Jul 29, 2026, 07:00 AM UTC

Ukrainian forces launched long-range drone attacks targeting Russian energy and export infrastructure across the Rostov, Yaroslavl, and Udmurtia regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a hit on an export terminal located roughly 250 kilometres from the frontline. Meanwhile, Russian officials in Moscow reported intercepting 12 incoming drones, which triggered temporary airport flight suspensions.

Simultaneously, Russian forces intensified strikes in Ukraine. More than 50 bombardments in the Dnipropetrovsk region resulted in three deaths and six injuries, while a strike in Zaporizhzhia injured four people, including two children.

At a UN Security Council briefing, UN official Kayoko Gotoh highlighted a sharp increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties throughout July, noting at least 56 deaths and 232 injuries in Kyiv alone.

Sources: Investor.bg, Ukrinform

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US President Donald Trump at the White House for over an hour to discuss reviving diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy noted that while Washington, Kyiv, and European allies support stopping the conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected even a temporary ceasefire. The talks followed a visit to Kyiv by political commentator Laura Loomer, whose softened stance on Ukraine was publicly endorsed by Trump.

Meanwhile, US Central Command confirmed that Iranian forces launched several ballistic missiles toward American military installations in the Middle East, all of which were intercepted. Trump subsequently warned that failure to reach a diplomatic agreement with Tehran could result in a return to severe military action, emphasizing that the window for negotiations remains limited.

Sources: NEXTA, Point, Ukrinform

A massive Ukrainian drone attack targeted Russia’s Ryazan region, injuring six people and igniting fires across local industrial facilities.

According to regional governor Pavel Malkov, falling debris from intercepted drones sparked blazes in industrial zones. Independent open-source intelligence analysts and media reports confirmed that a major sorting complex belonging to e-commerce retailer Wildberries caught fire during the strike, with additional reports indicating an oil refinery in the area was also hit.

The strike follows earlier attacks on July 25 that forced the Tyumen oil refinery to suspend operations after drone impacts damaged its diesel hydrotreating and high-octane gasoline manufacturing units. Russian authorities have not yet detailed the full extent of the damage to Ryazan's infrastructure.

Sources: Point, The Insider, Ukrinform

More than 1,000 tech employees and executives from major artificial intelligence companies—including Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei alongside representatives from OpenAI, Meta, and Google—have signed an open petition urging the United States government to help slow the rollout of advanced AI systems.

The signatories expressed growing concerns over the potential risks of rapid, uncontrolled technological acceleration. The petition requests federal intervention to establish mechanisms that would pause or delay the deployment of next-generation artificial intelligence models until adequate safety oversight can be ensured.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington yielded positive results. Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Zelenskyy highlighted constructive dialogue regarding support for Ukraine. During the discussion, Trump reportedly agreed to grant Ukraine a license, signaling continued cooperation between Washington and Kyiv. The interaction marks a notable development in diplomatic relations between the two leaders as Ukraine continues to seek sustained international defense assistance.

Sources: Iltalehti.