US President Donald Trump has already arrived at the Oval Office to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Today, the two leaders will discuss the conditions that the Kremlin is demanding for peace.

The leaders will first hold a one-on-one discussion, after which European leaders will join the talks. These include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General, the Prime Ministers of the UK and Italy, the Presidents of France and Finland, and the Chancellor of Germany.

Ahead of the meeting, Russia has already struck Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy, the major centers in the regions in Russia’s territorial swap agenda. Moscow has also deployed MiG aircraft capable of carrying Kinzhal missiles, which can reach any point in Ukraine.

8:50 PM:

8:42 PM: Zelenskyy has appeared in a more formal costume at the meeting with Trump. A journalist, who critisized the Ukrainian president the last time he visited the Oval Office, apologized for his previous comments and added that he looked “wonderful.”

8:40 PM: The US president has said, regarding security guarantees, “We will give Ukraine very good security.” However, no specific guarantees have been announced. At the same time, Kyiv will not join NATO, according to Trump. 

8:35 PM: Trump claims it was a hard thing for Putin to come to the US. The American president has been criticized for the warm greeting of the Russian leader. The US Army rolled a red carpet below Putin, which many view as a symbol of Ukrainian blood spilled in Russia’s war. 

8:30 PM: Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants to hold elections. But “we have to ensure safe circumstances. We need a truce to make it possible.”

8:15 PM: Zelenskyy has met with Trump. 

Trump came out to greet him. Shortly before, the leaders of European countries and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had arrived there, BBC reports.

8:10 PM: The Ukrainian delegation has already arrived at the White House.

The delegation, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, includes:
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov;
Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova;
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andrii Yermak;
Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Serhii Kyslytsya;
Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Pavlo Palisa.

8:08 PM: Trump’s pastor, Mark Burns, stated that Putin’s demand to protect the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine is cynical, noting that the Kremlin itself bans Ukrainian churches in the occupied territories.

“It is deeply troubling that during peace talks in Alaska, Vladimir Putin had the audacity to demand protections for the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

This is the same institution being used by the Kremlin to justify war, bless missiles, and deceive millions by pretending their invasion is somehow holy,” he stressed.

8:06 PM: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized just minutes before his meetings at the White House that his primary goal is “a reliable and lasting peace for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe.”

“We understand that we shouldn’t expect Putin to voluntarily abandon aggression and new attempts at conquest,” he said. 

Therefore, in his view, pressure from the US and Europe is essential.

8:00 PM: Ahead of the Trump–Zelenskyy talks, Ukraine revealed footage of its new Flamingo missile. Speeding along at 950 km/hr, it should be able to avoid all but the best Russian air defenses. 

Ranging twice as far as the best current Ukrainian deep-strike munitions, and with a warhead that is several times heavier, the Flamingo has the potential to significantly escalate Ukraine’s strategic bombardment campaign targeting Russian factories, air bases, and oil refineries.

Instead of peace, Russia invests in preparing youth for future wars. Ukraine’s Center for Disinformation Countering has reported that over a hundred teenagers aged 14–18 were sent to a Russian military camp in occupied Luhansk Oblast, a part of Donbas along with Donetsk Oblast, where they were trained in shooting, drill exercises, and guard duty.

Children’s camps: What happens inside?

Teenagers were dressed in Soviet military-style uniforms and engaged in exercises involving tanks, artillery, and anti-tank obstacles. They spent ten days in the camp, learning shooting skills, military drills, and basic guard duties.

Participants came from so-called “military-patriotic clubs” in the Luhansk People’s Republic, the illegal Russian-backed entity on Ukraine’s territory, banned by Kyiv. These camps reflect the Kremlin’s systematic approach: instead of pursuing peace, it invests in future generations to prepare them for upcoming wars.

Impact on Luhansk Oblast

As of 2025, over 95% of Luhansk Oblast is under Russian occupation. Regional infrastructure is almost entirely destroyed: most residential buildings are damaged or demolished, while water, electricity, and mobile networks operate intermittently.

Russian occupiers forcibly issue passports to locals and maintain strict control over communities.

Danger for European nations

According to the agencyn, these camps are not mere training programs but a propaganda tool: teens are conditioned to military discipline and taught to hate Ukraine. The Kremlin is grooming a new generation of “cannon fodder” while simultaneously demonstrating unrestrained military aggression.

This strategy threatens not only Ukraine but European stability as well, since children raised in such environments could become participants in future combat operations. 

Russia spy chief warns NATO: Poland and Baltic States to “suffer first” in event of war

Ukrainian forces carried out a unique operation nearly 950 km from Ukraine. On the night of 18 August, the “Nikolskoe” oil pumping station in Russia’s Tambov Oblast was struck. The facility ensured the stable flow of oil along a strategic Druzha pipeline.

What happened at the station?

“As a result of the strike, a fire broke out at the facility, and oil pumping along the Druzhba main pipeline was completely halted,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

Such stations maintain pipeline pressure, and without them, fuel transportation becomes impossible.

Why the Druzhba pipeline matters?

The Druzhba pipeline runs from Russia to Belarus and then branches out: northward to Poland and Germany, southward through Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary.

After the war began, the EU halted supplies along the northern branch, but exceptions were made for Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. These countries continue to receive oil from Russia.

Strike on the Kremlin’s economy

“The ‘Nikolskoe’ oil pumping station is part of Russia’s economic infrastructure and is involved in supplying occupation forces,” the Armed Forces add.

Ukraine consistently targets Russia’s military-economic potential to weaken its ability to continue the war.

Russia has deliberately killed a family in one of the Ukrainian regions ahead of a key event for Ukraine in Washington aimed to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the attack “absolutely demonstrative and cynical,” stressing that it was conducted right before his meeting with US President Donald Trump. 

A few days earlier, the American president hosted Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, greeted with full honors as the US Army rolled out a red carpet in Alaska. During the event, Putin called Ukraine a “brotherly nation,” despite Moscow’s murder of Ukrainian civilians in Russian air assaults. 

After that meeting, Trump dropped his demand for an immediate ceasefire and argued that a quick peace deal could be reached if Zelenskyy agreed to hand over Donbas to Russia, including areas not currently occupied by Russian troops.

Mass civilian casualties

In Kharkiv, seven people were killed, including an 18-month-old child. Nearly 34 others were injured, six of them children. The city declared a day of mourning. Five drones deliberately approached the building from different directions, striking as residents slept inside, Ukrainian authorities say. 

Strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa

Russia also launched missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa. In Zaporizhzhia, three people were killed and another 20 injured. In Odesa, a drone hit an energy facility owned by an Azerbaijani company, threatening Ukraine’s energy security as well as its relations with international partners.

Zelenskyy on Kremlin’s cynical pressure

“Everyone wants a just peace and true security. And at this very moment, the Russians strike Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odesa, residential buildings, our civilian infrastructure. This is the deliberate killing of people by the Russians, the killing of children,” the Ukrainian president emphasizes.

According to him, the attacks are a direct tool of Kremlin pressure on Ukraine and the EU ahead of diplomatic negotiations.

How is Russia circumventing sanctions? By sea. Ukrainian intelligence has revealed details of operations involving 42 ships engaged in transporting sanctioned Russian and Iranian oil, stolen Ukrainian grain and coal, as well as bunkering activities of the so-called “shadow fleet.”

Floating depots and false flags

Among the identified vessels is a floating storage unit of Russia’s Lukoil company in the Caspian Sea, used for transferring oil to “shadow fleet” tankers. Why does this matter? Under sanction and diplomatic pressure, many countries refuse to register such ships. Moscow responds with fraud: false flags, fake maritime registries, and falsified documents.

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), over 300 ships worldwide currently sail under fake flags and fraudulent documentation, creating global risks for maritime trade and shipping safety.

War&Sanctions reveals the “shadow fleet”

The new “Ships” section on Ukraine’s War&Sanctions portal led by the intelligence agency displays over 100 Russian and Iranian tankers operating under fake flags of Panama, Malawi, Comoros, Guinea, and Palau.

HUR explains that all such vessels should be fully banned from servicing, port calls, and international straits. Flag states and the IMO must exercise strict and timely control.

More than just numbers

Overall, the portal now contains data on over 1,000 ships and 155 captains involved in transporting weapons and stolen products from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. This is not mere statistics — each vessel and captain reflects a complex network of Moscow and Tehran’s sanction-evading schemes.

The War&Sanctions portal enables monitoring of these schemes and provides global regulators with concrete data for action against violators. 

The Ukrainian intelligence has dealt a devastating blow to Russian forces in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. A new Kyiv operation has burned down an arsenal, destroyed ammunition, and eliminated Russian marines, together with Kadyrov’s fighters in Melitopol.

Explosion in the industrial zone

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), on 16 August 2025, Ukrainian forces incinerated an ammunition depot and blew up Russian military positions.

The explosion occurred when a truck carrying personnel entered the industrial area on Korvatskoho passage.

“As a result, at least six Russian invaders from the marine infantry were eliminated, as well as the UAV crew of the so-called Kadyrov battalion Akhmad-Vostok. The explosion also set fire to the ammunition depot, and secondary detonations were heard,” HUR reports.

