It's early morning in Kyiv. Here's the latest on Russia's war in Ukraine
From CNN staff
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond with "completely fair retaliation" after Russian shelling killed at least seven people, including a newborn baby, in the southern Kherson region Sunday.
"Everywhere our warriors retaliate against the occupiers' terror. There is not a single day when Russian evil does not get our completely fair retaliation," Zelensky said in his daily address.
His remarks come as Moscow's defense ministry and several Russian regional officials reported Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks on Russian territory.
Here are the latest headlines:
Odesa under fire: At least three people were injured after Russian missiles struck the southern port city of Odesa, a local official said early Monday. Russian strikes last week damaged a critical port facility and key industrial infrastructure in the city, which has been relentlessly targeted by Moscow's forces throughout the war.
Ukrainian attacks: Russia's defense ministry reported another drone attack Sunday on its western Belgorod region, as well as shelling on the northern Kursk region, both of which border Ukraine. It comes after local officials earlier reported three other drones being intercepted over Belgorod.
Black Sea flare-up: Ukraine called Russia's boarding of a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Sunday "a deliberate attack" and "an act of piracy," marking the latest flare-up over the sea's shipping lanes since a key grain deal collapsed last month. Moscow has said it stopped the vessel, a Palau-flagged dry cargo ship called the Sukru Okan, to ensure it was not carrying "prohibited goods" to Ukraine.
Southern gains: Kyiv's military has claimed "partial success" in the contested village of Robotyne near Zaporizhzhia on the southern front, where analysts say even marginal gains could be significant. Ukraine’s effort to push down to the Sea of Azov continues, with fierce fighting along the front lines. The area is a major target for Kyiv as pushing deep into the territory would mean breaking Russia’s land-bridge between annexed Crimea and eastern Donetsk.
Kupiansk evacuations: Thirty-six children were among more than a hundred residents evacuated from settlements around the northeastern city of Kupiansk over the weekend, a local official said. Authorities said last week that an estimated 12,000 people need to leave the city, in one of Ukraine's largest evacuations of the war, as Russian shelling intensifies in the area.
Russian attack claims another victim: A rescue worker died Sunday from injuries sustained in a Russian missile attack on the eastern city of Pokrovsk on August 7, raising the death toll to 10, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. At least 78 rescuers have been killed and 280 wounded in Ukraine while responding to missile strikes since Russia's invasion began last year, according to authorities.
2 min ago
Russian missile strike wounds at least 3 in Odesa
From CNN's Josh Pennington
In this picture released on August 14, firefighters work at the site of a Russian missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine. Defence Forces Southern Ukraine/Reuters
At least three people were injured after Russian missiles struck the southern port city of Odesa overnight, a local official said early Monday.
In a Telegram post, Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional military administration, said the attack was ongoing and residents should remain in their shelters.
Missile debris had caused multiple fires to break out in the city, he added.
Odesa has seen relentless waves of Russian attacks over the past 17 months. At least 25 architectural monuments, including a historic Orthodox cathedral, were destroyed in the region in an intense wave of attacks by Russia near the end of July. Russian strikes last week damaged a critical port facility and key industrial infrastructure in the city.
1 hr 34 min ago
Zelensky vows "completely fair retaliation" for deadly Russian attacks
From CNN’s Mariya Knight
Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at a press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 12. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond with "completely fair retaliation" after Russian shelling killed at least seven people, including a newborn baby, in the southern Kherson region Sunday.
At least five others were injured in Kherson, which reported at least 17 shelling attacks, Zelensky said.
"Everywhere our warriors retaliate against the occupiers' terror. There is not a single day when Russian evil does not get our completely fair retaliation," Zelensky said in his daily address.
Zelensky's remarks follow a spate of Ukrainian attacks reported by Russian authorities.
Russia's defense ministry reported another drone attack Sunday on its western Belgorod region, as well as shelling on the northern Kursk region, both of which border Ukraine.
On Saturday, photos and videos circulating on social media showed white smoke billowing from the Kerch bridge connecting Crimea to Russia after two missiles were shot down by Russian air defenses forces.
