© Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post, via Getty Images
© Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post, via Getty Images
Adler oil depot burned after Ukrainian drones struck overnight, igniting a 2,000 cubic meter fuel tank near Sochi, southern Russia, around 530 km from the frontline. The strike forced a halt to flights at Sochi airport while emergency crews worked through the night to contain the blaze. The attack targeted Rosneft’s Kubannefteproduct oil depot on Aviatsionnaya Street in Adler, right next to the airport.
The oil depot includes 41 tanks with a combined capacity of around 31,200 cubic meters.
In the early hours of 3 August, Ukrainian strike drones hit the Adler district of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai. Telegram channels Astra and Exilenova+ reported that the drones struck the Rosneft-Kubannefteproduct oil depot, causing a powerful fire. Local authorities confirmed the fire and the suspension of flights. The depot sits not far from the Sochi airport, which led to an immediate halt to flight operations.
Mayor Andrii Proshunin of Sochi, Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratiev, and Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed a drone attack on the depot, and the fire. They claimed that falling debris from destroyed drones caused a single tank to ignite. Footage from the site, however, shows two ignition points at the facility.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations said the fire broke out in a fuel tank with a volume of 2,000 cubic meters. They also claimed that debris from drones damaged five garages in a cooperative and a shop, which also caught fire. Governor Mikhail Kotyukov said,
“In Adler district, drone debris hit a fuel tank, causing a blaze. 127 personnel and 35 units of equipment have been deployed to eliminate the consequences of the fire.”
The strike forced the closure of Sochi airport for more than two hours overnight. Airport services later announced that disruptions would continue for at least a day.
“Together with airlines, we are doing everything possible to stabilize the regular schedule as soon as possible, but it will take 1–2 days,” airport representatives said.
On the same night, drones also targeted other areas. Governor Aleksandr Gusev of Voronezh Oblast claimed that 15 drones were downed over Voronezh city and Liskinsky district. Russian officials said debris from drones caused fires and damaged single-family homes. Explosions and fires were reported across Voronezh.
Exilenova+ reported that the activity of electronic warfare systems led to several dorne crashes and fires across Voronezh.
A separate fire was reported at the Kstovo oil depot in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast after a drone threat was announced in the area, though it remains unclear whether that was a result of a Ukrainian strike.
This attack marks the second major strike on oil infrastructure in Adler in recent weeks. On 24 July 2025, Ukrainian drones struck the Lukoil-Yugnefteproduct depot, which likely supplies Sochi International Airport. That strike caused a large fire at the site.
The Adler oil depot follows a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on 2 August across Russian territory.
Nightly Russian drone attacks again battered Ukraine as missiles and Shaheds rained down on several cities, causing injuries and damage. Local authorities said explosions and fires struck homes and infrastructure across the country as power outages and destruction mounted.
In the late evening of 2 August, Russian forces launched missiles on Mykolaiv and Kherson. The State Emergency Service reported that in Mykolaiv explosions destroyed single-family homes and damaged apartments, igniting fires in a residential district.
The head of Mykolaiv Oblast, Vitalii Kim, said seven people were injured, with four treated on site and three hospitalized. A 57‑year‑old man and a 74‑year‑old man were hospitalized in moderate condition, and a 32‑year‑old man received outpatient care. Kim confirmed that three houses were destroyed, 23 more were damaged, and 12 apartment buildings, six vehicles, a postal branch and a building materials store were also hit. After the attack, parts of Mykolaiv Oblast lost electricity. The head of Kherson Oblast, Oleksandr Prokudin, also reported power outages after evening missile explosions.
Russian forces struck Kharkiv in the night with two Shahed drones. Oleg Synehubov, the head of Kharkiv Oblast, reported that a central district of the city was hit. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said one explosion damaged warehouse buildings near residential areas, with no injuries there. Another drone fell in a forest without detonating.
Synehubov said that explosions in Chuhuiv and Balakliia caused fires in detached homes. In Chuhuiv, Mayor Halyna Minaieva said three women suffered acute stress reactions, and houses had windows and roofs damaged. In Balakliia, city military administrator Vitalii Karabanov said more than ten drones struck one street, setting over ten homes on fire. He confirmed at least one injured person. Casualty numbers there are still being clarified.
In Kyiv, city military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko confirmed a missile strike during the night, with details still unknown.
Lithuanian volunteer organization Blue/Yellow says that Russia’s previous attack on 31 July destroyed its Kyiv warehouse. Lithuanian broadcaster LRT reported that a Shahed drone completely demolished the building used for storing humanitarian aid before shipment to the front. The organization said the warehouse contained mainly helmets and protective vests and that surrounding buildings were also damaged.
