07:28 After Russian attack: Fire brigade in Dnipro frees man from buried car
Once again, Russian missiles hit a Ukrainian housing estate. The latest attack on the city of Dnipro resulted in at least one fatality, among the injured was a seven-month-old baby. A man was buried under the rubble in his car.
07:06 Ukrainian military positions spied on: SBU arrests suspected Russian agent
The counter-intelligence service of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has arrested another Russian agent. The man is suspected of preparing a breakthrough of the Russian troops in the Donetsk region and spying on Ukrainian defense forces. According to the press service of the Ukrainian security service, he is a resident of Myrnohrad, who works as an employee of a private security company. Russia reportedly paid attention to the man as an active user of pro-Russian Telegram channels, where he allegedly published anti-Ukrainian comments.
06:34 Ukrainian Air Force: Ten Russian drones shot down at night
The Ukrainian air defense shot down all ten drones launched by Russia at night, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
05:43 General Staff in Kiev: 102 battles at the front
The Ukrainian General Staff reports 102 battles at the front within 24 hours. The enemy has increased the tempo of its offensive actions since Friday morning, according to the situation report of the Ukrainian General Staff on Facebook. The most battles are reported near Pokrovsk. The Russian troops attempted to dislodge Ukrainian units from their positions 28 times. The Ukrainian army repelled 21 attacks. Seven battles are still ongoing, according to the announcement.
04:59 Czech Republic preparing security accords with Kiev
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on X that the Czech Republic will sign a bilateral security accord with Ukraine during the EU summit in London on July 18. He announced on the previous day that he had agreed with President Zelenskyy to "conclude the negotiations on the text of the Czech-Ukrainian security accord before the NATO summit in Washington." The next NATO summit is scheduled for July 9-11. The Czech Republic thus joins 19 other countries, including the USA, Great Britain, Germany, and France, as well as the European Union, which have already signed similar bilateral agreements.
03:59 USA to supply Kiev with HAWK missiles
The US government will provide Ukraine with weapons and ammunition worth $150 million, including HAWK air defense missiles and 155-millimeter artillery ammunition. Two unnamed US officials announced that the weapons aid package will likely be presented on Monday. The US government is reacting to Ukraine's desperate pleas for support in air defense, as Russia has targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure with air raids in recent weeks.
02:58 Report: Russian Agents in Vienna hired hit on Helicopter Pilot Kusminow
In Vienna, Russian agents are under suspicion for their involvement in the recruitment and financing of Russian operations, such as the assassination of the Russian military helicopter pilot Maxim Kusminow. He had defected to Ukraine and lived in Spain, where he was found by the hit squad. The "Wall Street Journal" reports this with reference to western security circles. The killers, who shot the man five times and then ran him over with a SUV, were criminals who were paid with cash provided by Russian civil servants from Vienna, according to the paper. "We are now becoming a burden for our neighbors because Russia is using us as an operational base," says a high-ranking Austrian intelligence officer to the newspaper. According to Austrian intelligence sources, the number of active Russian diplomats in Austria in the last two years has increased from around 400 to over 500. About half of them are diplomats and managers, while the other half function as spies.
01:58 Russia: Position north of Bachmut taken - Ukraine denies
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian troops have taken control of the settlement of Rosdoliwka in eastern Ukraine. However, the Ukrainian military states that heavy fighting are taking place in the areas around the settlement. Rosdoliwka is located in the Donetsk region, the hotspot of the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine. It is located north of Bachmut and Soledar, two settlements that were taken under Russian control last year.
00:58 US Army awards Lockheed Martin contract worth $4.5 billion
In the USA, the US Army awards Lockheed Martin a multi-year contract worth $4.5 billion for the Patriot air defense system. The Pentagon announces this. The contract includes 870 PAC-3 MSE missiles and the associated hardware. Lockheed manufactures the latest version of the missile defense system, known as PAC-3 MSE, which equips the Patriot. The Patriot system is part of a series of highly developed air defense systems that the West provides to Ukraine.
23:58 More Olympic starting places for Russians - Judokas rejected
The International Olympic Committee announces further starting places for Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Summer Games. According to the IOC's evening statement, 50 athletes and athletes from the two countries have been invited to compete at the Olympics under a neutral flag. However, not all of these invitations have been accepted, some have already withdrawn. Some Judokas were rejected because of their affiliation with Army sports clubs. Of the twelve quota places for Russian Judokas, only two will be allocated to men and women - it is open whether the four will accept the invitation.
23:59 Ten Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity
According to reports from Kiev, ten Ukrainian civilians have returned from Russian captivity. Among the released prisoners is Nariman Djeljal, a leader of the Crimean Tatars, writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on social media on Friday. He thanks the Vatican for its mediation in the release of the civilians. Djeljal was arrested in 2021, before the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in the Crimea, which has been annexed by Russia since 2014. He was later sentenced to 17 years in prison.
23:30 Lithuania's Foreign Minister: Kallas nomination acknowledges stance on Russia
Lithuania has welcomed the nomination of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as the new EU foreign policy chief. Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis speaks of recognition of the views of the Baltic states and other countries on the NATO eastern flank, which have consistently taken a firm stance against Russia and supported Ukraine until its victory. "She has never hidden her position, she has clearly and openly expressed her views on issues that are important to us," Landsbergis is quoted as saying by the BNS agency in Vilnius about Kallas. Kallas was appointed as the EU representative for external and security policy at the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. The 47-year-old liberal has been Estonia's first female prime minister in its history and is known as a champion of a resolute Western stance towards Moscow.
23:00 Baerbock: Support for Ukraine ensures peaceful sleep
In the opinion of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the ongoing support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion forces is also a guarantee of peace and security in Germany. "If Ukraine can no longer defend our peace, our freedom, because we no longer support it, then the question is how far Putin's troops will advance then," Baerbock said in a talk with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), NDR and "Hannoverscher Allgemeine Zeitung". "That's why the support efforts for Ukraine are the best protection for our own peace and our own security." Baerbock referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Of course, one can discuss whether the billions in aid for Ukraine should be used differently, Baerbock said. But in this case, she had to say: "I don't know how long we can continue to sleep peacefully here in Brandenburg, right on the border with Poland." There are "light tests" along the EU border and the NATO external border. "Every reasonable person in the world, in Europe and in Ukraine" wishes for nothing more ardently than peace in Ukraine. That depends on Putin. "He needs to withdraw his troops and finally put an end to this killing." Instead, his response is "always more violence and terror".
You can read about earlier developments here.
- Following the attack on Ukraine, Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian president, expressed his concern about the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and called for international support in the face of military operations conducted by Russia.
- Amidst the ongoing Ukraine conflict, NATO has denounced Russia's military aggression and emphasized its commitment to supporting Ukraine with military aid and cyberwar defenses.
- The politics surrounding the Ukraine conflict have led to a risk of cyberwarfare, with both Russia and Ukraine accused of engaging in cyberattacks against each other's critical infrastructure.
- The Russian attack on Ukraine has resulted in an increase in military operations along the frontline, with both sides reporting battles and casualties.
- In response to the Ukraine conflict, many Western countries, including the Czech Republic and the United States, have signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine to provide military aid and strengthen their defense capabilities.
