20:11 Stoltenberg: Further US support for Ukraine is "extremely important"
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg Urges US to Continue Support for Ukraine After Presidential Election
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called on the US to maintain its support for Ukraine following the presidential election in November. It is "extremely important," he told the AFP news agency on the sidelines of the European Political Community (EPC) meeting in Britain, that Washington continues its support for Kiev. "The European allies and Canada can certainly do more, but it is extremely important that the United States continue to support Ukraine," Stoltenberg said in the interview. This should be "a joint effort from North America and Europe." The US is "by far" Ukraine's closest ally. "I therefore expect them to continue supporting Ukraine." Stoltenberg also emphasized that it is "in the security interest of the United States to support Ukraine."
19:29 Scholz Wants to Tackle "Shadow Fleet" of Russian Tankers
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced after the EPC meeting that the fight against old Russian tankers used for oil exports would be intensified. "Russia is trying to export oil using rather old tankers that it has acquired through straw men on the world market," he said. "These oil traders are a risk for maritime security and of course also for our seas and the environment." The EU has already reacted with sanctions. "Now we want to bundle our forces in a global coalition to tackle this shadow fleet."
18:58 Ukrainian General Staff Releases Numbers on Russian Troop Losses
The Ukrainian General Staff has released new figures on losses suffered by Russian troops in Ukraine. According to the report from Kiev, Russia has lost approximately 563,640 soldiers since February 24, 2022. In one day alone, the number of losses was 1,130. The report also states that seven tanks, twelve armed combat vehicles, 54 artillery systems, and 50 drones have been destroyed. Since the beginning of the large-scale attack, the Ukrainian General Staff reports that Russia has lost 8,245 tanks, 15,883 artillery systems, and 361 aircraft, 326 helicopters, 12,274 drones, 28 ships, and a submarine. Western estimates put the loss figures lower - although they may only represent minimum values.
18:07 Stoltenberg: NATO Command for Ukraine to be Ready in September
The new NATO command for Ukraine in Wiesbaden is expected to be operational in September. This was announced by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the EPC summit in Oxford. The command in Wiesbaden will coordinate international military aid and training for the Ukrainian armed forces in the future. A total of around 700 men and women are expected to be involved in the mission at various locations.
17:31 United Kingdom: Ukrainians to decide themselves on weapons useThe United Kingdom will let Ukraine decide on the use of western weapons against Russian territory. "It is important that Ukraine makes its own decisions regarding its deployments while it is conducting 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 nearly 50 heads of state and government gathered in Oxfordshire, England. The Russian offensive war against Ukraine dominated the agenda, as it had at previous meetings.
16:56 Ukrainian power grid operator reports "significant power deficit"Following the nighttime failure of two power plants in Ukraine, the power grid operator Ukrenergo is drastically reducing 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 deficit 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 states. No specific details about the allegedly targeted facilities or the cause of the current outages are given. 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 KievEight children have been taken in by Germany following the Russian rocket attack on the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev. This is stated in a joint statement by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Health. The children are between a few months and 15 years old. Most of them are oncology patients. "The rocket attack on the children's clinic in Kiev once again showed the inhumane cruelty with which Putin conducts his war against Ukraine," says Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The children are accompanied by a total of ten close relatives. Since March 2022, more than a thousand severely injured and critically ill people from Ukraine have been brought to Germany for medical treatment. Germany's humanitarian support for Ukraine will continue with full force, Faeser adds.
15:51 Russia considers deploying more atomic missilesRussia is not ruling out the deployment of additional atomic missiles and speaks of a response to the recently announced stationing of US conventional weapons in Germany. The defense of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is a focus, says Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to the Interfax news agency regarding the westernmost part of Russia's territory, which is located between NATO countries Poland and Lithuania. The USA and the German government had announced the previous week that the USA would station long-range US weapons systems such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and currently developing hypersonic weapons in Germany starting in 2026. "I exclude no options," Ryabkov says in response to a question about a Russian reaction.
