Aug 25, 2026, 05:30 PM UTC

Ukrainian drone strikes targeted Russian supply chains, hitting multiple e-commerce warehouses, while ground combat and Russian aerial attacks continued across Ukraine and southern Russia.

Facilities belonging to major retailers Wildberries and Ozon sustained damage, including sites in Leningrad Oblast, Moscow Oblast, and Dagestan's capital, Makhachkala. In Moscow Oblast, regional officials reported five deaths and ten injuries following a strike near a local facility. Meanwhile, seven people, including three children, were killed and around 40 injured after a drone crashed onto a beach in Krasnodar Krai.

In Ukraine, a Russian strike on Kyiv killed nine people and wounded 33. On the front lines, Russian forces claimed tactical advances near Artilne in Kharkiv Oblast, while Ukrainian troops progressed toward Uspenivka and Velyka Novosilka. Concurrently, reports indicate Belarus is establishing a new air assault brigade along its border with Ukraine.

Sources: Mediazona, Point, The Guardian, The Insider, Радіо Свобода

Poland celebrated Polish Armed Forces Day on 15 August to commemorate the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, holding nationwide events that featured a military parade in Warsaw and a naval demonstration in Gdynia.

During festivities in Gdynia, Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that Poland aims to become a "maritime power" following his visit to the PGZ Naval Shipyard to inspect the construction of the frigate Wicher. Tusk stated that avoiding conflict requires strength, outlining four essential security pillars: tight borders, strong alliances, defense investments, and economic growth.

Military leaders, including Chief of the General Staff General Wiesław Kukuła, confirmed that Polish armed forces completed successful rehearsals and reached full operational readiness for the national events.

Sources: Defence24, Money, Portal obronny, Rzeczpospolita, TVP info

Europe continues to face intense weather conditions as persistent heatwaves drive temperatures near or above 40 degrees Celsius across multiple countries.

Italian health authorities issued top-level red alerts for 27 major cities amid the nation's fourth heatwave of the season, advising the public to limit sun exposure during peak daytime hours. In Austria, meteorologists registered a national record temperature of 40.8 degrees Celsius near Vienna. Meanwhile, French health officials reported more than 7,300 excess deaths between May and July following 52 cumulative days of heatwave conditions.

Western European nations, including the United Kingdom and France, are currently bracing for further periods of extreme heat alongside heightened risks of prolonged drought and wildfires.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, DR, TV 2 Nyheter, VG (Verdens Gang)

Following the breakdown of bilateral negotiations, new 50 percent American tariffs on approximately 20 billion US dollars worth of Canadian exports took effect over the weekend. The duties impact roughly five percent of Ottawa's annual shipments to its southern neighbour.

In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended further trade talks and announced plans to unveil a comprehensive package on Tuesday. The strategy will combine dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs with targeted financial support to protect domestic workers and businesses. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump further escalated tensions by threatening to increase duties on Canadian automobiles, trucks, and vehicle parts from 25 percent to 50 percent beginning 1 January.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, Sweden Herald

German law enforcement agencies are investigating a series of suspected Russian hybrid attacks, including drone overflights, network disruption, and covert weapons stashes. Authorities recently discovered two loaded handguns in a forest near the Berlin border, which intelligence officials believe were hidden by Russian operatives for planned attacks.

The discovery follows a failed explosive drone attempt near Ukrainian transport aircraft at Leipzig Airport and multiple cases of infrastructure sabotage across federal states. While intelligence agencies attribute these coordinated efforts to Moscow's strategy to destabilize German democratic institutions, reports indicate varying levels of tracking efficiency among state and federal police forces.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, Die Zeit, FAZ, Tagesschau