Exclusives

Ukraine rolled back Crimea’s air defenses—then hit a ship in home waters. The Black Sea has become Ukraine’s hunting ground.

Russia’s war games on NATO’s doorstep: “unstoppable” missile, nukes—and SIM-card drones. This year’s Zapad drills feature the testing of the new Oreshnik missile, nuclear decision-making scenarios, and evidence of Russian drones using Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards to probe NATO’s defenses.

IMF finds Ukraine needs $20bn more than estimated as US support dwindles. Ukraine’s funding needs through 2027 may be $20 billion higher than Kyiv estimates.

Latest News

Sat Sep 13 2025

“Ukraine controls the front,” but the situation is not that simple – Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said that Russia’s main advantage is manpower, and insists that Russia is not making major gains in eastern Ukraine despite heavy assaults and large troop deployments.

“I don’t see anyone wanting to fight Russia” – Polish FM casts doubt on Western “security guarantees” for Ukraine. Sikorski warned Saturday that proposed security guarantees for Ukraine are unlikely to deter Russian aggression, suggesting the term “guarantees” itself may be misleading, and calling for a focus on military and financial support instead.

“A deliberate expansion of the war by Russia”: Romania scrambles jets after Russian drone enters NATO airspace for the 2nd time this week. Russian drones have entered NATO airspace for the second time this month, following a wave of incursions into Poland on 10 September that prompted heightened defenses along NATO’s eastern borders.

Poland scrambles jets and closes Lublin airport in reaction to new Russian drone threat. Poland has heightened defenses along its eastern border following a wave of Russian drones that entered its airspace on 10 September.

Trump doubts his ability to influence Putin, so he shifts responsibility onto Europe

. “Major sanctions” on Russia will come only if other NATO nations do the same and Europe stops purchasing Russian oil, Trump said.

Drone strike reported at Russian oil refinery 1400 km from Ukraine. Eyewitness videos posted online show flames and a drone over Ufa, but officials have not confirmed any strike on the Novo-Ufa refinery.

Ukrainian drones shutdown of Russia’s key Baltic oil terminal for first time. Ukrainian Security Service drones struck Russia’s Primorsk oil port on 12 Sept, damaging two shadow fleet tankers and forcing the first-ever suspension of operations at the Baltic Sea terminal that exports $100 million worth of oil products daily.

Poland announces the start of NATO’s Eastern Sentry mission. French military transport aircraft have begun delivering armaments for Rafale fighters to Poland as NATO’s “Eastern Sentry” mission becomes operational

Estonia сloses eastern border airspace after drone attacks hit St. Petersburg. Finland, Latvia and Estonia have now all restricted civilian flights near their Russian borders as Ukrainian drone operations targeting facilities in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region

From Catherine II to Putin: How a Swedish flag became symbol of resistance in occupied Ukraine. A Swedish flag gifted by King Carl XVI Gustaf to a Ukrainian village in 2008 survived 8.5 months hidden from Russian occupation forces

EU’s Kallas: “Territorial concessions to Russia would bring more war, not less”

. The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas identified a deliberate Russian pattern of demanding non-existent rights, issuing threats, then mobilizing Western voices to offer Moscow exactly what it never possessed

Russia launches military satellite and student-built spacecraft from Arctic base. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the Mozhaets-6 satellite to test astronavigation systems alongside an undisclosed military spacecraft.

Russian Forces use gas pipeline network for third infiltration operation into Kupiansk – Deep State. Russian infiltrators are using electric scooters and wheeled stretchers to navigate underground pipeline systems to prevent significant casualties

Prince Harry receives Ukrainian borsch during Kyiv visit, honoring Princess Diana’s favorite dish. Prince Harry’s 12 Sept visit to support wounded Ukrainian veterans included an unexpected culinary connection to his late mother, as local chef Yevhen Klopotenko served dishes based on Princess Diana’s documented preference for Ukrainian borsch.

Polish parliament adopts new law on aid to Ukrainians after Nawrocki’s veto. President Karol Nawrotcki’s August veto prompted Parliament to pass alternative legislation requiring Ukrainian refugees to earn at least 50% of minimum wage or attend school for 800+ family benefits

NATO’s Eastern Guardian Operation won’t cover Ukrainian airspace, Commander confirms. NATO launched Operation Eastern Guardian in direct response to Russian drone breaches of Polish territory on 10 Sept., but ruled out extending the air defense operation over Ukraine

Zelenskyy: Ukraine offers to intercept Russian targets together with NATO. President Zelenskyy called for accelerated security guarantee negotiations with NATO allies, proposing joint air defense operations

Read our previous daily report here.

Exclusives

Russia’s war games on NATO’s doorstep: “unstoppable” missile, nukes—and SIM-card drones. This year’s Zapad drills feature the testing of the new Oreshnik missile, nuclear decision-making scenarios, and evidence of Russian drones using Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards to probe NATO’s defenses.

IMF finds Ukraine needs $20bn more than estimated as US support dwindles. Ukraine’s funding needs through 2027 may be $20 billion higher than Kyiv estimates.

Mystery in Donetsk: did Ukraine just launch a secret cruise missile?. Ukraine launched a barrage of drones and missiles to slow Russian reinforcements massing in Donetsk. Did the raid reveal a new missile?

Thousands more drones: UK and Germany bankroll Kyiv blitz on Putin’s oil. Thanks to allied financing, Ukraine may soon have enough long-range missiles and drones to match Russia’s own bombardment campaign.

Latest News

Fri Sep 12 2025

Ukraine’s General Staff considers turning off mobile network during alarm – media. Ukraine’s military leadership is evaluating emergency mobile network shutdowns during air attacks as Russian forces potentially exploit telecommunications infrastructure for drone guidance systems

“Eastern Sentry” – NATOs new plan to defend from Russian drones. NATO Secretary General and SACEUR announced a new defensive operation combining air, ground, and counter-drone capabilities, in response to recent Russian drone incursions into NATO territory.

After 19 drones cross border, Poland’s Foreign Minister says diplomacy channels stay open. Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukraine prove Moscow is not ready for peace, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorsky said

Ukraine quietly hits key Russian fuel node—twice in one week (video). New footage confirms a repeat strike on the fuel pumping station linking Russia’s Ryazan and Moscow.

Ukraine stops Russia’s offensive in Sumy Oblast – Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy confirmed that Russian troops have lost their ability to advance in Sumy oblast after repeated Ukrainian defensive operations.

Claims of Ukrainian provocation over drone attacks echo Russian propaganda – Polish FM Sikorski

. Calling the drone intrusion “a moment of truth,” Sikorski insisted Poland is certain the attack was a Russian operation, not an accident.

Frontline Report: Domestic missiles give Ukraine the edge – Russian generals eliminated before major assault begins. Ukrainian intelligence tracked Russian reinforcement convoys through hacked traffic cameras and partisan networks before launching precision strikes that eliminated dozens of high-ranking officers.

Preparing for another brutal Ukrainian winter, EU allocates €40 million to protect civilians. In previous winters, Ukraine has faced increased Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, leaving millions across the country without light and heating during the cold months.

Russian gas stations are shutting down across 10 regions—but Moscow blames vacation season, not Ukrainian drones. Russian officials deflect from strike campaign impact as fuel union reveals weeks-long delivery failures, ISW says.

Israel sends cops and medics into wartime Ukraine — to protect pilgrims at a rabbi’s grave. Tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews will arrive in Uman despite Russian missile threats.

Ukraine slashes red tape, saves citizens $12 billion with genius app. According to government calculations, citizens using Diia pay six times less for services than offline procedures.

SIM cards in downed drones expose Russia’s months-long plan to target Poland and Lithuania. Russia prepared drone strikes on Poland and Lithuania for months, using local SIM cards to test network connectivity.

Rheinmetall to build shell factory in Ukraine after finalizing joint production procedures

. German defense giant moves forward with major manufacturing investment as cooperation deepens across multiple defense sectors.

UK responds to Russian aggression with Ukraine aid, not military escalation. British Foreign Secretary used her first official visit to Kyiv to send Moscow an unmistakable message.

Bundestag defense chief wants drone factories in Russia destroyed and NATO to shoot down Moscow’s drones. Chair of the German Bundestag Defense Committee Thomas Röwekamp stated that NATO should shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine and increase support to Kyiv to target their production facilities

Ukraine’s long arm: 1000 km deep, a drone ignites Russia’s Baltic Sea oil terminal near Finland. A ship caught fire and airports shut down as explosions echoed from Smolensk to Leningrad Oblast.

ISW: The Kremlin’s Europe distraction playbook just opened to the Balkans chapter. From airspace threats in Poland to Dodik’s referendum push, Russia’s divide-and-distract game expands.

A Shahed found its victim in Sumy—Russia’s second strike erased any chance of rescue from the rubble. Emergency crews in Sumy couldn’t reach the trapped man before Russia sent a follow-up drone to block recovery.

Moscow’s oil income squeezed as market surplus overwhelms war premium. Russian oil revenues hit wartime low as oversupply overwhelms geopolitics.

Russia’s Krasnodar reopens airport closed since start of full-scale war in Ukraine. Russian airline Aeroflot resumes flights to the city of Krasnodar, 200km from Russian-occupied Crimea, for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Read our previous report here.

Exclusives

Thousands more drones: UK and Germany bankroll Kyiv blitz on Putin’s oil. Thanks to allied financing, Ukraine may soon have enough long-range missiles and drones to match Russia’s own bombardment campaign.

Romania is quietly becoming Europe’s defense powerhouse. Romania is reviving its defense industry with US and German partners, building drone and gunpowder plants in Brașov while expanding production of tanks and vehicles.

NATO’s boiled frog moment: 19 drones, zero consequences. Poland has everything needed to stop Russian drones. NATO has the world’s most advanced air defenses. Neither matters when the alliance refuses to use them.

Russia saved armor all year for this moment—150,000 troops close in on Pokrovsk. Russian reinforcements are surging toward Pokrovsk. But so are Ukrainian reinforcements. A big fight looms.

Military

Poland will send troops to Ukraine to learn how to shoot down Russian drones

. Ukraine’s experience defending against drone strikes will help Poland train its military to counter Russian drone incursions.

Russia may have struck Poland to discourage air defense support for Ukraine – Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy warned that modern drone warfare replaces traditional invasions, with strike drones carrying out attacks across borders.

Spasatel Ilyin was the Russian ship hit near Novorossiysk by aerial drone—captain injured, ship disabled. The vessel’s electronics and communications were reportedly taken offline after the bridge was struck.

“Swedish-Ukrainian surprises” to come on the battlefield: Sweden announces $836 million military aid package for Ukraine. The package includes new artillery, upgraded combat boats, radar systems, and secret equipment to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses.

Ukraine’s Su-27 pilot killed in combat sortie—Air Force says cause of crash still unknown. Major Borovyk’s jet was operating in Zaporizhzhia Oblast when it suddenly went down. It’s Ukraine’s second such loss this year.

Frontline report: Ukraine flipped the Sumy front upside down—Russia’s elite brigade lost its HQ, general, and last hope. Ukrainian strike aircraft and drones tore through Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod, adjacent to Sumy, with surgical waves of Western bombs.

Russian drone fell on a Polish military base near Warsaw—one of 16 found on 10 September. Authorities say the base is part of the Territorial Defense Forces in Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą.

