Germany Kiev expects quick answers from the West on "victory plan"

Following the presentation of its "victory plan" in the war against the aggressor Russia, Ukraine is hoping for quick commitments from the West for the requested military aid. It is not a matter of days, but of hours, said the head of the president's office, Andriy Yermak, on Ukrainian television. "Our partners understand the logic of the plan," he said. Very concrete steps by Western partners are needed to help Ukraine.

The country is under severe pressure due to the Russian troop advance. The details of the "victory plan" advertised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi are not yet publicly known. According to his office, however, the main features are to be made public soon. The head of state discussed the plan behind closed doors with heads of state and government during his visits to Paris, Rome and London. In Berlin, he met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday.

It is known that Ukraine is demanding that the West release long-range weapons for strikes against military targets far into the Russian hinterland. The Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly stated that the aim must be to destroy the military of Russia, a nuclear power, so that it can never again attack another country. Kiev is also calling for Ukraine to be invited to join Nato.

Praise for successful drone attacks on Russia

There has been a lot of attention for the plan, said Jermak. Now very concrete commitments are needed from the West. Zelenskyi had brought new defense packages with him from his trip, including pledges for the delivery of air defense systems, investments for Ukraine's own production of drones and other weapons.

Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Olexander Syrskyi, praised the successes in the use of drones against military targets on Russian territory on social media. The Ukrainian military recently hit ammunition and fuel depots, triggering huge explosions and disrupting supplies.

Transmitter: Many Russian arsenals destroyed

Since the beginning of August, one Russian arsenal after another has been blown up, reported the Ukrainian foreign broadcaster Freedom. At least six large warehouses have been hit by drones. In the Tver and Krasnodar regions, between 66 and 93 percent of ammunition stocks had been destroyed. Around 30,000 tons of ammunition were reportedly stored at the Toropez arsenal in the Tver region alone. Supplies from Iran and North Korea were also destroyed, the report continued. The information cannot be independently verified.

The reason for the high losses was the practice, already known from Soviet times, of storing as much ammunition as possible in one place for easy logistics, the broadcaster reported, citing experts. In addition, there were lax security precautions, storage sometimes in the open air and inadequate air defense for the depots.

Zelenskyi wants to expand weapons production in Ukraine

Selenskyj wants to significantly expand weapons production in Ukraine with Western investment. "Our industrial capacity allows us to produce far more drones, more grenades and military equipment than our country's financial resources permit," he said in his evening video message. The West could provide the money, especially as many partners would otherwise not be able to help Ukraine sufficiently at the moment due to a lack of their own weapons.

"In addition, some partners have special technologies that can already be used in Ukraine," said Selensky. He thanked all those who had already invested in the arms sector - especially in the production of drones. During his visit to Paris, a new Ukrainian-French model was discussed. This should now be deepened at the level of the defense ministers.

During the Russian war of aggression, which has been going on for more than two and a half years, Zelensky has repeatedly stated that he wants to make Ukraine one of the world's largest producers of weapons. The Ukrainian armed forces are dependent on new weapons and ammunition from their allies in order to be able to hold their own against the numerically far superior Russian military.

Selenskyj: Holding defined lines in the Kursk area

With regard to the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk, Zelenskyi said that the Ukrainian military was holding the defined lines there. Previously, there had been attempts by the enemy forces to drive the Ukrainian army from its positions. He thus indirectly contradicted Russian claims that Moscow's troops had recaptured several villages there.

The Ukrainian army had invaded the Kursk region at the beginning of August and occupied dozens of villages there. According to Zelenskyi, this is intended to increase the pressure on Russia to negotiate. The military leadership in Moscow has announced that it will soon liberate the Russian territory.

Dead and injured in attacks

In the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, the war claimed the lives of at least two more people and injured ten others, according to the public prosecutor's office. In one case, a drone hit a car, killing the 19-year-old driver. In the Pokrovsk district, an 84-year-old woman was killed in a Russian attack in a village. In other cases, there were casualties from Russian artillery fire.

In the Russian region of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine, the authorities also reported one death in the village of Ustinka. Two people were also injured by shelling from the Ukrainian side. Ukraine is repeatedly attacking Russian territory in its defense against the invaders.