On the night of July 31–August 1, 2026, Russian occupation authorities temporarily closed the Kerch Bridge to road traffic from 12:29 a.m. to 2:53 a.m. Kyiv time after explosions were reported across occupied Crimea and air defenses opened fire over Sevastopol. Residents reported loud explosions in Simferopol and Sevastopol, with car alarms triggered in some areas. Kremlin-installed Sevastopol head Mikhail Razvozhayev said Russian forces were repelling a Ukrainian drone attack, claiming five drones were downed in the Balaklava district. The incident is part of an intensified Ukrainian campaign against Russian military logistics and energy infrastructure in occupied Crimea, with Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces reporting strikes on 154 energy targets between July 1 and July 27, including 18 energy hubs hit from July 25–27, 14 of which were in occupied Crimea.

Background: Russia's 2026 Victory Day parade was dramatically scaled down due to Ukrainian drone threats, highlighting Putin's weakness and his doubling down on attrition warfare. Today: Ukraine's escalating long-range drone strikes have forced Russia's Navy Day parade to be held in a courtyard with no warships, as attacks on oil refineries and Wildberries logistics hubs cause fuel shortages and disrupt supply chains. The campaign, enabled by Ukraine's booming drone industry, is bringing the war to Russian territory and increasing pressure on Putin. Ukraine's domestic drone industry now produces millions of unmanned systems annually, enabling strikes that exploit gaps in Russia's air defense network. The campaign has expanded to include logistics targets in occupied Crimea, creating a 'logistics lockdown' and bringing the war's impact to Russian civilians.

Ukraine has escalated its military campaign against Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, aiming to sever Russian supply lines. The strikes target military sites, energy infrastructure, and the Kerch bridge, a critical logistics link. Crimea serves as a launchpad for Russia's 2022 invasion, and Ukraine's actions are part of broader efforts to reclaim territory and degrade Russian capabilities. The international community continues to view Crimea as Ukrainian territory, with the annexation widely unrecognized.

A Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) analysis warns that Ukraine's F-16 fighters are being worn out by extensive counter-drone interception duties, having destroyed over 2,500 Russian Geran and Gerbera drones since mid-2024. The analysis, authored by airpower expert Justin Bronk, highlights that Russia produces over 6,000 one-way attack drones monthly, creating unsustainable demands on F-16 flying hours and air-to-air missiles. It recommends that Ukraine rely more on short-range air defenses (SHORAD) for drone interception and reserve F-16s for cruise missile interception and strike missions. The analysis also notes that NATO cannot replicate Ukraine's dense SHORAD coverage due to personnel requirements, and suggests NATO could invest in radar-guided anti-aircraft guns and cheaper drone-killing munitions.

Russian forces conducted attacks on Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson oblasts over the past day, killing five civilians and injuring 24, including four children. In Donetsk Oblast, three people were killed in Raihorodok, Sloviansk, and Druzhkivka, with six injured in Raihorodok and one in Sloviansk. In Kharkiv Oblast, seven people were injured, including three children, with specific injuries in Orilka, Valky, and Zolochiv. In Kherson Oblast, two people were killed and ten injured, including one child. The attacks targeted residential areas, underscoring Russia's continued targeting of civilian infrastructure in eastern and southern Ukraine.

In the early hours of July 30, Russian forces launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine, striking the Kyiv region. In the village of Skybyn, Brovary district, a two-story private house was partially destroyed, and two neighboring homes were damaged. Five people, including a 16-year-old boy and two women, were injured; three were hospitalized and two treated on site. Rescue workers pulled three people from the rubble. The attack was part of a broader assault that also killed six people in Kryvyi Rih, one in Poltava Oblast, and one in Kyiv, with 15 injured in Lviv.

Background: Russian forces have repeatedly targeted civilian areas in Sumy Oblast with guided bombs and drones, causing casualties and damage. On 30 July, a Russian drone strike on the Krolevets community injured six people, three of whom were hospitalized, and damaged buildings and vehicles. Another drone strike on the Romny community on the same day injured two women. On 31 July, four guided bomb strikes on Sumy hromada caused major fires in an industrial area with significant damage; no casualties were reported as residents took shelter.

