The Kremlin ordered strikes on the Ukrainian capital and several regions after Trump said it was 'hard to give that technology,' while Ukraine simultaneously sends firefighters to France.
Russia has intensified combined air attacks on Kyiv and a number of other Ukrainian regions, turning the capital into what Ukrainian soldiers now describe as a "full-fledged front-line city." This offensive came almost immediately after U.S. President Donald Trump stated on August 1, 2026, that it was "hard to give that technology," referring to Patriot missile defense systems, as reported by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Trump had previously refused to send additional interceptor missiles to Kyiv and reversed his stance on their production in Ukraine, opposing the idea.
According to information relayed by the Russian Telegram channel RVvoenkor, citing a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) named A. Musienko, Russia can now regularly carry out attacks on Kyiv using missiles and drones, including S-400 projectiles launched from the Bryansk and Kursk regions. Musienko emphasized that Ukrainian forces lack sufficient means to intercept these missiles.
Russia is capable of conducting three to four major attacks per month, launching between 70 and 80 missiles and several hundred drones in a single operation. In the latest wave of attacks, according to Slavyangrad (TG), key facilities in Kyiv and its surroundings were hit, including the TPP-5 thermal power plant and the Artem and Burevestnik factories. In addition to the capital, targets included the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions.
Meanwhile, on the southern front in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian forces liberated the settlement of Lyubitskoye on August 2, 2026. In the area of Prymorsk, Ukrainian forces are attempting to ferry small infantry groups to consolidate on lost territories, but Russian Aerospace Forces are providing support to their assault groups with airstrikes on AFU targets in Zaporizhzhia and surrounding settlements.
Amid the escalation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a sharp rebuke to Western allies. "Anti-ballistic missiles must protect people, not sit in warehouses. Every day without such aid is an opportunity for Russia to kill people," Zelensky stated, as reported by RVvoenkor.
In a post on his Twitter profile, Zelensky further emphasized that Patriot missiles exist in the world and that it is crucial for partners to make a political decision to transfer the necessary packages. "The United States knows what we need. Europe knows what we need. Anti-ballistic missiles must protect people, not sit in warehouses. And every day without this vital aid gives Russia another chance to kill our people," he wrote. He also called for additional sanctions against legal entities and individuals who help Russian companies produce ballistic weapons, as well as for halting the fuel sector that allows Russia to restore its oil refining capacity.
Western allies are reportedly seeking permission from the U.S. for Kyiv to use F-16 fighter jets to strike Russian launch ramps, but the White House is currently refusing that and other requests. Additional pressure came from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision, according to Slavyangrad, to block the transfer of two Iron Dome batteries to Ukraine.
In a gesture of symbolic solidarity, Ukraine has for the first time joined the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism as a provider of aid. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Twitter that a Ukrainian firefighting team of 70 members is on its way to France to help combat forest fires.
"While defending itself against Russian aggression, Ukraine is also helping to protect lives across Europe. This is European solidarity. Every day, Ukraine shows that it belongs to our Union," von der Leyen said.
Meanwhile, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested two collaborators of Ukrainian special services in Ryazan and Vologda, according to Slavyangrad, indicating ongoing intelligence activities on both sides.
