War in Ukraine. A slap to the Russians: Zelensky is going to Moscow’s friends

Germany, which found a drone with explosives at the airport, invites Poland and the Baltic states: what will they say

11:00

Germany is inviting Poland, the Baltic states, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden to discuss security following the incident at Leipzig and Halle airport.

According to the news agency dpa, the meeting is planned for the end of August.

This initiative was taken after a security threat arose on Wednesday at Leipzig and Halle airport, which was temporarily closed after a drone with explosives was found on its territory.

This airport is one of the most important cargo hubs in Europe and is important for military logistics; moreover, it is the operational base of the Ukrainian airline “Antonov Airlines.” The drone with explosives was found near several cargo planes “Antonov An-124,” which are among the largest transport aircraft.

First time a drone carrying explosives was at an airport

Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described this incident as a “new threat scenario” in hybrid warfare and said foreign involvement cannot be ruled out.

“For the first time at an airport, it was not just a simple drone, but a drone carrying explosives,” Dobrindt told German public broadcaster ARD.

Another cargo plane collided with a different drone

Later that same night, near Leipzig airport, a cargo plane collided with an unidentified object. The aircraft landed in Hanover, where an inspection revealed minor damage to the plane.

Prisoners of war – into battle against their own: Russia announces formation of first Ukrainian “volunteer” brigade

10:08

Russia is forming combat units using Ukrainian prisoners of war, which is a direct violation of the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war, according to the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Volunteer Corps announced that Russians have formed the first Ukrainian “volunteer” Spetsnaz brigade, which includes Ukrainian prisoners of war and former Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers who allegedly switched to the Russian side.

“Russian soldiers formed this brigade by combining several irregular, so-called volunteer units, primarily battalions named after Maksym Kryvonos and Oleksiy Berest, as well as companies named after Oleksandr Matrosov, Martin Pushkar, and Slobodskyi,” the report explains.

All of them reportedly partly consist of Ukrainian prisoners of war or Ukrainian soldiers who allegedly switched to the Russian side.

One so-called Russian military blogger stated that this new brigade consists of Ukrainian prisoners of war, which is alarming because the use of such soldiers in combat is a war crime.

ISW analysts first recorded reports of Russia forming combat units from prisoners of war as early as November 2022.

The latest example is the Russian battalion “Bogdan Khmelnitsky,” which includes Ukrainian prisoners of war. It operated in December 2023 as part of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Ministry of Internal Affairs formation “Cascade” in western Donetsk region.

“Russia’s use of Ukrainian prisoners of war in combat units is likely a violation of the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war, which prohibits using prisoners of war in military operations on the side of the capturing forces and stipulates that no prisoner of war may be sent or held in areas where they may be exposed to fire in a combat zone, nor may they be involved in work harmful to health or dangerous,” experts reminded.

Not the only crime

If Russia does not send Ukrainian prisoners to fight against their own, they often become victims of executions by Russian soldiers.

As reported by Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, on July 22, after an attack on Ukrainian defense forces’ positions near the town of Myrne in Donetsk region, Russian soldiers captured a Ukrainian soldier and then killed him.

This incident also reveals a broader trend characteristic of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, where captivity is no longer a guarantee of safety.

Ukrainian authorities indicate that captured soldiers constantly suffer interrogations, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

In response to this execution, Ukrainian authorities sent official letters to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations.

The purpose of these actions is to ensure that such acts are officially recorded and that those responsible are fully held accountable under international standards.

Even the US admitted: Putin could make a decisive move against NATO this fall

09:38

US intelligence has released a new assessment regarding a possible Russian offensive against NATO. According to The Wall Street Journal, citing American officials, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin may attempt to test the Alliance’s resolve by launching a limited attack against one of the allies before the war in Ukraine ends.

Previously, the United States repeatedly assessed that Putin would not provoke NATO members until the war in Ukraine concludes. However, their assessment changed earlier this year as the Kremlin leader faced increasing pressure in Ukraine and domestically.

Ukrainian drones cause confusion both in the Russian military and the oil industry, while Putin’s forces make little progress on the front and suffer heavy losses.

According to US officials, Putin’s goal in attacking a NATO member while the war against Ukraine is ongoing would be to divide the Alliance.

Timing and scenario of the attack

Putin is struggling to consolidate his gains in Ukraine, so US intelligence officials predict that Moscow may soon intensify aggressive actions against European allies.

Read more HERE.

“It’s just a safari”: Ukrainians spoke about how Russian drones “hunt” them on the street

09:12

South of Zaporizhzhia, Russian forces have entrenched themselves weeks after the start of the large-scale invasion. It is a large industrial city with about 700,000 inhabitants. Russian soldiers constantly shelled it with rockets and drones, but what is happening now locals call “just a safari.”

“Half a year ago, of course, it was scary, and there were strikes. But it wasn’t like this. Now it’s just a safari,” Zaporizhzhia resident Kateryna Lahuta told Reuters news agency; her fishery business was hit by two Russian bombs last month.

Ukrainians have started using the term “safari” to describe drones “hunting” civilians or vehicles on the streets — this war reality is illustrated by a video released this week showing a drone chasing and injuring a vegetable seller in Kherson.

Journalists visiting the woman’s company had to look for shelter when they heard the buzzing of a first-person view (FPV) drone – these are small, maneuverable drones loaded with explosives and controlled via video link. They turned long frontlines into a “killing zone.”

Read more Unimaginable what is happening: a 28-year-old woman’s vacation in Thailand turned into a nightmare

As Kateryna said, Russian attacks scared off buyers and made long-term planning almost impossible. Additionally, the need to join the armed forces caused a labor shortage.

“Every day is like some kind of battle,” the woman said.