The Air Force of Ukraine reported that between 19:00 on 2 August and early 3 August, Russia attacked with 76 Shahed and decoy drones, and seven missiles, including an Iskander‑M ballistic missile, five S‑300/S‑400 surface‑to‑air missiles used for ground attacks, and one Kh‑22 cruise missile.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down or suppressed 61 air targets: 60 drones and one ballistic missile. Despite this, six missiles and 16 drones struck eight locations, with debris falling in two more places. Air defense units, aviation, radio‑electronic warfare systems and mobile fire teams all took part in repelling the assault.
On the morning of 3 August, Russian forces used artillery against Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast. City military administrator Serhii Horbunov reported that shells hit residential areas, killing one person. He said that Russian troops struck civilian infrastructure and confirmed that the attack resulted in at least one death.
© Igor Shpilenok
US lawmakers skipped a Russia sanctions vote and left the sanctions in Trump’s hands as his 8 August deadline approaches. The Hill says the Senate left Washington for its August break without advancing a sweeping sanctions bill aimed at Moscow, leaving the president to decide how to confront Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.
The Hill reports that Trump warned that Putin has until 8 August to stop the war in Ukraine or face tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian oil. As a preview of this pressure, he imposed a 25% tariff on India, a major buyer of Russian energy. That is far below the 500% tariffs proposed in the stalled bill. Some senators admit that leaving the bill untouched puts the responsibility entirely on the president for now.
Republican senators say they expect Trump to act decisively. Republican Senator Mike Rounds said to The Hill that Trump is now disappointed in Putin. Democrats doubt that Trump will go as far as needed, though they acknowledge that his tone has grown tougher. Trump earlier described Russia’s air attacks on Ukraine as disgusting and said his team is ready to impose sanctions.
In response to threats of nuclear weapons from Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev, Trump ordered nuclear submarines to the region. Trump told reporters that his envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia after a trip to Israel. He stressed that he will impose sanctions but admitted he is unsure if they will change Moscow’s behavior.
The blocked bill was designed to hit Russia’s oil revenues hard by imposing tariffs on countries that keep buying Russian crude. Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies argue that oil revenue is key to funding Moscow’s war. Supporters of the bill say a missed opportunity weakens the message.
Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal, coauthor of the bill with Republican Lindsey Graham, said he would see it as a success if Trump imposed even a part of the planned tariffs.
Indian oil refiners have already paused imports of Russian oil after Trump’s 25% tariff announcement.
Graham said Trump has now adopted the idea of targeting countries that buy Russian oil. He added that Trump can act either through executive action or with the help of the bill if it passes later.
© Dimitar Dilkoff/Agence France-Presse — Getty Image
© Jessica Attie for The New York Times
Russia’s total infiltration in Pokrovsk has failed as Ukraine’s top general Syrskyi says Russian attempts to slip inside were stopped fast. The commander-in-chief described how the army adapts to this tactic on several threatened directions and why the Pokrovsk sector in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast remains one of the most difficult areas.
Donetsk Oblast has remained Russia’s main focus for many months, with the fiercest fighting and the largest concentration of its troops taking place there. This year, Russia has largely shifted from its infamous “meat-wave” frontal assaults to tactics based on small groups. Instead of large-scale offensives, Russian forces now send numerous teams of only a few soldiers each to probe for weak spots in defenses. Once a position is taken, reinforcements are brought in to expand and secure the gain.
Syrskyi wrote on Facebook on 2 August that Russian forces try a tactic of the so-called “total infiltration,” aiming to push through defenses without a large assault. He said these efforts include hidden movements toward Pokrovsk and other parts of Donetsk Oblast. According to him, these infiltration moves have been crushed before they reach their targets.
Syrskyi explained that he spent the day visiting all command posts of the Armed Forces and National Guard units holding the Pokrovsk direction. He said he met the commander of drone forces, corps commanders, and brigade commanders. During these meetings, they reviewed the battlefield conditions and planned how to strengthen defenses in areas where Russian pressure is growing.
The general said the situation is currently most dangerous on Pokrovsk, Dobropillia, and Novopavlivka directions. Russian forces seek weak spots, intensify their activity, and try to capture important Ukrainian urban areas. Syrskyi said Ukraine is countering total infiltration with special mobile reserves, whose role is to search for and destroy these teams before they can create problems inside the lines.
He stressed that the focus remains on improving fortifications. Syrskyi discussed with commanders how to reinforce positions with engineering work, minefields, barriers, and underground structures that protect against drones. He said this work continues but must be more active, broad, and complex.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted in its 2 August daily reports that “Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Novopavlivka and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Russian forces recently advanced near Toretsk.”
Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve raised 70% of our funding goal to launch a platform connecting Ukraine’s defense tech with the world – David vs. Goliath defense blog. It will support Ukrainian engineers who are creating innovative battlefield solutions and we are inviting you to join us on the journey.
