Kyiv has launched yet another strike on Russian online retailer Wildberries, as it continues a three-week campaign aiming to “bring the war home” to ordinary Russians.
The site in Yekaterinburg, 1,400 km (870 miles) east of Moscow, was the 20th Wildberries site to be attacked since 18 July. Satellite imagery from Reuters news agency shows that one-fifth of the company’s storage space has now been destroyed.
A blaze at Yekaterinburg was contained with most goods undamaged, the company said on Telegram, after a local governor said three drones had hit the roof of the logistics centre.
The attack came as new US intelligence assessments have reportedly warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin could test Nato’s unity with a limited attack on an alliance member within the next few years.
According to US officials cited in a Wall Street Journal report, the scenarios under consideration include cyberattacks, sabotage or a small-scale ground incursion, rather than a full-scale invasion.
The assessment also comes as the US faces shortages of key munitions – including long-range missiles and Stinger air-defence missiles – after supplying Ukraine and conducting military operations against Iran.
Key Points
- Kyiv strikes 20th Wildberries site in continued campaign against 'Russian Amazon'
- Putin could test Nato’s unity with attack on alliance member within next few years, report on US intel warns
- Wildberries logistics hub in Sverdlovsk region on fire, company says
- Ukraine says it struck Russian oil refineries and Black Sea vessels in long-range attacks
- Kyiv region marks official day of mourning after Russian missile and drone barrage kills 17
- Recap: Lithuania believes Russia could use captured Ukrainian drones
Why Ukraine is targeting Russia’s ‘Amazon’ Wildberries with major strikes
15:30 , Alex Croft
Ukraine has hit a major logistics hub of Russian online retailer Wildberries in Yekaterinburg, east of Moscow, continuing its three-week campaign of near-nightly strikes.
At least 20 Wildberries warehouses have been attacked since July 18, sparking major fires, destroying entire warehouses of stock, and disrupting its vast logistics network across the world's largest country. A Reuters review of satellite imagery shows at least 1.18 million square metres of storage space - more than a fifth of the company's capacity - has been damaged or destroyed.
The strikes are part of a campaign by Ukraine to "bring the war home" to ordinary Russians and raise the cost to Russia of continuing the conflict that Moscow launched in February 2022.
Suha Kidwai reports:
Why Ukraine is targeting Russia’s ‘Amazon’ Wildberries with major strikes
Zelensky wants ‘concrete results’ in developing anti-ballistic missile defence system
14:59 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine aims to achieve “concrete results” by the end of this year in developing a European anti-ballistic missile defence system under the Freyja programme.
“Ukraine is capable of producing its missile and launcher, while our partners will provide the necessary components and critical elements – radars, sensors, and everything else required … Others spent decades developing their systems. Ukraine must do this as quickly as possible, with concrete results already in place by the turn of 2026–2027,” he said.
He also said Ukraine is accelerating work on its own ballistic missile programme, adding that tests have shown “strong potential” and that the goal is to turn it into a “real weapon”.
“We are creating all the necessary conditions to make that happen.”
Watch: Trump brushes off Russia's attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine: ‘We're separated by an ocean'
14:30 , Alex Croft
Russian troops claim control of Kharkiv village, claims Moscow
14:01 , Alex Croft
The Russian Defence Ministry is reporting that its have taken control of the settlement of Anyshchyne in Ukraine's Kharkiv region.
According to the RIA state news agency, the ministry added that Russian forces had struck 34 vessels used by the Ukrainian military in the past week.
These claims have not yet been verified by The Independent - we’re working to bring you more.
Putin discusses Ukraine situation with UAE president
13:29 , Alex Croft
Russian president Vladimir Putin has spoken to United Arab Emirates president Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Kremlin said on Friday.
The pair discussed the situation in the Gulf, where Iranian and Omani negotiators are seeking to fix an impasse over the Strait of Hormuz.
They also discussed the war on Ukraine, with Putin expressing his gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for its role in organising exchanges of prisoners of war and detainees between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin said.
Sweden clears transfer of ‘shadow fleet’ cargo ship to Ukraine
13:01 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Sweden’s Supreme Court has cleared the transfer of the 96-metre Russian “shadow fleet” cargo ship Caffa to Ukraine, rejecting an appeal by its owner.
Swedish police seized the vessel off Trelleborg in March after a Ukrainian request for legal assistance, Euro News reported.
