19:41 Drone alert - Romania sends up F16s
The Romanian government is deploying two F16 fighter jets after Russian drones approached Ukrainian territory near the border. They do not have to intervene yet. No damages have been reported from drone debris, according to the Defense Ministry in Bucharest.
19:13 Hodges sees Ukraine on the winning side
Retired US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges believes Ukraine will defeat Russia. It is now crucial to continue supplying weapons to the attacked country. The US government wishes for a clearer stance from them.
18:24 Russian air raid on village - two fatalitiesTwo people, a woman and a man, have died in the village of Chreschtscheniwka, in the Cherson Oblast, due to a Russian air raid. Russian bombs destroyed a residential house. Emergency services are currently attempting to recover the bodies of the two victims.
17:49 Heavy accident: 14 fatalities in the northwestFourteen people, including a six-year-old child, have died in a severe traffic accident in the northwest of Ukraine. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced this on his Telegram channel. A fuel tanker collided with a taxi in the Rivne region. Emergency services and police are on the scene. The doctors are reportedly still fighting for the life of the only survivor, a severely injured woman. The bus was almost completely destroyed, as photos from the disaster response team showed.
17:33 Zelenskyy calls Starmer, the new British Prime MinisterPresident Zelenskyy congratulated the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by phone - and thanked him. Starmer's statement that he would continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia was appreciated by Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy mentioned that they had coordinated positions before the upcoming NATO summit this week (9th to 11th July) in Washington.
17:17 Ukraine receives help with landmine removalJapan and Cambodia plan to help Ukraine with landmine clearance. This was announced by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa during a visit to Phnom Penh. Japan will provide Ukraine with a powerful mine-clearing machine in the coming week. In August, Ukrainian specialists are to be trained in Cambodia, which is a leading country in this field, in mine clearance and operation of the machine.
16:36 Biden could receive Selenskyj at the White House next weekUS President Joe Biden could receive his Ukrainian counterpart Selenskyy at the White House next week. During the NATO summit this week (9th to 11th July) in Washington, this could be possible, according to a press briefing at the White House. Several bilateral meetings with other heads of government are being prepared, including one with Selenskyy.
16:01 Armenia holds military drills with US troopsArmenia, the eastern neighbor of Turkey and former Soviet republic, is getting closer to the US. From July 15 to July 26, the country will conduct joint military drills with the US. The focus will be on peacekeeping. The relations between Armenia and Moscow have deteriorated lately. The government in Yerevan is disappointed with Russia's behavior during the war with Azerbaijan over the region Nagorno-Karabakh. They didn't come to Armenia's aid. Previously, Armenia had already distanced itself from Russia after it attacked Ukraine.
15:20 Estonia delivers several Mistral-systemsThe Ukraine is getting a new air defense system, this time from Estonia. The Russian-attacked country has already received several short-range anti-aircraft missile systems along with ammunition from Estonia, according to the Estonian Defense Ministry. It involves a French-made system that has a range of six kilometers. It should provide protection against low-flying helicopters and aircraft.
14:44 Turkey proposes "Peace Platform"The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu makes a new proposal for peace in Ukraine. According to a Turkish newspaper, a "Peace Platform" could expand efforts to end the war. "A Peace Platform that prevents deepening polarization and has a broad participant and representative base and prioritizes diplomacy should be established," he reportedly said. He did not provide details. Previously, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also offered to help mediate an end to the war at an international summit in Kazakhstan. Russia rejected this.
13:53 Russia reports capture of further settlement in DonetskRussian troops, according to Moscow's announcement, have taken control of another settlement in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Troops reportedly "liberated" the approximately 30 kilometers northwest of the city of Donetsk located village of Sokil, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The region of Donetsk, along with Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, is one of the Ukrainian regions that Moscow announced it would annex in September 2022. According to Ukrainian reports, the fiercest fighting along the entire front line is currently taking place in the region.
13:40 Le Pen: No French long-range weapons on targets in RussiaMarine Le Pen, the leader of the right-wing National Rally (RN), announced that in the event of an RN election victory, French long-range weapons would not be allowed to be used for attacks on Russia. Le Pen made this statement in an interview with the US broadcaster CNN. Similarly, her party would not allow French troops to be stationed in Ukraine, which French President Emmanuel Macron does not rule out. "If Emmanuel Macron wants to send troops to Ukraine and the prime minister is against it, then there will be no troops in Ukraine," Le Pen said. The only red line, according to her, is to prevent France from becoming a warring party. Tomorrow, the French will elect their parliament in the second round.
12:49 ISW: Putin confirms goal, to destroy Ukraine as a state
During the recent visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the Kreml, Russian President Vladimir Putin once again rejected the idea of a negotiated ceasefire, as reported by the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Instead, he aims for a peace that erases Ukraine's sovereignty. To the conditions for peace talks, Putin demands the cession of significant Ukrainian territories to Russia and the complete surrender of the Ukrainian military.
