Ukraine Invasion - Part 62

[MagicFox]

Thanks as always to everybody consistently posting and keeping us all up to date 🇺🇦

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The WSJ has done a great job highlighting some of the innovative battlefield technology Ukraine has introduced recently. It's a bit confusing, but as the diagrams and illustrations come up, you have to scroll down to see the next part.

See the Battlefield Innovations Reshaping the Russia-Ukraine War - Technology helps Ukraine achieve an edge on the battlefield

@MissConductUS thanks for sharing the wsj article. The diagrams are handy.

It shows how much the battlefield has changed and embodies the meaning of 'arms race'. The scary thing is what is today's competitive advantage will be yesterday's old tech as both sides continue to innovate.

Hoping that Ukraine can continue to have the upper hand in drone warfare.

UNITED24Media, [12/08/2026 00:14]
📹 Footage of the 13th Separate Airborne Assault Battalion of the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade during the Defense Forces of Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the Oleksandrivka direction.
The footage shows assault groups operating in coordination with drones, as well as strikes destroying enemy positions with Russian troops inside.

🎯 A loitering munition strikes an enemy P-18 “Terek” radar.

🛰️ Satellite images show the Wildberries warehouse in Russia’s Voronezh region after the August 11 Ukrainian strike. Around 70,000 square meters of the facility were reportedly burned, according to Radio Svoboda.

🎯 HIMARS counter-battery fire destroyed a Russian Msta-B howitzer in a covered position along with its crew.
🇩🇪 German intelligence agencies may be authorized to conduct preemptive cyberattacks gainst Russia, according to Welt.
“We really must give our services the ability to, ideally, paralyze and disable an attack drone in Russia or the factory where it is manufactured before it is targeted at a German airport or threatens the safety and health of people in Germany,” said Mark Heinrichmann, head of the Bundestag’s parliamentary oversight committee.
The proposals have already drawn criticism. Human rights activists, in particular, fear that expanding the powers of intelligence agencies could undermine the privacy of German citizens.

🇦🇲 Armenia wants to replace Russian gas and is discussing diversifying its natural gas supplies with Iran and Azerbaijan.
This was confirmed by Sarkis Khandanyan, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s party.
Infrastructure Minister David Khudatyan has already discussed increasing gas imports from Iran. Supplies from Azerbaijan are also being considered, including through the TRIPP project.
Currently, Russia supplies gas to Armenia at $177.5 per 1,000 cubic meters under an agreement valid until 2026–2027. Moscow has threatened to terminate the contract if Yerevan continues its European integration. At the same time, the EU has said it is ready to help Armenia if gas prices rise.

In Zaporizhzhia, Russian forces destroyed the “Epicenter” building materials and grocery shopping center.
According to the regional military administration, the enemy strike left approximately 1,200 customers without power in the city.

⛽️ Fuel shortages at Russian gas stations, caused by new strikes on Russian refineries by the Defense Forces, have already affected at least 16 regions of the Russian Federation, according to Russian media.

🇬🇧 UK military leadership wants to restore contacts with Russia to avoid further escalation, The Times reports.
After Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton replaced Admiral Tony Radakin as Chief of the Defence Staff last September, he reportedly tried to contact General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, but received no response.
Now, following recent incidents involving Russian tankers in the English Channel, the Norwegian Sea, and elsewhere, Defense Secretary Wes Streeting and his chief military adviser are reportedly under pressure to “restart” communication channels amid fears of an “unintended escalation” with Moscow.
Sources told The Times that senior officials and diplomats are concerned about the lack of communication between the two sides and the risk that a misunderstanding at sea could become a pretext for a larger conflict with Russia.
John Foreman, a former military attaché in Moscow and Kyiv, said Streeting and Knighton should resume contacts at the highest level.
“Without a direct channel of communication, there is a risk of unintended escalation. A serious misunderstanding could ultimately lead to human casualties.
To get anything done in negotiations with the Russians, you need to have face-to-face communication.
Recently, we have had the sonobuoy incident near the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier in the north, warning shots fired at a yacht, artillery fire in the English Channel and other incidents that have not been reported. As with Radakin in China, communicating clearly and directly with the adversary in private is not a weakness.”
Foreman was referring to Radakin’s controversial decision to travel to China to meet his counterpart, the first visit by a British military leader in a decade.
Foreman said there was an urgent need to resume talks if the UK was to operate in the High North in the future, which could become a potential battleground amid rising tensions between Western allies and Russia.
“If the Chief of Defence Staff believes that ‘this is probably the most dangerous time in the 30 years I have been in uniform,’ then perhaps it is time for a new approach,” Foreman added.
He said it was important for senior officers to discuss “serious issues of concern” and suggested that a hotline alone was not enough.
The last known call between a British defense secretary and his Russian counterpart took place in October 2022. Ben Wallace, who was defense secretary at the time, received a call from Sergei Shoigu, then Russia’s defense minister, who claimed that Kyiv was preparing to use a “dirty bomb” — an allegation rejected as false by the UK, France, and US.
John Healey, Wallace’s successor, is not known to have spoken with either Shoigu or his successor, Andrei Belousov.

🌾 Two of Russia’s largest grain terminals in the southern port of Novorossiysk have been shut down following overnight Ukrainian drone strikes, Reuters reports.
Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, with much of its grain shipped through Black Sea ports such as Novorossiysk. Last month, Russia’s main grain lobby warned that Ukrainian drone attacks could halt grain exports across the Black Sea in the near future, potentially driving up prices and worsening food insecurity in Africa and the Middle East.
One industry source said the Novorossiysk grain terminal, which has an annual export capacity of 8.5 million metric tons, had been shut down while the damage was being assessed.
A spokesperson for Demetra Holding, which owns the terminal, confirmed that it had been damaged but declined to provide further details.
Three industry sources told Reuters that NKHP, another major grain terminal in Novorossiysk with an annual export capacity of 7.1 million metric tons, was also damaged and taken out of service.
Novorossiysk is also home to oil export infrastructure, including the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), owned by US oil giants Chevron and Exxon and used to transport Kazakh oil to global markets. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Ukraine had stopped targeting tankers serving the CPC at the request of US Vice President J.D. Vance.
There was no indication that the CPC or tankers carrying oil from the pipeline were hit in the overnight attacks.

🇺🇦🇲🇩 Ukraine and Moldova have agreed on a 50% discount on rail transit rates for Ukrainian cargo.
The new rate will apply from August 10 through the end of 2026, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said following a conversation with his Moldovan counterpart, Vasyl Tofan.
“This is another practical solution for Ukrainian exporters amid Russian terror in the Black Sea.
In addition, starting August 17, the Kyiv–Chisinau train route will be changed by agreement between the two countries. This will make transfers to Chisinau Airport more convenient and significantly faster for Ukrainians.
I thank the Moldovan government for the decisions made. We are working to expand mutually beneficial cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova.”

🇺🇦 Ukraine has liberated 26 villages and 745 square kilometers of territory across three regions in six months.
These are the results of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ offensive in the Oleksandrivka sector, President Zelenskyy reported.
Russian losses amounted to at least 9,550 killed and more than 6,600 wounded. The exchange fund was also replenished.

Putin said Russia "will be forced to respond in kind" and seize EU vessels around the world.
"We see that the authorities of some countries, in violation of international maritime law, are attempting to restrict the movement of our economic operators' peaceful vessels ('shadow fleet' vessels — ed.).
And recently, they even conceived the idea of seizing our vessels and selling the property they stole from us (the day before, the US sold two previously seized vessels of the Russian 'shadow fleet' for scrap — ed.).
Of course, this is nothing less than piracy and robbery.
And if this begins to be implemented in practice, we will be forced to respond in kind.
And not necessarily in the waters where they plan to raid our ships and vessels. But in areas where we ourselves deem it necessary and appropriate. 'Anywhere,'" he said during a meeting with Pacific Fleet personnel aboard the Varyag missile cruiser.
Background: Russia had previously installed additional anti-drone netting over submarines at a Pacific Fleet naval base more than 7,000 kilometers from Ukraine, according to satellite imagery. The measures were reportedly introduced as a precaution amid Ukraine's growing long-range strike capabilities.

🇺🇦 “Putin will stop the war.” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine and its partners have developed a plan to pressure Russia to end the war.
“We need to return the war to Russian territory. After that, Russian society will feel the consequences of this war and will put pressure on the authorities… Putin does not want to stop this war, but he will stop it. We have a plan. We understand what we have to do. This is a joint plan with our partners on how to put pressure on him,” the president said.
According to Zelenskyy, as long as Ukrainian forces hold their ground, this creates room for strong negotiations with Russia. A weak position on the battlefield, meanwhile, forces Ukraine to make excessive compromises that run counter to its interests.
President Zelenskyy called on international partners to strengthen their support for Ukraine, particularly in air defense, amid reports that Putin is preparing a new wave of mobilization and seeking to recruit as many people as possible into the Russian army.

🌒 A partial solar eclipse can already be seen in the sky over Ukraine.
According to forecasts, visibility will be best in the western regions, where the Moon will cover about 40% of the Sun.
Across Europe, thousands of people gathered to watch the Sun "disappear" for 1 minute and 45 seconds.

🔥 Ukrainian operations will become increasingly difficult to counter. Ukrainian weapons will become more numerous, and strikes will become more precise. Russia will collapse — Acting Defense Minister Khmara said.
“We will shut down the Russian military machine — destroy infrastructure, the fleet, logistics, fuel and energy facilities, and enterprises working for the war against Ukraine. Our operation in Novorossiysk was unique. The combined strike was carried out using missiles, jet-powered drones, and naval drones,” the acting defense minister said.
According to him, Russia proved powerless against the synchronized use of Ukrainian weapons. Therefore, expanding deep strikes against Russia is one of the main priorities.
Khmara reported that, together with Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Drapatyi, the General Staff, the Security Service, other components of the Defense Forces, and weapons manufacturers, they will increase the pressure.
“Today, at a meeting chaired by the president, we determined further joint steps. Ukrainian operations will become increasingly difficult to counter. Ukrainian weapons will become more numerous. Strikes will become more precise. Russia will collapse,” he noted.

During military exercises in Germany, U.S. Army troops faced Ukrainian drone operators. The Ukrainian drones won, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The exercises took place earlier this year. Ukrainian units defeated a U.S. armored brigade, exposing gaps in the U.S. military’s adaptation to modern drone warfare.
Ukrainian UAV operators quickly located the American equipment and simulated its destruction using reconnaissance, explosive-dropping, and FPV drones. The Ukrainian forces performed so effectively that the American units had to “respawn” several times.

🇺🇦🌟🎬 Hollywood actors Adrien Brody and Sean Penn to star in “Snake Island,” a film about events related to Ukraine.
Filming of the political thriller “Snake Island,” directed by Doug Liman, is underway in Zagreb.
For filming in the center of the Croatian capital, Ukrainian realities were recreated, with barricades and military equipment installed and actors in Ukrainian military uniforms involved.
Both actors are known for their support for Ukraine. Sean Penn has repeatedly visited Kyiv, made a documentary about the war, and met with Ukrainian military personnel. Adrien Brody has also publicly expressed support for Ukrainians.

View from the cockpit of a Ukrainian MiG-29 “Fulcrum” fighter jet as it shoots down a Russian drone with an R-73 missile.

UNITED24Media, [13/08/2026 00:58]
The MiG-29 crew successfully destroyed an enemy UAV launcher and electronic warfare equipment in northern Ukraine.

Border guards of the Chimera unit are at work.
Chimera FPV drone operators of the 105th Border Detachment are attacking Russian forces in the Bryansk region, destroying vehicles, artillery systems, and ammunition depots.

A video showcasing the combat operations of foreign special forces from the “Black Talon Group,” one of the units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Additional armor on a 122-mm 2S1 “Gvozdika” howitzer of the 3rd Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service, with camouflage nets and elements integrated into the vehicle’s design.

“Dance of Freedom” on five continents: 10-year-old Ukrainian gymnast with a prosthesis completes world tour
Young gymnast Oleksandra Pascal from Chornomorsk, who lost her leg in 2022 as a result of a Russian missile strike on Zatoka in the Odesa region, has completed the international “Dance of Freedom” tour.
During the tour, she performed on five continents, including in Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, and Tokyo.
“When we were just planning this trip, it seemed incredible to me. And today I look at the map and understand: we traveled the whole world to remind every country about strong, indomitable, and incredible Ukrainian children… My mother and I returned home to Chornomorsk. Exhausted, but incredibly happy. New goals, new training, and, I am sure, even more victories lie ahead! See you on the carpet!” Oleksandra shared.

During the live broadcast of the solar eclipse on August 12, NASA showed a map that depicted Crimea as part of Russia, visually separating the peninsula from Ukraine.

❗️Russians struck the locomotive of a passenger train with a Shahed drone in the Odesa region, killing the driver and his assistant, said Ukrzaliznytsia head Oleksandr Pertsovsky.
Before the attack, the train stopped at a station to evacuate passengers due to the UAV threat. All 340 passengers and the train crew managed to evacuate, and no one among them was injured.

📈 Ukrainian drone strikes are driving up freight costs in Russia, fueling inflation, according to Reuters.
Despite Russia’s extensive rail network, more than 70% of all freight was transported by road in the first half of 2026, according to Rosstat.
Rising road transportation costs are adding to inflationary pressures, and industry sources say that even if the situation stabilizes, prices are unlikely to return to previous levels.
Russian authorities say fuel shortages have stabilized in many regions. Russia has imported gasoline to cover the shortfall and relaxed fuel quality requirements. However, some regions, including Siberia and areas near the Chinese border, are still struggling, while Ukrainian strikes continue.
At the height of the fuel crisis in July, freight rates rose by an average of 12–15% compared with the previous month, with some routes and regions seeing increases of up to 50%, Vitaly Kiselyov, head of the freight and commercial transport committee of the Russian Automobile Dealers Association, told Reuters.
Fuel accounts for about 30% of transportation costs, he said. He also noted that fuel discounts previously offered to carriers, ranging from 7% to 12%, have now disappeared.
The rise in diesel prices has coincided with higher tolls on federal highways, a shortage of drivers, and a seasonal surge in demand for transporting perishable goods, Kiselyov said.
There are also serious difficulties on routes from China, which has become Russia’s most important trading partner in recent years.
According to Georgy Vlastopulo, founder of logistics company Optimalog, carriers are facing fuel supply disruptions in the Trans-Baikal region, which handles a significant share of cargo traffic from China.
“Rates have increased by about 20–25% compared with May and early June, when the effects of the fuel crisis were most acute. Now prices have fallen slightly, but not significantly,” he said.
The cost of transporting goods from China to Moscow has increased by almost a third, reaching about 1.1–1.2 million rubles, or $14,000. Before the crisis, the same route cost $10,000–11,000.
Customers are increasingly looking for alternatives to road transportation. Demand for direct rail shipments has increased by about 18–20%, while demand for sea transportation has risen by 10–12%.
Market participants fear that the sharp increase in transportation costs could become a long-term trend.

