Sanctions
China's Sinopec has increased its purchases of Russian ESPO crude oil to offset reduced supplies from the Middle East due to the war against Iran. The company purchased 30–40 cargoes of oil for delivery from July through September.
The United Kingdom imposed new sanctions against Russia, including 6 banks, 6 companies, and 6 shadow fleet vessels. The owner of the company "Siltron," Oleksandr Zhdanov, was also placed under restrictions.
European Commission spokesperson Balázs Ujvári said that Ukraine determines its own defense needs and may request interceptor missiles. He assured that there are no problems with providing them and that work continues without a summer break.
Russia’s largest state-owned banks are facing a credit crisis: the share of non-performing loans is rising, and provisions are increasing. In particular, at "Sber", non-performing loans have risen to 5.5%, while "VTB" is cutting staff and recording a decline in profits.
North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile near its east coast; the launch was detected by South Korea and Japan. South Korea's military has intensified surveillance and is coordinating actions with the United States and Japan.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he aims to reach an agreement with the United States to cancel all sectoral tariffs. Negotiations continue until August 19, when new 50% tariffs could take effect.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country is facing the most difficult conditions since the Islamic Revolution due to intensified sanctions and military conflict. He also accused external forces of attempting to provoke protests by putting pressure on the population.
Overdue accounts receivable of russian enterprises reached $112. 53 billion, increasing by 9.9% over five months. Intelligence officials say the real scale of non-payments is significantly greater than the official data indicate.
The negotiations are ongoing, despite Trump's statements that there is no deal. Options are being considered for producing components in Ukraine with assembly in Europe.
Ferrexpo is temporarily suspending the production of iron ore products in Ukraine due to the Russian blockade of the ports. The company said that resumption depends on additional working capital.
President Zelenskyy discussed the situation in Donetsk region with the military, particularly around Kostiantynivka and Sloviansk. They also considered a threefold reduction in missile supplies for air defense and the priorities for long-range sanctions against russia.
The European Commission allocates €1. 4 billion to Ukraine, obtained from frozen Russian assets, in response to Russia's massive attack. Prime Minister Koretskyi said that the funds will go toward the country's defense and resilience.
As a result of Russia's ballistic attack on Kyiv and the region, 17 people were killed and another 44 were wounded. The strikes hit civilian facilities, including warehouses and a brewery.
The European Commission is working with Hungary and Slovakia on diversification and phasing out Russian oil. They have an exemption from sanctions because of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline.
Syria has told the US it is ready to sharply cut purchases of Russian oil in exchange for the lifting of key sanctions. Washington has not made this an official condition, but has signaled that such a step would speed up Damascus's removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Cuba fully restored electricity supply after a nearly 36-hour blackout. The country's authorities blamed American sanctions and the oil blockade for the crisis.
First Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Denys Shmyhal stated that Russia is aimed at destroying the water supply in Ukraine. He emphasized that without water and sewage, it is difficult to survive more than three days.
Beijing is worried about the cyber capabilities of Mythos and other American AI models, viewing them as potential offensive weapons. China is developing possible responses, including sanctions, if the US takes action against its companies in this sector.
The United States imposed sanctions against Russian military structures, including the Ground Forces, for violating the arms non-proliferation law regarding Iran, Syria, and North Korea. The restrictions took effect on July 24.
In July, Belgium imported 0. 4 million tons of LNG from Russia, becoming completely dependent on it. This complicates the EU's energy policy, which plans a full ban on Russian gas next year.
The President signed a decree on sanctions against manufacturers of equipment for the Russian military-industrial complex. The restrictions affected companies that produce missiles, drones, and air defense systems.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Putin is preparing mobilization and new strikes, hoping to prolong the war. He called on partners to increase pressure on Russia to achieve peace in the fall.
The volume of cash in circulation in Russia increased by 2. 543 trillion rubles over six months. The CPD explains this by the loss of public trust in the state due to the war.
Cuba experienced another nationwide power grid failure due to worn-out equipment and the US embargo. Oil reserves from the last Russian tanker in March have already been exhausted.
Ukrainian airlines operate 131 leased aircraft out of 152, which is 86% of the fleet. The Bureau of Economic Security is investigating cases against 5 airlines over the interpretation of lease payments as royalties.
Democratic senators are blocking the bill on sanctions against Russia due to concerns over expanding Trump's tariff powers. Republican Rand Paul also opposed it, calling tariffs destructive to the global economy.
The EUNAVFOR MED Irini mission inspected the tanker "Toa Payoh" under EU sanctions. The vessel was not detained, but documents are being examined for possible seizure.
The sanctioned vessel "Mikhail Britnev" delivered trucks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles to Mali. The vessel was escorted by a Russian military ship.
Over the last week of July and the beginning of August, 16 regions of Ukraine suffered Russian strikes. The occupiers launched about 1,900 drones, nearly 1,600 aerial bombs, and 144 missiles.
President Zelenskyy stated that missiles for Patriot exist in the world and called on partners to make a political decision on their transfer. He emphasized the need to strengthen sanctions against Russia.