Ukraine and Russia trade deep strikes as Zelensky presses for more sanctions
Russia pounds Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa with missiles and drones while Ukraine closes a 40-day campaign hitting over 100 Russian sites, including all 11 largest oil refineries.
Conversation activity · last 13 days peak 13/2h
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 214 items across 5 sources · 4h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
Between late July and early August 2026, Russia launched a series of large-scale missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, including a heavy August 5 attack on Kyiv that killed 17 and injured 44, and further strikes on Kharkiv, Odesa and Izium. Ukraine concluded a 40-day 'Pressure' deep-strike campaign on August 4 that hit more than 100 Russian military and energy facilities, including all 11 of Russia's largest oil refineries, while President Zelensky pushed allies for additional sanctions targeting the supply chains behind Russian missiles and visited Serbia, the only European country that has not sanctioned Russia.
- Russia carried out repeated large-scale missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities (Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Izium) in early August 2026, killing dozens of civilians.
- Ukraine's 40-day 'Pressure' deep-strike campaign, which ended August 4, hit over 100 Russian military and energy sites and struck all 11 of Russia's largest oil refineries, reportedly disrupting about a third of Russia's refining output.
- Zelensky is pressing allies for expanded sanctions targeting the international supply chains behind Russian ballistic missiles and visited Serbia, the only European country without sanctions on Russia.
- Russia reportedly used a North Korean missile against Ukraine for the first time in nearly a year in a deadly strike near Kryvyi Rih.
How it unfolded
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Event Kharkiv and Odesa hit; Zelensky demands more sanctions
A Russian strike on Kharkiv killed 1 and injured 27, and Odesa was hit by over 25 missiles and 70 drones; Zelensky said 61 missiles were fired at Ukraine that week and called for more sanctions and air defense.
“This week alone, 61 missiles of various types were used against Ukraine, including 56 that attack along a ballistic trajectory... We need more pressure, more sanctions against Russia and more air defense for Ukraine.”
Volodymyr Zelensky · Bluesky ↗ -
Event HUR strikes Ilsky refinery; Zelensky visits Serbia
Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar territory, causing a fire, while Zelensky made his first official visit to Serbia, the only European country not sanctioning Russia.
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Event Cluster munition strike on Izium
Russia attacked Izium in Kharkiv region with cluster munitions, killing 2 people and wounding 4, and starting a fire.
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Event Yaroslavl refinery hit again
Drone strikes caused several large fires at Russia's Yaroslavl refinery, one of its five largest, adding to Russia's fuel crisis.
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Event Massive Russian strike on Kyiv kills 17
Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles, 4 Zircon/Onyx missiles and 115 drones at Kyiv and the region; 17 people were killed and 44 injured.
“As of now, 44 people are known to have been injured in the massive Russian strike on Kyiv and the Kyiv region. Unfortunately, 17 more people died.”
Volodymyr Zelensky · Bluesky ↗ -
Report Ukraine's 40-day strike campaign ends
Ukraine completed a 40-day deep-strike campaign hitting over 100 Russian military and energy sites, including all 11 of Russia's largest oil refineries, disrupting roughly a third of its refining output.
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Event North Korean missile hits Kryvyi Rih building
Reuters reported Russia likely used a North Korean missile in a deadly strike on a residential building near Kryvyi Rih, the first confirmed such use against Ukraine in nearly a year.
What people are saying verbatim
“We're grateful for 21 sanctions packages, but this is not enough. Hundreds of thousands of components in Russian ballistics come from all over the world, including from our partners, then those missiles kill our people.”
Volodymyr Zelensky (via kateinkharkiv.bsky.social), President of Ukraine · Bluesky ↗ · Aug 7
“As of now, 44 people have been reported injured in massive Russian strike on Kyiv and Kyiv region. Another 17 people, tragically, were killed. It was a heavy strike - 24 ballistic missiles (…) interceptors could've saved lives”
Volodymyr Zelensky (via onestpress.onestnetwork.com), President of Ukraine · Bluesky ↗ · Aug 4
“On the night of August 8, 2026, operators from the Department of Active Operations and the Department of Unmanned Systems of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense struck Ilsky Oil Refinery in Krasnodar territory as part of a deep-strike operation against Russia”
Ukraine's Main Intelligence Agency (HUR), Military intelligence agency · Interfax-Ukraine ↗ · Aug 7
“There's are war crimes. Intentional terror killing of civilians. The Russian way of war. U.S. failure to support Ukraine is complicit in these deaths.”
johnsipher.bsky.social, Bluesky user · Bluesky ↗ · Aug 4
“I heard that they pulled some budget from end of the year forward to make this happen, under Fedorov. So they might've taken a bit of a gamble that this would hurt sufficiently… and i think it has.”
Aethernath, Reddit commenter · Reddit ↗ · Aug 8
Voices from the web unedited
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Each new attack on Ukraine is another reason for Europe to tighten the screws on Russia. As a response to the recent series of Russian airstrikes, the EU today adopted new sanctions listings targeting five individuals involved in Russia's military-industrial complex. (1/2)
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RE: https:// journa.host/@ScottLucas/117064 335052174516 13+ civilians murdered and 90+ injured by # Russia attacks across # Ukraine over the past day Air defenses downed 174 attack drones and five Banderol missiles, but the Russians struck 22 targets # UkraineWar
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I heard that they pulled some budget from end of the year forward to make this happen, under Fedorov. So they might’ve taken a bit of a gamble that this would hurt sufficiently… and i think it has.
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ZELENSKYY: We're grateful for 21 sanctions packages, but this is not enough. Hundreds of thousands of components in Russian ballistics come from all over the world, including from our partners, then those missiles kill our people. Sanctioning this supply is of utmost importance.
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General Staff Confirms Ukrainian Strikes on Russian S-400, Radars and Crimea Depot https://www. kyivpost.com/post/82012?utm_so urce=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into Ukraine @ ukraine-thenewsdesk
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❗️Europe has unveiled another round of sanctions in response to Russia's latest strikes on Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kallas said five individuals linked to Russia's military-industrial complex have been added to the sanctions list, calling every new attack another reason to increase pressure.
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President of Ukraine Zelenskyy's visit to Serbia this weekend doesn't signal a change in Serbia's foreign policy posture, but it did ruffle a lot of feathers in Russia and the Serbian opposition right wing. https:// serbianism.com/2026/08/09/publ ic-meltdowns-over-zelenskyys-visit-to-serbia/
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* RUSSIA LIKELY USED NORTH KOREAN MISSILE IN DEADLY STRIKE ON RESIDENTIAL BUILDING NEAR UKRAINE'S KRYVYI RIH, MILITARY SOURCE SAYS * STRIKE WOULD BE FIRST CONFIRMED USE BY RUSSIA OF NORTH KOREAN MISSILE AGAINST UKRAINE IN NEARLY A YEAR, MILITARY SOURCE SAYS @reuters.com
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📰 Drone explodes and crashes in Moldova 🔗 https://www. pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/08 /09/8047972/ # News # RussianInvasion # RussianWar # Ukraine
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🇪🇺 Kallas: As a response to the recent series of Russian airstrikes, the EU today adopted new sanctions listings targeting five individuals involved in Russia's military-industrial complex. Moscow is further escalating its campaign of terror against civilians.