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Kremlin spokesperson and staunch Vladimir Putin ally Dmitry Peskov has accused Vice President Kamala Harris of repeatedly making “unfriendly” comments about Russia and propagating hateful rhetoric against the nation.

Knewz.com has learned that Peskov‘s statement came amidst the rising chances of Harris becoming the Democratic Party’s Presidential nominee.

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov has indicated in his recent statements that the Russian administration is closely watching the current frontrunner for the Democratic Presidential ticket.

When asked by reporters earlier this week if Russia had expected this change in the Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, Peskov said that recent years have taught Moscow politicians to “not be surprised” by any political developments in the United States.

“In recent years, what has been happening in the United States has taught us not to be surprised by anything… We were not very surprised,” the Kremlin spokesperson told reporters.

He added that Russia is currently more focused on the Ukraine war and achieving the goals of the “Special Military Operation.”

However, commenting on Harris as a potential presidential candidate, he pointed out that the Vice President has done nothing so far for the bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington and that her rhetoric towards Russia has always been rather “unfriendly.”

“At the moment, we cannot assess the potential candidacy of Ms. Harris from the point of view of our bilateral relations because so far her contribution to our bilateral relations has not been noticed,” Peskov said in his recent statement to reporters.

“There were statements that were replete with rhetoric quite unfriendly towards our country, but her actions in relation to bilateral relations come under neither a plus nor a minus sign.”

The statements Peskov is referring to might be the series of scathing criticisms of Putin and Russia by Vice President Harris on X, formerly known as Twitter, since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

The day after the Ukraine war commenced, Harris wrote on X: “All eyes around our country and the world are on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I want to be clear that this is a war of choice. It is unprovoked, it is unwarranted, and it is unjustified.”

In February 2023, she described Russia as “horrendous,” “gruesome,” and “cruel,” and announced that the U.S. deemed Putin’s actions vi-a-vis Ukraine as war crimes.

“In the case of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, we have examined the evidence, we know the legal standards, and there is no doubt: These are crimes against humanity,” Harris was quoted as saying at the time.

“First, from the starting days of this unprovoked war, we have witnessed Russian forces engage in horrendous atrocities and war crimes.”

In June 2024, he once commented on the Ukraine war on X, this time calling the Russian aggression on the embattled nation “brutal.”

“As Russia continues its brutal aggression against the people of Ukraine, we are committed to help Ukraine rebuild. Today in Switzerland, I announced $1.5 billion to help Ukraine’s energy system, humanitarian needs, and civilian security,” she wrote.

The Joe Biden administration has been a thorn in Russia’s side, due to the aid it has provided and arranged for Ukraine over the course of the Russian invasion.

With the incumbent President bowing out of the Presidential race of 2024, Democrat supporters – and Biden himself – have shown significant interest in seeing Vice President Harris on the Presidential ballot.

Knewz.com previously wrote that reports from U.S. Intelligence officials suggested that Putin had secretly hoped for a second Donald Trump presidency this year. Considering this, the nationwide loss of confidence in Biden due to his advancing age might have worked in Russia’s favor had he stayed in the race.

However, with Harris having thrown her hat in the ring, Democrats have shown reinvigorated efforts to bolster her campaign.

It was reported that the Harris presidential campaign has been able to raise $81 million in just 24 hours. In addition, around 28,000 volunteers have registered to help with her campaign.

A soap opera actor known for his roles with horses has died after he toppled off a balcony and fell 13 feet to the ground below.

Knewz.com has learned that the 39-year-old Brazilian, Thommy Schiavo, had just returned from drinks with friends in the early hours of the morning when he toppled over the railing of his second-story Cuiabá balcony. 

CCTV footage of the incident reviewed by the local police depicted the star sitting and then lying on the floor before he got up and lost his balance.

Schiavo, best known for his role in the 2021 production, Panatanal, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The actor was also known for his dexterity with horses – hence one of his roles as a cowboy – and was often called upon to assist others who were unfamiliar with the animals.

According to his father, Horácio Ramos, Schiavo had just completed filming for a new production when he received the news.

He said: “It’s a painful moment, it hurts so much that there’s no way to explain it.”

“We spoke every day, every day it was ‘good morning, good afternoon’, he would call me for anything, I would call him for anything. He was such a dear person.”

