08:34 Russia: Ukrainian attack on port city repelled
Russia reportedly repelled attacks from two unmanned Ukrainian explosives boats on the Black Sea port city of Noworossijsk, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The drone boats were allegedly destroyed in the Black Sea. Noworossijsk is home to a large Black Sea Fleet port for Russia, where many of its warships used in the conflict with Ukraine have been stationed since Ukrainian forces attacked ports on the Crimean peninsula. The ministry did not comment on possible damages. Local authorities in Noworossijsk urged people to stay in their homes and buildings during the night.
A large portion of Ukrainians feel unity in societyAccording to a nationwide survey conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on July 2, 44% of Ukrainians believe that Ukrainian society is currently united. A smaller group of 15% considers the society divided. Corruption is cited as the main issue, followed by language problems, injustices during the war, collaboration, and pro-Russian sentiment as factors contributing to societal division.
Kremlin: Ten Ukrainian attack drones destroyedRussia reportedly shot down ten Ukrainian attack drones over Russian territory, according to the Russian Defense Ministry on Telegram. Five drones were reportedly shot down over the Belgorod border region, four over the Brjansk border region, and one over the Moscow region. Additionally, two Ukrainian seed drones were destroyed near the Black Sea port of Noworossijsk in the Krasnodar region.
Ukrainian General Staff: Almost 1200 Russian losses yesterdayThe Ukrainian General Staff reported 1,180 losses on the Russian side in the past 24 hours. This includes 16 destroyed tanks, 17 armored vehicles, 57 artillery systems, and 63 tank and other vehicles. Two Russian air defense systems and a missile were also reportedly destroyed by the Ukrainians. The number of dead or wounded Russian soldiers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion exceeded 546,000, according to the General Staff.
Putin arrives at SOZ summit in KazakhstanRussian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly arrived in Kazakhstan, according to the Kremlin. He is participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the capital Astana. The two-day meeting will focus on regional security, defense, and cooperation issues. The leaders of the SCO member states will discuss "the current situation and prospects for deepening multifaceted cooperation," according to Moscow. Putin is expected to hold bilateral talks, including with China and Turkey. The summit will be attended by representatives from 16 countries, including India, Iran, and Pakistan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also expected to attend.
06:11 Ukraine continues to reject territorial concessions to PutinAccording to the words of Andrij Yermak, the chief of staff of the Ukrainian president, Ukraine continues to categorically reject territorial concessions to Russia to end the war. "We are not willing to make compromises on important things and values," Yermak said to journalists and named "independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty." In response to statements from Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who claimed he could quickly end the conflict, the government in Kiev is open for advice to achieve a "just peace." Trump stated during the television debate that he would not accept Putin's conditions. Putin had declared that Russia would end the war if Kiev was ready to surrender the territories claimed and occupied by Moscow in the east and south of the country. In response to a question about how Ukraine views Trump's handling of the war, Yermak replied: "Honestly speaking: I don't know. We'll see."
05:42 USA to provide new military aid for UkraineThe Ukrainian military is in urgent need of supplies. The USA will make available to Ukraine in the near future additional military aid in the amount of around 2.3 billion US dollars (around 2.14 billion Euro). This was announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit by his Ukrainian colleague Rustem Umjerow in Washington. The package approved by US President Joe Biden includes "additional surface-to-air missiles, anti-tank weapons, and other important ammunition from US stocks," explained Austin. The reorganization of some foreign military deliveries will also make it possible for the USA to provide Munition for Patriot and other air defense systems "in an accelerated timeframe."
04:49 NATO expanding presence in KievThe NATO is expanding its civilian presence in the attacked Ukraine. As a spokesperson confirmed, the 32 alliance members have decided to send a kind of special envoys to the capital Kiev. The high-ranking official is to steer the political and practical support of the alliance on site. The background is mainly that the NATO intends to give the start signal for a new deployment at the upcoming summit in Washington for the coordination of weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces. The headquarters for this should be built in Wiesbaden. Who will receive the new NATO position in Kiev is still not known.
