News
- Leningrad Region governor imposes fuel limits on officials, citing exampleGovernor Alexander Drozdenko announced that regional government officials will face the same fuel purchase limits as other residents, saying 'authority must set an example.'
- Russian police detain Boris Nadezhdin over 2023 stream showing Navalny photoPolice detained Russian politician Boris Nadezhdin and charged him with displaying extremist symbols after a 2023 YouTube stream briefly showed a photo of Alexei Navalny.
- EU and Ukraine sign 'drone deal' for joint production and €10 billion in defense aidThe European Union and Ukraine signed an agreement on July 15 to jointly produce drones and counter-drone systems, with the European Commission also transferring €10 billion for weapons purchases.
- FSB says it seized 24 AI-guided FPV drones destined for Russian airfieldsRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it detained suspects accused of plotting drone attacks on military airfields in the Amur and Chelyabinsk regions, seizing 24 FPV drones equipped with neural-network control modules.
- Russia to cancel parking fines issued to drivers waiting in gas station queuesRussia's Interior Ministry has promised to cancel fines for improper parking that drivers received while waiting in lines for gasoline, but only if they file individual appeals.
- Two men arrested in Krasnodar for video of posing on cars near cathedralA court in Krasnodar sentenced two local men to 14 days in jail for filming a video in which one of them stood on Mercedes cars and flexed his biceps on the grounds of the Alexander Nevsky military cathedral.
- Russian tourists detained in Istanbul for reading Bible in Hagia Sophia mosqueA Russian couple was detained in Istanbul after reading a Bible inside the Hagia Sophia mosque, Turkish police confirmed.
- Moscow court upholds detention of Ilya Traber, accused of ordering murder of Vyborg councilorThe Moscow City Court upheld the arrest of Ilya Traber, a businessman and former associate of Vladimir Putin accused of ordering the 2020 murder of Vyborg city councilor Alexander Petrov.
- Serial informant Borodin demands probe of ex-Pushkin Museum director over kokoshnik remarksVitaly Borodin, known for filing repeated complaints against cultural figures and opposition activists, has asked Russia's Prosecutor General's Office to investigate former Pushkin Museum director Elizaveta Likhacheva over her comments about the traditional Russian headdress.
- Russia proposes mandatory phones with tracking app for labor migrantsRussia's Interior Ministry has proposed requiring labor migrants to purchase phones with a government tracking application that would monitor their location and movement.
- Russian glide-bomb strike on Sumy kills three, wounds 17, including teenagerA Russian strike with guided aerial bombs on the Sumy region killed three people and wounded 17, including a 16-year-old, the regional governor said.
- Ukrainian drones cut power to entire city of KerchA Ukrainian drone attack overnight on July 15 completely knocked out electricity in the city of Kerch in Russian-annexed Crimea, according to the Russian-appointed head of the city administration.
- Russian strike on Odesa kills three, wounds two childrenA Russian missile and drone attack on Odesa overnight killed three people and wounded three others, including two children, Ukrainian officials said.
- Russia's Trans-Baikal region tests QR-code gasoline sales via obscure messenger appAuthorities in Russia's Trans-Baikal region have begun testing a system that requires drivers to obtain QR codes through the little-known messenger app 'Max' in order to purchase gasoline, as the region grapples with a severe fuel shortage.
- Ukrainian drone strikes residential high-rise in Engels, fire reported at military airfieldA Ukrainian drone hit a 25-story residential building in the Russian city of Engels overnight on July 16, while a fire broke out at the nearby Engels-2 military airfield, according to independent sources.
- Top engineer at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant killed in drone strikeAlexander Yakovlev, chief engineer of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was killed when a drone struck his official car, according to Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev, who blamed Ukraine.
- Zelenskyy to replace Defense Minister Fedorov with Interior Minister KlymenkoUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he will nominate Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as defense minister, replacing Mykhailo Fedorov, who has held the post since January.
- Russian regions introduce QR codes and odd-even rationing as gasoline prices surge 16% this yearConsumer gasoline prices in Russia rose 2.3% in the week from July 7 to July 13, with seven regions now seeing 95-octane fuel cost over 100 rubles per liter, as regions introduce new restrictions including QR-code systems and odd-even license plate rationing.
- Russian court orders investigation into torture of political prisoner Azat Miftakhov at Polar Owl colonyA court in Labytnangi has ruled that the Investigative Committee unlawfully refused to open a criminal case into the torture of political prisoner Azat Miftakhov at Penal Colony No. 18 (Polar Owl) in Kharp.