“Thommy was a fantastic person, loved by everyone,” his father continued. “The people at Globo are all in shock there. He is a very loved person at Globo [a Brazilian television network]. He went there and won over the people, with his simple, humble way. Loved by everyone.”

Respects poured in for Schiavo with his sister, Thayna, saying “So much pain (…) It feels like they ripped my heart out with their hands, I feel [like I am] being stabbed in the chest,” on Instagram.

“Dear, I imagine your pain, there is no explanation for the sudden departure of your dear brother. I will be praying that our God brings comfort to your heart and that of your entire family. Live your grief with all your strength. Kisses,” responded a sympathizer.

Leandro Lima, who at a time acted alongside Thommy, wrote on Instagram:

“I’m still in a daze, trying to digest all of this. Thommy was a guy with a huge heart, always ready to help, he loved the countryside, animals and taking care of people. [I’m] Remembering him inviting everyone to watch a beautiful sunset.”

“A great partner in crime. You were always very careful with everyone and always willing to help, to collaborate. So sad, shocked by what happened! May your family receive my strong hugs. Great friend and excellent colleague,” wrote another co-star, Silvero Pereira.

Fans also weighed in with one saying: “May spirituality welcome you with lots of light and lots of love. And may God comfort the hearts of your family and friends.”

“What sad news! May God comfort you and your family and friends!!!! Rest in peace…” wrote another.

Whistleblowers have contacted the office of United States Senator Josh Hawley with claims that law enforcement personnel abandoned their post at the Pennsylvania rooftop from where Donald Trump was shot on July 13.

The whistleblowers alleged that law enforcement left the roof unguarded and went inside the building because it was too hot outside, Knewz.com has learned.

Senator Hawley wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, informing him of the claims made by the anonymous whistleblowers.

On July 13, Trump was shot by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks in a failed assassination bid while he was speaking to a crowd of supporters at a Republican rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

It was reported that Crooks took aim at the Republican Presidential candidate from the roof of the American Glass Research building located around 400 feet away from the podium where Trump was standing at the time of the incident.

Witnesses have claimed that they saw the 20-year-old shooter making his way up the slope of the building’s roof, from where he fired a total of eight shots with lethal intent using his father’s AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle.

In the letter Senator Hawley wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, he cited information relayed to him by a whistleblower “with direct knowledge of Secret Service planning for the event” who claimed that law enforcement personnel were specifically asked to guard the roof of the American Glass Research building.

However, the Missouri Senator’s source alleged that the assigned individual left their post due to “the hot weather.”

“The whistleblower further alleges that concerns over the heat prompted law enforcement to forego patrolling [American Glass Research] Building 6 and instead to station security personnel inside the building,” the letter mentioned.

He further mentioned in the letter that this information contradicts the public statements made by the U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle “about the ‘safety’ of the sloped roof of American Glass Research Building 6.”

The public statement Senator Hawley is referring to appears to be the comments made by Director Cheatle during an interview on July 16, where she stated that the reason the Secret Service did not position personnel on the sloped roof of the building was due to safety concerns.

“That building in particular has a sloped roof, at its highest point… And so, there’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside,” Director Cheatle was quoted as saying.

In addition to relaying the claims made by the whistleblowers, Senator Hawley presented a few demands of his own to the Homeland Security Secretary.

The Senator “immediately” requested a copy of the Homeland Security Investigations’ report on the Trump assassination attempt, as well as the answers to three questions—demanding that they be answered before July 26:

“If the whistleblower’s allegations are accurate, when did the individual abandon the post?”

“Which law enforcement units were assigned to the roof? Please provide all security plans indicating which units were assigned to the roof and the building.”

And lastly, he demanded to know if “any law enforcement personnel fail to report to their assigned stations that day.”

The Senator published a copy of the letter to Secretary Mayorkas on X, formerly known as Twitter.

It is worth noting that Security Service Director Cheatle turned in her resignation from the post on July 23, amidst intense pressure from lawmakers in light of the assassination attempt on former President Trump.

“In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director,” Cheatle was quoted as saying by The Washington Post. “This incident does not define us… I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mission.”

Both President Joe Biden and Secretary Mayorkas have released official statements regarding her resignation, thanking her for her service.

“Jill [Biden] and I are grateful to Director Kim Cheatle for her decades of public service. She has selflessly dedicated and risked her life to protect our nation throughout her career in the United States Secret Service,” President Biden wrote in a statement released by the White House.