15:12 Ukraine: Russian munitions depot on the Crimea destroyed
Ukraine claims to have attacked military targets on the Crimea peninsula, which is annexed by Russia, using flying and swimming drones. According to security sources, during this joint operation by the Navy and the Ukrainian Security Service SBU, a command center and a munitions depot at the Donuslav-See in the western Crimea were destroyed or damaged. Russia had previously reported the downing of 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea (see entries 11:34 and 05:07), but made no specific comments about the attack targets.
14:29 Starmer to Zelenskyy: "We will be on your side"
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warns at the European summit about the Russian threat and assures Ukraine permanent support. "You have no doubt: We will be on your side, as long as it is necessary", Starmer told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy once again urged 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 the English 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 village
The Ukrainian armed forces have 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 frontline in a region of Donezk that borders Saporischschja. According to the spokesperson, the Ukrainian armed forces 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 US musician in Russia sentenced to 13 years for "drug trafficking"
A Russian court sentences an American citizen to 13 years in prison on charges of drug trafficking. Michael Travis Leake was found "guilty of drug sales", reports the Press Service of the Moscow Justice at Telegram. He was sentenced to a 13-year prison term in a strict penal colony. The former paratrooper and musician from the USA was taken into custody in June of the previous year. He was accused of "organizing the sale of drugs to young people". According to information from the US television network 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 journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia
The hearing against US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia continues. The second hearing in the case takes place behind closed doors, as a court spokesperson in Yekaterinburg confirms. Journalists have no access to the courtroom. The 32-year-old Gershkovich is accused of espionage. If convicted, the journalist from the "Wall Street Journal" faces up to 20 years in prison in a labor camp. The second hearing, which was moved forward from August 13 to July 18 upon request from 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 has stated that Russia is open for a prisoner exchange with the US.
12:10 Ukraine sends wheat for 100,000 Palestinian families
Despite war and continuous shelling: Ukraine has shipped 1,000 tons of wheat flour to the Palestinian territories, according to "Kyiv Independent". This is the first tranche of three humanitarian aid packages to be sent as part of the "Grain from Ukraine" program. The first package is enough to feed more than 100,000 Palestinian families for a month, the Foreign Ministry says.
11:34 Russia: 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea
Russia shoots down 33 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea, according to its own reports. Russian forces in the Black Sea also destroy ten remotely operated watercraft that were on their way to the annexed peninsula. The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, declares that loud noises in Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula are due to the repulsion of an "attempted attack by an overwater drone". Two more drones were intercepted by Russian defense forces in the Bryansk region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. "There were no casualties or damage," the governor of Belgorod, Alexander Bogomas, reports on Telegram.
11:05 Tens of thousands affected: All kindergartens near the border in Belgorod closed
In the southwestern Russian region of Belgorod, all kindergartens in the immediate vicinity of the Ukrainian border have been temporarily closed, according to official statements. The reason given is the danger from shelling, the responsible official Anna Kutasheva tells Russian media. The measure applies from Wednesday initially for the rest of the week for institutions within a 20-kilometer radius of the border. According to Russian media, the closure affects 50,000 people in the region.
10:32 Joint Maneuver concluded - "Trust between the Chinese and Russian Navy strengthened"China and Russia have concluded a joint naval maneuver. The Chinese Navy reports that all planned projects and exercises of the "Joint Sea 2024" maneuver were completed on Wednesday. This six-day maneuver, during which a "joint response to maritime security threats" was reportedly trained, saw the participation of at least 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 Zhanjiang in the southern province of Guangdong.
10:06 Von der Leyen: "We must give everything Ukraine needs"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demonstrates the EU's resolve against Russia. "Russia is counting on Europe and the West giving in," she says. "And some in Europe are playing along." Von der Leyen criticizes Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban's trip, which she calls a "pacification mission." However, the EU's support for Ukraine is permanent. "We must give everything Ukraine needs to resist and emerge victorious."