- Ukraine drone strike halts Russia's largest Gazprom refineryUkraine's drone attack on the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery in Bashkortostan shut down both primary crude processing units, knocking out a facility that accounts for 2.7% of Russia's total oil refining capacity.
- Volunteers and businesses collect drinking water for northern Crimea amid blackoutsVolunteers and businesses in Crimea have begun collecting drinking water for residents of the northern part of the peninsula after Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure caused power outages that halted water pumps.
- FSB's AI media monitoring project fails after two years of developmentThe Federal Security Service's Second Service, responsible for protecting the constitutional order and counterterrorism, commissioned an AI-powered media and social media monitoring system that ultimately failed, according to documents leaked from the developer company Mikord.
- Russian urban activist fractures spine jumping from second floor to escape policeMikhail Popov, a Chelyabinsk urbanist and city council candidate, fractured his spine after jumping from a second-floor window to evade police who he said had 'besieged' his apartment building.
- EU allows Ukraine to buy Chinese drone parts with European loanUkraine has received special permission from Brussels to purchase Chinese components for drones using funds from a 90-billion-euro EU loan, the Financial Times reported.
- Ukraine says it attacked 20 Russian 'shadow fleet' ships in Black Sea; Lavrov calls it terrorismUkrainian drones struck 20 Russian vessels, including oil tankers and gas carriers, in the Black Sea overnight Wednesday, according to the commander of Ukraine's unmanned systems forces.
- Fuel crisis drives up cost of trucking goods from China to Russia by 15–25% in a monthShipping a single truckload from Shanghai to Moscow has risen from about 730,000–750,000 rubles in April to 1.05–1.1 million rubles, market participants told Kommersant.
- US bill would let Trump impose 100% tariffs on top buyers of Russian oilA bipartisan group of US senators has introduced legislation allowing President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian energy, with the decision left to the president.
- Apple, Google and GitHub briefly inaccessible across Russia; regulator denies blockingUsers across Russia lost access to Apple, Google and GitHub for about two hours on Thursday morning, with traffic anomalies reaching 99% for Apple, before services were restored around noon.
- FSB says it thwarted drone attack near Moscow, blames rapper KyivstonerRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it prevented an attack by 35 FPV drones on a strategic enterprise in the Moscow region, accusing Ukrainian rapper Albert Vasilyev (Kyivstoner) of organizing the plot.
- Russia's oil refining output hits 21-year low as Sber launches fuel-finder service amid shortagesRussia's oil refining output fell to its lowest level since March 2005 in July, as Ukrainian drone strikes crippled capacity and a fuel shortage prompted state bank Sber to launch a service to help drivers find gasoline.
- Ten European nations, including Ukraine, launch integrated missile defense coalitionTen European countries, including Ukraine, announced the creation of an integrated anti-ballistic missile defense coalition, with the Elysee Palace publishing a declaration stating the system is 'exclusively defensive' and open to other European states.
- Russian police detain politician Boris Nadezhdin three days after 'foreign agent' designationRussian police detained politician Boris Nadezhdin on July 13, three days after the Justice Ministry added him to the 'foreign agents' registry.
- EU sanctions VK and developer of state messenger Max over surveillance capabilitiesThe European Union has imposed sanctions on Russian tech holding VK and its subsidiary that developed the national messenger Max, citing the app's surveillance capabilities and alleged FSB control.
- FSB says it thwarted FPV drone attacks on two Russian air bases, shows state TV raidRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it prevented large-scale FPV drone attacks on the Ukrainka and Shagol military airfields, detaining suspects and seizing 24 drones equipped with AI modules from Western countries.
- Europe bought record volumes of Russian LNG ahead of banEuropean countries imported a record 9.89 million tons of liquefied natural gas from Russia's Yamal LNG plant in the first half of 2026, 18% more than a year earlier, according to data from analytics firm Kpler cited by the Financial Times.
- More than 350 drones target Moscow region, three killedA massive Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region killed three people and wounded five, according to Russian officials.
- Russia strikes Zaporizhzhia region nearly 1,000 times in 24 hours, wounding 13Russian forces carried out 932 strikes on 51 settlements in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region over the past day, wounding 13 people including one child, the regional military administration said.
- GRU officer posing as Aeroflot employee buys Japanese tech for Ukraine warA GRU officer operating undercover as an Aeroflot employee in Tokyo is procuring dual-use technologies for Russia's war in Ukraine, according to Western intelligence sources cited by The New York Times.
- Chechnya reports 'reuniting' over 3,000 divorced couples since 2017A Chechen commission created by regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov has 'reunited' 3,038 divorced couples out of 6,020 identified since 2017, state television reported.