“Akhmad-Vostok”: Kadyrov’s punitive squad

The eliminated fighters belonged to the Kadyrovite battalion Akhmad-Vostok. This Chechen formation within the Russian National Guard is controlled by Ramzan Kadyrov.

It is notorious for its brutality, propaganda, and participation in the bloodiest battles in Donbas and Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Since the beginning of the invasion in 2022, Akhmad-Vostok has performed punitive functions, conducted “cleansing” operations, and terrorized the local population. Ukrainian intelligence has repeatedly recorded the unit’s presence on the front line in the hottest combat zones.

Melitopol: occupiers’ logistics hub and humanitarian catastrophe

Melitopol is a key supply hub for Russian forces in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The city suffers from a humanitarian crisis: water and power outages, repression against local residents, raids and searches.

The HUR operation in Melitopol sent a clear signal: Ukrainian resistance continues even deep in enemy-held territory, and the occupiers can feel safe nowhere.

Russia insists on official status for the Russian language and freedom for its Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The New York Times reports that US President Donald Trump will discuss this Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s demand with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 18 August at the White House. 

European leaders have also been invited to join, officials said, speaking anonymously to discuss private negotiations.

Putin refuses a trilateral meeting

Despite Donald Trump’s hopes to hold a US–Ukraine–Russia trilateral meeting, Putin continues to refuse the proposition, calling Zelenskyy “the illegitimate president of an artificial country.” During a phone call between Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders, another demand to cede Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine were discussed.

As of now, Moscow troops control the big part of these two regions but not all the territory. 

Putin’s conditions for ending the war

According to Trump, Putin reportedly demands that all of Donbas be handed over to Russia. In exchange, he is willing to suspend hostilities in other parts of Ukraine – Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, freezing the current frontline, and to provide written assurances not to attack Ukraine or other European countries. Security guarantees for Ukraine after the war are included, but strictly outside the framework of NATO.

This information confirms that Moscow is not abandoning political-religious control and continues to push its ultimatum demands even during negotiations with the US and Europe.

A war criminal, accused by the International Criminal Court, was treated like a king in Alaska. From the red carpet to the plane’s flyover — everything went perfectly for Russian President Vladimir Putin, writes Ivor Bennett for Sky News.

In recent years, only China and North Korea, Russia’s longtime allies, have similarly welcomed him.

The most urgent issues were ignored

Putin’s primary goal in Anchorage was to ease Donald Trump’s disappointment. A week ago, Moscow faced an ultimatum: a ceasefire or sanctions. Yet neither was mentioned.

Putin again spoke of “eliminating the root causes” of the war, a phrase that offers little hope to Ukraine. It implies that Russia’s red lines remain unchanged: Ukrainian territory, neutrality, and limitations on its armed forces, with Moscow unwilling to relax any of these demands.

Press conference under Kremlin’s control

At the press conference, it became clear who was running the show. Putin spoke first and did not answer a single question — a unique situation for Trump’s media interactions. The absence of a Q&A session was likely a condition set by the Russian side, which Trump unquestioningly respected. It demonstrates how much he values relations with the Kremlin.

“Quest for peace” or a new order?

The summit’s slogan was “quest for peace,” but it appeared that Putin sought a new stage in US-Russia relations, at Ukraine’s expense. Despite Trump’s statements that many points were agreed upon, Russia made no concessions.

This meeting leaves questions unanswered: why were these vague frameworks set, and what are the Kremlin’s fundamental objectives if details are not disclosed?

A drone, suicide, a lover, crypto, and a note. On the Toretsk front, aerial scouts from the Khyzhak Brigade of the Patrol Police Department have conducted a unique psychological operation. As a result, one Russian assault soldier shot himself, and another surrendered after a note was dropped by a drone: “Want to live — follow the drone.”

Assault and surrender

It all began when two Russian occupiers moved toward Ukrainian positions.

“Our aerial scouts from the bomber group met them from the sky. Accurate drops — one wounded soldier couldn’t endure and shot himself. The other, barely breathing, raised his hands and begged for mercy,” the brigade reports.

“Rugby Player” from Kazan

The wounded soldier turned out to be 43-year-old Andryukha, a former Russian national rugby team player, with a call sign “Rugby Player.”

According to the fighters, he previously ran a cryptocurrency company but went bankrupt and fell into 6 million rubles of debt. His lover and promises of easy service pushed him to the war, but he was thrown into an assault unit.

He survived because he followed the drone

“Now he says he never wanted to kill Ukrainians and is not eager for an exchange, because he knows that if he returns, the Russians will send him to die again,” the brigade concludes.

Lessons of the past 30 years cannot be ignored. French President Emmanuel Macron calls to taking into account all the lessons of the past three decades, particularly Russia’s history of ignoring its commitments after the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which ended without a peace agreement or sanctions on Moscow.

“The lessons of Russia must not be forgotten”

“It will also be essential to draw all the lessons from the past 30 years, in particular from Russia’s well-established tendency not to honor its own commitments,” Macron claims.

He added that, together with Trump and Zelenskyy, he will act “in a spirit of unity and responsibility,” supporting Ukraine and maintaining pressure on Russia as long as its aggression continues.

Support for Ukraine and steadfast peace guarantees

According to Macron, any long-term peace must be based on unwavering security guarantees and respect for Ukraine’s rights. The French president emphasized the unity of European and Western leaders on this matter.

Willing coalition and concrete progress

Macron also welcomed the US willingness to contribute to strengthening peace.

“We will work on this with them and all our partners within the Coalition of the Willing, with whom we will meet again soon to achieve concrete progress,” the French president adds. 

Ukraine disagrees with US President Donald Trump’s vision of ending the war. Kyiv insists that there must first be a ceasefire, followed by a negotiating process. Otherwise, Russia could use endless strikes to secure the most favorable terms, UNIAN reports. 

Presidential Office adviser Serhii Leshchenko says that negotiations before a ceasefire create major risks of blackmail for Ukraine.

“Our vision is first a ceasefire, and then everything else. Why? Because if we negotiate before a ceasefire, it creates big risks of blackmail for Ukraine. If there is a ceasefire, space for diplomacy opens,” Leshchenko explains.

The adviser claims that a ceasefire is necessary before starting substantive negotiations. Talks cannot be conducted in parallel with ongoing battles at the front.

“Today the fighting is one way, tomorrow another. This can have serious consequences due to very short-term shifts on the battlefield, in one direction or another,” Leshchenko adds.

Trump has claimed his intention to end the war in Ukraine since the first day he took office. He has called Putin six times, and each time his conversations ended with even more bloody Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians. 

• On the night of 12 July, Russia launched massive strikes with Shahed drones and cruise missiles on Lviv, Lutsk, Chernivtsi, as well as Kyiv. In Chernivtsi, two people were killed and several were injured. In Lviv, 12 people were wounded, including an 11-year-old child.
• Russia killed 31 civilians in 27 locations in Kyiv on 31 July, including residential buildings. Over 150 people were injured. The month ended with 286 civilians killed and nearly 1,400 injured across Ukraine, the highest monthly toll since May 2022. 

Moscow prepares a new strike, but Kyiv will respond asymmetrically. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that in the coming days, Russia may sharply intensify its attacks, trying to create favorable conditions for negotiations. However, Ukraine is ready to counter the aggressor “asymmetrically, if needed.”

Ukrainian military successes in Donbas

According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Armed Forces units have been achieving success for the second day in a row on the toughest sections of the front, in the areas of Dobropillia and Pokrovsk.

“The destruction of occupiers who tried to infiltrate deep into our positions continues. Ukraine has received important additions to the exchange fund in the form of captured Russian soldiers,” the president states.

Gratitude to heroes and warning to the enemy

The Ukrainian president also praises the combat performance of the 79th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades, the 1st and 425th Assault Regiments, the 25th Battalion, and other units holding the defense in the Pokrovsk direction.

“We are recording the movement and preparations of Russian troops. Of course, we will respond, asymmetrically if needed,” Zelenskyy adds.

Earlier, we reported that the Trump-Putin meeting ended without signing a treaty or ceasefire agreement. At the same time, no sanctions were imposed on Russia or its main partner, China. The red carpet and warm reception for Putin, who launched Russia’s war that has killed 13,800 civilians, including children, sparked outrage around the world.

The meeting in Alaska has not brought peace to Ukraine. Following talks with Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump stated that no ceasefire or peace deal has been reached so far. While the leaders discussed “many points,” no key agreements were made, Reuters reports. 

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to the meeting, and his European allies feared Trump would force Kyiv into territorial concessions, recognizing Russian control over one-fifth of Ukraine.

Trump: “There’s no deal until there is one”

At a joint press conference in Anchorage, Trump called the meeting with Putin “very productive” and stressed that “there were many, many points that we agreed on, most of them, I would say.”

“A couple of big ones that we haven’t quite gotten there but we’ve made some headway. So there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said. 

The US president briefed other leaders, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO representatives, on the outcome of the talks, according to CBS News.

Trump also said he would hold off on imposing tariffs on China for buying Russian oil, even after no definite progress was reached. 

“Because of what happened today, I think I don’t have to think about that now. I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don’t have to think about that right now,” he claimed. 

