18:58 Ukraine publishes numbers on Russian losses
Ukrainian General Staff publishes new casualty figures for Russian troops in Ukraine. According to this, Russia has lost approximately 563,640 soldiers in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In one day alone, losses amounted to 1,130. The report from Kiev states that, in addition, seven tanks, twelve armed combat vehicles, 54 artillery systems, and 50 drones have been destroyed. According to the Ukrainian General Staff's statements, Russia has lost 8,245 tanks, 15,883 artillery systems, and 361 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,274 drones, 28 ships, and a submarine since the start of the large-scale attack. Western estimates give lower casualty numbers - these being minimum values.
18:07 Stoltenberg: NATO Command for Ukraine to be operational in September
The new NATO-Ukraine Command in Wiesbaden is expected to be operational in September. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made this statement at the European Political Community summit in Oxford. The Command in Wiesbaden will coordinate international military aid and training for the Ukrainian armed forces in the future. Approximately 700 men and women will be involved in the deployment at various locations.
17:31 United Kingdom: Ukrainians to decide on weapons use
The United Kingdom intends to let Ukraine decide on 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 state and government heads gathered in Oxfordshire, England. The Russian offensive war against Ukraine dominated the agenda, as it did at previous meetings.
16:56 Ukrainian power grid operator reports "significant power outage" After the failure of two power plants in Ukraine, the power grid operator Ukrenergo significantly reduces power supply. Affected by the restrictions between 8 and 22 local time are eleven regions and the capital Kiev, Ukrenergo reports. "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." Exact details about the alleged targets and the cause of the current failures are not mentioned. According to earlier statements from Ukraine, the country has lost almost half of its production capacity due to the attacks Russia has intensified since the spring. As a result, there are frequent power outages, and Ukraine must buy electricity in large quantities from the EU.
16:22 Germany takes in critically ill children from Kiev
According to a joint statement from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Health, Germany has admitted eight children from Kiev who were previously being treated at the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital. The children are between a few months and 15 years old, with most being patients from the oncology department. "The rocket attack on the children's clinic in Kiev once again showed the inhumane cruelty with which Putin is waging his war against Ukraine," says German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The children are accompanied by a total of ten close relatives. Since March 2022, more than a thousand seriously injured and critically ill people from Ukraine have been brought to Germany for medical treatment. Germany's humanitarian support for Ukraine will continue to be intensified, Faeser added.
15:51 Russia considers deploying more atomic missiles
Russia is not ruling out the deployment of additional atomic missiles and speaks of a response to the recently announced deployment of conventional US weapons in Germany. The defense of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is a focus, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, in reference to the part of Russia's territory that is located furthest west between NATO countries Poland and Lithuania. The US and the German government had announced the previous week that the US intends to station long-range US weapons such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and currently under development hypersonic weapons in Germany starting in 2026. "I exclude no options," Ryabkov said in response to a question about a Russian reaction.
15:12 Ukraine: Russian ammunition depot on the Crimea destroyed
Ukraine claims to have attacked military targets on the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula with flying and swimming drones. Security sources report that, among other things, a command center and a munitions depot at the Donuslav Sea in the west of the Crimea have been destroyed or damaged. Russia had previously reported the downing of 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea but made no specific statements about the targets.
14:29 Starmer to Zelenskyy: "We will stand with you"
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warns of a Russian threat at the European summit and pledges continued support to Ukraine. "You have no doubt: We will be with you as long as it is necessary," Johnson told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy again urged the allies to allow the use of Western weapons against targets in Russia. "The fewer restrictions we have, the more Russia will seek peace," 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 Kharkiv in Russian territory had not led to an escalation.
14:02 Ukrainian Army withdraws from another villageThe Ukrainian military has withdrawn from the village of Uroschaine in the Donezk region, according to "Kyiv Independent", citing a spokesperson from the Chortyzja military group. Previous media reports stated that Uroschaine had been captured by Russian forces. The village is located on the southern frontline in a region of Donezk that borders Saporischschja. The spokesperson said that the Ukrainian military withdrew "because the enemy has almost destroyed everything in Uroschaine." The decision was made "to protect the lives and health of our soldiers who were defending there."
13:20 US Citizen sentenced to 13 years in prison in Russia for "drug trafficking"A Russian court has sentenced a US citizen to 13 years in prison on drug trafficking charges. Michael Travis Leake was found "guilty of selling narcotics," according to the Moscow Justice Press Service on Telegram. He was sentenced to serve 13 years in a strict penal colony. The former paratrooper and musician from the US was arrested in investigative custody in June of the previous year. He was accused of "organizing the sale of drugs to young people." According to CNN, Michael Travis Leake is a musician and music producer who has lived in Russia for many years.
12:43 Behind closed doors: Second hearing for US journalistThe trial against US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia is continuing. The second hearing in the case is taking place behind closed doors, according to a court spokesperson in Yekaterinburg. Journalists are not allowed entry to the courtroom. Gershkovich, who is 32 years old and works for the "Wall Street Journal," is accused of espionage. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in a penal colony. The second hearing, which was moved from August 13 to July 18 at the defense's request, 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 has 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, according to "Kyiv Independent", has sent 1,000 tons of wheat flour to the Palestinian territories. This is reportedly the first of three humanitarian aid packages to be sent under the "Grain from Ukraine" program. The first package is sufficient to feed more than 100,000 Palestinian families for a month, according to the Foreign Ministry.
