An overview of the Russia-Ukraine conflict: 539 days after the invasion.

Russia kills three people in Volyn strikes; interest rates rise to 12%

View: After the Russian missile strike on 15 August 2023 in Stavchany, Lviv Region, Ukraine, buildings were destroyed. Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

• The western Ukrainian areas of Lviv and the northwestern Ukrainian province of Volyn came under attack from the air on a massive scale, resulting in the deaths of three persons, injuries to a far larger number of others, and the destruction of structures. Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv, stated that "many missiles were shot down, but there were also hits in Lviv," adding that inhabitants of at least one apartment complex that was on fire were told to evacuate. The attack took place only a few hours before a security meeting was scheduled to take place outside of Moscow. The gathering was intended to bring together senior military officers from Russia and their counterparts from allied countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

• The key rate at the Bank of Russia has recently been raised to 12%, having previously been at 8.5%. On Monday, the value of the rouble dropped to its lowest point in almost 17 months; however, this fact was not included in the statement that announced the increase. The actions taken by the Central Bank of Russia were beneficial to the ruble.

• According to RIA, which cited a Moscow court as its source, Russia fined Reddit for the first time ever for failing to remove "banned content" that carried "fake" information regarding Russia's military assault in Ukraine. The information in question related to Russia's military invasion in Ukraine. Reddit, along with Wikipedia, the video-streaming website Twitch, and even Google, is being investigated in Russia for allegedly neglecting to remove content that Russian authorities regard to be in violation of the law.

• According to the British police, they have detained three Bulgarian nationals living in the country who they suspect were spies for Russia. These Bulgarians were caught in the United Kingdom. At the conclusion of a protracted investigation into counterterrorism in February, five people, including the accused, were taken into custody. According to the Metropolitan police, who are in charge of investigating espionage cases, three of them were subsequently charged with possessing identification cards that were forged.

• Andriy Yermak, chief of staff in the office of the president of Ukraine, claimed that Russian sportsmen should be barred from participation in international competitions after Russian strikes destroyed a sports complex in Dnipro. Kira Rudik, president of the liberal Golos party and a lawmaker in Ukraine, has made similar sentiments, claiming that her country will also miss the Olympics if Russia and Belarus participate.

• Assimi Goita, the military leader of Mali, made the announcement on Tuesday that he had contacted Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, to discuss the coup that had taken place in neighbouring Niger. Assimi Goita, the temporary president of Mali, stated that Trump "emphasised the importance of a peaceful resolution of the situation for a more stable Sahel." According to the Kremlin, Mali was the country that initiated contact first. An further statement was released, which stated as follows: "The parties specifically focused on the current situation in the Sahara-Sahel region and highlighted, in particular, the importance of settling the situation in the Republic of Niger solely through peaceful political and diplomatic means."

• After leaders from both countries urged for further collaboration, the United States issued a warning that Russia would be in breach of United Nations resolutions if it negotiated a weapons agreement with North Korea. This warning came after the leaders from both countries urged for closer collaboration. A spokeswoman for the State Department named Vedant Patel issued a warning during a press conference, stating that "any kind of security cooperation or arms deal between North Korea and Russia would certainly violate a series of UN security council resolutions."

• The Swedish government made the announcement on Tuesday that it will provide the Ukrainian government with ammunition and replacement parts for weapon systems with a combined worth of more than $300 million (£240 million). During a news conference, the Swedish Minister of Defence, Pal Jonson, stated that the country's 13th shipment of military aid to Ukraine will consist of ammunition and spare components valued at approximately 3.4 billion Swedish kronor (approximately $313 million or £250 million).

• Denys Shmyhal, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, made the announcement on Tuesday that the government would spend approximately $35 million to create additional fortifications and military infrastructure in the regions of northeast Ukraine that border Russia and Belarus.

• According to a statement that was issued by the office of the president on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy travelled to the Zaporizhzhia region in the country's southeast in order to speak with troops that are engaged in the counteroffensive against Russian forces. The video was reportedly filmed at the frontline command centre of the 46th separate airmobile brigade in the town of Orikhiv, where Zelenskiy was seen with elite Ukrainian soldiers studying a battlefield map. This information was provided by the office of the president.

• On Tuesday, Russia and North Korea met to discuss ways in which their respective military may work together more closely. According to reports, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have improved significantly since the Kremlin dispatched troops to Ukraine and initiated severe warfare in the previous year.