Our platform will showcase the Ukrainian defense tech underdogs who are Ukraine’s hope to win in the war against Russia, giving them the much-needed visibility to connect them with crucial expertise, funding, and international support.
We’re one final push away from making this platform a reality.
© CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
© Rod Lamkey/Associated Press
The US raises the stakes amid Russia’s threats. In response to Moscow’s threats, American President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines closer to Russia. The Times reports that this is not just a show of force but a personal message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s statements, who on 31 July referenced the Soviet automatic nuclear strike system “Dead Hand” in the context of threats against the US, Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines. His threats came after Trump’s 10-day ultimatum that the US gave to Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
This exchange significantly escalated nuclear rhetoric between the two powers, underscoring the growing intertwining of the Ukraine war with nuclear deterrence.
The American president responded in his trademark style — tough and theatrical. In a Truth Social post, Trump announced the relocation of two nuclear submarines to relevant regions.
This move is not just a military maneuver but a strategic political signal. Trump is responding less to Medvedev’s rhetoric and more to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rejection of Trump’s ceasefire proposal in Ukraine.
After the strike on Kyiv that killed 31 people, including five children, Putin confirmed that Russia’s conditions for ending the war, announced back in summer 2024, remain unchanged. He added that Russia is ready to wait until Ukraine agrees to Moscow’s conditions.
Among them are:
The US possesses 71 nuclear-powered submarines, including 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile subs, each capable of carrying up to 20 Trident II nuclear warheads. At any given moment, 8 to 10 of them are at sea. The White House said that this is not provocation but deterrence.
In addition to military signals, Trump threatens secondary sanctions against buyers of Russian energy. India is already feeling the heat — partial tariffs of 25% have been imposed. In the danger zone are China and Brazil, which remain key importers of Russian gas.
These statements show that Trump’s policy toward Russia is rapidly changing, and the US pressure against Moscow is also increasing.
Moscow is blocking the organization’s work, which was supposed to monitor its war crimes in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha states that Russia should no longer be a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), UkrInform reports.
According to him, Moscow is obstructing the OSCE’s activities because the organization’s mission was to document numerous violations of international law, including Russia’s war crimes.
“A country that has violated all ten fundamental principles of the Helsinki Act should not hold a place in this organization,” Sybiha emphasizes.
The Helsinki Act of 1975 is not a legally binding treaty but a political document containing key norms of international law that form the basis of European security. The ten principles include:
Russia has systematically violated these principles since annexing Crimea in 2014, conducting the war in Donbas, and, since 2022, waging all-out war. These violations include illegal use of force, breaches of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, interference in internal affairs, and gross human rights abuses, including war crimes.
Sybiha reminds that the OSCE was created in very different geopolitical circumstances during the Cold War, but today, Russia has turned the organization into a tool for advancing its own interests.
In 2022, Russia blocked the extension of the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, which had previously operated in Donbas. Since then, the OSCE supports Ukraine through other programs but without a direct presence in combat areas.
“It cannot be that one country blocks the work of the entire organization, which aims to enhance security. Russia is the main cause of instability in Europe,” the minister stresses.
Ukraine insists on reforming the OSCE and expelling the aggressor country from its membership to restore the organization’s trust and effectiveness.
Europe has a chance to strike at the Kremlin’s lifelines, if it dares to act. Around 70% of the “shadow fleet” transporting Russian oil sails through the Baltic Sea, said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, UkrInform reports.
The Russian “shadow fleet” consists of grey-market tankers that evade international sanctions. These tankers often sail with transponders turned off, without proper insurance, and conceal their identities. This fleet channels Russian oil exports to China, India, and Global South countries, helping Moscow fund its war. Shutting down this corridor, through port controls and insurance restrictions, could deal a serious blow to the Kremlin’s energy revenues.
“Let me remind you that about 70% of the shadow fleet that transports Russian oil passes through the Baltic Sea. There’s still untapped potential here, in my view, among our European partners — particularly the Baltic Sea states,” Sybiha emphasized.
Sybiha also urged Western partners to impose targeted individual sanctions on Russian officials involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children and unlawful sentences against Ukrainian POWs.
With Poland set to chair the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Sybiha said Warsaw has a chance to spearhead efforts to dismantle the Kremlin’s shadow oil network.
“Now is the time for active diplomacy, pressure, and accountability,” he stressed.
The informal gathering of the Ukrainian and Polish foreign ministers took place at Sikorski’s residence in Kobylniki, in Poland’s Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Discussions covered a wide range of topics, from international support for Ukraine to humanitarian issues and protecting Ukrainian citizens.
The Central Asia-Centre gas pipeline system has been taken out of service following explosions in Russia’s Volgograd region on 2 August, Ukrainian media hromadske reported, citing a source in law enforcement structures.
The pipeline system, owned by Gazprom, transports natural gas from Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to Russia.
