Putin Signs Decree To Increase Russian Troops By 10%

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday to raise the number of Russian troops by 137,000 military personnel. Previously, the limit was set to 1,013,628 people, while the number of civilian staff should not exceed 900,000. The decree asks for funds from the federal government to be unlocked. The change should be effective by Jan. 1, 2023.

It is unclear whether the new troops will be found through voluntary recruitment or through conscription. Russian men between 18 and 27 can be enlisted for a year in the army, though it is easy for them to be exempted or to reduce the time of their service for medical reasons or by enrolling in higher education. They can be sent to the front after four months of training.

Chaplyne Attack Death Toll Rises, Ukraine Military Fights Back

Russia has stated that the attack on the Chaplyne railway station in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday killed 200 Ukrainian military personnel. Meanwhile, Kyiv reported that the attack killed 25 civilians, but Moscow denies these reports.

The Russian ministry said an Iskander missile hit a military train at Chaplyne station that was to deliver arms to Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region.

Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian military, the Ukrainian forces had repelled Russian assaults on the towns of Bakhmut and Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region. They also said they had struck ammunition storages in the southern Kherson region.

Zelensky’s “Great” Phone Call With Biden

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone call with U.S. President Joe Biden during which they discussed further financial support for Ukraine.

Russia Burns Off Millions Worth Of Gas Amid EU Energy Crisis

With nowhere to sell it, Russia is burning around $10 million worth of natural gas a day, according to independent energy research company Rystad Energy. The flames and heat spotted by Russia’s Finnish neighbors in early June are said to be coming from the liquefied natural gas plant of Portovaya, located near the border and close to the start of the Nord Stream pipeline that provides gas to Germany.

The move is seen as a statement of Russia's dominance over the European energy markets, as prices keep surging and countries struggle to find alternatives and turn to energy-saving measures. Experts say they have never seen gas flaring of that scale and worry about its environmental impact, as the burning releases an estimated 9,000 tons of CO2 every day.

A Million Russians Have Entered The EU Since War Began

Deutsche Welle reports that 998,085 Russian citizens have entered the European Union between Feb. 24, and Aug. 22. Over 60% of those did so via Estonia and Finland, according to the union's border guard agency, Frontex.

This news comes as more and more European countries are unilaterally restricting the issuance of Schengen visas for Russian citizens. Such measures have already been taken by Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. Finland plans to follow in September, and Poland is considering the possibility. Denmark insists on a pan-European decision on visas for Russians, warning that otherwise, it will act on its own.

Duma Says Moscow Ready To “Discuss And Respond To” Negotiations With Kyiv

The head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky said that Moscow would discuss the possibility of negotiations with Kyiv if it received a signal of readiness for dialogue.

“If the Ukrainian side declares that it is ready for negotiations at any level, in any format, then we will discuss and respond to this,” Slutsky said following the unscheduled Council of the State Duma.

Negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine were terminated by Kyiv. Russia's permanent representative in Geneva said last week that he sees no possibility for contact between the two countries.

U.S. Still Importing $1 Billion Of Russian Goods

In spite of heavy sanctions, AP reports that Russian exports to the U.S. still account for nearly $1 billion. In the wake of Russia's war against Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden promised to enact strict sanctions to cripple Russia's economy, but the U.S. continues to import raw materials, including wood, metals and rubber, among others.

Latvia Orders Removal Of All Soviet Statues

The Latvian parliament has ordered the removal of all remaining Soviet statues and plaques in the country. The first monument to be brought down was the 79-meter high World War II memorial in Riga, which was suspected of attracting Latvian Kremlin supporters.

Latvia follows in the footsteps of Estonia, which started removing Soviet-era monuments from public spaces in mid-August. The replica of a T-34 tank in Narva, a city close to Russian borders, was moved to the Estonian War Museum.