💥 Defense Forces strike oil refinery complex in Bashkortostan — General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
A fire was recorded at the facility.
The site is located about 1,300 kilometers from Ukraine.
The facility is one of the largest oil refining and petrochemical complexes in Russia, with a hydrocarbon processing capacity of up to 10 million tons per year.

❗️261 bodies returned to Ukraine, which, according to the Russian side, belong to Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel.
Law enforcement investigators, together with representatives of expert institutions, will take all necessary measures to identify the repatriated remains.

❗️The SBU exposed a Russian GRU agent network of 14 people who were "hunting" for F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets.
According to the investigation, the group's activities allowed Russia to plan and carry out attacks on Ukrainian airfields hosting F-16 and Mirage 2000 aircraft.
The network included people living in different regions of Ukraine. The Russian GRU initially recruited a Lviv resident who administered an aviation-related Telegram channel. He came to the attention of Russian intelligence after publishing photos of Ukrainian Armed Forces combat aircraft in pro-Kremlin chat rooms.
To carry out the assignments, the agent secretly recruited 13 of his subscribers who had high-quality cameras and lived near Defense Forces aviation infrastructure.
They were instructed to photograph Ukrainian airfields, military aircraft, their crews and technical personnel, as well as record the timing of aircraft takeoffs and landings, allegedly for the Lviv blogger's Telegram channel.
The suspects used professional cameras and concealed themselves in abandoned buildings or open areas near air bases.
The photographs were uploaded to online storage, access to which had previously been provided to the agent. He then transferred the images to his Russian handler, whose identity has already been established by the SBU.
The agent also leaked schedules of combat helicopter takeoffs and landings to Russia. He received this information from a Ukrainian Armed Forces aviation squadron commander who provided the intelligence voluntarily.
During searches of the suspects' homes, SBU officers found smartphones and digital cameras containing evidence of cooperation with Russia, as well as photographs of Defense Forces aviation facilities.
The SBU also blocked four Telegram channels and 10 thematic groups where photographs and other information about Ukrainian Armed Forces aviation units were being distributed.
Investigators have charged the detained agent, his accomplice, and the military officer with crimes against Ukraine's national security.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to bring all those responsible to justice.

⚠️ US intelligence warns Europe that Putin may be preparing a “hybrid” attack, but there are no signs of preparations for a full-scale invasion, Bloomberg reports.
According to the CIA, Russian intelligence and security agencies are considering operations that could target the Baltic states and Poland, including infrastructure sabotage and “false flag” provocations.
However, one Bloomberg source did not rule out the possibility that the Kremlin is simply creating the appearance of preparing an attack to spread fear as part of an information campaign. There are currently no signs that Russia is preparing for a conventional invasion of European countries, the source emphasized.
According to The Wall Street Journal, US intelligence agencies believe a large-scale hybrid attack or even a limited ground invasion could occur between this fall and 2029. The probability of a ground invasion is considered low but is expected to increase over time.
In June, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda suggested that Moscow could be preparing provocations targeting critical infrastructure in Poland or the Baltic states. Seth Jones, a former Pentagon official with extensive experience in US special operations who now works at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expressed a similar view.
“The most worrying thing right now is a series of sabotage operations. From assassinations to ‘accidental’ drone or missile launches, from ‘little green men’ operating in or near the Baltics to explosions at various sites,” he said.

⚓️ Attack on Novorossiysk: KSK grain terminal has suspended the unloading of road and rail vehicles and the loading of grain onto ships, according to a company statement.
DeloPorts, the holding company that includes the terminal, said the suspension was necessary “to ensure the safety of employees and infrastructure.”

An exchange of civilians took place between Ukraine and Russia.
Seven people were returned to Ukraine, while eight were returned to Russia.

🇺🇦 Croatian and Lithuanian ultras support Ukraine during Champions League match
During the third qualifying round of the Champions League match between Lithuanian club Žalgiris and Croatian club Dinamo, fans of the Croatian side chanted "Glory! Glory!", while the home section responded, "Ukraine!"

🇬🇧 Britain has made it clear to Putin that it is not afraid of threats to detain European ships in response to the seizure of Russian shadow fleet vessels.
“The UK is disrupting the activities of shadow fleet vessels and deterring their harmful maritime activities that fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine. Unlike the Russian shadow fleet, the UK Armed Forces and commercial vessels operate in strict accordance with international maritime law,” a government spokesperson told BBC News.
The UK government also stressed that the tanker SMYRTOS, detained in June and flying the Cameroonian flag, will remain under arrest. The vessel is believed to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
The UK Ministry of Defence noted that Russia has a fleet of more than 700 vessels responsible for transporting 75% of sanctioned Russian oil, which it described as “a critical source of assistance to the Kremlin in supporting Russia’s war.”

More than 114,000 Ukrainians are registered as missing under special circumstances, according to the National Police of Ukraine. Some are believed to be held in Russian captivity, including prisoners of war and unlawfully detained civilians.
Occupation is not peace.Since Russia temporarily occupied Crimea and certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014, it has used persecution, enforced disappearances, torture, sham trials, and imprisonment to control the civilian population. Russia later expanded these practices across territories temporarily occupied following the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Read about the “chain of persecution” and the global danger of normalising Russia’s crimes in occupied territories in an excerpt from the op-ed by Center for Civil Liberties experts Mykhailo Savva and Oleh Martynenko.

Footage from the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region highlights the erratic operations of Russian mobile air defense groups. The Russian gunner sprays automatic fire dangerously close over the windshields and roofs of civilian vehicles on the same road, demonstrating the chaotic nature of Russian drone interception efforts in frontline areas.

🇺🇦🎪 Dnipro State Circus featured in international publication on modernist architecture
The circus was included in CIRK, a new book by Polish publishing house Zupagrafika dedicated to 17 of the most significant modernist circus buildings in Eastern Europe.
The Dnipro State Circus opened in 1980 and was designed by architect Pavel Nirinberg. The building is considered a unique example of Soviet modernism, featuring an unusual tent-shaped roof made of prefabricated reinforced concrete elements and an original spatial design.

Ukrainian rescuers in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, were targeted in a Russian double-tap attack while extinguishing a fire caused by earlier shelling. As the State Emergency Service crew worked on-site, a Russian FPV drone deliberately struck the team. The firefighters managed to retreat to a safe distance in time, avoiding injuries or casualties, though a firetruck sustained damage in the attack.
🎣 Three enemy “Mavics” were taken down using a “fishing rod.”
The fighters also eliminated a Russian soldier and destroyed an ATV, a truck, an antenna, an electronic warfare system, and three enemy shelters.

UNITED24Media, [14/08/2026 00:27]
The Su-27 crew used precision-guided bombs to deliver a devastating strike on enemy positions in eastern Ukraine.
🇯🇵🇺🇦 Sybiha condemns Putin’s visit to the Kuril Islands and stresses that Iturup is part of Japan
“Putin’s provocative visit to the Japanese island of Iturup demonstrates complete disrespect for Japan and is a deliberate attempt to intimidate, escalate tensions, and normalize illegal occupation. However, no provocative visits can change the reality: Iturup is part of the Northern Territories of Japan occupied by Russia,” Acting Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha said.
He stressed that Moscow is acting according to an “imperial scenario” — occupation, militarization, and threats to its neighbors.
“Ukraine knows this scenario all too well. It should not succeed — neither in Europe nor in the Pacific region. Ukraine’s position is unshakable: Japan’s sovereignty over the Northern Territories is based on historical facts and international law. No visit, the passage of time, or an attempt to impose a fait accompli can legitimize the occupation,” Sybiha said.
He also called on international partners to “clearly condemn Putin’s provocative visit, reject any attempts to normalize the Russian occupation, increase the isolation of the aggressor, and increase sanctions pressure.”

🇫🇮🇺🇦 Finland will finance the purchase of power plants for Ukraine with €28.5 million
The funds will be used to purchase power plants from Wärtsilä Finland Oy, manufactured in Vaasa. Ukrnafta will acquire the plants to ensure a stable electricity supply, especially during the winter.
The total cost of the project is €46.5 million, with the remaining amount financed by Ukraine.
Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, emphasized that the project combines support for Ukraine with the development of Finnish exports and employment.

🇪🇺🇺🇦 Kallas urges EU countries to transfer Patriot missiles from their stockpiles to Ukraine
European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is also maintaining regular contact with EU governments to increase the volume and speed of ammunition supplies to Kyiv. Strengthening Ukrainian air defense is considered an absolute priority in Brussels.
In addition to direct deliveries from stockpiles, the European Union is accelerating procedures for joint weapons procurement through the SAFE program, in which Ukraine is also participating.

🇺🇳 At least 437 civilians were killed in Ukraine in July in the war launched by Russia, the highest monthly death toll since May 2022, according to a UN report.
Another 2,610 civilians were injured, the report said.
The figures are 30% higher than civilian casualties in June 2026, when 298 civilians were killed and 2,041 were injured. They are also 70% higher than in July 2025, when 312 civilians were killed and 1,482 were injured.
Last month, 17 Ukrainian children were killed and another 166 were injured in Russian attacks, the highest number since April 2022.
According to the UN, missiles and long-range strike drones were the main cause of civilian casualties. These weapons killed or injured 38% of civilians affected in July — 183 people were killed and 967 were injured.
“The majority of casualties from these weapons occurred in urban centers located far from the front line,” the UN stressed.

Wildberries' losses from drone strikes could reach 800 billion rubles, according to Forbes.
Analysts estimate that the company may have already lost around 20% of its warehouse space.
Wildberries could need up to 279 billion rubles to restore its warehouses and infrastructure. If the damaged facilities need to be completely dismantled, debris removed, and the sites reclaimed, the costs could rise significantly.

Russia's Ministry of Defense responds to Ukraine's proposal to halt mutual strikes in the Black Sea
Reuters sources reported the day before that Kyiv had proposed stopping mutual strikes in the Black Sea.
Today, the Russian Ministry of Defense's official Telegram channel published a photo of Shahed drones in the sky with the caption: "In winter you will have a 'freeze.'"
"I could also post a photo of a ballistic missile or one of our drones and write something like that. But why, if the Russian Defense Ministry has already addressed the Russians in this way?
Now Russians can know who they should thank if they have no electricity in winter, and some have no heat or fuel. All thanks to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The mirror always works. What you sow is what you reap," Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, responded to the publication.
The photo says (from Russian): Like the snow on your heads. In winter you will have a "freeze."

North Korea may send another 50,000 troops to Russia for the war against Ukraine, according to DW.
According to the publication, Pyongyang is preparing significantly larger reinforcements than during the previous phase of cooperation with Moscow. North Korea previously sent around 14,000–15,000 troops to the Kursk region.
The new North Korean troops may be deployed to the Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions, where they would hold the front lines, allowing Russian troops to be redeployed to Ukraine.
North Korea may also send engineers, construction workers, and female medical personnel to Russia.

Russia fired 126 ballistic missiles at Ukraine in July, the highest monthly total so far. It was also the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the United Nations. Ukrainian defense companies want to change the math. Instead of trying to shoot down every missile Russia fires, they want to destroy the launchers before they fire at all. The plan depends on long-range strike drones that need satellite internet to fly deep into Russian territory.

🇺🇦 “Pavutyna” (Spider Web) is inspiring: German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has successfully tested the launch of FV-014 loitering munitions from a containerized system mounted on a truck.
The tests were conducted at the National Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Kochstedt.
The FV-014 was launched from a Rheinmetall HX truck both while moving and from a stationary position. During the tests, the system demonstrated several simulated operational scenarios and attack missions.
The FV-014 has a range of up to 100 km and can remain airborne for up to 70 minutes. It can be used to reconnoiter, identify, and destroy targets, including armored vehicles.
The munitions are launched from a container using a booster. Depending on the container configuration, the system can carry up to 18 munitions simultaneously. After launch, the FV-014 unfolds its wings and takes flight.
The FV-014 weighs around 22 kg and carries a payload of about 6 kg.
Its electric motor enables a low-noise approach to the target, while its reduced radar and infrared signatures make it more difficult to detect. The system can also operate as part of a swarm.

Ukraine has opened two new categories in the International Register of Damage caused by Russia’s aggression. The new categories cover state humanitarian expenses for supporting the affected population, as well as expenses for demining and clearing territories of unexploded ordnance.
Government agencies and local authorities can submit documented claims for evacuation, temporary housing, emergency medical care, rehabilitation and demining. The claims will support future efforts to secure compensation from Russia.

Khuan Garcia is a Ukrainian of Cuban origin who has served in the military since 2018. In 2022, he was captured in Mariupol and spent more than two years in captivity—held first in Olenivka and then in Russian prisons.
While in captivity, Garcia was labeled a mercenary and pressured to confess, he told the UN Security Council. Russian captors, he explained, struggled to reconcile his identity: a Ukrainian with an interethnic background who remained unequivocally Ukrainian.
“They couldn’t understand that Ukrainians could have an interethnic background without losing their Ukrainian identity,” Garcia said. “This meant that their narrative of Ukraine as a Nazi state was crumbling before their eyes.”

⛽️🔥 Fuel restrictions return in several Russian regions after Ukraine resumes refinery strikes
According to Bloomberg, license-plate-based fuel rationing was introduced in the Kaluga and Lipetsk regions, sales were limited to 40 liters per vehicle in Astrakhan, and refueling in canisters was banned in Orenburg.
In total, strikes in August damaged 11 of Russia’s 34 large refineries, including the Yaroslavl refinery, forcing Rosneft to reduce supplies to Kostroma.
Fuel shortages have affected at least 16 Russian regions, while Moscow has begun importing gasoline from India, Kazakhstan, and Morocco.
The crisis has also affected Putin’s approval rating, which fell by a record 5 percentage points to 66%, its lowest level in almost four years.