Local residents report that law enforcement agencies and repair crews are present in the area of Dinamovskoye village in the Nekhayevsky district of Volgograd Oblast to eliminate the consequences of the explosion, according to the source.
This pipeline reportedly provides energy to such objects of Russia’s military-industrial complex as Demikhovsky Machine-Building Plant, Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (production complex No. 1), ammunition manufacturing plant Magnum-K and others.
These complexes are key components of Russia’s military-industrial complex, with the pipeline supplying them reported to provide energy to support their operations.
Representatives of the Russian gas transportation company that supplies the Russian army are currently calculating damages, the report said. Gas transportation through the Central Asia-Centre main pipeline in Volgograd Oblast has been suspended indefinitely.
The report doesn’t specify whether the explosions were caused by a drone attack.
Russian Telegram channels reported explosions and fires at industrial facilities across multiple oblasts during overnight drone attacks on 2 August, with air defense systems activated in several areas.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) confirmed strikes on two targets: a military airfield storing Iranian-made Shahed drones in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Oblast, and the Elektroprilad plant in Penza. The Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff confirmed the Penza strike.
The Elektroprilad facility produces military equipment including gear for digital networks in command systems, aviation devices, armored vehicles, ships, and spacecraft, the SBU кузщкеув.
A drone that crossed into Lithuania from Belarus on 28 July has been located at the Gajžiūnai military training ground in Jonava district, the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
Lithuania’s Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene confirmed the discovery to the Baltic News Service (BNS).
The unmanned aircraft was discovered more than 100 kilometers from the Belarusian border. The drone resembles the Russian “Gerbera” decoy drone, designed to deceive air defense systems by mimicking the Iranian Shahed combat drone, according to earlier reports.
Military investigators and bomb disposal experts are working at the site where the drone was found.
On the morning of 28 July, Lithuanian police warned citizens about the intrusion of an unidentified unmanned aircraft from Belarusian territory. Darius Buta, chief advisor of the National Crisis Management Center (NKVC), told the news portal Delfi that the drone was detected at an altitude of approximately 200 meters and was last seen near Vilnius.
On 10 July, State Border Service personnel spotted an unknown object in the air flying at approximately 100 meters altitude at 50-60 km/h speed. Within minutes, it crashed near the closed Sumskas checkpoint, about one kilometer from the Belarus border. The object was identified as a Russian “Gerbera” type drone.
On 28 July, Lithuanian police reported detecting an unidentified drone type that entered the country from Belarus territory. Social media footage showing the drone suggests it resembles a Shahed or its Russian imitation “Gerbera,” according to Delfi, though the drone type is still being determined.
Belarus is a key ally of Russia, primarily due to their deep military, political, and economic cooperation. The country allowed Russian troops to use its territory for military operations, including during the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and hosts some Russian tactical nuclear weapons.
Lithuania will deploy a Ukrainian-developed acoustic drone detection system starting in 2026, the country’s Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Raimundas Vaiknoras announced to LRT.
The deployment announcement comes after another incident involving a drone entering Lithuanian airspace. When asked whether Lithuania would have an acoustic drone detection system, Vaiksnoras confirmed that budget funds have already been allocated for purchasing the systems.
According to the Armed Forces chief, testing will be conducted by the end of the year, and next year there will be more intensive implementation of these systems.
“They have been known since last autumn, but procedural issues were somewhat delayed because this is a Ukrainian system, one could say, which had to be adapted to our implementation of American systems due to sensitive issues,” Vaiksnoras said.
The general noted that two drones that flew into Lithuania the day before “are not a coincidence.”
“It seems to me that we sometimes forget that we actually live very close to the combat zone. Belarus is used as a platform for Russia’s attack on Ukraine, so drones moving through our territory are the same thing that Poles, Romanians, and Latvians experience. This situation will not change while Ukraine is under attack by Russia,” the Armed Forces chief added.
Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) drones struck a military airfield storing Iranian-made “Shahed” drones in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Oblast, during the night of 2 August, the SBU press service reported.
The SBU said that the Primorsko-Akhtarsk military airfield became the first target for long-range UAVs. “Storage and launch sites for Shaheds that attack Ukraine were hit on its territory,” the service announced. Fires broke out in the airfield area following the drone strikes.
A second target was the Elektroprilad plant in Penza city, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff confirming the strike. The facility produces equipment for the Russian military-industrial complex, manufacturing gear for digital networks in military command systems, aviation devices, armored vehicles, ships, and spacecraft, according to the SBU.
“SBU drones successfully hit the target, with smoke observed in the explosion area,” the security service reported regarding the Penza strike.
The attacks represent a continuation of Ukrainian strikes on Russian military infrastructure. On 31 July, drones had previously targeted a radio plant in Penza, with the SBU later confirming responsibility for that operation as well.
