Jul 29, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC

Ukrainian forces launched long-range drone strikes targeting Russian energy and export facilities across the Rostov, Yaroslavl, and Udmurtia regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a strike hit an export terminal roughly 250 kilometres from the front line. Meanwhile, Russian officials reported that air defences intercepted 12 drones heading towards Moscow, forcing temporary flight suspensions at local airports.

Concurrently, Russian forces intensified bombardments across Ukraine. Officials in Dnipropetrovsk reported over 50 artillery and drone strikes that killed three people and injured six. In Zaporizhzhia, a drone strike on a commercial location injured four people, including two children.

At a UN Security Council briefing, 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.

Sources: Investor.bg, Ukrinform

The US Senate has advanced an energy sanctions package targeting Russia in an 86–12 procedural vote, attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The move follows a White House meeting where US President Donald Trump pledged licenses allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles.

Concurrently, Ukrainian long-range strikes have continued. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that over 390 drones were intercepted overnight, although Ukrainian media indicated a steel mill near Moscow was hit. Earlier strikes on Russian online retailer Wildberries reportedly caused up to $1.3 billion in economic damages.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy claimed Russia intends to recruit 30,000 North Korean soldiers for deployment in Voronezh and receive new missile launchers from Pyongyang.

Sources: DW, Hartpunkt, ORF, Sweden Herald.

German authorities have concluded a citywide manhunt after police shot and killed the primary suspect in Saturday night's vehicle attack at Berlin's Christopher Street Day parade. The suspect, identified as 21-year-old German citizen Abdul Ballout, was killed in the Spandau district after reportedly confronting officers with a knife.

The incident occurred near Tiergarten park around 22:00 local time when a white van drove into a crowd, killing one woman and injuring 16 others. Following the ramming, law enforcement agencies launched an intensive search across the German capital.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt noted that "everything we are seeing here shows that we are dealing with an Islamist attack." Federal and state investigators are continuing to examine potential extremist motives and any possible accomplices involved in the incident.

Sources: BBC News, Die Zeit, Koha, Tagesschau.

Rescue operations are ongoing across southwestern Japan following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake centered in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed that at least 13 people have died, while government officials caution that the final death toll could reach into the dozens.

More than 9,000 residents remain in emergency shelters as authorities evaluate extensive structural destruction. Emergency crews are working to reach individuals trapped inside collapsed structures, including a shopping center in Kashima where a floor caved in following a reported explosion. Severe infrastructure damage, including fractured roadways and collapsed bridges, continues to hamper search efforts. Officials noted that the total number of missing persons remains unconfirmed.

Sources: Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, TV 2 Nyheter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his White House meeting with US President Donald Trump as "good", stating that discussions focused on diplomatic strategy and securing licences to manufacture Patriot air defence missiles in Ukraine. Speaking after the talks, Zelenskyy framed the potential licensing arrangement as a significant message to Moscow and asserted that Russian forces have lost momentum on the front line.

The White House characterized the closed-door meeting—attended by senior officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—as "positive and productive." However, American officials have not publicly confirmed any binding agreement regarding missile manufacturing licences. Observers also noted limited immediate evidence of tangible diplomatic breakthroughs following the discussions.

Sources: Bloomberg, La Stampa, ORF, Respect, TVP info