A court in Pskov sentenced Yabloko politician Lev Shlosberg to 11 years and one month in a penal colony. The charges concerned anti-war statements and a repost about Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia on August 16, 2026. Russian regional authorities said at least six people were killed, while Russia also continued attacks on Ukrainian cities.
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.
Zambians voted on August 13 in a general election for president, Parliament and local councils. Food prices, unemployment and electricity shortages were important concerns for many voters.
Russia’s Supreme Court annulled Yabloko’s registration for the September State Duma election. The anti-war party rejects the allegations against it and says it will appeal.
Authorities in Russia’s Tatarstan region said a drone attack on Nizhnekamsk killed 13 people and injured at least 75 on August 10. Ukraine said it had targeted the TANECO oil refinery, but key details could not be independently verified.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first official visit to Serbia and met Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade. The leaders discussed economic ties, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and Serbia’s position on Russia-related sanctions.
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.
Russia’s Investigative Committee says it has prepared a bill to treat the use of AI and other information technologies as an aggravating circumstance in some criminal cases. The proposal has not yet become law.
Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin said he had left Russia and posted a video from Paris. His departure followed legal measures that prevented him from standing in Russia’s September parliamentary election.