The coordinated strikes demonstrate Ukraine’s expanding capability to conduct long-range operations against military targets deep within Russian territory, specifically targeting facilities involved in producing or storing weapons used against Ukrainian cities.
Multiple Russian oblasts reported explosions and fires at industrial facilities during overnight drone attacks on 2 August, with air defense systems activated across several areas, according to Russian Telegram channels.
Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed strikes on Novokuybyshevsk. Social media footage showed a large fire at what appeared to be the Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery.
Witnesses reported loud explosions near Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast. Another oil refinery in Ryazan city was reportedly struck.
Residents of Lipetsk and Voronezh oblasts also reported UAV attacks and air defense activity during the night.
© Jason Andrew for The New York Times
© Biju Boro/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
President Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be strategically positioned in response to what he called “highly provocative statements” from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev NBC NewsCNN, escalating tensions between the nuclear superpowers on 1 August.
“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”
The submarine deployment came after Medvedev made reference to Russia’s Soviet-era automatic, retaliatory nuclear strike capabilities on 31 July, after Trump told Medvedev to “watch his words.”
The exchange began after Medvedev said that “each new ultimatum” that Trump makes toward Russia in pressuring an end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump had previously warned of new sanctions against Moscow if Russia did not demonstrate progress in ending the Ukraine war within 10 days.
Multiple Russian oblasts reported explosions and fires at industrial facilities during overnight drone attacks on 2 August, with air defense systems activated across several areas, according to Russian Telegram channels.
Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed strikes on Novokuybyshevsk. Social media footage showed a large fire at what appeared to be the Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery, with sounds resembling drone operations and air defense systems audible in the videos.
The governor also announced temporary restrictions on mobile internet in the oblast and suspended operations at Samara airport following the attacks.
Defense-related facilities in Penza Oblast also came under attack. Drones reportedly struck JSC Production Association “Elektropribor,” a company specializing in control elements for Russian missile systems and communications equipment. The nearby AT “Radio Plant,” Russia’s sole defense facility producing air defense command centers, was likely also hit, according to reports.
Witnesses reported loud explosions near Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast. Another oil refinery in Ryazan city was reportedly struck, with local social media publishing eyewitness videos showing a column of fire. Regional authorities confirmed drone attacks on a local enterprise without specifying which facility was targeted.
Residents of Lipetsk and Voronezh oblasts also reported UAV attacks and air defense activity during the night.
JSC Kuibyshev Oil Refinery produces motor fuels including Euro-5 standard gasoline and diesel fuel, along with dozens of other petroleum products in market demand.
The attacks followed similar overnight explosions in several cities of temporarily occupied Crimea on 1-2 August, after which occupying authorities closed the Crimean Bridge to vehicle traffic.
© Mario Tama/Getty Images
© Mary Turner for The New York Times
© Samuel Corum for The New York Times
© Rod Lamkey/Associated Press
© Doug Mills/The New York Times
US President Donald Trump has stunned with details on the death toll in Ukraine. The American leader claims that since the start of 2025, Russia has lost over 112,500 soldiers, while Ukraine has suffered around 8,000 military casualties, not including the missing.
“I have just been informed that almost 20,000 Russian soldiers died this month in the ridiculous War with Ukraine. Russia has lost 112,500 soldiers since the beginning of the year,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on 1 August.
He called it “a lot of unnecessary death” and noted that Russia continues to strike Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, killing civilians.
“This is a War that should have never happened — This is Biden’s War, not ‘TRUMP’s.’ I’m just here to see if I can stop it!” he added.
Earlier today, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin cynically commented on the war in Ukraine for the first time since US President Donald Trump issued his 10-day ultimatum on Russia.
Putin confirmed that Russia’s conditions for ending the war, announced back in summer 2024, remain unchanged.
Last year, he insisted on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Moscow has illegally incorporated these Ukrainian regions into its Constitution. Additionally, Russia demands that Ukraine renounce NATO membership, enshrine a non-nuclear status, and lift sanctions.
© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
Russian oil is stranded at sea. At least four tankers carrying Russian oil are unable to dock near India’s shores due to the threat of sanctions from the US and EU, Bloomberg reports.
India is one of Russia’s main economic partners, after China. Moscow continues to profit from oil supplies to India, accounting for nearly 35% of the country’s imports. Moscow’s energy exports remain its leading source of revenues, which it uses to fund its war against Ukraine.
In mid-July, the EU implemented new sanctions against Russia aimed at cutting its energy revenues. At the same time, US President Donald Trump’s administration has threatened India with high import tariffs and penalties for buying Russian oil.
Earlier, the head of the Indian Oil Corporation, A.S. Sahni, stated that if Russian supplies are restricted, the company will revert to traditional import schemes used before the war in Ukraine, when Moscow’s export to India was lower than 2%.
