Jul 28, 2026, 09:00 PM UTC

Ukrainian long-range drones struck an export terminal in Rostov and oil facilities in Yaroslavl and Udmurtia, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Concurrently, Moscow officials reported intercepting 12 Ukrainian drones near the Russian capital, leading to temporary airport restrictions.

Meanwhile, Russian artillery and drone bombardments continued across Ukraine. In Dnipropetrovsk province, local authorities reported more than 50 attacks that resulted in three deaths and six injuries. Another drone attack hit a commercial site in Zaporizhzhia, wounding four people, including two children.

Speaking to the UN Security Council, UN official Kayoko Gotoh highlighted a sharp increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties during July, noting at least 56 deaths and 232 injuries in Kyiv alone due to persistent Russian strikes targeting residential and civilian infrastructure.

Sources: Investor.bg, Ukrinform

The United States Department of Defense has officially begun reviewing its deployment of 80,000 troops in Europe, aligned with efforts by US President Donald Trump's administration to prompt European NATO partners to take greater responsibility for regional defense.

Simultaneously, long-range aerial strikes between Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to escalate. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin stated that air defenses downed over 390 Ukrainian drones overnight, though Ukrainian media reported an industrial steel mill in the Moscow region was struck. The operation follows recent Ukrainian drone strikes against logistics centers belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, which analysts estimate caused up to $1.3 billion in economic damage.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia plans to recruit 30,000 North Korean troops for deployment in the Voronezh region, alongside new ballistic missile launch systems supplied by Pyongyang.

Sources: DW, FAZ, Hartpunkt, ORF, Sweden Herald.

Wildfires across southwestern France and central Spain have forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate, with French officials preparing contingency plans for a potential full evacuation of Bordeaux as flames advanced within 15 kilometers of the city. Flight operations at Bordeaux airport remained suspended after emergency crews used boats to rescue hundreds of people stranded in Cap Ferret. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated, "We have never seen a fire of this magnitude." European wildfire analysts warned the crisis aligns with long-standing seasonal risk predictions.

In Spain, official assessments diverged over the threat to the capital. While Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso declared a state of emergency, describing the blaze 60 kilometers west as "the worst in the region's history," Spain's Military Emergency Unit later reported that fires in Madrid and Ávila are active but under control.

Sources: Berlingske, Dagens Industri, NRK, TV 2 Nyheter

Firefighters in southwestern France and Spain continue to battle expanding wildfires driven by severe heat and strong winds. In the Gironde department, blazes have destroyed over 42,000 hectares, pushing flames toward the outskirts of Bordeaux and forcing rail suspensions between the city and Biarritz. French authorities have also launched arson investigations following three suspect ignitions in Var.

Reported evacuation totals vary across news outlets, ranging from 250,000 to more than 325,000 people displaced across both nations. Two firefighter deaths have been reported. French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency crisis meeting as weather experts warned that a massive pyrocumulonimbus cloud created localized lightning and winds, further fanning the flames. Fire officials warned that authorities "are far from having the fire under control."

Sources: BBC News, Der Standard, France24, Helsingin Sanomat, Le Figaro.

US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for separate White House meetings on Tuesday.

Netanyahu's visit, his first since early February before joint operations against Iran, unfolded amid reports of strained relations over military escalation and ceasefire disruptions in Lebanon. Poll data indicates half of Americans favor detaining Netanyahu during his US visit, reflecting broader public concern over Washington's involvement in the Middle East war.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy characterized his discussions with Trump as a "good meeting," focusing primarily on acquiring air defense capabilities against Russian missile strikes. Although the Trump administration recently halted US military aid deliveries, Trump praised Ukraine's drone development.

Sources: Aftenposten, TV 2 Nyheter.