GM
TGIF
TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
July 31, 2026
NGC 4372 and the Dark Doodad
The Dark Doodad Nebula drifts through southern skies, a tantalizing target for binoculars toward the small constellation Musca, The Fly. A dusty interstellar cloud, it's seen against rich starfields just south of the Coalsack Nebula and the Southern Cross. Stretching for about 3 degrees across this telescopic field of view, the Dark Doodad is punctuated near its southern tip (upper right) by yellowish globular star cluster NGC 4372. Of course NGC 4372 roams the halo of our Milky Way galaxy, a background object some 20,000 light-years away and only by chance along our line-of-sight to the Dark Doodad. About 700 light-years distant and over 30 light-years long, the Dark Doodad's well defined silhouette belongs to the potentially star-forming Musca molecular cloud. The dusty Dark Doodad's delightfully alliterative moniker was first coined by astro-imager and writer Dennis di Cicco in 1986 while observing Comet Halley from the Australian outback.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbRZ3Geu8nU
We Have Things to Discuss - Live #51: S0 news and frens
July 31, 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VO91_1JwZc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9ULh4EypZA (Ryan Hall, Y'all: The Weather Is About To Get BUSY…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXCnOrCZvFg (Dobsonian Power: STRANGE OBJECT TOWARDS THE SUN)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiCMpT6MJRM (UFO Sightings Daily: Giant Black Cube Orbiting The Sun Detected on NASAs photos)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-XwTfb2upE (EarthMaster: Western areas of the Pacific Plate very active today.. Earthquake update Thursday Night)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkBXPY-Y5d8 (On the Pulse with Silki: )Yellowstone Supervolcano May ERUPT SOONER Than Thought, Wiping out the Planet : NEW STUDY
https://watchers.news/2026/07/31/long-duration-m1-9-flare-produces-earth-directed-cme-g1-g2-geomagnetic-storm-conditions-forecast-for-august-2/
https://thedebrief.org/britains-power-grid-has-a-blind-spot-for-extreme-solar-storms-new-research-reveals/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-hydro-power-poles-flickering-lights-9.7290041
https://ema.alabama.gov/14907/a-few-strong-to-severe-storms-possible-saturday/
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/31/weather-tracker-wisconsin-rare-tornado-meteotsunami-heat-europe
https://www.syracuse.com/weather/2026/07/tornado-confirmed-in-upstate-ny-during-strong-storm-no-injuries-reported.html
https://www.cbs17.com/weather/weather-stories/rare-tornado-hits-nc-mountains-in-madison-county/
https://ksisradio.com/ixp/463/p/tornado-threat-missouri-friday/
https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/07/30/tornadoes-maryland-storm/
https://gizmodo.com/the-governments-earthquake-warning-system-has-a-30-accuracy-rate-scientists-found-something-better-2000793268
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/361014309/46-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-north-and-south-islands
https://watchers.news/2026/07/30/death-toll-rises-to-34-after-m7-1-kumamoto-earthquake-over-267-000-remain-under-evacuation-orders-japan/
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-a-decade-disaster-response-mahalo-talmadge-magno-hawaii-county
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-59118-1
https://schumannresonance.today/
https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Severe%20Storms%20Erupt%20Across%20Middle%20Mississippi%20Valley
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/322375/Volcano-earthquake-report-for-Friday-31-Jul-2026.html
https://www.spaceweather.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=31&month=07&year=2026
August night sky has a rare double feature with eclipse, meteor shower
Jul 31, 2026 5:09 AM PDT | Updated Jul 31, 2026 5:09 AM PDT
The first total solar eclipse since 2024 will be followed hours later by one of the most popular meteor showers of the year. Plus, an impressive lunar eclipse will wrap up the month.
August will feature three major astronomical events, including the first total solar eclipse visible anywhere in the world since 2024, followed just hours later by one of the year's most popular meteor showers.
Days also start to get noticeably shorter across the Northern Hemisphere in August. Across more than half of the United States, there is more than an hour less daylight on Aug. 31 than on Aug. 1.
Total solar eclipse: Aug. 12
The month’s biggest event arrives on Aug. 12, when the moon will completely block out the sun along a narrow path across parts of Spain, Portugal, Iceland and Greenland.
Totality will last up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds, less than half the length of the total solar eclipse that crossed North America in April 2024.
In North America, millions will get to experience a partial solar eclipse, including those across Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern and midwestern U.S.
Anyone planning to watch a partial eclipse will need eclipse glasses to look safely toward the sun. Eclipse glasses from the 2024 total solar eclipse can still be safe to use as long as they are not scratched, torn or otherwise damaged.
More details on the eclipse path and timing are available in AccuWeather’s total solar eclipse viewing guide.
The next total solar eclipse after August’s event will happen on Aug. 2, 2027.
Perseid meteor shower: Aug. 12-13
The sky show will continue after sunset on Aug. 12 as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak. The Perseids are often touted as one of the best meteor showers of the year, partly because they unfold during warm summer nights.
People watching from rural areas may see around 50 meteors per hour during the peak. In very dark areas, away from city lights, the number could climb as high as 60 to 100 meteors per hour.
Shooting stars will start to appear shortly after nightfall, but the best activity is expected during the second half of the night.
Partial lunar eclipse: Aug. 27-28
The final major astronomy event of the month will arrive with August’s full moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon.
During the night of Aug. 27 into the early morning of Aug. 28, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible across North America, South America, Europe and Africa.
This will not be a total lunar eclipse, but it will still be impressive. At the peak of the eclipse, 93% of the moon will pass through Earth’s shadow, with the deepest point occurring at 12:12 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28.
During a partial or total lunar eclipse, the moon can appear to have a reddish glow. According to NASA, this is because any sunlight that's not blocked by Earth is filtered through Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface.
"It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon," NASA said.
For skywatchers hoping to see a total lunar eclipse, there will be a long wait as the next one is not set to unfold until June 25, 2029.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/august-night-sky-has-a-rare-double-feature-with-eclipse-meteor-shower/1913331
moar space objects
https://www.amsmeteors.org/2026/07/meteor-activity-outlook-for-august-1-6-2026/
https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2026/07/20260730-1_e.html
https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2026/07/20260730-2_e.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLyg_8C10u4 (Asahi Astro Live: 録画）2026年7月30日ALMA望遠鏡、ペルセウス座流星群ライブ Perseid Meteor Shower Live Archive)
who has the pool table picture?
Spacewalk Preps, Bioprinting, and Exercise Research Top Station Schedule
July 30, 2026 4:13PM
Expedition 75 is gearing up for a busy August with three spacewalks planned at the International Space Station.
The orbital residents are also printing living cells and tissues and studying how to increase the effectiveness of exercising in space.
Mission managers discussed a series of spacewalks and their associated tasks during a news conference on Thursday.
NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir and Anil Menon will conduct the first spacewalk at 7:35 a.m. EDT on Thursday, August 6, for solar array work.
NASA will soon announce the astronauts who will participate in the spacewalks scheduled on Aug. 13 and 25 for communications and electronics maintenance. All three spacewalks will be broadcast live on NASA+ and a variety of platforms.
Meir and Menon spent Thursday practicing using the spacewalking tools and familiarizing themselves with the parts they will use to prepare the orbital outpost for the future installation of its seventh roll out solar array to augment its power system.
The astronauts also studied their spacewalking procedures, staged their spacesuits, and organized hardware inside the Quest airlock in advance of the upcoming excursion.
Bioprinting, or manufacturing living cells and tissues using bioinks, has been a key research objective aboard the space station for several years.
The lack of gravity enables the cells to grow naturally in three dimensions resulting in higher-quality tissues than those produced on Earth.
Flight engineers Jack Hathaway of NASA and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) partnered together in the Kibo laboratory module continuing the advanced biotechnology investigation.
Adenot mixed cartilage cells with bioink then injected the mixture into cartridges. Next, Hathaway collected the cartridges from Adenot and loaded them inside the InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter installed in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox.
The bioprinted samples will be frozen and returned to Earth for analysis. Results may lead to the development of advanced treatments for cartilage injuries on Earth and in space.
Hathaway and Adenot also took turns conducting exercise research with a futuristic suit and new equipment to stay fit in weightlessness. Adenot tried on the EasyMotion-2 Suit and jogged on the COLBERT treadmill in the Tranquility module.
The suit sends electrical impulses and triggers muscle contractions to supplement a space workout. Hathaway performed a rowing session on the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) installed in the Columbus laboratory module.
The E4D is optimized for working out in microgravity and is being evaluated for use on future space exploration missions.
Roscosmos flight engineers Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina took turns wearing virtual reality goggles and responding to computerized visual stimuli.
The long-running Virtual experiment tests how a crew member’s sense of balance and direction adapts to microgravity. Flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev jogged on the Zvezda service module’s treadmill while attached to electrodes for a physical fitness assessment.
Afterward, Fedyaev configured radiation detection hardware to measure the neutron environment the station is exposed to and studied materials that may shield a spacecraft from space radiation.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/07/30/spacewalk-preps-bioprinting-and-exercise-research-top-station-schedule/
moar NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-assigns-astronaut-deniz-burnham-to-first-space-station-mission/
https://militaryfamilies.com/military-news/the-navy-divers-who-welcomed-artemis-astronauts-to-earth/
https://science.nasa.gov/gallery/hubbles-nebulae/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/students-take-on-airborne-field-research-with-nasa/
full circle breakage is upon us
On this day in space! July 31, 1971: Apollo 15 astronauts drive on the moon for 1st time
July 31, 2026
On July 31, 1971, Apollo 15 astronauts drove on the moon for the first time.
David Scott, the commander of Apollo 15, and James Irwin, the lunar module pilot explored the moon for three days by driving around in the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Apollo 15 command module pilot Al Worden remained in orbit around the moon.
This moon buggy was folded up and stowed inside the lunar module and deployed after landing. Unpacked, it measured about 10 feet long, 7 feet wide and 45 inches high.
The lunar rover could travel up to 8.6 miles per hour and allowed the astronauts to venture farther from their landing site than previous Apollo astronauts could.
For their first drive, Scott and Irwin went to Elbow Crater to gather samples and take photos. Throughout their stay on the moon, they drove more than 17 miles.
The Apollo 15 mission launched to the moon on July 26, 1971. The mission landed on July 30, with Scott and Irwin ultimately performing three moonwalks in addition to their lunar rover test drive.
The Apollo 15 crew left the moon's surface on Aug. 2 and left lunar orbit on Aug. 4. They returned to Earth on Aug. 7, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
Why it mattered
Apollo 15's moon rover made space history as the first human-driven rover on the moon, let alone another world entirely.
While developing the rover, NASA had to wrangle many issues at once. How do you build a rover light enough to land on the moon with the Apollo 15 lunar lander? How do you make it compact as well?
The result was an aluminum, foldable moon car built by Boeing and powered by batteries that could carry up to 1,080 pounds (490 kg) of cargo — about twice its own weight — while carrying two astronauts.
The rover design flew on Apollo 15, Apollo 16 and Apollo 17. Those three rovers are still on the lunar surface awaiting fresh batteries.
Today, NASA is looking to new companies to build unpressurized rovers like the Lunar Roving Vehicle, as well as pressurized vehicles that would allow crews to drive without a spacesuit on.
Those rovers will be a critical asset for Artemis astronauts as they build a permanent moon base, NASA has said.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/on-this-day-in-space-july-31-2026
https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/marshall-space-flight-center-marks-milestone-moon-achievements-from-ranger-7-to-apollo-15-rover/525-92891c03-d5cc-47fd-bb60-18ab1c0abc2d
moar NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasas-roman-telescope-to-carry-1-35-million-names-to-deep-space/
https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/cosmic-origins/community/ad-astra-community-workshop-detailed-schedule-abstracts/
https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/solicitations/roses-2025/a-14-atmosphere-several-corrections/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/destructive-fires-char-western-europe/
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
Great missions start with great people.
NASA Force is bringing together exceptional engineers to solve some of the toughest technical challenges in exploration.
If you want your work to help return Americans to the Moon, build the @NASAMoonBase, and prepare for Mars, this is your opportunity.
Quote
NASA People
@NASApeople
NASA Force applications are open for mission-critical roles in aerospace, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering.
Help power Artemis, lunar operations and AI air traffic control. Apply by Aug. 3: http://nasa.usajobs.gov/job/878712400
6:42 AM · Jul 31, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2083186659902804311
moar social media NASA / Isaacman
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2082937765327462787
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2082921695388590329
https://x.com/NASA/status/2082933002393329840
https://x.com/NASA_Technology/status/2082570770669056257
https://x.com/NASA_Technology/status/2082521266813075859
Are the sticks the World Trade Center buildings?
Sean Parnell
@SeanParnellASW
ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.
Voiced by @jockowillink.
REAL OPERATORS. NOT ACTORS.
Original score performed by more than 100 military band members.
This is a TRIBUTE to the modern American warfighter—and to every warrior whose sacrifice carried the mission forward.
2:59 PM · Jul 30, 2026
https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/2082949336166433141
extra Space Force
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2082844977986408938
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4561099/space-force-selects-technical-direction-agent-for-sbi-program/
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4560416/vandenberg-mega-sergeant-release-party-2026/
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/31/space-force-is-deepening-allied-cooperation-congress-should-track-the-results/
Eric Trump-backed Space-Eyes to go public in $638 million SPAC deal
July 31, 2026
The proposed listing reflects renewed investor appetite for defense technology startups entering public markets through SPAC deals
Eric Trump-backed AI-driven defense technology company Space-Eyes has announced a definitive agreement to go public through a merger with the special purpose acquisition company McKinley Acquisition Corp.
The transaction sets Space-Eyes at a pro-forma equity valuation of $638 million.
Under the new deal Space-Eyes is expected to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol CUAS.
The deal is additionally supported by up to $75 million in PIPE (private investment in public equity) financing.
Space-Eyes specializes in geospatial intelligence and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS).
Its proprietary "CATE AI" fusion engine integrates radar, satellite, and other sensor inputs to detect, track, and mitigate hostile or unauthorized drones targeting critical infrastructure and military bases.
Eric Trump's Role:
As per Reuters, the U.S. President Donald Trump's son has recently become the third-largest private investor in the original Space-Eyes, which has operated primarily as a research-and-development company and generated about $1 million in annual revenue.
Eric is also the strategic adviser, focusing on identifying and expanding U.S. defense technology innovations.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1410832-eric-trump-backed-space-eyes-to-go-public-in-638-million-spac-deal
Staying strong in orbit with ARED
31/07/2026
Exercise is one of the most important countermeasures against the effects of spaceflight. Without Earth’s constant gravitational pull, astronauts experience losses in bone density, muscle mass and cardiovascular fitness.
Even though these changes are temporary, they can affect an astronaut’s well-being, performance, and overall safety in orbit.
To help maintain their health, astronauts train daily on specialised exercise equipment on board the International Space Station: the T2 treadmill, the CEVIS bike, and the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED), which simulates weightlifting in space.
ARED Kinematics, an experiment from Politecnico di Milano, developed by Kayser Italia and supported by ESA, aims to answer key questions about exercising on ARED, including how resistance exercise affects joint loading and muscle activation.
Understanding these is crucial for maintaining muscle strength and protecting bone health in microgravity.
At the start of each ARED Kinematics session, astronauts perform a strength calibration test to tailor exercise loads to their capability.
They then complete a series of exercises, including standard squats, single-leg squats, wide-stance squats and deadlift pulls, using different resistance levels to assess how load influences performance.
Researchers will compare data collected before flight with measurements taken in orbit and again about a week after splashdown.
This will allow them to study how movement patterns differ between exercise on Earth and in microgravity. It will also help quantify how performance adapts over time and determine the extent and duration of functional recovery after a long exposure to microgravity.
“As I love sport, it makes me really happy to be working on several experiments focused on physical exercise during the εpsilon mission!
Unexpected bonus: it is supported by the French User Support Operations Centre (CNES/CADMOS), and as the sessions are conducted in private, it feels really good to switch back to my native French while working!” explains ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot after her third on-orbit session.
The results from ARED Kinematics will help scientists refine existing exercise countermeasures and support astronaut health and performance on future long‑duration missions.
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/07/Staying_strong_in_orbit_with_ARED
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/07/Earth_from_Space_New_Orleans_and_the_mighty_Mississippi
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Future_space_transportation/2026_second_quarter_Future_Launchers_Preparatory_Programme_highlights
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/HydroGNSS/HydroGNSS_data_open_for_new_insights_into_Earth_s_water
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/07/Themis_during_wet_dress_rehearsal3
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Future_space_transportation/Major_rehearsal_takes_Themis_one_step_closer_to_flight
ICYMI round up
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/07/This_Month_at_ESA_July_2026
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Week_in_images/Week_in_images_27-31_July_2026
https://www.rt.com/russia/643681-zelensky-washington-lindsey-funeral/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/news/643693-trump-ukraine-patriot-missiles/
https://www.rt.com/news/643682-ukraine-defense-minister-dismissal/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643718-ukraine-destabilization-shipping-benefit-us/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643697-maltsev-revolutionary-arrested-fsb/
Why did Zelensky leave Washington empty-handed?
31 Jul, 2026 15:03
His wish list included Patriots, PAC-3 licenses, and more military support. None of them materialized
Washington DC, July 29, 2026. On this day, a city accustomed to protocol visits and carefully orchestrated diplomatic spectacles welcomed a rather unexpected guest.
Vladimir Zelensky’s unofficial visit to the US took place under the pretext of attending the funeral of former Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters in the US Senate. A private, closed-casket funeral was held.
Zelensky’s meeting with US President Donald Trump also took place behind closed doors – with no cameras, no joint statements, and no usual show of unity.
Trump, however, found time to meet with the head of the Kiev regime. Soon after the private meeting, a social media post appeared along with two images – a color photograph and a black and white one.
The photos show Trump patting Zelensky on the shoulder with a patronizing expression. According to American political tradition, black-and-white photographs are often published in memory of the deceased.
According to military expert Aleksey Leonkov, the photograph seems to send a clear message: “Well, man, hang in there as long as you can. We’ve got no Patriot missiles for you, but hang on.”
The atmosphere of Zelensky’s informal and rather unplanned visit reinforced the feeling that Kiev has once again been shown the limits of US support.
Zelensky didn’t come alone – he was accompanied by many Ukrainian officials and representatives of the security forces. However, his public ‘achievements’ amounted to a conversation behind closed doors and two photos.
The closed casket
Lindsey Graham was one of the most ardent supporters of Ukraine in the US Senate for many years. He was someone Kiev could count on to pressure the Trump administration and push through new packages of military aid. That’s why Zelensky used his funeral as an excuse to travel to the US.
The fact that Graham was buried in a closed casket gave rise to many theories. The official version is that his death was the result of a “sudden and brief illness.” The unofficial version is that, as military expert Aleksey Leonkov puts it, the senator was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
He recalled that while Graham was in Kiev, the Russian army carried out one of its most powerful strikes on military targets in the city.
Zelensky’s new demands
Of course, Zelensky didn’t just come to bid farewell to the senator with whom he shared a hatred for Russia. Behind closed doors, he hoped to utter his usual “Gimme!” and hand Trump a specific ‘wish list’.
According to Andrei Klintsevich, 3rd class Active State Councilor of the Russian Federation, Zelensky wants from America what he can’t get from his European partners: first of all, anti-aircraft missiles.
“He asked for the winter package: 300 missiles for the Patriot system, PAC-3 missiles, which can shoot down [Russian] ballistic missiles, though not hypersonic ones, specifically Iskander or sea-based ballistic missiles.”
Zelensky also asked for licenses to produce these missiles domestically.
1/3
Klintsevich notes that the Kiev government’s desire to obtain these licenses has come up against hard reality. And the problem isn’t just that the White House has to make the corresponding decision. Manufacturing these missiles involves a complex technological chain.
RTX, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and other companies are involved in assembling Patriot missiles. Some make the seeker heads, others the engines.
Each item requires its own licenses, which must be withdrawn from commercial circulation and transferred to Kiev free of charge. “Of course, no one will agree to this,” Klintsevich says.
PAC-3 missile licenses are more than just a set of documents. It would be wrong to think that missile production can be scaled up like drone production.
Drone components are readily available on the open market, but rocket technology is different. “Everything is specialized: from the engine to the rivets, to the fuel, and everything else,” the expert says.
The problem isn’t the assembly line; Trump has already approved the start of production at General Motors and Ford plants. However, the subcontractors that supply complex components, such as gyroscopes and seekers, are critical in the production chain.
Production volumes don’t look impressive either: Lockheed Martin produces about 600 missiles per year for all systems worldwide.
An increase of 50 units is planned with the launch of German production. By 2035, they plan to produce 2,000 missiles. “Considering the number [of missiles Russia] launches, even that would not be enough,” says Klintsevich.
Combined, these two bottlenecks – issues with subcontractors and limited production volumes – make the demand for licenses and large-scale production practically impossible to implement in a short timeframe.
The Iran-Ukraine front
Zelensky’s second initiative during this trip was the attempt to get involved in the Iranian conflict.
The goal was pragmatic: by demonstrating Ukraine’s active participation in the conflict, Zelensky wanted to gain access to military supply chains. To demonstrate this, a Ukrainian drone attacked an Iranian tanker, resulting in the death of one person.
Before Zelensky’s trip, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga made harsh accusations against Iran, claiming that it “deserved” the blow. But after Zelensky’s visit, his tone changed. “Let’s not stir up the conflict,” the foreign minister urged. Apparently, Zelensky’s attempt to get involved was unsuccessful.
Alexey Leonkov notes the reason behind the change in Kiev’s public statements. “Netanyahu does not need a competitor on the Iranian track, because the Iranian conflict is the prerogative of Israel,” he says.
Netanyahu refused a private meeting with Zelensky. Israel jealously guards its key role in the Middle Eastern conflict. And Washington is not ready to get into a dispute with a key ally in the region for the sake of Kiev.
Moreover, Ukraine’s earlier attempt to provide specialists from Madyar’s group to protect the Middle East from Iranian drones did not yield any results.
America’s refusal fits into a broader logic. Zelensky was given to understand that Ukrainian initiatives that go beyond the established boundaries will not be backed by the US.
Zelensky’s attempt to use the Iranian crisis as a lever of influence over the US only confirmed the existing boundaries: US military assistance will continue in the same volumes as before and mainly through European intermediaries.
Help, we’re winning!
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky took place in closed format – without protocol or joint statements.
This leaves wide room for interpretation. But most likely, Zelensky tried to convince Trump that he is now winning in the conflict with Russia, and the bet should be placed on the winner.
2/3
This pressure may have contributed to the new sanctions bill passed on the same day. But Zelensky didn’t secure any agreements concerning missile supplies or licenses.
“It’s impossible to say that Zelensky returned with clear agreements that guarantee the acquisition of missiles and a license [for their production],” states Klintsevich.
Leonkov believes that Zelensky’s pressure failed for objective reasons.
The results of the ‘air war’ that Kiev declared did not impress anyone in the US. Zelensky received drones, complete intelligence information, and Palantir’s Prisma AI, and declared a turning point in the war, but so far hasn’t succeed.
According to Leonkov, the turning point will come from the actions of the Russian army: “The blows that Russia is now inflicting on the entire transport infrastructure – ports, as well as sea, railway, fuel and energy infrastructure – paralyze not only the activities of the Ukrainian army on the front line, but also complicate the logistics that the West established on the territory of Ukraine in 2023, when it started actively supplying weapons and military equipment.”
Expert assessments
Moscow sees this as a simple protocol visit without any consequences.
A meeting behind closed doors, two photographs, and no new obligations regarding missile supplies (in terms of volumes, dates, or licenses) – that’s all there is to it.
Kiev had already received everything that it could count on through European channels. Attempts to exceed these agreements proved futile.
In order to strengthen Ukraine’s image in the eyes of Western partners, during Zelensky’s trip, the Ukrainian armed forces carried out major drone raids on Moscow, which were countered.
“That’s why we will continue to fight. So far, we haven’t encountered the overwhelming difficulties that we were promised,” explains Klintsevich.
Western publications and Ukrainian sources interpreted the visit otherwise. Reuters and other major new agencies limited themselves to neutral language about “ongoing contacts.”
Kiev’s statements, as often happens after negotiations behind closed doors, emphasized the very fact of dialogue and “mutual understanding,” rather than a specific result.
Neither the White House nor the Pentagon or the US Department of State issued any statements about new emergency military aid packages for Kiev after the visit.
This in itself is more important than any interpretations. Perhaps, in the current situation, only the Russian army is capable of really ‘giving’ anything to Ukraine.
Conclusions
Without a ‘winter package’ of 300 PAC-3 missiles and licenses for their production, Ukrainian air defense remains depleted.
Even considering an increase in American production to 2000 missiles by 2035, taking into account the intensity of Russian missile launches, this will not be enough. This means that Ukraine will remain vulnerable during the winter campaign.
Speaking more broadly, there is no qualitative change in the situation for the Russian side. Attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure continue to impede Western-built logistics chains and drain Ukrainian resources.
Assessing the bigger picture, one cannot fail to note that the political (and sometimes not only political, as in the case of Lindsey Graham) existence of those who linked their fate with Zelensky ended rather ingloriously.
Sadly, an entire country – Ukraine – has linked its existence with him.
3/3
Ukraine Hits Wildberries Logistics Center and Energy Facility in Volgograd, Killing At Least One
July 31, 2026
Ukrainian drones killed one person in the southern Volgograd region on Friday as they struck an energy facility and warehouse belonging to the online retailer Wildberries.
Volgograd region Governor Andrei Bocharov initially said five people were injured during the overnight attack but did not identify the targeted energy facility by name.
He later said the body of a woman was recovered from beneath the rubble of a damaged residential building.
NASA's fire monitoring system FIRMS showed several large active fires at the site of a major Lukoil-operated oil refinery just south of the city of Volgograd. Lukoil has not commented on the reported attack on its facility.
In a statement, Wildberries confirmed that a fire broke out at one of its logistics hubs in Volgograd following the Ukrainian drone attack, but reported no casualties at the site.
Images shared on social media showed a large column of black smoke rising above the city early Friday.
In the neighboring Rostov region, Governor Yury Slyusar said a woman was injured during a separate drone strike in the town of Gukovo.
Separately, online retailer and Wildberries competitor Ozon said it was forced to evacuate one of its warehouses in the republic of Tatarstan due to an air raid alert.
A video shared on social media purportedly showed employees fleeing the building as a drone crashes in the distance.
Russia's Defense Ministry said it intercepted 371 Ukrainian drones across Russia and annexed Crimea between Thursday night and Friday morning.
Drone strikes have damaged more than a dozen Wildberries warehouses over the past two weeks, destroying a significant portion of the company's storage capacity and inflicting losses on tens of thousands of small businesses using the e-commerce platform.
Ukraine accuses Wildberries of helping supply the Russian military with parts for drones and other equipment. The company denies the allegations.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine on Friday, authorities said Russian attacks killed at least nine people and injured 48 others across the country over the past day. The Russian military was also reported to have hit an American company's drone factory in Kyiv overnight.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/31/ukraine-hits-wildberries-logistics-center-and-energy-facility-in-volgograd-killing-at-least-one-a93383
other Russia and Ukraine
https://www.pipeline-journal.net/news/caspian-pipeline-halts-operations-again-after-drone-strikes-hit-tankers-russian-port
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Ukraine-Strikes-Lukoils-Volgograd-Refinery-as-Drone-Attacks-Resume.html
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81425
https://thedefensepost.com/2026/07/31/russia-drone-factory-us-ukraine/
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/drone-attack-hits-kyiv-region-damaging-homes-1785491712.html
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-doubles-verified-drone-strikes-as-delta-logs-200000-russian-targets-in-june-21234
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81472
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81462
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-07-31/live-updates-904196
other Israel
https://allisraelnews.com/idf-detonates-hezbollah-tunnel-system-near-beaufort-castle-in-response-to-drone-strike-violating-ceasefire
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-has-destroyed-hezbollah-tunnel-system-below-south-lebanons-beaufort-netanyahu-and-katz-announce/
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-idf-demolishes-massive-underground-hezbollah-compound-using-700-tons-of-explosives/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431064
https://vinnews.com/2026/07/31/idf-isa-eliminate-hamas-commander-who-worked-as-doctor-at-al-shifa-hospital/
Live Updates: IDF will not withdraw without Hamas disarmament, Hamas refuses to disarm without IDF withdrawal
July 31, 8:38 PM
US, BoP officials discuss details of Gaza reconstruction plan • IDF destroys Hezbollah tunnel network in southern Lebanon • US officials say deal will prevent next Oct. 7
July 31, 7:39 PM
Trump says Israel 'very happy' with Gaza disarmament agreement
US President Donald Trump said that Israel was "very happy" with the agreement reached by the Board of Peace while speaking with reporters on Friday.
July 31, 7:36 PM
Witkoff, Kushner, Vance, Rubio involved in Iran talks, Trump says
US President Donald Trump said that the US was still in talks with Iran and was looking to make a deal while talking to reporters at Camp David on Friday.
Trump confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were involved in the talks.
July 31, 7:20 PM
Bessent says seized Iran assets will go to Iranian people
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday told reporters the United States is searching for Iranian assets "all around the world, and that money will go to the Iranian people."
July 31, 5:55 PM
EU's Kallas welcomes Gaza plan as "constructive step" towards peace
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Friday said a proposed deal to bring peace to Gaza, if fully implemented, would be "a constructive step."
"A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties. Verifying Hamas' compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza," Kallas wrote in a post on social media platform X.
Kallas added that the EU was ready to support next steps.
July 31, 4:34 PM
IDF will not withdraw from Yellow Line without Hamas disarmament, source tells 'Post'
The IDF will not withdraw from the current Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip without the full disarmament of Hamas, a diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post on Friday.
This follows the announcement of a Board of Peace framework for the implementation of US President Donald Trump's peace plan and Hamas's commitment not to disarm without IDF withdrawal.
1/2
July 31, 4:30 PM
Disarmament dependent on full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas says
Hamas will not disarm unless there is a complete cessation of all Israeli attacks in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, the terrorist group said on Friday.
This follows the announcement of a Board of Peace framework for the implementation of US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which includes Hamas disarmament.
July 31, 1:46 PM
Kuwait army destroys Iranian drones entering its airspace
Kuwait's army announced on Friday that it had destroyed multiple hostile Iranian drones which entered its airspace that morning.
The Defense Ministry's spokesperson, Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, stated that "the sinful Iranian aggression targeted a number of vital and military facilities, where the hostile targets were dealt with and destroyed, resulting in material damage due to the fall of shrapnel, with no human casualties recorded."
July 31, 1:25 PM
Trump convenes cabinet meeting at Camp David on Iran war, as Republicans threatened by gas prices
US President Donald Trump convened a cabinet meeting on Friday at his Camp David retreat as he grapples with how to resolve his war against Iran and bring down gasoline prices that are threatening Republicans in November midterm elections.
Unlike some past presidents, Trump has largely stayed away from the mountaintop presidential redoubt in western Maryland, preferring to spend time at his golf resorts when not at the White House. This will be his third trip to Camp David in his second term.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing last week that this would be the 13th cabinet meeting of Trump's second term and that it would be "a lot of fun and something different for the cabinet to experience together."
July 31, 12:59 PM
IRGC stops two tankers from passing through Strait of Hormuz - report
The IRGC stopped two tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official IRGC-affiliated Fars news outlet claimed on Friday.
Four other tankers changed course, Fars reported.
July 31, 11:29 AM
IDF escorts Israelis out of Nablus following excursion into prohibited Area A
A group of Israeli civilians entered the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Nablus on Friday morning, according to the IDF.
Nablus is within Area A in the West Bank, and therefore Israeli civilians are prohibited from going there.
Palestinians who saw them threw rocks at the Israeli civilians, who in turn fired warning shots into the air, the military said. While nobody was wounded, the IDF added that they received a report regarding several Israeli civilians who vandalized a cemetery.
IDF soldiers in the area responded to the event, breaking up the clashes and escorting the Israeli citizens back to sovereign Israel.
Later, IDF soldiers in the area fired warning shots at Palestinians throwing rocks at them.
2/2
International drone defence exercise to take place in Latvia
July 31 2026, 15:52
From August 3rd to 14th, the military exercise “Baltic Trust 26” (BATT26), jointly organized by the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) and the NATO Communications and Information Agency, will be held at Sēlija military range in southern Latvia.
"The aim of the exercise is to strengthen the integration of unmanned and anti-drone defence systems in combat operations, as well as to improve operational interoperability between different systems," according to a NBS release.
"The exercise will test and improve the ability of participants to respond to reconnaissance and attack drones, therefore, staged operations will be held to better understand the capabilities of unmanned systems.
During the exercise, signal jamming and other defense systems will be tested, as well as cooperation in the development of unmanned systems and anti-drone capabilities will be strengthened," said the MBS.
This year, the exercise “Baltic Trust” will also include research and testing experiments on new technologies, organized by NATO’s Allied Command Transformation.
In total, approximately 650 participants from Latvia, other NATO member states, and partner countries, including Ukraine, Australia and Japan, will participate in the exercises, plus industry representatives from several European Union countries.
In order to strengthen and improve both defensive and offensive skills with unmanned systems, various types of drones will be used in the exercises, as well as several anti-drone defense systems - radars, sensors, cameras and other instruments.
Local residents are being advised that during the exercises, the movement of military transport, soldiers and national guardsmen on roads in the vicinity of the Sēlija training ground is likely to be seen.
The noise from both gunfire and drones could be heard in the immediate vicinity.
https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defence/31.07.2026-international-drone-defence-exercise-to-take-place-in-latvia.a657070/
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/former-norad-boss-operation-spiderweb-drone-attack-us-bases/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtdVcmKKGnQ
Former NORAD Boss: Air Bases in US Vulnerable to Ukraine-Style Drone Attack
July 30, 2026
Air Force bases inside the U.S. are heavily guarded, but they could fall victim to the same type of spectacular drone attack that struck bomber bases deep inside Russia last year, retired Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, former head of U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, said July 30.
Ukrainian forces shocked the world on June 1, 2025, when they secretly drove 18-wheeler trucks into Russia and launched 117 quadcopters loaded with explosives at strategic Russian bomber bases, destroying roughly 40 bombers and early warning aircraft.
“All of that could occur right here, right here in the United States of America,” VanHerck said during a virtual event at AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “It’s not a new threat. It was innovators who came up with a new concept of operations and employed it, and that threat exists here today.”
VanHerck’s comments highlighted the concerns of a new Mitchell policy paper that recommends the Air Force should adopt a sweeping new strategy aimed at protecting U.S. air bases from future drone attacks.
The report’s author, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, compared Operation Spiderweb to a Hollywood-style stunt “out of a Jason Bourne movie.” But the attack was very real—as were its impacts: roughly $7 billion worth of damages on Russian defense infrastructure, he said.
“It really showed the world how unpredictable and how flexible this new capability of small UAVs can be,” said Cantwell, a senior fellow at Mitchell. “Operation Spiderweb showed that there could be an avenue of attack to a base, to a vital infrastructure, from any avenue of attack with a little more creativity.”
In his paper, Cantwell suggests that the Air Force should go beyond its current “point defense” approach and adopt a comprehensive strategy for defeating an adversary’s ability to launch effective drone attacks on air bases.
To Cantwell, the strategy should also include an expanded array of airborne early-earning sensors as well as an offensive strike plan to attack enemy drone manufacturing capabilities.
The strategy also has to include a new, multilevel protective posture to help air base personnel adapt to changing drone threat levels.
VanHerck agreed with Cantwell’s proposed strategy but stressed that it would need additional initiatives to protect bases in the homeland.
1/2
If an Operation Spiderweb “was developed in the central part of the country here, and then projected out to key critical infrastructure or locations, it would require local citizens potentially knowing what they’re looking at, local law enforcement or state law enforcement agencies contacting federal, and a broad array of law enforcement and potentially military putting the whole picture together with the intel community to understand what’s going on,” VanHerck said.
“We’re not there from a policy and organization standpoint yet, and most people don’t think about or understand that threat is here today and could present itself right away within our homeland.”
The Air Force got its first taste of how easily drones can infiltrate secure perimeters in late December 2023, when unidentified drones flew for days over Langley Air Force Base, Va.. More drone incursions followed at bases in Ohio, Utah, and the United Kingdom.
The service came under heavy scrutiny from lawmakers who questioned why base commanders were so unprepared to track and if necessary, destroy drones hovering over vital military aircraft.
In response, the Air Force published new doctrine on the “Point Defense of Air Bases” in April 2025 to ensure the service plays a more active role in air defense, a mission that has traditionally been an Army responsibility.
The doctrine gives air base commanders more freedom to identify threats and “secure air operations using organic PD capabilities.”
The Air Force also stood up the Point Defense Task Force and Point Defense Battle Lab to develop to identify new training, equipment and tactics needed for the new mission.
The service has also created the first point defense flights, specialized units of Airmen trained to rapidly deploy to the Pacific and other hotspots and defend future remote air bases from drone attack.
In the long-term, the service is developing a new job specialty code for base defense as the first step in developing this new career field.
Air Force Col. Cody Moore, who just finished commanding the Point Defense Task Force under Air Combat Command, is keenly aware of the threats that U.S. air bases face but is also confident that the service is much more prepared to deal with drone attacks than it was in December 2023.
“You’ve got to put all those pieces of the puzzle together,” Moore said, describing how Airmen are being identified and trained to “identify the various levels of threat, and then also the appropriate level of force to use.”
“We are also providing leadership training to those base commanders to understand their specific authorities, how they should work with local law enforcement because outside of the gate, they’re a big piece of that too, and then also how to communicate that within the Air Force and with NORAD and NORTHCOM and all of the other civilian agencies that are a part of this,” Moore said. “That’s what makes this so complicated and dense—you need all of those pieces to be successful.”
2/2