One killed as prisoners seize hostages in Russian prison
A group of prisoners have seized hostages in a prison in Russia’s Volgograd region, state media have said.

At least one member of the prison staff has been killed.

Those being held hostage are prison staff and measures are being taken to free them, the prison service said.

It added that there are “casualties”.

At least three prisoners are involved in the attack, according to TASS news agency.

The prison, which is in the town of Surovikino, is designated as a “harsh regime” penal colony.

It has the capacity to hold up to 1,241 male prisoners.

Pictured: Modi embraces Zelenskyy
As we’ve just reported, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Kyiv for a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

We’ve just now got pictures of the two leaders meeting and sharing an embrace.

It’s worth noting Mr Zelenskyy had criticised Mr Modi earlier this year for hugging Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia.

Pics: Reuters

India’s Modi arrives in Kyiv for talks with Zelenskyy
The Indian prime minister is currently in Kyiv for a meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian and Indian officials say the visit is focused on boosting economic ties and cooperation in defence, science and technology.

However analysts have suggested there may be another motive: to show India striking a more neutral stance following what has been seen as a lean towards Russia.

Narendra Modi met with representatives of the Indian diaspora after arriving in the Ukrainian capital, with the crowd gathering around the prime minister cheering “Modi, Modi, Modi”.

The Indian leader said on X afterwards he had received a “very warm welcome”.

Pics: Reuters

The chief of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, called Mr Modi’s visit “historic” and said India could play a role in ending the war.

“We respect India as a very big democracy in the world and a powerful country,” Mr Yermak said in an interview with India Today.

“But now it’s necessary to say who is the aggressor, who is the victim.”

India has so far avoided condemning Russia’s invasion, instead urging Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

Mr Zelenskyy has previously criticised Mr Modi for a visit to Moscow in July, when the Indian prime minister met with Vladimir Putin on the same day Russian missiles struck across Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president said at the time it was a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts”.

He also chided Mr Modi for hugging Mr Putin during their meeting.

Putin has ‘made decision’ on responding to Kursk invasion
Vladimir Putin has a plan of action to respond to Ukraine’s incursion into Russia, the country’s ambassador to the US has said.

“I tell you sincerely that the president has made a decision,” Anatoly Antonov was quoted as saying by Russia’s state news agency TASS.

“I am firmly convinced that everyone will be severely punished for what has happened in Kursk region.”

The Russian ambassador did not provide any further details on Mr Putin’s plans.

Reuters

The Kremlin held a meeting yesterday with senior officials, including Mr Putin and governors of border regions, likely to discuss Ukraine’s surprise attack on Russia’s Kursk region.

The fighting represents the biggest incursion into Russia by a foreign power since World War Two.

Mr Antonov also warned in comments published by the RIA state news agency that the US will remove all restrictions on the use of weapons supplied to Ukraine.

“The current administration behaves like a person who extends one hand and holds a dagger behind their back with another one,” Mr Antonov said.

“They are, essentially, laying ground [for a decision] to simply remove all the existing restrictions at a certain point, without much thought.”

The US has provided Ukraine with more than $55bn worth of military aid since 2022 but has not allowed Kyiv to fire any of its weapons into Russian territory unless used for defensive cross-border operations or counterfire.

Russia suspends ferry service to Crimea after Ukrainian attack
A ferry service operating between southern Russia and Crimea has been suspended following a Ukrainian attack, Russia’s Transport Ministry has said.

The Ukrainian navy yesterday said it had destroyed a ferry at Port Kavkaz in Russia’s Krasnodar region.

Smoke and flames rise from a ferry following the attack

It added the ferry had been used to deliver fuel and weapons to Crimea, which Russia seized and annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

The district head of the local town Fyodor Babenkov said the ferry was carrying 30 rail cars loaded with fuel.

Seventeen people were rescued following the attack and one person is unaccounted for, Russian authorities said.

Earlier this morning, the TASS news agency reported the fire was still raging.

The RIA state news agency, citing emergency cervices, said a fire sparked by the Ukrainian attack had “practically” not affected the port’s infrastructure, but that the ferry struck by Ukraine was half submerged.

The ferry service has been temporarily suspended while clear-up work takes place.

The port of Kavkaz is one of Russia’s largest outlets on the Black Sea.

Social media/Reuters

Good morning
Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates as Ukrainian forces continue to cause problems for Russia in its Kursk region.

