21:41 Ukraine imports more electricity in June than in the whole of 2023, rationed strictly
Ukraine imported over 858,000 Megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity in June 2024, which is 91% more than the amount imported in May and more than the entire year 2023. According to statistics from July 3rd. The largest electricity imports for Ukraine in June came from Hungary (42%). Slovakia and Romania each provided 17%, Poland 16%, and Moldavia 8%. Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure in the spring, bringing the power grid to the brink of collapse. Since mid-May, electricity has been rationed severely. The largest private energy company in Ukraine, DTEK, produces 90% less electricity.
20:49 "Eastern flank out of balance": Lithuania plans to allow stream ammunitionLithuania, considering Russia's war against Ukraine, intends to withdraw from the international stream ammunition agreement. The government of the Baltic EU and NATO country is approving a corresponding bill from the Defense Ministry. Parliament still needs to approve it. Stream ammunition refers to rockets and bombs that explode in mid-air and scatter numerous small explosive charges. Lithuania's government sees it as a highly effective defensive weapon.
Russia and Belarus could use stream ammunition in case of armed conflict, thus gaining a military advantage. "Even if allies were to use this tool on our territory, they couldn't do so, not even to transport it through Lithuania," says Lithuania's Defense Minister: "This throws the entire eastern flank completely out of balance and must be addressed." Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Poland have not signed the agreement, along with the USA.
20:12 White House: Russian offensive on Kharkiv likely failedThe US government announces another security package for Ukraine, the seventh since the aid was passed in April. It includes rockets, artillery ammunition, additional rocket systems, and other military equipment from US military stocks. More systems will reportedly be ordered with the allocated funds. Additionally, the White House press secretary commented on the situation in Ukraine. According to her, it is "clearer than ever" that the Russian offensive on Kharkiv "has failed."
19:26 Ukraine's 47th Brigade: Russians use massive infantry, "huge cemeteries" of vehiclesThe surroundings of the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region are currently a focal point of the fighting. According to the 47th mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces deployed there, Russian troops are attempting to breach the Ukrainian defense lines: with massive infantry attacks supported by combat drones, explained brigade spokesperson Anastasija Blischtschik. "The fact that we have hardly seen armored vehicles on the battlefield for a month is at least unique, as they have run out of these weapons," Blischtschik said. Reconnaissance drones showed "huge cemeteries" of destroyed armored vehicles. Therefore, the Russian side is trying to dominate the combat situation with strong infantry forces. According to the General Staff in Kiev, the Russian military is attempting to increase its firepower in the Pokrowsk region.
18:49 House Committee approves armament package with 105 Leopard 2A8 Tanks105 Battle tanks, four Patriot and Lenkflugkörper air defense systems, as well as artillery ammunition: The House Committee of the German Parliament brings a more than six billion Euro package for the new equipment of the Bundeswehr on its way. With the Leopard 2A8 tanks, the future Brigade Litauen should be equipped, and at the same time, significant and long-standing gaps in the Bundeswehr should be filled, says Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) after the meeting. "The procurement of ammunition will be significantly accelerated and expanded. This will provide the German industry with a substantial basis for planning for this decade, the Bundeswehr will have full stocks, and Ukraine will receive urgently needed supplies," share the government spokespersons. German production capacities for ammunition will be significantly expanded. The Brigade Litauen is expected to be ready for deployment by 2027.
18:17 Zelenskyy: We want to know from Trump if US support will disappear after the electionUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks Trump for clarity on how he intends to end the war in 24 hours. Zelenskyy is willing to meet with Trump and his team and listen to their proposals. "We want to know if we will have the powerful support of the USA after the elections in November or if we will be left alone," says Zelenskyy in an interview with "Bloomberg TV." Trump has repeatedly claimed that he can end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. He never provided details. "If Trump knows how to end this war, he should tell us that today," says Zelenskyy: "If there are risks for Ukraine's independence and we lose our sovereignty - we want to be prepared, we want to know that."
