18:49 Budget Committee approves armaments package with 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks
105 Leopard 2A8 Tank Destroyers, four Patriot and Lenkflugkörper systems, as well as artillery ammunition: The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag is bringing a more than six billion Euro package for the new equipment of the Bundeswehr to the way. With the Leopard 2A8 tank destroyers, the future Brigade Litauen is to be equipped, and at the same time, significant and long-standing gaps in the Bundeswehr are to be closed, says Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) after the meeting. "The procurement of ammunition will be significantly accelerated and expanded. This will provide the German industry with a substantial basis for planning for this decade, the Bundeswehr will have full stocks, and Ukraine will receive urgently needed supplies", share the government spokespersons. German production capacities for ammunition are to be significantly expanded. The Brigade Litauen is expected to be ready for deployment by 2027.
18:17 Zelensky: We want to know from Trump if US support will disappear after the electionUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Trump for clarity on how he intends to end the war in 24 hours. Zelensky expresses his readiness to meet with Trump and his team and listen to their proposals in an interview with Bloomberg TV. "We want to know if we will have the powerful support of the USA after the elections or if we will be left alone." The former US President and designated candidate for the upcoming presidential elections has repeatedly claimed that he can end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. He never provided details. "If Trump knows how to end this war, he should tell us that today", says Zelensky: "Should there be risks for the independence of Ukraine, we should be prepared, we should know."
17:39 ROSATOM Chief complains about Ukrainian attacks on nuclear power plant substationIn a drone attack on a substation at the southern Ukrainian Enerhodar, eight employees of the nearby Saporischschja Nuclear Power Plant were injured, according to Russian statements. The men were engaged in repair work to restore power supply, says the head of the Russian Atomic Energy Agency, Alexei Likhachev. This not only compromises the safety principle of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), "it is a flagrant violation", complains Likhachev. The substation is part of the infrastructure of the nuclear power plant and supplies the city with electricity. Within an hour, there were reportedly three drone attacks. He demands a reaction from the IAEA on the attack. Russia took control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant shortly after the start of its military campaign and has held it since then. The power plant is located on the southern bank of the Dnipro, while the northern bank is controlled by Ukraine.
17:14 Video: Russian National Guards shoot at conscriptsIn the Russian city of Osinniki, conscripts are seen dancing on the roof of the draft board. The National Guards do not like this and attack the apparently drunk-looking men. Shots are heard, a woman falls to the ground. It is unclear whether she was hit by a quoits or a bullet.
16:39 Russian Army makes "Newi" district of Chassiv Yar "level with the ground"According to Russian reports, the Russian Army is taking control of a strategic district of the city Chassiv Yar in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. The troops have reportedly "liberated" the neighborhood of Nowi, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. It is unclear if the Russian soldiers managed to overcome a canal in the east of the small town, which serves as a natural defensive line for the Ukrainian Army.
The military-affiliated news channel "DeepState" reports that the neighborhood has been "completely leveled." Further resistance would have resulted in heavy losses, it adds. The withdrawal from the neighborhood is therefore a "logical, if difficult decision," it further states. Chassiv Yar is approximately ten kilometers from Bachmut, which was captured by Russian forces in May 2023 after prolonged battles. A breakthrough could give the Russian Army easier access to important mining towns in the Donbass still controlled by Ukraine, such as Kramatorsk.
16:04 Russian Security Services: French "Agent" Vinatier confessesAccording to Russian intelligence services, the Frenchman Laurent Vinatier, currently detained in Russia, has confessed to gathering information on the Russian military. A worker for a Swiss non-governmental organization, Vinatier has reportedly admitted his guilt "in full," the Russian domestic security service FSB reported. Vinatier allegedly forged numerous contacts with military experts, scientists, and officials during his visits to Moscow. Through these contacts, the Frenchman reportedly collected "military and military-technical information that could be used against the security of the Russian Federation." Vinatier works for the Swiss non-governmental organization Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) and was arrested in Moscow on June 6. He is charged with failing to register as a "foreign agent."
15:34 Video: Russians report massive Ukrainian drone attackAccording to Russian reports, Ukraine is attacking Novorossiysk with drones from the air and the water. The Russian Defense Ministry reports the downing of twelve objects. Fire and explosions illuminate the night sky over the Black Sea port city on the shores of the Caucasus Mountains.
15:02 Poll: Ukrainians see Germany as conditionally reliable, fear US secret negotiations with MoscowAccording to a survey conducted nearly two and a half years into the war, almost half of Ukrainians in a poll conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations think that the USA could negotiate a peace plan with Russia behind Ukraine's back. 47% expressed this concern, while 49% had little or no concern. The perception of allied partners in the defense war against Russia varies by country. 84% see the United Kingdom as reliable or somewhat reliable, the highest percentage. 76% felt the same way about Germany, but only 19% considered German support to be very reliable.
