Ukraine Invasion - Part 62

[MagicFox]

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

**
Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events

B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content

C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

D. Please keep on topic

Oh rotten eggs - I mixed them up again. What's marked as UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights is actually Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights. Sorry.

Now for the real UNITED24 highlights:

The Kremlin has revealed the purpose of CIA Director Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow
CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow was aimed at facilitating contacts between the Russian and US intelligence services, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov added that no meeting between Ratcliffe and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had been planned.

The era of tanks in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is over: Tank crews are being retrained en masse as drone operators, The New York Times reports.
The widespread use of drones has made tanks too risky to operate on Ukraine’s front lines. About half of the soldiers in the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade have already been retrained as drone operators, while some new recruits have never operated a tank, the newspaper reports.
Western tanks, which can cost up to $10 million, are now used primarily for training, repairs and evacuating damaged vehicles. They are deployed on combat missions mainly in poor weather, when drones are less effective.
Military personnel believe tanks will return to the battlefield only after significant technological upgrades, including anti-drone systems and artificial intelligence. One commander said tanks could even become unmanned in the future.

NATO’s highest military authority, the Military Committee, will meet at the level of Chiefs of Defence on September 18-19 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to discuss the implementation of decisions made at the NATO summit in Ankara, including military support for Ukraine.
The meeting will also be attended by Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) Adm. Pierre Vandier.

European Council President António Costa pledged to speed up funding for Ukraine after taking shelter in a bunker during an air raid in Kyiv.
During his visit to Kyiv for Ukraine’s Independence Day, Costa was forced to take shelter from an air raid along with other senior EU officials, Euractiv reports.

Drones at Leipzig Airport: German investigators discover drone assembly site, government gets information on possible organizers, Bild reports.
According to investigators, the drones later found near Antonov aircraft were assembled in a field near the airport. Journalistic sources said investigators found about 50 grams of hexogen at the site, cut into several pieces.
Investigators believe the remaining explosives may have been intended for the first drone, which was discovered on August 4 carrying 600 grams of explosives. It was reportedly intended to attack a Ukrainian military transport plane, but its detonator failed.
That same night, a second drone collided with a DHL Boeing 757 cargo plane as it was landing at Leipzig Airport.
A third drone was found 10 days later in a field near the airport. It was found to be faulty.
Investigators believe the operation was called off after the second drone collided with the DHL plane, potentially cutting off contact with the other drones.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told a closed-door meeting of the CDU presidium that the investigation was close to identifying those responsible for the attacks, according to sources.
Meeting participants said Merz told them that if the perpetrators are identified and their involvement confirmed, they should be publicly named and that what happened “cannot remain without consequences.”
The chancellor did not specify what measures Germany might take.
Russia was suspected of involvement immediately after the incidents. However, German authorities have so far avoided directly accusing Moscow and have instead referred to possible involvement by foreign actors.

🔥 Following Wildberries, Ukrainian strikes send Ozon shares down nearly 30% on the Moscow Exchange
Ozon shares fell as much as 27% to 2,112.5 rubles, wiping 185 billion rubles off the company’s market capitalization. The stock has lost 47% of its value since the start of the year.
Over the past three days, six Ozon warehouses and logistics facilities have been affected by strikes in Samara, Orenburg, Makhachkala and the Krasnodar area. Two other facilities were evacuated because of the threat of further attacks.
Shares of AFK Sistema, which owns a significant stake in Ozon, fell 12.4% following the drop. The Moscow Exchange index declined 2.5%.
Analysts expect further pressure on Russian stocks. Losses to Russia’s major online marketplaces, including Ozon and Wildberries, could reach about 1 trillion rubles.

Sweden unveiled a concept for a revolutionary supersonic combat drone.
Saab unveiled a full-scale mockup of its advanced A3 uncrewed aircraft, The War Zone reports.
The aircraft is designed to feature stealth technology, reach supersonic speeds, suppress enemy air defenses and conduct ground strikes.
In the future, the drones could operate alongside manned fighter jets, carrying out the most dangerous missions without putting pilots at risk.
The first A1 demonstrator is expected to fly within about 15 months. A production version could enter service in the 2030s if the project receives further funding.

