[Korrespondent] 21:45 President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the introduction of several packages of sanctions against the Russian Federation. He said this in a video address on August 20.
Today I signed decrees on new sanctions - several packages. Against the Russian military complex and against those individuals who themselves have become part of the Russian way of life in one way or another and maintain ties with this state despite even such a war. These are collaborators in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and former figures from Ukraine who are now somewhere out there, in Europe, but with documents, connections and soul they are in Russia, - the president stated.
21.20 There have been cases where Ukrainian servicemen sent to Germany for training do not return to their unit after completing their training, Die Zeit reports.
It is noted that in the state of Saxony-Anhalt alone, about 80 cases of desertion have been registered. In total, Germany may be dealing with hundreds of military personnel.
Since 2022, about 29,000 Ukrainian soldiers have reportedly been trained in Germany at about 60 military facilities. They learned shooting, camouflage, first aid and other basic skills. The German Ministry of Defense has confirmed that some soldiers have "voluntarily left" their training sites, but there are no nationwide statistics.
20.37 The all-Ukrainian special operation "Justice for Fighters" continues, aimed at stopping abuses in military units and illegal use of funds intended for the defenders of Ukraine. This is reported by the State Bureau of Investigation. It is noted that currently, 46 searches have been conducted within the framework of 11 criminal proceedings in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Rivne and Odessa regions. The work is ongoing.
19.12 On August 20, the Russians attacked a critical infrastructure facility in Kyiv. This was announced by the city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
"Today, in the afternoon, in the capital, for the first time in the last few months, a critical infrastructure facility was targeted," the Kyiv mayor noted.
According to him, residents of Desnyansky and part of Dniprovsky districts may experience interruptions in hot water supply.
18.55 The new leadership of the Ministry of Defense must provide "real proposals" regarding changes in the conduct of mobilization, which should become "more humane." This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
At the same time, Ukraine must provide sufficient resources for defense and be no weaker than Russia within four months, the head of state noted.
18.23 In Kyiv, the wreckage of a Russian drone fell on a business center building. One person is currently known to have died, Mayor Vitali Klitschko informed on Telegram.
17.50 The Russian authorities see no preconditions for peace talks with Ukraine and plan to continue hostilities. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at a briefing. He traditionally accused Ukraine of the lack of "prerequisites for optimism regarding a peaceful settlement."
17.19 Head of the Defense Procurement Agency of the State Logistics Operator (DOT) Arsen Zhumadilov announced his decision to leave his position. He reported this on Facebook.
16.47 An FSB agent, whom the SBU exposed in January this year while coordinating the shelling of the Dnieper, was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. The SBU reports this. According to the investigation, a local mobilized person recruited by the enemy was involved in directing enemy attacks. He came to the attention of the Russian special services through pro-Kremlin comments that he published in chat rooms of various Telegram channels. It was established that after recruitment, the traitor received instructions from a curator from the Russian Federation to identify the bases of the Defense Forces, on which the Russians were preparing a new series of missile and drone strikes.
15.45 Speculation on social networks about the reasons for Yevheniy Khmara's dismissal from military service allegedly due to the VLK does not correspond to reality. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense, Ukrinform reports.
Yevheniy Khmara holds the position of Minister of Defense of Ukraine as a civilian. The Law of Ukraine "On National Security of Ukraine" requires that this position be held exclusively by a civilian, the Ministry of Defense noted. It is noted that Khmara was dismissed from military service on the basis of subparagraph "e" of paragraph 3 of part five of Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service". This norm applies specifically to generals and admirals: if they do not hold a regular position and are at the disposal of the general, the law allows such a general to be dismissed from military service.
15.33 The updated European Union decision to extend temporary protection, which entered into force on July 30, applies to everyone, regardless of gender, said European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert.
According to him, the EU Council decision does not provide for any distinction based on gender during its application.
"It's about military service or serving in the army, so there's no difference between men and women," Lammert said.