Ukraine offers joint air defense plan after Russian drones test NATO’s limits through Poland. President Zelenskyy says the Kremlin is studying allied responses—and acting on what it learns. Ukraine is ready to share tech and train Polish crews to defend against Russian drones.

Sweden delivers air defense systems and fighter jets to Poland after Russian drones breach NATO airspace

. Defense officials point to a wave of concrete pledges from across Europe in the wake of the drone incident.

Intelligence and technology

UK signs deal to mass produce Ukraine’s interceptor drones as war tech alliance deepens. The move comes after Kyiv and London expanded their joint defense cooperation this summer.

Ukraine struck a rare Russian spy ship 600 km away—now it’s crippled and useless (video). The drone hit destroyed the vessel’s recon gear and command bridge, HUR confirmed.

Kyiv turns wartime digital playbook into AI city services with Google. Tech giant expands three-year $45M commitment beyond emergency aid.

Political and legal developments

Zelenskyy pushes US for weapons co-production, tougher sanctions on Russia. The Kyiv meeting comes as Russia escalates attacks and Ukraine seeks stronger backing from its international allies.

US lifts sanctions on Belarusian airline in exchange for prisoner releases, wants to “normalize relations”. The move marks a rare diplomatic breakthrough with Russian-allied Belarus, which has long faced Western sanctions over human rights abuses.

Putin’s NATO probe exposes Washington’s strategic paralysis

. Russia just escalated from testing Ukrainian resolve to probing NATO boundaries directly.

Russian empire nostalgia covers occupied Mariupol as authorities paint imperial quotes on apartment walls. All Ukrainian symbols in Mariupol were replaced with Soviet military propaganda, imperial Russian quotes, and re-written history that presents Russia’s invasion as “liberation.”

Humanitarian and social impact

Firefighters targeted by second Russian drone while fighting blaze from earlier attack in Kramatorsk. Authorities reported 15 strikes across Kramatorsk on 11 September, leaving six civilians wounded.

International

Russia’s Krasnodar reopens airport closed since start of full-scale war in Ukraine. Russian airline Aeroflot resumes flights to the city of Krasnodar, 200km from Russian-occupied Crimea, for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale war.

India warns citizens: Don’t fall for Russian Army job offers. Moscow is accused of tricking Indian men with promises of construction work, then forcing them into combat in Ukraine.

Read our previous report here.

Exclusive

NATO’s boiled frog moment: 19 drones, zero consequences. Poland has everything needed to stop Russian drones. NATO has the world’s most advanced air defenses. Neither matters when the alliance refuses to use them.

Russia saved armor all year for this moment—150,000 troops close in on Pokrovsk. Russian reinforcements are surging toward Pokrovsk. But so are Ukrainian reinforcements. A big fight looms.

Ukraine built mobile branches and redundant comms, keeping mail running under fire. Crisis breeds efficiency that comfort cannot match.

Military

Poland shoots down Russian drones, closes 4 airports in “unprecedented” border violation

. For the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion, a NATO member country came under direct attack when Polish forces intercepted Russian drones violating national airspace

NATO jets shoot down Russian drones in Poland—but NATO believes it’s not an attack. Despite its own involvement, the Alliance refuses to define it as an act of war.

Moscow programmes drone flight using same corridor as earlier airspace violations – Polish military analyst says. Russian drones followed an 8-kilometer corridor east of Chelm toward Zamosc, which military analysts view as deliberate NATO defense testing rather than Ukrainian electronic warfare disruption.

Intelligence and technology

While West discusses security guarantees for Ukraine, Kyiv offers NATO state training against Russian drones after fist mass attack. Western capitals continue drafting security guarantee frameworks for Ukraine even as Kyiv demonstrates superior defensive capabilities.

New mega-deal on horizon: Germany to invest €300 million in Ukraine’s “deep strike” drones. Berlin bets on Ukrainian drones. The €300 million “deep strike” initiative to scale UAV production and reshape Europe’s security landscape

Ukrainian intelligence may have prevented even bigger destruction on Polish territory amid Russian attack. Ukraine warned Poland of attack before 19 Russian drones breached the NATO member airspace.

NATO state admits it is defenseless against Russian attacks, and cannot respond like Poland

. President Pellegrini warns his country lacks modern air defenses, leaving civilians exposed if drones or missiles cross Slovak skies, while Poland scrambled jets after Moscow’s recent strike.

International

Zelenskyy warns no one is safe in Europe, as Poland invokes NATO’s Article 4 after Russian UAVs breach airspace. Hundreds of drones rained down on Ukraine, but the shock came when Moscow’s UAVs crossed into Polish skies.

EU unlocks $ 7 bn from frozen Russian assets to form drone alliance against Russian mass production. The European Union will provide Ukraine with $7 bn in advance funding for drone manufacturing as Ukrainian unmanned systems account for over two-thirds of Russian equipment losses

Ursula von der Leyen announces summit on return of Ukrainian children. “Every kidnapped Ukrainian child must be returned,” European Commission President declared while announcing an international summit to address tens of thousands of missing Ukrainian minors.

Czech PM calls Russian drone incursion “systematic test” of NATO defenses. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron joined Czech and EU officials in condemning Russia’s “reckless” and “deliberate” drone attack on Poland

Sybiha tells Hungarian counterpart Ukraine ready for “mutually respectful” talks. Ukrainian FM reached out to his Hungarian counterpart, pushing for support on EU accession talks days after the two ministries clashed over pipeline strikes and membership prospects.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian drone crashes into residential building in Poland. A Russian drone crashed into a residential building near Poland’s border with Belarus overnight, damaging the roof and a parked car as Polish forces shot down over a dozen unmanned aircraft

Russia launches 415 drones, 43 missiles in massive overnight assault on Ukraine. A garment factory worker died and nine people were wounded when Russia launched its most extensive drone and missile barrage in recent months

Political and legal developments

Antidepressant sales jump 36% in Russia. Putin’s electronic conscription system has inadvertently created a pharmaceutical boom, with Russian citizens spending over $100 million on anxiety medications

Moscow denies responsibility for Russian strike on Poland, Belarus insists drones “just lost their way”. Some 19 drones enter Polish airspace for six hours, forcing NATO Article 4 consultations while the Kremlin denies responsibility.

Prime Minister: Ukraine receives another $1.2 bn loan from the EU at the expense of frozen Russian assets. The funds represent the latest tranche under the ERA Loans program, which converts Russian asset revenues into financial support for Ukraine’s defense efforts.

New developments

London Opera House ignores calls to cancel Putin-linked Netrebko as protesters rally outside. Ukraine’s Ambassador Valeriy Zaluzhnyi condemned the Royal Opera House’s decision to host Russian singer Anna Netrebko, writing that her voice on stage “drowns out the real cries – the cries from destroyed maternity hospitals in Mariupol.”

Read our earlier daily review here

Exclusive

Ukraine just built a European-gauge railway during the war. Ukraine builds European railway cheaper and faster than peacetime EU projects—despite the war.

Military

Ukrainian forces hit Russian command centers in Donetsk — and weaken Moscow’s fall offensive before it begins. The attacks undermine Moscow’s planning and prevent consolidation of forces ahead of fall operations.

Main oil pipeline reportedly blown up in Russia’s Saratov Oblast. An oil pipeline with capacity of 82 mn tons per year that supplied petroleum products to Russian military was reportedly damaged in an explosion

Explosion rocks Russian National Guard base linked to Ukraine war crimes. A new strike deep inside Russian territory hits Khabarovsk, as Ukraine’s intelligence targets forces responsible for atrocities against civilians in 2022

Frontline report: Ukrainian hackers turn Russian security cameras into targeting systems for missile strikes

. Ukrainian forces discovered massive Russian troop concentrations by infiltrating security camera networks near key bases, then launched preemptive strikes that destroyed entire convoys before they reached the battlefield.

Russia buried its 41st Army command in a Donetsk research lab—Ukraine blew it up with domestic cruise missiles (video). Three separate command centers were reportedly hit in one night late on 8 September, including one hidden deep inside civilian infrastructure in occupied DOnetsk.

ISW: Russia’s playbook for invading Ukraine now aimed at Finland — same lies, same threats, new target. The Kremlin begins repeating old propaganda lines, but this time against a NATO country.

Intelligence and technology

Kallas: EU aims to deliver 2 million shells to Ukraine by October. The EU has achieved 80% of its commitment to supply Ukraine with 2 million artillery shells, with member states working to deliver the final 400,000 rounds by October

Rheinmetall to manufacture Skyranger mobile anti-drone systems for Ukraine. Ukraine will receive Skyranger mobile air defense systems capable of creating four-kilometer “drone-free zones”

Russian Iskander missile that hit Ukraine’s Cabinet days ago may contain US, UK, Japanese parts. A presidential adviser says the weapon had over 30 foreign components despite sanctions.

International

German politicians visit Kyiv — and vote against delivering more air defenses to Kyiv

. Despite a €4.5 billion proposal to compensate for suspended US aid, CDU and SPD factions blocked the allocation in the budget committee.

Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska was never about peace — its real purpose was to strengthen Moscow’s power globally. Levada Center polls show 79% of Russians viewed the summit as a personal success for Putin, boosting domestic confidence.

CNN: Trump’s repeated calls to Putin failed to slow Russia in Ukraine. During the last eight months, Russia has consolidated gains, from Chinese and North Korean support to unchecked advances in Donetsk and Kharkiv.

Poland finds what appears to be a Russian drone near Belarus border—officials won’t say if it was tracked on radar. Authorities found styrofoam fragments scattered across the field 300 meters from a Polish border checkpoint. The drone had Cyrillic tags.

“Kremlin’s soft power”: London Royal Opera refuses to cancel concerts of Putin-linked soprano despite protests. Anna Netrebko is set to perform in London on 11 September, as Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK writes that “her voice on stage drowns out the real cries – the cries from destroyed maternity hospitals in Mariupol, schools in Kharkiv, kindergartens in Kramatorsk.”

EUROJUST dismantles Belarus spy network across Europe, Moldovan ex-diplomat to Ukraine among suspects. Authorities in Romania captured the 47-year-old after secret meetings with Belarusian KGB officers in Budapest

Ukraine faces $7 billion defense crisis despite aid surplus. Billions in civilian aid sit unused while Ukrainian army faces funding crisis.

Concert of Russian pianist and Putin ally cancelled in Athens after online outcry. Ukrainian diaspora groups and their local supporters are increasingly using online campaigns to block performances by Russian artists tied to the Kremlin.

Polish president calls discussions about Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO “premature”

. “Simply impossible:” Polish President Karol Nawrocki described Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations while the war continues, marking a shift in Warsaw’s stance on Kyiv’s Euro-Atlantic integration.

Trump administration ends Biden-era anti-disinformation pact with European allies. The Trump administration has pulled the US out of agreements with 22 European and African countries designed to combat disinformation from Russia, China and Iran

Xi pledges deeper China-North Korea ties after Beijing parade. China will deepen cooperation with North Korea through enhanced communications and exchanges, President Xi Jinping announced

Trump links Charlotte Ukrainian refugee murder to national security crisis. President Trump expressed condolences Monday to the family of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s light rail system, while announcing a new Justice Department task force targeting anti-Christian bias

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian airstrike targets civilians in Yarova, Donetsk Oblast – 24 killed. Civilians targeted while standing in line to receive pensions, with most victims reportedly of retirement age, in what Ukrainian officials describe as a deliberate act of terror.

