13:16 Federal 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 rearming for years and waging an aggression 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, stating that it could trigger a missile crisis reminiscent of the Cold War. The US and the German government had announced approximately 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 arrests six FSB agents in OdessaThe Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reportedly arrested six suspects in Odessa, allegedly working for Russian intelligence, who were planning sabotage activities. According to the SBU, they set fire to 15 Ukrainian military vehicles in June and July on orders from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). They were apparently 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. The SBU identified the suspects as 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 leader Alexander Lukashenko, there are harmonious relations between Russia and his country. As reported by the Russian state agency RIA Novosti, Lukashenko stated that during their recent talks with Vladimir Putin on the island of Valaam in Lake Onega, mutual agreement was reached on all issues: "There was complete agreement on all matters. There is absolutely no rejection." During the talks with Putin, it is said that they discussed issues related to prices and advance payments for oil deliveries.
10:59 It's in the hundreds of thousands - Kiev names Russian casualty figuresThe Ukrainian General Staff has estimated the losses of the Russian army. According to their figures, more than 1,300 soldiers were eliminated in one day, bringing the total number of wounded and killed Russians to over 576,000. Western observers' estimates vary. The NATO estimated the number of Russian casualties - killed and wounded - to be around 350,000 in mid-March. The US intelligence estimated the number to be 315,000 in December 2023. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated during a citizen dialogue at the end of May that "there is a figure that says how many dead or severely wounded Russian soldiers there are per month - 24,000." The casualty figures from Kiev are therefore higher than the calculated figure.
10:30 Kremlin continues to pay costs for soldiers - Russians fiercely discuss rising airfare costs
Ntv-reporter Rainer Munz explains that Ukraine's infrastructure in Russia is repeatedly targeted, despite this, the Kremlin remains militarily well-prepared. Moscow, however, must invest increasingly higher sums for soldier recruitment.
09:59 Putin plans meeting with new Iranian president
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly preparing for an upcoming meeting with the newly elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to Russian media. "The Iranian side has already received a valid invitation, and we hope that the new president will attend the summit. We would be pleased to see him, and President Putin is preparing for the upcoming contact," Kreml spokesman Dmitry Peskov told "Izvestia". The inauguration ceremony of the Iranian president takes place on July 30. A Russian delegation led by the speaker of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, is expected to participate.
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 Kherson, Russian forces attacked 21 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson itself. Eleven people were injured there, among them three children. In the region of Dnipropetrovsk, Russian forces attacked the city of Nikopol, which lies directly opposite the Russian-occupied Energodar and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and is a regular target of Russian attacks. Eight people were injured there, including two girls aged one and ten, as well as some adults with shrapnel wounds. Several people were also injured in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.
08:59 Georgian opposition files lawsuit against "foreign agent law"
Georgia's largest opposition party, the United National Movement, filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court today against the controversial foreign agents law. According to "Kyiv Independent", the lawsuit was signed by 32 opposition deputies. The law requires organizations that receive more than one fifth of their funding 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 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 people who lost their lives. They call on their government to do more to secure the release of prisoners of war from Russia. The explosion in Oleniwka is seen by many Ukrainian soldiers as one of the most painful chapters of Russia's war of 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
Did 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 could be another model of Ukrainian Kamikaze-Sea Drones used in the Black Sea against Russia. The Jetski is reportedly equipped with two explosive charges in black lacquered cylinders on each side of the vehicle. Other experts suspected that it could be additional fuel tanks to increase the range. The Jetski's seats seem to have been replaced by various electronic control panels and a Starlink Antenna, presumably used for communication and steering. Ukrainian military expert Ivan Kyrychevsky warned against hasty conclusions in "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 reportedly investigating the matter.
