Strike sets thermal power plant ‘ablaze’ inside Russia & shooting at draft office in Ukraine leaves two soldiers injured

Day 1,346.

Today, as Ukrainian forces hang on in Pokrovsk, we discuss more reports coming out of the city of Russian troops fighting in civilian clothes – a clear war crime. Plus, we hear about Ukraine’s latest long range strikes inside Russia and look at a worrying message from the International Atomic Energy Agency that accuses Moscow of targeting three of Ukraine's nuclear power plants. Later, we hear how a Ukrainian opera lost for 250 years premiered earlier this month in Chernivtsi, accompanied by the sound of air alerts.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjzon X.

With thanks to Nataliya Lukyanova and James Butterwick

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CONTENT REFERENCED:

Russian soldiers disguised in civilian clothes infiltrating front-line city (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/13/russian-soldiers-disguised-civilian-clothing-infiltrating/

Poland, Hungary and Slovakia defy Brussels as Ukraine trade deal takes effect (POLITICO)

https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-hungary-and-slovakia-defy-brussels-as-ukraine-trade-deal-takes-effect/

Trump-Vladimir Putin Budapest summit axed following Moscow memo (Financial Times):

https://www.ft.com/content/d6655fb1-31af-4da8-85f7-085a8fc00969

Hungary’s foot-dragging on Russian oil crashes into reality

https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-foot-dragging-russian-oil-crashes-reality-croatia-sanction/ 

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