18:07 Stoltenberg: NATO command for Ukraine ready in September
The new NATO-Ukraine command in Wiesbaden is expected to be operational in September. This was stated by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the European Political Community summit in Oxford. The command in Wiesbaden will coordinate international military aid and training for Ukrainian forces in the future. A total of several hundred men and women are expected to be involved in this operation at various locations.
17:31 United Kingdom: Ukrainians should decide themselves about weapons use Britain intends to let Ukraine make its own decisions about the use of western weapons against Russian territory. "It is important that Ukraine makes its own decisions about its deployments while it is fighting this war and its young men and women are at the front," says Foreign Secretary David Lammy in an interview with the German Press Agency in response to a question about whether he would lift the restrictions on the use of western weapons. Lammy spoke on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit, where around 50 heads of state and government gathered in Oxfordshire, England. The Russian offensive war against Ukraine once again dominated large parts of the agenda, as at previous meetings.
16:56 Ukrainian power grid operator reports "significant power outage"After the failure of two power plants in Ukraine during the night, the power grid operator Ukrenergo has drastically reduced the power supply. According to Ukrenergo, eleven regions and the capital Kiev are affected by the restrictions between 8 and 22 local time. "A significant power outage in the Ukrainian energy system is the result of eight massive attacks that the enemy has carried out against energy facilities since the beginning of the year," Ukrenergo reports. Exact details about the allegedly affected facilities and the cause of the current failures are not mentioned. According to earlier reports from Ukraine, the country has lost almost half of its production capacity due to the attacks, which Russia has intensified since the spring. As a result, there are frequent power outages, and the country must import electricity in large quantities from the EU.
16:22 Germany takes in critically ill children from KievFollowing the Russian rocket attack on the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev, Germany has taken in eight children who were previously treated there. This is stated in a joint statement by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Health. According to this, the children are between a few months and 15 years old. Most of them are patients of the oncology department. "The rocket attack on the children's clinic in Kiev once again showed the inhumane brutality with which Putin is waging his war against Ukraine," says Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The children are accompanied by a total of ten close relatives. According to earlier reports, more than a thousand severely injured and critically ill people from Ukraine have been taken to Germany for medical treatment since March 2022. Germany's humanitarian support for Ukraine will be continued with all forces, Faeser added.
15:51 Russia weighs deployment of additional atomic weaponsRussia is not ruling out the deployment of additional atomic weapons and speaks of a reaction to the recently announced stationing of conventional US weapons in Germany. The defense of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is in focus, according to Vice Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, regarding the Russian territory that is located furthest west between NATO countries Poland and Lithuania. The US and the German government announced last week that the US intends to station advanced US weapons systems such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and currently developing hypersonic weapons in Germany starting in 2026. "I exclude no options," Ryabkov said in response to a question about a Russian response.
15:12 Ukraine: Russian munitions depot on the Crimea destroyedUkraine claims to have attacked military targets on the annexed Crimean Peninsula with flying and swimming drones. Security sources report that during this joint operation by the Navy and the Ukrainian Security Service SBU, a command center and a munitions depot at the Donuslav Sea in the west of the Crimea were destroyed or damaged. Russia had previously reported the downing of 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea but made no specific statements about the targets of the attacks.
14:29 Starmer to Zelenskyy: "We will be with you"British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warns at the European summit about a threat from Russia and assures Ukraine permanent support. "You have no doubt: We will be with you as long as it is necessary," Starmer told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy again called on allies to allow the use of Western weapons against targets in Russia. "The fewer restrictions we have, the more peace Russia will seek," he said in his speech at Blenheim Palace in Oxford. He referred to the fact that the permission of some Western countries to allow attacks on targets near Charkiw in Russia had not led to an escalation.