Deadly Russian FPV drones attack groups of civilians, vehicles, and public transport, especially in southern Zaporizhzhia, noted regional administration head Ivan Fedorov.

“The enemy prioritizes creating maximum pressure on the civilian population,” he said in an interview in an underground school used as a bomb shelter.

Meanwhile, 34-year-old seamstress Anna Syvova recounted that once, returning home in the southern part of the city, she saw a Russian drone crash into a nearby bus.

“Maybe I have a good guardian angel,” she said.

She takes her six-year-old daughter to an underground kindergarten and said they have learned to adapt to such daily life dangers.

“It sounds terrible, but we have gotten used to this life. Unfortunately, we have no other choice yet,” Anna lamented.

Fedorov added that Russia attacks Zaporizhzhia four to six times a day with aviation bombs that “fly unpredictably.”

State official Tatiana said, standing by her destroyed home, that last month Russian soldiers “went crazy” and bombed her district six times in a week.

“Honestly, I am completely exhausted. No emotions,” she noted, looking at the burnt car frames scattered around the yard.

Two wars in one: who will run out of air defense systems first – Russia or Ukraine?

08:54

As the Ukrainian front line freezes into a bloody stalemate, the further scenario of the war drama is dictated by the sky. The war in the air is an all-encompassing battle stretching from just a few meters above burnt treetops to satellites in low Earth orbit.

The physical traces of this battle in the country’s landscape are etched by rockets and drones, but most of the battle remains invisible. It is a race for artificial intelligence integration and radio frequency spectrum control.

Ukrainian forces use exploding drones to strike Russian oil industry facilities from Siberia to Saint Petersburg and against Russian ports scattered from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Day after day, warehouses of Russia’s online retail giant burn, and occupied Crimea sinks into darkness.

Now Ukraine attacks Russia much more frequently than at the start of the war. Kyiv also boldly sends cruise missiles to military targets hundreds of kilometers from the front line.

At the same time, Russia improves its air attack records monthly, ruthlessly and lethally exploiting gaps in Ukraine’s depleted air defense.

Read more HERE.

Drones attacked “Wildberries” warehouse in Yekaterinburg

08:20

Unmanned aerial vehicles attacked the “Wildberries” logistics complex in Yekaterinburg – a city more than 1,700 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, reports RBC-Ukraine.

According to witnesses, fire trucks and police crews are rushing to the scene. A fire has been reported in the first warehouse block.

Before the attack, the Federal Air Transport Agency imposed temporary restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures at Yekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport. A drone threat was declared in the Sverdlovsk region.

“Firefighting teams are working at the company’s logistics facility in Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk region, after the attack caused a fire. Early evacuation was carried out at the facility. Acceptance of current shipments is temporarily limited and redirected to other facilities,” the company stated.

Trump responded to Zelensky: “We need them ourselves”

06:33

US President Donald Trump confirmed that he refused to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, responding to journalists’ questions at the White House.

One journalist noted that, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine urgently needs missiles for the “Patriot” system.

“We need missiles ourselves. (Joe) Biden has provided Ukraine with $300 billion worth of ammunition. When I left, our warehouses were full, and now we are replenishing them again,” Trump explained.

The White House chief also commented on the intensification of Russian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.

“Look, we are not involved in this. An ocean separates us. But I don’t like seeing young people dying,” he said.

At the same time, Trump noted that the United States has ammunition reserves worldwide, and if needed, “we will take them.”

He added that the United States has “certain types of ammunition that are very powerful and have unlimited reserves.”

“There are other types with somewhat limited reserves, but we receive them daily,” he added.

Zelensky: only a few countries in the world have such a weapon – Ukraine aims to join

06:20

Ukraine continues developing its ballistic missiles, and initial tests show promising results. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this in a video address, emphasizing that these achievements must be turned into a “real weapon,” reports UNIAN.

“The National Security and Defense Council, intelligence, the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Air Force, the defense innovation cluster ‘Brave1’ – all state institutions are involved. However, the biggest challenge now is Russian strikes. This means that every Ukrainian diplomat, all government officials, and the Ministry of Defense must know where in the world PAC-2 and PAC-3 missile systems for ‘Patriot’ and other air defense missiles are,” the president said.

According to him, this requires direct negotiations and new agreements with partners.

“All that we discussed with government officials will be implemented,” Zelensky assured.

FREYJA program actively implemented

The president also announced that the anti-ballistic defense program FREYJA is actively being developed.

“Ten countries participate in it, and more partners who can provide real support will soon join. We have already agreed on this. I am grateful to all companies ready to work within the Anti-Ballistic Coalition framework. These are leading European companies,” he said.

Zelensky stated that Ukraine can create the missile and launch device itself, while partners will supply the necessary components – radars, sensors, and other equipment.

“A large and effective anti-ballistic program would be beneficial for all of Europe. Today we discussed in detail what further actions are needed from our state and partners so that Ukrainian arms manufacturers and developers can achieve real results,” the president said.

He emphasized that only a few countries in the world have created such an anti-ballistic system, so Ukraine aims to become one of them.

“There are only a few countries in the world that have developed their own anti-ballistic program, and Ukraine must join this circle of states. We are creating all the necessary conditions for this. Other countries took decades, and Ukraine must do it as quickly as possible so that by the turn of 2026–2027 we already have concrete results,” Zelensky said.

US support for air defense

The Ukrainian leader also noted that the United States knows very well what help Ukraine needs.

“We need air defense, and political decisions are necessary for that. This is needed both in Europe and in the G7 countries. We work on this daily. Today, with the Prime Minister of Norway, we mostly talked about air defense. Yesterday, I spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the President of Finland. We coordinated actions and contacts with other partners,” the president said.

Read more The longevity formula of a 93-year-old Korean doctor is surprisingly simple: he does it every day