21:11 Chinese soldiers on maneuvers in Belarus
Chinese soldiers arrive for a joint Anti-Terror exercise in Belarus (formerly White Russia). The maneuver will be held from the 8th to 19th of July, according to the Defense Ministry in Minsk on its Telegram channel. "The joint training helps to exchange experiences, improve cooperation between Belarusian and Chinese units, and lay the foundation for further development of Belarusian-Chinese relations in the field of joint military training." No details about the planned exercises have been released yet.
20:28 Zelenskyy: Russia will never rule the Black Sea againPresident Zelenskyy announced a new maritime strategy in his daily video address, which will be presented to the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine soon. He stated that the war had changed the power balance in the Black Sea, and that the Russian fleet would never rule the area again.
19:41 Drone Alarm - Romania scrambles F16sThe Romanian government scrambled two F16 fighter jets after Russian drones approached Ukrainian territory - near the border. They did not need to intervene, however. No damages have been reported from drone wreckage, according to the Romanian Defense Ministry.
19:13 Hodges sees Ukraine on the winning sideRetired US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges believes that Ukraine will defeat Russia. It is now crucial to consistently provide weapons to the attacked country. He wishes for clearer support from the US government.
18:24 Russian airstrike kills two in villageTwo people, a woman and a man, died in the village of Chreschtscheniwka in the Oblast of Cherson due to a Russian air strike. Russian bombs destroyed a residential house. Emergency services are currently trying to recover the bodies of the two victims.
17:49 Heavy accident: 14 dead in the northwestFourteen people, including a six-year-old child, 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 site. 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, thanks himPresident Zelenskyy congratulated the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by phone and thanked him for continuing to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Zelenskyy shared that he had coordinated positions with Starmer ahead of the upcoming NATO summit.
17:17 Ukraine receives help with landmine clearanceJapan and Cambodia will help Ukraine with landmine clearance. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa made this announcement during a visit to Phnom Penh. Japan will provide Ukraine with a powerful mine-clearing machine in the coming week. In August, Ukrainian specialists will be trained in Cambodia, which is a world leader in mine clearance, in mine clearance and machine operation.
16:36 Biden to receive Zelenskyy next weekUS President Joe Biden could receive his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy at the White House next week. This was announced during a press briefing at the US President's residence. Such a meeting could take place during the NATO Summit coming up next week (9th-11th July) in Washington. Several bilateral meetings with other leaders are being prepared, including one with Zelenskyy.
16:01 Armenia holds military drills with US troopsArmenia, a neighboring country of Turkey and a former Soviet republic, is getting closer to the US. From the 15th to the 25th of July, the country plans to hold joint military exercises with the US. The focus will be on peacekeeping. The relations between Armenia and Moscow have deteriorated recently. The government in Yerevan is disappointed with Russia's behavior during the war with Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. They did not 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 attacked country has already received several short-range anti-aircraft missile systems along 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 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 had also offered to help mediate an end to the war at an international summit in Kazakhstan. Russia had already rejected this.
13:53 Russia reports capture of additional settlement in DonetskRussian troops, according to Russian statements, have taken control of another settlement in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. The troops reportedly "liberated" the approximately 30 km 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 Kiev's statements, the heaviest fighting along the entire front line is currently taking place in the region.
13:40 Le Pen: In case of RN victory, no French long-range weapons to be used against RussiaMarine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing Rassemblement National (RN), announced that in the event of an RN victory, French long-range weapons would not be allowed for use in an attack 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, a possibility that 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 will be no troops in Ukraine," said Le Pen. The only red line, according to her, is to prevent France from becoming a warring party. The French are voting in a second round of elections tomorrow.
12:49 ISW: Putin confirms goal, to destroy Ukraine as a stateDuring a recent visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin again rejected the idea of a negotiated ceasefire. According to the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Putin instead aims for an end to the war that erases Ukraine's sovereignty. Among the conditions for peace talks, Putin demands the surrender of significant Ukrainian territory to Russia and the complete capitulation of the Ukrainian military.
