{"id":739995,"date":"2026-08-16T17:14:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T17:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/739995\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T17:14:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T17:14:15","slug":"ukraine-russia-war-latest-kyiv-blows-up-biggest-wildberries-hub-in-massive-drone-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/739995\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv blows up biggest Wildberries hub in massive drone attack"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Russian plot to assassinate Ukrainian-American in Warsaw foiled, Polish PM says<\/p>\n

A suspected Russian plot to assassinate a Ukrainian-American in Warsaw was foiled by Polish authorities, according to Polish prime minister Donald Tusk.<\/p>\n

The suspect, allegedly recruited by Russia\u2019s secret services, was arrested on 7 August.<\/p>\n

Police said that he will be in custody for an initial three months.<\/p>\n

Tusk said it was the first known attempt by \u201csomeone on the orders of Russia\u201d to target a US citizen on the territory of another Nato country.<\/p>\n

The target was reportedly a US citizen of Ukrainian origin who was considered \u201cuncomfortable for Putin\u2019s regime\u201d, Tusk said during a press conference.<\/p>\n

The operation involved US and Polish intelligence cooperation, Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland\u2019s minister overseeing intelligence services, said.<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 18:02<\/p>\n

<\/a>Watch: Kyiv bombs Russian naval base on Black SeaKyiv bombs Russian naval base on Black Sea<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 17:00<\/p>\n

<\/a>Civilian deaths in Ukraine jumped in July as Russia hit cities, says UN<\/p>\n

Civilian casualties from the war in Ukraine rose by nearly a third month-on-month in July, to the highest level since May 2022, as Russia struck \u2060towns and cities far from the battlefield with missiles and drones, the UN said.<\/p>\n

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said in a report that it had confirmed at least 437 civilians killed and 2,610 injured in July, a 30% rise from June and a 70% jump from the same month last year.<\/p>\n

Long-range weapons, such \u2060as missiles and drones, remained the leading cause of civilian \u200bdeaths \u2060last month, accounting for 38% of the total.<\/p>\n

“Most casualties from these weapons occurred far from the frontline in urban centres,” the UN report said.<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 16:01<\/p>\n

<\/a>British drones used in Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia for first time, says report<\/p>\n

In an indication of strengthening military ties between the UK and Kyiv, Ukrainian army sources told The Times<\/a> that drones made by two British companies have been used in the past six months to attack targets including oil refineries in Volgograd and near Moscow<\/a> and logistics hubs.<\/p>\n

The intensifying drone attacks, which have also targeted transport infrastructure and sites belonging to Russia\u2019s largest online retailer, Wildberries, have been crucial in inflicting heavy damage on Moscow\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 15:34<\/p>\n

<\/a>In pictures: Kyiv in flames after major Russian attack\"UkrainianUkrainian rescuers use a water hose as they work to extinguish a fire at the site of a Russian strike in Kyiv on August 16 (AFP\/Getty)\"BooksellerBookseller Alexander Bahlai reacts as firefighters try to put out a fire at a city book market (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)\"FirefightersFirefighters try to put out a fire at a city book market following a Russian missile attack in Kyiv (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 15:20<\/p>\n

<\/a>Russia asks US and Turkey to explain reports of plans to arm Ukraine further<\/p>\n

Russia has asked Washington and Ankara to explain reports of possible plans to transfer to Kyiv a “substantial arsenal” of US weapons and ammunition held by Turkey, the spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Such \u2060a transfer would cause “serious harm … to our bilateral relations with Washington and \u200cAnkara,” spokeswoman Maria \u200bZakharova \u200csaid in \u2060a statement.<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 14:40<\/p>\n

<\/a>Russian strike on apartment block in southeastern Ukraine kills baby, local officials say<\/p>\n

A Russian strike on an apartment block in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday killed a three-month-old baby and wounded 11 people, local officials said.<\/p>\n

Drones hit the building in the town of Marhanets, said Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, hundreds of mourners gathered in Kyiv at a memorial ceremony dedicated to 3-year-old Dmytro Kucher and his grandparents, Halyna and Petro Kucher, who were killed by a Russian drone strike on August 8.<\/p>\n

Multiple Russian drones destroyed the family\u2019s home in the Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv. An initial ceremony was held at Kyiv\u2019s Spaskyi Lyceum, where Halyna had served as school principal for more than 20 years, before moving to a churchyard in the suburb of Zazymia, close to the former family home.<\/p>\n

The couple\u2019s son, Oleksandr Kucher, said that his parents had been together since the fifth grade. \u201cThey died together,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Shahed (drone) completely tore my mother apart. We recovered only about two kilograms (about 4.4 pounds) of her remains.\u201d<\/p>\n

He described his 3-year-old son, Dmytro, as \u201cour little miracle\u201d and \u201cthe soul of our family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe kept my parents, me and our entire family going,\u201d Kucher said. Russia’s Ministry of Defense also said Saturday that it had targeted warehouses and infrastructure at the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Izmail and Yuzhnyi.Ukraine\u2019s Air Force said that Russia launched 152 drones over the country Saturday, of which 124 were destroyed.<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 14:10<\/p>\n

<\/a>Why Putin is testing Japan\u2019s limits with visit to contested Pacific islands<\/p>\n

For a few hours last week, the volcanic island of Iturup became the stage for a confrontation that had been decades in the making.<\/p>\n

Vladimir Putin<\/a>, accompanied by the governor of the Sakhalin region, toured a fish-processing complex, a hospital and a school on the island. For Russia<\/a>, it was a routine presidential visit to a remote territory. For neighbouring Japan<\/a>, its symbolism was hard to miss.<\/p>\n

Prime minister Sanae Takaichi<\/a> described Putin\u2019s visit to the island as \u201cabsolutely unacceptable\u201d while foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russia\u2019s ambassador to protest.<\/p>\n

Putin\u2019s visit wasn\u2019t simply a territorial dispute being replayed. It was a statement about the changing security order around Japan.<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 13:45<\/p>\n

<\/a>Watch: Ukraine drone commander says Crimea strikes could rise seven-fold if Western funds arrive fasterUkraine drone commander says Crimea strikes could rise seven-fold if Western funds arrive faster<\/p>\n

Alex Croft16 August 2026 13:20<\/p>\n

<\/a>Russia says it has taken two villages in eastern Ukraine<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve just heard from Russia’s Defence Ministry which said on Sunday that its forces have taken the village of Pershomarivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region<\/p>\n

The ministry said that Moscow\u2019s forces have also sezied Kudiivka in the northeastern Kharkiv region, state news agency TASS reported. <\/p>\n

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