United 24 Media:
⚡️ Russia may already be using captured Ukrainian drones for false-flag provocations, according to the Military news outlet.
Journalists pointed to footage from an interceptor drone published by Ukrainian military communications specialist Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov. According to their analysis, the drone’s silhouette and proportions resemble Ukraine’s FP-1/FP-2 series UAVs.
The report also references an incident in Moldova, where a drone believed to be of Ukrainian origin exploded during a Russian attack, as well as a warning issued to Poland. According to the outlet, Russia may have recovered Ukrainian drones and could use them in operations intended to disguise their true origin.
Beskrestnov also said that Russian forces have been collecting intact Ukrainian drones, repairing them, and may use them in future provocations.
❗️ A Russian strike damaged a critical infrastructure facility in Ukraine’s Poltava region, causing a leak of a hazardous chemical substance, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) said.
Despite the difficult conditions, chemical protection specialists sealed the damaged containers and stopped the leak.
“Thanks to the rescuers’ swift actions, the threat was completely eliminated, allowing work at the facility to continue safely,” the SES said.
🇮🇹 Italian military personnel have boarded a tanker linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” for the first time.
Troops from the Italian patrol ship ITS Thaon di Revel boarded the Cameroon-flagged tanker Toa Payoh by helicopter after its captain refused to cooperate. The vessel was intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea, where its documentation and registration were inspected.
The operation was conducted jointly with Greek and Polish forces as part of the EU’s EUNAVFOR MED IRINI mission. It marks Italy’s first boarding of a vessel associated with Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
🔥 Ukraine has reportedly disabled 62% of Wildberries’ largest logistics hubs, according to monitoring channels.
As of August 2, around 16 of the marketplace’s 26 largest warehouses were reportedly out of operation, a disruption that is believed to have a much greater impact on the company’s logistics network than the overall figures suggest.
Wildberries operates around 200 logistics facilities in total, meaning roughly 8% of its infrastructure has reportedly been affected. However, the largest hubs, which handle most of the company’s cargo flow, are said to have sustained the greatest disruption.
🪖 Belarus is forming a new airborne assault brigade just 40 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
The new unit, the 37th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, will be based near Gomel.
According to the commander of Belarus’ Special Operations Forces, Alexander Ilyukevich, one battalion has already been formed, with officers appointed and personnel recruited.
A second battalion, along with artillery, air defense, reconnaissance, and combat support units, is expected to be established by the end of the year.
Belarus currently operates three other airborne assault brigades based in Vitebsk, Brest, and Maryina Horka near Minsk.
🔷 Ukraine’s air defense forces have destroyed more than 445,000 Russian missiles, attack drones, reconnaissance aircraft, and other aerial targets since the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, according to figures released by the Ukrainian Air Force on August 2.
The total includes thousands of cruise and ballistic missiles, more than 65,000 Shahed-type attack drones, over 20,000 reconnaissance UAVs, and hundreds of thousands of other unmanned aircraft.
🔥 Russia’s largest Wildberries logistics center, located in the village of Khryastove in Vladimir region, is on fire following a reported drone attack.
Wildberries confirmed the fire and said the facility had come under a UAV attack. Employees were evacuated.
The company also announced that the receipt of goods and the shipment of orders have been temporarily redirected to other warehouses.
🔥 A fire broke out at Belgorod State Technological University named after V.G. Shukhov following a reported drone attack in Russia’s Belgorod.
According to available information, the university has been involved in the development and testing of drones. Among its projects is an automated UAV control system based on the Milandr microprocessor.
The university has stated that the technology was intended for civilian applications, including power line and heating network inspections, as well as aerial surveying.
🔶 “When it comes to protecting Ukraine, you can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” Senator Chris Murphy said, commenting on the debate surrounding the proposed “hellish sanctions” bill against Russia.
More than 80 U.S. senators have backed the legislation. However, its passage has been delayed by a dispute over President Donald Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Eleven Democratic senators and Republican Rand Paul are seeking to remove those provisions, arguing they would grant Trump overly broad powers to impose tariffs not only on Russia’s trading partners but also on U.S. allies.
“They are rightly concerned that Donald Trump would gain sweeping authority and could use tariffs not only against Russia’s partners, but also against America’s allies—punishing friends while rewarding enemies,” critics of the bill argue.
“The sanctions in the bill depend entirely on Trump’s judgment, and he has repeatedly made it clear that he would rather lift sanctions on Russia than impose new ones,” Congressman Gregory Meeks said.
At the same time, the bill’s co-author, Senator Richard Blumenthal, said the latest version—agreed upon with Senator Lindsey Graham shortly before his death—includes safeguards for European allies.
The revised legislation would exempt countries that are reducing imports of Russian gas and purchase less than 15% of Russia’s total annual gas exports.
🇺🇦🇫🇷 A combined detachment of Ukrainian rescuers has arrived in France’s Gironde department to help battle a large-scale forest fire, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) said.
According to the SES, French authorities noted that the Ukrainian team will be deployed to the most challenging areas because of its unique practical experience, which is highly valued by France.
Ukraine currently has the largest international rescue contingent among all the countries participating in the firefighting operation.