Belarus
Presidential press secretary Serhiy Nykyforov has said that Ukraine is not interfering in Belarus's domestic politics but is prepared to respond to any unfriendly steps.
"Ukraine, like all democratic states, doubt the legal status of Lukashenka. The crisis can be settled democratically but Lukashenka has not been courageous enough to take this path," he said, noting that Ukraine remains a loyal friend of Belarus and is ready to support direct dialogue with the Belarusian people.
A year after the disputed presidential election in Belarus, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement in which it called on the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, stop repressions against independent media and NGOs and rebuild respect for key rights and freedoms.
Germany
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Ukraine on 22 August, Ukrainian presidential secretary Serhiy Nykyforov has said.
Army appointments
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed the chief of the 95th detached air assault brigade, Col Maksym Myrhorodskyy, as commander of the Air Assault Forces.
According to the Military Portal, Myrhorodskyy, aka Mike, took part in the operation to recapture Slovyansk and Debaltseve as well as defended Donetsk airport.
His predecessor Yevhen Moysyuk was dismissed on 28 July.
Combat readiness
Ukraine is prepared to repel an enemy attack both in case of a full-scale incurson and attempts to seize critical infrastructure facilities, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Maj-Gen Valeriy Zaluzhnyy has said.
A command-staff drill involving the Joint Forces Command and other army commands was held today. Manoeuvers were held at five training ranges at once and involved all types of troops.
Army drill
Zelenskyy attended a military drill on the Serpent Island in the Black Sea and introduced the newly-appointed commanders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He also heard a report by the Navy commander on the situation in the area.
He also announced that Maj-Gen Mykola Oleshchuk was appointed Air Force commander.
Maj-Gen Andriy Kovalchuk has been put in charge of the North Command, Maj-Gen Oleh Mikats in charge of the East Command, Col Serhiy Lytvynov in charge of the West Command. Col Volodymyr Koval was appointed deputy chief of the General Staff.
Joint drill
Two MC-130 military transport aircraft of the US Air Force have arrived in Vinnytsya for a joint military exercise with Ukrainian special troops, the head of the regional state administration, Serhiy Borzov, has said on Facebook. They will practice training flights, air drops and emergency medical aid and will stay here for about a month.
Ukrainian railway
The acting board chairman of the national railway company Ukrzaliznytsya, Ivan Yuryk, has tendered his resignation letter to the supervisory board.
Economy
The annual inflation in Ukraine has exceeded 10% for the first time in three years, the State Statistics Committee has said.
Crime
Three Ukrainian nationals were killed in a penal colony in Khrestivka (Kirovske) controlled by Donetsk separatists on 6 August, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian delegation at the trilateral contact group, Gayde Rizayeva, has said. One of the victims is Ukrainian judo champion Yevhen Sotnykov, who was convicted for killing an 18-year-old man.
Smuggling
Ukrainian law enforcers have found 60 kg of cocaine in a shipment of bananas from Equador at the Pivdenny seaport. Three citizens of Albania, Romania and Ukraine were detained, they may be linked to the Italian mafia group Ndrangeta.