14:23 Scholz: Germany will not be a war party in the future
During the government questioning in the Bundestag, the topic of Ukraine also came up. When the Left-MP Gesine Lötzsch asks if Chancellor Olaf Scholz would give people "the guarantee" that Germany would not be a war party, Scholz replied: "Yes, I give this guarantee. I stand for that as Chancellor." As for when a ceasefire could be achieved, Lötzsch asked further. "In my opinion, a ceasefire that aims for Ukraine's capitulation is one that we cannot support from Germany," answered Scholz. This is not an abstract question, as one can see from Putin's "strange peace offering," he said. Putin had stated that he was ready for a ceasefire "if Ukraine also gives further annexations, essentially for free on top." This shows "how cynically they think and that the Russian president does not at all intend to end his aggressive war." Putin speaks only of peace negotiations to continue the war. "We will not tolerate that," Scholz assured.
13:55 International Criminal Court investigates torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians in detention facilities in the formerly occupied territories and in Russia, reports the Ukrainian agency "Ukrinform." The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office is working with the ICC on this matter. Ukrainian photographers Kostiantyn and Vlada Librov show on Instagram photos of Ukrainian soldiers who had fallen into Russian captivity and have since been released. "This was the most difficult shooting of the last six months," the photographers write afterwards.
13:19 Russian postal workers to replace doctors in rural areas
Because there is not enough medical personnel in rural areas, postal workers in some regions of Russia are now taking on medical tasks. This was reported by the "Moscow Times" on Telegram. In rural post offices, medical stations and maternity wards are being set up. The postal workers are to diagnose and perform various medical procedures. Russian publicist Alexander Nevzorov called this practice, as reported by the "Kyiv Post," a return to the Middle Ages.
12:58 NATO countries: No agreement on multi-year Ukraine aid
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg failed to convince NATO countries to make multi-year commitments for military aid to Ukraine. The 32 Allies could only agree in the run-up to the summit in Washington on providing support in the amount of at least 40 billion Euros within the next year. This was reported by the German Press Agency and relied on statements from several delegations.
12:24 Ukraine: 5 Dead after attack on Dnipro
The number of casualties from the Russian attack on Dnipro has increased to at least 5, according to Ukrainian reports, with at least 39 people injured, including a 14-year-old girl. The attack reportedly took place with rockets and drones, causing several explosions and fires in the city. Reports indicate that a shopping mall and a weapons factory were hit.
11:31 Ukraine receives additional two billion euros from the IWFThe financially stricken Ukraine has received an additional tranche of over two billion Euros from the International Monetary Fund (IWF). The money is part of an ongoing loan program worth around 15 billion Euros. The money will be used according to Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal mainly for social aid and salaries of civil servants, including doctors and teachers. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has reportedly received over 80 billion Euros in financial aid from foreign partners in terms of household budget support.
11:01 Military base in Russian Kursk on fireVideos from the Russian city of Kursk show a large smoke cloud over the city. An Ukrainian attack is said to have set several vehicles on fire on a military base in the city. The regional governor has confirmed a fire in the city center.
10:40 Multiple civilians killed in Russian attacks in UkraineRussian troops shot at the village of Borova in the Charkiw region overnight. The Military Administration of Charkiw reports on Telegram that a man was killed and two others were injured. In a Russian rocket and drone attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, at least three people were reportedly killed and 18 others injured.
10:19 Kremlin: No talks with Trump over UkraineRussia is not in dialogue with former US President Donald Trump over Ukraine, according to Kremlin statements. The Interfax news agency reports, citing a spokesman for the Russian Presidium. Trump had stated during a recent TV duel with President Joe Biden that if he won the November election, he would resolve the war in Ukraine before his inauguration in January.
09:46 Ukraine lacks hangars to protect fighter jetsAccording to a report in the Ukrainian "Defense Express," the Ukrainian army does not have enough hangars to protect all its fighter jets from Russian attacks. The newspaper reports that a Ukrainian air force base in the Poltawa region does not have sufficient large hangar spaces for Su-27 fighter jets. Russian media has published images of a recent air raid on the airfield, showing several Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jets damaged in the open. The Ukraine lacks hangars to protect all its fighter jets.
