 134 battles on the front line +++ Over the course of the day, there were 134 clashes between Ukrainian and Russian troops and more than 1,400 kamikaze drone attacks on the front line. The state news agency Ukrinform reported this, citing the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the statement, Russian troops attempted 40 breakthroughs in the area around the city of Pokrovsk. "Since the beginning of the day, there have been 134 battles. The enemy carried out 45 airstrikes and dropped 81 guided bombs. In addition, they launched 1,439 kamikaze drones and shelled 3,169 populated areas and our troop positions," the statement read. According to the General Staff, Ukrainian troops repelled two Russian attacks in the North Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors.

+++ 10:02 PM Ukraine imposes new sanctions against Russia and other countries +++ Ukraine is imposing new sanctions against individuals and companies that support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a corresponding draft law for two sanctions packages, as the head of state announced on social media. "The first package aligns Ukraine's sanctions with those of its partners, especially Canada. The sanctions target 139 individuals and entities in Russia that support the war against Ukraine. All those who help Russia continue the killing and expand its war machine for further aggression must feel the real pressure of the world," Zelenskyy said. According to the statement, 74 individuals and 65 companies are on the sanctions list. The second package of sanctions affects 28 citizens of other countries who are helping the Russians maintain the occupation regime on our territory and are effectively sponsoring the Russian state, the statement said.

+++ 9:17 PM Drone shot down en route to Moscow - Airports suspend operations +++ Russian air defenses have shot down a drone en route to Moscow. Reuters reported this, citing Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Several airports in central Russia subsequently suspended operations due to security concerns. According to several announcements from the Russian aviation authority Rosavyatsia, operations have been suspended at the airports in Izhevsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Penza, Tambov, and Ulyanovsk, east and southeast of Moscow.

+++ 8:38 PM Lubinets: 83 abducted children return to Ukraine with Qatar's help +++ With Qatar's mediation, 83 children abducted from Ukraine have returned to their families. This was announced by Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets. "Thanks to Qatar's mediation, we managed to return 83 Ukrainian children abducted to Russia," Lubinets wrote on Telegram. "Today I met with Qatar's Ambassador to Ukraine, Hadi Nasser Al-Hajri, our reliable and permanent partner in matters of the return of abducted children. Thanks to Qatar's mediation, we managed to return 83 Ukrainian children abducted to Russia."

You can follow all previous developments here.