Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1635: France, Germany and UK build joint front to win Europe seat at Ukraine’s peace talks

Exclusives

Russia hunted civilians by drone in Kherson. Victims are suing the US firm they say helped connect the attackers.

Ukraine's quiet counteroffensive took 745 square km. Russia's dead Starlink is how. Six months, 26 settlements, and almost no video. Russia lost its battlefield communications three days in, and Ukrainian armor drove through the gap.

Military

British drones hit Russia for first time in Ukraine's deep-strike campaign – The Sunday Times. The newspaper says British drones add cheaper firepower for Ukrainian mass strikes.

One alternative to air defense: Ukraine strikes Russian Bastion system used to attack Ukrainian cities from Crimea. Ukraine's Navy said the strike hit the Bastion's launch positions and deployment site, reportedly damaging a key platform for Russia's missile attacks from occupied Crimea.

"One of the most massive" Ukrainian drone attacks hits Moscow Oblast: two major warehouses ablaze. Footage showed fires at Koledino and Severnoye Domodedovo. Moscow's mayor claimed 201 drones were intercepted.

Ukraine hit the plant that fuels Uragan, Smerch, and Tornado-S rockets Russia fires at frontline cities with no metro to shelter in. Ukraine hit the plant that fuels the Uragan, Smerch, and Tornado-S rockets Russia fires at frontline cities with no metro to shelter in.

Intelligence and technology

Russia's new drone outruns old Shahed by four times and tracks its target in real time. Its own heat is what lets Ukraine track it back. Its size and heat signature make it vulnerable, a Ukrainian colonel says.

Ukraine's ground robots ran nearly 17,000 missions in June. Every one depended on holding signal, problem this new antenna targets.

International

Former Polish PM accuses Ukrainian officials of letting robbers plunder massacre victims' graves. Kaczyński named no site or public evidence for the allegation, as authorized Polish-Ukrainian teams continue joint exhumations.

NYT: France, Germany and UK build joint format to secure Europe a place in Ukraine peace talks. France and Germany lead the E3 push while Britain hesitates. The group wants a say over sanctions and Ukraine's postwar security.

World Archery just reinstated Russia's flag and anthem, despite its killing more than 760 Ukrainian athletes and coaches since 2022. World Archery lifted restrictions on Russian athletes, letting them compete under their flag and anthem.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia burned 80% of this cathedral's roof at UNESCO site with 975 years of history. Switzerland is giving $730,000 to rebuild it. The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra's Dormition Cathedral was damaged by a Russian drone strike two months before the Lavra's 975th anniversary.

Kyiv's largest book market hit by Russian missiles. Several rows burned at the Kyiv landmark, extending losses from Russian strikes across Ukraine's booksellers and publishers.

Political and legal developments

Former Ukrainian submarine commander who deserted to Russia in 2014 was killed by bomb 12 years later. Suspect reportedly worked as escort. The Insider identified the man killed in a 13 August Sevastopol bombing as Robert Shageev.

Ukrainian rapper mocked Russia's claim he helped deliver drones for attacks near Moscow. A month later, Russia allegedly tried to kill him in Poland. Polish services detained the suspected hitman with US help on 7 August 2026. Russia accused the alleged target, the rapper Kyivstoner, of supplying drones to Ukraine.

New developments

Stranded beside a frontline road, a dog found rescuers in Ukrainian soldiers. The mesh protects car traffic from Russian FPV drones. When a dog became trapped in it, passing troops stopped to cut it loose.

"Get the f*ck back to Ukraine": Two intoxicated Polish women attack Ukrainian men amid rise in anti-Ukrainian violence in Poland. Both women involved in the incident left before police arrived but were later identified and detained. The case has not been classified yet as a hate crime.

Read our earlier daily review here.