12:30 Ukraine: Half of electricity generation capacities lost due to Russian attacks
Through Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, Ukraine has lost more than half of its electricity generation capacities that were available before the full-scale Russian invasion, according to a comparison of the current situation with the pre-war period reported by the EU Ambassador of the country in a Financial Times article in June. The hostile attacks of the past three months have reportedly reduced the country's electricity generation by nine Gigawatts - approximately half of what was needed for the electricity supply of the state territory in the previous winter. There is a risk that Ukraine may not have electricity, and possibly also no heat and no water, during the upcoming winter.
11:58 Ukrainian General Staff: 139 engagements yesterday
The Ukrainian General Staff reported in its situation report that there were 139 engagements along the front lines in the past 24 hours. Most of these took place in the Pokrowsk sector in the Donetsk Oblast in the southeast of Ukraine. The army recorded six rocket attacks and 55 air attacks with 72 air-dropped bombs and over 3000 attacks with artillery shells. In the northern region, around Kharkiv, the Russian troops also used combat jets.
11:22 Ukraine calls for Olympic ban for Russian athletes who support the war
Ukraine is calling for Russian athletes to be excluded from the Olympics in Paris if they are proven to be supporting the Russian military. The International Olympic Committee decided in December that Russian and Belarusian athletes could participate as "neutral athletes" if they met strict participation conditions. They were not allowed to compete in teams, present flags, or anything else associated with their homeland. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee now reports that some Russian athletes who have qualified for the Olympics have been found to support the Ukrainian war and Putin's politics on the internet. Some athletes have also participated in propaganda tournaments.
10:52 Ukraine: 12 civilians killed by Russian attacks
The Russian army, according to Ukrainian reports, dropped 19 bombs on the Charkiw region. The head of the military administration of the Charkiw region reported this to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. In Charkiw, three people were reportedly killed and six others injured. Eleven civilians were reported killed and 43 injured in the Donetsk Oblast.
Ukrainian General Staff: 1260 Russian casualties since yesterday --------------------------------------------------
The Ukrainian General Staff reports 1260 casualties among Russian soldiers for the past 24 hours. According to Ukrainian sources, the total number of killed and wounded Russian soldiers since the full-scale invasion in February 2022 is approximately 550,000. In addition, since yesterday, eleven tanks, 58 drones, 18 armored vehicles, and nine Russian missile systems have been destroyed, as well as 66 artillery systems.
09:29 How it could unfold if Putin attacks the Baltic region --------------------------------------------------
Security experts consider a Russian attack on the Baltic region in the coming years to be plausible to realistic. NATO assures its members of support, but the alliance's collective defense clause leaves room for various reactions from other states. How could an attack on NATO's northern flank unfold?
09:11 NATO summit brings news about F-16 jets for Ukraine --------------------------------------------------
During the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, Ukraine can expect new announcements regarding the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. This was announced by a high-ranking US government official during a briefing. The training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s has reportedly made significant progress. The Ukrainian army is still waiting for the first jets to arrive. The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have pledged to provide them.
08:30 One-third of Russians support atomic attack on Ukraine --------------------------------------------------
According to a survey presented by Russian propagandist Sergey Mardan on Russian state television, one-third of the Russian population is in favor of attacking Ukraine with atomic weapons. They align with Vladimir Solovyov, who consistently calls for the use of atomic weapons in the Ukrainian conflict. In the Russian nightlife, patriotism is on the rise. Russian artists are making clear patriotic appeals.
08:17 AfD welcomes Orban's visit to Putin --------------------------------------------------
The AfD welcomes the criticized Ukraine talks between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Hungary is taking the lead and speaks with both direct conflict parties from the first day of its EU Council presidency," explains the foreign policy spokesman of the faction, Matthias Moosdorf. "The AfD-faction welcomes the fact that, at the highest European level, the possibilities of a ceasefire with the goal of peace talks are being prioritized." The "EU and its personnel" he refers to as war instigators.
07:52 Ukraine: Invaders threaten to deport Ukrainians without Russian passports --------------------------------------------------
In the occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russians are reportedly threatening to deport residents without Russian passports, according to Ukrainian reports. The Information Resistance Center reports that this practice has been used before. Locals are taken to checkpoints and forcibly expelled from their homeland. In some of the latest raids in the south, residents were reportedly threatened with deportation and seizure of their property.
07:19 SPD expert calls for more money for defense
Members of the German government are expressing concerns about the financing of the Federal Army following the agreement on the 2025 federal budget. The troop must procure weapons and ammunition, which it hands over to Ukraine, from its own budget. SPD budget expert Andreas Schwarz spoke of a "disappointing figure" in response to the meager increase in defense spending of only 1.2 billion euros. This does not meet "what we need in the defense sector," Schwarz told the "Tagesspiegel." The President of the Reservists' Association, Patrick Sensburg, also noted that this would make Germany "not war-ready."
