Russian troops caught in cauldron in Kursk region, Stoltenberg appointed new Nato Deputy Secretary General - Thursday brief

Part of Russian troops in Kursk region is almost encircled

Part of the Russian forces in the Kursk region could be encircled. However, Russia is trying to hide the situation, according to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council.

"In the Kursk region, part of the Russian forces is almost encircled. Meanwhile, Russian broadcasts claim everything is stable," he noted.

Earlier, Bild reported that around 3,000 Russian soldiers could be surrounded. Experts have called this situation the Kursk pocket. According to the agency, Ukraine is close to closing the pocket near the Seym River, with only five kilometers left to cover.

Stoltenberg appoints new NATO Deputy Secretary General: Meet Tarja Jaakkola

The Finnish Ministry of Defense reports that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has appointed a new Deputy Secretary General for Defense Investments. The position has been filled by Tarja Jaakkola, head of the Resource Policy Department at the Finnish Ministry of Defense.

She will assume her duties on September 2, 2024.

The Defense Investment Division is responsible for the development of NATO and its allies' material capabilities, including air and missile defense.

In this role, Jaakkola will also chair the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) of NATO.

Strike on port of Kavkaz: Ferry sinks with 15 people on board

On August 22, a strike hit the Russian port of Kavkaz in Kuban. As a result, a ferry carrying fuel sank in the port, with 15 crew members on board, SHOT reports.

According to a Russian Telegram channel, so far only four crew members of the sunken ferry in the port of Kavkaz, who ended up overboard, have been rescued.

In total, there were 15 people on board.

The Governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev, stated that the Russians are currently attempting to rescue the other crew members.

Trump falsely accuses Harris of meeting with Putin before Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The former US president and Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump, accused his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, of meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin a few days before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, informs CNN.

During a rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, Trump claimed that Biden allegedly sent Kamala Harris to Europe to "stop the war in Ukraine." The Republican added that she supposedly met with the Russian dictator, and then "three days later, he [Putin] attacked [Ukraine]."

"How did she do? Do you think she did a good job? She met with Putin to tell him, ‘Don’t do it.’ And three days later, he attacked; that’s when the attack started," Trump said.

CNN debunks Trump's claim, pointing out the falsity of the former president's accusations against the current vice president. At that time, Harris was meeting with US allies, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the Munich Security Conference, which took place from February 18 to 20, 2022, just days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Finland refuses to participate in EU meetings chaired by Hungary

Finland has decided to temporarily refrain from participating at the political level in informal ministerial meetings held under Hungary's presidency of the European Union, according to the Finnish government.

Finland's decision means that none of its ministers or political secretaries will attend these meetings, although Helsinki will still be represented at an official level. This move aligns with Finland's priorities within the EU, where supporting Ukraine remains a key focus.

Finland intends to continue actively influencing the agenda of the new European Commission. In this regard, the government plans to send letters to each new member of the European Commission after their confirmation.

'Never underestimate a public school teacher.' Key takeaways from Walz's speech at DNC

Tim Walz, the candidate for US Vice President and Governor of Minnesota, addressed the participants of the Democratic National Convention. In his speech, he shared his personal and political experiences, urging voters to support Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States, citing CNN and NBC News.

Walz began his speech by expressing gratitude for his nomination as Vice President. He then spoke about his difficult childhood due to the premature death of his father, his service in the army, and his work as a school teacher in a public school.

In his speech, Walz reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the middle class. The Vice President candidate also explained what freedom means to Democrats and its place in his views.

Then Walz urged people to vote for Kamala Harris as the candidate who understands how to protect every American's freedom.

"No matter who you are, Kamala Harris is gonna stand up and fight for your freedom to live the life you want to lead,” Walz concluded his speech.