Lithuania fears that Vladimir Putin may be planning a ‘false flag’ strike on the Baltics, following a spate of recent drone incursions along Europe’s eastern frontier.
Defence minister Robertas Kaunas said on Thursday that his country believes that Russia is considering using Ukrainian-made drones to stage provocations against the region.
“Lithuanian intelligence is working, we are collecting information and seeing it,” he told reporters in Vilnius, adding that critical infrastructure had been strengthened to safeguard against an attack.
He said the Lithuanian military and all security institutions were monitoring the situation, but reassured that there was no singular “direct threat” at present.
The announcement came as Germany launched a counter-terrorism probe into the discovery of an explosive-laden drone found near a runway at Leipzig/Halle airport this week.
Interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said that the drone represented “a new quality of threat” but that due to the nature of hybrid attacks, the device was hard to trace.
While the minister did not directly blame Russia for the incident, according to Bild the drone was found close to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane.
Read MoreUkraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
North Korea sends missile unit to Russia as Putin tries to exploit Ukraine weakness
Key Points
- Ukrainian plane near explosive-laden drone in Germany 'was carrying military ammunition'
- Leipzig drone incident represents 'new hybrid threat scenario', says Interior Minister
- Lithuania says Russia could use Ukrainian drones against Baltic region
- Ukraine strikes oil refinery over 1,300km behind Russia’s frontline, says Zelensky
- Our quarrel is with Putin, not the Russian people, says Wes Streeting
Ballistic missile interceptors 'could have saved lives', Zelensky says
16:00 , James ReynoldsBallistic missile interceptors “could have saved the lives” of Ukrainians killed on Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky said, as he pleaded partners to help.
“It is very important that our partners understand that delays in supplying them, or an unwillingness to provide anti-ballistic systems, lead directly to such horrific casualties and destruction.
“Partners who are not yet ready to play a more active role in supplying interceptors can help by implementing new sanctions.”
Overnight, at least 17 people were killed and 42 others wounded in Kyiv in one of Russia’s deadliest attacks of the year.
More than 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian prisons. This is one soldier's story
15:30 , James Reynolds“Everything will be all right.”
Ukrainian soldier Serhii Hryhoriev said this so often during brief phone calls from the front that his wife and two daughters took it to heart. His younger daughter, Oksana, tattooed the phrase on her wrist as a talisman.
Even after Hryhoriev was captured by the Russian army in 2022, his anxious family clung to the belief that he would ultimately be OK. After all, Russia is bound by international law to protect prisoners of war.
When Hryhoriev finally came home, though, it was in a body bag. A Russian death certificate said the 59-year-old died of a stroke. But a Ukrainian autopsy and a former POW who was detained with him tell a different story about how he died – one of violence and medical neglect at the hands of his captors.
Read Serhii Hryhoriev’s story as a Ukrainian prisoner of war held in Russia:
More than 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian prisons. This is one soldier's story
The latest: Ukrainian plane parked near explosive drone was carrying military ammunition, Germany media reports
15:00 , James ReynoldsThe Ukrainian cargo aircraft parked near an explosive-laden drone found at Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport on Tuesday was carrying a payload of military ammunition, local media reported today.
Forensic experts found that the explosives attached to the drone were of a high military grade, a joint report said, citing a confidential police report.
Those findings potentially raise the stakes in a widening counterterrorism investigation at a major cargo and military logistics hub that the German government has designated as critical infrastructure.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the drone incident constituted a hybrid attack and an elevated level of danger.
In pictures: Aftermath of Russian strikes on Sumy, Ukraine
14:30 , James Reynolds
Recap: Our quarrel is with Putin, not the Russian people, says Streeting on first trip to Kyiv as defence minister
14:00 , James ReynoldsBritish defence minister Wes Streeting said Britain’s “quarrel” is with Vladimir Putin but not the Russian people on his visit this week to Ukraine.
Speaking to The Sun on his first trip to Kyiv, Mr Streeting said: “Putin is losing this war, he is losing badly, and he is losing the war with an intolerable and unconscionable loss of life among his own people.”
He added: “I cannot understand how any leader of a country can simply place so little value on the lives of the people he sends into battle on his behalf. I find it staggering and unconscionable.”
He insisted: that Britain “[does not] desire and [has] never desired a conflict with Russia” but would stand “unequivocally” with Ukraine.