Ukraine alleges the ship transported grain stolen from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, including a shipment from Sevastopol in July 2025.
The ship was reportedly sailing under a false Guinean flag and had 11 crew members, 10 of them Russian nationals.
More than 20 Wildberries sites attacked in less than a month
12:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Since 18 July, around 20 Wildberries sites have been attacked, with at least 1.18 million sq m of storage space – more than a fifth of the company’s capacity – damaged or destroyed, according to Reuters’ satellite analysis.
The attacks have hit tens of thousands of sellers and franchise-run pickup points as well, the news agency reported.
One Moscow pickup-point operator said his sales had “dropped by about 50 per cent” as deliveries collapsed, forcing him to try to sell his business.
More than 3,100 Wildberries pickup points were reportedly listed for sale.
The economic fallout is also worrying Russia’s central bank and Kremlin.
Economists warn supply disruptions could fuel inflation and complicate interest-rate cuts. A source was reported as saying: “There will be a wave of bankruptcies. No one has the kind of money needed to support sellers; we’re talking hundreds of billions of roubles. That’s a significant blow to the economy.”
Wildberries says it has offered discounts, payment deferrals and compensation to more than 97,000 sellers whose stock was destroyed.
Ukraine says the attacks are intended to “bring the war home” and raise the cost of the conflict for Russia.
Wildberries to open 'partner hubs' to store goods after Ukrainian attacks
12:00 , Alex Croft
Wildberries, the Russian online retailer at the heart of a three-week Ukrainian drone campaign, said on Friday that it will open new "partner hubs" to store goods.
It is the first time the company has revealed how it will attempt to compensate for the destruction of more than a fifth of its storage capacity in attacks on at least 20 of its warehouses since 18 July.
Owners and tenants of suitable premises will be able to set up a partner hub and be paid for processing, storing and dispatching goods from marketplace sellers, it said.
Kyiv strikes 20th Wildberries site in continued campaign against 'Russian Amazon'
11:36 , Alex Croft
Kyiv has launched yet another strike on Russian online retailer Wildberries, as it continues a three-week campaign aiming to “bring the war home” to ordinary Russians.
The site in Yekaterinburg, 1,400 km (870 miles) east of Moscow, was the 20th Wildberries site to be attacked since 18 July. Satellite imagery from Reuters news agency shows that one-fifth of the company’s storage space has now been destroyed.
A blaze at Yekaterinburg was contained with most goods undamaged, the company said on Telegram, after a local governor said three drones had hit the roof of the logistics centre.
Wildberries logistics hub in Sverdlovsk region on fire, company says
11:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
A logistics hub of Russia’s leading online retailer Wildberries in the Sverdlovsk region is on fire after an attack, the company has said.
The incident is the latest in a series of strikes targeting the retailer’s logistics network as Ukraine intensifies its attacks inside Russia.
Today’s attack comes just a day after another Wildberries logistics hub in Tula caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack.
Tula regional governor Dmitry Milyayev said on Telegram on Wednesday that one person was injured.
How explosive drone found near runway at German airport sparked fears of another ‘hybrid’ Russian attack on Nato
10:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
An explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian plane at the Leipzig/Halle airport in east Germany late on Tuesday, prompting a counterterrorism investigation and fears of another hybrid attack on European soil.
Airport workers discovered the drone in a restricted cargo area near the southern runway at one of Europe’s biggest cargo hubs. Flights were later suspended and several aircraft were diverted from the airport.
Most operations had resumed by Wednesday morning as one runway was reopened, but the southern strip stayed closed while analysts examined the drone and removed its detonator, according to authorities.
Read more here:
What we know about explosive drone found near runway at Leipzig airport
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
10:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday that Kyiv had struck further oil facilities deep inside Russia during nighttime attacks, intensifying its strategy to cripple Moscow's wartime economy and embarrass the Kremlin.
These persistent strikes have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians, while heartening Ukrainians who face regular Russian barrages that Kyiv's weakened air defences struggle to counter.
Zelensky, speaking on social media, specified two targets: a refinery in Bashkortostan, over 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) behind the eastern front line, and another in the Yaroslavl region, nearly 700 kilometres (400 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Also, Ukrainian forces hit two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, according to Zelensky, as well as vessels belonging to Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet, which Russia uses to evade Western restrictions on its oil exports. He did not provide details about the vessels or the extent of the damage.