[more info]
Moscow has reached an agreement with Astana to process Russian oil at Kazakhstan’s Condensat refinery, The Bell reports.
Under the agreement, up to 70% of the gasoline and diesel fuel produced will be supplied to Russia, while the remaining 30% will stay in Kazakhstan, Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said a day earlier.
The refinery is not connected to either country’s oil pipeline network, so the crude will have to be transported by rail. The volume of processing and supplies will depend in part on the capacity of the railway infrastructure.
Condensat is a small refinery in Kazakhstan’s West Kazakhstan region. It can process up to 850,000 tons of oil annually, producing up to 200,000 tons of gasoline and 200,000 tons of diesel fuel.
For comparison, Lukoil’s Perm refinery, which Reuters reported stopped operating after a drone attack on August 21, processed about 12.6 million tons of oil in 2024 and produced about 2 million tons of gasoline and 5.3 million tons of diesel fuel.
The Bell notes that Kazakhstan has already begun supplying small batches of AI-92 gasoline to Russia, which is facing a second wave of fuel shortages amid Ukrainian drone attacks.

Ukraine has disabled eight of Wildberries’ 10 largest warehouses in Russia.

🤦‍♂️ The Kremlin claimed that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 because Kyiv was allegedly planning to attack Russia first.
Anton Kobyakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin and executive secretary of the Eastern Economic Forum organizing committee, claimed in an interview with Russian state media that, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces allegedly found documents at an abandoned headquarters of a Ukrainian Armed Forces territorial defense brigade indicating that Ukraine was preparing to invade Russia on March 8, 2022.
“We beat them to it by two weeks,” Kobyakov said.
According to Kobyakov, Ukraine allegedly planned to “present the war as a gift” for International Women’s Day. He claimed that “thanks to the foresight of the Russian leadership,” Kyiv instead received a “black mark.”
Kobyakov also accused the West of pretending to support the Minsk agreements while allegedly preparing Ukraine for war. According to Putin’s aide, this “mimicry” was intended to arm Kyiv and push it toward a military solution to the “conflict” in Donbas.

"American boxer Terence Crawford has arrived in Ukraine and presented Volodymyr Zelensky with a puppy.
The dog is named Freya — after Ukraine's future air defense system. Her grandfather, Atos, survived the Russian occupation of Bucha."

I hope the two dogs Zelenskyy already has will be welcoming to a puppy. Actually, I hope Crawford asked if the puppy would be a welcome addition to the household before he turned up with her.

Correct. The actual number is classified, but I've read credible reports that our stocks of the PAC-3 variant, which is what Ukraine wants, are less than a thousand missiles worldwide.

The situation is dire enough that we're restarting production of the older, less capable PAC-2 variant just to get some parallel production going.

U.S. Army Is Buying Older PAC-2 Patriot Missiles For The First Time In Decades - PAC-2 GEM-T missiles are not generally as capable as their PAC-3 counterparts, but the Army needs all the Patriots it can get.

Raytheon makes the PAC-2 and Lockheed makes the PAC-3, so separate production facilities and supply chains are available.

Medvedev spends his entire existence being furious.

https://x.com/RhiannonSionne/status/2092351967813050444 President Zelensky being given the puppy

Clearly both are happy about it. Good!

Not sure what message giving him a pit bull sends, mind.

The new Swedish supersonic combat drone looks big and fast.

I wonder how it will compare with a cruise missile and a ballistic missile.

@notimagain @MissConductUS

I wonder if there will be any consequences for the deaths of the Chinese workers, since this is a big project between Russia and China.

I've not read into this much - I'll catch up later, but I think the idea is the drone is more of an uncrewed fighter/ bomber -designed maybe to work alongside or with crewed assets such as upgraded Gripen.

It's a concept sometimes referred to these days as a "loyal wingman", and I think the intentio is most times it hopefully comes home with the fighter, rather than a system that goes on a one way mission.

Probably got that wrong so open to correction.