Russia ramps up disinformation campaigns ahead of German elections, security sources warn
13:45 , ReutersRussian-backed disinformation campaigns are escalating in Germany ahead of state elections, often targeting local political rivals of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, German security sources said.
Opinion polls suggest the AfD, whose leader pledged to restore Germany's ties with Russia, is poised to make substantial gains in next month's ballots in Berlin and the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, including possibly taking power in Saxony-Anhalt.
The Russian campaigns aim to polarise the political climate and discredit the governing conservative CDU party and its coalition partner, the SPD, as well as the Greens and Free Democratic Party, the sources said.
An interior ministry spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that the government was monitoring the disinformation campaign, which had been dubbed "Matryoshka" after the traditional Russian nesting doll, but was not taking active measures such as deleting online videos.
And the head of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's state government told German media that security authorities there were also investigating Russian disinformation efforts.
Moscow has consistently denied involvement in disinformation campaigns against the West. Russia's embassy in Berlin, asked for comment on the disinformation allegations, said "anti-Russian hysteria" was being deliberately stirred up ahead of the elections.
Watch: ‘Do you still think Trump's an idiot?’: Miliband ignores questions about views on president during Rubio meeting
13:15 , James ReynoldsUkraine strikes oil refinery over 1,300km behind Russia’s frontline, says Zelensky
12:45 , James ReynoldsUkrainian 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.
Zelenskyy, 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.
Catch up:
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery over 1,300km behind frontline, says Zelensky
Top story: Russia accused of war crime after ‘sadist’ pilot hunts market seller
12:15 , James ReynoldsUkrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of committing a war crime after footage of a drone attack on a civilian was released.
The video, which was released by Ukrainian authorities, shows a drone chasing down a street vendor in the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
The 52-year-old man can be seen desperately running around the van, as the drone stalks him slowly. Eventually, the drone dives towards the man suddenly and detonates.
Read the full story:
Russia accused of war crime after ‘sadist’ drone pilot hunts market seller
Ukrainian plane in Leipzig was carrying ammunition - SZ
11:46 , James ReynoldsThe Ukrainian plane near the recovered explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle airport this week was carrying ammunition at the time.
That development comes according to Germany’s SZ newspaper.
In pictures: Aftermath of the Russian drone attack in Balakliia
11:45 , James Reynolds
Two killed, five injured in Ukrainian drone attack, says Russian governor
11:44 , James ReynoldsThe regional governor in Russia’s Bryansk reports that two people were killed and five injured in a Ukrainian drone attack.
Russian sunflower oil maker suspends Black Sea exports following Ukrainian attack
11:15 , James ReynoldsRussian sunflower oil producer EFKO told Reuters on Thursday it had suspended operations at its export terminal at the Black Sea port of Taman after a Ukrainian drone attack on July 30.
Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, and Ukraine, also a major agricultural exporter, have intensified attacks on each other's agricultural export facilities and commercial vessels in the Black Sea area in recent weeks
Leipzig drone incident represents 'new hybrid threat scenario', says Interior Minister
11:02 , James ReynoldsInterior minister Alexander Dobrindt said the explosive drone incident in Leipzig represented a ‘new threat scenario’ following an emergency meeting with the heads of Germany's security services on Wednesday night.
Germany opened a counterterrorism investigation on Wednesday, but the interior minister said it was “part of the nature of hybrid threats” that it was not immediately clear from where it originated.
He noted that it appeared to have been “very professionally carried out”.
All speculation about the explosives, the drone, its origin, and who is behind it, is now part of the investigation, the Mr Dobrindt said.
“Drone sightings and drone threats in a hybrid context are something we have known from the past, but a drone armed with explosives being present on airport grounds is a new threat scenario,” he said.
Lithuania says Russia could use Ukrainian drones against Baltic region
10:47 , James ReynoldsLithuania believes Russia is considering using Ukrainian-made drones to stage provocations against the Baltic region, Lithuanian defence minister Robertas Kaunas said on Thursday.
In full: How explosive drone found near runway at German airport sparked fears of another ‘hybrid’ Russian attack on Nato
10:46 , James ReynoldsAn 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.
Interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said the incident represented a ‘new threat scenario’ following an emergency meeting with the heads of Germany's security services on Wednesday night.
Here’s all we know about the explosive drone incident at Leipzig airport:
What we know about explosive drone found near runway at Leipzig airport
FBI director reveals new law enforcement ties with China and Russia
10:15 , James ReynoldsFBI Director Kash Patel has forged new law enforcement partnerships with China and Russia, two authoritarian nations long considered rivals to the United States, over the past year.
