A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet crashed on Monday, Aug. 26, while responding to a large-scale Russian missile attack, marking the first crash of the U.S.-made planes. The jet, piloted by Oleksiy Mes, was reportedly on a mission to intercept Russian missiles when contact was lost as it approached its next target. Mes was killed in…

As soon as Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, shortly after having announced its “friendship without limits” with China, experts worried that Xi Jinping might risk anything to help achieve a victory for Putin. More than two years into the war, however, with Russia now a global pariah under severe sanctions and Ukrainian troops now…

Russia’s missile and drone barrage on Ukraine on Monday, Aug. 26, wasn’t just one of the largest since the war began — it came with a hefty price tag. Ukrainian estimates put the cost of the attack at around $1.3 billion, highlighting the enormous financial toll of Russia’s ongoing military campaign. The assault, which targeted…

Russia launches its largest air assault against Ukraine since the war began, targeting critical infrastructure in the country. And the Department of Justice is appealing a judge’s decision last month to toss out former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. Russia launches largest…

A Russian soldier, known by the call sign “Silver,” defected to Ukraine in a dramatic escape after planting explosives at his military base. The ensuing explosion injured his commander and several officers. Silver, a 24-year-old drone operator from Siberia, had become disillusioned with the Russian military, citing war crimes, corruption, and extrajudicial killings within his…

Former President Donald Trump held his first outdoor rally Wednesday, Aug. 21, since July’s assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The event, held in North Carolina, was marked by heightened security, including bullet-resistant glass surrounding the podium, as Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, addressed a crowd on national security issues. Trump,…

Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former U.S. Air Force Veteran who was charged with possession of child pornography, has resurfaced. Puello-Mota fled the U.S., and has now been seen in a Russian propaganda video. In the video, released by Russia’s Defense Ministry, Puello-Mota, 28, claims to be a reconnaissance drone operator fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine’s…

Moscow officials said Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on the Russian capital late Tuesday night Aug. 20, and early Wednesday morning, Aug. 21 since the start of the war. Russian air defense systems intercepted at least 12 drones over Moscow, with no casualties or significant damage reported, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei…

Former President Barack Obama headlined night two of the DNC, rallying support behind Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. And Russian officials say Moscow came under the largest attack by Ukrainian drones since the war began over two years ago. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. Former President Obama rallies support for Harris at…

Ryan McBeth spent 20 years in the Army before becoming an intelligence analyst and software engineer. Now, he is using his expertise to create YouTube videos debunking misinformation being spread, especially as political and military tensions increase globally. Host Ryan Robertson spoke with McBeth to discuss real and hypothetical events, and to discover why the…