Good morning and welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
As usual, we’re starting this week with an overview of the key movements in the war over the last seven days.
Independence Day
Ukraine went into the week having just celebrated its Independence Day.
On 24 August, the day now takes on a new importance given Russia’s invasion and the ongoing war.
It also came amid fresh optimism among Ukraine and its allies that an end to the war might be achieved after a flurry of diplomatic developments this month.
All these meetings with nowhere to go…
Donald Trump met first with Vladimir Putin in Alaska and then with European leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month.
On the back of that, Trump promised security guarantees – but since then, the Kremlin has spent the weeks pouring cold water on any apparent progress.
Watch the latest analysis from our Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett and Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins here…
This week, more meetings were held mostly between European ministers and leaders, but little concrete has actually changed.
Russia enters key region
While diplomatic developments often draw the headlines, fighting on the frontlines continues.
Moscow’s forces broke through into the key region of Dnipropetrovsk.
Unlike Ukraine’s other eastern regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimea – which it illegally annexed in 2014 – Russia has not yet laid claim to Dnipropetrovsk.
But any advancements into the area will no doubt strengthen the Kremlin’s hand in any future negotiations.
Ukrainian battlefield analysts DeepState said Russia had occupied two villages just inside the region, Zaporizke and Novohryhorivka – something Ukraine denied.
Moscow’s attacks continue
While the frontline is in the east of Ukraine, Russia continues to launch attacks across the country.
These attacks have been growing in scale in recent months, with some of the biggest of the war coming this summer.
Attacks this week saw massive strikes on 28 August and 30 August.
One of the attacks hit the capital Kyiv, killing at least 21 people including four children.
This attack also “severely damaged” the offices of the British Council, leading to the UK summoning the Russian ambassador.
The EU’s offices were also hit.
North Korean leader meets families of soldiers killed in Ukraine
Kim Jong Un met with the families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine this week as well, according to North Korean state media.
A special ceremony held on Friday saw the leader present the families with portraits of the dead wrapped in the country’s flag.
South Korea has said that North Korea has sent some 15,000 troops to help Russia and sent missiles and other weapons.
The country only acknowledged its role in the war publicly this April.
Ukrainian politician shot dead
On Saturday, a prominent Ukrainian politician was shot dead in the western city of Lviv.
Andriy Parubiy was shot several times before his attacker fled.
A suspect was arrested late on Sunday, Zelenskyy said.
The ‘axis of upheaval’
On Sunday, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit began.
More than 20 heads of state descended on Tianjin, China, and were greeted by Xi Jinping, but Vladimir Putin was clearly the guest of honour.
The summit will continue today, with Putin-Xi talks tomorrow, and an anniversary military parade Wednesday.
Watch our Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith’s analysis of the first day…