17:39 ROSATOM Chief complains about Ukrainian attacks on nuclear power plant substationIn a drone attack on a substation near the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar, eight workers at the nearby Saporischschja Nuclear Power Plant were reportedly injured according to Russian reports. The men were engaged in repair work to restore power, says the head of the Russian Atomic Energy Agency, Alexei Likhachev. This not only compromises the safety principle of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), "it is a flagrant violation," complains Likhachev. The substation is part of the infrastructure of the nuclear power plant and supplies the city with electricity. Within an hour, there were reportedly three drone attacks. He demands a reaction from the IAEA regarding the attack. Russia took control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant shortly after the start of its offensive and has held it since then. The nuclear power plant is located on the southern bank of the Dnipro, the northern bank of which is controlled by Ukraine.
17:14 Video: Russian National Guards shoot at conscriptsIn the Russian city of Osinniki, conscripts are seen dancing on the roof of the draft board. The National Guards do not like this and attack the apparently drunken men. Then shots are heard, a woman falls to the ground. It is unclear whether she was hit by a crossfire.
16:39 Russian Army makes Tschassiw Jar quarter "level with the ground"According to Russian reports, the Russian Army is taking control of a district in the strategically important city of Tschassiw Jar in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donezk. The troops have reportedly "liberated" the quarter of Nowi, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. It is not known if the Russian soldiers managed to overcome a canal in the east of the small town that serves as a natural defensive line for the Ukrainian Army.
The military-affiliated news channel "DeepState" reports that the quarter has been "completely leveled." Further resistance would have resulted in heavy losses, it adds. The withdrawal from the quarter is therefore a "logical, if difficult, decision," it further states. Tschassiw Jar is about ten kilometers from Bachmut, which was taken by Russian troops in May 2023 after long battles. A breakthrough could give the Russian Army easier access to important mining towns in the Donbass, such as Kramatorsk, which are still controlled by Ukraine.
16:04 Russian Intelligence: French "Agent" Vinatier confessesAccording to Russian intelligence, the Frenchman Laurent Vinatier, who is being held in Russia, has confessed to gathering information on the Russian military. A Frenchman working for a Swiss non-governmental organization, Vinatier has reportedly admitted to his guilt "in full," the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB reports. Vinatier allegedly made numerous contacts with military experts, scientists, and officials during his visits to Moscow. Through these contacts, the Frenchman reportedly collected "military and military-technical information that could be used against the security of the Russian Federation." Vinatier works for the Swiss non-governmental organization Zentrum für Humanitären Dialog (HD) and was arrested in Moscow on June 6. He is accused of failing to register as a "foreign agent."
15:34 Video: Russians report massive Ukrainian drone attackAccording to Russian reports, Ukraine is attacking Noworossijsk with drones from the air and the water. The Russian Defense Ministry reports the shooting down of twelve objects. Sniper fire and explosions illuminate the night sky over the Black Sea port city on the shores of the Caucasus Mountains.
15:02 Poll: Ukrainians see Germany as conditionally reliable, fear US secret negotiations with MoscowAccording to a survey conducted nearly two and a half years into the war, almost half of the Ukrainians in the survey expressed the fear that the United States could negotiate a peace plan with Russia behind their backs. Forty-seven percent share this concern, forty-nine percent have little or no concern. The view of the Ukrainian allies in the defense war against Russia varies by country. Eighty-four percent see Britain as reliable or somewhat reliable, the highest percentage. Seventy-six percent felt the same way about Germany, but only nineteen percent considered German support to be very reliable.
14:23 Scholz: Germany will not be a war party in the future
During the government questioning in the Bundestag, the topic of Ukraine also came up. When the Left's parliamentarian Gesine Lötzsch asks if Chancellor Olaf Scholz would give people "the guarantee" that Germany would not be a war party, Scholz replied: "Yes, I give this guarantee. I stand for that as Chancellor." Regarding when a ceasefire can be achieved, Lötzsch asked further. "In my opinion, a ceasefire that aims for Ukraine's capitulation is one that we cannot support from Germany," answered Scholz. This is not an abstract question, as one can see from Putin's "strange peace offering." Putin has said he is ready for a ceasefire "if Ukraine also gives further annexations, essentially for free on top." This shows "how cynically they think and that the Russian president does not at all intend to end his aggressive war." Putin speaks only of peace negotiations to continue the war. "We will not tolerate that," Scholz assured.
