Volodymyr Zelensky is pleading for help from the US and allies, as he warns of a “massive attack” he expects Russia to carry out tonight.
Ukraine’s air force informed the president that there was a “high probability” that Vladimir Putin would execute the planned strike in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“It is important that our partners fully understand what is happening and that the protection of lives directly depends on their readiness, or lack thereof, to help us with air defence missiles,” he wrote on X.
He said it should be the biggest concern for the US and other partners who are able to provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
It comes a day after the Ukrainian president met with Donald Trump at the Oval Office to discuss licenses for Patriot interceptor production.
President Zelensky hailed the “good meeting” on Tuesday, which followed a promise from the US president last month to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defence systems, which would mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv.
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Key Points
- Russia explores support for Wildberries after Ukrainian drone attacks, sources say
- Russian retailer Wildberries evacuates its logistics hub in Ryazan
- Zelensky has a 'good meeting' with Trump at the White House
- Ukraine highlights ties between Iran and Russia
Zelensky urges air defence support ahead of suspected 'massive attack'
22:45 , Harriette BoucherVolodymyr Zelensky is urging allies to provide air defence support ahead of a “massive attack” he expects Russia to carry out tonight.
He said Ukraine’s air force had informed him that Russian had prepared a massive attack several days ago, and there was a “high probability” it would take place tonight. t
“It is important that our partners fully understand what is happening and that the protection of lives directly depends on their readiness, or lack thereof, to help us with air defence missiles,” he said.
“First and foremost, this concerns the United States and those partners that have Patriot missiles and can provide them to support our defence.
“Every partner knows what is needed and fully understands the consequences of marking time. Please, in all regions of Ukraine, pay attention to air raid alerts today and stay safe.”
Ukrainian miner cuts back operations after Russian attacks on shipping
22:00 , Daniel KeaneUkrainian iron ore concentrate producer, Pivdennyi Mining and Processing Plant, has begun suspending operations because of the disruption caused by Russian attacks on civilian vessels heading to Ukraine's Black Sea ports, the company said.
It added it hoped to resume production in August. Other companies have also curtailed operations after intensified Russian strikes. Shipowners last week halted vessel arrivals at Ukraine's main Black Sea seaports in the southern Odesa region.
The ports handle much of the country's grain and iron ore shipments that are Ukraine's biggest exports and an important source of foreign currency earnings.
"Pivdennyi Mining and Processing Plant has begun the process of suspending production and temporarily reducing work," the company said in a statement.
How the wars in Iran and Ukraine are colliding on the world’s largest lake
21:00 , Daniel KeaneFears have mounted over the world’s two major wars converging after Ukraine attacked an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, with Tehran vowing to respond.
Kyiv’s attack on an Iranian vessel is a move to bolster US support at a crucial juncture, experts tell Maryam Zakir-Hussain.
Read our full story below.
How the wars in Iran and Ukraine are colliding on the world’s largest lake
Russia says it struck more vessels carrying weapons to Ukraine
20:01 , Harriette BoucherRussian forces have claimed to hit a series of vessels carrying military supplies to Ukraine.
The defence ministry claims to have struck two ships carrying weapons and military equipment to Ukrainian ports near Odesa.
It said a fuel storage facility in Odesa was also hit, along with two additional vessels in the port of Pivdennyi near Odesa, and another vessel northwest of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in the Black Sea.
The ministry said, without providing evidence, that all the vessels were being used to transport military supplies to Ukraine.
Watch: Two killed and13 injured in Russian strike on Chernihiv supermarket
19:00 , Daniel KeaneRussia's Sberbank may raise reserves after Wildberries attacks hit borrowers
18:00 , Daniel KeaneRussia's largest lender, Sberbank, said on Wednesday it was considering increasing loan-loss provisions after Ukrainian drone attacks on e-commerce giant Wildberries' warehouses hit the finances of online retailers and their suppliers.
Sberbank said the credit quality of online retailers and vendors had deteriorated following the attacks, with about 300 companies seeking to restructure loans.