Thus, in order to obtain asylum in EU countries, women who are subject to military service in Ukraine must provide evidence that they are not "evasive" from military service.
The European Commission will present updated operational recommendations to member states in the coming weeks on new rules for granting temporary protection to Ukrainians.
15.20 The Russian military man who killed a Ukrainian prisoner has been placed under suspicion. The National Police reported this on August 20. It is noted that the war crime occurred in October 2025 during hostilities near the settlement of Shakhove, Pokrovsky District. According to the investigation, the invaders captured two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After capture and interrogation, one of the invaders took the captured Ukrainian soldier to a forest strip and deliberately shot him in the head with an assault rifle. The Ukrainian defender died on the spot from the wound he received. The same thing was done to another Ukrainian prisoner.
15.06 Fighters of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine have successfully struck important military facilities in Russia. The military reported this on Thursday.
14.47 The International Registry for Damage Caused by Russia's Aggression against Ukraine (RD4U) has opened the possibility of submitting applications in six new categories. Applications can be submitted for compensation for damaged or destroyed real estate.
14.39 The blockade of the ports of Greater Odessa has effectively deprived Ukrainian mining and metallurgical enterprises of the opportunity to work normally for export. Ukraine may lose about $500 million in export revenue in the second half of the year alone, writes Economic Truth.
14.35 Wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine traditionally peak in August, but have virtually ground to a halt this year. Ships have stopped calling at Odessa ports, which Russia has been shelling with missiles. This, along with record heat, has pushed wheat futures up to a near three-year high.
Oxford Economics estimates the losses of the world grain market due to the naval war between the two countries at 86 million tons, which is about 17% of world exports: Russia will not be able to deliver 52 million tons to buyers, Ukraine - 34 million tons. Alternative routes for Ukraine by rail and the Danube will be able to compensate for only 17 million tons.
Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, while Ukraine is the world's fifth largest, and together they supply nearly 30% of global demand. Russian agricultural exports amounted to $41 billion in 2025, or less than 10% of total export revenue; in Ukraine, this share is much higher, around 60%.
14.20 The Security Service of Ukraine, together with the National Police, blocked seven schemes for evading military service and mobilization in various regions of the country, including Odessa, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia regions. Law enforcement officers detained 18 organizers of the schemes, including doctors, former employees of the CCC, a serviceman and a blogger.
13.35 At least 10 people have been injured as a result of Russian strikes on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in Donetsk region. The attacks damaged residential buildings, shops, a company and infrastructure facilities, and caused fires. This was reported by the head of the Donetsk OAV Vadym Filashkin and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
13.29 Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine on August 19-20 struck a number of important objects on the territory of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The TANEKO oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk (Tatarstan) and the Tamanneftegaz terminal in Volny, Krasnodar Territory were hit. Fires were recorded on the territory of the facilities.
13.04 Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, in cooperation with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, launched a large-scale operation Justice for Fighters. This was reported by the State Bureau of Investigation.
72 searches are planned in various regions of Ukraine. Based on their results, 22 people are planned to be reported for suspicion.
12.33 Russia has over 600 Onyx missiles, over 450 Calibers, over 120 Zircons, about 130 Iskander-M missiles, and hundreds of other types of missiles. At the same time, the Russian military-industrial complex is capable of producing over 200 cruise and ballistic missiles every month.
12.06 A Russian agent was detained in Poltava, who was preparing to assassinate the commander of a military unit. The SBU reported this.
"The enemy's task was carried out by a student from a local university recruited by the Rashists. He came into the field of view of Russian special services while searching for "easy" earnings on Telegram," the report says.
12.03 During the massive Russian attack on Ukraine on the night of Thursday, August 20, a mobile fire group of the State Border Guard Service in the Kyiv region destroyed a cruise missile heading towards the capital. The downed target fell outside populated areas. A large crater formed at the site of the fall, around which debris flew. The State Border Guard Service noted that the chances of successfully hitting such a target with machine gun fire are extremely small.