Read more here:
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
Zelensky to visit Serbia for the first time since Russian invasion of Ukraine
09:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Serbia on Saturday for the first time since Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022.
“We need to pull the Serbs away from Russia’s side,” a senior Ukrainian official was quoted as saying by AFP.
The official also reportedly called Zelensky’s visit to Serbia a “slap in the face for the Russians”.
Vucic has maintained close ties with Moscow while pursuing Serbia’s bid to join the European Union.
According to the Guardian, his office confirmed an “official visit” by Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian president would present his position, but Serbia’s policy towards Russia “will remain the case until further notice”.
According to The Kyiv Independent, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic made his first official visit to Ukraine in June last year, attending the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit in Odesa.
Ukraine to provide support to farmers affected by Russian attacks
09:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Volodymyr Zelensky says the Ukrainian government will offer assistance to farmers impacted by Russia's strikes on shipping and port facilities.
Subsidised loans and other financing support would “begin to be implemented in the coming days”, he said.
The announcement came after a Russian attack damaged a foreign-flagged wheat ship in the Black Sea near Odesa, killing one crew member and sparking a fire, according to regional governor Oleh Kiper.
Ukraine’s seaports authority said the vessel was sailing under the Guinea-Bissau flag.
Ukraine has established a Black Sea shipping corridor along its coast towards Romania, but vessels have recently come under attack in the area.
Everything you need to know as Russia wants another 30,000 North Korean soldiers to fight against Ukraine
08:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Soldiers, weapons and now a missile unit have all been deployed by North Korea in a bid to support Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
It marks the country’s most significant involvement in a conflict since the 1950s.
In light of recent reports, here’s everything we know about the two countries’ growing military ties.
According to an official at Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency, a North Korean missile unit that could be equipped with up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for attacks on Ukraine has begun deploying to western Russia.
The official added that the unit comprises around 90 North Korean personnel and is expected to be based in the Voronezh region of Russia.
Read more:
Putin wants another 30,000 North Korean soldiers to fight against Ukraine
Watch: Oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl on fire after Ukrainian drone attack
08:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Trump distances White House from growing Russian attacks on civilian targets
07:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
US president Donald Trump distanced Washington from Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, saying the US was “not directly involved”.
“Look, we’re not involved. We’re separated by an ocean,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Trump, however, expressed concern over the rising death toll, claiming that Russia and Ukraine were losing an average of 25,000 people a month, “mostly soldiers”.
“I hate to see 25,000 young people a month get killed,” he said.
He also blamed former president Joe Biden for providing military support to Kyiv and claimed that the White House has provided Kyiv with “$300bn worth of ammunition”.
“We want missiles too,” Trump said.
War entering a ‘new phase’, military analyst says
07:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Military analyst Michael Clarke has said that the war is entering a “new phase”.
While Russia is making “incremental progress” and Ukraine is “hitting back locally”, he described the advances as “snail’s pace stuff”.
Speaking to Sky News, he said that the two countries are “hurting each other now to a degree that is going to push it to some sort of crisis”.
“Russia has a much greater capacity to be hurt because it hasn’t been hurt very much so far as a society.”
He said that Kyiv is “poking the bear in the eye” by escalating attacks and said that it is a “dangerous assumption” to expect Moscow to back down.
Clarke said that Putin’s “next best option” may be to “frighten” Ukraine’s European allies into reducing their support for Kyiv.
Explosive-laden drone discovered at Leipzig airport near Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft - report
06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
German authorities say a potentially catastrophic attack may have been narrowly prevented after an explosive-laden drone was discovered at Leipzig Airport near Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft, one of which was reportedly carrying military ammunition.
A classified police report, cited by German media WDR and NDR and the Suddeutsche newspaper, said one of the aircraft was loaded with military ammunition.
German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said the bomb failed to detonate only because its detonator appeared to have been “ripped”, potentially averting a mass-casualty incident.
Investigators believe the drone carried a powerful plastic explosive, possibly Semtex, and had been modified to evade electronic detection.
Authorities are treating the case as a suspected act of “foreign powers” and part of a “professional hybrid threat scenario”.
Suspicion has fallen on Russia because Leipzig Airport serves as a key Nato and German military logistics hub and the European base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines.
