17:58 Ukraine denies plans to attack Belarus

Kiev contradicts Belarusian statements about possible advances of Ukraine across the shared border. Andriy Demchyk, border guard spokesperson, stated that Ukraine poses no threat but rather strengthens its defensive lines. There are no provocations, he added, quoting the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN. "They are probably confused themselves," Demchyk said. "The real threat comes from Belarus, where there are enough Russian troops stationed," Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, stated. The Russian military is trying to tie down Ukrainian forces. A high-ranking Belarusian officer had claimed in an interview that "they are trying to drag our country into war." Belarus is Russia's closest ally.

17:19 Ten Ukrainian civilians meet in Kiev after years in captivityTen Ukrainian civilians, who had been held in Russian custody, have returned to Kiev. The ex-detainees, wrapped in blue and yellow flags, are greeted by relatives in the capital. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expresses his gratitude to all involved and explicitly to the Vatican for its mediation. Some of the now-released individuals had been arrested by Russia before its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, among them Nariman Dzhelyal, the first deputy chairman of the Mejlis, a representative body of the Crimean Tatars. Dzhelyal was abducted from Crimea, where he lived despite the annexation.

16:47 Ukrainian prosecutors investigating retired General SodolThe Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office is investigating the actions of retired General Leytenant Yuriy Sodol. He is accused of sending unnecessary soldiers to their deaths. Sodol gave orders during the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast. When the current Russian offensive began on May 10, he was in command. Sodol was dismissed on June 24 after one of the commanders of the Azov Brigade filed an official complaint. In it, he accused the general of abuse of power and incompetent leadership of troops, which led to the loss of Ukrainian territory and personnel.

16:10 Ukraine thanks Google for translation tool for Crimean TatarThe Crimean Tatar language is now included in Google Translate as part of an extension of 110 new languages. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry publicly expresses its gratitude for the initiative. Crimean Tatar is endangered due to the declining number of speakers in Ukraine. Mass deportations and repressive measures against Crimean Tatars by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union have significantly contributed to the decline. The illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 has intensified the trend. Crimean Tatars on their homeland are subjected to persecution and deportation by the Russian occupiers.

15:29 EU imposes sanctions on BelarusThe EU imposes sanctions on Belarus due to its involvement in Russia's armed conflict. The sanctions are intended to make it more difficult for Russia to bypass them.

Export restrictions on goods and technologies for shipping, as well as luxury goods to Belarus
Extension of export ban for technology and goods that could contribute to increasing Belarusian industrial capacities
New export ban to Belarus for goods and technologies suitable for oil refining and gas liquefaction of natural gas
Import ban from Belarus for gold, diamonds, helium, coal, and mineral products, including crude oil
Comprehensive ban on services for Belarus
Ban on goods transport in the EU for Belarusian trailers and semi-trailers

14:56 Ukraine's Foreign Minister wants to make war "impossible"Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated the goal for the post-war period during a podium discussion. "As we have learned 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 permanent, and impossible for a new war to occur. This will be the victory."

14:31 Belarus strengthens air defense at border with UkraineBelarus, according to its own statements, is strengthening its air defense at the border with Ukraine. The reason is an increase in Ukrainian drone activities in the area, the military of the close ally Russia reported. Additional air defense forces have been sent to the border to protect "critical infrastructure installations." 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 No to Taurus deliveries for Ukraine: "Scholz's behavior is exactly right"The former Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer justifies the "No" of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the delivery of Taurus missile launchers to Ukraine. "In one respect, I find Scholz's behavior exactly right - in the question of Taurus deliveries," said the CSU politician in an interview on the occasion of his 75th birthday in the "Augsburger Allgemeinen." The Chancellor wanted to prevent escalation and work together with the Americans under all circumstances. "I have always considered that to be right, even though that is not seen that way in my party," so Seehofer on the stance of the SPD politician in the Taurus issue. "This stance does not use up the chance that, when the Ukrainians consider it right, they may try to end this horrible and brutal war of the Russians." said the CSU politician and former Bavarian Minister-President.

13:23 Russia and China? Economists warn against new foreign policy course of the AfD

Economists warn against the efforts of influential AfD politicians to withdraw from the EU and the US and to orient themselves more strongly towards Russia and China. "A departure from the USA and EU in order to cooperate more strongly with China could contribute significantly to political and economic uncertainty and also entail long-term risks," said Oliver Holtemöller, Vice-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 takes control of settlement in Donetsk region

The Russian military has taken control of the Ukrainian village of Schumy in the Donetsk region, according to reports from Russian state media. The state Russian news agency Ria, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, reports that the army has taken over the settlement near the city of Torezk. In the statement, it is mentioned that Ukrainian troops suffered 360 casualties. The claims cannot be independently verified.

12:38 Zelensky: Russian attacks have destroyed 80 percent of Ukraine's thermal energy and a third of its hydropower

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian attacks have destroyed 80 percent of Ukraine's thermal energy and a third of its hydropower. The British newspaper "Guardian" reports this. Russian attacks reportedly often targeted energy facilities and other vital infrastructure. The attack in Dnipro yesterday shows, according to the Ukrainian head of state, 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," said Zelensky.

