New US intelligence assessments have reportedly warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin could test Nato’s unity with a limited attack on an alliance member within the next few years.
According to US officials cited in a Wall Street Journal report, the scenarios under consideration include cyberattacks, sabotage or a small-scale ground incursion, rather than a full-scale invasion.
The assessment also comes as the US faces shortages of key munitions – including long-range missiles and Stinger air-defence missiles – after supplying Ukraine and conducting military operations against Iran.
Meanwhile, Lithuania also fears that Putin may be planning a “false flag” strike on the Baltics, following a spate of recent drone incursions along Europe’s eastern frontier.
Defence minister Robertas Kaunas said yesterday that his country believes that Russia is considering using Ukrainian-made drones to stage provocations against the region.
“Lithuanian intelligence is working, we are collecting information and seeing it,” he told reporters in Vilnius, adding that critical infrastructure had been strengthened to safeguard against an attack.
He said the Lithuanian military and all security institutions were monitoring the situation, but reassured that there was no singular “direct threat” at present.
Wildberries logistics hub in Sverdlovsk region on fire, company says
A logistics hub of Russia’s leading online retailer Wildberries in the Sverdlovsk region is on fire after an attack, the company has said.
The incident is the latest in a series of strikes targeting the retailer’s logistics network as Ukraine intensifies its attacks inside Russia.
Today’s attack comes just a day after another Wildberries logistics hub in Tula caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack.
Tula regional governor Dmitry Milyayev said on Telegram on Wednesday that one person was injured.
Maroosha Muzaffar7 August 2026 06:04
Putin could test Nato’s unity with attack on alliance member within next few years, report on US intel warns
New US intelligence assessments have reportedly warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin could test Nato’s unity with a limited attack on an alliance member within the next few years.
According to US officials cited in a Wall Street Journal report, the scenarios under consideration include cyberattacks, sabotage or a small-scale ground incursion, rather than a full-scale invasion.
The assessment also comes as the US faces shortages of key munitions – including long-range missiles and Stinger air-defence missiles – after supplying Ukraine and conducting military operations against Iran.
Maroosha Muzaffar7 August 2026 05:58
Ukraine says it struck Russian oil refineries and Black Sea vessels in long-range attacks
Ukraine said it carried out a series of long-range strikes on Russian energy and maritime targets on Thursday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries in the Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl regions, with the Bashkortostan facility located more than 1,300km (800 miles) from the frontline.
Yaroslavl governor Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed that a refinery had been attacked and that oil storage tanks caught fire.
Zelensky also said Ukrainian forces struck two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, as well as vessels from Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions on oil exports.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences intercepted 605 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.
Maroosha Muzaffar7 August 2026 05:30
UN appears to blame Russia and Ukraine for attacks on civilians
As Kyiv observed a day of mourning for victims of Russia’s latest missile and drone attack, the UN appeared to condemn attacks on civilians by both Russia and Ukraine.
“These latest series of attacks follow an alarming pattern of escalating strikes against populated areas,” said Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general.
“The secretary general strongly condemns the latest large-scale missile and drone attacks by the armed forces of the Russian Federation on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine … [Guterres] also condemns the recent Ukrainian drone attacks on several regions of the Russian Federation.”
Russia has increasingly claimed that strikes causing civilian deaths in Ukraine are aimed at military facilities or dual-use infrastructure such as warehouses, ports and logistics hubs, while portraying Ukrainian attacks on military and economic targets inside Russia as deliberate strikes on civilians.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video a few days ago that he said showed a Russian drone deliberately pursuing a civilian in southern Ukraine, describing it as evidence of a Russian “human safari” attack in which drones hunt people rather than military targets.
He used the footage to accuse Russia of intentionally targeting civilians, the BBC reported.
Russian forces have also reportedly repeatedly used anti-personnel explosive FPV drones against civilians in Ukrainian cities including Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv.
Maroosha Muzaffar7 August 2026 05:00
Kyiv region marks official day of mourning after Russian missile and drone barrage kills 17
The Kyiv region marked an official day of mourning on Thursday after a Russian missile and drone barrage killed 17 people a day earlier.
According to the UN office in Kyiv, 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 wounded in Ukraine during the first six months of 2026 – up 37 per cent from the same period in 2025 and 114 per cent higher than in 2024.
The UN said the increase was driven by an escalation in Russia’s long-range aerial strikes.
Maroosha Muzaffar7 August 2026 04:30
Zelensky wants ‘concrete results’ in developing anti-ballistic missile defence system
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine aims to achieve “concrete results” by the end of this year in developing a European anti-ballistic missile defence system under the Freyja programme.
“Ukraine is capable of producing its missile and launcher, while our partners will provide the necessary components and critical elements – radars, sensors, and everything else required … Others spent decades developing their systems. Ukraine must do this as quickly as possible, with concrete results already in place by the turn of 2026–2027,” he said.
He also said Ukraine is accelerating work on its own ballistic missile programme, adding that tests have shown “strong potential” and that the goal is to turn it into a “real weapon”.
“We are creating all the necessary conditions to make that happen.”
Maroosha Muzaffar7 August 2026 04:00
Trump says Biden gave ‘tremendous amount’ of munitions to Ukraine as he denies shortages
Harriette Boucher7 August 2026 03:00
Zelensky to visit Serbia on Saturday
Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Serbia on Saturday in his first visit to the Balkan country since he became president in 2019.
President Zelensky will meet his counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, in what will be seen as a symbolic trip for Ukraine’s leader.
Serbia has maintained close ties with Russia, but has maintained neutrality in its invasion of Ukraine.
Harriette Boucher7 August 2026 02:00
Ukraine to help farmers hit by Russian attacks
Ukraine will provide support to farmers hit by Russian attacks on shipping and port facilities, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The measures had been elaborated at a government meeting and would focus on farmers “who are now in a difficult situation because of Russian strikes on our ports and the maritime corridor”.
Ukraine’s president added support would include subsidised credits and other assistance with financing, would “begin to be implemented in the coming days”.
Harriette Boucher7 August 2026 01:00
Zelensky says US knows ‘exactly’ what it needs to provide
Volodymyr Zelensky has told the US it knows exactly what Ukraine needs, as he renewed calls for further military support.
“As of now, the number one challenge is Russian strikes,” he said.
“The United States knows exactly what we need and that this is not about something abstract. This is about protecting lives. These are real people, individual lives.
“Air defence support is needed, and that requires political decisions. In Europe too. In the G7 countries too.”
As of now, the number one challenge is Russian strikes. The United States knows exactly what we need and that this is not about something abstract. This is about protecting lives. These are real people, individual lives. Air defense support is needed, and that requires political… pic.twitter.com/v4w8fmav3w
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 6, 2026
Harriette Boucher7 August 2026 00:00NewerOlder