20:48 Selenskyj: Russia will never rule the Black Sea again
President Zelenskyy announces new naval strategy in daily video address. This is expected to be presented to the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine shortly. The conflict has changed the power balance in the Black Sea, he said. The Russian fleet will never regain control.
19:41 Drone Alert - Romania Scrambles F16s
The Romanian government scrambles two F16 fighter jets after Russian drones approach Ukrainian territory, near the border. They do not need to intervene yet. No damages have been reported from drone wreckage parts, according to the Defense Ministry in Bucharest.
19:13 Hodges sees Ukraine on winning streak
US retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges believes Ukraine will defeat Russia. It is therefore crucial now to consistently provide weapons to the attacked country. He wishes for clearer stance from the US government.
18:24 Russian airstrike kills two in village
Two people, a woman and a man, are killed in the village of Chreschtscheniwka, Oblast Cherson, by a Russian airstrike. Russian bombs destroy a residential house in the village. Emergency services are currently attempting to recover the bodies of the two victims.
17:49 Deadly traffic accident leaves 14 dead in northwest Ukraine
Fourteen people, including a six-year-old child, die in a traffic accident in the northwest of Ukraine. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announces this on his Telegram channel. A fuel tanker collided with a taxi in the Riwne region. Emergency services and police are on site. 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 show.
17:33 Zelenskyy calls Starmer, thanks him
President Zelenskyy thanks the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a phone call - and expresses gratitude. He praised Starmer for his commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia. Zelenskyy shared that he had coordinated positions with Starmer ahead of the NATO summit coming week (9-11 July) in Washington.
17:17 Ukraine to receive help in landmine clearance
Japan and Cambodia plan to help Ukraine in landmine clearance. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa announced this during a visit to Phnom Penh. Japan will provide Ukraine with a powerful mine-clearing machine in the coming week. Ukrainian specialists will be trained in Cambodia, a leading country in this field, in mine clearance and machine operation in August.
16:36 Biden could meet Selenskyj next week in White House
US President Joe Biden could meet his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy next week at the White House. During the NATO summit coming week (9-11 July) in Washington, this could take place, according to a press briefing at the White House. Several bilateral meetings with other leaders are being prepared, including one with Zelenskyy.
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 25, the country will conduct joint military drills with the US. The focus will be on peacekeeping. The relations between Armenia and Moscow have worsened recently. 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, following its invasion of 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 with ammunition from Estonia, according to the Estonian Defense Ministry. It concerns a French-made system, which 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 Mevlut Cavusoglu 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, 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 Erdogan 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 additional settlement in DonetskRussian troops, according to Moscow's claims, have taken control of another settlement in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Troops are said to have "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 declared annexed in September 2022. According to Ukrainian reports, the fiercest fighting is currently taking place along the entire front line.
13:40 Le Pen: No French long-range weapons on targets in RussiaMarine Le Pen, 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 as targets in Russia. Le Pen made this statement in an interview with the US broadcaster CNN. Her party would also not allow French troops to be stationed in Ukraine, which French President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out. "If Emmanuel Macron wants to send troops to Ukraine and the prime minister is against it, then there are no troops in Ukraine," Le Pen said. The only red line, according to her, is to prevent France from becoming a warring party. The French are voting for their parliament tomorrow.
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. According to the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), instead, he aims for an end to the war that wipes out Ukraine's sovereignty. To the conditions for peace talks, Putin reportedly includes the cession of significant Ukrainian territories to Russia and the complete surrender of the Ukrainian military.
12:30 Ukraine: Half of electricity generation capacity lost due to Russian attacks
Through Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, Ukraine has lost more than half of its capacity for electricity generation, which was available before the full-scale Russian invasion began. This is evident from a comparison of the current situation with the pre-war period, which the EU ambassador to the country reported in a Financial Times report 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 will not have electricity, and possibly also no heat and no water, during the coming winter.
