Key points
- Ukraine blows hole in second Russian bridge
- Kursk offensive puts new pressures on entire Russian frontline, analysts say
- Safety 'deteriorating' at Ukrainian nuclear power plant
- Ukrainian drone sparks fire at Russian oil depot
- Russia launches third ballistic missile attack on Ukrainian capital this month
- 'We could lose': Russian state TV commentators gloomy over Kursk
- Sean Bell:Humiliated Putin will respond ruthlessly to Ukrainian masterstroke
- Michael Clarke:Pokrovsk in real trouble as Russian troops advance
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Kursk operation 'aims to create buffer zone'
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the operation in Kursk aims to create a buffer zone.
It's the first time the Ukrainian president has clearly stated the aim of the incursion into Russian territory, which was launched on 6 August.
He has previously said the operation is to protect communities in the bordering Sumy region from constant shelling.
"It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall - to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions," he has just said in his nightly address.
"This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor's territory - our operation in the Kursk region."
Zelenskyy: Ukraine 'still inflicting losses' on Russia in Kursk
Ukraine is "still inflicting losses" on Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in his nightly address.
He claimed Ukraine's operation in Russia's Kursk region is damaging "the Russian army, state, their defence industy and their economy".
Mr Zelenskyyposted a video showing a growing cloud from a bridge explosion, with one of its sections destroyed.
He also thanked his soldiers stationed over the Russian border and asked his Ukraine's allies to speed up the delivery of promised military aid.
"Regarding deliveries from our partners - need acceleration, we ask very much. War has no holidays," he warned.
Yesterday, the German government was forced to deny rumours it is planning to halve its military aid to Ukraine in 2025.
Crater left in Kyiv region after Russian missile attack
A crater was left in the Kyiv region in the aftermath of a Russian missile attack.
Images show locals looking on at the destruction left by the strike, in a seemingly rural area.
Parts of the missile remained scattered across the ground.
This comes after Russia launched its third ballistic missile attack on Kyivthis morning (see 07:35 post).
Preliminary data showed all missiles were destroyed on their approach to the city, the military administration of the Ukrainian capital said.
Two killed in Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk, Russian-installed mayor says
Two people have been killed in a Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk, according to the Russian-installed mayor.
A man and a woman were said to have been killed on Sunday, local mayor Alexei Kulemzin said.
Sky News has not been able to independently verify his claim.
It would continue Kyiv's push into Russian territory and their newfound aggression in the face of Russia's invasion.
This comes after, earlier in the day, Russian forces were said to have taken control of the village of Svyrydonivka, in the same region, according to TASS state news agency.
Chechen warlord invites Elon Musk to Russia after mounting machine gun on Cybertruck
Chechnya President Ramzan Kadyrov has invited Elon Musk to Russia after being filmed behind the wheel of one of Tesla's Cybertrucks mounted with a machine gun.
Kadyrov, sanctioned by the US after being linked to numerous human rights violations, said he "literally fell in love" with the car and would donate it to Russian forces fighting in the invasion of Ukraine.
The president, who rules over Chechnya, a republic within the Russian Federation, claimed he received the truck from Musk, although this was not independently confirmed.
Messages left with Tesla by AP seeking comment were not immediately returned.
"It's not for nothing that they call this a cyberbeast. I'm sure that this beast will bring plenty of benefits to our troops."
Inviting Musk to Chechnya, Kadyrov said: "I don't think the Russian foreign ministry would mind such a trip.
"And, of course, we're waiting for your new developments that will help us finish our special military operation."
Russian officials often refer to its invasion as a "special military operation".
Another 3,000 'very scared' residents evacuated from Kursk
More than 3,000 people were evacuated in 24 hours between Friday and Saturday from areas in Russia's Kursk region, according to local authorities.
Russia says the Ukrainian incursion has led to the evacuation of more than 120,000 civilians in total.
More than 10,000 Kursk residents were staying at temporary accommodation centres across the country, the Russian Emergency Ministry said.
Kyiv's offensive came as a shock to Yan Furtsev, an activist and member of the local opposition party Yabloko.
"No one expected that this kind of conflict was even possible in the Kursk region.
"That is why there is such confusion and panic, because citizens are arriving [from frontline areas] and they're scared, very scared."
Moscow denies talks with Kyiv on civilian attacks
Russia has denied any talks were taking place with Kyiv about halting strikes on energy targets before Ukraine's Kursk offensive.
The Washington Post reported yesterdaythe incursion derailed indirect talks on civilian infrastructure facilities, with delegations set to be sent to Qatar.
The agreement would have amounted to apartial ceasefire, the Post said.
But Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova refuted the report: "No one broke anything off because there was nothing tobreak off.
"There have been no direct or indirect negotiationsbetween Russia and the Kyiv regime on the safety of civiliancritical infrastructure facilities."
Ukraine's government did not immediately respond to aReuters request for comment.
Lukashenko border build up claims false, says Ukraine
Ukraine has dismissed Belarusian border tension claims as false.
PresidentAleksandr Lukashenko was just trying to "appease" Russia when he said he was sending a third of the Belarusian army to the Ukrainian border, said Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
"We have not seen an increase in the equipment or manpower of Belarusian units near our border," he said.
"The situation on the border with the Republic of Belarus remains unchanged.
"As you can see, Lukashenko's rhetoric is consistent, exacerbating the situation at regular intervals to appease the terrorist country."
Watch: Ukraine attacks Russian bridge
We can now bring you video of the Ukrainian strike on the second bridge in Kursk this week.
A plume of smoke can be seen erupting from the construction in footage published by the Ukrainian air force.
The attacks on bridges crossing the river Seym, one in Zvannoe and the other in Glushkovo, are thought to be attempts to hamper Russian attempts to resupply its troops in the region.
Belarus sends third of army to border 'in case of war', says president
We've had more details from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on his movement of troops to the Ukrainian border.
Minsk has deployed nearly a third of its armed forces along the entire border, the Belta state news agency reported.
The exact number of soldiers was not specified, but Belarus' professional army consists of 48,000 and around 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance.
The president claimed Ukraine had stationed more than 120,000 troops at its border with Belarus.
"Seeing their aggressive policy, we have introduced there and placed in certain points - in case of war, they would be defence - our military along the entire border," Belta cited Mr Lukashenko as saying in an interview with Russian state television.
Yesterday, Kyiv said it had seen no signs of a Belarusian troop build-up at the border.
Belarusian defence minister Viktor Khrenin said on Fridaythere was a high probability of an armed provocation from Ukraine and that the situation at their sharedborder "remains tense".
