CIA Director John Ratcliffe proposed a possible three-way meeting of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Moscow. The proposal has not been accepted and remains only an idea.
Fuel shortages and sales limits have returned in parts of Russia. Reuters reported long queues at petrol stations in Moscow, while the government has restricted fuel exports.
Following Ukraine’s August 12 strike on Novorossiysk, all three grain terminals at the Russian Black Sea port temporarily stopped work. Ukraine later proposed a halt to attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea.
Russian attacks in Kharkiv and Odesa, and Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia’s Belgorod region, killed seven people overnight. Local authorities also reported dozens of injuries and damage to homes.
A Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on August 1 killed at least nine civilians and injured 33 others. Rescuers searched damaged residential areas as officials warned that the casualty figures could change.
Russia registered 1.5 trillion rubles in new government bonds as its wartime budget deficit continued to grow. Analysts expect major state-controlled banks to buy much of the new debt.
Russia is redirecting fuel from Siberia and the Urals and increasing supplies from Belarus to keep Moscow supplied. Shortages, sales limits and rising prices continue in many other Russian regions.