"Their financial condition and potential future cash flow have, of course, decreased. Are we considering increasing provisions? Yes, we are considering it," Chief Financial Officer Taras Skvortsov said on a conference call with analysts.
He said no decision had been taken. Sberbank lends to both Wildberries and rival Ozon, whose facilities have not been targeted.
Ukraine launches appeal against Russia’s proposed Olympic return
17:00 , Daniel KeaneUkraine’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) has launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to provisionally reinstate the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).
The Ukrainian body confirmed its action on Wednesday, challenging a move it deems premature and dangerous.
The IOC had provisionally lifted the ROC’s suspension on 7 July, a significant step that appeared to pave the way for Russia’s reintegration into the Olympic movement ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Read our full story below.
Ukraine launches appeal against Russia’s proposed Olympic return
US envoys could visit Kyiv in coming weeks, Zelensky says
16:00 , Daniel KeaneUS envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, could visit Kyiv in the next two weeks, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as cited by Axios.
Zelensky is also seeking 300 Patriot interceptors before winter as Ukraine expects Russia to renew its campaign against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Axios reported.
President Macron spoke with Zelensky after Trump meeting
15:00 , Daniel KeaneFrench President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron's office said on Wednesday, confirming a earlier post on this by the Ukrainian leader.
"On my way from Washington, I had a call with President Macron. I informed Emmanuel about the details of my meetings at the White House and in the U.S. Senate, as well as our current prospects in diplomacy," wrote Zelensky on X.
"I am grateful for President Macron’s readiness to help and to make every necessary effort," he added.
Macron's office did not disclose details regarding the nature of the talks with Zelensky.
Russia jails journalist for 12 years on treason charge
14:09 , Daniel KeaneRussian journalist Darya Shipacheva was convicted of treason by a Moscow court and sentenced on Wednesday to 12 years in a penal colony, the Interfax news agency reported.
The trial was held behind closed doors and no details of the case were officially released. Interfax, citing other media, reported that the charges stemmed from an alleged money transfer to Ukraine.
Shipacheva pleaded guilty and received the minimum sentence for the offence. In a short video posted by independent news outlet Mediazona from inside the courtroom, she looked shocked as the verdict was announced.
According to Mediazona, she specialised in science and medical journalism and worked for several prominent Russian media organisations.
Could Durov be arrested and deported to Russia?
12:30 , Namita SinghTelegram founder Pavel Durov lives in Dubai, which has friendly relations with Moscow and growing ties in energy, business and finance.
But handing him over to Russia could risk damaging the emirate's image as an attractive hub for enterprise and technology.
Durov posted that he was in Georgia last week, but his current whereabouts are unclear. Born in Russia, he now holds Emirati and French passports. He founded Russia's Facebook equivalent, VKontakte, before selling his remaining stake in 2014 amid pressure from Russian authorities.
In 2024 he was arrested in France over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately counter criminal activity on the platform and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement requests. He was later allowed to leave the country while investigations continue.
Durov denies wrongdoing and says Telegram has exceeded its obligations to moderate content and cooperate with authorities to fight crime.
Why are charges of terrorism brought against Telegram founder?
12:15 , Namita SinghIn statements, the FSB and the state Investigative Committee said a chatbot available on Telegram called "Daivinchik/Leo" had been used by Ukrainian special services to recruit young Russians to carry out sabotage and terrorist operations.
Daivinchik/Leo is a popular dating chatbot in Russia, where Tinder is no longer available.
The statement said Ukrainian spies posting as young women were using it to contact and entrap Russians before coercing them into committing crimes.
The FSB said 46 Russians aged 12 to 22 had been arrested in the past year after being recruited in this way to carry out attacks on law enforcement officers or set fire to transport, energy, communications or financial infrastructure. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
The FSB statement said that Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov was being placed on an international wanted list, but it did not specify what mechanism Russia would use to do this.
The global police organisation Interpol did not immediately respond to a request for comment. If Moscow does request a Red Notice, however, the process is unlikely to be quick, said a source with knowledge of the situation.
