13:40 Le Pen: No French long-range weapons on targets in Russia if she wins the election
Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing populist Rassemblement National (RN) in France, announced that if her party achieves electoral success, French long-range weapons would not be allowed to be used for an attack on Russia. Le Pen made this statement during an interview with the US broadcaster CNN. In addition, her party would not permit French troops to be stationed in Ukraine, a possibility that French President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out. "If Emmanuel Macron wants to send troops to Ukraine and the prime minister is against it, then there will be no troops in Ukraine," Le Pen stated. The only red line, according to her, is to prevent France from becoming a warring party.
12:49 ISW: Putin confirms goal, to destroy Ukraine as a stateDuring his recent visit to the Kremlin by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Russian President Vladimir Putin once again rejected the idea of a negotiated ceasefire. According to the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), instead, Putin aims for an end to the war that erases Ukraine's state sovereignty. Among the conditions for peace talks Putin seeks are the cession of significant Ukrainian territories to Russia and the complete surrender of the Ukrainian military.
12:30 Ukraine: Half of electricity generation capacity lost due to Russian attacksDue to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, Ukraine has lost more than half of its electricity generation capacity, which was available before the full-scale Russian invasion. This information comes from a comparison of the current situation with the pre-war period, which the EU ambassador to the country reported in a Financial Times article in June. The hostile attacks of the past three months have reportedly reduced the country's electricity generation by nine gigawatts - approximately half of what was required for the country's electricity needs during the previous winter. There is a risk that Ukraine will not have electricity, and possibly also heat and water, during the upcoming winter.
11:58 Ukrainian General Staff: 139 battles yesterdayThe Ukrainian General Staff reported in its daily report that there were 139 battles at the front lines over the past 24 hours. Most of these took place in the Pokrowsk sector in the Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The army recorded six rocket attacks and 55 air raids with 72 air-dropped bombs, as well as over 3,000 attacks using artillery shells. In the northern region, around Kharkiv, the Russian troops also used combat jets.
11:22 Ukraine demands ban of Russian athletes supporting the war at Olympics
The Ukraine demands that Russian athletes be excluded from participating in the Olympic Games in Paris if they can be proven to have supported the Russian military. The International Olympic Committee had decided in December that Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete as "neutral athletes" if they fulfilled "strict participation conditions." They are therefore not allowed to participate in teams, present flags, or anything else associated with their home country. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee now reports that some Russian athletes qualified for the Olympics have been supporting the Ukrainian war and Putin's politics on the internet. Some athletes have also participated in propaganda tournaments.
10:52 Ukraine: 12 civilians killed by Russian attacks
The Russian army, according to Ukrainian reports, dropped 19 glide bombs on the Charkiw region in the last 24 hours. The head of the military administration of the Charkiw region reported this to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. There, three people were reportedly killed and six others injured. From the Oblast Donezk, 11 civilians were reported killed and 43 injured.
10:08 Ukrainian General Staff: 1260 Russian losses since yesterday
The Ukrainian General Staff reports 1260 losses among Russian soldiers for the past 24 hours. According to Ukrainian sources, the total number of killed and wounded Russian soldiers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 is approximately 550,000. In addition, since yesterday, eleven tanks, 58 drones, 18 armored vehicles, and nine Russian missile systems were reportedly destroyed, as well as 66 artillery systems.
09:29 How it could unfold if Putin attacks the Baltic region
Security experts consider a Russian attack on the Baltic region in the coming years to be plausible to realistic. The NATO assures its members of support, but the alliance's response leaves room for different reactions from other states. How could an attack on the Baltic flank of the defense alliance unfold?
09:11 NATO summit brings news about F-16 jets for Ukraine
During the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, Ukraine can expect new announcements regarding the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. This was announced by a high-ranking US government official during a briefing. The training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s has reportedly made significant progress. The Ukrainian army is still waiting for the first jets to arrive. The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have pledged to deliver them.
08:30 One-third of Russians support nuclear attack on Ukraine
According to a survey presented by Russian propagandist Sergey Mardan on Russian state television, one-third of the Russian population is in favor of attacking Ukraine with nuclear weapons. They align themselves with Vladimir Solovyov, who constantly calls for the use of nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict. In the Russian nightlife, patriotism is on the rise. Russian artists are making clear patriotic appeals.
08:17 AfD welcomes Orban's Visit to Putin
The AfD welcomes the criticized Ukraine talks between Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. "Hungary is taking the lead and speaking with both direct conflict parties on the first day of its EU Council Presidency," explains the foreign policy spokesperson of the faction, Matthias Moosdorf. "The AfD fraction welcomes the fact that now, at the highest European level, the possibilities of a ceasefire with the goal of peace talks are being prioritized." The "EU and its personnel" are referred to as war instigators.
07:52 Ukraine: Invaders Threaten to Deport Ukrainians without Russian Passports
In the occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russians are reportedly threatening to deport residents without Russian passports, according to Ukrainian reports. The Agency Ukrinform reports this based on a message from the National Resistance Center. "The occupiers have used this practice before. Locals are taken to a checkpoint and expelled from their homeland," the Resistance Center reports. In some cases, people were reportedly forced to obtain passports. During the latest raids in the south, residents were allegedly threatened with expulsion and confiscation of their property.
