11:51 Military economist: The war could be over by the end of 2025 - "Time is running out against Russia"
According to military economist Marcus Keupp's assessment in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung," Russia will not be able to sustain the war against Ukraine for years to come. The Russian supply is predicted to collapse latest by mid-2027, possibly even by the end of 2025, Keupp states. "That's the computational end, then the stores will be empty." Keupp bases his calculations on documented losses of the Russian army available on open-source websites. According to this data, Russia has lost an average of four tanks per day since the start of the war. However, only 300 to 500 new tanks can be produced annually, making it impossible for Moscow to continue indefinitely, the military economist explains. Satellite images already show that old Soviet military bases are emptying out at a massive rate throughout Russia, according to Keupp. "Russia is living off its reserves. It's practically on the dead legs of the Soviet Union." Keupp's conclusion: "Time is running against Russia." He believes the Russian method of warfare is unsustainable. "Putin has the same problem as Hitler. His resources are melting away, and he's stuck in the mud of the Soviet Union."
11:33: Escape from Military Service: Some Ukrainian Men Seek Help from Forgers
A new recruitment offensive is underway in Ukraine to mobilize more soldiers for the fight against Russia. Therefore, some Ukrainian men are turning to online dealers and forgers to avoid the horrors of military service, as reported by the British newspaper "Guardian." It is expected that attempts to flee the country will increase. Ukraine recently passed far-reaching mobilization measures that allow the military to call up more soldiers and impose stricter penalties for military service evasion. Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a controversial law in the past April that lowers the draft age from 27 to 25. Anyone who refuses military service can lose their driver's license and access to their bank accounts. Property can also be confiscated.
11:04: Zelenskyj Releases Video of Reunions of Ex-Prisoners with Their Families
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj released a video showing the moment when ten ex-prisoners returned home from Russian captivity and reunited with their families. He shared the recording on his social media channels.
10:36: Ukrainian Police Car in Sumy Attacked by Russian Drone
In the Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian police car was attacked by a Russian drone. The Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Post" reported this based on information from the Ukrainian National Police. According to the report, the policemen were not in the vehicle at the time of the attack but were nearby when they heard the explosion.
10:08 Kremlin declines comment on Trump's remarks about ending the war
The Kremlin declines to comment on Donald Trump's statement that he would have ended the war against Ukraine if he had been re-elected in November. The British newspaper "Guardian" reported this. Trump made these remarks during the US Presidential debate with incumbent Joe Biden on the previous Thursday. "As for Russia and Ukraine: If we had a real president, a president who respected Putin, he wouldn't have gone into Ukraine," Trump said.
09:26 Zelenskyy thanks Coe at meeting for exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe. This was announced on his 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," Zelenskyy wrote. He also thanked Coe for supporting Ukrainian athletes.
09:01 Four dead, ten injured in Russian attacks in the Kherson region
Russian forces have reportedly shelled numerous cities and villages in the Kherson region, resulting in four deaths and ten injuries. Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the region, announced this via Telegram. "Four people were killed by Russian aggression in Sadove, Tiahynka, Novotiahynka, Olhivka, and Cherson," Prokudin said. According to him, Russian military attacked residential areas in the region and damaged several 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 village
According to Russian reports, five people were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on a border village. The governor of the western Russian region of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, announced this via Telegram. "Two small children were among the dead," Smirnov added. The drone reportedly crashed into a house in the small village of Gorodischtsche. Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, both sides have been regularly attacking 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 Kiev: Over 1000 Russian soldiers "eliminated"
According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's daily reports, 1070 Russian soldiers have died or are unable to continue fighting in the war as of one day ago. Since the start of the conflict in February 2022, a total of 541,560 Russian soldiers have reportedly been "eliminated." The Defense Ministry has announced that the enemy has also lost seven additional tanks (8073). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has counted over 15,500 armored vehicles and approximately 11,500 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed.
07:28 Russian attack: Fire department in Dnipro rescues man from buried car
Once again, Russian rockets have struck a Ukrainian residential area. The most recent 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 monitored: SBU arrests suspected Russian agent
The 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. According to the SBU press office, the man is a resident of Myrnohrad, who works as an employee of a private security company. Russia reportedly became interested in the man due to his activity on 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 has shot down all ten drones launched by Russia during the night using the Shahed type.
05:43 General Staff in Kiev: 102 battles at the front
The Ukrainian General Staff reports 102 battles at the front within the past 24 hours. The enemy has increased the tempo of its offensive actions since Friday morning, according to the General Staff's report on Facebook. The majority of the battles are taking place 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 prepares security agreements with Kiev
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on X that the Czech Republic will sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine during the EU summit in London on July 18. Fiala stated that he had agreed with President Zelenskyy the day before to finalize the negotiations on the text of the Czech-Ukrainian security agreement before the NATO summit in Washington, which is scheduled for July 9-11. The Czech Republic will thus join 19 other countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, and the European Union, which have already signed similar bilateral agreements.