11.43 The death toll from massive Russian shelling in Kyiv has risen to 13. Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi reported this on Telegram. About 20 residential buildings, a school, a children's hospital, and a kindergarten were significantly damaged in the capital.
11.22 A total blackout occurred in temporarily occupied Crimea on Thursday night. This was reported by the Telegram channel Crimean Wind, citing satellite imagery and information from subscribers.
11.17 Forced mobilization is gaining momentum in Russia. New cases of detention of men with subsequent sending to the war against Ukraine were recorded in Udmurtia, Krasnodar Territory, Arkhangelsk Region, Jewish Autonomous Region
| …that’s still a thing? |
In total, from August 10 to 18, human rights activists received 14 appeals from relatives of the victims. The men were taken from the street, from work and after being detained by the police. One was seized at the exit from a store, another while returning from a meeting of graduates, and the third was taken to the department ostensibly for document verification.
11.00 Lithuanian Energy Minister Lukas Savickas, who arrived in Kyiv on the eve of the massive Russian attack, was forced to spend the night in a shelter together with other members of the delegation. According to Savickas, the air raid alert lasted all night. In the morning, the threat of ballistic strikes had passed, but the danger of drone attacks remained. He stated that he had experienced firsthand what Ukrainians experience regularly.
10.40 In Boryspil, Kyiv region, during a massive Russian attack on the night of August 20, food warehouses and Red Cross facilities came under attack. Fires broke out in the area, which rescuers continue to extinguish.
According to Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Koretsky, the night attack of the Russian Federation on Kyiv and the region lasted almost nine hours. In the capital and the region, residential buildings and a children's hospital were hit. At the same time, Russian troops attacked civilian infrastructure in Odessa and Chernihiv regions at night.
According to the latest data, at least 13 people were killed and about 40 more were injured as a result of the massive attack on Kyiv and the region.
10.31 The Dnipro Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the Field of Defense of the Eastern Region sent indictments to the court against the chief of the food service of one of the military units of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - a major, and his subordinate.
The major is charged with receiving unlawful benefits, fraud, evasion of military service, illicit enrichment, and legalization of property obtained by criminal means. His subordinate is accused of providing unlawful benefits.
10.19 On the morning of August 20, Russian troops launched a massive drone attack on the Korabelny district of Kherson. One of the markets was hit. At least 16 people were injured in the strikes, including employees of a utility company.
10.15 On Thursday morning, power outages were recorded in Kyiv and six regions of Ukraine due to Russian attacks on energy facilities. Ukrenergo reported this. Emergency restoration work is already underway wherever security conditions currently allow.
10.03 Russian troops attacked a checkpoint on the border with Moldova in the Odessa region.
This night, the Russians again massively attacked the south of the region. The Russians targeted civilian infrastructure. Two trailers from food trucks were reported to have caught fire. There were no casualties from the shelling.
Due to the massive night attack by the Russians in the south of the Odessa region, power outages occurred in several settlements, as of this morning, 13 thousand subscribers remain without electricity.
10.02 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia will not seriously consider the possibility of peace until Ukraine has sufficient means to intercept ballistic missiles. According to the president, after the massive Russian attack, which lasted on the night of August 20, emergency services continue to work at the sites of the hits. The Russians, Zelensky noted, combined ballistic and cruise missiles and strike drones, trying to cause maximum damage to civilian infrastructure.
09.50 Russia attacked Ukraine at night with Onyx, Zircon, Iskander-M, S-400 ballistic missiles, 36 Kh-101/Iskander-K/Kh-59 cruise/aircraft missiles, 8 Kalibr cruise missiles and two Banderol loitering munitions, as well as 168 attack drones.
The main direction of the attack was the Kyiv region.