“The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again. As we move forward, I wish Kim all the best, and I will plan to appoint a new Director soon,” the President added.

Mount Everest has claimed 300 intrepid souls since it was first climbed and now the Nepalese Government is making an effort to recover the bodies.

Knewz.com has learned that this decision follows the deaths of 18 people trying to scale the world’s highest peak in 2023 and another eight in 2024.

The local authorities have deployed a dozen soldiers and eighteen of the local Sherpas (an indigenous group known for their mountaineering skills) to collect the bodies.

While this was not the first such operation, it is certainly a virgin voyage in that the recovery process collected the icy bodies at an altitude above 26,247 ft—a part of the mountain better known as the “death zone”.

The operation which lasted 54 days and drew to a close on June 5, produced four dead climbers, one skeleton, and 11 tonnes of rubbish.

Major Aditya Karki, who led the 2024 mission explained why the operation was so important, saying:

“Nepal has received a bad name for the garbage and dead bodies which have polluted the Himalayas on a grave scale.”

He noted that sightings of dead bodies have an impact on climbers and cited an incident from 2023 when a climber suffered a 30-minute paralysis after seeing a dead body.

The task of recovering falls to the Nepalese authorities as the families of the fallen climbers are unable to reach them, and even if they can foot the bill, private companies which would otherwise repatriate remains, refuse to apply their services to Everest lest they meet the same fate.

According to reports, the price attached to the recovery of each body is $37,400—the reason being that it requires a team of 12 to collect a body from 26,247 ft.

Along with the latter, each person needs four cylinders of oxygen which cost around $400 apiece. Further complicating the process is the 15-day window that allows climbers to ascend the mountain beyond 26,247 ft; this only happens once a year.

Tshiring Jangbu Sherpa who was part of the clean-up expedition recalled the hardship created by the extreme altitude.

“It was very tough to bring back the bodies from the death zone. I vomited sour water many times. Others kept coughing and others got headaches because we spent hours and hours at very high altitudes.”

In 2012, Sherpa was a guide for an international climber. Nearing the summit the duo encountered the body of a Czech climber, Milan Sedlacek, who died a few days earlier.

His body would lie in the same place for more than a decade while other climbers were forced to step around it.

According to BBC News, Sedlacek is among the four to be recovered and only he and another (American Mountaineer  Roland Yearwood who perished in 2017) were identified due to documents found on them.

“Mountaineers have got famous from climbing. The Himalayas have given us so many opportunities,” Sherpa said.

“By doing this special job of retrieving dead bodies, it’s my time to pay back to the Great Himalayas.”

A Chinese social media sensation has died after her stomach ruptured during a 10-hour eating challenge.

Knewz.com has learned that leading up to her sudden demise, the 24-year-old Pan Xiaoting had been gorging herself on large amounts of cake, chicken fingers, and seafood.

Pan had been partaking in a mukbang, which is a live-streamed “broadcasted eating” challenge where large amounts of predominantly unhealthy food are consumed.

Pan’s stomach had become deformed due to the immense amount she had eaten and as a result, the organ was filled with undigested food which along with digestive acids is suspected to have leaked through the inner lining into her abdomen—killing her during the live broadcast.

This was not the first time the woman’s claim to fame caused her harm. Reports indicate that on an earlier occasion, she was hospitalized with gastrointestinal bleeding.

During the livestream leading up to the incident, she was warned by one of the viewers that she had eaten enough and should stop. She ignored the latter and landed in hospital.

She took up the practice again after she was discharged and got back into the game the very next day. From there onwards, she tried to consume 22 lbs of food at every mealtime. 

She was also warned by her parents on another occasion who told her: “You really can’t do this anymore. What’s the point of making more money? Do you know how much harm this does to your body?”

Pan responded by saying: “Don’t worry, I can bear this risk.”

Pan originally worked as a waitress but when she saw how much money her classmate, Liu Qi, made by eating in front of people, she took up the hustle.

While she ate, she chatted with her viewers and called on them to either like her video or send gifts.

Her audience was initially small but eventually increased to the point where the practice became lucrative and there were times when she would eat nonstop for ten hours. 

According to a report by the Chinese news portal, Creaders.net, Pan’s death has since triggered discussions about regulating live online broadcasts. 