13:55 International Criminal Court investigates torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians in detention facilities in the previously occupied territories and in Russia, according to the Ukrainian news agency "Ukrinform." The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office is working with the ICC on this matter. Ukrainian photographers Kostiantyn and Vlada Librov show on Instagram photos of Ukrainian soldiers who have fallen into Russian captivity and have since been released. They write that this was "the most difficult shooting of the last six months."
13:19 Russian postal workers to replace doctors in rural areas
Due to a lack of medical personnel in rural areas, postal workers in some regions of Russia are now taking on medical tasks. This is reported by the "Moscow Times" on Telegram. In rural post offices, health stations and midwife stations are being set up. The postal workers are supposed to diagnose and perform various medical interventions. Russian publicist Alexander Nevzorov described this practice as a "return to the Middle Ages" in the "Kyiv Post."
12:58 NATO countries: No agreement on multi-year Ukraine aid
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg failed to persuade NATO countries to make multi-year commitments for military aid to Ukraine. The 32 Allies could only agree in the run-up to the Washington summit on providing support in the amount of at least 40 billion Euros within the next year. This is reported by the German Press Agency and refers to statements from several delegations.
12:24 Ukraine: 5 dead after attack on Dnipro
According to Ukrainian reports, the number of casualties from the Russian attack on Dnipro has risen to at least 5, with at least 39 people injured, including a 14-year-old girl. The attack allegedly occurred with rockets and drones and caused several explosions and fires in the city. Reports indicate that a shopping mall and a weapons factory were hit.
11:31 Ukraine receives additional two billion from the IWFThe financially stricken Ukraine has received an additional tranche of over two billion Euro from the International Monetary Fund (IWF). The money is part of an ongoing credit program worth around 15 billion Euro. The money will be used according to Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal mainly for social aid and salaries of civil servants, including doctors and teachers. Since the Russian attack in February 2022, Ukraine has reportedly received over 80 billion Euro in financial aid from foreign partners in terms of household budget support.
11:01 Military base in Russian Kursk on fireVideos from the Russian city of Kursk show a large smoke cloud over the city. A Ukrainian attack is said to have set several vehicles on fire on a military base in the city. The regional governor has confirmed a fire in the city center.
10:40 Multiple civilians killed in Russian attacks in UkraineRussian troops shot at the village of Borova in the Charkiw region overnight. The Military Administration of Charkiw reports on Telegram that a man was killed and two others were injured in the attack. In a Russian rocket and drone attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, at least three people were reportedly killed and 18 others injured.
10:19 Kremlin: No talks with Trump about UkraineRussia is not in dialogue with former US President Donald Trump about Ukraine according to Kremlin statements. The Interfax news agency reports this, citing a spokesperson for the Russian Presidium. Trump had stated during a recent TV duel with President Joe Biden that if he won the November election, he would resolve the war in Ukraine before his inauguration in January.
09:46 Ukraine lacks hangars to protect fighter jetsAccording to a report in the Ukrainian "Defense Express" newspaper, the Ukrainian army does not have enough hangars to protect all its fighter jets from Russian attacks. The newspaper reports that a military airfield in the Poltava region does not have large enough hangar spaces for Su-27 fighter jets. Russian media have released footage of a recent air raid on the airfield, showing several damaged Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jets outside. The Ukraine lacks hangars to protect all its fighter jets.
09:16 Defense Committee approves purchase of 105 Leopard 2A8 tanksThe Defense Committee of the German Bundestag is expected to approve the purchase of 105 Leopard 2A8 combat tanks today. "We are exhausting all options," writes the new committee chairman Marcus Faber on the platform "X". "We are fully equipping the Brigade Litauen with combat tanks, replacing older Leo2 in the army, and creating room for further budget appropriations to Ukraine," adds the FDP politician. According to the proposal, the order has a volume of approximately three billion Euro. The defense company KNDS is expected to deliver the tanks to the Bundeswehr by 2030.
08:44 Russia: Ukrainian attack on Black Sea port repelled
According to Russian reports, two unmanned Ukrainian explosive boats attacked the Black Sea port of Novorossijsk but were repelled. The drones were destroyed in the Black Sea, according to the Defense Ministry. Novorossijsk is home to a large port of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, where Russia has stationed many of its warships used in the conflict with Ukraine after Ukrainian attacks on Crimean ports. The ministry did not comment on possible damages. The authorities in Novorossijsk urged people to stay in their homes and apartments during the night.