The Kremlin is also reeling from a Ukrainian attack on a ferry in Russia’s Krasnodar region yesterday.

Elsewhere, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Kyiv for talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy today.

Before we bring you more of today’s news, here’s a reminder of what’s happened in the last 24 hours:

Russia claimed it had started pushing back Ukrainian troops in Kursk but said it appeared they were regrouping for another attack
Meanwhile Ukraine has said it is inflicting “tangible losses”
Russian authorities have started installing concrete shelters for civilians in the Kursk region
A Russian bomb attack killed two people in Ukraine’s Sumy region.
We’re pausing our live coverage
We’re closing our live coverage on the war in Ukraine for now.

We’ll return with any major developments this evening. If not, we’ll be back tomorrow with all the latest updates.

Here is a reminder of today’s key events:

Russia claims to have begun pushing back Ukrainian troops in Kursk, but a senior official admitted Kyiv’s forces were regrouping for another attack.
Some new Ukrainian soldiers have refused to fire at the enemy and are struggling with basic combat movements, according to the Associated Press. Citing commanders and fellow fighters, it was said that a few new recruits had even walked away from their posts, abandoning the battlefield altogether.
Russian authorities in Kursk have begun installing concrete shelters for civilians amid the ongoing Ukrainian incursion into the region – suggesting local authorities are bedding down for a sustained battle.
Ukraine says it is inflicting “tangible losses” on Russia with its Kursk incursion.
New satellite images show thick plumes of black smoke rising from a burning oil depot in Rostov, Russia.
In pictures: Pokrovsk residents flee as Russian troops advance in the east
We reported earlier today (see our 12.20 post) of a volunteer group helping those in need evacuate from settlements around Pokrovsk.

But the Russian advance has seemingly continued throughout today, and further evacuations in Pokrovsk itself is going ahead at pace.

At the train station, loved ones could be seen embracing before they parted ways, before packed carriages left the platform.

Pokrovsk resident Serhiy bids farewell to his wife and daughter as they flee on an evacuation train

A soldier bids farewell to his partner as she joins others fleeing the Russian advance

An emergency service worker carries a child at a train station amid the evacuations

People bid farewell to relatives leaving Pokrovsk

Volunteers of the East SOS organisation lift a woman on to an evacuation train

Russian bomb attack kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy region
A Russian bomb attack has killed two people in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow dropped two guided bombs on civilian infrastructure, regional proescutors said in a statement.

Russia has relentlessly pummelled such border regions with strikes and bomb attacks since the invasion began.

Kyiv said its shock incursion into the Kursk region was partly aimed at cutting off Russia’s ability to carry out such attacks.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently visited the region and said there had been a decrease in shelling and civilian casualities since the Kursk incursion.

Earlier this week, on 17 August, there was another missile strike in Sumy, which left burnt out husks of cars behind as firefighters had to put out the blaze.

A previous bomb attack in the Sumy region earlier this week

Russia’s air superiority has also proven a problem for Ukraine in the east, where Moscow makes continued creeping progress towards a number of key settlements.

Earlier today (see our 9.26 post), we reported on a Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian military facility.

The airfield was said to be, in part, used as storage for glide bombs, a cheaply produced weapon that has been particularly damaging for Ukraine.

It further shows Ukraine’s desire to hit and cripple Russia’s air superiority to gain an upperhand in the ongoing war.

Your questions answered: Will Kursk incursion affect Russia’s ability to resupply in Ukraine?
Readers have been sending in their questions to our senior correspondents and military experts for their take on the changing battlefield environment.

Today, A Douglas asks:

Will the Kursk incursion affect Russia’s ability to resupply its troops in Ukraine?

Military analyst Sean Bell answers:

Although Ukraine has not declared the military objectives of its incursion into Russia, it has stated that it has no intention of holding Russian territory currently occupied.

As part of its offensive in the Kursk region, Ukraine has destroyed three Russian bridges over the Seym river which would have been vital resupply routes for Russian forces in occupied territories.

However, the motive for destroying these arterial routes is probably more focused on protecting the Ukrainian forces involved in the operation, rather than disrupting Russian supply lines.

The Ukrainian attack certainly caught the Russians by surprise when it launched its audacious assault over two weeks ago.

The incursion marks the first loss of Russian territory since Operation BARBAROSSA in 1941.