Medical professionals have since weighed in on the craze with Katie Lopez, a dietitian who referred to mukbangs as the “glorification of self-harming behavior,” saying: 

“More specifically, these people are at risk for stomach perforation, significant elevations in glucose and lipids, acid/base disorders, electrolyte shifts, dehydration, and heart rate abnormalities.”

Another expert from the United Kingdom’s Nottingham Trent University, Dr. Andrew Harris, suggested that the craze is not only unhealthy for the eater, but may also affect the viewer negatively.

“While some studies suggest that watching mukbang videos can alleviate feelings of loneliness by providing a sense of social connection or companionship, others indicate that excessive consumption of these videos may exacerbate loneliness by substituting deeper real-life social interactions with more superficial virtual ones,” he said. 

Pan is not the first to succumb to the practice.

According to a report by Australia’s News, a 20-year-old man from India, Sai Sampath, died of eating too much strawberry ice cream in 2021.

More recently, on June 15, 2024, Dongz Dongz Apatan from the Philippines entertained his 400,000 followers by consuming copious quantities of fried chicken and rice.

While on video, he suffered a brain hemorrhage followed by a stroke and died.

President Joe Biden is set to receive a substantial pay raise upon his retirement from the White House, due to his service in the Senate for 36 years and his eight-year tenure as Vice President.

Knewz.com has learned that President Biden is in line to receive nearly $413,000 in taxpayer-funded retirement benefits once he leaves the Oval Office.

Upon leaving Office, former Presidents are usually entitled to an annual pension equivalent to the salary of a Cabinet Secretary—an amount that is often annually adjusted.

Currently, the Presidential pension Biden is eligible for is $246,400, as part of the Former Presidents Act of 1958.

Every former President of the United States is eligible for this pension, in addition to other allowances, regardless of their financial status when they leave Office.

Additionally, Biden is eligible for a separate pension as part of the Civil Service Retirement System, due to his 36 years of service in the Senate and an additional eight years as the Vice President during the two consecutive Presidential terms of Barack Obama.

The Civil Service Retirement System applies to Congressional members who were elected before 1984—Biden’s career in the Senate began in 1973.

It is worth noting that the Civil Service Retirement System offers a 2.5% accrual rate, and the starting pension amount is calculated by multiplying the number of years in office by the average of the three highest years of salary, multiplied by 2.5%.

A report from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation pointed out that as part of the system, Biden’s estimated starting Congressional pension would be around $166,374, “including an $18,186 set aside in the program for the spousal portion of benefit.”

However, Biden does have the option to switch to the Federal Employees’ Retirement System enacted in 1987, which has an accrual rate of 1.7%.

“The formula is generally the same as above, except that the accrual rate is 1.7% for the first 20 years of service and remaining years accrue at 1.0%, and there is no 80% cap based on salary,” the National Taxpayers Union Foundation explained.

Notably, if Congressional members elected before 1984 opted for the Federal Employees’ Retirement System, their starting benefit would be counted using the Civil Service Retirement System formula for the number of years they served in the Senate through 1986.

As part of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System, Biden’s starting Congressional pension would be an estimated $164,401, in addition to $17,967 for the “spousal annuity reduction portion.”

Combining the Presidential and Congressional pensions, Biden is expected to leave Office with an approximately estimated annual retirement benefit of $413,000.

The amount is notably higher than the current salary of a U.S. President, and a significant hike over the existing Presidential pension for which former Commanders-in-Chief are eligible.

Furthermore, no law dictates that Biden would have to choose between the two pensions or that he cannot opt for both simultaneously.

The report from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, drawn up by the Union’s Vice President of Research Demian Brady, has pointed this out as a cause for concern since Biden’s significantly higher-than-usual pension would be paid for with taxpayer dollars.

“Joe Biden represents a unique situation. With his long tenure in Congress and subsequent years as Vice President and President, Joe Biden stands to benefit significantly from both systems, potentially receiving a combined payout starting at around $413,000,” Brady wrote in the report.

“There are no limits within each pension program that would curtail the taxpayer-funded benefit afforded to the elite few who have accrued substantial pension benefits in both the legislative and executive branches. Additionally, there is nothing to prevent double-dipping in these two programs.”

“Lawmakers should re-examine this loophole that allows for double-dipping in two different yet generous pension programs,” he added.

