In a move that will surprise absolutely no one, Ukraine has continued its long-running tradition of turning Russian oil refineries into impromptu bonfires. A Ukrainian drone attack on Nizhnekamsk, a city about 1,000 kilometers inside Russia, killed 12 people and wounded 39 others, according to Russian authorities. The city hosts a major oil refinery - one that Ukraine has already visited once this June, because why not make it a recurring event?
Russia claimed to have shot down 456 Ukrainian drones, though they conveniently left out how many actually made it through. In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy linked the strikes to putting pressure on Moscow, saying, "The only reason this is still continuing is Russia's unwillingness to end this war." Agencies called it one of Kyiv's deadliest attacks since the full-scale war began in 2022. So, progress?
Meanwhile, in a subplot that could only come from European politics, Spain and Italy are having a spat over border checks. Madrid reintroduced checks on visitors from Italy after Rome did the same following a mass rush of people from Morocco into Ceuta. Italy's foreign minister called the move "completely unacceptable," as tourists faced delays. Because nothing says "European unity" like making holidaymakers queue longer.
Elsewhere, a fire broke out at an industrial facility in Russia's Tyumen region in Siberia after several drones fell on it, according to Governor Alexander Moor on Telegram. The UN Security Council is set to meet on Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees held by Russia, with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha promising "first-hand testimonies" of systematic torture and abuse. The meeting, called by Latvia, the UK, and Ukraine, aims to highlight the urgent need for international access and accountability.
The World Health Organization chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reported that a WHO warehouse in Dnipro was destroyed in strikes on Friday. "I cannot say loudly enough: attacks on health care must stop," he posted. "Even wars have rules. One of those is that health must be protected!" Clearly, someone forgot to send that memo to the bombers.
Ukraine's military confirmed it hit the Taneko oil refinery in Tatarstan overnight, with a fire recorded at the facility, per Reuters. And in a move that has everyone scratching their heads, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni released a joint statement vowing to "protect" Europe's "Christian cultural heritage." The statement, posted on Facebook with a smiling photo of the two, says they expect foreigners to "respect European values" and not "impose a way of life on us that we do not want." Because nothing says "center-left" like cozying up to the far-right.
The two, who call themselves "the only two female heads of government in the EU," plan to set up "departure centres in third countries" and "other innovative solutions outside Europe." They claim illegal migration has had "negative consequences for our societies." Frederiksen's embrace of right-wing immigration politics is growing, despite leading a left-leaning coalition, and it's proving influential across the Nordics and among UK Labour politicians.
Russian investigators have opened a criminal case into the Nizhnekamsk attack, calling it a terrorist act, with a child among the dead. Tatarstan's head, Rustam Minnikhanov, declared a period of mourning. The refinery, one of Russia's most technologically advanced, was hit. Ukraine had no immediate comment.
The Russian central bank advised creditors to support businesses affected by Ukrainian attacks on logistics centers and warehouses, suggesting loan restructurings. At least 20 Wildberries warehouses have been attacked since 18 July. Zelenskyy also claimed up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers will be deployed in Russia, up from an earlier estimate of 30,000, and called on South Korea for air defense support. "North Korea will continue to build its experience in modern warfare, receive licences from Russia, and receive all kinds of military tools," he said.
Finally, at least five people died in a Russian strike on Ukraine's Kharkiv region, with a massive artillery attack on the village of Bugaivka in the Chuguiv district, destroying houses and killing five, per the regional prosecutor's office. Because when diplomacy fails, artillery is always there to pick up the slack.