Russia charges Telegram founder Durov with aiding terrorism, he gives Moscow the finger
12:00 , Namita SinghRussia said it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, alleging that his hugely popular messaging app was being used by Ukrainian spies to organise attacks inside Russia.
In response, Telegram's official account on X posted an image of the Russian-born billionaire making an obscene gesture with his middle finger.
The charges, announced by the Federal Security Service (FSB), marked the culmination of a long investigation against Dubai-based Durov and Telegram.
Moscow has effectively throttled the service as part of a wider campaign to cut off access to foreign tech platforms and tighten control over the internet.
One killed, three injured in Russian attack on Kherson, say local authorities
11:45 , Namita SinghA man was killed and another three people injured in a Russian drone attack on the city of Kherson, local authorities said on Telegram.
Russia's defence ministry said its drones hit two vessels carrying weapons and military equipment east of the Ukrainian port of Odesa.
Wildberries hunts for storage space in Kazakhstan amid Ukrainian strikes
11:30 , Namita SinghRussian business daily Kommersant reported on Wednesday that Wildberries is seeking 100,000 square metres of storage space in neighbouring Kazakhstan to protect its goods from Ukrainian strikes.
In the Urals city of Perm, around 1,600 km from Ukrainian-held territory, governor Dmitry Makhonin said Ukrainian drones had hit an industrial facility but caused no casualties. He did not name the facility.
Russia charges Telegram founder Durov with facilitating terrorism
11:20 , Daniel KeaneRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, and that it had issued an international warrant for his arrest.
The FSB said that the charges related to Telegram's failure to remove material "used by Ukrainian special services and by terrorist and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud operations within the Russian Federation."
Telegram, an encrypted messenger app founded in 2013, says it has more than 1 billion users, and is widely used on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Three killed in Ukrainian strikes, Russia says
11:10 , Namita SinghA woman has died and a man was injured after missile debris hit an apartment building in Taganrog, a port city on the Sea of Azov in Russia that's home to various industrial facilities and a grain terminal, according to Rostov governor Yuri Slyusar.
On the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Moscow-backed governor Sergei Aksyonov said that two people had been killed and five injured in overnight drone strikes from Ukraine.
Wildberries warehouse on fire following Ukrainian strike
10:57 , Namita SinghA Wildberries warehouse was ablaze on Wednesday in Ryazan, a region south of Moscow and around 500km from Ukrainian-held territory, according to local Russian officials. Ukraine said earlier that it had successfully carried out long-range strikes on the region.
Ryazan governor Pavel Malkov said industrial sites had caught fire and six people were seeking medical help.
Wildberries said its Ryazan site had been evacuated and had stopped accepting deliveries of goods. Video footage on social media, verified by Reuters, showed a large blaze at Wildberries' Ryazan facility.
Ukrainian drones strike targets across Russia, including refineries and a Wildberries warehouse
10:55 , Namita SinghUkrainian drones hit oil refineries and logistics facilities in the Russian cities of Perm, Ryazan and Taganrog, as well as the Crimean peninsula overnight, with the country's top online retailer Wildberries evacuating its Ryazan warehouse.
While Ukraine's air defences are running low on interceptors like Patriot missiles, leaving it more exposed to Russian strikes, its own deep-strike drone production has outpaced Russia's, enabling it to hit Russian oil refineries and infrastructure and cause fuel shortages across its 11 time zones.
Drone strikes have damaged at least seven Wildberries warehouses in the past few days, destroying around 10 per cent of the company's storage capacity and inflicting losses on tens of thousands of small businesses that sell goods and services via the platform, according to the company and local authorities.
In a statement, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces had struck oil refineries in Perm and Ryazan, a logistics centre in Ryazan, an export terminal and military plant in the Rostov region, as well as a naval base in Crimea.
Watch: Ukraine gunner shoots down attack drones with rifle from open cockpit
10:50 , Daniel KeaneRussia claims to have taken two more Ukrainian villages
10:42 , Namita SinghRussia's defence ministry said on Wednesday that its forces had taken the village of Svitle in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region as well as Nova Sich, a village in the northeastern Sumy region, state news agency RIA reported.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine to the claims.
