August 23 marks Ukraine’s National Flag Day. On this day, an air raid alert was declared in Kyiv due to another wave of drone attacks—most of which were intercepted by Ukrainian air defense. Official sources report that 36 out of 49 drones were shot down, while the remaining ones hit targets in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy regions. There are also reports of strikes on facilities in Russia.
Diplomatic activity remained high. Donald Trump’s special envoy, Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv to attend Independence Day events and discuss security guarantees and the ongoing talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war. The visit takes place against the backdrop of trilateral consultations involving the US, Ukraine, and Europe. Progress is limited as the main negotiators are now US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s special representative Steve Vitkov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again stated that he rejects any territorial concessions for the sake of a peace deal. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia has no unfriendly countries and has never started any wars, blaming Western 'elites' instead.
Azerbaijan and Russia signed a new economic agreement despite recent tensions over energy market incidents. The protocol was signed by Deputy Prime Ministers Alexey Overchuk and Shahin Mustafayev, focusing on energy cooperation and transport development.
Meanwhile, workers at Russia’s Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery—one of the largest in southern Russia—have not received their salaries for five months following attacks. Employees have appealed to local authorities, but no solution has been reached.
The EU continues to discuss Ukrainian strikes on Russian pipelines and its own approach to energy security. Bundestag Vice-Chair Omid Nouripour spoke out in favor of increased support for Ukraine, especially in arms supply and sanctions against Russia.
The US has replaced its Pentagon intelligence chief, apparently due to internal disputes over policy regarding Iran and Russia.
In summary, the international situation around Ukraine remains tense: diplomatic consultations continue, energy crisis risks persist, and economic agreements are being revised amid warfare and sanctions. Regional events continue to be a focus for world leaders and experts.
