Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 08-25-2024

The Ukrainian people’s indomitable spirit shines brighter than ever, spotlighting Russia’s vulnerabilities and reminding the world that there is no room for a false peace.

On Aug. 24, Ukrainians around the world joined together to celebrate Independence Day, an occasion full of symbolism and powerful meaning. In the shadow of the ongoing war, this year's celebration is not only a celebration of patriotism but, above all, a defiant sign that the Ukrainian people have the right to exist as a free and sovereign nation. The proudly hoisted blue and yellow flag symbolizes not only Ukraine's national identity but also the unbeatable spirit of the people who refuse to give in to tyranny.

Ukrainians' struggle to preserve their state and their independence is closely linked to the principles of freedom and independence. Since the start of Russian aggression in 2014, leading to the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has stood as a barrier to authoritarianism. This war is not only a fight for territorial integrity but also a fight to preserve Ukrainian national identity, which has been under attack for centuries.

Ukraine has taken steps to integrate its energy market with the European Union’s and is pursuing alternatives as it seeks to distance itself from Russian energy and fossil fuels.

Russia’s unprovoked war has severely impacted Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Throughout the invasion, the Russians targeted Ukrainian government institutions, schools, hospitals, and other non-military targets, killing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and destroying important institutions in Ukrainian society. The Russians have destroyed farmlands and forests, and have negatively impacted Ukrainian agriculture. Finally, Ukraine’s energy sector has been heavily targeted.

During the war, the Russians launched cyber-attacks to try and turn off Ukraine’s power grids. They have also bombed powerlines. These events were particularly orchestrated ahead of Ukraine’s harsh winters, a deliberate attack by the Russians as they hoped to see Ukrainians suffer with the loss of heat and electricity during these periods.

President Zelensky announced during Independence Day celebrations that his defense forces had received and used the new type of attack weapon for the first time.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday the existence and the first use of Ukraine’s new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV/drone) which he said has been named Palyanytsya.

“Just today, the first and successful combat use of our new weapon took place. It's an absolutely new class of weapon –the Ukrainian Palyanytsya missile/drone. This is our new method of retaliating against the aggressor. The enemy was hit. I thank everyone who provided it: all developers, manufacturers, and our warriors. I'm proud of you,” Zelensky said.

"Do not touch churches," the pope said in his weekly prayers, one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the ban into law.

Pope Francis on Sunday condemned the Ukraine government's move to ban a Russia-linked branch of the country's Orthodox Church.

"Do not touch churches," the pope said in his weekly prayers, one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the ban into law.

Zelensky joked that he might not answer Duda's calls after the Polish president suggested phoning to ask him not to attack retreating Russian forces.

Ukrainian president has jokingly told his Polish counterpart that he may not answer his phone calls after Duda said he would call Zelensky and ask him not to attack Russian forces, if they are retreating.

Zelensky’s improvised quip, which made Duda and journalists laugh, came when the two were talking to the press after attending events to mark the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence Day on Saturday.

For more than 300 years the Moscow elite presumed that Ukrainians like the whole of the West swallowed the fiction of Russian benevolence and shared prosperity – now they know they didn’t.

Russian military leader Grigory Potemkin, lover of Tsarina Catherine II, decorated villages along the Dnipro River that gave the illusion of prosperity and happiness to divert the tsarina’s attention from the true misery and abject poverty of her subjects. The goal was to project success (a lie), not failure (the truth), as his beloved traveled through her lands.

In these decoratively and temporarily prosperous villages lived real Ukrainians in lands occupied by Russia. They understood that the quickly freshened houses and groomed horses and baskets filled with flowers and fruit were only for display, to make the tsarina’s trip pleasant, to disguise the true levels of poverty.

Polish journalist Monika Andruszewska was injured in Kramatorsk while driving near the site of a Russian rocket attack.

Polish journalist Monika Andruszewska, who has been covering Russia's war against Ukraine, was injured during a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk, according to Polsat News.

The report states that Andruszewska was driving near the location of the rocket attack when she was injured.

Americans often appear to be bubbling over with optimism and superficial good cheer. Set against Ukrainians’ near-Spartan stoicism in the middle of a war, the contrast is striking.

You want lightheartedness, cheerfulness, the “que sera, sera” vibe, try Capri, Santa Barbara, or maybe Rio. Ukraine, on the other hand, isn’t known for its gaiety. One of those goofy global happiness lists that Google serves up places the country way down at #105. To put that in perspective, Libya, a nation known for its militias and absence of state services, is ranked as 66th. Even Iran is several spots above Ukraine.

Now to be fair, Eastern Europe, and especially the Slavic parts of it have a reputation for being a bit dour. Seventy years of communism didn’t help and, needless to say, the brutal war launched by Moscow would wipe the smugly stoned smile off the face of even the chillest of California surfer dudes.

Donald Trump’s running mate in the presidential elections has been spreading long debunked Russian propaganda to ingratiate himself with the anti-Ukrainian wing of the Republican Party.

In American politics if it quacks like a phony duck, it’s a phony. Senator JD Vance, the GOP Vice Presidential pick is the ultimate phony politician who is vigorously promoting Russian disinformation aimed at sabotaging the Christian country of Ukraine.

Vance, a Freshman Ohio Senator is leading a crusade against Ukraine and its 34 million Christians facing persecution by Russian forces. Ironically, Vance, who identifies as a Catholic, is not only sabotaging Christianity, he’s facilitating “Putin’s war” to the detriment of America. Vance previously stated: “I don’t care what happens to Ukraine” while touting extremist isolationist policies aimed at quashing Ukraine aid.