During Russia's large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine on July 29-30, Polish authorities investigated a crater discovered in a field near Tarnawa-Kolonia in the Lublin Voivodeship after air raid sirens sounded. Poland scrambled fighter jets and deployed an airborne early warning aircraft as a preventive measure, but did not confirm an airspace violation. The incident occurred amid Russian strikes that killed at least seven people in Ukraine, including in Kryvyi Rih, Poltava, and Kyiv.

Background: Poland and Ukraine had resumed negotiations on exchanging MiG-29 fighter jets for Ukrainian drone technology, with Poland offering to modernize the jets if costs were covered externally. Today: Ukraine has submitted a concrete proposal to Poland detailing the drone technology it will provide in exchange for the MiG-29s, according to Polish Deputy Defence Minister Paulina Sobkowiak-Czarnecka. The proposal has been on the table for several days and is under review by Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, with a decision expected within weeks. The earlier demand for Poland to pay for modernizing the jets has been dropped, making it a straight swap. Poland has not ruled out selling the jets to Bulgaria, but negotiations with Ukraine take priority.

On July 24, a Russian ballistic missile destroyed a drone factory in Kyiv owned by Terminal Autonomy, a US corporation registered in Delaware, marking the first known Russian strike on a US-owned military-related company in Ukraine. No casualties were reported. The factory produced AI-guided deep-strike drones designed to resist jamming. The strike occurred during a rare daytime attack involving approximately 12 missiles. The incident reflects escalating Russian strikes on US-linked facilities and comes amid shifting US rhetoric toward firmer support for Ukraine, including approval for domestic Patriot production.

Background: The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) previously assessed that Ukrainian forces have largely halted the Russian Spring-Summer 2026 offensive, with Russian gains in May 2026 being a fraction of those in May 2025. New development: ISW now reports that Russian forces are using superior aviation and glide bombs to support infantry advances near Kostyantynivka, and have advanced in the Velykyi Burluk and Slovyansk directions, though the city has not been seized. The Kremlin denied mobilization preparations, likely to assuage public concerns, but Russia is not on track to meet its 2026 recruitment target. The Kremlin is also setting conditions to block Telegram and restrict the open internet, possibly in preparation for compulsory mobilization. Ukraine continued long-range strikes on Russian energy and industrial infrastructure on July 28-29. Russia launched 60 drones against Ukraine overnight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced an upcoming National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) meeting to address implementation of regional resilience plans, noting many regions lag behind. He discussed railway challenges from Russian strikes and security in Odesa, and instructed the government to deploy resources for protective works in frontline areas. Zelensky also met with military leadership and emphasized intensifying long-range strikes to bring the war back to Russian territory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted letters of credence from newly appointed ambassadors of Oman, North Macedonia, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and France. During the ceremony, he briefed the diplomats on Russia's overnight missile attack on Ukraine, which involved a large number of ballistic missiles and caused numerous casualties. Zelensky emphasized that air defense remains an unwavering priority and called on partners to provide missile packages and anti-ballistic defense support. He also discussed bilateral relations with each ambassador.

In a continuation of Ukraine's government reshuffle, President Zelensky appointed former Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev as deputy head of the presidential office for economic affairs on July 30, via decree No. 674/2026. Sobolev will coordinate with newly appointed Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, Economy Minister Oleksandr Kravchenko, and other officials to support wartime economic activity, preserve jobs, and develop Ukraine's postwar recovery plan with international partners. Sobolev brings extensive economic policy experience, having served as economy minister until the July 14 cabinet dismissal, and previously as first deputy economy minister and head of Prozorro.Sale. This appointment follows broader leadership changes, including new appointments in the security and defense sectors.