Putin demands Ukraine’s capitulation

Earlier, the Russian president said he was ready to “end the war,” but only on the conditions he put forward back in June 2024. These include:

• The withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts
• Abandoning NATO’s membership aspirations, a neutral status
• Recognition of Crimea
• Lifting of sanctions against Russia.

Such demands in effect amount to Ukraine’s capitulation.

Ukraine: ceasefire and return of prisoners

Kyiv, not invited to the talks in Alaska, has also outlined its clear position: before any discussion on territories, there must be a ceasefire, security guarantees, compensation for rebuilding the country, and the return of children and prisoners.

None of these points were agreed upon during the Trump-Putin meeting.

At the same time, Russia continued its drone and missile strikes on Ukraine. During the night of 16 August, Kyiv forces downed 61 Russian drones. They targeted 24 objects in four Ukrainian regions. 

On 15 August, Alaska’s Anchorage is hosting a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a Cold War–era military installation once used to counter the Soviet Union.

11:40 PM: Ukrainian social media burst with anger, fury, and dissapointment after Trump’s warm greeting to Putin and a red carpet welcome. 

“I CAN’T WATCH THIS NEWS!

The world has gone mad.
I want to get off this planet.

In what’s supposed to be a civilized world, shaking the hand of a bloody murderer is pure savagery!” one of the users told Euromaidan Press. 

"Red carpet". Ukrainian artist Oleh Shupliaк depicted meeting of US President Trump and Russian President Putin

Russia's war has killed 13,800 civilians, not counting victims in cities such as Mariupol, where thousands may have been killed in Russian attacks
Oleh Shupliaк pic.twitter.com/79vunGbjz7

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 15, 2025

11:33 PM: The White House posted a photo of Trump and Putin on X. Their closed-door talks are set to last six hours — until 5 a.m. Kyiv time. Trump once vowed to “leave very quickly” if Putin wasn’t serious. Thirty minutes in, he’s still there.

11:00 PM: NBC News has compared Trump’s greetings of Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zerlen, calling the handshake with the Russian president “seemingly warm,” which “stands in stark contrast to the extraordinary White House clash between Trump and Zelenskyy in late February.”

“Trump and Vice President JD Vance chastised Zelenskyy inside the Oval Office, reprimanding the Ukrainian president for not showing enough gratitude to the US for its military assistance,” the report says. 

Kremlin footage shows the Putin–Trump meeting kicking off.

Foreign Minister Lavrov and presidential aide Ushakov flank Putin; US Secretary of State Rubio and special envoy Witkoff flank Trump.

Smiles and handshakes all around. pic.twitter.com/H546AHJikQ

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 15, 2025

10:40 PM: Putin ignores a journalist’s question whether he intends to stop killings of Ukrainian civilians. 

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, July 2025 was the deadliest month for Ukraine since 2022, due to relentless Russian attacks that included 6,000 Shahed-type drones. Some 286 civilians were killed and 1,388 were injured, marking the highest civilian toll since May 2022. 

Presidents Trump and Putin arrive at Anchorage, Alaska, walk the red carpet together, and pose, smiling and relaxed, for some photos.

Journalist. President Putin will you stop killing civilians?

Putin pretends he doesn't hear.https://t.co/J3rW0h0Q0X pic.twitter.com/9OivG6YlIr

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 15, 2025

10:30 PM: When asked by Russian state media if he anticipated US sanctions easing after the Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed confidence.

“They will certainly be lifted for some, that’s clear,” Lavrov told the state news agency RIA Novosti.

In the lead-up to Friday’s summit, the US Treasury Department issued a license temporarily suspending certain sanctions on Russia until 20 August.

10:10 PM: Trump and Putin met next to their planes. 

10:00 PM: Trump and Putin will hold talks in “three on three”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov will join the Russian president’s the negotiations with Trump. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Kremlin’s team from the American side, CNN reports. 

9:50 PM: US President Donald Trump landed at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Russian ruler Vladimir Putin also arrived at the base, around 30 minutes after Trump, according to Sky News. 

Ukrainian soldiers were able to break the horns of war of Russian occupiers near Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, analysts at DeepState report.

Dobropillia is a city leading to Pokrovsk, which Russia has been trying to capture for one and a half years.

Ahead of the Trump-Putin talks in Alaska, Russia intended to show strength and present the capture of Donetsk Oblast as inevitable. Moscow needs these territories for a more favorable deal, but for the Russian occupiers, it ends in destruction.

“I thank our 79th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades, which are fighting precisely there, on the Dobropillia axis,” Zelenskyy said.

He also highlighted the Azov soldiers, who took defensive positions on the Pokrovsk front to block Russian forces advancing in Donetsk Oblast.

The corps moved into what has been described as “one of the most difficult sections of the front.”

Previously, the area was defended by Tactical Group “Pokrovsk,” which “absolutely could not cope with defense on this section,” according to military sources.

Meanwhile, Azov National Guard Corps soldiers, together with adjacent units, say they have cleared six settlements on the Pokrovsk axis: Hruzke, Rubizhne, Novovodyane, Petrivka, Vesele, and Zolotyi Kolodiaz.

According to the Ukrainian military, 271 Russian occupiers were killed, 101 were wounded, and 13 were taken prisoner. Additionally, one Russian tank and two armored combat vehicles were destroyed or damaged, along with 37 vehicles and motorcycles, and three artillery pieces.

Azov emphasizes that Russian advances in this sector have been halted, though “stabilization operations” are still ongoing.

Earlier, DeepState reported that Russian occupiers were close to breaking through on the Pokrovsk axis.

Russian forces =dramatically expanded their breakthrough along the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka road. What began as a 10-kilometer salient in May 2025 near Malynivka, Nova Poltavka, and Novoolenivka extended to 23 kilometers.

During the Alaska meeting, the issue of territorial exchange will be discussed in particular, but any concrete decisions on this will be made by Ukraine, US President Donald Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska, according to Clash Report. 

The Russian side does not plan to sign any documents or agreements following the Alaska meeting. According to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Trump and Putin may address the press to announce agreements reached verbally.

Trump added that he is attending the meeting not to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine, but to bring all parties to the negotiating table. According to the American leader, the US will provide Ukraine with certain security guarantees together with European countries, but this will not be done under NATO’s umbrella.

Trump was also asked to comment on Russian strikes in Ukraine. He speculated that Putin is doing this to strengthen his position ahead of the negotiations. He said that in this way, Putin hopes to help them reach the best possible deal. He also suggested that the killings of Ukrainians could simply be linked to his genetics.

At the same time, the US president expressed some optimism about today’s talks with Putin. He claimed that he likes the process because they want to do business, but the Russians will not conduct business until the war is resolved.

Trump also reminded that the Russian economy is going through difficult times, so if the negotiations fail, Russia will face great problems.

The Kremlin’s delegation has arrived in Alaska. A historic summit between Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is beginning in Anchorage, but the Kremlin has already warned — no documents will be signed, UNIAN reports. 

Peskov: talks on Ukrainian settlement

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said the war in Ukraine will be the key topiс. 

“President Putin and President Trump intend to talk, they are ready to talk, and they will discuss the most difficult issues,” he claimed. 

He stressed that no documents are expected to be signed at the meeting, but during a joint press conference Putin will “outline the agreements and understandings that will be reached.”

Ukrainian position not yet on the agenda

Peskov clarified that the current talks are between Russia and the US, and that “discussion with the Ukrainian side will come at later stages.” He also described the war in Ukraine as “a complex and multifaceted substance” and added that “they are unlikely to receive an adequate response from the Europeans.”

Russia is redeploying forces from Sumy Oblast to Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, preparing for decisive battles in the Pokrovsk sector. The buildup coincides with preparations for US President Donald Trump’s and Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s meeting in Alaska, where ending the war in Ukraine will be discussed, Ranok.Live reports.

Over 100,000 Russian troops near Pokrovsk

Spokesman for the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Grouping Victor Trehubov says more than 100,000 Russian troops are concentrated in the Pokrovsk front despite heavy losses. He explains that Moscow troops are willing to sacrifice positions in Sumy Oblast to create an illusion of success in Donetsk Oblast.

“That’s a huge number for such a scale — enough to attack a European country, not just one unfortunate small Pokrovsk,” Trehubov says.

Ukrainian forces inflict losses and stabilize the front

In the past two days, Ukrainian defenders have repelled 53 Russian assaults in more than 20 settlements in the Pokrovsk sector. The Defense Forces, including the 1st NGU Azov Corps, eliminated 151 occupiers, wounded over 70, and captured eight Russian soldiers.

“As a result of the fighting, the enemy is suffering heavy losses,” Azov stated.

Putin strengthens position before talks

Analysts believe the troop concentration in Donetsk Oblast is an attempt by the Kremlin to create a media effect and strengthen Putin’s negotiating position ahead of the 15 August Alaska summit with Trump, UNN reports. The key topic there will be a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.

The Kremlin is considering two scenarios for the upcoming Alaska summit: an agreement without Ukraine or pressure through cutting aid. According to Corriere della Sera, Russian President Vladimir Putin is offering US President Donald Trump a “convenient way out of the situation,” Kremlin foreign policy adviser Dmitry Suslov says.