“Every occupier destroyed, every piece of Russian equipment burned, fire instead of their headquarters and warehouses, the very eloquent smoke on Kerch bridge and more — all this proves that we will not leave any of Russia's crimes unanswered,” Zelensky said Sunday.
4 hr 39 min ago
Ukraine accuses Russia of "piracy" in latest flare-up on the Black Sea
From CNN's Victoria Butenko in Kyiv
Ukraine called Russia's boarding of a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Sunday "a deliberate attack" and "an act of piracy," marking the latest flare-up over the sea's shipping lanes since a key grain deal collapsed last month.
Moscow has said it stopped the vessel, a Palau-flagged dry cargo ship called the Sukru Okan, to ensure it was not carrying "prohibited goods" to Ukraine.
Ukraine called for the international community to recognize Russia's actions as a crime.
"Today's deliberate attack and forced inspection by Russia of Sukru Okan international civilian bulk carrier, which was en route to the Ukrainian port of Izmail, is a clear violation of international law of the sea, an act of piracy and a crime against civilian vessels of a third country in the waters of other states," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Podolyak called on all those involved in the incident to be identified and for the international community to recognize the "fact of the crime."
"Ukraine will draw all the necessary conclusions and choose the best possible response," he said.
Some context: In the weeks since Moscow pulled out of a deal that allowed for the safe passage of Ukrainian grain exports in the Black Sea, both Russia and Ukraine have launched attacks on shipping and port targets.
For its part, Moscow has pummeled key port infrastructure with strikes in southern Ukraine, further limiting its ability to make exports.
Russia's defense ministry has warned that ships sailing to Ukraine's Black Sea ports will be viewed as military targets, while Ukraine has said any attacks of Russian targets on the sea will be justified because they occur in Kyiv's territorial waters.
4 hr 42 min ago
Russia claims Ukraine made several drone attacks on its territory Sunday
From CNN’s Mariya Knight
An apartment building that was damaged, according to local authorities, in a suspected drone attack in Belgorod, Russia, on August 13. Governor of Russia's Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov/Telegram/Handout/Reuters
Russia's defense ministry reported another drone attack Sunday on its western Belgorod region, as well as shelling on the northern Kursk region, both of which border Ukraine.
The latest drone attack occurred around 10 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET), when a Ukrainian craft tried to strike a target on Russian soil but was "foiled," Moscow said.
The defense ministry said the drone "was detected and destroyed by Russian air defense means over the territory of Belgorod region," adding there were no casualties or damage following the attack.
This comes after local officials reported three other drones being intercepted over the same region earlier in the day.
Shelling on Russian territory: Separately, Russia says shells fired by Ukraine hit a residential building in the village of Volfino in the northern Kursk region, wounding three people, according to Roman Starovoyt, the regional governor.
“10 incoming strikes were recorded,” Starovoyt said. “Unfortunately, three civilians suffered shrapnel wounds of moderate severity, they are taken to the central district hospital.”
The Russian village of Volfino is located just across the border from Ukraine’s Sumy region, which is subjected to regular Russian attacks.
Reported shelling and drone attacks by Ukrainian forces have occurred with increasing frequency in recent months. Kyiv rarely claims such attacks directly, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the war is "gradually returning" to Russian soil.
4 hr 40 min ago
Russia fires warning shots and boards cargo ship in Black Sea
From CNN's Darya Tarasova
A Russian warship fired warning shots and boarded a cargo ship it claims was headed to Ukraine in the Black Sea on Sunday, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Russia pulled out of a UN and Turkish-brokered deal in July that allowed Ukraine to move its grain via the Black Sea and warned that any ships headed to Ukraine would be treated as potentially carrying weapons. Ukraine made a similar threat to ships traveling to Russian ports.
Russia said the warship fired warning shots when the captain of the Palau-flagged dry cargo ship failed to respond to a request to stop for an inspection.
“The Russian warship opened warning fire from automatic small arms fire to forcefully stop the vessel,” the statement said.
The ministry claimed the ship — named Sukru Okan — was headed to the Ukrainian port of Izmail. Marine traffic websites currently shows the cargo vessel’s destination as the Romanian port of Sulina which is close to Izmail. Kyiv did not immediately comment on whether or not the ship was headed to a Ukrainian port.