12:25 Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba visits Croatia

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is on a visit to Croatia. He is participating in the 17th Dubrovnik Forum. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the focus of the meeting will be 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 meeting.

11:51 Military economist: The war could be over by the end of 2025 - "Time is running against Russia"

According to military economist Marcus Keupp, Russia may not be able to sustain the war against Ukraine for years to come. In an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung," he states that the Russian supply is expected to collapse, according to calculations, as early as mid-2027, possibly even by the end of 2025. "That's the computational end, then the warehouses will be empty." Keupp bases his calculations on documented losses of the Russian army, which have been recorded on open-source websites. According to his calculations, Russia has lost four tanks per day since the start of the war. However, only 300 to 500 new tanks can be built annually, and Moscow cannot sustain this indefinitely, says the military economist. Satellite images also show that old Soviet military bases are emptying out "at a massive pace" throughout Russia, according to Keupp. "Russia is living off its reserves. It's basically 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 of the Soviet Union."

11:33 Draft evasion: Some Ukrainian men seek help from forgers

A new recruitment drive 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, according to the British newspaper "Guardian." It is expected that attempts to flee the country will also increase. Ukraine recently passed far-reaching mobilization measures, which allow the military to call up more soldiers and impose stricter penalties for draft evasion. Volodymyr Zelensky signed a controversial law in 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 Zelensky releases video of prisoners of war reunited with their families

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shared a video of the moment ten prisoners of war returned home from Russian captivity and were reunited with their families. He posted 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" reports this based on information from the Ukrainian National Police. According to the report, the policemen were not in the car 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 declined to comment on Donald Trump's remarks 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 reported on Zelenskyy's 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 the support for Ukrainian athletes.

09:01 Four dead, ten injured in Russian attacks in the Kherson region
Russian forces have shelled numerous cities and villages in the Kherson region, resulting in four deaths and ten injuries. This was reported by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the military administration of the region, on Telegram. "Four people were killed by the Russian aggression in Sadove, Tiahynka, Novotiahynka, Olhivka and Cherson," Prokudin said. According to him, Russian military attacked residential areas in the region and damaged some 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, reported this on Telegram. "Two children under the age of five were among the dead," Smirnov added. The drone reportedly crashed into a house in the small village of Gorodischtsche. Since the beginning of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, both sides have been regularly attacking each other with drones, some of which have ranges of several hundred kilometers. The Ukrainian army has been expanding 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 can no longer fight 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 that the enemy had also lost seven more 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.

07:28 Russian attack: Fire department in Dnipro rescues man from buried car

Once again, Russian rockets hit a Ukrainian residential area. The latest 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 spied on: 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. The SBU press service reported this. The man is said to be a resident of Myrnohrad, who works as an employee of a private security company. Russia is said to have become aware of the man as an active user of 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 forces have shot down all ten drones launched by Russia at night. The Ukrainian Air Force reported this.

05:43 General Staff in Kiev: 102 battles at the front

The 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 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 would sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine during the EU summit in London on July 18. 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," Fiala wrote. The next NATO summit is scheduled for July 9-11. The Czech Republic is thus joining 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 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 air raids on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent weeks.

02:58 Report: Russian agents in Vienna ordered hit on helicopter pilot KusminowRussian agents based in Vienna are suspected of assisting in the recruitment and financing of Russian operations, such as the killing of the Russian military helicopter pilot Maxim Kusminow. He had defected to 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, the paper writes. "We are now becoming a burden for our neighbors because Russia is using us as an operational base," a high-ranking Austrian intelligence officer told 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 past 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 Russia's advance in eastern Ukraine. It is located north of Bachmut and Soledar, two towns that fell 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 associated 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 that the West is providing 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 these invitations have been accepted, some have already declined. 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 - it remains to be seen if the four will accept the invitation.

22:59 Ten Ukrainians Return from Russian Captivity

Ten Ukrainian civilians have returned home from Russian captivity, according to reports from Kiev. 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 mediation 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 Honors 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 a recognition of the views of the Baltic States and other countries on the NATO eastern flank, which have 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 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 the belief of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, 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" along the EU border and the NATO outer border from 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 reason, 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 previous developments here.

Russia criticizes Ukraine for allegedly planning military operations near the border, with Ukrainian officials dismissing the claims as misinformation.
Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian President, expresses gratitude for the Vatican's role in securing the release of ten Ukrainian civilians who had been held in Russian custody.
Ukraine is investigating retired General Yuriy Sodol for sending soldiers to their deaths during the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast.
In response to Belarus's involvement in Russia's armed conflict, the EU imposes sanctions on Belarus, including export restrictions and a ban on services for Belarus.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba states during a podium discussion that the goal for the post-war period is to create a reality where peace is just and permanent, and impossible for a new war to occur. The Ukrainian military also reports an increase in drone activities near the border with Belarus, which Belarus is responding to with additional air defense forces.