However, although the Ukrainian operation appears designed to have strategic effect, it involves a relatively small area of Russian territory.

Thus Russia will have a significant number of alternative logistic supply options to maintain the huge logistical support required to sustain its forces in occupied Ukraine.

In sum, it appears unlikely that the Kursk incursion will impact adversely on Russia’s ability to support its forward-deployed forces.

Ukraine takes another step toward joining International Criminal Court
Ukraine has taken another step toward joining the International Criminal Court today.

Kyiv ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, opening up the future possibility of more prosecutions of Russian officials for war crimes.

Ukraine’s parliament voted on Wednesday to ratify the ICC statute.

Membership of the ICC is a requirement to joining the EU, which Ukraine hopes to do.

It was formally accepted as a candidate in June 2022.

The document was initially signed over two decades ago by the Ukrainian government, in 2000, but the Constitutional Court blocked ratification, saying it was unconstitutional to allow the ICC to rule on Ukraine’s actions.

Many Ukrainians feared that ratifying it could allow the ICC to prosecute Ukrainian citizens who had particpated in conflict on their own territory.

To manage such concerns, the legislation contains a clause saying that Ukraine will not recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction in cases where crimes may have been committed by Ukrainian nationals.

In 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights Maria Lvova-Belova, over allegations of war crimes.

Maria Lvova-Belova, whom the ICC wants to arrest on war crimes charges, addresses an informal meeting of UN Security Council members via video in 2023

Ukrainian teen who escaped war celebrates ‘excellent’ GCSE results
A Ukrainian teenager who escaped the war in his home country is celebrating “excellent” GCSE results today.

Oles Kuzomko fled Kyiv with his mother Mila and came to the UK in May 2022 while his father, Roman, remained behind to fight – but later died from sepsis.

The 16-year-old relocated to Silsden, near Bradford, and attended Bradford Grammar School (BGS).

Now, he’s celebrating acheiving 10 GCSEs, including three 8s, five 7s and two 6s.

Oles also took online courses for the Ukrainian equivalent to GCSEs – all while studying in the UK.

The teen said: “I’m really proud of my physics and biology grades and I’m so grateful to BGS, especially the teachers who have helped me on an individual basis.”

Oles Kuzomko with his mother Mila

Simon Hinchliffe, headmaster at BGS, said: “Oles’ extraordinary accomplishments are a testament to his dedication and determination to succeed against all odds.

“His journey from a war-torn country to achieving excellent results at BGS is nothing short of inspiring.”

Ukraine disputes Putin’s claims Kyiv targeted nuclear power plant
Ukraine has disputed Vladimir Putin’s claims that they targeted a nuclear power plant in the Kursk region in an overnight attack.

“The enemy tried to strike at the nuclear power plant during the night,” Putin claimed in a meeting with top officials.

He added: “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed.”

The Russian president put forward no evidence during the meeting to support his claims, as he discussed the situation in Russia’s border regions.

A Ukrainian official called Mr Putin’s claims “propaganda” and “a pure lie”.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s counter-disinformation department, said: “Russia’s desired scenario of Ukraine’s Defense Forces attacking the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant to accuse them of nuclear terrorism fell apart, so Putin joined the propaganda.

“Everything points to the fact that Russia itself can carry out this provocation and will try to bring it to the international level.”

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said previously he would visit the Kursk plant due to safety risks linked to the war.

Putin chaired the meeting to discuss the situation in the Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions

The Kursk plant is one of Russia’s top nuclear stations and supplies around half the electricity used in the Black Earth region of southern Russia.

Authorities in Kursk erecting concrete shelters (see our 10.11 post) are also going to put them up in Kurchatov, where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located, the region’s acting governor Alexei Smirnov said.

In the call, Mr Putin also said he had ordered the creation of self-defence units in Russian border regions.

This came after the lightning 6 August incursion into Kursk took Russia by surprise and highlighted perceived frailty Moscow has in protecting its own border.

The governor of Bryansk said authorities in the region had conducted training as well for emergency evacuation from border areas in case it was needed.

Ukrainian refugees evicted from shelters in Hungary – reports
Ukrainian refugees are reportedly being evicted from shelters in Hungary, according to local media.

Around 120 Ukrainian refugees, mostly of the Roma minority, were evicted from the subsidised accommodation they had been living in, in Hungary, according to Radio Free Europe.