“In order to inspect the bulk cargo ship, a Ka-29 helicopter with a group of Russian servicemen was hoisted from the patrol ship Vasily Bykov,” the ministry said. “Following radio conversations, the ship stopped its course and the boarding team landed on the bulk cargo ship,” the statement said.
This week Ukraine announced that it would open up a temporary humanitarian corridor for ships to sail to and from its ports and has opened up registration for merchant vessels to use the sea route.
Both Russia and Ukraine are major grain producers and their deal — a rare point of agreement in the middle of a war — did much to stabilize prices.
Ukraine makes partial but "significant" gain in south as counteroffensive grinds on
From CNN's Olga Voitovych, Mariya Knight and Sophie Tanno
Ukraine has claimed “partial success” at a village along the southern front, as Kyiv’s counteroffensive continues to struggle to make significant progress.
Elsewhere, Russia is attacking near Kupiansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region that borders Russia, an area that has seen significant shelling and the first major Ukrainian evacuation in months.
Ukraine’s effort to push down to the Sea of Azov continues, with fierce fighting along the frontlines.
The area is a major target for Ukraine as pushing deep into the territory would mean breaking Russia’s land-bridge between annexed Crimea and eastern Donetsk.
Ukraine claimed “partial success” near the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region, the General Staff of the Armed Forces said. On Friday, social media video and images showed Ukrainian troops had entered the village.
The Institute for the Study of War [ISW] said even marginal gains by Ukraine in this area are significant.
“The Ukrainian forces’ ability to advance to the outskirts of Robotyne — which Russian forces have dedicated significant effort, time, and resources to defend — remains significant even if Ukrainian gains are limited at this time,” the ISW said.
Meanwhile, Russians made “unsuccessful attempts” to regain lost ground near the village of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk region, the General Staff said. On Thursday, Ukraine claimed “partial success” in gaining positions in the area.
Also in Eastern Ukraine, Russian forces are trying to “escalate and take over the initiative” on an effort to “pull” Ukrainian troops from other areas of the front lines, according to a regional military official.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond with "completely fair retaliation" after Russian shelling killed at least seven people, including a newborn baby, in the southern Kherson region Sunday.
His remarks come as Moscow's defense ministry and several Russian regional officials reported multiple Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks on Russian territory.
Meanwhile, Russian missiles struck Odesa overnight, wounding at least three people, a Ukrainian official said early Monday. The southern port city has been relentlessly targeted by Moscow's forces throughout the war.
Ukraine called Russia's boarding of a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Sunday "a deliberate attack" and "an act of piracy," marking the latest flare-up over the sea's shipping lanes since a key grain deal collapsed last month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond with "completely fair retaliation" after Russian shelling killed at least seven people, including a newborn baby, in the southern Kherson region Sunday.
"Everywhere our warriors retaliate against the occupiers' terror. There is not a single day when Russian evil does not get our completely fair retaliation," Zelensky said in his daily address.
His remarks come as Moscow's defense ministry and several Russian regional officials reported Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks on Russian territory.
Here are the latest headlines:
Odesa under fire: At least three people were injured after Russian missiles struck the southern port city of Odesa, a local official said early Monday. Russian strikes last week damaged a critical port facility and key industrial infrastructure in the city, which has been relentlessly targeted by Moscow's forces throughout the war.
Ukrainian attacks: Russia's defense ministry reported another drone attack Sunday on its western Belgorod region, as well as shelling on the northern Kursk region, both of which border Ukraine. It comes after local officials earlier reported three other drones being intercepted over Belgorod.
Black Sea flare-up: Ukraine called Russia's boarding of a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Sunday "a deliberate attack" and "an act of piracy," marking the latest flare-up over the sea's shipping lanes since a key grain deal collapsed last month. Moscow has said it stopped the vessel, a Palau-flagged dry cargo ship called the Sukru Okan, to ensure it was not carrying "prohibited goods" to Ukraine.
