When Ukraine hit an oil refinery hundreds of miles inside Russia this week, Moscow was incensed.
The drone strike on the Taneco refinery in Nizhnekamsk was just the latest sign of Kyiv’s ability to shatter Vladimir Putin’s illusion of safety and bring home the reality of his war to ordinary Russians. Local officials said 13 people, including a child, had been killed, making it one of the deadliest attacks on a Russian city since 2022.
Nizhnekamsk lies in the Republic of Tatarstan, a top oil producer and refining hub that helps fund Putin’s war machine, and is therefore a major target for Kyiv’s long-range drones.
Economy grows by 0.4% – what you need to know
The UK economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, new data has shown.
What is driving the growth
The growth comes after a first quarter in which the economy expanded by 0.6 per cent and has been boosted by the summer sun and sports events, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Computer programming, advertising and the pharmaceutical industry were areas of strength, the ONS said, but this was offset by falls in power generation and sewerage.
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Housing nightmares
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Growth likely to slow
The economy is now 1.2% bigger than a year ago, but economists warn growth is likely to slow in the second half of the year.
Speaking to the , Fergus Jimenez-England, associate economist at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research said: “Both inflation and unemployment are set to rise in the coming months while business sentiment remains fragile and could dampen further with ongoing energy price volatility.”
I’m a pension expert with a £300,000 pot – here are my golden rules for saving
Kirsty Ross has been working in the pensions industry for 15 years but says experts have the same fears and anxieties as everyone else.
How ‘black hole stars’ could explain mystery of the early universe
Strange red spots in images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may be a newly discovered type of object called a “black hole star” that is larger than our entire solar system.
Supermassive blackholes
Astronomers have said the objects may help to explain how supermassive blackholes formed so early in the history of the universe.
They lie at the hearts of galaxies and play a key role in determining their growth and evolution.
Solving a puzzle for cosmologists
Supermassive blackholes appear to have formed very soon after the birth of the universe, puzzling cosmologists over how they had time to grow so much during the universe’s infancy.
However, the red dot found by the JWST, which is believed to have formed 660 million years after the Big Bang, may be an infant black hole surrounded by a “cloak of gas” that feeds it as it grows, according to analysis published in the journal .
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The organ in your chest that could be key to living longer
The thymus was once thought to be nearly useless in adults – now scientists think it could be vital for our health.
Nurses ‘collapsing on shift’ due to heatwave – what we know
Nurses are collapsing during shifts amid “inhumane and impossible” conditions caused by extreme heat, their union has warned.
Union warns of unsafe conditions
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has become the latest union to warn of unsafe working conditions for its members as the number of days over 30°C is already at a new record of 35 this summer.
The union has said some staff have collapsed, while others were left dizzy, nauseous or at risk of fainting while dripping with sweat “from head to toe”.
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What is being done about it?
The NHS has been ordered by health secretary Yvette Cooper to prepare for the effects of heatwaves each year in the same way that it prepares for winter.
Earlier this year, the Climate Change Committee of MPs said that the government should ensure cooling measures are installed in all hospitals and care homes by 2035.
Nurses are being ‘failed’
When nursing staff are collapsing, feeling dizzy, sick or even being admitted to the very hospitals they work in because their workplaces cannot handle the heat, it shows just how badly they are being failed.
RCN chief executive and general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger
Stunning solar eclipse dazzles Europe – in pictures
From Aberdeen to Penzance, from Aberystwyth to Hull, skywatchers were out in force yesterday to see the best solar eclipse in a generation.
In pictures
The spectacle continues
A once-in-a-lifetime experience for many
The event sparked huge interest for people across the UK as the Moon covered more than 90 per cent of the Sun.
It was the first time for many, with the last full eclipse occurring in August 1999. However, eclipse enthusiasts will have to wait until 23 September 2090 for the next one.
A scramble for eclipse glasses
Looking directly at the eclipse with the naked eye, or even sunglasses, can cause permanent damage, so a scramble for eclipse glasses ensued around the country.
Huge queues formed at shops which still had stock left, while many had already sold out and were forced to turn away customers.
Temperatures to hit 38°C today as amber warning expanded
Sweltering temperatures of up to 38°C are set to hit the UK today.
The Met Office has today issued an updated amber extreme heat warning for areas across the UK lasting from 9:00 to 23:00.
The relentless heat means that this summer is likely to be the hottest on record.
