Prisoner exchange between Russia and the West, Russia's new target in Ukraine war - Thursday brief
RBC-Ukraine collage
The United States and Russia conducted a large prisoner exchange. Meanwhile, Russia changed its target on the Ukraine frontline, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Read more about what happened on Thursday, August 1.
Russia, Germany, US hold a major prisoner exchange
On the first day of August, a prisoner exchange took place between Russia, the USA, and Germany, which the Western press has already dubbed the largest since the Cold War. Among those released from Russian prisons were Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, while Vadim Krasikov, a convicted killer, was among those returned to Russia.
Why Russia agreed to this exchange, whether it is related to the war in Ukraine, and how Türkiye benefits from it read in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
Russia will not be able to take Kharkiv, it changed its target - Zelenskyy
Russia will no longer be able to capture Kharkiv. The Russians have changed their target, with their new priority now being the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"The entire east is challenging. The main target today after they failed to take Kharkiv, and we understand that this will not happen now. The main target has shifted. Their main direction is not the entire east, although Sloviansk is not excluded, but Pokrovsk, I would say, is their priority," said the president.
Drone debris damaged house of Russian oppositionist Ponomarev near Kyiv
Drone debris in the Kyiv region damaged the house of Russian oppositionist Ilya Ponomarev, according to RBC-Ukraine sources.
Ponomarev confirmed the incident, according to his post on X.
Ukraine launched more attack drones than Russia in July - Forbes
In July 2024, Ukraine launched almost a hundred more attack drones than Russia, according to Forbes.
Ukrainian drones inflict greater economic damage on Russian oil refineries and other facilities, as Russia has weaker defenses. This could give Ukraine an advantage in strategic long-range drone warfare.
Senate Republicans concerned about discrepancies with Trump on Ukraine - The Hill
Senate Republicans are concerned about the increasing split between their foreign policy stance and that of former President Donald Trump, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine, according to The Hill.
Specifically, this includes Trump's decision to invite Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to his residence after the NATO summit. Orbán has close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been working to undermine NATO's support for Ukraine.
Republican senators were also dismayed when Trump chose Senator J.D. Vance as a potential vice-presidential candidate. Vance is a prominent critic of US aid to Ukraine.