Putin visits Iturup for the first time in his presidency as Medvedev threatens Japan with “dire consequences”
After attending Pacific Fleet exercises on Sakhalin, Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time in his 26 years in the Kremlin.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry expressed a “strong protest” over the visit, and Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev was summoned to the ministry.
“The Northern Territories — the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai — are historically and legally an integral part of our country.
The current Russian president’s visit to Iturup Island is incompatible with Japan’s consistent position on the Northern Territories.
Currently, Japanese-Russian relations are in a very difficult situation.
However, Japan’s policy aimed at resolving the issue of the sovereignty of the Northern Territories and concluding a peace treaty remains unchanged,” The Japan Times quoted Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as saying.
Putin, however, said Russia’s occupation of the four islands is “a reality of World War II, confirmed by international documents,” and that Russia refuses to discuss their return to Japan.
Deputy Head of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, who visited Kunashir Island in 2010 as Putin’s stand-in, responded on X:
“Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi can talk as much as she wants about the Kuril Islands ‘historically belonging to Japan,’ but this talk will change nothing.
They were, are, and will remain Russian soil. Anyone who fails to understand this will face the dire consequences of their delusions.”
Japanese media described Putin’s visit as “a demonstration of an uncompromising position on the territorial issue amid the conflict in Ukraine.”
The Soviet Union occupied the Kuril Islands following World War II, and the local population was deported.
Japan rejected the Soviet Union’s proposal to transfer only two of the four islands, and a peace treaty between the two countries has never been signed.
Japan maintains that it discovered and explored the four islands before Russia arrived and established effective control over them by the end of the 19th century. Tokyo also points to the 1855 Treaty of Commerce and Limits, which established the border between the two countries.
In March 2022, Russia withdrew from peace treaty negotiations with Japan over the islands, ended visa-free travel for Japanese citizens to the Kuril Islands, and withdrew from dialogue on joint economic activities there.

Kyiv Post, [11/08/2026 20:44]
Russia’s largest liquefied petroleum gas plant has been shut down indefinitely after a drone attack in the Tyumen region, Reuters reports.

The strike has knocked a key piece of Russia’s energy infrastructure offline, with no timeline yet for restarting operations.

Photo: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [11/08/2026 21:28]
Satellite images show the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone strike on a Wildberries warehouse in Russia’s Voronezh region — a facility that had been operating for less than a year.

The 152,900-square-meter logistics hub opened in November 2025 and had capacity to store more than 90 million items.

Video: Radio Liberty

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 05:38]
Russia has destroyed an Epicentr shopping center in Zaporizhzhia in an overnight strike.

The store, part of one of Ukraine’s biggest home improvement and retail chains, was completely gutted by fire.

No casualties have been reported so far.

Photo: Zaporizhzhia Regional Administration

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 06:41]
Zelensky says Ukraine has handed US envoys proposals for ending Russia’s war (www.kyivpost.com/post/82172).

He also urged Washington to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and increase pressure on Moscow.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 07:24]
A Russian drone slammed into a home in Kherson overnight, killing a woman inside (www.kyivpost.com/post/82171).

Ukrainian officials said Russian forces deliberately targeted the house with the UAV as Moscow continues its relentless drone attacks on civilians.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 07:28]
Russia is preparing a mass mobilization of more than 100,000 troops (www.kyivpost.com/post/82161) this fall, Zelensky says.

Kyiv’s intelligence believes the call-up could begin after Russia’s rigged parliamentary elections in September, with Ukraine already preparing countermeasures.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 08:02]
Germany is considering giving its intelligence services powers (www.kyivpost.com/post/82182) to launch preemptive cyberattacks on Russian drone makers.

“The best drone is one that never takes off,” a senior lawmaker said, as Berlin looks to disrupt Russian threats before they reach Germany.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 08:48]
North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward Japan (www.kyivpost.com/post/82169) shortly after Zelensky warned that North Korea’s deepening military cooperation with Russia threatens Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 09:04]
July was Ukraine’s deadliest month for civilians since March 2022 (www.kyivpost.com/post/82179), the UN says.

At least 634 people were killed and 4,590 wounded — more than 20 civilian deaths every day on average.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 09:12]
US Vice President JD Vance reportedly asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt Ukrainian strikes on tankers in the Black Sea, the Financial Times reports.

The White House was allegedly concerned the attacks could further destabilize oil markets and hurt US companies, including through strikes involving vessels carrying Kazakh oil to Russia’s Novorossiysk port.

Zelensky reportedly agreed to stop attacks on CPC infrastructure and non-Russian ships unless they are under Ukrainian sanctions or carrying Russian oil or other Russian cargo.

Photo: Ukraine’s presidential office

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 09:44]
Ukraine struck one of Russia’s largest grain terminals in Novorossiysk during a massive overnight attack.

Zelensky said Ukrainian forces used Neptune missiles, Palyanytsia jet-powered drones and naval drones against targets in the city.

Russian authorities claimed hundreds of drones targeted the Krasnodar region overnight, killing a child and injuring eight people in Novorossiysk.

Video: Volodymyr Zelensky

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 10:25]
Russia struck a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia overnight (www.kyivpost.com/post/82189), a day after a deadly missile attack on the city that included North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles, Ukrainian officials said.

The latest strike caused extensive damage to an Epicentr store, while overnight Russian attacks also killed two women in Kherson.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 11:10]
Explosions are now being heard in Kyiv, our correspondents report.

Air defense is active over the capital.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 11:38]
JD Vance asked Zelensky to avoid strikes affecting a key Kazakh oil route (www.kyivpost.com/post/82199) — as Ukraine continues targeting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Zelensky said Ukrainian forces hit Russian air defenses, naval piers and port infrastructure in Novorossiysk.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 11:57]
Kyiv came under a second Russian drone attack on Aug (www.kyivpost.com/post/82203). 12, with air defenses engaging jet-powered drones approaching the capital from multiple directions.

Kyiv Post team members across the city and surrounding villages reported hearing loud explosions as Russia continued its near-round-the-clock aerial strikes against Ukraine.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 12:31]
Human Rights Watch has called on the US Congress to block the transfer of millions of cluster submunitions to Ukraine, warning that unexploded bomblets could endanger civilians for years.

The proposed package reportedly includes 70 M39 ATACMS missiles, more than 2,500 M26 rockets and around 47,000 artillery shells to be re-exported from Turkey.

But Russia has itself used cluster munitions extensively across Ukraine, including in deadly attacks on civilian areas and the 2022 strike on Kramatorsk railway station that killed at least 58 people.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 12:57]
Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Kyiv after holding several meetings with Russian officials, including in Moscow.

“I wouldn’t even call them diplomatic efforts. These are business efforts, by businessmen close to Trump. These aren’t diplomats,” Kyiv Post Editor-in-Chief Bohdan Nahaylo told TVP World.

www.kyivpost.com/videos/82196

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 13:38]
Russia has amassed around 6,200 kamikaze drones for massive attacks (www.kyivpost.com/post/82213) on Ukraine, Ukraine’s intelligence says.

Moscow reportedly launches fewer UAVs while rebuilding its stocks — then unleashes much larger waves once reserves are replenished.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 14:01]
Petrol prices dropped along Putin’s motorcade route during his visit to Novosibirsk (www.kyivpost.com/post/82214) — then reportedly jumped back up after he passed.

Some stations even switched off price displays, while locals joked Putin should tour Russia more often if that’s what it takes to get cheaper fuel and repaired roads.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 14:18]
Human Rights Watch has urged the US Congress to block Turkey's proposed transfer of US-origin cluster munitions (www.kyivpost.com/post/82211) to Ukraine.

The planned $256 million deal includes 70 ATACMS missiles, 2,524 M26 rockets and 47,000 artillery projectiles containing more than 10 million explosive submunitions.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 14:40]
Russia’s Supreme Court barred Yabloko, the country’s only registered anti-war party (www.kyivpost.com/analysis/82212), from September's parliamentary election.

Despite zero Duma seats, Yabloko’s pro-peace campaign drew growing public support as Putin’s ratings slide.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 14:54]
Ukraine has retaken 26 settlements across three countries regions since January, Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi said.

Russian forces lost at least 9,550 troops killed and more than 6,600 wounded in the fighting, while Zelensky said Ukrainian troops also captured more Russians for future prisoner exchanges.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 15:21]
67% of Poles support deporting Ukrainian men of military age who do not have legal employment in Poland, according to a poll commissioned by Rzeczpospolita.

Some 23% opposed the proposal.

The idea was floated last week by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party aligned with President Karol Nawrocki. Support was strongest among PiS voters, with 89% in favor, compared with 53% among supporters of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s ruling Civic Coalition.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 15:26]
Emergency workers are containing the aftermath of Russian strikes targeting logistics facilities in the Kyiv region.

In the Brovary district, firefighters contained a blaze at one site while operations continue elsewhere amid persistent air raid warnings.

Video: DSNS

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 15:58]
A driver of a Bentley with Polish license plates verbally abused Ukrainian volunteers fundraising for the military in London, calling them "Bandera followers."

The volunteers reminded the driver he was in the UK, not Poland, as he drove off.

Video: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 16:30]
Ukraine’s military intelligence identified an Nvidia Jetson Orin computer module in Russia’s new S-71 Monochrome cruise missile (www.kyivpost.com/post/82225).

HUR documented 35 foreign components across captured Russian weapons, emphasizing Moscow's reliance on foreign technology.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 17:00]
Kyiv authorities are compiling lists of vulnerable residents who may need temporary relocation (www.kyivpost.com/post/82227) during potential winter heating outages.

Targeting elderly and mobility-impaired citizens, the measure aims to secure emergency accommodation.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 17:32]
Russia declared a state of emergency in Novorossiysk (www.kyivpost.com/post/82231) after Ukraine damaged infrastructure, water supplies, and grain terminals.

Zelensky called the strike on Black Sea Fleet stronghold a "unique operation" using jet drones and Neptune missiles.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 18:05]
Russian security personnel in Omsk snatched a 31-year-old man off the street and coerced him into signing a military contract (www.kyivpost.com/post/82220).

Russian recruiters are turning to forced enlistments as volunteer recruitment slows despite rising cash bonuses.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 18:07]
Ukrainian forces damaged four Russian warships during a joint strike on the Novorossiysk naval base overnight.

The attack hit two Kalibr-capable frigates – Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov – along with two patrol ships, a radar system, and oil port infrastructure.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 20:19]
Czechia has already denied temporary protection to dozens of Ukrainian men of military age under new EU rules, Novinky reports.

The applications were reportedly rejected because the men could not prove to Czech authorities that they had fulfilled their military obligations in Ukraine.

Kyiv Post, [12/08/2026 22:16]
Estonia’s Foreign Ministry announced €340,000 in aid (www.kyivpost.com/post/82239) to help Ukraine prepare for another winter of war, with Russia widely expected to strike the country’s energy and water infrastructure.

The funds will be allocated to frontline families, displaced Ukrainians, and rescuers through non-governmental organization (NGO) partners.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 06:45]
Ukraine says it combined 15 domestically produced weapons (www.kyivpost.com/post/82246) in a coordinated strike on Novorossiysk — the first operation of its kind.

Russian warships were hit, while authorities declared a state of emergency in the Black Sea port city as Kyiv expands its maritime “no-go zone.”

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 06:59]
Putin has made his first-ever visit to the disputed Kuril Islands (www.kyivpost.com/post/82247) as tensions with Japan spiral.

The trip comes as Tokyo continues backing Ukraine and sanctioning Moscow, while the bitter territorial row over the islands remains unresolved.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 07:34]
Another Wildberries logistics center has been hit by a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia, with a major fire breaking out at an industrial site in Bashkortostan near Ufa.

Wildberries confirmed a blaze at one of its facilities but claimed no goods were being stored there.

Photo, Video: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 08:18]
Zelensky says just 5% of America’s Patriot missile stockpile (www.kyivpost.com/post/82254) could help Ukraine survive the winter as Russia ramps up ballistic attacks.

Ukraine currently has only around 1% of US stocks, he told CNN, adding that 10% could allow Kyiv to stop all Russian ballistic missiles.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 09:17]
Russian forces launched 133 drones at Ukraine overnight (www.kyivpost.com/post/82256), with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting 111, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

Strikes hit 15 locations, while debris fell in 16 others. Two railway workers were killed when a jet-powered drone struck a passenger train locomotive in Odesa region, while five people were wounded in Dnipropetrovsk region and another in Zaporizhzhia.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 09:45]
A firefighter who spent more than 20 years saving others was killed in a Russian “double-tap” strike (www.kyivpost.com/post/82237) on Zaporizhzhia — an attack deliberately timed to hit rescuers after the first explosion.

Today, his colleagues said their final goodbye to 45-year-old Oleksandr Prodan, who was killed on Aug. 9 while doing the job he had devoted his life to.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 09:58]
Russia deliberately targeted a passenger train in Ukraine’s Odesa region with attack drones on the morning of Aug. 13.

The strike killed two civilians on the spot — the 50-year-old train driver and his 41-year-old assistant, according to Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office.

There were 340 passengers on board. Authorities are still establishing the exact number of people affected by the attack.

Video: Volodymyr Zelensky

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 10:27]
Ukraine says its forces have retaken 26 villages and 745 square kilometers of territory on the Oleksandrivka axis over the past six months.

Ukrainian troops pushed Russian forces back across several sections of the front, while DeepState reports that another 19 settlements have also been liberated.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 10:33]
A mystery blast in occupied Crimea has killed a man believed to be a senior Russian Black Sea Fleet submarine officer.

The explosive device was reportedly hidden in a bin in Sevastopol.

Telegram channels claim the victim may be Robert Shageyev, a former Ukrainian naval officer who switched sides after Russia occupied Crimea.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 10:51]
Russia has hit a passenger train for the second time in a single day.

The video shows the moment of impact at a railway station in Odesa.

The latest attack came after another Russian drone struck a passenger train in the Odesa region earlier on Aug. 13, killing the driver and his assistant while 340 passengers were on board.

Video: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 11:13]
A Russian drone crashed into the middle of a road in the Kyiv region, narrowly missing passing cars.

The footage is believed to be from yesterday’s attack, when Ukrainian air defenses were intercepting Russian jet-powered drones over the region.

Video: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 11:51]
Three-year-old Dmytro was killed with his grandparents after six Russian drones struck their home in Pukhivka, Kyiv region, on Aug. 8.

His father said the boy had previously asked during an air raid: “Dad, am I going to die?” Days later, he was killed in his sleep.

Dmytro’s parents and 15-year-old brother were injured, with the teenager suffering burns to around 11% of his body. A neighbor who came to help was also wounded.

The family says Russian drones continued circling and striking the property even as survivors tried to escape.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 11:53]
Ukrainian strikes have severely disrupted Wildberries, destroying or damaging more than 20 warehouses (www.kyivpost.com/post/82268) and goods worth an estimated Hr.480 billion — roughly $11.5 billion — while Russian sellers and pickup-point operators face mounting losses.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 12:25]
Ukraine has received the bodies of 261 fallen people who, according to the Russian side, were Ukrainian servicemen, the Coordination Headquarters said.

Investigators will now conduct DNA testing and other examinations to establish the identities of those returned.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 12:46]
Ukraine’s Security Service has dismantled a 14-member Russian intelligence network (www.kyivpost.com/post/82279) accused of gathering information on airfields hosting F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets.

The network allegedly tracked aircraft movements, photographed military facilities and passed intelligence to Russia’s military intelligence agency.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 12:53]
A major Russian oil refinery has halted operations after a Ukrainian strike.

The Orsk refinery is completely offline, with repairs expected to take at least six months because key equipment is imported.