Southern gains: Kyiv's military has claimed "partial success" in the contested village of Robotyne near Zaporizhzhia on the southern front, where analysts say even marginal gains could be significant. Ukraine’s effort to push down to the Sea of Azov continues, with fierce fighting along the front lines. The area is a major target for Kyiv as pushing deep into the territory would mean breaking Russia’s land-bridge between annexed Crimea and eastern Donetsk.
Kupiansk evacuations: Thirty-six children were among more than a hundred residents evacuated from settlements around the northeastern city of Kupiansk over the weekend, a local official said. Authorities said last week that an estimated 12,000 people need to leave the city, in one of Ukraine's largest evacuations of the war, as Russian shelling intensifies in the area.
Russian attack claims another victim: A rescue worker died Sunday from injuries sustained in a Russian missile attack on the eastern city of Pokrovsk on August 7, raising the death toll to 10, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. At least 78 rescuers have been killed and 280 wounded in Ukraine while responding to missile strikes since Russia's invasion began last year, according to authorities.
In this picture released on August 14, firefighters work at the site of a Russian missile strike in Odesa, Ukraine. Defence Forces Southern Ukraine/Reuters
At least three people were injured after Russian missiles struck the southern port city of Odesa overnight, a local official said early Monday.
In a Telegram post, Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional military administration, said the attack was ongoing and residents should remain in their shelters.
Missile debris had caused multiple fires to break out in the city, he added.
Odesa has seen relentless waves of Russian attacks over the past 17 months. At least 25 architectural monuments, including a historic Orthodox cathedral, were destroyed in the region in an intense wave of attacks by Russia near the end of July. Russian strikes last week damaged a critical port facility and key industrial infrastructure in the city.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at a press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 12. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond with "completely fair retaliation" after Russian shelling killed at least seven people, including a newborn baby, in the southern Kherson region Sunday.
At least five others were injured in Kherson, which reported at least 17 shelling attacks, Zelensky said.
"Everywhere our warriors retaliate against the occupiers' terror. There is not a single day when Russian evil does not get our completely fair retaliation," Zelensky said in his daily address.
Zelensky's remarks follow a spate of Ukrainian attacks reported by Russian authorities.
Russia's defense ministry reported another drone attack Sunday on its western Belgorod region, as well as shelling on the northern Kursk region, both of which border Ukraine.
On Saturday, photos and videos circulating on social media showed white smoke billowing from the Kerch bridge connecting Crimea to Russia after two missiles were shot down by Russian air defenses forces.
“Every occupier destroyed, every piece of Russian equipment burned, fire instead of their headquarters and warehouses, the very eloquent smoke on Kerch bridge and more — all this proves that we will not leave any of Russia's crimes unanswered,” Zelensky said Sunday.
Ukraine called Russia's boarding of a cargo vessel in the Black Sea on Sunday "a deliberate attack" and "an act of piracy," marking the latest flare-up over the sea's shipping lanes since a key grain deal collapsed last month.
Moscow has said it stopped the vessel, a Palau-flagged dry cargo ship called the Sukru Okan, to ensure it was not carrying "prohibited goods" to Ukraine.
Ukraine called for the international community to recognize Russia's actions as a crime.
"Today's deliberate attack and forced inspection by Russia of Sukru Okan international civilian bulk carrier, which was en route to the Ukrainian port of Izmail, is a clear violation of international law of the sea, an act of piracy and a crime against civilian vessels of a third country in the waters of other states," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Podolyak called on all those involved in the incident to be identified and for the international community to recognize the "fact of the crime."
"Ukraine will draw all the necessary conclusions and choose the best possible response," he said.
Some context: In the weeks since Moscow pulled out of a deal that allowed for the safe passage of Ukrainian grain exports in the Black Sea, both Russia and Ukraine have launched attacks on shipping and port targets.
For its part, Moscow has pummeled key port infrastructure with strikes in southern Ukraine, further limiting its ability to make exports.
Russia's defense ministry has warned that ships sailing to Ukraine's Black Sea ports will be viewed as military targets, while Ukraine has said any attacks of Russian targets on the sea will be justified because they occur in Kyiv's territorial waters.
