(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian forces have pushed Russian troops back north of Lyman in a covert counterattack that began in late May, while air defences intercepted ballistic missiles over Kyiv for the first time in nearly a month during an hours long overnight assault on 27th August 2026.
Kyiv Under Sustained Attack
Russian forces launched a barrage of drones and ballistic and cruise missiles at Kyiv overnight, with attacks continuing into the morning. Ukrainian air defences shot down one ONIX anti-ship missile, three low cost Benderol cruise missiles, and 222 drones of various types, according to military sources.
Seven Russian Iskander M or North Korean built KN23 ballistic missiles were intercepted, marking the first successful interception of ballistic missiles in almost a month following shortages of Patriot interceptor munitions.
Footage released by Ukrainian air defence units showed attack drones being intercepted midair, with one falling into the Dnipro River.
Six explosions were heard in quick succession around 3:00 am in the capital. Two schools in central Kyiv sustained damage, as did a sporting facility near the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Stadium, home of Dynamo Kyiv Football Club. The area lies within Ukraine’s government quarter, close to the Mariinskyi Palace, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the presidential office.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced earlier this week that Ukraine had received additional Patriot systems but did not disclose the source. On 13th August, he stated that just 10 percent of US Patriot interceptor stocks would be sufficient to destroy all Russian ballistic missiles, and that 5 percent would cover the winter period when Russia is expected to renew strikes against civilian energy infrastructure.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the Ukrainian Air Force has stopped publishing the number of Russian ballistic missiles fired at Ukraine in its morning reports due to the negative narrative surrounding interception failures.
In Odesa, the overnight attack damaged infrastructure, an educational institution, and a high rise residential building. In Zaporizhzhia, at least seven people including three children were injured.
Ground War: Russian Push on Fortress Belt
Russian forces continue advancing around the cities of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Lyman, the last three major urban centres in eastern Ukraine forming part of the country’s fortress belt. The defensive line comprises five towns: Lyman in the north, followed southwards by Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka.
These urban settlements provide strategic advantages due to difficult urban warfare conditions and two river crossings that would impede any Russian advance. Should they fall, Russian forces could advance more easily across rural lowlands towards Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.
Russia’s Third Combined Arms Army is currently executing a pincer movement around the cities, with closest proximity to Kostiantynivka. Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov claimed this morning that Russian forces were 4 kilometres from the outskirts of Sloviansk and had breached the first defensive line of the Sloviansk Kramatorsk fortified area along a 160 kilometre front. Last week, Russian forces were 12 to 13 kilometres away.
Gerasimov claimed five villages had been taken. Several Ukrainian military analysts have warned the area has seen the fastest rate of territorial loss of any sector in 2025, though this slowed between April and May 2026. Russian troops have not yet been stopped.
Reporting from Kramatorsk, the Kyiv Independent described the city as “dying” in a special dispatch published yesterday. The city faces constant threat from FPV drones and glide bombs. Local authorities formally designated the city and surrounding villages along with Sloviansk as areas of active hostilities as of 21st August, enabling decisions on civilian safety and evacuation. Thirteen people have been killed and 150 wounded this month.
The Russian offensive faces a deadline with the coming winter, as lack of tree coverage will make units more vulnerable to surveillance and attack.
Secret Ukrainian Counterattack North of Lyman
Ukraine’s Third Army Corps appears to have pushed Russian forces back in a secret counterattack that began at the end of May, focusing on the village of Nove, according to analysts and Euromaidan Press. By the beginning of July, Ukrainian forces reportedly encircled the village.
Nove sits at the northern edge of a salient approximately 10 by 10 kilometres, allowing Ukrainian forces to fire artillery and drones south towards Russian troops. Further updates are expected in coming days.
Analysts sombrely predict Sloviansk and Kramatorsk could face siege either before the end of the year or in 2027.
Russian Refineries Offline
The Norsi refinery has halted production following drone strikes on the night of 25th to 26th August. It is the fourth largest refinery in Russia and the second largest producer of petrol. Lukoil was unable to state how long repairs would take or when crude processing could resume.
All of Lukoil’s major Russian refineries are currently offline. The Perm refinery halted operations following a drone strike on 21st August. In Volgograd, the refinery stopped operating after an attack at the end of July.
Satellite images show smoke billowing from a warehouse in Tambov, which the regional governor said was completely destroyed following a Ukrainian strike on Wildberries logistics infrastructure.
An explosion was also reported in St Petersburg where a Russian lieutenant colonel was reportedly killed and his wife injured, according to unconfirmed reports.
Diplomatic Developments
CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russia during his Moscow visit earlier this week not to escalate conflict with NATO, particularly regarding the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, according to Politico. He reportedly pressed Russia to reduce military and economic support for Iran.
Estonia and Latvia said this morning their overall assessment of Russia’s threat remains unchanged.
Two days after the meeting, Zelensky’s chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov said talks between Russians and Ukrainians could be revived as early as September, with the United States present.
Corruption Probe Developments
In Ukraine, the corruption investigation into Teimor Mind, the businessman accused of running a $100 million (approximately £76 million or €87 million) embezzlement scheme involving top officials and Ukraine’s state nuclear power company, has expanded.
Mind has been an associate of Zelensky since his comedian days, having co-owned a production company together. The probe led to the downfall of Zelensky’s former chief of staff Andriy Yermak almost a year ago.
Zelensky’s current chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov has allegedly appeared in recordings, with his name mentioned and his voice said to have been captured. Mind allegedly asked Budanov to take over Sense Bank’s cash flows. Budanov allegedly told his deputy “not to fight corruption, but to control it.”
In a comment to Ukrainian publication, Budanov said: “Let the court sort it out. You know, his name comes up in a lot of places.”