Air defenses shot down/suppressed 31 Kh-101/Iskander-K/Kh-59 cruise missiles, 8 Kalibr cruise missiles, two Banderol loitering munitions, as well as 145 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones in the north, south, east and center of the country.
Enemy airstrikes were recorded at 28 locations, as well as the fall of downed aircraft (fragments) at two locations.
09.31 The death toll in Zhytomyr from yesterday's Russian attack on the building of the National Police headquarters in the region has risen to three, with another 53 people injured.
09.15 The temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP lost external power supply for the fifteenth time this year: backup diesel generators that provide critical security systems automatically turned on.
09.07 During Russia's night attack on Ukraine on August 20, Russian drones violated the airspace of Moldova and Romania. One of them entered Moldova and later returned to Ukraine, while the other fell on Romanian territory near the Ukrainian border. The incidents were reported by the countries' defense departments.
08.47 In Kyiv, the death toll from a massive Russian attack on the night of August 20 has risen to 12. Another 32 people were injured. This was reported by the State Emergency Service and Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
According to Klitschko, 11 people died directly as a result of the attack, another wounded person died in the hospital. Of the 11 dead, seven were in the Solomianskyi district.
Damage was recorded in the Svyatoshynskyi, Solomyanskyi, and Darnytskyi districts.
08.12 On the night of August 20, Russian regions reported a series of drone attacks. According to preliminary data, oil and energy infrastructure facilities in Tatarstan and Krasnodar Krai could have been hit. Russian media and OSINT communities are reporting on the attacks. In Nizhny Kamsk, deaths were reported at the TANEKO refinery. According to preliminary data, 12 people were killed.
In the Krasnodar Territory, according to preliminary data, the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal and the Taman 500 kV substation could have been hit.
07.54 Six people were killed and 33 others were injured in a Russian attack in Kyiv on the night of Thursday, August 20. Rescuers have freed two people from the rubble and are continuing their work in three districts of the capital. Work to eliminate the consequences of the attack is ongoing in the Svyatoshynskyi, Solomyanskyi and Darnytskyi districts of the capital.
07.38 On August 20, Ukrzaliznytsia made operational changes to the movement of suburban and regional trains due to damage to the railway infrastructure as a result of the Russian attack on Kyiv and the region. Passengers were urged not to wait on platforms during an air alert. If a train is delayed due to an air threat, passengers are advised to stay in a safe place. Movement will be resumed after the danger is over.
05.03 As a result of the Russian missile attack, hits, destruction, and fires were previously recorded in the Svyatoshynskyi, Darnytskyi, and Solomyanskyi districts of Kyiv. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine was informed about the details of the enemy attack.
03.44 Five people were killed and 23 others were injured in massive Russian shelling in Kyiv, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported.
02.37 A man was killed in a hostile attack in the Brovary district. This was reported by the head of the regional state administration, Timur Tkachenko. Another man was injured and is receiving necessary medical assistance.
According to the official, one of the industrial facilities was damaged.
02.04 Russian military drones hit a gas station in one of the districts of Kharkiv. This was reported by the city's mayor, Igor Terekhlv.
"A Molniya type UAV hit the Industrial District. A gas station came under enemy attack," he noted.
01.34 Two people died in Kyiv as a result of a massive rocket attack on the night of August 20. The Kyiv City Military Administration reported this on Telegram.
The number of injured people has also increased.
"As of 01:15, 6 wounded are known. Unfortunately, two women died as a result of the enemy attack," the report said.
00.34 In the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv, debris fell near a five-story residential building. A fire broke out at the scene.
Later, Vitali Klitschko reported that the premises of a children's hospital in Solomyanskyi district were damaged. Windows were broken in the building, and cars were on fire in the area.
In the same area, according to preliminary information, people are trapped in a shelter.
00.11 The capital was under ballistic attack. In just 15 minutes, up to 20 missiles hit Kyiv. As monitoring channels noted, three types of ballistic missiles were fired simultaneously.