09:16 Defense Committee approves purchase of 105 Leopard-2A8 tanksThe Defense Committee of the German Bundestag is expected to approve the purchase of 105 Leopard-2A8 battle tanks today. "We are exhausting all options," writes the new committee chairman Marcus Faber on the platform "X." "We are fully equipping the Brigade Litauen with battle tanks, replacing older Leo2 in the army, and creating space for further donations to Ukraine," adds the FDP politician. According to the proposal, the order has a volume of approximately three billion Euros. The defense company KNDS is expected to deliver the tanks to the Bundeswehr by 2030.
08:44 Russia: Ukrainian attack on Black Sea port repelled
According to Russian statements, two unmanned Ukrainian explosive boats attacked the Black Sea port of Novorossijsk and were repelled. The drones were destroyed in the Black Sea, according to the Defense Ministry. Novorossijsk is home to a large port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Russia has stationed many of its warships used in the conflict against Ukraine there after the Ukrainian attack on the Crimean ports. The ministry did not comment on possible damages. The authorities in Novorossijsk urged people to stay in their homes and apartments at night.
08:21 Most Ukrainians feel unity in society
Forty-four percent of Ukrainians believe that Ukrainian society is currently united, according to the results of a nationwide survey conducted on July 2 by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). A smaller proportion, 15 percent, consider Ukrainian society to be split. Corruption is cited as the main problem, followed by language issues. Unfairness during the war, collaboration, and Russophilism are also identified as factors contributing to the division within society.
07:55 Kremlin: Ten Ukrainian attack drones destroyed
According to Russian statements, ten Ukrainian attack drones were shot down over Russian territory. Five drones were shot down over the Belgorod border region, four over the Brjansk border region, and one over the Moscow region, according to the Defense Ministry on Telegram. Two Ukrainian harbor drones were also destroyed, which were heading for the Noworossijsk Black Sea port in the Krasnodar region.
07:20 Ukrainian General Staff: almost 1200 Russian losses yesterday
The Ukrainian General Staff reported 1180 losses on the Russian side in the past 24 hours. In addition, 16 tanks, 17 armored vehicles, 57 artillery systems, and 63 tank and other vehicles were destroyed. Two Russian air defense systems were also reportedly destroyed by the Ukrainians, along with a missile. The number of dead or wounded soldiers on the Russian side, according to the General Staff, has exceeded 546,000 since the start of the full-scale invasion.
06:48 Putin arrives at SOZ summit in Kazakhstan
According to Russian reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kazakhstan. He is participating in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SOZ) partners in the capital Astana. The two-day summit focuses on issues of regional security, defense, and cooperation. The heads of state and government of the SOZ member states discussed "the current situation and prospects for further deepening of multifaceted cooperation," according to Moscow. Putin plans to hold bilateral talks, including with China and Turkey. Representatives from 16 countries are participating in the summit - among them India, Iran, and Pakistan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also expected.
06:11 Ukraine continues to reject territorial concessions to Putin
According to the words of Andrij Yermak, the chief of staff of the Ukrainian president, Ukraine continues to categorically reject territorial concessions to Russia for the ending of the war. "We are not willing to make compromises on important things and values," said Yermak to journalists and named "independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty." In response to statements from Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who claimed he could quickly end the conflict, the government in Kiev is open for advice to achieve a "just peace." Trump stated during the television debate that he would not accept Putin's conditions. Putin had declared that Russia would end the war if Kiev was ready to hand over the territories claimed and occupied by Moscow in the east and south of the country. In response to a question about how the Ukraine views Trump's handling of the war, Yermak replied: "Honestly speaking: I don't know. We will see."
05:42 USA to provide new military aid for Ukraine
The Ukrainian military is in urgent need of supplies. The USA will make available to Ukraine, in the near future, military aid in the amount of approximately 2.3 billion US dollars (around 2.14 billion Euros) to counter the Russian offensive war in Ukraine. This was announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit by his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umjerow in Washington. The aid package, approved by US President Joe Biden, includes "additional surface-to-air missiles, anti-tank weapons, and other important ammunition from US stocks," explained Austin. A "realignment of some foreign military deliveries" will also enable the USA to make available Munition for Patriot- and other air defense systems "in an accelerated timeframe."
04:49 NATO to expand presence in Kiev
The NATO is expanding its civilian presence in the attacked Ukraine. A spokesperson confirmed that the 32 alliance members have decided to send a liaison office to the capital Kiev. The high-ranking official is to coordinate the political and practical support of the alliance on site. The background is, in particular, that the NATO intends to give the start signal for a new deployment at the upcoming summit in Washington for the coordination of weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces. The headquarters for this should be built in Wiesbaden. Who will receive the new NATO post in Kiev is still not known.
