05:32 am – Moscow, 20 Ukrainian drones shot down near the Crimea
Russia announced on Saturday that it had shot down 20 Ukrainian drones near the Crimean peninsula. Fourteen were destroyed by air defense systems and six others were suppressed by electronic warfare, the defense ministry said on Telegram. There were no casualties or damage, he said. In Moscow, authorities announced on Friday that they had destroyed a drone aimed at the capital, the latest in a string of attacks on the city in recent days. A Ukrainian drone was destroyed over the western outskirts of Moscow, the defense ministry said, adding that there were no casualties or damage as a result of the crash. In July, Ukrainian drone strikes on Crimea blew up an ammunition depot and damaged the Kerch Strait bridge that connects the peninsula to mainland Russia.
03.50 am – Zelensky torpedoes all recruiting leaders
President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked all regional officials in charge of military recruitment, accused of taking bribes from those trying to avoid the front lines. “Illegal enrichment, legalization of illegally obtained funds, illicit profits, illegal transportation across the border of conscripts,” the Ukrainian leader denounced. “Our solution: let’s fire all the military commissars.”