Agreed. There are a few loyal wingmen drones under development in the US. The idea is that a crewed fighter would launch with two or three wingman, which would fly out ahead of the fighter and on its flanks. They would relay sensor data, trigger local radars, and fire air to air or air to ground missiles at targets, as directed, while allowing the crewed aircraft to stay back where it’s a bit safer.

They are intended to RTB (return to base), not act as loitering munitions.

Thanks @notimagain @MissConductUS the loyal wingman concept for the Swedish drone makes sense. There is a gap in the market there. The interaction between the drone and the fighter would be interesting. The drone must give a lot of info to the fighter to process. Or maybe the drone will also interact with ground control.

I am of course talking out of my proverbial.

I looked this up. The Amur Chemical Gas Project is a brand new massive plastics factory in Russia's Far East near the Russian-Chinese border. It looks like an industrial accident. So far, no indication it was caused by a Ukrainian drone attack but I guess it won't stop Russia from finding a convenient scapegoat if needed.

Yeah, China won't be pleased.

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=28494414526830655

Ratcliffe went to Moscow to warn the Russians not to provoke NATO.

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/cia-chiefs-surprise-moscow-trip-was-to-warn-russia-not-to-attack-nato-c2d997f3?st=TYQhqJ

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-26-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi proposed a headquarters restructuring to support the Ukrainian defense in Donetsk Oblast during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 26.
2. Russian forces are conducting two main efforts, attacking the northern and southern tips of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt in Donetsk Oblast — Russia’s primary objective in its Spring-Summer 2026 offensive.
3. Russian forces continue to infiltrate into and around Kostyantynivka as part of the broader campaign to seize Ukraine’s Fortress Belt and all of Donetsk Oblast, while Ukrainian forces continue holding positions in northern and northwestern parts of the city.
4. Russian forces are meanwhile intensifying their battlefield air interdiction (BAI) campaign against Slovyansk that aims to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and set conditions for Russian ground offensive operations against Slovyansk.
5. The United Russia Party is reportedly planning to increase its control over State Duma committees to establish United Russia as the dominant force in Russian domestic politics.
6. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Dobropillya and Kupyansk directions.
7. Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian oil and dual-use logistics infrastructure and Russian military assets. Russia launched 162 drones against Ukraine overnight.

You've got it.

The whole concept has become fashionable in the last couple of years or so (AI etc) and every next gen fighter project announced recently seems to come with "loyal wingmen" as part of the deal...

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Top commanders to lead reinforcement of Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast, Zelensky says.
Andrii Biletskii, commander of the Third Army Corps, and Denys Prokopenko, commander of the National Guard's 1st Corps, will lead reorganized units tasked with reinforcing Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Aug. 26 on X.

⚡️US chips outnumber China's in Russian missiles, Ukraine says.
According to the latest investigations by the Ukrainian government, the distribution of microelectronic chips from China lags behind that of their American counterparts.

⚡️ Trump says CIA chief's Russia trip was 'semi-routine' as Ukraine still awaits briefing.
Ukraine has yet to receive information about the contents or outcome of CIA Director John Ratcliffe's meetings in Moscow, according to a source familiar with the matter.

⚡️CIA chief warned Moscow against escalation toward Baltic NATO states, Politico reports.
John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow comes amid growing concerns over possible Russian actions against NATO countries supporting Ukraine.

⚡️ Ex-foreign minister Kuleba may become Ukraine's ambassador to US, sources say.
Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba may become Ukraine's next ambassador to Washington, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The post has been vacant since Olha Stefanishyna's dismissal.

'The city is dying' — Ukrainians in Kramatorsk brace for worst as Russian forces inch closer.
Just over 10 kilometers (six miles) from Russian troops, Kramatorsk now faces a heavy barrage of FPV drones, particularly in the morning and at night.
Local residents told the Kyiv Independent they are trying to limit movement around the city, leaving home only for work or necessary errands.
But glide bombs are becoming increasingly frequent during the daytime, too.
White and green anti-FPV nets now cover most of the city's roads — offering some protection from drones, but not from glide bombs.