- Zelensky announces resignation of Ukrainian PM Svyrydenko, cabinet reshuffleUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on July 12 that Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko will step down as part of a broader government overhaul tied to a shift in the country's political strategy.
- Ukrainian drone strike on Syzran refinery kills one, hits tanker in Sea of AzovA Ukrainian drone attack on the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region killed one person and injured three, while a separate strike damaged a tanker in the Sea of Azov.
- Russia halts shipping on Azov-Don Canal after Ukrainian drone attacks on 'shadow fleet'Russia has suspended navigation on the Azov-Don Sea Canal, which links the Don River to the Sea of Azov, following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on vessels in the region.
- Russia strikes Kyiv for third time in a week, wounding 10 including 11-year-old boyRussia launched a massive overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv on July 11, wounding 10 people including an 11-year-old boy, in the third such assault on the Ukrainian capital in a week.
- Zelensky creates special long-range command to strike Russia as Moscow admits drone attacks caused gasoline shortageUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has created a special command within the Armed Forces to coordinate long-range strikes on Russian territory, while Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak publicly acknowledged for the first time that Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries have caused a domestic gasoline shortage.
- Journalists identify Russian prison doctor who mocked, threatened to rape Ukrainian inmatesInvestigative journalists from the Ukrainian project Skhemy and OCCRP have identified a prison medic, Vyacheslav Cherdantsev, who Ukrainian inmates at Penal Colony No. 7 in Pakino, Vladimir region, said subjected them to sexual humiliation and torture.
- Russia designates politician Boris Nadezhdin a 'foreign agent,' barring him from electionsRussia's Justice Ministry added politician Boris Nadezhdin to its register of 'foreign agents,' effectively barring him from running for office.
- Russia's gasoline production falls to 65% of demand as drone strikes cripple refineriesRussia's daily gasoline production now covers only 65% of seasonal demand, a deficit of 40,000–45,000 tonnes per day, after Ukrainian drone attacks halted operations at major refineries.
- Russia officially admits fuel shortage caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on refineriesDeputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak acknowledged for the first time that Ukraine's drone attacks on oil refineries have created fuel shortages in Russia.
- Novosibirsk region asks residents to stop driving as fuel shortage worsensAuthorities in Russia's Novosibirsk region have urged residents to limit car travel and companies to switch to remote work due to a fuel shortage that has spread across much of the country.
- At least 3,589 foreign fighters killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, BBC investigation findsAt least 3,589 foreign nationals have been killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to a joint investigation by the BBC Russian Service, Mediazona, and volunteer researchers.
- Oil again leaking from tanker that sank in Kerch Strait, satellite images showSatellite images taken on July 1 show new oil pollution near the wreck of the Volgoneft-239 tanker in the Kerch Strait, according to OSINT project SkyEye, The Insider, and Agentstvo.
- Fuel crisis in Russia affects 50 million people, Financial Times analysis findsA fuel shortage in Russia directly affects about 50 million people, or 35% of the population, according to a Financial Times analysis based on the number of motorists in each region.
- Russian court fines factory for failing to recruit enough drone-defense reservistsA court in Kirov fined the LEPSE electromechanical plant 50,000 rubles for failing to meet a quota of employees to serve as reservists protecting the facility from drone attacks.
- Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko donated $335 million to Putin's Sirius center after prosecutors sought to seize his assetsBillionaire Andrey Melnichenko transferred 32 billion rubles ($335 million) to the Sirius educational center in 2023 after Russia's Prosecutor General's Office moved to confiscate his power company Sibeco.
- Polish court sentences ex-Open Russia coordinator to seven years for spying for FSBA Polish court sentenced former Open Russia coordinator Igor Rogov to seven years in prison for espionage, finding him guilty of gathering intelligence on Russian opposition figures in Poland for the FSB.
- Russian soldier who threatened Putin with mutiny freed after 11 days in custodyAlexander Lunin, a Russian serviceman who threatened President Vladimir Putin with a mutiny, was released from administrative detention after 11 days.
- Anti-drone nets fail as Ukrainian drones hit oil depots in Tver and Stavropol, two tankers damaged near TaganrogUkrainian drone strikes ignited oil depots in Tver and Stavropol Krai, while two tankers were damaged in the Taganrog Bay, with anti-drone netting proving ineffective at one facility.
- Yacht linked to Putin moved to closed military port to shield from dronesThe 82-meter yacht Graceful, linked to Vladimir Putin by Forbes and US sanctions authorities, has been relocated to the closed military port of Severomorsk in Murmansk Oblast, according to Danish broadcaster DR, which analyzed satellite imagery and maritime traffic data.