An apartment building that was damaged, according to local authorities, in a suspected drone attack in Belgorod, Russia, on August 13. Governor of Russia's Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov/Telegram/Handout/Reuters
Russia's defense ministry reported another drone attack Sunday on its western Belgorod region, as well as shelling on the northern Kursk region, both of which border Ukraine.
The latest drone attack occurred around 10 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET), when a Ukrainian craft tried to strike a target on Russian soil but was "foiled," Moscow said.
The defense ministry said the drone "was detected and destroyed by Russian air defense means over the territory of Belgorod region," adding there were no casualties or damage following the attack.
This comes after local officials reported three other drones being intercepted over the same region earlier in the day.
Shelling on Russian territory: Separately, Russia says shells fired by Ukraine hit a residential building in the village of Volfino in the northern Kursk region, wounding three people, according to Roman Starovoyt, the regional governor.
“10 incoming strikes were recorded,” Starovoyt said. “Unfortunately, three civilians suffered shrapnel wounds of moderate severity, they are taken to the central district hospital.”
The Russian village of Volfino is located just across the border from Ukraine’s Sumy region, which is subjected to regular Russian attacks.
Reported shelling and drone attacks by Ukrainian forces have occurred with increasing frequency in recent months. Kyiv rarely claims such attacks directly, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the war is "gradually returning" to Russian soil.
A Russian warship fired warning shots and boarded a cargo ship it claims was headed to Ukraine in the Black Sea on Sunday, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Russia pulled out of a UN and Turkish-brokered deal in July that allowed Ukraine to move its grain via the Black Sea and warned that any ships headed to Ukraine would be treated as potentially carrying weapons. Ukraine made a similar threat to ships traveling to Russian ports.
Russia said the warship fired warning shots when the captain of the Palau-flagged dry cargo ship failed to respond to a request to stop for an inspection.
“The Russian warship opened warning fire from automatic small arms fire to forcefully stop the vessel,” the statement said.
The ministry claimed the ship — named Sukru Okan — was headed to the Ukrainian port of Izmail. Marine traffic websites currently shows the cargo vessel’s destination as the Romanian port of Sulina which is close to Izmail. Kyiv did not immediately comment on whether or not the ship was headed to a Ukrainian port.
“In order to inspect the bulk cargo ship, a Ka-29 helicopter with a group of Russian servicemen was hoisted from the patrol ship Vasily Bykov,” the ministry said. “Following radio conversations, the ship stopped its course and the boarding team landed on the bulk cargo ship,” the statement said.
This week Ukraine announced that it would open up a temporary humanitarian corridor for ships to sail to and from its ports and has opened up registration for merchant vessels to use the sea route.
Both Russia and Ukraine are major grain producers and their deal — a rare point of agreement in the middle of a war — did much to stabilize prices.
Ukraine has claimed “partial success” at a village along the southern front, as Kyiv’s counteroffensive continues to struggle to make significant progress.
Elsewhere, Russia is attacking near Kupiansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region that borders Russia, an area that has seen significant shelling and the first major Ukrainian evacuation in months.
Ukraine’s effort to push down to the Sea of Azov continues, with fierce fighting along the frontlines.
The area is a major target for Ukraine as pushing deep into the territory would mean breaking Russia’s land-bridge between annexed Crimea and eastern Donetsk.
Ukraine claimed “partial success” near the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region, the General Staff of the Armed Forces said. On Friday, social media video and images showed Ukrainian troops had entered the village.
The Institute for the Study of War [ISW] said even marginal gains by Ukraine in this area are significant.
“The Ukrainian forces’ ability to advance to the outskirts of Robotyne — which Russian forces have dedicated significant effort, time, and resources to defend — remains significant even if Ukrainian gains are limited at this time,” the ISW said.
Meanwhile, Russians made “unsuccessful attempts” to regain lost ground near the village of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk region, the General Staff said. On Thursday, Ukraine claimed “partial success” in gaining positions in the area.
Also in Eastern Ukraine, Russian forces are trying to “escalate and take over the initiative” on an effort to “pull” Ukrainian troops from other areas of the front lines, according to a regional military official.