During a Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of 29-30 July, more than 56,000 people sheltered in Kyiv metro stations, which operated as shelters. Kyiv Metro denied social media claims that access was restricted, clarifying that all stations were open and that reports may stem from safety-related restrictions on service premises. One person was killed and two injured in the attack. This highlights the ongoing use of metro infrastructure as civilian shelters amid Russian strikes.

Russia has added AI-assisted terminal guidance, called the 'Seeker' modification, to its inexpensive Gerbera drones, giving them machine vision similar to that on Geran strike drones. The upgrade, reported by the Hudson Institute, allows the $10,000 drones to autonomously lock onto targets like trucks and trains, potentially enabling Russia to strike Ukrainian supply lines more effectively. The Gerbera Seeker includes inertial navigation and jam-resistant satellite antennas. This development could escalate drone warfare on logistics, requiring Ukraine to adapt countermeasures.

Background: Russia has deployed the S8000 Banderol cruise missile, a hybrid kamikaze drone and cruise missile, in large-scale attacks on Ukrainian cities, using foreign components obtained via sanctions evasion. Today: Ukrainian intelligence reports that the missile is now in mass production, with factory output of at least ten per day, and production is likely to increase. The low-cost missile, with an estimated production cost of $150,000–300,000, has a 220–330 pound warhead and a speed of 300–375 mph, and is used as a decoy or against less-protected targets. Its components include parts from China, the US, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, and Australia, some potentially violating sanctions. Recent strikes have targeted Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kryvyi Rih, and Mykolaiv, with almost nightly launches from the Black Sea. Launch platforms include Orion UAVs, Mi-28 helicopters, and a new ground-launch platform. A July 17 strike on Odesa involved 9–10 missiles per night, and a strike on Kharkiv killed one civilian and injured 16.

An Atlantic Council analysis argues that Ukraine's reconstruction should be treated as an integral part of wartime economic resilience and European integration, not a postwar issue. Despite unprecedented international support, including a €90 billion EU facility, many projects stall due to fragmented donor pipelines and misaligned incentives. The piece urges Kyiv to frame reconstruction as a shared strategic security and economic interest to attract long-term investment, citing the defense tech sector as a model.

Background: Ukraine has been building anti-drone netting along frontline roads, with 1,066 km installed by June 2026. In a new development, Sumy region has expanded anti-drone protection to over 450 km of roads, with 47 km secured in the Sumy community using local funds. Government support will add several dozen more kilometers in the city. The protective structures have proven effective, including shielding a bus during a recent attack. The Ukrainian government will allocate an additional UAH 70 million to expand these measures.

A Ukrainian court sentenced a former border guard, who defected to Russia, to 15 years in prison in absentia for high treason. The man, a 49-year-old native of Luhansk region, attempted to build an agent network among Ukrainian border guards, including personnel from the Volyn Border Guard Detachment, to cooperate with Russia's FSB for intelligence and sabotage. Ukrainian authorities detected and stopped his activities, preventing information leakage. The Lutsk City District Court also ordered confiscation of his property and stripped him of his military rank.

Polish police arrested a man in southern Poland for publicly inciting the murder of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and insulting him on social media. The suspect admitted guilt, citing emotional distress, and faces up to three years in prison. The arrest highlights ongoing security concerns for the Ukrainian leader, who has previously been the target of assassination plots. The investigation is supervised by the District Prosecutor's Office in Muszyna, southern Poland.

A new analysis by Mikhail Zygar for the Atlantic Council describes the emergence of 'Outer Russia,' a transnational Russian-speaking cultural space formed by the mass exodus of cultural figures since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The study documents how independent media, theater, cinema, literature, music, and comedy now flourish abroad, while inside Russia censorship and repression have silenced much of the cultural landscape. It highlights the resilience of this diaspora community and its role as a moral and cultural counterweight to Putin's Russia, with audiences inside Russia still accessing exiled content via VPNs.

Russian forces struck the city of Zaporizhzhia, causing a fire and damaging buildings and non-residential premises. Regional authorities reported the attack, and emergency services were dispatched. An air raid alert was issued due to drone threats. No casualties have been reported so far.