66-year-old woman injured as Russian forces launch dual drone strike on Zaporizhzhia. Russia continues its pattern of drone attacks on Zaporizhzhia, with the latest overnight assault, striking civilian areas and causing both property damage and human casualties

Political and legal developments

Russia rehearses caution in demobilization from war in Ukraine—but 1989 Afghan lesson haunts Kremlin. Veterans with combat experience, prison records, and psychological trauma could spark unrest reminiscent of the 1990s.

Moscow cuts another lifeline to Europe’s human rights system as Putin moves to exit anti-torture convention. The step shields Russian prisons from international inspectors, raising fears for Ukrainian POWs and abducted civilians.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Smart payment solutions for small business owners: Streamline your personal and business finances with ease. With these solutions, entrepreneurs can simplify their financial processes, reduce stress, and focus more on growing their ventures

Ukraine could get a lot more French Mirage 2000 fighters. More ex-French Mirage 2000s means more critical aerial jamming capability for the outnumbered Ukrainian air force.

Military

Frontline report: Ukraine takes out Russia’s radars one by one in Crimea—now Bayraktars are free to fly and kill again

. With S-400 surface-to-air missile systems blinded and boats exposed, drone strikes have returned to the skies over Crimea.

Intelligence and technology

Moscow boasts of domestic drone production—but without China’s parts, Shaheds would never fly. Russia’s long-range drone program is propped up by Beijing, which provides critical components for assembly plants in Tatarstan and beyond.

This sleepy British town will soon make and test Ukrainian military drones built for war with Russia. Ukrspecsystems is moving in with plans to manufacture its unmanned aerial vehicles in the UK and train drone pilots.

International

Even as West tries to choke Russian oil exports with sanctions, new ships are quietly ensuring steady sales. With disguised routes, offshore registrations, and lax insurance, Moscow dodges global restrictions to maintain military spending.

Hungarian PM Orbán claims US already accepted Russia won the war. He predicts formal Ukraine division into three zones

. Viktor Orbán said that future security negotiations will formally divide Ukrainian territory between Russian control, a demilitarized buffer zone, and Western influence.

Latvia forces 841 Russians to leave by October—language test was their pass to stay. Thousands of Russian speakers now must prove residency or depart, with authorities already reporting voluntary and forced exits.

Slovak deputy compares Ukraine to Hamas, justifying Russian aggression as “provoked”. His debate opponent immediately questioned whether the deputy believed “Ukrainians broke [first] into Russia and killed a thousand civilians” as happened on 7 October.

Kremlin says it will continue killing Ukrainians despite sanctions, while Kyiv calls for real security. From Crimea to Kyiv, sanctions pile up, yet Russia’s military potential remains intact, keeping the conflict grinding forward in attrition.

Russia-China trade crashes as Moscow’s frustration with Beijing grows. August decline crowns nine months of deteriorating partnership that once sustained Putin’s war economy.

Trump plans to speak with Putin within days amid escalating attacks on Ukraine. The latest strike killed 2-month-old baby. The US president stated he is “not thrilled” with Russia’s massive attacks on Ukraine but maintains confidence in settling the conflict.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia plans to tap Europe’s largest nuclear plant to power its secret military object. Documents show step-by-step reconstruction of power lines connecting the plant to a military facility hidden beneath Mariupol’s ruined metallurgical complex.

Rescuers recover third body from Kyiv apartment rubble as Russian strike killed mom and her infant son. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old woman underwent emergency surgery to save her infant following severe burns from debris that destroyed her apartment building.

Energy, not harvest: why Ukraine’s bread may soon cost a quarter more. Bakeries struggle with soaring electricity costs as Russia targets the power grid.

Russian drones target Ukraine’s energy sites to leave civilians without heat and light. The strike on 8 September also resulted in fires at industrial facilities and residential buildings in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Decade-long campaign of assassinations: six outspoken Ukrainian voices eliminated for anti-Russian position. From a Crimean Tatar activist to an elite intelligence officer and former parliament speaker, each killing bears Russian fingerprints that demonstrate Moscow’s deadly reach inside Ukraine.

To make a Flamingo missile, pack in old bombs & add a tiny engine. The Flamingo missile’s best features are under its skin. Powerful and affordable, the missile could change the deep-strike math for Ukraine.

Canada’s pension cash is moving Putin’s $ 4 billion gas cargoes—end it now. Backed by Canadian pension money and Chinese firms, Arctic tankers carried billions of Putin’s gas across NATO waters last year.

Military

Ukraine’s special forces evacuate soldiers who survived three years hidden from Russian forces on occupied territory. The soldiers concealed their military identities with help from hospital staff who hid them from Russian forces throughout the occupation.

Ukrainian forces down 68 of 91 Russian drones in overnight assault. Russia launched 91 drones overnight, prompting Ukrainian forces to shoot down the majority while 18 drones struck targets in 8 different areas.

International

Zelenskyy: Ukraine secures backing from 26 nations for post-war peacekeeping force. The commitment includes both troop deployments and long-term military financing.

Hungary’s FM hits back at Zelenskyy: “We don’t care what Moscow thinks about Ukraine”. A diplomatic spat erupted between Kyiv and Budapest after Zelenskyy questioned Hungary’s stance on EU expansion, prompting Szijjarto to declare that Hungary “is not interested in what they think in Moscow about Ukraine’s EU membership.”

Polish protesters end 2.5-hour blockade of Ukraine truck crossing at Medyka-Shehyni

. Polish protesters lifted their blockade of Ukrainian truck traffic at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing after holding up freight vehicles for 2.5 hours, with 681 trucks waiting in electronic queues during the disruption.

Intelligence and technology

Russia can produce up to 2700 Shaheds per month – intelligence official. Ukraine faces “truly massive attacks” from hundreds of Russian drones as Moscow’s monthly Shahed production hits 2,700 units, creating what intelligence officials call a “serious challenge” for air defense systems.

50,000 Ukrainian children forced through Russian “patriotic education” programs, British Intelligence reports. Ukrainian children from occupied regions are being transported to Russian universities for “patriotic education” aimed at instilling anti-Ukrainian views and glorifying Russian military actions

Humanitarian and social impact

Civilian woman thrown from her house by blast wave in Russian attack on southern Ukraine. The late evening drone attack on Zaporizhzhia also destroyed 80% of the kindergarten building, while damaging multiple homes.

Ukrainian-Polish teams re-bury 42 remains found in Ternopil village

. Eight years after imposing a moratorium on exhumations of Polish citizens in Ukraine, officials from both countries held a memorial ceremony in Puzhnyky

Russian drone scatters fake 100-hryvnia notes offering payment for military intelligence in Chernihiv. A Russian drone operation targeted a Chernihiv neighborhood with fake currency leaflets on 6 Sept., offering monetary rewards to residents willing to provide coordinates of Ukrainian military positions

Political and legal developments

Ukraine retrieves former politician hiding in UAE. He is charged with high treason for spying for Russia. The suspect, identified by Ukrainian news agencies as Fedor Khrystenko, is also accused of having ties in Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency.

Trump: Europe should play leading role in security guarantees for Ukraine. The United States will assist Ukraine but European countries should take the primary role in providing security guarantees, President Trump announced during a White House briefing

Other developments

“Find a new job”: Trump’s retort to Polish reporter’s Ukraine war query. Polish journalist Marek Wałkuski questioned US President why no concrete actions had been taken to end the Ukraine war despite repeated promises, prompting Trump to suggest he “find a new job.”

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

7 million tonnes of Putin’s gas sailed from a Glasgow office. Shut it down. Seapeak Maritime ran the fleet carrying $4 billion of Russian gas—revenue now helping to fund Putin’s war.

33 Russian guards, medics, commanders: InformNapalm links POW abuse in Mordovia to named Russian staff. The OSINT publication exposes those allegedly complicit in systematic violence against Ukrainian captives at IK-10 colony.

Military

Russia, Belarus to rehearse attack on Poland and nuclear strike during Zapad-2025 drills. Fall maneuvers include air counter-operations, reservist mobilization, and border provocations near Ukraine.

Putin declares Western troops in Ukraine “legitimate targets,” after Russian missile kills unarmed Danish mission. Even as Europe plans deployment, the Russian dictator insists any peace must protect Moscow, not just Ukraine.

Ukraine confirms strikes on oil refinery in Ryazan and oil depot in Luhansk

. Ukrainian forces confirmed striking one of Russia’s four largest oil refineries and a fuel depot supplying Russian troops, marking the latest in a systematic campaign against energy infrastructure that has intensified throughout 2024

Dnipro enterprise hit as Russia launches 164-projectile barrage on Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 121 of 157 Russian drones during a massive overnight attack on 5 Sept., but seven missiles and 35 drones still reached their targets across 10 locations

Intelligence and technology

Russia’s oil fields 96% depleted, while investors flee and Ukraine strikes refineries, intelligence says. Ukrainian intelligence revealed Russia’s finite 25-year oil timeline, as Ukraine simultaneously destroys 17% of refining capacity.

Lithuania introduces drone alert system with sirens and phone warnings. A two-color alert system featuring sirens and mobile notifications will warn Lithuanians when Russian drones cross into their territory, with red alerts for explosive-carrying aircraft and yellow for non-threatening UAVs

Ukraine completes first phase of power grid armor. Milestone reached as country builds physical barriers around critical substations.

From trenches to dugouts, Ukraine’s advanced UGVs execute missions that once required soldiers under fire. Fully autonomous systems carry out assaults, relay communications, and bypass Russian jammers.

Azerbaijani MiG-29s enter Ukrainian service as regional alliance shifts. New images suggest Ukraine has quietly integrated Azerbaijani MiG-29 fighters into combat operations, potentially expanding Kyiv’s air capabilities just as Baku distances itself from Moscow.

Frontline report: Russian drone factories now staffed by teenagers as adult workforce collapses

. Students recruited from technical schools now live in guarded dormitories at the Alabuga complex, working under surveillance with punishments for errors and reports of forced overtime.

International

India defies US, keeps buying Russian oil, while sanctions bite Moscow. New Delhi rejects Trump’s demands, however, forcing Russia to negotiate in rupees and steep discounts.

Putin says Ukraine can join EU while Russia’s ally Hungary blocks membership. The Russian president’s acknowledgment directly contradicts his 2014 annexation of Crimea and Donbas war launch

America plans to draw peace line in Ukraine—but Putin may ignore it entirely. A demilitarized buffer zone monitored by US drones and satellites faces Moscow’s tendency to violate any agreement.

Trump “very unhappy” EU countries still buy Russian energy, Zelenskyy says. Hungary, which accounts for a significant portion of the EU’s remaining 20% of Russian energy purchases, is simultaneously blocking Ukraine’s path to European Union membership

European team heads to Washington for joint work on expanded Russia sanctions. Brussels has initiated work on a new sanctions package against Russia while dispatching a delegation to Washington for coordination with US officials

Russia ready for Ukraine talks but rejects third-country venue, Putin says. Ukraine rejected Putin’s peace negotiation conditions after the Russian leader proposed Moscow talks while threatening foreign troops on Ukrainian soil

Ukraine misses another EU deadline, putting European aid in jeopardy

. Parliament’s failure puts billions in European support at risk while Ukraine battles on multiple fronts.