Pictures show Roma families on the streets after an amendment to legislation was said to have changed the procedure for providing housing assistance to refugees from Ukraine.

The move comes after criticism of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban over his closeness to Russia, and attempts to kowtow to Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this summer, Mr Orban drew strong rebukes from his fellow EU leaders who were quick to say he didn’t speak for them after he travelled to Russia on what he called a “peace mission” to try and bring the war to an end.

At the time, Mr Putin received Mr Orban in the Kremlin and said the talks had been useful.

A Ukrainian woman sleeps rough after reportedly being evicted from subsidised accommodation

Around 120 Ukrainians were reported to have been affected after the law change

A Ukrainian woman of Roma ethnicity sits on a chair on the street after losing access to her accommodation in Kocs, Hungary

Ukraine says it is inflicting ‘tangible losses’ with Kursk incursion
Ukraine has said it is inflicting “tangible losses” on Russia with its Kursk incursion.

In an update on the war in Ukraine, provided by the country’s staff of armed forces, they outlined where the latest fighting had taken place.

They said there had been 134 recorded clashes yesterday, with Russia also launching five separate missile strikes.

Towards the end of the update, they touched on the Kursk offensive, which has changed the dynamic of the war.

“Defense Forces of Ukraine continue operations in the Kursk direction,” they said, before adding: “Our soldiers are actively inflicting tangible losses in live force and equipment to the occupation forces.”

Smoke rises from buildings in Glushkovo, Kursk, that were said to have been struck by Ukrainian forces amid their ongoing incursion

Ukraine rubbishes Belarus claims of army deployment near border – again
Ukraine has, once again, disputed claims Belarus has made about bolstering its armed forces deployed near the border.

Previously, Kyiv dismissed Belarus’ claims it had amassed a significant portion of its armed forces at the border as “rhetoric” aimed at pleasing Vladimir Putin.

Then later in the week, Belarus once again said it had moved troops and aircraft to the border area.

However, speaking today, Ukraine’s border guard spokesperson has once again called the claims into question.

“We do not see any movement directly near our border – neither equipment nor personnel,” Andriy Demchenko told national TV.

They said there had been no troop or equipment movement in Belarus since Minsk announced it was deploying additional reserves to the border.

Belarus leader Alexander Lukashennko is one of a handful of remaining Russian allies

Indian PM Modi says he will ‘share perspectives’ on peaceful resolution of war
Narendra Modi has said he will “share perspectives” on the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine war on his visit to Kyiv this week.

The Indian prime minister departed for Poland today and will visit the Ukrainian capital on Friday – more than a month after he travelled to Moscow.

Mr Modi’s trip to Moscow was criticised by the US and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as it coincided with a lethal Russian strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.

Mr Modi condemned the killing of innocent children at the time, and the visit to Kyiv is seen by many Indian analysts as an attempt to control the reputational damage of his trip to Moscow.

But Indian diplomats say New Delhi’s ties to Russia and Ukraine are independent of each other and the trip is intended to build on interactions between New Delhi and Kyiv.

“I look forward to the opportunity to … share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict,” Mr Modi said in a statement before his departure.

“As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region.”

Ukraine says Russia has lost over 600,000 troops since start of full-scale invasion
Ukraine has said Russia has now lost more than 600,000 troops since the start of its full-scale invasion.

In an update from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine this morning, they detailed what they claimed were Russia’s losses so far.

This included 604,140 personnel, over 600 helicopters and planes, over 16,000 armoured vehicles and over 8,500 tanks.

It was said that 1,130 of the casualties were in the past day alone.

The stats – which have not been independently verified – are published regularly on social media as a part of efforts both sides make to spread their message, and strength, via social media.

A destroyed Russian tank near the town of Sudzha, in the Kursk region, earlier this week

US embassy warns of Russian attacks ahead of Ukrainian Independence Day
The US embassy has said there is an increased risk of Russian attacks ahead of the Ukrainian Independence Day on Saturday.

Missile and drone attacks on Ukraine could be increased in the coming days as Kyiv prepares to mark 33 years since the country’s independence from the Soviet Union.

“The US Embassy in Kyiv assesses that during the next several days and through the weekend there is an increased risk of … Russian drone and missile attacks throughout Ukraine in connection with Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24,” it said.

The statement was posted on the embassy’s website late last night.

For Ukrainians, Independence Day has taken on greater significance since Russia’s invasion, which has stirred patriotic feelings among many people.