14:02 Ukrainian army withdraws from another villageThe Ukrainian army has withdrawn from the village of Uroschaine in the Donezk region. This is reported by "Kyiv Independent" quoting a spokesperson for the Chortyzja military group. In earlier media reports, it was said that Uroschaine had been captured by Russian forces. The village is located on the southern front line in a region of the Donezk region that borders Saporischschja. According to the spokesperson, the Ukrainian army withdrew "because the enemy had almost completely destroyed everything in Uroschaine." The decision was made "to protect the lives and health of our soldiers who were defending there."
13:20 A US-Citizen Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison in Russia for "Drug Trafficking"A Russian court sentenced a US citizen to 13 years in prison for the charge of drug trafficking. According to the Moscow Justice Press Service on Telegram, Michael Travis Leake was found guilty of "selling narcotics." He was sentenced to serve 13 years in a strict penal colony. The former paratrooper and musician from the US was taken into custody in June of the previous year. He was accused of organizing the sale of drugs to young people. Michael Travis Leake is a musician and music producer who has been living in Russia for many years, as reported by CNN.
12:43 Behind Closed Doors: Second Hearing for US JournalistThe trial against the US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia is continuing. The second hearing in this case is taking place behind closed doors, as confirmed by a court spokesperson in Yekaterinburg. Journalists have no access to the courtroom. Gershkovich, who is 32 years old, is accused of espionage. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison in a penal colony. The second hearing, which was moved forward from August 13 to July 18 at the request of the defense, was held in the absence of the public. Gershkovich is the first western journalist to be arrested in Russia since the end of the Cold War on espionage charges. He has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest in March 2023. President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is open for a prisoner exchange with the US.
12:10 Ukraine Sends Wheat for 100,000 Palestinian FamiliesDespite the war and constant shelling: Ukraine has shipped 1,000 tons of wheat flour to the Palestinian territories, according to "Kyiv Independent". This is reportedly the first installment of three humanitarian aid packages to be sent as part of the "Grain from Ukraine" program. The first package is said to be sufficient to feed more than 100,000 Palestinian families for a month.
11:34 Russia: 33 Ukrainian Drones Over CrimeaRussia shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over Crimea at night, according to its own reports. The Russian Defense Ministry reports via Telegram that Russian forces in the Black Sea destroyed ten remotely operated watercraft that were on their way to the annexed peninsula. The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, stated that loud noises in Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula were due to the repulsion of an "attempted attack by an overwater drone." Two more drones were reportedly intercepted by the Russian Defense Ministry in the Bryansk region adjacent to Ukraine. "There were no casualties or damage," the governor Alexander Bogomaz reported on Telegram.
11:05 Tens of Thousands Affected: All Kindergartens Near the Ukrainian Border in Belgorod Temporarily ClosedIn the southwestern Russian region of Belgorod, all kindergartens near the Ukrainian border are reportedly suspending operations temporarily due to a significant danger from shelling, according to the representative of the responsible authorities, Anna Kutasheva, in Russian media reports. The measure applies from Wednesday for the rest of the week for institutions within a 20-kilometer radius of the border. Russian media report that the kindergarten closures affect 50,000 people in the region.
10:32 Joint Exercise Concluded - "Trust Between the Chinese and Russian Navies Strengthened"China and Russia have concluded a joint naval exercise. The Chinese Navy reports that all planned projects and drills of the "Joint Sea 2024" exercise were completed on Wednesday. The six-day exercise, during which a "joint response to maritime security threats" was reportedly trained, involved seven warships. The exercise reportedly strengthened "professional exchanges, mutual understanding, and trust" between the Chinese and Russian navies and improved "the standardization and systematization" of "practical bilateral cooperation." The exercise took place off the coast of the Chinese port city of Zhanjiang in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.
10:06 Von der Leyen: "We Must Give Everything the Ukraine Needs to Resist and Succeed"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demonstrates the EU's determination towards Russia. "Russia is betting that Europe and the West will give in," she says. "And some in Europe are playing along." Von der Leyen criticizes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's trip, which she describes as a "pacification mission." However, the EU's support for Ukraine is permanent. "We must give the Ukraine everything it needs to resist and emerge victorious."