Fico and Zelenskyy to discuss energy infrastructure in Uzhhorod. Ukraine’s recent attacks on the Druzhba pipeline have prompted Slovak PM to arrange an urgent meeting with Ukrainian President in Uzhhorod on 5 Sept., marking their first face-to-face talks since Fico’s return to power.

Humanitarian and social impact

“A deliberate attack on peace and recovery”: International outrage after Russian missile strike kills 2 humanitarian workers. “First they littered the region with explosives and mines; now they are killing people who risk their lives clearing our land from the consequences of Russia’s invasion.”

New developments

Ukrainian AI-generated video lights up Burning Man’s main pyramid with national symbols. Ukrainian national symbols projected through artificial intelligence technology dominated the main pyramid at this year’s Burning Man festival, as director Olha Navrotska’s video featuring sunflowers, wheat, and the country’s signature blue and yellow colors

Georgia finds 240 million tons of “new lithium” needed by West — but access may be tied to Ukraine’s war. A colossal find could help the West cut reliance on China, but Moscow lurks with leverage.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

A fearless Ukrainian trooper posed as Russian, got close—and then opened fire. Identities can be unclear along the porous front line in Ukraine. That’s an opportunity for cold-blooded ambushes.

When a building is full of Russians, send in an FPV drone first!. One Ukrainian regiment is attaching explosive drones to its infantry squads—to help clear Russians from buildings.

How Ukraine went from power blackouts to selling electricity to Europe in record numbers. Canadian engineers explore billion-dollar projects as Ukraine transforms from energy victim to electricity supplier.

Latest News

Thu Sep 04 2025

“A deliberate attack on peace and recovery”: International outrage after Russian missile strike kills 2 humanitarian workers. “First they littered the region with explosives and mines; now they are killing people who risk their lives clearing our land from the consequences of Russia’s invasion.”

Ukraine building “layered” defense to counter Russian drone strikes. Ukraine is expanding interceptor crews and radar coverage to strengthen defenses against Russian attack drones.

Russia jails two Ukrainian journalists for 15 and 16 years for covering occupation. Reporters Without Borders warns that the harsh sentences send a chilling signal to other detained journalists in occupied Ukraine.

NATO allies to help Finland build air bases for F-35. With the first F-35 fighters scheduled to arrive in Rovaniemi in late 2026, NATO members are preparing to fund one-fifth of Finland’s fighter base construction across three cities

Two Russian drones breach NATO airspace again — Poland says no action needed as they return to Ukraine

. The violations came the same night Russia launched over 500 drones and missiles on Ukraine.

Czech employment gap narrows to record 9 points as 101,000 Ukrainian women join workforce. Women’s employment in the Czech Republic jumped from 68.2% to 71.2% between July 2023 and June 2025

26 countries commit to peacekeeping force in Ukraine after ceasefire. Coalition of the Willing nations agreed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, coordinating military support and long-term defense planning in the event of a ceasefire.

Western partners ready to give Ukraine long-ranged missiles. Kyiv will gain additional long-range weaponry to disrupt Russian supply lines and strengthen its operational reach.

Russian missile strikes Danish humanitarian mission in Chernihiv Oblast, killing two – updated. Humanitarian crews face a dual threat in liberated areas, working to clear mines while under the risk of Russian missile strikes.

30 leaders gather in Paris to back Ukraine — but all eyes are on Trump’s missing guarantees. Zelenskyy joined the coalition summit as Europe debated defense pledges without firm US commitments.

Ukraine’s shrinking harvest threatens food security in developing nations

. Ukraine’s grain sector faces its worst year since the war began.

Ukrainian drones hunted down Russia’s prized S-300V — and caught its radar too. The strike near Zaporizhzhia’s Oleksiivka obliterated both the launcher and the 9S36 guidance station.

FT: Europe splits into three camps over postwar Ukraine troop commitments. FT reports that UK is ready to deploy, Italy refuses, and Germany remains undecided before today’s summit.

Ukraine just knocked out two more radars inside Russia—Rostov’s airspace gets blinder. NASA thermal data confirmed fires where the radar sites stood, hinting at precise destruction.

Sweden admits it may sell Gripen E fighters to Ukraine — but only after Russia’s war ends. NATO allies asked Stockholm to delay, worried pilots could be overloaded with too many different jets.

Zelenskyy on Donetsk withdrawal demand from Russia: Putin wants gift of territory he can’t conquer for years while losses mount. The Ukrainian president also emphasized the personal significance of contested territories for displaced Ukrainian families who “would like to return” to homes abandoned due to bombing and occupation.

Read our previous report here.

Exclusives

When a building is full of Russians, send in an FPV drone first!. One Ukrainian regiment is attaching explosive drones to its infantry squads—to help clear Russians from buildings.

How Ukraine went from power blackouts to selling electricity to Europe in record numbers. Canadian engineers explore billion-dollar projects as Ukraine transforms from energy victim to electricity supplier.

Russian marines rushed to save the Pokrovsk offensive—HIMARS had other ideas. Russian reinforcements rolling toward Pokrovsk made a fatal mistake. They traveled in armored vehicles—and within range of Ukraine’s HIMARS.

Military

Ukrainian deep drone strike inside Russia hits railway station, delays 26 trains for hours. The attack on Kuteynikovo station in Rostov Oblast damaged electrical infrastructure and left an unexploded ordnance on the building roof, forcing the evacuation of all passengers and staff.

Intelligence and technology

New Ukrainian KABs can glide 60 km, but expert says: “We need 100 every day”. Narozhny believes mass adoption would finally let Kyiv strike back at scale.

Ukraine establishes missile plant in Denmark near F-35 base for 3,000-km strikes

. European NATO allies accelerate weapons manufacturing partnerships with Ukraine as diminishing US support forces unprecedented defense industrial cooperation across the continent.

International

Chinese companies export, Russia kills, while trade between countries hits record €246 billion. Unlike North Korea, Beijing keeps its hands clean, letting companies feed the war machine through dual-use goods.

Shanghai summit shows old world order is dead, says Ukrainian volunteer. Berlinska claims that the axis of dictators demonstrates their power openly, indifferent to sanctions or global protests.

Putin discusses 150-year lifespan with Xi as as his Ukraine war costs one million Russian casualties. Due to biotechnology, human organs can be transplanted continuously, Putin says.

Putin thanks Kim for North Korean troops fighting against “neo-Nazism” in Ukraine

. This is the first time Putin has publicly thanked a foreign leader for soldiers’ deaths in Ukraine,

German chancellor says Putin has no reason to seek peace with Ukraine now. Merz calls for economic warfare as peace talks stall. Friedrich Merz said that Russia’s president sees advantage in continued fighting, pointing to territorial gains and international divisions as factors driving Moscow’s refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue.

“No one was plotting anything,” Russia responds to Trump. He wrote that Russia, China and North Korea conspire against US at Beijing parade. Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov acknowledged irony in Trump’s Truth Social post as Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping gathered in Beijing for the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender.

Humanitarian and social impact

No sleep in Ukraine for civilians as air raid alert lasts for 13 hours and 500+ weapons fly from Russia. Russian drones and missiles reached cities in western Ukraine close to the Poland’s border that many residents considered relatively safe from continuous Russian terror of civilians.

Political and legal developments

Creaking wheels: Russian railway cargo plunges for third quarter as war costs mount. Transport data exposes industrial collapse across Russia’s most strategic sectors.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

A Russian drone boat hunted down Ukraine’s lucky intelligence ship. Russia has explosive drone boats, too—now Ukrainian ships and planes are no longer safe from surface attack.

Military

Russian tanks rolled toward Pokrovsk. Then HIMARS and drones turned the whole convoy into wreckage (video). The 79th Air Assault Brigade exposed and destroyed the rare Russian column movement.

Frontline report: Ukrainian marines raise flags in recaptured settlements as Russian units withdraw in Donetsk Oblast. The operation began when Ukrainian special operations forces cleared Russian infiltrators from Andriivka and raised their unit flag before the broader counteroffensive commenced.

Ukrainian Phantoms destroy Russia’s S-400 radars in Crimean strike. The destruction of Russia’s most advanced radar systems leaves Crimea’s air defenses severely compromised, opening the peninsula to larger Ukrainian operations.

500 firefighters battle blaze 10km from Putin’s Black Sea palace for four days after Ukrainian drone strike. Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries 28 Aug. ignited a 4-day forest fire near Putin’s Black Sea palace. Russian authorities deployed 500 personnel and aircraft to extinguish the 41.5-hectare blaze.

ISW: Russia launches battlefield propaganda to sell an inevitable victory that doesn’t exist

. ISW says Moscow’s inflated stats are part of a coordinated information campaign to manipulate Western perception.

NYT: Russia targets Western-linked assets in Ukraine to block peace efforts. Moscow appears confident it can escalate without military retaliation.

Syrskyi: Russia loses 290,000 troops in 8 months at the front. Despite sustaining over 290,000 casualties since January, Russian forces have achieved none of their strategic objectives on the Ukrainian front, Commander-in-Chief said.

Ukraine liberated a village near Kupiansk — Russia used it to watch the highway into the city. Ukrainian forces kicked Russians out of Myrne, once their strategic eye on Kupiansk’s main road in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine is counting on $1 bn a month to buy US weapons through PURL program, Zelenskyy says. Seven NATO allies joined Ukraine’s American weapons purchasing program in August, pushing total commitments past $2 bn as President announced expectations for sustained monthly billion-dollar contributions.

Germany begins 100,000-shell annual production line for Ukraine. The Rheinmetall facility signals Western allies’ recognition that supporting Ukraine requires dedicated industrial capacity rather than temporary weapons transfers.

International

Kremlin deploys nuclear threats and war nostalgia to spook Western capitals into silence. Russian officials evoke Hiroshima and WWII to warn France and Germany against supporting Kyiv.

German parliamentary chiefs arrive to Kyiv for first bipartisan Ukraine mission

. Two key figures from Germany’s ruling coalition landed in Kyiv on 1 Sept., marking the first time parliamentary leaders from both the CDU/CSU and SPD have visited Ukraine together since Russia’s invasion began.

Hungary continues to veto Ukraine’s accession to EU. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Budapest will veto opening concrete negotiation chapters on Ukraine’s EU membership, warning that Brussels and Kyiv are “jointly jeopardizing Hungary’s energy security.”

Zelenskyy calls Putin’s China visit “usual tactic” to avoid war accountability as global leaders demand peace. From the Vatican to Beijing, world leaders are calling for an end to the Ukraine war, but Russia remains the sole holdout in pursuing continued war, Ukrainian President said

German Chancellor: Ukrainian capitulation means “tomorrow we’re next”. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz cautioned that Ukrainian surrender would create a cascade of Russian attacks on neighboring countries, ultimately reaching Germany,

Von der Leyen pledges tripled EU border funding during Poland frontier visit. Polish PM Donald Tusk claimed Belarusian border personnel monitored his press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during their solidarity visit to the contested frontier

Germany backs out of sending troops to Ukraine – Bild. Focus shifts to providing financial support as a security guarantee for Ukraine amid stalled ceasefire talks.