Satellite tracking data shows that the tankers Achilles and Elyte, which loaded Urals crude in late June from Primorsk and Ust-Luga, are anchored near the port of Jamnagar, although they were scheduled to arrive in Sikka on 30–31 July. Both vessels are listed under EU and UK sanctions.
Russia streams oil revenues into its missiles and drones to kill Ukrainian civilians. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented 232 civilian deaths and 1,343 injuries in June 2025, marking the highest monthly casualty toll in three years as Russian forces launched ten times more missile strikes and drone attacks than in June 2024.
Two other tankers — Destan (under sanctions) and Horae (not sanctioned) — are also off the coast, awaiting unloading. Destan was due in Sikka on 24–25 July, while Horae is en route to Vadinar and expected to arrive on 1 August.
The delay of four tankers may signal that the era of consequence-free trade is nearing its end. Even if the tankers eventually reroute or unload, the situation marks a new phase of global pressure on countries doing business with Russia.
Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has cynically commented on the war in Ukraine for the first time since US President Donald Trump issued his 10-day ultimatum on Russia. Last week, the American president gave Russia ten days to reach a peaceful settlement, threatening massive sanctions if this does not happen by 8 August, UNIAN reports.
During a meeting with the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, Putin spoke positively about the negotiations in Turkiye and the prisoner exchanges, stating that Moscow is “ready to wait” if Kyiv is not prepared for talks.
At the same time, he said the Ukrainian political regime “is not based on the Constitution” and supports prolonged negotiations “without any time limits.”
In June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that the Kremlin used prisoner exchanges as a tool to delay the negotiation process with Ukraine and dodge sanctions. While sending back Ukrainian prisoners of war, beaten and tortured in captivity, Russia does not agree to any other proposition to end the war.
Ukrainian soldier dies weeks after release from Russian captivity with his organs failing due to torture
Putin confirmed that Russia’s conditions for ending the war, announced back in summer 2024, remain unchanged.
Last year, he insisted on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Moscow has illegally incorporated these Ukrainian regions into its Constitution. Additionally, Russia demands that Ukraine renounce NATO membership, enshrine a non-nuclear status, and lift sanctions.
In talks with propagandists, Putin boasted about the production of the first serial ballistic missile Oreshnik and the Russian army’s offensive along the entire front line.
In 2024, Russia used a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) missile armed with conventional warheads to strike Dnipro. While MIRV technology has long been associated with nuclear delivery systems, this marked its first use in combat. The scale of the destruction remains unknown. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia targeted industrial facilities and critical infrastructure in Dnipro.
Meanwhile, Lukashenko urged Zelenskyy “to simply sit down at the negotiating table” with Putin and emphasized that Minsk and Moscow will not kneel because they decisively defend their interests.
According to media reports, at least 96 Russian drones violated Belarusian airspace in July, marking the heaviest month of drone incursions so far. These Russian long-range drones came from Ukraine and crossed into Belarus skies repeatedly during the month, with one night alone seeing 26 of them entering.
Russia attacks Ukrainian cities with long-range explosive drones every day, sometimes launching hundreds in a single night. On occasion, some of these drones — Shahed one-way attack UAVs and Gerbera decoy drones — end up crossing into Belarus, a Russian ally. This can happen if they veer off course, are thrown off by electronic warfare interference, or are intentionally routed through Belarus airspace. From there, they may loop back into Ukraine or head north toward Lithuania, probing NATO air defenses that, so far, have not managed to bring these drones down.
Belsat reported that in the early hours of 30 July, at least 26 Russian Shahed drones flew into Belarus airspace. According to the Homiel-based news site Flagshtok, this pushed the July total to at least 96 drones. The figure set a new record, with previous months showing far fewer flights. Flagstok said the last peak was in January, but July exceeded it.
Reports described how late in the evening on that day, observers noticed three drones near Khoiniki and Naroulia. Two of them moved toward Brahin. Later, five more drones were seen heading toward Brahin and further toward Ukraine’s Zhytomyr Oblast. Another three drones appeared over Homiel Oblast. One flew over Mazyr, while another was heard south of Homiel. Drones also appeared in the areas of Naroulia and Loieu. Witnesses said the sound of their engines was clearly heard during the night.
On 29 July, one of the Russian drones fell on the outskirts of Minsk. Authorities in Belarus admitted the crash but claimed that the drone was allegedly Ukrainian. This version was met with doubt because witnesses said the drone came from the direction of Russia. BELPOL, citing witnesses, reported that the drone engine noise was heard in Astrashytski Haradok and Baravliany, both located north of Minsk.
Belsat said that in all of 2023, at least 145 Russian Shahed drones entered Belarus. Of those, 109 disappeared from radars, while 36 continued toward Ukraine.
