The decree signed by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on Feb. 21 recognizing the independence of the Russian-occupied Donbas region also calls for the Kremlin military to perform “peacekeeping functions” in the territories.
"Resistance to the Kremlin regime inside Russia is growing," Ukraine's military intelligence agency said.
"In the coming years, the Black Sea sailors will be further strengthened — with the arrival of new frigates, corvettes, aviation, marine robotic complexes," Nikolai Patrushev, the head of Russia's Maritime Collegium, said.
"Russia will be ready for confrontation with Europe — and therefore with us — as early as 2027," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
Russia opened a new front in Sumy Oblast in early June, capturing around a dozen border villages.
U.S. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal co-authored a bipartisan bill that would impose 500% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, gas, or uranium.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is facilitating transit primarily to Poland, with some migrants arriving from Libya directly or through Russia — pointing to coordinated efforts between Minsk and Moscow.
Explosions rocked Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as Russia launched waves of missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs overnight on July 26. Kharkiv's Kyviskyi district has been hit twice by ballistic missiles.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 208 drones and 27 missiles overnight, targeting cities and infrastructure in multiple regions.
The U.S. on July 25 urged China to stop enabling Russia's war in Ukraine during a UN Security Council meeting, prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which accused Washington of creating confrontation.
The plant manufactures countermeasure stations for front-line aircraft and is a major part of Russia's military-industrial complex.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban described Hungary's proposed partnership as "pragmatic, flexible, and rooted in mutual interest — not irreversible integration."