Russian retailer Wildberries evacuates its logistics hub in Ryazan
10:20 , Daniel KeaneRussian online retailer Wildberries has evacuated its logistics hub in the central Russian city of Ryazan in accordance with safety requirements, the company said in a Telegram post.
It did not provide other details. A number of industrial facilities in Ryazan caught fire after a drone attack, regional governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram earlier on Wednesday, without providing details.
Ukraine strikes several Russian facilities, Zelensky says
10:15 , Namita SinghUkraine has struck several targets in Russia, president Volodymyr Zelensky said, describing them as "facilities that work to support and prolong the war".
Zelensky said that a logistics centre in the city of Ryazan, an oil refinery in the Perm region, as well as an export terminal and a military enterprise in the Rostov region had been struck.
He also reported a strike on a site where the Russian Black Sea Fleet's high-speed boats are based in Russia-occupied Crimea.
Earlier, Russian online retailer Wildberries said it had evacuated its logistics hub in the central Russian city of Ryazan in accordance with safety requirements.
It did not provide other details in a Telegram post about the incident. A number of industrial facilities in Ryazan caught fire after a drone attack, regional governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram earlier on Wednesday.
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery
09:50 , Daniel KeaneUkraine's military struck Russia's Ryazan oil refinery overnight, the General Staff said on Wednesday.
It said on Telegram that a strike on the target was recorded, resulting in a fire.
Zelensky has a 'good meeting' with Trump at the White House as he seeks more cooperation with US
09:20 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday ahead of senator Lindsey Graham's funeral, with the two leaders discussing ways for Ukraine to produce its own powerful weapons and “other ideas that could help” in its ongoing war against Russia.
Taken together, those meetings underscore how much the US president, once a major skeptic of continued assistance to Kyiv, has warmed to Zelensky as Ukraine continues to withstand the Russian barrage more than four years after Moscow's invasion in 2022.
In a post on social media after the meeting, Zelensky thanked Trump for the “good meeting” and the Republican administration's efforts to aid Kyiv in the long-running war.
Officials also agreed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's main envoys, would make a trip to Kyiv sometime in the future, according to a person familiar with the talks who was granted anonymity to discuss the closed-door meeting.
Pro-Ukraine backers pushing to advance sanctions bill
09:00 , Namita SinghVolodymyr Zelensky had a busy itinerary during his latest visit to the Washington, DC.
During his meeting at the Capitol, the Ukrainian leader argued that they have a window to bring Russian president Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, according to one of the people with direct knowledge of the meeting.
The meeting was held just before a key vote on the Russia sanctions bill and after Lindsey Graham's funeral.
In a bipartisan 86-12 vote, the Senate took the first steps toward passage of legislation to penalise countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports after more than a year of negotiations.
The bill has dozens of backers from both major political parties and is seen as the main policy tribute to Graham, who died unexpectedly this month from a tear in his aorta. It imposes tariffs on goods from the world’s top five purchasers of Russia oil or natural gas, including China and India.
The legislation also includes sanctions against Putin; senior Russian political and military leaders; and Russian financial institutions and energy projects.
Ukraine highlights ties between Iran and Russia
08:40 , Namita SinghAhead of his meeting with Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia has been aiding Iran as the war persists by capturing satellite imagery of US bases in the Gulf region that later appear in Iran.
The Ukrainian president also asserted that there was a “clear correlation” between Russia’s images and subsequent Iranian strikes.
Iran is a key ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine and has helped Moscow build up its drone expertise.
But on Monday, the US president downplayed any impact of potential Russian assistance for Iran.
“I don’t think they’ve been doing it, certainly not at a high level,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he travelled to Michigan.
“And if they have, it has been very un-impactful.
”On the Caspian Sea attack, the foreign ministers of Iran and Ukraine spoke about the matter, according to statements posted on social media Tuesday.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called the conversation “frank” and said Ukraine’s focus is “solely at defending our country from Russian aggression" and not on targeting civilians.