03:59 USA to deliver HAWK missiles to KievThe US government is set to provide weapons and ammunition worth $150 million to Ukraine, including HAWK air defense missiles and 155-millimeter artillery ammunition. Two unnamed US officials have announced that the weapons aid package is expected to be presented on Monday. The Biden administration is responding to Ukraine's desperate pleas for support in air defense, following Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent weeks.
02:58 Report: Russian agents in Vienna implicated in Kusminow's murderRussian agents based in Vienna are suspected of assisting in the recruitment and financing of Russian operations, such as the assassination of the Russian military helicopter pilot Maxim Kusminow. He had defected to the Ukraine and was living in Spain when he was found by the hit squad. The "Wall Street Journal" reports this with reference to western security sources. The killers, who shot him five times and then ran him over with a SUV, were criminals paid in cash, which was provided by Russian officials in Vienna, according to the paper. "We are now becoming a burden to 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 has increased from around 400 to over 500 in the last two years. About half of them are diplomats and managers, while the other half function as spies.
01:58 Russia captures town north of Bachmut - 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 this, stating 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 towns that were taken under Russian control last year.
00:58 US Army awards Lockheed Martin $4.5 billion contractIn the US, the US Army has awarded 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 related hardware. Lockheed manufactures the latest version of the missile defense system, known as PAC-3 MSE, which equips the Patriot system. The Patriot system is part of a series of advanced air defense systems provided by the West to Ukraine.
23:58 More Olympic Starting Places for Russians - Judokas rejected
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) continues to invite more athletes from Russia and Belarus to the Summer Games in Paris. According to the IOC's announcement in the evening, 50 athletes from the two countries have been invited so far to compete under a neutral flag at the Olympics. However, not all of these invitations have been accepted, some have already withdrawn. Some Judokas were rejected due to their affiliation with Army sports clubs. Out of the twelve quota places for Russian Judokas, only two will be allocated to men and women each - whether the four accept the invitation is open.
22:59 Ten Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity
Ten Ukrainian civilians have returned home from Russian captivity, according to reports from Kyiv. 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 involvement in the release of the civilians. Djeljal was arrested in Crimea in 2021, before the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, and later sentenced to 17 years in prison.
22:30 Lithuania's Foreign Minister: Kallas nomination recognizes 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 advocated for a firm stance towards 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's 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 since 2021 and is known as a supporter of a resolute Western stance towards Moscow.
22:00 Baerbock: Support for Ukraine is the best protection for peaceful sleeping
According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's belief, 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," Baerbock said during 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.
Naturally, one can discuss whether the billions in aid for Ukraine should be used differently, Baerbock says. But in this case, she has to admit: "I don't know how long we can continue sleeping peacefully here in Brandenburg, right at the border with Poland." There are "light tests" everywhere along the EU border and the NATO outer border by Russia. "Every reasonable person in the world, in Europe and in Ukraine" wishes nothing more ardently than peace in Ukraine. But that lies with Putin. "For that, Putin must withdraw his troops and finally put an end to this killing." Instead, his answer is "always more violence and terror."
You can read about all previous developments here.
10:22: NATO's Response to the Ukraine Conflict
In light of the ongoing Ukraine conflict and Keupp's predictions of Russia's military capabilities, NATO is considering new strategies and strengthening its defensive forces. The political leaders of the alliance are discussing potential cyberwar defenses and increased military operations to deter further Russian aggression.
14:09: Cyberattacks Against Ukraine and the West
Meanwhile, Russia has been launching cyberwarfare attacks against Ukraine and Western nations. According to cybersecurity experts, Moscow has targeted critical infrastructure, such as power grids, hospitals, and financial institutions. They predict that these attacks could escalate during the anticipated military operations in Ukraine.
19:15: Volodymyr Selenskyy's Call for International Aid
In a recent press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyy called upon NATO members and international partners for additional military and humanitarian aid. He highlighted the need for advanced weapons systems, training, and financial assistance to maintain Ukraine's defense capabilities against possible Russian attacks.
13:36: Military Exercises Along NATO's Eastern Border
Furthermore, NATO member countries along its eastern border, particularly Poland and Romania, have increased their military exercises and defensive postures. These measures are aimed at bolstering deterrence against potential Russian threats and demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine.
18:00: Effects of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict on Global Politics
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is having profound global political implications. As Keupp's assessment sheds light on Moscow's dwindling military resources, Eastern European nations are debating their response to the changing regional dynamics. There are growing calls for closer security cooperation with the West and increased military preparedness, as the potential end of Russia's military campaign against Ukraine creates opportunities and challenges for global stability.