⚡️Italy to supply next-generation SAMP/T air defense systems, Aster 30 missiles to Ukraine in [not quite so] secret aid package, media reports.
The package will include four SAMP/T NG air defense batteries — capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles — along with Aster 30 interceptor missiles and seven long-range radars, the Italian outlet La Repubblica reported on Aug. 26.

⚡️US intel links explosive drone found at German airport to Russia's military intelligence.
The drone's structure and explosives were "typical" of those used by Russia's GRU, U.S. intelligence officials told ABC News.

⚡️Ukraine thwarts FSB assassination plot against defense company head.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it foiled an FSB plot to assassinate the head of a Kyiv defense company after a 63-year-old suspect allegedly planted a car bomb and planned to flee to Russia via Poland. Polish police arrested him, and Ukraine is seeking his extradition.

⚡️Netherlands to stay 'strict' with Ukraine on rule of law reforms, foreign minister says.
"An intensive accession process still lies ahead in which Ukraine will have to implement an extensive reform agenda, not least when it comes to the rule of law and the fight against corruption," said Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen.

⚡️Exclusive: Swedish EU letter reopens debate over frozen Russian assets
Sweden is urging the EU to revive discussions on using Russian financial assets frozen within the bloc to directly support Ukraine, according to an open letter to several EU officials.
A draft of the letter was seen by the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 26. In addition to Sweden, the letter lists the foreign ministers of the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain as co-signatories.
It is dated Aug. 27, and three EU diplomats separately told the Kyiv Independent they expect the letter to be sent on that day.
The letter requests foreign ministers have a first discussion of the topic at an informal meeting due to take place in Ireland on Sept. 1-2.

⚡️Russia's 2nd-largest gasoline producer suspends oil processing yet again after Ukrainian strike.
All major Lukoil refineries in Russia are now offline, Reuters reported on Aug. 26, following Ukraine's latest overnight attack on the NORSI plant in Nizhny Novgorod.

⚡️World’s largest container shipping company suspends Novorossiysk bookings after drone attack, Bloomberg reports.
MSC is still operating through other Russian ports, including St. Petersburg.

⚡️Danish shipyard to receive another Russia-linked LNG tanker — before representing Denmark at state-backed trade fair pavilion.

⚡️Slovak police thwart arson plot targeting Ukrainian drone maker Skyeton, company confirms.

⚡️53 Ukrainians missing as death toll rises in Nepal floods.
The number includes a group of 46 Ukrainian tourists traveling in the area of the floods, who have been out of contact for hours since disaster struck the Nepal-China border, the Foreign Ministry said.

⚡️Zelensky's Chief of Staff Budanov features in tapes linked to latest corruption case, media say.
Transcripts included in the prosecutors' motions in the case explicitly state that Zelensky's Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov took part in the conversations, Hromadske reported.

⚡️Update: Zelensky's chief of staff comments on references to him in corruption case tapes.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the President’s Office, on Aug. 27 commented on alleged references to him in audio tapes recorded by investigators as part of the latest large-scale corruption case.
“Let the court sort it out," he said. "You know, it (his name) comes up in a lot of places,” Budanov said.

Why a U.S. Marine fought — and died — for Ukraine
On Thanksgiving morning 2025, Shane Tackett texted his wife to say he was heading out on a mission and would be gone for a couple of days. He was killed three days later, on Nov. 30, in the basement of a house his unit was clearing in a contested town in Ukraine.

Inside the 'Pavilion of (Dis)sence,' a fight against Russia's weaponization of culture
Ahead of the Venice Art Biennale, posters advertising imagined cultural events appeared across the city with the message: “Canceled because the artist was killed by Russia.”
Created by exiled Russian artist Katia Margolis, the “Invisible Pavilion” protested Russia’s return to the Biennale. The posters are now featured in the “Pavilion of (Dis)sence,” part of a broader artistic response to Russia’s weaponization of culture in its war against Ukraine.