Some German politicians, including intelligence committee member Roderich Kiesewetter, directly accused Russia of orchestrating the attempted attack, but the government has stopped short of making that allegation.
“I consider the threat to Germany posed by hybrid attacks orchestrated by Russia to be serious,” he said.
“I also believe that the attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport was a targeted hybrid attack – in other words, an attempted act of terrorism – orchestrated by Russia.”
Wildberries logistics hub in Sverdlovsk region on fire, company says
06:04 , Maroosha Muzaffar
A logistics hub of Russia’s leading online retailer Wildberries in the Sverdlovsk region is on fire after an attack, the company has said.
The incident is the latest in a series of strikes targeting the retailer’s logistics network as Ukraine intensifies its attacks inside Russia.
Today’s attack comes just a day after another Wildberries logistics hub in Tula caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack.
Tula regional governor Dmitry Milyayev said on Telegram on Wednesday that one person was injured.
Putin could test Nato’s unity with attack on alliance member within next few years, report on US intel warns
05:58 , Maroosha Muzaffar
New US intelligence assessments have reportedly warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin could test Nato’s unity with a limited attack on an alliance member within the next few years.
According to US officials cited in a Wall Street Journal report, the scenarios under consideration include cyberattacks, sabotage or a small-scale ground incursion, rather than a full-scale invasion.
The assessment also comes as the US faces shortages of key munitions – including long-range missiles and Stinger air-defence missiles – after supplying Ukraine and conducting military operations against Iran.
Ukraine says it struck Russian oil refineries and Black Sea vessels in long-range attacks
05:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukraine said it carried out a series of long-range strikes on Russian energy and maritime targets on Thursday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries in the Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl regions, with the Bashkortostan facility located more than 1,300km (800 miles) from the frontline.
Yaroslavl governor Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed that a refinery had been attacked and that oil storage tanks caught fire.
Zelensky also said Ukrainian forces struck two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, as well as vessels from Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions on oil exports.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences intercepted 605 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.
UN appears to blame Russia and Ukraine for attacks on civilians
05:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
As Kyiv observed a day of mourning for victims of Russia’s latest missile and drone attack, the UN appeared to condemn attacks on civilians by both Russia and Ukraine.
“These latest series of attacks follow an alarming pattern of escalating strikes against populated areas,” said Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general.
“The secretary general strongly condemns the latest large-scale missile and drone attacks by the armed forces of the Russian Federation on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine … [Guterres] also condemns the recent Ukrainian drone attacks on several regions of the Russian Federation.”
Russia has increasingly claimed that strikes causing civilian deaths in Ukraine are aimed at military facilities or dual-use infrastructure such as warehouses, ports and logistics hubs, while portraying Ukrainian attacks on military and economic targets inside Russia as deliberate strikes on civilians.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video a few days ago that he said showed a Russian drone deliberately pursuing a civilian in southern Ukraine, describing it as evidence of a Russian “human safari” attack in which drones hunt people rather than military targets.
He used the footage to accuse Russia of intentionally targeting civilians, the BBC reported.
Russian forces have also reportedly repeatedly used anti-personnel explosive FPV drones against civilians in Ukrainian cities including Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv.
Kyiv region marks official day of mourning after Russian missile and drone barrage kills 17
04:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
The Kyiv region marked an official day of mourning on Thursday after a Russian missile and drone barrage killed 17 people a day earlier.
According to the UN office in Kyiv, 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 wounded in Ukraine during the first six months of 2026 – up 37 per cent from the same period in 2025 and 114 per cent higher than in 2024.
The UN said the increase was driven by an escalation in Russia’s long-range aerial strikes.
Zelensky wants ‘concrete results’ in developing anti-ballistic missile defence system
04:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine aims to achieve “concrete results” by the end of this year in developing a European anti-ballistic missile defence system under the Freyja programme.
“Ukraine is capable of producing its missile and launcher, while our partners will provide the necessary components and critical elements – radars, sensors, and everything else required … Others spent decades developing their systems. Ukraine must do this as quickly as possible, with concrete results already in place by the turn of 2026–2027,” he said.
He also said Ukraine is accelerating work on its own ballistic missile programme, adding that tests have shown “strong potential” and that the goal is to turn it into a “real weapon”.
“We are creating all the necessary conditions to make that happen.”
