Jul 24, 2026, 07:30 PM UTC

A Russian ballistic missile attack in the greater Kyiv region killed ten people and injured nearly 100 others, according to Ukrainian reports. Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the target of the strike. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force stated that the missile hit a private sports complex. However, Valerii Borovyk, founder of Ukrainian drone manufacturer First Contact, said the attack struck a training site hosting a defense exhibition.

This follows recent Russian bombardment across Ukraine, including a glide bomb attack in Zaporizhzhia that injured 25 people, as well as an investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors into the execution of a prisoner of war in the Donetsk region.

Sources: ORF

Firefighters and military personnel across southern Europe are struggling to contain spreading wildfires in Spain and France. In central Spain, two blazes west of Madrid merged into a single 6,000-hectare wildfire advancing toward Navas del Rey, forcing the evacuation of multiple towns. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as "dramatic" as the government declared a state of emergency for the Madrid region and neighboring Ávila province.

In southwestern France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, uncontrolled blazes along the Atlantic coast prompted authorities to evacuate nearly 30,000 residents and tourists, including those on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula. French President Emmanuel Macron formally requested assistance from the European Union, stating that the nation remains "under high tension."

Sources: DW, Der Standard, ORF, Tagesschau.

Irish police have intercepted a viable car bomb near Carrickmacross in County Monaghan, roughly 15 minutes from the Northern Ireland border. Gardaí reported that the military-grade explosive device, fitted with a power unit and detonator, was ready for use and being transported across the border to dissident republican groups.

Senior officers described the discovery as one of the most substantial explosive seizures in Ireland in recent years. Counter-terrorism units intercepted the vehicle during an intelligence-led operation targeting militant splinter groups.

Two suspects, including a female law student in her twenties who was driving the vehicle and an associated man, were arrested following the operation. Both remain in custody as counter-terrorism investigators continue their questioning.

Sources: NOS, ORF, The Irish Times.

Poland's largest opposition party, the right-wing conservative Law and Justice (PiS), has split following internal disagreements over its future political direction.

Party chairman Jarosław Kaczyński announced in Warsaw that more than 30 lawmakers out of the party's 186-member caucus in the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, are leaving the party. Reporting differs regarding former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's personal status. Czech outlet Respect reported that Morawiecki officially departed alongside a sixth of the caucus, whereas Austrian broadcaster ORF noted that Kaczyński left open whether Morawiecki himself is among those resigning, though the departing MPs belong to his faction. The rift follows ongoing disputes over the party's leadership and strategy.

Sources: ORF, Respect

Wildfires raging in the Gironde department of southwestern France near Bordeaux have forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers. Heavy smoke and ash covered surrounding coastal areas as firefighters worked to contain expanding blazes across the region.

More than 400 people were transported by boat to safety from the Cap Ferret peninsula across the bay to Arcachon. Local authorities ordered widespread precautionary evacuations as secondary blazes ignited nearby, complicating relief efforts and creating severe visibility issues due to thick smoke plumes overshadowing the area.

Sources: TV 2 Nyheter