Russia is expanding its campaign of hybrid attacks against countries that supply weapons and money to Kyiv and has caught Europe without a plan to respond. From cyber attacks to armed drones and mysterious cases of arson, tensions are rising across the continent as the war in Ukraine is set to enter its fifth winter. Just this month, Poland said it thwarted an attempted assassination of a U.S. citizen originally from Ukraine that was ordered by Russia, while Estonia accused Moscow of being behind a fire at a drone-maker. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that those responsible for hybrid attacks "will pay the price" after an explosive-laden drone was discovered at an airport in Leipzig near a Ukrainian cargo plane, raising speculation that Moscow was involved in an attempted strike. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

A pilot project will use AI-optimised sensors in buried fibre-optic cables to detect different kinds of movement at a UK defence site. A pilot project will use AI-optimised sensors in buried fibre-optic cables to detect different kinds of movement at a UK defence site. Mon 24 Aug 2026 14.16 EDTLast modified on Tue 25 Aug 2026 00.13 EDT AI models trained on Ukrainian battlefield data will be used to stop protesters and foreign states targeting UK defence sites, railways and energy plants under a deal struck between London and Kyiv. Private companies will also be given access to the vast trove of data from Ukraineâ s Avengers AI lab to help build new systems, the first agreement of its kind in the UK. The scheme will be piloted at a UK defence site, building a model to identify protesters or a hostile-state attack.

Is UK's Storm Shadow missile a game changer for Ukraine? To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Is UK's Storm Shadow missile a game changer for Ukraine? The UK has handed secret blueprints to Ukraine that will allow the country to build its own long-range cruise missiles. The announcement came during Andy Burnham's first visit to Kyiv as prime minster, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The UK is set to hand over blueprints for its British-French designed Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine - following a similar move from France - allowing Ukraine to produce the weapon domestically. The move sends an important signal, showing that some Western nations are willing to share their expertise and know how to help Ukraine defend itself. But, on its own, this won't dramatically alter the course of the war. Scalp and Storm Shadow missiles have already been provided to Kyiv by both Britain and France. They've already been used to hit military targets inside Russia.

Russia's second-biggest online retailer targeted in Ukrainian strikes Warehouses belonging to Russia's second-largest online retailer have been hit by a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes. Ozon said its logistics facilities in the southern regions of Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol and Adygea were on fire and several people had been injured following overnight strikes. Ukraine has for weeks struck sites belonging to Wildberries, the country's biggest online retailer, describing the firm as a legitimate target because it supplied components to the military, which Moscow denies. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Ukraine had opened Pandora's box by striking economic targets and that Russia would hit back at Kyiv's most sensitive economic sectors. Russia has targeted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, and recent Russian attacks have hit Ukrainian warehouses and cargo terminals. Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians.

Is the war entering a new phase? Ukraine's allies convene in Kyiv as Zelenskyy seeks air defence boost Ukraine will host a meeting with its key European allies to discuss air defence and press for greater pressure on Moscow as Russia continues to escalate missile attacks. The "Coalition of the Willing" meeting in Kyiv on Monday will be jointly chaired by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany, with most leaders expected to join by video call and a small number of foreign dignitaries attending in person. European Council President Antonio Costa is also set to attend in person. Kyiv is expected to seek additional interceptor missiles from allies after weeks of Russian missile and drone attacks that have driven record numbers of the capital city's residents to metro stations and basements to seek shelter.

Zelensky has'questions to answer' about corruption in his government, sacked minister tells BBC To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has questions to answer about corruption in his government, his sacked defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has told the BBC. Fedorov, a popular minister who modernised the armed forces and pioneered drone warfare, was fired last month after reportedly falling out with the head of Ukraine's armed forces. He told the BBC a money laundering investigation announced last week raised questions about Zelensky's awareness of potential corruption in his inner circle. Fedorov also reiterated that democracy should not be the hostage of Putin - but stopped short of declaring his own political ambitions days after he posted a video calling for elections in Ukraine. Supporters have protested on Kyiv's streets weekly since he was sacked, calling on the president to reinstate him.

Is the war entering a new phase? Russian aerial strikes on Ukraine have killed at least six people and injured 26 others, while a Ukrainian drone attack hit a house in southern Russia, killing two children and injuring their parents, officials on both sides said. Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed on Saturday morning that one person was killed in a warehouse fire in the Darnytskyi district following an overnight Russian ballistic missile attack. In Donetsk region, Russian attacks left one person dead and seven wounded, including five in the front-line city of Kramatorsk, according to regional governor Vadym Filashkin, local media reported. In the Sumy region, a drone strike on a house killed one man, while six others were hurt in separate drone attacks across the region, regional officials said, according to reports.

Image caption, The Sunday Times says British drones strike targets inside Russia, reporting that drones made by two UK companies have been supplied to Ukraine and used to attack the Russian mainland for the first time. Citing Ukrainian sources, it explains that Kyiv's deep-strike campaign involves targeting oil refineries, naval bases, logistics hubs and transport networks inside Russia. Image caption, The Sunday Telegraph leads with new plans backed by the government which could see water companies given the green light to increase bills at times of high demand. It explains that firms could impose surge pricing and factor water scarcity into bills, meaning they could charge more in droughts. A government spokesperson tells the paper that the new system could cut bills for more consumers, while it quotes water campaigners warning that it could see suppliers penalising consumers for their own failures.

A massive Ukrainian drone and missile strike on Russia's port of Novorossiysk has damaged two major grain export terminals and hit the last big Russian naval base on the Black Sea, reports say. Three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed and another 24 injured in the overnight attack, local officials said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had launched rockets, jet and naval drones in a unique operation to strike the Russian base, although he did not mention grain terminals being hit. Ukraine's military later said four Russian warships, including two frigates, were hit. Russia has not commented on the issue.