The Czech company Inflatech has added an inflatable F-16 Viper fighter aircraft to its range of decoys but are Ukraine’s Air Force markings significant?

The Danish Ministry of Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) hosted the Industry Days defense exhibition at the “Industriens Hus” in central Copenhagen, Denmark on Aug. 20.

A number of military commentators and journalists visiting the expo noticed the presence of an inflatable F-16 Viper fighter on the Czech Inflatech company’s stand. It was noted that the replica was bearing Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) markings.

Venezuela is still in post-election turmoil as the democratic opposition continues to contest the result giving victory to 'usurper' Maduro.

Venezuelan prosecutors have summoned opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia for questioning Monday as part of a criminal investigation following the country's disputed presidential election claimed by strongman Nicolas Maduro.

"Citizen Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia" is summoned "on August 26 at 10 am for an interview," prosecutors said Saturday, as part of an investigation into the opposition's publishing of electoral records which it claims show Maduro was clearly defeated.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

Israel launches a wave of air strikes across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah says it carries out large-scale attack with rockets and drones on Israeli positions in "initial response" to killing of Fouad Shukur, one of its top commanders, last month. Israeli Defence Minister Gallant announced a 48-hour nationwide state of emergency.

A nighttime Russian strike on a hotel in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk wounded two journalists, while a third was missing in the rubble, authorities said Sunday. Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk regional government, said in a Telegram post that the journalists were British, US and Ukrainian nationals and that a rescue operation was under way.

For the first time on my visits to Ukraine I felt a little nervous overnight on Aug. 23, 2024, concerned as to how Russia would choose to mark Kyiv’s Independence celebration on the next day.

For the first time on my visits to Ukraine I felt a little nervous overnight on Aug. 23, 2024, concerned as to how Russia would choose to mark Kyiv’s Independence celebration on the next day.

Fortunately, my worst fears were not realized. There were no major attacks on Kyiv that night or the next day. I shut my eyes and had a relatively peaceful night’s sleep.

My journey from learning Polish while teaching Polish pilots to fly the F-16 to finally taking steps to learn Ukrainian and the Language Lab where my experiments in Slavic linguistics led me.

Though I came to Ukraine with some experience in using Russian, I have long wanted to be fluent in the language of the country I have so much taken as a part of myself – and now I’ve taken some real steps in this journey toward being a speaker of the Ukrainian language.

Apparently, I’m not alone in wanting – or needing – to speak Ukrainian.

Zelensky briefed Scholz on the current situation at the frontline and outlined Ukraine's ongoing needs, particularly in terms of armored vehicles and air defense systems.

President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to mark Ukraine's Independence Day, according to the President’s press service.

Zelensky thanked Scholz for Germany’s significant support in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, stressing the importance of German leadership over the past two and a half years.

Russian troops attacked a hotel in Kramatorsk, wounding two journalists and leaving a third missing in the rubble. The injured journalists are citizens of Ukraine, the USA, and Great Britain.

Russian troops launched an overnight attack on Ukraine, using a variety of missiles, including ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones, according to Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk.

The nighttime Russian strike targeted a hotel in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, wounding two journalists. Authorities reported that a third journalist was missing in the rubble.

Russo-French Telegram chief Durov lands in trouble in Paris.

Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov is expected to appear in court Sunday after being arrested by French police at an airport near Paris for alleged offences related to his popular messaging app, sources told AFP.

The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital on Saturday evening, one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The security committee of the Czech Senate called for an investigation into the possible involvement of Orthodox churches in Russian influence operations.

The Orthodox Times, an independent news site that covers issues relating to Orthodoxy and Christianity reported on Friday that the Czech secret intelligence services have launched an investigation into the potential security threat posed by the Russian Orthodox Church in Czechia.

The move follows concerns expressed by the security committee of the Czech Senate that the Church which has close ties with the Moscow Patriarchate might be a vehicle for spreading Russian propaganda and exerting influence.

Despite crippling injuries at the hands of Russian aggression, Ukrainians remain undaunted. Superhumans Center, outside Lviv, bears witness to this unbreakable spirit.

Words and Images by Marco V. Pereira

When The Spirit of Ukraine was declared Time Person of the Year in 2022, the national resilience really chimed with my experience of visiting the country. Indeed, months earlier, this was exactly what I had aspired to capture: stories of positivity amidst the consequence of the full-scale invasion. On a quiet street in a little suburb, just east of Lviv, I found plenty.

As Ukraine celebrated its independence, Kyiv said a Russian strike on a residential area of the eastern city of Kostyantynivka, near the front line in the Donetsk region, killed five people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed more "retribution" against Russia on Saturday as he celebrated Independence Day near where his forces launched a surprise offensive into Russian territory two weeks ago.

Zelensky also signed a law banning the Russia-linked branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, calling the legislation a "liberation from Moscow's devils", drawing a sharp response from Russia's Orthodox leader.

To combat the threat from FPV drones on Ukraine’s battlefield, Russian tanks began being fitted with cages and then all-covering boxes, culminating in the “turtle tank.”

In mid-2023, faced with the ever-growing threat from Ukraine’s first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, Russian tanks and armored personal carriers (APCs) began being fitted with so-called “cope cages” aimed at limiting the impact of attack.

Initially these took the form of improvised crude grills, frames and screens to protect their turrets and other vulnerable parts. Over time, the cages became bigger, eventually covering most of the vehicle, with reports that anti-drone grills were being fitted to newly built tanks and APCs in the factory. They also started to appear on Israeli tanks moving against Hamas in Gaza.