11:34 Russia: 33 Ukrainian drones shot down over Crimea
According to Russian statements, Russian forces shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over Crimea in the night. The Defense Ministry reports via Telegram that Russian forces in the Black Sea also destroyed ten remotely operated watercraft that were on their way to the annexed peninsula. The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Rasvozhayev, declared that loud noises in the port city on the Crimean peninsula were due to the repulsion of an "attempted attack with an overwater drone". Two more drones were intercepted by the Russian Defense Ministry in the border region of Bryansk. "There were no casualties or damage," the governor Alexander Bogomas reported via Telegram.
11:05 Tens of thousands affected: All kindergartens near the border in Belgorod closed
According to official reports, all kindergartens in the immediate vicinity of the Ukrainian border in Belgorod have temporarily suspended their operations. The reason given by the responsible official, Anna Kutasova, to Russian media reports is a too great danger due to shelling. The measure applies since Wednesday initially for the rest of the week for institutions within a radius of 20 kilometers from the border. According to Russian media, the Kita closures affect 50,000 people in the region.
10:32 Joint exercise concluded - "Trust between the Chinese and Russian Navy strengthened"
China and Russia have concluded a joint naval exercise. The Chinese Navy reports that all planned projects and exercises of the "Joint Sea 2024" maneuvers were completed on Wednesday. The six-day maneuver, during which a "joint response to threats to maritime security" was trained, reportedly involved seven warships. The maneuver strengthened "professional exchanges, mutual understanding, and trust between the Chinese and Russian Navy," and improved "the standardization and systematization" of "practical bilateral cooperation," according to the Chinese Navy. The maneuver 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 Ukraine everything it needs"Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demonstrates the determination of the European Community towards Russia. "Russia is counting on Europe and the West giving in," she says. "And some in Europe are playing along." Von der Leyen criticizes the trip of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which she considers a "pacification mission." However, the EU's support for Ukraine is permanent. "We must give Ukraine everything it needs to resist and emerge victorious."
09:38 Heavy Russian attacks on Ukrainian Eastern Front
The Ukrainian General Staff reports of heavy Russian attacks on the front in the east of the country. There were 29 storm attacks by the Russians at the frontline near the small town of Torezk, according to the military in its morning report. The village of New York was particularly contested there. The enemy also used parachute bombs dropped from aircraft. Torezk is located in the Donezk region, as is the second heavily affected frontline sector Pokrowsk. There, talks of 26 attacks are mentioned. Russian troops are slowly advancing at this location following the capture of the city Avdiivka in February. The General Staff reports 144 Russian attack attempts since Wednesday morning. According to an unofficial report, Ukrainian troops are reportedly giving up the village of Kaliniwka near the city of Chasiv Yar.
09:00 Kiev reports success in drone defense
The Ukrainian Air Force reportedly intercepted all 16 drones fired by the Russian armed forces at targets in Ukraine at night. Additionally, two out of three Russian rockets were intercepted. The projectiles were destroyed over five regions.
08:17 How much does Russia pay its soldiers
The Russian government is reportedly paying between 2.75 trillion and 3 billion Rubles – approximately 31 to 33.9 billion US dollars – in salaries and compensation for soldiers and their families from July 2023 to June 2024, according to the group Re:Russia, which condemns the war against Ukraine. This amounts to 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 Umerov, according to his own statements, does not consider the outcome of the US election to be decisive for the success of Ukraine's defense against Russian aggressors. Ukraine will find a way to combat the Russian aggressors, even if the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is re-elected in November and thus crucial US support is endangered, Umerov said. He refers to the diplomatic and military difficulties that Ukraine faces following Trump's official nomination as presidential candidate and that of J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate. "We believe in the leadership role of the US, and we believe that America wants its partners and allies to also be strong," so Umerow. "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 Lawrow: "Not all territories have been liberated" and rejects peace conference
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sharply criticizes Western plans for another peace conference on Ukraine. There are points that are unacceptable for his country, Lavrow says. "A course was taken to forcefully implement 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. In contrast, Lavrov insists on the demand of Moscow to seize more Ukrainian territories. "There (in the east and southeast of Ukraine) are not all territories liberated yet. We cannot leave the people who have voted for a return to Russia under the regime that is eliminating everything Russian," Lavrow says. The claim that the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine needs to be protected served as a pretext for Putin's war against the neighboring country. Traditionally, many Ukrainians, particularly in the east of the country, speak Russian - but do not want to be part of Russia.
