Russia hit the center of Sumy

A Russian strike on the central part of Sumy sparked a fire on August 15, hitting civilian infrastructure, regional governor Oleh Hryhorov reported on Telegram. He did not specify the type of weapon used. Emergency crews are working at the site, and information on casualties is still being clarified.

Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia, has faced repeated shelling and missile and drone attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The latest strike came just hours before U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were due to meet in Anchorage, Alaska, for their first talks since Trump returned to office and Putin’s first visit to the United States in a decade.

In his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s ongoing strikes, listing attacks in Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk oblasts. He said the war continues because there are no orders or signals from Moscow indicating readiness to end it.

While the White House has described the Alaska summit as part of Washington’s push to end the war, Ukrainian and European officials have expressed concern over Kyiv’s exclusion from the talks.

Russian and US officials further clarified the details of the upcoming August 15 Alaska summit

Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet at 11:30 a.m. local time on August 15 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Ushakov said the talks will begin face-to-face with interpreters present, followed by a joint press conference. Putin will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed the meeting’s location on August 14, adding that Trump and Putin will first meet one-on-one, then attend a bilateral lunch with their delegations, and end with a press conference. Trump told Fox News he would decide whether to appear alongside Putin for the press conference or hold it alone, depending on the outcome of their private talks.

Zelenskyy reported success on the Pokrovsk front

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Aug. 15 that Ukraine’s forces are making gains in countering Russia’s offensive on the Pokrovsk front and voiced expectations for the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Following a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Zelenskyy said he will receive a Ukrainian intelligence briefing on Friday regarding Russia’s current plans and preparations for the Alaska talks. He emphasized that the main goal of the summit should be to open a real path toward a just peace and pave the way for substantive trilateral discussions between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.

“It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work as productively as possible,” Zelenskyy said.

The president reported that Ukrainian troops are holding back Russian attempts to secure positions on the Pokrovsk front while stepping up pressure on Russian forces. He highlighted the effective work of the 79th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades near Dobropillia and announced plans to reinforce positions in Donetsk Oblast.

Zelenskyy also thanked Ukrainian defenders in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, noting that Russian forces continue to suffer heavy losses as they try to improve their political leverage ahead of the Alaska meeting. “We understand this plan and are informing our partners about the real situation,” he said.