It is worth noting that the presidential pension system was established to financially aid President Harry Truman – who allegedly “exaggerated” his financial woes – upon his retirement.

However, U.S. Presidents nowadays have usually been well-off, with Brady pointing out that Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama are currently worth millions. Notably, Donald Trump‘s current worth is around $2.3 billion, per Forbes.

President Biden himself is currently worth $9 million.

In another blow to Russia, European countries have agreed to funnel the profits generated by the aggressor state’s frozen assets into Ukraine.

Knewz.com has learned that the decision will result in a windfall of $3.2 billion flowing into Volodymyr Zelensky’s coffers annually for the foreseeable future.

As a testimony to its resolve, the European Union has already placed the first deposit in motion.

The Spaniard, Josep Borrell Fontelles, who serves as a High Representative of the Union for Europe’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that he had “updated EU Ministers on progress towards the first transfer of 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) expected at the beginning of August.”

Europe and its allies have frozen $320 billion in Russian assets since the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion in 2022, two-thirds of which are being held by Belgium’s financial market infrastructure services provider, Euroclear.

Some allies like the United States have suggested that the host countries seize all Russian assets outright but the European Union’s members declined for fear of triggering a slew of legal implications.

The U.S. has already passed a bill permitting the seizure of Russian bank assets in the country and their transfer to Ukraine.

The so-named REPO (Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians)  Act stated:

“The President may seize, confiscate, transfer, or vest any Russian aggressor state sovereign assets, in whole or in part, and including any interest or interests in such assets, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States for the purpose of transferring those funds to Ukraine.”

Not oblivious to the effect the decision on Moscow, Borrell observed:

“The Russians will not be very happy.”

As a testament to the latter, Putin has since threatened similar actions against Western assets, though the impact will be mitigated by the declining foreign economic interest in his country.

Russian Security Council Chairman and former president, Dmitry Medvedev, admitted as much in a Telegram tirade: 

“The reason is clear – we do not have a significant amount of American state property, including money, rights, and other US assets.”  

Not deterred, Putin has since indicated that the autocracy plans to attack private investors’ cash instead.

“Therefore, the answer can only be asymmetrical. It is not a fact that it will be any less painful.” 

“We are talking about the foreclosure, for example by a court decision, on the property of private individuals located in the jurisdiction of Russia (money, real estate, and movable property in kind, property rights),” said Medvedev mirroring his employer’s prospective line of attack.

“Yes, this is a complex story, since these individuals usually acted as investors in the Russian economy,” the pro-war blowhard said.

“And we guaranteed them the inviolability of their private property rights. But the unexpected happened – their state declared a hybrid war on us. This must be answered.”

Open-source research conducted by independent media outlets in Russia has shown that Vladimir Putin has lost 1,518 troops since early July 2024.

A report published on July 5 mentioned that the body count on the Russian side has reached 120,000 since the beginning of the Ukraine war, Knewz.com has learned.

It should be noted that this number is based on the estimates provided by the Russian Probate Registry, which also stated that around 39,000 troops died in the period between March 15, 2024, and July 5, 2024.

On the other hand, the officially released list of names states that 59,725 identified members of the Russian armed forces, including 3,749 officers, have died in the war until July 16.

Around 20% of the identified Russian troops who died so far, amounting to 11,933 lives, were pardoned inmates who were made to join the armed forces. Approximately 27 of them were Officer-class soldiers.

The research conducted by the independent Russian media outlet Mediazona and the Russian service of BBC News found that pardoned inmates formed the majority of reported losses in the Ukraine war by March 2023.

However, the use of inmates in the armed forces has significantly reduced following the capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, according to reports.

The research further found that Russia has lost over 10,000 troops in the past six months, with reports attributing the deaths to the failed renewed Russian offensive, especially on the Kharkiv front.

The majority of the fallen Russian soldiers were in the age group of 21 to 23 before the integration of volunteers, mobilized soldiers, and prisoners into the armed forces.

Following the inclusion, the average age of death was raised to 25 for mobilized troops and around 30 to 35 for volunteer troops.

It is worth noting that Russia experienced the “deadliest week of war” earlier in June 2024, with reports indicating that Putin lost nearly 1,300 troops and a significant amount of war equipment in a single day.