Trump says Biden gave 'tremendous amount’ of munitions to Ukraine as he denies shortages
03:00 , Harriette Boucher
Zelensky to visit Serbia on Saturday
02:00 , Harriette Boucher
Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Serbia on Saturday in his first visit to the Balkan country since he became president in 2019.
President Zelensky will meet his counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, in what will be seen as a symbolic trip for Ukraine’s leader.
Serbia has maintained close ties with Russia, but has maintained neutrality in its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine to help farmers hit by Russian attacks
01:00 , Harriette Boucher
Ukraine will provide support to farmers hit by Russian attacks on shipping and port facilities, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The measures had been elaborated at a government meeting and would focus on farmers “who are now in a difficult situation because of Russian strikes on our ports and the maritime corridor”.
Ukraine’s president added support would include subsidised credits and other assistance with financing, would “begin to be implemented in the coming days”.
Zelensky says US knows 'exactly' what it needs to provide
Friday 7 August 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
Volodymyr Zelensky has told the US it knows exactly what Ukraine needs, as he renewed calls for further military support.
“As of now, the number one challenge is Russian strikes,” he said.
“The United States knows exactly what we need and that this is not about something abstract. This is about protecting lives. These are real people, individual lives.
“Air defence support is needed, and that requires political decisions. In Europe too. In the G7 countries too.”
Ukrainian drone attack slightly damages Wildberries warehouse in Russia, governor says
Thursday 6 August 2026 23:00 , Daniel Keane
Falling Ukrainian drone debris slightly damaged the facade of a Wildberries logistics complex in Russia's Tver region, Vitaly Korolyov, the local governor, said on Thursday.
The incident is the latest in a series of Ukrainian strikes targeting Wildberries facilities.
At least 20 warehouses owned by the company have been attacked since July 18.
The real worry for Ukraine’s allies as beach strike on Russian civilians marks a shift in the war
Thursday 6 August 2026 22:00 , Sam Kiley
The real worry for Ukraine’s allies as beach strike on civilians marks shift in war
Recap: Lithuania believes Russia could use captured Ukrainian drones
Thursday 6 August 2026 21:00 , Daniel Keane
Lithuanian intelligence officials believe Russia is considering using captured Ukrainian-made drones to stage provocations against the Baltic region, Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas has said.
Military drones flying from Ukraine to attack targets in Russia have already strayed into the airspace of Finland and the Baltics in recent months, which Kyiv says was caused by Russia using electronic defences that jam or spoof signals.
Russia has suggested the Baltic states are colluding to let Ukraine use their airspace to stage attacks on Russian targets.
The Baltic states and Ukraine deny this.
Sweden's top court clears way for transfer of seized ship to Ukraine
Thursday 6 August 2026 20:00 , Daniel Keane
Sweden's top court said on Thursday it has upheld a ruling that a cargo vessel seized in the Baltic Sea this year can be handed over to Ukraine, where it is suspected of illegally transporting grain from Russian-occupied territory.
The supreme court dismissed an appeal from the owners of the Caffa vessel, which was seized in March off southern Sweden on suspicion of sailing under a false flag and of violating maritime and ship safety laws due to a lack of seaworthiness.
Ukraine has sought the ship as part of a probe into suspected war crimes involving the appropriation and removal of property from Russian-occupied territory.
Lower Swedish courts said those alleged actions could constitute a war crime under Swedish law, meaning Sweden could transfer the vessel and related evidence to Ukraine.
"The Supreme Court does not grant leave to appeal. The Court of Appeal's decision is therefore final," the supreme court said in a ruling.
UK targets ships and banks with new Russia sanctions
Thursday 6 August 2026 19:00 , Daniel Keane
The UK has announced new sanctions targeting Russian ships, banks and industrial companies in its latest effort to disrupt the oil revenues flowing to the Moscow which could be used to fund Russia's war against Ukraine.
The government said it was adding 13 new designations and six specifications under Russia sanctions laws.
Sanctions cover six Russian banks, six newly acquired shadow fleet tankers as well as four Russian companies importing tantalum and niobium, rare metals used in battlefield weapons.
The UK government has now sanctioned over 3,400 individuals, entities and ships under the Russia sanctions regime since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Pictured: Smoke rises after attack on oil refinery in Russia
Thursday 6 August 2026 18:00 , Daniel Keane
