Russia

Russia has released detained former US Marine Robert Gilman, whose deteriorating health in detention had drawn widespread attention.

Core Summary Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea to strike Ukrainian territory for the first time, killing at least six people and injuring 19 others. Zelensky warned that North Korean military assistance is expanding, with up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers potentially being sent to fight alongside Russian forces, posing a serious threat to European and global security. Event Details According to BBC reports, Ukraine and Russia continued striking each other overnight. Zelensky stated that strikes in Zaporizhzhia involved ballistic missiles from Russia’s ally North Korea, killing at least six and injuring at least 19. Meanwhile, Ukraine hit Wildberries warehouses in Voronezh in southern Russia. The company, known as Russia’s Amazon, has been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks. ...

The US Senate passed a comprehensive Russia sanctions bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, legislation that was negotiated by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The move marks a new phase in US-Russia policy and could have far-reaching implications for the Ukraine conflict and global geopolitical dynamics.

Summary Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced a crackdown on unlicensed crypto exchanges allegedly linked to Ukraine, arresting at least 20 individuals connected to a network that scammed Russian citizens. The operation is the latest in Russia’s recent push to strengthen crypto regulation. Details According to CoinDesk, the FSB stated these unlicensed exchanges were suspected of providing fund transfer channels for Ukrainian interests while defrauding Russian citizens of crypto assets. Those arrested include exchange operators, technical staff, and money laundering intermediaries. ...

Ukrainian drones struck a Wildberries logistics warehouse deep inside Russia, killing at least eight workers. The attack marks a significant escalation as civilian commercial infrastructure becomes a direct military target for the first time.

Satellite images show a Russian ship carrying armored personnel carriers and trucks through the English Channel to Africa, openly defying Western sanctions on Russia.

Three people were killed after a bomb detonated at a restaurant in Moscow. Security officials said a woman attempted to enter with explosives but was stopped by a guard.

Russian strikes on Kyiv have killed at least nine people, while Ukraine announced it sank a Russian container ship in the Black Sea.

Russia’s Investigative Committee filed criminal charges against Telegram founder Pavel Durov on July 29, accusing him of facilitating security threat activities through the platform. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and follow over 100 million rubles in fines imposed on Telegram this year.

Russia’s central bank has released draft rules for digital asset custody, requiring digital asset platforms to hold up to $2.8 million in liquid capital. This move paves the way for a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework coming this fall.