09:38 Heavy Russian Attacks on the Ukrainian Eastern FrontThe Ukrainian General Staff reports on heavy Russian attacks on the front in the east of the country. There were 29 Russian storm attacks on the frontline near the town of Torezk, the military reports in its morning briefing. The village of New York was particularly contested. The enemy also used airdropped bombs. Torezk is located in the Donezk region, as is the second heavily affected frontline area Pokrovsk. There, 26 attacks were reported. Russian troops are gradually advancing in this area following the capture of the city of Avdiivka in February. The General Staff reports 144 Russian attack attempts since Wednesday morning. According to an unofficial report, Ukrainian forces are reportedly withdrawing from the village of Kalynivka near the city of Chassiw Jar.
09:00 Kiev Reports Success in Drone DefenseThe Ukrainian Air Force reports that it intercepted all 16 drones launched by the Russian military at targets in Ukraine during the night. Additionally, two of three Russian rockets were intercepted. The projectiles were destroyed over five regions.
08:17 Russia pays out between 2.75 trillion and 3 billion Rubles (31-33.9 billion US-Dollars) to soldiers and compensation for their families
The Russian government reportedly pays between 2.75 trillion and 3 billion Rubles (31-33.9 billion US-Dollars) from July 2023 to June 2024 for soldiers' salaries and compensation for their families. This estimate comes from the group Re:Russia, which condemns the war against Ukraine. The amount equals 1.4-1.6% of the expected Russian Gross Domestic Product in 2024 and 7.5-8.2% of the budget expenditures.
07:42 Umerov: US Election not decisive for Ukraine
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, according to his own statements, does not consider the outcome of the US election to be significant for Ukraine's success in defending against Russian aggressors. Ukraine will find a way to counter the Russian attackers, even if Donald Trump is re-elected as US President in November and potentially jeopardizes crucial US support, Umerov says. He refers to diplomatic and military challenges that Ukraine faces following Trump's official nomination as a Presidential candidate and J.D. Vance as his Vice Presidential candidate. "We believe in America's leadership role, and we believe that America wants its allies and partners to be strong," so Umerov. "In this phase, we will focus on the battlefield." Vance advocates for blocking military and financial aid for Ukraine, while Trump wants to end the war immediately.
07:11 Lavrov sees "not all territories liberated" and rejects peace conference
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sharply criticizes plans for another peace conference on Ukraine from the West. There are points that are unacceptable for our country, Lavrov says. "A course was taken to forcefully impose the so-called Zelenskyy Plan, which has the clear form of an ultimatum." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine a condition for peace. Lavrov, however, insists on the demand of Moscow to seize more Ukrainian territories. "There (in the east and southeast of Ukraine) are still not all territories liberated. We cannot leave the people who have voted for a return to Russia under the regime that is erasing everything Russian," Lavrov says. The claim that the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine must be protected was used by Vladimir Putin as a pretext for the war against the neighboring country. Traditionally, many Ukrainians, particularly in the eastern part of the country, speak Russian - but do not want to be part of Russia.
06:35 Lavrov: "Irrefutable Evidence" for a US Journalist's Spying
According to Russia's Foreign Minister, there are "irrefutable evidence" that the incarcerated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is a spy. As reported by the Associated Press, Sergey Lavrov also accuses US journalists of delaying negotiations between the US and Russia over a possible prisoner exchange by reporting on confidential talks. Lavrov states that the Gershkovich case has nothing to do with "attacks on journalism." "I would like to assure you that we, just like you, support journalism and freedom of speech," Lavrov says. However, there are no independent media left in Russia, many journalists have fled abroad, and others have faced massive repression. Gershkovich himself was arrested in Yekaterinburg at the end of March 2023 while working on a report about the recruitment methods of the Wagner-Mercenary Group and the opinions of Russian citizens about the war in Ukraine. The journalist has been in pre-trial detention in Russia for over a year due to espionage charges. A hearing is taking place today.