Scenario 1: Bilateral deal without Ukraine and Europe

The first option envisions adopting a Russia–US ceasefire plan for Ukraine, negotiated exclusively between Moscow and Washington.

The agreement could include:

• Withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the parts of Donbas they still control,
• Withdrawal of Russian forces from Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv oblasts, but keeping the current front line in other areas, 
• Ukraine is committed not to join NATO.

This would mean continued fighting in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Suslov stressed that renouncing NATO membership is a “mandatory and inevitable condition,” and the final arrangements must include “Ukraine’s demilitarization and constitutional reform toward federalization.”

Scenario 2: Pressure through cutting assistance

Suslov said the second option is that Ukraine and its European partners reject the Kremlin’s proposals. In this case, he suggests Trump could completely end military aid to Kyiv and even halt weapons sales to European countries so they cannot transfer arms to Ukraine.

“This will speed up Ukraine’s defeat and its complete collapse,” he stated.

Suslov believes Trump might take such a step to avoid appearing weak after pressuring Brazil, India, and China to stop importing Russian oil under threat of secondary sanctions.

At the same time, according to the Kremlin adviser, successfully reaching a bilateral deal in Alaska would help ease tensions with China, India, and Brazil and give the US president the chance to claim a “historic achievement.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that no country, except European states, provides Kyiv with real security guarantees, including financial support for the army, the foundation of the country’s defense. Therefore, European leaders must be present at key international meetings, UkrInform reports. 

Zelenskyy’s plan: ceasefire, negotiations, and security guarantees

The Ukrainian president has presented his simple and clear plan to end the war: first, a ceasefire, followed by negotiations mediated by the US with clear security guarantees from all parties.

“My plan is not that complicated. It is very simple: a ceasefire, and during the ceasefire we must discuss and resolve the issues… with clear security guarantees,” Zelenskyy stresses.

The importance of Ukraine’s participation in the upcoming negotiations

The president announced that on 13 August, there will be a series of online negotiations with European leaders, US and NATO representatives, ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska.

“Such sensitive issues concerning Ukraine must be discussed in Ukraine’s presence,” Zelenskyy emphasizes.

These negotiations aim to coordinate a common position regarding peace, security guarantees, and support for Ukraine in the ongoing diplomatic process.

Earlier, the study showed that Europe leads in military aid for Ukraine, surpassing the US. According to research by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine Support Tracker, European countries have become the main donors of support to Ukraine, allocating over 35 billion euros for weapons procurement.

This sum is 4.4 billion euros more than the US has spent on the defense of Ukraine over more than three years of Russia’s aggression. 

The Belarus Defense Ministry has announced that Russia and Belarus will conduct Zapad-2025 joint strategic military exercises from 12 to 16 September.

Repeating the 2022 invasion preparation scenario

According to Valery Revenko, Head of the Department of International Military Cooperation at the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, the theme of the exercises is “the deployment of troop groups to ensure the security of the Union State.”

“The overall goal is to test the capabilities of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in ensuring the military security of the Union State and readiness to repel possible aggression,” Revenko emphasizes.

Experts have previously noted that the Zapad-2025 scenario essentially repeats the preparatory measures under the cover of which Russia amassed troops near Ukraine’s borders in late 2021 – early 2022, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. 

Russia is already deploying troops and equipment to Belarus

According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia has begun transferring the first units to Belarus — several hundred soldiers and dozens of pieces of equipment, as per Facty. 

Minsk assures that the exercises pose no threat to neighbors and will be conducted openly. Observers from nine NATO countries are involved.

NATO will respond harshly to possible aggression

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that a new military conflict in Europe is currently unlikely but cannot be ruled out.

If anyone decides that an attack on Poland or any of our allies will go unpunished, they will face the full force of the alliance, Rutte warned.

Europe leads military aid for Ukraine, surpassing the US. According to research by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine Support Tracker, European countries have become the main donors of support to Ukraine, allocating over 35 billion euros for weapons procurement.

The Ukraine Support Tracker project monitors military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine based on open data. It covers 40 countries, including the G7 members, as well as Australia, South Korea, Türkiye, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, China, Taiwan, and India. 

Europe spent more on military aid than the US

From the start of the full-scale war until June 2025, Europe allocated at least 35.1 billion euros for Ukraine’s armaments — 4.4 billion euros more than the US. Importantly, a significant portion of weapons are purchased directly through the defense industry rather than taken from existing stockpiles.

The study highlights that Germany provided the largest bilateral aid package of five billion euros. Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and Denmark also provided significant aid packages.

The US supports, but Kyiv must finance purchases Itself

In May 2025, Trump’s administration approved large arms exports to Ukraine, but the country must finance these purchases independently.

Ukraine’s financing through international mechanisms

A significant part of Ukraine’s financial support is currently provided through the ERA loan mechanism, created by the G7 and the European Commission. A total of 45 billion euros is planned to be provided, partly financed by frozen Russian assets.

Experts warn that whether donors can maintain this level of assistance in the long term remains uncertain.

Russian propaganda threatens Azerbaijan with war over support for Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin media have intensified anti-Baku rhetoric, escalating accusations against the country of being “Western sellouts.” 

On 11 August, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree allocating $2 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine following Russian strikes on the state-owned SOCAR’s oil depot in Odesa Oblast and a gas compressor station that transports Azerbaijani gas to Ukraine.

The funds will be used to purchase electrical equipment for Ukraine.

“The Russian propaganda has launched a new wave of harsh anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric, ranging from accusations of being ‘Western sellouts’ to direct threats of war,” says the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Moscow is losing control over the South Caucasus 

As explained by the Center, the Kremlin is increasingly losing influence over Azerbaijan and can no longer impose its political or economic will. Therefore, Kremlin propaganda intensifies pressure through threats and war rhetoric to rally its domestic audience.

“Moscow can no longer dictate its political or economic will to Azerbaijan. Thus, propaganda tries to compensate for the loss of real leverage with threats,” the Center notes.

Azerbaijan strengthens its fight against Russian propaganda

Baku is actively freeing itself from Russian dominance: recently, the “Russkiy Dom” was closed, and the activities of Russian propaganda media have been restricted in the country.

The “Russkiy Dom” in Baku was a Russian information and cultural center functioning as a representative office of the agency engaged in strengthening Russia’s humanitarian influence abroad, in Azerbaijan. The center faced accusations of espionage activities disguised as cultural work.

Ukraine has tested the revolutionary Starlink Direct to Cell technology for the first time. It allows smartphones to connect directly to satellites without special antennas or equipment. The technology could keep communications running even during massive attacks and blackouts, says Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.

How Starlink Direct to Cell works?

Unlike traditional Starlink, smartphones connect to satellites like they would to a mobile tower, using standard LTE or 5G.

“Ukraine has become one of the first countries in the world where Starlink Direct to Cell works — direct satellite connection without antennas or additional hardware, requiring only 4G and a SIM card,” explains Svyrydenko.

The technology offers global coverage, from mountains and steppes to remote villages and even the ocean. As early as autumn 2025, Kyivstar plans to launch the first stage, enabling SMS messaging from anywhere in Ukraine-controlled territory.

Why is it critical during wartime? 

From 2022 to 2025, Russia destroyed around 73% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants. Continuous strikes on energy and communications infrastructure have caused long rolling blackouts.

“In wartime, when the Russians deliberately target energy and communications, this technology is a matter of security. Ukrainians will be able to stay connected even in the most remote locations,” Svyrydenko stresses.

Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov has confirmed, “We successfully exchanged our first text messages via satellite directly from smartphones.”

When Starlink Direct to Cell will launch?

The technology is being rolled out in partnership with the US, Australia, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand. Beta testing is underway, and an official launch in Ukraine is planned for the fall of 2025.

Russians forcibly conscript Ukrainians, coercing them into fighting against their own country. The Russian 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade is now fully staffed by residents of the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast and illegal migrants, according to the DeepState project. 

According to the report, the 132nd Brigade has long been predominantly staffed by residents of the occupied settlements of Donetsk Oblast. Recently, it has been massively reinforced with illegal migrants, mainly from Central Asian countries.

This information is particularly alarming amid ongoing US-Russia negotiations. US President Donald Trump openly states that a peace deal would include some “swapping” of territories with Russia. This means that Russia can further conscript more people from occupied territories to the war against their relatives, friends, and other Ukrainians. 

“The Russian command has set the task to reach the eastern outskirts of Dobropillia in the near future,” analysts say.

The invaders aim to capture Dobropillia because it is the last major city before Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, where Russia has concentrated nearly 100,000 soldiers. Taking Dobropillia would allow them to shell logistics routes to Pokrovsk and open the way for further attacks on Kostiantynivka.

DeepState also emphasizes that the 132nd Brigade has historically consisted mainly of marginal elements and criminals from the occupied districts of Donetsk since 2014, while the command has come directly from Russia.

At the Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant in Saint Petersburg, modern Russian naval tugboat Kapitan Ushakov capsized and partially sank alongside the Baltic Shipyard’s pier. The event caused flooding in the auxiliary machinery spaces, the Russian Western Interregional Investigative Directorate for Transport reports. 

