Daily Briefing

Key Takeaways

• Russia launched a mass overnight attack on Kyiv using 24 ballistic missiles, 4 Zircon/Onyx, and 115 Shahed drones — zero ballistic missiles were intercepted; at least 15 killed, 50+ wounded across Kyiv and Oblast (14 sources corroborated).
• Ukraine's air defense interceptor crisis deepens: Trump refused Zelensky's request for hundreds of additional Patriots, European nations are declining to transfer their own stocks, and partner deliveries fell threefold in H1 2026 vs H1 2025.
• Ukraine struck two of Russia's largest oil refineries — Slavneft-YANOS (Yaroslavl) and Bashneft-Novoil (Bashkortostan) — plus two FSB coast guard vessels in Kerch, while its 'Crimean Switch Off' operation has now hit 201 energy nodes in occupied territory since July 1.
• North Korea has deployed ~90 missile troops and 40 KN-23/24 ballistic missiles to Voronezh Oblast (Russia's 112th Rocket Brigade), with a full complement of 120 missiles and 6 launchers expected after high-level talks next month (20 sources corroborated).
• A drone with explosives was found near a Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport — 31 sources corroborated — and German security services separately disrupted a Russian plot to assassinate the CEO of drone maker Donaustahl.