Lithuania is deploying an air defense battalion to its border with Belarus due to a growing threat from drones, stated the Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Raimondas Vaikšnoras, as reported on Jul 29th. This deployment follows an incident on July 28th where an unidentified drone crossed Lithuanian airspace from Belarus without obstruction, and a prior close call on July 10th involving a drone identified as a "Gerbera." The decision to bolster border defenses comes after repeated concerns over airspace security. Previously, in September 2024, a "Shahed" drone laden with explosives crashed in Latvia, underscoring the potential risks in the region, according to the source. In other developments, Ukrainian channels reported a spike in radiation levels in the Zaporizhzhia area, specifically at Malyy Rynok, with recent readings reportedly much higher than normal background levels. Andryushchenko, described as the head of the occupation in the area, stated that radiation background increased after wind blew from occupied territory. However, European radiation monitoring stations currently show normal levels in the Zaporizhzhia region, around 0.1 µSv/h (100 nSv/h), which is typical background radiation, according to the provided information. In Ukraine, the Anti-Corruption Committee has unanimously approved presidential bill No. 13533, aimed at restoring the independence of NABU and SAP, as announced by MP Zheleznyak. Additionally, reports indicate that the Russian Federation's military has advanced 4 km west of Velyka Novosilka, with Russian flags raised over residential areas, suggesting confirmed control of the settlement. Ukrainian intelligence also reported that the Pokrovsky district of the Donetsk region is under fire from guided aviation bombs. The Russian Armed Forces are reportedly testing new "Italmaz" shock drones, with recent use in Sumy, and this experience may be transferred to other fronts. Economically, Moscow has experienced a "Pharmacy Collapse" as hackers attacked two major pharmaceutical chains, "Neofarm" and "Stolichka," causing a massive system failure that shut down cash registers and accounting systems. Both pharmacy chains share the same owner. Furthermore, KSE Institute analysis suggests Russia has depleted its Soviet-era military stockpiles, with military shipments from storage sites dropping significantly from 242,000 tons in 2022 to 119,000 tons in 2025, indicating that older, superior equipment is largely gone and being replaced by supplies from North Korea.