© DPPA/Sipa, via Associated Press
© Mark Abramson for The New York Times
Hungary helps Russia by routing helicopter repairs through Kazakhstan while sourcing spare parts from Moscow, InformNapalm reports. InformNapalm is a volunteer intelligence community known for cyber operations exposing Russian military networks. Their latest release reveals a Hungarian company, Milspace Kft, offering a sanctions workaround for Russia’s Mil Design Bureau — the producer of Mi-series helicopters actively used against Ukrainian troops.
InformNapalm, working with the Militant Intelligence group, disclosed new data from the OpsHackRussia’sDay cyber operation. The dataset comes from hacked corporate correspondence of Russian defense industry companies. The latest document shows that Milspace Kft sent an official proposal to the Mexican company Personas y Paquetes Por Aire SA de CV. In this letter, Milspace Kft explains that Russian helicopter factories are under sanctions and offers a route to bypass these restrictions.
The leaked letter states:
“The Russian factory in Kazan, Mil Design Bureau and Holding of Russian Helicopters are under sanctions because of Ukrainen (original spelling, – Ed.) war. So, nobody can work with them directly. But we found a solution”
Milspace Kft proposes to act as the formal contractor while repairs would be done in a Kazakhstan plant licensed by Mil Design Bureau.
“Our Milspace is authorized organization of licensed by Mil Design Bureau repairing plant in Kazahstan. We are ready to participate in process of overhaul for your helicopters,” the leaked letter reads.
Spare parts would come from Moscow, specifically from Mi-INTER Ltd. The work would be supervised and coordinated with Mil Design Bureau and Russian Helicopters, both parts of Rostec, a large Russian state-owned conglomerate.
“Every of these organizations ready to participate in our repairing process, so the start was made successfully,” the document states.
InformNapalm reports that this letter details a service package worth $92,000. The plan includes a team of four “to carry out troubleshooting work on airframe and helicopters under a separate contract.”
“Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consistently shown loyalty to the Kremlin, delaying EU sanctions and blocking military aid to Ukraine through NATO and EU structures. Therefore, Milspace Kft’s involvement in these operations aligns with Budapest’s geopolitical position, which often conflicts with the core interests of both the EU and NATO,” Inform Napalm says.
InformNapalm warns that Hungary’s involvement undermines NATO collective security. The practice ensures that sanctioned Russian helicopters remain operational, despite restrictions. This leak also highlights a broader pattern of using Kazakhstan as a hub for maintaining Russian equipment, similar to previous findings from the #SU30Leaks series.
Hacktivists call on journalists and European officials to investigate these sanction evasion networks before they grow further. They note that more documents from the OpsHackRussiasDay operation will follow.
US President Donald Trump promises new sanctions on Russia as the US Senate prepares a massive package, and envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow for another round of talks. The US President said at a White House briefing that he will impose sanctions, even though he doubts they will make Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin change course.
Despite Trump’s efforts to “end” the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been repeatedly ignoring any calls for peace, only escalating its attacks against Ukrainian civilians. Yesterday’s Russian air attack on Kyiv killed at least 31 civilians, including three children. In the aftermath, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Trump had been “very generous and very patient” with Putin, and called for immediate maximum pressure on Moscow to end the war.
Speaking after Russia’s deadly air assault on Kyiv, Trump said late on 31 July that Russia’s actions in Ukraine are “disgusting” and “a disgrace.” He again claimed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “is Biden’s war” and claimed the war would allegedly not have started if he had been in office when it began. He again said many people are dying on both sides and that the United States should not be involved in the fighting.
Trump confirmed that sanctions are part of his plan to pressure Moscow, even as he questioned their effect.
“Yeah, we’re going to put sanctions. I don’t know that sanctions bother him (Putin, — Ed.). They know about sanctions. I know better than anybody about sanctions and tariffs and everything else. I don’t know if that has any effect, but we’re going to do it,” he said.
Trump added that the Russo-Ukrainian war “should be stopped. It’s a disgrace.”
“This was a stupid war to get into. Should have never gotten into this war,” he said.
The President also announced that his envoy Steve Witkoff will travel again to Moscow after a stop in Israel.
“Going to Israel. And then he’s going to Russia. Believe it or not,” Trump said.
Witkoff has already been to Moscow several times, but those trips have not brought a ceasefire closer, as Russia continues to demand Ukraine’s de facto capitulation.
New York Post reports that Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Congress is ready to advance a sweeping sanctions bill against Russia if Trump decides he wants more pressure. The legislation was introduced by Lindsey Graham and has more than 80 senators signed on. Thune said in an interview that he is “hopeful” the bill will help Trump increase pressure on Putin.
Thune explained that the House and Senate are “ready to move” if the President wants harsher penalties for Russia. He said the support of the whole Congress would give the president more leverage in negotiations with Russia.
Trump, speaking earlier in the week to New York Post, expressed disappointment in Putin.
“I’m disappointed in him, I must be honest with you,” he said.