A dangerous period of heat
The sweltering temperatures forecast today mark the peak of the UK’s latest heatwave.
Tropical nights, where temperatures fail to drop below 20°C, are also expected as humid air spreads into western areas, which can place additional stress on the body.
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An extraordinarily dry period
The lack of rain has piled pressure on farming, freight shipping and energy production, after the UK saw its driest July in 190 years.
Up to 27 million people find themselves under water-use restrictions and 1,017 wildfires have devastated vegetation across England and Wales so far this year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.
Temperature records likely to be beaten
More long-standing temperature records are likely to be broken over the coming days.
- Wednesday became the first day in August to reach 35°C or more, making it the 4th consecutive month to reach this temperature.
- If temperatures reach 36°C or higher, 2026 will become the first year to record four separate days at or above that threshold.
- If temperatures reach 38°C today, there is a chance that the record for the hottest August day, which currently stands at 38.5°C, could be broken.
- Provided August temperatures remain average or above for the month, this summer will replace 2025 as the warmest on record.
The heatwave in pictures
Firefighters call for water bomb aircraft to tackle wildfires
Firefighters have called for “wildfire-fighting aircraft” to help combat spate of blazes as Britain braces for another heatwave, with temperatures set to rise above 35°C, possibly reaching 38°C.
Universities at risk of going bust before 2026 freshers finish their degrees
Some universities are at risk of going bust before 2026 freshers have finished their degrees, experts have warned.
Bankruptcies, mergers and course closures are expected to accelerate from 2030 because of a projected decline in the population of 18-year-olds.
Why are universities struggling?
An immigration crackdown on lucrative oversea students and limits on tuition fees for British students has taken a financial toll on universities.
- Analysts previously said at least 119 higher education providers, accounting for 43 per cent of the sector, are “struggling financially” because of budget deficits.
Looming mergers
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) think-tank, said that more mergers between institutions will “definitely” happen.
- Hillman said it is predicted that over the next five years, student numbers will drop despite a record number of 18-year-olds securing their first choice this year.
- The Russell Group of elite universities will likely snap these up and could mean that less prestigious universities lose over 25 per cent of their undergraduate student fee income, according to a report by HEPI.
Courses closing
Mergers and a decline in applications to specialist institutions could see a decline in the number of courses available.
This is already being seen, with around 27,000 courses available in clearing this year, compared to 30,000 reported in previous years, according to Ucas.
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Watch more from The i Paper
The ‘dangerous’ scam tricking users into authorising
Concerns have been raised by the consumer group Which? over a “dangerous” scam that tricks victims into authorising card payments.
Familiar tactics
Which? warned that scammers may use similar tactics to those used in authorised push payment (APP) scams – where people are manipulated into making a bank transfer.
However, in this scam, victims are instead convinced to approve card payments.
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Victims may face difficulty in getting their money back
Which? warned that victims may struggle to claim for payments they have authorised to a legitimate company, as the company has provided the intended services, even though it is part of a chain of fraud.
How to protect yourself from scams
- Never share sensitive information.
- If you receive an unexpected call, ring your bank immediately.
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How stair walking could slash early death risk
Avoiding escalators or lifts could cut your risk of an early death as well as staving off heart attacks, heart failure and stroke, according to a study.
What you need to know
Stair study
Choosing the stairs is an “overlooked” way to get daily exercise, found researchers from the University of East Anglia.
Less likely to die
Regular stair climbers were 24 per cent less likely to die from any cause compared with those who don’t use the stairs as often.
Heart health
The findings suggest stair climbing may be linked to a fall in heart attacks and stroke.
What scientists say
It’s a good option for people who don’t have much time or easy access to exercise. Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts.
Dr Sophie Paddock of UEA’s Norwich Medical School
Why campaigners are encouraged
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said a stroke was the fourth most common cause of death in the UK.
Bouverie said it was “encouraging that something as simple as taking the stairs could reduce the risk of early death and may also be linked to fewer cardiovascular health problems including strokes”.
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Barely an hour’s drive north of the city lies a sprawling, high-security zone that is vital for another reason: its role in the production of suicide drones.
In 2022, Russia teamed up with Iran to establish a factory in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Yelabuga, producing the notorious Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. Situated relatively close to the Caspian Sea, the zone is ideally located for Iran to send vital components and advisers, while rail links allow China to transport dual-use technology straight to the factory.