Only around 80% of local petrol stations are currently operating, with fuel now set to be brought in from outside the region.

Video: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 13:08]
Ukraine has presented new peace proposals (www.kyivpost.com/post/82281) to US negotiators but has not disclosed their contents.

Zelensky rejected surrendering the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donbas and warned that Putin could eventually target a smaller NATO state.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 13:59]
Zelensky visited Ivano-Frankivsk on Thursday, where he met participants in the “Will to Live” sports competition for soldiers, veterans and people with disabilities.

After meeting the athletes, the Ukrainian president also tried the bench press himself.

Zelensky said the competition features eight sports and helps participants recover physically and psychologically through sport. He also spoke with athletes and signed the battle flags of their brigades.

He thanked everyone involved in developing rehabilitation programs that help Ukrainian defenders return to active life.

Video: Ukraine’s Presidential Office

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 14:31]
Warsaw is expected to decide within days whether to send additional Patriot air-defense missiles to Ukraine (www.kyivpost.com/post/82287).

Polish officials emphasize the need to intercept airborne threats before they reach NATO territory.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 14:46]
Ukraine has repatriated the bodies of 261 people (www.kyivpost.com/post/82292) who Russia claims were Ukrainian servicemen. Ukrainian authorities will conduct forensic examinations and identification procedures.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 15:01]
Ukrainian drone operators "destroyed" a US armored brigade (www.kyivpost.com/post/82293) during military exercises in Germany, The WSJ reports.

412th Nemesis Regiment defeated the American troops so quickly that US equipment had to be "respawned" to continue the drill.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 15:20]
Deportations of foreigners from Poland have more than tripled over the past two years, with Ukrainians accounting for the largest group, according to Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk.

Photo: Straz_Graniczna/X

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 15:29]
A Russian Black Sea Fleet officer was killed in an explosion (www.kyivpost.com/post/82295) in occupied Sevastopol.

Reports identify the victim as Robert Shageev, a former Ukrainian submarine commander who defected to Russia and participated in missile strikes against Ukraine.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 16:02]
Russia struck a second passenger train in the Berezivka district of the Odesa region, injuring a child and setting the locomotive on fire.

Rescuers evacuated 525 people, including 130 children, using 17 buses provided by emergency services and local authorities.

Photos: DSNS

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 16:36]
A main distribution center of Rozetka, Ukraine’s largest e-commerce retailer, destroyed in an Aug. 5 Russian missile strike, was worth $70 million (www.kyivpost.com/post/82294).

With billions of hryvnias in goods also lost, the company is urging tax deferrals to aid recovery.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 17:07]
Ukrainian drone operators overwhelmingly defeated a US tank brigade in simulated combat during NATO’s Combined Resolve 26 exercise in Germany.

Kyiv Post examined the details of the drill (www.kyivpost.com/post/82299), which again exposed NATO's vulnerability to modern drone warfare.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 17:39]
Ukraine has reportedly proposed a mutual halt to strikes on Black Sea targets through an intermediary, Reuters reports.

Kyiv submitted the proposal to Moscow amid rising attacks on commercial shipping and port infrastructure, but Russia has not yet responded.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 18:11]
Japan’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Masashi Nakagome, met with senior Ukrainian officials (www.kyivpost.com/post/82304).

Talks focused on winter energy defense, demining equipment, and Japan’s potential participation in the international Drone Deal initiative.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 21:21]
The World Motor Sport Council has lifted all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian racing drivers, allowing them to compete under their national identities again.

Under the decision, drivers from Russia and Belarus will be permitted to use national flags, symbols and anthems during motorsport events, reversing restrictions introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kyiv Post, [13/08/2026 21:30]
Putin’s forces have just struck a residential high-rise in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, killing civilians and injuring at least 15 people.

Rescue efforts are ongoing at the scene as the full extent of the casualties and damage is still being established.

Video: Telegram channels

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 06:47]
Ukraine attacked Russia’s key Baltic oil port of Ust-Luga (www.kyivpost.com/post/82322) with 54 drones overnight on Aug. 14, triggering a fire and disrupting operations.

The strike marks at least the sixth attack on the port this year as Kyiv intensifies efforts to hit Russia’s lucrative oil-export infrastructure.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 07:21]
A Russian drone attack injured three people and damaged a residential building (www.kyivpost.com/post/82316) in the Smila community of the Cherkasy region.

Emergency services responded to the scene to assess the damage and provide assistance.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 07:52]
A 29-year-old mother and her 9-year-old son were killed in an early morning Russian attack on a residential home in the Buryn community, Sumy region.

Two UAVs struck the house, injuring four other family members.

Photo: Sumy Regional Military Administration

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 08:24]
Ukraine has proposed a mutual halt to strikes on Black Sea civilian ships and ports (www.kyivpost.com/post/82317) via a third-party intermediary.

With Ukrainian grain exports down 76% this August and Kyiv's recent strike on Novorossiysk proving Russian ports are equally vulnerable.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 08:56]
A Ukrainian drone strike completely shut down Russia’s Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery (www.kyivpost.com/post/82326) over 1,300 km from the border.

Due to sanctions on imported equipment, repairs may take up to six months as regional authorities brace for prolonged fuel shortages.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 09:31]
Two Polish women physically assaulted a group of Ukrainians in a cafe after overhearing them speak Ukrainian, shouting xenophobic slurs.

Witnesses reported the attackers threw punches, spat at victims, and vandalized the premises during the altercation.

Video: anna_poliakevych

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 09:59]
A Russian guided bomb collapsed an entire section of a 10-story apartment building in Kramatorsk, killing at least one person and injuring 16, Volodymyr Zelensky says.

Russia launches around 220 KAB glide bombs daily against frontline communities across Ukraine.

Photos: DSNS

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 10:29]
Polish security services detained a Russian citizen in Warsaw plotting to assassinate a dual US-Ukrainian national (www.kyivpost.com/post/82309) on behalf of the Kremlin.

PM Donald Tusk called it the first known case of Russia attempting to target a US citizen on NATO soil.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 11:12]
Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces struck 29 more Russian energy targets across occupied southern Ukraine, including the Balaklava TPP in Crimea.

Under operation "Crimean Switch Off," 240 energy hubs have been targeted since July 1.

Video: Commander "Madyar" Brovdi/Telegram.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 11:28]
A Russian diplomat in Canada has been caught coming out daily armed with a needle to pop blue-and-yellow balloons outside the Russian embassy in Ottawa.

Journalist Christo Grozev identified him as Ivan Danilenkov, a former FSB border service officer.

Video: izigazumba/TikTok

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 11:57]
Russia’s defense ministry threatened Ukrainians with a winter "freeze," (www.kyivpost.com/post/82336) signaling an intensified drone campaign as temperatures drop.

The threat comes after Moscow rejected Ukraine’s proposal for a mutual halt to strikes on Black Sea civilian and port targets.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 12:28]
Extreme heat and drought across Europe are putting unprecedented pressure on Ukraine’s wartime backup systems (www.kyivpost.com/post/82335), compounding the damage caused by relentless Russian strikes on energy and transport infrastructure.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 12:33]
Ukrainian forces struck Russia’s Novatek-Ust-Luga gas fractionation and processing complex in the Leningrad region overnight.

The strike ignited a blaze and reportedly hit two processing units at the 8-million-ton capacity facility.

Photo: Exielnova+

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 13:04]
Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk dismissed claims that Warsaw is sending Patriot missiles to Ukraine (www.kyivpost.com/post/82349), calling the rhetoric something "only a madman" would argue.

Tomczyk confirmed no Patriot transfer decision has been made.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 13:36]
Veteran Russian anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin has fled Russia for France after facing criminal charges and being labeled a “foreign agent.” (www.kyivpost.com/post/82343)

Nadezhdin warned that Kremlin "red lines have shifted" as public frustration with the war grows.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 14:09]
Ukraine has begun combat testing its first jet-powered interceptor drones designed to destroy jet Shaheds, Mykhailo Fedorov announced.

Developed via Brave1 grants, the interceptor exceeds 600 km/h to counter Russia’s shifting aerial tactics.

Video: Mykhailo Fedorov

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 14:40]
Volodymyr Zelensky is struggling to find a sufficiently heavyweight envoy to Washington (www.kyivpost.com/post/82351).

With former PM Yulia Svyrydenko turning down the role, Kyiv faces navigating ties with the Trump administration without a permanent ambassador.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 15:12]
Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian intelligence to work toward "destroying NATO and the EU from within" (www.kyivpost.com/post/82357) in 2026, with Moldova as a primary target.

Western intelligence warns Moscow may also test NATO resolve this fall.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 15:43]
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explicitly rejected a ceasefire along the current front line in an interview, calling it "unacceptable" for Moscow.

Lavrov threatened "harsher" strikes against Ukraine (www.kyivpost.com/post/82360) and infrastructure supporting its defense.

Kyiv Post, [14/08/2026 16:15]
Ukraine’s Armed Forces have issued a direct warning to Moscow (www.kyivpost.com/post/82362) after Russia threatened a winter "freeze" on Ukrainian power grids, posting an image of a burning facility captioned: "We’ll warm ourselves with the fire of Russian oil refineries."

Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 11:06]
A grain terminal in Novorossiysk has suspended operations following a Ukrainian attack, Reuters reports, citing sources.

The terminal's owner, Demetra Holding, confirmed that the strike damaged the facility.

▪️Earlier, OSINT analysts reported a strike on a grain elevator with a subsequent fire.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 11:40]
Ukrainian forces attacked the naval base in Novorossiysk overnight — 300 km from the front line, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed.

The base was struck with Palianytsia jet drones, Neptune missiles, and naval unmanned vessels. Hits on air defense positions, piers, and port infrastructure have been confirmed.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 12:20]
This morning, Russia attacked several regions of Ukraine.

In Kharkiv, a drone struck the territory of a private residence. Preliminary reports indicate no casualties.

In Balakliia, Kharkiv region, three people were injured following two strikes. Private and multi-story buildings were damaged, one of which was destroyed. A power line was also damaged.

In the Kyiv region, Brovary district, a warehouse caught fire following an attack. A 65-year-old man sustained shrapnel wounds and was hospitalized.

In the Zaporizhzhia district, a Russian drone struck a bus. A 53-year-old man was injured.

Photos — Balakliia.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 14:55]
US Vice President JD Vance asked Ukraine to cease strikes on tankers near Novorossiysk — Kyiv agreed, the FT reports, citing sources.

The request concerns non-Russian vessels transporting Kazakh oil to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal. Washington feared Ukrainian attacks would destabilize the oil market and harm US companies.

According to the report, Vance made the request to Volodymyr Zelensky on July 31. Since then, Ukraine has not struck tankers near the CPC unless they are under Ukrainian sanctions or transporting Russian oil or other Russian cargo.

The FT writes that Kyiv agreed to the Trump administration's request because it hopes to obtain a license to produce Patriot interceptor missiles. Ukraine also plans to purchase several hundred such missiles before winter.

▪️The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is important to the US because it carries Kazakh oil to Europe. American oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil hold stakes in the consortium. Due to the attacks, Kazakhstan has repeatedly suspended pumping, and shipping and insurance tariffs for tankers have more than doubled. In July, the CPC shipped 1.3 million barrels of oil per day — over 300,000 fewer than in June.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 15:39]
A new Russian S-71 Monokhrom cruise missile has been found to contain an Nvidia Jetson Orin microcomputer.

Ukraine's HUR intelligence agency claims this may indicate the use of AI technologies in the missile. The microcomputer was manufactured in the United States in March 2025.

The S-71 Monokhrom cruise missile also contains:

🔵Components of a passive radar seeker head, which Russia has begun installing on Geran-2 drones to detect and attack anti-aircraft systems and electronic warfare equipment;

🔵A Chinese Honpho TS130C-01 camera, also used in the Geran-4 jet drone;

🔵Guidance elements from the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile.

▪️Russia regularly strikes Ukraine with weapons containing foreign components. During the July 2 attack on Ukraine, 35,000 foreign components were found in Russian missiles and drones — originating from the US, Japan, and Europe.

Photo: HUR MO

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 16:11]
⚡️Human Rights Watch has called on the US Congress to block the transfer of cluster munitions from Turkish stockpiles to Ukraine, citing risks to civilians. The US State Department says these systems are needed by Ukraine to strengthen fire support in the war against Russia.

HRW emphasizes that cluster munitions disperse a large number of submunitions over a given area, some of which may fail to explode upon impact and remain dangerous after hostilities cease.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of such weapons; however, Ukraine, Russia, and the US are not parties to the convention.

At the same time, the US has had legislative restrictions on the export of cluster munitions since 2009. The Biden administration transferred such munitions to Ukraine at least seven times, without disclosing their quantity.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 17:15]
Putin arrived on Sakhalin Island to observe the final stage of Russian Pacific Fleet exercises, warned of threats to Russia in the region, and issued a new round of threats.

"Russia will respond in a mirror-like manner to the seizure of its merchant vessels — not only in the same waters but anywhere, including in the Pacific Ocean," the Kremlin leader said.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 17:59]
🇷🇺🇮🇳Russia has begun importing gasoline from India for the first time amid a severe shortage caused by Ukrainian attacks, Bloomberg reports.

The first shipment of Indian gasoline arrived in Russia on August 5. According to Kpler, it amounted to approximately 42,000 tons of fuel.

The gasoline is supplied by Indian company Nayara Energy, which is partly controlled by Russia's Rosneft. The fuel is transported to Russia on Russian vessels via transshipment near Egypt.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 18:50]
The Russians have "captured" a village that hasn't existed in Ukraine for nearly 30 years, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported.

Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed to have taken Shcherbakivka in the Kharkiv region, but the village was officially liquidated back in 1997. At the time, no residents remained, and as of 2026, Shcherbakivka is not listed among Ukraine's settlements.

▪️This is not the first such "victory" for the Russians: they have previously repeatedly claimed to have fully captured Kupiansk and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, despite not actually controlling them.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 20:23]
🇱🇹Lithuania plans to establish a new security zone on its border with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad region.

The protective strip will be 20 meters wide, but on certain operational sections designated by command, it will extend to 150 meters. The country will increase the number of engineering parks — from 27 to 50. These are locations where "dragon's teeth," anti-tank hedgehogs, concrete barriers, barbed wire, and roadblocks are stored.

Lithuania also plans to restore wetlands. These efforts are expected to be completed by the end of 2030. Lithuania's Ministry of Defense claims that within a few years, the area will become nearly impassable for heavy military equipment without complex engineering support.

▪️These measures are part of the Baltic Defense Line — a joint fortification project by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania along their borders with Russia and Belarus. It was announced on January 19, 2024, during a joint meeting of the defense ministers of these countries in Riga.

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 20:55]
Boris Johnson has denied that he discouraged Volodymyr Zelensky from making peace with Russia — a claim regularly repeated by Russian sources.