He described their earlier talks as unproductive, saying that each time “very bad things have happened” afterward.
Trump has also said earlier that if sanctions fail to produce results, he will consider tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian oil. According to Graham, these tariffs could target China, India and Brazil, which buy a majority of Russia’s oil.
© Luis Cortes/Reuters
© Andres Kudacki for The New York Times
© Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times
© Alex Brandon/Associated Press
© Kenny Holston/The New York Times
© Doug Mills/The New York Times
© Samuel Corum for The New York Times
© Dado Galdieri for The New York Times
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that American officials held conversations with high-level Russian representatives earlier this week regarding Ukraine war settlement, but Washington saw no advancement toward peace negotiations, according to his interview with Fox News published by the State Department press service.
“We continue to engage with the Russian side, as early as this week – earlier this week, on Monday or Tuesday. We had a whole conversation with them as well – not with Putin but with some of Putin’s top people – in hopes of arriving at some understanding on a path forward that would lead to peace, and we’ve not seen any progress on that,” Rubio said.
The Secretary of State said that President Donald Trump has waited over six months and made extensive efforts to establish peace. Rubio said Trump becomes most frustrated with phone calls where Russians claim they want the conflict to end, only for cities to be bombed shortly after.
“What bothers the President the most is he has these great phone calls where everyone sort of claims yeah, we’d like to see this end, if we could find a way forward, and then he turns on the news and another city has been bombed, including those far from the frontlines,” Rubio said.
Rubio added that potential sanctions options available to the President, including secondary sanctions on Russian oil sales and sectoral banking sanctions.
The Secretary claimed that the US remains willing to participate in peace negotiations if the opportunity arises, but warned that Trump “is not going to wait forever.”
Trump recently shortened his ultimatum to Putin from 50 days to 10-12 days for reaching a peace agreement, threatening secondary tariffs on Russian resource buyers otherwise. The following day, the President declared Putin has 10 days to end the war against Ukraine, though Trump believes settling the war will take considerable time.
© Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times
A senior US diplomat revealed that China has provided cruise missile technology to Russia as part of its support for the country’s military operations, according to statements made during a UN Security Council session.
“North Korea has sent ammunition, missiles, military equipment and approximately 12,000 soldiers to Russia, Iran has provided ballistics, drones and other technologies,” John Kelly, the high-ranking American diplomat, said during the Security Council meeting.
Kelly emphasized China’s particularly crucial role in sustaining Russia’s military capabilities.
“China, as its representatives have noted, does not supply weapons to Russia directly,” he said. “However, China has become a decisive factor contributing to Russia’s military efforts, being the most important supplier to Russia’s military industry.”
According to the diplomat, China has provided Russia with a significant amount of machine tools, microelectronics, optics, drones and cruise missile technology, as well as [a significant amount of] nitrocellulose, which Russia uses to manufacture gunpowder for weapons.
Kelly did not specify which particular cruise missile technology was being referenced in his remarks.
The US official stressed that if China were serious about helping to end the conflict, it would cease supplying these critical components to Russia.
During the same address, the American representative announced that an agreement between Russia and Ukraine must be reached by 8 August, with Washington prepared to take additional measures to ensure peace.
The allegations align with previous Ukrainian intelligence findings from May, which reported discovering over foreign components in Russia’s new “Banderol” cruise missile, including parts from China.
Ukrainian intelligence identified Chinese microchips, what appeared to be a Chinese copy of an Australian telemetry module, a jet engine from China, and an inertial navigation system also possibly from that country.
The Chinese Swiwin engine for model aircraft reportedly is sold through online platforms, with an approximate cost of $16,000 on AliExpress. It remains unclear whether Kelly was referring to the “Banderol” missile or other weaponry.
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s temporary chargé d’affaires on 31 July, following massive strikes on Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, according to a statement from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Russian representative received a protest note regarding strikes on Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson and other Ukrainian oblasts that killed dozens and wounded hundreds of civilians, the ministry reported.
The statement follows a Russian missiles and drones attack that ripped through Kyiv overnight on 31 July, collapsing apartment buildings and setting fires in several districts of the city. The attack killed at least 15 civilians and injured over 130 people. Russian missile struck an apartment building kin one of the Kyiv’s disctrict, collapsing its entire section.
The Lithinuan FM wrote in the statement after the morning attack that “Russia’s military actions against Ukraine’s civilian population and systematic cruel treatment of prisoners of war are unacceptable and illegal.
Lithuania pledged to continue efforts to ensure those responsible for these and other war crimes face criminal prosecution.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys called for “increased pressure” on Russia and its partners following the deadly strike on the Ukrainian capital.
The Russian attack was also condemned by Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, whose country currently chairs the OSCE, and her Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna.
© Sandy Huffaker/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
© Ints Kalnins/Reuters
Connexion