08:21 Most Ukrainians feel unity in society
Forty-four percent of Ukrainians believe that Ukrainian society is currently united, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on July 2. A smaller group of interviewees, 15 percent, consider Ukrainian society to be split. Corruption is identified as the main problem, followed by language issues. Unfairness during the war, collaboration, and Russophilism are also seen as factors contributing to societal division.
07:55 Kremlin: Ten Ukrainian attack drones destroyed
Russia claims to have shot down ten Ukrainian attack drones over Russian territory. Five drones were reportedly shot down over the Belgorod border region, four over the Brjansk border region, and one over the Moscow region, according to the Defense Ministry on Telegram. In addition, two Ukrainian reconnaissance drones were destroyed at the Noworossijsk port in the Krasnodar region.
07:20 Ukrainian General Staff: nearly 1200 Russian losses yesterday
The Ukrainian General Staff reported 1,180 losses on the Russian side in the previous 24 hours. This includes 16 destroyed tanks, 17 armored vehicles, 57 artillery systems, and 63 tank and other vehicles. Two Russian anti-aircraft defense systems were reportedly destroyed by the Ukrainians, along with a missile. The number of dead or wounded Russian soldiers, according to the General Staff, has surpassed 546,000 since the full-scale invasion began.
06:48 Putin arrives at SOZ summit in Kazakhstan
Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kazakhstan, according to Kremlin reports. He is participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the capital Astana. The two-day meeting covers issues of regional security, defense, and cooperation. The heads of state and government of the SCO member states discussed "the current state and prospects for further deepening of multifaceted cooperation," according to Moscow. Putin plans to hold bilateral talks, including with China and Turkey. The summit is attended by representatives from 16 countries - including India, Iran, and Pakistan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to attend.
06:11 Ukraine continues to reject territorial concessions to Putin
According to the words of Andrij Yermak, the chief of staff of the Ukrainian president, Ukraine continues to categorically reject territorial concessions to Russia to end the war. "We are not willing to make compromises on important things and values," said Yermak to journalists and named "independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty." The chief of staff reacted to this during a visit to Washington regarding statements from Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who claimed he could end the conflict quickly. The government in Kiev is, however, open to advice to achieve a "just peace." Trump said during the television debate that he would not accept Putin's conditions. Putin had declared that Russia would end the war if Kiev was ready to hand over the territories claimed and occupied by Moscow in the east and south of the country. In response to a question about how the Ukraine views Trump's handling of the war, Yermak replied: "Honestly speaking: I don't know. We'll see."
05:42 USA to provide new military aid for Ukraine
The Ukrainian military is in urgent need of supplies. The USA will make additional military aid to Ukraine available in the near future in the amount of approximately 2.3 billion US dollars (around 2.14 billion Euro). This was announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit by his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umjerow in Washington. The package approved by US President Joe Biden includes "additional surface-to-air missiles, anti-tank weapons, and other important ammunition from US stocks," explained Austin. A "realignment of some foreign military deliveries" will also make it possible for the USA to provide Patriot- and other air defense systems "on an accelerated schedule."
04:49 NATO expanding presence in Kyiv
The NATO is expanding its civilian presence in the attacked Ukraine. As a spokesperson confirmed, the 32 alliance members have decided to send a type of liaison officers to the capital Kyiv. The high-ranking official is to coordinate political and practical support from the alliance on site. The background is, among other things, that the NATO intends to give the start signal for a new deployment at the upcoming summit in Washington for the coordination of weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces. The headquarters for this should be set up in Wiesbaden. Who will receive the new NATO position in Kyiv is still not known.
03:42 UN call for release of Gershkovich
Experts from the United Nations are calling for the immediate release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is in custody in Russia on espionage charges. "The detention of Evan Gershkovich is arbitrary" and violates several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the experts write in a statement. In light of the circumstances of the case, the "immediate" release of Gershkovich is appropriate.
