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Limited Russian tactical forces recently infiltrated Ukrainian defenses in two border settlements in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast but have not established enduring positions in the area.
The E3 (the United Kingdom, Germany, and France) will reportedly initiate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) snapback process as soon as August 28, according to three European diplomats and one Western diplomat.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) may be helping Iran rebuild its ballistic missile arsenal following the June 2025 Israel-Iran war, according to Israeli sources. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said on July 24 that Israel has observed “disturbing signs” that the PRC may be aiding Iran with its ballistic missile program, including by providing certain “chemicals” and “rebuilding and reorganizing the ballistic missile program.”
The United States is reportedly willing to supply supporting assets to a European-led force grouping as part of postwar security guarantees for Ukraine. The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected the presence of troops from NATO countries as part of any security guarantee for Ukraine in recent weeks.
The Lebanese government will reportedly attempt to persuade rather than coerce Hezbollah to disarm. Hezbollah is unlikely to disarm on its own accord and has historically evaded previous disarmament efforts.
Ukrainian forces continue to pressure the Russian penetration east and northeast of Dobropillya. The Russian military command has reportedly given up efforts to exploit the penetration toward Dobropillya, after Russia's infiltration tactics appear to have been unsuccessful in establishing enduring positions within this penetration.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected recent calls by Iranian reformist officials to reform Iran’s domestic and foreign policies. Khamenei delivered a speech on August 24 in which he claimed that “Iran’s enemies” failed to defeat Iran during the Israel-Iran War and are now trying to do so by “creating discord in the country.”
Russian developers continue to introduce and test new kinetic anti-drone measures such as drone interceptors, thermal imaging sighting systems, and lasers. A Russian milblogger who focuses on Russian unmanned systems developments published footage on August 14, claiming that the optical-electronic module on Russia’s Yolka drone interceptor is artificial intelligence (AI) synchronized and can detect a 100-centimeter drone wingspan up to 700–1000 meters away, and advocated that such systems be deployed to defend Russian surface-to-air (SAM) missile systems.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov used an English-language interview with a US outlet to reiterate the Kremlin's explicit rejection of US-proposed initiatives for peace in Ukraine. Lavrov stated in an interview with NBC that Russian officials have explained Russia's war goals during meetings with Trump and other US officials and have also explained them publicly, signaling that public Russian statements about the war convey the same points that Russian officials aim to convey in private meetings.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) continues to spell out Russian President Vladimir Putin's rejection of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on US President Donald Trump's preferred timeline.