The former British prime minister called such claims "absolute nonsense." According to Johnson, Ukrainians themselves "wanted to resist, wanted to fight, and wanted to defend their country."

"There was no European or Western leader who could theoretically stop Ukrainians from fighting for their country. The only thing I wanted to say to him (Volodymyr Zelensky) was: 'If you want to keep fighting, then we will stand by you,'" Johnson said.

Photo: Office of the President

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 21:26]
🇲🇩Moldova believes that the drone that exploded on its territory on August 9 may be Russian, said Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi.

Experts are continuing to examine the UAV debris. Preliminary data suggests it was a Russian drone of a more advanced version than those previously recorded entering Moldovan airspace. Police also stated that a drone of this type has been recorded in the country for the first time.

▪️On August 9, a rocket-drone struck a tree in southern Moldova and exploded at a height of about 2.5 meters. Fragments scattered over a wide area and damaged several houses. A fire broke out after the incident.

Photo: Poliția Republicii Moldova / Facebook

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Live: Ukraine, [12/08/2026 22:09]
Following the overnight Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk, satellite images have captured traces of fire on the naval base grounds.

The images were published by the Russian service of Radio Liberty.

The footage shows dark spots inside the technical zone with submarine berths.

▪️Today, Ukrainian forces attacked the naval base in Novorossiysk — 300 km from the front. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, Neptune missiles and naval drones were used. Hits on air defense positions, piers, and port infrastructure have been confirmed. Two grain terminals at the port have also suspended operations following the strike.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 09:28]
🇨🇿In the Czech Republic, Ukrainian men are being denied temporary protection for failing to confirm fulfillment of their military obligations, Czech media Novinky reports.

In the first week after the new rules took effect, dozens of Ukrainian men were not granted temporary protection status. The Ministry of Interior explained that it knows what a record confirming fulfillment of military obligations looks like.

Currently, over 360,000 Ukrainians are in the country, of whom more than 130,000 are men. Recently, the majority of arrivals have been men of conscription age.

▪️On August 5, the Czech Interior Ministry announced that it would no longer grant temporary protection to newly arriving men of conscription age from Ukraine unless they confirm fulfillment of their military duties. These changes are mandated by a new decision of the EU Council, published in the EU's Official Journal on August 4.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 10:04]
⚡️The Air Force will no longer report the number of missiles launched or shot down, said Air Force Communications Chief Yuriy Ihnat.

He clarified that Ukrainians will still be informed about aerial threats, the nature of attacks, and the results of combat operations. The morning summaries of overnight combat results will also continue.

According to Ihnat, the issue is "very sensitive." The Air Force Command Communications Directorate will also publish general information on ballistic threats and other enemy aerial attack means.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 10:33]
Overnight, drones attacked temporarily occupied territories — several cities were left without power.

In Sevastopol, a blackout occurred following explosions — likely the Balaklava thermal power plant was hit. Power also went out in Berdyansk, Melitopol, Henichesk, and Mariupol — footage of a fire from Mariupol is being shared online. Preliminary reports indicate a strike on a parking lot.

Photo from Mariupol.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 11:15]
Ukraine needs 5% of US Patriot missile stockpiles to survive the winter, and 10% to destroy all Russian ballistic missiles. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with CNN.

He noted that Ukraine currently has only 1% of the required number of Patriot interceptor missiles. In 2026, the country is receiving 2.5 times fewer missiles than in 2025, while Russia is launching twice as many ballistic missiles per month.

The president said that he tries every day to negotiate additional missile supplies with allies — making "millions of phone calls" and holding talks, some of which he cannot publicly disclose.

At the same time, Zelensky noted that agreements with the Trump administration on the possibility of producing Patriot missiles in Ukraine have still not reached a final decision.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 11:41]
Overnight, the Russians launched 133 drones at Ukraine. Air defense shot down 111 of them.

There were impacts in 15 locations, with debris falling in 16. Among the targets, the Russians struck Chernihiv with jet-powered drones. Garages and two enterprises were hit; no casualties were reported.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, five people were injured in overnight shelling, with damage reported in three districts.

In the Odesa region, port infrastructure in the Izmail district was hit — a fire broke out, and an 18-year-old girl was injured.

In the morning, Russian guided bombs struck the Zaporizhzhia region. A resident of Novoivanivka was injured, and houses were destroyed or damaged.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 12:04]
In Bashkortostan, drones are believed to have struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery and a Wildberries logistics hub.

OSINT channels are reporting the attack.

In Salavat, smoke has been reported near one of Russia's largest oil refineries, while in the Chishminsky district, a fire broke out at a large Wildberries warehouse complex.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 14:42]
A Russian Shahed drone struck the locomotive of a passenger train in the Odesa region. The train driver and his assistant were killed, announced Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi.

All 340 passengers and train crew were evacuated, and no injuries were reported among them.

According to Pertsovskyi, the train was heading to a station where passengers were to be evacuated to safety. However, a jet-powered drone abruptly changed its flight path, causing the locomotive crew to be unable to fully stop the train and evacuate before the strike.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 15:11]
NASA showed Crimea as part of Russia during a solar eclipse broadcast.

On the live map, Crimea was separated from mainland Ukraine by a border line, effectively displaying it as part of Russia.

The agency has not yet explained why the peninsula was depicted this way.

▪️A similar incident occurred in 2024: during the 2026 World Cup draw, FIFA showed a map of Ukraine without temporarily occupied Crimea. The fragment was later removed from the broadcast.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 15:46]
🇺🇦🇵🇱Poland has threatened to stop paying Elon Musk $50 million for Starlink for Ukraine if he does not end the "discrimination" against Poles.

The trigger was SpaceX's move to exclude Poland from the European roaming zone without explanation. While users from over 30 European countries can move terminals across borders, new rules will apply to Poles starting August 17 — their accounts will be designated for use only within Poland, Politico reports.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called on the "big man" Musk to lift the restrictions and reminded him of the possibility of halting payments. This is likely a response to the billionaire's previous remark to the diplomat: "Be quiet, little man."

Digitalization Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski joined the criticism, stating that Poles should not be treated as "second-class customers" and demanding that SpaceX specify the exact rules under which Polish users have been subjected to different conditions.

▪️This is important for Ukraine: Poland pays for Starlink annually, covering the operation of over 29,000 terminals. They are used, among other things, by Ukrainian military personnel for communication and drone operations.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 16:14]
The Defense Forces struck one of Russia's largest oil refining complexes — Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat in Bashkortostan, the General Staff confirms.

The complex, located approximately 1,300 km from Ukraine, can process up to 10 million tons of crude per year. It produces automotive gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, polyethylene, and other petroleum products and polymers used to supply the Russian army.

▪️The facility was previously attacked on July 14, after which it suspended operations.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 16:49]
In occupied Sevastopol, a man was killed by an explosion — believed to be a former Ukrainian officer who defected to the Russian side.

Russian media and Telegram channels report that an explosive device planted in a trash bin near a bench detonated on Stoletovsky Avenue. A man was walking down the stairs with a friend at the time and died from his injuries.

The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which claims to publish leaks from Russian security agencies, states that the deceased is Russian Navy officer Robert Shageyev. He was the commander of Ukraine's only submarine, Zaporizhzhia, and surrendered it to the Russians without a fight in 2014.

He later swore allegiance to the Russian Armed Forces and continued serving in the Russian Black Sea Fleet. In July 2022, Ukraine charged him with high treason.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 17:50]
The bodies of 261 fallen soldiers have been returned to Ukraine. Russia claims all of them are Ukrainian military personnel.

Experts will conduct the necessary examinations to identify the fallen. During previous repatriations, Russia has repeatedly handed over the bodies of Russian soldiers alongside those of Ukrainians.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 18:55]
Japan has criticized Putin for visiting the Kuril Islands, saying Iturup is their historical territory.

The Russian leader visited an island in the Kuril archipelago, which Japan claims. This is his first personal visit to the Kurils, Russian state media reported.

Putin toured the local Yasny fish processing plant, examined tuna, and sampled caviar. The trip followed Russian naval exercises and a North Korean missile launch.

Tokyo responded with a firm protest. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the government had asked Russia since 2024 to refrain from such a visit. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi emphasized that Iturup and the other Northern Territories are "an integral part of Japan's territory both historically and under international law."

The Kuril Islands remain a long-standing territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo: the USSR seized the islands at the end of World War II, and Japan still claims four southern islands, including Iturup. Due to this dispute, the two countries have never signed a full peace treaty after the war.

Photo: Getty Images

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 19:55]
🇪🇺The EU has called on member states to transfer Patriot missiles from their stockpiles to Ukraine.

European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper said this at a briefing, as reported by Babel's correspondent in Brussels.

According to her, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has made this appeal to all member states that have relevant stockpiles. She is also working with EU governments to increase the volume and speed of deliveries.

Additionally, the EU is accelerating joint procurement procedures through the SAFE program, in which Ukraine also participates.

▪️Ukraine regularly reports a shortage of Patriot missiles. Zelensky asked Trump for a package of 300 missiles but was refused. Ukraine also sought a license from the US to produce these missiles, and Trump initially agreed but later reversed his decision due to concerns that the technology could fall into Russian hands.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 20:44]
For the second time today, the Russians struck a passenger train in the Berezivka district of the Odesa region. This time, they hit a diesel locomotive. A child was injured.

Rescuers evacuated 525 passengers, including 130 children.

Here is what is known about the aftermath in other regions:

🔴Dnipropetrovsk region. In the Nikopol district, the Russians attacked rescuers who were extinguishing a fire after shelling. Three strikes damaged rescue equipment and vehicles. No casualties were reported. In Pavlohrad, the Russians also struck a logistics company — a fire broke out.

🔴Kharkiv region. The Russians struck settlements in the region with UAVs and MLRS. In Izium, aerial bombs damaged over 20 houses, outbuildings, and vehicles. Four people were injured. In Verbivka, a house was on fire. Fires also broke out in the Chuhuiv and Kharkiv districts.

🔴Chernihiv region. UAVs caused fires in the area; a 10-year-old child was injured. In Chernihiv, a car burned down and garages were damaged. The Russians also struck an enterprise with a Banderol drone. No casualties were reported.

🔴Kherson. In the Korabelnyi district, a drone attacked a 50-year-old man. He sustained a blast injury with shrapnel hitting his torso and limbs.

🔴Zaporizhzhia region. The Russians again struck energy facilities. Residents of Kushuhum were left without power. In Mykhailivka, electricity has already been restored.

🔴Sumy. A Russian Lancet drone struck near an apartment building, damaging windows and balconies. Another FPV drone attacked a gas station. No casualties were reported.

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Live: Ukraine, [13/08/2026 23:35]
🇺🇦🇽🇰Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has called for an end to criticism of Ukraine over Volodymyr Zelensky's statement on Kosovo's independence.

According to Rama, after the Ukrainian president stated that Ukraine supports Serbia's territorial integrity, "nationalist populists" in Tirana (Albania's capital) and Pristina (Kosovo's capital) began calling for an end to support for Ukraine.

The Albanian prime minister added that Ukraine is confronting Russia, so his country will not turn away due to this "mistake." Rama believes that Ukraine's position on Kosovo's independence does not negate its right to freedom.

▪️On August 8, Zelensky arrived in Serbia — for the first time since assuming the presidency in 2019. During a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Zelensky stated that Ukraine supports the territorial integrity of its partners. This sparked outrage in Kosovo, which has supported Ukraine — a banner with the Ukrainian flag that had hung for four years was removed in Pristina.

▪️Kosovo is a partially recognized state populated by Albanians. It has been recognized by nearly 100 countries worldwide. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence, nor does Ukraine. Five EU member states (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain) also do not recognize Kosovo's independence.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 06:03]
🇩🇪Ukrainian men of conscription age will not be able to receive temporary protection in Germany unless they can prove they left legally and are exempt from military service, DW reports.

This applies to Ukrainians who arrived in Germany after July 31, 2026. Temporary protection will only be granted to those whose "military obligation in Ukraine has been fulfilled." To confirm this, Ukrainian men must provide evidence that they left Ukraine legally and are exempt from military service.

The changes do not apply to Ukrainians who arrived in Germany before July 31.

▪️Yesterday, it was reported that Ukrainian men are being denied temporary protection in the Czech Republic. These changes are mandated by a new decision of the EU Council, published in the EU's Official Journal on August 4.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 06:45]
Poland may transfer new Patriot missiles to Ukraine in the coming days, said Deputy Defense Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka.

According to her, the decision will be made at the highest level and will prioritize the safety of Polish citizens. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz is inclined to provide these missiles to Ukraine.

In July, Poland's Ministry of National Defense officially confirmed that the country had delivered several Patriot missiles to Kyiv. This decision was previously criticized by the opposition and President Karol Nawrocki.

▪️Ukraine regularly reports a shortage of Patriot missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Trump for a package of 300 missiles but was refused. Ukraine also sought a license from the US to produce these missiles, and Trump initially agreed but later reversed his decision due to concerns that the technology could fall into Russian hands.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 08:56]
From the evening and throughout the night, the Russians struck the Cherkasy region, Zaporizhzhia, and Kramatorsk. Here is what is known about the aftermath:

In the Cherkasy region, a Russian UAV damaged a residential building. Three people were injured; emergency services worked at the scene.

In Zaporizhzhia, two people were injured. The Russians struck the roadway near a vehicle again. A 25-year-old woman and a 5-year-old child were injured.

Fifteen people were injured in the evening shelling of Kramatorsk. The Russians struck residential areas with guided aerial bombs, damaging an apartment building.

Photo: Vadym Filashkin / Donetsk Regional State Administration / Telegram.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 09:33]
In the area of the Ust-Luga port in Russia's Leningrad region, a fire broke out following a drone attack. Explosions were heard in Crimea near the Balaklava thermal power plant.

Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko claims that over 50 UAVs were shot down. In Sevastopol, power was lost following the attack.

The Galaktika shopping center in occupied Yenakiieve in the Donetsk region was also on fire again yesterday evening.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 10:01]
Overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine with 112 drones. Air defense neutralized 90 of them. In 11 locations, the drones reached their targets; debris fell in 6 places. Here is what is known about the aftermath in the regions:

🔴Sumy region. The Russians struck a private house in the Buryn community with two jet-powered UAVs. A 29-year-old woman and her 9-year-old son were killed, and four other people were injured. Two of them — the boy's father and grandmother — are in the hospital with severe burns.

🔴Kherson. The Russians struck a nine-story building with an FPV drone — a fire broke out in an apartment on the sixth floor. In the Korabelnyi district, two utility workers were injured.

🔴Kirovohrad region. A Russian strike on an infrastructure facility in the Kropyvnytskyi district caused a fire. A private house also caught fire; no casualties were reported.

🔴Zhytomyr region. Russian drones struck a critical infrastructure facility and a civilian enterprise. Fires broke out; no casualties were reported.