02:40 Serbian President Vucic receives Russian deputy foreign ministerThe Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received the Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Gruschko in Belgrade. He spoke with Gruschko about the bilateral relations between Serbia and Russia and assessed them as "very good", Vucic stated on Instagram. He also thanked Russia for its support of Serbia's territorial integrity and in relation to the UN Resolution on Srebrenica. Moscow still refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia has been an EU membership candidate since 2012, but maintains good relations with the Kreml despite the Russian annexation of Ukraine.
01:29 Russian court sentences 19-year-old to twelve yearsA Russian court sentenced a 19-year-old man to twelve years in prison for "treason," after he was accused of donating money to the Ukrainian army. "The Rostov Regional Court found him guilty and sentenced him to a twelve-year term in a penal colony," a comment from the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB, taken up by Kremlin-controlled media, states. The teenager is alleged to have sent money to help the Ukrainian army buy food and drones. Thousands of Russians have been arrested and many of them have been imprisoned since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to Amnesty International, at least 21,000 people were targets of repressions against war opponents in 2023.
00:20 One quarter of US citizens find US aid to Ukraine insufficientAlmost a quarter of Americans believe that the United States is not providing enough military aid to Ukraine. This percentage has risen since November last year, according to a Pew Research Center survey. According to the survey, 24 percent of respondents believe that the United States is not providing enough aid to Ukraine, compared to 18 percent in November 2023, when the survey was last conducted. However, more Americans (31 percent) believe that the United States is providing too much aid, and 25 percent believe that the US aid is sufficient.
22:53 Lithuania reports airspace violation by Russian aircraftLithuania reports a violation of its airspace by a Russian aircraft. The unspecified aircraft of the Russian airline Pobeda entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO member without permission in the evening of June 30th and stayed there for approximately one minute, according to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry in Vilnius. The Russian embassy representative was summoned and the Russian authorities were urged to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The airspace violation occurred over the Baltic Sea, as the aircraft was on its way from Moscow to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad bordering Lithuania. The EU has closed its airspace to Russian aircraft as a reaction to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
22:12 Survey in Member States: High Trust in NATO, Low Trust in Zelenskyy
Coming Week, NATO Celebrates Its 75-Year Anniversary. In member states, the transatlantic defense alliance is generally well regarded, according to a Pew Research survey. On average in 13 countries, 63 percent of the population holds a positive view, 33 percent a negative one. Germany is slightly above average with 64 percent positive sentiment. The assessment of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is below average, with an average of 40 percent trust and lower than the previous year in member states. Poland stands out, where the head of state has lost 22 percentage points - from 70 to 48 percent. In Germany, trust has decreased by 7 percentage points to 54 percent.
21:27 Zelenskyy Rejects Orban's Peace Proposal
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a peace proposal from Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for peace talks, according to the Presidential Press Office. During his first visit to Kiev since the war began, Orbán suggested a quick ceasefire that could "accelerate peace negotiations with Moscow," he said. "The president listened to him, but in response, he clarified Ukraine's stance and rejected the proposal," a spokesperson for the Presidential Press Office said. Previously, Kiev had already rejected ceasefires, citing the possibility that Russian forces could reorganize during this time.
21:02 Ukraine: Moscow Recruits Minors
Russia is actively recruiting minors for the war in Ukraine, Ukraine claims. The recruitment contracts are reportedly signed with minors, taking effect upon reaching adulthood. "They hope to recruit tens of thousands of teenagers with propaganda," the National Resistance Center says: "We warn that any enemy on our territory will be eliminated." On occupied Ukrainian territory, Russia also employs minors, for example, to manufacture drones.
You can read about earlier developments here.
- Lithuania, in response to Russia's war against Ukraine, is considering withdrawing from the international stream ammunition agreement, viewing stream ammunition as a highly effective defensive weapon.
- The White House announced another security package for Ukraine, including rockets, artillery ammunition, and military equipment, in response to Russia's alleged failure in the offensive on Kharkiv.
- Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure in the spring, leading to electricity rationing and a significant decrease in electricity production by Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, asked former US President Trump for clarity on his stance towards Ukraine's independence and potential military support, expressing concerns about potential secret negotiations with Moscow.
- In response to the drone attack on a substation near the Saporischschja Nuclear Power Plant, Russia's Atomic Energy Agency chief, Alexei Likhachev, criticized the attack as a violation of international safety principles and a threat to the power plant's safety.
