Dozens dead after Russian drone attack on busy shopping mall in Zelensky’s hometownOn The Ground Newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch of international news French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that Paris will send new interceptor missiles to Ukraine as Russia steps up its airstrike on kyiv. Macron, in a post on X, expressed his “horror” at the Russian attack on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rig, which killed at least 16 people. “I announced to President Zelensky the strengthening of our support, with the delivery of interceptors and the continuation of our cooperation…” Macron said. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin recalled Russia’s ambassador from London, accusing Britain of taking the “path of confrontation.” Andrey Kelin, who served as Russia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom for more than seven years, left his post on July 21, The Times reports. Moscow is understood to have not sought to name a replacement amid fears of a diplomatic rift. It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK continues to “support Ukraine 100 per cent” after Moscow threatened consequences over the reported use of British drones for strikes deep into Russia. Putin warned that kyiv has “opened Pandora’s box” after a campaign of Ukrainian attacks killed at least 10 people in Russia. Russia has lost 1,476,580 soldiers in Ukraine, report claims It has lost around 1,476,580 soldiers in Ukraine since the start of its large-scale invasion in February 2022, The Kyiv Independent reported. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shared a report on Telegram showing that Russia has lost 12,292 tanks, 25,202 armored fighting vehicles, 138,219 vehicles and fuel tanks, 48,451 artillery systems, 2,054 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,584 air defense systems, 439 aircraft, 354 helicopters, 474,641 unmanned aerial vehicles. vehicles, 2,352 unmanned ground systems, 5,052 cruise missiles, 35 ships and vessels, two submarines and 4,569 special equipment. Rebecca Whittaker August 23, 2026 08:45 Summary: Ukraine retaliates for Russia’s ‘double tap’ attack on shopping mall Ukrainian drones targeted a Russian oil refinery and an online retail warehouse, injuring several people in the Samara region on Saturday. The attacks followed a Russian “double tap” attack on a shopping mall in central Ukraine that killed 16 people and injured more than 130. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the mall attack as a “terrorist act” and promised a strong response. At least nine people, including two children, remained missing Saturday and are believed to be trapped under the rubble of the shopping center. Subsequent nighttime Russian drone and missile strikes killed two more people in kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. Rebecca WhittakerAugust 23, 2026 08:15Watch: Dozens dead after Russian drone attack on busy shopping center in Zelensky’s hometownDozens dead after Russian drone attack on busy shopping center in Zelensky’s hometownRebecca WhittakerAugust 23, 2026 07:46Putin says Ukraine opened ‘Pandora’s box’ with attacks on economic targetsThe Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments published yesterday that kyiv had opened “Pandora’s Box” with its attacks on Russian economic targets, saying Russia would hit back at Ukraine’s “most sensitive economic sectors.” “The kyiv regime set out to damage our economy. What did it do? It opened this Pandora’s box. Well, then, expect a response aimed at its most sensitive economic sectors,” Putin said in comments to a Russian state television journalist. Ukraine has this summer intensified a campaign of drone strikes against Russian economic infrastructure, including oil refineries and online retailers’ warehouses, seeking to destroy infrastructure it says is critical to Russia’s war effort. Alisha Rahaman SarkarAugust 23, 2026 07:00Supermarket manager under investigation for keeping business open even after airstrike alertPolice in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast have launched criminal proceedings against the manager of the shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, which was hit by a Russian strike that killed at least 16 people. Officials said the manager was being investigated for negligence after the business allegedly remained open during an air raid warning and during the Russian war strike. Alisha Rahaman SarkarAugust 23, 2026 06:30Putin says Ukraine peace proposal ‘exotic’ and ‘unacceptable’. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was willing to engage in peace talks with Ukraine, but only “based on the realities on the ground.” He stated that the proposal sent by Ukraine was unacceptable. “At the same time, the proposals presented to us are sometimes, I would say, quite exotic and unacceptable. We are always ready for dialogue, but only based on the realities on the ground,” Putin said. Alisha Rahaman SarkarAugust 23, 2026 06:00 Odessa grandmothers care for Ukraine’s stray animals Even after a night of intense shelling, Olga wakes up at dawn and prepares to feed Odessa’s cats. “This city is my whole life,” the 74-year-old tells The Independent. Every day, he tends to the 50 cats that wander among the rubble and burned buildings of his neighborhood, a constant target of Vladimir Putin’s bombs. Olga’s husband and son have been dead for some time, but she does not feel alone and says she has long stopped panicking when air raid sirens sound.Alisha Rahaman SarkarAugust 23, 2026 05:30France to send interceptor missiles to UkraineFrench President Emmanuel Macron has announced that Paris will send new interceptor missiles to Ukraine as Russia intensifies its air attack on kyiv. Macron, in a post on X, expressed his “horror” at the attack on Kryvyi Rig, which killed at least 16 people. “By systematically attacking civilians and choosing intimidation and escalation, Russia is probably seeking to project strength, but above all it is signaling an admission of weakness,” Macron said. “In this context, it is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its airspace and repel this aggression.” Macron said he had informed Zelensky that France would deploy interceptor missiles in Ukraine. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar August 23, 2026 05:00 Summary: At least 10 killed in Ukrainian strikes in Russia Ukrainian drones killed at least 10 people in strikes on targets across Russia and Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine, including a warehouse owned by online retailer Ozon and an industrial facility, Russian officials said on Saturday. Russia and Ukraine are stepping up their drone campaigns aimed at crippling each other’s economic infrastructure, often striking targets far beyond the war’s front lines, as battlefield fighting approaches the four-and-a-half year mark. On Friday, at least 16 people were killed and more than 130 injured when several Russian drones attacked a shopping center in central Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Ukraine’s attacks, which kyiv says are aimed at cutting off funding for Moscow’s war effort, had opened a “Pandora’s box” of Russian retaliation. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to accelerate the delivery of new French equipment to Ukraine, after discussing the shortage of air defenses in kyiv in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Nicole Wootton-CaneAugust 23, 2026 04:45Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan reported to counter-terrorism police over a “Russian propaganda” video Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate have been reported to Britain’s counter-terrorism police unit and the Home Office over an alleged “Russian propaganda” video. The clip, which was posted to the Tates’ social media channels in June, shows the brothers dressed in Russian camouflage and body armor. They ride a Soviet-era T-80BV battle tank, arm themselves with weapons, including a flamethrower, and lob grenades from a trench. A man guiding them along the tour tells them they could win a “special medal” from “Russia’s defense minister.” Stamford, who filed the complaint, said in X.Nicole Wootton-CaneAugust 23, 2026 04:30
