August 28 was marked by a series of major events. Beijing is preparing for a large summit where leaders from China, Russia, North Korea, Serbia, and others will gather. One of the main topics is expected to be the announcement of a new world order, according to China's Xi Jinping.
The previous night was particularly destructive for Kyiv. Russia launched 598 drones and 31 missiles at Ukraine. Of 629 air attack assets, 589 were intercepted, including 563 drones. As a result, at least 12 people were killed in Kyiv, including three children, and 45 were injured. Residential areas suffered damage, with numerous buildings hit in Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, Solomianskyi, and other districts.
Similar strikes occurred in Kyiv region, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, and Kherson. In Vinnytsia, energy and residential infrastructure was damaged, leaving 60,000 consumers without power.
Despite the attacks, railway service in Kyiv will resume using reserve trains.
Ukraine responded with drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar Krai (Afipsky refinery) and Samara region (Novokuibyshevsky refinery). As of today, 21% of Russia's refining capacity has been taken offline by Ukrainian drone attacks.
Advanced drone technology remains highly relevant: Ukraine is negotiating for technology sales to the US and potential data sharing with allies, while carefully protecting its battlefield intellectual property and data.
Diplomatically, talks are ongoing at several levels. Ukrainian negotiators are holding meetings in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and the US. Discussions include the issue of frozen Russian assets, confiscation mechanisms, and support for Ukraine.
In the US, politicians are divided over immediate confiscation of Russian assets, but most citizens support stronger sanctions against Russia's partners. Likewise, the EU is considering expanding sanctions on countries helping Russia circumvent restrictions.
Europe is ramping up arms production. A new ammunition plant opened in Germany, aiming to produce up to 2 million shells by the end of the year. This is significant given the ongoing war and growing NATO demand.
Meanwhile, Russia's economy shows signs of stagnation: in July, growth was just 0.4% year-on-year, several industries entered recession, and military expenditures reached 8.5 trillion rubles—almost half the state budget.
Global tension remains high, with future developments hinging on decisions made at the upcoming Beijing summit.
