Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1672: Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Donetsk Oblast advances by stealth
. Germany's AfD party has begun talks with Gazprom on restoring gas supplies the country cut after the 2022 invasion.
On day 1672 of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Ukraine's counteroffensive in Donetsk Oblast has advanced quietly, capturing two villages before the Russian forces could react. The tactic of stealth and strategic troop buildup allowed the Ukrainian 60th Brigade to successfully move into position. Ukrainian forces have shot down over 350,000 Russian drones this year, a significant increase from the 201 reported in late July.
Additionally, the Russian fleet in the Azov Sea has been significantly disabled, with 300 ships holding the region at a standstill.
However, Russia continues to fight in areas where civilians reside, enlisting third enlistees who often have criminal records and are over 30 years old. The shutdown of the Samara refinery in June has been restored, with both distillation units now operational again. Ukraine's new interceptor drone, designed to counter faster Russian drones, is nearing mass production. Ukrainian arms makers have signed 26 deals with international arms manufacturers, with the Ukrainian state covering 95% of the cost.
The push for drone technology in Ukraine comes as Russian drones become faster, reducing the reaction time of Ukrainian mobile fire groups from around a minute to just six seconds. A Danish defense startup, BlueShadow, is building drone defenses for coasts and undersea cables, with Ukrainian funding contributing to the project's growth.
The US has offered a mutual truce between Ukraine and Russia in terms of energy supplies, which has been passed on to Moscow. NATO's top generals have met in Copenhagen, with Ukraine at the forefront of discussions, as warnings grow of a possible Russian attack on the Alliance.
Russian involvement in Mali has brought a Ukrainian war drone down near al-Qaeda fighters, only for it to be subsequently shot down by those fighters. Meanwhile, the US and Belarus have signed a massive potash deal, with Belarusian President Lukashenka admitting there is no spare potash to sell. Moldova reported 39 Russian drone incursions in the past eight months, compared to only 17 in all of 2025.
Finally, US President Trump demanded Ukrainian President Zelenskyy cease attacks on Russian refineries, but now seeks to stop them due to rising diesel prices.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
