Trump Effect: Poland to Increase Defense Spending to Five Per Cent, Build a Half Million Man Army, Says PM Tusk

"Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a number of new initiatives to bolster defense in a speech in Warsaw, as European

powers appear set to comply with U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands that the continent pay for its own protection rather than relying on America.
This goal puts Poland in line with Estonia and Lithuania as the first countries in Europe to agree to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for NATO allies to increase their defense spending to at least five per cent of GDP compared to the current baseline of two per cent, which is still unmet by many within the alliance.
Additionally, Prime Minister Tusk called for Poland to build an army of at least half a million people, including reservists, up from around 200,000 today. To help accomplish this aim, the Polish leader called for the return of military training for all adult men in the country." Breitbart

101 clashes on front lines today, Kursk sector hottest

"Since the beginning of the day, Ukrainian forces have already engaged in 101 combat clashes with Russian troops, with fighting still ongoing on six fronts. The most active Russian assaults are occurring in the Kursk region.
The Russian army continues to shell Ukrainian border settlements from its own territory. Among the affected areas are Novodmytrivka, Ulanove, Kucherivka, Sorokyne, Nova Sloboda, Studenok, Popivka, Khodyne, Bachivsk, and Lisne in the Sumy region, and Tymonovychi, Khotivka, Huta-Studenetska, and Yeline in the Chernihiv region.
In the Kharkiv sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled three Russian attacks near Vovchansk and Petro-Ivanivka, with two ongoing clashes. Russian forces also launched airstrikes on the Dovzhyk area.

In the Kupiansk sector, the invaders conducted seven assault operations near Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Hruhliakivka, and Zahryzove, with two clashes still ongoing.
In the Lyman sector, the Russians attacked Ukrainian positions 14 times near Novomykhailivka, Nove, Myrne, and Zelena Dolyna, with eight ongoing clashes.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled two attempts by the Russian army to advance in the Chasiv Yar and Bila Hora areas.
In the Toretsk sector, Russian troops launched 15 attacks near Druzhba and Toretsk.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the invaders attempted to push back Ukrainian defenses 14 times, targeting positions near Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Andriivka, Oleksandropil, Pokrovsk, Serhiivka, Novooleksandrivka, Bohdanivka, Zelenyi Kut, and Ulakly. Ukrainian defenders have repelled 12 enemy attacks, with two clashes still ongoing. Russian forces also carried out an airstrike in the Leonovytchi area.
In the Novopavlivka sector, Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions five times near Kostiantynopil and Burlatske, with two clashes still in progress.
In the Huliaipole sector, the Russian army launched two attacks towards Storozhove and Charivne, and carried out airstrikes on Huliaipole, Voskresenka, Novopil, and Zaliznychne.
In the Orikhiv sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled four assaults near Piatykhatky, Stepove, and Shcherbaky.
In the Dnipro River sector, Russian forces carried out airstrikes on Kozatske, and launched two missile strikes, likely using Iskander-M missiles, on the areas of Novoselivka and Bila Krynytsia.
In the Siversk sector, Russian troops have not carried out offensive actions today.
In Russia's Kursk region, Ukrainian forces repelled 12 enemy attacks, with 14 clashes still ongoing. The Russian army used 33 guided aerial bombs and launched 362 artillery strikes, including 30 from multiple rocket launchers, against Ukrainian positions and settlements." Ukrin

'We Can't Stop Them' - Thousands Of Ukraine Troops Suddenly Face Encirclement In Russia's Kursk

"The fuse has been burning slowly, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's risky August invasion of Russia's Kursk region is about to blow up in his face in spectacular fashion -- as thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are suddenly in imminent peril of being encircled,

according to open source intelligence analysts. The crisis comes as Zelensky is under increasing US pressure to reach a negotiated end to the war -- and a loss of captured Russian territory promises to make his already-deteriorated bargaining position even weaker.
According to DeepStateMAP.live, an interactive map of the war run by Ukrainian military bloggers, their country's forces in Kursk are nearly cleaved into two, with roughly three-quarters of Ukraine's forces in Russia almost entirely surrounded.
Ukraine's hold on the territory was also seen as a bargaining chip for Zelensky as the war now seems destined for a negotiated end. Not only does that chip appear to be vanishing, Putin could end up with a some new chips of its own -- as Russia may soon have thousands more Ukrainian prisoners of war among its assets." ZH