Putin choses visit to main Ukraine’s war sponsor instead of meeting with Zelenskyy, despite Trump’s deadline. Russia’s president chose to showcase military ties with Beijing rather than respond to Washington’s peace initiative, suggesting Moscow prioritizes anti-Western partnerships over cease-fire negotiations.

Humanitarian and social impact

Hundreds mourn young mother, two year daughter lost in devastating Russian missile attack on Kyiv.

Russian drone and artillery attacks kill 2 civilians in Kherson

. Kherson has repeatedly faced Russian attacks since its liberation in 2022, with civilians and infrastructure often targeted.

Tens of thousands in Odesa without power after Russian bombardment. Odesa regularly faces Russian drone and missile attacks, leaving civilians with damaged property, power outages, and ongoing safety risks.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine seeks to tame war risk with state-backed insurance scheme. Ukraine is preparing a nationwide war-risk insurance program to finally open the door for private capital.

59% of Ukrainians support cessation of hostilities and search for compromise. About 75% of Ukrainians reject any ceasefire agreement unless Western allies provide concrete security assurances

The slow squeeze: Russia’s oil empire is bleeding cash. Rosneft profits crash 68% in massive validation of Western strategy.

New developments

Man crashes car through Russian consulate gates in Sydney, police officer injured. A 39-year-old man injured a police constable and crashed his SUV through the Russian consulate gates in Sydney the morning of 1 Sept. Australian authorities arrested a man

Poland deports Ukrainian who threatened arson attacks.

Wagner gold mission collapses as Russian mercenaries fight local allies in Mali. Wagner fails catastrophically in Mali as 2,000 mercenaries fight local allies instead of jihadists, marking first major setback for Russian Africa strategy.

Chemical plant fire engulfs 4,000 square meters near Moscow. Mi-8 and Ka-32 helicopters joined ground firefighters battling a blaze at warehouse facilities belonging to Balashikha Experimental Chemical Plant, where 4,000 square meters remain engulfed in flames.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Ukraine’s missile crews are valuable targets now. Ukraine’s Neptunes and other long-range cruise missiles pose a growing threat. So Russia is targeting them on the ground.

Military

Ukraine strikes Russian underground chemical plant storing military explosives 1000+ km away. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate targeted the Aleksinsky Chemical Plant storing pyroxylin powder used in ammunition and artillery systems.

Frontline report: Ukrainian tanks destroy Russian infiltrators point-blank after river crossing near Lyman

. Geolocated footage captured the entire sequence as thermal drones monitored a Ukrainian tank systematically destroying each building where Russians had taken shelter

Ukraine hits oil refineries in Krasnodar Krai and Samara Oblast – General Staff. Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries producing 11.5 mn tons annually in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and Samara Oblast overnight, with one facility suffering a 300-square-meter fire

Intelligence and technology

US approves possible sale of Patriot spare parts and Starlink services to Ukraine. Ukraine will receive $179.1 mn in Patriot air defense sustainment support, with an additional $150 mn authorized for Starlink satellite communications services.

International

Lithuanian forces install anti-tank “dragon teeth” barriers at Russian and Belarusian border crossings amid invasion threats. The Lithuanian initiative forms part of a broader regional strategy involving Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland, aimed at reducing land invasion threats following Russia’s 2022 full-scale aggression in Ukraine.

Trump doubts on near-term Putin-Zelenskyy meeting despite his previous optimism to end war quickly

. The US president once again compared Russo-Ukrainian war to playground children who “have to fight for a little bit before you can get them to stop.”

Trump eyes mercenaries for Ukraine as European allies demand American backing. American contractors would build fortifications and protect business interests under emerging peace framework.

German Navy inspector warns of growing Russian aggression. Russian units are showing “increased aggressiveness” through drone overflights, infiltration attempts, and sabotage efforts targeting German military infrastructure, the country’s navy inspector warned

Poland deports 15 Ukrainians citing “threats to public safety”. Poland expelled 15 Ukrainian citizens and banned them from re-entering the country for five to ten years following convictions for theft, robbery, drug possession.

Poland works to regulate status of Ukrainians as Polish president blocks protection extension. Nearly 1 mn Ukrainian citizens in Poland face potential legal uncertainty after President Karol Nawrocki blocked legislation extending their temporary protection

Estonia extradites Estonian Russian who helped Russia buy electronics to the United States. An Estonian national accused of operating a complex procurement network for Russian military interests was transferred to US custody this week

Humanitarian and social impact

“No laws or morals in Russian army”: Ukrainian drones document alleged execution of unarmed civilian by Russian soldier near frontline Pokrovsk. Ukraine’s aerial reconnaissance captured the killing of an elderly man “clearly visible in civilian clothes and without weapons.”

Russia claims it only targets “military objects” in Ukraine. But recent Russian strike killed toddler born during war and her mom. Moscow’s assertion of targeting exclusively military and defense industry facilities in Ukraine contrasts with the death of civilians spanning ages from toddlers to elderly residents.

Zaporizhzhia blackout affects 25,000 residents after Russian strike. Power outages affected 25,000 subscribers in Zaporizhzhia following a Russian attack that killed one person and injured 28 others

Political and legal developments

Ukraine Parliament ex-speaker Parubiy shot dead in Lviv. Former Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy was shot and killed around midday on 30 Aug. in Lviv, with the assailant reportedly disguised as a delivery courier,

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Ukraine’s missile crews are valuable targets now. Ukraine’s Neptunes and other long-range cruise missiles pose a growing threat. So Russia is targeting them on the ground.

Ukraine’s railway crisis threatens EU reconstruction investments. Passengers boarding Ukrainian trains this autumn encounter women-only compartments, accessibility-friendly carriages, and railway-branded merch.

Military

Another “Triumf” fails: Ukrainian drone turns Russian air defense radar in occupied Crimea into scrap. The 91N6E radar, part of Russia’s S-400 anti-air missile system, was hit last night in the Russian-occupied peninsula.

Reuters: Ukraine’s drone strikes force Russia’s Ust-Luga oil port to halve operations in September

. Pipeline damage limits the terminal to 350,000 barrels per day, according to two Reuters sources.

Intelligence and technology

Denmark to spend about $ 1.6 bn this year on weapons production by Ukrainian defense industry. Danish Defense Minister announced $1.6 bn in Ukrainian weapons contracts, favoring manufacturers who deliver “in months, not years” over European competitors.

New Finnish and Polish “green” strategy could sink Russian tanks before they even cross borders. As Russia builds conventional forces, NATO allies discover their most effective barriers might be wetlands that disappeared decades ago.

International

Russia still demands Ukraine’s total elimination, despite Trump’s deadline for Moscow, which expires in three days. While Trump promoted his ability to quickly negotiate peace, Moscow’s identical capitulation terms suggest Putin views the deadline as irrelevant to his war objectives.

Merz: Ukraine war could last “many months” as Putin blocks two-week summit plan. Vladimir Putin is employing his characteristic delaying tactics to avoid Ukraine peace talks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said

Merz and Macron call for secondary sanctions against Russia’s supporters

. Germany and France announced plans to target companies from third countries that support Russia’s war machine through oil purchases

Trump cuts $ 5 bn foreign aid without Congressional vote, Ukrainian art program included. A $1.5 mn program promoting Ukrainian women’s artwork sits among nearly $5 bn in foreign aid programs that President Trump moved to eliminate.

Zelenskyy details three-pillar security framework as Ukraine pushes West for concrete guarantees. Military support, NATO backing, and sanctions define security requirements; Russia objects.

Yermak meets Trump envoy Witkoff in New York, discusses Ukraine war crimes. Andriy Yermak extended an invitation for Trump’s special representative Steve Witkoff to visit Ukraine following their talks in New York

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine convenes emergency meeting of UN Security Council due to deadly Russian attack on Kyiv. Ukraine has convened an emergency UN Security Council meeting for tonight following a Russian attack on Kyiv that killed 23 civilians, including 4 children

Over 10,000 bodies of fallen defenders returned to Ukraine this year. Ukraine’s network of 23 specialized laboratories has begun the complex task of identifying over 10,000 bodies of fallen defenders repatriated in 2025, requiring up to 14 months of forensic work

Kherson’s mayor who survives dog attacks and mock executions, reveals how he stayed loyal to his homeland in Russian captivity

. While Russia presented collaboration as survival, Mykolaienko refused to do it, despite enduring torture three times per day.

Kyiv rescue teams free 17 from rubble as Russia launches massive attack, 8 missing. Rescue operations concluded in Kyiv after 30 hours following a Russian missile strike that killed 23 people, including four children

Political and legal developments

For first time, Ukraine legally defines rashism as totalitarian ideology combining Russian communist and Nazi practices. The legislation provides legal tools other democracies could adopt to counter authoritarian influence operations, transforming ideological warfare from propaganda to prosecutable crime.

Russia rejects Western security guarantees for Ukraine as “strategic provocateur” threat. Moscow warns European proposals risk escalating conflict days before Ukraine finalizes comprehensive framework with allies.

Secret document exposes Hungary’s government-level scheme to export Russian aircraft as European. While Orbán publicly frames his positions as peace advocacy, leaked documents reveal systematic coordination with Russia’s military-industrial complex.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

This American-made missile is Ukraine’s cheap refinery smasher. Ukraine needs harder-hitting deep-strike munitions. Lots of them. The American ERAM might be just the thing.

Military

Massive Russian missile attack on Kyiv: 21 killed, 63 injured. 2-year-old among three children killed as residential buildings destroyed across the capital city.

Russia uses new jet-powered Shahed drones in Kyiv attack, killing 18 people

. Russian forces deployed rocket-propelled Shahed drones in the Kyiv assault, reaching 300-500 km/h and proving harder to intercept than standard models.

Russia’s main oil terminal to lose 50% of exports due to Ukrainian drone attacks. Industry sources confirm Russia’s Ust-Luga oil terminal will process 350,000 barrels daily in September following Ukrainian attacks on pipeline infrastructure

Frontline report: Ukraine blew up Russia’s only nitrocellulose plant—no backup for gunpowder supply. A Ukrainian drone strike destroyed the Kotovsky plant in Tambov, Russia’s sole source of nitrocellulose powders for shells and rockets.

HUR drone strike damages Russian warship carrying cruise missiles in Azov Sea. The Main Intelligence Directorate reported successful hits on a Russian missile carrier that serves as a platform for Russia’s Kalibr cruise missile system in Azov Sea waters.

Intelligence and technology

Russia strikes Bayraktar drone factory in Kyiv for fourth time in six months. A nearly-complete Turkish drone factory in Kyiv sustained serious damage in its fourth Russian attack since February, threatening millions in investment and months of personnel training just weeks before planned production launch.

Ukraine’s defense tech leader challenges western strategic assumptions

. FPV drones kill up to 70% of Ukrainian troops, yet NATO armies plan readiness for 2031.

International

46% of Americans believe that the US does not help Ukraine enough – poll. 52% of Americans believe Washington should help Ukraine reclaim occupied territories even if it extends the war, while 45% prefer a quick resolution that might require territorial concessions,

Zelenskyy: Ukraine security guarantee framework ready next week. Türkiye offers involvement in Black Sea security following deadliest Russian attack in weeks targeting diplomatic facilities from multiple countries.