12:30 Ukraine: Half of electricity generation capacity lost due to Russian attacksDue to 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. 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 June report to the "Financial Times". The hostile attacks of the past three months have reduced the country's electricity generation by approximately nine gigawatts - about half of what was needed for the country's electricity supply in the previous winter. There is a risk that Ukraine will not have electricity, and possibly also heat and water, available in the coming winter.
11:58 Ukrainian General Staff: 139 battles yesterdayThe Ukrainian General Staff reported in its daily report 139 battles at the front lines for the past 24 hours. The majority of these took place in the Pokrowsk sector, in the Donetsk oblast in eastern Ukraine. Six rocket attacks and 55 air raids with 72 bombs were recorded, as well as over 3000 attacks with artillery shells. In the northern region, around Kharkiv, the Russian troops also used combat jets.
11:22 Ukraine demands ban of Russian athletes supporting the war at Olympics
The Ukraine demands that Russian athletes be excluded from participating in the Olympic Games in Paris if they are proven to have supported the Russian military. The International Olympic Committee had decided in December that Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete as "neutral athletes" if they fulfilled "strict participation conditions." They are therefore not allowed to participate in teams, present flags, or anything else associated with their home country. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee now reports that some Russian athletes 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, according to Ukrainian reports, dropped 19 glide bombs on the Charkiw region in the last 24 hours. The head of the military administration of the Charkiw region reported this to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. There, three people were reportedly killed and six more injured. In the Oblast Donezk, 11 civilians were reported killed and 43 injured.
10:08 Ukrainian General Staff: 1260 Russian losses since yesterday
The Ukrainian General Staff reports that there were 1260 losses among Russian soldiers for the past 24 hours. According to Ukrainian sources, the total number of killed and wounded soldiers on the Russian side since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 is approximately 550,000. In addition, since yesterday, 11 tanks, 58 drones, 18 armored vehicles, and nine Russian missile systems were reportedly destroyed, as well as 66 artillery systems.
09:29 How it could unfold if Putin attacks the Baltic
Security experts consider a Russian attack on the Baltic in the coming years to be plausible to realistic. The NATO assures its members of support, but the alliance's fallback position leaves other countries room for different reactions. 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 announcements regarding the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. This was announced by a high-ranking US government official during a briefing. The Ukrainian pilots' training 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 themselves 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 Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. "Hungary is taking the lead and speaks with both direct conflict parties on 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 now, at the highest European level, the possibilities of a ceasefire with the goal of peace talks are being prioritized." The "EU and its personnel" are referred 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 sources. The Information Center for National Resistance reports this based on a statement from the center. "The occupiers have used this practice before. Locals are taken to a checkpoint and expelled from their homeland," the resistance center shares. In some cases, people were reportedly forced to obtain passports. During the latest raids in the south, residents were allegedly threatened with expulsion and confiscation of their property.
07:19 SPD expert calls for more money for the military
Members of the government are concerned about the financing of the Bundeswehr following the agreement on the federal budget 2025. The army must procure weapons and ammunition, which it provides to Ukraine, from its own budget. SPD budget expert Andreas Schwarz speaks of a "disappointing amount" in view of the meager increase in the defense budget by 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 stated that Germany would not be "war ready" with this funding.
06:37 Russia: Ukrainian drones attacked Belgorod
At night, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked several areas in the Russian region of Belgorod. This is reported by, among others, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. In Shebekino, debris from a shot-down drone damaged a mobile phone mast. In other places, several fuel tanks were reported to have caught fire. There are no reported injuries.
06:10 Zelensky thanks new British prime minister
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his support of Ukraine. "I am grateful to Keir Starmer for his assurance that the UK's support for Ukraine remains unchanged in principle," Zelensky writes on Telegram. He and Starmer reportedly aligned their positions ahead of the NATO summit in the coming 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 are said to have attacked several areas in the Russian region of Krasnodar in the night. This is reported by, among others, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. In Jeisk, debris from a shot-down drone damaged a mobile phone mast. In other places, several fuel tanks were reported to have caught fire. There are no reported injuries.