07:33 Ukraine Intercepts Majority of Russian Drones
The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted nine out of ten Russian Drones, according to their own statements. Additionally, a missile was intercepted and destroyed, the Air Force announced on Telegram. Russia, on the other hand, claimed 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 with happy singles. "Nowije Iswestija" reported this. According to the report, a penalty for "divorce propaganda" in the country should be introduced, and a ban on showing "happy bachelors" should be imposed. "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, deputy chairman of the Duma Committee for Family, Fatherhood, Motherhood, and Childhood, said. He believes that the public's attitude towards bachelors should change, and only those should be glorified who have many children. Russia has been promoting an increasingly traditional family image in recent years. However, even in political leadership, not everyone follows this trend - 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 committee's statements. 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 Further Occupation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is blocking all efforts to quickly end the war, he told Japan's NHK in an interview. He cannot agree to the demands for a ceasefire as long as Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory, he said. For the way to a just peace, he sees three essential prerequisites: "Patience, support (for Ukraine), and diplomatic pressure (on Moscow)." "If the United States 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 caught fire due to drone debris, according to the regional governor. "The fire has been extinguished," he reported on Telegram. "There are no injuries reported." 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," wrote the governor, Andrey Smirnov, on Telegram. Earlier in the day, 19 drones had been shot down. A fuel depot was damaged in the attacks. The governor reported minor damages 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 update from 00:55 am), and in the border 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. "I'm not bothered by the deployment itself, but by the fact that there is no public debate about it in Germany. It's just 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 Klitschkow, 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 statements about the EU, the US, and Poland. "If you don't want to be a member of a club, you can leave at any time," the Polish deputy foreign minister, Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, reportedly stated to the Polish Press Agency (PAP). Orban was accused of calling Poland deceitful, praising US presidential candidate Donald Trump, and defending Russia. He also blamed the US for the Nord Stream pipeline attack. Bartoszewski described Orban's current politics as "anti-European, anti-Ukrainian, and anti-Polish." Poland does not conduct business with Russia "in contrast to Orban, who stands on the fringes of the international community," Bartoszewski added.
21:31 Drone Strike on Bomber: Zelenskyy Thanks Soldiers for "Accuracy from 1,800 Kilometers Away"Ukrainian media reported yesterday about a successful drone attack on a military airfield in northern Russia, which is 1,800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to "Ukrainska Pravda," quoting intelligence sources, a strategic bomber of the type TU-22M3 was hit. In an evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked his soldiers, including the 9th Department of the Military Intelligence Service GUR. "Accuracy from almost 1,800 kilometers from our border. Really important! Thank you," Zelenskyy said. Russia launches bombers from this airfield for missile strikes on Ukraine.
20:46 Reports: Wagner-linked Propagandist Killed in Mali FightingFighting between Malian soldiers and separatist Tuareg fighters in the northern part of Mali resulted in the deaths of several dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries. A well-known Russian propagandist, who is close to the Wagner mercenary group, was reportedly among the dead. According to independent Russian news outlets "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 allegedly showing his 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 locations across Africa and repeatedly expressed support for Russia's war in Ukraine. The Wagner group commander, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash last year, also used "Grey Zone" to distribute videos and photos of Wagner fighters.
20:27 Zelenskyy: Ukraine will "Action Plan for Peace" by End of November
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine will present a "Action Plan for Peace" by the end of November, he told the Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview. Ukraine organized the first global peace summit 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 the second peace summit 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.**
1. Russian Military Operations Escalate in Ukraine-Conflict The ongoing Ukraine-Conflict saw an escalation with Russia's military operations, as reported by the Ukrainian General Staff. According to their figures, more than 1,300 Russian soldiers were eliminated in one day, bringing the total number of wounded and killed Russians to over 576,000.
2. Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Response to NATO's Military Aid to Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the decision of NATO and the US to provide Ukraine with military aid, stating that it will boost Ukraine's defense capabilities against Russian aggression.
3. Cyberwar against Ukraine: Attack on Ukraine's Critical Infrastructure Russia is also waging a cyberwar against Ukraine, as reported by Ukrainian cybersecurity officials. Several attacks targeted Ukraine's critical infrastructure, causing blackouts and disruptions.
4. Germany's Response to Russian Threats and NATO's Role In response to Russia's threats regarding the planned stationing of long-range weapons in Germany, Germany reaffirmed its commitment to NATO and its obligation to protect its allies. The German government also expressed its concern about Russia's aggressive behavior in Europe.
5. Russia and Politics: International Sanctions and Diplomatic Isolation Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine have led to international sanctions and diplomatic isolation. Many Western countries have imposed economic sanctions on Russia, limiting its ability to conduct business with the global economy. Russia has also been expelled from several international organizations, further isolating it in the international community.