Kellogg: Russia’s brutal attack threatens Trump peace plans. Donald Trump’s special envoy called Russia’s attack on Kyiv the second-largest since the invasion began, warning it threatens the president’s peace initiatives.

China hosts 26 world leaders for WWII anniversary as Xi, Putin, Kim unite in rare gathering. The Serbian President and Slovak Prime Minister will be the only representatives from the EU countries as they were at Russia’s Victory Day parade in May.

Hungary bans Ukrainian commander over Russian pipeline hit — latest sign of Budapest acting as Kremlin’s proxy in EU

. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó claimed recent Ukrainian strikes on the Druzhba pipeline allegedly harmed Hungary and Slovakia more than Russia.

60% of Poles support presidential veto on Ukrainian assistance – poll. Three in five Polish adults back President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of legislation extending aid to Ukrainian citizens, with strongest support coming from younger adults

Humanitarian and social impact

Estonian special forces veteran dies fighting as volunteer in Ukraine. Olev Roost, a former member of Estonia’s Special Operations Forces who served in Mali, died fighting with Ukraine’s elite 3rd Separate Special Purpose Regiment after voluntarily joining the war in 2023.

Kharkiv opens 7 underground schools, converts metro stations into classrooms for 6,000 students. Kharkiv is among first countries to extensively use metro stations as schools during wartime, creating unique model of underground education to protect children from constant Russian attack

Russian strike hits EU and UK diplomatic buildings in Kyiv night attack. Belgium’s FM confirmed damage to EU and British Council buildings in Kyiv, saying Russia “chooses terror, destruction and lies instead of dialogue” after the overnight attack killed 13 people in the Ukrainian capital.

Political and legal developments

US extends authorization to import some diamonds of Russian origin despite sanctions. Nearly 3 years after G7 nations restricted Russian diamond trade, the Office of Foreign Assets Control has extended US import permissions for specific Russian gems through September 2026.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Blast refineries, raise gas prices: a job for Ukraine’s new missiles. Russia’s oil industry is already hurting. Now imagine what a Ukrainian cruise missile with a 1,000-kg warhead can do.

Russians captured him, cut his throat, and left Ukrainian POW to die. He survived and wants revenge for tortured comrades. National Guard soldier Vladyslav was dragged into a basement near Pokrovsk and watched how the Russians tortured seven Ukrainian defenders before they slashed his own throat and dumped him in a pit with their bodies, thinking he was dead. He was not.

2 million workers gone: Russia’s war economy slides toward collapse. With 73% of businesses understaffed, defense plants are breaking under labor shortages and falling output.

Military

Major pipeline explosion halts Moscow fuel supplies after Ryazan blast

. The main Ryazan-Moscow oil pipeline exploded on 26 August, disrupting fuel supplies to Russia’s capital and prompting Transneft to assess damages from the incident.

Frontline report: Ukrainian drones strike 1,300 kilometers deep into Russia, torching Shahed storage depots in Tatarstan. The Yelabuga factory has become too dangerous to staff, with few technicians willing to work at Russia’s largest Shahed assembly plant under repeated Ukrainian strikes.

FT: West plans 3-layer defense system for post-war Ukraine with NATO forces. Approximately 10 countries are prepared to send troops to Ukrainian territory after the war ends with Britain has proposed deploying Typhoon fighter jets in western Ukraine

Intelligence and technology

Russia builds air defense towers around drone factory as Ukraine deep strikes intensify, partisans report. The Yelabuga facility in Russia’s Tatarstan, which produces over 5,000 Geran-2 drones monthly, has sustained repeated attacks throughout 2025.

International

Yermak, Kyslytsia, Umerov to represent Ukraine in New York talks with Witkoff.

Most Germans believe that Ukraine can cede territory for peace – poll

. Far-right AfD supporters drive German sentiment toward Ukrainian territorial concessions, with 72% backing land-for-peace deals compared to just 43% of conservative voters

Trump envoy: Russia submits Donetsk peace plan Ukraine “may not take”. A Russian peace proposal involving Donetsk Oblast sits before Ukrainian negotiators as President Trump continues pressing both sides toward a settlement.

US envoy sets Ukraine talks for this week, reveals daily Russia contact. A Ukrainian delegation will meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff in New York this week, as the official revealed he maintains daily contact with Russian officials and believes a peace agreement is “already on the table.”

Ukrainians contributed $ 5 bn to Poland’s budget in 2024 as refugee protection faces uncertainty. New figures reveal 1.55mn Ukrainians generated $5 bn for Poland’s budget in 2024, coinciding with President Nawrocki’s veto of refugee protection extension.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukrainian woman who fled war in Ukraine was stabbed to death in the US. Her suspected killer was arrested but the cause of the murder is still unknown.

Russian drones target civilian energy infrastructure across six Ukrainian regions causing power outages. Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy described the strikes as “another act of energy terrorism aimed at the civilian population.”

Ukrainian POW returns from 7-year Russian imprisonment with his cat

. Stanislav Panchenko, 25, returned to Ukraine with 84 other released prisoners. Unlike the others, Panchenko brought home his cat Myshko, whom he had rescued and raised during 4 years in Russian captivity.

Russian forces kill civilian, injure three in morning attacks on Kherson. An 81-year-old woman died and three men sustained injuries ranging from burns to traumatic brain injury during Russian attacks on Kherson

Political and legal developments

Scandal-hit Odesa chemical giant goes up for sale. Privatization aims to restore facility crucial for feeding Ukraine and the world.

Ukraine allows men aged 18-22 to travel abroad amid conflict over army recruitment versus demographic crisis. Military commanders argue the country cannot afford to let healthy young men leave when frontline units desperately need fresh recruits, while civilians contend that travel restrictions have accelerated family emigration and severed homeland ties for an entire generation of Ukrainian youth abroad.

New developments

Ukraine’s western regions see tourism boom. Tourism tax revenues surge 35% as mountain resorts and cultural cities defy wartime expectations.

Minneapolis school shooter wrote “I am terrorist” and “Kill yourself” in Russian on weapon magazines and listened to Russian rappers. Westman mixed desperate Russian phrases with violent English fantasies, writing “I have had thoughts about mass murder for a long time” before targeting his former elementary school where his mother worked and killing two children.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Russians captured him, cut his throat, and left Ukrainian POW to die. He survived and wants revenge for tortured comrades. National Guard soldier Vladyslav was dragged into a basement near Pokrovsk and watched how the Russians tortured seven Ukrainian defenders before they slashed his own throat and dumped him in a pit with their bodies, thinking he was dead. He was not.

2 million workers gone: Russia’s war economy slides toward collapse. With 73% of businesses understaffed, defense plants are breaking under labor shortages and falling output.

Ukraine’s M-2 Bradleys engage Russian infantry at point-blank range. A Russian tank brigade pushed into Vorone. A Ukrainian assault regiment pushed back.

Ukrainian journalist abducted from his garden in 2022 returns from Russian captivity weighing less than 45 kg. Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Khyliuk returned from Russian captivity in the latest exchange on 24 August, weighing less than 45 kg (99 lbs), as he spent three years in Russian prison after his abduction near Kyiv in 2022.

Military

DeepState: Russians occupy two villages in Dnipro Oblast for the first time

. After months of Ukrainian military denials, Russian forces established their first confirmed presence in Zaporizke and Novogeorgiyivka villages, Dnipro Oblast.

Russia’s Syzran refinery lost critical equipment in recent strikes — Rosneft plant now offline, Astra reports. The core oil processing and pump installations were destroyed, halting operations entirely.

Ukraine knocks out 17% of Russia’s oil capacity — and that’s just this month, Reuters says. Moscow’s energy security unravels as Ukraine escalates long-range attacks on its most vulnerable assets.

Ukrainian drone reportedly crashes in Estonian field after Russian GPS jamming diverts flight path. No injuries occurred, but Estonian Security Police warn the device could have caused extensive damage if it had hit residential buildings instead of farmland.

Intelligence and technology

Revenge served cold: Kronshtadt’s billion-ruble meltdown. AO Kronshtadt, one of Russia’s largest drone manufacturers, is drowning in debt.

Russia helps China to develop amphibious operation system for potential Taiwan attack. The technology transfer coincides with China’s strategic commitment to prevent Russia’s Ukraine defeat, suggesting coordinated efforts to stretch Western military resources across multiple potential theaters.

Ukrainian intelligence exposes Russian colonel’s four fake combat awards scheme

. The scheme exposes how Russia’s $1 trillion war budget enriches corrupt officers while families of killed soldiers are systematically denied death benefits.

Ukrainian man disguised as woman to spy for Russian intelligence. He got 15 years in prison.. A 26-year-old man from Odesa Oblast was recruited through a Telegram channel advertising opportunities for quick financial gain.

International

EU’s new Russian sanctions package will not be as expected. EU prepares 19th sanctions package targeting Russian shadow fleet and evasion tactics while leaving energy sales that fund Ukraine war intact.

Belgium promises first F-16 jets to Ukraine within months. Belgium joins the growing coalition of countries providing F-16s to Ukraine, while also committing to comprehensive support including €20 million for grain initiatives and completing Black Sea demining by 2029.

US-Russia energy deals floated as incentives for Ukraine peace talks: Reuters. Exxon return and LNG equipment sales offered as incentives for Russia agreeing to a peace deal with Ukraine.

Brussels confirms member states free to determine refugee payment levels amid Polish restrictions. EU countries must provide Ukrainian refugees with “necessary assistance” but face no minimum payment standards, European Commission confirmed amid Poland’s moves to restrict benefits to working Ukrainians.

Russia’s closest ally accuses Moscow of betrayal despite sending weapons to kill 13,800 Ukrainians

. The alliance fracture reveals how partnerships built on civilian targeting prove fragile when partners face their own military goals.

Humanitarian and social impact

122 Crimean Muslims persecuted since Russia’s 2014 annexation: CTRC. Russia has “actively persecuted” members of the Crimean Tatar indigenous group since its illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014.

Russia eliminates monitoring of facilities where beatings, electrocution becomes standard practice against Ukrainian POWs. Russia plans even worse crimes against Ukrainians after quitting a torture convention, says the Ukrainian ombudsman.

UPDATE: Russian shelling traps 148 miners underground in Dobropillia coal mines. The 148 trapped miners face potential suffocation or equipment failure without power to operate ventilation and safety systems in the deep coal shafts.

Political and legal developments

Ukrainian human rights defender Maksym Butkevych shortlisted for Václav Havel Prize. One of Ukraine’s leading voices on human rights spent 913 days in Russian prison.

Ukraine’s $185 billion war tab threatens everything after victory. Ukraine spends more servicing debt than supporting its elderly and vulnerable.

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Exclusive

Halloween 2025 carving ideas. To get your Halloween projects to truly get noticed, it all begins with the proper tools

Military

Frontline report: Top Russian general maimed and rushed to Moscow as Ukraine strangles supply routes in Sumy. Ukrainian forces ambushed Abachev’s convoy while he attempted to reorganize collapsing defenses, trapping Russian soldiers in Sumy without resupply.