The initiative aims to enlist these countries as allies in the global fight against transnational crime, specifically targeting issues such as fentanyl trafficking, cyber fraud and child sexual exploitation.
These collaborations have involved personnel exchanges, with Chinese law enforcement officials visiting the United States and FBI agents traveling to China to work on joint cases and share intelligence. Under these arrangements, the FBI and Chinese officers have also conducted joint raids and arrests.
Read the full story:
FBI director Kash Patel reveals new law enforcement ties with China and Russia
Drone with explosive device found near runway at German airport
09:45 , James ReynoldsGerman state prosecutors have taken over an investigation after a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig/Halle airport.
Earlier on Wednesday, authorities said a suspicious object had been found near the southern runway of the airport in eastern Germany, which serves as a major hub for logistics group DHL and Ukraine's Antonov Airlines, causing disruption and the suspension of flights.
The Central Office for Extremism Saxony (ZESA) and officers from the state counter-terrorism unit have now become involved, it said, after the drone was found to be carrying an explosive device. The detonator attached to the drone has since been removed.
Read the full story:
Drone with explosive device found near runway at German airport
Watch: Zelensky says Russia likely to boost ballistic missile output
09:15 , James ReynoldsRussia claims more attacks on Ukrainian vessels in Black Sea
08:45 , James ReynoldsRussia struck two dry cargo vessels near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa late on Wednesday, TASS news agency reported, citing the Russian Defence Ministry.
The vessels were transporting military goods, the ministry said.
Our quarrel is with Putin, not the Russian people, says Streeting on first trip to Kyiv as defence minister
08:15 , James ReynoldsBritish defence minister Wes Streeting said Britain’s “quarrel” is with Vladimir Putin but not the Russian people on his visit this week to Ukraine.
Speaking to The Sun on his first trip to Kyiv, Mr Streeting said: “Putin is losing this war, he is losing badly, and he is losing the war with an intolerable and unconscionable loss of life among his own people.”
He added: “I cannot understand how any leader of a country can simply place so little value on the lives of the people he sends into battle on his behalf. I find it staggering and unconscionable.”
He insisted: that Britain “[does not] desire and [has] never desired a conflict with Russia” but would stand “unequivocally” with Ukraine.
One killed after 'Russia hits foreign-flagged ship' in Ukraine's Black Sea
08:08 , James ReynoldsA Russian attack damaged a foreign-flagged ship loaded with wheat in Ukraine's Black Sea area, killing one crew member and causing a fire, Oleh Kiper, Odesa regional governor, said on Thursday.
Ukraine's sea ports administration said that the vessel Mera Queen, under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, was hit late on Wednesday.
For more than a month, Russia has been ramping up its efforts to strangle Ukraine's trade and export routes, launching nearly daily attacks at the country's Black Sea ports.
Six killed across Ukraine overnight
07:45 , James ReynoldsRescuers worked on Thursday to douse fires and clear debris in Ukraine's eastern city of Balakliia after Russian strikes on homes killed three people overnight, authorities said.
Three people were also killed overnight and at least 19 wounded in Russian attacks on settlements in the northern region of Sumy.
Twelve more were wounded in the city of Sumy itself, following an attack with guided aerial bombs, the Ukrainian police said on Telegram.
A drone attack on a van wounded six in the southern region of Kherson, the regional administration said on Telegram.
Wildberries warehouse again attacked in Russia's Tver region
07:12 , Arpan RaiA warehouse belonging to Russian logistics giant Wildberries has again come under attack from Ukrainian drones overnight, officials said.
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 18 July.
Watch: Zelensky says Russia likely to boost ballistic missile output
06:43 , Arpan RaiThe real worry for Ukraine’s allies as beach strike on Russian civilians marks a shift in the war
06:41 , Arpan RaiThe gentle splash of breaking waves on a resort beach and the laughter of children having innocent fun gives way to the screech and crack of an explosion. Seven people dead – three of them are children.
This was the scene on Monday in the Russian Black Sea town of Gelendzhik where, even if every adult killed and all 40 of those injured were wide-eyed fans of Vladimir Putin and part of his war machine, the children were innocent.
It was the sort of attack that, if carried out by Russia against Ukraine, would have sparked international outrage and allegations of war crimes by targeting civilian areas.
The real worry for Ukraine’s allies as beach strike on civilians marks shift in war
Russia hit two vessels near Ukraine's Odesa
06:15 , Arpan RaiRussia has struck two dry cargo vessels near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa late on Wednesday, the Russian defence ministry said.
