12:41 The German government will not be intimidated by Putin's threats
Russian threats regarding the planned stationing of long-range weapons in Germany will not lead to a change in course for the German government, according to the Federal Government. "We will not be intimidated by such statements," a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said. Russia has been ramping up its military presence and waging an aggressive war in Europe against Ukraine. Germany must respond. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the US over the weekend about the stationing of new long-range weapons in Germany. The US and German governments had announced two weeks ago that US weapons capable of reaching Russia would be brought to Germany starting in 2026.
12:41 Congratulations from Moscow: Putin welcomes Maduro "on Russian soil"Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on his re-election victory. Putin expressed his readiness to continue constructive cooperation with the South American country, as reported by the Russian state agency RIA Novosti. Maduro is "always welcome on Russian soil," Putin added. He is "confident" that Maduro will continue to contribute to the progressive development of relations between the two countries in all areas. Russia is one of the most important partners of the Venezuelan president. Moscow supported Maduro when Western countries imposed sanctions on him following his controversial re-election in 2018. The elections in Russia in recent years have also been controversial.
12:06 Ukrainian Security Service detains FSB agents in OdessaThe Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reports that it has detained six suspects in Odessa who allegedly carried out sabotage on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). According to the SBU, they set 15 Ukrainian military vehicles on fire in June and July on orders from the FSB. They were reportedly discovered by the FSB on Telegram, as they were trying to make easy money. They were arrested almost simultaneously in different parts of the city. According to the SBU, the suspects are six residents of Odessa aged 18 to 24, who worked as couriers for a popular food delivery service. They face up to eight years in prison if convicted.
11:30 Harmony everywhere: Lukashenko reports on talks with PutinAccording to Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko, relations between Russia and his country are harmonious. As reported by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Lukashenko said that during their latest talks with Vladimir Putin on the island of Valaam in Lake Ladoga, mutual agreement was reached on all issues: "There was complete agreement in all matters. There is absolutely no rejection." During the talks with Putin, it is said that they discussed prices and advance payments for oil deliveries.
10:59 It goes into the hundreds of thousands - Kiev names Russian casualty figuresThe Ukrainian General Staff estimates the Russian army's losses again. According to this, more than 1,300 soldiers are eliminated in one day. This brings the number of wounded and killed Russians, according to Ukrainian figures, to over 576,000. Western observers' estimates differ. The NATO estimated the number of Russian casualties - dead and wounded - in the middle of March at 350,000. The US intelligence estimated a figure of 315,000 in December 2023. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated during a citizen dialogue at the end of May: "There is a figure that says how many dead or seriously injured Russian soldiers per month - 24,000." The figures from Kiev would therefore be even higher.
10:30 The Kremlin continues to pay costs for soldiers - Russians debate rising airfare prices
Ntv-reporter Rainer Munz explains that Ukraine's infrastructure in Russia is repeatedly targeted, despite this, the Kremlin remains militarily well-prepared. However, Moscow must invest increasingly higher sums for soldier recruitment.
09:59 Putin plans meeting with new Iranian president
Russian media reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for an upcoming meeting with the newly elected Iranian President Massud Peseschkian. "The Iranian side has already issued a valid invitation, and we hope that the new president will come to the summit. We would be pleased to see him, and President Putin is preparing for the upcoming contact," says Kreml spokesman Dmitri Peskov to "Iswestija." The inauguration ceremony of the Iranian president takes place on July 30. A Russian delegation led by the president of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, is expected to attend.
09:35 At least 23 injured in Ukraine in one day
According to official reports, at least 23 people were injured in Russian attacks in Ukraine on Sunday. In the region of Cherson, Russian forces attacked 21 settlements, including the regional center of Cherson. Eleven people were injured, among them three children. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reports. In the region of Dnipropetrovsk, Russian forces attacked the city of Nikopol, which lies directly opposite the Russian-occupied Enerhodar and the Saporischschja Nuclear Power Plant and is a regular target of Russian attacks. Eight people were injured, including two girls aged one and ten, and some adults had shrapnel wounds. In Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, several people were also injured.
08:59 Georgia's opposition files lawsuit against "Agent Law"
Georgia's largest opposition party, the United National Movement, files a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court today against the controversial "Foreign Agents" law. "Kyiv Independent" reports that the lawsuit was signed by 32 opposition MPs. The law requires organizations that receive more than one-fifth of their financing from abroad to register as "agents of foreign influence." A similar law has been used by the Kremlin for years against opposition and civil society in Russia.
