Ukraine

Ukraine is rapidly scaling its interceptor drone production to 600-800 units daily while Berlin and Copenhagen emerge as major weapons export hubs, with Neptune missile variants and Flamingo systems expected in mass production by December.

A coordinated campaign of Ukrainian strikes and Western sanctions sent Russia's fuel exports to wartime lows Friday, with 160 refinery attacks reportedly cutting oil output by 90%, while Canada and New Zealand announced fresh restrictions on Moscow's shadow fleet. Russia responded by intensifying strikes on Ukraine's gas infrastructure, forcing Kyiv to scramble to heat homes before winter while fortifying 100 energy sites.

A leaked EU proposal suggests a two-phase plan that would first freeze combat operations before addressing territorial questions in later negotiations.

Pokrovsk's fall appears imminent as Russian forces infiltrate the strategic eastern city, but Ukraine is establishing a new defensive line to the north to continue the fight for Donetsk Oblast.

The United Nations formally classified coordinated Russian drone attacks that hunted Ukrainian civilians across 300 kilometers as crimes against humanity, as Zelenskyy accused China of arming Moscow despite Xi's assurances otherwise. Russia's diplomatic and economic isolation intensified with coordinated Western sanctions triggering India and China to suspend Russian crude purchases, while Putin moved to year-round conscription after losing 346,000 troops in 2025.

Ukraine officially acknowledged its first Storm Shadow strike inside Russia, hitting a chemical plant in Bryansk Oblast, while Russia tested its "unique" Burevestnik missile that analysts dismiss as a political showpiece. The competing displays of military capability came as Russian commanders turned drones on their own troops attempting to surrender near Orikhiv.

US Treasury Secretary dismissed Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev's claims that sanctions aren't working, pointing to Russia's 20% drop in oil profits and inflation exceeding 20%.

Major Western sanctions targeting Russian energy companies coincided with intensified Ukrainian strikes on fuel depots and refineries, creating acute shortages across Crimea and southern Russia. Over 20 countries pledged to remove Russian oil and gas from global markets as China and India slashed purchases, while Trump expressed frustration with Putin's lack of progress toward peace.

Russia faces mounting pressure on multiple fronts as Trump's new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil forced China to halt oil purchases, while Ukrainian paratroopers liberated a Donetsk village and drones struck deep into Russian territory. The Kremlin responded with unusual restraint, politely asking Washington to continue negotiations.

Additionally, Moscow initiated massive nuclear exercises, while Budapest peace talks on Ukraine showed no progress.

Russia continues to earn $1.5 billion weekly from record oil exports, as the US Senate pauses sanctions legislation.

Kyiv works on a contract to purchase 25 Patriot air defense systems.

Russia's 100,000-strong summer offensive has collapsed before Pokrovsk while Ukrainian forces expand long-range strikes that are crippling Russian refineries and creating fuel shortages 1,200+ km from the front. The military developments come as President Trump intensifies pressure on Zelenskyy to accept territorial concessions, though Ukraine's leader has firmly rejected Putin's demands for full control of Donetsk Oblast.

Finland proposes €200 billion Russian asset transfer.

Facing a shortage of soldiers to defend cities from nightly Shahed attacks, Ukraine is moving toward training civilians to intercept drones - a dramatic shift in defense strategy. The move coincides with Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy being overshadowed by a surprise announcement of a 2.5-hour Putin call and planned Budapest summit, raising questions about Washington's commitment to providing Ukraine with the advanced weapons needed to change the battlefield dynamics.

Even pro-Kremlin propagandists now admit that Ukraine stands "more militarized than ever" with self-sufficient production and expanding international facilities.

Ukraine launched coordinated long-range drone strikes against Russia's petroleum infrastructure, hitting oil facilities in Rostov Oblast and the Volgograd refinery.

Russia's grinding offensive toward Pokrovsk hit a wall of Ukrainian counterattacks Tuesday, with three brigades forced to halt operations amid command coordination failures—a symptom of deeper problems as Moscow's tank losses outpace production and casualties exceed 1,000 daily. Meanwhile, the war's mathematics grow increasingly brutal: Ukraine's 10-kilometer-deep "kill zone" now revolves around drone range, with commanders tracking whether they can destroy Russian forces faster than Moscow can mobilize replacements.

Odesa Mayor Trukhanov was stripped of Ukrainian citizenship over a Russian passport allegation after surviving $25 million in corruption charges.