03:42 UN calls for release of GershkovichExperts of the United Nations are calling for the immediate release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is in custody in Russia on espionage charges. "The deprivation of liberty of Evan Gershkovich is arbitrary" and violates several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, write the experts 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 assessed them as "very good", Vucic stated on Instagram. He also thanked Russia "for its support of 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 Russia's intervention in Ukraine.
01:29 Russian court sentences 19-year-old to twelve yearsA Russian court sentenced a 19-year-old man to twelve years in prison for "treason", after he was accused of donating money to the Ukrainian army. "The Rostov Regional Court found him guilty and sentenced him to a twelve-year term in a penal colony", it says in a comment from the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB, which was taken up by the state-controlled Kremlin media. The teenager is said to have sent money to help the Ukrainian army buy food and drones. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Russians have been arrested and many of them have been imprisoned. According to Amnesty International, at least 21,000 people were the target of repressions against war opponents in 2023.
00:20 A quarter of US citizens find US aid to Ukraine insufficientAlmost a quarter of Americans believe that the United States is not providing sufficient 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 sufficient aid to Ukraine, 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 the US aid is sufficient.
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 took place 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 to Russian aircraft as a reaction to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
22:12 Survey in Member States: High Trust in NATO, Low Trust in Zelenskyy
Coming Week, NATO Celebrates Its 75-Year Anniversary. In member states, the transatlantic defense alliance is generally well regarded, according to a survey by Pew Research. On average in 13 countries, 63 percent of the population holds a positive view, while 33 percent hold a negative one. Germany stands out with 64 percent positive sentiment, just above the average. Exceptional is the assessment in Poland: 91 percent hold a positive image of the alliance. The trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy averages 40 percent and has decreased in member states in the past year. Notably, Poland stands out, where the president has lost 22 percentage points - from 70 to 48 percent. In Germany, trust has decreased by 7 percentage points to 54 percent.
21:27 Zelenskyy Rejects Orban's Peace Proposal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a peace proposal from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for peace talks, according to the Presidential Press Office. During his first visit to Kiev since the war began, Orban suggested a rapid ceasefire that could "accelerate peace negotiations with Moscow," he said. "The president listened to him, but in response, he clarified Ukraine's stance and rejected the proposal," the spokesperson said. Previously, Kiev had rejected ceasefires, citing the concern that Russian forces could reorganize during this time.
21:02 Ukraine: Moscow Recruits Minors
Russia is actively recruiting minors for the war in Ukraine, Ukraine claims. The recruitment contracts are reportedly signed with minors, taking effect upon reaching adulthood. "They hope to recruit tens of thousands of teenagers with propaganda," the National Resistance Center warns: "We warn that any enemy on our territory will be eliminated." On occupied Ukrainian territory, Russia also employs minors, for instance, to manufacture drones.
You can read about previous developments here.
- The Russian Defense Ministry reportedly stated that they repelled attacks from Ukrainian drone boats in the Black Sea, with the drones allegedly being destroyed near Noworossijsk, a city housing a major Russian Black Sea Fleet port.
- The Kremlin claimed to have shot down ten Ukrainian attack drones over Russian territory, including one near Noworossijsk, in retaliation for Ukraine's alleged attacks on ports in the Crimean peninsula.
- Volodymyr Selensky, the president of Ukraine, continues to refuse territorial concessions to Russia to end the Ukraine conflict, stating that "we are not willing to make compromises on important things and values," such as independence and sovereignty.
- NATO is reportedly expanding its civilian presence in Ukraine by sending special envoys to Kiev to steer political and practical support for the Ukrainian armed forces, including the provision of additional military aid and training activities.
- The United Nations is calling for the immediate release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is being detained in Russia on espionage charges, citing the violation of his human rights and the arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
