Ukraine blows up second Kursk as Ukrainian forces down 11 drones overnight – live

Russia has declared an organisation set up by Hollywood actor George Clooney, which is aimed at providing free legal support to victims of human rights abuses, as an “undesirable” organisation.

Russia’s prosecutor general’s office said on Monday that the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) was “carrying out work aimed at discrediting Russia on a Hollywood scale”.

“It actively supports pseudo-patriots who have left the country, members of banned extremist associations, and terrorist organisations,” the prosecutor said, without providing evidence.

The CFJ website describes itself as “fighting systemic injustice against vulnerable communities: journalists, women and girls, democracy defenders, LGBTQ+ persons, and minorities”

Ukraine will cut power for some consumers again on Monday due to a power generation shortage after Russian attacks on its energy system and increased consumption due to hot weather, the Ukrainian power grid operator and the energy ministry said.

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine‘s energy sector have intensified since the spring, resulting in blackouts in many regions and forcing Kyiv to start large-scale electricity imports from the European Union.

The restrictions will be in effect from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Kyiv time, Ukrenergo said.

Ukraine significantly limited energy supplies in July due to the repair of several key nuclear power units and record high temperatures.

The restrictions almost disappeared in August after reactors were brought back on line and temperatures dropped.

Ukrainian officials have said that the country lost almost half of its power production capacity because of the attacks.

Preliminary reports have suggested that a third bridge in the Russian Kursk region has been destroyed in a further blow to the Moscow’s hopes of defending the area against a Ukrainian incursion.

Russian military blogger Vladimir Romanov, believed to be posted in the Kursk region, wrote on the Telegram messenger app this morning: “The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed the third bridge across the Seim River.”

Earlier, we reported that Ukraine’s air force commander acknowledged that a second bridge had been destroyed to “deprive the enemy of its logistical capabilities”.

This third bridge has been reportedly destroyed near the village of Karyzh in the Glushkovsky district, where the first bridge was hit last Friday.

The Independent cannot verify this information.

Below are some of the latest photos coming out of Ukraine.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will visit Ukraine, the Indian foreign ministry said this morning, his first trip to the war-torn country since its conflict with Russia and about a month after he met president Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Details of the trip will be shared later in the day, the foreign ministry said. Indian media have reported that Mr Modi is likely to visit Kyiv this month.

Western capitals have imposed sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but friendly nations such as India and China have continued to trade with it.

India has refrained from directly blaming Russia – for what Moscow calls a special military operation – while urging the neighbours to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

The US has raised concerns over India’s relationship with Russia, especially at a time when Washington has been seeking to strengthen ties with New Delhi as a potential counterweight to an ascendant China.

New Delhi is seeking to deepen its relationship with the West while keeping ties intact with old friend Russia.

According to its most recent update, Ukraine claims to have seized more than 80 settlements across 444 square miles in Kursk since launching its surprise strike across the border on 6 August.

However, Kyiv’s troops are since thought to have shifted some of their positions since that update, and to be consolidating their positions further from the frontline.

Ukraine’s air defence units repelled Russia’s overnight air attack, including on Kyiv, destroying all 11 drones that Moscow launched, targeting Ukraine‘s territory, Ukraine’s air force said this morning.

The drones were destroyed over the Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy and Donetsk regions, the air force said. Reuters’ witnesses heard blasts in what sounded like air defence units at work on Kyiv’s outskirts early this morning.

There were no immediate reports of any damage due to the attack or falling drone debris.

Russia used nearly 1,000 bombs, missiles and drones to attack Ukraine in just these past seven days, Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday.

“Russia always knows where it is striking with its missiles and bombs—this is deliberate and targeted Russian terror. Over the course of this week, the Russians have used more than 40 missiles of various types, 750 guided aerial bombs, and 200 strike UAVs of different types against our cities and villages,” he said.

The Ukrainian president added: “For such terror, the occupier must be held accountable before the courts and history. They are already facing the strength of our warriors – all those Ukrainians who are restoring justice, destroying the occupier, and defending our positions.”

The Russian glide bombs have had a devastating impact on wherever they are used in the war. Kyiv is battling them as best it can but needs Western allies to step up and provide more weapons, air defences and ammunition, explains Tom Watling.