03:42 UN call for release of Gershkovich
Experts of the United Nations are calling for the immediate release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is in detention in Russia on espionage charges. "The deprivation of liberty of Evan Gershkovich is arbitrary" and violates several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, write the experts in a statement. In light of the circumstances of the case, the "immediate" release of Gershkovich is appropriate.
02:40 Serbian President Vucic receives Russian deputy foreign ministerThe Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received the Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Gruschko in Belgrade. He spoke with Gruschko about the bilateral relations between Serbia and Russia and evaluated them as "very good", Vucic stated on Instagram. He also thanked Russia "for its support of Serbia's territorial integrity, as well as in relation to the UN Resolution on Srebrenica". Moscow still refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia has been an EU membership candidate since 2012, but continues to maintain good relations with the Kreml despite the Russian annexation of Crimea.
01:29 Russian court sentences 19-year-old to twelve yearsA Russian court sentenced a 19-year-old man to twelve years in prison for "high treason," after he was accused of donating money to the Ukrainian army. "The Rostov Regional Court found him guilty and sentenced him to a twelve-year term in a penal colony," says a comment from the Russian domestic security service FSB, taken up by the state Kremlin media. The teenager is accused of sending money to help the Ukrainian army buy food and drones. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Russians have been arrested and many of them have been incarcerated. According to Amnesty International, at least 21,000 people were targets of repression against war opponents in 2023.
00:20 One quarter of US citizens find US aid to Ukraine insufficientAlmost a quarter of Americans believe that the United States is not providing sufficient military aid to Ukraine. This percentage has risen since November last year, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Twenty-four percent of the respondents believe that the United States is not providing enough aid, compared to 18 percent in November 2023, when the survey was last conducted. However, more Americans (31 percent) believe that the United States is providing too much aid, and 25 percent believe that the US aid is sufficient.
22:53 Lithuania reports airspace violation by Russian aircraftLithuania reports a violation of its airspace by a Russian aircraft. The unspecified aircraft of the Russian airline Pobeda entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO member unlawfully in the evening of June 30 and stayed there for approximately one minute, according to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry in Vilnius. The representative of the Russian embassy was summoned and the Russian authorities were asked to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The airspace violation occurred over the Baltic Sea, as the aircraft was on its way from Moscow to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad bordering Lithuania. The EU has closed its airspace as a reaction to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
22:12 Survey in Member States: High Trust in NATO, Low Trust in Zelenskyy
Coming Week, NATO Celebrates Its 75-Year Anniversary. In member states, the transatlantic defense alliance is viewed favorably, according to a Pew Research survey. On average in 13 countries, 63 percent of the population holds a positive view, 33 percent a negative. Germany stands out with a minimal positive rating of 64 percent above the average. Exceptional is the assessment in Poland: 91 percent have a positive image of the alliance. The trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy averages at 40 percent and has decreased in member states in the past year. Poland stands out again, where the head of state has lost 22 percentage points - from 70 to 48 percent. In Germany, trust has decreased by 7 percentage points to 54 percent.
21:27 Zelenskyy Rejects Orban's Peace Proposal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a peace proposal from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for peace talks, according to a spokesperson for the Presidential Administration. During his first visit to Kiev since the start of the war, Orbán proposed a rapid ceasefire. This could "accelerate peace negotiations with Moscow," he said. "The president listened to him, but in response, he clarified Ukraine's stance and rejected the proposal," the spokesperson said. Previously, Kiev had rejected ceasefires, citing the possibility that Russian forces could regroup during this time.
21:02 Ukraine: Moscow Recruits Minors
Russia is actively recruiting minors for the war in Ukraine, Ukraine claims. The recruitment contracts are reportedly signed with minors, taking effect upon reaching adulthood. "They hope to recruit thousands of teenagers with propaganda," says the Ukrainian agency "National Resistance Center": "We warn that any enemy on our territory will be eliminated." On occupied Ukrainian territory, Russia also employs minors, for instance, to manufacture drones.
You can read about earlier developments here.
- The Budget Committee of Germany is providing over six billion Euros for new military equipment, including Leopard 2A8 tank destroyers, to strengthen the Bundeswehr and aid Ukraine.
- Amid concerns about US support after the elections, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks clarity from former President Donald Trump on his plans to end the conflict in 24 hours.
- The Russian Atomic Energy Agency criticizes an attack on a nuclear power plant substation in Ukraine, claiming it violates the principles of nuclear safety and compromises the safety of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announces that the procurement of ammunition for the Bundeswehr will be significantly accelerated, providing a substantial basis for German industry and ensuring Ukraine receives urgently needed supplies.
- The Russian Army is reportedly making significant progress in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, taking control of the strategic Neui district in Chassiv Yar, potentially giving them easier access to mining towns still controlled by Ukraine.
