Southern Ukrainian port city, administrative centre of Kherson Oblast
Crimea’s power grid has faced a regionwide outage linked to external interference, with authorities citing an enemy attack on energy infrastructure outside Sevastopol. Power is being restored in phases, and casualties were reported in separate attacks as Ukrainian drone strikes target energy and transport assets.
The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, restoring Russian athletes' access to many international qualifiers ahead of Los Angeles 2028 while leaving decisions on flags, anthems and full national symbols unresolved. Several international federations, including World Athletics, are maintaining bans and legal challenges are being signalled.
Ukraine’s president has announced a cabinet change and indicates a broader political strategy shift. Svyrydenko is stepping down, with potential replacements including Koretskyi or Shmyhal. The leadership change follows a wave of reforms and external pressure as Kyiv reorients its political approach and diplomacy.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has carried out a surprise cabinet reshuffle that has removed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, nominated Serhii Koretskyi as prime minister and named SBU head Yevhenii Khmara as acting defence minister. The moves have provoked mass protests in Kyiv and other cities, prompted at least one senior military resignation and raised questions about unity in Kyiv’s war effort.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine’s commander-in-chief after mass protests over the dismissal of reform-minded ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Drapatyi, 43, is being welcomed as a moderniser; Fedorov has refused offered alternatives and his supporters are continuing street demonstrations while Russia keeps striking Ukrainian cities.
UN rights monitors document a sharp rise in civilian deaths and injuries in the first half of 2026 as Russia and Ukraine widen strikes. FPV drones are reshaping daily life near front lines, while attacks on shipping and oil depots widen the conflict’s reach.
A Ukrainian drone campaign has expanded its strikes into Russia, hitting Wildberries warehouses in Krasnodar and Stavropol regions and causing casualties and fires. Attacks have also targeted logistics hubs and an oil depot, while Russia and Ukraine have exchanged strikes near Ukraine’s ports and in the Black Sea region.
Zelensky has appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi, 43, as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi amid protests and calls for reform. Supporters describe Drapatyi as a reform-minded leader with frontline experience who can modernise the military and empower field commanders. Critics note his track record in drone warfare and accountability.
The Senate has advanced the Lindsey Graham sanctions bill, with bipartisan support and a high-profile backdrop including Zelenskyy’s Washington visit. The package targets Russia’s energy sector and its so-called “shadow fleet,” while expanding sanctions to Iran. House passage remains uncertain as August recess looms.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russian forces have used ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea in strikes that hit the Zaporizhstal steel plant and other Ukrainian cities, killing at least seven workers and wounding others. Kyiv has also said Moscow is receiving more North Korean missiles and preparing to deploy more North Korean personnel on Russian territory. Allies are being urged to send more air-defence systems.
Since mid-July Ukrainian forces have struck more than a dozen Wildberries warehouses and other industrial sites deep inside Russia. Overnight strikes have hit a Wildberries warehouse in Samara and facilities across the Volga and southern regions, killing dozens on both sides, while Moscow says it downed hundreds of Ukrainian drones.
Ukrainian authorities have released video showing a drone chasing a street vendor in Kherson before it detonates. The vendor survives with shrapnel injuries and a concussion. The UN records indicate civilian casualties rising in the first half of 2026, highlighting a pattern of attacks on civilians amid the broader war.
Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian oil facilities deep inside Russia, hitting refineries in Bashneft-Novoil and Slavneft-Yanos, and carrying out Black Sea operations against vessels. The moves aim to disrupt Moscow’s war-financing oil revenues as fighting continues and civilian infrastructure faces pressure.
Ukraine has hit Bashneft-Novoil and Slavneft-Yanos refineries inside Russia, aiming to cut Moscow’s oil revenue. Kyiv says two patrol boats and shadow fleet vessels were struck in the Black Sea as part of its response. Russia reports drone interceptions and damage to a Wildberries warehouse.
Ukraine has expanded its use of long-range drones and ground robots to strike deep into Russia and support frontline operations. Drones pilot from distant centers, while ground robots carry supplies, evacuate wounded, and coordinate with aerial attacks. The shift signals a technological turn in warfare and raises questions about escalation and civilian risk.
Ukraine has described Russian missile strikes as an escalation, with attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv and Donetsk leaving multiple casualties. Kyiv calls for stronger air defenses and further sanctions while Ukraine conducts drone strikes inside Russia. Western capitals face pressure to bolster interceptors as the conflict intensifies.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk has killed a child and injured several people, with damage reported to dozens of buildings as regional authorities confirm ongoing strikes across southern Russia and Ukraine. Authorities say the broader Krasnodar region has seen multiple casualties and infrastructure damage, while Russia reports counter-drone activity.
The UN confirms July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since the invasion began, with 437 killed and 2,610 injured. Long-range weapons remain the main cause, and Kyiv calls for more air defences as Ukraine expands long-range strikes against Russian targets.
Missile and drone attacks hit Kyiv and surrounding regions, leaving multiple fatalities and injuries. Authorities report damage to residential areas, a medical facility, and a school; NATO and neighboring states warn of heightened tensions as Russia's campaign and Ukraine's response continue.
Ukraine has pressed SpaceX’s Starlink to operate beyond its borders, arguing wider access could sustain long-range drone operations. SpaceX has restricted use inside Russia, while Zelenskyy says expansion would be a significant escalation. The presidency is coordinating with Washington on how Musk’s policy could shift Ukraine’s military capabilities.
Ukraine and Western officials condemn Russia-held elections in occupied territories as illegal while Putin underscores the vote’s purpose to showcase public backing for the war; observers report coercion and security-driven voting extensions.
The attack on Kyiv’s Northern and Southern Bridges follows a wave of drone and missile strikes that Kyiv officials say is tearing the city apart. Traffic is blocked across the Dnipro as emergency services respond and residents face a looming winter amid power and data outages.