11:58 Ukrainian General Staff: 139 battles yesterday
The Ukrainian General Staff reported in its situation report that there were 139 battles at the front lines over the past 24 hours. Most of these took place in the Pokrowsk sector in the Donetsk Oblast in eastern 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 demands ban on Russian athletes who support the war
Ukraine is calling for Russian athletes to be excluded from participating in 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 compete 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 home country. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee now reports that some Russian athletes who have qualified for the Olympics have been supporting 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 reportedly dropped 19 bombs on the Charkiw region according to Ukrainian reports. The head of the military administration in the Charkiw region reported this to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. There, three people were reportedly killed and six others were injured. Eleven civilians were reported dead 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 the Ukrainian source, the total number of killed and wounded soldiers on the Russian side 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 possible to realistic. NATO assures its members of support, but the alliance's response leaves room for various reactions from other states. How could an attack on the Baltic flank of the defense alliance unfold?
09:11 NATO summit brings news about F-16 jets for Ukraine
During the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, Ukraine can expect new statements 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-16 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 deliveries.
08:30 One-third of Russians support atomic attack on Ukraine
According to an opinion poll 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 constantly 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 speaking with both direct conflict parties from the first day of its EU Council Presidency," explains the foreign policy spokesperson 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." He refers to the "EU and its personnel" 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 Center for National Resistance reports this based on a statement from the center. "The occupiers have used this practice before. Residents are taken to a checkpoint and deported from their homeland," the resistance center shares. In some of the latest raids in the south, residents were reportedly threatened with deportation and confiscation of their property.
07:19 SPD expert calls for more money for defense
Members of the German government are expressing concerns over the financing of the Bundeswehr in the context of the agreement on the federal budget 2025. 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 correspond to "what we need in the defense sector," Schwarz told the "Tagesspiegel." The president of the Reservists' Association, Patrick Sensburg, also pointed out that this would make Germany "not war-ready."
06:37 Ukraine: Drones attacked Belgorod, Russia
In drone attacks on the Russian town 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. The governor reported that a total of 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 for Ukraine. "I am grateful to Keir Starmer for his assurance that Britain's support for Ukraine remains unchanged in principle," Zelensky wrote on Telegram. He and Starmer had aligned their positions in preparation for 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 said to have caught fire. There were no reported injuries.
02:07 Sumy without water and power due to drone attacks
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. Independent of this, Russian troops had dropped guided bombs on the further southwestern 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 "Noble Partner" exercises, originally scheduled 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 canceled. The Hungarian side suddenly canceled the appointment 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 Ukrainian air defense. He does not provide details but says that partners of the country 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 alliance against Russia. "We can only keep up with this adversary by bringing down the Russian regime. And not just drive it out of Ukraine but also reduce its influence in its area of influence so that it no longer exerts its 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 have to get rid of this notion," Babst appeals. The 60-year-old is a former leading staff member of the International Staff of NATO.
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" at all, 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.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his daily video address, discusses the new naval strategy, highlighting its importance in the context of the ongoing Cyberwar and Military operations in Ukraine, particularly against Russia's attempts to regain control in the Black Sea.
- The Security and Defense Council of Ukraine is expected to consider President Zelenskyy's new naval strategy, which is aimed at countering Russia's cyberwar and military attacks on Ukraine.
- During a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Zelenskyy expresses gratitude for the UK's consistent support in Ukraine's defense against Russia, emphasizing the importance of this in light of the ongoing conflict and NATO discussions.
- Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine are highlighted in a report from the Ukrainian General Staff, which documents 139 battles at the front lines over the past 24 hours in various regions, including Donetsk Oblast, where Russian bombs destroyed a residential house, killing two people.
- In response to Russia's cyberwar and military attacks on Ukraine, NATO members are providing assistance, such as Estonia's delivery of several Mistral-systems, a French-made short-range anti-aircraft missile system, to strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