09:38 Heavy Russian attacks on Ukrainian front linesThe Ukrainian General Staff reports on heavy Russian attacks along the front lines 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 Nju-Jork was particularly contested. The enemy also used parachute bombs dropped from aircraft. Torezk is located in the Donezk region, as is the second heavily affected frontline area, Pokrowsk. There, the report mentions 26 attacks. Russian troops are gradually advancing in this area following the capture of the city of Awdijiwka in February. The General Staff reports 144 Russian attack attempts since Wednesday morning. According to an unofficial report, Ukrainian troops are expected to abandon the village of Kaliniwka near the city of Tschassiw Jar.
09:00 Kiev reports success in drone defenseThe Ukrainian Air Force claims to have intercepted all 16 drones fired by Russian forces at targets in Ukraine during the night. In addition, two of three Russian rockets were intercepted. The projectiles were destroyed over five regions.
08:17 How much does Russia pay its soldiersThe Russian government is reportedly paying soldiers and their families between 2.75 trillion and 3 trillion Rubles – approximately $31 to $33.9 billion USD – from July 2023 to June 2024 in salaries and compensation. According to the group Re:Russia, which condemns the war in Ukraine, this amount represents 1.4-1.6% of the expected Russian Gross Domestic Product in 2024 and 7.5-8.2% of the budget expenditures.
07:42 Umev: US Election not decisive for Ukraine's success in defense
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umev stated, according to his own claims, that the outcome of the US election is not crucial for his country's success in defending against Russian aggressors. Ukraine will find a way to combat Russian aggressors, even if the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is re-elected in November and US support is put at risk, Umev said. He refers to the diplomatic and military challenges that Ukraine faces following Trump's official nomination as presidential candidate and J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate. "We believe in the leadership role of the US, and we believe that America wants its allies and partners to be strong," Umev added. "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 Western plans for another peace conference on Ukraine. There are points that are unacceptable for his country, Lavrov said. "A course was taken to forcefully push through 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 eliminating everything Russian," Lavrov said. The claim that the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine must be protected is a pretext used by Vladimir Putin as a justification for the war against the neighboring country. Traditionally, many Ukrainians in the east of the country speak Russian - but do not want to belong to Russia.
06:35 Lavrov: "Irrefutable evidence" for US journalist's spying
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, there is "irrefutable evidence" that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is a spy. As reported by the Associated Press, Lavrov also accused US journalists of delaying negotiations between the US and Russia on a possible prisoner exchange by reporting on confidential talks. According to Lavrov, the Gershkovich case has nothing to do with "attacks on journalism." "I would like to assure you that we, like you, support journalism and freedom of speech," Lavrov said. 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 due to espionage charges. A hearing is taking place today.
05:53 Pistorius: We must defend against an attack war
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius understands the concerns of the population regarding the planned stationing of US long-range rockets in Germany. "We must protect ourselves as best we can. I understand the people's fear of escalation," the SPD politician told the "Rheinische Post" and the "General-Anzeiger." The conditions are, however, completely different than they were five or ten years ago. "There is an aggressor on the eastern flank of NATO again." In light of this, Pistorius urges a change in the country and defends his demand to become "war-ready" in the coming years. "I don't even like the word 'war-ready.' But it's the truth that we best protect ourselves when we are able to deter a potential war," he said.
05:03 Drone alarm in Russian Black Sea port
The mayor of the Russian Black Sea port of Noworossijsk, Andrey Krawtchenko, is warning of drones at sea. Via Telegram, he is urging citizens to stay away from the coast. Ukrainian drones have attacked Russian ships near the port in the past and disrupted traffic. Noworossijsk is Russia's largest Black Sea port and an important transshipment hub for oil and oil products. Meanwhile, the governor of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reports that Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian drone in the Black Sea near the city.