Frontline report: Russian artillery can’t fire from the riverbank — so reinforcements crawl 15 km under drones. Denied artillery cover, Russian soldiers inch toward the Zherebets bridgehead while Ukrainian drones circle overhead.

Intelligence and technology

Experts spotted new Ukraine’s guided bomb at defense innovations forum

. Ukraine debuts domestically-made guided bomb with 3D-printed components to international defense ministers at Kyiv weapons showcase forum.

Ukraine tests its largest 700kg remote-controlled vehicle. Ukrainian forces showcased PROTECTOR, a remote-controlled ground vehicle capable of transporting 700 kilograms of cargo, injured soldiers and towing trailers with three-ton vehicles.

Ukraine deploys new Veres-2 anti-drone system that jams UAVs at 2km range. Commercial drones carrying explosives face new countermeasures as Ukraine deploys domestically-produced Veres-2 jammers on active front sections.

Polish president’s veto may cut Starlink access for Ukraine, used for drone real-time coordination. Poland’s Digital Minister warns the presidential veto will cripple Ukrainian forces’ ability to coordinate drone strikes and artillery operations in real-time.

Zelenskyy presents combat-tested weapons to EU partners in Kyiv’s shelter defense forum. Ukraine’s battlefield innovations are attracting European defense ministers seeking proven technologies rather than untested concepts.

Defense Express: Official video allegedly reveals first ever public look at Ukraine’s secretive 1000 km Neptune missile. The original domestic R-360 Neptune targeted ships at 300 km, but the “Long Neptune” variant strikes ground targets at 1000 km.

Polish helicopter plant sent €1.2 million to Russian defense company month before invasion of Ukraine. InformNapalm’s investigation reveals how NATO defense contractors may have inadvertently financed the very military capabilities now threatening alliance security.

International

Germany to spend $ 9 bn annually to support Ukraine – Finance Minister. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil announced Germany’s €9 billion yearly commitment to Ukraine during talks with Ukrainian officials, up from €1.6 billion in direct budget aid since 2022.

Ramstein Ukraine defence meeting set for London on 9 September. Defence officials from Ukraine’s partner countries will meet face-to-face in London next month for the latest Ramstein format discussions

Trump: Putin avoids meeting Zelenskyy because “He doesn’t like him”.

Ukraine advances $50 billion deal with US during meeting with Kellogg in Kyiv. Ukraine’s proposed annual production of 10 million drones would dwarf current manufacturing while establishing the country as world’s defense technology powerhouse.

China denies media reports of willingness to join Ukraine peacekeeping forces. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that “China’s position on the Ukrainian crisis is consistent and clear.”

Ukraine needs NATO-like security guarantees before any peace deal, German foreign minister says. Johann Wadephul highlighted the need for United States participation in any comprehensive security arrangement for Ukraine beyond Europe’s involvement.

Humanitarian and social impact

Crimean spy case prisoner beats death odds after seven-year Russian ordeal. Most Ukrainian face electric shock torture and starvation in Russian captivity.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine indicts officials involved in $36 million mortar rounds procurement fraud scheme. Ukrainian artillery units lost access to 100,000 mortar rounds through systematic theft by the very officials meant to arm them.

New developments

Storm destroys Ukrainian installation “Black Cloud” at the US Burning Man festival. A Ukrainian art installation warning about global war threats lasted mere hours at the Burning Man festival before a desert windstorm tore through the 7-ton structure

Ukrainian war veterans complete Bosphorus swim, two with amputated legs finish under 90 minutes. Two Ukrainian veterans who lost legs in combat completed the Bosphorus swim on Independence Day, crossing 6.5 km from Asia to Europe without informing organizers of their amputations

Ukraine posts 265,000 jobs during war but half the workers are gone. Ukraine has a quarter-million job openings and high unemployment. At the same time.

Woody Allen joins Moscow film festival as Russia kills Ukrainian artists. The Hollywood director appeared via video link at the Moscow International Cinema Week, where he praised Russian cinema and expressed openness to future projects despite the ongoing aggression.

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Exclusive

From text to speech to HD video: How AI is enhancing media across the board. This blog post explores how AI is enhancing media, focusing on text-to-speech AI, AI video upscaler, and AI voice generator

Ukraine’s Fire Point builds 100 attack drones every day, all day—aimed at Russia. Running nonstop, Fire Point will turn out 36,000 drones this year, nearly matching the Shahed swarms that Moscow sends by the thousands.

Military

Ukrainian drones hit Russia’s largest Baltic gas hub in Ust-Luga strike (VIDEO)

. The precision strike on Novatek’s cryogenic fractionation unit marks Ukraine’s second successful attack on the strategic port this year.

HUR surprise assault liberates Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast as Russians lose company-sized unit. The operation caught Russian defenders unprepared.

Marines raise Ukrainian flag on National Flag Day in liberated Donetsk settlement. The recapture of Zelenyi Hai comes amid broader Russian advance on the Donetsk front line.

Ukrainian drones strike Russian port and oil refinery in coordinated attack on war-funding infrastructure [updated]. The attack focused on energy facilities processing petroleum products for military use.

Intelligence and technology

Canada commits $ 1 billion in drones, armor, and ammunition for Ukraine — delivery expected in September

. Prime Minister Mark Carney specified that this sum will fund immediate weapons procurement, with additional tens of millions allocated for bomb shelters and cybersecurity assistance.

Norway and Germany to finance two American Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine amid Russian missile threat. The joint purchase operates within the new mechanism in which Europe finances American-manufactured systems aimed for Ukraine.

International

NBC invites Russia’s top diplomat on Ukrainian independence day to demand territorial surrender. Lavrov set conditions on Ukraine’s right to exist while dismissing Zelenskyy as “de facto head of the regime” in interview with “Meet the Press.”

Humanitarian and social impact

Kherson’s former mayor freed from Russian captivity on Independence Day, while current mayor still suffers behind bars

. Mykolaienko’s heroic decision to refuse early release in 2022 to save a critically ill cellmate reveals the moral choices facing Ukrainian prisoners.

Independence Day swap returns Ukrainian defenders from thousands who are still captive in Russia. These soldiers defended locations that defined Ukraine’s resistance.

Political and legal developments

German investigators: four bombs weighing up to 27 kg each destroyed Nord Stream gas pipelines 80 meters underwater. Placing bombs required specialized diving equipment and explosives expertise that points to military-level planning, German prosecutors stated.

New developments

Independence Day of Ukraine: celebrating independence when fighting for freedom. Ukraine declared independence in 1991; Russia has been trying to crush it ever since.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Ukraine’s Fire Point builds 100 attack drones every day, all day—aimed at Russia. Running nonstop, Fire Point will turn out 36,000 drones this year, nearly matching the Shahed swarms that Moscow sends by the thousands.

Ukraine’s blue-yellow flag marks 33 years of independence symbolism. Ukraine’s blue and yellow colors trace back to 1256 when Prince Danylo Halytskyi created Lviv’s coat of arms – beginning a 767-year journey through persecution, space missions, and wartime victories.

Kostyantynivka’s new morning routine: turn on the gas. Nothing. Russians are 3 miles away. Hours of bombing today destroyed gas lines. The postal service fled, saying it was “too dangerous”.

Inside Human Safari: the film that captures Russia’s drones hunting Ukrainians like prey. “A fantastic horror movie… our reality”

Military

Ukraine drone strike keeps Russia’s only Rostov refinery burning for third day. The Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery processes 100,000 barrels daily. Locals now face water shortages, toxic air, and unpaid wages.

Frontline report: Russian reinforcements walk for days to reach Sumy front — Ukraine hits them first. After massive armor losses in Kursk, Moscow’s forces rely on infantry that often arrives too late to stop Ukrainian advances.

Russian soldiers who killed civilians in Bucha blow up in occupied Luhansk Oblast. Russian soldiers were operating an air defense unit in occupied Luhansk Oblast when an explosion killed three and injured two others on 22 August

Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot dies in landing crash after combat mission

. A 44-year-old pilot from Kropyvnytskyi who had been conducting daily combat flights against Russian forces was killed in a MiG-29 crash while attempting to land after a mission.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine must build “anti-Rubicon” hunter units to target elite Russian drone crews, says expert. Mariia Berlinska says offensive counter-strategy is urgently needed against 5,000-strong force.

European Defence Commissioner “more optimistic” on investments in Ukraine’s defence industry. Andrius Kubilius moved from spring concerns about lukewarm EU support for Ukraine’s defence investments to declaring their intentions to tap €150 bn in EU defence loans “quite soon.”

Russia imposes fuel rationing on civilians: Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence. Assessment follows Ukrainian strikes on major refineries forcing Russian export bans.

International

“Forever grateful”: US Orthodox Archbishop cosied up to Putin in Alaska, now he is sorry. Meeting Putin at Trump’s Alaska summit, Archbishop Alexei’s remarks drew backlash and forced him to clarify he acted alone, not for the Orthodox Church in America.

Nearly two-thirds of Poles reject military mission to Ukraine, poll shows. A new survey reveals minimal Polish public support for participating in international peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, with 17.3% respondents backing the idea

Italy’s deputy prime minister tells Macron to “take a rifle” and go to Ukraine himself, sparking diplomatic row. France summoned Italy’s ambassador after Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini told Emmanuel Macron to “put on a helmet, take a rifle and go to Ukraine yourself” rather than send Italian troops

China is ready to send peacekeepers to Ukraine under United Nations authorization – Welt. European officials face a dilemma over China’s conditional offer, with some viewing Beijing’s UN mandate requirement as both opportunity and potential espionage risk.

NATO military chief: Foreign troop deployment in Ukraine “at minimum premature”

. NATO’s top military official calls troop deployment talks “embryonic” as the alliance delivers $33 billion in weapons to Ukraine since January via new rapid-delivery system.

Humanitarian and social impact

Sumy State University lost 60,000 books due to Russian attacks in seven months. A 5-million-hryvnia diffractometer and 15,000 books were destroyed when Russia struck Sumy State University on 18 Aug., bringing total book losses to 60,000 volumes.

69-year-old British volunteer killed by Russian drone in Ukraine; body trapped in combat zone. British woman drove alone into Ukraine war zone to deliver aid, died in Russian drone strike as family battles bureaucracy for death certificate

Fire in Mukachevo extinguished for third day after Russian strike. Thirteen Ukrainian rescue workers spent three days battling a fire that consumed 7,000 square meters of an American-owned factory after Russian missiles struck Mukachevo on 21 August.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Zelenskyy wanted 30,000 attack drones. One factory alone is building 36,000. Fire Point is producing 100 drones a day. Together with other plants, Ukraine may soon launch swarms to rival Russia’s 5,000 Shaheds a month.

Ukraine’s blue-yellow flag marks 33 years of independence symbolism. Ukraine’s blue and yellow colors trace back to 1256 when Prince Danylo Halytskyi created Lviv’s coat of arms – beginning a 767-year journey through persecution, space missions, and wartime victories.

Kostyantynivka’s new morning routine: turn on the gas. Nothing. Russians are 3 miles away. Hours of bombing today destroyed gas lines. The postal service fled, saying it was “too dangerous”.

