A ship is seen burning from the coast of Kumzar, Oman, following an IRGC attack nearly 2 hours ago.

Ukrainian forces have recaptured the village of Tolstoi, Komar direction, Donetsk Oblast (Volnovakha District).

Pre-war population: ~176.
Total land area: ~0.46 km².

The second battle for Tolstoi lasted approximately 3 months, 15 days.

Russian forces have captured the village of Zybyne, Bilyi Kolodyaz direction, Kharkiv Oblast (Chuhuiv District).

Pre-war population: ~115.
Total land area: ~0.64 km².

The fighting for Zybyne lasted approximately 3 months, 10 days.

Iskander-M threat from Bryansk Oblast.

Iskander-M threat from Kursk Oblast.

As I'm sure you're all aware, there was no major attack tonight. Russia simulated three Iskander-M launches to Kyiv with electronic warfare, likely to test an air defence response.

While the threat remains for the next few days, in my opinion, the next wave of ballistic missiles will be launched in conjunction with the next combined missile and drone attack involving strategic bombers, which is actively being prepared.

Summary of Russia's missile and drone attacks on Ukraine over the last week (August 3-9, 2026):

The following was launched:

~ 49 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missile
~ 9 Oniks supersonic cruise missiles
~ 9 Zircon hypersonic cruise misisles
~ 9 Kh-31P anti-radar missiles
~ 3 Kh-59/69 cruise missiles
~ 2 Kn-23 ballistic missiles
~ 1,099+ drones (Geran-2/3/4/5, Italmas, Gerbera, Banderol).

That's a total of ~81 missiles, of which a *minimum* of 2 were shot down (2 Kh-59/69s).

Note: the drone count does not include FPV drones such as Molniya-1.

Missile strikes were carried out on Kyiv City, Kyiv Oblast, Mykolaiv Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Odesa Oblast, while drone strikes were carried out on Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Vinnytsia Oblasts, as well as Kyiv City and the Black Sea.

The areas targeted the most include Odesa Oblast, northern Kharkiv Oblast, southern/central Sumy Oblast, Slovyansk-Kramatorsk, northern Chernihiv Oblast, eastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and the Kyiv City area.

Note: The locations shown on the map are approximate. One dot does not necessarily represent only one strike.

Should I keep making these weekly?

Situation on the Stepnohirsk & Orikhiv directions, Zaporizhzhia Oblast:

Over the last two weeks, both Russian and Ukrainian forces have continued their assault operations, with Russian forces launching a new series of attacks aimed at recapturing previously lost positions.

In the west, Ukrainian forces cleared the southern dachas of Prymorske from earlier Russian infiltrations and expanded their foothold south of the Sukhyy River in northern Plavni. From there, they pushed further south, improving their positions in the central part of Plavni, where Russia is now dropping KAB glide-bombs. Other assault groups advanced further down the highway and are attempting to reach the northern outskirts of Kamyanske.

To the northeast, the Ukrainians finally cleared the remaining part of Stepnohirsk north of the Sukhyy River after multiple months of intense fighting, before subsequently establishing control over Aharna Street south of the river. From here, they are attempting to enter the southernmost high-rise micro-district of the town. At the same time, Russian forces have resumed infiltrations into the solar farm east of Stepnohirsk, where fighting is ongoing.

To the southeast, Russian forces continued their counterattacks near Kamyanske, where they were able to recapture a number of positions northeast and east of the village. Heavy fighting is continuing for a Ukrainian strongpoint on the eastern edge of the forested gulley north of the village following several Russian KAB glide-bomb strikes. Russian forces are also attempting to storm Ukrainian strongpoints north of Lobkove under heavy MLRS and artillery cover, which are constraining their ability to advance further north.

To the east, the Russians cleared the villages of Mali Shcherbaky and Shcherbaky from earlier Ukrainian infiltrations and achieved a number of tactical advances north through the tactical heights. As a result of around 10 days of heavy fighting, they were able to capture several Ukrainian strongpoints north of Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, and Shcherbaky, allowing some infiltrators to enter the village of Pavlivka. Fighting continues for a number of treeline positions in the grey-zone north of Shcherbaky.

Further east, Russian forces improved their positions further along the highway to Novoandriivka, and captured new positions to the north. From here, they are attempting to reach the tactical heights northwest of Andriivka, while simultaneously clear the remaining pocket southeast of Shcherbaky where some Ukrainian soldiers remain present in their positions.

+ ~32.68 km² in favour of Russia.
+ ~5.50 km² in favour of Ukraine.

Interactive map: amkmapping.com

I won't post a full update on Orikhiv because there's nothing major happening here, but I thought I would at least address the situation so people can stop constantly asking me about it.

There is no large-scale Russian storming operation on the city. Some isolated groups of Russian DRGs (including special forces) infiltrated the eastern part of the city and the neighbouring village of Preobrazhenka, as well as the western and central parts of Mala Tokmachka. The ones in the Orikhiv area number no more than a dozen in total.

There is no Russian control in Orikhiv. Only some isolated groups which hop from position to position without establishing any control. These groups will either retreat or be killed/captured by Ukrainian forces. Additionally, there has been no uptick observed in the intensity Russian shelling on Orikhiv-Mala Tokmachka.

These infiltrations simply serve to disrupt Ukrainian defensive operations and force Ukraine to allocate already-limited manpower and resources to deal with this threat, which could in turn allow Russia to make further advances in this sector.

For now, I have only expanded the grey-zone in Novodanylivka, and added an infiltration zone to part of Orikhiv, Mala Tokmachka, and Preobrazhenka.

And if you don't believe me, come back in a month and tell me what the situation is.

I wonder what happened to those flag planters in Dobropassove and Oleksandrivka from months ago?

A Ukrainian MiG-29 crashed in Odesa Oblast today, while trying to shoot down Russian drones.

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that a “non-standard situation” occurred as the aircraft launched an air-to-air missile towards a Russian drone, causing the pilot to lose control.

The pilot reportedly attempted to save the aircraft, but was eventually forced to eject. He is currently being medically treated.

Additionally, at least 6 KAB glide-bombs impacted Zaporizhzhia City, while another 5 impacted near the outskirts.

I managed to clarify some info on Kostyantynivka 👀

In short, it is not under full Russian control as many Russian sources claim, but the Ukrainian maps you see are very far from the truth. Russia controls most of the city. A large grey-zone remains in the northwestern part of the city, stretching all the way to Oleksijevo-Druzhkivka and outwards to the sides, where neither side holds any stable positions.

I'll write a full update on it later.

Iskander-M on Poltava

Flying to Myrhorod