09:26 Selenskyj thanks Coe at meeting for exclusion of Russian track and field athletes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. This was announced on Zelenskyy's Facebook page. "We welcome the decisions made by World Athletics at the beginning of March 2022 to ban representatives of Russia and Belarus from participating in international athletics competitions," writes Zelenskyy. He also expressed gratitude for the support of Ukrainian athletes.
09:01: Four Dead and Ten Wounded in Russian Attacks in the Oblast of ChernihivRussian forces have shelled numerous cities and villages in the Chernihiv oblast, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to ten others. This was reported by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the region, on Telegram. "Four people were killed by Russian aggression in Sadove, Tiahynka, Novotiahynka, Olhivka, and Chernihiv," Prokudin said. According to him, Russian military targeted residential areas in the region and damaged some private houses. In addition, businesses and a gas pipeline were reportedly hit.
08:34: Governor of Kursk: Five Dead in Ukrainian Drone Attack on Border VillageAccording to Russian reports, five people were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on a border village. Two of the dead were reportedly young children. The governor of the western Russian region of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, made the announcement on Telegram. "Two more family members are in critical condition," Smirnov added. The drone is said to have 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 a range of several hundred kilometers. The Ukrainian army has expanded its drone attacks on Russian territory this year. It targets both Russian energy facilities and border towns and villages.
08:02: Kyiv: Over 1000 Russian Soldiers "eliminated"According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, 1070 Russian soldiers have been killed or are no longer able to fight within one day. Since the start of the war in February 2022, a total of 541,560 Russian soldiers have reportedly been "eliminated." The Defense Ministry reported in its daily reports on Russian losses that the enemy had 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 figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself keeps information on 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 reportedly resulted in at least one death, among the wounded was a seven-month-old baby. A man was buried under the rubble in his car.
07:06 Positions of Ukrainian military being spied on: SBU arrests suspected Russian agentThe Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) of the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service has arrested another suspected Russian agent. The man is alleged to have prepared a Russian troops breakthrough in the Donetsk region and spied on Ukrainian defense forces. According to the SBU press service. The man is reportedly a resident of Myrnohrad, who works as an employee of a private security company. Russia reportedly became aware of the man as an active user of pro-Russian Telegram channels, where he is said to have published anti-Ukrainian comments.
06:34 Ukrainian Air Force: Ten Russian drones shot down at nightThe Ukrainian air defense has 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 frontThe 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 KievCzech 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 Facebook that he had agreed with President Zelenskyy the day before to "finalize 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 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 missilesThe US government will supply 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 is expected to be presented on Monday. The US government is reacting to Ukraine's desperate pleas for support in air defense, following Russian air strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure 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. This is reported by the "Wall Street Journal" 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 officials from Vienna, according to the paper. "We are now becoming a burden for our neighbors, as Russia uses 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: Area 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 is taking place in the areas around the settlement. Rosdoliwka is located in the Donetsk region, the epicenter 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 has awarded the defense contractor Lockheed Martin a multi-year contract worth $4.5 billion for the Patriot air defense system. This was announced by the Pentagon. The contract includes 870 PAC-3 MSE missiles and the corresponding 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 advanced air defense systems that the West has provided 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 military sports clubs. Of the twelve quota places for Russian judokas, only two each 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 - ten Ukrainian civilians have returned from Russian captivity, according to information from Kiev. Among the released prisoners 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 of Ukraine in the annexed Crimea, and later sentenced to 17 years in prison.
23:30 Lithuania's Foreign Minister: Kallas nomination acknowledges 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 recognition of the stance of the Baltic states and other countries on the NATO eastern flank, which have set a firm stance against Russia and support for 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 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 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 is the best protection for peaceful sleepingAccording to the belief of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the ongoing support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion forces 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 in a talk by 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, directly on the border with Poland." There are "light tests" everywhere at the EU border and the NATO external border. "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 murder." Instead, his answer is "always more violence and terror".
You can read about earlier developments here.
- Amidst the ongoing Ukraine conflict, President Volodymyr Selenskyy has expressed gratitude towards international athletics bodies for banning representatives of Russia and Belarus from participating in competitions due to their military actions.
- Following Russia's relentless military operations in Ukraine, the Czech Republic has announced its plan to sign a bilateral security accord with Ukraine during the EU summit in London, which will increase security cooperation between the two nations.
- The United States government has decided to supply Ukraine with Hawk air defense missiles and 155-millimeter artillery ammunition worth $150 million in response to Russia's persistent attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
- According to Austrian intelligence sources, the number of active Russian diplomats in Austria has increased from around 400 to over 500 in the last two years, raising concerns about cyberwarfare and potential intelligence operations against Ukraine and its allies.
- As the Ukraine conflict enters its eighth month, tensions between Russia and the West continue to escalate, with both sides engaging in military operations and political maneuvering, further exacerbating the cyberwarfare aspect of the conflict.
