Belarus Education & Defense Tech: Lukashenko is pushing a new Academy of Intellectual Technologies aimed at applied science and engineering, with tracks spanning natural sciences, engineering tech (including aerospace research and new materials), and digital tech (AI and digital finance), plus company-linked study and a five-year work contract plan—while also reiterating hopes for a “universal” counter-drone system. Border Security Tech: Ukraine says the Belarus threat becomes “real” only if provocations target the border, pointing to engineering obstacles, minefield reinforcement, and expanding video surveillance and fortifications. Drone-Era Energy Logistics: Reuters reports Belarus rail fuel shipments to Russia hit a new monthly record in July as Russian refinery outages—linked to Ukrainian drone strikes—tighten supply. Legal & Governance: Vitsyebsk court sentenced a deputy chief engineer at a Belarus oil refinery to 13 years for bribery tied to procurement and falsified documentation. Information Integrity: Belarusian state media’s “1.8-fold” harvest claim was flagged as mostly false: the real figure was 1.8 centners per hectare, and wheat comparisons to Lithuania weren’t supported. Tech Policy & Society: A Homiel local history Telegram channel (“In Search of Old Homiel”) was added to the Republican list of extremist materials, with the project pausing its quiz format. Cross-border Sanctions: Ukraine imposed sanctions on Belarus defense/tech firms including Kidma Tech and TISA, citing roles in Russia’s defense-industrial supply chain. AI/Battery Industry: ELECTRA AI says its battery intelligence layer (EVE-Ai) was selected by TapFin to strengthen battery-level analytics for lenders and operators.