🔴Kharkiv region. The Russians struck the central part of Balakliia. Information on the aftermath is being clarified.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 10:40]
🇱🇻In Latvia, NATO fighters shot down a drone that had been affected by Russian electronic warfare.

The drone entered the Balvi district on the morning of August 14. According to Latvia's National Armed Forces, NATO fighter jets on Baltic air policing duty destroyed it.

Iveta Bērziņa, a representative of Latvia's Joint Headquarters, told LRT that the crash site has been identified, but the exact coordinates are not being disclosed. No information on damage has been reported.

Lithuania's Crisis Management Center director Vilmantas Vitkauskas said the drone likely changed course while still in Russia or crossed the border from Belarus or Russia.

The fighters were scrambled from Lithuania's Šiauliai airbase and identified and destroyed the drone within about 15 minutes. Lithuanian radars did not detect the threat — it was only a single drone that veered off course from a target in the Leningrad region and entered NATO airspace. Vitkauskas said the successful operation is "something to be pleased about."

Latvia has also reinforced air defense on its eastern border, deploying additional units there.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 12:09]
In Russia's Tver region, a drone damaged a Wildberries warehouse.

The regional governor claimed that drone debris only damaged the wall of the logistics hub in the Kalininsky district. Employees were reportedly not injured.

Wildberries also confirmed the attack, stating that the goods survived.

According to Russian media, the facility is part of the Emmaüs special economic zone, 150 km from Moscow. The first phase, covering 77,000 m², had only opened on April 30, 2026.

▪️The day before, satellite images showed the aftermath of a strike on a Wildberries warehouse in Bashkortostan. Analysts estimate that since July 18, this was the 21st logistics center of the company in Russia to be damaged or destroyed.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 14:11]
The plant in Italy where an explosion occurred yesterday produces ammunition and weapons that are delivered to Ukraine through European partners.

The facility is KNDS Ammo Italy in Colleferro. It is part of the Franco-German defense group KNDS, one of the key industrial partners of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Nearly 800 of its systems are already on the front lines in Ukraine or under contract for the Armed Forces of Ukraine — including Leopard 1 and 2 tanks, CAESAR, PzH 2000, Gepard, and AMX-10 RC.

In 2024, KNDS opened a subsidiary, KNDS Ukraine LLC, in Kyiv. Its mission is to help Ukraine's defense industry service, repair, and restore the group's equipment. KNDS also plans to produce 155-mm ammunition and spare parts in Ukraine together with local manufacturers.

▪️This is the second explosion at a European plant producing weapons for Ukraine in just three days. On August 10, explosions occurred at the EMCO military plant in Bulgaria. A truck caught fire there first, and the flames later spread to an ammunition warehouse. The plant is owned by businessman Emilian Gebrev, whom Western intelligence agencies believe Russia's GRU attempted to assassinate in 2014.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 14:44]
🇺🇦🇺🇸Volodymyr Zelensky is trying to find an influential enough person to become Ukraine's ambassador to the US — but potential candidates are reluctant to accept the position, Politico reports.

Sources say Zelensky accelerated his personnel reshuffle plans to offer the ambassadorship to former Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. However, she declined, derailing his plans.

Other potential candidates also did not want to accept the position due to the need to work with Donald Trump's unpredictable administration, journalists added. An unnamed former Ukrainian diplomat said that there are currently "people who want the job, but no one truly qualified for it."

▪️Zelensky dismissed Olha Stefanyshyna from the post of Ambassador to the US on August 3. She had held the position since August 27, 2025. Immediately after her dismissal, she was charged with illicit enrichment and false declaration.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 15:38]
"Winter will bring you freezing": Russia's Defense Ministry published a photo of Shahed drones with a threatening caption — amid reports of a ceasefire proposal.

The image was captioned: "Like snow on your head."

In response to the Russian hint of intensified strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the Ukrainian Armed Forces published their own image with the caption: "We'll keep warm with the fire of Russian oil refineries."

Head of the NSDC's Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, also responded to the Russian Defense Ministry's post. He said it is now clear "thanks to whom" Russians will be without light and heat this winter. "The mirror always works. You reap what you sow," he wrote.

Yesterday, Reuters reported that Ukraine, through a third party, had allegedly proposed to Russia that they cease attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea and is still awaiting a response from Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly proposed a ceasefire to the Russians and acknowledged readiness to freeze the conflict along the front line in order to move to negotiations.

Today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected the idea of halting hostilities along the current line of contact, claiming it would "contradict the victory over Nazism." He also threatened that Russia would strike Ukraine "much harder."

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 16:15]
Ukraine is testing a jet-powered interceptor with a speed of over 600 km/h — Fedorov

"Today we see a trend: the Russians are gradually replacing conventional Shahed drones with jet-powered ones. This is a shift in the strategy of the war in the skies. Our response must be fast to keep defeating Russia in every technological cycle," said former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

According to him, the first Ukrainian jet-powered interceptor drones designed to counter jet-powered Shaheds are already undergoing combat testing. One team has developed an interceptor that, thanks to its jet engine, reaches speeds of over 600 km/h.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 16:49]
Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar has questioned the Orbán-era agreement with Rosatom, under which the Russian company is to expand Hungary's nuclear power capacity.

Rosatom CEO Likhachev wrote that the company is still adhering to the construction schedule for two new reactors at the Paks nuclear power plant, despite the change of government in Hungary.

Hours later, Magyar refuted this information. According to the terms of the original contract, Paks-II was supposed to be operational by 2024, he stated. Instead, Hungary has spent about €2.8 billion on a site he described as little more than warehouses and "two big concrete holes."

"I don't really see that they are complying with the terms of the contract," Magyar said.

His government is currently conducting a full review of the project, including its financing and cooling system.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 17:55]
The enemy continues to strike civilian infrastructure — educational facilities, residential buildings, and enterprises are under attack.

In the Kharkiv region, the Russians struck an educational facility in Balakliia with a missile; no casualties were reported.

The outskirts of Kharkiv were also hit: windows were blown out in several apartment buildings in the Shevchenkivskyi district, over ten multi-story buildings were damaged, and one person was injured.

In the Kherson region, drones attacked several settlements. The highest number of casualties was in Darivka: six people, including a 16-year-old boy and an 85-year-old woman. One man and one woman were injured in Novovorontsovka, and two men were injured in Bilozerka, where a drone attacked utility workers.

In Zaporizhzhia, the Russians again struck an enterprise — a company vehicle was damaged; no casualties were reported. Another strike hit an educational facility in Kushuhum, also without casualties.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 19:10]
Russia views Moldova as a key target after Ukraine and seeks to use it as a staging ground for further aggression against Ukraine and Europe, according to a NYT investigation based on data from several informed sources.

The sources claim that at the end of 2025, Putin allegedly held a secret briefing for military commanders to convey that their goal for 2026 was the "internal disintegration of NATO and the EU."

Western intelligence officials say Moldova plays a key role in these efforts.

According to them, in the Kremlin's hierarchy of priorities, the capture of Ukraine comes first, and the "establishment of control over Moldova" comes second.

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Live: Ukraine, [14/08/2026 22:58]
Several hundred protesters have gathered again on Franko Square in Kyiv. For the 30th day, people are demanding the reinstatement of Mykhailo Fedorov as Defense Minister and dialogue with the authorities.

Protesters are holding cardboard signs reading "Ukraine is for Fedorov," "Change or die," "If it works, don't touch it," and "You haven't heard us." An "open mic" is also being held, and a petition is being drafted that organizers plan to deliver to the Presidential Office.

This Sunday, July 16, a march to the Presidential Office is planned. It will begin at 7:00 PM near the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People.

Photos: Suspilne, UP, hromadske.

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Sorry a bit late tonight.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Port infrastructure damaged in Ukrainian drone strike on Russia's Leningrad Oblast on Aug. 13, damaging "port infrastructure" in Ust-Luga. Ust-Luga is one of Russia's largest ports on the Baltic Sea and home to an oil terminal that serves as a major hub for the export of crude oil and petroleum products.

⚡️NATO jets shoot down drone over Latvia.

⚡️Russian attacks kill at least 4, injure 60 across Ukraine over past day, using 133 Shahed-type drones and loitering munitions, the Air Force said.

⚡️Russia to abolish border zones with occupied Ukrainian territories in Rostov and Voronezh oblasts along Russia's boundary with occupied parts of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts

⚡️Exclusive: Russia strikes Odesa port terminal recently acquired by Swiss investor. The attack damaged at least one warehouse at the TIS container terminal in Ukraine's Pivdennyi (Southern) Port complex, which was purchased by the Swiss-headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in March.

⚡️Exclusive: Ukraine whispers to Trump that Russia may not capture Donbas even in 2027. The assessment comes as Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw from Donetsk Oblast as part of the U.S.-led peace process.

⚡️Ukrainian rapper Albert Vasiliev, known under the stage name Kyivstoner is the intended target of alleged Russian assassination plot in Poland, media reports.

⚡️Ukrainians rally again for Fedorov reinstatement as organizers 'disappointed' in Zelensky's silence. Photo: Tim Zadorozhnyy/The Kyiv Independent

⚡️The world is bigger than Europe. Ukraine should build stronger ties with Central Asia As Russia's economy suffers and xenophobia grows, Central Asian laborers are looking for friendly markets in Europe and the Gulf," writes Richard Kraemer, President of the US-Europe Alliance, in this op-ed.

⚡️ Ukraine's charm offensive reaches Moscow's partners Ukraine's diplomacy is finding unexpected success beyond its traditional allies. Within a span of a few months, President Volodymyr Zelensky has paid first wartime visits to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Serbia — countries traditionally counted among Moscow's partners.

⚡️ No 'increased risk' to Romania despite day of drone scares, officials say.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-14-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Kremlin officials continue to reiterate Russia’s unwillingness to engage in any meaningful peace negotiations that fail to fulfill Russia’s demands for Ukraine’s complete capitulation, despite Ukraine’s repeated negotiation efforts.
2. Russia rejected Turkish and Ukrainian proposals for a moratorium on strikes against maritime targets in the Black Sea, further underscoring the fact that Moscow is systematically refusing even the most limited diplomatic proposals from Ukraine and third-party states.
3. The technological offense-defense drone race in Ukraine is advancing rapidly and expanding the kill zone.
4. Ukrainian forces hit a Russian oil refinery in Leningrad Oblast and a Wildberries warehouse in Tver Oblast overnight on August 13 to 14. Russian forces launched 112 drones against Ukraine overnight.
5. Russian forces recently advanced in the Hulyaipole direction.

UNITED24Media, [14/08/2026 22:32]
Putin visits Iturup for the first time in his presidency as Medvedev threatens Japan with “dire consequences”
After attending Pacific Fleet exercises on Sakhalin, Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time in his 26 years in the Kremlin.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry expressed a “strong protest” over the visit, and Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev was summoned to the ministry.
“The Northern Territories — the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai — are historically and legally an integral part of our country.
The current Russian president’s visit to Iturup Island is incompatible with Japan’s consistent position on the Northern Territories.
Currently, Japanese-Russian relations are in a very difficult situation.
However, Japan’s policy aimed at resolving the issue of the sovereignty of the Northern Territories and concluding a peace treaty remains unchanged,” The Japan Times quoted Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as saying.
Putin, however, said Russia’s occupation of the four islands is “a reality of World War II, confirmed by international documents,” and that Russia refuses to discuss their return to Japan.
Deputy Head of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, who visited Kunashir Island in 2010 as Putin’s stand-in, responded on X:
“Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi can talk as much as she wants about the Kuril Islands ‘historically belonging to Japan,’ but this talk will change nothing.
They were, are, and will remain Russian soil. Anyone who fails to understand this will face the dire consequences of their delusions.”
Japanese media described Putin’s visit as “a demonstration of an uncompromising position on the territorial issue amid the conflict in Ukraine.”
The Soviet Union occupied the Kuril Islands following World War II, and the local population was deported.
Japan rejected the Soviet Union’s proposal to transfer only two of the four islands, and a peace treaty between the two countries has never been signed.
Japan maintains that it discovered and explored the four islands before Russia arrived and established effective control over them by the end of the 19th century. Tokyo also points to the 1855 Treaty of Commerce and Limits, which established the border between the two countries.
In March 2022, Russia withdrew from peace treaty negotiations with Japan over the islands, ended visa-free travel for Japanese citizens to the Kuril Islands, and withdrew from dialogue on joint economic activities there.

Latvia shoots down drone in its airspace, Finland imposes restrictions in parts of the Baltic Sea — Reuters
NATO fighter jets on an air defense mission shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace early Friday morning, the Latvian military said.
Finland, another EU and NATO member, has temporarily restricted air and sea traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland as a precaution against possible drone incursions.
The Latvian military has not yet provided details about the drone or its origin.

Systematic destruction of enemy cargo and refueling equipment with RAM-2X loitering munitions.

Passing a group of Russian soldiers, an MT-LB accidentally crushed their ATV.

🇮🇳 Half of India’s oil imports are now Russian, with Moscow’s share reaching a record level, according to Reuters.
In July, India imported 2.47 million barrels of Russian oil per day, accounting for 50.83% of its total oil imports. This was 62.4% more than a year earlier, although 4.8% below the record high reached in June.
At the beginning of the year, Indian refineries reduced purchases of Russian crude amid the threat of US tariffs. However, the war with Iran and supply disruptions in the Middle East prompted them to increase imports from Russia again. The share of Middle Eastern suppliers fell from 43% to around 30% between April and July.
The figures show how deeply Russian oil has become integrated into India’s energy supply. India imports more than 90% of the oil it consumes, making an abrupt rejection of Russian crude difficult. Replacing such large volumes would be especially challenging amid ongoing supply disruptions in the Middle East.
This also complicates US efforts to reduce Moscow’s oil revenues, as cutting Russian supplies to India would force New Delhi to find alternative sources for huge volumes of crude.

Ukrainian interceptor drones are shooting down 87% of Russian Shaheds, while ground robots completed 16,000 missions in a month, according to the WSJ.
The publication reports that technological advances helped Ukraine gain an advantage in several areas during the first half of the year. Medium-range strikes are disrupting Russian logistics and slowing the advance of Russian troops, while long-range attacks are creating problems deep behind Russian lines.
The use of ground robots is also expanding. In June alone, they completed more than 16,000 missions, nearly twice as many as in March. The robots are used to deliver supplies, evacuate wounded soldiers, and support counterattacks.
Ukraine is also focusing on electronic warfare-resistant FPV drones, automatic target recognition, and navigation using Starlink. According to the WSJ’s analysis, the effectiveness of Ukrainian interceptor drones against Shaheds increased from 81% in December to 87% in July.
Russia is responding by developing its own technologies, including “mother drones” that relay FPV footage over tens of kilometers and faster jet-powered drones designed to evade Ukrainian interceptors.