According to the agency, no injuries were reported. However, the extent of the damage is still being assessed. The agency is investigating potential safety violations during the construction work.

The tugboat was launched on 14 June 2022, but it was under final construction and outfitting for another three years in Saint Petersburg. It is designed for towing ships in icy and open waters, escort operations, firefighting at sea, and refloating grounded vessels.

It measures nearly 70 meters in length, 15 meters in width, and 3,200 tons in displacement. The tug can sail up to 3,000 nautical miles with a 30-day autonomy and features a helipad.

Earlier, Russia canceled its main naval parade of the year in Saint Petersburg. The parade cancellation might have been linked to the military leadership’s fears due to real losses suffered by the fleet. An event meant to demonstrate Russia’s power risked having the opposite effect, causing discouragement and fear.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal to exchange part of Ukraine’s territory in return for peace. Trump’s suggestion, which did not specify which areas might be swapped, struck a nerve with many Ukrainians, The New York Times reports.

Zelenskyy’s direct refusal risks angering, who has made brokering a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow one of the central goals of his foreign policy, even if the deal would disadvantage Ukraine.

“Peace as trap”: Ukraine may face pressure from US and Russia to accept Kremlin’s demands, says diplomat

This could leave Ukraine vulnarable to concessions it may need to make amid Kyiv’s dependency on Western aid and weapons in the struggle against Russia. 

Trump pushes for concessions

Trump has previously accused Ukraine of making excessively tough demands for a ceasefire. This time, he stated that some territories would need to be swapped and returned. There will be an exchange of territories for the benefit of both sides, he said. His vague comments sparked widespread outrage among Ukrainians.

Ukraine refuses to give up land

Zelenskyy’s stance reflects the overwhelming sentiment in Ukrainian society: territorial concessions are unacceptable. A Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll found that over half of Ukrainians believe the country should not cede any land “even if this makes the war last longer and threatens the preservation of independence.”

Military experts warn that such a deal would mean abandoning a key fortified defensive line in northern Donetsk Oblast, between Sloviansk and Kostiantynivka, which has so far held back Russian advances.

Peace talks in Alaska and Moscow’s advantage

Trump has agreed to hold peace talks next Friday in Alaska. For now, Moscow’s approach, not Kyiv’s, appears to have the upper hand on the diplomatic front.

Lithuania may have become the target of a Russian underwater drone, right off its own coast. In early August, near the resort town of Nida, the drone likely entered Lithuanian territorial waters from the direction of Russia, Delfi reports.

Locals noticed the unusual behavior of a border patrol boat. A coast guard vessel was seen chasing an unidentified object in the Curonian Lagoon, an area where active operations are rarely conducted.

Underwater provocation near Nida

Aistė Žalneraitienė, senior specialist at the State Border Guard Service, confirmed the incident: on 2 August, a suspicious object was indeed detected in the reported place and is currently being examined by the Criminal Investigation Department.

Preliminary assessments suggest the drone may have been launched from Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast, which is one of the main hubs of Russian military activity near NATO borders.

“Gerbera” strikes again

This is not the first incident involving Russian unmanned systems in Lithuania. On 1 August, debris from a Gerbera drone, widely used in Ukraine’s war, was found at the Gaižiūnai military training ground in the Jonava District. The drone was likely launched from Belarus. The incident was confirmed by Lithuania’s Minister of National Defense, Dovilė Šakalienė.

A week earlier, another drone of the same type crashed near the closed Šumskas border checkpoint, almost directly on the Belarusian border.

In July, a Russian drone also violated Lithuanian airspace near Vilnius. It flew at an altitude of 200 meters and remained in Lithuanian airspace for about half an hour.

Following this series of violations, Lithuanian armed forces will implement additional security measures.

Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Head, Sergey Naryshkin, warned that Poland and the Baltic states would be the first to suffer in the event of a war between Moscow and NATO. In 2025, Russia plans to train and station up to 150,000 additional troops in Belarus.

Russia may attempt to recapture Kherson. Moscow forces are relentlessly shelling Kherson, while Western media warn that Moscow may be preparing an airborne assault on the liberated city within weeks, in a move to reverse its 2022 liberation.

On 2 August, Russians launched a powerful strike on a strategically important bridge connecting the island district of Korabel to the main part of Kherson city. The strike also damaged three private homes and an apartment building. The invaders had previously targeted the bridge, forcing about 1,800 residents to leave their homes.

Civilians injured as Russia strikes Kherson again

On 8 August, Russian troops launched artillery strikes on central Kherson, critically wounding an elderly woman. She suffered a concussion, multiple shrapnel injuries, and lost an arm. Doctors say her condition is life-threatening, the regional administration reports.

The same day in Antonivka, a suburb of Kherson, Russian drones dropped explosives on two men, aged 33 and 36. Both suffered blast injuries, says the Kherson City Council. 

One of the most shocking attacks involved a 13-year-old boy who was struck by a drone while walking down the street, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin. 

“He sustained a blast injury and shrapnel wounds to his arm and leg,” he said. 

The child was hospitalized and is receiving medical care.

Also in the district suffering the most from attacks, Korabel, due to Russia’s attack on the power grid, water supply will be provided for only two hours per day. 

CNN: Russia could launch an airborne operation in Kherson

According to the report, the Kremlin may be preparing to land troops in Kherson in the coming weeks to reclaim the city that Ukraine liberated in 2022.

Roughly 72% of Kherson Oblast remains under Russian occupation, mostly the left bank of the Dnipro River. The Ukrainian-controlled right bank includes the city of Kherson itself. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military analysts say a Russian amphibious operation in Kherson would be highly risky and unlikely to succeed.

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From frontline to warehouse. New Pentagon memo allows redirecting weapons meant for Ukraine back to the US, despite US President Donald Trump publicly endorsing a new supply plan, CNN reports. 

This could mean “that anything short of the president saying go ahead might not get through,” the person said.

Previously, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth already halted a large weapons shipment to Ukraine. Although Trump announced a deal with NATO whereby Europeans would pay for US weapons bound for Ukraine, the Pentagon can be depended on the decision of one person. 

Under the new memo, equipment designated for Ukraine may never reach the front. This includes intercept missiles, air defense systems, and artillery shells, all which is critically needed by Ukraine’s military.

The USAI program, which has reliably supplied Ukraine with arms since 2016, recently received $800 million in new funding under the National Defense Authorization Act. But even that is now in question as sources aren’t sure the weapons will actually reach Kyiv.

“But it’s unclear whether the weapons produced with that money will ultimately go to Ukraine under the new Pentagon policy,” sources told CNN.

 

Separately from USAI, the Pentagon still holds $4 billion in authorized funds to ship weapons directly from US stockpiles.

In Congress, Republicans Roger Wicker and Jim Risch have introduced a bill to establish a special fund that allies can contribute to in order to replenish US weapons sent to Ukraine.

At the same time, the US and NATO are developing a new mechanism — a NATO bank account — where allies would deposit funds specifically to buy American weapons for Kyiv. 

NATO allies have already begun filling the account: according to Secretary General Mark Rutte, more than $1 billion has been allocated, with the total expected to reach $10 billion. But even that may not guarantee the weapons will reach Ukrainian soldiers, not if the Pentagon decides to replenish its own stockpiles first.

Ukraine remains in dangerous limbo. The Pentagon memo could change the course of the war — if the word “go” never comes.

Former Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Valerii Chaly believes that Russia’s agreement to negotiations is an information operation to buy time and avoid sanctions. Chaly emphasizes that Russia’s ceasefire memorandum has long been published, and the Kremlin’s positions remain largely unchanged, Radio NV reports. 

In August 2025, Putin declared that the conditions for a ceasefire in Ukraine remain:

• Ukraine must fully withdraw its troops from the so-called Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, which Russia claims as its own,
• Ukraine must renounce NATO membership and adopt a neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear status,
• The Kremlin demands the lifting of Western sanctions imposed due to its aggression.

Ukraine and its international partners reject these demands as unacceptable since they imply capitulation.

“Russia understands it can still buy time… it’s simply a stunt,” says diplomat Chaly.

However, he admits some Russian demands may have softened, such as Ukraine’s neutrality or the official status of the Russian language.

A trap for Ukraine — US pressure to accept unpopular decisions

Chaly warns that the Americans, as mediators, may pressure Kyiv to accept terms unsupported by Ukrainian society.

“Trump is already out of the game, we are left alone with the Russians, and Ukraine is essentially blamed for breaking agreements. Then the war goes on Russia’s terms, no sanctions, and existing sanctions start to be lifted. That’s the trap,” he says. 

Thus, the Kremlin could achieve the legalization of occupation.

Russia may offer “commercial” concessions

The diplomat suggests Russia might offer the US joint access to natural resource development as a bargaining chip to pressure Kyiv.

“The Russians present it as a ‘gift’ in exchange for American pressure on Ukraine to accept maximum Russian ultimatums,” Chaly adds.

He stresses Ukraine must remain vigilant against such traps, as “Russians are skilled at setting them,” and that it is premature to expect a genuine peace process.

One such trap would be Ukraine accepting the de facto recognition of occupied territories as Russian.