02:07 Drone Attacks: Sumy without Water and Power
According to local authorities, Russian drone attacks have disrupted the power and water 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 by Russian attacks in Eastern Ukraine
Eight people were killed and at least 28 were injured in Russian attacks in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, according to Ukrainian reports. "Every city and every village in the Donetsk region is constantly threatened by hostile attacks," Governor Wadym Filaschkin wrote on Telegram. Independent of this, Russian troops had dropped three guided bombs on the further southwestern village of Komar, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring twenty more people. Thirteen private houses, four businesses, two residential buildings, and two infrastructure facilities were damaged in the attack.
23:16 Starmer confirms unlimited UK support for Ukraine to Biden
In his first phone call with US President Joe Biden, new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the UK's "unlimited" support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. The two leaders reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to Ukraine" and Starmer emphasized that "the UK will continue to support Ukraine without limits," according to a statement from Starmer's office a few hours after his swearing-in.
21:49 US cancels military exercises with Georgia
The US is canceling planned joint military exercises with Georgia against the backdrop of tensions with the Georgian government. The US military's participation in the exercises, originally scheduled for July 25 to August 6 under the name "Noble Partner," is "suspended indefinitely," the US Defense Department announced. The background was "false accusations" from the Georgian government. The Pentagon refers to statements that the US had pressured Georgia to declare war on Russia and was involved in "two coup attempts" against the government.
20:35 Insider: Baerbock cancels planned trip to Budapest
The planned trip of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to Budapest on Monday does not take place. The Hungarian side canceled the appointment with Baerbock at short notice, according to the Foreign Office.
21:20 Zelenskyy thanks Germany for third Patriot system
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanks Germany for the delivery of the third Patriot air defense system. "This is great news," Zelenskyy 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 the partners of the country have fulfilled their obligations. "Ukraine has already shown that it has no Russian rockets that we cannot shoot down," Zelenskyy says. The country is doing everything to end the Russian terror.
20:48 NATO Expert: "We must bring down Russia"
NATO expert Stefanie Babst calls for a more confrontational approach from the alliance towards Russia. "We can only deal with this adversary by bringing down the Russian government. Not just pushing them out of Ukraine, but reducing their influence in their area of operation so they can no longer exert their toxic influence in Europe," Babst said in the Tagesanbruch podcast of t-online. "We need to decide on this more resolutely. We look at Putin like Lord Voldemort and are afraid he will pull out his wand. We need to get over this notion," Babst appealed. The 60-year-old is a former leading staff member of the International Staff of NATO.
15:15 Kreml not optimistic about Labour victory in Britain
The Russian leadership expects no changes in the strained relations between Moscow and London following the Labour Party's victory in Britain. The Kreml is "not optimistic" about it, Dmitry Peskov, the Kreml's spokesman, said in Moscow. "Based on their previous statements, they do not seem inclined towards any flexibility or creativity to normalize the bilateral Russian-British relations."
You can read about previous developments here.
- There are concerns that Russia might use cyberwarfare tactics in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, as highlighted by Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian President.
- The NATO alliance has been providing crucial military aid to Ukraine, which has been instrumental in its defense against Russian aggression. This support has included the delivery of advanced weapons systems like F-16 fighter jets.
- The dynamics of the Black Sea region have significantly changed due to the Ukraine conflict, with President Zelenskyy announcing a new maritime strategy for Ukraine to assert its sovereignty over the area, which was traditionally dominated by the Russian fleet.
- In response to the attack on Ukraine, several nations, including Japan and Cambodia, have offered assistance to clear landmines in Ukrainian territories, demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine during its time of need.
- The Russian military has been involved in several attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, leading to the loss of over half of Ukraine's electricity generation capacity in the post-invasion period.
