Facing increasing confrontations with the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin looks eastward to restore his country's standing in the region at a major summit in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.
Read More

---

With at least 38 people killed in Russian air attacks on the Kyiv region on August 28-29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "terrible negligence" was a factor in the high death toll. Ukrainian authorities have pledged to investigate why a weapons storage depot was located close to a populated area. Secondary explosions after the depot was hit by Russian drones were thought to have caused deaths and factored in dozens of injuries.
Read More

---

Ukraine's drone industry has boomed since Russia's invasion, but it still relies on critical Chinese components. A waiver of EU procurement rules underscores Kyiv's uncomfortable wartime dependence on Beijing.
Read More

---

Ukrainian rescue crews early on August 30 continued to search for victims of the deadly Russian attack outside of Kyiv, while local residents -- as well as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy -- demanded answers as to why explosives were stored in a warehouse so near private housing.
Read More

---

KYIV -- The death toll from an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukraine’s Bucha district in the Kyiv region has risen to 37, as rescue operations continued on August 29 and officials fear that the toll could rise further.
Read More

---

US President Donald Trump told reporters that he does not believe Moscow will attack a NATO nation amid rising concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin will strike a Baltic country or other member state to test the Western alliance’s resolve.
Read More

---

After a Ukrainian drone operator spotted an SOS sign outside a destroyed home in the Donetsk region, a three-day rescue mission was launched to save a couple who were the last remaining residents of their frontline village. Video released by Ukraine’s 141st Separate Mechanized Brigade on August 17 shows how soldiers guided the couple 15 kilometers on foot to safety under the constant threat of Russian drones and shelling.
Read More

---

CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise trip to Moscow this week was intended to warn Russia against attacking NATO countries -- particularly Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- sources familiar with the visit have told RFE/RL.
Read More

---

A letter seen by RFE/RL highlights mounting concern over Russian threats to the Baltic States. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are boosting defenses and embracing new technology, but funding uncertainty, delayed projects, and gaps in capabilities raise questions about their readiness.
Read More

---

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow on August 25, US officials confirmed to RFE/RL, a rare trip that comes as Washington’s efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine have stalled and tensions over Moscow’s relationship with Iran have intensified.
Read More

---

Volunteers in the Penza region town of Bashmakovo have formed patrols to prevent military recruiters from taking local men to fight in Ukraine, an unusual grassroots response to the Russian state’s increasingly aggressive efforts to find troops for the war
Read More

---

For four years in Russian captivity, Ukrainian marine Oleksandr Ivanov retold the entire Harry Potter series from memory to his fellow prisoners. The defender of Mariupol says the stories gave them something to look forward to. After his release in a prisoner exchange, Ivanov received a letter from the author of the books, J.K. Rowling. But, he says, he wishes he had never had a reason to receive it.
Read More

---