08:35 Thousands in Kiev remember the dead of Oleniwka
Thousands gather in Kiev on Sunday to remember the victims of an explosion in a pro-Russian separatist-controlled prison in Oleniwka two years ago. Soldiers and civilians come together at the Independence Square in Kiev to honor the more than 50 dead. They call on their government to do more to secure the release of prisoners of war from Russia. The explosion in Oleniwka, according to many Ukrainian soldiers, was one of the most painful chapters of Russia's armed aggression against their country. Russia claims that the explosion in Oleniwka was caused by a Ukrainian rocket. Investigations by the Associated Press suggest, however, that Russian troops may have caused the detonation.
08:07 New Water Drone? Mysterious Jetski Washed Up on Turkish Coast
Does Ukraine have a new water drone? According to "Kyiv Post", a strongly modified and armed Yamaha "Wave Runner"-Jetski was discovered near Istanbul, Turkey's coast in the Black Sea. A military expert stated that the previously unknown unmanned vehicle is another model of Ukrainian Kamikaze-sea drones used against Russia. The Jetski is reportedly equipped with two explosive charges in black cylinders on either side of the vehicle. Other experts speculate that it could be additional fuel tanks to increase range. The Jetski's seats have been replaced by various electronic control panels and a Starlink antenna, presumably used for communication and steering. Ukrainian military expert Ivan Kyrychevsky warns, however, that hasty conclusions should be avoided, as reported by "Kyiv Post". The vehicle "looks like something else than a functioning maritime drone." It could also be part of Moscow's disinformation campaign. Turkish authorities are currently investigating the matter.
07:33 Ukraine Intercepts Majority of Russian Drones
The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted nine out of ten Russian drones at night, according to their own reports. Additionally, a missile was intercepted and destroyed. The Ukrainian Air Force announced this on Telegram. Russia, on the other hand, claims to have intercepted 39 drones launched by Ukraine. "Our air defense systems have intercepted and destroyed 19 drones in the Kursk region, nine over Belgorod, three over Voronezh, and five over Bryansk," the Russian Defense Ministry stated on Telegram. Three more drones were neutralized in the northwestern region of Leningrad near the city of Saint Petersburg.
07:04 No More Happy Singles in Films: Duma Deputy Wants to Punish "Divorce Propaganda"
Duma Deputy Vitaly Milonov plans to introduce an initiative to ban the screening of films featuring happy singles. "Nowije Iswestija" reported this. According to the report, a penalty for "divorce propaganda" in the country would be introduced, along with a ban on depicting "happy single people." "In general, any propaganda for divorce should be punishable. A divorce is a tragedy and a misfortune, and propagating it, especially for these unshaven feminists, is definitely not allowed," Milonov, the deputy chairman of the Duma Committee for Family, Fatherhood, Motherhood, and Childhood, is quoted as saying. He believes that public opinion towards single men should change, and only those who have many children should be considered heroes. Russia has been promoting a increasingly traditional family image in recent years. However, this ideal is not universally accepted, even within the political leadership - for example, President Vladimir Putin is divorced, and his relationship status is unclear.
06:33 TASS Journalists' Accreditation Revoked in Paris
The Olympic Organizing Committee is reportedly revoking the accreditation of four TASS journalists in Paris, according to the agency. The Committee is attributing this decision to a decision by French authorities, but Moscow has given no further explanations, reports Reuters. The four journalists in question are two reporters, a photographer, and a France correspondent who intended to cover the games. Previously, Paris had refused to accredit some Russian journalists for the games, citing possible espionage. Russia is traditionally one of the biggest medal winners at the Olympic Games, but the Paris Games will not be broadcast on Russian state television, and only 15 Russians are participating this time. Russians and Belarusians can only compete as individuals without a flag and cannot publicly support the war or the military.
06:07 Zelenskyy: No Ceasefire with Continued Occupation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is putting a damper on all efforts to end the war quickly. He cannot agree to the demands for a ceasefire as long as Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory, he said in an interview with the Japanese broadcaster NHK. For the way to a just peace, he sees three essential prerequisites from his perspective: "Patience, support (for Ukraine), and diplomatic pressure (on Moscow)." "If the US and European countries remain united, they will exert additional pressure and show that Moscow has no chance," he emphasized.
05:37 Drone Debris Starts Fire in Voronezh
A supply infrastructure facility in the Russian region of Voronezh has reportedly caught fire due to drone debris, according to the regional governor. "The fire has been put out," he reported via Telegram. "There are no reported injuries." The southwestern Russian region of Voronezh borders Ukraine.
03:07 Oil Depot in Kursk Reportedly Hit by Ukrainian Drone
Russia has reported multiple waves of drone attacks on its border region of Kursk from Ukraine. "At least 13 drones launched from Ukraine were destroyed by our air defense systems on late Sunday evening," writes the governor, Andrey Smirnov, on Telegram. Earlier in the day, 19 drones had already been shot down. An oil depot was damaged in the attacks. The governor reports minor damage to several residential buildings without providing further details. Drone attacks are also reported from other Russian border regions. In Orjol, a power plant is reportedly damaged (Live entry at 00:55 am), and in the neighboring region of Bryansk, at least four drones were shot down.
