14:56 Ukraine's foreign minister wants to make war "impossible"
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated the goal after the war during a podium discussion. "As we know from our own recent history and from the history of other regions, peace without justice leads to a new war," he said. "Therefore, the goal is not just to end the war, but to create a reality where peace is just and lasting and a new war is impossible. This will be the victory."
14:31 Belarus Reinforces Air Defense at Border with Ukraine
Belarus has reportedly strengthened its air defense at the border with Ukraine. The reason given by the military of the close ally Russia is an increase in Ukrainian drone activities in the area. Additional air defense forces have been sent to the border to protect "critical infrastructure facilities." The situation in the airspace over the border remains tense. The Defense Ministry reports that it has information that Ukraine has moved more troops, weapons, and military equipment to the northern region of Schytomyr, which borders Belarus.
13:52 Seehofer on Scholz's No to Taurus Missile Deliveries for Ukraine: "I agree with Scholz's Position"
The former Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer supports Chancellor Olaf Scholz's "No" to Taurus missile deliveries to Ukraine. "I agree with Scholz's position - on the question of Taurus missile deliveries," said the CSU politician in an interview on the occasion of his 75th birthday in the "Augsburger Allgemeine." The Chancellor wanted to prevent an escalation and work together with the Americans under all circumstances. "I have always considered that to be the right approach, even though that is also seen differently in my party," said Seehofer on the stance of the SPD politician in the Taurus issue. "This stance does not use the chance that, when the Ukrainians consider it right, they can try to end this horrible and brutal war of the Russians."
13:23 More Russia and China? Economists Warn of New Foreign Policy Course of the AfD
Economists warn against efforts by influential AfD politicians to distance themselves from the EU and the US and to orient themselves more strongly towards Russia and China. "A departure from the US and EU to cooperate more strongly with China could contribute significantly to political and economic uncertainty and also entail long-term risks," said Oliver Holtemöller, Deputy President of the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle, to "Handelsblatt." The President of the German Institute for Economic Research, Marcel Fratzscher, told the newspaper that orienting oneself more strongly towards Russia and China would be the "biggest mistake" that Germany could make politically and economically.
12:58 Russia reports taking control of settlement in Donezk Oblast, Ukraine
According to reports from Russian state media, the Russian military has taken control of the Ukrainian village of Schumy in the Donezk region. The state Russian news agency Ria reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, that the army has taken over the settlement near the city of Torezk. The statement indicates that Ukrainian troops suffered 360 casualties. These claims cannot be independently verified.
12:38 Zelensky: Russian attacks have destroyed 80% of Ukraine's thermal energy and one-third of its hydropower
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian attacks have destroyed 80% of Ukraine's thermal energy and one-third of its hydropower. The British newspaper "Guardian" reported this. Russian attacks reportedly targeted energy facilities and other critical infrastructure frequently. The attack in Dnipro shows, as the Ukrainian leader stated, that Ukraine needs more air defense systems. "Only sufficient quantities of high-quality air defense systems, only sufficient determination from the entire world can stop Russian terror," Zelensky said.
12:25 Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba in Croatia for visit
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is in Croatia for a visit. He is participating in the 17th Dubrovnik Forum. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced this. The forum is expected to focus on restoring peace and security in Ukraine and Europe, as well as the results of the first peace summit. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and EU Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borrell are among those attending the event.
11:51 Military economist: War with Ukraine could end by the end of 2025 - "Time is running against Russia"
According to military economist Marcus Keupp's assessment, Russia will not be able to sustain the war against Ukraine for years. In an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung," he said that the Russian supply chain, according to estimates, will collapse no later than mid-2027, possibly even by the end of 2025. "That's the computational end. The stores will be empty." Keupp bases his calculations on documented losses of the Russian army, which, according to open-source data on the internet, have averaged four tanks per day since the start of the war. Since only 300 to 500 new tanks can be built annually, Moscow cannot sustain this indefinitely, the military economist said. Satellite images already show that old Soviet military bases are emptying at a rapid pace throughout Russia, according to Keupp. "Russia is living off its reserves. It is practically on the dead legs of the Soviet Union." Keupp's conclusion: "Time is running against Russia." He believes that Russia's method of warfare is not sustainable. "Putin has the same problem as Hitler. His resources are melting away, and he's stuck in the mud."
11:33 Flight from Military Service: Some Ukrainian Men Seek Help from Forgers
In Ukraine, a new recruitment offensive is underway to mobilize more soldiers for the fight against Russia. Therefore, some Ukrainian men are turning to online dealers and forgers to avoid military service, as reported by the British newspaper "Guardian." It is expected that attempts to flee the country will also increase. Ukraine recently passed far-reaching mobilization measures that allow the military to call up more soldiers and impose stricter penalties for draft 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 Zelenskyy Releases Video of Reunions between War Prisoners and Their Families
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a video on his social media channels of the moment ten prisoners of war returned home from Russian captivity and reunited with their families.