“The Ministry of Defense in Ukraine wrote in a recent statement that Volodymyr Zelensky‘s forces claimed the lives of 1,290 Russian soldiers in the past 24 hours, recording the highest number of monthly Russian casualties and artillery losses,” Knewz.com reported at the time.

In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ukraine also claimed to have achieved the record for the highest number of Russian artillery systems destroyed in May 2024.

“1160 Russian artillery systems were destroyed in May. It’s the biggest number of artillery losses in two years of the war. And Ukrainian warriors continue to transform Russian weapons into scrap metal,” the statement read.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine recently posted its own estimate of Russian losses until July 23 – based on reports from the General Staff of the Armed Forces – and offered a number in stark contrast with the losses estimated by the Russian Probate Registry.

The Ministry wrote on X that Russia has lost a total of 568,980 soldiers and 81,479 war elements, including tanks, artillery, drones, warships, special equipment, and so on, in the Ukraine war so far.

The previous update from the Ministry estimated the losses at 567,760, meaning Russia lost 1,220 troops in a single day, according to the claims made by Ukraine.

Ukraine’s drone forces have reported an attack on Russia’s largest Black Sea oil refinery deep inside enemy territory.

Knewz.com has learned that the strike on the Krasnodar facility – in a sheltered bay on the Black Sea  – was punctuated by a tell-tale ball of fire and ensuing smoke.

Russia confirmed the attack with the regional authority saying:

“As a result of the fall of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) debris, the infrastructure of the oil refinery in Tuapse was damaged.” 

“Specialists are extinguishing the fire on an area of ​​50 square meters. Thirty-one units of equipment and 91 people are working on the spot,” one of its social media accounts read.

Footage released by a local outlet depicted a drone flying over an industrial area to the sound of small arms fire—presumably that of Russian security forces trying to shoot it down.

It eventually disappeared and an explosion occurred at the center of the complex.

Whether it was the attempts at eliminating the UAV that were successful, or if it reached its final resting place at the behest of its remote-controlling pilot, is unknown. 

Additional reports indicated two more blasts at the refinery three hours later.

Notably, the Tuapse facility is the only oil refinery in Russia with access to a seaport and produces 12 million tons of oil annually—90% of which is exported.

Russia, which claims to have shot down the attacking drone, claims it eliminated an additional 75 over land, the Azov Sea, and the Black Sea.

It has also been alleged that Ukraine attacked a ferry at the Port of Kavkaz in the Kerch strait separating Sevastopol from the eastern Krasnodar peninsula.

As a result, the traffic crossing the strait was halted.

Krasnodar’s governor, Veniamin Kondratyev, weighed in saying: “Emergency services are on the scene. The fire is localized, there is no danger of its spreading.”

“Unfortunately, there are injured and one killed among crew members and port employees.”

Russia’s defense ministry is also reported to have commented on the matter claiming that its air defenses in the area had shot down 21 drones.

The last time Ukraine bombarded the Black Sea refinery was in January 2024. The ensuing damage then was extensive with footage depicting numerous columns of smoke escaping from the complex.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying: 

“An oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, has become another target of the SBU. Our sources confirm that it was SBU drones that attacked this important facility [of] the enemy.”

“After two powerful explosions last night, a large-scale fire broke out there. The primary oil processing unit, namely the vacuum and atmospheric columns, was damaged.”

The Ukrainian military division also warned that the attack was one of many to come:  “There will be many surprises to come, the systematic work continues,” it said via the Kyiv Post.

Another hiker has died amid sweltering heat in Utah, according to police who responded to an emergency call near a state park on Sunday.

The Hurricane City Police Department said officers responded Sunday to a report of a 56-year-old woman who ran out of water while hiking a trail near Quail Creek State Park in 106-degree heat.

Officers found the woman unresponsive and attempted lifesaving measures, but were unsuccessful, police said in a statement Monday.

Citing the ongoing investigation and pending family notification, police did not release the woman’s identity.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family,” police said.

The woman’s death is among several heat-related deaths across the country in recent weeks, and follows three such deaths in Utah the previous weekend: a father and daughter from Wisconsin died while hiking in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park and a 30-year-old woman died in Snow Canyon State Park amid triple-digit temperatures.

Three hikers have also died at Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park in recent weeks, where trail temperatures can rise above 120 degrees.

—TMX contributed to this report