Iran has said at least one sailor was killed in the attack. For his part, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran is also not seeking escalation but “made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable."
'Great honour' to meet Zelensky, says Trump
08:20 , Namita SinghDonald Trump on Tuesday night weighed in on his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, calling it a “great honour” to meet with him. “Many things were discussed.
The meeting went very well!” he wrote on Truth Social.
The sit-down between Trump and the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office, which was closed to the media, followed a consequential meeting at the Nato summit earlier this month in Ankara, Turkey, where the US president announced that they will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot defence systems – a long-running request from Kyiv to counter Russian missile attacks.
Posting about it on social media, Zelensky said: “The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help.”
Zelensky hails key US package of new sanctions on Russia
08:00 , Namita SinghFollowing Lindsey Graham's funeral, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky spoke for nearly an hour with US senators before entering the Senate chamber to witness a key vote on a bipartisan package of new sanctions on Russia.
Graham had long championed the measure and announced Trump's support just days before his death.
"Sanctions pressure on Russia is very important," he said, saying the legislation would squeeze Russia's ability to finance the war, while signaling US support for the Ukrainian people."
With this vote, we are going to show Putin he can't bully Ukraine," US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters.
"America stands behind Ukraine ... We are going to back Ukraine, and they're going to win and beat Putin."
Zelensky's visit came after a letter from the Pentagon to lawmakers showed the Trump administration has told Congress it will not finish spending $400m authorised for aid to Ukraine until fiscal year 2029.
Democrats and some of Trump's fellow Republicans have criticised the Pentagon for sitting on aid for Kyiv that members of both parties backed last year.
Zelensky and Trump clashed repeatedly early in Trump's second term, but relations between the two have improved in recent months as Ukraine has racked up more successes in the war, including with increased attacks on Russia's oil industry.
Graham, a South Carolina Republican who died suddenly of a heart ailment on 11 July at age 71, was one of Trump's most visible allies.
He was a defence hawk who regularly called for an interventionist US role on the world stage and strongly backed Ukraine.
He met with Zelensky in Kyiv only a day before his death, the 10th time he had visited Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion.
Russia's FSB charges Telegram founder Durov with facilitating terrorism
07:59 , Namita SinghRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, and that it had issued an international warrant for his arrest.
The FSB said that the charges related to Telegram's failure to remove material "used by Ukrainian special services and by terrorist and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud operations within the Russian Federation."
There was no immediate comment from Durov or Telegram.
Telegram, an encrypted messenger app founded in 2013, says it has more than 1 billion users, and is widely used on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Russia has repeatedly tried to restrict Telegram's use in recent years, promoting its own state-backed MAX messenger service.
Durov, who was born in Russia but now holds Emirati and French passports, founded Russia's Facebook equivalent, VKontakte, before selling his remaining stake in 2014 amid pressure from Russian authorities.
French authorities are investigating Durov over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately counter criminal activity on the platform and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement requests. Durov denies wrongdoing.
Trump, Zelensky discuss Patriot deal and reviving talks with Russia
07:40 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday discussed reviving peace talks with Russia and plans for Ukraine to produce Patriot missile interceptors, then attended the funeral of a US senator who had been one of Kyiv's most vocal backers.
Zelensky met Trump privately in the Oval Office before a service honoring senator Lindsey Graham in the afternoon.
He also held talks with Finnish president Alexander Stubb at a Washington hotel and met with US senators at the US Capitol. The whirlwind visit offered Zelensky a chance to shore up US military support for Ukraine when relations are warmer than they have been in months.
The US, however, has been sitting on aid for Kyiv and Graham's death means the loss of one of Ukraine's most influential advocates in Washington.
Zelensky told reporters that he emphasised Ukraine's need for anti-ballistic missile systems and interceptors during his meetings with Trump and the senators, while welcoming new US legislation advancing sweeping Russian energy sanctions.
Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine had drones that could destroy Iranian- and Russian-built drones but needed more weapons to defend against ballistic missiles fired by Moscow.