Ukraine needs strong allies at the negotiation table

Chaly underscores the risk of isolation if European countries are absent from peace talks.

“If Europe is not present, who will stand with us at the table?” he asks.

Ukraine must avoid empty formalities in negotiations.

“Because while Russia pretends to negotiate, it continues ballistic missile strikes on the front lines,” Chaly warns.

The idea of a ceasefire in the air with Russia seems elusive. Russia almost instantly breaks any agreements, says Serhii Zgurets, the Defense Express head, Espreso reports. 

During the war, Ukraine signed the Minsk agreements aimed at ending the conflict in Donbas. The goal was to halt hostilities and establish peace, but the implementation was violated by Russia during its all-out war.

In 2025, Russia also announced the so-called “Eastern truce,” which lasted only 30 hours in Ukraine. During that brief period, Ukraine recorded at least 2,000 violations and attacks along the front lines.\

Witkoff to brief Ukrainian and NATO officials on meeting with Putin – media reports

“A ceasefire with the enemy is quite ephemeral… any ceasefire will be broken literally the next day due to their treacherous actions,” Zgurets says. 

He notes that negotiating a halt to strikes with Russia is almost impossible given Russia’s tactics.

Drone and cruise missile strikes continue unabated

In theory, there could be agreements banning strikes using cruise missiles and drones, but in practice, this is unlikely as:

• Russia continues active use of strike systems of various types and ranges,
• Ukrainian attacks are also increasing in number and effectiveness

Dnipro Osint reports that after the facility in Yelabuga was established, the number of attacks using Shaheds began to increase systematically. For example, until July 2024, Russia launched up to 500 drones per month, while by March 2025, this figure had reached nearly 4,200 units.

In July 2025, the UN documented that Russian forces launched ten times more missile strikes and drone attacks than in June 2024. The experts reported 232 civilian deaths and 1,343 injuries, marking the highest monthly casualty toll in three years. 

Also, in just the last two weeks, drone strikes on Russia-occupied Crimea have also been recorded repeatedly. The Russian military is also losing critical logistics routes from Ukrainian assaults: Rostov, Volgograd, and the Donbas railway.

“This is a new chapter in the operation of our drone systems, which have significantly expanded their capabilities and are now blocking the use of the railway as a key logistical resource for Russian defense,” emphasizes Zgurets. 

A ceasefire will not change the war’s dynamics

Even if drone strikes pause temporarily, stockpiling will continue.

“When the ceasefire is broken, these systems will again be used massively,” the expert stresses.

Thus, an aerial ceasefire is unlikely to alter the overall frontline situation. Drones will remain a key weapon and influential factor in the war.

Earlier, the Main Intelligence Directorate reported that in Russia, production of Shaheds and their imitators reached about 170 units per day as of May 2025. By the end of the year, the figure is planned to increase to 190 drones per day.

Russia has created a website to sell Ukrainian orphans. The website features faces, descriptions, and filters by eye and hair color, just like in a product database, reveals Mykola Kuleba, founder and head of the organization Save Ukraine.

“Russia has created an online catalog for the ‘sale’ of Ukrainian children,” he says.

According to him, since 2014, Russia has systematically taken children from occupied territories, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Crimea, to various regions of Russia. But now this scheme has transformed into digital child trafficking.

Filters, personal characteristics, and human dignity 

Kuleba reports that the site allows users to “choose” a child by appearance.

“You can literally select a child by photo, with uncovered faces. They describe the children like products: ‘obedient’, ‘calm’, and so on,” he says.

He emphasizes the disturbing ability to sort children by gender, eye color, and hair color, calling the process nearly indistinguishable from slave trading.

Evidence found on official Russian websites

“Most of the children in this catalog were born before the occupation of Luhansk and had Ukrainian citizenship. Some of their parents were killed by the occupying authorities. Others were simply issued Russian documents to legalize their abduction,” Kuleba explaines.

He highlights the absurdity of Russia’s actions. 

“When Russians demand lists of abducted Ukrainian children during negotiations, they could simply hand over the database from their own Luhansk ‘Ministry of Education’ website. The entire evidentiary base of their crimes is right there on their official resources,” he continues. 

Kuleba pledges that Save Ukraine will do everything possible to rescue these children and return them to “what matters most — home, family, and country.” 

“Children of War”: 325 photos of Ukrainian children to be shown in Kyiv

The Kremlin’s financial foundation for war is cracking. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia’s federal budget revenues from oil and gas dropped by 19% in January–July 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, down to $69.2 billion. 

The drop in energy revenues underscores Russia’s growing vulnerability to external pressure, the agency emphasizes.

A double blow to the Kremlin

The average price for Urals crude fell by 18.4%, to $60.37 per barrel. At the same time, the ruble was artificially strengthened by 45%, from 113.71 to 81.25 per USD, undermining export earnings in foreign currency.

Gas exports to the EU plummeted by 50% to just 9.93 billion cubic meters, continuing Russia’s steady loss of energy foothold in Europe.

Ministry of Finance in panic

The Russian government has already revised its oil and gas income forecast for 2025, now expecting only $104.4 billion instead of the previous $137.3 billion, which is a 24% drop from earlier projections.

To partially offset the shortfall, the Kremlin is cutting fuel subsidies under the “fuel damper” mechanism and tapping into the National Welfare Fund.

The Ukrainians will not surrender. A resounding 76% of Ukrainians firmly reject Russia’s so-called “peace plan”, which would require Ukraine to capitulate and surrender its territories, according to the results of a new survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in summer 2025.

Support for the “US plan” grows slightly, but is still rejected by the majority

At the same time, the share of Ukrainians willing, albeit reluctantly, to consider a “conditional US plan” has grown: 39% now support it, up from 29% in May. Still, nearly half, 49%, say this option remains unacceptable.

The so-called US plan envisions Russia retaining occupied territories, the US recognition of Crimea as Russian and European, but not American, security guarantees for Ukraine.

The joint Europe-Ukraine plan is the only one with the biggest support

The only proposal supported by a majority is a joint peace plan between Europe and Ukraine, backed by 54% of Ukrainians. Just 30% oppose it, down from 35% in May. 

That plan envisions Ukraine continuing its path toward EU membership, the maintenance of sanctions against Russia, and no recognition of Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territory.

KIIS concludes: Even with a slight increase in willingness to consider compromise, peace on the Kremlin’s terms remains entirely unacceptable to most Ukrainians. Russia’s plan is capitulation, and Ukrainian society understands that clearly, the sociologists emphasize.

Russia is likely preparing for new tests of the nuclear-powered missile Burevestnik, one of the five “superweapons” announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018. This missile, which the US has called “flying Chornobyl”, has never had a successful test flight, while its development remains hazardous to the environment, the Moscow Times reports. 

Ukrainian expert: Russia is trying again to “shake something in front of the world”

According to NV, retired Ukrainian colonel and pilot-instructor Roman Svitan believes that the rumors of Burevestnik tests are a Kremlin information operation aimed at intimidating the world.

He thinks the Kremlin uses this topic amid US internal politics and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s talks with Putin on ending the war in Ukraine to showcase its nuclear might.  

He points out serious technological failures not only with these missiles but also with the Oreshnik and Sarmat missiles.

“Russia is as far from the USSR as Kyiv is from a crawling beetle,” Svitan emphasizes.

Increased activity at the test site and radiation monitoring from the US

Nuclear weapons expert Decker Evelet reports increased activity at the Pankovo test range on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago — the primary testing ground for Burevestnik.

Simultaneously, the US deployed the WC-135R radiation reconnaissance aircraft to the region, indicating possible preparation for new missile tests.

According to Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, these developments are a worrying sign.

The dark history of Burevestnik

The US intelligence data shows that as of October 2023, Russia conducted 13 tests of the missile, all of which failed. The longest flight lasted only two minutes with a maximum range of 35 km. A 2019 accident in the Barents Sea caused an explosion during a recovery operation, killing seven people, including nuclear scientists from the Sarov center.

The resulting radioactive contamination spread across northwest Russia and Scandinavia.

By 2030, Ukraine aims to become one of the world’s top three leaders in artificial intelligence technology. Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov says the launch of AI Factory, an advanced state hub for building AI infrastructure, is a major step toward this ambitious goal. 

AI Factory: The start of Ukraine’s new digital era

“Our mission is to rank among the top 3 countries in AI development and implementation by 2030,” Fedorov said at the project presentation.

According to him, AI Factory will be Ukraine’s first large-scale project for AI tech infrastructure.

Soon, Ukraine will have cutting-edge hardware and software that will enable the training of AI models and the creation of national AI solutions, from public services to defense systems.

Ukrainian AI will begin with Diia and expand to medicine

The AI Factory will serve as the technical backbone for key national projects, including:

• An AI assistant in Diia, used by millions of Ukrainians,
• An AI tutor in the Mria educational ecosystem,
• Future initiatives in defense, science, and healthcare.

The development is being led by the WINWIN AI Center of Excellence, a team that builds and implements innovative AI solutions for the public sector.

What will Ukraine’s AI Factory include?