The vessels were transporting military goods, the ministry said.
Zelensky says he spoke to Nato head Rutte about securing interceptors
05:49 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he has spoken with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte about the possibility of securing more air defence interceptors.
"Mark is well-informed about the threats, and we have coordinated our efforts regarding countries that possess the necessary missiles and the capability to help," Zelensky wrote in English on social media platform X.
“It is crucial to eliminate all bureaucracy and make the required political decisions.”
After speaking with the Ukrainian leader, Rutte said in a post on X that he is "discussing with Allies how we can continue to get Ukraine the air defences they urgently need”.
Ukraine's weakness exploited as air forces fail to intercept a single missile in attacks
05:43 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s depleted air defences failed to stop any of Moscow’s incoming missiles yesterday as Russia unleashed at least 115 drones and 28 hypersonic and ballistic missiles.
The barrage, which lasted about two hours, was the latest in a series of large-scale Russian missile strikes that have become almost routine this summer.
Moscow is exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of interceptors for the US-made Patriot systems, the sole air defence weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles.
Volodymyr Zelensky said after a Russian attack Friday night that air defences shot down only one ballistic missile “solely because there are no missiles for the Patriots.”
Supplies of defensive missiles for Ukraine in the first half of this year fell to one-third of the 2025 level, Zelensky said.
“Ballistic interceptors are what could have saved the lives of those killed today,” Zelensky said.
“It is very important for our partners to understand that delays in supplying them, or a reluctance to hand over anti-ballistic systems, lead directly to such horrific casualties and destruction.”
Russian strikes kill three in Ukraine's Balakliia, local officials say
05:21 , Arpan RaiAt least three people have been killed in Russian strikes overnight in Ukraine’s eastern city of Balakliia, local officials said this morning.
The authorities said rescuers are working to douse fires and clear the debris from the attack.
Rubio and Miliband discuss Ukraine war, boosting Europe's role in its own security
04:42 , Arpan RaiUS secretary of state Marco Rubio and foreign secretary Ed Miliband discussed the importance of Europe taking a greater role in its security during a meeting in Washington yesterday, the State Department said in a statement.
A British official said they also reaffirmed the strength of the relationship between the two allies, including their shared commitment to the Nato security alliance.
Rubio told reporters before the meeting that Ukraine would also be on the agenda.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has ratcheted up appeals to allies for more air defence missiles as Russia escalates ballistic missile strikes.
Miliband had planned to underline that Ukraine's security is inseparable from European and transatlantic security, and to reiterate the UK's commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, his ministry said.
Watch: Ukrainian forest covered in fibre optic cables left by Russian drones
04:33 , Arpan RaiExplosive drone at German airport raises new danger, minister says
04:05 , Arpan RaiGerman interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said the explosive-laden drone found near a runway at Leipzig/Halle airport overnight was a hybrid attack which opened a new level of danger.
Germany opened a counterterrorism investigation on Wednesday after the drone prompted the closure of parts of one of Europe's biggest cargo hubs.
“Drone sightings and drone threats in a hybrid context are something we have known from the past, but a drone armed with explosives being present on airport grounds is a new threat scenario," Dobrindt said, after an emergency meeting with the heads of Germany's security services on Wednesday night.
Airport workers discovered the drone in a restricted cargo area near the southern runway overnight. Flights were suspended and several aircraft, including some owned by German logistics firm DHL, were diverted. Authorities said there had been no danger to passengers or airport staff and most operations resumed by morning after one runway was reopened.
All speculation about the explosives, the drone, its origin, and who is behind it, is now part of the investigation, the interior minister said. "It is part of the nature of hybrid threats that it is not always immediately clear where they originate," Dobrindt said.
Putin names new chief of Russia's drone force
03:00 , Alex CroftRussian president Vladimir Putin has named Denis Lyamin to head Russia's Unmanned Systems Forces, a newly established branch of the military that will be responsible for drone warfare.
Lyamin was previously chief of staff for the "Centre" group of the Russian armed forces.
The 47-year-old, who graduated from Chelyabinsk Higher Tank Command School in 2001, commanded the 58th Combined Arms army in 2023.
He also served as the commander of the 22nd Army Corps in Crimea after November 2020.
Russian forces claim control of two more Ukrainian villages, claims defence ministry
01:30 , Alex CroftRussian forces have taken control of two more Ukrainian villages, the Russian defence ministry claimed on Wednesday.