Ukraine has imposed sanctions on 13 vessels, 11 individuals, and 28 companies involved in the illegal export of Ukrainian grain.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree putting into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council.
The sanctions package covers 13 shadow fleet vessels flying the flags of Russia, Panama, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as 11 Russian citizens and 28 legal entities, including the vessels’ owners and captains.
Ukraine will provide partners with all necessary information to synchronize the sanctions in international jurisdictions.

The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions under their flags and anthems.
“Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, individual participants and officials are allowed to participate in international and regional competitions without any restrictions. The requirement to sign a neutrality pledge is no longer applicable,” the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) website reports.
It is also stated that “at international and regional competitions, the display of national symbols, colors and flags of Russia and Belarus on equipment and vehicles is permitted, as well as the performance of their anthems.”

In the first six months of the year, Russian courts handed down 1,145 sentences under “terrorism” articles, according to DW.
The publication cites data from the human rights project “First Department” and Parubets Analytics. According to their data, this figure is 58% higher than in the same period of 2025, when 725 sentences were recorded. A total of 1,234 people were convicted, an increase of 38% compared with the first half of 2025, when 892 people were convicted.
Thus, Russian courts handed down an average of 10 sentences in such cases every working day during the first half of the year, analysts calculated.
At the same time, more than half (53.8%) of the defendants were convicted under the article on “public calls for terrorism, its justification or propaganda.” Analysts said law enforcement agencies use this article to pressure journalists, publicists, activists, and bloggers over their public positions.
Despite the growing number of cases, courts are processing them even faster than before. The median time for considering a case in the first half of 2026 was 42 days, compared with 44 days in 2025. Charges are becoming more severe, with fewer sabotage cases and more cases involving serious charges such as “terrorism” and “treason,” as well as multi-episode cases.
At the same time, almost two-thirds (64.4%) of those convicted are classified in court registers. Experts believe secrecy has reached its limit in leading district courts.

🇱🇹 An ammunition factory will be built in Lithuania, with its products supplied to the Ukrainian army
The Ukrainian defense company “DEMZ” will build an ammunition factory. Initially, its products will be supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and later to allied countries.
The production facilities will be located in Alytus and the Prienai District. Construction of the new factory is planned to begin in the fall of 2026, with operations expected to start by the end of 2027.
The facility will operate according to NATO standards and will also be involved in developing new technologies.

🕯 One person was killed and another was injured in a drone strike in Zaporizhzhia district, the State Emergency Service said.
“On the afternoon of August 15, enemy troops attacked agricultural equipment with a drone during the harvest.
According to preliminary data, a 32-year-old man was killed and another was injured. He is receiving all necessary medical care.”

🇺🇦 Ukrainian cyber community attacked Wildberries as part of Main Intelligence Directorate Operation
The Cyber Corps cyber community, as part of the HUR Ministry of Defense’s Operation HUR, attacked the digital infrastructure of the Russian marketplace Wildberries on August 10–11.
According to intelligence, the attack caused large-scale disruptions, including the disruption of the main remote customer service channel, partial destabilization of the payment infrastructure, and additional load on the company’s contact centers.
Users reported widespread problems, including being unable to make financial payments.

🇩🇪🇫🇷🇬🇧 Germany, France, and Britain are working on their own format for future talks on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine — NYT.
The publication’s sources also said that France and Germany are playing a leading role in shaping the European position.
Britain, which has a new prime minister, is showing considerable indecision, partly because it is concerned about risking its relationship with Trump, the sources added.

🕯 The most distressing footage showed the body of a baby killed in Marhanets. The boy was only a few months old. He died from injuries sustained in the Russian strike before he could even begin his life. Another 11 people were injured to varying degrees. Among them were two children: a five-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl.
The National Police published a video showing the aftermath of the Russian army’s attack on civilians in the Nikopol region.
Yesterday, around midnight, Russian strike UAVs hit residential apartment buildings in one of Marhanets’ residential areas.
Fires broke out, while apartments and entrances sustained significant damage.
Body camera footage shows flames, smoke, damaged staircases, shattered windows, concrete debris, and destroyed walls. People are calling for help, crying, trying to find their relatives and reach shelters.
Once again, the targets of Russian terrorists were people peacefully sleeping in their homes.
The enemy continues to kill civilians — even those whose lives have only just begun.

Even the notebook decided Putin’s mumbling wasn’t worth taking down.

Live: Ukraine, 15/08/2026
In Poland, in Poznań, two Polish women who attacked Ukrainians have been detained.
The incident was reported by an employee of the CastaCraftowe café, who published a video. On the night of August 13, he and clients were speaking Ukrainian and Russian outside the establishment. Upon hearing Ukrainian, a woman began cursing and shouting "Spierdalaj do Ukraine" [Get the hell back to Ukraine].
The employee and clients then began filming for the police — the footage shows the woman striking guests and damaging property.
Today, Poznań police first detained one attacker and later the second. Poland's Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński commented: "Zero tolerance for aggression and hatred!"
Video: serhii_pekh / Instagram

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Overnight, the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region was targeted — where MiG-31K aircraft, carriers of Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, are based.
Explosions were also heard in Samara. The likely target was the TsSKB-Progress plant, which produces launch vehicles and spacecraft. Nearby is the Aviakor plant, which builds, repairs, and maintains aircraft (Tu-154, An-140, An-74, and Tu-95MS).
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Overnight, the Russians launched 152 drones at Ukraine. Zaporizhzhia and the Dnipropetrovsk region were hit; a 3-month-old boy was killed.
According to the Air Force, air defense neutralized 127 drones; the rest struck 16 locations, with debris falling in one other place.
In Zaporizhzhia, a shopping center and an industrial enterprise were damaged in the attack. In the region, Russian FPV drones struck vehicles in the village of Ukrainka — a man was injured.
Two more people were injured in a vehicle near a railway crossing.
The town of Marhanets in the Dnipropetrovsk region was also hit — the Russian army struck a 4-story building. A 3-month-old boy was killed, and 11 other people were injured.
In Kherson, a fire broke out in a two-story building following an attack; no casualties were reported.
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⚡️Russians have been allowed to compete in archery with their flag and anthem.
World Archery has lifted restrictions at competitions directly organized by the federation. Russians will now be able to compete under national symbols, including at World Cup stages and World Archery Championships.
The question of participation in competitions under World Archery Europe will still be decided by the European federation itself.
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🇪🇺Europe is working on an alternative format for peace negotiations on Ukraine, the NYT reports, citing sources.
France, Germany, and the UK want to ensure Europe's participation in future negotiations to end the war, fearing that the US and Russia might reach an agreement without European countries.
France and Germany are already working on a common position, while the UK is acting more cautiously due to the risk of straining relations with Donald Trump.
European officials fear that Russia may try to divide the West and do not rule out further escalation of the war or a new mobilization in Russia.

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The Russians struck a combine harvester during the harvest in Zaporizhzhia — one person was killed and another injured.
The attack damaged the combine, a vehicle, and wheat.
In the Kherson region, five people were injured in a morning Russian strike.
In Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were injured. The strikes caused fires and damaged buildings.
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The Russians struck the Kirovohrad region — a fire broke out in the Kropyvnytskyi district.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, 17 people were injured in Russian strikes. The attacks damaged houses, a bus, vehicles, a bank, and enterprises.
In the Kherson region — in Kherson and Sahaidachne — five people were injured. Russian strikes damaged houses, apartment buildings, and vehicles.
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The Russians struck an apartment building in Kherson — two people were injured.
It was also reported that a Russian attack damaged the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Kharkiv — the church's windows, surrounding area, and premises were damaged.
Photo: UGCC Kharkiv Parish of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker / Facebook
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Kyiv Post, 14/08/2026
With Russia’s offensive stalled and Ukrainian drones neutralizing Moscow's numerical edge, rumors of a new mobilization after the September Duma elections are growing.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82344
International analysts warn a second draft could trigger severe political backlash

NATO fighter jets have shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspacehttps://www.kyivpost.com/post/82328, the country's military said on Friday.
The interception comes amid heightened concern across Europe over unauthorized drone activity.

Polish security services have foiled an FSB plot to assassinate Ukrainian rapper Kyivstoner in Warsaw, local media reported on Friday. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82368
The 29-year-old suspect from Donbas was arrested while acting on behalf of Russian intelligence.

A three-month-old boy was killed after Russian attack drones struck a residential building in Marhanets, Dnipropetrovsk region, early on Saturday. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82388
At least 11 others were injured, including two children, with seven victims in severe condition.

Ukrainian long-range "Flamingo" cruise missiles have reportedly struck Russia’s TsSKB-Progress space rocket center in Samara.
The strategic facility is a key manufacturer of Soyuz-2 carrier rockets and military optical reconnaissance satellites.
Videos: Exilenova+

Kyiv Post,
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is intensifying efforts to secure more Patriot systems and expand domestic arms manufacturing. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82386
Zelensky warned that political delays from Western allies carry a direct human cost amid ongoing Russian missile strikes.

Ukrainian FP-5 "Flamingo" missiles struck key aerospace facilities in Samara, Russia, on Saturday, Aug. 15. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82393
The strikes hit the industrial zone housing the Progress space rocket center and Aviakor aviation plant amid concurrent drone attacks in Crimea.

Donald Trump said on Friday that he intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory following the war with Iran. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82390
Trump stated that the US has established an indefinite blockade over the critical maritime corridor.

US Vice President JD Vance asked Volodymyr Zelensky to spare the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in Novorossiysk.

Kyiv agreed not to target the vital energy corridor while continuing strikes on Russian military assets in the port.

Polish police have arrested two women in Poznań over a xenophobic assault targeting Ukrainian citizens outside a local pub. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82398
The suspects hurled insults, threw objects, and physically attacked the victims before being detained by authorities.

Ukraine has succeeded in "blocking off Russia’s south" and is expanding deep strikes against Russian assets Volodymyr Zelensky said. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82384
The campaign combines military strikes with new legal sanctions targeting grain theft and defense supply chains.

The German Embassy in Kyiv has advised its citizens against rail travel in Ukraine ahead of Independence Day on Aug. 24. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82391
Officials warned that Ukrainian transport hubs and railway networks remain prime targets for escalated Russian strikes.

The Kremlin currently has no plans to launch a new wave of mobilization despite heavy frontline casualties and troop shortages. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82401
Moscow is relying on financial bonuses for contract recruits to avoid the political risks of a draft.

Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukrainian long-range strikes deep into Russia on Saturday, including "Flamingo" missile hits on Samara's Progress aerospace plant https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82409
Strikes also targeted the Savasleyka airbase and an oil facility in Ust-Luga.

Russian strikes across the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions injured four civilians on Saturday, local officials said. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82411
Attacks damaged homes in Pavlohrad and targeted agricultural workers operating a combine harvester in a field.

Iran has made no decision to resume negotiations with the US Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, citing US violations of the Islamabad agreement. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82404
Tehran also stated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains strictly conditional.

France, Germany, and the UK are drafting a negotiation format to end the war in Ukraine to avoid exclusion by Donald Trump’s administration. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82407
European diplomats aim to guarantee that no deal with Russia is reached without Europe’s involvement.

Cyber specialists from Ukraine’s military intelligence disrupted the digital infrastructure of Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82413
The attack paralyzed payment systems and customer services, compounding damage from recent strikes on warehouses.

A 32-year-old farmer was killed and another was injured after Russia struck harvesting equipment in the Zaporizhzhia district.

The strike ignited a blaze across wheat fields, destroying a combine harvester and a car, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service says.
Photos: DSNS

The World Archery Federation has lifted restrictions on Russian athletes, permitting them to compete under their national flag and anthem. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82419
The decision follows a recent IOC policy review ending earlier participation restrictions introduced in 2022.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-15-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Russian milbloggers continue exaggerating Russian advances in the Oleksandrivka and Hulyaipole directions as part of the systematic Russian cognitive warfare effort to propagate claims of expansive Russian gains for informational effects.
2. Ukrainian forces used combined arms approaches to leverage drones in support of infantry forces and achieved elements of mechanized maneuver at the tactical level during the Ukrainian 2026 Oleksandrivka counteroffensive.
3. Ukrainian forces conducted an FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile strike against an enterprise critical to Russia’s efforts to develop domestic satellite communications for the battlefield in Ukraine overnight on August 14 to 15.
4. Ukrainian forces appear to be targeting Russian ballistic missile launch infrastructure amidst Ukraine’s ongoing anti-ballistic missile interceptor shortage.
5. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Oleksandrivka direction.
6. Russian forces launched 152 long-range drones at Ukraine overnight on August 14 to 15.

Kyiv Independent Telegram highlights

⚡️Kyiv sanctions Russian vessels, companies linked to exports of stolen Ukrainian grain.

⚡️Russia shuts down key Black Sea export terminal in Novorossiysk after drone attack, Reuters reports. The Sheskharis oil terminal, one of Russia's main Black Sea export facilities, processes around 700,000 barrels of crude per day.

⚡️Ukraine reportedly strikes Russian military airbase behind ballistic missile attacks as rockets target Samara. Ukrainian forces struck Russia's Savasleyka military airbase, which stores Mig-31 fighter jets capable of launching Kinzhal ballistic missiles, monitoring channels reported overnight on Aug. 15. [photo]

⚡️Russian attacks kill infant, injure 49 across Ukraine over past day.

⚡️Ukraine's HUR claims cyberattack on Wildberries, Russian sellers complain of more disruption. Despite what HUR described as the company's high level of digital protection, the cyberattack disrupted Wildberries' main remote customer-service channel, partially destabilized its payment infrastructure, and placed additional pressure on its contact centers.

🔶

Russia's missile and drone attacks on Kyiv have become larger and more frequent than at any point during the full-scale invasion. As air defenses come under increasing pressure, more residents are rushing to bomb shelters in search of safety. But after a direct strike killed civilians sheltering underground, many are asking whether Kyiv's shelter system provides the protection it promises.

⚡️Russia threatens 'serious damage' to relations with US, Turkey over weapons shipment to Ukraine. Sending arms to Ukraine undermines attempts by the U.S. and Turkey to act as peace brokers, Russia's Foreign Ministry said regarding an upcoming shipment of 70 ATACMS missiles and other weapons to Ukraine.

⚡️Zelensky orders government to prepare law protecting Ukraine's cultural monuments.

⚡️Poland will soon have Europe's largest army, Tusk pledges. "Our Polish-Ukrainian relations can be debated, but no one can doubt that supporting Ukraine in the war with Russia is for our security," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during the country's Army Day celebrations.

⚡️Ukraine begins using British drones to strike targets deep within Russia, Times reports. Ukraine has begun using British drones in deep strikes against Russia over the past six months, the Times reported Aug. 15, citing sources in Ukraine's Armed Forces.

