Jul 25, 2026, 09:00 PM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cautioned that intelligence reports suggest Russia is preparing a large-scale missile attack within two days. The warning arrives alongside ongoing Russian aerial bombardments across Ukraine.

Air defense forces reported neutralizing one of three ballistic missiles targeted at the Kyiv region, as well as intercepting 81 attack drones. Air Force officials also stated two supersonic Onyx missiles directed at southern Ukraine failed to hit their targets.

Despite defense efforts, recent strikes caused significant casualties and damage. Emergency services reported that the injured count from guided bomb attacks in Zaporizhzhia rose to 30, including seven children. Additionally, a strike drone detonated near a residential high-rise in Kharkiv's Saltivskyi district, injuring a civilian and blowing out windows. Air defense authorities warned that threat levels remain elevated nationwide.

Sources: Ukrinform

Emergency responders in France and Spain continue to battle expanding wildfires driven by strong winds near Bordeaux and Madrid.

In France's Gironde department, seven towns west of Bordeaux were ordered to evacuate, with the French government dispatching 500 additional military personnel to assist firefighting efforts. In Spain, three blazes merged west of Madrid under a declared national emergency. Regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso called the fire the worst in the area's history.

Reporting varies on the exact scale of displacement. Total estimates range between 140,000 and over 250,000 people. Outlets report over 200,000 evacuated in France and between 19,000 and 63,000 in Spain's capital region.

Sources: BBC News, Die Zeit, DW, Point

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to freeze the war in Ukraine and consider resuming negotiations based on updated 2022 Istanbul parameters. Speaking alongside Putin at a bilateral summit in the Siberian city of Omsk, Tokayev lamented the loss of life, stating, "It's a shame, young people are dying. All this has to stop."

While Kazakhstan remains a formal security ally of Moscow, Astana has consistently declined to endorse the invasion of Ukraine. Tokayev noted that although both sides hold entrenched positions, an opportunity exists to halt active hostilities. The talks coincided with a deep-range Ukrainian drone strike targeting an oil refinery in Siberia on Saturday.

Sources: Bloomberg, France24, Sweden Herald

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has arrived in Damascus for a solidarity visit, marking the first time a UN chief has traveled to Syria in more than 15 years.

During the visit, Guterres met with Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power following the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Guterres urged the international community to deliver humanitarian assistance to aid the nation's recovery after years of conflict. Syrian state media reported that the UN leader also toured the notorious Saydnaya military prison near the capital.

Sources: Tagesschau, ORF.

US President Donald Trump has instructed officials to place warning labels outside the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. According to reports, the signboards advise visitors that the administration considers certain exhibits inside to present inaccurate depictions of American history. The directive specifically targets displays that the White House claims offer misleading historical narratives.

The move marks an unusual executive intervention into the curation and presentation of history at federally funded cultural institutions. The Smithsonian Institution, which oversees the museum, has faced increasing scrutiny over its framing of national heritage.

Sources: iROZHLAS