Institute for the Study of War: Russian forces pressure Ukrainian civilians in occupied areas to use Russian rubles, attend Russian-run schools

The two U.S. envoys have yet to visit Kyiv, despite leading Trump's efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and repeatedly traveling to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) published new details about the Russian 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missile on Aug. 31, revealing that its actual capabilities fell short of those claimed by the Kremlin.

Many in Kyiv’s business community think that the starting price is too high for the market, particularly as Russia has escalated attacks on Ukrainian businesses, including shopping centers, in recent months.

The explosion occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time in the building’s inner courtyard while a bomb disposal team was on the scene, the National Police said.

Kyiv and the surrounding region remain key targets of the strikes, with eight air raid alerts sounding by 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 31.

“We don't know anything about this meeting,” one Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.

The Financial Times reported on Aug. 30 that Elon Musk was open to Ukraine using Starlink-equipped drones to strike targets in Russia, but said the decision would ultimately be a political one requiring approval from the White House.

The two leaders' meeting took place in a "friendly and constructive atmosphere" and focused on bilateral Russian-Chinese ties, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Vadym Chenchyk replaced Valerii Vavryniuk, who had served as acting chief since his appointment in January 2026.

"Illegal oil sales from shadow fleet ships are a critical lifeline for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and we’ll continue to cut them off," Kallas said.

Sverdlovsk Oblast Governor Denis Pasler confirmed that the strike occurred near a logistics center but did not identify the company that owns the facility.

Polish investigators have not ruled out arson, but have urged caution against spreading unverified claims about the cause.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wrote that the rising risk of hostile incidents could lead to an armed confrontation with potential "catastrophic consequences."