02:02 Gabriel Misses Debate on US Rocket Stationing in Germany
The former foreign minister and current chairman of the Atlantic Bridge, Sigmar Gabriel, is concerned that there has been no public debate in Germany prior to the decision on the stationing of US long-range missiles in Germany. "I'm not bothered by the deployment intention itself, but rather the fact that there is no public debate about it in Germany. It's just being decided," the SPD politician told the Rheinische Post.
00:55 Kraftwerk in Russia Damaged by Ukrainian Drone AttackAccording to Russian reports, a power plant in the southwestern Russian region of Orjol has been damaged by a Ukrainian drone attack. "There are no casualties," the region's governor, Andrej Klitschko, announced on Telegram. Two drones were reportedly destroyed. The exact number of drones shot down is unclear.
22:17 "Anti-European": Polish Foreign Minister Proposes Hungary's Exit from EU and NATOThe Polish Foreign Ministry has proposed that Hungary leave the EU and NATO following Viktor Orban's controversial comments about the EU, the US, and Poland. "If you don't want to be a member of a club, you can always leave," the Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski told the Polish Press Agency (PAP). Orban was reportedly quoted as accusing Poland of hypocrisy, praising US Presidential candidate Donald Trump, and defending Russia. He also accused the US of being responsible for the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline. Bartoszewski described Orban's current politics as "anti-European, anti-Ukrainian, and anti-Polish." Poland does not do business with Russia "in contrast to Orban, who is on the fringes of the international community," Bartoszewski added.
21:31 Drone Strike on Bomber: Zelensky Thanks Soldiers for "Accuracy from 1800 Kilometers Distance"Ukrainian media reported yesterday about a successful drone attack on a military airfield in northern Russia, which is 1800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to "Ukrainska Pravda," a strategic bomber of the type TU-22M3 was hit. In an evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his soldiers, including the 9th Department of the Military Intelligence Service GUR. "Accuracy from almost 1800 kilometers from our border. Really important! Thank you," Zelensky said. Russia launches bombers from this airfield for missile strikes on Ukraine.
20:46 Reports: Pro-Wagner Propagandist Killed in Fighting in MaliFighting between Malian soldiers and separatist Tuareg fighters in the northern part of Mali has resulted in the deaths of several dozen Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries. A well-known Russian propagandist, who is close to the Wagner group, is reportedly among the dead. According to independent Russian news channels "The Insider" and "Mediazona," Nikita Fedjanin, administrator of the Telegram channel "Grey Zone" with around 500,000 subscribers, was killed in the fighting. A photo of his alleged corpse is circulating on the internet. On the Telegram channel, which Fedjanin referred to as a "soldier community," he published images of Wagner deployments in various African countries and repeatedly expressed support for Russia's war in Ukraine. The Wagner group commander, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed by a plane crash last year, also used "Grey Zone" to regularly distribute videos and photos of Wagner fighters.
20:27 Zelensky: Ukraine will "Peace Plan" by End of November
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will present a "Peace Plan for Peace" by the end of November, he told the Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview. Ukraine organized the first global peace conference in Switzerland in June, where 91 countries and 8 international organizations signed a communique. The Ukrainian leader said that detailed talks with relevant countries will begin on territorial integrity and other issues. Ukraine plans to organize a second peace conference involving Russia before the US presidential elections in November. No official invitation has been sent yet. The Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin said Russia would not participate.
You can read about previous developments here.**
Sentence 1: Despite the German government's stance on Russian threats, the U.S. and Germany have announced plans to bring US long-range weapons to Germany starting in 2026, a move that has been met with caution and warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sentence 2: Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has reportedly detained six suspects in Odessa, accused of carrying out sabotage on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), including setting Ukrainian military vehicles on fire in June and July.
Sentence 3: Amidst ongoing military deployments and the conflict in Ukraine, President Zelensky has emphasized the importance of patience, support from the international community, and diplomatic pressure on Russia for a just peace, as any ceasefire is not possible with continued occupation.
Sentence 4: Additionally, concerns about cyberwarfare have also risen, with reports suggesting that Ukraine has successfully intercepted and destroyed a significant number of Russian drones, causing damages and firing in various regions along the border.
Sentence 5: In response to escalating tensions, NATO is playing a more active role in the conflict, providing support and aid to Ukraine, while Russia continues to increase its military presence and waging an aggressive war in Europe against Ukraine.