⚡️Russian attack rocks Kyiv as numerous explosions heard within minutes.

I'm back. Thank you very much indeed for covering the roundup in the last three days. It was an amazing trip, my friend's special day was very special indeed, but it was a lot of travelling.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights from 16th Aug

⚡️ Update: Ukraine reportedly launches one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow Oblast.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed that 600 drones were headed toward the region.

⚡️Ukraine begins using British drones to strike targets deep within Russia, Times reports.
Ukraine has begun using British drones in deep strikes against Russia over the past six months, the Times reported Aug. 15, citing sources in Ukraine's Armed Forces.

⚡️ Ukraine claims strike on Onyx and Zircon missile launcher in occupied Crimea, shows footage.
The Bastion is a relatively rare and expensive coastal defense system that Russia uses to launch Onyx and Zircon cruise missiles across Ukraine.

⚡️ Update: Ukraine confirms strike against largest Wildberries warehouse.
With the latest attack, Ukraine has now taken out of operation seven out of the 10 largest Wildberries logistics centers, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said.

⚡️ Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 7, injure 51 as Kyiv hit in overnight barrage; drone downed over Romania.
Most of the overnight Russian attacks targeted Kyiv, Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast, and Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 16, 2026
■ Casualties and equipment losses well above the 7-day average despite fewer engagements
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: 16 locations hit or affected by debris; 3 missiles intercepted
■ 🇷🇺 drone launches, MLRS strikes and air strikes above average; 20 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 370 strike drones launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦
■ Highlighted 🇺🇦 strikes: the largest Wildberries logistics hug in Moscow oblast 🇷🇺, as well as a missile unit assembly area, railway bridge, and depots in occupied 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

⚡️ UNESCO Director-General arrives in Kyiv and meets with Sybiha
Sybiha welcomed Khaled El-Enany to Ukraine and thanked him for the important visit and for “UNESCO’s consistent support for Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister expressed his belief that the visit would provide additional impetus to the further development of cooperation between Ukraine and UNESCO.

Two people were injured in a Russian attack on Kyiv overnight.
On the night of August 16, Russia attacked the capital. The strikes caused fires and destruction in the Obolonskyi and Holosiivskyi districts.
▪️ Obolonskyi District: A large fire broke out at one of the markets. Two casualties are currently known.
At another location, a blast wave caused minor damage to a building without starting a fire. A non-residential building was also damaged at another address.
▪️ Holosiivskyi District: A fire broke out in a non-residential building. Rescuers have contained the blaze.
Information about the aftermath of the attack and the number of casualties is being clarified.

🇷🇴 During the night, an F-18 fighter jet of the Spanish Air and Space Force, patrolling the skies over Romania, shot down an unidentified drone that violated the country’s airspace.
Romania has informed its NATO allies about the drone incident.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said this was the third drone to illegally enter the country’s airspace and be shot down in the past three weeks.

🍒 Ukraine has disabled 7 of the 10 largest logistics centers of the Russian marketplace Wildberries, the Ministry of Defense reported.
The ministry noted that after a large-scale drone attack on the Moscow region overnight, the Wildberries logistics hub in the Koledino industrial park stopped operating.
According to the ministry, it was the company’s largest warehouse by area, covering about 250,000 square meters.
The warehouse in Domodedovo also stopped operating after the overnight attack.

🕯 Late in the evening, an enemy drone targeted a civilian car in Sumy. A 59-year-old man was killed — regional military administration.

❗️ Russia attacked a post office at an Epicenter hardware store in the Odesa suburbs with a drone.
A 42-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man were injured in the strike. Both were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds.

This is what Kupiansk looks like today from above through the eyes of pilots from the 41st Brigade.
Until recently, life was bustling here. Now, all that remains of the city are destroyed buildings and ruins.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Protests calling for defense reforms and the reinstatement of Mykhailo Fedorov continue in Kyiv, with demonstrators expanding demands.
The movement faces critical uncertainty as parliament prepares to vote on a new defense minister this week.

Persian Gulf allies are frustrated with Donald Trump’s handling of the war with Iran.
Officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain cited Washington's unpredictable policy shifts as a key source of instability.

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has called for the creation of a standing “European Legion” that could recruit battle-hardened Ukrainian veterans.
Sikorski said that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own defense.

Russian state media showcased a jet-powered upgrade of the BM-35 attack drone, claiming speeds over 217 mph and a 124-mile range.
Russian forces claim the speed increase is specifically designed to evade Ukrainian interceptor drones.

Ukrainian forces struck Russia's Kombinat Kamensky enterprise in the Rostov region on Sunday, Aug. 16.
The strategic plant produces solid rocket fuel for Russian MLRS systems, including Uragan, Smerch, and Tornado-S.

A Russian drone has reportedly struck an Epicentr hypermarket in Odesa in broad daylight.
Emergency services are responding to the scene as official confirmation and casualty reports are awaited.

Kyiv’s iconic Pochaina book market sustained severe damage overnight following a Russian missile attack.
Multiple retail rows and pavilion sections were completely burned down, emergency services and local reports confirm.

The World Archery Federation has lifted restrictions on Russian athletes, permitting them to compete under their national flag and anthem.
The decision follows a recent IOC policy review ending earlier participation restrictions introduced in 2022.

Russian forces launched over 1,550 drones, nearly 1,560 aerial bombs, and 62 missiles at Ukraine over the past week.
Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies to deliver more interceptors as ballistic strikes continue to devastate cities across 13 regions.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh won gold in the high jump at the European Championships in Birmingham, clearing 1.97 meters.
The victory marks her third consecutive European title, tying Spain's Ruth Beitia's historical record.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇮🇷Ukraine and eight other European countries have joined the EU Council's decision to extend sanctions against Iran.
The EU imposed these restrictions on Iran in 2023 due to Tehran's military assistance to Russia in the war against Ukraine. Iran is also accused of supporting armed groups in the Middle East and the Red Sea region, as well as undermining freedom of navigation.
In addition to Ukraine, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Norway joined the EU Council decision on August 14.

Meanwhile, 600 drones were heading toward Moscow overnight.
In the Moscow region, a Wildberries warehouse — the company's largest logistics facility, located in the village of Koledino — came under drone attack. Additionally, a logistics hub at Severnoye Domodedovo is believed to have been hit.

The Ukrainian Navy struck positions of the Bastion coastal missile system in occupied Crimea overnight.
The Russians use this system to launch Onyx and Tsirkon missiles at Ukraine. This is a scarce and high-value weapon system for Russia. The strike resulted in losses for the Russian army. The final consequences are being clarified.
Overnight, a railway bridge near Svitlodolynske in the Zaporizhzhia region — important for Russian military logistics — was also hit, as well as a logistics and ammunition depot in Karlivka, Donetsk region.

In Kryvyi Rih, the body of a second victim has been recovered from the rubble. Fourteen people were injured in the overnight Russian attack.
The deceased and 13 of the injured are employees of the ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih mining and metallurgical plant and its contractors. Some production processes at the plant have been suspended as a result of the strike. Rescue and search operations are ongoing.
The number of injured from the attack on Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in the Odesa region has also risen to two.

Overnight, the Russians launched 106 drones and various types of missiles at Ukraine — Onyx anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M / S-400 / KN-23 ballistic missiles, and Kh-59/69 guided air-to-surface missiles.
Air defense shot down three Kh-59/69 missiles and 85 enemy UAVs. There were impacts in 13 locations, with debris falling in three others. Here are the main consequences in the regions:
🔴Kyiv. Three people were injured in the attack. In the Obolonskyi district, a market caught fire; in the Holosiivskyi district, a non-residential building caught fire.
🔴Kryvyi Rih. The Russians struck industrial facilities. One person was killed and 13 injured.
🔴Odesa region. In Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, three five-story buildings were damaged in a Russian attack. One person was injured.
🔴Zaporizhzhia region. Russian guided bombs struck private houses in Viktorivka and Mykhailivske. Two people were killed and one other injured.

UNITED24Media,
Even the notebook decided Putin’s mumbling wasn’t worth taking down.

Close-up view of the FP-5 Flamingo rocket launch.

Minus 12 units of enemy equipment: PRIME border guards destroyed a cannon, eight vehicles, and three ATVs.

Ukrainian specialists are intensifying strikes on enemy infrastructure facilities in the temporarily occupied territories.

This is what Kupiansk looks like today from above through the eyes of pilots from the 41st Brigade.
Until recently, life was bustling here. Now, all that remains of the city are destroyed buildings and ruins.

Two people were injured in a Russian attack on Kyiv overnight.
On the night of August 16, Russia attacked the capital. The strikes caused fires and destruction in the Obolonskyi and Holosiivskyi districts.
▪️ Obolonskyi District: A large fire broke out at one of the markets. Two casualties are currently known.
At another location, a blast wave caused minor damage to a building without starting a fire. A non-residential building was also damaged at another address.
▪️ Holosiivskyi District: A fire broke out in a non-residential building. Rescuers have contained the blaze.
Information about the aftermath of the attack and the number of casualties is being clarified.

The enemy on an ATV was hit, and a large amount of logistics equipment was destroyed in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas.
SIGNUM Battalion, 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Volodymyr Monomakh.

⚡️ UNESCO Director-General arrives in Kyiv and meets with Sybiha
Sybiha welcomed Khaled El-Enany to Ukraine and thanked him for the important visit and for “UNESCO’s consistent support for Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister expressed his belief that the visit would provide additional impetus to the further development of cooperation between Ukraine and UNESCO.

In Kyiv, rescuers have extinguished all fires caused by the Russian attack.
As a result of the enemy shelling, fires and destruction occurred at four locations in the Obolonskyi and Holosiivskyi districts of the city. Dismantling and pouring of structures are currently underway.

🕯 Late in the evening, an enemy drone targeted a civilian car in Sumy. A 59-year-old man was killed — regional military administration.
The car caught fire as a result of the strike. The deceased man’s wife was hospitalized with injuries. Doctors are providing her with the necessary medical care.

Ukrainian drone strikes sparked massive fires at two major logistics hubs in the Moscow region. Attacks targeted Russia’s largest Wildberries warehouse as well as a key logistics complex in Domodedovo, damaging supply chain infrastructure and causing widespread blazes.

🇷🇴 During the night, an F-18 fighter jet of the Spanish Air and Space Force, patrolling the skies over Romania, shot down an unidentified drone that violated the country’s airspace.
Romania has informed its NATO allies about the drone incident.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said this was the third drone to illegally enter the country’s airspace and be shot down in the past three weeks.

💥 Navy strikes Russian Bastion complex in Crimea
The strike caused significant losses in weapons and personnel. Final losses are currently being determined.
The Bastion is a carrier of Onyx missiles, which Russia uses to strike ground targets in Ukraine, particularly in the southern regions. The complex can also use Zircon hypersonic missiles.

🍒 Ukraine has disabled 7 of the 10 largest logistics centers of the Russian marketplace Wildberries, the Ministry of Defense reported.
The ministry noted that after a large-scale drone attack on the Moscow region overnight, the Wildberries logistics hub in the Koledino industrial park stopped operating.
According to the ministry, it was the company’s largest warehouse by area, covering about 250,000 square meters.
The warehouse in Domodedovo also stopped operating after the overnight attack.

❗️ Russia attacked a post office at an Epicenter hardware store in the Odesa suburbs with a drone.
A 42-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man were injured in the strike. Both were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds.

🇨🇭🙏 Switzerland will allocate $730,000 for the preservation of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked Switzerland for its support and solidarity in preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage.

🇺🇦🥇 Ukrainian gymnast Taisiia Onofriichuk won her first “gold” at the World Championships.
In Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the leader of the Ukrainian national team won the highest award in the hoop exercise.
Her hoop routine to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” has long been the gymnast’s “calling card,” allowing her to best showcase her skills.
For Ukraine, Onofriichuk’s “gold” is the country’s first top-tier medal at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships since 2013.

I thought you were away until tomorrow.

I am glad you had a good trip.

Thank you very much @Llttledrummergirl :) and for picking up the slack

Welcome back @ReleaseTheDucksOfWar . Glad the trip was a success for you and your friend.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-16-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Ukrainian forces have struck seven of Wildberries’ 10 largest logistics centers since July 2026 as part of the ongoing Ukrainian strike campaign aimed at degrading the Russian defense industrial base (DIB) and dual-use logistics network.
2. Ukrainian forces struck a Russian defense industrial facility in Rostov Oblast on the night of August 15 to 16.
3. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces made confirmed advances on August 16.
4. Russia launched an unspecified number of Onyx anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M/S-400/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and Kh-59/69 cruise missiles, and 106 drones against Ukraine overnight.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Chief economist at key Russian state development bank reportedly fired after warning of economic defeat to West.
"I believe Russia will not fall apart, but I am almost certain that we will arrive at a social crisis," Andrei Klepach, the chief economist of VEB.RF, was quoted as saying.

Is Ukraine deliberately targeting civilians inside Russia? In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines what we actually know about civilian deaths linked to Ukrainian strikes, how international humanitarian law distinguishes military targets from civilian targets, and why many of the most high-profile incidents remain difficult to verify.

⚡️Switzerland providing over $700,000 to restore Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra after Russian attack.
Switzerland will provide 600,000 Swiss francs ($730,000) through UNESCO to help preserve and restore the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine's most important historic and religious symbols, damaged in a Russian attack in June, Swiss Federal Council Delegate Jacques Gerber announced on Aug. 16.

⚡️Russian attack sets iconic Kyiv book market on fire, injures 3.
Three people were injured after a Russian attack rocked Kyiv overnight on Aug. 16, sparking fires across Ukraine's capital, authorities reported.

⚡️ Russian attacks kill 9, injure 43 across Ukraine over past day, as jet-powered drone hits shopping center in Odesa Oblast.
Alongside the attacks on Odesa Oblast, Russian forces launched 128 drones across Ukraine overnight on Aug. 17, the Air Force said.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social

⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 17, 2026

■ Engagements and casualties above the 7-day average; 3rd-highest losses of unarmored vehicles and highest drone losses in over a month
■ 🇷🇺 overnight attacks: 83% interception rate; 16 locations hit or affected by debris
■ Visually confirmed equipment batch: 22 🇷🇺 : 54 🇺🇦 (0.4x)
■ Record 🇷🇺 drone launches and above-average shelling; 12 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 420 strike drones launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦

rats

Here's an interesting profile from the WSJ of the 34 year old CEO of Fire Point, the Ukrainian missile and drone manufacturer.

A Millennial Furniture Designer Is Behind the Drones Battering Russia - Iryna Terekh, 34, used to design benches. She is now CEO of Ukraine’s largest private defense company, Fire Point.

One interesting factoid is that they paint the FP-5 cruise missile pink to make it easier to spot the debris after impact. I had assumed it was a bit of psyops. Perhaps it's both. 😁