Ukraine must act asymmetrically against Russia, new acting defense minister says
07:07 , Namita SinghUkraine cannot go "punch for punch" when confronting Russia militarily but must use resources carefully and act in an "asymmetric" fashion, Ukraine's new acting defence minister said in an interview published early on Wednesday.
Yevhenii Khmara gave the interview with right-wing US blogger Laura Loomer in Kyiv, his first after his appointment as acting minister last week.
He took over after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky removed popular 35-year-old tech specialist Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister, citing his clashes with Ukraine's top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was subsequently dismissed.
Khmara, the former head of the SBU security service, told Loomer that he had a clear vision on what tactics could be used to make Ukraine's military campaign more effective.
"I have a real picture in my head of what is being used, what can be used against the enemy, and what can be most effective moving forward," Khmara was quoted as saying in a text interview Loomer published on her account on social media website X.
Khmara told Loomer that resource management and logistics were a critical part of battlefield planning, particularly in ensuring that units had on hand the equipment they needed.
Asked how Ukraine was able in recent months to inflict damage on the oil industry and other infrastructure of its larger adversary, Khmara said: "We can't go punch for punch. We have to be asymmetric."
Russia says it hit two vessels carrying weapons near Ukraine's Odesa
06:57 , Namita SinghRussian forces have struck two vessels carrying weapons and military equipment to Ukrainian ports near Odesa, the Russian defence ministry said on Wednesday. The report could not be independently verified.
Industrial facilities in Russia's Ryazan on fire after drone attack, regional governor says
06:45 , Namita SinghA number of industrial facilities in the central Russian city of Ryazan caught fire after a drone attack, regional governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram on Wednesday, and six people were seeking medical help.
He did not provide details about the facilities in the region, home to a number of large industrial complexes, including an oil refinery and a logistics hub.
Separately, a woman was killed and a man injured after missile debris hit an apartment building in the southern Russian city of Taganrog on the Sea of Azov, home to various industrial facilities and a grain terminal, regional governor Yuri Slyusar said.
In Ukraine's Kherson, a man was killed and another three people injured in a Russian drone attack, local authorities said in Telegram.
It could not be independently verified. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in the war launched by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022
Russian retailer Wildberries evacuates its logistics hub in Ryazan
06:30 , Namita SinghRussian online retailer Wildberries has evacuated its logistics hub in the central Russian city of Ryazan in accordance with safety requirements, the company said in a Telegram post.
It did not provide other details. A number of industrial facilities in Ryazan caught fire after a drone attack, regional governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram earlier on Wednesday, without providing details.
Kremlin hails Wildberries decision to support sellers impacted by damage to warehouse
06:20 , Namita SinghKremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Wildberries had acted in an unprecedented way by announcing its decision to provide assistance to sellers whose goods were stored in damaged warehouses, despite having no legal obligation to do so.
"This, of course, deserves the highest praise," Peskov said.
Wildberries declined to comment on talks with the government. Marina Gorshkova, a Wildberries seller with an Instagram audience of 1.3 million people, recorded a video appeal to "the country's leadership," saying that there were 1 million registered users on Wildberries who needed help.
"If we close down, the treasury will stop receiving our taxes, and new entrepreneurs will not spring up like mushrooms. We are pleading with you: pay attention to us," she said, stressing that tax breaks were more important than compensation.
Inna Marchenko, from St Petersburg, who sells pet food on Wildberries, told Reuters that she had lost 1.5 million roubles ($19,000) worth of goods in the fires but had received only 8,000 roubles in compensation, which she could use only for advertising.
"When I learned that all my goods had burned down, I just sat on the floor and started crying. I don't know what to do next," she said.
The government has been selective in recent years in providing support to vulnerable industries. It supported coal producers but denied assistance to some construction companies.
Russia explores support for Wildberries after Ukrainian drone attacks, sources say
06:10 , Namita SinghThe Russian government is exploring ways to support Wildberries, the country's biggest online retailer, and related businesses after Ukrainian drone attacks, with state-controlled bank VTB expected to play a central role, two sources said on Tuesday.
