Russian air defences engaged and shot down 285 Ukrainian drones in the space of just 12 hours, according to Russia’s defence ministry as Kyiv steps up its cross border assaults.
The ministry said that the drones were downed between 8am and 8pm Moscow time, with incidents mostly occurring in the central and western regions of Russia.
They also included the region of Bashkortostan, between the Volga River and the Ural mountains, they added.
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, wrote on Telegram that air defence units had destroyed five drones headed for the capital, a regular occurrence in recent months.
Both sides accused each other of lethal attacks on Sunday, as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow was targeting global food security by striking Odesa's seaport.
Three people were killed and 37 wounded in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, where an apartment block was hit, while authorities in Russia's Belgorod said five were killed and 25 wounded by a Ukrainian drone attack.
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Syria to reorganise Russian military bases into joint training camps
After 18 months of deliberation, the Syrian government that displaced Russian ally Bashar Al Assad in December 2024 has decided that it will reorganise Moscow’s key bases in its territory into joint training centres.
Syria’s state news agency SANA reports that a memorandum of understanding was reached between the two nations following months of high-stakes negotiations.
The sites, including the leased naval base in Tartus, on the Mediterranean, are Russia's only military bases outside the former USSR.
Under the new deal, Syria will take over the civilian facilities at the bases, including the commercial docks at Tartus and the Khmeimim airport.
Military facilities, meanwhile, will be converted into joint training sites and qualification centers "aimed at safeguarding the interests of both countries," SANA said, quoting the Syrian foreign ministry.
The ministry said the deal “opens the way for a new phase in Syrian-Russian relations”. Moscow is still believed to be hosting ousted leader Bashar Al Assad after he fled Syria in 2024.
James Reynolds9 August 2026 21:28
Kyiv launches wave of nearly 300 drones in 12 hours, Moscow says
Russia claimed on Sunday that its air defence units intercepted and destroyed 285 Ukrainian drones over a 12 hour period.
The defence ministry said the drones were downed between 8am and 8pm Moscow time, with incidents mostly occurring in the central and western regions of Russia.
They also included the region of Bashkortostan, between the Volga River and the Ural mountains, the ministry said.
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, wrote on Telegram that air defence units had destroyed five drones headed for the capital, a regular occurrence in the more than four and half year-war pitting Russia against Ukraine.
James Reynolds9 August 2026 21:19
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday that Kyiv had struck further oil facilities deep inside Russia during nighttime attacks, intensifying its strategy to cripple Moscow's wartime economy and embarrass the Kremlin.
These persistent strikes have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians, while heartening Ukrainians who face regular Russian barrages that Kyiv's weakened air defences struggle to counter.
Zelenskyy, speaking on social media, specified two targets: a refinery in Bashkortostan, over 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) behind the eastern front line, and another in the Yaroslavl region, nearly 700 kilometres (400 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
Ukrainian President says Ukraine has hit two more oil facilities deep inside RussiaMaryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 21:00
Ukraine’s latest strike on Russian Wildberries warehouse shown in satellite images
Kyiv has launched another drone strike on a Wildberries warehouse in Yekaterinburg, Russia, marking the 20th such attack since 18 July as part of a three-week campaign to 'bring the war home' to ordinary Russians.
The latest incident involved three drones hitting the roof of the logistics centre, though the company reported the resulting blaze was contained and most goods remained undamaged.
Satellite imagery from Reuters indicates that these Ukrainian attacks have collectively destroyed one-fifth of the Russian online retailer Wildberries' total storage capacity.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 20:00
How explosive drone found near runway at German airport sparked fears of another ‘hybrid’ Russian attack on Nato
An explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian plane at the Leipzig/Halle airport in east Germany late on Tuesday, prompting a counterterrorism investigation and fears of another hybrid attack on European soil.
Airport workers discovered the drone in a restricted cargo area near the southern runway at one of Europe’s biggest cargo hubs. Flights were later suspended and several aircraft were diverted from the airport.
Most operations had resumed by Wednesday morning as one runway was reopened, but the southern strip stayed closed while analysts examined the drone and removed its detonator, according to authorities.
What we know about explosive drone found near runway at Leipzig airport
The drone incident was framed as the latest in a series of hybrid attacks across EuropeMaryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 19:00
Turkey says Russia told that Ukraine should declare moratorium in Black Sea
Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said that Ankara had conveyed to Russia and Ukraine they should declare a moratorium on their attacks in Black Sea.
Speaking to the state-run Anadolu news agency, Fidan said Turkey had conveyed its concerns about attacks on vessels in the Black Sea to both countries and was implementing certain security measures of its own, but did not elaborate further
Maryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 18:15
Ukraine's Zelensky says up to 50,000 North Korean troops to be deployed in Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers will be deployed in Russia to fight for Pyongyang's ally, while calling on South Korea to provide support for its air defence.
Zelensky said on X on Saturday that "a decision has been made for 30,000 `to 50,000 North Koreans to be deployed on the territory of Russia", a higher figure than his estimate of 30,000 in July.
He did not elaborate on how he obtained the information. He said Kyiv had found some North Korean missiles in Ukraine's territory, without disclosing their locations.
"It `is absolutely clear that North Korea will continue to build its experience in modern warfare, receive licenses from Russia, and receive all kinds of military tools from them," he said.
Urging Seoul to have closer cooperation with Kyiv, Zelensky said that Ukraine "would very much like to receive support from South Korea in an area where we have a shortage", referring to its air defence systems.
"We are ready to work on the Drone Deal and other areas as well," he said, adding that Ukrainian diplomats "are in contact" with Seoul to push potential deals. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty during Putin's June 2024 visit to Pyongyang.
The pact includes a mutual assistance provision if either country faces external aggression.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 17:30
Watch: Russian drones strike Kyiv overnight as three killed in Ukraine
Maryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 17:00
Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of lethal attacks
Ukraine and Russia accused each other of lethal attacks on Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow was targeting global food security by striking Odesa's seaport.
Three people were killed and 37 wounded in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, where a multi-storey apartment block was hit, while authorities in Russia's Belgorod said five were killed and 25 wounded by a Ukrainian drone attack.
Zelensky said Odesa's seaport had been damaged by a strike. Local authorities said dozens of drones and missiles hit the southern seaside city, wounding a dozen people.
"In this way, the Russians are at war with the world's food security," Zelensky said.
Odesa's seaports are the artery for Ukraine's vast agricultural exports. He said Russia also hit nine other Ukrainian regions on Sunday.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 16:14
Russia claims its forces shot down 153 Ukrainian drones overnight
Russia’s defense ministry on Sunday said its forces had shot down 153 Ukrainian drones during the night, including over Russian-occupied Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.
In Russia's Belgorod region, authorities said Ukrainian drone strikes damaged 29 apartment blocks and five private houses, as well as administrative buildings and unspecified “commercial facilities.”
Debris from Ukrainian drones also fell on two enterprises and a private home in the Russian city of Novorossiysk, mayor Andrey Kravchenko said on Sunday. He did not specify what the commercial sites were.
Regional authorities later said falling debris had injured one person, damaged two private houses, and blew out a window in an apartment block.
A major fuel terminal is located at Novorossiysk that links Kazakhstan's oil fields to markets around the world, and which has previously been a target for Ukrainian strikes.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain9 August 2026 15:20NewerOlder