Author’s articles
On the night of 8 July, Ukrainian drones attacked a number of oil and military facilities on Russian territory. According to monitoring channels, facilities in the Saratov Oblast, Tatarstan, the Krasnodar Krai, and the Voronezh and Rostov Oblasts were targeted.
The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, has stated that NATO leaders support an intensification of Ukrainian strikes on military targets on Russian territory. According to him, such actions are intended to increase pressure on Moscow and encourage a return to the negotiating table.
The State Bureau of Investigations is conducting several criminal investigations into possible cases of torture within units of the Defence Forces, similar to the case involving the 425th Separate Assault Regiment ‘Skelya’.
The body of a woman has been found near Kyiv; according to sources within the law enforcement agencies, she was a suspect in the case of the attempted murder of businessman Vadym Yermolayev in Monaco. According to the sources, two suspects have also been detained in connection with the case.
Spain narrowly beat Portugal in their round of 16 match at the 2026 World Cup. The match was decided by a goal from Mikel Merino in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.
The Polish discount chain Pepco is preparing to open its first shops in Ukraine in October 2026. The company hopes to fill part of the gap in the homewares, textiles, tableware and home décor market left by IKEA’s withdrawal from Ukraine.
The Kremlin has stated that Russia’s ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine ‘is continuing as a war’.
US Vice-President J.D. Vance believes that the current situation on the front line is creating the conditions for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia. According to him, Ukraine’s defensive tactics have proved more effective than large-scale offensive operations.
The Security Service of Ukraine has carried out a strike on the ‘Saki’ military airfield in the temporarily occupied Crimea, hitting hangars housing Russian aircraft. According to preliminary reports, at least seven aircraft have been destroyed or damaged.
The Office of the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, has criticised Ukraine’s decision to establish a National Pantheon and has used the term ‘Eastern Lesser Poland’ in reference to the western regions. The statement was made by Zbigniew Bogucki, head of the Polish President’s Office, who linked the initiative to honouring figures from the Ukrainian liberation movement.
In the first half of 2026, Ukraine met its revenue target for the general fund of the state budget almost in full, but international aid still covers over 37 per cent of expenditure. This highlights the main problem with the war budget: whilst taxes are rising, the state’s own revenue is insufficient to fund defence, social spending, healthcare, education and debt repayments.
At the ‘Mamalyga’ border crossing, border guards foiled a large-scale attempt to smuggle tobacco products out of Ukraine. The cigarettes were concealed amongst a consignment of fresh strawberries.