The project will consist of four key components:

• Technology base: GPU clusters, water-cooled data centers, data storage, and server rooms,
• Software stack: Full infrastructure for model training, deployment, automation, and monitoring,
• Training data: A system will be built for accessing high-quality, up-to-date data,
• Human expertise: Training programs for AI specialists who will drive the ecosystem’s growth.

The Russians may be preparing a new assault on Kherson. The occupiers may be attempting to isolate the Kherson neighborhood of Korabel by striking a key bridge and organizing a foothold for a possible landing operation, CNN reports. 

On 2 August, Russians launched a powerful strike on a strategically important bridge connecting the island district of Korabel to the main part of Kherson city. The strike also damaged three private homes and an apartment building. The invaders had previously targeted the bridge, forcing about 1,800 residents to leave their homes.

However, Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, noted that some families return almost immediately after evacuation. But the authorities once again urge Korabel residents to relocate to safer areas.

Russia aims to divide the city 

The strategy reportedly is to target the bridge and land forces to recapture the city. Meanwhile, Vladyslav Voloshyn, the Southern Defense Forces spokesperson, says that the possibility of this scenario is low, RBC-Ukraine reports.

He explains that in this case, the Russians would have to cross several water channels and islands where Ukrainian forces actively destroy any assault groups.

“To reach our shore, the Russians need time. And we use that time to detect and destroy them while they’re still approaching,” he emphasizes.

Regarding a possible air assault, Voloshyn stressed that “enemy helicopters will be immediately detected and destroyed,” recalling the Russians’ failure at Hostomel in 2022. Then, the Russian assault troops failed to land at the airfield, which broke all their operational strategy in Kyiv Oblast. 

Kherson under fire: drones, aerial bombs, destruction

The situation on the southern front remains tense. In one day, Russians carried out 280 attacks using kamikaze drones, nine airstrikes with guided bombs on Kherson, and employed drone munitions such as “Molniya,” “Lancet,” and “Privit-82.”

Russian drones constantly operate over Kherson, shelling continues, and battles are ongoing on islands in the Dnipro delta, specifically on Bilohorodivskyi and Velykyi Vilkhovyi islands. Active fighting is also reported near the Antonivski bridges.

Civilians continue to suffer. The central hospital in Kherson is treating 25 wounded. CNN shares the story of 62-year-old Oleh, who was injured while running to help neighbors after a drone strike. 

“It’s dangerous there, you have to listen carefully. A double tap. That’s how they operate. They destroy a house, it burns. A minute later, another one comes, checking whether the house is burning or someone is trying to extinguish it. And then they kill and destroy further,” he says. 

Before the war, Kherson Oblast was an important tourist and agricultural region of Ukraine. In 2021, the region welcomed 4.8 million tourists. Its coastline stretched for over 200 kilometers, featuring sandy beaches and a well-developed resort infrastructure.

Along the shore, there were numerous guesthouses, children’s camps, and sanatoriums offering therapeutic treatments based on thermal springs, salt, and mud.

Kyiv has found the murderer of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who was tortured to death in Russian captivity. Ukraine has charged Alexander Shtuda, the head of Detention Center No. 2 in the Russian city of Taganrog, with organizing the torture of the journalist, the Prosecutor General’s Office reports.

According to the investigation, a targeted system of repression operates in the Taganrog detention center against Ukrainian citizens held there, including civilians.

“Among its victims is well-known Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna. She was detained by Russian forces in temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast and transferred to this detention center,” the report says.

Torture of the journalist confirmed: forensic evidence proves physical abuse

Yurii Belousov, Head of the Ukrainian Department for Combating Crimes Committed in Armed Conflict, says that an expert examination revealed “numerous bodily injuries” on Roshchyna’s body, confirming the use of torture and cruel treatment.

According to him, Shtuda deliberately organized this abuse because Roshchyna refused to cooperate with the prison administration.

Roshchyna was pushed to the brink

In the Taganrog detention center, Roshchyna was subjected to systematic torture, beatings, humiliation, threats, and severe restrictions on access to medical aid, drinking water, and food.

The examination, conducted on 9 July by the Main Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Ministry of Health, revealed that Roshchyna suffered neck trauma, bone fractures, hemorrhages in soft tissues of the temporal area, right shoulder, and shins, and abrasions on her left foot.

“As a result of this treatment, Roshchyna’s health seriously deteriorated. She lost weight and became unable to walk on her own,” Belousov says.

Moreover, he added that Shtuda tried to conceal the fact that Roshchyna was being held in the facility, ignoring requests and inspections.

Torture as a system: Other Ukrainians confirm abuse in Taganrog

Earlier, Ukrainian citizen Ostap Shved, who was detained in Taganrog after the strike on the Olenivka prison, described similar torture.

His testimony matches what Roshchyna endured — a systematic mechanism of physical and psychological destruction of Ukrainians operates in the facility.

Shved, who survived the Russian strike on the Olenivka prison where Azov fighters from Mariupol’s Azovstal were held, recounted that he and other prisoners were beaten by mobs of Russians, hanged, and electrocuted. One guard sliced his ear with a blunt knife.

Finland won’t join NATO’s new weapons procurement program for Ukraine, opting instead to rely on its own defense industry. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen has announced that his country is focusing on a domestic industrial program, Yle reports. 

“We have allocated our resources to an internal industrial program, under which we place orders for Ukraine from companies across Finland,” he states.

A decision to back local industry — and still help Ukraine

Häkkänen emphasizes that the program was developed in cooperation with Ukraine to provide “maximum support” and that other countries understand Finland’s approach, especially given its shared border with Russia.

“We continue to support Ukraine with strong commitment and energy, but now we are prioritizing production by domestic companies,” he adds.

Different approaches within NATO with one common goal

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Sweden, Norway, and Denmark had allocated over $500 million to buy weapons for Ukraine through NATO’s new procurement mechanism. Finland has chosen a different vector, but its support remains consistent and strategically vital.

NATO is preparing to act swiftly. During an official visit to the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) headquarters, General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), declared that the Alliance is ready to address Ukraine’s weapon needs promptly. 

“We’re going to move as quickly as we can,” he emphasized.

NSATU coordinates international support for Ukraine, providing ongoing training and logistics. Under this initiative, over 300 personnel from 28 NATO countries work closely with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Poland’s logistics hub — a lifeline for uninterrupted support

A key role in delivering military aid to Ukraine is played by the Logistics Enabling Node-Poland (LEN-P). Each month, this hub manages the shipment of about 18,000 tons of military equipment to Ukraine.

NATO’s representation in Ukraine notes that LEN-P is one of the most critical components of the training headquarters’ operations.

NATO warns: the war is close

Earlier, at the LANDEURO symposium in Wiesbaden, General Grynkewich stressed that “the war is already at our doorstep,” and NATO’s response must be rapid and resolute. 

Russia is losing petrodollars. In July 2025, Russia suffered a significant financial blow: oil-related budget revenues dropped by nearly 33% compared to the previous year, according to Bloomberg.

A official Russian Finance Ministry says that the country collected only $8.9 billion in oil-related taxes. Combined oil and gas revenues fell by 27%.

Price spike didn’t save profits from falling

Despite a short-term 71% increase in the price of Russian export oil in July, the first such jump in five months, petrodollars flowing into the budget declined. Global crude prices spiked sharply at that time due to warfare in the Middle East.

Benchmark oil prices, however, have dropped year-on-year, as Trump’s trade policies threaten to slow the global economy while OPEC+ ramps up production faster than expected.

The strengthening of the ruble also contributed to lower revenues, as revaluation means oil companies receive fewer rubles per barrel they pump and sell. In June, the ruble hit its strongest exchange rate in two years: 78.71 per dollar. This means oil and gas companies earn less in rubles for exports. In 2024, they earned 6,127 rubles per barrel, now only 4,711.

Subsidies slashed as budget runs short

However, lower global prices for crude and refined oil products have allowed the government to cut subsidies paid to Russian refineries.

These subsidies partially compensate for the price difference between domestic and export fuel, aiming to boost domestic gasoline and diesel supply. In July, the budget allocated 58% less for this purpose compared to the previous year.

Ukraine’s army is holding the line. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, has released staggering figures for Russian army losses in the first seven months of 2025 — 267,460 troops.

“Due to the coordinated and professional work of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, enemy losses since the beginning of the year total 267,460 personnel,” Syrskyi reveals.

In July alone, Russia lost more than 33,200 troops.

The war continues

As of 5 August, fighting rages in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and other fronts. Battles were ongoing in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Chernihiv oblasts. Ukrainian forces are eliminating approximately per day:

• 1,120 occupiers
• 2 tanks
• 12 armored vehicles
• 28 artillery systems
• 169 drones

Putin defies Trump’s ultimatum, escalates threats to Europe

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no intention of complying with the US ultimatum to end the war in Ukraine. He insists on controlling Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson and demands that Ukraine renounce NATO membership and adopt neutral status.

Putin also confirmed plans to deploy new “Oreshnik” intercontinental missile systems in Belarus in the second half of 2025, a looming threat to both Ukraine and Europe.

Ukraine’s allies will spend millions of dollars for weapons for Kyiv. Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have jointly allocated over $500 million to purchase American weapons for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announces.

“Plus $500 million — the total amount from our friends in Northern Europe… This will be implemented under NATO coordination,” Zelenskyy says.

