08:34 Governor of Kursk: Five dead in Ukrainian drone attack on village near the border
At a Ukrainian drone attack, according to Russian reports, five people were killed in a border-near Russian village. The governor of the western Russian region of Kursk, Alexey Smirnov, announced this on Telegram. "Two more family members are in critical condition," he added. The drone reportedly crashed into a house in the small village of Gorodischtsche. Since the beginning of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, both sides have regularly targeted each other with drones, some of which have ranges of several hundred kilometers. The Ukrainian army has expanded its drone attacks on Russian territories this year. It targets not only Russian energy facilities but also border towns and villages.
08:02 Kiev: More than 1000 Russian soldiers "eliminated"According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's reports, more than 1070 Russian soldiers have died or are no longer able to fight within a day. Since the beginning of the war in February 2022, a total of 541,560 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated." The Defense Ministry reports the enemy's losses daily. According to these reports, the enemy has lost seven more tanks (8073). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has counted over 15,500 armored vehicles and around 11,500 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed. These reports cannot be verified independently. Moscow itself keeps information about its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
07:28 After Russian attack: Fire department in Dnipro rescues man from buried carOnce again, Russian rockets hit a Ukrainian residential area. The latest attack on the city of Dnipro resulted in at least one fatality, among the wounded 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 agentThe Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has arrested another Russian agent. The man is accused of preparing a Russian breakthrough in the Donetsk region and spying on Ukrainian defense forces. The SBU press office reported this. According to the report, the suspected Russian spy is a resident of Myrnohrad, who works as an employee of a private security company. Russia reportedly became interested in 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 nightThe Ukrainian air defense shot down all ten Russian drones launched by Russia at night. The Ukrainian Air Force reported this.
05:43 General Staff in Kiev: 102 battles at the frontThe Ukrainian General Staff reports 102 battles at the front within 24 hours. Since Friday morning, the enemy has increased the tempo of its offensive actions, according to the situation report of the Ukrainian General Staff on Facebook. The most fighting is 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 to sign security accord with Kiev during EU summitCzech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on X that the Czech Republic will sign a bilateral security accord with Ukraine during the EU summit on July 18 in London. He revealed 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 will thus join 19 countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, and the European Union, which have already signed similar bilateral agreements.
03:59 USA to supply Kiev with HAWK missilesThe US government is set to supply Ukraine with weapons and ammunition worth $150 million, including HAWK air defense missiles and 155-millimeter artillery shells. Two unnamed US officials announced that the military aid package is expected to be presented on Monday. The Biden administration is responding to Ukraine's desperate pleas for support in air defense after Russia bombarded Ukrainian energy infrastructure with air strikes in recent weeks.
02:58 Report: Russian agents in Vienna implicated in Kusminov assassinationRussian agents based in Vienna 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 Kusminov. He had defected to the Ukraine and lived in Spain, where he was killed by the hit squad. The Wall Street Journal reports this with references to Western security circles. The killers, who shot him five times and then ran him over with a SUV, were criminals who were paid in cash provided by Russian officials in Vienna, according to the article. "We are now becoming a burden for our neighbors, as Russia uses us as an operational base," a high-ranking Austrian intelligence officer told the newspaper. According to Austrian intelligence sources, the number of active Russian diplomats in Austria has increased from around 400 to over 500 in the past two years. About half of them are diplomats and managers, while the other half act as spies.
01:58 Russia: Town north of Bachmut captured - Ukraine deniesAccording to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian forces have taken control of the town of Rosdoliwka in eastern Ukraine. However, the Ukrainian military denies that there are heavy fighting in the areas surrounding the settlement. Rosdoliwka is located in the Donetsk region, the epicenter of Russia's advance in eastern Ukraine. It is located north of Bachmut and Soledar, two towns that Russia captured last year.
00:58 US Army awards Lockheed Martin contract worth $4.5 billionIn the USA, the US Army has given Lockheed Martin a multi-year contract worth $4.5 billion for the Patriot air defense system. The Pentagon announced this. The contract includes 870 PAC-3 MSE missiles and the corresponding hardware. Lockheed produces the latest version of the missile defense system, which equips the Patriot, known as PAC-3 MSE. The Patriot System belongs to a series of highly developed air defense systems that the West provides to Ukraine.
23:58 More Olympic starting places for Russians - Judokas rejectedThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that further athletes from Russia and Belarus will be given starting places for the Summer Games in Paris. According to the IOC's announcement in the evening, 50 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 each - it is open whether the four will accept the invitation.
22:59 Ten Ukrainians returned from Russian captivityAccording to reports from Kiev, ten Ukrainian civilians have returned from Russian captivity. Among the returnees is Nariman Djeljal, a leader of the Crimean Tatars, writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in social media on Friday. He thanks the Vatican for its mediation in the release of the civilians. Djeljal was arrested in 2021, that is, before the large-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine, on the Crimean Peninsula, which has been annexed by Russia since 2014, and later sentenced to 17 years in prison.
22:30 Lithuania's Foreign Minister: Kallas nomination honors stance on RussiaLithuania has welcomed the nomination of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as the new EU Foreign Policy Chief. Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis speaks of recognizing the perspective of the Baltic States and other countries at the NATO Eastern Flank, which have taken a firm stance against Russia and supported Ukraine until its victory. "She has never hidden her position, she has clearly and openly expressed herself on issues that are important to us," Landsbergis told 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 in power in Estonia since 2021 as the first woman in Estonian history to head the government - and is known as a supporter of a resolute Western stance against Moscow. (Also see entries at 15:36 and 13:38 hours.)
22:00 Baerbock: Support for Ukraine is the best protection for peaceful sleeping
According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's belief, the continuous support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion troops is also linked to 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 during a talk by RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), NDR, and "Hannoverscher Allgemeine Zeitung". "That's why support for Ukraine is 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, directly at the Polish border." Everywhere along the EU border and the NATO external border, there are "light tests" from Russia. "Every reasonable person in the world, in Europe, and in Ukraine" wishes nothing more ardently than peace in Ukraine. That depends on Putin. "For that, Putin must withdraw his troops and finally end this killing." Instead, his answer is "always more violence and terror".
You can read about previous developments here.
- Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on a border-near Russian village, resulting in fatalities and injuries, as reported by the governor of the western Russian region of Kursk, Alexey Smirnov.
- Volodymyr Selensky, the President of Ukraine, appreciated the Czech Republic's decision to sign a bilateral security accord during the EU summit, which will join 19 countries providing support to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
- The Ukrainian military has been targeted by Russian drones, with reports of expanding drone attacks on Russian territories, including energy facilities, border towns, and villages, as confirmed by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
- The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has led numerous countries to boost their military operations and alliances, with the USA planning to supply Ukraine with HAWK air defense missiles and 155-millimeter artillery shells to strengthen its air defense capabilities.
- The war in Ukraine has escalated tensions beyond the border, with Russia reportedly using Austria as an operational base for Russian agents involved in recruiting and financing operations, such as assassinations and cyberwar activities.