06:35 Lawrow: "Undeniable evidence" for Journalist Spionage
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, there is "undeniable evidence" that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is a spy. As the Associated Press writes, Lavrov also accuses US journalists of delaying negotiations between the US and Russia on a potential prisoner exchange by reporting on confidential talks. According to Lavrov, the Gershkovich case has nothing to do with "attacks on journalism." In reality, there are no independent media left in Russia, many journalists have fled abroad, and others have been subjected to 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 pretrial detention since then on espionage charges. A hearing is taking place today.
05:53 Pistorius: We must be able to defend against attacks
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius understands the fears 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 concern of the people about an escalation," the SPD politician tells the Rheinische Post and the General-Anzeiger. The framework 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 direction in the country and defends his demand to be "war-ready" in the coming years. "I don't like the term 'war-ready' myself. But it's the truth that we best protect ourselves if we are able to deter and defend against a potential attack war."
05:03 Alarm for Drones in Russian Black Sea Port
The mayor of the Russian Black Sea port city of Noworossijsk, Andrey Krawtchenko, warns of drones at sea. Via Telegram, he calls on citizens to keep away from the coast. Ukrainian drones have in the past attacked Russian ships near the harbor and disrupted traffic. Noworossijsk is Russia's largest Black Sea port and an important transshipment point for the export of oil and oil products. Meanwhile, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, Mikhail Raswoschajew, reports that Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian drone in the Black Sea near the city.
03:18 Zelensky Remembers MH17 Shootdown Anniversary
Ukrainian President Zelensky remembers the victims of the MH17 shootdown in his daily video address. "There are no doubts that the trial and the work of international justice in general will lead to absolutely just sentences for all those responsible for this tragedy," he says. This punishment is also necessary, he adds, just as it is for all other crimes Russia has committed in the war. The MH17 plane of Malaysia Airlines 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 German Armed Forces
The German Armed Forces report an increasing number of applicants. "There are also more and more people who volunteer to enlist, precisely because they want to serve their homeland," says Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to the "Rheinische Post." Compared to the previous year, 15 percent more people had applied for military service by July 8. However, SPD politician Pistorius wants to quickly implement his new military service model. "I need a quick entry into military conscription because we are threatened. That's why I'm starting with the men, and then the women will come as soon as possible," he says. The draft law is expected to be finished in the fall.
00:56 Report: Heavy Casualties for Ukraine in Battle for Dnipro Bridgehead
According to media reports, Ukraine has suffered heavy losses in the battle for a now abandoned 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 listed as missing, reports 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 their futility. The troops stationed there could hardly be supplied across the river, and only in rare cases could the dead and wounded be transported away.
23:52 Alarm: Drones approaching Kyiv
There is another alarm situation in Kyiv. Loud explosions can be heard over the city. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram that the air defense systems have been activated. In the central district of Darnytsky, debris have fallen, but there are no reported damages yet. Shortly before that, the Ukrainian Air Force warned that drones from the east were heading towards Kyiv. Additionally, drones were reported in the regions of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. At least 43 people were killed by Russian air raids on Kyiv 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 not allow cars with Belarusian registration plates into their territory at their borders with Russia and Belarus. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna says the ban was imposed because Belarus "directly contributes to Russia's aggression in Ukraine and supports it." Lithuania had recently announced a similar ban. The three countries, as well as Poland, Finland, and Norway, had already banned the entry of cars with Russian registration into their sovereign 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 X: "We are bringing our people home. Another 95 defenders have been released from Russian captivity. Among them are soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard." After thanking the United Arab Emirates for their role in the prisoner exchange, Zelenskyy continues: "We must bring them all back."
21:56 Moscow sentences Ukrainian collaborators to long prison terms
A Moscow military court sentences two Russians to lengthy prison terms for attempting to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia" recruiting station. Radio Free Europe (RFE) reports. The Freedom Legion is a paramilitary unit where Russian deserters and other Russian and Belarusian volunteers fight on the Ukrainian 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 children living in Ukraine and a wife whom he is currently divorcing. The statement says that the man lived in two countries.
21:00 Lavrov blames US for escalating violence
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov tells the UN Security Council that the US is responsible for the many deaths in Ukraine and the Palestinian territories. "By granting diplomatic protection to Israel and supplying it with weapons and ammunition, Washington has become - it's clear to everyone - a direct party to the conflict, just as in Ukraine," Lavrov told Russian news agencies in New York. He further states that as soon as the US stops its support, the bloodshed will end. In fact, Russia began the aggression in eastern Ukraine 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.
All former developments can be read here.**
- The Ukrainian General Staff's latest report indicates that Russia has lost over 8,000 tanks and 15,000 artillery systems in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine since February 2022.
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the new NATO-Ukraine Command, which will coordinate international military aid and training for the Ukrainian armed forces, is expected to be operational in September.
- The Russian offensive war against Ukraine has continued to dominate the agenda at recent meetings of the European Political Community summit, where around 50 state and government heads gathered.
- The Ukrainian power grid operator Ukrenergo has reported a significant power outage in Ukraine due to eight "massive attacks" on energy facilities this year, which has resulted in frequent power outages and the need to buy electricity in large quantities from the EU.
- Russia is not ruling out the deployment of additional atomic missiles in response to the recent announcement of the deployment of conventional US weapons in Germany.