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 War Ending
The Kremlin declined to comment on Donald Trump's remarks that if he were re-elected in November, he would end the war against Ukraine. The British newspaper "Guardian" reported this. Trump made these remarks during the US presidential debate with the incumbent Joe Biden on the previous Thursday. "As for Russia and Ukraine: If we had a real president, a president who knew Putin respected him, 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 Sebastian Coe, President of the World Athletics Championships. Zelenskyy shared the news on his Facebook page. "We welcome the decisions made by World Athletics at the beginning of March 2022, banning representatives of Russia and Belarus from participating in international athletics competitions," Zelenskyy wrote. He also expressed gratitude for the support of Ukrainian athletes.
09:01 Four People Dead and Ten Injured in Russian Attacks in the Oblast of ChernobylThe Russian military has shelled numerous cities and villages in the Chernobyl region, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to ten others. This was announced by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional military administration, via Ukrinform on Telegram. "Four people were killed by Russian aggression in Sadove, Tiahynka, Novotiahynka, Olhivka, and Chernobyl," Prokudin said. According to him, the Russian military attacked residential areas in the region and damaged several private homes. Additionally, 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 small children, announced the governor of the western Russian region of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, on Telegram. "Two more family members are in critical condition," he 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 targeting each other with drones, some of which have ranges of several hundred kilometers. The Ukrainian army has expanded its drone attacks on Russian territory this year. It targets not only Russian energy facilities but also border towns and villages.
08:02 Kyiv: Over 1000 Russian Soldiers "eliminated"According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, 1070 Russian soldiers have died or become incapacitated in the conflict 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 announced in its daily reports on Russian losses that the enemy had lost seven additional 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 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 fatality, with injuries also reported among the victims, including a seven-month-old baby. A man was buried under the rubble of his car.
07:06 Positions of Ukrainian military being monitored: 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, he is 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 Russian 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 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 would sign a bilateral security accord with Ukraine during the EU summit in London on July 18. He had agreed with President Zelenskyy the previous day to "conclude the negotiations on the text of the Czech-Ukrainian security accord before the NATO summit in Washington," Fiala wrote. 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 weapons and ammunition worth $150 million to Ukraine, 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 attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent weeks.
02:58 Report: Russian Agents in Vienna ordered hit on Helicopter Pilot Kusminow
In Vienna, Russian agents are under suspicion for their involvement 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. The "Wall Street Journal" reports this 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 state 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 risen from around 400 to over 500. Approximately half of them are diplomats and managers, while the other half function as spies.
01:58 Russia: Control taken over of location north of Bachmut - Ukraine denies
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian armed forces have taken control of the location 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. The Pentagon announced this. The contract includes 870 PAC-3 MSE missiles and the associated 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 highly developed air defense systems that the West is providing to Ukraine.
23:58 More Olympic starting places for Russians - Judokas rejected
The International Olympic Committee continues to invite Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Summer Games in Paris. According to the IOC's announcement in the evening, 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 will be allocated to each gender - whether the four will accept the invitation is open.
22:59 Ten Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity
According to reports from Kiev, ten Ukrainian civilians have returned from Russian captivity. Among the released prisoners is Nariman Djeljal, a leader of the Crimean Tatars, writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on social media on Friday. He thanks the Vatican for its mediation in the release of the civilians. Djeljal was arrested in 2021, before the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in the Crimea, which has been annexed by Russia since 2014. He was later sentenced to 17 years in prison.
22:30 Lithuania's Foreign Minister: Kallas nomination acknowledges 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 taken a firm stance against Russia and supported 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 in history and is known as a champion of a resolute Western stance towards Moscow.
22:00 Baerbock: Support for Ukraine is the best protection for peaceful sleeping
According to the belief of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the ongoing support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion forces is also a prerequisite for 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 will Putin's troops advance then?" Baerbock said at 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 could 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. "He must withdraw his troops and finally put an end to this murder." Instead, his answer is "always more violence and terror".
You can read about previous developments here.
- The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during his visit to Croatia for the 17th Dubrovnik Forum, emphasized the importance of achieving a reality where peace is just and lasting in Ukraine, following the war, stating that peace without justice often leads to a new conflict.
- Attention has been drawn to the strengthening of Belarus's air defense at its border with Ukraine, a decision reportedly made due to an increase in Ukrainian drone activities in the area, according to Russian military sources.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, expressed concern over the destruction of 80% of Ukraine's thermal energy and one-third of its hydropower facilities in the ongoing Russian attacks, warning about the need for further air defense systems to counteract Russian territorial aggression.
- The discussion about the provision of Taurus missiles to Ukraine has become controversial, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's "no" to the delivery receiving support from Horst Seehofer, the former Federal Interior Minister, who agreed with Scholz's stance to prevent an escalation and work towards cooperating with the Americans under all circumstances.
- Cyberwarfare continues to pose a threat to Ukraine, with concerns raised about significant political and economic risks associated with efforts to distance Russia and China from their current alliances, as predicted by economists and experts in the field.
