What happened on the day of July 25th. The main thing

The XIX Forum of interregional cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan with the participation of the presidents of the two countries has ended in Omsk. The Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of more than a thousand drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in a day, as well as a series of strikes on enemy infrastructure facilities. In the Zaporizhia region, the death toll from the attack on the campsite in Kirillovka has increased to 11 people. China has promised to respond to EU sanctions against Russia. There was a massive blackout in Georgia. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced the stabilization of the fuel situation in Russia. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

Meeting of Putin and Tokayev in Omsk

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting in Omsk on the sidelines of the XIX Forum of Interregional Cooperation, which was held on July 24-25. Putin noted that relations between the two countries are developing successfully and are of a strategic nature. The trade turnover in 2025 reached $27.8 billion, and in the first five months of 2026 it increased by another 4%. Russian companies are involved in 70 projects in Kazakhstan totaling about $30 billion.

Tokayev proposed launching the Kazakhstan–Russia digital transport corridor on the busiest route between the two countries. Putin said that the total volume of cargo transportation by rail increased by 4% to 95 million tons, and increased by another 5.7% in 2026. He noted the Selyatino terminal, built with the participation of Kazakhstan in the Moscow region, which serves cargo flows to third countries, including China. In May, the first Moscow–Astana unmanned cargo line was launched.

Putin also reported on the development of navigation in the Caspian Sea and along rivers, including the Irtysh, where a master plan for the joint use of water resources is being developed. The geography of air transportation is expanding, and construction of a new terminal was completed in Orenburg in June, which will allow flights to Almaty.

The advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the special operation zone

During the day, the air defense forces shot down 1,060 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and eight guided aerial bombs. An unmanned boat was destroyed in the Black Sea. The Russian military launched a series of attacks on enemy infrastructure facilities. A large warehouse of long—range unmanned aerial vehicles in the Sumy region was destroyed - objective controls recorded an accurate hit, followed by a powerful detonation and a massive fire that completely destroyed the enemy's logistical base.

Two substations in Chernihiv region used in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed by Geran-4 Seeker drones: a night strike hit a 110 kV substation in the village of Mena, and a day strike hit a 40 kV substation in Semenovka. A bulk carrier was defeated in the Black Sea, transporting cargo in the interests of the Ukrainian army. The strike was carried out by a Geran-4 Seeker jet UAV. The agency published footage of objective control, which recorded the exact moment of hitting the target and the subsequent defeat of the vessel.

Ukrainian Armed Forces strikes on Russian territory

The Armed forces of Ukraine have attacked tourist bases in the urban-type settlement of Kirillovka, Melitopol city district, Zaporizhia region. The governor of the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, said that the death toll had risen to 11 people, including four children. 16 people were injured, including five children. The fate of eight more people remains unknown. Emergency rescue operations are continuing at the site, and all the injured have been hospitalized.

Balitsky stressed that the strike was targeted and targeted civilians. The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case on the terrorist attack. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attacks on bases with tourists are a terrorist method. The Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Rodion Miroshnik, blamed the incident on the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mikhail Drapaty.

During the week, 1,401 UAVs were launched towards the Moscow region, and 143 drones were neutralized on approach to the capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The drones were recorded between 08:30 on July 18 and 08:30 on July 25.

In the suburbs of Yekaterinburg, the Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to strike at a civilian facility, said Artem Zhoga, the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Ural Federal District. As a result of falling debris, a fire broke out in the surrounding area, there were no casualties.

Novak on the fuel situation in Russia

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that the fuel situation in Russia is gradually stabilizing. A number of plants have been put into operation, the balance has improved, and the situation at gas stations is much better, but in some regions, especially in Siberia, a difficult situation remains, which is being handled manually at the federal headquarters level together with the regions and companies.

The permit for the production of Euro-3 gasoline was adopted as a temporary measure to cover the shortage in the domestic market. In the future, after the normalization of the situation, Russia will return to the production of Euro-5 fuel, which has the best environmental characteristics. Novak stressed that the difficulties are temporary, and the government is doing everything to restore full supply to the domestic market as soon as possible.

Novak also said that Kazakhstan, if necessary, will be able to supply surplus petroleum products to Russia to maintain the stability of the domestic market. Kazakhstan annually produces more than 1 million tons of petroleum products, we are talking about small surpluses that can be sent to Russia. Moscow and Astana have agreed to use the available additional volumes to mutually supply the markets of the two countries.

China has promised to respond to EU sanctions against Russia

Zhou Mi, an expert at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that China expresses "extreme dissatisfaction and resolute disagreement" after the EU included additional Chinese companies in the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.

Beijing intends to protect their legitimate rights and interests and called on the EU to abandon such measures, eliminate their negative consequences and take steps to preserve the stability of relations between China and the EU.

Blackout in Georgia

A large—scale blackout occurred in Georgia - at 07:30 local time (06:30 Moscow time), electricity went out in Tbilisi, the metro and commuter trains across the country stopped. Levan Mebonia, director of the Inguri HPP, said that the reason was the shutdown of the 500-kilovolt Imereti power transmission line, through which the main load of the country's energy system passes.

After its shutdown, the operating mode was disrupted, and the power system completely collapsed. This is the second large-scale blackout in two days. Work is underway to eliminate the accident, and electricity supply has been partially restored in several districts of the capital.

Orban on Hungary's future

Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Hungary should remain neutral in conflicts outside NATO territory, including the Ukrainian conflict. In his opinion, the current government headed by Peter Magyar is following a wrong course, fully supporting NATO's approach to the conflict in Ukraine.

Orban stressed that NATO remains the most important defensive alliance to protect the territory of its member states, but in conflicts outside the alliance, countries have the right to remain neutral. Further escalation of the Ukrainian conflict, he said, could lead to serious consequences. Assessing the current situation, Orban quoted the title of Nikolai Chernyshevsky's novel "What to Do?" in Russian, asking a rhetorical question about Hungary's return to its former form of life.