A Just Russia

A report from The Sun claims Russia is suffering losses of around 2,000 troops per day, with a fatality rate of 60% among its casualties in the war against Ukraine. The figures are presented as part of an analysis of Russian battle plans and mounting battlefield losses. The report has drawn wide attention, with readers debating the accuracy of the numbers and what they mean for the course of the war.

Russia has started rationing fuel after a large-scale Ukrainian drone strike hit key energy and fuel facilities. Reports say Ukrainian long-range drone technology is outpacing Russian jet-powered drones and air defences, damaging refineries and disrupting supply. The shortages have forced regional restrictions on petrol and diesel, deepening pressure on Russia's wartime economy and energy infrastructure.

The Times reports that President Putin is preparing a base intended for 'doomsday' nuclear strikes. The claim, revealed through the newspaper's reporting, suggests Russian preparation of facilities linked to nuclear strike capability. Details of the base's location, purpose and timeline were not provided in the available material, and the report is likely to fuel ongoing concern about Russia's nuclear posture amid the war in Ukraine.

German news outlet DER SPIEGEL has released 'Inside Russia (2)', a documentary on SPIEGEL TV presenting exclusive reporting on daily life under Vladimir Putin's increasingly isolated regime. The film examines how sanctions, wartime censorship and political repression are reshaping Russian society as the invasion of Ukraine continues. Viewers are sharing and discussing the footage widely, drawn to rare glimpses of conditions inside a country largely closed to independent foreign media.

South Korea has voiced anger toward Ukraine over the fate of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. The dispute centres on what Seoul sees as its rightful claim over the prisoners and questions about their interrogation, transfer and eventual repatriation. The case has drawn attention to the broader issue of North Korean troops serving in Russia's war against Ukraine and the diplomatic friction it creates between Kyiv and Seoul.

The United States is drawing down its military presence in Iraq, and regional and global powers are moving to fill the vacuum. Analysts warn that Iran, and potentially other actors such as China and Russia, will compete for influence over Baghdad's politics, security arrangements and energy policy. Observers say the withdrawal could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East and test Iraq's ability to assert its own sovereignty.

Russian opposition figure Maxim Katz has published a video explaining why the European Union removed Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov from its sanctions list. According to the headline, the piece examines the EU's decision to delist the two Russian oligarchs and what that move means for sanctions policy against Russia's business elite.

Denis Alipov, Russia's envoy to India, said the United States would never allow India to become the next China as a strategic competitor. The remark, made in New Delhi, has drawn wide attention in India, with many debating whether Washington views New Delhi as a genuine partner or seeks to keep its rise in check amid shifting US-Russia-India dynamics.

Russia is sending the remains of medieval princes and Orthodox saints to the front lines, according to CNN reporting on the growing fusion of the Russian military and the Orthodox Church. Relics of figures like Alexander Nevsky are being paraded and venerated as the Kremlin frames the war in Ukraine as a holy cause, and the practice is drawing attention to how far religion has been enlisted in the war effort.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the United States and Russia to negotiate a new nuclear arms treaty, warning that growing risks surrounding nuclear weapons require renewed agreement between the two largest nuclear powers. The appeal comes amid the lapse of key arms control frameworks and rising global tensions, prompting discussion of the future of nuclear diplomacy.

Paris Saint-Germain is drawing attention in Russia after its president publicly called on Aleksander Čeferin to stand again in the election for UEFA president. The appeal puts the French club at the centre of talk about the future leadership of European football, with fans and pundits debating what PSG's intervention means for Čeferin's plans and for UEFA's upcoming vote.

An Atlantic Council analysis argues Vladimir Putin now faces only two paths in Ukraine: achieving total victory or being locked into an endless war. The piece frames the conflict as a stalemate in which compromise outcomes are increasingly unlikely, with Russia either escalating or continuing a prolonged, attritional fight. The argument is drawing attention amid ongoing debate over the war's trajectory and prospects for negotiations.

Discussion is focusing on the Golden Dome initiative, a proposed missile defense shield for the United States, and its implications for nuclear deterrence. Analysts are weighing whether large-scale missile defenses strengthen security or undermine strategic stability by prompting rivals to expand their arsenals. The debate touches on deterrence theory, defense spending, and how adversaries such as Russia and China might respond to a deployed shield.

The Kremlin has said Russia opposes Iran withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, according to a report carried by The Jerusalem Post. The statement comes amid heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear programme, and signals Moscow's position as international debate intensifies over whether Tehran could abandon the accord that constrains nuclear weapons development.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an increase of 15,000 troops to the country's armed forces, according to Al Jazeera, which examines the reasons behind the decision. The move extends the ongoing expansion of Russia's military since the invasion of Ukraine, and observers are weighing what it signals about Moscow's war plans and manpower needs.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the United States and Russia to negotiate a replacement for the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms reduction agreement between the two countries. His appeal comes amid concerns over the future of global arms control, with the treaty's expiration approaching and relations between Washington and Moscow at a low point.

Ukrainian human rights defenders, former civilian prisoners released from Russian captivity, and relatives of people still held by Russia addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, calling on European politicians to raise the release of civilian prisoners at every negotiation with Moscow. The activists argue that the fate of unlawfully detained civilians must be a standing item on all negotiation agendas.

Ukraine's treatment and status of North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces has become the subject of dispute. The central questions are what should happen to the prisoners, whether Kyiv can hold on to them, and whether any should be returned or used in future exchanges. The matter touches on international law, Kyiv's relations with Seoul and Washington, and North Korea's deepening role in the war.

Russia's ambassador to South Sudan has met with representatives of the country's National Elections Commission, according to an announcement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The talks reportedly concerned cooperation around the Republic's electoral process. Details of what was discussed have not been published beyond the ministry's statement announcing the meeting.

Russia's foreign ministry announced the opening of an exhibition titled 'Ordinary Nazism' at the Russian Embassy in South Sudan. The display is part of Moscow's broader efforts to present its historical narratives abroad, and the ministry publicized the event through its official channels. Details about attendees or the exhibition's contents have not been disclosed.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has approved a long-range operations plan for October after meeting with Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara and senior military officials in charge of planning Ukrainian weapons production. The endorsement signals Kyiv's continued push to expand domestic arms manufacturing and long-range strike capabilities as the war with Russia grinds on, with October expected to see intensified operations.

Russia is set to allocate roughly $202 billion to defense in 2027, according to a Ukraine Brief report. The figure underscores the scale of Moscow's continued military investment as the war in Ukraine grinds on, and is drawing attention among observers tracking how long Russia can sustain elevated wartime spending.

President Trump has made a new appeal to Russia, a move that analysts warn could provoke anger not only among opponents but also among his own supporters and allies. The Atlantic reports that the outreach may test the loyalty of his political base, given continued tensions over the war in Ukraine and long-standing Republican skepticism toward Moscow.