Ukraine intercepted just 29 of 195 Russian ballistic missiles in July as ally deliveries fell to a third of last year’s pace, leaving Kyiv with 1% of US Patriot stockpile ahead of winter.
Category: Geopolitics
Ratcliffe Flies to Moscow With a Warning on NATO and a Plea to Cut Iran Loose
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a secret visit to Moscow on August 26, meeting Russian intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin to warn against NATO attacks and urge Russia to end its support for Iran.
Ukraine Intelligence Says Russia Plans 600,000-Strong Draft Across 2026 and 2027
Ukraine’s intelligence agencies say Russia is preparing a 600,000-troop draft across 2026 and 2027, to be announced after September’s Duma elections.
Iran Declares Fully Offensive Military Stance as 60-Day Ceasefire Expires
Iran declared a fully offensive military posture after its 60-day US ceasefire expired, demanding sanctions relief and an end to Washington’s naval blockade.
Russia’s Banks Lose $15 Billion in Deposits This Summer as Bond Auctions Halt
Deposit withdrawals from Russian banks reached $3.4 billion in the first fortnight of August alone, putting annual outflows on pace to nearly double 2022 levels and forcing Moscow to suspend government bond auctions indefinitely.
China and Russia Blunt Washington’s Push to Financially Isolate Iran
Despite the Trump administration declaring an economic D-Day against Tehran, Beijing and Moscow are sustaining trade and military supply lines that US secondary sanctions cannot easily reach.
Ukraine Drones Strike Ozon Warehouse in Russia for the First Time
Ukrainian FPV drones set fire to an Ozon logistics hub in Chapayevsk, Samara Oblast on August 22, forcing over 500 workers to evacuate in the first confirmed attack on Russia’s second-largest e-retailer.
Bessent Pledges Toughest Sanctions in History Against Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington will impose what he called the greatest coordinated economic isolation of any country in history, warning Beijing that buying Iranian oil makes it a target.
Russia Kills 17 in Kyiv With Overnight Missile and Drone Barrage
Russia launched 168 drones and dozens of missiles at Kyiv overnight on August 19–20, killing 17 people and destroying a residential block, as President Zelensky warned of a critical Patriot interceptor shortage.
UAE Cuts All Trade With Iran After Missiles Land Near Gulf Waters
The UAE announced an indefinite suspension of all trade and financial transactions with Iran on August 19, severing a link that supplied over 30% of Tehran’s imports.