According to the new mechanism, Ukraine compiles a list of priority needs in packages of approximately $500 million. Then, the partner countries can:

• provide their own weapons from the list and immediately purchase the US equivalent — bypassing bureaucracy,
• or order weapons directly from the US or through NATO.

This approach significantly speeds up logistics and replenishment of allied arsenals.

Unity of arms and action

The Ukrainian president has thanked the prime ministers of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for their concrete support that “increases Ukraine’s capacity to protect lives.”

“This will be a good example for other NATO countries… to guarantee protection against Russian strikes,” Zelenskyy emphasizes.

The PURL initiative becomes a new bridge between America and Europe in the defense sector, and another signal to Moscow: Western support is not weakening but growing.

More than deliveries

The Ukrainian president has stressed that such projects strengthen Ukraine’s own defense production as well as joint defense initiatives with partners. This builds a new architecture of European security based on powerful cooperation.

“Russia will never turn Europe into a continent of war… we guarantee that peace will prevail,” Zelenskyy states.

In just two days, Ukraine received nearly $1 billion in international arms aid — after €500 million from the Netherlands, another half a billion came from Northern Europe.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence “Timur” Special Unit has crashed Russia’s advance on Sumy Oblast. The fighters have eliminated eight Russian companies in Sumy Oblast, the agency reports. 

“The enemy’s advance has been halted. Their food and ammunition supply lines have been cut,” explains Ukraine’s military intelligence.

The operation involved 11 combat detachments under the Timur Special Unit. As a result of the mission: 

• At least 334 Russian troops were eliminated
• Over 550 were wounded

Russians refuse to fight

According to the Defense Intelligence, Ukrainian soldiers executed a series of swift raids deep into Russian-controlled territory, effectively deploying FPV drones, artillery, grenade launchers, and small arms in close-quarters combat.

“Based on intercepted communications, Russian soldiers gave fabricated excuses to avoid storming positions within the Timur Unit’s area of operation,” says the agency.

A retaliatory strike against terror: Sumy under constant attack

In early August, Russia intensified its assaults on the Sumy front, launching frequent artillery, missile, and air strikes. In July alone, 23 civilians were killed, and over 140 were wounded, according to Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration.

“In July, there were 2,700 Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast, with more than 800 air-dropped bombs, 250 kamikaze drone strikes, and 52 missile strikes,” Hryhorov says.

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Amid the growing threat from Russia, the German government is launching an ambitious rearmament program. But a recent poll shows: nearly 60% of Germans say they would “probably” or “definitely” not defend Germany in the event of an attack, The Telegraph reports. 

Only 16% expressed full willingness to bear arms, while another 22% said they would “probably” defend the country, according to a survey commissioned by broadcaster RND. 

These figures come as a blow to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who is spearheading a large-scale reform of the Bundeswehr in hopes of transforming it into a pillar of European security after decades of chronic underfunding.

Berlin changes its defense approach

In July, Pistorius presented a plan to recruit 40,000 young people annually until 2031. Under the proposal, all 18-year-old males would receive mandatory questionnaires, followed by medical examinations to assess their fitness for service.

The goal: increase the Bundeswehr’s size from 182,000 to at least 260,000 soldiers by 2035, and expand the military reserve from 60,000 to 200,000. Without internal motivation among citizens, this initiative may prove futile. 

The Russian threat is real: Germany has no time for doubt

German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl has also warned of Russian provocations and Moscow’s ambition to push NATO back to its 1990s borders. Against this backdrop, the unwillingness of German citizens to defend their country may pose serious concerns in Berlin. 

Ukraine’s allies continue flowing billions of dollars into oil trade with Russia. The Indian government, in response to US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum, which threatens secondary sanctions against countries importing Russian energy, says that “the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia.”

“India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer… It is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,” says the Indian government. 

The West keeps trading with Russia: The numbers are striking

India points to the Western blatant double standards.

• In 2024, EU–Russia trade in goods reached €67.5 billion.
• In 2023, services trade totaled €17.2 billion.
• In 2024, Europe imported a record 16.5 million tonnes of Russian LNG, the highest volume since 2022.

Many critical Russian exports remain unsanctioned, including:

• Palladium for the US auto industry
• Uranium for nuclear power plants
• Fertilizers, chemicals, metals, machinery, and equipment, all of which the US continues to import from Russia.

India rejects restrictions

India emphasizes that its decisions are driven by economic necessity, not political alignment.
New Delhi is ready to defend its energy security, even if new sanctions are imposed.

“The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable. Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” the Indian government claimed. 

Effectively, India has held up a mirror to the US and Europe: stop your own trade with Russia before demanding the same from others.

Russia will pay. Ukraine’s national energy company, Naftogaz, has announced it has received official approval from the Vienna District Court to initiate forced enforcement of the largest arbitration award against Russia, worth over $5 billion.

Due to the Kremlin’s refusal to pay voluntarily, Naftogaz has launched procedures to seize Russian assets worldwide.

A blow to Russia in the heart of Europe

Based on the Austrian court decision, more than 20 pieces of Russian state-owned real estate in Vienna have been seized, with a total value exceeding €120 million.

These assets will be sold, and the proceeds transferred to Ukraine as part of the compensation awarded in The Hague.

“This is another practical step towards collecting over $5 billion from Russia for the illegal seizure of Naftogaz Group’s assets in Crimea. Russia will pay for everything,” says Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi.

Arbitration in action

Naftogaz is represented in Austria by the DORDA law firm. The team includes partner Alexander Karl, lead counsel Robert Keimmelmayr, and Therese Stingl.

The seized property includes shares in gas pipelines, equipment, licenses for subsoil use, and over 675 million cubic meters of gas in underground storage, all of which Russia seized during the occupation of Crimea.

Naftogaz was a key player in Crimea’s gas market, responsible for exploration, production, transportation, processing, and distribution of gas.

The US, China, and Russia are competing to build the first nuclear reactor on the Moon. If Beijing and Moscow succeed ahead of Washington, they could declare parts of the Moon a “restricted zone,” potentially limiting American access, warned US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, The New York Times reports. 

China and Russia are planning to install the reactor by the mid-2030s as part of a joint effort to construct a permanent lunar base.

NASA accelerates its lunar nuclear program

In response, Washington is ramping up efforts to deploy its own nuclear power plant on the Moon. According to a new NASA directive:

• A program leader must be appointed within 30 days.
• A request for commercial proposals must be issued within 60 days.
• The reactor must generate at least 100 kilowatts of electricity — enough to power ~80 American homes.
• Target operational date: end of 2029.

Why nuclear?

A single lunar “day” lasts about 28 Earth days, which means 14 days of light, followed by 14 days of complete darkness. This makes solar power unreliable, especially for continuous life-support operations. A nuclear reactor offers constant, reliable energy, even during the long lunar night.

In 2022, NASA signed three $5 million contracts for early nuclear reactor prototypes, but the new directive calls for faster, larger-scale development.

What’s next?

The first Artemis crewed landing is tentatively scheduled for 2027, though many experts are skeptical about that timeline. Many of the essential components, including the lunar landing module Starship, which SpaceX is developing, have not yet been tested. The Trump administration wants to transition to using commercial rockets and spacecraft instead of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule, which NASA has been working on for over a decade.

A reactor would be useful for long-term stays on the Moon, especially during the two-week-long nights, but NASA’s plans do not specify when a lunar base might be built. 

Thousands of lives at stake. In a column for The Washington Post, Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Andrii Yermak asserted that this week, US political will could bring end to Russia’s war — by targeting its energy and financial lifelines.

Yermak called for immediate and forceful sanctions against Russia, stressing that US President Donald Trump’s recent ultimatum, reducing the window for a peace deal from 50 to 10 days, was a clear and powerful message to the Kremlin.

“These signals need to be followed up with decisive action for the war to end,” Yermak said, emphasizing Ukraine’s support for Trump’s firm stance on peace through strength — “the only language Putin understands.”

Sanctions needed: Rosatom, Gazprombank, and the shadow fleet 

Yermak detailed a series of urgent sanctions Ukraine is calling for:

• Rosatom and Roscosmos: Strategic instruments of war that must face full-scale sanctions.
• Gazprombank: Still connected to SWIFT — must be cut off, alongside other smaller banks helping Russia evade restrictions.
• Microchips and Electronics: An embargo on components Russia obtains via China and Central Asia, fueling its drone and missile production.
• The Shadow Fleet: Sanctions on tankers and operators circumventing oil price caps — a crucial step to collapse Putin’s war financing.

“The tools to stop Russia exist. What is needed is the political will to use them with precision and force,” Yermak stated.

He highlighted the urgent need for targeted pressure, noting that the global community has the levers to stop the Kremlin’s military machine but only if wielded with precision and bold leadership.

US Trump’s oil tariffs rattled the Kremlin

Yermak praised Trump’s move to raise tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, calling it “a great first step” that caused panic in Moscow, and stressed that more must follow.

He also voiced support for the bipartisan bill by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, which would impose secondary sanctions on third-country firms aiding Russia’s war economy.

“Thousands of lives depend on the success of what follows,” Yermak concluded.