03:18 Zelensky remembers Boeing downing ten years ago
Ukrainian President Zelensky remembers the victims of the downing of a passenger plane ten years ago over the Donbass region in his daily video address. "There were 298 people on board, including 80 children," he said. "I have no doubt that the trial and the work of international justice in general will lead to absolutely just sentences for all those responsible," Zelensky added. Such punishment is necessary, just as it is for all other crimes Russia has committed in the war. The Malaysia 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 seeing an increasing number of applicants. "There are also more and more people who are volunteering to serve, precisely because they want to serve their homeland," Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the "Rheinische Post." Compared to the previous year, 15 percent more people had applied for military service by the deadline on July 8. However, Pistorius wants to quickly implement his new conscription model. "But 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," Pistorius said. The legislative proposal is expected to be completed in the fall.
00:56 Report: Fight for bridgehead at Dnipro costs Kiev many casualtiesAt the fight for a now abandoned bridgehead at the Dnipro in the southeast of the country, Ukraine has reportedly suffered heavy losses according to media reports. Over the course of the month-long battle for the small town of Krynki, more than 1000 soldiers on the Ukrainian side are said to have lost their lives. 788 soldiers deployed there are reported missing, according to the Internet portal Slidstwo, citing police circles. 262 soldiers were reportedly found dead. The fighting for the town of Krynki was criticized from the outset due to its futility. The troops stationed there could hardly be supplied with reinforcements across the river. Dead and wounded could rarely be transported away.
23:52 Air Alert: Drones attack KievThere is another air alert in Kiev. Loud explosions can be heard over the city. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram that the air defense systems have been activated. Debris has reportedly fallen in the central district of Darnyzky, but initial reports indicate no damage. Shortly beforehand, the Ukrainian Air Force had warned that drones from the east were heading towards Kiev. Furthermore, drones were reportedly detected 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 platesEstonia and Lithuania announce that they will no longer allow cars with Belarusian registration into their country at their borders with Russia and Belarus. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that the ban was imposed because Belarus "directly contributes to Russia's aggression in Ukraine and supports it." Lithuania had recently announced similar measures. The three countries, along with 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 Russian captivity (see entry at 14:36). Zelenskyy writes on X: "We are bringing our people home. Another 95 defenders have been released from Russian captivity. These include fighters from the Ukrainian armed forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard." After thanking the United Arab Emirates for their role in securing this release, he continues: "We must bring them all back."
21:56 Moscow sentences Ukrainian traitors to harsh prison terms
A Moscow military court sentenced two Russians to lengthy prison terms for attempting to join the ranks of the "Freedom Legion of Russia" recruiter, according to Radio Free Europe (RFE). The Legion is a paramilitary unit where deserters from the Russian armed forces and other Russian and Belarusian volunteers fight on the Ukrainian side against Russia. The 24-year-old Andrei Morozov was 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 he is currently divorcing. The statement notes that the man lived in two countries for some time.
21:00 Lavrov holds US responsible for escalation of violence
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a UN Security Council session, blamed the US 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 - it's clear to everyone - become a direct party to the conflict, just as in Ukraine," Lavrov is quoted as saying by Russian agencies in New York. He further stated that as soon as the US ceased its support, the bloodshed would end in both cases. In fact, Moscow began the offensive war in the east of Ukraine in 2014 and expanded it to the entire country in February 2022. A Russian troop withdrawal from Ukraine would also end the deaths in Ukraine.
You can read about previous developments here.**
- NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg reiterates the importance of US continuation of support for Ukraine amid the ongoing Presidential election, stating that it is in the US's security interest to do so.
- In response to the Russian tanker issue, Chancellor Scholz announces plans to intensify efforts against the "shadow fleet" of old Russian tankers used for oil exports, aiming to bundle forces in a global coalition.
- Despite NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg's anticipation of US continued support, Ukrainian General Staff reports significant losses for Russian troops in Ukraine, with approximately 563,640 soldiers lost since the large-scale attack began in February 2022.
- NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg announces the expected operational launch of a new NATO command for Ukraine in Wiesbaden in September, set to coordinate international military aid and training for Ukrainian armed forces.
- Following the Russian attack on the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kiev, the United Kingdom pledges to let Ukraine decide on the use of western weapons against Russian territory, emphasizing the Ukrainian leadership's right to decide during ongoing conflict.