How a Ukrainian Russian occupation – twice

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — AUG 27, 2026
■ Increased engagements; casualties remain above the 7-day average
■ Equipment losses close to average; highest 7-day losses of special equipment and APVs so far this year
■ Overnight attacks: 9 missiles intercepted; improved drone interception rate, but 26 locations hit or affected by debris
■ 5th highest 🇷🇺 drone launches; shelling above average; 32 (!) 🇺🇦 strikes reported, and 330 strike drones — including jet-powered drones — launched into 🇷🇺 and occupied 🇺🇦

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Putin is considering more powerful ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, believing negotiations are futile, Bloomberg reports.
Russia is considering intensifying its strikes, including attacks on central Kyiv and infrastructure in other Ukrainian cities.
The negotiations have reportedly reached a virtual impasse.

[Zelensky]
Together with Mykhailo Drapatyi, the General Staff, and Defense Minister Khmara, we determined the sequence of our next steps.
First, our positions in the Donetsk region will be reinforced by two restructured force groupings, to be commanded by Hero of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko and Hero of Ukraine Andrii Biletskyi. Today, I awarded Andrii the Golden Star of the Hero of Ukraine.
There was a report from the Commander of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Apostol. [...]
The second important matter today was our discussion with commanders here in the Zaporizhzhia sector. There will be more of the necessary equipment. This concerns UGVs – decisions are needed to increase both production and procurement. There will also be decisions on a more systematic approach to mid-range strikes. The Minister, the Commander-in-Chief, and I agreed on the necessary personnel decisions. This is important.

The pro-Russian hacker group Server Killers has claimed responsibility for recent cyberattacks against Norway.
The hackers said they launched the attacks in response to Norway’s strategic partnership agreement with Ukraine and its decision to extend financial support to Kyiv through 2027.
The attacks may be linked to a budget leak reported on Sunday. Meanwhile, Norway’s Digitalisation Agency has been under a large-scale cyberattack for the third consecutive day, disrupting around 10 government services.
However, there is currently no independent confirmation that Server Killers was responsible for all of the incidents.

Russia launches airstrike on Sloviansk city center, damaging 100-year-old printing house and 12 high-rise buildings
Sloviansk Mayor Vadym Liakh said two people were injured. The State Emergency Service later reported that one person was killed.

Berlin may help finance Britain’s nuclear deterrent as part of efforts to reduce Europe’s dependence on the US for defense, The Telegraph reports.
Germany is already holding talks on the issue, according to the newspaper. The German government is considering providing financial support for the UK’s Trident program while also pushing to strengthen Europe’s “nuclear umbrella.”
According to one source familiar with the talks, Germany wants to become more deeply integrated into the existing British and French nuclear deterrent systems rather than develop its own nuclear weapons. One factor is Germany’s historical responsibility for World War II.
"We are extremely interested in the existing nuclear powers in Europe expanding their capabilities,” the source said.
Talks between Paris, Berlin and London have intensified in recent months amid concerns that the Donald Trump administration could reduce or withdraw US forces from Europe.
“Politicians wake up every morning and ask themselves: What the hell are the Americans going to do tomorrow?” a German diplomat said.

⛽️ India, the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, has begun seeking alternative sources.
Indian refiners are cutting purchases of Russian crude amid supply disruptions caused by Ukrainian strikes, Bloomberg reports. Imports could fall to about 2 million barrels per day by the end of August, down from 2.8 million barrels per day in July.
Over the past four weeks, Russia’s seaborne oil exports have also fallen to about 3.5 million barrels per day, from more than 4 million barrels per day in July.

A high-ranking Russian military officer was killed in a car explosion in St. Petersburg, while his wife was injured, according to Russian media.
The incident occurred on Kolpinskoye Highway in the Pushkinsky District, according to preliminary reports.
An improvised explosive device reportedly detonated inside the officer’s vehicle. Russian media reported that both victims suffered severe leg injuries.
The identity of the deceased officer has not yet been released.

Latvia to ban imports of books and other goods from Russia and Belarus starting September 1
The Latvian Foreign Ministry said the ban is aimed at preventing the spread of Russian propaganda, protecting the country’s security interests and reducing revenue from exports to the two countries.
The restrictions will also apply to Russian- and Belarusian-origin goods imported into Latvia through third countries.
In addition to printed materials, the ban will cover clothing, finished textile products, footwear, headwear, toys and sports equipment.
The Latvian Foreign Ministry said the country has enough alternative suppliers in other markets. Riga has continued to cut economic ties with Moscow and Minsk, reducing imports from Russia and Belarus by 91% between 2022 and 2025.
The government will review the effectiveness of the new restrictions annually.