Today, the factory produces Geran drones – Moscow’s low-cost Shaheds upgraded with anti-electronic warfare technology – and Gerbera decoys. It reportedly produces 170 to 190 every day, which Russia rains on Ukrainian cities near-nightly, killing and injuring scores of civilians. “If left operational, the Tatarstan drone factory will churn out thousands of drones that will further saturate Ukrainian air defences,” said Luke Coffey and Can Kasapoğlu, senior fellows at the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC.
Satellite imagery revealed rapid expansion at the drone factory early this year, a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think-tank in Washington, DC found. Analysis points to “a sustained and deliberate expansion of infrastructure and supporting facilities consistent with the rapid scaling up of UAV [uncrewed aerial vehicles] and UCAV [uncrewed combat aerial vehicles] production”, the CSIS said.
“It is reasonable to assert that Yelabuga has evolved into one of Russia’s leading centres for tactical and potentially operational-level UAV development and production.” New construction of facilities was documented in the south of the zone only last month, according to a Ukrainian open-source intelligence group.
Since 2021, the drone factory complex expanded from two buildings to around 116, plus 67 housing units for 20,000 workers, including forced labour and children studying at a nearby technical college. Timur Nailevich Shagivaleev, Alabuga’s director general, has been sanctioned by the US for exploiting underage students to assemble drones. Ukraine claimed last year that North Korea, which has sent soldiers and ballistic missiles to support Russia’s war, planned to send 12,000 workers to assemble drones in Yelabuga.
The threat posed by this factory makes it a key target for Kyiv. While early in the war, Yelabuga was too far to hit, Kyiv’s rapid advances in weapons technology have brought it into range. Ukraine targeted the factory in 2024 and 2025, a major feat considering the distances.
However, those strikes inflicted only limited damage, for several reasons, Coffey told The i Paper. “First, the area is well defended because the Russians know it is a high-priority Ukrainian target. Second, many of the newer facilities constructed since 2022 are hardened and were built with the possibility of airstrikes in mind.”
While Kyiv has extended the range of its drones and missiles, Coffey said: “At present, it is unlikely that Ukraine possesses the necessary weapons in sufficient numbers to cause significant and sustained damage directly to the factories.”
Marc De Vore, senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews’s school of international relations and associate fellow at Chatham House, said that drones at Yelabuga are produced using low-tech “individual fibreglass moulds, which is very person-intensive but it means that there are not any really big machine tools to hit”.
Hitting the sprawling, well-defended site with a drone would “put a hole in the ceiling and knock out a bit of the facility, but there is no key bottleneck piece of industrial machinery that you can hit that would take it out”, De Vore said. “It doesn’t present any great opportunities to achieve a really large amount of disruption with a few hits. To really disrupt production you would have to hit it quite regularly.”
Such a campaign would require a powerful warhead, Coffey added, but Kyiv could target nearby energy and electrical infrastructure used by the factories. “Any disruption to this regional energy network could impact factory operations. Additionally, labourers may not report to work if the facility were to face a significant threat,” Coffey and Kasapoğlu said. “While destruction of the facility is not possible, even a partial disruption would represent a symbolic victory for Ukraine and a practical blow to Russia’s drone capabilities. It would also warn Tehran not to support Russian land attacks against Ukraine.”
De Vore granted that “if you could hit it multiple times a week, eventually [Russia] would probably give up production there … But given the nature of the production, they could simply set up a factory that is even further away.”
He said an alternative option might be targeting supply chains via direct rail links from China that bring goods for drone production including microchips, metal alloys and engines to the SEZ. “If there were any capacity for Western diplomacy or economic pressure, it could be exercised against China to police what they’re allowing to be exported and heading towards Yelabuga,” he said.
Even if a kinetic strike cannot halt operations at the factory, it could offer Ukraine an opportunity to undermine Putin’s rule.
“Tatarstan is the most significant oblast that does not have a majority-ethnic Russian population,” said De Vore. A Turkic and Muslim-majority region that declared its independence from Russia in the 1990s, it has become an important source of manpower for the war. Any major disruption to the delicate situation here could prompt a threat to Putin’s iron grip on Russia.
“In the minds of Russian leaders Tatarstan is both economically independent but also presents something of a secession risk,” he said. “Both the wealth generated in Yelabuga and the potential disruption to that could have an impact on Russian domestic politics because of the particular economic and regionalist dynamics in Tatarstan.”
Amid increasing evidence that Putin is failing to shield his discontented population from the reality of his war, even a small spark of rebellion is one he cannot afford.