Hungary’s New Position
Hungary’s new Prime Minister Peter Magyar has formally condemned Russia’s military aggression and announced support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, formally breaking with Viktor Orban’s pro Russia foreign policy stance.
Magyar added that Russia’s conduct poses a threat to Hungary, Europe, and the global order, and that the Hungarian minority in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region was in serious danger.
The policy guidelines were published yesterday ahead of next month’s UN General Assembly in New York. They also recognise Kyiv’s right to self-defence and back negotiations towards sustainable peace and long term security guarantees.
Earlier this month, Magyar announced a review of Orban’s landmark nuclear deal with Moscow, backed by up to €10 billion (approximately £8.5 billion or $11 billion) in Russian financing.
Danish Shipyard Update
The Fayard shipyard in Denmark is about to receive a third Russian LNG tanker ahead of the EU sanctions deadline at the end of the year. The icebreaking Boris Davydov tanker, sailing under the Cyprus flag, has carried 50 cargos of Russian LNG worth about €1.9 billion (approximately £1.6 billion or $2.2 billion) since it was last serviced at Fayard in September 2023.
The shipyard will soon represent Denmark at an international trade fair. It is the last European shipyard to work on Russian tankers since the beginning of the full scale invasion.
Germany Considers Funding British Nuclear Deterrent
Germany is considering investing in Britain’s nuclear deterrent as it leads efforts to reinforce Europe’s nuclear defences, according to a Telegraph exclusive. One well placed source said Germany wanted to better integrate itself into existing British and French nuclear deterrence rather than pursue its own bomb.
Discussions between Paris, Berlin, and London have accelerated in recent months as Europe fears the Trump administration will withdraw its military from Europe. German officials believe they could assist Britain in building the next generation of submarines, missiles, or uranium enrichment for future warheads.
A diplomatic source in Germany said policymakers are “waking up each morning and asking themselves what the hell the Americans are going to do tomorrow.”
German Conscription Debate
Germany has not yet introduced conscription but faces intense debate on the issue. The CDU and SPD coalition partners disagreed, with the SPD concerned about political acceptability. A compromise involved sending compulsory surveys to all Germans turning 18, assessing suitability for military service.
The survey has seen a modest increase in Bundeswehr recruitment, but debate continues over whether this voluntary system will provide enough recruits to avoid conscription.
Russian Hybrid Warfare in Germany
The Leipzig incident involving explosive devices found on a Ukrainian cargo plane triggered significant debate in Germany. Russian operations typically use third parties, often locals or foreigners paid to carry out activities, making attribution difficult.
Russian operatives reportedly seek individuals already willing to commit criminal acts for money, sometimes targeting those with mental impairments who do not fully understand ramifications. They begin with rudimentary tasks such as posting letters, then gradually escalate, using accumulated compromising material as leverage.
The Russia House cultural institute in Berlin is widely suspected to be a front for Russian intelligence services, though the German government hesitates to close it due to concerns about retaliation against German cultural institutions in Russia.
AfD Rise and Regional Elections
Upcoming regional elections could see the hard right Alternative for Germany party win enough support to form a state government for the first time, particularly in Saxony Anhalt or Mecklenburg Vorpommern.
While foreign policy is set at federal level, an AfD state government would mark a significant step towards federal influence. The party has pushed for Russian language lessons on curricula, and some politicians have sung the communist GDR national anthem.
AfD popularity in East Germany stems from economic depression and migration concerns, alongside lingering pro Soviet sympathies in the former GDR. Some East Germans reportedly consider Germany part of the “Russkiy Mir” or Russian world.
The party claims neutrality rather than pro Russia positioning, similar to Hungary’s previous stance. However, AfD politicians are furious about Nord Stream pipeline sabotage and want cheap Russian gas flowing again to East Germany.
German Economic Crisis
Germany’s economy faces multiple challenges. The car industry is being “eaten alive by China,” according to Rothwell. The energy crisis shows no signs of improving, with the country having turned its back on nuclear energy and cheap Russian gas simultaneously.
The drought has lowered the Danube River, affecting transportation. Former Waffen SS soldiers’ remains were reportedly found on a motorbike in the river, now in Hungarian territory.
The economic situation has created an identity crisis at the heart of German society, with citizens questioning what the country excels at following the decline of automotive manufacturing and rail punctuality.
French Intelligence Warning
France’s domestic intelligence agency head Céline Berthon said France has seen a “meteoric increase” in Russian interference. Speaking at France’s annual business gathering in Paris, she said the Leipzig drone incident signals that “we must consider direct more violent hostile actions on our national soil as a possibility.”
She added: “What is striking is the diversification of attack vectors and methods. All of this effectively amounts to the onset of a war, not a military war and not necessarily one that is openly acknowledged, yet one that already involves attacks against the country.”
She warned interference could threaten elections next year. General Fabien Mandon, head of France’s armed forces, warned France is falling behind potential adversaries in developing low cost drones and defences against saturation attacks.
Remembering Oleksii Yukov
Oleksii Yukov, known as Ukraine’s “collector of souls” for his work recovering remains of soldiers and civilians on the front line, died at the beginning of the month after being killed by a landmine during a recovery mission.
His interest began as a teenager searching for remains on World War II battlefields in Ukraine. After the Russian invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014, he founded Platsdarm, meaning Bridge Head, to recover remains and provide dignified burials for the dead, Ukrainians and Russians alike.
In 2022, he lost an eye and sustained a leg injury from a mine. In the documentary “Ukraine’s Frontline Sacrifice,” he said: “If the body is not yet buried, the body remains with the soul. And until it is mourned, until its loved ones let it go, it cannot be reborn. The soul wanders and the war will not end as long as souls wander.”
Footage of the Kyiv air defence operations was released by the Ukrainian Air Force. Frontline updates were compiled from reports by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and independent military analysts.
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