All right, beginning with updates from the Russia Ukraine front.
Backing its daring excursion into Russia, Ukraine is expanding its
aerial attacks on strategic targets inside Russian territory.
So far, it has blown up bridges in the Kursk
region and air base and an oil depot deep inside
Russian territory.
Besides the incursion, what has come as a surprise is
that after its initial total silence about its plans, Kiev
is now widely, enthusiastically sharing satellite imagery of the attacks.
Just last week, Ukraines Air Force shared videos that purported
to show at least two strategic bridges blown up over
the same river in Russias southern Kursk border.
Satellite imagery showed at least one bridge destroyed spanning near
the town of Gush Klushkovo.
On Wednesday, Ukraines military shared a video saying its special
forces were using the US manufactured High Mobility Artillery Rocket
System, commonly known as High Mars, to destroy pontoon bridges
and engineering equipment in the Kursk region.
Now this marked the first official acknowledgement that Kiev was
indeed using Western weapons in the Kursk offensive.
The spate of videos shared by Kiev in recent days
seems like an attempt to project confidence over its ability
to strike targets and stock unease inside Russia.
Ukraine also struck a diesel depot in the town of
Proletarsk in Russias southern Rostov region, which borders Ukraine.
The depot was has been a blaze for days after
it was hit by Ukrainian drones on Sunday.
More than 500 firefighters are battling the fire, which at
one point spread to over 100,000 square feet.
Another case of Ukraine reaching deeper into Russia this week
involved an airfield in the Southern Vulgar region.
The attacks this week and the ongoing incursion appear to
have surprised not only Moscow but also Ukraine Western partners.
Yet so far, while Washington has maintained it has no
issue with Kievs use of its weapons, it has claimed
that it has not seen its weapons being moved to
Kursk or inside Russia.
Now, Russian officials have blamed Kiev, but Ukraine has so
far not claimed responsibility.
All right.
For more of this, our correspondent Anas Malik is now
joining us live from Kiev.
Anas.
At least five people have been killed and 13 on
the others were wounded during an overnight Ukrainian strike on
Belgorod.
Plus, KF has been able to secure a POW exchange
from its curse invasion.
How else would keep be trying to capitalize on its
curse offensive which state which has taken everyone by surprise?
Well, the first question, the first part first, Shravan were
here in Kiev.
And what is pertinent, you know, is the fact that
last night the Russian aggression on Ukraine, its continued targeted
2 regions.
First, the Karamatosk in Donetsk, which targeted a hotel where
Reuters team was staying and it had six of its
journalists.
Two of them are injured.
One of them is unaccounted for, according to the news
agency.
And the mayor says, the mayor and the governor of
the area says is that it was deliberate attack on
journalists.
Then we saw the attack in Beloved in the region,
which in which at least five people were killed and
another 13 injured.
But Kiev is undeterred.
Kiev has managed to secure, on its part, the biggest
and the most equivalent exchange of prisoners, 115 on either
of the sides since its invasion of curse earlier this
month.
And it is quite ambitious on their part because previously
we've seen this hunky Dory balance between the president exchange
that has been there.
This president exchange was mediated by the United Arab Emirates,
the UAE.
We're hearing that there could be more of these to
follow with the mediation of Qatar and the UAE.
But on its part, keep remains ambitious.
And President Zelensky, who has been putting out messages to
his team, say that they are expecting a more and
more supplies and we and more and more Western support,
not just when it comes to ammunition, but when it
comes to monetary support as well, so that they can
continue with what their plans are in the cursed region
in the Russian territory.
Anas, there have been several projectiles aimed at Kiev within
this month, especially since the 6th of August.
But as I was looking at your frame while you
were interacting with us, people behind you seem to be
going about their regular lives.
It seems to be like a perfectly normal sunny Sunday
afternoon for you.
What is regular life looking like in Kiev?
This is of course a nation which is embattled since
over two years now.
Well, you rightly mentioned just as we got on to
live what where I am right now, it's the Independence
Square.
And I'll just get a site for the benefit of
our viewers to get a sense that despite of the
war, life is continuing this is and metro stations around
have been converted into shelters.
So people have got in this semblance of resilience in
them and they refused to give up that yes, that
there is a reality that is war that is inflicted
upon them.
But despite of that, they refuse to let go or
to be to be deterred by that, to be to
be shaken in their resolve.
The reason we're seeing that what you see behind me,
this is the city center, this is the Independence Square.
Not far is from from here is the Maidan flags
from all across the from all across the globe.
Those who participating soldiers, they've been put hair pictures have
been put their hair as well in their memory.
And people are are, as I said, they're resilient.
I know that's a word that we've seen or heard
quite used a lot, but they are indeed quite resident
to the fact that they hope that Ukraine would be
able to get what's theirs.
That's number one.
And #2 they will contribute in whatever capacity, be that
be this sense of normalcy that is there despite of
the fact that they continue to live under air raid
sirens, to give that to, to show that that the
Ukraine people remain undeterred and they will contribute to the
development and well-being of their nation.
Anas.
Its a very contrasting image that I see, one that
I see behind you.
And one, if I were to just look at that,
one can never gauge that the country and the city
you're in.
This is being part of a war which is well
into its third year now, the biggest war Europe has
seen ever since World War Two.
And it is perhaps shaping geopolitics at this point.
But people behind you, clearly, its a sign of what
Ukraine is standing for at this point.
Thank you so much for getting us the latest.
That was Anas Malik joining us from here.