05:53 Pistorius: We Must Be Able to Defend Against Aggressive Wars
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius understands the concerns of the population regarding the planned stationing of US long-range missiles in Germany. "We must protect ourselves as best we can. I understand the people's fear of escalation," says the SPD politician to the Rheinische Post and the General-Anzeiger. The conditions are, however, completely different than they were five or ten years ago. "At the eastern flank of NATO, there is an aggressor again." In light of this, Pistorius calls for a change in the country and defends his demand to become "war-ready" in the coming years. "I don't like the term 'war-ready' myself. But it's the truth that we protect ourselves best when we are able to repel a potential war."
05:03 Drone Alarm in Russian Black Sea Port
The mayor of the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Andrey Krawtchenko, warns of drones at sea. Via Telegram, he urges citizens to stay away from the coast. Ukrainian sea drones have attacked Russian ships near the port in the past and disrupted traffic. Novorossiysk is Russia's largest Black Sea port and an essential transshipment point for the export of oil and oil products. Meanwhile, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, Mikhail Razvozhaev, reports that Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian sea drone in the Black Sea near the city.
03:18 Zelensky remembers Boeing crash ten years ago
Ukrainian President Zelensky mentions in his daily video address the victims of the shooting down of a passenger plane ten years ago over the Donbass region. According to him, 298 people on board, including 80 children, were killed. "I have no doubts that the trial and the work of international justice in general will lead to absolutely just sentences for all those responsible", says he. Such punishment is also necessary, just as for all other crimes Russia has committed in the war. The Malaysian Airlines Boeing was shot down by pro-Russian rebels with a Russian surface-to-air missile on July 17, 2014, over contested territory in eastern Ukraine.
02:13 Pistorius: More applicants for the Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr is reporting an increasing number of applicants. "There are also more and more people who are volunteering because they want to serve their homeland", says Defense Minister Pistorius to the "Rheinische Post". Compared to the previous year, there were 15 percent more people who had applied for military service by July 8. However, Pistorius wants to implement his new conscription model quickly. "I need a quick entry into military service, because we are threatened. That's why we're starting with the men, and then the women will come as soon as possible", he says. The draft law should be ready in the fall.
00:56 Report: Heavy losses for Ukraine in fight for Dnipro bridgehead
According to media reports, Ukraine has suffered heavy losses in the fight for a bridgehead at the Dnipro in the southeast of the country. More than 1000 soldiers on the Ukrainian side are reported to have been killed in the months-long battle for the small town of Krynki. 788 soldiers stationed there are missing, according to the Internet portal Slidstvo.Info, citing police sources. 262 soldiers have been recovered dead. The battles for the town of Krynki were criticized from the start due to the futility of the situation. The troops stationed there could hardly be supplied with reinforcements across the river. Dead and wounded could hardly be transported away.
23:52 Air raid alarm: Drones attack Kiev
There is another air raid alarm in Kiev. Loud explosions can be heard over the city. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reports via Telegram that the air defense systems have been activated. Debris has fallen in the central district of Darnytsky, but there are no reported damages yet. Shortly before that, the Ukrainian air force had warned that drones were on their way to Kiev from the east. Further drones were reported in the regions of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. At least 43 people were killed by Russian air raids on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities on July 8.
23:10 Estonia and Lithuania ban cars with Belarusian license plates
Estonia and Lithuania announce that they will no longer allow cars with Belarusian registration plates into their country at their borders with Russia and Belarus. The Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna says the ban has been imposed because Belarus "directly contributes to Russian aggression in Ukraine and supports it". Latvia had recently announced similar measures. The three countries, as well as Poland, Finland, and Norway, had already banned the entry of cars with Russian registration plates into their territory in 2023.