The Kremlin acknowledged that discussions had taken place within the government about possible support, but said no decision had been made.
Wildberries and its rival Ozon are central to the government's plans to spur economic growth as Moscow faces mounting budget pressures from increased military spending and a broader economic slowdown.
Drones damaged at least seven Wildberries warehouses, destroying around 10 per cent of the company's storage capacity, disrupting operations and inflicting losses on tens of thousands of small businesses that sell goods and services on the platform.
Wildberries said it would need at least 30 days to assess the damage before it could begin making payments to sellers whose goods were stored in the affected warehouses. The company also announced discounts on storage fees to support businesses.
A senior industry source told Reuters that Wildberries was in a difficult situation and might have to seek government support, most likely through state-controlled banks, in order to maintain operations.
A source close to the company with knowledge of the ongoing discussions told Reuters that Wildberries founder and CEO Tatyana Kim, Russia's richest woman, was in contact with authorities about possible steps to help business owners, including tax breaks, which could ease pressure on the company to pay compensation.
Sources said the support could come in the form of loans from state-owned banks to the company or its sellers, as well as tax breaks or subsidies.
Pro-Ukraine backers pushing to advance sanctions bill
05:24 , Namita SinghVolodymyr Zelensky had a busy itinerary during his latest visit to the Washington, DC.
During his meeting at the Capitol, the Ukrainian leader argued that they have a window to bring Russian president Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, according to one of the people with direct knowledge of the meeting.
The meeting was held just before a key vote on the Russia sanctions bill and after Lindsey Graham's funeral.
In a bipartisan 86-12 vote, the Senate took the first steps toward passage of legislation to penalise countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports after more than a year of negotiations.
The bill has dozens of backers from both major political parties and is seen as the main policy tribute to Graham, who died unexpectedly this month from a tear in his aorta. It imposes tariffs on goods from the world’s top five purchasers of Russia oil or natural gas, including China and India.
The legislation also includes sanctions against Putin; senior Russian political and military leaders; and Russian financial institutions and energy projects.
Ukraine highlights ties between Iran and Russia
05:10 , Namita SinghAhead of his meeting with Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia has been aiding Iran as the war persists by capturing satellite imagery of US bases in the Gulf region that later appear in Iran.
The Ukrainian president also asserted that there was a “clear correlation” between Russia’s images and subsequent Iranian strikes.
Iran is a key ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine and has helped Moscow build up its drone expertise.
But on Monday, the US president downplayed any impact of potential Russian assistance for Iran.
“I don’t think they’ve been doing it, certainly not at a high level,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he travelled to Michigan.
“And if they have, it has been very un-impactful.
”On the Caspian Sea attack, the foreign ministers of Iran and Ukraine spoke about the matter, according to statements posted on social media Tuesday.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called the conversation “frank” and said Ukraine’s focus is “solely at defending our country from Russian aggression" and not on targeting civilians.
Iran has said at least one sailor was killed in the attack. For his part, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran is also not seeking escalation but “made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable."
'Great honour' to meet Zelensky, says Trump
04:56 , Namita SinghDonald Trump on Tuesday night weighed in on his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, calling it a “great honour” to meet with him. “Many things were discussed.
The meeting went very well!” he wrote on Truth Social.
The sit-down between Trump and the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office, which was closed to the media, followed a consequential meeting at the Nato summit earlier this month in Ankara, Turkey, where the US president announced that they will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot defence systems – a long-running request from Kyiv to counter Russian missile attacks.
Posting about it on social media, Zelensky said: “The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help.”
Zelensky has a 'good meeting' with Trump at the White House as he seeks more cooperation with US
04:46 , Namita SinghUS president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday ahead of senator Lindsey Graham's funeral, with the two leaders discussing ways for Ukraine to produce its own powerful weapons and “other ideas that could help” in its ongoing war against Russia.
Taken together, those meetings underscore how much the US president, once a major skeptic of continued assistance to Kyiv, has warmed to Zelensky as Ukraine continues to withstand the Russian barrage more than four years after Moscow's invasion in 2022.