🇪🇪⚖️ Russian spy Nikita Kuzmin sentenced to four years in prison in Estonia
Nikita Kuzmin, who holds Estonian and Russian citizenship, has been sentenced to four years in prison in Estonia.
The investigation found that in 2024, Kuzmin was recruited by a Russian military intelligence (GRU) officer while studying at a Russian university. He then collected information on military and civilian facilities in Narva and the surrounding area.
Estonian law enforcement agencies have previously warned about the risks associated with such trips. The Security Police Board said Russian universities are often used as a cover for recruiting foreign students.

The Ukrainian national para-hockey team won all four friendly matches against Great Britain in London. Azov veteran Oleksandr Zhavnenko was the series’ top scorer and danced on his prosthetics before one of the games.

🇰🇷🇺🇦 South Korean volunteer who lost an arm fighting for Ukraine climbs Hoverla

Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight with ballistic and cruise missiles, guided aerial bombs and strike UAVs.
▪️ In Kyiv, debris fell in the courtyard of a residential building in the Podilskyi district and on the grounds of an educational institution in the Shevchenkivskyi district. There were also reports of a strike on a warehouse in Boryspil.
▪️ In Kryvyi Rih, Russian forces struck an industrial enterprise with two ballistic missiles, injuring two people.
▪️ Odesa came under repeated attacks overnight. Infrastructure, an educational institution and a high-rise residential building were damaged.
▪️ Zaporizhzhia was also hit by missiles. Three people were injured, while cars and several buildings were damaged.
▪️ The Romenske community in the Sumy region came under a massive UAV attack. A woman was killed when a residential building was struck, and four other people were injured.
▪️ Kherson also came under Russian attack overnight. The strikes sparked several fires, including at a two-story store building.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov said a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian delegations could take place in September.
According to Budanov, the negotiating track is currently paused but is expected to be “revived,” with further developments possible as early as next month.
Asked whether this meant direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators, Budanov said: “I hope so, yes. And with the Americans already. We can’t do without them.”

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced the procurement of “Alexa Spatium,” its first domestically produced jet-powered drone interceptor.
Designed to hunt Russian drones and surface targets, it can be deployed via catapult in minutes.

China has supplied critical components, including turbojet engines and gyroscopes, enabling Russia to upgrade its Shahed drones to speeds near 500 km/h.
The faster variants pose a serious interception challenge for Ukraine’s air defense.

EU countries are pushing Brussels to revive a stalled plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, as Kyiv faces a €23.1 billion defense funding gap.
Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Poland are urging the European Commission to find ways around Belgium’s opposition to the proposed “reparations loan.”

Russia launched a coordinated overnight attack on Kyiv using ballistic missiles and drones, triggering explosions across the capital.
Debris fell in two districts, while the broader barrage also struck Odesa, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia, injuring civilians.

Ukrainian drones struck Ozon logistics hubs in Ufa and Orenburg overnight, disrupting operations at Russia’s second-largest online marketplace.
The attacks are part of a growing campaign against major e-commerce warehouses, with potential losses reportedly running into billions of rubles.

[yesterday's report]
Ukraine struck a network of Russian military targets, hitting a radar station, drone training center, repair base and multiple fuel, ammunition and equipment depots.
Ukrainian forces also targeted a ground relay used to control Geran and Gerbera drones in occupied Crimea.

Russia is at risk of losing two more “Rassvet” satellites, its domestic answer to SpaceX’s Starlink, after they failed to maintain orbit.
The spacecraft have descended below 300 km and face atmospheric reentry.

Belarus launched a surprise combat-readiness inspection of its armed forces as CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Moscow.
Minsk said the drills incorporate battlefield lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

A drone measuring two meters long washed ashore at Kabakum beach near Varna, Bulgaria, on Wednesday morning.
Navy sappers cordoned off the area and confirmed the device contained no explosives, marking the latest in a series of drone wash-ups.

