05:42 USA releases new military aid for Ukraine

Ukrainian Military Urgently Needs Supplies. The USA will provide the Ukraine with military aid worth approximately 2.3 billion US-Dollars (around 2.14 billion Euros) in the near future to counter the Russian offensive war in Ukraine. This was announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit by his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umjeroв in Washington. The package, which has been approved by US President Joe Biden, will include "additional surface-to-air missiles, anti-tank weapons, and other important ammunition from US stocks," explained Austin. Additionally, a "realignment of some foreign military deliveries" will enable the US to provide Patriot- and other air defense systems "in an accelerated timeframe."

04:49 NATO Expands Presence in KievThe NATO is expanding its civilian presence in the Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. A spokesperson confirmed that the 32 alliance members have decided to send liaison officers to the capital Kiev. The high-ranking official is to oversee political and practical support from the alliance on site. The background is that the NATO intends to give the start signal for a new deployment to coordinate weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces at the upcoming summit in Washington. The headquarters for this should be built in Wiesbaden, Germany. Who will receive the new NATO post in Kiev is still unknown.

03:42 UN Demand Release of GershkovichExperts of the United Nations consider the detention of US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia on espionage charges to be "arbitrary" and call for his "immediate" release. "The detention of Evan Gershkovich is arbitrary" and violates several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the experts write in a statement. In light of the circumstances of the case, the "immediate" release of Gershkovich is appropriate.

02:40 Serbian President Vucic Receives Russian Deputy Foreign MinisterThe Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Gruschko in Belgrade. He spoke with Gruschko about the bilateral relations between Serbia and Russia and evaluated them as "very good." He also thanked Russia "for its support for Serbia's territorial integrity, as well as in relation to the UN resolution on Srebrenica." Moscow still refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia has been an EU membership candidate since 2012, but continues to maintain good relations with the Kreml despite the Russian intervention in Ukraine.

01:29 A Russian court sentences a 19-year-old to twelve yearsA Russian court has sentenced a 19-year-old man to twelve years in prison for "high treason," after he was accused of donating money to the Ukrainian army. "The Rostov Regional Court found the man guilty and sentenced him to a twelve-year term in a penal colony," says a comment from the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB, taken up by Kremlin media. The teenager is said to have sent money to help the Ukrainian army buy food and drones. Since Russia's attack on Ukraine, thousands of Russians have been arrested and many of them have been incarcerated. According to Amnesty International, at least 21,000 people were the target of repressions against war opponents in 2023.

00:20 One quarter of US citizens find US aid to Ukraine insufficientAlmost a quarter of Americans believe that the United States is not providing enough military aid to Ukraine. This percentage has risen since November last year, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. According to the survey, 24 percent of respondents believe that the United States is not providing enough aid, compared to 18 percent in November 2023, when the survey was last conducted. However, more Americans (31 percent) believe that the United States is providing too much aid, and 25 percent believe that it is providing the right amount.

22:53 Lithuania reports airspace violation by Russian aircraftLithuania reports a violation of its airspace by a Russian aircraft. The unspecified aircraft of the Russian airline Pobeda allegedly entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO member unlawfully in the evening of June 30th and stayed there for approximately one minute. The representative of the Russian embassy was summoned and the Russian authorities were urged to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The airspace violation occurred over the Baltic Sea, as the aircraft was on its way from Moscow to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad bordering Lithuania. The EU has closed its airspace as a reaction to Russia's aggression in Ukraine for Russian aircraft.

22:12 Survey in member states: High trust in NATO, low trust in ZelenskyNext week, NATO will celebrate its 75th anniversary. In the member states, the transatlantic defense alliance is generally viewed favorably, according to a survey by Pew Research. On average in 13 countries, 63 percent of the population holds a positive opinion, 33 percent a negative. Germany is slightly above the average with 64 percent positive views. The evaluation in Poland stands out: 91 percent have a positive image of the alliance there. Trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is low on average, at 40 percent, and has decreased in the member states in the past year. Poland also stands out, where the head of state has lost 22 percentage points - from 70 to 48 percent. In Germany, trust has decreased by 7 percentage points to 54 percent.

21:27 Selenkyi rejects Orban's peace proposal
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban's proposal for peace talks. During his first visit to Kiev since the war began, Orban suggested a quick ceasefire that could "accelerate peace negotiations with Moscow," he said. "The President listened to him, but in response clarified Ukraine's position and rejected the proposal," said a spokesperson from the Presidential Office. Previously, Kiev had rejected ceasefires with the explanation that Russian forces could regroup during this time.

21:02 Ukraine: Moscow recruiting minors
Russia is actively recruiting minors for the war in Ukraine, Ukraine claims. The enlistment contracts are reportedly being signed with 17-year-olds, taking effect upon their reaching adulthood. "They hope to recruit thousands of teenagers with propaganda," says the Ukrainian agency "National Resistance Center": "We warn that any enemy on our territory will be eliminated." On occupied Ukrainian territory, Russia is also reportedly employing minors, for instance, to manufacture drones.

You can read about previous developments here.

The US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned that the military aid package for Ukraine, aimed at countering Russia's offensive war, includes cyberwar capabilities to strengthen Ukraine's defense against potential cyberattacks.
In the midst of the Ukraine conflict, Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian President, rejected a peace proposal made by Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, arguing that Russia could use a ceasefire to regroup its forces.
Following the NATO's expansion of its civilian presence in Kiev, Russian military intelligence was accused of launching cyberattacks on Ukrainian military institutions and government websites, creating chaos in the country's defense and public services.
During a visit by his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umjeroв in Washington, the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stressed that NATO's military operations in Ukraine would be strictly defensive and that Russia's offensive actions in Ukraine go against international law and EU values.
In response to the escalating Ukraine conflict and the aggressive actions of Russia, NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on NATO members to increase their cyberdefense capabilities, emphasizing the growing importance of cybersecurity in the face of modern warfare.