22:23 Zelenskyy on Prisoner Exchange: "We must bring them all back"
In his evening video address, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomes back the 95 soldiers who have returned from Russia (see entry at 14:36). Zelenskyy writes on Telegram: "We are bringing our people home. Ninety-five defenders have been released from Russian captivity. Among them are fighters from the Ukrainian armed forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard." After thanking the United Arab Emirates for mediating this release, he continues: "We must bring them all back."
21:56 Moscow sentences Ukrainian Traitors to lengthy prison terms
A Moscow military court sentences two Russians to long prison terms for attempting to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia" recruits. According to Radio Free Europe (RFE), the Freedom Legion is a paramilitary unit where deserters from the Russian military, as well as other Russian and Belarusian volunteers, fight on Ukraine's side against Russia. The 24-year-old Andrei Morozov is sentenced to twelve years in prison, and the 56-year-old Muscovite Anatoli Poplavski to five and a half years. RFE reports that Poplavski has two young children living in Ukraine and is currently in the process of getting divorced. The announcement states that the man lived in two countries for some time.
21:00 Lavrov holds US responsible for escalation of violence
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at a UN Security Council meeting, holds the US responsible for the many deaths in Ukraine and the Palestinian territories. "By giving diplomatic protection to Israel and supplying it with weapons and ammunition, Washington has - this is clear to all - become a direct party to the conflicts, just as in Ukraine," Lavrov tells Russian news agencies in New York. He further states that as soon as the US ceases its support, the bloodshed in both cases would end. In fact, Russia began the aggression war in Ukraine's east in 2014 and expanded it to the entire country in February 2022. A Russian troop withdrawal from Ukraine would also end the killing in Ukraine.
You can read about earlier developments here.**
- In light of the ongoing NATO-Ukraine command in Wiesbaden, Germany is considering allowing Ukraine to make its own decisions about the use of western weapons against Russian territory. Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasizes the importance of Ukrainian self-determination in deployments during the European Political Community summit.
- Amidst the NATO-Ukraine conflict, the Ukrainian power grid operator reports a "significant power outage" in multiple regions of Ukraine after eight massive attacks on energy facilities this year. This power shortage further exacerbates the energy crisis in Ukraine caused by the Russian attacks on its infrastructure.
- As a response to the announced stationing of US weapons in Germany, Russia considers deploying additional atomic weapons to protect its Kaliningrad exclave, located between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. This threat escalates the tension between NATO and Russia.
- Following the Russian attack on the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev, Germany accepts eight critically ill children from the hospital for medical treatment. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemns Putin's inhumane war tactics against Ukraine.
- Cyberwarfare plays a crucial role in the Ukraine-Conflict as well, with reports of Russian munitions depots on the Crimea being destroyed via flying and swimming drones by the Ukrainian Army. These attacks pose a significant threat to Russia's military capabilities in the region.
- The escalating military deployments and tensions between NATO and Russia have also impacted politics locally, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and promising permanent support to Ukraine during the European Political Community summit.
- The Ukraine-Conflict has also led to challenges in diplomacy, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visiting Moscow and criticizing EU's support for Ukraine, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejecting peace conference proposals calling for a Ukrainian withdrawal and seizing more Ukrainian territories.
- The ongoing cyberwar between Russia and Ukraine further impacts the political landscape, with Russian hackers suspected of interfering in the 2020 US elections, triggering concerns about the wider implications of the Ukraine-Conflict on cybersecurity in Western democracies.
- Amidst the ongoing Ukraine-Conflict and diplomatic tensions, NATO and Russia engage in military exercises to demonstrate their capabilities and strengthened alliance. These exercises have caused concern in the region, particularly with regard to the potential for an accidental escalation.
- As the Ukraine-Conflict rages on, it is crucial for Western governments to navigate the delicate line between supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and escalating the conflict with Russia, while also addressing the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict on European and global security.