07:19 SPD Expert Demands More Money for Defense
After the agreement on the Federal Budget 2025, members of the government are concerned about the financing of the Bundeswehr. The military must procure weapons and ammunition, which it hands over to Ukraine, from its own budget. SPD budget expert Andreas Schwarz speaks of a "disappointing amount" in view of the meager increase in defense spending of only 1.2 billion euros. "This does not meet what we need in the defense sector," Schwarz told the Tagesspiegel. The President of the Reservists' Association, Patrick Sensburg, also stated that Germany would not be "war-ready" with this funding.
06:37 Russia: Ukrainian Drones Attack Belgorod
At night, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked several areas in the Russian region of Belgorod. This is reported by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, among others. In Shebekino, debris from a shot-down drone damaged a mobile phone mast. In other places, several fuel tanks were reportedly set on fire. There are no reports of injuries.
06:10 Zelensky Thanks New British Prime Minister
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his support for Ukraine. "I am grateful to Keir Starmer for his assurance that the UK's support for Ukraine remains unchanged in principle," Zelensky writes on Telegram. He and Starmer reportedly aligned their positions ahead of the NATO summit in the coming week. According to a high-ranking US official, NATO will present a "bridge to membership" for Ukraine at the summit in Washington.
03:45 Burning Oil Depots after Drone Attack in Russia
Ukrainian drones are said to have attacked several areas in the Russian region of Krasnodar at night. This is reported by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, among others. In Jeisk, debris from a shot-down drone damaged a mobile phone mast. In other places, several fuel tanks were reportedly set on fire. There are no reports of injuries.
02:07 Drone Attacks: Sumy without Water and Power
According to local authorities, Russian drone attacks have disrupted the power and water supply in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy. The public broadcaster Suspilne reported a series of explosions in the city. The Sumy region is almost daily targeted by Russian positions across the border.
00:28 Eight people killed by Russian attacks in Eastern Ukraine
Eight people were killed and at least 28 were injured in Russian attacks in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, according to Ukrainian reports. "Every city and every village in the Donetsk region is constantly threatened by hostile attacks," Governor Wadym Filaschkin wrote on Telegram. Independent of this, Russian troops had dropped three guided bombs on the further southwestern village of Komar, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 20 other people. Thirteen private houses, four businesses, two residential buildings, and two infrastructure facilities were damaged in the attack.
23:16 Starmer confirms unequivocal UK support for Ukraine
In his first telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the UK's "unlimited" support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. The two leaders reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to Ukraine," according to a statement from Starmer's office just a few hours after his swearing-in.
21:49 USA suspend military exercises with Georgia
The USA are suspending planned joint military exercises with Georgia against the backdrop of tensions with the Georgian government. The participation of the US Army in the exercises, which were originally scheduled to take place between July 25 and August 6 under the name "Noble Partner," will be "suspended indefinitely," the US Defense Department announced. The background was "false accusations" from the Georgian government. The Pentagon refers to allegations that the USA had pressured Georgia to go to war against Russia and had been involved in "two coup attempts" against the government.
20:35 Insider: Hungary cancels planned meeting with Baerbock
The planned trip of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to Budapest on Monday is not taking place. The Hungarian side canceled the appointment with Baerbock at short notice, according to the Foreign Office.
21:20 Zelenskyy thanks Germany for third Patriot system
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanks Germany for the delivery of the third Patriot air defense system. "This is great news," Zelenskyy said in his evening video message. He also thanked the USA for further steps to strengthen Ukrainian air defense. He did not provide details, but said that the partners of the country had fulfilled their commitments. "Ukraine has already shown that it has no Russian rockets that we cannot shoot down," Zelenskyy said. The country is doing everything to ensure that the Russian terror ends.
20:48 NATO Expert: "We must bring down Russia"
NATO expert Stefanie Babst calls for a more confrontational approach by the alliance towards Russia. "We can only deal with this adversary by bringing down the Russian government. Not only pushing them out of Ukraine but reducing their influence in their area of operation so they can no longer exert their toxic influence in Europe," Babst said in the Tagesanbruch-Podcast of t-online. This should be addressed more decisively. "We look at Putin like Lord Voldemort and are afraid he will pull out his wand. We need to get over this notion," Babst appealed. The 60-year-old is a former leading employee of the International Staff of NATO.
15:15 Kremlin not optimistic about Labour victory in Britain
The Russian leadership does not expect any changes in the strained relations between Moscow and London following the Labour Party's victory in Britain. The Kremlin is "not optimistic" about it, according to its spokesman Dmitri Peskov in Moscow. "Based on their previous statements, they do not lean towards any flexibility or creativity to normalize the bilateral Russian-British relations."
You can read about previous developments here.
- Marine Le Pen, a French political leader, has stated that if her party gains power, France will not permit its long-range weapons to be used for a Military operation against Russia, in response to the Attack on Ukraine.
- The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin aims for an end to the Ukraine conflict that erases Ukraine's state sovereignty, which includes conditions for peace talks like the cession of Ukrainian territories to Russia and the complete surrender of the Ukrainian military.
- Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian President, has demanded that Russian athletes who support the war against Ukraine be banned from participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.
- Cyberwar continues to affect Ukraine, with more than half of its electricity generation capacity lost due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure.
- Nato has not ruled out stationing troops in Ukraine, a possibility that French President Emmanuel Macron has not denied, although Marine Le Pen, a French right-wing leader, has stated that there will be no French troops in Ukraine if there's disagreement from the French President.
