Zelenskyy says Ukraine will respond after ۱۰ killed in overnight Russian attack – Europe live

I am still keeping an eye on Spain as yet another earthquake was reported in Alhendín in the Spanish region of Granada just minutes ago; this time ۴.۲ magnitude.

Meanwhile, the earlier earthquake was revised up to ۴.۷ magnitude, with its epicentre reported in Gójar, and not neighbouring Alhendín (۱۱:۰۷).

A number of smaller tremors – ranging from ۲.۶ to ۴.۰ – were also reported in the last ۹۰ minutes.

Local police told residents to “stay calm and do not remain near buildings due to possible falling debris.” They added that emergency services were attending to local incidents.

Speaking about concerns about Russian activities in Europe …

The Paris prosecutors will look into suspicious that Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, two former French prime ministers and prospective presidential candidates in ۲۰۲۷, may have been targeted by destabilisation operations attributed to Russian state actors, AFP reported.

The prosecutors were quoted in reports by Le Figaro and BFMTV as saying they were investigating suspicions that the two politicians may have been targeted by a Russian-inspired campaign.

Earlier this month, Attal’s lawyers said they received a report of alleged “external digital interference” linked to Russia from state authorities, and said they would file a formal complaint.

They said Attal was alerted to the issue by France’s General Secretariat for Defence and National Security and its Viginum service (French Service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference), looking at alleged foreign interference and disinformation.

A separate probe was also opened earlier this month into concerns about a potential Russian campaign against another presidential candidate, Raphaël Glucksmann.

Glucksmann said at the time in a post on X that the campaign was believed to be linked with Russia’s military intelligence agency, GRU, and its Storm۱۵۱۶ group.

Meanwhile, the German interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, opened a new centre for drone security in Cochstedt in Saxony-Anhalt.

Dobrindt said the new centre will form a central part of Germany’s response to the emerging hybrid threat, as he said the country is ofted targeted with espionage, sabotage, destabilisation efforts, and drone attacks for its central role in upholding Europe’s stability and supporting Ukraine.

“What we are experiencing today is the shadow war of the ۲۱st century,” he warned, adding “whoever targets Germany, hits all of Europe.”

The new Cochstedt centre will be “a key component of the security architecture” to fight back against the threats posed by drones, he said.

The opening comes two weeks after a drone incident at the Leipzig airport, which was linked to “foreign powers,” widely seen as a reference to Russia.

After the incident, Dobrindt spoke of “a competition” between different countries as they sought to use the drone technology against rivals, and the need to boost research in this area.

I’m also keeping an eye on reports from Granada, Spain, where local authorities have reported another strong earthquake – provisionally measured at magnitude ۴.۶ or ۴.۷ – with its epicentre in Alhendín, or – as it was later corrected – in Gójar.

It comes just days after Saturday’s ۵.۰-magnitude earthquake, causing some local damage and raising concerns of further seismic activity in the region during a peak tourist season.

We are now getting some pictures from Ukrainian emergency services showing the overnight Russian attacks on Pechenigy and Chernigiv.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy also responded to the overnight Russian attack, saying Ukraine “will definitely respond” by strikes on Russia.

He said:

“As of now, ۱۰ people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Many people have been injured and are receiving all necessary medical care. First responders have already extinguished the fire, and all emergency and response services continue working at the site. All the circumstances of this tragedy are being established.

We will definitely respond to this Russian strike. And it is equally important that our partners also complement our just kinetic responses with their own actions to put pressure on Russia and support Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha responded to Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight, saying “Putin continues to drag the war out instead of accepting Ukraine’s realistic ceasefire proposals and ending the bloodshed.”

۱۰ people were killed in an overnight attack on the village of Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region.

“As long as Moscow refuses peace, it must face a growing cost for prolonging this war through additional sanctions, isolation, and strict accountability for Russian crimes. We are informing our partners and international organizations and calling for action to end this terror and ensure justice,” he said.

He added:

“I urge all states to join our accountability efforts, including the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine, which will soon begin its operations in The Hague. Accountability for Russian crimes is a matter of principle – not only for the victims of Russian attacks, but for the entire international community.”

Russia warns UK of ‘consequences’ over reports Ukraine using British drones in attacks

Jamie Grierson

Moscow has threatened the UK with “consequences” after reports that British drones have been used to strike targets on Russia’s mainland for the first time.

Ukraine used drones made by two UK companies as part of a so-called deep strike campaign, the Sunday Times reported.

Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones increasingly targeting military industries and energy facilities.

It has also targeted giant depots for Wildberries – Russia’s largest online retailer – burning billions of pounds worth of merchandise and bringing the war home to the Russian public more than four years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s embassy to the UK said in a statement on Monday that the reports “confirm that London is deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis” and accused Britain of “seeking to contain Russia and inflict maximum damage on it by proxy”.

“London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer,” it said.

“The deeper its involvement in the conflict and the greater its support for Kyiv’s terrorist machinery, the higher the price it will pay.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said:

“Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and we are committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Putin’s illegal invasion.

Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies.”

Morning opening: Ukraine sends over ۶۰۰ drones at Moscow

Jakub Krupa

Ukraine launched over ۶۰۰ drones at Moscow and surrounding areas overnight, continuing its massive attacks on targets in Russia after even larger weekend strikes.

Drones are believed to hit a warehouse of Russian e-commerce company Wildberries and other facilities near Moscow, Reuters reported. At least three people were injured in attacks.

But several other Russian-controlled regions, including the occupied Crimea, also reported heavy attacks, with the Crimean peninsular’s power supplier reporting power outages.

Meanwhile, at least ۱۰ people died in a Russian strike on Pechenigy, a village in the Kharkiv region, which Ukraine says hit private houses and shops.

I will bring you more updates during the day.

I will also keep an eye on wildfires across Europe after another difficult day yesterday in Belgium, Greece, and other countries.

It’s Tuesday, ۱۸ August ۲۰۲۶, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.