Daily Briefing

Key Takeaways

• Russia launched a 277-drone mass attack on Ukraine — the largest single salvo in recent weeks — striking Kyiv for the fourth consecutive night, killing at least 2 and wounding 26 in the capital alone, with the Saudi Arabian ambassador's residence among the damaged buildings.
• A Russian drone struck Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv, killing at least two academicians and wounding former NSDC Secretary Volodymyr Horbulin (his assistant was killed); French President Macron condemned the attack as 'barbarism.'
• Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps completed Phase 3 of Operation Vivaldi near Lyman, liberating Nove, Ridkodub, and Katerynivka (176 km² total recovered), with over 250 Russian soldiers captured — potentially the largest mass surrender since spring 2022.
• Ukraine conducted deep strikes on Russian defense plants in Tula and Voronezh oblasts, drone-launch infrastructure in Kaluga and Oryol, and oil facilities in Krasnodar Krai, while Russia plans a record 17.1 trillion ruble (~$202B) defense budget for 2027.
• A Russian reactive drone struck near the Yahodyn–Poland border crossing in Volyn Oblast, prompting Poland to scramble aircraft — the second such near-NATO-border incident in recent weeks.