In a post on social media after the meeting, Zelensky thanked Trump for the “good meeting” and the Republican administration's efforts to aid Kyiv in the long-running war.
Officials also agreed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's main envoys, would make a trip to Kyiv sometime in the future, according to a person familiar with the talks who was granted anonymity to discuss the closed-door meeting.
Industrial facilities in Russia's Ryazan on fire after drone attack, regional governor says
04:44 , Adam WithnallA number of industrial facilities in the central Russian city of Ryazan caught fire after a drone attack, regional governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram on Wednesday, and six people were seeking medical help.
He did not provide details about the facilities in the region, home to a number of large industrial complexes, including an oil refinery and a logistics hub.
Zelensky meets Lockheed Martin team to discuss 'further development of cooperation'
03:00 , Harriette BoucherUS Senate to vote on Russia sanctions bill in tribute to Graham
02:00 , Harriette BoucherThe US Senate is set to vote on sweeping Russian energy sanctions in what is seen as a tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who authored the bill.
It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky visits the Capitol to meet with Donald Trump and attend Graham’s funeral service.
Graham was among Kyiv's most influential and outspoken allies in Congress in its four-year-old war against Russia, and the bill aims to increase economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Senate leaders scheduled a procedural vote on the bill, which seeks to impose sanctions on Russian officials and place stiff tariffs on China, India and other countries to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas.
Republican President Donald Trump has said he would support the measure, after asking that sanctions on Iran be added, which they have been as the US war against Iran enters its sixth month.
Though Democrats are broadly supportive of the sanctions, the tariff authority for Trump has raised concerns about potentially higher import costs. Those concerns threaten the legislation's prospects for passing the Senate, as well as the House of Representatives when it resumes in September.
If it becomes law, the bill would allow Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that are major consumers of Russian energy, including India, Japan and some countries in the European Union, and leave it to his discretion to lift them.
Zelensky meets with Finnish president following Trump meeting
01:00 , Harriette BoucherWatch: Ukrainian intelligence destroys Russian air defence system in occupied Crimea
Wednesday 29 July 2026 00:00 , Daniel KeaneApartment building near Moscow damaged in drone attack, regional governor says
Tuesday 28 July 2026 23:00 , Daniel KeaneAn apartment building in Chekhov near Russian capital Moscow has been hit in a drone attack and local authorities are verifying information on casualties, regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said in a Telegram post on Tuesday.
Vorobyov accompanied his post with a photograph of a tall building with blown-out windows and black smoke rising from its top floors.
Defences downed a few dozen drones elsewhere in the region, including in Podolsk, Domodedovo and Kolomna, Vorobyov said.
Drone attacks kill three and target bus in Russia's Belgorod region
Tuesday 28 July 2026 22:52 , Harriette BoucherUkrainian drone strikes killed three people while another 19 people were injured in an attack on a bus on Tuesday.
Regional authorities said a drone strike on a business in a village near the border killed two people. Another person was killed in an attack on a town outside the region's main city, also called Belgorod.
A bus also came under fire in the town of Shebekino, near the Ukrainian border, and all but one of those injured were sent to hospital for treatment.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of staging systematic attacks on buses in different Russian regions.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the latest strike showed Ukraine was directing attacks on public transport “with a maniacal persistence, taking revenge on ordinary people for growing failures at the front.”
South African army chief visits Moscow and agrees to strengthen military ties
Tuesday 28 July 2026 22:00 , Daniel KeaneLieutenant General Lawrence Mbatha, the chief of the South African Army, held talks with Russian counterparts on Tuesday during a visit to Moscow which his hosts said resulted in an agreement to beef up ties between the two nations' land forces.
Mbatha, on his second official visit to Russia, was part of a military delegation which Russia's Defence Ministry said would visit military academies and defence companies after holding talks in the capital.
"The two sides discussed joint projects at the (Russian army's) General Headquarters aimed at enhancing the combat readiness of both countries’ armies," the Russian ministry said in a statement.
"Agreements were reached on further strengthening cooperation between the land forces in various areas."