Moscow named the villages as Ryzhivka in the Sumy region and Zirnytsia in the Zaporizhzhia region.
EU to use £1.2 billion of interest generated by frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine
Thursday 6 August 2026 00:01 , Alex CroftAs we reported earlier, the European Commission has said the EU will use £1.2 billion taken from interest generated by frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.
The money was transferred to the blog on 3 August and comes from interest on cash balances, part of Russian central bank assets frozen by the EU in the wake of Moscow's invasion, the Commission added.
"Russia must pay for the destruction it has caused. And we are using the proceeds from the immobilised Russian assets to make sure it does," European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in the statement.
"We are making a further €1.4 billion of them available to Ukraine. This will support Ukraine's continued resistance against Russia's illegal war," she added.
Zelensky says air defence missile supplies down threefold from 2025
Wednesday 5 August 2026 23:01 , Alex CroftSupplies of air defence missiles to Ukraine are three times less than in 2025, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian president urged politicians in allied countries to approve more deliveries.
"This concerns not only this summer period, but every period of the first half of 2026," Mr Zelensky said on X following a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv, during which Ukraine did not manage to intercept any incoming missiles.
“Our partners do have the missiles. It is important that the necessary political decisions on supplies and the acceleration of production processes are ultimately made – including decisions on localization in Ukraine.”
I held a meeting with our military, the Ministry of Defense, and the teams of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Office. First, the report from Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Skybiuk, and Yevhenii Khmara on the situation at the front and key… pic.twitter.com/HUiXvXVbHg
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 5, 2026
North Korea sends missile unit to Russia as Putin tries to exploit Ukraine weakness
Wednesday 5 August 2026 22:01 , Alex CroftA North Korean missile unit has been sent to Russia, set to be equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine.
Russia has fired scores of North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine since late 2023, but the deployment of North Korean missile forces would be an expansion of the already extensive military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Andrii Cherniak of Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence said Russia planned to base the missile unit of around 90 North Korean personnel in the western Russian region of Voronezh, within its 112th Missile Brigade.
Ukraine is very short of high-end air defences and Russia has tried to exploit this by using more ballistic missiles, which are particularly hard to shoot down.
Read more here:
North Korea sends missile unit to Russia as Putin tries to exploit Ukraine weakness
Watch: Ukraine shares video of Russian drone 'hunting down' market vendor
Wednesday 5 August 2026 20:00 , Alex CroftZelensky says he spoke to NATO head Rutte about securing interceptors
Wednesday 5 August 2026 19:57 , Harriette BoucherVolodymyr Zelensky has spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the possibility of securing more air defence interceptors.
“Mark is well-informed about the threats, and we have coordinated our efforts regarding countries that possess the necessary missiles and the capability to help,” the Ukrainian president wrote on X.
“It is crucial to eliminate all bureaucracy and make the required political decisions.”
After speaking with the Ukrainian leader, Rutte said in a post on X that he is “discussing with Allies how we can continue to get Ukraine the air defences they urgently need”.
Russia launches 28 missiles and 115 drones overnight
Wednesday 5 August 2026 19:01 , Alex CroftRussian forces have attacked Ukraine with 28 missiles and 115 drones of overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Anti-ship missiles were launched from the Kursk and Rostov regions, with other types of missiles fire from Bryansk and Kursk, it said in an update on Facebook.
"As of 08:30, [Ukrainian] air defence forces had destroyed or jammed 98 Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas and other types of drones in the country's north, south and east,” the Air Force said.
“Hits by missiles and 17 UAVs have been recorded at 26 locations and the fall of downed aerial assets (debris) at six locations."
“The attack is ongoing, as several enemy drones are still in Ukrainian airspace. Please observe safety measures."
Russian soldier opens fire killing three civilians and one colleague in Crimea
Wednesday 5 August 2026 18:01 , Alex CroftA Russian soldier in Crimea opened fire and killed four people - one colleague and three civilians - in an apparent random gun rampage.
The soldier first opened fire on his colleagues, killing one and wounding another.
An official said the solider then turned his weapon on civilians, killing three, in the village of Khmelnytske.
According to the BBC, the victims were two men, aged 71 and 59, and a 64-year-old woman.
Three other people were wounded, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor of the Sevastopol region. He said the attacker had been arrested.
Read more here:
Russian soldier opens fire killing three civilians and one colleague in Crimea
