Aug 2, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC

A major overnight Russian aerial attack using missiles and drones targeted multiple Ukrainian regions, leaving at least eight people dead and more than 50 injured, according to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi. The casualties include two children following a direct strike on a residential home in the Kryvyi Rih district.

Air defense systems were activated in western cities like Lviv, while national grid operator Ukrenergo reported electricity blackouts across five regions, with Sumy Oblast suffering the most severe disruption.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that preliminary assessments indicate a North Korean ballistic missile was deployed during a strike on Radushne, near Kryvyi Rih. Zelenskyy noted that forensic experts will perform formal tests to verify the weapon's origin.

Sources: Investor.bg, Point, Ukrinform

A Russian cruise missile crossed into eastern Poland and detonated in an open field, creating a ten-meter-wide crater after traveling roughly 100 kilometers through Polish airspace. The incident coincided with heavy overnight Russian air assaults across Ukraine that killed at least eight people and injured 50 others.

In Kyiv, local authorities confirmed four fatalities and 15 injuries after strikes caused fires and severe structural damage to residential and commercial buildings.

Following the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Washington to grant licensing for domestic production of Patriot air defense interceptors, though U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, remained hesitant. Zelensky also accused Moscow of deploying North Korean ballistic missiles during the bombardment.

Sources: FAZ, ORF.

Palestinian militant group Hamas announced it has agreed to a US-backed peace plan endorsed by President Donald Trump. Under the proposed framework, Hamas would surrender its weapons in exchange for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

Israel has not issued an official response to the announcement. However, an Israeli political source told AFP that "there will be no withdrawal" without the "true disarmament of Hamas."

The development comes alongside reports of continued military action in the enclave, with Israeli strikes in Gaza resulting in at least eight deaths on Friday.

Sources: 15min.

The French Air and Space Force is addressing operational resource constraints by seeking additional aircraft and streamlining pilot instruction. Recent parliamentary testimonies highlight that plans to reinforce nuclear deterrence will require expanding the fleet of Rafale fighter jets and A330 MRTT tanker aircraft. Military leaders noted that current fighter numbers are insufficient, leading to a 15 percent overutilization of Rafale aircraft to fulfill mission requirements.

In parallel, the air force is reforming its flight training curriculum to accelerate the qualification of future pilots and weapon system officer navigators. The revised program reduces theoretical instruction to prioritize practical flying time and operational readiness.

Sources: Opex360

Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, has stated that the creation of the Soviet Union's atomic bomb was guided by divine intervention. Speaking following a liturgy at the Trinity Monastery, Kirill remarked that God acted through Soviet scientists, engineers, and workers to produce the nuclear weapon in Sarov, a site historically associated with Saint Seraphim of Sarov.

According to the patriarch, the development of the bomb stopped foreign adversaries from destroying and subjugating the nation. His comments highlight ongoing efforts by church leadership to frame strategic Soviet military achievements within a religious context.

Sources: 15min.