Today in Ukraine

September 16, 2026

While the world, spurred on by Trump, argues over who is to blame for oil prices, Russia sent a drone this morning to strike another public minibus, this time in the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk. Five people died at the scene, and at least seven were hospitalized. Over the past day, Russian attacks in Ukraine have killed at least nine people and wounded 36, which has been a relatively standard daily toll for several months now. Overnight, Russia launched another 80 drones—including Shaheds, their jet-powered variants, Gerbers, and decoys—and air defenses shot down 63 of them, with strikes reported from ten locations. In the Zaporizhzhia region, one person was killed and seven were injured; Russian forces carried out 746 strikes against 52 locations there over the course of the day. In the Kherson region, one person was killed and seven were injured; two people were killed in Sloviansk; and in the Kharkiv region, twelve people were injured. In response to the attack, Poland scrambled its fighter jets shortly after 7:00 a.m., put its ground-based air defense on alert, and suspended operations at the airports in Lublin and Rzeszów for forty minutes. And this also happened:

September 15, 2026

Even the sycophancy toward Russia that Trump’s inner circle consistently displays is apparently not enough for the Russians. Sergey Lavrov has recently declared that the United States is to blame for prolonging the war. He claimed that if the Americans had not backed out of the agreements Putin negotiated with Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, there would have been no war for a year now. And that’s how it always is with the Russians: give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile—they’ll cut off both your legs, half your back, and finally accuse you of being fascists and of bringing it on yourself anyway, because you suffer from Russophobia. And this also happened:

September 14, 2026

Last night on his Truth Social account, Trump announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to attack each other’s energy infrastructure, and immediately added that Russia’s war with Ukraine—not Iran—is to blame for the global rise in oil prices. Neither of the parties mentioned has confirmed the agreement yet, though Moscow welcomed Trump’s statement. When asked by a reporter whether Russia truly intends to halt such strikes, Peskov replied… that he would not answer. Zelenskyy, on the other hand, had said a few hours earlier that Ukraine had proposed to its partners that they negotiate with Russia to halt strikes on critical infrastructure—namely, the energy sector, food supply chains, logistics, and other facilities necessary for meeting the basic needs of the population. “If our partners can ensure that Russia truly has no intention of attacking our power grid, other energy facilities, critical infrastructure, or food supply chains, then we are, of course, prepared to refrain from carrying out such strikes. It must be reliable, long-term, and have a real impact on people’s lives—not something that will fall apart as soon as the Russians hold their ‘elections’ and get temporary relief on gasoline and diesel prices,” he said. In other words: Kyiv is offering a clearly conditional ceasefire and is waiting for concrete guarantees, while that idiot Trump has, in the meantime, unilaterally declared a done deal online. The U.S. war with Iran—which took part of the Middle East’s refining capacity offline and effectively choked off the Strait of Hormuz—naturally doesn’t feature in his explanation of oil prices. And this also happened:

September 13, 2026

Overnight, Russia launched 453 drones toward Ukraine—Shaheds, Gerbers (including jet-powered versions), decoy Parodias, and S8000 Banderol missile drones. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 405 of them, plus six Banderols; hits were reported from thirteen locations, and falling debris from seven others. This time, the attack mainly targeted the western part of the country. Near the Yahodyn–Dorohusk border crossing—the largest crossing on the Polish border in terms of capacity—a gas station burned down, and parked trucks also caught fire from the debris. Another drone struck the locomotive of a passenger train traveling from Kyiv to Warsaw, two kilometers from the Polish border. According to Polish Railways, there were 208 people on the train, but fortunately no one was injured because a monitoring team had warned the crew of the threat in advance. Just shortly before that, a diplomatic train carrying Boris Johnson, Carl Bildt, and national security advisors from several EU countries—who were returning from a security conference in Kyiv—had departed from the station. At that moment, a train carrying former CIA Director David Petraeus was still standing in Yahodyn. Ukrzaliznytsia considers it likely that the diplomatic train was the actual target. During the airstrike, Poland scrambled fighter jets and put its air defense on alert. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called on partners to impose a full trade embargo and sanctions on the Russian military-industrial complex. And this also happened:

September 12, 2026

Ukrainian drones flew toward two Russian cities overnight. In Taganrog, in the Rostov region, residents reported a series of loud explosions. According to the ASTRA portal, smoke rose from the Taganrog-Centralny military airfield, home to the 708th Military Transport Aviation Regiment; the 325th Aircraft Repair Plant, which maintains, among other things, the rare A-50U aircraft and Il-76 transport planes, is also located nearby. Satellite data showed a fire at the TagAZ automobile plant in Taganrog, where drones are manufactured for the Russian military. The second target of the night was Tolyatti in the Samara Region, roughly 880 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, where the Kuybyshevazot chemical plant was on fire following an airstrike; one of the key enterprises in Russia’s nitrogen industry, which produces ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea, and caprolactam, and accounts for roughly half of Russia’s caprolactam production and three-quarters of the cord fabrics used in tires. Its products are also used in the manufacture of solid rocket propellants for tactical and ballistic missiles. And this also happened:

September 11, 2026

Ukrainian drones and missiles were busy behind Russian lines. Two fires broke out simultaneously in Saratov. According to an OSINT analysis by the ASTRA portal, drones struck a Rosneft refinery with an annual capacity of roughly 4.8 million metric tons of crude oil, which has been in operation since 1934 and has been hit by the Ukrainians at least sixteen times (!!) since the start of the invasion. The second target was the logistics center of the Ozon e-commerce platform; the company subsequently suspended order acceptance for the entire Saratov region, and its shares on the Moscow Stock Exchange fell by five percent. According to the manufacturer Fire Point, FP-5 Flamingo missiles struck military-industrial targets near Volgograd. Governor Andrei Bocharov, however, acknowledged only damage to an industrial facility in the south of the city caused by falling debris. Ukrainian drones have attacked Russian refineries at least seventy times this year, and oil processing in Russia has fallen to its lowest level in twenty years. And this also happened:

September 10, 2026

The General Staff confirmed that the Ukrainian strikes on Novorossiysk on September 9 hit at least three Russian warships: the frigate Admiral Essen, the large landing ship Petr Morgunov, and the small naval minesweeper Zheleznyakov. According to the Ukrainian Navy, the frigate, which carries Kalibr cruise missiles, was hit by an anti-ship missile from the Neptune system, and the bridge was on fire after the strike. In addition to the ships, local fuel oil storage facilities were also hit. The operation was led by the HUR’s Active Operations Department in coordination with other components of the defense forces. The command has not yet specified the extent of the damage to the vessels. However, the first satellite images confirming the strikes emerged later that day. And this also happened:

September 9, 2026

Russia has been attacking Ukraine for the third night in a row and is shifting its targets. According to the Air Force, Russia launched 196 Shaheed-type drones overnight—including jet-powered ones—as well as Iskander-M ballistic missiles from occupied Crimea and Banderol S8000 guided missiles from the Sea of Azov. Air defenses shot down or neutralized 165 drones; strikes were reported in 23 locations, and debris fell in four others. Over the past day, Russian attacks in Ukraine have killed at least twelve people and injured sixty-six. In the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, a morning strike hit a 21-story apartment building, leaving five people injured. Zelenskyy complained about the weak international response: According to him, Moscow must not go into winter feeling that its missile and drone terror will go unpunished. And this also happened:

September 8, 2026

Overnight, Russia ended the brief “ceasefire” it had declared for the duration of the U.S. envoys’ visit and launched a combined strike on Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched Oniks anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles, S-400 and KN-23 missiles, 32 Kh-101 guided missiles, and 166 Shahed-type drones, more than half of which were jet-powered. Defense forces destroyed or intercepted 175 aerial targets, specifically two ballistic missiles, 31 guided missiles, and 142 drones; strikes were reported from 29 locations. The main targets were Kyiv and the Odesa region, though the attack also struck the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Two people were killed in Kyiv, and the number of injured was gradually revised upward from ten to sixteen throughout the day; a warehouse and an educational facility caught fire, and at least two multi-story residential buildings were damaged. Among the targets of the airstrike were a pharmaceutical company’s warehouse, the Varus supermarket, and the studio of the television channel “We Are Ukraine,” which was struck by two projectiles right in the middle of a live broadcast. The building was partially destroyed, and at least five people were injured. The Russian Ministry of Defense, however, is, as usual, claiming to have carried out a massive strike against arms factories, transportation and logistics hubs, port infrastructure in Chornomorsk in the Odesa region, and a tanker carrying fuel and lubricants for the Ukrainian army. And this also happened:

September 7, 2026

Ukrainian long-range strikes resumed immediately after the departure of U.S. negotiators from Kyiv. Zelenskyy announced this morning that the targets were refineries in the Perm Krai and Tatarstan. In Perm, over a thousand kilometers from the Ukrainian border, according to the monitoring channel Supernova+, Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez—one of Russia’s ten largest refineries and the second-largest in Lukoil’s portfolio after Nizhny Novgorod—was struck. In 2024, it processed 12.6 million metric tons of crude oil, including 2 million metric tons of gasoline and 5.3 million metric tons of diesel. The second target was, for the umpteenth time, the TANECO refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan—one of the most modern refineries in Russia. Together, the two facilities process around 29 million metric tons of crude oil annually. Authorities also declared a drone alert in Bashkortostan and Udmurtia, while a telecommunications tower was damaged in Chuvashia. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims it shot down 306 Ukrainian drones overnight. The three-day pause ordered by Putin for strikes on Kyiv and by Zelenskyy for strikes on Moscow applied to the capitals, not to refineries or other targets. And this also happened:

September 6, 2026

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading to Kyiv today for the first time since the start of the large-scale invasion. They are arriving from Moscow, where they held closed-door talks with Putin for over three hours and then had dinner with him. Putin’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, described the talks as constructive, open, and useful, but did not mention any specific results, adding that economic issues and potential major joint Russian-American projects were also discussed in detail. Before departing, Trump said that his negotiators were bringing a proposal to end the war. Putin ordered a three-day pause in the attacks on Kyiv starting at midnight on Saturday, and Zelenskyy promised that Ukraine would not attack Moscow until Monday. According to Ushakov, Putin informed the Americans that the situation on the front lines was developing well and that the goals of the “special military operation” would be achieved. At the same time, however, he again appealed to them to address the “roots of the conflict.” Witkoff, on the other hand, is caught on camera telling Putin: “First and foremost, President Putin, thank you very much for the invitation. When we retire, we’ll have plenty of amazing stories and memories, and those with you will be right at the top of the list.” And this also happened:

September 5, 2026

Ukraine has not fired a shot since midnight, but Russia has. Ukrainian forces were ordered to cease combat operations from midnight on September 5 until the end of the day on September 8—that is, during the time when Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are traveling to Moscow and Kyiv with proposals to end the war. The day before, Zelenskyy confirmed that the envoys would arrive in Kyiv on Sunday and that he had promised the United States that, for the safety of the American negotiators, Ukraine would not carry out airstrikes against Russia during their stay. He called on Moscow to do the same. The response from the Kremlin came within a few hours. Starting at 6:00 p.m., Russia fired Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from the Rostov and Voronezh regions and also deployed 167 drones, about half of which were jet-powered, as well as Gerber drones and Parodiya decoys. By 8:30 a.m., air defenses had shot down or neutralized 128 drones, with strikes reported from 23 locations. Kam’yanske in the Dnipropetrovsk region was hit the hardest; following the airstrike, four people were killed and five injured, including a young woman who was admitted to the intensive care unit. The Russians also struck two airports near Kyiv—likely because the Americans were planning to fly into Kyiv. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the strikes. Meanwhile, Kyiv did not, in fact, attack any targets in Russia; however, the Ukrainian side reportedly canceled the proposed ceasefire this morning in response to the Russian airstrikes. And this also happened:

September 4, 2026

Sochi, Russia, was hit by several waves of attacks by Ukrainian drones. The Ukrainian Navy first used a maritime drone to attack the vessel Nefrit, which serves Russia’s oil, gas, and coastal infrastructure, transports cargo and personnel, and performs underwater technical work. In the early morning, aerial drones arrived and struck the Rosneft-Kubannefteprodukt oil base. OSINT also reports a second fire, this time at an air defense division near the village of Sirius on the border with Abkhazia, where S-300 and S-400 systems are deployed. The second target of the night was Sterlitamak in Bashkortostan, over 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. A petrochemical plant there was on fire; it produces ionol, an additive for aviation fuels and lubricants. And this also happened:

September 3, 2026

According to Der Spiegel, Germany is preparing a large-scale retaliation for the Russian drone attack on the Leipzig/Halle Airport, and Ukraine is playing a key role in it. In September, Berlin is set to deliver thousands of attack drones and missiles for the Iris-T systems, deepen cooperation between intelligence services, and assist the Ukrainians in identifying targets for counterattacks on Russian territory. The Bundestag is expected to soon pass an intelligence services bill that will allow the BND to engage in more active defense: accessing the enemy’s computers and servers, deleting stolen data, and disrupting supply chains. And this also happened:

July 2, 2026

There was gunfire in Kyiv last night. Unfortunately, it involved Ukrainian security forces. According to Ukrainian media, on Yuri Shumsky Street in the Dnipro district, members of the military intelligence service HUR intervened against a group of people that reportedly included Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps for Combat Operations. Kaplunov disappeared a few days ago; according to the RDK, he was taken away by unknown men in the courtyard of his own home. The group that detained him turned out to be members of the SBU. Commanders from both units initially calmed the situation on the scene, but after additional SBU personnel arrived and began detaining HUR officers, more shots were fired. Ukrainian Pravda reports that three HUR personnel were injured. Police closed off the street and rerouted public transportation; videos of men in military uniforms and footage of the shooting circulated online. Later that morning, the SBU and HUR jointly announced that they had thwarted a terrorist attack that the Russian FSB was planning against one of the leaders of the Russian opposition movement, who had arrived in Ukraine for Independence Day celebrations. According to RBK-Ukraine sources, the individual in question is Kaplunov. No official information has been released regarding his whereabouts or condition. And this also happened:

July 1, 2026

Russia has been attacking Ukrainian cities for the sixth day in a row. Overnight, ballistic missiles struck a railway depot and other Ukrzaliznytsia facilities in Kyiv. Seven people were killed, including six railway workers. The total toll from the attack on the capital rose to eight dead and seven wounded during the day, including three children. In Boryspil, the strike damaged an ordinary five-story apartment building, from which fifty people had to be evacuated; local businesses were also damaged. In the city center, four people died and thirteen were injured. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the overnight attack claimed a total of twelve lives (including one Indian citizen) and left dozens injured. Nearly 350 rescue workers were deployed in Kyiv and the surrounding area to deal with the aftermath. Air defense systems intercepted five ballistic missiles, five Kalibr missiles, two S8000 Banderol missiles, and 187 drones. According to an Air Force spokesperson, all cruise missiles were shot down. However, the attacks continued throughout the day. And this also happened:

August 31, 2026

Russia is attacking Ukrainian cities for the fifth day in a row—and changing its tactics. Instead of a single massive nighttime wave of missiles and drones, it is sending Geran jet drones in hour-long airstrikes spread out throughout the day, with the aim of terrorizing the civilian population as much as possible with constant air raid alerts. Over the past four days, Russia has launched nearly 800 jet-powered drones in this manner. Last night, 121 long-range attack drones and one Kh-59 cruise missile were launched. Air defenses shot down 96 drones, or about 79 percent. The missile missed its target; several drones penetrated the defenses and struck eleven locations, while debris fell at eight other sites. Over the past day, Russian attacks in six regions killed seven people and injured another 43. In Kryvyi Rih, an industrial complex caught fire following a morning strike, and two men were injured. In the Odesa region, the Russians struck a Nova Poshta terminal; this time, there were no injuries. And this also happened:

August 30, 2026

Ukrainian drones struck the Kirish refinery in the Leningrad Region overnight. KINEF, whose full name is Kirishnefteorgsintez, is the second-largest refinery in Russia in terms of capacity and the largest in the Northwestern Federal District: it processes about 20 million metric tons of crude oil per year. That same night, the airport in Yeysk in the Krasnodar Krai was struck, as was a facility in Millerovo in the Rostov Oblast where the Russians store, prepare, and launch attack drones. Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, later specified that a Pantsir-S1 system, a Sopka-2 radar, and an air weapons depot were destroyed in Yeysk. In Shabelsky, a Kasta 2E2 radar was destroyed, and in Dolotinka, near the Millerovo airport, ammunition depots, a technical maintenance unit, a Nebo-SV radar, and the main target of the entire operation were destroyed: the DRL-27 module of the RSP-27 landing radar system, which provides air traffic control at the airport. Zelenskyy said in response that Russia must feel that the war is returning to where it came from. And this also happened:

August 29, 2026

The Kyiv region has experienced its most tragic night in a long time. On Friday around 8:10 p.m., a Russian drone struck a facility in the village of Myla in the Bucha district, approximately five kilometers west of Kyiv near the Kyiv–Chop highway. A massive fire broke out, followed by the detonation of ammunition that had been stored there. According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Regional Administration, the explosions left at least 37 dead and 42 injured, including four children, and the toll is not yet final as work at the site continues. Among the dead is Taras Didych, mayor of Dmytrivska Hromada, who was one of the first responders to arrive at the scene. About fifty residential buildings were damaged; the fire spread to homes and a restaurant and destroyed a retirement home; 381 people, including 59 children, were evacuated. Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that an ammunition depot was the target and announced that the SBU and the National Police have launched a criminal investigation into official negligence regarding the illegal storage of ammunition near residential areas. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky noted that a recent similar tragedy in Vyshneve had not served as a lesson and spoke of reprehensible negligence in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion. The Prosecutor General’s Office is investigating whether the explosives were stored legally at the facility and whether it had the necessary permits. And this also happened:

August 28, 2026

Ukrainian forces struck the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl, one of Russia’s five largest refining complexes, which processes about 15 million metric tons of crude oil annually and is located about 700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This marks the eighth Ukrainian strike on this refinery this year. The second target of the night was even more interesting: in Engels, in the Saratov region, pilots from the Alfa unit of Ukraine’s SBU struck a Tu-95MS strategic bomber. It is precisely from Engels that aircraft take off to launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities, and the same unit was behind Operation Spiderweb in June 2025. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that overnight it shot down 512 Ukrainian drones over eighteen Russian regions, occupied Crimea, and the Black Sea. And this also happened:

August 27, 2026

Russia launched ballistic missiles at Ukraine again overnight. Around 3:00 a.m., six explosions were heard in Kyiv within less than a minute. Debris from the missiles was later found in the Podil and Shevchenkivskyi districts. Odessa was also hit; according to Serhiy Lysak, head of the city’s military administration, civilian infrastructure, an educational facility, and a high-rise residential building sustained damage. Zaporizhzhia was also struck; according to Governor Ivan Fedorov, at least seven people, including three children, were injured. And this also happened:

August 26, 2026

Ukrainian drones flew deep into Russian rear areas again last night. In Kstovo, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, the NORSI refinery—owned by Lukoil—was on fire. It is the fourth-largest refinery in Russia and the second-largest producer of gasoline, with an annual output of about 15 to 17 million metric tons of crude oil; it also produces diesel and jet fuel for the Russian military. Kstovo is located about 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, and Ukrainian drones have struck it five times this year alone. The second target of the night was Kotovsk in the Tambov region, where, according to Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov, a warehouse belonging to the Wildberries e-commerce platform caught fire. Monitoring channels also reported an explosion and subsequent fire in occupied Luhansk; in Crimea, power outages occurred repeatedly for about an hour in the Bakhchysarai District and in Simferopol, and explosions were heard in the Saki District and near Yevpatoria. Zelenskyy stated that over the past day, Kyiv struck sixteen targets in Russia, including oil facilities and logistics hubs. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have shot down 426 Ukrainian drones overnight over its own territory and occupied territories. And this also happened:

August 25, 2026

Ukrainian drones flew toward Russian refineries again overnight. In the Krasnodar Krai, they struck the Afipsk refinery, one of the largest in southern Russia with an annual capacity of 6.25 million metric tons of crude oil—more than two percent of Russia’s total production. The General Staff confirmed a fire at the site; this marks the fifth attack on the refinery this year. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev only partially acknowledged the attack: according to him, it was mainly caused by falling drone debris that struck the Afipskaya railway station and damaged at least ten single-family homes in the village of Afipsky. The second target that same night was the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in the Rostov region, with a capacity of 5.6 million metric tons. Governor Yuri Slusar acknowledged the damage without providing further details, and the refinery suspended production. In August alone, six Russian refineries have halted operations. And this also happened:

August 24, 2026

Ukraine is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its independence, and for one day, Kyiv became the capital of European diplomacy. On St. Sophia Square, Zelenskyy stood alongside the new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and European Council President António Costa; also arriving in the city were Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and others. Macron and Merz joined the coalition of the willing via video link. Burnham arrived on his very first foreign trip in office and brought with him what Kyiv had been seeking for months: the British government’s approval for the MBDA arms manufacturer to declassify data on the British components of the SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles. France had already granted a license to produce its own version in July; it was the British approval that was missing, so Ukraine can now begin manufacturing its own guided missiles with a range of approximately 550 kilometers. In his speech, Zelenskyy revealed for the first time figures that are usually kept secret: in 2023, Ukraine received 675 anti-missile rounds for its Patriot systems; in 2025, only 364; and this year, projections indicate there will be 264. He asked allies for at least 300 units by winter and for help in covering the 27 billion euro shortfall for air defense. On the same day, the European Commission approved an additional 6.1 billion euros for the purchase of air defense and anti-missile systems, missiles, ammunition, and radars. And this also happened:

August 23, 2026

Ukrainian drones targeted Russian e-commerce again overnight. In Orenburg, roughly 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, they attacked the Orenburg Special Economic Zone and set fire to Ozon’s logistics center. Management evacuated over 300 employees, halted warehouse shipments, and removed the goods from the marketplace. The Ozon facility opened in August 2024; the first phase covers 40,000 square meters and cost over 4 billion rubles ($43 million). Following the planned expansion, the warehouse was expected to hold over 31 million items and process up to 915,000 orders per day. This is the second attack on Ozon in two nights: the day before, a fire broke out at its 75,000-square-meter facility in the Samara Region. Like Wildberries, Ozon also supplies a wide variety of goods to the Russian military, and these systematic attacks on dual-use warehouses are complicating Russian operations while simultaneously damaging the Russian economy. However, there was also a fire overnight in Kolpino near St. Petersburg, where an 82,000-square-meter Logistera warehouse caught fire in an industrial park. No alarm was sounded in the Leningrad Region, and no one heard any explosions, but the burning warehouse is located about 350 meters from another Ozon warehouse. And this also happened:

August 22, 2026

Ukrainian drones struck the Samara Region overnight and, for the first time ever, also targeted the Ozon company. In Novokuybyshevsk, a Rosneft refinery with a design capacity of approximately 8.8 million metric tons of crude oil per year was on fire; this ranks it among the ten largest Russian refineries. It produces over twenty types of products, including automotive and aviation fuel, diesel, and lubricants, and, according to the General Staff, supplies the Russian military. The second target was Ozon’s 75,000-square-meter facility, which has been in operation since 2022 and is one of the largest logistics hubs in its network. The company confirmed the fire and the evacuation of more than 500 employees. Ozon is the main competitor of Wildberries. Together, the two platforms account for 77% of all orders on Russian e-commerce sites and more than half of the country’s total online retail sales. The affected locations are roughly 900 kilometers from the front lines. And this also happened:

August 21, 2026

Ukrainian drones once again flew beyond the Urals overnight. In Perm, roughly 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, they struck the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez refinery, and a plume of smoke rose above the site in the morning. In response, Rosaviatsia suspended operations at Perm’s Bolshoye Savino Airport. Governor Makhonin acknowledged only that air defenses had shot down sixteen drones, one person was injured, and an “industrial facility” had been damaged. The Perm refinery is one of the ten largest refineries in Russia and is Lukoil’s second-largest facility after the one in Nizhny Novgorod. In 2024, it processed 12.6 million metric tons of crude oil, including roughly 2 million metric tons of gasoline and 5.3 million metric tons of diesel; it also produces jet fuel and lubricants and supplies both the domestic and foreign markets. Drones last targeted the facility on July 29, and operations had already been completely halted for several weeks following a series of strikes in the spring. And this also happened:

August 20, 2026

Shortly after midnight, Russia launched a combined attack on Kyiv that lasted several hours. The city was targeted by ballistic missiles, Kalibr missiles fired from Novorossiysk, hypersonic Zircons from the Kursk region, and jet-powered drones. The Ukrainian Air Force reports that 46 guided missiles of various types and 168 drones, plus an unspecified number of ballistic missiles, were launched overnight. The Air Force has not disclosed the number of ballistic missiles since early August because Ukraine has practically run out of anti-missile rounds for its Patriot systems, which were the only means capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. A total of 41 missiles and 145 drones were intercepted, with strikes reported from 28 locations. The main target of the attack was the Kyiv region. According to the latest figures available so far, at least fifteen people died in the capital and over thirty were hospitalized; the death toll continues to rise as the day progresses. In the Solomyanskyi district, the upper floors of a nine-story building burned down following an airstrike, claiming the lives of seven people there alone. Additionally, a children’s hospital, a school, warehouses, and non-residential buildings in the Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi districts were damaged. About 90,000 households in Kyiv were left without power; DTEK restored service to more than half of them by mid-morning. In Boryspil, the Russians struck a food warehouse and a Red Cross facility. Zelenskyy added that the Russians also struck gas infrastructure in the Chernihiv region and a border crossing into Moldova in the Odesa region. The Russian Ministry of Defense, on the other hand, is, as usual, speaking of a “massive strike with high-precision weapons” against the defense and energy industries, an ammunition depot, and a logistics hub. According to regional military administrations, Russian attacks across Ukraine have claimed 23 lives and left 132 people injured over the past 24 hours. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared Friday a day of mourning. And this also happened:

August 19, 2026

Ukrainian drones once again flew deep into Russian territory overnight. In Ufa, Bashkortostan—more than a thousand kilometers from the Ukrainian border—a drone struck one of the Bashneft Group’s refineries, causing a fire to break out on the premises. Ufa’s northern industrial zone, with an annual production of 23.5 million metric tons of crude oil, is one of the largest refining complexes in Russia, and this was the third time in August alone that Ukrainian drones struck it. The second target of the night was Dzerzhinsk in the Nizhny Novgorod region: according to the independent Russian portal ASTRA and preliminary OSINT analysis, the drones targeted the Sverdlov plant, one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of explosives and a key enterprise in the military-chemical industry that has been in operation for over a century. Residents also reported explosions from Novomoskovsk in the Tula region. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, it shot down 453 Ukrainian drones over Russia and occupied Crimea. And this also happened:

August 18, 2026

Russia struck the center of Pecheni in the Kharkiv region with two guided missiles this morning. According to the head of the regional administration, ten people were killed and eighteen were injured. The Russians deliberately targeted a busy intersection where a post office and shops are located, surrounded by residential buildings. The fire engulfed an area of approximately 400 m²; a café and seven cars were destroyed, and ten single-family homes, the post office building, five stores, and another fifteen vehicles were damaged. Overnight, Russia launched a total of 147 Shahed-type drones at Ukraine, including jet-powered versions and Gerbera and Parody decoys. Air defenses shot down or intercepted 111 of them, with strikes reported from nineteen locations. Over the past day, Russian attacks have killed at least nineteen people in six regions and injured fifty-three. And this also happened:

August 17, 2026

Ukraine has submitted a memorandum to the Trump administration that, for the first time, quantifies the impact its long-range strike campaign has had on the Russian economy over the past forty days. According to the document, the SBU has carried out more than one hundred “successful strikes” against strategic targets in Russia and in the occupied territories. Ukrainian forces have struck all ten of Russia’s largest refineries, with the farthest target located in Omsk, roughly 2,500 kilometers from the border. Strikes on refineries occur roughly every two days, and Kyiv estimates that it has taken out over 30% of Russia’s refining capacity, resulting in losses of around $15 billion. The campaign has also expanded to include the shadow fleet—with nearly 200 vessels in the Black and Azov Seas coming under attack—and dozens of military facilities, notably the Saky, Hvardijske, Belbek, and Bagerovo airports in Crimea. According to the document, July was the worst month of the entire war for Russian transport vehicles and tankers: nearly 14,000 were destroyed or damaged. The memorandum also contains a warning: during the Russian missile attack on Kyiv on August 5, which killed 18 people, not a single one of the 24 ballistic missiles was shot down because Ukraine does not have enough suitable missiles for air defense. In July, Russia launched around a hundred ballistic missiles, and the success rate of intercepting them remains critically low. And this also happened:

August 16, 2026

Overnight, Ukraine carried out what appears to be the largest drone strike on the Moscow region since the war began. From Saturday evening until 6:30 a.m., around 600 drones flew toward the region, 201 of which were shot down over the Moscow region in Domodedovo, Podolsk, Stupino, Odintsovo, Naro-Fominsk, Ramenskoye, Chekhov, Kolomna, Kashira, and Yegoryevsk. The main target was the Wildberries warehouse in Koledino near Podolsk. The facility, covering an area of approximately 250,000 m², was one of the company’s largest logistics hubs and was completely destroyed by fire following the airstrike. A second fire broke out in Warehouse No. 15 at the MLP Severnoe Domodedovo complex. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that Ukraine had already taken seven of the company’s ten largest logistics centers out of commission. And this also happened:

August 15, 2026

Overnight, Ukraine struck at the most valuable target of recent weeks—and it wasn’t an oil refinery. FP-5 Flamingo missiles struck the Progress Rocket and Space Center in Samara, the only Russian facility that mass-produces Soyuz-2 launch vehicles. A massive fire and a column of smoke erupted over the industrial zone where Progress and the neighboring Aviakor aircraft plant are located. According to a preliminary analysis by CyberBorošna, Building 106A—where onboard electrical systems, instruments, and printed circuit boards are developed—was hit. The Soyuz-2.1b is Russia’s primary means of launching military satellites into orbit, as well as satellites for the Rassvet constellation, Russia’s answer to Starlink. Russia launches six to eight of them per year, and it would need at least eighteen to reach its planned total of 288 satellites. The facility is located roughly 850 to 950 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. And this also happened:

August 14, 2026

Overnight, Ukraine carried out one of the most extensive waves of strikes in recent weeks and, for the first time in a long while, struck both ends of Russia’s oil logistics chain simultaneously. The General Staff confirmed that the Unmanned Systems Forces, together with the military intelligence agency HUR, struck the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery in Volgograd on the night of August 13–14, where intense fires broke out. It is the largest producer of fuels and lubricants in the Southern Federal District—processing over 15 million metric tons of crude oil annually, which accounts for 5.6% of Russia’s total refining capacity, and producing diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel, all of which are critical to the Russian military’s logistics. At the same time, the Leningrad Region came under attack, with reports of damage and a fire in the area of the port of Ust-Luga, one of Russia’s largest ports on the Baltic Sea. The port houses an oil terminal through which Russia exports crude oil and petroleum products—one of the main sources of revenue for the state budget. And this also happened:

August 13, 2026

Ukrainian drones struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil and petrochemical complex in Bashkortostan overnight, about 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. A fire broke out on the premises. It is one of Russia’s largest refining and petrochemical facilities, with a capacity of up to 10 million metric tons of raw materials per year; it produces gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, bitumen, and polyethylene, and supplies the Russian military. Another Wildberries logistics center in Bashkortostan was also hit. However, the most valuable target of the night was the Nebo-U radar in occupied Sevastopol. This three-coordinate radar is used to detect and track aircraft, guided missiles, and ballistic missiles, and its value is estimated at $100 million. According to the General Staff, its destruction impairs Russia’s ability to detect incoming Ukrainian projectiles in a timely manner. At the same time, Ukrainian drones attacked the Balaklava thermal power plant, and a large water treatment facility near the village of Shturmove caught fire. The entire city of Sevastopol was without power following the airstrike until power supply was provisionally restored. And this also happened:

August 12, 2026

Overnight, Ukrainian forces carried out what Zelenskyy described as a “unique operation” against the naval base in Novorossiysk—the last major stronghold of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in occupied Crimea. They used Palyanytsia jet drones, Neptune missiles, and naval drones. Strikes on air defense positions, several piers, and port infrastructure have been confirmed. At least four warships were also hit: the Admiral Essen and the Admiral Makarov, as well as other vessels. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have shot down over 500 projectiles. According to local authorities, three people were killed, 24 were injured, dozens of residential buildings were damaged, and debris from the downed drones landed on the premises of four industrial facilities. Russian sources confirm that two large grain terminals ceased operations following the airstrike, and since Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter and ships most of its wheat through Black Sea ports, markets immediately reacted with concerns over supply disruptions. Novorossiysk Mayor Kravchenko declared a state of emergency in the city; water supplies have been cut off, and school facilities have also been damaged. And this also happened:

August 11, 2026

Overnight, Russia launched ballistic missile attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and other cities. In Zaporizhzhia, missiles struck the Zaporizhstal steel mill complex. Employees were heading to a shelter after the alarm sounded. Unfortunately, seven of them did not make it in time. Another 21 people were injured. According to the parent company Metinvest, energy infrastructure as well as the main and auxiliary operations of the coking plant and blast furnaces were damaged; the plant had to completely halt production, and other operations in Zaporizhzhia are running at reduced capacity. Zelenskyy stated that during the airstrike, the Russians used North Korean ballistic missiles, Russian Zircon missiles, and guided aerial bombs with the aim of causing maximum damage to civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian intelligence had already reported on August 5 that a North Korean missile unit was moving into western Russia. And this also happened:

August 10, 2026

An analysis of video footage from a recent incident at the airport in Leipzig, Germany, showed that an FPV drone struck the wing of a Ukrainian An-124 “Ruslan” cargo plane, but fortunately did not explode. Although the drone struck the most vulnerable part of the wing, where the fuel tanks are located, it merely bounced off the aircraft and fell to the ground. Its warhead was filled with Semtex plastic explosive, which refutes the earlier theory that this was merely a “warning” with no intention of causing actual damage. The U.S. had previously concluded that the drone belonged to a Russian special service. This thus constitutes a direct attack by Russian intelligence services on a military target within NATO territory. And this also happened:

August 9, 2026

Overnight, Russia launched a massive combined attack on Odesa, firing 11 missiles—most of which followed a ballistic trajectory—and up to 100 drones, including jet-powered Banderol attack drones. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 72% of the drones, five out of six “Banderol” drones, and one missile. It forced the other three missiles to change course using jammers. Nevertheless, the Russians struck nine locations in and around Odessa, injuring nine people and damaging homes, cars, and energy infrastructure. In some parts of the city, the airstrike knocked out electricity, water, and cell service. And then there’s this:

August 8, 2026

Russian state propagandist Solovyov gave an extensive interview to Alex Jones, an American far-right host and conspiracy theorist. In the interview, Solovyov claimed, among other things, that Russia had already captured Kostyantynivka and that the “liberation” of the Donbas would soon be complete. He further stated that since February 2022, Russia has gained more new territory than the Soviet Union did as a result of World War II. According to Solovyov, the U.S. is not actually controlled by Trump or politicians, but by “techno-fascists.” He named Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, as one of them. Solovyov claims that the “techno-fascists” want to destroy Russia because it is “the last Christian country in the world.” He then suggested that Ukrainians killed Lindsey Graham to speed up the passage of his bill imposing draconian sanctions against Russia. And his other claims were pure fantasy as well: Russia allegedly has no desire to occupy Lviv or Kyiv and never intended to conquer all of Ukraine. All Russian soldiers, who have been fighting for two and a half years, are allegedly volunteers. And finally, Solovyov and Jones got to the most important question of all: who is at the helm of this entire system? Satan. On that, they both agreed. But back to reality:

August 7, 2026

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Putin, having been backed into a corner, might decide to attack NATO in an effort to demonstrate at least some success on the battlefield. This could happen as early as this fall. Possible scenarios range from a cyberattack to a limited invasion. The likelihood of the most extreme scenario—a ground operation—is currently assessed as low, but reports indicate that it is increasing over time. And this is also happening:

August 6, 2026

Ukrainian volunteer Oleksiy Yukov was killed in an anti-personnel mine explosion while trying to recover the remains of fallen Russian soldiers. Yukov believed that every fallen soldier deserved to return home and that every family deserved the chance to bury their loved ones. He referred to the fallen as “souls,” not bodies. His life’s mission was to bring Ukrainian defenders back to their families so they could be buried with dignity. At the same time, he recovered the remains of Russian soldiers so they could be exchanged, thereby enabling more Ukrainian heroes to return home. Oleksiy remained true to his principles until the very end. May he rest in peace. And this is also happening:

August 5, 2026

An FPV drone carrying explosives was found on the ground at Leipzig Airport last night. The drone was located near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane, which led to a temporary suspension of airport operations. Later, about 6 km from the airport, another cargo plane collided with an unknown object and was forced to make an emergency landing in Hanover, where minor damage was discovered. Fortunately, no one was injured in either incident. And this also happened:

August 4, 2026

The Russians posted a video on Telegram showing their FPV drone hunting down an ordinary street vegetable vendor in Kherson in broad daylight and attempting to kill him. The entire incident was also filmed by a bystander. The man miraculously escaped with only minor injuries, even though the drone exploded right next to him. And this also happened:

August 3, 2026

Vitalina Jarovenko, a 20-year-old volunteer, was killed on August 1 during a Russian attack on Kyiv. That night, while serving with a medical battalion on the left bank of Kyiv, Vitalina arrived at the site of a Russian missile strike to help the wounded. As she was saving the lives of others, she was struck by a second missile and killed instantly. Glory to the heroes. And this is also happening:

August 2, 2026

Late last night, an improvised bomb exploded at the luxury Moscow restaurant Balzi Rossi. Russian media report that a woman brought the explosive device, disguised as a gift, into the restaurant. According to preliminary reports, five people were killed and more than 21 others were injured. Telegram channels claim that the restaurant was hosting a celebration for the 55th birthday of Alexander Chaika, commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The event, attended by military personnel, politicians, officials, and FSB agents, was reportedly guarded by FSO officers. Chaika himself was reportedly not injured in the incident. Which is unfortunate. At the start of the invasion, Chaika commanded the Russian forces advancing on Kyiv. Ukraine therefore accuses him of participating in the bombing of Borodyanka and of complicity in the massacre of civilians in Bucha. The identities of the victims will likely come to light in the coming days. In any case, Russian propaganda denies the assassination attempt and is trying to claim that it was a gas explosion. Sure. And this is also happening:

August 1, 2026

Russia carried out another massive attack on Kyiv, leaving 9 dead and 30 injured. Four children are among the injured. Seventeen people remain in the hospital. Rescue workers are still clearing debris at the impact sites, and 105 people have already been rescued from the damaged buildings. The highest number of casualties was reported in the Darnytskyi district, where seven people were killed and another 14 were injured. Residential buildings, office buildings, and vehicles were damaged. In the Solomianskyi district, a high-rise building was partially destroyed, killing two people. And this also happened:

July 31, 2026

Early this morning, Ukrainian drones struck Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, and Kaspiysk. In Volgograd, an oil refinery and a Wildberries logistics complex were hit. Another refinery and another Wildberries facility were struck in Nizhnekamsk. In Kaspiysk, the drones targeted the local port terminal. There was also the first attack on the second-largest e-commerce site, Ozon. A Ukrainian drone narrowly missed its logistics warehouses in Zelenodolsk. And this is also happening:

July 30, 2026

A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile entered Polish airspace during a large-scale nighttime airstrike on Ukraine and landed in a field near the villages of Tarnawa-Kolonia and Tokary, approximately 94 km from the Ukrainian border. A Polish F-16 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept the missile, and Prime Minister Tusk stated that Poland was prepared to shoot down the missile if it had continued its flight. Tusk also later stated that he had spoken by phone with NATO partners and that they had agreed on a coordinated response in the event of further Russian “mistakes” and provocations. During the airstrike, Russia launched around seventy missiles or cruise missiles and deployed approximately 280 attack drones. Despite the excellent work of Ukraine’s air defense forces, the night unfortunately was not without civilian tragedies. So, as usual, expect another airstrike in the comments—this time from St. Petersburg. And this is also happening:

July 29, 2026

An unknown man shot a local businessman at the entrance to an apartment building in the Russian city of Tula and then fled the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital, and authorities have launched an investigation into the attempted murder. According to Russian media, the target of the attack was Andrei Cherezov, the director of Russian Air Transport Laboratory, a company that develops drones. According to reports, the assailant fired three shots at him. The suspect remains at large. And this also happened:

July 28, 2026

Polish police have arrested two suspects in a recent violent attack on a Ukrainian couple. One of them is a boxer who attempted to flee from authorities on the highway, where a SWAT team had to subdue him. According to Polish authorities, both men have criminal records. Polish Prime Minister Tusk responded by stating that “criminals will not dictate the rules on Polish streets,” declared “war on violence, hatred, and impunity,” and called on the president to no longer remain silent about these incidents. And this also happened:

July 27, 2026

A few days ago, Russia claimed that Ukraine had struck a “vacation resort in Russian-controlled territory,” in an attempt to create the impression that Ukraine had committed a war crime—and against civilian families, no less. Some Western media outlets, including ABC in the U.S., picked up the story without making any effort to provide context, and the report spread with its usual virality on disinformation channels. As it turns out in hindsight, the strike on the “resort” did indeed take place, but at a time when it was hosting very specific “vacationers”: In occupied Kyrylivka on the coast of the Sea of Azov in the Melitopol district, Mikhail Ivanov died following a Ukrainian airstrike. a 54-year-old head of the Zaporizhzhia branch of Russia’s Main Center for Radio Frequencies, a former official with the Russian censorship agency Roskomnadzor, and a former military officer with a twenty-year career in the Russian army. His two children were also reportedly killed in the airstrike, and his wife was injured. Russia thus likely used the facility for the convalescence of army officers, military veterans, and high-ranking officials. According to Russian sources, a total of eight people were killed, but the identities of the others are not yet known. And this is also happening:

July 26, 2026

Ukraine announced that it had destroyed two Russian cargo ships in the Caspian Sea that were allegedly transporting Russian weapons to Iran (or in the opposite direction). Iran then indirectly confirmed the circumstances of the attack when it began threatening Ukraine with retaliatory strikes using its ballistic missiles. Probably no one expected this turn of events. In any case, this is also happening:

July 25, 2026

The Ukrainian Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office announced that it has launched an investigation into war crimes in connection with the murder of a Ukrainian soldier near the village of Yalta in the settlement of Komar. According to a video released by the Russians themselves, the Ukrainian soldier was captured on the afternoon of July 13; he was then briefly interrogated, after which one of the Russians ordered his execution and another immediately shot him. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident on the part of the Russians. They have already filmed dozens of such incidents, and committed hundreds or thousands more away from the view of cell phones and cameras. And this is also happening:

July 24, 2026

The Russian disinformation hydra is currently spreading stories in Poland about fabricated crimes allegedly committed by Ukrainians, only for the police to subsequently release them without charges or imprisonment. All of these stories are, of course, fabricated, and their goal is to incite hatred toward Ukrainian refugees. This is the next stage of a disinformation campaign that is already underway to a lesser extent here in the Czech Republic, where thousands of fake accounts are commenting on dozens of articles about crimes committed by Czechs, claiming that “if it were a Ukrainian, nothing would happen to him.” We can only hope that the Czech authorities—and especially the police—are monitoring these activities and preparing some kind of preventive statement or awareness campaign. In Poland, unfortunately, this campaign is falling on fertile ground, and unprovoked violent attacks by Poles against Ukrainians are beginning to multiply. And this is also happening:

July 23, 2026

On paper, Russian forces have occupied 2,226 km² of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of this year. In reality, however, the Institute for the Study of War reports a net gain of only 81 km². Although Russian troops have advanced into a much larger area—about 627 km²—penetrating a field or the edge of a forest does not necessarily mean that the Russians hold that territory. At the same time, Russia has lost additional territory due to Ukrainian counterattacks. And this is also happening:

July 22, 2026

Ukrainian drones struck two more logistics centers belonging to “Russia’s Amazon”—Wildberries—overnight. Huge fires are now raging at warehouses in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, both in southern Russia. These warehouses are the company’s fourth- and sixth-largest facilities. In response to the Ukrainians’ new tactics, Russian propaganda is trying to create the impression that Wildberries is a civilian target. In reality, this e-commerce platform is one of the largest channels for distributing equipment, weapons, drones, and other military supplies to soldiers fighting in Ukraine. So much so that the e-shop even has a separate product category called “Everything for the SVO.” Furthermore, the strikes represent a significant blow to the Russian economy, as tens of thousands of small Russian business owners depend on goods from Wildberries. And this also happened:

July 21, 2026

Trump’s FBI Director Kash Patel is reportedly planning an official visit to Russia this fall. Politico, citing an unnamed U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter, reports that the trip is tentatively scheduled for October 14–15. According to the report, Patel is expected to travel first to Moscow and then to St. Petersburg, and will likely be hosted by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Oh well. And this is also happening:

July 20, 2026

The new British Prime Minister, Burnham, has pledged to continue providing “unwavering support to Ukraine” and also stated that he will speak by phone with Volodymyr Zelenskyy today. Since the start of the Russian invasion, Burnham has been supporting Ukraine through humanitarian projects. He is a co-founder of the Unbroken Cities Network, an initiative aimed at rehabilitating people affected by war. And this is also happening:

July 19, 2026

Kyiv was the target of one of the largest missile attacks since the start of the war. Over the course of 53 minutes, 41 ballistic missiles struck the city. In addition, the Russians launched 123 attack drones. At least one person was killed and another 16 were injured. Most of the strikes hit civilian targets: shopping centers, commercial complexes, and apartment buildings. However, one missile strike destroyed a factory and warehouses belonging to UKRTAC, a company that manufactures tactical gear, body armor, helmets, and other military equipment. A Russian missile also destroyed AMTEL’s logistics center, covering an area of over 100,000 m², located near Kyiv. This center was a key distribution hub for freight transport throughout Ukraine. And this also happened:

July 18, 2026

Donald Trump wanted to prove to Americans that the U.S. election had been rigged, so he declassified documents from U.S. intelligence agencies that were supposed to confirm this, but he most likely did not review the contents of the documents, and so we learned that Russia helped Trump in 2020 by launching a massive influence campaign aimed at accusing the Biden family of fabricated, widespread corruption linked to the Ukrainian company Burisma. It was precisely this disinformation that was frequently repeated in the supposedly objective criticism directed at Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The smarter ones already knew back then which way the wind was blowing. MAGA is only finding out about it now. And this also happened:

July 17, 2026

Twelve years ago today, Russian-controlled militias shot down civilian flight MH-17, which was on a scheduled flight from the Netherlands to Malaysia, using a BUK missile system supplied by the Russian military. All 298 passengers perished in the incident. The disinformation campaign that Russia subsequently launched was one of the largest and most targeted ever, and Russia’s “fifth column” in the West continues to this day to spread some of the myths that Russia created around the incident. In any case, Russia continues to deny responsibility to this day and even withdrew in the summer of 2024 from the International Civil Aviation Organization, which participated in the investigation of the incident. Russia was, is, and will likely remain a terrorist state for a long time to come. And this is also happening:

July 16, 2026

Ukrainians have taken to the streets again after it became clear that another government reshuffle would also affect the current defense minister, Fedorov. In his six months in office, he has gained considerable popularity among both the military and the general public. It was he who pushed through popular reforms, secured key assistance, and is thus indirectly responsible for some of the Ukrainian army’s successes. So why is he to be removed from office? According to Zelenskyy, the main problem is the tension between Fedorov and Syrsky, who, on the other hand, is fiercely opposed to some of the reforms. Two prominent figures in the Ukrainian defense establishment announced their departures this morning. Military expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov has stepped down from his role as an advisor to Defense Minister Fedorov. Flash is one of Ukraine’s best-known experts on drones, communications, and electronic warfare. He collaborated with the military and defense industry developers, analyzed Russian tactics, and helped anticipate new threats. Shortly thereafter, Deputy Air Force Commander Pavlo Yelizarov also resigned. He, too, cited Fedorov’s dismissal as the reason for his decision. And this is also happening:

July 15, 2026

According to Bloomberg, Russia is struggling to sell the oil it is forced to export due to refinery shutdowns. As a result, approximately 135 million barrels of Russian oil have accumulated at sea, which is nearly a record high since the beginning of the year. Some oil tankers have been anchored off the coasts of Egypt, Singapore, and the Russian port of Kozmino for several weeks, waiting for buyers or to be transshipped. And on top of that, this is happening:

July 14, 2026

Russia accused Germany of involvement in “terrorist attacks” on Russian territory and summoned its ambassador after the German embassy released a video mocking the Kremlin over the fuel crisis. In the video, the embassy stated that Moscow was considering fuel imports, a rationing system, and strengthening its air defenses, while there is a much simpler solution: to end the war against Ukraine. After the clip went viral, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned German Ambassador Alexander Lambsdorff, accused Berlin of participating in attacks on Ukraine, and declared that the embassy’s message resembled “the worst practices of Nazi propaganda.” You couldn’t make this up. And this is also happening:

July 13, 2026

Ukraine and nine European countries have officially established the Coalition Against Ballistic Missiles. The heads of state of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom have agreed to pool their defense industries, research, and operational expertise with the goal of creating a joint missile defense capability for Europe. Don’t look for the Czech Republic among those countries. It is currently ruled by a former StB agent with the support of pro-Russian fascist parties. And this is also happening:

July 12, 2026

After Russian spies were expelled from Western countries, dozens of Russian agents appeared in Japan, which has relatively weak laws against espionage. According to The New York Times, the Russians have built a network there tasked with securing supplies of technology needed by the Russian military-industrial complex. At the center of the operation is the GRU’s secret 20th Directorate. Its officers reportedly operate under diplomatic and commercial cover, purchasing or transporting sensitive equipment to Russia. And this is also happening:

July 11, 2026

Since midnight today, Ukrainian drones have carried out another 34 successful strikes against vessels from the Russian shadow fleet in the Sea of Azov. The total number of successful strikes has thus risen to 82, and the total number of individual vessels hit has increased by 29 to 77—all in just six days. Among the vessels hit in the latest airstrikes are 21 tankers, 4 tugboats, 2 dry cargo ships, and one mining vessel. And on top of that, this also happened:

July 10, 2026

The investigative project “Schemes” has identified a Russian prison doctor known by the nickname “Konoval,” whom former Ukrainian prisoners of war accuse of torture and abuse at Prison Colony No. 7 in Pakin, in the Vladimir Region. His name is Vyacheslav Cherdantsev. According to the former prisoners of war, Cherdantsev forced inmates to strip naked, mimic sexual acts, subjected them to sexual humiliation, and denied them medical care. They also claim that this denial of care contributed to an outbreak of scabies inside the prison. Now we just need to arrange an unexpected visit for Konoval. And this is also happening:

July 9, 2026

The Ukrainian campaign against Russian tankers continues. Hungarian intelligence reported that they struck another 12 tankers from the Russian shadow fleet last night. The total number of vessels struck in the Sea of Azov over the past 96 hours has thus risen to 38. A list of the names of the struck ships has even been published: On July 6, 2026, two tankers were struck (Kapitán Barmin, Sanar-3 (Primemax class)), On July 7, 2026, 10 vessels were struck (8 tankers, 1 cargo ship, 1 ferry): Venera-3, Sanar-1, Sanar-17, Klimena, Teti, Aleksey Savrasov, Penelope, Ivan Cheremisinov, Cargo Ship (name to be confirmed), SKS One Ferry (Kerch). On July 8, 2026, another 9 vessels: the tankers Efrosinya V, Maria, Sanar-17 (hit again), Sanar, Klimena (hit again), and the cargo ships Donstar, Jarygin, Feofan Shokhirev, Evgenija Z. And finally, tonight, July 9, 2026, 14 vessels were struck (12 tankers, 1 cargo ship, 1 tugboat): the tankers Chelsea-6, Aura, Sonar-1, Ilya Repin, Merkurij, Galiaskar Kamal, Alfeo, Aphrodite, Venera-3, and Penelopa. The names of the other five affected vessels are still being verified. And there will likely be more tonight. But this is also happening:

July 8, 2026

After Ukrainian drones successfully struck a refinery in Omsk, pro-war Russian channels on Telegram began claiming that the drones could not have flown that far from Ukraine. Instead, they came up with a new explanation: the drones were allegedly launched from Kazakhstan or flew across the Caspian Sea from Azerbaijan. As “proof,” some propagandists claim that Baku is allegedly retaliating for attacks on facilities linked to SOCAR in Ukraine. Simply put, the Russians cannot come to terms with the fact that they are being crushed by a neighbor several times smaller than themselves. And this is also happening:

July 7, 2026

Ukraine carried out coordinated strikes against Russian vessels, hitting 10 tankers belonging to the Russian shadow fleet in the Sea of Azov over the course of two days, along with one dry cargo ship and another ferry involved in supplying occupied Crimea. The identified tankers include the Venera-3, Sanar-1, Sanar-17, Klimena, Teti, Alexei Savrasov, and Penelope. The identities of the other tankers are still being verified. And this also happened:

July 6, 2026

The Russians are unable to break through the front lines or defend against Ukrainian airstrikes on key targets in Russia, and so Russian terror against Ukraine’s civilian population continued today as well. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched a total of 351 Shahed drones and 68 missiles, including 6 Zirkon/Oniks missiles, 23 Iskander-M/S-400 missiles, 33 Kh-101 missiles, and 6 Kalibr missiles. Ukrainian forces shot down 37 of the 68 Russian missiles and 326 of the 351 drones. The main target of the airstrike was Kyiv. In a single apartment building in Kyiv, at least 9 people died and 60 were injured after a missile strike caused part of the building to collapse. Among the victims was an entire family. The total death toll currently stands at 17, but is likely to rise further. And this is also happening:

July 5, 2026

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is depriving Russia of its worst elements, while claiming the lives of the best among Ukrainians. Pavlo was born on August 1, 1994, in Stryi, in the Lviv region. He graduated from high school with honors and earned a master’s degree in mathematical and computer modeling from Lviv National Polytechnic University. He later completed his doctorate at the Karpenko Institute of Physics and Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The topic of his dissertation was cross-spectral analysis of periodically non-stationary random processes. At the institute, he first worked as an engineer and then as a junior researcher; later, he lectured as an associate professor at Lviv Polytechnic. After the invasion began, he did not stand idly by but joined as a volunteer to assist Ukrainian defenders. In September 2025, he was drafted into the army and became a drone operator in an air strike unit. On June 24, 2026, he was killed in action near the village of Semereky in the Sumy region. He was 31 years old. May his memory be honored. And this is also happening:

July 4, 2026

At least 19 Ukrainian civilians were killed and dozens more were injured in Russian glide bomb attacks on the cities of Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. A 13-year-old girl who lost both legs in the explosion in Sumy is in critical condition and under medical care. Another girl, aged 5, unfortunately died at the scene despite the efforts of medical personnel to resuscitate her. Her 34-year-old mother was also killed. Doctors at the hospital managed to revive one seriously injured man after his heart stopped as a result of his injuries. However, the death toll is likely to rise. And this also happened:

July 3, 2026

On Tuesday, Russians living near Moscow photographed S-300/400 batteries firing at a target high above the capital. However, the target was flying too high to be a drone or a guided missile. The Russian Ministry of Defense later stated that its air defense had shot down a Ukrainian “long-range operational-tactical missile,” which would be the first such incident in the ongoing war. Kyiv has not confirmed anything. It is therefore unclear what kind of missile it was or whether it hit anything. However, OSINT analysts speculate that it may have been an experimental FP-9 missile—specifically, its first live-fire test. The co-founder of Fire Point, however, insists that it was not their missile. Whatever weapon it was, the fact remains that Ukrainian developers deploy new weapons in combat in this manner to gather valuable data on the missile’s flight, not necessarily to cause damage. For context, the popular Flamingo missile spent a year missing its target before it finally began hitting accurately—and has been hitting something practically every week since then. It’s therefore possible that similar incidents will only increase. And this is also happening:

July 2, 2026

Russia launched a large-scale airstrike on Kyiv. Overnight, 48 out of 74 missiles and 476 out of 496 drones were shot down or neutralized over Ukraine, specifically 0 out of 4 3M22 Zircon anti-ship missiles, 4 out of 24 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, 32 out of 34 Kh-101 guided missiles, 8 out of 8 Kalibr guided missiles, 4 out of 4 Kh-59/69 air-launched guided missiles, and 476 out of 496 attack drones. Residential buildings, a postal logistics center, a scientific institute, a warehouse belonging to a Ukrainian publishing house, an ambulance station, stores, and other facilities were hit. At the same time, the Russians dropped guided aerial bombs on Kharkiv, where a 15-year-old boy was killed and 29 people were injured. Projectiles also struck Zaporizhzhia. There, too, the attack claimed victims. And this also happened:

July 1, 2026

Two foreigners were killed in a shooting in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots from a moving car, after which the vehicle drove into a traffic-light-controlled intersection. Preliminary reports indicate that there were three foreigners in the car. Two men were killed at the scene, while the third was detained. All those involved were Latin American foreign volunteers serving in the Ukrainian defense forces. The suspect is a Chilean citizen accused of murdering two Colombian citizens. And this also happened:

June 30, 2026

According to Ukrainian journalist Karpenko, it is almost certain that Putin will announce a new large-scale mobilization in September. According to him, the scenario will be as follows: after the elections—which Putin’s United Russia will, of course, win—Putin will have the internet shut down under a fabricated pretext. He will then launch a massive mobilization aimed at bolstering the Russian army with an additional 500,000 troops. And this is also happening:

June 29, 2026

Officers from the Polish Internal Security Agency, together with the Border Guard, detained nine Ukrainian citizens and two Belarusian citizens. All are to be immediately deported from the country. According to Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, since the fall of 2025, those detained have been recruiting and paying participants in demonstrations organized among Ukrainian refugees in Poland. The investigation revealed that these events were organized and financed from Russia. And this also happened:

June 28, 2026

Chinese state television aired a report claiming that Russia had been systematically destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for a second day in a row. But there was a catch. The footage accompanying the report showed a burning Russian oil refinery in Moscow. Russian or Chinese propaganda? Does it even matter? Same methods, same ironic results. And this is also happening:

June 27, 2026

It appears that Russian “veteran” Aleksandr Lunin has backed down, and no revolt is taking place—at least for now. Lunin appeared in a new video where he “clarified” that the real enemies of the people are not the Kremlin leaders, but other pro-war “Z-bloggers,” who, according to him, do not show the reality of what is actually happening on the front lines. Even though Lunin took back his words, he still planted a seed of doubt in Russian society. Meanwhile, other videos have surfaced in which additional military units are threatening an armed mutiny. And this is also happening:

June 26, 2026

An interesting video has appeared on Russian social media. In it, Russian military blogger Alexander Lunin announced that he had met with top officials from the Russian military and intelligence services and had them deliver a clear message to Putin: Either Putin meets with Lunin in person within a matter of days and listens, in front of the cameras, to the problems the Russian military is facing (he cites, for example, systematic torture and blackmail by unit commanders, as well as the mysterious “disappearances” of soldiers who resisted “suicidal orders”), or else the army will reportedly turn its weapons against the Kremlin. Four hours after its release, the video had garnered several million views and more than 120,000 positive reactions. And this is also happening:

June 25, 2026

Putin got carried away in front of the cameras and gave the audience a lesson in Russian “alternative” history: “Putin: Stalin proposed to all the European powers that they form an alliance against the aggressive German regime, against the Nazi regime. However, they all backed out and were the first to start signing treaties with Hitler. Who signed the treaty in 1938? They did: France and Great Britain. The British prime minister flew to London, stepped off the plane, began waving the treaty and shouting, ‘I have brought you peace!’ Although more sensible people in Great Britain were saying, ‘Well, now war is inevitable.’ And that’s exactly what happened. Then they turned their attention to the Soviet Union. And immediately, that very same day, Nazi Germany began accusing the Soviet Union of having almost been the one to attack, as if the Soviet Union were preparing for an attack. Nonsense.” For the record, in 1939 the Nazis and the Soviets signed the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact—officially a “non-aggression” treaty, unofficially an agreement on the postwar division of Europe between the two powers. Putin continues to defend this pact to this day. And this is also happening:

June 24, 2026

According to documents reviewed by Bloomberg, a Russian disinformation campaign is underway that targets search engines and AI-powered chatbots using fake Wikipedia-style websites, social media networks, and coordinated online content designed to influence how automated systems gather and generate information. Experts cited by Bloomberg warn that targeting AI training data and search processes increases the risk that manipulated narratives will be reproduced by automated systems used to generate and summarize information. The documents mention the so-called “Project 2026,” which is attributed to the Social Design Agency (SDA), a Moscow-based entity sanctioned by the U.S., the U.K., and the EU for disinformation activities linked to the Kremlin. The project’s goal is to build alternative online knowledge ecosystems that can be indexed by search engines and incorporated into artificial intelligence training data. And this is also happening:

June 23, 2026

Russian propaganda is trying to spread the narrative that NATO is actually behind yesterday’s Ukrainian airstrike on Voronezh, because Ukraine allegedly lacks the intelligence and capabilities to carry out such a strike. Such tall tales are a favorite part of Russian propaganda (as well as that of other fascist entities), in which the enemy must be portrayed as weak and incompetent—which is why “alternative” explanations are always sought for such incidents—but at the same time, somewhat paradoxically, as capable of anything, in order to successfully mobilize the population to resist. In any case, the contradiction between these two stances doesn’t strike consumers of such propaganda as strange at all. And also this:

June 22, 2026

Ukraine struck a Russian factory that manufactures chips for some of Moscow’s most commonly used missiles. The airstrike targeted the VZPP-S plant in Voronezh, a leading Russian manufacturer of microchips and power modules that appears on the sanctions lists of many Western countries. Its components are used in at least three Russian weapons: the Kh-101 guided missile, the Iskander-K missile, and the Pantsir-S1 air defense system. The airstrike caused a massive fire, and videos and photos from the scene showed extensive devastation throughout the building. And this is also happening:

June 21, 2026

Zelenskyy sent the Order of the White Eagle back to Nawrocki via the “Nova Pošta” service and later wrote: “If it is believed that this exceptional symbol can remain with Catherine II, Benito Mussolini, and Gerhard Schröder, then we in Ukraine will not discuss it. Ukraine is grateful to the Polish people for their support and cooperation, which plays a significant role in the fight for both our and your independence from Russia. Ukraine never forgets this solidarity and knows that cooperation among states and nations in our region is one of the tangible guarantees of security for both Ukrainians and every neighboring state. Ukraine will continue to defend itself in this war unleashed by Russia, and we will certainly achieve a dignified peace.” Former presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko decided to renounce their titles in response to the Polish president’s move to express solidarity with Zelenskyy. And this is also happening:

June 20, 2026

Zelenskyy made a statement that can only be interpreted as an ultimatum. He stated that the Russians have deployed systems in Belarus near the Ukrainian border that help guide Russian drones and missiles during airstrikes on northern and western Ukraine, and he called on Lukashenko to ensure their removal within seven days; otherwise, he said, Ukraine would do it itself. And this is also happening:

June 19, 2026

One of the biggest myths spread by Russian propaganda is that Russia isn’t fighting “at full strength” because it doesn’t want to, but if it did, the war would already be over. State Duma Deputy Zhuravlev recently repeated this claim for a domestic audience when he called on Russia to “start fighting for real.” Russian military bloggers immediately reacted to Zhuravlev’s call. The Telegram channel “Под лед” wrote: “Deputy Zhuravlev has just called on us to ‘start fighting for real.’ Does that mean we haven’t been fighting for real for the past 4.5 years? If not, then what have we actually been doing—and why?” The Telegram channel “Тройка”: “Maybe we should tell our soldiers on the front lines and the families of the fallen that for the past 4.5 years we haven’t taken this seriously at all. We were just doing it for fun.” The Telegram channel “Вожак”: “People are saying: let’s finally start fighting for real! Friends, I’m sorry to have to disappoint you. We’ve actually been fighting for about four years now. There are no secret tricks or quick fixes. Everything that can be used—except for nuclear weapons—has already been used.” So much for the stupid cries of the local fifth column along the lines of “just wait until Russia stops holding back.” And this is also happening:

June 18, 2026

Zelenskyy: “Last night, our long-range strikes once again hit the Moscow region: a Moscow oil refinery was struck for the second time this week. Targets in the Rostov region and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine were also hit. This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and towns and another significant achievement by our troops targeting facilities that support the Russian war machine. In recent days, all our partners have highlighted the precision and effectiveness of our medium-range strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time to end this war, and Russia must take the necessary diplomatic steps.” He wasn’t messing around with Moscow. This morning, a Moscow refinery was struck again—with a far more powerful strike than yesterday’s. Massive fires are now raging across the entire complex. Anyway, the photos and videos will give you the best picture of the situation. And this also happened:

June 17, 2026

In the Bryansk region, a drone struck a bus reportedly carrying young soccer players from Belarus to Russia. According to Russian sources, the tour leader was killed and several children were injured. Russia has accused Ukraine of the attack, but Ukraine claims that no Ukrainian drones were operating in the area at the time of the strike and that this is yet another attempt by Russia to drag Belarus into the war. And this is also happening:

June 16, 2026

Russian propaganda is currently spreading dozens of fake photos and videos purporting to illustrate the “hopeless situation of Ukrainians in Kostyantynivka.” Most recently, Russian channels published photos purporting to show dozens of Ukrainian soldiers surrendering. The alleged photos are actually stills taken from videos shot in Russia’s Kursk region and depict a large group of Russians who surrendered to the Ukrainians in August 2024 during a raid into Russia. Russia is also using AI-generated videos and photos purporting to show Russian flags being raised in places where Russian forces have not even come close to reaching yet. The situation in Kostyantynivka is, however, genuinely complex. But it is nowhere near as dire as in the Russian fantasies with which Russia feeds its fifth column in the West. And this is also happening:

June 15, 2026

The Russians have carried out airstrikes that have left so many cultural and historical sites across Ukraine in ruins that it is hard to call it a coincidence. Russia is, quite simply, a repugnant, terror-spreading blight on the face of the planet. Judge for yourselves: a Russian airstrike on Kyiv caused a fire at the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio. The fire irreversibly damaged the costume workshop and destroyed the largest and oldest collection of costumes in Ukraine—about 100,000 costumes and three million garments that studio employees had been collecting here for generations since the 1950s. Among the targets of the attack was also the historic Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, which suffered a direct hit that damaged the cathedral’s roof. Russia also destroyed the largest terminal of the leading Ukrainian company Nova Poshta. In Kharkiv, four firefighters were killed in a double strike when Russian projectiles hit the site where they had arrived to clean up the aftermath of the first strike. Russia launched a total of 611 drones and 70 missiles. Air defenses shot down 582 drones and 50 missiles. Zelenskyy has already announced that Ukraine will respond forcefully to this attack. And this is also happening:

June 14, 2026

Russian military blogger Romanov claims that traitors within the Russian command structure are passing on the coordinates of observation and command posts to Ukraine. According to him, one such case was uncovered in the operations department of the 8th Army, which led some battalion commanders to report false coordinates to headquarters as a precautionary measure. Romanov also claims that false maps of the front line led Russian command to launch an attack on a “fictitious” sector, resulting in the loss of 40 soldiers within two hours. And these are just the things the Russians are openly admitting. This is also happening:

June 13, 2026

Poland and Ukraine have found themselves at odds after one of the Ukrainian units decided to name itself after the “heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.” The Polish delegation, led by President Nawrocki, called on Zelenskyy to reconsider the name. He, however, retorted that the unit had chosen the name itself and that the final decision was up to them. Poland has threatened to revoke Zelenskyy’s state award over the situation, and the entire incident is having a significant impact on how the Polish public perceives Ukrainians. After all, the UPA is viewed diametrically differently in both countries. While in Ukraine it is remembered primarily as a symbol of the struggle for independence and an independent Ukrainian state, in Poland it is mainly associated with ethnic unrest in Western Ukraine and massacres of the civilian population. In any case, it is a very sensitive and complex issue. And this is also happening:

June 12, 2026

The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed strikes and fires at two oil refineries in Tatarstan, Russia—more than 1,100 km from the Ukrainian border. The targets were the TANECO refinery, with a capacity of over 16 million tons per year, and the TAIF-NK refinery in Nizhnekamsk. That same night, Ukrainian forces struck the Tolyattikauçuk plant in the nearby Samara region, which produces synthetic rubber used in solid rocket fuel for Russian ballistic missiles. Simply a job well done. And this also happened:

June 11, 2026

Gurulev, a member of the Russian State Duma and a general in the Russian Army, admitted in a video that Russian troops killed civilians in the Donbas in 2014 on his personal orders. Gurulev stated that a woman and a child were killed during one of the shelling attacks carried out by Russian troops under his command. According to him, “there was no other option” because he had to protect his own men. At the same time, in the same video, he called for further attacks on Ukrainian cities: “This is war. And the enemy must be attacked everywhere. In Kyiv. So that there is no water, no electricity, no sewage—nothing.” But of course, Russia wants peace, while the West is full of warmongers, those wretches? In any case, this is also happening:

June 10, 2026

Drone operators from the 1st Azov Corps took the port of Mariupol out of commission by striking key infrastructure. During the operation, power substations, radar installations, repair facilities, the port control tower, fuel tanks, tugboats, and the sanctioned cargo ship Lady Augusta were hit. As a result, the port cannot serve Russian military logistics, at least temporarily. And this also happened:

June 9, 2026

Ukrainians carried out a successful bombing attack on another Russian officer right on the streets of Moscow. He was killed instantly when his car exploded. According to Russian media outlets, he was a lieutenant general, but his exact identity remains the subject of speculation. Later reports indicated that a second explosion had occurred. Details will likely be known later. And this also happened: