28 August 2025
Russia
A Ukrainian strike on the Ryazan-Moscow oil pipeline has halted fuel to Moscow. In 2018, the pipeline was repurposed to supply gasoline to the capital for automotive use. This comes as Russia is experiencing a fuel shortage, resulting in kilometre-long lineups at petrol stations, fights between civilians for fuel, and other disruptions. Obviously, it also affects the overall health of what is left of the Russian economy.
Russia continues to push back on the US on a potential meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. This also comes after the second-largest air attack on Ukraine, which killed at least 17 civilians in Kyiv.
UK-Russia
The UK Foreign Office has summoned Russia’s ambassador after strikes on Kyiv killed at least 17 people, including four children. Dozens more were injured in the overnight strikes, which mainly hit residential areas in the city and also damaged British Council and EU mission buildings.
Germany
Rheinmetall opened Europe’s largest munitions plant in northern Germany. The facility aims to produce more than 350,000 artillery shells a day by 2027. Europe has ramped up defence spending and production in recent years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Investments such as this prove that Europe is taking its defence and security needs seriously.
North Korea Cyber
South Korea, Japan and the United States are co-hosting a cybersecurity forum this week to discuss how to counter the growing North Korean threat of firms unknowingly hiring North Koreans as remote workers. One of the more shocking cases is when a US woman had 90 laptops in her residence, which North Koreans would remotely access, so it would appear that they were working within the United States.
Democratic Republic of Congo
According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, the DRC government and the M23 rebels have resumed talks following a renewed outbreak of violence. They are discussing how to implement a truce that was agreed to in July, but the M23 rebels left negotiations earlier after they accused the government of increasing attacks on the group.
Pakistan
More than one million people have been evacuated from Pakistan’s Punjab province due to flooding caused by heavy rain, the provincial disaster authority said on Thursday.
Pakistan has accused India of continuing to disregard the Indus Water Treaty by rerouting flood warnings from Indian dams through its foreign ministry channels, rather than through the treaty’s designated channels, in violation of the treaty’s parameters. India suspended the Indus Water Treaty following the Pahalgam attacks. Stewart Webb wrote an article on the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and how Pakistani terror groups will benefit from it.
China
Details are emerging of next week’s Chinese military parade, with President Xi hosting both Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. It is also being seen as a signal to US President Trump as to who really holds the geopolitical cards in the ongoing tariff war with China.
Syria
Israeli drone strikes near Damascus have killed six Syrian soldiers, Syria’s government said, among a series of reported attacks this week. After more strikes on Wednesday, Israeli forces carried out an airborne landing at a former military site in the area, international and Syrian state media report.
Yemen
Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for firing a ballistic missile towards Israel, which caused air raid sirens to go off in Jerusalem and central Israel yesterday morning. This comes after Israel targeted the Houthi-held capital of Yemen, Sanaa, the day before.
Social Media Wires
Aerial view of Pakistani flooding, provided by Pakistani Armed Forces
Feature Photo: “155mm artillery shells” Picryl, 2025
The Wires Brief is a weekly breaking news report incorporating wire service news and social media updates. DefRep cannot verify the authenticity of social media reporters nor the accuracy of social media updates