06:37 Ukraine: Drones attacked Belgorod, Russia
In drone attacks on the Russian city of Shebekino in the Belgorod region, several buildings, vehicles, and an industrial plant were damaged, and one person was injured, according to the local governor. In total, 11 houses were damaged and power lines in the community were damaged, as well as social infrastructure.
06:10 Zelensky thanks new British prime minister
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his support of Ukraine. "I am grateful to Keir Starmer for his assurance that Britain's support for Ukraine remains unchanged," Zelensky wrote on Telegram. He and Starmer had aligned their positions ahead of the NATO summit coming up in the next week. According to a high-ranking US official, NATO will present a "bridge to membership" for Ukraine at the meeting in Washington.
03:45 Burning oil depots after drone attack in Russia
Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked several areas in the Russian region of Krasnodar during the night. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that debris from a downed drone damaged a mobile phone mast in Jeisk. In other places, several fuel tanks were reportedly set on fire. There were no reported injuries.
02:07 Sumy without water and power due to drone attacks, Ukraine
According to local authorities, Russian drone attacks have disrupted the water and power supply in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy. The public broadcaster Suspilne reported a series of explosions in the city. The Sumy region is almost daily targeted by Russian positions across the border.
00:28 Eight people killed, 28 injured in Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine
According to Ukrainian reports, eight people were killed and at least 28 were injured in Russian attacks in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. "Every city and every village in the Donetsk region is constantly threatened by enemy attacks," Governor Wadym Filaschkin wrote on Telegram. Independently, Russian troops had dropped three guided bombs on the further southwest located village of Komar, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 20 other people. Thirteen private houses, four businesses, two residential buildings, and two infrastructure facilities were damaged in the attack.
23:16 Starmer confirms "unwavering" support for Biden on UkraineBritain's new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed Britain's "unlimited" support for Ukraine in its war against Russia during his first phone call with US President Joe Biden. The two leaders reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment" to Ukraine, with Starmer emphasizing that "the UK fully supports Ukraine," according to a statement from Starmer's office just hours after his swearing-in.
21:49 US cancels military drills with GeorgiaThe US is canceling planned joint military drills with Georgia amid tensions with the Georgian government. The US military participation in the scheduled "Noble Partner" exercises, originally set for July 25 to August 6, is "suspended indefinitely," the US Defense Department announced. The background is "baseless accusations" from the Georgian government. The Pentagon refers to statements that the US pressured Georgia to go to war with Russia and was involved in "two coup attempts" against the government.
20:35 Insider: Hungary cancels planned meeting with BaerbockThe planned Monday trip of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to Budapest is not taking place. The Hungarian side suddenly canceled the meeting with Baerbock, according to the Foreign Office.
21:20 Zelensky thanks Germany for third Patriot systemUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks Germany for the delivery of the third Patriot air defense system. "This is great news," Zelensky says in his evening video message. He also thanks the US for further steps to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. He does not provide details but says that the country's partners have fulfilled their commitments. "Ukraine has already shown that it has no Russian rockets that we cannot shoot down," Zelensky says. The country is doing everything to ensure that Russian terror ends.
20:48 NATO expert: "We must bring down Russia"NATO expert Stefanie Babst calls for a more decisive approach by the defense alliance against Russia. "We can only keep up with this adversary by bringing down the Russian regime. And not just drive them out of Ukraine but also reduce their influence in their area of action so that they no longer exert their toxic influence in Europe," Babst said in the t-online Tagesanbruch podcast. For this, more decisive action is needed. "We look at Putin like Lord Voldemort and are afraid that he will pull out his wand. We need to get rid of this notion," Babst appeals. The 60-year-old is a former leading staff member of the International NATO Staff.
20:15 Kreml not optimistic after Labour victory in Britain
The Russian leadership does not expect any changes in the strained relations between Moscow and London following the Labour Party's victory in Britain. The Kreml is "not optimistic" according to its spokesperson Dmitri Peskov in Moscow. "Based on their previous statements, they do not lean towards any flexibility or creativity to normalize the bilateral Russian-British relations."
You can read about previous developments here.
- The Romanian government is considering sending more military aid to Ukraine following the Russian drone attacks near the border, as they believe Ukraine will emerge victorious in the conflict against Russia.
- NATO is reportedly planning to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets to help strengthen its air defense against Russian attacks, with several NATO countries pledging to contribute to the training of Ukrainian pilots on the jets.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has been engaging in political discussions with key leaders such as Keir Starmer, the new British Prime Minister, who has assured his continued support for Ukraine against Russia.
- Cyberwarfare has become a significant aspect of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides utilizing drones and other technology to launch attacks on critical infrastructure.
- The ongoing Ukraine conflict has led to geopolitical tensions and realignments, with countries like Armenia distancing themselves from Russia and aligning closer with the US, resulting in joint military drills between Armenia and the US.