Russia struck a business center in Lozova, injuring at least 10 civilians, with some in serious condition.
The blast sparked a fire and damaged nearby apartment blocks.
After a pause, Russian forces hit the area again, local officials said, accusing Moscow of deliberately timing the second strike to cause maximum casualties near shops, clinics and social facilities.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

🇮🇹🇫🇷Italy and France will grant Ukraine a license to produce Aster 30 interceptor missiles for SAMP/T air defense systems, La Repubblica reports.
In addition, Italy is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine, which will include four SAMP/T NG systems, Aster 30 missiles, and seven long-range radars. Separately, a portion of Aster 30 missiles from Italian stockpiles will be delivered to Kyiv in October.
Meanwhile, France plans to transfer one SAMP/T system to Ukraine along with new radars. The package is valued at approximately €3 billion, with costs covered through the €90 billion loan for Ukraine.
▪️SAMP/T NG (New Generation) is a cutting-edge Franco-Italian air and missile defense system, developed as a deep modernization of the SAMP/T system.

⚡️CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly flew to Moscow to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries and to urge it to reduce aid to Iran, Politico reports, citing sources. [...]
Ratcliffe also called on the Kremlin to stop supplying arms and defense technologies to Iran. He also asked Moscow not to "overreact" if US sanctions against Iran affect Russia.
However, Donald Trump denied in a radio interview that he had sent Ratcliffe to persuade Putin not to attack Britain or test NATO's resolve, calling the trip "semi-routine" but acknowledging that the goal was to end the war.
Politico notes that Ratcliffe is generally considered a "hawk" on Russia. This is not the first time Trump has used the CIA director to engage with US adversaries — in May, Ratcliffe also made a secret trip to Cuba.

According to a survey by the Rating sociological group, Ukrainians have the most positive attitudes toward French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz among world leaders. Third on the list is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
45% of Ukrainian respondents also view Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk positively. Newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was viewed positively by 45% of Ukrainians, though 35% were unaware of his appointment.
Also included in the ranking were Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar — 33% viewed him positively — and Polish President Karol Nawrocki, with 20% approval.
According to the survey, the most friendly countries to Ukraine are the United Kingdom, Lithuania, France, Germany, and Moldova. Additionally, 50% of respondents consider Romania, the US, Poland, and Turkey friendly to Ukraine.

Overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine with two Onyx missiles, Iskander-M / KN-23 ballistic missiles, 258 strike drones, and Banderol munitions.
Air defense neutralized 8 missiles, 3 Banderol munitions, and 222 drones. Part of the enemy's means failed to reach their targets. However, enemy strikes hit 15 locations, with debris falling in 11 others.
The main directions of the attack were Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava regions, and Zaporizhzhia.
🔴Odesa region. Fires broke out after the attack; a 16-story building, an educational facility, a private house, and a vehicle were damaged. Three people were injured.
🔴Kyiv region. Russia attacked the region with drones and ballistic missiles all night. Warehouses are burning in the Boryspil and Fastiv districts. In two other districts, two private houses were damaged. Two people were injured.
🔴Dnipropetrovsk region. The number of injured from the overnight Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih has risen to three. Two men are hospitalized.
🔴Poltava region. Strikes hit industrial enterprises in the Kremenchuk district and an energy facility in the Myrhorod area; seven settlements were left without power.

It looks like the venerable Bradley IFV that I am so fond of is getting its own loyal wingmen.

https://www.twz.com/land/bradley-fighting-vehicle-lugging-load-of-swarming-ground-drones-is-a-sign-of-whats-to-come

It’s good to see that the Air Force doesn’t have a monopoly on these technologies.

Wow.

Something old, something new...

I've heard Ukraine described as "a laboratory of war".

Of course Russia is one of the combatants so is learning all the new tricks as it goes.

The decision to add drones to Bradleys seems an illustration of just how important it is for other countries which could be attacked by Russia to keep up with that learning – assisted by the Ukrainians no doubt.