The film showing how Russia’s killer drones turned Ukraine into a human safari. “A fantastic horror movie… our reality”

Russia lost a brigade near Dobropillya—more brigades are coming. Russia is rushing additional brigades into the salient northeast of Pokrovsk. Can the Ukrainian 1st Azov Corps sustain its counterattack?

Ukraine’s Black Widow ground drone carries six FPVs—costs less than a single Javelin missile. The carrier launches drones in pairs—one strikes, the other films the kill. The unusual feature lets operators confirm destruction before a follow-up attack.

Kamyshin built Ukraine’s arsenal sixfold—now he says Europe must pay to unlock it. “We need money,” said the man whose industry delivers weapons faster than traditional European suppliers.

Military

Ukrainian drones partially sink Moscow’s arms ship 640km deep inside Russia. The Caspian Sea attack on Port Olya 4 disrupts Iranian weapons deliveries that fuel daily Shahed strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine hits Russia’s most dangerous high-tech formation in Donetsk Oblast. The destruction of Rubicon’s command post may restore Ukraine’s drone advantage after the unit inflicted hundreds of vehicle losses in Kursk.

Five Russian divers tried to lift a Ukrainian drone in Novorossiysk bay — they never surfaced again

. The sea drone detonated during the recovery attempt, killing Russia’s elite sabotage group instantly.

Ukraine drones turned Russia’s Druzhba oil lifeline into fire — second hit in Bryansk’s Unecha this month (video). A late-night strike engulfed the Unecha pumping station in flames, disrupting a hub key to Moscow’s oil exports to Hungary and Slovakia.

Intelligence and technology

War-torn Ukraine develops cruise missile Europe’s industry сouldn’t build, says Austrian expert. The 1,150kg warhead missile enters mass production in January alongside 3,000 monthly FP-1 drones, though effectiveness depends on penetrating Russian air defenses through coordinated swarm attacks.

Ukraine’s gamified drone app raises $24K from 45 сountries on launch day. The app’s gamification features allow civilian donors to adopt military call signs and track their contributions to specific drone strikes.

International

Zelenskyy rejects China as peace guarantor after Beijing supplies 90% of weapons components to Russia

. Beijing’s $125.8 billion trade partnership with Moscow and weapons component supplies contradict its claims of neutrality.

Zelenskyy: Russians are doing everything to prevent the US-Ukraine-Russia meeting from taking place. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for international sanctions to compel Russia into peace negotiations, arguing that partners must “help ensure at least a minimal productive position from the Russian side.”

Ukraine gets $ 4.7 bn EU aid for Independence Day but loses $ 1.2 bn over stalled reforms. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the $ 4.7 billion transfer to Ukraine “evidence of our firm commitment.”

Rutte in Kyiv promises Ukraine “no repeat of Budapest Memorandum” with dual security guarantees. The commitment aims to establish deterrence mechanisms that the failed 1994 Budapest Memorandum couldn’t provide, though questions remain about whether theu can contain Putin’s territorial ambitions.

Humanitarian and social impact

Kremlin to Washington: your businesses are targets too. Two Kalibr missiles slam into a US-owned electronics plant in western Ukraine, injuring 12.

Two days of fire in Mukachevo, 21 wounded — ISW says Russia hit US-owned Flex plant to scare off US and EU investors

. Moscow stockpiled missiles and drones for the attack ahead of Putin’s meeting with Trump in Alaska, the think tank says.

Political and legal developments

Ukrainian suspected of undermining Nord Stream denies charges and refuses extradition. A Ukrainian man arrested in Italy over the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions displayed a three-finger trident gesture in court Friday while denying charges and refusing extradition to Germany

New developments

Two Ukrainians win gold at the 2025 world canoe sprint championships. From European runners-up to world champions in two months – Ukraine’s Liudmyla Luzan and Iryna Fedoriv completed their ascent to the top of international canoe sprint racing with victory in Milan.

Top 5 Forex cashback/rebate programs. You will understand how each program delivers value, what makes it unique, and how to tap into its benefits

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusives

Sweden sends Ukraine billions in military aid—and every armored vehicle. Gripen jets? Ask NATO. Stockholm sent tanks, drones, and even its full fleet of armored carriers—everything but the jets Ukraine wanted most.

How did Russians sneak into Kupiansk—and run right into a Ukrainian tank?. Russians slipped deep into Kupiansk, and ran right into an alert Ukrainian tank. It’s not good news for Ukraine.

Military

Ukrainian General Staff confirms refinery strike in Rostov, reports new attacks on drone hub in Donetsk and fuel site in Voronezh

. The military’s announcement expands the known scope of the 21 August attacks.

Ukraine’s commandos struck a moving Russian fuel train in occupied Crimea. Kyiv’s elite troops continue sabotaging Russia’s critical supply chains on occupied soil.

Ukraine strikes another Russian refinery, railway substation, and GRU base in occupied Crimea (video). Occupation authorities in Sevastopol attempted to mask the attack as emergency exercises, drawing public skepticism.

Ukraine releases footage of drone strike on seasoned Russian general with war crime charges. He lost arm and leg. While Ukraine filed charges against Abatchev, documenting his participation in combat operations across multiple Luhansk Oblast settlements, Russia awarded him “Hero” titles.

Russia seeks entire Donbas in exchange for ceasefire promises, Zelenskyy says it would take them four years to occupy it. Zelenskyy stressed that Russian forces have only managed to seize about one-third of Donetsk Oblast since the full-scale invasion began.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine to start mass production of 3,000 km Flamingo missile, Zelenskyy says. The long-range weapon has already completed tests and could enter large-scale manufacturing by early 2026.

International

Militarnyi: Russian drone stayed in Polish airspace for 2.5 hours and was never intercepted. Airspace monitoring suggests it crossed 200 km from Ukraine to a village just 40 km from Warsaw.

After howitzers and a helicopter, Czech campaign now raising funds for five training aircraft for Ukraine. The Gift for Putin campaign has previously crowdfunded D-30 howitzers, a Black Hawk helicopter, anti-tank rocket launchers, explosives and other equipment and matériel for Ukraine.

Trump blames Biden’s policy that allowed Ukraine only to defend itself and not fight back properly

. The US president used a sports analogy of banning offensive plays to criticize Biden’s restrictions of strikes with American weapons, arguing that defensive capabilities alone cannot achieve victory.

Norway creates second brigade in Arctic to monitor border with Russia. Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik called the new Finnmark Brigade “a necessary response to a more uncertain security situation” along the Russian border

Frontline report: Azerbaijan and Armenia were bitter enemies—until Russia made them allies. Once at war over Nagorno-Karabakh, the two states now back a US-brokered corridor plan that sidelines Russia.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian attack on Sumy university burnt 15,000 books — third strike since 2022. The previous attack in April destroyed 45,000 volumes in the university’s congress center and killed 35 people.

Massive Russian air attack hits Ukraine with 574 drones and 40 missiles, including city near Hungarian border

. Kalibr missiles struck an American factory in Mukachevo while other strikes hit residential blocks in Lviv and targeted several more cities.

Political and legal developments

Russia awards Order of Courage to American killed fighting against Ukraine. His mom is CIA official.. The 21-year-old son of CIA deputy director had grown increasingly angry with American policies, moved to Russia, and signed a military contract in 2023. He died in 2024 near Bakhmut.

SBU: Ukraine arrests Russian spy inside marine brigade on active front. He directed strikes on Ukrainian bases. The accused commander leaked geolocations of his own unit to help Russian forces correct their targeting, while simultaneously attempting to recruit other Ukrainian soldiers for Moscow’s intelligence network.

Italy arrests Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream pipeline bombing case. Serhij K.’s arrest in Italy represents a breakthrough in Germany’s two-year investigation into the Nord Stream bombings

Ukraine clears path to sell Sense Bank, Ukrgasbank in first wartime privatizations. Ukraine has finally decided to sell off some state banks, showing reform is advancing even as war grinds on.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Military

Ukrainian General Staff confirms refinery strike in Rostov, reports new attacks on drone hub in Donetsk and fuel site in Voronezh. The military’s announcement expands the known scope of the 21 August attacks.

Ukraine’s commandos struck a moving Russian fuel train in occupied Crimea. Kyiv’s elite troops continue sabotaging Russia’s critical supply chains on occupied soil.

Ukraine strikes another Russian refinery, railway substation, and GRU base in occupied Crimea (video)

. Occupation authorities in Sevastopol attempted to mask the attack as emergency exercises, drawing public skepticism.

Ukraine releases footage of drone strike on seasoned Russian general with war crime charges. He lost arm and leg.. While Ukraine filed charges against Abatchev, documenting his participation in combat operations across multiple Luhansk Oblast settlements, Russia awarded him “Hero” titles.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine to start mass production of 3,000 km Flamingo missile, Zelenskyy says. The long-range weapon has already completed tests and could enter large-scale manufacturing by early 2026.

International

Militarnyi: Russian drone stayed in Polish airspace for 2.5 hours and was never intercepted. Airspace monitoring suggests it crossed 200 km from Ukraine to a village just 40 km from Warsaw.

Frontline report: Azerbaijan and Armenia were bitter enemies—until Russia made them allies. Once at war over Nagorno-Karabakh, the two states now back a US-brokered corridor plan that sidelines Russia.

Humanitarian and social impact

Massive Russian air attack hits Ukraine with 574 drones and 40 missiles, including city near Hungarian border

. Kalibr missiles struck an American factory in Mukachevo while other strikes hit residential blocks in Lviv and targeted several more cities.

Political and legal developments

Ukraine moves to privatize state banks, testing reform amid war. Ukraine has finally decided to sell off some state banks, showing reform is advancing even as war grinds on.

Russia seeks entire Donbas in exchange for ceasefire promises, Zelenskyy says it would take them four years to occupy it. Zelenskyy stressed that Russian forces have only managed to seize about one-third of Donetsk Oblast since the full-scale invasion began.

Read our earlier daily review here.

Exclusive

Russia’s cozy nuke-proof command vehicle is back in action. Russian industry only produced four or five Ladoga nuclear reconnaissance vehicles. Two wound up in Ukraine.

From ambush to alliance: Zelenskyy-Trump summit hints at revival of “peace through strength. Something fundamental shifted when the man who promised to end Ukraine’s war in 24 hours discovered Putin won’t negotiate in good faith.

Trump–Zelenskyy summit: smiles in Washington, no ceasefire, $ 100bn bill. This Oval Office meeting went better than the last—but the war continues and enforcement remains unclear.

Ukrainian soldier first fought against Russia and then against Ukraine – his story reveals forced conscription in occupation. Ukrainian defenders captured their fellow Ukrainian fighting in Russian uniform who shared that the occupying authorities had threatened him with up to 12 years in prison for allegedly fabricated charges if he did not join killing of his own people on the front lines.

Ukraine builds an army where robots die so soldiers don’t have to. A New York tech CEO is finding the answer to Russia’s three-to-one manpower advantage.

NATO banned weapons to this Ukrainian unit. Now they study its tactics.. Azov went from pariah to the territorial defense case study.

Zelenskyy demands “everything” for security while Trump hints at vague Article 5-like protection. Ukraine wants weapons, troops, and intelligence support. Trump says he will discuss the guarantees with NATO allies later today.

Military

Intelligence and technology

International

Humanitarian and social impact

New developments

Read our earlier daily review here.